Spatially and temporally explicit simulation modelling of natural resource management systems provides a framework to draw together in a mathematically unambiguous manner a wealth of information, and, as such, allows rigorous testing of hypotheses of how such systems can be changed, without the time, expense and moral implications of altering a real system. In recent years, a large number of integrated assessment models linking the human and biophysical components of particular systems have been developed to address this need, but in many of these models the human dimension is based on economic cost-benefit principles that attempt to optimise use of resources such as capital or labour to maximise a particular output. Limitations to these approaches are that they are structured to represent an equilibrium when production has stabilised, they presuppose a 'goal' of the system, and do not adequately consider the microdecisions being made by the various actors within it. Agent-based modelling (ABM) is an approach that has been receiving attention in recent years as a way of linking the biophysical and socioeconomic characteristics of a system, and which provides a way of addressing these limitations. ABM has aroused the interest of environmental modellers, mainly because it offers a way of incorporating the influence of human decision-making on the environment in a mechanistic and spatially explicit way, taking into account social interaction, adaptation, and multiple scales of decision-making. Several such models are now beginning to appear, many of which involve the grafting of an ABM representing a number of households onto a cellular automata 'landscape', with each agent being linked in some way to the cells over which it has influence. Apart from changes in actual land cover, however, these models generally treat the landscape as a relatively static entity, and do not simulate processes such as soil water and nutrient dynamics. The ones that do include such processes, do so somewhat simplistically. There is a need, therefore, to integrate dynamic biophysical simulation models with these emerging agent-based social simulation models. Different approaches to integrating such models are recognised - one such scheme refers to 'loosely-coupled', 'closely-coupled', and 'fully integrated' levels of integration. Loose- and closely-coupled models exchange driving variables between them, with closely-coupled models sharing common subprocesses, meaning that temporal and spatial scales may be determined by the original (sub-)models being coupled together. By contrast, in fully integrated models, these scales are dictated by the processes being simulated. It is our view that it is necessary to focus on the fully integrated level in developing models to adequately understand the behaviour of managed ecosystems. We discuss an agent architecture that allows agents to communicate regardless of the programming language used - each agent should have a translation module that translates incoming messages and triggers the appropriate internal response, and a conversation module which checks ingoing and outgoing messages, and manages communications between multiple agents. The overall system should be coordinated by manager and router agents to ensure the provision of global information and correct delivery of communications between agents, respectively. To link this to different sub-models of biophysical processes, a limited number of common properties of the sub-models are required: (a) each sub-model must have the ability to advance one time-step on request, (b) it should be able to save the states of all its variables at the end of each time-step on request, and be able to reload these later, also on request, (c) it must be able to respond to predefined message requests for information, and (d) the calculation of rates of change of its state variables must be separate from the updating of those state variables, with both operations being carried out on request. There is a danger that such models become too complex - it is suggested that the best way forward may be to take a simple framework as the starting point, and incorporate additional detail as necessary to describe the processes of interest.


This paper describes the thermo-elasto-plastic analysis of bath and spray quenched AISI 316L cylinders. A suitably detailed continuum deformation analysis approach presented here is implemented within the framework of commercial Finite Element (FE) package ABAQUS. The results of the numerical analysis are compared with the residual elastic strains measured experimentally using neutron diffraction. The good agreement between measured and modelled residual elastic strains provides a basis for careful analysis of the residual elastic strain development resulting from two different quench methods. The conclusions drawn from the analysis provides a better understanding of quench processsing, so that the effects of different heat removal efficiencies of such processing technique can be taken advantage of to generate favourable residual elastic stress and deformation and microstructural distributions with quench processed components.


States are struggling to assure an adequate number of registered nurses are active in the clinical workforce to serve patients and communities. Nurse compact legislation-enacted in 39 states-facilitates interstate recognition of nurse licensure. We used a cross-sectional email survey of registered nurses in Michigan to measure their opinions on compact licensure legislation and examined differences in compact licensure opinions by nurses' personal characteristics. Primary analyses reported herein are from 7,098 Michigan nurses with complete data. Most respondents felt that the compact would make it easier to redeploy nurses in an emergency (76.6%), improve access to nursing care (66.6%), and boost their personal career options (55.1%). Most nurses disagreed that compact legislation would weaken patient protections (60.7%). The majority expressed neutral feelings on whether compact licensure would make disciplinary actions more difficult to enforce (50.9%) and a plurality that current licensure policies were satisfactory (44.0%). The majority were supportive of Michigan joining the compact (72.3%). In multivariable analysis, stronger support for joining the compact was associated with advanced degrees, male sex, and younger age. Less support was associated with membership in a collective bargaining unit. Policymakers who wish to ease acute nurse vacancies should consider enacting nurse licensure compact legislation. Careful attention to patient protections and disciplinary review would address potential safety concerns.


The Illustration of the Master examines the crucial role of the illustrated press in the formation of the reading public and the writing profession during Henry James's lifetime. The book re-examines James's stories, criticism, and travel essays in light of the explosive growth of the magazine industry in the United States and abroad at the turn of the century. Using previously unpublished archival sources, Amy Tucker delves into James's negotiations with publishers, editors, and literary agents, as well as his interactions with some of the celebrated artists who were assigned to illustrate his work. Reproducing more than 120 illustrations, advertisements, and other images that accompanied James's work, this book reveals the vital interplay of word and image that helped define literary culture at a moment when "popular entertainment" and "high art" had not yet gone their separate ways.


Background The risk of recurrent stroke in patients with symptomatic vertebral artery (VA) stenosis is high, with a 90-day risk of up to 30%, and a higher risk in intracranial than in VA-origin disease. Angioplasty and stenting are now possible, but more data on procedural and long-term risk are needed to assess the feasibility of trials against medical therapy. We report our experience with endovascular treatment for VA-stenosis over a 10-year period. Methods We followed up all patients who had stenting or angioplasty for symptomatic VA-stenosis in two neurosciences centres from 2001 to 2011. We determined the occurrence of procedural complications, recurrent stroke, and the presence of restenosis or vessel occlusion on imaging. Results 50 patients (43 men, mean [SD] age 67 [10] years) were treated from April 2001 to March 2011. 25 patients had distal VA-stenosis. 28 stents, 12 angioplasties, eight angioplasty + stent, two abandoned procedures (poor access) were performed. Periprocedural stroke occurred in three patients (6%), with a higher risk in distal (3/25, 12%) than in proximal (0%, p=0.09) VA-stenosis. During follow-up [median 12 (1–109) months], five patients (10%) had further strokes (three proximal, two distal VA), in only one patient associated with vessel occlusion. Conclusion In our series, intervention for VA-stenosis was safe, with a procedural risk similar to previous studies. While higher in distal disease, the risk was still lower than the previously reported risk on medical treatment, which is also higher in this group. Data from randomised trials will be vital to inform management of VA-stenosis. VIST (http://www.vist.sgul ac.uk) is such a trial, and is currently recruiting patients.


The emerging fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) threatens hundreds of amphibian species globally. During laboratory-based experiments it is often essential to quantify live Bd cells, but a comparison of the effectiveness of methods for counting and assessing the viability of the infectious zoospore life stage has not been done. A direct comparison of staining methods that assess viability will ensure that the most accurate and efficient method is used. Here, we compared the use of 2 relatively cheap common stains, trypan blue and methylene blue, and assessed their accuracy and precision for estimating the viability of Bd zoospores during both manual counting and colorimetric assays. We stained known proportions of killed Bd zoospores (0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00) with each stain and estimated the proportion of stained (dead) and unstained (viable) cells in each sample using both manual counting and colorimetric assays. Trypan blue was found to be a much more effective stain than methylene blue for both microscopy and colorimetric assays. Additionally, counting zoospores via microscopy was both a more accurate and precise technique. We recommend using manual counts via microscopy using the trypan blue stain for assessing Bd zoospore viability.


Fiber-reinforced composite parts used in drones, automobiles, and sports equipment are now being manufactured by additive manufacturing (AM), where the material parameters such as fiber direction can be changed within a layer or from one layer to the other. Nondestructive evaluation methods are required to assess the quality of such customized printed parts. In this work, a microcomputed tomography ( $\mu $ CT) dataset is analyzed to determine the fiber content in a 3-D printed composite material part using a digital binary image processing method. The existing literature on binary image analysis methods to measure the fiber volume fraction is limited to continuous fiber reinforced composites. Discontinuous fiber reinforced 3-D printing filaments are popular in manufacturing parts with increased strength. The methods developed in this work expands the binary image process to scans that show fibers embedded lengthwise in different directions in the 3-D printed layers. An optimized thresholding method is trained on the filament sample and then applied to 3-D printed samples. The results show fiber volume fraction measurements with standard deviations below 0.15%. The results in this work will be useful for product quality validation.


