Federal standards that mandate improved fuel economy have resulted in the increased use of lightweight materials in automotive applications. However, the environmental burdens associated with a product extend well beyond the use phase. Life cycle assessment is the science of determining the environmental burdens associated with the entire life cycle of a given product from cradle-tograve. This report documents the environmental burdens associated with every phase of the life cycle of two fuel tanks utilized in full-sized 1996 GM vans. These vans are manufactured in two configurations, one which utilizes a steel fuel tank, and the other a multi-layered plastic fuel tank consisting primarily of high density polyethylene (HDPE). This study was a collaborative effort between GM and the University of Michigan's National Pollution Prevention Center, which received funding from EPA's National Risk Management Research Laboratory. Findings from this study include: • Material production phase solid waste production for steel greatly exceeds that for HDPE, however, material production phase energy consumption is much higher for HDPE than steel. • The use phase dominates the consumption of energy, the gas phase emissions of CO, CO2, NOx, and HC, and the generation of liquid phase dissolved solids. In each of these categories, the HDPE system is environmentally advantageous over the steel system. • The manufacturing phase contributes the largest fractions of airborne particulate matter, liquid phase suspended solids, waterborne oil and grease, and waterborne metals. In each of these, except waterborne metals, the HDPE system is environmentally advantageous over the steel system. • The end-of-life phase dominates the generation of solid waste. In this category, the steel system is environmentally advantageous over HDPE. This conclusion assumes there is no recycling of the HDPE system.


The police are invariably severely reduced or even cease to be active in times of conflict. Policing as an activity, however, persists, with local groups taking up the role of maintaining order and combating crime. Such local policing is very diverse in its practices and in the nature of its links with the state. Using examples of local policing practices in four sub-Saharan conflicts, this article considers different patterns of harnessing local capacity to provide policing services. The patterns range from authorities utilising existing local policing providers or initiating new local responses, to local non-government organisations [NGOs] seeking to fill policing gaps left by the state, or long-established local provision continuing unchanged. Each response, whether one of cooperation, delegation, neglect or abandonment, is evaluated for its effectiveness, and lessons to be learned from their practices are offered. Together the four case studies suggest new pathways to achieving police effectiveness and reform in challenging conflict environments.


In present work, is established a correlation with Inflation Dynamics, especially at the reheating era, when the Inflaton field is sufficiently strong, and the energy of the vacuum can be lowered, in order to create by Schwinger effect pairs, of quarks (u, d, t), gluons, bosons (Wi'±), gluons (monopoles), the magnetic monopoles themselves (of spin 1). Also, in the work is calculated the Inflation Dynamics putting in evidence all the epochs (quarks, hadrons, leptons). That ours permitting to observe that the potential nears the end of reheating (at quarks epoch) is very much reduced, thus, at H m s end i€1 i€½ 106 [ ] i'® 0.003 , the potential becomes Vend = 100GeV; at confinement H m s end i€1 i€½ 109 [ ]i'®3.3 , V = 100MeV, and the quarks pairs created by Schwinger effect, get 2.6MeV. Therefore, apparently, is not any trace of an external residual field like of Higgs field. In others words, the Inflation can not explains the Higgs field, only, if we consider that the top (t) and antitop ( t ) quarks pairs also, produced by Schwinger effect, they form a bound state, that is a composite Higgs boson field as in the frame of Topcolor model. This is a model of dynamical electroweak symmetry breaking in which the top quark and anti-top quark form a top quark condensate and act effectively like the Higgs boson. This is analogous to the phenomenon of superconductivity. These theories will ultimately be tested at the LHC in its Run- II commencing in 2015. In our present model, the things are similarly, an equivalence of my model with that of the Standard Model, is given in previously authorÂÂ' works. Thus, in my model the Inflaton potential, by Schwinger effect during the reheating period, generates all kinds of particles: gluons, magnetic monopoles themselves, and fermions (quarks, top quarks). In the model, theses gluon-gluon interactions constrain color fields to string-like objects called "flux tubes", which exert constant force when stretched. The difference with Standard Model, is that it results a probability i€ 1 (or a continuously production rates) for gluons, and a number of 1090 quarks. Finally, at all the gluons are being captured by all 3 i'´ flux_tubes generated by ee quarks (i€ 1090) pairs, together forming nucleons of an incredibly exactly number i€ 1090, which is the known number of particles in Universe. Since, the reheating potential continues to diminish, at approximately V i€ 0.1[GeV]-that corresponding to confinement, the production of gluons (monopoles) quarks stops. But, a near i®.e.i® field it was created inside nucleons, as was found in previously authorÂÂ's works. This field makes possible the beta decay of free neutrons, and later of isotopes. Also, this field creates a Lorenz force between quarks flux tube and gluons (in structures of gauge monopoles type current), that is found to explain the gravity of nucleons (mass). There are found the number and mass of top quarks pairs locked in Higgs field and its decay. Also, is discovered the exact origin of primordial magnetic field (PMF) which can B-imprints CMB, namely, the magnetic flux of magnetic (anti)monopole coupled in strings, and generated by a the same Schwinger effect. Thus, at the end of CMB time, all (1090) of magnetic monopoles pairs produced are already bounded in strings, and the light of B – curl type imprinted is due of theirs magnetic field resulted to be BPMF = BCMB i€ 1.5 i'´ 10–12[T], either as itself, or by Faraday rotation of 0.051rad i'® 2.95i'° that gives l = 68, for a frequency of 41GHz. Therefore, the monopoles pairs suppression by bounding its in strings, that explains the magnetic monopoles absence mentioned in Iflation works. Also, in order to "pass" the plasma period as to be formed by particles, it needs to preserve the magnetic field in some way, like in theses strings, till CMB. That, it is not the case with gravitational field, which it is not affected by this plasma.


The primary treatment of choice in juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibromas has been surgical resection. While this is a relatively rare tumor, it is extremely vascular and locally expansive. Although this is a histologically benign tumor, the local expansion of the lesion often extends into the sphenoid and/or pterygomaxillary fossa. A major complication of the surgical treatment of this entity has been the hemorrhage associated with the removal of this highly vascular lesion. Recently, utilizing super-selective angiography to demonstrate the feeding vessels and catheter introduced emboli prior to surgery, the surgical risk due to hemorrhage has been significantly reduced.


Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a key role in plant defense mechanisms. They exert direct antimicrobial action, catalyze the mechanical strengthening of cell walls, function as secondary messengers in the superoxide synthase signal pathway and in triggering the hypersensitive response. Although recent studies have unraveled a nature and the mechanisms of the oxidative burst, many questions related to its mode of regulation, its modulation of signaling networks that control growth, development and defense responses remain unanswered.


The initiation of new convection at night in the Great Plains contributes to a nocturnal maximum in precipitation and produces localized heavy rainfall and severe weather hazards in the region. Although previous work has evaluated numerical model forecasts and data assimilation (DA) impacts for convection initiation (CI), most previous studies focused only on convection that initiates during the afternoon and not explicitly on nocturnal thunderstorms. In this study, we investigate the impact of assimilating in situ and radar observations for a nocturnal CI event on 25 June 2013 using an ensemble-based DA and forecast system. Results in this study show that a successful CI forecast resulted only when assimilating conventional in situ observations on the inner, convection-allowing domain. Assimilating in situ observations strengthened preexisting convection in southwestern Kansas by enhancing buoyancy and locally strengthening low-level convergence. The enhanced convection produced a cold pool that, together with increased convergence along the northwestern low-level jet (LLJ) terminus near the region of CI, was an important mechanism for lifting parcels to their level of free convection. Gravity waves were also produced atop the cold pool that provided further elevated ascent. Assimilating radar observations further improved the forecast by suppressing spurious convection and reducing the number of ensemble members that produced CI along a spurious outflow boundary. The fact that the successful CI forecasts resulted only when the in situ observations were assimilated suggests that accurately capturing the preconvective environment and specific mesoscale features is especially important for nocturnal CI forecasts.


This paper presents a Mahalanobis distance (MD) based diagnostic approach that employs a probabilistic approach to establish thresholds to classify a product as being healthy or unhealthy. A technique for detecting trends and biasness in system health is presented by constructing a control chart for the MD value. The performance parameters' residuals, which are the differences between the estimated values (from an empirical model) and the observed values (from health monitoring), are used to isolate parameters that exhibit faults. To aid in the qualification of a product against a specific known fault, we suggest that a fault-specific threshold MD value be defined by minimizing an error function. A case study on notebook computers is presented to demonstrate the applicability of this proposed diagnostic approach.


Abstract A simple theory shows that the two-layer transport capacity of a constriction may be increased considerably by barotropic current fluctuations. This is confirmed by laboratory experiments. The effect may be of great importance for the deep-water renewal process in some sill fjords and for the hydrographic conditions in some overmixed estuaries.


Thiophenol is a model compound used in the study of self-assembly of arylthiols on gold surfaces. In particular, changes in the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of these self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with a change of conditions have been ascribed to, for example, differences in orientation with respect to the surface, protonation state, and electrode potential. Here, we show that potential-induced changes in the SERS spectra of SAMs of thiophenol on electrochemically roughened gold surfaces can be due to local pH changes at the electrode. The changes observed during the potential step and cyclic voltammetry experiments are identical to those induced by acid–base switching experiments in a protic solvent. The data indicate that the potential-dependent spectral changes, assigned earlier to changes in molecular orientation with respect to the surface, can be ascribed to changes in the pH locally at the electrode. The pH at the electrode can change as much as several pH units during electrochemical measurements that reach positive potentials where oxidation of adventitious water can occur. Furthermore, once perturbed by applying positive potentials, the pH at the electrode takes considerable time to recover to that of the bulk solution. It is noted that the changes in pH even during cyclic voltammetry in organic solvents can be equivalent to the addition of strong acids, such as CF3SO3H, and such effects should be considered in the study of the redox chemistry of pH-sensitive redox systems and potential-dependent SERS in particular.


