eighteen members. At this moment I have lost track of two <who have moved away, and have not left their residence at the 'SChool. Of the other sixteen, seven have been teachers, one of w-hom is now an instructor at Yale University, two are successful lawyers, two hold excellent positions as stenographers, one is cas-bier in a large store. 'One is a compositor, one is an elocutionist of eonsiderable note, one is the assessor of the borough, and the sixteenth one is married to a physician. I would therefore have to conclude that the average member of this class, if there )5 such a person, has attained a high degree of success in life. The class of 1899 was a small class, being composed of twelve members. One of ehese I have no track of. Of the others, three have been teachers, one of whom, is a graduate of Princeton, and wasinstruc.tor in a normal school until hi's health failed; one .is a physician; one a dentist; one holds a prominent position with a railroad company in the '\Vest; one is an insurance actuary, with a salary of $3,000; one holds a prominent position with a manufacturing concern. Of the remaining three, one is married to the insurance actuary, one to the physician, and the other is reasonablysettled in making a home. So again it would seem that the members of this class have been very successful dn life. I have a strong conviction that too much has been expected of the public school,' and that the public scliool is doing as much as can possibly be expected of it. Generally speaking, the members of our high school who graduated ten or twelve years ago are the prominent men of the community. W,hy anyone should consider the high school useless to the boy I cannot understand.


Our present economy is high-energy and demand-intensive, demand met through the use of high energy yield fossil fuels. Energy efficiency and renewable energy sources are proposed as the solution and named the 'twin pillars' of sustainable energy policy. Increasing energy efficiencies are expected to reduce energy demand and fossil fuel use and allow renewables to close the 'replacement gap'. However, the simple fact is that fossil fuel use is still rising to meet increasing global demand and even when demand is stabilised, the substantial energy efficiencies achieved are not delivering the expected reductions in energy demand. The net effect is that efficiencies are gained and renewable energy use is increasing, even though the replacement of fossils is not an immediately plausible possibility. This points to the under-theorised problems in the 'efficiency and replacement' formula. We argue the need to pay closer attention to the 'systemicity' of the problem and to the technical and practical systems involved in energy demand. There are a number of detailed reasons why the 'efficiency and replacement' equation has become problematic ('globality', energy yield, 'rebound' and 'momentum' effects) and we include a short review of these and relate them to our 'systemicity' argument. We argue there is a need for better thinking, but also for a new primary instrument to drastically reduce energy demand and fossil fuel use. Attention should be urgently shifted from gains in energy efficiency to substantial year-over-year reductions in demand.


Low degree completion rate within the prescribed time due to exceedingly large failure rate of students has become a growing concern for Distance Learning Institutes. High failure rate in courses as much as 70% in freshman courses and 60% in advanced courses as the students proceed to final semesters—are costly to both; the institution and the students. Reducing syllabus in the at-stake courses can generate improved results in terms of students' passing ratio. Following this hypothesis, current course-redesign intervention employed 30% reduction in the course content to evaluate its impact on students' failure rate. Results were compared against a set of courses in the control group and also with pre-intervention results of students in the same courses. Independent sample t-test and chi-square test of homogeneity were used in the SPSS to determine the intervention impact. Results were significant against all the hypotheses hence allowing the researchers to conclude that course reduction intervention has significant bearing on reducing students' failure rate.


Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine the perception of risk of breast cancer in sisters of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients and further examine the association with anxiety and alexithymia, as compared to healthy controls without a family history of breast cancer. Methods: The participants were requested to complete questionnaires including demographic and risk perception of breast cancer. The association of risk perception was evaluated by using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory Scale and Toronto Alexithymia Scale in sisters of breast cancer patients and healthy controls. Results: Sisters of 111 breast cancer patients and 123 healthy controls completed the questionnaire. Sisters with high perceived risk showed high scores on anxity and alexithymia scale as compared to healthy control. Regression analysis showed significant association between perceived risk and anxiety (t=2.023, p<.05) and alexithymia factor difficulty in identifying feelings and total alexithymia score(t=6.787, p<.000 and 3.726, p<.000). Conclusions: Sisters of patients with breast cancers showed significantly higher perceived risk, anxiety and alexithymia than their healthy counter parts. The sister's perception of breast cancer risk influences the anxiety and emotional experience. Our data emphasizes that medical professional should discuss risk appraisals to anxiety and emotional concerns in both breast cancer patients and their sisters to help them in coping with breast cancer and concerns in the family.


The current state-of-the-art hole transporting materials (HTM) for perovskite solar cells are generally synthesized via cross-coupling reactions that require expensive catalysts, inert reaction conditions and extensive product purification, resulting in high costs and therefore limiting large-scale commercialisation. Here we describe a series of HTMs prepared via simple and clean Schiff-base condensation chemistry with an estimated material cost in the range of 4–54 $ per g. The optoelectronic and thermal properties of the materials are linked to the changes in the chemical structure of the HTMs, which allow us to extract design rules for new materials, supported by density functional theory calculations. Charge transport measurements show hole mobilities in the range of 10−5 to 10−7 cm2 V−1 s−1. Upon addition of LiTFSI the HTMs can be oxidized, resulting in a large increase in the conductivity of the hole transporting layer (HTL). When employed as HTL in perovskite solar cells, power conversion efficiencies close to those of spiro-OMeTAD are obtained. In particular, devices prepared with Diazo-OMeTPA show a higher open-circuit voltage. Furthermore, we show that azomethine-based HTMs can act as effective moisture barriers, resulting in a significant increase in the stability of the underlying perovskite film. We assign the improved properties to the presence of a dipole in our molecules which promotes a close molecular packing and thus leads to a high density of the as-formed HTM films, preventing the ingress of water. This work shows that HTMs prepared via condensation chemistry are not only a low-cost alternative to spiro-OMeTAD, but also act as a functional barrier against moisture-induced degradation in perovskite solar cells.


BACKGROUND
Bowel preparation is essential for quality colonoscopy. Although most bowel preparation regimens recommend dietary restriction for 24 to 48 hours before the procedure, the evidence for this is poor. This study aimed to investigate whether dietary restriction during bowel preparation improves the quality of colonoscopy.

METHODS
A prospective, randomised controlled pilot study in which the dietary restriction (DR) group (control) was instructed not to ingest high fibre foods for 48 hours prior to the use of a polyethylene glycol (PEG) bowel preparation. The non-dietary restriction (NDR) group were given no dietary instruction but received instructions for the use of the PEGbased preparation. On the day of colonoscopy, the quality of the bowel effluent was assessed, and additional preparation given as necessary. The primary endpoint was quality of bowel cleansing using the Harefield Cleansing Scale during colonoscopy. The secondary endpoints were the need for additional bowel preparation and the quantity of additional bowel preparation given prior to endoscopy. Data were analysed on an intention to treat basis.

RESULTS
Twenty-three participants were randomised to the intervention group and thirty-four to the control group. Patient demographics were similar in both groups. Dietary restriction did not influence the success rate of bowel preparation: 97% successful bowel preparation in the DR group, vs 91% successful bowel preparation in the NDR group (p = 0.559). Additional bowel preparation requirement were similar in both groups: 35% in the DR group vs 39% in the NDR group (p = 0.768). Mean amount of additional bowel preparation required was similar: 560 ml in the DR group vs 460 ml in the NDR group (p = 0.633).

CONCLUSION
The quality of bowel preparation was comparable in patients with and without dietary restrictions prior to colonoscopy. Non-restrictive diets prior to bowel preparation should be considered to increase compliance. The sample size of this pilot study prohibited definite statistical conclusions but demonstrated this to be a reasonable methodology for a larger study.


BACKGROUND: An anatomic study about the arterial vascularization of the sigmoid was performed in order to obtain guidelines for the surgical treatment of rectal carcinoma. AIM: In the proposed technique, the sigmoid is brought down to the perineum, after radical anal-rectal resection, including sphincterectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-three anatomical pieces were obtained through in situ dissection of formolized corpses (22 were male and 11 female). Turpentine solution, red marking, polyvinyl chloride were the materials used for preparation after cateterization of the inferior mesenteric artery. RESULTS: The inferior mesenteric artery originated in most cases from the left side of the abdominal aorta , approximately 4.3 cm fromits bifurcation point; the left colonic artery, in 25 cases, originated straight from the inferior mesenteric artery below the left colonic artery, after which the sigmoid would be brought down to the perineum. CONCLUSION: Knowledge about arterial vascularization of the sigmoid could be helpful in the surgical management of rectal cancer.