The dental intra-oral camera has made a significant input in dental treatment .it allows the dentist and the patient to get a close-up look at areas of special interest in the patient's mouth.( As a dental friend once remarked... "to see is to know... to not see is to guess"). When we can "see "a defect filling on a monitor it becomes apparent what needs to be done. It then expanded in almost to be use in several clinical specialties (Haak.R2000). The biggest hurdle is patient's acceptance treatment is that they often do not understand the dental condition affecting them. With an intraoral digital camera, patient education is simplified by being able to help the patient see what the dental professional see (Erten H, 2006). Newer intraoral cameras have USB connections, making them portable and easy to link to your existing network. With bright LED or halogen light sources, these intraoral digital cameras also allow to visualize more, helping you to diagnose carious tooth or fractured fillings which the naked eye may be mistake with, by the introduction of Intraoral cameras this is now totally possible. Dental and gingival conditions can
be shown and the available dental treatment alternatives can be discussed. The bottom line is extra and intra-oral imaging is... patient can see what doctor sees". There is nothing better than having both the doctor and the patient on the same page and understand what needs to be done. These photographs help you make an informed decision on how you would like to proceed with your dental treatment. The intraoral camera is basically a video camera that can be placed in mouth is approximately the size of the dental handpiece. or dental mirror and has a light built in to the camera which illuminates the area to be examined. This camera has the ability to take a video or a series of still photographs of the area, allows displaying images on a computer monitor. The images can be saved and discussed with the patient. This exciting technology provides the knowledge needed to make important dental decisions. Patient can now participate in his own dental care; no more hidden treatment and no unknowns to deal with during dental visits. It needs an advanced and expensive technological devices and software that enables the supervisor to have a precise method of evaluation that is repeatable and applicable in different type of work and in different fields of dentistry, In addition to that, a skillful well trained staff is needed in the The Use of Intraoral Camera in the Assessment of Students Requirement (Work) 490
clinic at the time of work, whereas in this proposed project the assessment is repeatable, and could be re-evaluated again at any time and at any step of the work and by any other supervisor. In the past twenty years, most of the major technological breakthroughs in electronics have really been part of one larger breakthrough, which is converting conventional analog information (represented by a fluctuating wave) into digital information (represented by ones and zeros, or bits). This fundamental shift in technology totally changed how we handle visual and audio information; it completely redefined what is possible. The digital camera is one of the most remarkable instances of this shift because it is so truly different from its predecessor. Conventional cameras depend entirely on chemical and mechanical processes. On the other hand, all digital cameras have a built-in computer, and all of them record images electronically. Intraoral camera converts the image to the language that computers recognize bits and bytes. Essentially, a digital image is just a long string of 1s and 0s that represent all the tiny colored dots or pixels that collectively make up the image.


Join us for a communal updating of Wikipedia entries on subjects related to women and nonbinary people in the liberal arts. Feb. 29, 2020, 1-5pm, Transylvania University Library (Organized by Drs. Kerri Hauman and Emily Goodman)


Around the western Mediterranean Basin, the ecological status of Populus alba, whether indigenous or introduced, is controversial. This note presents new palaeobotanical data based on analyses of leaf imprints from a travertine formation located in southern France. This travertine presents two levels with Populus alba imprints. The oldest level is dated back by 14C to the Early Holocene, i.e., 8890 +/- 70 BP. This demonstrates that Populus alba is an autochthonous species of the southern-France vegetation, removing speculations reporting that its distribution area was greatly influenced by Roman civilization. Finally, we discuss this new data in regard to other Pleistocene and Holocene deposits circum the Mediterranean Basin and in Europe, where this species was identified.


Impact of HIV infection on bone is now well established, with a high prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia and an increase of fracture risk, up to 5 fold for hip fractures. Beyond the usual risk factors frequently reported in this population, HIV infection itself and antiretroviral treatment, especially tenofovir, are involved in the pathophysiology of bone loss. Vitamin D deficiency is frequent and should be corrected. Fracture risk can be assessed based on clinical risk factors, the FRAX tool and bone mineral density measurement by DXA. Treatment in patients at increased risk of fracture is based on the same principles as in the general population, with mainly bisphosphonates.


Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) has been shown to reduce respiratory morbi-mortality in neuromuscular disorders (NMD). We conducted a retrospective study including NMD patients in whom long term NIV was instituted in our centre over the last 15 years. Methods: All NMD patients (p) in whom NIV was started between 1997 and 2011 were included. They were classified in 3 groups regarding the pattern of NMD: rapidly progressive ( RP) , early-onset myopathies ( EOM ) and late-onset myopathies ( LOM ). Clinical, epidemiological and lung function data at the time of NIV were collected. Criteria leading to introduce NIV and prognosis were analyzed. Results: Eighty seven patients (63% male, age 58±16 y) were included in the study; 55 (63%) had RP (age 65±11 y), 24 (28%) LOM (age 55±12 y) and 8 (9%) EOM (age 21±4 y). Time (in years) between diagnosis and NIV was 3.2±4 (RP), 26±13 (LOM) and 18±6 (EOM). In 17 (19.5%), NIV was begun during an acute episode (13 RP, 3 LOM, 1 EOM). In the remaining cases, NIV decision was based on at least one of the following criteria: hypercapnia (38 p, 44%), symptoms (35 p, 40%), lung test abnormalities (27 p, 32%), nocturnal SpO2 (28 p, 32%) or tcPCO2 (16 p, 18%) abnormalities. In sixty patients (69%) NIV decision was based on more than one abnormality. In eighty six patient (99%) NIV was initiated by using a pressure mode. Length of time on NIV (months) before death or tracheostomy was 17±15 (RP), 78±47 (LOM) and 84±45 (EOM). Conclusion: NIV is still initiated during an acute episode in 19.5% of our patients. In the remaining cases, symptoms and diurnal hypercapnia were the main factors leading to NIV institution; but in most cases NIV decision was based on more than one abnormality.


Several lithistid sponges are described from Mediterranean caves occurring in the northwestern and Adriatic basins. In the Corallistidae, Neoschrammeniella bowerbanki and Neophrissospongia nolitangere are recorded for the first time from the Mediterranean, whereas Neophrissospongia radjae n. sp. and Neophrissospongia endoumensis n. sp. are described as new. In the Theonellidae, the common sponge previously identified as Discodermia polydiscus is described as Discodermia polymorpha n. sp. Fossil specimens from the 3PP cave are tentatively attributed to Neoschrammeniella bowerbanki . The distribution and affinities of this lithistid fauna are discussed.


This paper proposes a multipath mitigation technique for multicorrelator Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers that estimates the line-of-sight (LOS) and the multipath signal parameters in a computationally efficient manner. The maximum likelihood (ML) principle is applied leading to a nonlinear optimization problem. A closed-form solution of the nonlinear estimation problem is proposed where the estimation of the LOS delay is performed using a grid search approach. Lack of convergence, initialization, and computational complexity problems are avoided and a small computational burden is achieved. A low-complexity complementary method based on interpolation is proposed in order to increase the resolution of the estimated delay with respect to the limit set by the correlators' spacing. Theoretical performance and limits are determined considering that the delay is estimated through a grid search approach and the observations are obtained in the presence of nonwhite Gaussian noise due to the correlation between samples.


What Mean Impacts Miss: Distributional Effects of Welfare Reform Experiments Labor supply theory predicts systematic heterogeneity in the impact of recent welfare reforms on earnings, transfers, and income. Yet most welfare reform research focuses on mean impacts. We investigate the importance of heterogeneity using random-assignment data from Connecticut's Jobs First waiver, which features key elements of post-1996 welfare programs. Estimated quantile treatment effects exhibit the substantial heterogeneity predicted by labor supply theory. Thus mean impacts miss a great deal. Looking separately at samples of dropouts and other women does not improve the performance of mean impacts. We conclude that welfare reform's effects are likely both more varied and more extensive than has been recognized. JEL Classification: J2, I38, H53


One of the most recent results was the determination of the proton halo in the first excited state of the 13N nucleus using of an analog of the MDM method for the charge exchange reactions (3He, t). It turned out that this state has the same radius as the mirror state 1/2+, 3.09 MeV in 13C.This observation allows us to take the next step and try to apply this approach to measure the radii of states. The increased radii in the isobar - analogue states of the 6He-6Li-6Be triplet, which may also have a halo structure, are not excluded. As a first step, we analyzed the published differential cross sections for inelastic scattering of 3He + 6Li with the excitation of the 2.19 MeV, 3+ state at energies 34 and 72 MeV and 3.56 MeV, 0+ state at energies 24.6 and 27 MeV. Probably the state 0+, 3.56 MeV has the same radius as its "Borromian" isobar analogue 6He and is neutron-proton halo. The predicted enlarged radius because of the more extended wave function p - n, apparently, does not take place. We recall that the spatial structure of the 6He nucleus was predicted to be quite complex, in which correlations of two types appeared: "cigar" and "dineutron". The question arises: does the structure of the state change so much when passing from 6He to the isobar-analoguein6Li,whichrequirestheintroductionofaspecialkindof"tango-halo".


Participants will be introduced to how data can be harnessed from GradeMark to inform teaching and assessment and support student achievement. To provide examples of how data harnessed from GradeMark has been used to improve teaching and to target specific, timely and useful interventions for students. The session will cover:
• How data can be used for improving student achievement and improving teaching
• Re-usable learning objects – in terms of comments made on assignments and targeted feedback
• How groups of academic staff could use the data and make interventions more efficient across modules/courses/departments where shared outcomes are common
• Providing feedback in different format for students, some students will prefer video explanations rather than text to explain a point for development


By means of the finite element method (FEM) for calculating the von Mises stress and strain energy density in the cubic γ/γ′ phases, the regularity of γ′ phase directional growth is investigated. Results show that the change of the strain energy density in the different planes of the cubical γ′ phase occurs during tensile creep of alloy, the cubical γ′ phase is directionally grown, along the crystal plane with bigger strain energy, to transform into the mesh-like rafted structure along the direction perpendicular to the applied stress axis. The change of the atomic potential energy, interfacial energy and lattice misfit stress is thought to be the driving force for promoting the elements diffusion and directional growth of γ′ phase.