Tyvek is widely used as the inner lining material of water Cherenkov detectors. Therefore, information about its optical properties plays an important role in the simulation and reconstruction of particles passing through water Cherenkov detectors. In this paper, a water tank experiment is performed to study the Tyvek reflectivity in water. The so-called UNIFIED model, which is an optical model of surface reflection in Geant4, is adopted to describe the Tyvek reflectivity. Two key optical parameters are obtained from a comparison between the measured data and a Monte Carlo simulation.


The length and precise linkage of polyubiquitin chains is important for their biological activity. Although other ubiquitin-like proteins have the potential to form polymeric chains their identification in vivo is challenging and their functional role is unclear. Vertebrates express three small ubiquitin-like modifiers, SUMO-1, SUMO-2, and SUMO-3. Mature SUMO-2 and SUMO-3 are nearly identical and contain an internal consensus site for sumoylation that is missing in SUMO-1. Combining state-of-the-art mass spectrometry with an "in vitro to in vivo" strategy for post-translational modifications, we provide direct evidence that SUMO-1, SUMO-2, and SUMO-3 form mixed chains in cells via the internal consensus sites for sumoylation in SUMO-2 and SUMO-3. In vitro, the chain length of SUMO polymers could be influenced by changing the relative amounts of SUMO-1 and SUMO-2. The developed methodology is generic and can be adapted for the identification of other sumoylation sites in complex samples.


The French egalitarian law of bequests is a social device for distributing wealth from one generation to the other. The law of bequest is the result of a political debate within the Conseil d'Etat in which political considerations (the new democratic social state) are of considerable importance. However, the law of bequests takes into account the affective (within the family) and the economic dimensions. Grounded on historical material related to the 19th Century, this paper examines what are these political, affective and economical dimensions and how they are inter related in the French context. Code JEL : A13, B12, Z13


This guide provides information on resources available from the Alvin Sherman Library, both in the library and online, related to music, including music history, musical scores, literature on music, music instruction and study.


The government of Uganda drew an e-government strategy aimed at changing the design operation and culture of the public sector to better respond to the needs of Ugandans. Some flagship programmes were included in the strategy as an opportunity for the Uganda Government to consolidate the position of ICTs in the country. These flagship programmes have been ongoing for long and according to survey reports, some of the programmes have only partially succeeded. Others are reported to have totally failed. This paper looks at what these programmes are and through interaction with personnel in the institutions concerned with the programmes and reviews of documented reports, discusses the underlying challenges faced by ICT initiatives in Uganda. Recommendations that can assist planners when designing ICT programmes are presented. These recommendations are aimed at improving the design of ICT programmes to minimize programme risks. In conclusion, we highlight one of the check tools used in ICT project planning that can be used to identify key factors that e-government project planners must address if ICT projects are to succeed.


The Native Vegetation Protection Law of Brazil, which replaced the Forest Code from 1965, is still undergoing regulation at federal and state levels, and the constitutionality of some clauses are still in question. In order to support legal rulings, decisions by public officers, and to inform other stakeholders, we present a balanced assessment of the positive and negative consequences of Native Vegetation Protection Law in light of current scientific knowledge. Key advances were noted in the systems of controls and incentives, which promoted new mechanisms and policies to support the implementation of this law. The main environmental setbacks were (i) the removal of protection of certain environmentally fragile areas, (ii) the concession of amnesty of fines incurred for violating the preceding legislation, (iii) allowing continuous farming or maintenance of infrastructure in areas protected by law, without full recovery of native vegetation. The weakening of Native Vegetation Protection Law may hamper soil and watershed protection, biodiversity conservation, and even agricultural productivity, without manifest benefits for the country. On that account, we recommend that: (i) judiciary rulings and state and county regulations to correct pending issues with the Native Vegetation Protection Law based on scientific knowledge and with wider citizen participation; (ii) the strengthening of agencies for rural technical assistance; (iii) the development of incentives to develop the supply chain for native vegetation recovery; (iv) the regulation of compensation for Legal Reserves based on clear and robust environmental criteria; and (v) the assessment of legal compliance has also to be based on the environmental quality of recovered areas. © 2016 Associação Br


excite enthusiasm. Yet I found'enough in There is no particular theme to the topics this volume to make it rewarding reading. and, in general, those that review a particuIt is based upon a meeting held in Sydney lar area without presenting too much origiin 1979 which was focussed on the social nal work are the most successful. The chapand administrative problems of head ters on "thalamic" pain, the connection injury, rather than the biological effects or between epilepsy and cerebrovascular disthe clinical management of its early conseease, and thalamic aphasia and neglect quences. This bias is reflected in the conwere particularly interesting and contained tent of its four component workshops, many references to the European literature which correspond to four chapters in the which are not often quoted by English or book: incidence, causes and prevention; American authors. This book contains first aid, retrieval, and emergency treatsomething for most neurologists, particument; sequelae and rehabilitation; and larly for those interested in cerebrovascular compensation and legislation. The content disease. I doubt if many individuals would and quality of the individual contributions want to buy it but it certainly should be (33 in all) vary. Some are short abstracts available in libraries. and practically worthless but others are wide-ranging and penetrating reviews. CP WARLOW


Abstract: This article presents a creative and practical process for dealing with the problem of selection bias. Taking an algorithmic approach and capitalizing on the known treatment-associated variance in the X matrix, we propose a data transformation that allows estimating unbiased treatment effects. The approach does not call for modelling the data, based on underlying theories or assumptions about the selection process, but instead calls for using the existing variability within the data and letting the data speak. We illustrate with an application of the method to Italian Job Centres.


This paper shows that Sweden had the highest labor productivity growth in manufacturing compared to other western EU-countries, Japan and the US in 1995-2010. Moreover, Swedish productivity growth was by far highest in the computer, electronic and optical equipment (CEO) industry. The annual labor productivity growth in the CEO-industry was 40 percent compared to 6 percent in manufacturing. This paper finds that labor productivity growth in the CEO-industry differs considerably depending on whether labor productivity is measured in terms of value added or gross output. Thus, these differences primarily depend on whether double deflation or single deflation is used. According to this paper, it is the multiplication effect of the inverted share of value added in gross output that is boosting value added based productivity growth in the CEO-industry. Depending on which deflation method that is applied for the Swedish CEO-industry annual labor productivity growth for total manufacturing varies between 4.5 and 6 percent in 1995-2010. Thus, part of the productivity growth miracle in Swedish manufacturing is a statistical artefact. This also raises the question whether productivity growth at the industry level should be measured in terms of value added or gross output.


While principles of non-discrimination amount to key constitutional principles in trade regulation, most-favoured nation (MFN) and national treatment are virtually absent in financial regulation except for the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). The current GATS financial services framework aims at disciplining regulation and contains few, if any, incentives for the development of sound regulatory standards and institutions. Future amendments should create a framework allowing for the negotiation needed for adopting, incorporating, or referring to appropriate prudential standards and other common regulations for the financial industry within the GATS. Incentives should be created to develop and implement such standards as a matter of binding and enforceable obligations. The principles of MFN and national treatment will play an important role in providing level playing fields. Recourse to graduation allows different levels of economic and social development of World Trade Organization Members to be taken into account in shaping common financial regulations. Oxford University Press 2010, all rights reserved, Oxford University Press.


The longest tokamak discharge, with a duration of 11 406 s (3 h 10 min), has been achieved. The global particle balance has been investigated. In the longest discharge, the global balance between the particle absorption and release of the wall was achieved at t ~ 30 min. After that, the plasma density was maintained by the recycling flux alone until the end of the discharge. The maximum wall inventory is about 3.6 × 1020 H at t ~ 30 min, but it is finally released from the wall at the end of the discharge. The hydrogen release seems to be caused by the temperature increase in the whole toroidal area of the main chamber. Moreover, it has been observed that there is a large difference between the properties of wall recycling in the continuous gas feed case (i.e. static condition) and in the additional gas puff case (i.e. dynamic condition). In the static condition, the effective particle confinement time increases to ~10 s during the 1 min discharge and it increases to ~100 s before the global balance in the longest discharge. In the dynamic condition, the decay time of the electron density just after the gas puff, i.e. the effective particle confinement time, is constant at 0.2–0.3 s during the discharge. The large difference in the effective particle confinement time between the static and dynamic conditions seems to be caused by the reduction in the recycling coefficient due to the enhanced wall pumping resulting from the additional gas puff.


Surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) was used to modify graphene oxide (GO) particles with poly(butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) chains. This procedure facilitated the single-step fabrication of a hybrid material with tailored conductivity for the preparation of a suspension in silicone oil with enhanced sedimentation stability and improved electrorheological (ER) activity. PBMA was characterized using various techniques, such as gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis through on-line investigation of the Fourier transform infrared spectra, together with transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy, were successfully used to confirm GO surface modification. The ER performance was investigated using optical microscopy images and steady shear rheometry, and the mechanism of the internal chain-like structure formation was elucidated. The dielectric properties confirmed enhanced ER performance owing to an increase in relaxation strength to 1.36 and decrease in relaxation time to 5 × 10−3 s. The compatibility between GO and silicone oil was significantly influenced by covalently bonded PBMA polymer brushes on the GO surface, showing enhanced compatibility with silicone oil, which resulted in the considerably improved sedimentation stability. Furthermore, a controlled degree of reduction of the GO surface ensured that the suspension had improved ER properties.


