Existing smart composite piezoelectric beam models in the literature mostly ignore the electro-magnetic interactions and adopt the linear elasticity theory. However, these interactions substantially change the controllability and stabilizability at the high frequencies, and linear models fail to represent and predict the governing dynamics since mechanical nonlinearities are pronounced in certain applications such as energy harvesting. In this paper, first, a consistent variational approach is used by considering nonlinear elasticity theory to derive equations of motion for a single-layer piezoelectric beam with and without the electromagnetic interactions (fully dynamic and electrostatic). This modeling strategy is extended for the three-layer piezoelectric smart composites by adopting the two widely-accepted sandwich beam theories. For both single-layer and three-layer models, the resulting infinite dimensional equations of motion can be formulated in the state-space form. It is observed that the fully dynamic nonlinear models are unbounded boundary control systems (same in linear theory) ${\bf \dot y}(t)=(\mathcal A +\mathcal N) {\bf y} (t) + \mathcal B u(t)$, the electrostatic nonlinear models are unbounded bilinear control systems ${\bf \dot y}(t)=(\mathcal A +\mathcal N){\bf y} (t) + (\mathcal B_1+ \mathcal B_2 {\bf y}) u(t)$ in sharp contrast to the linear theory. Finally, we propose $\mathcal B^*-$type feedback controllers to stabilize the single piezoelectric beam models. The filtered semi-discrete Finite Difference approximations is adopted to illustrate the findings.


Turkey's flirtation with nuclear power began in July 1955, when it signed a bilateral agreement with the USA to cooperate in the "peaceful uses of nuclear energy." Turkey is an energy importing country and around 60% of its need was imported in 1996. Electricity use in Turkey will exceed this amount between 2005-2010, when the demand will be approximately 300 billion kWh with approximately 8% annual demand growth. Turkey hydraulic power capacity for electricity production is restricted to 245 billion kWh. Turkey, for supply security, has imported Coal Power Plants and Nuclear Power Plants for fuel diversification against natural gas, which the Electric Sector will heavily depend upon after year 2000. All of the factors above combine to suggest that conditions in Turkey are favorable for the development of the nuclear power option. The Turkish Government has announced plans to build 10 nuclear reactors by 2020. Site selection studies of the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) started in 1972 in Turkey. The first reactor is planned to be built at Akkuyu Bay on the southeast Mediterranean coast and is scheduled to start operation in 2005.


Encephalitis can be caused by several infectious agents, including bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. In many cases, the causative agent cannot be identified, because the pathogens are unknown or detection methods are not routinely available. In our case, a 15-month-old cow developed central nervous disorders and died within 6 days after the onset of clinical signs. The histopathology revealed an acute encephalitis, predominantly in the brain stem, and a ganglionitis of the trigeminal ganglion with massive neuronal necroses in both the brain and the ganglion. However, a relevant panel of bacterial and viral infections of cattle could be routinely excluded. Therefore, a brain sample from the cow was analysed using a metagenomics approach with next-generation sequencing. A novel bovine astrovirus (BoAstV-BH89/14) could be identified using the analysis pipeline RIEMS, and the finding could be confirmed with a specific BoAstV RT-qPCR. The genome of the bovine astrovirus (BoAstV), belonging to the family Astroviridae in the genus Mamastrovirus, has a length of 6478 bp. Sequence identities between 71% to a sheep astrovirus and 69% to two recently described bovine astroviruses from the USA and Switzerland were ascertained. The latter were also connected to encephalitis cases in cattle. Like these, the new virus described here was detected in different brain sections using the specific BoAstV RT-qPCR and fluorescent in situ hybridization. In conclusion, while astroviruses so far were mainly found in relation to gastroenteritis in animals and humans, recently detected astrovirus infections were also related to encephalitis.