Guided by Pekrun's (2006) control-value theory of achievement emotions, we investigated the mediating role of control and value appraisals in the relations between students' perceptions of teaching and their academic emotions. To account for the highly fluctuating and dynamic nature of emotions, we used the experience sampling method complemented by within-person mediation analyses. In 2 studies, n = 122 (Study 1) and n = 149 (Study 2) high school students reported on their real-time perceptions of teaching characteristics (grouped into two second-order factors: supportive presentation style and excessive lesson demands), their control and value (intrinsic and extrinsic) appraisals, and their academic emotions of enjoyment, anxiety, and boredom (n = 1,520/2,669 assessments within students). Across the 2 studies, we found consistent results on the intraindividual level that are in line with an assumption of the control-value theory: Appraisals of control and value mediated the effects of perceived characteristics of teaching on academic emotions (e.g., supportive presentation style showed positive effects on control, which, in turn, showed positive effects on enjoyment). At the same time—and contributing to further developments of the control-value theory—the relative importance of direct and indirect effects (i.e., amount of mediation) differed across emotions. For example, there was a strong direct effect of supportive presentation style on enjoyment, but no effect on anxiety. Similarly, appraisals differed in their relative importance as mediators both within and across emotions (e.g., extrinsic value was mainly relevant for anxiety, whereas intrinsic value contributed to enjoyment and boredom). (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)


Development of Guidelines for the Aesthetic Surface Treatment of Safety-Shaped Median Barriers. (August 2004) Jacob Raymond Ness, B.S., Texas A&M University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Harry L. Jones Safety-shaped median barriers have long been employed to keep misguided vehicles on the roadway. In recent years there has been a growing national desire for more aesthetically pleasing roadside safety systems. Adding surface texture is one of the most popular ways to make a more aesthetically pleasing barrier. This practice of adding surface texture can potentially reduce the safety performance of the barrier. The purpose of this research was to develop guidelines for the aesthetic surface treatment of safety-shaped median barriers. Numerical simulation was utilized to develop these guidelines. This was done by first validating the vehicle model that was used in this research, which was the National Crash Analysis Center (NCAC) 2000P Detailed Pickup Truck model. The validity of the vehicle model could be determined by comparing the vehicle dynamics of the simulation to the actual crash test data for the smooth surfaced Single Slope and New Jersey Safety-Shaped barriers. Crash tests involving concrete median barriers most commonly fail crash testing criteria given by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 350 by excessive Occupant Compartment Deformation (OCD). OCD is excessive deformation of the occupant compartment that would cause severe harm to the occupant. Current simulation vehicle models do not give reliable direct measurement of OCD. To take the place of direct measurement, several parameters were measured to find the best surrogate measure of OCD. The internal energy of the floorboard in the NCAC 2000P Detailed Pickup Truck model gave the best correlation to OCD. By simulating several different past crash tests with passing and failing OCD, limits of internal energy in the floorboard could determine if a simulation had passing, marginal, or failing amounts of OCD. Using the surrogate measure of OCD a parametric study was then evaluated by NCHRP Report 350 standards. The parametric study of 29 simulations varied width and depth of recess between asperities for two different angles of asperities. Guidelines were determined for the 45° and 90° angles of asperities as a curve on depth vs. width of recess between asperities from the results of this parametric study.


Intercellular transport-metabolic interactions were investigated at the ultrastructural level in the grafts of the embryonic rat hippocampus and septum developing for 3 to 12 months in the anterior eye chamber of adult rats. The signs of highly increased transport from the blood capillaries ingrowing from the host's iris into the grafts (multiple pinocytotic vesicles in the endothelium and pericytes) were observed. The glial cells, which were accumulated at the graft surface, had pinocytotic invaginations and microvilli, which indicated their possible participation in the active transport of metabolites from the surrounding intraocular fluid. An increased level of direct communications, manifested in pinocytoses and large gap junctions between apposed nerve and glial cells was also present within the grafts. Moreover, microphagocytosis, as internalization of surface membrane fragments with adjacent cytoplasm of the neighbouring structure (including dendrites and axons), was often observed in the grafted tissue. It is suggested that the observed communications between neuronal and glial cells may participate in both trophic and functional interactions. An increase in the level of nonsynaptic interactions in the grafted nervous tissue may be regarded as a manifestation of the compensatory adaptation to the absence of normal tissue surrounding afferent connections and efferent targets.


In the development of three-dimensional printable materials for high-speed and high-resolution printing, UV-curing polymers can guarantee fast and precise printing of high performance load-bearing structures, but the injected drops of the monomers tend to spread over the substrates due to their low viscosity. In this study, we imposed the self-standing and shape-memorable capability of an epoxy acrylate (EA) monomer to ensure continuous filamentary 3D printing while maintaining its low viscosity nature. Using octadecanamide (ODA) with EA, strong hydrogen-bond networks (−N−H⋯OC−, −N−CO⋯H–O–, –N–H⋯N–) were additionally achieved in the material system and the developed material distinctively exhibited rheological duality at different processing stages: a low-viscosity liquid-like behavior (viscosity of ∼50 Pa) while passing through the nozzle and a self-standing solid-like behavior (static yield stress of ∼364 Pa) right after being printed. This reversible liquid-to-solid transitional capability was quantified by viscoelastic complex moduli provided a dynamic yield stress (τy,G) of 210 Pa corresponding to the upright stacking up to ∼3.2 cm (3 wt% of ODA). The time (ty,G) required for conformational rearrangement was evaluated to be as fast as ∼10−2 s. After UV curing, the 3D printed layers exhibited no air pockets or weld lines at the stacked interfaces, which could guarantee excellent mechanical performance and structural integrity.


In classical mathematics, models of dynamic systems are derived by relating the cause-effect or energy-balance relationships between the inputs ( excitation ) and the outputs ( response ). Obtaining a complete solution to the resulting integrodifferential equations requires the derivations of the complementary function ( free response ) and the particular integral ( forced response ). For systems modeled by linear differential equations, the Laplace transformation offers an algebraic framework for the derivation of the output response for a given excitation. The digital counterpart for modeling consists of the difference equations and pulse transfer function. Since many low-level image processing algorithms use well-established analog and digital signal-processing mathematics, some of the essential concepts associated with these are outlined in this appendix. For conformation with the standard literature, the derivations in this appendix are given with time as the independent variable. D.1 Laplace Transform Since any real-life analog signal f ( t ) may not always be absolutely integrable, the formal derivations of Fourier transforms in Appendix A, with f ( t ) as the parent function, may not apply to a broad range of engineering analysis and design tasks. To exploit the conceptual framework of transforming the independent variable into the frequency provided by the Fourier transform, an exponentially decaying function e -σ t is factored such that the augmented function f σ ( t ) = e -σ t f ( t ) is absolutely integrable. The Fourier transform of this augmented function is then derived as (D.1a)


Scatter and veiling glare are predominant sources of error in videodensitometric iodine quantification. Standard beam stop techniques such as lead strips or an array of lead discs, placed before the patients, have previously been used to measure scatter and veiling glare in digital radiographic images. However, these techniques significantly increase patient x-ray exposure. In order to overcome this limitation, a scatter measurement technique based on sampled primary intensity has been investigated. This technique uses an array of apertures in a lead sheet to sample the primary x-ray intensity. The scatter-glare intensity in these locations is calculated by subtracting the sampled primary intensity from an open field image which contains both primary and scatter-glare. The calculated scatter-glare values can be interpolated or combined with digital filtration to estimate the scatter-glare intensity on a pixel by pixel basis. The technique was evaluated using a Lucite step phantom and an anthropomorphic chest phantom. The average rms percentage errors of scatter and veiling glare estimation using bi-cubic interpolation and digital filtration techniques were 8.02% and 7.53%, respectively. The average rms percentage errors of primary intensity estimation using bi-cubic interpolation and digital filtration techniques were 10.01% and 8.91%, respectively. The x-ray exposure-area product (EAP) from the aperture array was only 4.38% of the EAP from the open field. These results indicate that the scatter-glare intensity can be accurately estimated with minimal x-ray exposure using sampled primary intensity.


Surgery remains the primary treatment for early stage breast cancer. Modified radical mastectomy and lumpectomy with axillary dissection continue to be the two procedures most commonly performed. Changes in the healthcare system and advances in medical research in cancer treatment affect the nursing care of these patients. The introduction of the sentinel node biopsy may change certain aspects of surgical treatment, as some patients may not require an axillary dissection. The challenge for nurses is to provide quality care and maintain established standards for patients with breast cancer as their hospitalizations are shortened to same day or overnight stays. The purpose of this article is to review the standard surgical treatments and related nursing care and discuss the impact of the sentinel node biopsy and the impact of changes in the length of hospital stay on the care of women with breast cancer.


This article responds to William T. Caniano's recent article in Library Philosophy and Practice criticizing the Commons model as causing a "labization" of the library, where a focus on high gate count creates noise problems inimical to the traditional scholarly ideal of the library. Caniano further asserts that increased use of laptops and mobile devices in the future will drive down demand for desktops, thus drastically reducing gate count and causing our Commons to become deserted. Lastly, Caniano advocates replacing it with what he calls the "Athenaeum" model. This article describes a number of sections of the Commons literature not mentioned by Caniano, and examines several counter-examples that support a broader and deeper description of the Commons than he provides, as well as a richer context for its implementation and assessment than his article acknowledges.


LimAvg-automata are weighted automata over infinite words that aggregate weights along runs with the limit-average value function. In this paper, we study the minimization problem for (deterministic) LimAvg-automata. Our main contribution is an equivalence relation on words characterizing LimAvg-automata, i.e., the equivalence classes of this relation correspond to states of an equivalent LimAvg-automaton. In contrast to relations characterizing DFA, our relation depends not only on the function defined by the target automaton, but also on its structure. We show two applications of this relation. First, we present a minimization algorithm for LimAvgautomata, which returns a minimal LimAvgautomaton among those equivalent and structurally similar to the input one. Second, we present an extension of Angluin's L∗-algorithm with syntactic queries, which learns in polynomial time a LimAvg-automaton equivalent to the target one.


Objective: To investigate the circumstances and geographic and temporal distributions of hazardous material releases and resulting human impacts in the United States. Method: Releases with fatalities, injuries, and evacuations were identified from reports to the National Response Center between 1990 and 2008, correcting for data quality issues identified in previous studies. Results: From more than 550,000 reports, 861 deaths, 16,348 injuries and 741,427 evacuations were identified. Injuries from releases of chemicals at fixed facilities and natural gas from pipelines have decreased whereas evacuations from petroleum releases at fixed facilities have increased. Conclusion: Results confirm recent advances in chemical and pipeline safety and suggest directions for further improvement including targeted training and inspections and adoption of inherently safer design principles.