The present work deals with the study of the factors that affect the corrosion resistance and heat transfer resistance of treated condenser tubes by surface filming with ferrous sulfate solution. The reduction of corrosion rate on the filmed surfaces was determined under dynamic conditions using weight loss method. The variation of the corrosion rate at different exposure time and different fluid velocities of the filming solution were studied throughout the laboratory corrosion system. While the effect of surface filming on depression of heat transfer process in term of increasing the heat transfers resistance was studied throughout the laboratory thermal system. The results indicated that the filming solution reduced the corrosion rate of copper alloy to 52.7%, but the heat transfer resistance increased from 12.88 to 18.73*10 -4 m 2 K/W. Moreover, the


The composition of rhesus monkey aqueous humor has been studied in large-volume, pooled samples. Replicate determinations of the concentrations of a number of constituents have been carried out for both aqueous humor and serum from large veins by means of automatic analyzing equipment. Since aqueous humor has been obtained by anterior chamber paracentesis, it is a mixture of anterior and posterior chamber aqueous. When compared to serum, the pooled aqueous contains an excess of chloride, bicarbonate, ascorbate, lactate, uric acid, and several neutral amino acids. Rhesus monkey aqueous humor is deficient in calcium, urea nitrogen, phosphates, glucose, protein, creatinine, iron, bilirubin, cholesterol, triglycerides, a number of serum enzymes, acidic and basic amino acids, and several neutral amino acids. Sodium, potassium, magnesium, and two neutral amino acids (cysteine and valine) are of equal concentration in aqueous humor and serum. Glutathione concentration is very low in both aqueous humor and serum. Pooled rhesus monkey aqueous humor and serum are isosmolar, with measured osmolality being about 303 mOsm. Based upon the chemical analysis, a new solution has been formulated to substitute for primate aqueous humor during anterior ocular perfusion. This new solution causes very little change in the physiologic integrity of the outflow pathways during prolonged, repeated perfusion. In this respect, its effects are very similar to those of pooled rhesus monkey aqueous humor during perfusion of rhesus monkey eyes. In contrast, perfusion of rhesus monkey eyes with glutathione-bicarbonate-Ringer's solution has been shown to cause progressive increase of the total facility. To minimize physiologic alterations during operative procedures, a solution similar to this new one could be formulated for irrigation of the inside of the human eye.


While household panel surveys are longitudinal in nature crosssectional sampling weights are also of interest. The computation of crosssectional weights is challenging because household compositions change over time. Sampling probabilities of household entrants after wave 1 are generally not known and assigning them zero weight is not satisfying. Two common approaches to cross-sectional weighting address this issue: (1) "shared weights" and (2) modeling or estimating unobserved sampling probabilities based on person-level characteristics. We survey how several well-known national household panels address cross-sectional weights for different groups of respondents (including immigrants and births) and in different situations (including household mergers and splits). When a new person moves into a household, both "shared weights" and "modeling" lead to reduced individual weights of pre-existing household members, but differences due to the approach arise elsewhere. The implementation of "shared weights" is problematic when the panel contains households without a household member already present in wave 1. Panels also differ in the treatment of immigrants, household merges, and sometimes on how weights are assigned to children born to wave 1 panel members.


This article deals with the speed control of DC motor using a Fractional Order Proportional Integral (FOPI) controller. In this paper, the Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm (PSO) is implemented to optimally tune the controller gains of the FOPI controller for setpoint tracking and disturbance rejection where the optimization performance index is taken as Integral Time Weighted Absolute Error (ITAE). A comparative study of the online and offline tuning of the controller parameters has been made and the gains are used to investigate the run time performances in the LabVIEW™ environment. National Instruments (NI) based LabVIEW™ environment is used for all studies and MS15 DC motor module is taken as the plant under analysis. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that the parameters of the controller tuned in real time give better performance than those designed offline in speed regulation of the DC motor.


We introduce Zurich Atmosphere Purge (ZAP), an approach to sky subtraction based on principal component analysis (PCA) that we have developed for the Multi Unit Spectrographic Explorer (MUSE) integral field spectrograph. ZAP employs filtering and data segmentation to enhance the inherent capabilities of PCA for sky subtraction. Extensive testing shows that ZAP reduces sky emission residuals while robustly preserving the flux and line shapes of astronomical sources. The method works in a variety of observational situations from sparse fields with a low density of sources to filled fields in which the target source fills the field of view. With the inclusion of both of these situations the method is generally applicable to many different science cases and should also be useful for other instrumentation. ZAP is available for download at this http URL


AbstractRadiofrequency ablation (RFA) is indicated for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the comparative efficacy between RFA and surgical resection (SR) is inconclusive. We aim to develop a prognostic nomogram for predicting recurrence-free survival (RFS) after RFA. We also evaluate the possibility of using nomogram in improving treatment algorithm.We retrospectively enrolled 836 patients with Barcelona Clínic Liver Cancer very-early/early-stage HCC receiving SR or RFA. A visually-orientated nomogram was constructed with Cox proportional hazards model, and number and size of tumor, platelet count, albumin level, and model for end-stage liver disease score were included. The concordance index of the nomogram was 0.69.Radiofrequency ablation patients were stratified into low and high-risk groups by the median of nomogram scores. The RFS and overall survival (OS) of 2 risk groups were compared with SR patients with propensity score matching analysis. SR provided better RFS and OS compared with high-risk (nomogram score ≥9.8) RFA patients in the propensity model. The 5-year RFS rates were 36% versus 11%, whereas the 5-year OS rates were 74% versus 60% for SR and high-risk RFA groups, respectively (both P < 0.05). However, SR was associated with better RFS (5-year RFS rates 41% vs 29%), but similar OS (5-year OS rates 80% vs 81%), compared with low-risk (nomogram score <9.8) RFA patients in the propensity model (P < 0.05 and P > 0.05, respectively).In conclusion, this user-friendly nomogram offers individualized recurrence risk estimation and stratification for early HCC patients receiving curative RFA. The nomogram can be integrated into current treatment algorithm. SR should be considered the first-line treatment for high-risk patients to achieve better long-term survival.


A growing body of evidence links demographic characteristics such as socio-economic status with exposure to stressful circumstances and physical and mental health outcomes (Adler, Boyce, Chesney, Cohen, Folkman, Kahn & Syme, 1994; Aldwin, 2007; Cohen, Doyle & Baum, 2006). This study applies a stress and coping framework to the relationship between stressful life experience and secondary and post-secondary schooling outcomes among students. This research investigates how parental level of education relates to exposure to stressful circumstances (life events, school stressors, and role strain) and whether these relationships influence four educational outcomes: high school math and reading achievement, college matriculation, and college degree attainment. This study is a secondary analysis of the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS:88/2000), using a subsample of 7,989 high school students followed between 1988 and 2000. Results showed that students without college-educated parents are exposed to more stressful circumstances. This difference in exposure did not account for group differences in learning outcomes. Still, overall, exposure to certain stressors affects student high school achievement over the entire sample, and total life event stress exposure in high school relates to students' overall ability to finish a college degree. The unique contribution of this work is that it 1) employs a stress and coping conceptual framework applied to high school achievement and post-secondary opportunity; and 2) constitutes a rigorous study with robust statistical controls. This research informs interventions aimed at improved achievement and opportunity among high school students with high stressor exposure, in which low income and students of color are disproportionately represented (Organista, 2007).


There is substantial evidence that adequate access to healthcare among low-income adults through the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion mitigates risk factors associated with childhood maltreatment, including parental financial insecurity, substance use, and poor mental health. Indeed, studies identified reduced reports of child neglect in states that expanded Medicaid, relative to those that did not. However, it is unknown whether Medicaid expansion is associated with reported child sexual abuse (CSA). We present findings from a study evaluating the association of Medicaid expansion with incidents of CSA reported to child protective services. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we analyzed data from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System to examine the effects of state-level adoption of the Medicaid expansion on CSA reports per 100,000 children across 2008–2018. Results indicated no statistically significant association between Medicaid expansion and CSA incidents. We discuss potential reasons for differential association of macro-level policies on types of child maltreatment.


Purpose: The assessment of the linear trend coefficient plays a key role because it indicates how much the studied phenomenon has changed on average over a unit of time, i.e., five years in this study. On the basis of this coefficient, an analysis of the dynamics of individual parameters determining the degree of air pollution in the examined countries was conducted. Approach/Methodology/Design: For the purpose of the analysis of the dynamics of the effects of sustainable development measures in the area of air quality for selected countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the assessment was made using a linear trend model. The analysis of the dynamics of downward trend of individual indicators was carried out on the basis of the values of parameters b and the graphs of the linear trend models. Findings: The analysis showed that given the level of air pollution by greenhouse gases, it is clear that the worst situation is in the Czech Republic, as shown by the highest chart of the linear trend model with a time series. The smallest air pollution from greenhouse gases is in Hungary. PM 2.5 pollution is highest in Poland and lowest in Slovakia. The same situation occurs in the case of PM 10 dust pollution. Practical Implications: Identify the places where there is the highest level of air pollution in order to propose studies to reduce it. Originality/Value: Originality indicates the use of non-implemented analysis results to precisely identify the most polluting countries and the least polluting ones.