For exploring lactic acidosis, a computer model based on incorporating our experimental data with information in the literature was evaluated its sensitivity to key parameters and validated by performing against experimental results in sheep. The model produced reasonable, interesting responses in the concentrations of lactic acid and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) as well as pH and the predicted data was relatively stable over the range of the values of the parameters tested. The results suggest that the rate of fermentation and the amount of substrate are important factors in terms of the development of fermentative acidosis. The model described here can be usefully employed in the design and interpretation of experiments to study lactic acid production and the prevention of acidosis in the rumen.


The Fenton reaction has been explored extensively in different fields due to the generation of hydroxyl radicals (˙OH). However, the reaction requires strongly acidic conditions and excessive consumption of H2O2, which impede its widespread application. Here, we report that twice the amount of ˙OH radicals as that of the reacted H2O2 was formed by the reaction of H2O2 with a type of nano-composite OH–CCN/CuCo–Al2O3 under nearly neutral conditions. The nano-composite was achieved by the co-incorporation of Cu and Co into γ-Al2O3, and the sequential complex formation of the σ-type Cu–O–C linker between the surface Cu and the hydroxyl group of the tri-s-triazine ring in C-g-C3N4. From electron paramagnetic resonance spectra and density functional theory simulations, it was verified that an electron-rich area around Cu occurred due to the Cu–π interaction and the different electronegativities of Cu with Co and Al in OH–CCN/CuCo–Al2O3, which reacted with H2O2, resulting in two electron transfer processes. One process is from the electron-rich Cu center to H2O2 to form ˙OH, and the other is from H2O to the N atom of OH–CCN to produce ˙OH. The catalyst shows extremely high activity for the degradation of various refractory organic pollutants in water under mild conditions with a high utilization efficiency of H2O2 (∼90%). Our findings confirm that the construction of an electron-rich area is essential for overcoming the limitations of the classical Fenton process for environmental remediation and other applications.


Perfusion of absolute ethyl alcohol into the middle cerebral artery of six rhesus monkeys was performed using the Pevsner miniballoon catheter system. The animals were sacrificed by thoracotomy and intracardiac perfusion of a mixed aldehyde solution for fixation. Preliminary angiography and electron microscopy suggest absolute ethyl alcohol is a good neurovascular occlusive agent, and a possible replacement for isobutyl 2-cyanoacrylate in the treatment of angiomas and tumors.


Using a novel characterization of texture, we propose an image decomposition technique that can effectively decomposes an image into its cartoon and texture components. The characterization rests on our observation that the texture component enjoys a blockwise low-rank nature with possible overlap and shear, because texture, in general, is globally dissimilar but locally well patterned. More specifically, one can observe that any local block of the texture component consists of only a few individual patterns. Based on this premise, we first introduce a new convex prior, named the block nuclear norm (BNN), leading to a suitable characterization of the texture component. We then formulate a cartoon-texture decomposition model as a convex optimization problem, where the simultaneous estimation of the cartoon and texture components from a given image or degraded observation is executed by minimizing the total variation and BNN. In addition, patterns of texture extending in different directions are extracted separately, which is a special feature of the proposed model and of benefit to texture analysis and other applications. Furthermore, the model can handle various types of degradation occurring in image processing, including blur+missing pixels with several types of noise. By rewriting the problem via variable splitting, the so-called alternating direction method of multipliers becomes applicable, resulting in an efficient algorithmic solution to the problem. Numerical examples illustrate that the proposed model is very selective to patterns of texture, which makes it produce better results than state-of-the-art decomposition models.


This study aims at deriving nonlinear expressions of the transmissibility and the driving-point mechanical impedance (DPMI) of two nonlinear biodynamic hand-arm models having active restoring and dissipative parameters. It aims also in computing explicitly the non-directly measurable stiffness and damping coefficients of the human hand-arm system (HAS). Multivariate Pade approximants are used to express the dependence of the HAS mechanical properties on various influencing factors. The harmonic balance method is used to derive analytical expressions of the transmissibility and the DPMI. Then, the models parameters are identified by minimizing constrained error functions between the theoretical DPMI or transmissibility and the measured data. The developed workflow is applied to three experimental data sets of Z-direction vibrations where the excitation frequency and/or the grip force are varied. Using the ISO-10068 (2012) limit DPMI values versus the excitation frequency, we derived upper and lower limits of the overall stiffness coefficient and damping ratio for the human HAS. Furthermore, the model reproduces with high accuracy experimental measurements of the transmissibility, the DPMI and the vibration power absorption.


The paper tests the market integration of main staple agricultural commodities in Oyo State.  Monthly prices in N/kg covering a period of 8 years (1994 – 2001) were obtained from Oyo State Agricultural Development Programme (OYSADP) and analyzed using Ravallion Model.  The study also calculated the Indices of Market Connection (IMC) to measure the degree of spatial market integration.  The IMCs for cassava, yam, white maize and yellow maize were, 0.3074, 0.0814, 0.027 and 0.16 respectively. The IMCs imply high short-run market integration between the reference and rural markets.  The market integration indices confirm that price changes in the urban markets (Bodija and Ilora) translated to changes in the price of cassava, yam, maize, yellow maize in rural markets (Akanran, Towobowo, Anko, Irepodun, Oje, Kajola, Akala and Aberu).  It is concluded that agricultural commodity arbitrage is working.  The degree of market integration can be enhanced by the provision of not only transport infrastructure but by provision of adequate formal marketing information and standardization of weights and measures in the system.


Objective: Using Reactome, a curated Internet database, noise-induced hearing loss studies were aggregated into cellular pathways for organization of the emerging genomic and epigenetic data in the literature. Data Sources: PubMed and Reactome.org, a relational data base program systematizing biological processes into interactive pathways and subpathways based on ontology, cellular constituents, gene expression, and molecular components. Study Selection: Peer-reviewed population and laboratory studies for the previous 15 years relating genomics and noise and hearing loss were identified in PubMed. Criteria included p values <0.05 with correction for multiple genes, a fold change of >1.5, or duplicated studies. Data Extraction and Synthesis: One-hundred fifty-eight unique HGNC identifiers from 77 articles met the selection criteria, and were uploaded into the analysis program at http://reactome.org. These genes participated in a total of 621 cellular interactions in 21 of 23 pathways. Cellular response to stress with its attenuation phase, particularly in response to heat stress, detoxification of ROS, and specific areas of the immune system are predominant pathways identified as significantly "overrepresented" (p values <0.1e-5 and false discovery rates <0.01). Conclusion: Twenty-one of 23 of the designated pathways in Reactome have significant influence on noise-induced hearing loss, signifying a confluence of molecular pathways in reaction to acoustic trauma; however, cellular response to stress, including heat shock response, and other small areas of immune response were highly overrepresented. Yet-to-be-explored genomics areas include miRNA, lncRNA, copy number variations, RNA sequencing, and human genome-wide association study.


Objective: To assess the degree of correlation between canine angulation and incisor inclination. Methods: Mesiodistal angulation of canines and labiolingual inclination of incisors were obtained by means of digital graphics software (ImageTool®) from standardized photographs of the casts of 60 patients. Incisor inclination was also assessed by lateral cephalometric radiographs. Results: Random error showed a variation of around 2° in measurements made on the casts (1.8-2.5), while systematic error, measured by the intraclass correlation test, displayed excellent reproducibility for both methods used in this study (p<0.001, r=0.84-0.96). Linear correlation tests revealed a significant positive correlation between canine angulation and incisor inclination in the maxillary arch (r=0.3, p<0.05) and even more significantly in the mandibular arch (r=0.46 to 0.51, p<0.001), when both were measured on the casts. When incisor inclination was examined by cephalometrics, correlation level was statistically insignificant for maxillary incisors (r=0.06 to 0.21, p>0.05) and varied widely in the mandibular arch (r=0.14 to 0.50). Conclusions: The introduction of changes in the angulation of canines with the aim of monitoring compensations observed in incisor inclination is warranted, especially in the lower arch. Abstract


Lumbar hernias are rare and diagnostically challenging for surgeons. We present the case of a middle-aged patient who presented with swelling in the left back. Subcutaneous lipoma was included in the differential diagnosis. Following diagnostic studies, computed tomography confirmed left lumbar hernia. Elective surgery was performed, and the results revealed Petit's hernia. The hernia was repaired with mesh.


In this work, an yttrium and rare-earth oxides mixture, CRE2O3, produced at DEMAR-FAENQUIL, was used as sintering additive for silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramics. Samples were produced by uniaxial hot-pressing, using mixtures of CRE2O3- Al2O3 or CRE2O3-AlN as additives. Four kind of hot-pressed Si3N4 were used as oxidation samples: Si3N4+ 5vol% or 20vol.% of CRE2O3-Al2O3 (forming only β-Si3N4 as crystalline phase), Si3N4+ 5vol.%CRE2O3-AlN (α-SiAlON+β) and Si3N4+ 20vol.%CRE2O3-AlN (only α-SiAlON). The oxidation behavior was evaluated at 13500C, in air up to 160 hours. The oxidation rate of Si3N4 ceramics increased with increasing CRE2O3/Al2O3 content, and oxidation kinetics obeyed the usual parabolic law. Pure α-SiAlONs (Si3N4 +20 vol.% CRE2O3-AlN) were high oxidation resistant with weight gain, after 160 hours, of 0.1 mg.cm-2, while β-Si3N4+20vol.%CRE2O3- Al2O3 showed a weight gain of 1.4 mg.cm-2 after only 10 hours. The oxidation behavior of these ceramics was comparable with ceramics sintered with Y2O3. This result confirms the possibility of the fabrication of high oxidation resistance Si3N4 ceramics using the low cost sintering additive CRE2O3.