Workplace training or
on-the-job training (OJT) is important from the point of view of both the
organisation and the employees. It affords new skills, learning opportunities,
and career mobility to the workers. From the employers' perspective, OJT helps in
increasing productivity and efficiency of operations. However, in the context
of India, very few studies have looked into the determinant factors behind OJT
by firms, their perspective on the importance of OJT, and the challenges they
face with regard to the provision of OJT. Similarly, studies on the access to
OJT by the workers and impact on their earnings are largely absent. The present
paper touches upon some of these aspects using the Enterprises Survey of the
World Bank (ES 2014) and the Period Labour Force Survey of National Statistical
Organisation (PLFS 2017-18). The study finds that in India there exists a strong
association between the provision of formal training by the firms and the size
of the firms, their inclination to innovation, and quality certification by
international agencies. In the manufacturing sector government enterprises
still provide the best opportunities for training. On the other hand,
individual worker level data reveals that access to the OJT is associated with
the place of residence, educational level, sector, age, and gender. Although
OJT improves the earnings of the workers, there exists a wide gender inequality
in earning even among the OJT trained workers.


The Roman Catholic look criminal dies to break alive right, given by God. Not a
even also even administrator with even if not forceaive that given God in teach it the
Roman Catholic respect life and averse death sentence base morality teachings. Has great
dignity and noble, tall valuable and that human self respect make the rights alive right
and life really as right that cling in self and must be protected now ever condition and the
situation.
This matter is according to human right principle that look at and protect human
life that regulated in law no 39 year 1999 about human right as flat as change constitution
Amendment to 2 year 200. Section 4 in law 39 year 1999 regulate that alive right human
can not in state of whatever by whoever and paragraph 281 verse (1) constitution 1945
declare that alive right, right basic can not in state of anything, therefore death sentence
that aim predominantly designedly pull somebody alive right opposes constitution base
1945.
But in death sentence in reality in Indonesia permanent looked at regulation and
formal judicial with stills many law and regulation widespread insides criminal code and
codification outdoor law even law no 23 year 2000 about human right pins up death
sentence in paragraph 36 and 37.
Now must be supported a existence thinking a civilized society without death
sentence existence law. That still pin up death sentence must study well evaluated that
death sentence not civilized again glare at death sentence criminal not age again, and very
inhuman very not civilized and must be pulled from entre our government must want to
ratified protocol optional two with reference to convenan international about policies
rights and civil, hit death sentence abolition Amendment entire laws that correlating to
fill in death sentence, be road legal to wipe off death sentence therefore very necessary
prepared draft of law exsten hits matters all.


This study investigates how the association between union dissolution and childlessness depends on life course context. Data on union histories and fertility are taken from the Norwegian GGS. To observe union histories up to age 45, I include men and women born 1927-1962, giving a study sample of 3862 men and 3956 women. To grasp the life course context of union dissolutions, I group union histories similar in timing, occurrence and ordering of events together using sequence analysis. Union histories involving at least one dissolution are sorted into two groups: In the first group, a short first union is followed by quick repartnering, and the second union is still intact at age 45 for the majority. In this group, childlessness is low. In the second group, individuals spend more time as single before and after unions, and dissolving more than one union is common. This group displays high levels of childlessness. The association between a complex union history and childlessness is substantially and significantly stronger among men than among women. Among women, union histories involving a dissolution is more strongly linked to childlessness for the highly educated.


Near-infrared spectroscopy combined with partial least squares regression (PLSR) and support vector machine (SVM) was applied for the rapid determination of chemical component of volatile oil content in Mentha haplocalyx. The effects of data pre-processing methods on the accuracy of the PLSR calibration models were investigated. The performance of the final model was evaluated according to the correlation coefficient (R) and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP). For PLSR model, the best preprocessing method combination was first-order derivative, standard normal variate transformation (SNV), and mean centering, which had Rc2 of 0.8805, Rp2 of 0.8719, RMSEC of 0.091, and RMSEP of 0.097, respectively. The wave number variables linking to volatile oil are from 5500 to 4000 cm−1 by analyzing the loading weights and variable importance in projection (VIP) scores. For SVM model, six LVs (less than seven LVs in PLSR model) were adopted in model, and the result was better than PLSR model. The Rc2 and Rp2 were 0.9232 and 0.9202, respectively, with RMSEC and RMSEP of 0.084 and 0.082, respectively, which indicated that the predicted values were accurate and reliable. This work demonstrated that near infrared reflectance spectroscopy with chemometrics could be used to rapidly detect the main content volatile oil in M. haplocalyx. Abbreviations used: 1st der: First-order derivative; 2nd der: Second-order derivative; LOO: Leave-one-out; LVs: Latent variables; MC: Mean centering, NIR: Near-infrared; NIRS: Near infrared spectroscopy; PCR: Principal component regression, PLSR: Partial least squares regression; RBF: Radial basis function; RMSEC: Root mean square error of cross validation, RMSEC: Root mean square error of calibration; RMSEP: Root mean square error of prediction; SNV: Standard normal variate transformation; SVM: Support vector machine; VIP: Variable Importance in projection


Improvement of transport infrastructure networks is generally considered to generate increased productivity. This correlation is a common argument in Swedish transportation planning that provides a rationale for investments in regional transportation systems. However, due to a number of limitations in the planning and decision-making process, the development of effective transport infrastructure networks at the regional level is hampered. In this contribution the findings of a research project on Swedish regional transportation plan-ning are presented, which focuses on an analysis of current planning practise. This analysis is based on an evaluation of the recent planning process of the regional transport infrastructure plan for the Kalmar region. Issues that will be addressed are the disintegrated planning of regional transport systems, the lack of strategic planning in Swedish planning practise and the weak connections with other fields of public planning. The presentation concludes with a set of recommendations to improve the planning of regional transportation systems in Sweden (A). For the covering abstract of the conference see ITRD E212343.


Abstract. Marine sediments, particularly those located in estuarine and coastal zones, are key locations for the burial of organic carbon (C). However, organic C delivered to the sediment is subjected to a range of biological C-cycling processes, the rates and relative importance of which vary markedly between sites, and which are thus difficult to predict. In this study, stable isotope tracer experiments were used to quantify the processing of C by microbial and faunal communities in two contrasting Scottish estuarine sites: a subtidal, organic C rich site in Loch Etive with cohesive fine-grained sediment, and an intertidal, organic C poor site on an Ythan estuary sand flat with coarse-grained permeable sediments. In both experiments, sediment cores were recovered and amended with 13C labelled phytodetritus to quantify whole community respiration of the added C and to trace the isotope label into faunal and bacterial biomass. Similar respiration rates were found in Loch Etive and on the Ythan sand flat (0.64 ± 0.04 and 0.63 ± 0.12 mg C m−2h−1, respectively), which we attribute to the experiments being conducted at the same temperature. Faunal uptake of added C over the whole experiment was markedly greater in Loch Etive (204 ± 72 mg C m−2) than on the Ythan sand flat (0.96 ± 0.3 mg C m−2), and this difference was driven by a difference in both faunal biomass and activity. Conversely, bacterial C uptake over the whole experiment in Loch Etive was much lower than that on the Ythan sand flat (1.80 ± 1.66 and 127 ± 89 mg C m−2, respectively). This was not driven by differences in biomass, indicating that the bacterial community in the permeable Ythan sediments was particularly active, being responsible for 48 ± 18 % of total biologically processed C. This type of biological C processing appears to be favoured in permeable sediments. The total amount of biologically processed C was greatest in Loch Etive, largely due to greater faunal C uptake, which was in turn a result of higher faunal biomass. When comparing results from this study with a wide range of previously published isotope tracing experiments, we found a strong correlation between total benthic biomass (fauna plus bacteria) and total biological C processing rates. Therefore, we suggest that the total C-cycling capacity of benthic environments is primarily determined by total biomass.


As a potential energy storage cell, the rechargeable magnesium (Mg) battery is limited by poor solid-state diffusion of Mg2+. Hence, the fundamental mechanisms between the electrolyte and the Mg electrode need to be deeply explored. In this work, a doped-Mg electrode/MgCl2 aqueous electrolyte system is constructed to explore the electrolyte structure and transport properties of ions through molecular dynamics simulations. Then, extensive simulations are conducted to study the effect of the doping levels on the electrode/electrolyte interface and ionic diffusivity. According to the number densities of different electrodes (i.e., Mg–Zn, Mg–Al, Mg–Si, and pure Mg), the Mg–Si electrode shows the strongest attraction to the ions in the electrolyte, indicating that the Mg–Si electrode can provide a higher ion storage performance. Moreover, the simulation results also show that the electrode capacitance presents a similar non-monotonic relationship with the increase of potential well depth under different doping ratios. At the doping ratio of 9%, the potential well depth has the strongest impact on the electric double layer (EDL) thickness compared with that of the other two doping ratios. The diffusion coefficient of water molecules weakly depends on the doping ratios and electrode materials. In contrast, the diffusion coefficient of ions varies strongly with the electrode materials, which could change up to 10–30% from its reference value (the diffusion coefficient of the Mg electrode system). This study will potentially provide an understanding of the influences of doped-Mg metal anodes on the structure and transport characteristics of Mg rechargeable batteries.


Protocols for the synthesis of novel 1-substituted 7-cyano-2,3-diphenylindolizines from the corresponding indolizinol have been developed, and the compounds' abilities to act as antioxidants, i.e. To inhibit lipid peroxidation in vitro, have been examined. 1-bromo-7-cyano-2,3-diphenylindolizine 9 readily participates in pd-catalysed coupling reactions with organotin, organozinc, and organoboron reagents. Similar treatment of the corresponding indolizinyl triflate 6, on the other hand, resulted only in partial cleavage of the triflate back to the indolizinol, except in reaction with 1-ethoxyethenyl(tributyl)tin. Here, the unexpected acetal (1-ethoxyethoxy)indolizine 10 was formed. The structure of 10 was determined by single-crystal x-ray diffraction methods at 150 k. An alternative strategy for the introduction of substituents at c-1 is by lithiation of the bromide 9 followed by reaction with electrophiles. The ability of the indolizine derivatives to inhibit lipid peroxidation in vitro was examined. Lipid peroxidation of boiled rat liver microsomes was induced by ascorbic acid/feso4 and peroxidation was determined by measuring the material reactive to thiobarbituric acid. In particular, the indolizinyl acetate 4 and the triflate 6 appear to be highly active antioxidants, with ic50 values below 1 µm in the bioassay.