Background: Addressing the opioid epidemic would benefit from primary care clinicians identifying and managing opioid use disorder (OUD) during routine clinical encounters, but current rates are low. Clinical decision support (CDS) systems are a promising way to facilitate such interactions, but will clinicians use them? Methods: We iteratively conducted semi-structured interviews with 8 purposively sampled primary care clinicians participating in a pilot OUD-CDS study to identify attitudes toward discussing OUD and preferences for support in doing so. Five of them had used a pilot version of the CDS for 6 months, while the others were in comparison clinics. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by a multi-disciplinary group of experienced researchers, using an editing organizing style where the analysts independently highlighted relevant text and then discussed to reach a consensus on themes. Results: We identified five themes: 1. Primary care is the right place to address OUD. 2. Both clinician-patient and clinician-clinician relationships affect how and whether clinicians address OUD in a particular patient encounter. 3. The main challenges are limited time and competing priorities for these complex patients. 4. Although a CDS for OUD could be very helpful, it must meet different needs for different clinicians and clinical situations and be simple to use. 5. For optimal benefit, the CDS needs to be complemented by supportive organizational policies and systems as well as local clinician encouragement. Conclusions: With the right design and a supportive organization, these primary care clinicians believe a CDS could help them regularly identify and address OUD among their patients as long as it incorporates their concerns about relationships, competing priorities, patient complexity, and user simplicity.


This report, part of a larger study, investigated the development of the oral-questioning skills among 9 cohorts of teacher-interns (n=95) during their 16-week extended-practicum program. Findings indicated that although the interns did develop their questioning skills, certain adjustments to their practicum program could be made to enhance this development even more. Implications for the broader field of professional development are drawn, and follow-up research questions are raised. From ancient times notable teachers such as Socrates and Jesus have employed oral-questioning to enhance their discourse, to stimulate thinking, and/or to stir emotion among their audiences (Dillon, 1998b; Frazee & Rudnitski, 1995; Matthews, Binkley, Crisp & Gregg, 1997-1998). Educational researchers and practitioners virtually all agree that teachers' effective use of questioning promotes student learning (Gall, 1984; Latham, 1997). Thus, organizers of practicum programs in teacher-education institutions have included oral-questioning as one of several generic instructional skills that their graduates should develop during their pre-service experiences. Despite the widespread practice among teacher-preparation institutions of requiring pre-service teachers to practice these basic instructional skills, and despite a recent trend in teacher-education reform that advocates good teacher-questioning to stimulate student thinking (see, for example, Acheson & Gall, 1997; Caine & Caine, 1997; George, Lawrence, & Bushnell, 1998), there is little recent empirical evidence that investigates the development of these skills among beginning teachers. To help offset this apparent overbalance of the rhetoric side of the "rhetoric/ research scale," the present research report is provided. Indeed, educators are obligated to present empirical results that are open to examination and analysis by any interested observer, in order that their claims, assertions, and admonitions may be either validated or refuted on the basis of research evidence. In the institution where I work as a supervisor of extended-practicum programs, prospective teachers engage in a 4-month internship experience, in which they seek to master a fundamental set of essential, generic teaching skills, including those of oral-questioning (University of Saskatchewan, 1999-2000). Using a supervisory approach called "Contextual Supervision" (CS; Ralph, 1998b) to facilitate this developmental process, the classroom cooperating teachers (CCTs), the college supervisor, and the teacher-interns collaborate for the purpose of assisting the teacher-interns to learn these skills. The purpose of the present study, which comprised one part of a larger research project (see Ralph, 1998a), was to investigate the extent of the development of teacher-interns' oral-questioning skills. As a means of framing this present study, I accepted the invitation presented in its title, "... Any Questions?" in order to pose and to address five key questions in this report: (a) Why use oral-questioning in teaching? (b) What are effective questioning skills and how are they developed? (c) What did this study attempt to find about this process? (d) What did it find? and (e) What implications may be drawn from the study that are applicable to the instructional development process? 1. Why Use Questioning in Teaching? A review of the pertinent educational literature identifies at least seven key benefits of effective oral-questioning that have been repeatedly confirmed by classroom research (Brown & Wragg, 1993; Frazee & Rudnitski, 1995; Dillon, 1988a; Gall, 1984; Good & Brophy, 1997; Wilen, 1986). A synthesis of this research shows that teachers' effective use of oral-questioning: (a) helps monitor the learner's acquisition of knowledge and understanding, (b) increases motivation and participation, (c) promotes higher cognition, (d) assesses learner progress, (e) facilitates classroom management, (f) encourages learners to ask and to answer questions, and (g) promotes dialogue/ interaction/discussion/debate between and among the teacher and the students. …


Background: Recent literature and guidelines support treatment of severe acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) with prednisone 40 mg (or equivalent) for 5 days. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether systemic corticosteroids were being prescribed at the appropriate dose and duration in the treatment of severe AECOPD at a large academic medical institution. Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective, observational study conducted to evaluate corticosteroid prescribing patterns for adults admitted for severe AECOPD from March to May 2019 at a large academic medical institution. Appropriate therapy was defined as: prednisone 40 mg (or equivalent) for 5 days. The primary outcome was to determine the frequency of appropriate dose and duration. The secondary outcomes were to identify the frequency of appropriate dose or duration, compare the prevalence of adverse effects, such as new/worsening hyperglycemia or hypertension, and compare 30- and 90-day readmission rates. Results: Of the 190 patients included, 16 (8.4%) had an appropriate duration and 8 (4.2%) an appropriate dose. Only 4 patients (2.1%) had both appropriate corticosteroid dose and duration. New/worsening hyperglycemia occurred in 96 (50.5%), and hypertension developed in 13 (6.8%). Thirty-day readmission occurred in 46 (24.2%) and 90-day readmission in 78 (41.1%). These were more likely in those without appropriate dose and duration. Conclusion: Systemic corticosteroids for the treatment of severe AECOPD are not prescribed in accordance with evidence-based recommendations at this institution. This might result in a greater incidence of adverse effects and readmissions.


In a literature search no study evaluating implant-supported posterior restorations using zircon crowns with straight and angled abutments was found. In this study, the stress distribution of a zircon-crown restoration that will be prepared by using an angular and straight abutment in a mandibular second-molar deficiency, under functional forces, stress over zircon crown and environmental tissues of implant will be evaluated using the finite-element analysis (FEA) method. The FEA result showed that the use of straight implants contributes to the lowest stresses. The selection of a straight and angular abutment is very important for the balance of distributed loading.


A thesis submitted to Addis Ababa University in Partial
Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Degree In Msc. Program in
Accounting and Finance


The use of spontaneous species of the Caatinga biome can contribute significantly to the nutritional demand of vegetable crops, thereby providing an agroecological and sustainable form of production. The objective of this research was to determine the effects of different biomasses of Calotropis procera (rooster tree) and times of incorporation into the soil of green manure during two growing seasons on the agronomic performance of coriander cv. Verdão produced in Serra Talhada, a semi-arid region of Pernambuco, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks with three replications. The treatments were arranged in a 4 x 4 factorial scheme, with the first factor consisting of biomass amounts of C. procera (5.4, 8.8, 12.2 and 15.6 t ha-1 on a dry basis) and the second by the incorporation times into the soil (0, 10, 20 and 30 days before coriander planting). The evaluated characteristics were plant height, number of stems per plant, yield of green mass and dry mass of shoot. The best productive performance of coriander was observed in amounts of 12.2 (spring) and 8.8 (autumn-winter) t ha-1 C. procera added to the soil, with an ideal incorporation time of 13 (spring) and 23 (autumn-winter) days before sowing of the crop and with larger accumulations of green and dry mass of the shoot being obtained in autumn-winter.


This paper describes two different approaches to exploiting interactivity and MPI support available in the Interactive European Grid project. The first appli- cation is an air pollution simulation using Lagrangian trajectory model to simulate the spread of pollutant particles released into the atmosphere. The performance of the sequential implementation of the application was not satisfactory, therefore a parallelization was planned. The MPI programming model was used because of some previous experience with it and its support in the grid infrastructure to be used. Then the interactivity enabling the user to receive visualizations of simu- lation steps and to exercise control over the application running in the grid was added. The user interface for interacting with the application was implemented as an plug-in into the Migrating Desktop user interface client platform. The other application is an interactive workflow management system, which is a modification of a previously developed system for management of applications composed of web and grid services. It allows users to manage more complex jobs, composed of se- veral program executions, in an interactive and comfortable manner. The system uses the interactive channel of the project to forward commands from a GUI to the on-site workflow manager, and to control the job during execution. This tool is able to visualize the inner workflow of the application. User has complete in-execution control over the job, can see its partial results, and can even alter it while it is running. This allows not only to accommodate the job workflow to the data it produces, extend or shorten it, but also to interactively debug and tune the job.


The failure of e-Government in a number of sector units happened because the implementation of e-Government is not easy. The old paradigm assume that e-Government is simply by installing a computer makes the implementation of e-Government failure. In fact, the success of e-Government is influenced by various factors called Critical Success Factors (CSFs). This study aims to map CSFs that influenced implementation of e-Government into two term of both technology and non-technology factors. The results showed a 67 CSFs of e-Government implementation identified was successfully mapped into seven dimensions ITPOSMO (Information, Technology, Process, Objective, Staffing & Skill, Management and Other Resource).