Previous research has shown that in relatively moist areas of Saskatchewan the use of crop rotations that exclude summerfallow is desirable from the perspectives of C sequestration and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as well as from the soil quality perspective. In this study, the Canadian Economic and Emissions Model of Agriculture (CEEMA) was used to evaluate, based on a systems approach, the total reduction in greenhouse gas emissions associated with reduced summerfallow. Results show that analyses based only on a partial set of information – reduction in the area of summerfallow – overestimate the mitigation effect. Since the land that is taken out of summerfallow does not remain idle, but is used in crop or forage production, the GHG emissions of the alternative land use must also be considered. Crop production requires farm inputs, such as N fertilizers, which contribute to the total emissions of greenhouse gases from agriculture. The conversion of summerfallow to crop production, based on a reduction in summerfallow area by 50%, decreased GHG emissions by one megatonne only if the C sequestration benefits of reduced summerfallow are counted as an offset. If the sink is not counted, the GHG emissions increased as land shifted from summerfallow to crop production. However, a considerable degree of uncertainty exists, and more research is needed on this aspect of mitigation.


L- and P-band airborne polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data acquired by the RAMSES system over different height maritime pine (Pinus Pinaster Ait.) stands of the Nezer forest (Landes, France) have been evaluated for forest biophysical parameter estimation. A pseudolinear correlation has been brought to evidence at P-band between polarimetric anisotropy and mean tree height, which is also linked to other biophysical parameters in the Nezer forest, meaning that SAR polarimetry constitutes a promising tool for forest parameter retrieval at low frequency. The spatial conditions have been evaluated through the quantification of the impact of signal-to-noise ratio diminution and resolution degradation on the forest height inversion. It has been shown that the inversion accuracy remains acceptable for N Esigma0, representing the noise level of the SAR image, which is lower than -15 dB, and for spatial resolution increasing up to 15 m.


Tune into any personal finance programme these days and the vast majority of today's money experts will tell you that, in order to become wealthy, you have to cut your credit cards up immediately and save, save and save by putting the maximum amount of your salary into your retirement plan. While these plans might work for some people, Robert Kiyosaki urges readers to take a different approach to financial freedom. That starts by learning how to get rid of our what he calls 'bad debt' (such as credit card bills, health bills and other unsecured debt) and learning how to maximise 'good debt' such as a home mortgage or other investments. Kiyosaki outlines how you can accomplish this without having to resort to cutting up your credit cards.


Positive associations between the antigens D(R)3 and D(R)4 and negative associations of D(R)2 have been reported with insulin dependent or type I diabetes mellitus. It has been suggested that susceptibility factor(s) associated with the D(R)3 and D(R)4 haplotypes and a resistance factor associated with the D(R)2 haplotype may be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. We propose a hypothesis herein which attempts to unify these findings based on our present understanding suggesting (a) the existence of multiple antigenic determinants associated with any one D(R) haplotype and (b) the sharing of "single" D region encoded determinants between what we now refer to as different D(R) haplotypes. The hypothesis, in its simplest form, focuses on a single D region determinant which can be found associated at different frequencies with the various D haplotypes as potentially explaining the findings.


Multivariate pattern analyses approaches in neuroimaging are fundamentally concerned with investigating the quantity and type of information processed by various regions of the human brain; typically, estimates of classification accuracy are used to quantify information. While a extensive and powerful library of methods can be applied to train and assess classifiers, it is not always clear how to use the resulting measures of classification performance to draw scientific conclusions: e.g. for the purpose of evaluating redundancy between brain regions. An additional confound for interpreting classification performance is the dependence of the error rate on the number and choice of distinct classes obtained for the classification task. In contrast, mutual information is a quantity defined independently of the experimental design, and has ideal properties for comparative analyses. Unfortunately, estimating the mutual information based on observations becomes statistically infeasible in high dimensions without some kind of assumption or prior. In this paper, we construct a novel classification-based estimator of mutual information based on high-dimensional asymptotics. We show that in a particular limiting regime, the mutual information is an invertible function of the expected k-class Bayes error. While the theory is based on a large-sample, high-dimensional limit, we demonstrate through simulations that our proposed estimator has superior performance to the alternatives in problems of moderate dimensionality.


A domain is conventionally defined as a stationary sub-region of the simulated system in a domain-decomposition scheme for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on parallel computers. We proposed an algorithm where all domains pre-assigned to processors are shifted to a particular direction, beyond the displacement of particles in the system during a time-step or a period of small time-steps; as a result, it allows us to reduce the data transfer partners in the particle re-allocation procedure. We also proposed a systematic link-cell method that allows us to make use of small domain and reduces the amount of data to be transferred for updating the positions and forces of particles, in comparison to the conventional schemes. Benchmark studies of a three-dimensional Lennard-Jones system have been carried out using a parallel MD simulation program implemented via a MPIbased message-passing interface on several parallel computers. A result on a 16-CPU parallel computer system shows that the new scheme allows us to achieve a high parallel efficiency (over 75%) for MD simulations of a system with relatively small number of particles per processor (N/P < 500).


This paper proposes a probit model to test capital structure theories. It focuses on leverage increasing capital raisings and tests the various competing theories. It is shown that this approach does not have the spurious ratio problem documented by Barraclough (2007) that plague traditional capital structure tests. Results indicate that, contrary to stylized facts, leverage increasing firms tend to be more profitable and firms with high R&D expenditures tend not to use debt as a means of financing.


The corrosion of zirconium alloys under boiling water reactor (BWR) conditions is enhanced by irradiation; therefore, it was necessary to verify the expected behavior in steam generating heavy water reactor (SGHWR) of pressure tubes manufactured by different routes. Specimens of each material and others of interest were exposed to the coolant inside perforated fuel cans replacing fuel pins in otherwise standard SGHWR fuel clusters. After irradiation, specimens were decrudded chemically and weight gains were measured. Hydrogen pick-up was found by hot vacuum degassing. Specimens were also examined metallographically. Weight gains from irradiations up to 531 effective full-power days (EFPD) generally show a reasonably linear correlation with the fast fluence to which they have been exposed. There is a variation in corrosion rate between Zircaloy-2 materials of different histories; a quench treatment at the billet stage seems to be beneficial. Metallographic examination of specimens and fuel cladding showed the presence of nodular corrosion after exposure in reactor in oxygenated water. The extent of nodular formation varied with material and generally followed the weight gain patterns. The paper includes a discussion on mechanistic aspects of nodular corrosion. Hydrogen up-take by the specimens appears to be largely independent of corrosion weight gain making percentage pick-up figures of dubious value. The amounts of hydrogen taken-up, however, are small, representing less than 5 percent for many materials. Extrapolation of results to the expected full reactor life indicates that neither loss of section by corrosion nor hydrogen pick-up by the pressure tube should be life-limiting.


This study examined the putative association of transient global amnesia (TGA) and migraine. 57 TGA patients were compared to a double-size control group of normal subjects. TGA patients who also had migraine were additionally compared to those without migraine and to a second control group of outpatients with migraine only. The prevalence of migraine, and also of episodic tension-type headache, was markedly increased among TGA patients. Precipitants and accompanying vegetative symptoms of TGA and migraine overlapped. However, there was no evidence of an interaction between TGA and migraine, in that the expression of key TGA features was not affected by comorbidity with migraine, and vice versa. The present findings argue against the hypothesis that TGA represents a type of migraine aura or migraine equivalent. They conform to the hypothesis that the two conditions are essentially independent and result from an inherited brain state that disposes to different types of paroxysmal dysregulation, presumably at the level of the brain stem.


Here we report an investigation of the growth of picene by supersonic molecular beam deposition on thermal silicon oxide and on a self-assembled monolayer of hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDS). In both cases film morphology shows a structure with very sharp island edges and well-separated islands which size and height depend on the deposition conditions. Picene films growth on bare silicon covered with hydrophobic HDMS shows islands characterized by large regular crystallites of several micrometers; on the other hand, films growth on silicon oxide shows smaller and thicker islands. We analyzed the details of the growth model and describe it as a balancing mechanism involving the weak interaction between molecules and surface and the strong picene–picene interaction that leads to a different Schwoebel–Ehrlich barrier in the first layer with respect to the successive one. Finally, we study the charge transport properties of these films by fabricating field-effect transistors devices in both top and bottom contact ...


Abstract Analgesia prescribing is fundamental to a patient's journey, affecting length of stay and patient experience. Laminated prompts are used throughout the NHS Foundation Trust to aid doctors prescribing. A baseline questionnaire was carried out to gather doctors' prescribing habits and current ability to convert opioids to their morphine equivalent. Ninety three percent of doctors said they were moderately to extremely confident when prescribing analgesia. However, when asked to carry out a simple opioid conversion only 14% answered correctly. Eighty three percent of doctors said they were prescribing laxatives alongside opioids frequently (57%) or almost all the time (25%). When actual rates were sampled only 14% of patients were prescribed a concurrent laxative. Laminated pain management guideline cards were created and distributed to doctors at sign in for weekly teaching. Doctor interviews were carried out to see if they were in possession of a prompt card and a simple opioid conversion question was asked. If they did not have a prompt card at the time of interview they were issued with one after answering the conversion question. Rates of concurrent laxative prescribing were collected from the electronic prescribing record of patients on the acute medical unit. Posters were displayed in doctors' offices and drug rooms. Laxative prescribing rates were re-collected and compared with the survey responses. Distribution of laminated prompts increased accuracy of opioid conversion by 86%. Error rates fell as prompt prevalence increased until there was 100% prevalence and 0% error. Concurrent prescribing of laxatives increased to 50% after posters were displayed around the acute medical unit. Doctors reported they were confident when prescribing analgesia. They reported that they often prescribed concurrent medications, however this did not relate to actual prescribing practices. Visual prompts improved doctors analgesia conversion knowledge and prescribing practices. Laminated prompt cards are now incorporated in new doctors' induction packs.


