There can be no doubt, writes economist Melvyn Krauss, that the prosperity of the industrial nations since the Second World War has been due largely to global specialization and interdependence. No one country does all tasks today -- products are designed in one country, produced in another and assembled in a third. The increased standard of living resulting from global specialization in turn has led to the growth of the modern welfare state, including an increased demand for economic security and social measures which guarantee politically-determined minimum consumption standards for citizens. Ironically, says Krauss, as the debate over the North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA), the General Agreement of Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the recently established World Trade Organization demonstrate, today's welfare state has evolved into a protectionist state. U.S. consumer advocates (Ralph Nader) see free trade as a threat to consumerist legislation. U.S. environmentalists (Jerry Brown) see free trade as a threat to environmental legislation. U.S. human rights advocates (Anna Quindlin) see free trade as a threat to human rights abroad. In How Nations Grow Rich, Krauss argues there is no inherent reason why the growth of the welfare state in the Western industrial countries should conflict with free trade that is, there is no inherent reason for the welfare state to be protectionist. Exposing fallacious "welfare state" arguments for protection, Krauss makes a powerful case for free trade in general, and NAFTA in particular, as mechanisms for raising U.S. living standards. Americans are made better off through a reallocation of U.S. productive resources from lower-to-higher productivity uses--from textiles to computers, for example. Moreover, by raising wages in Mexico relative to the U.S., Krauss expects NAFTA to help reduce both legal and illegal immigration. Were states like California to reduce their generous social services and affirmative action programs, labor immigration from Mexico would fall to politically acceptable levels. Krauss' novel insight that migration and foreign trade are alternative means of effectuating international exchange is used in this lively and informative book to shed light on a host of important policy issues. By the very act of restricting textile and apparel imports, the U.S. virtually compels foreign textile workers to migrate to the U.S. The European Union's tariff against East European exports provokes a flood of Eastern workers to Western Europe. In How Nations Grow Rich, Krauss dispatches both traditional and newer arguments for protection with unusual verve and clarity. Addressing the belief that protectionism boosts employment, he points out that import restrictions can destroy U.S. jobs when imposed on materials we use as parts. For example, in 1991, Apple and Toshiba suffered a dramatic increase in their production costs as a result of a 63% tariff on imported Japanese flat-panel display screens. This "protect-America" policy backfired, causing these two mega-companies to move their production facilities abroad. In response to protectionist demands that the U.S. close its markets until Japan reduces its trade barriers against U.S. goods--that trade be fair before it can be free--Krauss points out that in a market economy where consumers are kings, only a consumer-based equity standard is valid. Thus what the "fair trade" protectionist argument really comes down to is the nonsensical proposition that because foreign countries damage their consumers by foolish protectionist measures, equity demands the United States follow suit. This wide-ranging and stimulating book clarifies such important and often inaccessible issues as development policy, foreign aid, trade sanctions, child labor, human rights trade linkages, immigration, European Monetary Union and affirmative action trade policies. How Nations Grow Rich is must reading for anyone concerned with public policy and international economics.


Natural fliers demonstrate a diverse array of flight capabilities, many of which are poorly understood. NASA has established a research project to explore and exploit flight technologies inspired by biological systems. One part of this project focuses on dynamic modeling and control of micro aerial vehicles that incorporate flexible wing structures inspired by natural fliers such as insects, hummingbirds and bats. With a vast number of potential civil and military applications, micro aerial vehicles represent an emerging sector of the aerospace market. This paper describes an ongoing research activity in which mechanization and control concepts for biologically inspired micro aerial vehicles are being explored. Research activities focusing on a flexible fixedwing micro aerial vehicle design and a flapping-based micro aerial vehicle concept are presented.


Multifunctional agriculture is particularly fundamental to some working lands conservation policies and programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP), Conservation Security Program (CSP) and Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP). Farmers can also be engaged in providing recreational and agri-tourism services such as hunting, fishing, bird-watching, farm tours, petting zoos and hospitality services. Using the Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS) we analyze factors associated with participation in conservation, recreation and agri-tourism activities as a function of farm structure, farm financial measures, production practices, and socio-demographic characteristics of the farm operator. To estimate the functional relationships we estimate a binary logistic model where the dependent variable takes a value equal to one if the farm operator reports in the ARMS survey participation in conservation programs, recreation or agritourism. Results show that the level of farm operator education and cultural practices that use conservation technical assistance are significant at the 0.01 and 0.10 levels, respectively, in explaining participation. Farm financial characteristics were not significant. Location (state where operator is located) is also not significant.


Pancreatic islets isolated for transplantation are disconnected from their vascular supply and need to establish a new functional network posttransplantation. Due to poor revascularization, prevailing hypoxia with correlating increased apoptosis rates in experimental studies can be observed for months posttransplantation. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are bone marrow–derived cells that promote neovascularization. The present study tested the hypothesis that EPCs, isolated from human umbilical cord blood, could be coated to human islet surfaces and be used to promote islet vascular engraftment. Control or EPC bioengineered human islets were transplanted into the renal subcapsular space of nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency mice. Four weeks posttransplantation, graft blood perfusion and oxygen tension were measured using laser Doppler flowmetry and Clark microelectrodes, respectively. Vessel functionality was also assessed by in vivo confocal imaging. The vascular density and the respective contribution of human and recipient endothelium were assessed immunohistochemically by staining for human and mouse CD31. Islet grafts with EPCs had substantially higher blood perfusion and oxygen tension than control transplants. Furthermore, analysis of the vascular network of the grafts revealed that grafts containing EPC bioengineered islets had a superior vascular density compared with control grafts, with functional chimeric blood vessels. We conclude that a simple procedure of surface coating with EPCs provides a possibility to improve the vascular engraftment of transplanted human islets. Established protocols are also easily applicable for intraportal islet transplantation in order to obtain a novel directed cellular therapy at the site of implantation in the liver.


A generalized steady-state model was developed for determining tricarboxylic acid cycle fractional fluxes from 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data. The model relates the measured mole fractions of [13C]glutamate isotopomers to the fractional fluxes and predicted mole fractions of isotopomers of oxaloacetate (OAA) and acetyl-CoA. This model includes cycling between OAA and fumarate. Fractional fluxes are determined by fitting the model equations to NMR parameters by use of nonlinear least squares. Although only fractional fluxes can be determined from 13C-NMR data, when they are combined with mass spectroscopic measurements, absolute values can be derived. A specific metabolic system represented by published 13C-NMR data from extracts of hearts perfused with [13C]acetate, [13C]pyruvate (PYR), and [13C]acetate plus [13C]PYR was used to test the model. The intensities of predicted 13C-NMR splitting patterns were compared with observed values, and there was excellent agreement between observed and predicted signal intensities. With this model, important physiological parameters, including the OAA-derived fraction of inflow to PYR, PYR-derived fraction of inflow to acetyl-CoA, citrate-derived fraction of inflow to OAA, and PYR-derived fraction of inflow to OAA, can be determined.


These remarks were presented to the Penn Law and Economic Institute's Chancery Court Program on Say on Pay: A Positive Contribution To Corporate Effectiveness and Accountability Or An Unprincipled and Costly Incursion Into Director Authority? Proponents of H.R.1257 or similar federal legislation entitling shareholders to vote on executive compensation must carry their burden of proving three distinct claims: First, that there is an executive compensation problem justifying legislative intervention. Second, say on pay is an effective solution to the problem. Third, that any such legislative intervention should be imposed at the federal level. If any of these claims fail, the case for a federal say on pay law collapses. In these remarks, I hope to demonstrate that none of the three holds up to close examination.


This paper presents a framework for simulation of within-day re-planning for the MATSim project. Three major building blocks are presented, each of which represents specific aspects of driver behavior. These components comprise (i) the provision of descriptive information in the form of link travel costs, (ii) prescriptive information in the form of routes, and (iii) a model of driver satisfaction. An exemplary model is presented, which focuses on en-route re-planning under different types of information provision. In this model driver perception is constrained to link traversal costs and decisions are made by application of a standard shortest path algorithm. The satisfaction of a traveler is modeled with a scoring (utility) function that evaluates routes as well as activities travelers are aiming at. The framework's applicability is tested with a simple fictive network and a real-world network of Greater Berlin.


Chromosomes from successive passages of a Chinese hamster cell strain (WCHE/5) that spontaneously progressed from a euploid primary cell culture to a heteroploid tumorigenic cell line were isolated and analyzed by Giemsa banding and high-resolution flow karyotype analysis. The frequency and identification of aneuploid and marker chromosomes were determined at both pre- and postcrisis culture stages and pre- and posttumorigenic stages. The combination of Giemsa banding and flow karyotypes provided detailed analysis of karyotype instability at each stage of cell culture progression. Aneuploidy (trisomy of chromosome 5) preceded the appearance of tumorigenicity in nude mice as well as in vitro indicators of neoplasia. The four stages of neoplastic progression defined in the previous paper correlated with a steady progression in karyotypic instability, including, in sequence: trisomy of chromosome 5; an 8q marker chromosome; a 3q+ insertion; and trisomy of chromosome 8. Additional changes continued to appear as the cells acquired classical properties of in vitro transformation.