Iron metabolism is disrupted and excess iron accumulation was reported in the brains of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Because excessive iron can promote oxidative stress and subsequent neuronal degeneration of nigral dopaminergic neurons in PD, we determined the protective effect of a naturally occurring iron chelator, phytic acid (IP6) on 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA) induced cell death in immortalized rat mesencephalicdopaminergic cell model (N27 cells). Cells were grown with or without IP6 for 30h and the cell death was induced by 6‐OHDA in the last 6h. For iron excess conditions, cells were grown with iron (50 μmol/L) for 30h and IP6 and 6‐OHDA were added together in the last 6h. Apoptosis was measured by caspase‐3 activity, DNA fragmentation, and Hoechst nuclear staining. Caspase‐3 activity was significantly (p<0.001) increased by 6‐fold with 6‐OHDA compared to the control group and 30 μmol/L IP6 pretreatment decreased it by 38% (p<0.05). Similar results were obtained in iron excess condition. The 3‐fold enhancement (p<0.01) of DNA fragmentation with 6‐OHDA was significantly (p<0.01) reduced by 58% with IP6. Although the DNA damage was less pronounced in iron excess condition, IP6 treatment counteracted that effect. In addition, Hoechst nuclear staining results confirmed the protective effect of IP6 against apoptosis. Our results showing the protective effect of on 6‐OHDA‐induced cell apoptosis in both normal and iron excess conditions suggest the potential use of IP6 in preventing the progression of PD treatment.


Exposure to conservative news causes judges to impose harsher criminal sentences. Our evidence comes from an instrumental variables analysis, where randomness in television channel positioning across localities induces exogenous variation in exposure to Fox News Channel. These treatment data on news viewership are taken to outcomes data on almost 7 million criminal sentencing decisions in the United States for the years 2005–2017. Higher Fox News viewership increases incarceration length, and the effect is stronger for black defendants and for drug-related crimes. The effect is observed for elected, and not appointed, judges, consistent with voter attitudes as a potential mechanism. The effect becomes weaker as judges get closer to election, suggesting a diminishing marginal effect for judges who are already politically engaged.


A method was developed to analyse virus-like particles (VLPs) in seston-rich waters and to quantify their dynamics in a coastal marsh of the Bay of Biscay, French Atlantic coast. The method combined clarification and concentration steps with electron microscopy to obtain information on particle abundance, type and size distribution (e.g. presence of tailed phages, Fuselloviridae, etc.). The mean recovery rates of T2-phages using this method were 71 to 79%, higher than other published rates. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) counts were validated with T2 plaque lysis assay and epifluorescent (DAPI-stained) particle counting: the TEM method was valid for environmental particle concentrations above 1 to 2 × 10 6 VLP ml -1 ; TEM counts were lower than T2- plaque counts (TEM/lysis median = 0.293) but higher than DAPI counts (TEM/DAPI median = 2.39). The method was used to evaluate the coupling between viral and bacterial dynamics in a marsh pond during 2 months. The VLP abundance varied from 1 to 30 × 10 6 ml -1 and the viral population was dominated by small particles (20 to 64 nm). Tailed phages, identified as bacteriophages, were always less abundant than non-tailed VLPs (4 to 23% of total virus), yet their dynamics were better linked with bacterial development than those of total virus. Our results demonstrate that the best way to characterise bacterial lysis from virus in seston-rich coastal environments would be to study the dynamics of tailed phages and virus size-classes rather than the commonly applied total VLPs.


The purpose of the study was to investigate on state of job satisfaction among academic members of staff for higher learning institutions in Tanzania: The case of Mbeya Institute of Science and Technology. Factors contributing to job satisfaction and dissatisfaction among academic members of staff were examined under the research questions: What factors contribute to job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction for academic staff at the institute? What factors contribute to academic staff leave the job? and what strategies are required to solve academic staff job dissatisfaction problems? The study employed both qualitative and quantitative research approaches. Purposive sampling technique was employed to obtain respondents. About 120 survey questionnaires were distributed to respondents by the researcher and 80 statistically usable questionnaires were returned.. The methods used for data collection involved interviews, questionnaires, observations, focus group discussions and documentary review. The findings revealed factors contributing to academic staff job satisfaction and dissatisfaction and those contributing them to leave their job. Finally, the study recommended necessary measures to be taken by education administrators and the government to solve academics problems and minimize turnover rates at the institute and other higher learning institutions in the country.