The Government of India has developed this Regional Solid Waste Management (RSWM) Guidance Note on regional solid waste management to facilitate the creation of appropriate strategies by the states and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). This note is the result of work done over a period of about 18 months, and aims to support decision making towards the implementation of regional arrangements for safe treatment and disposal of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). Its main objective is to propose an enabling policy framework that would provide guidance and direction in planning, development, implementation and management of such Regional MSW Projects in the country. It is expected that Regional MSW Projects will enable Authorities to aggregate the waste quantities generated across their respective jurisdictions in order to take advantage of economies of scale in transportation, processing and disposal of MSW; reduce the financial and technical burden on each individual Authority and help the Authorities discharge their obligation for MSW management in a cost-effective manner with better technologies; result in more efficient use of land and other scarce natural resources within the region; and enable better management and easier monitoring, with an optimal number of MSW management projects.


Context-aware machine translation models are designed to leverage contextual information, but often fail to do so. As a result, they inaccurately disambiguate pronouns and polysemous words that require context for resolution. In this paper, we ask several questions: What contexts do human translators use to resolve ambiguous words? Are models paying large amounts of attention to the same context? What if we explicitly train them to do so? To answer these questions, we introduce SCAT (Supporting Context for Ambiguous Translations), a new English-French dataset comprising supporting context words for 14K translations that professional translators found useful for pronoun disambiguation. Using SCAT, we perform an in-depth analysis of the context used to disambiguate, examining positional and lexical characteristics of the supporting words. Furthermore, we measure the degree of alignment between the model's attention scores and the supporting context from SCAT, and apply a guided attention strategy to encourage agreement between the two.


In Montana lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) are a self-sustaining introduced species in approximately 20 lakes west of the Continental Divide. Less than half those lakes were intentionally stocked and lake trout naturally invaded the others through connected waterways. Lake trout populations are a detriment to native fish recovery in the majority of waters where they occur, including large lakes in Glacier National Park as well as Flathead, Swan, Whitefish, and others. In lakes with threatened native bull trout (S. confluentus), lake trout management runs headlong into the Endangered Species Act. In addition, ongoing lake trout expansion ranks high amongst future threats to bull trout in the Clearwater lakes (Salmon, Seeley, Alva, Inez, etc.), Lindbergh Lake, Holland Lake, Lake Koocanusa, and others. In oligotrophic lakes of the Columbia Basin, introduced lake trout are well adapted and reproduce liberally, preying upon and competing with other native and sport fishes. Lake trout preference for deepwater habitat and in-lake spawning limits their exposure to land-based and avian predators. Lake trout are long-lived, hardy and resistant to starvation. In systems where Mysis relicta are added to the mix, a tipping point has often been exceeded for maintaining a diverse native ecosystem. Historically, lake trout management strategies were often designed to produce both maximum yield and trophy specimens. A recent review of seven western states revealed agencies are increasingly implementing strategies to reduce lake trout populations in attempts to minimize their impacts. However, management action to deter proliferation of lake trout has often been too little, with too few viable options, too costly, and sometimes too late. In addition, marginal support for lake trout suppression from an unhappy and divided angling public is also an issue.


In general, remote sensing has proven to be a powerful tool in the overall understanding of natural and anthropogenic phenomena. Satellites have become useful tools for tasks such as characterization, monitoring, and the continuous prospecting of natural resources. This research aims to analyze spatial dynamic and destructive on coral reefs area and correlation between live coral reduction and population on small islands. Landsat MSS, TM, ETM, and OLI-TIRS are used to spatial analyze of coral reef dynamics from 1972 to 2016. The image processing includes gap-filling, atmospheric correction, geometric correction, image composite (true color), water column correction, unsupervised classification, reclassification, accuracy assessment. The statistical analysis identifies the relationship between dynamic population data with a reduction of live coral, namely Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Multiple Regression Analysis. The effect of the population shows a positive correlation with the reduction in the area of live coral, although it is significant. The fact is the practice of coral destruction on an island; it is usually not only caused or carried out by residents who live on the island but also carried out by other residents of different islands.


The main purpose of this study was to adapt the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ) for use with Spanish students and to examine the psychometric properties of the scores. The adapted version of the scale was applied to a sample of 300 first-year university students. The internal consistency of the full scale and of the subscales was adequate, although the structure of the scale, analyzed by confirmatory factor analysis, did not fit satisfactorily to the four-factor model proposed by Baker and Siryk. The goodness of fit of each of four one-factor models, corresponding to each subscale, was tested separately in order to propose a short form of the scale. The resulting scale, comprising 50 items, shows high internal consistency and the relationships between its dimensions are consistent with those obtained in other studies.


This presentation reports the results of two online surveys: one in 2011 on teachers of qualitative research and the second in 2013 of those teaching computer assisted qualitative data analysis (CAQDAS) in the UK. Results show that qualitative research methods teaching is buoyant and popular and that teaching about the CAQDAS software is common at postgraduate level. However, CAQDAS is taught much more rarely at undergraduate level. This is in direct contrast with the situation for statistics software such as SPSS. Statistical analysis using software is commonly taught at undergraduate level across a very wide range of social science disciplines. The surveys identified the range and diversity of qualitative methods taught in universities but, in the UK at least, the dominance of one program in the use of CAQDAS. The data also reveal the reasons respondents gave for the lack of undergraduate teaching of CAQDAS which included lack of staff skills, insufficient space in the curriculum and ideological objections. The paper will conclude by examining a small number of case studies of the teaching of CAQDAS to identify the practical and pedagogic challenges faced by the teachers involved


The ship rat (Rattus rattus) and Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) are prolific pest species with a near- global distribution. Their spread has had serious public health repercussions as carriers of disease and by causing considerable agricultural losses. They are also invasive to many native ecosystems, degrading ecosystem processes, and preying upon native species, resulting in significant losses to biodiversity.
This study aims to guide more effective rat management strategies through an increased understanding of the spatial ecology of rats in an urban environment. Three separate studies were conducted, all located in Wellington, New Zealand:
1) A radio-telemetry study looked at the home range and spatial behavior of 10 urban ship rats. Results showed comparatively small home ranges (0.01 - 0.45 ha at 100% minimum convex polygons) with maximum linear distances within a home range of 19-74m. There was significant spatial overlap between home ranges– up to 90% (between two adjacent home ranges); co-nesting behavior between both sexes; frequent diurnal activity amongst ship rats (9 of 10 rats); and two longer distance dispersal events (~120m) by ship rats. Implications for rat management include: a need for tighter spacing of devices in urban habitats for control and detection of survivors, potentially every 20-25m if eradication is the goal.
2) A capture mark re-sight study to estimate the minimum density of ship rats in an 0.63 ha urban bush fragment. A total of five rats were live caught in cage traps and uniquely marked before release. An additional eight wild rats were uniquely identified on cameras based on distinctive features of their appearance. A conservative Lincoln-Petersen estimate was used to estimate the number of rats within the bush fragment: this produced an estimate of 14.6 rats with 95% confidence intervals [7.69-55.6], which translates to a density of 23.2 rats/ha [12.2-88.25]. These densities are significantly higher than those found in most mainland studies and more comparable to those in island habitats. This could be because ship rats are subsidizing their diet with human-derived foods, although this was not confirmed here.

3) A detection probability study investigated the sensitivity of three devices (wax tag, chew card and bait station) to ship rat presence and examining age-related differences in detection. The bait station was found to have the highest detection probability (0.5 detections/sighting) followed by the wax tag (0.44 detections/sighting) and chew card (0.37 detections/sighting) although results were based on data retrieved from a low sample size of devices (n=2 of each type). The bait station showed a sharp difference between the adult (0.1 detections/sighting) and adolescent populations (0.89 detections/sighting) detection probability. Furthermore, this difference in detection probability was found, although less pronounced, in both the wax tag and chew card. Implications for rat management include: a recommendation that wax tags be used as the primary means of ship rat monitoring; a need for further behavioral studies looking at detection probabilities across a range of kill and monitoring devices so that the most effective ones can be identified; and the development and testing of devices that are attractive to adult rats that may have become "trap shy".
These three studies together provide useful insights into urban rat ecology with implications for pest management. However, a more comprehensive study with larger sample sizes is recommended to fully substantiate this work.


Distantly related species entering similar biological niches often adapt by evolving similar morphological and physiological characters. The extent to which genomic molecular convergence, and the extent to which coding mutations underlie this convergent phenotypic evolution remain unknown. Using a novel test, we ask which group of functionally coherent genes is most affected by convergent amino acid substitutions between phenotypically convergent lineages. This most affected sets reveals 75 novel coding convergences in important genes that pattern a highly adapted organ: the cochlea, skin and lung in echolocating, aquatic and high-altitude mammals, respectively. Our test explicitly requires the enriched converged term to not be simultaneously enriched for divergent mutations, and correctly dismisses relaxation-based signals, such as those produced by vision genes in subterranean mammals. This novel test can be readily applied to birds, fish, flies, worms etc., to discover more of the fascinating contribution of protein coding convergence to phenotype convergence.


Americans live in a political, social, and historical context that values personal freedom and choice above all else, an emphasis that has been amplified by contemporary psychology. However, this article reviews research that shows that in non-Western cultures and among working-class Westerners, freedom and choice do not have the meaning or importance they do for the university-educated people who have been the subjects of almost all research on this topic. We cannot assume that choice, as understood by educated, affluent Westerners, is a universal aspiration. The meaning and significance of choice are cultural constructions. Moreover, even when choice can foster freedom, empowerment, and independence, it is not an unalloyed good. Too much choice can produce a paralyzing uncertainty, depression, and selfishness. In the United States, the path to well-being may require that we strike a balance between the positive and negative consequences of proliferating choice in every domain of life. (c) 2010 by JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc..