Abstract. Late Miocene tectonic changes in Mediterranean–Atlantic connectivity and climatic changes caused Mediterranean salinity to fluctuate dramatically, including a ten-fold increase and near-freshening. Recent proxy- and model-based evidence suggests that at times during this Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC, 5.96–5.33 Ma), highly saline and highly fresh Mediterranean water flowed into the North Atlantic Ocean, whilst at others, no Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW) reached the Atlantic. By running extreme, sensitivity-type experiments with a fully coupled ocean–atmosphere general circulation model, we investigate the potential of these various MSC MOW scenarios to impact global-scale climate. The simulations suggest that although the effect remains relatively small, MOW had a greater influence on North Atlantic Ocean circulation and climate than it does today. We also find that depending on the presence, strength and salinity of MOW, the MSC could have been capable of cooling mid–high northern latitudes by a few degrees, with the greatest cooling taking place in the Labrador, Greenland–Iceland–Norwegian and Barents seas. With hypersaline MOW, a component of North Atlantic Deep Water formation shifts to the Mediterranean, strengthening the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) south of 35° N by 1.5–6 Sv. With hyposaline MOW, AMOC completely shuts down, inducing a bipolar climate anomaly with strong cooling in the north (mainly −1 to −3 °C, but up to −8 °C) and weaker warming in the south (up to +0.5 to +2.7 °C). These simulations identify key target regions and climate variables for future proxy reconstructions to provide the best and most robust test cases for (a) assessing Messinian model performance, (b) evaluating Mediterranean–Atlantic connectivity during the MSC and (c) establishing whether or not the MSC could ever have affected global-scale climate.


Amidst decline in public trust in technology, computing ethics have taken center stage, and critics have raised questions about corporate "ethics washing." Yet few studies examine the actual implementation of AI ethics values in technology companies. Based on a qualitative analysis of technology workers tasked with integrating AI ethics into product development, we find that workers experience an environment where policies, practices, and outcomes are decoupled. We analyze AI ethics workers as ethics entrepreneurs who work to institutionalize new ethics-related practices within organizations. We show that ethics entrepreneurs face three major barriers to their work. First, they struggle to have ethics prioritized in an environment centered around software product launches. Second, ethics are difficult to quantify in a context where company goals are incentivized by metrics. Third, the frequent reorganization of teams makes it difficult to access knowledge and maintain relationships central to their work. Consequently, individuals take on great personal risk when raising ethics issues, especially when they come from marginalized backgrounds. These findings shed light on complex dynamics of institutional change at technology companies.


Nausea and vomiting affects a large proportion of women in early pregnancy, yet because it is a physiological symptom it is often dismissed by health professionals, leaving women to find their own coping mechanisms. This leads many to try a range of complementary and alternative therapies and natural remedies, although the evidence of efficacy is variable. Furthermore, while women realise the possible risks of taking medication during pregnancy they do not see complementary medicine in the same way. This paper explores a few of the common alternatives which expectant mothers self-administer to relieve nausea and vomiting and addresses issues of efficacy and safety.


Remotely manipulating a large number of microscopic objects is important to soft-condensed matter physics, biophysics, and nanotechnology. Optical tweezers and optoelectronic tweezers have been widely used for this purpose but face critical challenges when applied to nanoscale objects, including severe photoinduced damages, undesired ionic convections, or irreversible particle immobilization on surfaces. We report here the first demonstration of a lipid bilayer-integrated optoelectronic tweezers system for simultaneous manipulation of hundreds of 60 nm gold nanoparticles in an arbitrary pattern. We use a fluid lipid bilayer membrane with a ~5 nm thickness supported by a photoconductive electrode to confine the diffusion of chemically tethered nanoparticles in a two-dimensional space. Application of an external a.c. voltage together with patterned light selectively activates the photoconducting electrode that creates strong electric field localized near the surface. The field strength changes most significantly at the activated electrode surface where the particles tethered to the membrane thus experience the strongest dielectrophoretic forces. This design allows us to efficiently achieve dynamic, reversible, and parallel manipulation of many nanoparticles. Our approach to integrate biomolecular structures with optoelectronic devices offers a new platform enabling the study of thermodynamics in many particle systems and the selective transport of nanoscale objects for broad applications in biosensing and cellular mechanotransductions.


Water scarcity may pose a threat to future water use. Water is essential for life. Humans use it to drink,
cook and bath, yet primarily to grow crops and create industrial products. Due to future developments
in demography, economy, technology and climate, the water use, availability and scarcity of a nation
changes. This research focuses on future water use in Europe and the effect of expected water scarcity.
Based on the water footprint methodology, the national water use in Europe is calculated for three
scenarios for the year 2050. (i) A business as usual scenario without water scarcity. The assumption is
that population, consumption, income, production, technology and climate develop according to
current expectations. (ii) A scenario with water scarcity limited production. The assumption is that
product growth is limited for nations that experience water scarcity. (iii) A scenario with water limited
trade. The assumption is that nations don't trade with countries outside Europe. Data of Mekonnen and
Hoekstra (2011) are used to calculate a present situation for the year 2000.
In a business as usual scenario, the water footprint of Europe in 2050 increases relative to the year
2000 with 18% to 1,200 109 m3 yr-1 (per capita 23% to 1,600 m3 yr-1). The biggest changes occur at
Turkey, Spain, Russia and Italy. In a scenario with water scarcity limited production that would be 6%
to circa 1,100 109 m3 yr-1 (11% to 1,500 m3 cap-1 yr-1), with the biggest changes for Russia, Italy,
Germany and France. In a scenario with water scarcity limited trade this turns 1% to approximately
1,000 109 m3 yr-1 (5% to 1,400 m3 cap-1 yr-1), with the biggest changes at Turkey, Italy, United
Kingdom and Germany.
As a conclusion, the effect of expected water scarcity on national water footprints in Europe in 2050
ranges from an increase of 18% relative to the year 2000 under business as usual conditions, 6% when
production is limited by water scarcity, to 1% when trade is limited to Europe. Those figures should be
interpreted with care, because (i) the underlying calculations are based on average values, (ii) trade
surplus is allocated based on mathematical shortages rather than economic incentives, and (iii)
overproduction occurs at scenario 3. Notwithstanding practical implementations, a future situation
with trade limited to Europe should be recommended from a water use perspective.


A stabilized laser is essential for optical fiber communication network. One of the passive technique for stabilization of central wavelength of laser is based on the application of fiber Bragg gratings. Due to the positive coefficient of thermal expansion of optical fiber, the Bragg gratings within the fiber written by excimer laser gives about 0.01nm/oC shift on the central wavelength respect to the ambient temperature which leads serious problem in the communication network. Since both the temperature and tension force are linearly proportional to the central wavelength of fiber Bragg gratings. A feasible approach to derive the wavelength stabilization is to decrease the tension force of fiber Bragg gratings respect to the increase of ambient temperature. In this paper, a bi-metal structure with similarly negative coefficient of thermal expansion is used to decrease the tension force while the environmental temperature increases. Results show that the theory provides a fundamental solution of the physical data of the temperature compensated fixture for near zero shift of central wavelength. The practical compensation of the bimetal structure is non-linear due to the thermal expansion of the arm of the fixture, while the compensation is linear respect to the ambient temperature by neglecting the thermal expansion of the arm. However, this package is feasible for mass production and can be used for athermalization of the fiber Bragg gratings in optical communication system.


New adaptive algorithms based on multi-band decomposition of the error signal and application of a different convergence factor for each band are derived. With this approach, tracking ability and performance in steady state can be traded off along the frequency domain giving rise to estimates of the adaptive filter coefficients closer to the ideal response as compared to those obtained with conventional least-mean-square (LMS) and recursive least-squares (RLS) algorithms, particularly when the statistical properties of the analyzed signal vary along the frequency spectrum. A new adaptation technique for the forgetting factor depending exclusively on the autocorrelation values of the input signal is also introduced and a multi-band RLS algorithm, with an independent variable forgetting factor for each band, suitable for the analysis of nonstationary signals is described. Computer experiments comparing the performance of multi-band and conventional LMS and RLS algorithms are shown.


This paper outlines the start of an exploratory study of the active control of wind-induced structural response in tall buildings. The approach combines computer simulations, based on mathematical models, with wind-tunnel experiments on a physical model. To this end we have constructed an experimental platform to investigate the closed-loop performance of different active control strategies for suppression of wind induced vibration. A first study utilizing this platform in conjunction with a simple structural model is described, and the initial results are very encouraging.


Abstract The following contribution attempts to outline the current situation of philosophy in South Korea. The thesis is advocated that the current situation cannot be understood solely in terms of history of philosophy or research-historical contexts, but that the specifics of Korean philosophy in research and teaching can only be adequately explained against the background of far-reaching and partly global political and cultural-historical contexts. On the basis of a general sketch of the historical situation in South Korea as well as on the basis of a few individual observations (common for the classic letter form) in everyday life outside and inside of the University, an attempt is made to capture typical features of philosophical life in Korea. Above all, the direct influence of global axes of conflict and the resulting accelerated dynamic of cultural changes on philosophy and its concrete forms in research and teaching should be made clear. In addition, the particularly pluralistic character of Korean philosophy can be understood in this way.


Objective: The present study was designed to describe individuals receiving psychiatric rehabilitation (PR) service and investigate program outcomes and factors associated with progress in a multisite, descriptive evaluation across Pennsylvania. Method: Through an outcomes-monitoring process integrated into routine service delivery, survey responses from 408 individuals participating in PR were summarized. Linear mixed models were used to examine change over time in self-reported progress ratings in rehabilitation domains and factors associated with progress. Results: Significantly lower utilization of inpatient psychiatric service was observed in the 12 months after initiating PR versus the 12 months before service (15% vs. 24%; p = .002). Peer and case management service increased after initiation of PR. Specifying a domain as a goal in the service plan was associated with higher progress ratings in the learning (&bgr; = .75, p < 0001), working (&bgr; = 1.06, p < .0001), and physical wellness (&bgr; = 1.27, p < .0001) domains. Average hopefulness rating was positively and significantly associated with self-reported progress in all domains. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: The current investigation provides some evidence that individuals participating in PR decrease utilization of inpatient service. This finding and the goals and activities reported in domains over time support the added value of PR as a Medicaid-reimbursable service to managed care efforts to promote rehabilitation outcomes and recovery for individuals with psychiatric disabilities.