Abstract. Using the time-series of significant wave height and the peak period between 1979 and 2009 generated by SOWFIA project, some relevant statistical information about energy content available in ocean waves in Cape-Verde is obtained. The monthly and annual time-series of the average power are analysed and the confidence intervals for their values are defined. Considering all of the 31 years of data, the results show that the most energetic month, from the average power point of view is January (23.49 kW/m) and the least energetic month is July (15.04 kW/m). In fact, the monthly average power decays from January to July and increases from July to December (21.21 kW/m). The annual average power exhibits a clear attenuation over the 31 years analysed, the reason for which is not yet clear to us. However, using the appropriate Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model it is possible to estimate that future values of the annual average power tend to oscillate around 18.2 kW/m. Through the Coefficient of Variation of Power (COVP), obtained by dividing the standard deviation of the power time-series by the average power, it is possible to conclude that the wave resource is stable, with COVP between 0.46 and 0.66. The values of the Monthly Variation Index (MVI), the maximum range of the monthly mean wave power relative to the yearly mean level, show that the resource is relatively stable, with MVI


Epizootic lymphangitis caused by Histoplasma capsulatum variety farciminosum is a debilitating disease incurring considerable economic losses and affecting the welfare of carthorses. Understanding of its epidemiology is important for devising effective prevention and control measures. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 4,162 carthorses in 17 towns in Ethiopia between October 2018 and June 2019. Clinical and microscopic examinations, fungal culturing, and polymerase chain reaction were used to undertake this study. The overall prevalence of epizootic lymphangitis was 16.67% (95% CI: 15.55–17.84) in carthorses. Epizootic lymphangitis was detected in carthorses found in 16 of the 17 towns included in the study. The highest prevalence was recorded at Kombolcha Town (33.33; 95% CI: 27.54–39.52) whereas the lowest was recorded at Debre Birhan Town (0.00; 95% CI: 0.00–1.27). The results of univariable firth logistic regression analysis showed that the difference between the prevalence of Kombolcha and the prevalences of all the other towns except Holota and Shashemene were statistically significant. Statistically significantly lower prevalence was observed in other towns. Classification of the cases into different clinical forms showed that 87.18, 4.33, and 0.58% were cutaneous, ocular, and respiratory forms respectively, while the remaining 7.93% (55/694; 95% CI: 6.03–10.19) were classified as mixed form. In terms of the severity of the disease, 28.67, 60.52, and 0.81% were mild, moderate, and severe cases, respectively. The majority of the lesions (43.95%) were observed in the skin followed by forelimbs (14.55%) and neck region (14.27%). Higher mean annual temperature, lower annual rainfall, and higher humidity of the study towns were statistically significantly associated with an increased risk of epizootic lymphangitis. In conclusion this study revealed widespread occurrence of epizootic lymphangitis in carthorses yet a heterogeneous prevalence between towns. The veterinary and livestock authorities should take this into account while devising disease control.


With the concept of "Smart City", "Internet Plus" and "Smart Grid" being proposed, the shortage of traditional power supply system is gradually appearing. Traditional power supply system is difficult to organize and manage in batches. Once a power supply malfunctions, the whole power supply system will be out of control. This paper presents a smart power supply system based on distributed parallel module power supply. This system is composed of parallel converter module, control bus and controller. It can smartly adjust the number of enabled modules according to the load power to ensure that each converter module is working in the optimal efficiency range. In this paper, CAN bus protocol is used to communicate among the modules, master-slave current sharing model is used to realize the current sharing between each module; Besides, the efficiency of the converter is optimized by the controller. At the end, the simulation using software has been developed to verify the feasibility and superiority of the proposed method.


This paper illustrates an emulator of an integrated system developed for predicting its performance in a typical border control surveillance scenario. The sensor suite emulated is constituted by: one spaceborne surveillance radar, one airborne radar for long range surveillance, one radar devoted to vessel traffic control (VTC) and one infrared (IR) camera. The collected data are sent to the command & control centre which allocates the proper means for facing the "potentially hostile" target intrusion. Reaction time and probability of correct reaction in presence of an unidentified moving object have been selected as representative of the integrated system performance. A key point to note is that the visualization is nowadays considered as an enabling technology; thus a great care has been dedicated to the presentation of results via movies realization


This study investigates the effect of conflict resolution methods on the IS outsourcing performance. A survey of 207 IS outsourcing relationships of U.S. firms indicates that (1) constructive/proactive methods, such as joint problem solving, is positively related to the success of IS outsourcing relationships, and that (2) destructive/passive methods, such as persuasion, smoothing/avoiding, domination, and use of harsh words are negatively related to the success of IS outsourcing relationships. The findings suggest that the manner in which conflict is resolved can be productive or destructive for the IS outsourcing performance.