This paper investigates the Lower Miocene carbonate succession outcropping in the Monte Lungo Area (Cassino Plain, Central Apennines). The Cassino plain is located in the southern sector of a wide neritic domain known as Latium-Abruzzi platform. Two stratigraphic sections spanning the Upper Aquitanian-Lower Burdigalian, at the locality Peschito and in the summit of the Monte Lungo structure, were analysed in detail. Facies analysis, bioerosion features, biotic assemblages are consistent with an inner ramp environment. The inner ramp was characterized shoreward by a high-energy environment immediately below the littoral zone with low sedimentation rates, passing seaward into sea glasses meadows and associated «maerl» facies, and further seaward into coral carpets. No lagoonal or coastal facies are recognised in the investigated area. The Cretaceous substratum is initially colonized by bioeroders and successively by balanids, later overlain by a 12 m thick interval characterized by pebbly packstone levels, bioclastic packstone to float-stone and red algae branch floatstone. A deepening upward trend from inner to middle ramp is observed in both sections. The presence of Porites, Lithoporella, and Heterostegina in the biotic associations clearly suggests that sedimentation took place in a subtropical (tropical) setting.


Applied voltage and magnetic field dependence of microwave oscillations have been studied for the giant magnetoresistive (GMR) element. In this experiment, a magnetic field is applied perpendicular to the plane of GMR films. It is found that the power spectral density (PSD) is less dependent on the direction of magnetic field and the resistance gap induced by the magnetic field corresponds to the rapid increase of PSD. Moreover, noise peaks are observed in a high frequency range (about 8 GHz or higher) when a magnetic field of more than 2000 Oe is applied. The peak frequencies shift to higher frequency as the magnitude of magnetic field increases. In contrast to a magnetic field, the peak frequencies and their widths are more susceptible to the direction of current.


This paper presents a study of Jurassic–Early Cretaceous sedimentary evolution of the Hefei basin in eastern China and explores the relationship between clastic sedimentation and coeval deformation of the Dabieshan to the south and the Tanlu fault to the east. The Hefei basin experienced a two-stage evolution. The basin was initiated in the Early Jurassic and expanded in the Middle and Late Jurassic. The synsedimentary Jinzhai normal fault is considered to be a border fault of the basin because it controlled Middle to Upper Jurassic proximal alluvial deposits. Persistent N- to NE-directed paleo-flows in the southern Hefei basin indicate that sediments came from the Dabieshan, and the presence of Triassic coesite-bearing detrital zircon in Lower Jurassic sediments documents exhumation of ultrahigh-pressure rocks of the Dabieshan to the surface as early as the Early Jurassic. Occurrences of eclogite clasts in an Upper Jurassic unit indicate continued denudation of the Dabieshan at that time. Thickening of Jurassic clastic units to the southern and southeast parts of the basin suggests that basin subsidence and depositional loci were under the coupled control of the Jinzhai normal fault on the south and the NE-striking left-lateral transtensional Tanlu fault on the east. Jurassic extensional subsidence of the Hefei basin is in marked contrast to the coeval development of a contractional foreland basin south of the Dabieshan, which combines to indicate contemporaneous extension and contraction on the north and south sides of the Dabieshan, respectively. Vigorous volcanism and uplift of the southern Hefei basin characterized the second stage of development of the Hefei basin in the Early Cretaceous, and this led to a synchronous shift of its main depocenter to the north. This younger depocenter is characterized by lacustrine and fluvial-deltaic sedimentation, where alluvial and fan-deltaic coarse-grained deposition mainly occurred along the eastern edge of the basin. Early Cretaceous subsidence is attributed to E-W extension across the middle segment of the Tanlu fault, and the Zhangbaling massif on the east acted as a footwall and provided a source for sediment to the northern basin. A model is accordingly advanced to account for how the Hefei basin developed in response to the tectonic exhumation of the Dabieshan and the deformation of the Tanlu fault in the Mesozoic. It illustrates that the Hefei basin initiated and evolved during Jurassic time in an extensional setting that was triggered by southerly upward extrusion of ultra-high-pressure rocks of the Dabieshan. Early Cretaceous development of the basin was controlled by magmatism-related uplift of the Dabieshan on the south and orthogonal normal faulting of the middle segment of the Tanlu fault on the east. This study provides an independent constraint upon the exhumation processes of ultrahigh-pressure rocks of the Dabieshan.


We have performed multi-canonical chain-growth simulations of a polymer interacting with an adsorbing surface. The polymer, which is not explicitly anchored at the surface, experiences a hierarchy of phase transitions between conformations binding and nonbinding with the substrate. We discuss the phase diagram in the temperature-solubility plane and highlight the transition path through the free-energy landscape.


Executive Function (EF) is an umbrella term for higher-order cognitive skills, which build the basis for goal-directed behavior. In general, three separable, yet interrelated components are assumed, Inhibition, Working Memory and Shifting. Because of their predictive power for many positive outcomes, they are regarded as crucial competences for coping with various aspects of everyday life. Recent research has found evidence for an interrelation between EF and motor skills. Since both EF and motor skills develop rapidly during early childhood, this age range is of particular interest for research. The dissertation at hand aimed at providing more evidence for (a) age-related increases regarding two "core" Executive Functions, Inhibition and Working Memory, and (b) their proposed interrelation with fine and gross motor skills, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally.
The present research project was designed as a 3-year-longitudinal study with annual intervals. 170 normally-developing children between 3 and 6 years of age were tested at the first point of data collection. In the following two years, 109 and 60 children respectively participated again. At each interval, EF was assessed via performance-based tasks and parent ratings and motor skills were assessed via a standardized assessment battery.
The analyses of the cross-sectional data collected at the first point of data collection provide further evidence for age-related increases in Inhibition and Working Memory. Furthermore, a Structural Equation Model showed significant interrelations between fine motor skills and both EF components, and substantial, albeit non-significant, correlations between gross motor skills and both domains of EF. The analysis of the longitudinal data stated a significant prediction of Inhibition via gross motor skills one year earlier.
Although to a large part exploratory and hypotheses-generating, the results of the research project provide further evidence for an interrelation between EF and motor skills and give rise to the question, whether motor skills can be used in intervention studies aiming at the promotion of EF. However, due to the modicum of research regarding this topic in preschoolers, the results should be regarded first and foremost preliminary.


Wireless capsule endoscopy is an established medical application for the examination of the gastrointestinal tract. However, the robust and precise localization of these capsules is still in need of further scientific investigation. This paper presents an innovative differential magnetic localization method for capsule endoscopy to prevent interference caused by the geomagnetic field. The effect of changing the orientation of the capsule on the localization process was also examined. Simulations using COMSOL Multiphysics with the superimposed geomagnetic field were performed. The Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm was applied in MATLAB to estimate the position and orientation of the capsule. Comparing the proposed differential method with the absolute magnetic localization method under ideal conditions, the mean position and orientation errors were reduced by three orders in magnitude to less than 0.1 mm and 0.1 ° respectively. Even if sensor non-idealities are considered, the simulationbased results reveal that our proposed method is competitive with state-of-the-art geomagnetic compensation methods for static magnetic localization of capsule endoscopes.The achieved localization accuracy by applying the differential method is not dependent on the rotation of the localization system relative to the geomagnetic flux density under the made assumptions and the impact of the magnet orientation is neglectable. It is concluded that the proposed method is capable of preventing all interference whose components are approximately equal at all sensors with identical orientation.


Embedded system plays an important role in various industry applications. An embedded system is consisting of software and hardware. The hardware platform of conventional embedded system is typically based on IC chips that have fixed resources. Besides, with the development of FPGA, an emerging approach for designing embedded system is implementing soft IP cores on FPGAs. Soft IP cores are synthesizable hardware blocks described in HDL language. Their source code can be either open or close to public. For example, OpenRISC 1200, is an open source 32-bit RISC microprocessor. In addition, the increasing complexity of embedded system forces software developers to consider operating system support to reduce their workload. Thus, in this thesis, a prototype of open source IP based embedded system with Linux is implemented on Atlys (Xilinx Spartan-6) FPGA board and the goal is to evaluate if the system is appropriate for industrial applications. The hardware platform is ORPSOC, which is a reference SoC design based on OpenRISC 1200 processor. For software, Linux operating system is installed. Furthermore, an application executes on Linux is developed that reads the output of an I2C compass sensor-LSM303DLM. With the success of the application and the investigation of license issues, the conclusion is drawn that open source IP based embedded system with Linux is usable for industry. Although comparing to conventional embedded system, the open source IP based embedded system with Linux has following cons, such as high product cost, basic-supported development environment and more difficult software development if Linux driver doesn't support the hardware. However, its pros are high flexibility and scalability, high software portability, low software development difficulty and high reusability that make it more suitable for industry usage.


The purpose of my thesis is to analyze the role of the Fourth Amendment, specifically the Plain View Doctrine, in cell phone privacy. The thesis will attempt to answer the question of whether viewing a cell phone screen can be considered a search in plain view. To have a better understanding of the topic, I included case law on the Plain View Doctrine, cell phone privacy law, and statistics on the scope of the issue. I conducted research through interviews with police officers from surrounding police departments and the Maine Criminal Justice Academy to determine what police protocol is for cell phone searches. In an attempt to incorporate all of the research and case law surrounding the issue, I devised a hypothetical brief to showcase how the proposed situation would proceed in today's courts system. My thesis also includes directions for further research and possible benefits of this research.