: The knowledge of modern science is based on and limited to data from the material world. It does not cover all levels of reality. Its achievements have been striking. It continues to amass at an ever increasing pace information about the physical basis of "life" in respect of its essential structures and their functions. Nonetheless there are questions which it cannot answer. The idea of the "vital spirit", according to Greek and Medieval philosophers and theologians the principle that imbues mortal flesh with life, transcends the limits of its empirical thinking, as do questions about traditional values and ethical issues, like the topical problems in medicine brought to the fore by recent and ongoing developments in molecular genetics. Their resolution will require vision wider than the empiric and knowledge broader than the exclusively scientific.


A case of prolongation of the QT interval and associated life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia is presented. The particular features of this case include HIV positivity, acute coronary ischemia, and treatment with drugs known to increase QT interval. The relationship between these potential causes is analyzed and discussed. This is the first report of such a complication of combined therapy with amiodarone and antiretroviral medication.


Textural features are often consider as one of the most powerful features in describing the intrinsic physical properties of object surfaces in a scene. In this paper, we propose characterizing image textures by a least-squares hyperplane fitting of their image multidimensional primitives. The adaptive implementation of the hyperplane fitting process is carried out by a newly proposed nonlinear supervised neural unit trained by a constrained form of anti-Hebbian learning. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate the performance of the proposed texture characterization model in image classification and segmentation applications.<<ETX>>


Using density functional theory formulated within the framework of the exact muffin-tin orbital method, we investigate the elastic properties of the body-centered cubic Fe0.85Ni0.1Mg0.05 alloy in the conditions at the Earth's inner core. We demonstrate that in this system, the chemical stabilization effect of Mg is significantly larger than that of Ni. We show that the elastic properties of Fe0.85Ni0.1Mg0.05 are in good agreement with those of the Earth's inner core, as given by seismic observations. We find that the excellent mechanical properties of Fe0.85Ni0.1Mg0.05 are primarily due to Mg.


To colleges serving significant numbers of students who are parttime, adult, and reside off campus, it is important to understand their motivations and needs and to communicate effectively with them in order to plan and provide quality programming. An outcomes assessment approach that focuses on mission-derived institutional outcomes provides information that is useful to student empowerment, marketing and communications, advising, curriculum design, planning, and institutional self-study for accreditation review. This article describes such a program at Thomas Edison State College, relates this institution's experiences with surveys as assessment instruments, and explains how institutional-level outcomes assessment integrates with the institutional self-study process.


We present new reconstruction results and methods for limited data problems in photoelastic tomography. We begin with a survey of the current state of x-ray tomography. Discussing the Radon transform and its inversion we also consider some stability results for reconstruction in Sobolev spaces. We describe certain limited data problems and ways to tackle these, in particular the Two Step Hilbert reconstruction method. We then move on to photoelastic tomography, where we make use of techniques from scalar tomography to develop new methods for photoelastic tomographic reconstruction. We present the main mathematical model used in photoelasticity, the Truncated Transverse Ray Transform (TTRT). After some initial numerical studies, we extend a recently presented reconstruction algorithm for the TTRT from the Schwartz class to certain Sobolev spaces. We also give some stability results for inversion in these spaces. Moving on from general reconstruction to focus on inversion of some special cases of tensors we consider solenoidal and potential tensor fields. We discuss existing reconstruction methods and present several novel reconstructions and discuss their advantages over using more general machinery. We also extend our new algorithms, as well as existing ones, to certain cases of data truncation. Finally, we present numerical studies of the general reconstruction method. We give the first published results of TTRT reconstruction and go into some detail describing the implementation before presenting our results.


A novel resist pattern transfer process for the 70 nm technology node is presented using 157-nm lithography. By using newly developed 157-nm resists and a 157-nm microstepper (NA=0.60), sub-100 nm resist patterns are fabricated. Three types of structures are presented for the pattern transfer process. Two of these are hard mask (HM) processes. and the other is a bi-layer process using Si-containing resist. For all these structures, the underlayers of resist work well as anti-reflecting layers. By optimizing the RIE gas conditions, resist patterns are successfully transferred to the underlayer. Using the HM as an etching mask, sub-100 nm gate patterns are fabricated.


Passive measurement is a commonly used approach for measuring round trip time (RTT), as it reduces bandwidth overhead compared to large-scale active measurements. However, passive RTT measurement is limited to transport-specific approaches, such as those that utilize Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) timestamps. Furthermore, the continuing deployment of encrypted transport protocols such as QUIC hides the information used for passive RTT measurement from the network. In this work, we introduce the latency spin signal as a lightweight, transport-independent and explicit replacement for TCP timestamps for passive latency measurement. This signal supports per-flow, single-point and single direction passive measurement of end-to-end RTT using just three bits in the transport protocol header, leveraging the existing dynamics of the vast majority of Internet-deployed transports. We show how the signal applies to measurement of both TCP and to QUIC through implementation of the signal in endpoint transport stacks. We also provide a high-performance measurement implementation for the signal using the Vector Packet Processing (VPP) framework. Evaluation on emulated networks and in an Internet testbed demonstrate the viability of the signal, and show that it is resistant to even large amounts of loss or reordering on the measured path.


The Mn(III) dinuclear compounds [{Mn(bpy)(H2O)}(μ-2,6-Cl2C6H3COO)2(μ-O){Mn(bpy)(X)}]X, where X = ClO4 (1) or X = NO3 (2), were synthesised and characterised by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. In both cases there were hydrogen bond interactions between the aqua ligand and counteranions, but with different connectivity patterns. For compound 1, the interactions connected two dinuclear complexes through two perchlorate counteranions to generate a tetranuclear unit. For compound 2, the hydrogen bond was "intramolecular" between the cationic complex, nitrate counteranion and crystallization water (Mn–LW⋯NO3−⋯H2O⋯LN–Mn). This unusual interaction was responsible for the perfect orthogonality of the coordination octahedra on the dinuclear entity and noticeable elongation of these polyedra. Both compounds showed antiferromagnetic coupling, which was unusually strong for compound 2 with a nitrate anion (J = −9.2 and −27.3 cm−1 for 1 and 2, respectively) (H = −J·S1·S2). The effect of the counteranion (X) on the magnetic interaction was analysed by density functional theory studies. For both compounds, hydrogen bonds between the aqua ligand and counteranions weakened the antiferromagnetic interaction. Moreover, for 2, replacement of the counteranion nitrate with other groups had a significant effect on the magnetic interaction.


As observed in at least the last two decades, financial engineering has not only changed the way in which business is conducted in the finance world, but also the daily life of the average citizen in the leading economies. Structured products have been deemed weapons of mass destruction in some post-crisis comments, but it is fair to say that few people could understand the nature and risks of these instruments before the crisis. In this paper, the author analyses how regulators failed to understand/manage the risks of financially engineered products during/before the global financial crisis. After defining the risks/benefits, the measures to enhance good regulatory governance in general and hence engineered products also are discussed. It is concluded, first, that engineered products have important benefits for the global economy, but that the regulatory/supervisory structure should be improved for better firm/system-wide risk management. Secondly, four components are recommended to improve the prudential regulatory/supervisory framework: to employ timely, effective action to balance sheet problems, to increase the effectiveness of firm/industry-wide risk management, to improve the independence and quality of prudential regulation and to increase the accountability of supervisors.


In this work, iterative decoding of block turbo codes (BTCs) over flat Rayleigh fading channels is considered. The signal is modulated using binary phase shift keying (BPSK) and coherently detected. An exact channel reliability metric that should be passed to the iterative decoder to achieve optimum performance, when no channel state information (CSI) is available at the receiver, is developed. A low complexity cubic approximation to the exact metric, which has no performance loss, is presented. The numerical results obtained using (10, 9)/sup 2/ single parity check (SPC) BTC, show that the conventional approach, which uses a linear approximation to the channel reliability metric, results in a 27 dB penalty at BER of 10/sup -5/ compared to the case where perfect CSI is available. On the other hand, the use of the proposed reliability metric outperforms the existing metric and results in only a 1.1 dB performance loss at BER of 10/sup -5/ compared to the use of the metric when the CSI is perfectly known.


Learned helplessness in an academic environment often affects educational performance and mental health in adverse ways (Ciarrochi et al., 2007; Hu et al., 2015). Using a modified version of the Enhanced Critical Incident Technique, this study aimed to develop a better understanding of what helps or hinders university students in overcoming learned helplessness. Analysis generated 14 categories of helping incidents and seven categories of hindering incidents, most of which were consistent with previous research. This study identified the category Being in the Spotlight, which had not been noted at all in past research. Examination of the results contributes information about reported interactions between hindering incidents and the importance of autonomy in overcoming learned helplessness, topics neglected or understudied in past research on learned helplessness in university students. Overall, the results of this study provide additional direction for counsellors working with university students who experience learned helplessness and highlight the need for further research to understand in more detail the helping and hindering factors outlined in this study.


OBJECTIVE
U.S. Army personnel experience significant burden from mental disorders, particularly during times of war and with multiple deployments. This study identified the rates and predictors of mental health service use by Army soldiers and examined the association of daily functioning with the various types of mental health service use.