The activity, physico-chemical properties and multiple molecular forms of enzymes (alcohol dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase, nonspecific alpha- and beta-esterases, hydroxide peptidohydrolase) were studied in ontogenesis of Drosophila inbred lines and their hybrids under conditions of high temperature (37-41 degrees C) and the presence in food of 10% ethanol. It was established that resistance of individuals to the effect of high temperature and alcohol, including manifestation of adaptive heterosis in hybrids not always depends on the level of the activity of enzymes analysed and is rather determined by allelic state of the appropriate structural genes. So, in conditions of the alcohol stress the individuals containing highly active F form of alcohol dehydrogenase have selective advantage and flie with hybrid F/S enzyme of higher activity and heat stability are more stable to the effect of high temperature. It is supposed that the complexes of adaptation genes (CGA) are formed in individuals of populations in response to the regular action of unfavourable environmental factors. These complexes condition optimal allelic control and most efficient regulation of enzyme activity in environment. Genotypic adaptation of individuals as well as occurrence of adaptive heterosis in hybrids seem likely to be connected with formation of CGA.


In this paper I study the possibility of an Egyptian Greek variety that — on the phonological level — developed from the 2 nd century CE onward, and which has so far not been defined as an independent language variety. Some preliminary remarks on this have been made, based on the great amount of features present in Greek in Egypt potentially stemming from the contact with Egyptian.  Greek texts from Egypt display a substantial amount of nonstandard variation on all linguistic levels. In this paper I investigate the phonological level, concentrating on vowel orthography. Preliminary results of my study indicate Coptic phonological influence in, for example, the allophonic distribution of unstressed vowels, the tendency for consonant-to-vowel coarticulatory effects, and transfer of the Egyptian stress system. Parallel material can be found in the nonstandard usage of Greek loanwords in Coptic, which are used as a comparison for the Greek nonstandard writing forms. In order to be able to differentiate between Coptic impact and Greek internal phonological variation in the analysis of the phonetic variants, Coptic phoneme qualities are compared to the nonstandard renderings of Arabic loanwords in Coptic which display the same phenomena as the Greek ones.


Study Design: Surgical technique. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a novel groove-entry technique for thoracic percutaneous pedicle screw (PPS) insertion. Summary of Background Data: Minimally invasive spine stabilization (MISt) using posterior thoracolumbar instrumentation has many advantages over open procedures. Because of the variability among PPS entry points, the sloped cortex of the transverse process, and the narrow thoracic pedicle, thoracic PPS placement is technically challenging. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 24 patients who underwent minimally invasive spine stabilization procedures involving 165 thoracic PPS placements using the novel technique was performed. The thoracic PPS entry is a groove formed by 3 bony elements: the cranial portion of the base of the transverse process, the rib neck, and the posterolateral wall of the pedicle. This groove can be easily identified under fluoroscopy with a Jamshidi needle allowing thoracic PPS insertion in the craniocaudal direction. Results: Of the 165 thoracic PPSs placed, "Good" or "Acceptable" PPS placement accuracy was achieved in 152 (92.1%) and 164 (99.4%) placements, respectively. No complications such as organ injury, and screw loosening or breakage were observed with thoracic PPS insertion. Conclusions: This novel technique is both safe and reliable, with low misplacement and complication rates. In hospitals in which computer image guidance or navigation is unavailable, this groove-entry technique may become the standard for thoracic PPS insertion.