Many rights that Americans cherish today go unmentioned in the U.S. Constitution. Where do these freedoms come from? John V. Orth answers that question in this unique and gem-like history of due process. No person's life, liberty, or property may be taken without "due process of law." What exactly that means has been one of the most frequently asked questions in American constitutional history. Today, the answer is usually given in two parts: what procedures the government must follows and - in exceptional cases - what the government cannot do even if it follows the proper procedures. The procedural aspect of this answer has been far less controversial than "substantive due process," which at one time limited government regulation of business and today forbids the states from outlawing abortions. "Due process of law," as a phrase and as a concept, was already old at the time it was adopted by American constitution-writers, both state and federal. Mindful of the English background and of constitutional developments in the several states, Orth in a succinct and readable narrative traces the history of due process, from its origins in medieval England to its applications in the latest cases. Departing from the usual approach to American constitutional law, Orth places the history of due process in the larger context of the common law. To a degree not always appreciated today, constitutional law advances in the same case-by-case manner as other legal rules. In that light, Orth concentrates on the general maxims or paradigms that guided the judges in their decisions of specific cases. Uncovering the links between one case and another, Orth describes how a commitment to fair procedures made way for an emphasis on the protection of property rights, which in turn led to a heightened sensitivity to individual rights in general. This unconventional history of the concept of due process heightens the reader's understanding of an important and vexed question of Anglo-American law and constitutionalism. Tracing the evolution of substantive due process through paradigmatic and exemplary cases, Orth explains in understandable terms the sources of controversial judicial rulings like Roe v. Wade.


Abstract Iron plays an essential role in a spectrum of metabolic processes. Cellular iron uptake is facilitated by transferrin receptor (TfR)-mediated endocytosis. In recent years more insight has been obtained in TfR physiology and the regulation of cellular iron homeostasis. The synthesis of TfR and the iron storage protein ferritin is regulated reciprocally at the post-transcriptional level according to the cellular iron status. As a result of externalization of TfR during the endocytic cycle, a soluble form of TfR can be detected in serum. The serum TfR (sTfR) level is closely related to erythroid TfR turnover and the prime determinants of the sTfR concentration are cellular iron demands and erythroid proliferation rate. In the absence of a hyperplastic erythropoiesis the sTfR level is a sensitive parameter of early tissue iron deficiency. The entire spectrum of body iron status can be assessed by measurement of serum ferritin and sTfR levels, with ferritin as marker of tissue iron stores and sTfR as index of tissue iron needs. The sTfR may be a promising tool to detect iron deficiency in inflammatory states and in the anaemia of chronic disease as its concentration is, in contrast to ferritin levels, not influenced by the acute phase response. Determination of sTfR levels may also improve assessment of body iron stores during pregnancy and in neonates. Finally, the sTfR may be a useful parameter to monitor erythropoiesis in various clinical settings, for instance in the prediction of the haematological response to erythropoietin treatment. However, standardization of the sTfR assay, with definition of reference and pathological ranges, is necessary for the definitive introduction of the sTfR as major parameter of iron metabolism.


Objectives To characterize the temporal alterations in native T1 and extracellular volume (ECV) of remote myocardium after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and to explore their relation to left ventricular (LV) remodeling. Methods Forty-two patients with AMI successfully treated with primary PCI underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance after 4–6 days and 3 months. Cine imaging, late gadolinium enhancement, and T1-mapping (MOLLI) was performed at 1.5T. T1 values were measured in the myocardial tissue opposite of the infarct area. Myocardial ECV was calculated from native- and post-contrast T1 values in 35 patients, using a correction for synthetic hematocrit. Results Native T1 of remote myocardium significantly decreased between baseline and follow-up (1002 ± 39 to 985 ± 30ms, p<0.01). High remote native T1 at baseline was independently associated with a high C-reactive protein level (standardized Beta 0.32, p = 0.04) and the presence of microvascular injury (standardized Beta 0.34, p = 0.03). ECV of remote myocardium significantly decreased over time in patients with no LV dilatation (29 ± 3.8 to 27 ± 2.3%, p<0.01). In patients with LV dilatation, remote ECV remained similar over time, and was significantly higher at follow-up compared to patients without LV dilatation (30 ± 2.0 versus 27 ± 2.3%, p = 0.03). Conclusions In reperfused first-time AMI patients, native T1 of remote myocardium decreased from baseline to follow-up. ECV of remote myocardium decreased over time in patients with no LV dilatation, but remained elevated at follow-up in those who developed LV dilatation. Findings from this study may add to an increased understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of cardiac remodeling after AMI.


Education is the main factor for every country or nation to excel in global competition, it is also an investment in the future that will be profitable. Various improvements to the education system have been implemented and are close to achieving their goals. The quality education system is actually the spirit of the teachers as the executor of education. Teachers are the key to quality education and the most important factor in the teaching and learning process. This study provides an overview of various problems, advantages and disadvantages of education, differences and similarities between Indonesia's education system and foreign countries. Literature review is the method used in this research. The results of the study show that the advantages of education in Indonesia are (1) a diverse education system; (2) Transparent education system; (3) The curriculum is prepared directly by the experts. Weaknesses; (1) Educators who are not evenly distributed; (2) Educational facilities that are not evenly distributed; (3) The curriculum is still theoretical. Education in Indonesia places more emphasis on learning to read, write, and count for early childhood, learning time is very busy, always giving assignments at home. While abroad, early childhood education places more emphasis on playing and interacting to explore their environment, students only study in class about 30-40% and the rest is spent playing and interacting with their friends, not giving assignments or homework. The similarity is to focus on sharpening students' character intelligence, increasing students' practical abilities which will be needed in the future.


The occurrence of new events in a system is typically driven by external causes and by previous events taking place inside the system. This is a general statement, applying to a range of situations including, more recently, to the activity of users in Online social networks (OSNs). Here we develop a method for extracting from a series of posting times the relative contributions of exogenous, e.g. news media, and endogenous, e.g. information cascade. The method is based on the fitting of a generalized linear model (GLM) equipped with a self-excitation mechanism. We test the method with synthetic data generated by a nonlinear Hawkes process, and apply it to a real time series of tweets with a given hashtag. In the empirical dataset, the estimated contributions of exogenous and endogenous volumes are close to the amounts of original tweets and retweets respectively. We conclude by discussing the possible applications of the method, for instance in online marketing.


The tissue distribution of a polypeptide purified from pig ileal mucosa tentatively called porcine ileal polypeptide (PIP) and known to have potent acid secretagogue activity has been studied with immunohistochemical methods together with extraction of different tissues followed by radioimmunoassay for PIP content. Histochemically the peptide is found in superficial epithelial cells in the mucosa of the distal 20% of the small intestine and to some extent in the mucosa of the urinary tract. There is no staining of goblet cells or crypt cells. The staining in the urinary tract mucosa is due to antigenic peptides with Mr identical to PIP. While the presence of PIP in the ileum is compatible with a function as an enterooxyntin, it is not possible at present to explain the physiologic role of PIP entirely as a hormone regulating acid secretion in light of the immunohistochemical distribution.


The aim of this research is to investigate the relationship between personality and expert prediction behaviour when estimating software project effort using analogical reasoning. For some years we have been developing tools and techniques for estimation by analogy (EBA). However the variability of results from using these tools and techniques can be difficult to interpret. We have conducted a pilot study to integrate knowledge from cognitive psychology and computer science to investigate how to improve estimation when using analogy-based tools. We interviewed and assessed the personality of two experienced project managers to gain an understanding of their background and the problem solving strategies they currently
employ. Following these interviews, the project managers were given a typical project effort estimation task. The project managers were asked to complete the task using our analogical reasoning tool and articulate their processes by means of a 'think aloud' protocol. We found significant differences in prediction approach that may be in part be explained by personality differences. One aspect, i.e. the strong need to acquire personal understanding may present
obstacles to the successful use of some prediction tools.


The extremely small size of the micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) makes them widely suitable for some special applications. The simplicity of the piezoelectric micro-generators is attractive for MEMS applications, especially for remote systems. In this paper, a general concept of the piezoelectric energy conversion is first given. A simple design modeling and analysis of the '31' transverse mode type piezoelectric micro-generator is presented. The output power is taken as the indicated parameters for the generator. The energy conversion efficiency of the generator, which is dependent on the operation frequency, is expressed in the frequency domain. A case study of laminated type micro-generators using PZT-PIC 255 for MEMS applications is given and the use of single crystal PZN-8%PT is also studied for comparison. Some design guidelines are presented based on the simulation results.