METHODS
This study used the U.S. Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors Among Active Duty Military Personnel, which sampled 10,400 Army soldiers, representing 508,088 soldiers. Mental health service utilization over a 12-month period included receiving counseling or therapy from a general medical doctor, receiving counseling or therapy from a mental health professional, and being prescribed medications for depression, anxiety, or sleep. Current functioning was assessed with the Health-Related Quality of Life-4 instrument.

RESULTS
Of the active U.S. Army, 21% had used mental health services in the previous 12 months, and 48% of them had used two or more services. About 7% of soldiers saw a mental health specialist and were prescribed medication. Women (incidence rate ratio [IRR]=1.39, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.19-1.63) and enlisted soldiers (IRR=1.93, CI=1.49-2.50) were more likely than others to use a greater number of services. Soldiers with higher versus lower levels of impaired functioning were 7.82 times more likely (CI=6.03-10.14) to use mental health services, 4.40 times more likely (CI=3.83-5.05) to use more services, and 3.18 times more likely (CI=1.85-5.49) to see a mental health specialist and to be prescribed medication.

CONCLUSIONS
A substantial proportion of the Army accesses mental health services. Soldiers using the highest levels of care had the greatest impairment.


Creating 3D city models is a hot topic today. Achieving a well-defined 3D representation of urban environments requires large amounts of collected data combined with heavy processing of the data, both manually and automatically. The complexity makes it both expensive and time consuming to create accurate city models.An area which will truly benefit from well-defined city models is solar analysis. There are many tools available today for solar analysis but something all the tools have in common is that radiation calculations are very time consuming. The flexibility of the calculations in time and space domain are also below satisfaction.In this thesis a software was developed and included in a new methodology to go from high resolution elevation data to complete 3D environments. Solar radiation calculations were also implemented to be performed on the finished 3D buildings. The proposed method for radiation calculations is using the fact that the GPU handles some tasks better than the CPU and thereby reducing the calculation times.The results show that the finished 3D models are a relatively accurate representation of the real-life objects and they are well adapted for the purpose of radiation analysis. A validation of radiation calculations were also done using radiation sensors on modelled buildings. According to measured values the model seems to make a good estimation of clear-sky radiation. The calculation times are promising and there's most probably room for further optimizations.


Manipulating operation states of coupled spin-torque nano-oscillators (STNOs), including their synchronization, is essential for applications such as complex oscillator networks. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate selective control of two coupled vortex STNOs through microwave-assisted switching of their vortex core polarities. First, the two oscillators are shown to synchronize due to the dipolar interaction in a broad frequency range tuned by an external biasing field. Coherent output is demonstrated along with strong linewidth reduction. Then, we show individual vortex polarity control of each oscillator, which leads to synchronization/desynchronization due to accompanied frequency shift. Our methods can be easily extended to multiple-element coupled oscillator networks.


Neoclassical economists argue that the 401(k) plan is superior to the defined benefit pension plan as a retirement savings vehicle precisely because it gives an individual the freedom necessary to make rational decisions which maximize his or her welfare. This article argues that many individuals do not, contrary to the assumptions made by neoclassical economic theory, behave rationally when making savings decisions within 401(k) plans. The article begins by identifying two common types of imperfect actors, the impatient and the impulsive, and describing the behavioral characteristics common to each. Relying on several studies of savings behavior in 401(k) plans, the author describes four common mistakes that imperfect actors are likely to make in 401(k) plans that may endanger their retirement wealth. The author then proposes a multi-part legislative solution to the common problems identified, in order to better protect imperfect actors in 401(k) plans. The author has structured her reform proposal in a way that protects imperfect actors, while not interfering with the choices available to those who make rational decisions. Because rational actors are largely unaffected by the reform proposals, the author argues that her reforms, although paternalistic, are economically efficient.


In March 2019, before the first confirmed cases in Turkey, a scientific advisory board was created to develop guidelines for disease control and preventive health care. Public health interventions and treatment protocols were implemented by the health authority and scientific advisory board with daily analyses obtained from the databases. Soon after, the pandemic management process intensified with the closure of schools and partial curfews. Despite the decline in the number of cases and deaths, the number of cases plateaued and did not decrease further with the effect of the normalization period. With the end of the summer, the increase in spending time indoors, and the gradual start of face-to-face education in schools, the number of new cases has significantly increased. Therefore, the strict implementation of public health interventions has been established. In this period, the health literacy level of the population and the perception of risk also affected their compliance with health protocols. Moreover, vaccine studies and the application of practices for COVID-19 were deemed essential to effectively contain the virus. In the coming months, it is necessary to implement vaccination programs along with good planning and communication strategy. It is important to have a multi-sectoral approach, considering the possible security, health, economic, social, psychological, political, and social effects of this epidemic and other future outbreaks. Furthermore, it is necessary to comply with individual measures and restrictions for the benefit of society.


The PanDA (Production and Distributed Analysis) workload management system (WMS) was developed to meet the scale and complexity of LHC distributed computing for the ATLAS experiment. While PanDA currently distributes jobs to more than 100,000 cores at well over 100 Grid sites, the future LHC data taking runs will require more resources than Grid computing can possibly provide. To alleviate these challenges, ATLAS is engaged in an ambitious program to expand the current computing model to include additional resources such as the opportunistic use of supercomputers. We will describe a project aimed at integration of PanDA WMS with Titan supercomputer at Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF). The current approach utilizes a modified PanDA pilot framework for job submission to Titan's batch queues and local data management, with light-weight MPI wrappers to run single threaded workloads in parallel on Titan's multicore worker nodes. It also gives PanDA new capability to collect, in real time, information about unused worker nodes on Titan, which allows precise definition of the size and duration of jobs submitted to Titan according to available free resources. This capability significantly reduces PanDA job wait time while improving Titan's utilization efficiency. This implementation was tested with a variety of Monte-Carlo workloads on Titan and is being tested on several other supercomputing platforms. Notice: This manuscript has been authored, by employees of Brookhaven Science Associates, LLC under Contract No. DE-AC02-98CH10886 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The publisher by accepting the manuscript for publication acknowledges that the United States Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for United States Government purposes.


The modern obesogenic lifestyle encompasses an environment that promotes weight
gain in the form of body fat accumulation. Genetic variations can predispose some
individuals to be more susceptible to developing obesity in a similar environment
(Hainer et al. 2000; Maes et al. 1997; Mustelin et al. 2009). As the prevalence of
obesity increases worldwide, and becomes a substantial socioeconomic issue, the need
for research that deepens our understanding of the underlying genetic influences on
complex regulatory mechanisms governing energy homeostasis becomes increasingly
necessary. The fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene has been strongly linked
to an increased obesity risk through numerous genome wide association (GWA)
studies over the past decade. However, information regarding FTO's peripheral
influences, specifically on skeletal muscle metabolism, is limited. The broad aim of
this dissertation was to identify metabolic differences between risk allele and non-risk
variants of FTO, and to determine the impact of physical stress (in the form of
exercise) on FTO expression and function. Thus, the experiments presented in this
dissertation were designed to investigate whether differences across genotype alleles
of the FTO rs9939609 (T>A) polymorphism existed for metabolic flexibility in
response to a nutritional challenge, and for metabolic profiles, FTO expression and
FTO function in skeletal muscle following acute exercise stimuli.


We analyse the influence of diffusion and space distribution of cells in a simple model of interactions between an activated immune system and malignant gliomas, among which the most aggressive one is GBM Glioblastoma Multiforme. It turns out that diffusion cannot affect stability of spatially homogeneous steady states. This suggests that there are two possible outcomes—the solution is either attracted by the positive steady state or by the semitrivial one. The semitrivial steady state describes the healthy state, while the positive one reflects the chronic disease and typically the level of tumour cells in this state is very high, exceeding the threshold of lethal outcome. Results of numerical simulation show that the initial tumour cells distribution has an essential impact on the dynamics of the system. If the positive steady state exists, then we observe bistability and the initial distribution decides to which steady state the solution tends.


In this paper we construct new invariants of algebraic curves based on (not necessarily generic) braid monodromies. Such invariants are effective in the sense that their computation allows for the study of Zariski pairs of plane curves. Moreover, the Zariski pairs found in this work correspond to curves having conjugate equations in a number field, and hence are not distinguishable
by means of computing algebraic coverings. We prove that the embeddings of the curves in the plane are not homeomorphic. We also apply these results to the classification problem of elliptic surfaces.


Optimal production in fulfilment of the core functions of tertiary sector organisations requires adequate numbers of skilled workers. The size of the workforce in any organisation at given times is affected by various forms of attrition. Mitigating against attrition in the workforce in an organisation can pose a challenge. One option is to raise mandatory retirement age but the impact this would have on the size of the workforce is largely unknown. This study provides a model for assessing the impact of retirement age on the future size of the workforce in tertiary sector organisations in South Africa. The data requirements for the application of the model as well as application to data are described. The dilemma posed by mandatory retirement age and implementation of affirmative action in South Africa is also discussed.