Mary Coffin Ware Dennett advocated for social reform in the United States in the early twentieth century, particularly regarding sex education and women's rights to access contraception [2]. Dennett authored several publications on sex education and birth control [3] laws. She also worked to repeal the Comstock Act, a federal law that made it illegal to distribute obscene materials through the US Postal Services. During the early 1900s, Dennett distributed a pamphlet she wrote on sex education called, "The Sex Side of Life," through the post, which triggered a series of legal challenges that contributed to the dismantling of the Comstock Act. Dennett was an advocate for sex education and contraceptives, and her actions helped increase women's access to information about reproductive health.


This study describes the results for series of experiments on photocatalytic decolourization of methyl green dye from aqueous solution in the presence of commercial ZnO suspension. The photocatalytic decolourization has been studied as a function of initial dye concentration, best dose of ZnO, initial pH of aqueous solution, and temperature by regular intervals from experiments. The decolourization of methyl green dye process was found to follow pseudo-first order kinetics with the use of artificial UV (A) light sources. The optimum dye and catalyst concentration was measured and found equal to be 50 ppm and 700 mg/ 200 mL -1 respectively. The best value of pH for the photocatalytic decolourization of methyl green dye in the presence of ZnO suspension is pH 5.4. The Photocatalytic decolourization reaction of dye was endothermic and found the rate of reaction increased with increasing temperature. Arrhenius plot obtains that the activation energy for this reaction is equal to 24. 914 kJ mol -1 , this value is small that beyond to be associated with the transport of photoelectrons through the catalyst to the adsorbed oxygen on the surface.


A methanogenic archaeon isolated from deep-sea hydrothermal vent fluid was found to reduce N2 to NH3 at up to 92°C, which is 28°C higher than the current upper temperature limit of biological nitrogen fixation. The 16S ribosomal RNA gene of the hyperthermophilic nitrogen fixer, designated FS406-22, was 99% similar to that of non–nitrogen fixing Methanocaldococcus jannaschii DSM 2661. At its optimal growth temperature of 90°C, FS406-22 incorporated 15N2 and expressed nifH messenger RNA. This increase in the temperature limit of nitrogen fixation could reveal a broader range of conditions for life in the subseafloor biosphere and other nitrogen-limited ecosystems than previously estimated.


The Republic of Korea will need to alter many of its national economic and agricultural policies to meet the requirements of new global trading agreements. One farm structure that is being encouraged is sustainable farms that use less inorganic fertilizer and pesticide. The main reasons for reducing pesticide and chemical fertilizers on rice, vegetable, and fruit farms are environmental and nutritional: to improve the quality of agricultural products and to protect drinking water supplies for large cities, including Seoul. Other reasons are economic. Korea has to import more than 80% of its food and agricultural products, and the present shortage of foreign currency contributes to a rapidly increasing trend in farm debt on all types of farms: only 20.4% of Korean farms were debt-free in 1997 (MAF 1998). The present goal of Korea`s agricultural policy is to reduce pesticide and chemical fertilizer use on farms by 50%. Koreans consume about $120 million worth of organic food products annually, and this figure is growing by between 30% and 40% per year (UNCTAD). The number of organic farms is increasing, and the government has promised to compensate farms which convert to organic methods for lower yields of production, one of several government strategies which envisage even greater numbers of organic farms in the future. These structural adjustments to farms and businesses will have a significant impact on the agriculture industry. This study estimates the economic effects on farm household production of altering input levels and adopting sustainable farming techniques. A Cobb-Douglas production function was applied to derive production elasticities for farm input materials. The data come from a Ministry of Agriculture farm household economy survey of 3,085 farms conducted between 1980 and 1997. The value of farm income was adjusted according to the Consumer Price Index, and the value of input materials was adjusted according to the Farm Input Materials Index. The results suggest that converting to sustainable organic farming methods would economically benefit most farms. The coefficient estimate for pesticides was -0.9691, and the marginal value of production was 0.57 at the mean. The average farm management unit gains no advantage by applying more pesticide; in fact, it would benefit from reducing pesticide use. A 1% increase in pesticide cost would decrease farm income by 0.57%. The coefficient for chemical fertilizers was 0.28, but was not significant at the 5% level. A 1% increase in the cost of chemical fertilizer would increase the level of farm income by 0.17%. The coefficient for farm machinery was 1.14. A 1% increase in the cost of machinery use would increase farm income by 0.74%. By reducing levels of chemical fertilizer and pesticide application and by adopting sustainable farming techniques, managers of Korean peasant farms could not only contribute to a healthier environment, but could also improve their management systems, reduce farm debt levels, and increase profits.


We followed 87 cirrhotic patients with esophageal varices and without previous hemorrhage for a mean period of 24 mo to prospectively evaluate the occurance of variceal bleeding within (early) or after (late) 6 mo from entry and the contribution of portal Doppler ultrasound parameters to the prediction of early and late hemorrhage. Clinical, biochemical, endoscopic and portal Doppler ultrasound parameters were recorded at entry. Variceal bleeding occurred in 22 patients (25.3%). Nine (40.9%) bled within the first 6 mo. Cox regression analysis identified variceal size, cherry-red spots, serum bilirubin and congestion index of the portal vein (the ratio of portal vein [cross-sectional area] and portal blood flow velocity) as the only independent predictors of first variceal hemorrhage. Discriminant analysis was used to find the prognostic index cut off points to identify patients who bled within 6 mo (prognostic group 1) or after 6 mo (prognostic group 2) or remained free of bleeding (prognostic group 3). The cumulative proportion of patients correctly classified was 73% in prognostic group 1, 47% in prognostic group 2 and more than 80% in prognostic group 3. The addition of Doppler ultrasound flowmetry to clinical, biochemical and endoscopic parameter only improved the classification of patients with early bleeding.


The people who brought us the bad news about climate change are making an effort to help us figure out what to do about it. At a meeting last month, subtitled "Climate Research in Service to Society," the new buzzword was "actionable": actionable science, actionable information, actionable knowledge. What9s needed is not simply data but processed information that an engineer sizing a storm-water pipe to serve for the next 50 years or a farmer in Uganda considering irrigating his fields can use to make better decisions in a warming world. Researchers preparing for the next international climate assessment, due in 2013, delivered some discouraging news for those striving to generate actionable science of use at the regional and local scale. But the challenges to the climate science community also include creating so-called climate services that can deliver actionable information effectively to users, speakers said.


Density functional theory (DFT) is currently one of the most accurate and yet practical theories used to gain insight into the properties of materials. Although successful, the computational cost required is still the main hurdle even today. In recent years, there has been a trend of combining DFT with Machine Learning (ML) to reduce the computational cost without compromising accuracy. Finding the right set of descriptors that are simple to understand in terms of giving insights about the problem at hand, lies at the heart of any ML problem. In this work, we demonstrate the use of nearest neighbor (NN) distances as descriptors to predict the interaction energy between the cluster and an adsorbate. The model is trained over a size range of 5 to 75 atom clusters. When the training and testing is carried out on mutually exclusive cluster sizes, the mean absolute error (MAE) in predicting the interaction energy is ∼ 0.24 eV. MAE reduces to 0.1 eV when testing and training sets include information from the complete range. Furthermore, when the same set of descriptors are tested over individual sizes, the MAE further reduces to ∼0.05 eV. We bring out the correlation between dispersion in the nearest neighbor distances and variation in MAE for individual sizes. Our detailed and extensive DFT calculations provide a rationale as to why nearest neighbor distances work so well. Finally, we also demonstrate the transferability of the ML model by applying the same recipe of descriptors to systems of different elements like (Na10), bimetallic systems (Al6Ga6, Li4Sn6, and Au40Cu40) and also different adsorbates (N2, O2, and CO).


The main objective of this study is to investigate the mediating effect of Information Communication Technology (ICT) training on the linkage between ICT confidence, ICT challenges as antecedents of Sole Proprietary Practicing Audit Firms (SPPAFs) were the firms having lower than 100 clients. The study adopts a quantitative approach where a set of questionnaires were designed using a Likert scale to collect 165 usable data from auditors of SPPAFs in India. The data were analyzed using Smart PLS and SPSS statistical tools. The findings confirmed that ICT training mediates the linkages between ICT antecedents (ICT confidence and ICT challenges) and SPPAF. The conceptual model of the study can be useful to understand ICT antecedents of SPPAFs to increase the effectiveness of auditing. Hence, practicing auditors could realize ICT confidence and ICT challenges to improve firm effectiveness.


An early field project of the Southeast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (SECARB) was conducted in Cranfield oil field, western Mississippi. Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) was injected into coarse-grained fluvial deposits of the Cretaceous lower Tuscaloosa formation, forming a gentle anticline at depths of 3300 m. CO 2 injection started in July 2008, increasing to 23 wells (as of May 2011), with total injection rates greater than 1 million tons/yr. Focused monitoring programs of the deep subsurface and near surface have been implemented in different study ar-eas. Here we present results of the near-surface monitoring program over a 3-year period, in-cluding shallow groundwater monitoring and soil-gas monitoring. A general methodology of detecting CO 2 leakage into shallow groundwater chemistry is proposed. A set of geochemical indicator parameters was identified on the basis of the characterization of groundwater geo-chemistry, and these were further tested and validated using numerical modeling approaches, laboratory experiments, and field experiments. For soil-gas monitoring, a site (P-site) contain-ing a plugged and abandoned well, a nearby open pit, and an engineered pad (representing a typical industrial near-surface environment for soil-gas monitoring) was selected for detailed study. The site was heavily instrumented with various sensors for measuring soil-gas concentra-tions at different depths, soil-water content, matric potential, and weather information. Three monitoring technologies were assessed: soil CO 2 concentration measurements, CO 2 flux measurements on the land surface, and multiple soil-gas component measurements. Results indicate that soil-gas-component measurements provide reliable information for gas-leakage detection. Methodologies of nearsurface monitoring developed in this study can be used to improve CO 2 leakage monitoring at other CO 2 sequestration projects. This early field project was funded by the US Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, as part of the Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships (RCSP) program. SECARB is led by the Southern States Energy Board (SSEB).