3D survey and advanced modeling in the study of the Forts of Rome: the Forte Monte AntenneIn the studies the authors are conducting on the entrenched camp of Rome, 3D surveys and digital models are used as means to understand constructions with the aim of developing restoration and re-utilization projects. For Forte Monte Antenne (1882-1891), the authors have carried out systematic studies of the formal and structural aspects. The data acquired from a direct survey and with laser scanner, drone and photogrammetry, integrated with data obtained from iconographic and bibliographic sources, were integrated in the creation of a digital model, which made the classification of the various elements in a structured database possible, including the verification of the relationship among the parts at varying levels, and the system of aeration ducts. Convective motions and the thermo-hygrometric and visual comfort within some of the environments, as well as thermographic surveys of the walls were conducted. The BIM model was integrated, therefore, with a MEP model. The hypothesis of restoration and possible adaptation to new functions cannot disregard the analysis of those parameters which complete the picture of environmental quality and thus of the effective potentials in repurposing of the structure.


The development of tourism industry has become so fast today. However, there are unexpected events occurring in the developing process. Based on the tourism information in recent years, this paper combined quantum computing with immune clone algorithm and applied them to the data mining of emergency events of tourism information, deducing the links between emergency rules. Finally through the simulative experiment, we validated its validity and feasibility when used in data mining of tourism emergency.


Much contemporary discussion of "the market" assumes that markets have a true nature or immanent logic. In fact, however, markets arise and operate through law, so that no particular market structure is inevitable and every market order is the result of a complex set of legal and political choices. This introductory Essay organizes the Articles that comprise this Issue of Law and Contemporary Problems, in the light of the legal construction of markets and offers an intellectual roadmap for a legally informed study of the market. Drawing on the insight that markets are plural and open to variable design, we reflect on both the options and constraints faced by law's architects. We discuss certain risks in market design, including the familiar dangers of unjust distribution and excessive commodification, and the less familiar danger that markets might prove self-undermining. In order to understand the risks and rewards of market orderings and to take on the responsibility of market design, we close by identifying three ideal-typical visions of markets – as efficient, democratic, and liberal – and summarizing the values that these ideal-types deploy to addresses these challenges.


In a previous work we tested users' preferences with systems that allow to store and retrieve information either using tags or folders. In the current study we asked participants sampled from the same population about their attitudes towards tags by using a questionnaire (N = 168). We then compared the results regarding attitudes gathered in this study with the ones testing actual behavior gathered in our previous one. Overall, results showed positive attitudes towards tagging and multiple classification. These finding are in sharp contrast with our previous behavioral study which showed clear preference for folders and single classification: Our participants tended to agree with statements such as "most people use folders only due to habits", "if users were taught to use tags they would prefer them over folders", and "In 20 years children born today will use mostly"; however in our previous study in which we taught our participants to use tags there was a clear behavioral preference for folders over tags. Most participants in the present study thought that giving several classifications to personal information is a good idea, while our previous results showed that even when tags were used, multiple classification was exceptional. Furthermore, our current participants tended to agree that "the use of tags is more efficient than folder use" while in our previous study retrieval was faster without tags. We conclude this paper with suggestions regarding future research.


Some experimental tests were performed studying the flow of water thought an orifice, in order to investigate the onset of the various cavitation structures and the effects of cavitation at different cavitation numbers and temperature. Different flow rates have been tested for different values of temperature. The results show that the cavitation originates at the inlet of the flow constriction area. It grows intensively and transforms into a cavitating cloud. As flow rate was increased, it was observed that the cavitating cloud travels downstream of the hole oscillating around the exit position and it is connected to the hole inlet through a sheet having a complex turbulent structures. The decrease in the cavitation number causes a corresponding increase of the width of the cavitating area especially in proximity of the critical cavitation number. In particular, it was observed that the critical cavitation number increases as the temperature increase. The behavior of the cavitation phenomenon can be related to the pressure fluctuations measured downstream of the orifice; a Fourier Transform of the downstream pressure signal was performed. The development of the cavitation phenomenon for lower cavitation numbers affects the pressure frequency components, related to the impacts due to vapor bubbles implosions. Finally, soma numerical simulations have been performed; the simulation results were compared with the experimental ones.Copyright © 2006 by ASME


Introduction The presence or absence of inflammatory cells in chronic Achilles tendinopathy has been a controversial subject in previous studies. Macrophages, T lymphocytes, and neutrophils have previously been detected in tendinopathic human Achilles tendons, whereas other authors have reported that there is no evidence for their occurrence. This controversy may stem from the fact that human Achilles tendon overuse injuries usually develop gradually over time, and the time course of inflammation in response to overuse has been difficult to establish in clinical populations. The aim of this study was to examine the presence of inflammatory cells in the Achilles tendon of rabbits that were subjected to repetitive mechanical loading of defined durations. Methods In this study, tissue blocks of Achilles tendon taken from a cohort of rabbits on which we previously reported1 were used to analyse the presence of inflammatory cells. Twenty-Four New Zealand male rabbits were subjected to repetitive mechanical loading of the Achilles tendon and grouped into four groups, according to the exercise time period: 0, 1, 3, and 6 weeks. Achilles tendons were harvested at the end of each time period. T-lymphyocytes and neutrophils were examined using immunohistochemistry, and macrophages were identified with Prussian blue staining. All areas of positively labelled cells were captured in digital micrographs using a 20x objective lens and expressed as cell density / viewing field. Results Macrophages, T-lymphocytes, and neutrophils were detected in tendon sections from groups 0, 1, 3, 6 weeks. While there was no apparent change in the density of neutrophils over the 6 week time course, the density of lymphocytes (n.s.) and macrophages (p < 0.05) increased over the 6 weeks of overuse (Figure 1). Qualitatively speaking, the evidence of inflammation was not evenly distributed, as some tissue sections from the same groups showed no evidence of inflammatory cells. Inflammatory cells were observed primarily in the paratendon rather than the tendon proper. Abstract 93 Figure 1 Evidence of inflammatory cell involvement during periods of Achilles tendon overuse Discussion An increasing number of macrophages and lymphocytes were detected in the Achilles tendons of animals subjected to repetitive mechanical loading, with an absence of the same types of cells in some sections from the same groups for unknown reasons. Future studies are needed to (1) confirm these findings using a corroborating technique, e.g. qPCR, and (2) examine the influence of additional variables including tendon region and sex.2 Future studies could examine whether inhibiting inflammation would lessen the extent of tendinopathy in this overuse model. References Andersson, et al. Br J Sports Med. 2011;45(13):1017–2 Huisman, et al. J Anat. 2014;224(5):538–47


In this paper, max-min style transmit beamformer design for single group multicast (broadcast) scenario is considered. The phase and amplitude values of beamformer vector coefficients are selected from finite discrete sets. With the help of integer variables, original optimization problem is converted to a linear form appropriate for mixed integer linear programming. The solution is always feasible as long as the total power is above a certain value. Branch and cut strategy guarantees the optimum solution. Proposed approach is very effective and with moderate number of bits, a performance closed to optimum continuous beamformer can be obtained.


Clodronate (dichloromethylene bisphosphonate) accumualtes extensively in the bone by binding to apatite crystals. We found recently that the drug also accumulates in the spleen and, to a lesser extent, in the liver of mice and rats. In the present study, the role of macrophages in soft tissue accumulation was studied in mice by autoradiography and macrophage-depleting techniques, and also by isolated rat peritoneal macrophages. The localization of [14C]clodronate in mouse spleen showed that the drug concentrates in the marginal zone between the white and red pulp, which is known to be rich in macrophages. Pretreatment of mice with pure clodronate did not change the accumulation of [14C]clodronate in the spleen. However, when splenic and hepatic macrophages were eliminated by the liposome-encapsulated clodronate, only a weak [14C]clodronate accumulation occurred in these organs. Isolated macrophages did not take up free [14C]clodronate, but the addition of ferrous iron to the incubate resulted in the uptake of 14C activity by macrophages. They were probably stimulated by the insoluble clodronate-iron complex. The results suggest that 1) macrophages are involved in the accumulation of clodronate in the spleen and liver, and 2) combination of clodronate with extracellular iron is a prerequisite for the activation of macrophages to take up the drug complex. Since the spleen and, to a lesser extent, the liver are rich in iron released from destroyed red cells, accumulation of clodronate takes place in these organs.


Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disorder characterized by increased activation of CD4(+) T lymphocytes, and systemic and local overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 2 (IL-2), gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor alpha, indicating that immunopathogenesis of the disease is T helper 1 (Th1) mediated. Several studies suggest a pivotal role of bacterial superantigens in the initiation and/or exacerbation of this illness. This study was conducted to assess the systemic Th1/Th2 imbalance in Indian psoriasis patients presenting with variable duration of disease by studying systemic superantigen-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cytokine expression. PBMCs were isolated and stimulated in vitro with superantigens (streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A and staphylococcal enterotoxin B), and the cytokines released (IFN-gamma for a Th1 response, and IL-4 and IL-10 for a Th2 response) were assayed. In contrast to controls, psoriasis patients in the early course of disease were characterized by significantly increased expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IFN-gamma, whilst a shift towards IL-10 secretion (Th2 response) was observed in those presenting with increased duration of disease. These observations suggest a possible shift from a Th1 to a Th2 cytokine response with superantigen-associated progression for the duration of psoriasis, perhaps as an adaptive process by the immune system in an attempt to downregulate abnormal inflammatory Th1 immune responses.


This article focuses upon the territorial challenges to the French state. There is a genuine policy puzzle in terms of how to join up separate agencies of the state that is far from unique to France. Introducing new evidence based on interviews with high ranking officials, politicians and representatives of territorial policy communities in 2010, the main body of the article focuses upon the two main territorial reforms of the Sarkozy presidency, the reform of the territorial state, and the local government reform. These cases reveal an original attempt to craft a political discourse based on public sector productivity and state puissance. The article explores the tension between synoptic models of reform, focused on the expectation of rapid and quantifiable macro-level change that suits the short-term returns of the political cycle; and institutionalized processes of meso-level implementation, with different timescales, logics of appropriateness and configurations of actors.