Ab s t r Ac t Background: Adrenal cysts are uncommon and generally asymptomatic, thus often discovered only incidentally. In the case described here, two giant bilateral adrenal cysts were diagnosed in an emergency setting based on the onset of acute compressive symptoms. Only after a complete diagnostic workup aimed at excluding any suspicion of malignancy, the patient underwent elective and adrenal-preserving surgery. Case description: A 26-year-old man was hospitalized in the emergency room for abdominal pain and dyspepsia. The ultrasound (US) scan showed two giant masses of both the adrenals. The workup allowed a diagnosis of nonfunctioning giant adrenal cysts, one with evidence of intracystic bleeding. Bilateral surgery was indicated and, on both sides, a wide resection of the cyst wall was performed laparoscopically, trying to preserve the adrenal function. At follow-up, the patient shows no evidence of recurrent disease. Conclusion: Despite an acute onset of compressive symptoms that led the patient to hospitalization in an emergency setting, the symptoms of the patient were cured at first. A correct and thorough subsequent workup was then performed that allowed to make a diagnosis of bilateral giant adrenal cysts without any sign of malignancy. This diagnosis indicated a bilateral adrenal-sparing decompressive procedure that, after follow-up, resulted in long-term cure. Clinical significance: A correct imaging played a key role in planning the treatment since it could exclude any suspicion of malignancy, thus allowing to indicate a "functional" approach aimed at avoiding a lifelong and difficult-to-manage substitutive therapy in a young patient.


Sodium piperacillin T-1220, a new semisynthetic penicillin, was tested in vitro against 297 clinical isolates of anaerobic bacteria and 669 aerobic bacteria by the conventional agar dilution method and compared with carbenicillin and ticarcillin. At a 100-jig/ml concentration the three drugs showed comparable effectiveness against the anaerobes tested. However, at 20 jig/ml, piperacillin was the most effective drug against Bacteroides fragilis, peptostreptococci, and group D streptococci. At this drug concentration only 48% of the B. fragilis strains exhibited susceptibility to carbenicillin only, 64% exhibited susceptibility to ticarcillin but 90% exhibited susceptibility to piperacillin. Similar findings were observed with peptostreptococci and group D streptococci. On a weight basis piperacillin was statistically shown to be the most effective antibiotic of the three tested against these anaerobes. At 20 jig/ml, piperacillin exhibited a statistically significant difference (P < 0.01) over carbenicillin and ticarcillin for Serratia marcescens, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas isolates, and Citrobacter diversus. At both 20and 100-jig/ml concentrations, piperacillin appeared to be the most effective (calculated P < 0.01) upon Klebsiella species, K. pneumoniae, S. marcescens, and C. freundii in activity over ticarcillin and carbenicillin.


This paper reports on a study in which the architecture of non-crimp fabric (NCF) was optimized to improve its stiffness and permeability. The selection of design variables in shape optimization is extremely important, but in many cases the appropriate criteria to use in choosing those design variables are unclear. This study investigated a proposed method for extraction of effective design variables. In the proposed method, Pareto solutions are first obtained by preliminarily optimizing a simple NCF model with a few design variables. The effective design variables, including dependent variables, are then extracted from the obtained Pareto solutions. In-plane and out-of-plane stiffness and permeability values are also calculated in the optimization process using the homogenization method in liquid and solid phases as objective functions. Further, the relationship between the design variables and the objective functions are determined by applying genetic programming (GP) with the akaike information criterion (AIC) and tolerance (TOL) to the Pareto solutions. The results of analysis indicated that constriction and waviness of the fiber bundles improved the performance of the NCF. Consequently, the model was again optimized, with special focus on constriction and waviness, to ensure its utility as a design guideline. The optimized model simultaneously improved the elastic modulus and permeability coefficient of the trade-off relationship—thereby verifying the efficacy of the proposed method.


The integration of high temperature superconductors (HTS) in electrical machines potentially allows reduction in devices dimensions or performance improvement for the same active volume, when compared with their conventional ones. The use of polycrystalline HTS samples allows big bulk samples. An axial disc motor with HTS material or conventional aluminium in the rotor and conventional armature has been designed and developed. This paper describes simulations and laboratory experiments performed at liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K) in order to analyze the motor's behaviour and its electromechanical characteristics and to define an electric equivalent circuit that allows describing its operation. In order to evaluate the superconducting quality of the bulks and flux pinning phenomena, Hall probe mapping system was performed in order to define the field profiles at 77 K for different polar configurations. The analysis of the obtained results allows confirm the flux pinning phenomena, being the entire rotor magnetized and conclude that the motor with the HTS rotor behaves as a conventional hysteresis motor even though with a different nature, while the motor with aluminium rotor behaves as a conventional induction motor. In asynchronous regime, the HTS motor exhibits a constant torque, higher than the conventional aluminium one. For both cases, the developed torque is proportional to the poles pairs.


It is well known that on the brake pad material, the triptych microstructure-properties-solicitations is the key to better understand the phenomena caused by braking stress. The challenging issues are the evolution of this triptych, i.e., the impact of thermal stress and mechanical stress on the microstructure which undoubtedly induces changes in properties. In order to solve the issues without tackling them in all their complexity, this study proposes an experimental approach where physics is decoupled but inspired by the braking sequence in terms of applied temperature gradient and braking loads. Two experimental tests were carried out. The first one is the thermal solicitation test where a temperature gradient from 400 °C to 540 °C was applied to the material. The second one is the thermomechanical test where a compressive load at 20 MPa was applied under the same thermal gradient. The experiment time is fixed for 2 min, equivalent to the time of one braking stroke. The referred material is sintered metallic composite, which is widely used as the brake pad material for high energy railway. As a result, it shows that coupled thermomechanical stress has a greater impact on material properties than decoupled one. This impact is related to the microstructure where graphite inclusions play an important role.


To many people, music is a mystery. It is uniquely human, because no other species produces elaborate, well organized sound for no particular reason. It has been part of every known civilization on earth. It has become a very part of man's need to impose his will upon the universe, to bring order out of chaos and to endow his moments of highest awareness with enduring form and substance. It is a form of art dealing with the organization of tones into patterns.
Despite of cultural differences, music from different civilizations seems to consist of some building blocks that are universal: melody, harmony, rhythm, etc. Almost all musical systems are based on scales spanning an octave---the note that sounds the same as the one you started off with, but at a higher or lower pitch. It was discovered by Pythagoras, a Greek philosopher who lived around 500 BC, that the note an octave higher than another has a frequency twice high. The notes that sound harmonious together have simple rational number ratios between their frequencies.
It is those implicit structures and relationships in apparently mysterious musical experience that I am interested in exploring here. As a scientist by training with a consistent passion for classical guitar playing, I would like make an attempt to explain the musical experience in terms of science and mathematics, hoping to fill some gaps between the knowledge of scientists and artistic intuition of musicians.


Exponentiable maps in the category Top of topological spaces are characterized by an easy ultraalter-interpolation property, in generalization of a recent result by Pisani for spaces. From this characterization we deduce that perfect (= proper and separated) maps are ex-ponentiable, generalizing the classical result for compact Hausdorr spaces. Furthermore, in generalization of the Whitehead-Michael characterization of locally compact Hausdorr spaces, we characterize exponentiable maps of Top between Hausdorr spaces as restrictions of perfect maps to open subspaces.


1Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA; 2Retina Associates, Elmhurst, IL, USA Abstract: Subretinal gene therapy trials began with the discovery of RPE65 variants and their association with Leber congenital amaurosis. The RPE65 protein is critical for the normal functioning of the visual phototransduction cascade. RPE65 gene knockout animal models were developed and showed similar diseased phenotypes to their human counterparts. Proof of concept studies were carried out in these animal models using subretinal RPE65 gene replacement therapy, resulting in improvements in various visual function markers including electroretinograms, pupillary light responses, and object avoidance behaviors. Positive results in animal models led to Phase 1 human studies using adeno-associated viral vectors. Results in these initial human studies also showed positive impact on visual function and acceptable safety. A landmark Phase 3 study was then conducted by Spark Therapeutics using a dose of 1.5 x10 vector genomes after dose-escalation studies confirmed its efficacy and safety. Multi-luminance mobility testing was used to measure the primary efficacy endpoint due to its excellent reliability in detecting the progression of inherited retinal diseases. After the study met its primary endpoint, the Food and Drug Administration approved voretigene neparvovec (Luxturna) for use in RPE65-associated inherited retinal diseases.


This research paper flows out of a doctoral research into approaching urban resilience in post-conflict settings using Iraq as a case study. The literature in this area points out that understanding regulatory frameworks of urban management is important for approaching resilience through sector-specific reconstruction in post-conflict cities, and as a framework within which the enablement of citizens that are building homes within a post-conflict setting can be examined and assessed. Approaching resilience in post-conflict settings in this way, in the case of Iraq in the period after the 2003 war, provides an insight into resilience processes. Fieldwork has revealed that house-owners are using their own adaptive capacity in housing supply to maintain survival and urban growth within urban neighborhoods, in spite of experiencing chronic stresses and acute shocks as a result of the ongoing transition from conflict to peace. Initial data analysis has shown that a reformation of urban management structures in postconflict Iraq could enable and support alternative key actors in the private and public and the voluntary sectors as partners in urban development. Here, citizens' enablement in a bottom-up approach to reconstruction can offer a back-up capacity in acute times to sustain cities' functioning and competitiveness in urban development and long term resilience.