In static random access memory (SRAM), some cells are not selected for writing, but due to the distribution of the word line signals in the SRAM array, their word line signal is activated. Therefore, they may be mistakenly written. Such cells are called half-selected cells. This study presents two schemes, one for single-ended and the other for differential sensing SRAMs, to eliminate the half-selection disturbance. In the first proposed scheme, the content of the desired row of the SRAM array is read before the write operation and is written back on the corresponding write bitlines. This operation results in eliminating the possibility for noise to be written onto the half-selected cells. In the second scheme, a simple read operation is performed before the write operation. The authors applied their half-selection resilient schemes to 8 and 6 T SRAMs. Simulation results show that in the presence of radioactive particles, by applying their write-back scheme to 8 T SRAM and their read-before-write scheme to the conventional 6 T SRAM, the failure rate is reduced from an average of 56 and 20%, respectively, to 0. The proposed schemes do not degrade write-ability of the SRAM cells, and are bit-addressable. Moreover, their proposed schemes consume smaller amounts of power compared with their rivals.


A pentafluorophenyl (–C6F5) substituted 3-pyridyl urea, L(1), is explored extensively to demonstrate SO4(2-) binding exclusively via second sphere coordination in the cavity of a 1D polymeric self-assembly of L(1), selectively assisted by Cu2+. A single crystal X-ray diffraction study depicts SO4(2-) encapsulation in the C2 symmetric cleft via nine hydrogen bonding interactions contributed by eight urea protons of four L(1) moieties in [CuL(1)4(DMF)2]SO4 (1). To revalidate the importance of Cu2+ selective anion coordination via exclusive second sphere coordination, a complex of L(1) and Cu(NO3)2, i.e. [CuL(1)4(H2O)2](NO3)2 (2), is also isolated and characterized by a single crystal X-ray diffraction study. When SO4(2-) salts of different metal ions such as Co2+/Ni2+ are employed, the first sphere coordination of SO4(2-) is observed in cases of complexes [CoL(1)3(DMF)2SO4] (3) and [NiL(1)3(DMF)2SO4] (4) respectively. These results clearly suggest the importance of Cu2+ towards anion recognition via purely second sphere coordination in the case of complexes 1 and 2. To understand the importance of (–C6F5) substitution in the design of L(1) towards such recognition of SO4(2-) in 1, the phenyl (–C6H5) analogue of L(1), i.e.L(2), is allowed to complex with the SO4(2-) salt of Cu2+. Interestingly, L(2) shows first sphere SO4(2-) coordination in the complex [CuL(2)2(DMF)(H2O)2SO4] (5). Solution state UV-Vis experiments of L(1) with various copper salts such as Cu(ClO4)2, CuSO4, Cu(NO3)2, CuCl2 and CuBr2 in DMF show the formation of a binary complex corresponding to 1. Further, Cu(2+) selective second sphere coordination of SO4(2-) in solution is also demonstrated by UV-Vis studies of complexes isolated from the mixtures of various Cu(2+) salts and/or SO4(2-) salts of different metal ions.


Background In Bangladesh, smokeless tobacco (SLT) is available in a variety of pack shapes and sizes. Lack of standard packaging could limit compliance with pictorial health warning label (HWL) requirements. We explored Bangladeshi SLT users' and non-users' perceptions of a proposed standard pack shape for gul (tobacco powder) and zordha (chewing tobacco), including the role that HWL placement plays on harm perceptions. Methods We conducted 28 focus groups across three regions of Bangladesh: Dhaka, Sylhet and Khulna. Groups were stratified equally by urban/rural residence, gender and SLT use. Trained facilitators used a standardised guide to discuss perceived attractiveness, noticeability of HWLs and perceived harm of current versus standard packs. Results Most groups found bright colours, 'brand owner' portrait imagery, and strong, sturdy pack material of current packs attractive. Many of the same features increased perceived attractiveness of the standard packs. Pictorial HWLs on the standard packs appeared larger and increased the visibility and noticeability of HWLs compared with current packs. Lack of HWLs or limited visibility of HWL due to discolouration contributed to lower levels of perceived harm of the current packs. In contrast, HWL prominence and placement on both sides of the standard pack increased perceived harm of standard packs. Conclusion The findings suggest a standard shape and size for SLT sold in Bangladesh, coupled with proper implementation of HWLs per the law, could improve HWL noticeability and increase harm perceptions. Additional plain packaging policies that also standardise pack colour may be required to reduce attractive colours and branding.


This report describes the physical properties of the structural steel recovered from the World Trade Center (WTC) towers. Analytical techniques were used to determine and evaluate the chemistry, microstructure, and thermal properties of the steels. While not a physical property, hardness of the steels was also measured and discussed in relation to strengthening mechanisms of the material. The primary focus was on structural components with known as-built locations from WTC 1 and WTC 2. Evaluation of samples without known as-built locations was conducted in order to fully characterize all of the structural elements. The physical property information was found useful in helping to identify specific grades and producers of steel used for the various components. In addition, the thermal properties were developed for the use in the models of the building response to fire. Although no recovered structural elements were from WTC 7, physical property data of steels from this building were estimated based upon values found in the literature. In addition to the structural steel, chemistry information was measured for a piece of the aluminum façade used on the WTC towers and the sprayed fire-resistive material applied to the structural elements of WTC 1 and WTC 2.


The construction industry is one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and portland cement production is responsible for approximately 8 % of anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Microbially induced calcium precipitation (MICP) has the potential to partially replace cement or modify the properties of materials that would otherwise not find use in construction, for example, in concrete recycling. MICP might be an environmentally friendly method to improve the properties of recycled aggregates and form conglomerates from the finest fractions. In this paper, factors influencing MICP's ability to solidify recycled concrete fines are thoroughly investigated. Calcium carbonate precipitate crystals produced by the bacterium Sporosarcina pasteurii were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy.


In order to resolve the problems of edge detection algorithm of images based on fuzzy seasoning or cellular automata, a new improved edge detection algorithm of images based on cloud model cellular automata is presented. This method uses direction information and edge order information as edge characteristic information, uses cloud model to inference these information, then gives accurate feedback information got from inference results to direction information measure and direction edge order measure, and detects edge by automatic evolution of cellular automata. Finally, experiments are put forward, this algorithm has powerful ability in exiguous edge detection, and it is a promising and applied image processing algorithm.


Background In the literature the authors find many types of reconciliation studies, only at admission, only at discharge or at discharge and later in primary care. The data on discrepancies can vary depending on the professionals performing the reconciliation. Purpose Our objective was to create a team made up of hospital pharmacists, liaison sisters and primary care physicians to identify and classify the discrepancies at hospital admission, during and after discharge in patients with the same primary health area. Materials and methods The authors performed a prospective observational study in polymedicated patients admitted to hospital. Patients were interviewed by the pharmacist at admission and discrepancies with treatment found at admission and after discharge were recorded. The discrepancies that required clarification (not justified) were classified depending on whether the drug had been withdrawn, added or modified with no apparent clinical justification regarding the patient's usual treatment. All discrepancies were reviewed later by the primary care physicians. Results 55 patients were recruited, 48 patients had their medicines recorded at discharge but only 29 could be reviewed in primary care due to death or loss to follow-up. The patients took an average of 8 drugs, 669 drugs were recorded on admission and 480 at discharge. 31.84% (213) and 43.96% (211 drugs) of medicines required clarification at the time of admission and discharge respectively. The largest number of drugs in which discrepancies were found at admission was in the benzodiazepines group (17.58%) while it was proton pump inhibitors at discharge (16.09%). Primary care disagreed with 4 (1.07%) of the discrepancies classified by hospital pharmacists at admission and 2 (0.75%) of discrepancies classified at discharge. Conclusions It is necessary to implement measures in hospitals to reduce the number of unjustified discrepancies. These checks can be carried out by hospital pharmacists; reconciliation should be coordinated with primary care for follow-up of patients.


Sulfonated cation exchange resins (s-CERs) have been widely studied as a replacement of liquid acids for the catalysis of esterification of free fatty acids (FFAs) to produce biodiesel with water as the only by-product. However, the water produced has strong affinity to sulfonate groups in s-CERs, which block the reactive sites for esterification and thus reduce the activity of a catalyst. To overcome this technical barrier, we have designed an s-CER/PVA composite by incorporating s-CER fines within a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrix. PVA has a much stronger absorption preference for water than s-CERs and has very low selectivity for reactants (FFAs and methanol), which enables continuous removal of the produced water and liberation of reactive sulfonate sites in s-CERs for catalysis. With s-CER/PVA, FFA conversion was increased from 80.1% to 97.5% after an 8-hour reaction and the turnover frequency (TOF) was increased more than 3.3 times. The TOF of s-CER/PVA was also 2.6 times higher than that of sulfuric acid, suggesting that water-less, heterogeneous sulfonate sites are more reactive than water-blocked homogeneous ones. The reusability of s-CER/PVA was also enhanced due to the fact that the produced water that could cause deactivation of the s-CERs was largely removed by PVA.


Introduction: In pharmacology lectures, one of the major challenges faced by students is how students can remember an increasing list of a large number of drug names. Although university teachers use the international non-proprietary names (INNs) of drugs in their teaching practice, this is not enough to help students be competent in this area.

Programme description: The School of Health Sciences Blanquerna, University Ramon Llull, was invited to join the World Health Organization (WHO) School of INN (SoINN) project as an expert consultant to represent the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Academic Institutional Membership (AIM). A pilot programme in utilising the INN in the pharmacology lecture in an undergraduate pharmacy programme was conducted.