Investigations of polarization switching over broad time and electric field domains, in various modified Pb-based perovskite ferroelectrics, were systematically performed by ferroelectric switching current transient and bipolar drive P-E responses. Studies were performed from E«Ec to E»Ec, where Ec is the coercive field These investigations have shown the presence of broad relaxation time distributions for the switching process, which can extend over several decades in order of magnitude in time, and where the distribution is strongly dependent on the applied electric field. By performing the study of domain dynamics and polarization switching over extremely broad time domains (10<t<10 sec), more complete information has been obtained that allows for development of a better mechanistic understanding. Prior polarization kinetics studies have focused on relatively narrow time ranges, and were fit to the Avarami equation, which contains a single relaxation time. However, our broad band width polarization dynamics and frequency relaxation studies have been fit to multiple stretched exponential functions extending over decades of order of magnitude in the time domain. Stretched exponential functions for domain nuclei formation, and for domain variant growth have been found. For example, [001]c, [110]c, and [111]c oriented PZN-4.5%PT crystals, nucleation was found to be a volume process (n=3) rather than just a domain wall restricted process. Consequently, nucleation is heterogeneous. And, growth of a domain variant with reversed polarization was found to be a boundary process (n=2), involving diffuse or rough domain walls. We have extended these studies to various types of ferroelectrics including hard, soft and relaxor types.


SIR-In a recent paper Brind et al' investigated the relationship between abortion and breast cancer in a so called meta-analysis. They used data from published reports to investigate whether induced abortion increases the risk of breast cancer. Their stated aim was to ascertain and quantify this risk. However, there are several methodological weaknesses in this analysis which bring into question their conclusions. Firstly, the authors included only papers that have been published. It is well known and often discussed2 that publication bias poses a crucial problem for the interpretation of results from meta-analysis. Papers reporting a positive effect are more readily published than papers showing no effect. Additionally, in most epidemiological studies, data are collected on many variables but they


The results of long-term studies made by the Department of General Chemistry, I. M. Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy, that deals with unification of methods for determining some ions of metals (lead, zinc, sodium, and potassium) in the assessment of the quality of drinking water and transfusion fluids are summarized. A procedure was developed to determine the trace impurities of zinc, lead, and silver by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) by using sorption concentration. C-80-2-aminothiazole, a new sorbent synthesized at the Research Institute of Polymers, was used to detect these ions in the drinking water. With regards to the chosen optimal conditions, drinking water samples were analyzed via their direct spraying in the air-acetylene flame. The prior sorption concentration determined drinking water zinc and lead ions in the concentrations equal to or less than their permissible dose concentrations. The studies indicated that the used methods to determine the trace quantities of metals in the drinking water and aqueous solutions show a high sensitivity, rapidity, simplicity of sample preparation.


Article 26 of Legislative Decree No. 78/2010 introduced in Italy a rewarding regime related to the non-application of penalties involving intercompany transfer pricing adjustments in connection with taxpayer's submission to the Tax Authorities of 'suitable' documentation to support taxpayer's transfer pricing policies. Assessment on the 'suitability' of such documentation by Tax Inspectors has given rise to a variety of critical issues in the last few years.


Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand how augmented reality (AR) try-on experiences facilitate consumers' shopping decision. Focusing on the immersion and psychological ownership, the study investigated how the properties of AR experiences (environmental embedding (EE) and simulated physical control (SPC)) affect decision comfort.

Design/methodology/approach
This research theoretically and empirically analyzes how each property of AR experiences affects consequential psychological states and then further increases decision comfort by employing an existing AR try-on mobile application. A total of 99 valid responses were used for the partial least square structural equation modeling analysis. One's prior AR try-on experience was predicted as a moderator and analyzed using SPSS-based PROCESS macro.

Findings
The results demonstrated that EE and SPC evoke immersion and the feeling of ownership of a virtual product, which increased decision comfort. The moderating effect of one's prior AR try-on experience showed that the impact of EE and SPC on immersion was attenuated for those with prior experience. Further, immersion mediated the effect of EE but SPC on the feeling of ownership, which corroborated the direct effect of SPC on the feeling of ownership.

Practical implications
Firms must consider technological and user-experience features that can induce users to perceive high levels of AR characteristics such as EE and SPC. Practitioners should develop realistic content that can correctly place virtual products on users to enhance EE. Including more interactive features is encouraged to provide users with a feeling of control toward the virtual product that directly leads to ownership and positively affects decision making. Further, practitioners need to be cautious about consumers getting used to the new technology; retailers and marketers need to focus on creating new and innovative content to continually engage customers.

Originality/value
This study adopted EE and SPC to determine how each property of AR experience forms the consequential psychological states, particularly depending on one's prior experience. Methodologically, the study provided external validity in conducting an experiment by adopting an existing AR mobile application available in the market and employing an objective measure of respondents (e.g. prior AR try-on experience).


This paper presents the first quadrature RF receiver front-end where, in a single stage, low-noise amplifier (LNA), mixer and voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) share the same bias current. The new structure exploits the intrinsic mixing functionality of a classical LC tank oscillator providing a compact and low-power solution compatible with low-voltage technologies. A 0.13-mum CMOS prototype tailored to the GPS application is presented. The experimental results exhibit a noise figure of 4.8 dB, a gain of 36 dB, an IIP3 of -19 dBm with a total power consumption of only 5.4 mW from a voltage supply of 1.2 V


Orbit correction in accelerators typically make use of a linear model of the machine, called the Response Matrix (RM), that relates local beam deflections to position changes. The RM is used to obtain a Pseudo-Inverse (PI), which is used in a feedback configuration, where positional errors from the reference orbit as measured by Beam Position Monitors (BPMs) are used to calculate the required change in the current flowing through the Closed Orbit Dipoles (CODs). The calculation of the PIs from the RMs is a crucial part in the LHC's Orbit Feedback Controller (OFC), however in the present implementation of the OFC this calculation is omitted as it takes too much time to calculate and thus is unsuitable in a real-time system. As a temporary solution the LHC operators pre-calculate the new PIs outside the OFC, and then manually upload them to the OFC in advance. In this paper we aim to find a solution to this computational bottleneck through hardware acceleration in order to act automatically and as quickly as possible to COD and/or BPM failures by re-calculating the PIs within the OFC. These results will eventually be used in the renovation of the OFC for the LHC's Run 3.


Background: Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is a prevalent bone disorder with significant global impact. The elevated risk of osteoporotic fracture in elderly women poses a substantial burden on individuals and society. Unfortunately, the current lack of dependable diagnostic markers and precise therapeutic targets for PMOP remains a major challenge. Methods: PMOP-related datasets GSE7429, GSE56814, GSE56815, and GSE147287, were downloaded from the GEO database. The DEGs were identified by "limma" packages. WGCNA and Machine Learning were used to choose key module genes highly related to PMOP. GSEA, DO, GO, and KEGG enrichment analysis was performed on all DEGs and the selected key hub genes. The PPI network was constructed through the GeneMANIA database. ROC curves and AUC values validated the diagnostic values of the hub genes in both training and validation datasets. xCell immune infiltration and single-cell analysis identified the hub genes' function on immune reaction in PMOP. Pan-cancer analysis revealed the role of the hub genes in cancers. Results: A total of 1278 DEGs were identified between PMOP patients and the healthy controls. The purple module and cyan module were selected as the key modules and 112 common genes were selected after combining the DEGs and module genes. Five Machine Learning algorithms screened three hub genes (KCNJ2, HIPK1, and ROCK1), and a PPI network was constructed for the hub genes. ROC curves validate the diagnostic values of ROCK1 in both the training (AUC = 0.73) and validation datasets of PMOP (AUC = 0.81). GSEA was performed for the low-ROCK1 patients, and the top enriched field included protein binding and immune reaction. DCs and NKT cells were highly expressed in PMOP. Pan-cancer analysis showed a correlation between low ROCK1 expression and SKCM as well as renal tumors (KIRP, KICH, and KIRC). Conclusions: ROCK1 was significantly associated with the pathogenesis and immune infiltration of PMOP, and influenced cancer development, progression, and prognosis, which provided a potential therapy target for PMOP and tumors. However, further laboratory and clinical evidence is required before the clinical application of ROCK1 as a therapeutic target.


The Bethel Project is about the history of Indianapolis' oldest black church, archival records, preservation technologies, virtual experiences, and collaboration and co-creation among many different departments, heritage institutions and community members. This paper provides three perspectives on this project from individuals who've worked closely together over the past four years. This may seem like a long while to work on one project but for those whose research is community-based it seems about right. Three unique voices will be presented with each telling their own narrative of what she thought when the project started and how her thinking has changed until now. Andrea Copeland is an associate professor in the School of Informatics and Computing whose research focuses specifically on public libraries, community collections, and engagement. Kisha Tandy is the associate curator of social history at the Indiana State Museum who researches African American history and culture. At the center of the project is Olivia McGee Lockhart: Bethel AME Church of Indianapolis' Keeper of History, Indianapolis native, and an Indianapolis Public Schools educator for nearly four decades.