Elderly people are at high risk for pneumococcal infections. However, older age is not an eligibility factor for pneumococcal vaccination in France. Adults with certain co-morbidities or immunocompromised states are eligible for vaccination, which leaves adults aged ≥65 years without comorbidities at-risk for pneumococcal infections. The objective of the study was to evaluate the acceptability to healthcare professionals (HCPs) of extending pneumococcal vaccination to all individuals ≥65 years. Based on themes identified in semi-structured interviews with 24 HCPs, a representative sample of 500 general practitioners and pharmacists were surveyed about their knowledge, attitudes and beliefs with respect to pneumococcal vaccination for individuals ≥65 years. Current recommendations for pneumococcal vaccination are poorly understood by participants (mean score: 5.8/10). Respondents were generally supportive of inclusion of age in vaccination recommendations (7.5/10), with 58% being very supportive. For 72% of HCPs, this would contribute to improved vaccination coverage. The strategy could be facilitated by associating pneumococcal vaccination with the influenza vaccination campaign (8.3/10). Pharmacists were favourable to participating in pneumococcal vaccination (8.5/10). In conclusion, extension of pneumococcal vaccination to all people aged ≥65 years would be welcomed by HCPs, simplifying identification of patients to be vaccinated and potentially improving vaccination coverage.


As the existence of the many unwanted factors, such as radial distortion and decentering distortion, the model of camera imaging is actually a nonlinear one. In order to successfully realize this kind of nonlinear mapping relationship between the 3D object points and their corresponding 2D image points, neural networks were and are still used. This paper introduced the history of camera calibration with neural network, covered the three types of neural network algorithms that have been used in camera calibration and explained their advantages as well as drawbacks with experiment results. After that, two issues that should be noted before and after the use of neural network were discussed and finally, the concluding remarks were gained.


Purpose – This paper introduces a novel theoretical approach to conceptualising performance in government departments, with wider applicability to other parts of government. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on identified gaps in notions of performance in the accounting literature and interview data from three New Zealand central government departments, the paper introduces Alexander's (2003, 2006, 2011) theory of performance. This theory has the potential to enhance conceptualisations of performance and enrich research on performance management systems. Findings –By introducing a performative theory, which differs from previously used Latourian performative theory, this paper highlights new avenues for research into performance management. It illustrates the application of Alexander's theory of performance via an examination of how public servants construct the "flesh and blood" (Alexander, 2006, p. 33) of their performance in the absence of visible and tangible measures such as profit, and how they create sufficient unity around the notion of performance to direct their efforts towards achieving performance expectations. Research limitations/implications – The findings presented here may not be as applicable beyond these case studies. Nevertheless, the issues discussed in this paper are recognisable in other accounting research. Originality/value – Extant public sector literature tends to focus on either a production model or a service delivery model of performance, with some notable exceptions. This paper offers scholars the opportunity to rethink the notion of public sector performance through a new approach. It illustrates how this may be done and identifies possible new research avenues.


In continuous efforts to develop anti-Alzheimer's agents, we rationally designed and synthesized a series of multitargeting molecules by incorporating the essential molecular features of the standard drug donepezil. Among the series, compound 4b showed multitargeting properties to act as an anti-Alzheimer's agent, which is better tolerable in vivo than donepezil. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition data showed that compound 4b inhibits the enzyme with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 0.78 μM and also showed DNA protection, which was confirmed through the DNA nicking assay, suggesting the protective effect of 4b against oxidative DNA damage. Compound 4b also showed 53.04% inhibition against Aβ1-42 aggregations, which was found comparable to that of the standard compound curcumin. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to check the stability of compound 4b with the enzyme AChE, which showed that the enzyme-ligand complex is stable enough to block the hydrolysis of acetylcholine in the brain. Its higher LD50 cutoff value (50 mg/kg) in comparison to donepezil (LD50: 25 mg/kg) made it safer, suggesting that it can be used in further clinical experiments. To evaluate its anti-Alzheimer property, a mice model with melamine-induced cognitive dysfunction was used, and Morris water maze and Rotarod tests were performed. A significant improvement in memory was observed after the treatment with compound 4b and donepezil. The study postulated that the introduction of important structural features of donepezil (dimethoxyindanone moiety as ring-A) embarked with terminal aromatic ether (ring-B and ring-C) made 4b a multitargeting molecule that offers a way for developing alternative therapeutics in the future against Alzheimer's disease (AD).


Epithelioid sarcoma, a rare sarcoma with epithelial differentiation, most often occurs in the distal extremities; however, it may occur in essentially any location. With the recent recognition that the loss of expression of the tumor-suppressor gene INI-1 may be associated with epithelioid sarcoma, it has become clear that epithelioid sarcoma may occur in previously unsuspected locations such as bone. Only 2 cases of intra-articular epithelioid sarcoma have been previously reported. We retrieved 2 intra-articular cases coded as epithelioid sarcoma from our archives. Both expressed cytokeratins (AE1/AE3 and OSCAR), CD34, vimentin, and epithelial membrane antigen, and showed complete loss of expression of INI-1. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections by using a laboratory-developed dual-color probe containing INI1 (CTD-2511E13 and CTD-2034E7) (22q11.2) (OR) and PANX2 (RPCI3-402G11) (22q13.33) (GR) probes as control. Both cases occurred in a clearly intra-articular location in the knee. Case 1 was that of a 19-year-old man with a long-standing history of pain and limited joint function. This patient was disease free after amputation. Case 2 was that of a 60-year-old woman. Follow-up information available for this patient showed bilateral subpleural metastases. Morphologically, case 1 showed features of proximal-type epithelioid sarcoma, whereas case 2 showed mixed features of classic and proximal-type epithelioid sarcoma. Immunohistochemistry showed complete loss of INI-1 protein in both cases; fluorescence in situ hybridization analyses were negative for INI-1 gene deletion. Herein, we have reported 2 cases of intra-articular epithelioid sarcoma, showing morphologic and immunohistochemical features identical to those of epithelioid sarcoma in conventional locations, including loss of INI-1 expression. Intra-articular epithelioid sarcoma should be distinguished from malignant pigmented villonodular synovitis and from carcinoma metastatic to the synovium. Improved recognition of this rare clinical presentation should allow for better understanding of its unique features.


The goal of this paper is to compare two computational models for the inverse problem of electroencephalography: the localization of brain activity from measurements of the electric potential on the surface of the head. The source current is modeled as a dipole whose localization and polarization has to be determined. Two methods are considered for solving the corresponding forward problems: the so called subtraction approach and direct approach. The former is based on subtracting a fundamental solution, which has the same singular character of the actual solution, and solving computationally the resulting non-singular problem. Instead, the latter consists in solving directly the problem with singular data by means of an adaptive process based on an a posteriori error estimator, which allows creating meshes appropriately refined around the singularity. A set of experimental tests for both, the forward and the inverse problems, are reported. The main conclusion of these tests is that the direct approach combined with adaptivity is preferable when the localization of the dipole is close to an interface between brain tissues with different conductivities.


Tobacco smoking is a major risk factor in the incidence and severity of periodontal diseases. Alterations of neutrophil function by short-term high levels of smoke during the act of smoking (acute smoke exposure) as well as long-term exposure to lower levels of tobacco substances in the bloodstream (chronic smoke exposure) may play a role in the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases in smokers. The polymerization and depolymerization of f-actin in response to infectious agents or inflammatory mediators is a critical process in a variety of neutrophil functions. In this study, we examined the effects of in vitro smoke exposure on neutrophils from smokers and non-smokers (which may be comparable to in vivo acute smoke exposure) and neutrophils from smokers not exposed to further in vitro smoke (which may be comparable to chronic smoke exposure) on f-actin kinetics. Peripheral neutrophils were isolated from seven healthy smoking subjects and seven healthy age-matched non-smoking subjects and exposed to 1-5 min of acute smoke in a smoke box system or not exposed to further smoke (baseline controls). Selected aliquots of neutrophils from control and 5-min exposures of acute smoke were then stimulated with the chemotactic peptide F-met-leu-phe at 10(-7) M for an additional 30-360 s. Cells were fixed and permeabilized, stained for f-actin with NBD phallacidin, and analyzed by flow cytometry. From baseline to 5 min of in vitro smoke exposure, there was a 38% decline in f-actin stain in non-smokers and a 30% decline in f-actin stain in smokers (p > 0.05) with f-actin values slightly higher in smokers than-non-smokers (p > 0.05). With F-met-leu-phe stimulation, both smokers and-non-smokers demonstrated a characteristic rise in f-actin stain from 0 to 120 s with a subsequent decline to baseline at 360 s and no significant differences in f-actin levels at any time of stimulation between groups. After preincubation with 5 min of in vitro smoke, the magnitude of rise in f-actin was less in both smokers and non-smokers when compared to cells not incubated with 5 min of smoke (p < 0.05 at 120 s for both smokers and non-smokers). F-actin values in smokers were higher than-non-smokers from 30 to 360 s of F-met-leu-phe exposure (p > 0.05). These results demonstrate that in vitro smoke exposure may impair normal f-actin kinetics. These alterations in f-actin kinetics may in turn affect other neutrophil functions which may impact on the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases in smokers.


Three groups of patients were studied with the purpose of assessing the efficiency of the application of Pariet in the complex treatment of chronic pancreatitis. The first group (16 people) underwent conventional treatment (spasmolytics, enzymes, disintoxication therapy). In addition to conventional treatment, the second (22 people) and third (21 people) groups were administered Pariet (rabeprazole), 20 mg per day, or Quamatel (famotidine), 40 mg per day, respectively. The intragastric and intraduodenal pH was higher against the background of the treatment with Pariet than against the background of the application of Quamatel even within the first hours and days of treatment. A faster pain relief was observed in the second group of patients (p 0.05) than in the third one. According to the MRI data, the seven-day Pariet treatment of patients with chronic pancreatitis was accompanied by a reduction of the pancreas size, the diameter of the main pancreatic duct and the pancreatic edema. Thus, the application of Pariet in the complex treatment of chronic pancreatitis promotes a faster and more efficient pain relief and reduction of pancreatic edemas, as compared to the Quamatel therapy.