Evaluation: To assess how the students perceived this new topic, a short survey was conducted at the end of the term. Of the 32 students, 50% of them completed the survey. Most of them provided high value on the use of stems in their learning.

Future plan: The current course was extended to other degrees of the pharmacy programme.


This study takes up the task of low-resource morphological segmentation for Seneca, a critically endangered and morphologically complex Native American language primarily spoken in what is now New York State and Ontario. The labeled data in our experiments comes from two sources: one digitized from a publicly available grammar book and the other collected from informal sources. We treat these two sources as distinct domains and investigate different evaluation designs for model selection. The first design abides by standard practices and evaluate models with the in-domain development set, while the second one carries out evaluation using a development domain, or the out-of-domain development set. Across a series of monolingual and crosslinguistic training settings, our results demonstrate the utility of neural encoder-decoder architecture when coupled with multi-task learning.


To ascertain whether and to what extent the reduced ventilatory response to a hypercapnic stimulus in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients depends on a blunted chemoresponsiveness of central origin or to mechanical impairment, we studied two groups of COPD patients without (group A) and with (group B) chronic hypercapnia, but with similar degrees of airway obstruction and hyperinflation. The study was performed on 17 patients (9 normocapnic and 8 hypercapnic). Six age-matched normal subjects (group C) were also studied as a control. During a CO2 rebreathing test, ventilation (VE), mouth occlusion pressure (P0.1), and the electromyographic activity of diaphragm (Edi) were recorded and then plotted against end-tidal carbon dioxide tension (PCO2). Inspiratory muscle strength was significantly lower in the hypercapnic group (group B) compared to normocapnic group (A), and in these groups compared to the control group (C). Both patient groups exhibited significantly lower delta VE/delta PCO2 than the control group. In hypercapnics, delta P0.1/delta PCO2 was significantly lower than in normocapnics and control group, whilst mouth occlusion pressure as % of maximal inspiratory pressure delta P0.1 (% MIP)/delta PCO2 did not differ significantly among the three groups. delta Edi/delta PCO2 increased from C to A. At a PCO2 of 8.65 kPa, VE was similar in the normocapnic and control group, but lower in hypercapnics; Edi was similar in hypercapnic and control group; but greater in normocapnics. P0.1(% MIP) did not differ significantly among groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Enhancement of electrical conductivity in fundamentally insulating AB O 3 perovskite oxide ferroelectrics is crucial for innovative applications in resistive switching, photovoltaics, and catalysis. One of the methods to raise conductivity in bulk crystals or ceramics relies on the possibility to remove and/or substitute oxygen atoms. Here, we explored this approach for thin films of the representative perovskite oxide SrTiO 3 . Small-signal AC conductivity was investigated in epitaxial and polycrystalline films, where oxygen vacancies (V O ), nitrogen (N), or hydrogen (H) were introduced in-situ during film growth. Hopping mechanism of conductivity was evidenced by the observed strong growth of AC conductivity with temperature, frequency, and AC voltage in all films. Small polarons were identified as charge carriers. Oxygen vacancies/substitutions were suggested to facilitate hopping probability by generating sites for carrier localization. Important ferroelectric devices were proposed to benefit from the revealed hopping conductivity owing to its unique increase with electric field.


In the Mediterranean basin, cork oak ( Quercus suber L.) woodlands are characteristic and widespread forestry ecosystems. Though presenting significant economic potential as a renewable resource, they are not adequately valorised, in spite of a growing market demand for cork and cork-based products, which are appreciated, today, for their use in sustainable building. In this respect, cork meets the needs of the building industry in responding to the growing demand for quality products, which are eco- and energy-friendly and hygienically safe. Moreover, European cultural and biodiversity value has been attributed to cork oak woodlands and their most significant examples have been included in the Natura 2000 framework. So far, in some countries like Italy, the territorial distribution and characterisation of cork oak woodlands have not been adequately investigated. This study provides a method for mapping the actual presence of cork oak woodlands and for assessing their potential distribution. Special attention was given to the characterisation of cork oak spectral signature . To this end, Landsat 8 satellite images, digital photointerpretation and in situ surveys were implemented. The work carried out allows assessing the effectiveness of GIS and remote sensing techniques coupled with ancillary data and tools, and their applicability for the development of a comprehensive mapping and monitoring system of cork oak woodlands in Mediterranean ecosystems. Such techniques are vital to develop a detailed management strategy and to assist restoration activities and the economic assessment of semi-natural habitats. A case study, carried out in two different locations in Calabria (Italy), is provided.


High energy pipe break hypothesis and engineering practice shall be taken into account and performed during nuclear power plant design due to defense-in-depth concept unless leak-before-break or break preclusion concept is applied. High energy pipe breaks potentially occur in the high stress area and break locations can be recognized by specific regulations based on mechanical analysis of piping systems. Engineering measures shall be applied to mitigate the consequences caused by high energy pipe breaks later.From engineering point of view High Energy Line Break analysis requires an essential knowledge in the different fields, such as: structural and dynamic mechanics, hydrodynamics, plant arrangements and so on.Aims of this paper consist of two aspects: definition of break locations associated with engineering practice of piping stress analysis and a conservative model of anti-whip analysis based on some assumptions. Comparison results are given after analytical investigation of the piping whip analysis with different numerical modeling and tools at the same time. An example of such comparison between transient model and energy balance methods is performed based on some basic assumptions in relation to specific piping layout.The simplified calculation model appears well for a conservative estimation of pipe whip characteristics, both for maximum displacements of piping and maximum loads impacted on anti-whip restraints.Copyright © 2013 by ASME


The motion and deformation of a droplet immersed in an immiscible fluid and flowing through a circular tube of comparable diameter is investigated. A parametric study is performed experimentally, varying the drop volume and capillary number. When increasing the parameters, the drop evolves from a circular shape to a more elongated one. A first transition occurs as the rear curvature of the drop inverses. When increasing further the parameters, the rear inwards curvature evolves into a cavity, an annular liquid sheet being formed at the back of the drop. A second transition takes place at a critical set of parameters, above which the drop no longer reaches a steady-state configuration. The annular sheet lengthens over time until break-up occurs. A numerical simulation has been conducted using the volume-of-fluid method. A comparison of the numerical results with the experimental observations will be given.


A 2nd order bandpass filter topology is presented. It employs two single mode ring resonators that coupled via a quarter-wavelength coupled-line to exhibit a pseudo-elliptic bandpass response. The advantage of the topology is that, having only one coupled-line in the structure has reduced the complexity of the circuit to obtain a narrowband response of less than 9% with high rejection level. Prototypes filters were realized to validate the concept using microstrip technology. It was proven that the measurement results had shown good agreement with those from the simulation.


Abstract Mixed methods were used with various data sources to describe organisation and delivery of maternity care in Maputo city, Mozambique in early 2010s and to compare the plans with the service provision in practice. In the public health sector, maternity care was organised to be area based and hierarchical with a planned referral system. The provision of basic and emergency maternity care was publicly funded, largely dependent of donor funds, and free of charge for users. Even though Maputo City was better resourced than the rest of the country, there was a large lack of health professionals. Women's choices and self-referrals, even to higher levels of care, were common, which broke the plans of areas responsibility, gate keeping and care by medical needs. Private services for maternity care had emerged for those who were able to pay, leading to dual practices of health professionals and shortage of care providers in the public system at odd hours. Information of maternity care was aggregate and poorly stored. The gap between "planned" services delivery and "practice" in a real-life requires overall health system strengthening to improve efficiency and effectiveness of health services delivery.


Written in an extremely lucid, informative style with vivid graphics and illustrations, "The Essential Guide to Your 401(k) objectively guides you through all the complexities and opportunities of 401(k) plans. Nearly 35 million people have 401(k), 403(b) or other defined contribution plans, which have replaced more traditional pensions and Social Security as a primary source of retirement income. Yet few who have these plans, whose value can total hundreds of thousands, or even millions of dollars, truly understand the intricacies of these plans, the many benefits to exploit, and the many pitfalls to avoid. Despite the reams of information available to people with these plans, many don't know which investments to make, how to determine if their investments are performing well, or the best choices to make when they change jobs, borrow against the plan, or retire and begin withdrawing from their account. Making the wrong choice can mean huge tax consequences, or even penalties.


Mutations in the unc-52 gene of Caenorhabditis elegans affect attachment of the myofilament lattice to the muscle cell membrane. Here, we demonstrate that the unc-52 gene encodes a nematode homolog of perlecan, the mammalian basement membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan. The longest potential open reading frame of this gene encodes a 2482-amino-acid protein with a signal peptide and four domains. The first domain is unique to the unc-52 polypeptide, whereas the three remaining domains contain sequences found in the LDL receptor (domain II) laminin (domain III) and N-CAM (domain IV). We have identified three alternatively spliced transcripts that encode different carboxy-terminal sequences. The two larger transcripts encode proteins containing all or part of domain IV, whereas the smaller transcript encodes a shortened polypeptide that completely lacks domain IV. We have determined that the disorganized muscle phenotype observed in unc-52(st196) animals is caused by the insertion of a Tc1 transposon into domain IV. Two monoclonal antibodies that recognize an extracellular component of all contractile tissues in C. elegans fail to stain embryos homozygous for a lethal unc-52 allele. We have mapped the epitopes recognized by both monoclonal antibodies to a region of domain IV in the unc-52-encoded protein sequence.