The atmospheric composition for a rocky exoplanet will depend strongly on the planet's bulk composition and orbital position. Nontraditional gases may be present in the atmospheres of exceptionally hot planets. Atmospheres of more clement planets will depend on the abundance of volatiles acquired during planet formation and atmospheric removal processes, including escape, condensation, and reaction with the surface. To date, observations of exoplanet atmospheres have focused on giant planets, but future space-and ground-based observatories will revolutionize the precision and spectral resolution with which we can probe an exoplanet's atmosphere. This article consolidates lessons learned from the study of giant planet atmospheres, and points to the observations and challenges on the horizon for terrestrial planets.


We introduce Remote Queues (RQ), a communication model that integrates polling with selective interrupts to support a wide range of applications and communication paradigms. We show that polling is desirable for a range of applications for both performance and atomicity. Polling enables optimizations that are essential for fine-grain applications such as sparse-matrix solution. Polling also improves flow control for high-level communication patterns such as transpose. We use RQ to implement active messages, bulk transfers, and fine-grain applications on the MIT Alewife, Intel Paragon and Cray T3D using extremely different implementations of RQ. RQ improves performance on all of the machines, and provides atomicity guarantees that greatly simplify programming for the user. RQ also separates handler invocation from draining the network, which simplifies deadlock avoidance and multiprogramming. We also introduce efficient atomicity mechanisms on Alewife to integrate polling with interrupts, and discuss how to exploit interrupts on Alewife and the Intel Paragon without forfeiting the atomicity and optimization advantages of RQ.


Low bone mineral density (BMD) is a complication in children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is an established screening tool for BMD, yet there are limited data to guide its use in children with IBD. We performed a single site retrospective analysis of the use of DXA and evaluated factors associated with low BMD.

 Children 3-18 years with IBD diagnosed between 2013-2018 at The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, were included. Patient, disease and treatment demographics were collected alongside vitamin D, calcium, CRP, ESR, albumin and faecal calprotectin (FCP) (averaged over 6 months before and after DXA). Rates of corticosteroid use, vitamin D and calcium supplementation, bisphosphonate use and fractures were also collected. Mann-Whitney and Fisher exact tests were used for continuous and categorical group comparison, respectively. Data are presented as median (interquartile range).

 239 children diagnosed at a median age of 12 (9.1-14.2) were followed for 5.1 (4-6.4) years. 72/239 (30%) children had at least one DXA at 11 (1.25-28.8) months post diagnosis. 28/72 (39%) children had a follow-up DXA 2.3 (1.9-2.9) years post diagnosis. Children referred for DXA had a lower weight centile (48.7 (17.1-78.2) vs 59.7 (31.4-84.7), p=0.03), and were more likely to have Crohn's disease (OR 2.18, p=0.01). At first DXA, median lumbar spine (LS) Z score was -0.80 (-1.65-0.08), height adjusted LS Z score was -0.65 (-1.18-0.10), hip Z score was -1.30 (-1.80--0.35) and total body less head Z score was -1.40 (-2.55--0.70). 18/72 children had LS Z score > 0. Children with LS Z score < -2.0 (n=14) had lower weight (6.57 (1.78-23.7) vs 51.1 (26.5-68.7), p=0.0002) and height centiles (3.62 (1.17-17.1) vs 42 (16.9-67.1), p<0.0001), higher FCP (3041 (1182-4192) vs 585 (139-2419), p=0.009) (Figure 1), and higher odds of calcium supplementation (OR 16 (95% CI 2.93-89.1), p=0.003) and endocrinology review (OR 9.61 (95% CI 2.65-31.0), p=0.001). No fractures were reported. Of the 28 children with serial DXAs, there was no significant change in Z scores. When comparing children with a worse (16/28) Z score at second DXA to those with improvement (12/28), there was a trend toward lower vitamin D levels (37 (25.2-58.3) vs 62 (46.3-87), p=0.06) at first DEXA, and higher ESR at second DEXA (23.4 (19.3-29) vs 8.20 (3.5-21.9), p=0.02).

 Almost one third of children with IBD at a tertiary referral centre underwent DXA, with lower BMD than age and sex matched controls. Disease activity markers FCP and ESR were associated with lower BMD. There was no significant change in DXA score over time. No fractures were identified over the study period.


A new data set of atomic oxygen abundance in the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere is presented. The data are derived from the nighttime atomic oxygen green line limb emission measurements of the SCIAMACHY (Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography) instrument on the European Environmental Satellite. The temporal coverage is October 2002 until April 2012, and the latitudinal extent is 50°S to 80°N at 10 P.M. local time. This data set is compared to other satellite data sets, in particular to recently published data of SABER (Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry) and the Mass Spectrometer and Incoherent Scatter model. SCIAMACHY atomic oxygen peak abundances are typically 3–6×1011 mol/cm3 at the atomic oxygen maximum region, depending on latitude and season. These values are similar to previous values based on chemiluminescence measurements of the atomic oxygen three‐body recombination reaction but at least 30% lower than atomic oxygen abundances obtained from SABER.


Musical sources were presented to subjects as phantom images from vertically arranged stereophonic loudspeakers. Loudspeakers were arranged in two layers: "main" and "height." Subjects reduced the amplitude of the height layer until the resultant phantom image matched the position of the same source presented from the lower loudspeaker alone; this was referred to as the "localization threshold." Delays ranging from 0–10 ms were applied to the height layer. The localization threshold was only significantly affected by the ICTD. The median threshold for 0 ms was –9.5 dB, which was significantly lower than the –7 dB found for the stimuli in which the height layer was delayed. No evidence was found to support the existence of the precedence effect in the median plane.


BACKGROUND
Changes in the coagulation cascade have been implicated in the pathogenesis of the vascular diabetic complications.

OBJECTIVE
to assess D-dimer level (as a marker of coagulation cascade/fibrinolysis activation) in type 1 and type 2 diabetics and its correlation with microvascular complications and serum total cholesterol (TC) level.

METHODS
Ninety patients were included divided into two groups. Group 1; comprised 50 type 1 diabetics with a mean age of 13.56 years. Their disease duration ranged between 0.4-16 years. Group 2; comprised 40 type 2 diabetics with a mean age of 13.5 years. Their disease duration ranged between 0.4-8 years. Patients were compared to 60 healthy age and sex matched subjects served as controls. Laboratory investigations included; fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, quantitative urinary albumin creatinine ratio (ACR), serum TC and measurement of plasma D-dimer levels.

RESULTS
Type 2 diabetics had significantly higher weight and body mass index (BMI) Standard deviation score (SDS) (p<0.0001) compared to type 1 diabetics. Type 2 diabetics had higher TC (p<0.04) and D-dimer levels (p<0.05) compared to type 1 diabetics. D-dimer level was highly significantly elevated among type 1 diabetics with retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy compared to non-complicated patients (p<0.01). D-dimer was significantly correlated with ACR (p<0.001) in both studied groups. In type 2 diabetics, TC level was positively correlated with BMI SDS (p<0.05), D-dimer level was significantly correlated with disease duration (p<0.05), blood pressure (p<0.01), and TC (p<0.05). In type 1 diabetics, D-dimer levels were positively correlated with blood pressure (p<0.01). In both types, D-dimer is positively correlated with ACR (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION
There was a tendency to hypercoagulability in both types of diabetes. This phenomenon may play a role in the development of diabetic microvascular complications.


As discussed in Part I of this article, hospital executives in Canada, Germany, and the United States manage their facilities' resources to maximize the incentives inherent in their respective reimbursement system and thereby increase their bottom line. It was also discussed that an additional supply of available hospitals, physicians, and other services will generate increased utilization. Part II discusses how the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 will eventually fail since it neither controls prices nor utilization (e.g., imaging, procedures, ambulatory surgery, discretionary spending). This article concludes with the discussion of the German multipayer approach with universal access and global budgets that might well be a model for U.S. healthcare in the future. Although the German healthcare system has a number of shortfalls, its paradigm could offer the most appropriate compromise when selecting the economic incentives to reduce the percentage of the U.S. gross domestic product expenditure for healthcare from 17.4% to roughly 12.0%.


As national education programs incorporate HIV prevention into school curricula, policymakers and educators need to know what they can expect from these initiatives. Can such courses influence the behavior of students as well as their knowledge and attitudes? If not, what can these courses reasonably be expected to accomplish, and what part can they play in overall HIV programming for youth? To help answer these questions, the Medical Research Council of South Africa and the Horizons Program studied the Life Skills Grade 9 Curriculum, a school-based HIV/AIDS initiative, as it was introduced in the Pietermaritzburg region of KwaZulu Natal Province in 2001. The 16-hour Grade 9 Curriculum is taught at least once a week over two school terms as part of the Life Orientation subject. The national and provincial South African departments of education, health, and social welfare collaborated on the curriculum design, teacher training, and course introduction. Horizons assessed the life skills program in KwaZulu Natal using both a population-based survey and an evaluation of the course curriculum. This brief focuses on the impact of the curriculum that was being introduced to ninth-grade students.


Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and its salts (PFOS) are emerging contaminants with long half-lives in water and human bodies. Accordingly, PFOS removal from water streams is required for controlling the PFOS pollution. To provide a simple PFOS separation technology, effects of three additives, powdered activated carbon (PAC), gelatin, and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), on the PFOS removal by coagulation with ferric chloride or aluminum sulfate were investigated in this study. As a result, coagulation with PAC or CTAB addition was effective in the PFOS removal, though the conventional coagulation and coagulation with gelatin addition were ineffective. A PFOS removal efficiency of over 90% was observed for the CTAB dose of over 1.6 μM (0.58 mg/L) and for the PAC dose of over 40 mg/L, and that of over 95% was achieved by the CTAB dose of over 2.4 μM (0.87 mg/L), when the initial PFOS concentration was 1.84 μM. The positive effect of CTAB would be caused by micelle formation, which was enhanced by both the association of hydrophobic tails and the electrostatic attraction of hydrophilic heads of PFOS and CTAB. Thus, a linear cationic surfactant of CTAB was concluded to be an effective additive for the PFOS removal by coagulation.