This thesis examines the British travel show An Idiot Abroad. As indicated by its name, the show taps into well-entrenched patterns of association between on the one hand traveling, and on the other hand more or less enlightened states of mind. Examining how the discursive construction of idiocy is rooted in historical processes and how travel representations function as a site for such constructions, the present study provides insight into the meaning of idiocy in the age of neoliberal globalization. This is accomplished through a textual analysis of the show, in which it is treated as a historically situated narrative. The social practice of tourism is subjected to critical scrutiny and its role in relation to social hierarchies is highlighted. Uncovering definite meanings under layers of irony, the present study argues that An Idiot Abroad constitutes a form of meta-disparagement humor which sets out to mock the holder of bigoted views, but which in reality functions as a vehicle for the perpetuation of vicious stereotypes.


Novel ligand based on phenylazo of resorciacetophenonel-Formaldehyde polymer was synthesized by diazotization reaction of resorciacetophenonel-Formaldehyde polymer with phenyl diazoninum salt. Co-ordination polymers of this ligand were prepared with Cu(II),Ni(II),Co(II),Mn(II) and Zn(II) metal ions. All of these coordination polymers and the ligand were characterized by elemental analyses by IR, NMR, number-average molecular weights (Mn ), magnetic susceptibilities and by thermogravimetry. The biological activity of all the samples has also been monitored against plant pathogens


Background: Many new psychotropic drugs/agents have been developed and found to be effective in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. However, these drugs also exhibit adverse drug reactions (ADRs) which may affect compliance in psychiatric patients. Hence the present study was aimed at monitoring and assessing ADRs caused by psychotropic drugs. Methods: A hospital based prospective observational study was carried out in the psychiatry outpatient department of a tertiary care teaching hospital for the duration of six months. Two hundred and two patients were included in the study and ADRs were documented using a predesigned data collection form. The causality assessment was carried out as per the criteria of both the World Health OrganizationUppsala Monitoring Centre (WHO-UMC) and Naranjo scale. Severity and predictability assessment of ADRs were also performed. Results: A total of 106 ADRs were observed during the study period with majority of them occurring in 25-35 years of age group (40.56%). Weight gain (18.86%) followed by sedation (16.03%) and insomnia (11.32%) were found to be the commonest ADRs. Risperidone (19.8%) and escitalopram (12.3%) were the drugs responsible for majority of the ADRs. Causality assessment showed that most of ADRs were possible and probable. 94.33% of ADRs were found to be mild and 89% of them were predictable. Conclusion: A wide range of ADRs affecting central nervous and metabolic systems were reported with psychotropic drugs. The study findings necessitate the need for an active pharmacovigilance programme for the safe and effective use of psychotropics.


The pandemic threat of COVID-19 with more than 37 million cases in which about 5 percent entering critical stage characterized by cytokine storm and hyperinflammatory condition, the state more often leads to admission to intensive care unit with rapid mortality. Janus kinase enzymes of Jak-1, Jak-2, Jak-3, and Tyk2 seem to be good targets for inhibition by medications to control cytokine storm in this context. In the present work, the inhibitory properties of different analgesic drugs on these targets are studied to assess their ability for clinical application from different points of view. Our docking results indicated that naproxen, methadone, and amitriptyline considering their higher binding energy, lower energy variance, and higher hydrophobicity, seem to express more inhibitory effects on Janus kinase enzymes than thats for approved inhibitors i.e. baricitinib and ruxolitinib. Accordingly, we suggest our wide list of candidate drugs including indomethacin, etodolac, buprenorphine, rofecoxib, duloxetine, valdecoxib, naproxen, methadone, and amitriptilin for clinical assessments for their usefulness in COVID-19 treatment, especially taking into account that up to now, there is no approved cure for this disease.


This paper presents an approach to collision-free, long-range trajectory generation for a mobile robot in an industrial environment with static and dynamic obstacles. For the long-range planning a visibility graph together with A* is used to find a collision-free path with respect to the static obstacles. This path is used as a reference path to the trajectory planning algorithm that in addition handles dynamic obstacles while complying with the robot dynamics and constraints. A Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) solver generates a collision-free trajectory by staying close to the initial path but at the same time obeying all constraints. The NMPC problem is solved efficiently by leveraging the new numerical optimization method Proximal Averaged Newton for Optimal Control (PANOC). The algorithm was evaluated by simulation in various environments and successfully generated feasible trajectories spanning hundreds of meters in a tractable time frame.


Objective The aim of this study was to determine the effects and possible mechanisms of oldhamianoside on the growth of human ovarian cancer both in vitro and in vivo. Materials and methods CCK-8 assay was applied to estimate the effect of oldhamianoside on cell proliferation inhibition in vitro. Nude mice bearing human ovarian SKOV3 xenograft tumors were treated with oldhamianoside to investigate the effects of compound administration on tumor growth in vivo. To further investigate the mechanisms of inhibition effects of oldhamianoside on ovarian cancer growth in vivo, the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and MCP-1 in plasma from the mice were measured by ELISA. Western blot was used to detect the expression of angiogenesis- and/or apoptosis-related proteins. Results We found that oldhamianoside treatment inhibited SKOV3 proliferation and growth both in vitro and in vivo. Meanwhile, the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and MCP-1 in plasma were markedly suppressed in oldhamianoside-treated mice. Additionally, oldhamianoside treatment inhibited the expression of VEGF and VEGFR2 and decreased the expression of caspase-3 and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Conclusion Our data indicate that oldhamianoside has an obvious inhibition effect on SKOV3 proliferation, and the mechanisms might be related to inhibition of cell growth, apoptosis induction, and adjusting the inflammatory response and angiogenesis signal.


Previous studies have indicated that curcumin supplementation may be beneficial for cardiometabolic health; however, current evidence regarding the effects of its nanorange formulations, popularly known as "nano-curcumin", remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the impact of nano-curcumin supplementation on risk factors for cardiovascular disease. PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and ISI web of science were systematically searched up to May 2021 using relevant keywords. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of nano-curcumin supplementation on cardiovascular disease risk factors were included. Meta-analysis was performed using random-effects models, and subgroup analysis was performed to explore variations by dose and baseline risk profiles. According to the results of this study, nano-curcumin supplementation was associated with improvements in the glycemic profile by decreasing fasting blood glucose (FBG) (WMD: −18.14 mg/dL; 95% CI: −29.31 to −6.97; p = 0.001), insulin (WMD: −1.21 mg/dL; 95% CI: −1.43 to −1.00; p < 0.001), and HOMA-IR (WMD: −0.28 mg/dL; 95% CI: −0.33 to −0.23; p < 0.001). Interestingly, nano-curcumin supplementation resulted in increases in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (WMD: 5.77 mg/dL; 95% CI: 2.90 to 8.64; p < 0.001). In terms of other lipid profile markers (triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)), subgroup analyses showed that nano-curcumin supplementation had more favorable effects on lipid profiles in individuals with dyslipidemia at baseline. Nano-curcumin supplementation also showed favorable anti-inflammatory effects by decreasing C-reactive protein (CRP) (WMD: −1.29 mg/L; 95% CI: −2.15 to −0.44; p = 0.003) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (WMD: −2.78 mg/dL; 95% CI: −3.76 to −1.79; p < 0.001). Moreover, our results showed the hypotensive effect of nano-curcumin, evidenced by a decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP). In conclusion, our meta-analysis suggests that nano-curcumin supplementation may decline cardiovascular disease risk by improving glycemic and lipid profiles, inflammation, and SBP. Future large-scale investigations with longer durations are needed to expand on our findings.


Based on the geological configuration and formation lithology of igneous rock stratum of Santanghu, optimized design methods of PDC (polycrystalline diamond compact) bit are used to design PDC bit crown shape, cutting angle, the distribution of cutters and hydraulic structure, etc. Especially, these methods, which are design methods of gentle crown profile, spiral blade, high-density distribution of cutters, suitable back rake angle, and hydraulic structures which are more flexible nozzles of asymmetric arrangement and deeper fluid course layout, are fit for high hardness, multiple interbed and high abrasiveness of the igneous rock formation. The bit designed in this paper has turned out to be much better in the experiment of Horse 36 well of Santanghu.


This paper presents the simple method to determine the complex stress intensity factor of interface crack in bi-material plate under bending. In the present method, the stress values at the crack tip calculated by FEM are used and the stress intensity factors of interface crack are evaluated from the ratio of stress values between a given and a reference problems. A single interface crack in an infinite bi-material plate subjected to tension and shear is selected as the reference problem in this study. The accuracy of the present analysis is discussed through the results obtained by body force method. As the result, it is confirmed that the present method is useful for analyzing the interface crack under bending.


Background: High dose oral prednisolone (100 mg/day) in Graves' orbitopathy (GO) is limited by lesser response, and greater side-effects compared to intravenous (iv) methylprednisolone. Low dose oral prednisolone has not been evaluated in GO. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of low dose oral prednisolone in GO. Materials and Methods: A total of 114 consecutive GO patients were screened of which 65 patients with previously untreated moderate-severe GO, clinical activity score (CAS) >2, without co-morbid states were randomized into treatment Group-A (iv methylprednisolone 0.5 g for 3 days/month for 4 months) and Group-B (oral prednisolone 1 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks then tapered stopped), and followed-up. Thirty-one patients in each group with at least 1-year follow-up were analyzed. Responders were defined as improvement in ≥ 1 major response criteria or ≥ 2 minor response criteria. The trial is registered at ctri.nic.in (CTRI/2013/12/004264). Results: At 1-year, 27/31 (87.10%) patients were responders in Group-A compared to 17/31 (54.84%) in Group-B (P = 0.005). There was a greater improvement in CAS score in patients of Group-A as compared to Group-B (P < 0.001). Responders (n = 44) had significantly higher baseline intra-ocular pressures and left eye proptosis as compared to nonresponders. Cox-regression revealed baseline T4 levels, diplopia, and smoking history were predictive of remission. Low dose prednisolone was well tolerated, and the occurrence of adverse events were comparable in both groups. Conclusions: Low dose oral prednisolone is inferior to iv pulse methylprednisolone in managing GO, having a comparable side-effect profile. It can be a safe second line alternative in patients intolerant to pulse iv methylprednisolone.