Research on the division of the overlying rock roof of stope has great significance. The existing classification method is based on the determination of existing mining height and loose coefficient , and such studies have been proved exist some limitations in the applications of thick coal seam full coal mining. Theoretical analysis and similarity simulation experiments show that during the mining all height at one times in thick coal seam, as the recovery room increase ,the thickness of immediate roof of the overlying strata which fall with the mining increased signifi-cantly, and the structure of the overlying critical layer to stabilize that is the layer of hypogyny basic roof gradually increased. Through theoretical analysis and summarizing similar simulation experiment phenomenon, based on the definition and characteristics of the immediate roof and main roof, with elastic thin mechanics and the key strata theory as the research foundation, doing scientific classification of mining face's roof in all height at one times in thick coal seam, and combined impact of all factors, which influence the breakage and caving of Basic Roof, to estab-lish a scientific judgment in the length of work face and the pressure of basic roof for practical production relations, provide certain theoretical basis.


Since two-dimensional (2D) graphene was fabricated successfully, many kinds of graphene-like 2D materials have attracted extensive attention. Among them, the studies of 2D metal chalcogenides have become the focus of intense research due to their unique physical properties and promising applications. Here, we review significant recent advances in optoelectronic properties and applications of 2D metal chalcogenides. This review highlights the recent progress of synthesis, characterization and isolation of single and few layer metal chalcogenides nanosheets. Moreover, we also focus on the recent important progress of electronic, optical properties and optoelectronic devices of 2D metal chalcogenides. Additionally, the theoretical model and understanding on the band structures, optical properties and related physical mechanism are also reviewed. Finally, we give some personal perspectives on potential research problems in the optoelectronic characteristics of 2D metal chalcogenides and related device applications.


Many web cache systems and policies have been proposed. These studies, however, consider large sized objects less useful than small sized objects for the performance and evict them as soon as possible. Even if this approach increases the hit rate, the byte hit rate decreases and more bandwidth is used to obtain large sized objects. This paper suggests the web cache system which uses the client-cluster which is composed of the residual resources of clients as an exclusive storage for large sized objects. To manage the client-cluster, we use DHT based peer-to-peer lookup protocol which makes the system selforganizing, fault-tolerant, well-balanced and scalable. We manage the large sized object by the index based allocation method and balance the loads of all clients well. Consequently, this proposed system achieves not only the high hit rate but also the high byte hit rate, and reduces the outgoing traffics. We examine the performance of the cache system via a trace driven simulation and demonstrate effective enhancement of the proxy cache performance.


India's urban transformation has brought dynamics to various parts of urban development. Within the process of transformation, the urban-rural interface is one of the most dynamic spatial features of any urban agglomeration (Datta, 2005). The interesting fact we could observe from those urbanizing settlements in Delhi, is the phenomenon that every urban village reflects different phase of urbanization process, or different stage of transition. Semiurbanized villages along with the urban-rural interface are the base of focus for this research. From one side, these semi-urbanized villages are labeled as 'urbanized' on city planning file; from the other side, they are always 'marginal' in policy making, planning implementation and development management.Meanwhile since India subcontinent is exposed to various hazards and Delhi is one of the most populous megacities in the nation and in the world, the city is more vulnerable facing urban disaster risks. So as the 'marginal' in 'vulnerable', how justified are the contemporary situations in the semi-urbanized village of Delhi, Tughlakabad Village to be 'vulnerable'? The research is based on case study and analysis in Tughlakabad Village of Delhi India, mainly focuses on integrated development issues towards disaster resilience and sustainability, in order to discover the challenges and capacity vulnerability under the situations in such a semi-urbanized village.The theoretical analysis framework of case study is developed based on BBC model incorporating exposure and coping capacity in to vulnerability (Birkmann, 2005; Villagran de Leon, 2006); aiming at finding out capacity vulnerability from four spheres which include physical, socio-cultural, economic and institutional aspects. Case study is carried out from two levels both including the specific local context and the enabling environment. Lack of coping capacity including local knowledge and locality of worker sill, access to infrastructure and life line structure etc. is unfolded through field exploration and analysis of empirical evidence. However, the implications from the findings emerge the importance of the conception of 'integrated', which emphasized integration between those spheres instead of exclusively addressing research into the spheres.


This book examines the theme of memory in a range of plays by contemporary American and European playwrights, including Samuel Beckett, Heiner Muller, Sam Shepard, Adrienne Kennedy, Suzan-Lori Parks, Thomas Bernhard, and Elfriede Jelinek. Jeanette R. Malkin proposes that postmodern drama--that is, drama since the 1970s--can be defined and examined according to the ways it recasts history and engages memories of the past. Details from our cultural and historical past are of course always fundamental elements of literature and theater: the past haunts the stage. But is the past as it is represented on stage actually the true past? In many of the plays examined in Malkin's book, the past is no longer grounded. Instead, it is a past which floats within the collective unconscious, in a place of fragmented collective identity. These plays "remember" in ways parallel to the theories of knowledge that inform them and thus become paradigms for a vision of the world.Malkin's study seeks answers to questions such as: what are the connections between contemporary drama and processes of memory? How do contemporary aesthetics shape these plays and the memories that they enact? What is remembered and how is the audience targeted? Why is memory so central to so many postmodern theater texts? In answering these questions, Malkin compellingly demonstrates how the past is made present within the double walls of memory and of the theater."A very important book that bids to be a 'must have' on the timely topic of history versus memory as it is represented in theater." --John Rouse, University of California, San DiegoJeanette R. Malkin is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Theatre Studies, Hebrew University, Jerusalem."


Microbial communities living in Sphagnum are known to constitute early indicators of ecosystem disturbances, but little is known about their response (including their trophic relationships) to climate change. A microcosm experiment was designed to test the effects of a temperature gradient (15, 20, and 25°C) on microbial communities including different trophic groups (primary producers, decomposers, and unicellular predators) in Sphagnum segments (0-3 cm and 3-6 cm of the capitulum). Relationships between microbial communities and abiotic factors (pH, conductivity, temperature, and polyphenols) were also studied. The density and the biomass of testate amoebae in Sphagnum upper segments increased and their community structure changed in heated treatments. The biomass of testate amoebae was linked to the biomass of bacteria and to the total biomass of other groups added and, thus, suggests that indirect effects on the food web structure occurred. Redundancy analysis revealed that microbial assemblages differed strongly in Sphagnum upper segments along a temperature gradient in relation to abiotic factors. The sensitivity of these assemblages made them interesting indicators of climate change. Phenolic compounds represented an important explicative factor in microbial assemblages and outlined the potential direct and (or) indirect effects of phenolics on microbial communities.


Abstract. Indoor Mobile Mapping Systems (IMMS) are attracting growing attention, especially when LiDAR sensors are considered, thanks to the possibility to obtain wide range and complete data in those areas where GNSS signal is not available. However, the drift error that accumulates during the acquisition is often inadequate in the absence of quality constraints in case of extensive acquisitions. Concurrently, recent developments regarding multicamera mobile solutions have shown promising results in containing the drift error, but data produced are too noisy and not enough complete in terms of acquisition range. This paper compares a Laser Scanner IMMS and a multicamera system in a stress test concerning the survey of a complex and extended route. The two systems are the Laser Scanner Backpack IMMS Heron MS Twin Color produced by Gexcel and a laboratory prototype of a handheld photogrammetric multicamera named Ant3D. The objectives are to calculate and compare the drift errors and to evaluate the quality of the produced point clouds. Quantitative results demonstrate that the drift error per meter of trajectory for the Heron Backpack is 10 times greater than the one of the multicamera. From a qualitative aspect, Heron Backpack generates 3D data in a wider range, allowing a more complete reconstruction of the environment when compared to the multicamera system one. On the other hand, the encumbrance and manoeuvrability of Ant3D make it more versatile in surveying very narrow spaces.


: Among 84 at-risk neonates studied over a 1-year period, 15 presented with cerebral hemorrhage (CH) detected by ultrasound. The incidence of CH was 46% in premature infants with a gestational age less than or equal to 35 weeks and 5% in neonates with a gestational age greater than 35 weeks. In 12 cases, CH was subependymal and the totally regressed. In 3 cases, the bleeding was more severe. There were 3 deaths among the 15 infants. This study underlines the high frequency of CH among the neonates in Yaounde, and justifies systematic screening for it in the high-risk population and points out areas in which perinatal care could be improved upon and premature birth prevented.


AUBLET described and figured in his "Histoire des Plantes de la Guiane Francoise" (Vol. I p. 170-172 and Vol. III t. 65, 1775) under the name Simira tinctoria a tree belonging to the family Rubiaceae which until very recently was represented in the herbaria solely by specimens that he himself had collected. One of these specimens is preserved in the herbarium of the British Museum (Natural History) and another one in the "Herbier Denaiffe" (cf. LANJOUW, J. and H. UITTIEN in Rec. d. trav. bot. Neerl. 37, 357, 1940), which was recently acquired by the Museum d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris. AUBLET's new genera were viewed in his own time and even long afterwards with considerable distrust, and when we see that their separation from older and already well-known allies is but rarely justified by the contents of his diagnoses, this attitude becomes comprehensible. However, when we take the trouble to examine the material on which his new genera were founded, we are often forced to admit that his intuition had shown him the right way. This applies e.g. to the genera that were separated by him from Psychotria L, viz. Ronabea, Tapogomea, Carapichea, Palicourea, Mapouria and Nonatelia. The taxonomists of AUBLET's own time and those of the immediately following period reduced all these genera to Psychotria, but these authors based their opinion almost exclusively on AUBLET's insufficiently explicit descriptions. In a later period, when the plants on which AUBLET had founded his genera, were more thoroughly studied, it was gradually recognized that their reduction to Psychotria was not justified.