OF DISSERTATION A MIXED METHODS APPROACH TO INVESTIGATING COGNITIVE LOAD AND COGNITIVE PRESENCE IN AN ONLINE AND FACE-TO-FACE COLLEGE ALGEBRA COURSE Most research on Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, 1988) has uncovered many instructional design considerations for learning complex tasks. Additionally, the Community of Inquiry (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000) framework describes many of the learning experiences in online education. A gap existed in the literature for investigating cognitive load over the duration of a college algebra course and for investigating the relationship between cognitive load and cognitive presence. This research study has addressed this gap by investigating cognitive load and cognitive presence in an online and face-to-face college algebra course. The results of this study revealed that face-to-face students earned statistically significant higher final course grades and homework grades than the online students. The face-to-face math course was slightly more efficient because it produced learners who exerted similar cognitive load as learners in the online course but the learners in the faceto-face earned higher performance score. Online discussion prompts that ask student to apply their solution or defend their solution engaged students in cognitive presence differently. When students were prompted to apply their solution to a real world scenario, most students reached resolution in their initial posts, but they were often not cognitively present in their followup posts. When students were prompted to provide a defense of their solution, most of the posts demonstrated cognitive presence, but not as many individual students reached resolution. Additionally, students progressed through the stages of cognitive presence when an instructor asked them a specific question about their math problem or real life scenario in a timely manner. When instructors post questions to their students that directly ask for an application of their hypothesis or an explanation how they arrived at their hypothesis, students can reach the highest stage of cognitive presence. When instructors post messages that reach the highest stage of cognitive presence, students do not post messages that reach the highest stage of cognitive presence. Lastly, this study did not find a strong linear relationship between cognitive presence and cognitive load.


Abstract Irrigated agriculture is a key activity for the long-term survival of human-environmental systems and the assessment of agricultural sustainability has been gaining increasing relevance. In spite of several proposals developed, there is not a holistic approach that can be generally applied to assess sustainability of irrigated agricultural areas. In this paper we present a framework and associated indicators for the assessment of sustainability of irrigated agricultural systems in different contexts and locations. The framework covers four main sustainability dimensions: environmental integrity, economic resilience and profitability, social wellbeing and good governance. This approach was tested in 10 agricultural areas in eight different countries that represent a wide variety of situations in terms of agricultural development, environmental conditions, socio-economic settings and political contexts, but that share the fact that water use is a critical aspect for agricultural development. The obtained results illustrate the usefulness of the proposed framework to obtain a holistic picture of sustainability in irrigated agriculture areas, even in situations of poor data availability. It is also an excellent starting point for the construction of roadmaps towards more sustainable agricultural systems.


Abstract The present paper is focused on the figures of the Dark Lady of the sonnets and Hermia from A Midsummer Night"s Dream as modes of writing against the Petrarchian ideal. The former is the most explicit of Shakespeare's suite of "dark ladies" (which includes Anne, Kate, Hero, Phoebe, Cleopatra, and Rosaline), while the latter is arguably his least individualised character, yet one that has benefitted from more public attention than most thanks to the generous circulation, continuous adaptation and re-contextualisation of the text. Two useful concepts for the discussion I propose are what Mikhail Bakhtin terms "re-accentuation" and "heteroglossia" as these texts allow different voices to dispute the place and worth of a dark-skinned woman, yet it is precisely by creating a space to voice them all that it creates a possibility to shake up the aesthetic, as well as the literary canon. The ontological status of the Dark Lady and Hermia is also of interest, so that a linguistic and stylistic analysis is carried out in order to highlight how conflicting ideologies attempt to appropriate their image, namely the hegemonic versus the inclusive understandings of what James Hughes calls the "personhood-based theory". The revolutionary aspect brought to the table by Shakespeare is his choice for a transition from the hegemonic perspective to one which judges the two "dark ladies" on their own terms.