Introduction of curved boundaries in polygonally shaped integrated circuit planar resistors causes a crease in maximum electric field intensities and current densities present in them, and consequently decreases the likelihood of their failure. The presence of curved boundaries can also decrease the area occupied by the resistor. Therefore, polygonal resistors with curved boundaries can be highly desirable in integrated circuits. Resistances of conductors with curved boundaries are readily computed using conformal mapping, particularly the numerically, extended Schwarz‐Christoffel transformation developed by the authors. The resulting algorithm is applicable to polygonal resistors of arbitrary shape and is easily programmable. Several examples are presented. Rapid convergence and accurate results are obtained.


In research on information structure and discourse cohesion, contrast has been defined in different ways,
 depending on the pragmatic/semantic relation established between the propositions involved in the contrast, on the text types and
 on other discourse conditions. As a whole, despite – or possibly because of – its vagueness, contrast has proved to be a useful
 heuristic tool for characterizing discourse cohesion phenomena. This paper focuses on results from our research concerning
 cohesion phenomena in elicited discourse in Romance (Italian, French) and Germanic (German, Dutch) languages and aims to offer a
 more precise characterization of contrast against several variation parameters. We take into consideration earlier work on three
 tasks (Finite Story, Polarity-Switch Dialogues, Map Task) and add a new one
 (Spot the Difference). The comparison between the results allows us to disentangle the following variables:
 information units involved in the contrast relation; discourse conditions (monologue vs. dialogue); speakers' access to
 information (shared vs. non-shared); effect of contrast on information in the common ground (alternative maintained vs. rejected).
 The aim is to achieve a more fine-grained definition of contrast relations, which allows us to identify and characterize the
 divergent behavior of Romance and Germanic languages, and to relate intra- and crosslinguistic differences revealed by speakers'
 preferences in speech with structural specificities of the two language groups.


ABSTRACT This study is carried out based on field investigation data obtained over more than 20 days after the 20 April 2013 Lushan Ms7.0 earthquake in Sichuan Province, China. The investigation includes detailed seismic damage data from 3,684 buildings in 428 districts. This research summarizes the seismic characteristics of buildings with different structures in this area and systematically analyzes the cause of damage. Based on this analysis, the seismic vulnerability of various structural forms in different intensity regions is systematically assessed. The damage characteristics are summarized for several types of the structures typical in the region: constrained masonry structures designed following current standards, unengineered constrained masonry structures, unreinforced masonry structures, brick-wood structures, brick-concrete structure, traditional Chinese timber frame structures, reinforced concrete frame structures, tall buildings, and industrial plants. Moreover, the causes of damage to these structures are investigated. Furthermore, through statistical analysis, this study develops a vulnerability matrix for the main building types and compares their vulnerabilities of similar buildings in regions with different earthquake intensities. The research results provide an important reference for earthquake engineers to recognize failure modes in different types of structures (especially those reconstructed after the Wenchuan earthquake, Sichuan Province, China), revise seismic design codes, and formulate future disaster-reduction plans.


The bioavailability of crystalline pharmaceutical substances is often limited by their poor aqueous solubility but it can be improved by formulating the active substance in the amorphous state that is featured with a higher apparent solubility. Although the possibility of stabilizing amorphous drugs inside nano‐sized pores of carbon nanotubes and ordered mesoporous silica has been shown, no conventional pharmaceutical excipients have so far been shown to possess this property. This study demonstrates the potential of using CaCO3, a widely used excipient in oral drug formulations, to stabilize the amorphous state of active pharmaceutical ingredients, in particular celecoxib. After incorporation of celecoxib in the vaterite particles, a five to sixfold enhancement in apparent solubility of celecoxib is achieved due to pore‐induced amorphization. To eliminate the possibility of uncontrolled phase transitions, the vaterite particles are stored in an inert atmosphere at 5 °C throughout the study. Also, to demonstrate that the amorphization effect is indeed associated with vaterite mesopores, accelerated stress conditions of 100% relative humidity are employed to impose transition from mesoporous vaterite to an essentially non‐porous aragonite phase of CaCO3, which shows only limited amorphization ability. Further, an improvement in solubility is also confirmed for ketoconazole when formulated with the mesoporous vaterite. Synthesis of the carrier particles and the incorporation of the active substances are carried out simultaneously in a one‐step procedure, enabling easy fabrication. These results represent a promising approach to achieve enhanced bioavailability in new formulations of Type II BCS drugs.


The role of xanthine in the growth process of Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) was clarified by Uv-vis absorption spectra, resonance light scattering (RLS) spectra, cyclic votlammetry (CV), and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). In a growth solution containing 0.01 M phosphate buffer solution (PBS, pH 7.4), 24.3 μM HAuCl4, and 2 mM cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC), the AuNPs were produced by tannic acid (TA) reduction. The growth of AuNPs was inhibited by the addition of xanthine. The plasmon absorbance band of AuNPs is blue shifted, indicating that larger sized AuNPs were grown in the presence of xanthine. Both the absorbance at 555 nm and RLS intensity at 652 nm of the grown AuNPs decreased linearly with increasing concentrations of xanthine. The linear regression equation are A=1.865−0.016 Cxanthine and I=397.8−4.617Cxanthine for absorbance and RLS intensity, respectively. The results of CV and DPV reveal that the inhibition effect of xanthine on the growth of AuNPs may attribute to the formation of xanthine-Au(III) complex. The conditional stability constants of the complexes were determined to be 2.22×105.


Stem cell factor (SCF) is an important mast cell growth, differentiation, and survival factor. We investigated whether SCF influenced the response of mouse mast cells to an IgE-independent stimulus, eosinophil-derived granule major basic protein (MBP). Mouse bone marrow cultured mast cells (BMCMC) were derived in either concanavalin-stimulated mouse spleen conditioned medium (CM) or SCF. The cloned growth, factor-independent mast cell line Cl.MC/C57.1 was also studied. BMCMC in SCF exhibited cytochemical staining properties, protease and histamine content, and increased serotonin uptake consistent with more mature differentiated mast cells as compared with BMCMC in CM or Cl.MC/ C57.1 cells. BMCMC in SCF released serotonin, 14C-labeled arachidonic acid metabolites and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on stimulation with MBP, while no response was seen from either BMCMC in CM or Cl.MC/C57.1 cells. All three mast cell populations released mediators on stimulation with the cationic MBP analog, poly-L-arginine, indicating that the cationic charge did not explain the selective response of BMCMC in SCF to eosinophil-derived granule MBP. These findings show that SCF significantly influences mast cell differentiation and the responsiveness of mast cells to eosinophil-derived granule MBP.


The main aims of the report are to: (1) gain a better understanding of key economic forces shaping choices available to schools; (2) build up our practical knowledge of how other organisations deal with the kinds of issues facing schools; and (3) bridge the gap between the view that economics has nothing useful to say about how to organise education and the view that education is just another business and should be treated as such. The report draws on analogies from the business world to highlight parallels between the operating environment facing schools and businesses. It also identifies some important features of schooling which do not have a strong parallel in the business world, which suggests care needs to be taken not to draw too much from any individual example.


Proximal-field sensing is introduced as an integrated sensing scheme for the in situ characterization of far-field radiation properties of integrated radiators, and the proximal-field radiation sensors (PFRSs) are proposed as the tools to enable this capability. These sensors are integrated on the same dielectric substrate as the transmitting antennas and extract the existing information in the excited substrate modes and use it to predict the far-field radiation properties in real time based on in situ field measurements in the close proximity of the transmitting antennas, without any need to use additional test equipment, remove the antenna from its operating environment, or interrupt its operation in a wireless system. The functionality of this sensing scheme is verified on both PCB and IC platforms through the implementation of two proof-of-concept prototypes, and different aspects of the electromagnetic and electronic design of the PFRS integration with integrated radiators are investigated.


Abstract Peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT), a noninvasive method for measuring bone characteristics, was used to evaluate bone healing in 3 white leghorn chickens (Gallus domesticus) after radial osteotomy at 22 days of age. The time sequence for callus formation and mineralization over a 45-day period was examined by performing serial cross-sectional scans of the osteotomized radius of each bird daily from day 2 to day 29 and on days 42 and 45 after surgery. Complete data were available for 2 birds. Formation of a new marrow cavity was apparent by 4 weeks after surgery, and union of the bone ends appeared complete by day 42. Bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), and cross-sectional area (CSA) were measured at the radial osteotomy site, at 3 mm proximal to it, and at the corresponding areas on the ulna. The radial osteotomy site began to mineralize by day 4, and BMC and CSA increased approximately 100% in both birds between days 5 and 10. In bird 2, BMC and CSA continued to increase (55% and 74%, respectively). Peak radial levels of both BMC and CSA were followed by plateaus lasting approximately 7 days, then both levels decreased during callus resorption. The radial BMD increased during these plateaus, then decreased as the callus was remodeled. Between days 29 and 42, the BMD of the radial osteotomy site increased and approached that of the corresponding ulna. The sequences of changes in BMC, CSA, and BMD after day 10 were similar in each bird. These results indicate that pQCT is a useful tool to monitor postosteomy bone healing in chicks.


By assuming that the test material has a load-independent nanohardness number, a linear relationship was predicted to exist between the reciprocal of the initial unloading stiffness, 1/SM, and the inverse square root of the peak load, (1/Pmax)0.5, and the load-independent hardness can be obtained directly from the slope of the 1/SM−(1/Pmax)0.5 straight line. This prediction was then verified by analyzing the experimental data obtained on soda-lime glass and a tetragonal ZrO2 polycrystalline. The indenter area function established based on the resultant load-independent hardness was found to deviate from the perfect Berkovich indenter and such a deviation can be attributed to the indenter deformation occurring during indentation as well as the indenter tip rounding.