Objective To describe the epidemiology of pedestrian road traffic injury in Lima and to identify associated child-level, family-level, and school travel-related variables. Design Case–control study. Setting The Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño, the largest paediatric hospital in the city. Participants Cases were children who presented because of pedestrian road traffic injury. Controls presented with other diagnoses and were matched on age, sex and severity of injury. Results Low socioeconomic status, low paternal education, traffic exposure during the trip to school, lack of supervision during outside play, and duration of outside play were all statistically significantly associated with case–control status. In multivariate logistic regression, a model combining the lack of supervision during outside play and the number of the streets crossed walking to school best predicted case–control status (p<0.001). Conclusions These results emphasise that an assessment of children's play behaviours and school locations should be considered and integrated into any plan for an intervention designed to reduce pedestrian road traffic injury. A child-centred approach will ensure that children derive maximum benefit from sorely needed public health interventions.


This thesis is an investigation into the relationship that exists between horizontal interlocking cross-ownership and market competition in the Canadian banking market. A literature review examines the effects of cross-ownership and its relation to market concentration. It is determined that traditional market concentration measures, notably the Herfindahl-Hirschman index (HHI), fail to account for cross-ownership between market players. By adding a cross-ownership variable to the HHI, a new proposed index is derived that proportionally augments the index value in relationship to the level of cross-ownership in the market. This index is tentatively called an interownership index (IOI). The Canadian banking market is examined to validate the proposed index, and to demonstrate empirically the effects of cross-ownership discussed in the literature review. Share ownership of all five major Canadian banks from the 2013 fiscal year is examined. The results show considerable interlocking cross-ownership amongst direct competitors, resulting in an IOI value 34.18% higher than the HHI when cross-ownership is factored in. The IOI's behaviour is consistent with the hypothesis. To empirically demonstrate the effects of cross-ownership, examinations of pricing variance and product competition are compared to the US banking market, in which no quantifiable cross-ownership exists. Significant differences are observed in pricing and competitive strategy between comparable markets with and without cross-ownership. It is ultimately concluded that the behaviour observed in the Canadian banking market is consistent with previous research that demonstrates that cross-ownership results in anticompetitive behaviour. The IOI is proposed as an alternative to market concentration measurement for antitrust authorities.


Observational studies suggest that fish consumption is associated with a decreased colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. A possible mechanism by which fish could reduce CRC risk is by decreasing colonic genotoxicity. However, concerns have also been raised over the levels of toxic compounds found in mainly oil-rich fish, which could increase genotoxicity. Therefore, the objective was to investigate the effects of fish on genotoxicity markers in the colon in a randomized controlled parallel intervention study. For a period of 6 months, subjects were randomly allocated to receive two extra weekly portions of (i) oil-rich fish (salmon), (ii) lean fish (cod) or (iii) just dietary advice (DA). The Comet Assay was used to measure the DNA damage-inducing potential of fecal water (n = 89) and DNA damage in colonocytes (n = 70) collected pre- and post-intervention as markers of genotoxicity. Genotoxicity of fecal water was not markedly changed after fish consumption: 1.0% increase in tail intensity (TI) [95% confidence interval (CI) -5.1; 7.0] in the salmon group and 0.4% increase in TI (95% CI -5.3; 6.1) in the cod group compared with the DA group. DNA damage in colonocytes was also not significantly changed after fish consumption, in either the salmon group (-0.5% TI, 95% CI -6.9; 6.0) or cod group (-3.3% TI, 95% CI -10.8; 4.3) compared with the DA group. Measurements of genotoxicity of fecal water and DNA damage in colonocytes did not correlate (r = 0.06, n = 34). In conclusion, increasing consumption of either oil-rich or lean fish did not affect genotoxicity markers in the colon.


In the frame of the SESAME project, a benchmarking activity was proposed to validate the existing system thermal-hydraulics codes for Heavy Liquid Metal reactors. More specifically, blind simulations on three well-defined experiments were carried out on the NACIE-UP facility, using CATHARE by ENEA, ATHLET by GRS, RELAP5-3D by University of Roma and RELAP5/Mod3.3 by University of Pisa. The numerical models were calibrated in terms of system thermal losses and gas enhanced circulation by means of the outcomes from specific experimental preliminary tests.
 The present discussion expose, compare and analyze the numerical results of some representative parameters (primary lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) mass flow rate, temperatures and pressure) charaterizing the system behaviour in transiet scenarios in a "pre-test" blind numerical assessment.


Abstract Ramírez-Vélez, R, Martínez, M, Correa-Bautista, JE, Lobelo, F, Izquierdo, M, Rodríguez-Rodríguez, F, and Cristi-Montero, C. Normative reference of standing long jump for Colombian schoolchildren aged 9-17.9 years: The FUPRECOL study. J Strength Cond Res 31(8): 2083–2090, 2017—The purpose of this study was to generate normative values for the standing long jump (SLJ) test in 9- to 17.9-year olds and to investigate sex and age-group differences. The sample comprised 8,034 healthy Colombian schoolchildren [boys n = 3,488 and girls n = 4,546; mean (SD) age 12.8 (±2.3) years old]. Each participant performed two SLJ. Centile smoothed curves, percentile, and tables for the third, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 97th percentiles were calculated using Cole's Lambda-Mu-Sigma method. The 2-way analysis of variance tests and Cohen's d showed that the maximum SLJ (centimeter) was higher in boys than in girls across age groups (p < 0.01), reaching the peak at 13 years. Posthoc analyses within the sexes showed yearly increases in SLJ in all ages. In boys, the 50th percentile SLJ score ranged from 109 to 165 cm. In girls, the 50th percentile jump ranged from 96 to 120 cm. For girls, jump scores increased yearly from age 9 to 12.9 years before reaching a plateau at an age between 13 and 15.9. Our results provide, for the first time, sex- and age-specific SLJ reference values for Colombian schoolchildren aged 9–17.9 years. The normative values presented in this study provide the basis for the determination of the proposed age- and sex-specific standards for the FUPRECOL (Association for Muscular Strength with Early Manifestation of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among Colombian Children and Adolescents) Study—Physical fitness battery for children and adolescents.


Fermented beverages such as wine, cider and beer are normally fermented with Saccharomyces yeasts due to their well-known fermentative behavior. These yeasts have been extensively investigated and are used in commercial processes. On the other hand, non- Saccharomyces yeasts were always considered contaminants in winemaking and brewing. Most researchers in the past argued that these yeasts produce several compounds that may alter the sensory quality of wine and beers. However, recent studies have demonstrated that their fermentative metabolism can be regulated and addressed to the production of compounds of sensory importance. Currently, some non- Saccharomyces yeasts belonging to the genera Kloeckera, Candida, Hanseniaspora are getting importance due to their high potentiality to be used in the production of fermented beverages such as special wines and craft beers. The emergence of new consumption patterns and market niches demanding products with new sensory characteristics has catapulted the exploitation of these yeasts.


An investigation has been carried out into the twist
blockage which may occur when yarns pass over guides or other surfaces.

The influence of primary physical parameters such as surface
curvature, are and length of contact, yarn twist level and tension and yarn/surface friction have been investigated together with secondary parameters such as yarn surface, pressure, angle of approach etc.

As a result of these investigations, three mechanisms of
blockage have been identified. The first of these occurs especially with doubled yarn in which the components lie side by side on the guide surface and blocked twist builds up until sufficient torque is developed to turn the yarn over against the couple generated by the components of yarn tension and reaction on the guide surface.

In the second mechanism blocking torque is generated by
components of friction on the yarn surface at right angles to the yarn axis. These orthogonal friction components may arise from interaction between the topography of the twisted yarn surface and the guide surface or may be generated by forces arising from an angular orientation
of yarn to guide.

The third mechanism is intermediate between the other two
where a singles yarn (or its equivalent) is flattened on the surface and resistance to twist transmission is generated partly by internal friction within the yarn and partly by yarn/guide frictional forces.

The main circumstances under which these different mechanisms may operate, have been identified and suggestions made for minimising the blockage of twist.


Abstract. The new generation RFID-Radar system provides the function of detecting the targets' locations with the measurements of range and angle using a reader and an antenna array to transmit and receive the RF signals. It enhances the application value for RFID when combined with the geospatial information. In this study, an information system embedded with a plan coordinate detection function was developed using the spatial data provided by the RFID-Radar system, to expand the application of indoor locating and meet the inventory management requirements. The in-house developed management system can work for processing the measurements detected by the RFID-Radar system, calculating the target's location, checking the target's status and analyzing the target's movement occurring between the two detecting epochs through a designed GUI (graphical user interface). The system has been tested to show an internal precision of 0.76 m for locating, based on the stability test of the range and angle measurements, and effectively demonstrates the functions for detecting the target's movement and archiving the inventory's management information with a database.