Due to the difficulty in isolating Mycoplasma sp. type F38, two techniques for rapid detection are proposed in order to identify the presence of mycoplasmas of the mycoides group in samples of pleural fluid. A modification in the composition of isolation media promotes the growth of type F38 mycoplasmas and inhibits the growth of M. ovipneumoniae strains.


Author(s): Mazur, Agnieszka E. | Advisor(s): Freedman, Sarah W | Abstract: In our globalized world the ability to move across multiple linguistic and cultural borders continues to grow in importance; however, instead of cultivating students' multiple ways of being in the world, public schools in the U.S. have often failed to capitalize on the cultural and linguistic resources that students bring from diverse backgrounds. This qualitative study examines how linguistically diverse students, those who were currently or had previously been identified as English Learners (EL), develop their identities within academic writing practices in a mainstream public high school English classroom that is part of the Puente Project. This is a college preparatory program that includes activities both in and out of the classroom designed to incorporate students' various cultural and linguistic "voices" as resources for learning. This study is framed through sociocultural theories of activity, identity construction, and literacy. Drawing on ethnographic and discourse analytic methodology, it examines the motives the teacher and counselor had for the activity system of Puente; how these motives shaped practices inside and outside of the classroom; how practices related to students' construction and performance of their "discoursal" selves; students' understanding of their academic identities within Puente; and how these perceptions changed over time. A focus on student voice was indeed paramount in the Puente learning ecology, with both the counselor and the teacher emphasizing that supporting students to develop their voices was a central goal of the Puente activity system at Emerson High. This focus, however, did create some tensions with the activity system, since the teacher and counselor conceptualized "voice" differently from each other. Nonetheless, the Puente learning ecology at Emerson High provided students many and varied opportunities to develop academic identities and to perform academic discoursal selves. Students used the conventions of academic discourse that the teacher taught them in combination with their other social languages to express opinions, thoughts and feelings that were meaningful and important to them. The findings indicate that providing a variety of opportunities to write, both inside and outside of the classroom, and allowing students to choose the topics that they address are essential to support students' development of academic discoursal selves. While it is important for students to master "genres of power" such as argumentative writing, students are best served when they have an authentic purpose for writing and when they explore issues that hold personal significance through multiple writing genres. Moreover, this study suggests that incorporating personal and creative writing in the English curriculum is crucial to engage students whose identities and experiences had been previously marginalized in school settings.


This article explores the formula-based school funding system in the state of Victoria, Australia, where state funds are directly allocated to schools based on a range of equity measures. The impact of Victoria's funding system for education in terms of alleviating inequality and disadvantage is contentious, to say the least. It is difficult to adopt the belief that equity funding can alter the unequal levels of capacity that pupils bring into the classroom as a result of their varied socio-economic backgrounds. This study highlights a number of contextual factors that challenge the equity considerations of the Victorian school funding system. Among these factors include: the ability of individual schools to raise their own funds; allocation of a significant proportion of formula funding for staff salaries without directly addressing educational disadvantages; and the unnecessary complexity of formulas and limited community access to funding information. Nevertheless, the formula-based school funding system in Victoria presents a model in which funding is tied directly to the needs of both students and schools; a uniform criteria to apply impartially to each school; an increased level of accessible information on how the funds have been deployed; a reduced level of complexity presented compared to overlapping funding models from state, district and local authorities in other jurisdictions; and an opportunity for meaningful analysis generated on the school level to explore the impact of funding and incorporate improvements in a single funding system.


While African American dress has long been noted as having a distinctive edge, many people may not know that debutante balls - a relatively recent phenomenon within African American communities - feature young women and men dressed, respectively, in conventional symbols of female purity and male hegemony, and conforming to gender stereotypes that have tended to characterize such events traditionally. Within the Hmong American community, mothers and aunts of teenagers use bangles, lace and traditional handwork techniques to create dazzling displays reflecting the gender and ethnicity of their sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, as they participate in an annual courtship ritual. This book examines these events to show how dress is used to transform gender construction and create positive images of African American and Hmong American youth.Coming-of-age rituals serve as arenas of cultural revision and change. For each of these communities, the choice of dress represents cultural affirmation. This author shows that within the homogenizing context of American society, dress serves as a site for the continual renegotiation of identity - gendered, ethnic and otherwise.


Modern aircraft are getting more and better sensors. As a result of this, the pilots are getting moreinformation than they can handle. To solve this problem one can automate the information processingand instead provide the pilots with conclusions drawn from the sensor information. An aircraft'smovement can be used to determine which class (e.g. commercial aircraft, large military aircraftor fighter) it belongs to. This thesis focuses on comparing three classification schemes; a Bayesianclassification scheme with uniform priors, Transferable Belief Model and a Bayesian classificationscheme with entropic priors.The target is modeled by a jump Markov linear system that switches between different modes (flystraight, turn left, etc.) over time. A marginalized particle filter that spreads its particles over thepossible mode sequences is used for state estimation. Simulations show that the results from Bayesianclassification scheme with uniform priors and the Bayesian classification scheme with entropic priorsare almost identical. The results also show that the Transferable Belief Model is less decisive thanthe Bayesian classification schemes. This effect is argued to come from the least committed principlewithin the Transferable Belief Model. A fixed-lag smoothing algorithm is introduced to the filter andit is shown that the classification results are improved. The advantage of having a filter that remembersthe full mode sequence (such as the marginalized particle filter) and not just determines the currentmode (such as an interacting multiple model filter) is also discussed.


Public indonesia which has many adopting undeniable west culture has forgotten value value history of the. Struggle of warrior which has tried advocates fatherland so that we can feel independence of like this time starts eroded. Nationalism value increasingly fades and not seen desire to improve;repair it. Nationalism is one of understanding to remind us as respects to obstinacy of effort for the Indonesia combatants in grabbing independence. Fragon Film Bonar Jadi Dua is one of loaded film sign would. This film having story about a Naga Bonar which is persistent permanent in maintaining position of strarting nationalism eroded these days. This thing causes researcher to interest to do research to this Naga Bonar Jadi Dua film.
Based on above background, hence researcher formulates problems as follows; Does nationalism meaning at film Naga Bonar Jadi Dua. Concreete step to answer this research problems is description of nationalism meaning at film Naga Bonar Jadi Dua.
In doing pemaknaan of a film, required a research methodologies of yanng according to that later can lay open meaning which hidden returned [by] sign the sign in film. Hence from that is researcher applies qualitative methodologies having the character of interpretatif with analysis in semiotics. This research applies approach of semiotics Roland Barthes by doing approach of
signifikasi two phases, that is phase denotatif and konotatif to film that is accurate. There are five scene is containing element of nationalism Naga Bonar.
Result of research indicates that nationalism meaning in film Naga Bonar Jadi Dua that is shown with position to pride upon nation person and history of warrior a Negara, defence from the patriot in fighting against the side of strangers(foreigners, besides evocation at tradition of past
as part is idolizing old tradition because nationalism has the relation of kepercayan with ancient habit also is position of nationalism.
This research far from perfect word in laying open a sign, so that the next researcher especially university student Muhammadiyah Malang suggested to apply other analytical method like content analysis, framing and discourse. Besides, suggested also to the young sineas ( stage manager) film that more creatively in making film matching with our norm and culture especially Indonesia. Not only presents life keglamoran and film which can make controversy in public. Election of creative story idea that audience can catch message submitted.


Systemic pressor responses occurred consistently 5 to 15 minutes following reduction of renal perfusion pressure and were accompanied by the appearance of pressor material in renal vein blood. The pressor material is probably angiotensin formed from renin released by the kidney, since its activity was not affected by protein precipitation, was eliminated by incubation with chymotrypsin, and since it caused enhanced pressor responses to tyramine, all of which are characteristic of angiotensin. Activity was unaffected by pharmacologic blockade of response to norepinephrine and serotonin. Its renal origin is indicated by the greater amount of pressor activity in renal venous than in arterial blood throughout the systemic pressor responses. Smaller amounts of pressor material, also with properties of angiotensin, were found in thoracic duct lymph. They did not contribute materially to the systemic pressor response since external drainage of all lymph did not modify the response, and since the time course of the response correlated with an increase in pressor activity in renal vein blood but not in lymph. The late appearance of angiotensin in thoracic duct lymph is probably due to renin secretion by the kidney into renal lymph rather than transfer from circulating blood; activity did not appear in lymph when renin was infused intravenously in amounts that caused rises in systemic pressure comparable to those produced by reduction of renal perfusion pressure. The results indicate that during short periods of reduced renal perfusion pressure, renin is released in larger amounts in blood than in lymph.


Fabric covering is often used by designers, as it can easily mask acoustic structures that do not match
an interior. However, in the case of sound diffusers based on change in the phase of the reflected wave, the
use of fabric covering is not without its effect on acoustics. It reduces the effectiveness of these structures
and raises acoustic absorption. In the paper, the authors analyzed the acoustical properties of a selected
fabric used to cover sound diffusers. Sound absorption and scattering coefficients for a system composed
of sound diffusers and a fabric situated at different distances d were measured. The results were compared
to the sound absorption predicted on the basis of Kuttruff's and Mechel's theoretical models. Analysis
of the results indicates that the fabric has a significant influence on the system's acoustic parameters. It
is also observed, that fabric applied directly on a phase grating diffuser, produces higher absorption than
when it is at some distance from it.


For the problem of emotion recognition of physiological signals, an introduction to adaptive hierarchical genetic algorithm is put forward. With the help of feature selection to the physiological signals, the optimization problem can easily be solved. It's shown in the simulation that using the features obtained from the experimental simulation to recognize the emotion states is effective.


Pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (AI) and finger photoplethysmography fitness index (PPGF) are non-invasive markers of vascular function and may predict future cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. In women, the changes from both oestrogen and progesterone levels during menstrual cycle may give significant impact on vascular function. Thus, this study was designed to investigate the variation of vascular function during follicular and luteal phase in healthy young women. Twenty-two healthy young women with regular menstrual cycle were recruited. Blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), PWV, AI, PPGF, estradiol (Es) and progesterone (Prog) level were measured during follicular (F) and mid-luteal (L) phase. Data was analyzed via SPSS version 20 and P value < 0.05 was considered to be significant. The mean age of the subjects was 22.73 ± 0.60 years. There was significant variations of estradiol and progesterone levels during menstrual cycle whereby the level of estradiol (EsF = 107.6 ± 52.56 pmol/L vs. EsL = 555.16 ± 152.79 pmol/L, P<0.05) and progesterone (ProgF = 0.62 ± 0.26 nmol/L vs. ProgL = 46.74 ± 14.59 nmol/L, P<0.05) were higher in mid-luteal compared to follicular phase. PWV value was higher during follicular phase when compared to mid-luteal phase (PWVF = 6.67 ± 0.66 m/s vs. PWVL = 6.31 ± 0.52 m/s, P=0.01). The levels of BP, BMI, PPGF (PPGFF = 55.43 ± 7.50% vs. PPGFL = 56.59 ± 7.23 %, P=0.41) and AI (AIF = 12.87 ± 5.13% vs. AIL = 10.80 ± 4.52%, P=0.11) were unchanged between the two phases. In conclusion, PWV differs between follicular and mid-luteal phases of menstrual cycle in healthy young women. Thus, history of menstrual cycle must be taken into account when assessing PWV among women.


Hyperventilation is the most common breathing pattern disorder. Several
studies indicate that hyperventilation is common in asthmatic patients. There has been no study on
prevalence of hyperventilation syndrome in Iran so far. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of
hyperventilation syndrome in asthmatic patients.
Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 patients with mild to
moderate asthma in Imam Khomeini Hospital of Ahvaz between November 2013 and June 2014. In
this study, Nijmegen questionnaire and Capnograph device for measuring the pressure of end tidal
carbon dioxide was used for diagnosis of hyperventilation syndrome. Data management and analysis
was performed using SPSS software. P <0.05 was considered for significant level.
Results: The subjects' mean age were 40.90±11.04 and duration of asthma ranged from one month to
40 years. 54% of subjects had a mean pressure of end tidal carbon dioxide below 32 mmHg. 47% of
participants had a scores greater than 17 on the Nijmegen questionnaire. Average of Nijmegen score
and end tidal carbon dioxide pressure was 17.90±7.60 and 31.1±4.9mmHg, respectively.
Conclusion: This study showed that the prevalence of hyperventilation syndrome in asthmatic patients
is 47%. This high prevalence indicates importance of therapeutic intervention related with abnormal
breathing patterns in asthmatic patients


Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) is a surgical procedure performed with the objectives of restoring normal alignment and providing stability to broken bone fragments after a fracture. This procedure is increasingly used to treat fractures of the distal end of the radius. Reduction of the fracture into correct alignment is often achieved by the surgeon pulling and manipulating the hand while looking at real-time x-rays, and frequently requires large forces to distract impacted fragments from proximal bone. This can make the task of simultaneously aligning the fracture fragments and placing hardware to secure fragments into the correct position particularly challenging for surgeons. This study presents the design and preliminary testing of a multi-degree-of-freedom (DOF) device capable of performing both distraction and reduction of fractured bone fragments using a traction splint mechanism with locking joints that results in significantly reduced effort and greater accuracy in performing ORIF procedures on distal radius fractures. Quantitative force testing found an 80% reduction in the maximum force required to create needed traction, while qualitative tests with a hand surgeon found the device's ability to reduce and stabilize bone fragments while hardware is secured to be more intuitive and less obstructive than existing techniques.


Magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) is a leading candidate for future memory applications because it may provide compelling advantages by combining desirable attributes of SRAM, DRAM, and Flash. Process technology has recently scaled down to the nano‐meter regime, which accordingly has resulted in lowering supply voltage, increasing short channel effect, and rapidly increasing process variation. MRAM is also affected by technology scaling, which significantly reduces the sensing margin. In this paper, several circuit design parameters, such as supply voltage, transistor size, and transistor gate voltage in the sensing circuit, are evaluated to discover the root causes of reduced sensing margin with technology scaling. The lowered supply voltage and lowered output resistance of the transistor, which occurs with technology scaling, are verified as the root causes of reduced sensing margin. It is also shown that increased process variation due to technology scaling aggravates the problem. A high supply voltage with power gating combined with optimized transistor size and gate voltage, and a power gating scheme using an IO device with an IO voltage are suggested as effective design solutions for reliably increasing the sensing margin in the presence of process variation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


UNLABELLED
PREDICTIVE VALUE OF 24-H AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING: Average 24-h blood pressure values are more closely related to the target-organ damage of hypertension than are clinic blood pressure readings. Preliminary evidence from longitudinal studies suggests that ambulatory blood pressure is also superior to isolated clinic readings in the prognostic evaluation of hypertensive patients. This is supported by the demonstration that in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy, regression of cardiac hypertrophy following treatment was better predicted by the drug-induced reduction in 24-h average blood pressure than clinic blood pressure.

BLOOD PRESSURE VARIABILITY
Also, 24-h blood pressure variability seems to be involved in the genesis of hypertension target-organ damage, while the clinical value of specific components of the 24-h blood pressure profile, such the nocturnal blood pressure fall, is still a matter of debate. Similar caution is needed in approaching the clinical significance of white coat hypertension, the definition of which is still affected by important methodological problems.


A new quantitative method for the characterization of weak cataclastic fault rocks (e.g. fault breccia, gouges) is presented. Applied to find correlations with geomechanical laboratory tests, the thin section and X-ray diffraction analyses used for the method are on a similar scale. The method is shown to be appropriate for the characterization of a large range of different types of weak cataclastic fault rocks (kakirites) and involves appraising their mineralogical composition and microstructural characteristics. The correlation of the geological and geomechanical properties of kakirites based on this approach has shown promising results. The method could provide, in the future, the required geological input data for a mathematical modelling of the geomechanical behaviour of cataclastic fault zones.


In-work support through the tax-benefit system has proved to be an effective way of increasing labour supply of lone mothers and first earners in couples in a number of OECD countries. At the same time these instruments usually create negative employment incentives for secondary earners. This in turn reduces the potential of in-work support to address the joint objectives of higher employment and lower poverty levels. In this paper we present a simulation exercise to examine labour supply implications of a diverse set of possible reforms to the main elements of tax and benefit support of families with children. We set the analysis in the context of the Polish tax and benefit system and show how an adequate combination of increased generosity of support with the introduction of a "double earner" premium may result in increased labour supply of first and second earners in couples. The simulated reactions are concentrated in the lower half of the income distribution thus increasing the potential of in-work support to alleviate poverty.


This research project addresses current limitations in the area of energy technology integration by improving understanding of the interactions between novel energy technologies and energy-using communities. The study focuses on the interface between systems using renewable and hydrogen energy technologies and the communities of scientists working in the remote, harsh and pristine Antarctic environment. The project is multi-disciplinary and includes technical analysis of specific energy technologies and investigation of the social issues that influence the interaction of energy users with such technologies. The primary research objective is the development of tailored strategies and recommendations to help the Australian Antarctic research community access appropriate and sustainable energy solutions.
Elements of the research include: [1] Review of global energy issues and the emergence of novel solutions such as renewable and hydrogen energy technologies. [2] Overview of the international Antarctic research community and energy-related issues, with specific review of Australia's operations. [3] Technical analysis of potential roles of hydrogen technologies. [4] Application of computer modelling tools (HYDROGEMS) to simulate the operation of a wind-hydrogen system at an Antarctic station. [5] Engagement with related communities to identify issues that influence the community's interaction with innovative energy solutions. [6] Evaluation of the potential to apply experiences relating to sustainable energy use in Antarctic operations to other energy-using communities.
The major conclusions and recommendations from the research include: [1] hydrogen energy technologies are technically viable now for use in Antarctic operations [2] even though there are limitations in hydrogen energy technologies and the design and evaluation tools that are currently available; [3] Social issues are the biggest barrier to the implementation of novel energy technologies such as hydrogen into the Australian Antarctic community; [4] Local environmental issues are not significant as drivers for change to Antarctic energy systems; [5] The use of hydrogen energy technologies in small-scale applications is expected to be the largest and most viable market for hydrogen technologies in Antarctic applications in the near-term; [6] efforts to introduce renewable energy generation and storage systems should focus on achieving less than 100% independence from fossil fuel supplies; [7] Antarctic communities are more likely to benefit from the activities of others in the evaluation and implementation of hydrogen energy technologies than to be leaders in the development of early markets, even though certain characteristics do make them attractive as early adopter markets; [8] The high level of technical and social/cultural changes required within communities to facilitate a transfer away from fossil fuel-based energy economies will require carefully developed strategies.