Fast neuronal network oscillations in the gamma-frequency band (30–−100 Hz) provide a fundamental mechanism of complex neuronal information processing in the hippocampus and neocortex of mammals. Gamma oscillations have been implicated in higher brain functions such as sensory perception, motor activity, and memory formation. The oscillations emerge from precise synapse interactions between excitatory principal neurons such as pyramidal cells and inhibitory GABAergic interneurons, and they are associated with high energy expenditure. However, both energy substrates and metabolic pathways that are capable to power cortical gamma oscillations have been less defined. Here, we investigated the energy sources fueling persistent gamma oscillations in the CA3 subfield of organotypic hippocampal slice cultures of the rat. This preparation permits superior oxygen supply as well as fast application of glucose, glycolytic metabolites or drugs such as glycogen phosphorylase inhibitor during extracellular recordings of the local field potential. Our findings are: (i) gamma oscillations persist in the presence of glucose (10 mmol/L) for greater than 60 min in slice cultures while (ii) lowering glucose levels (2.5 mmol/L) significantly reduces the amplitude of the oscillation. (iii) Gamma oscillations are absent at low concentration of lactate (2 mmol/L). (iv) Gamma oscillations persist at high concentration (20 mmol/L) of either lactate or pyruvate, albeit showing significant reductions in the amplitude. (v) The breakdown of glycogen significantly delays the decay of gamma oscillations during glucose deprivation. However, when glucose is present, the turnover of glycogen is not essential to sustain gamma oscillations. Our study shows that fast neuronal network oscillations can be fueled by different energy-rich substrates, with glucose being most effective.


An asymmetry in the clustering of oceanic surface material has been observed at the submesoscales. Energetic and ephemeral submesoscale cyclonic fronts are associated with convergence zones, hence cluster surface material. Their anticyclonic counterparts do not feature such an effect. Yet, at the mesoscale, literature has been contradictory about such an asymmetry. Here, we combine surface drifter trajectories with an altimetry‐derived mesoscale eddy database in the North Atlantic to show that mesoscale cyclones contain 24% more drifters than anticyclones. A numerical Lagrangian experiment using a mesoscale‐resolving model quantitatively reproduces the observational results. It reveals that particles preferentially cluster in cyclonic regions, both in fronts and eddies. The model further suggests that ageostrophic cyclonic fronts concentrate particles a few days before the eddy formation and detection.


Recently, several gigabit Ethernet network interfaces that support remote direct memory access (DMA) data transfer and TCP/IP offload engines (TOE) have been released. However, a convenient distributed shared memory (DSM) for a cluster computer is not readily available, despite proposals for cluster network interface cards (NICs) offering a variety of functions to suit high-performance computers. In particular, a PC cluster comprising general PCs was proposed for scientific computing. We focus on the development of a reconfigurable DSM suitable for applications involving scientific computations. In this paper, we propose a reconfigurable DSM, wherein the connections between the nodes can be reconfigured according to the problem. The reconfigurable DSM generates connection routes according to the problem and the network switch connects the computer resources at each node. To demonstrate an implementation example of the proposed network switch, we implemented a network switch using an FPGA development board kit. We found that an 18-port reconfigurable network switch can be realized. In addition, we simulated the network switch as a reconfigurable DSM. Simulation results for a sparse matrix reveal that the frequency of collisions in the communication route is low.


In recent years, post-secondary educational institutions have begun to place emphasis on the inclusion of technology in the classroom (Anderson; Arndt; Burrill; Converse; Mitchell; Schrum; Zellner). Theatre arts teachers and students have much to gain from the integration of technology into their courses, such as an increase in knowledge retention (Schrum 60), critical thinking, and discussion skills (Czarnecki 16; Brown, Hobbs, and Gordon 8; Arndt 75). Integration of new technologies may also help to attract new students to the theatre arts, thus increasing program growth (M. Anderson 120). However, because theatre is a human art form, theatre instructors may be somewhat resistant to integrating technology into their courses. This has led to delays in the development of appropriate teaching tools for this area (Mitchell). This thesis examines the idea of using the popular online communication tool Second Life as a teaching and learning aid in the undergraduate introductory theatre course. Second Life is an internet based program that allows users to explore a consumer created virtual reality setting. Users are encouraged to communicate with each other, attend virtual events, explore their surroundings, and add new structures to the world. The research revealed Second Life as an effective teaching tool for the undergraduate introductory theater course by demonstrating its applicability to a set of broad course outcomes. Uses for the program were found in the areas of vocabulary improvement, play and performance analysis, and small group collaboration. Research also revealed Second Life to be effective in the demonstration of cultural and historical contexts of theater, which was identified as the program's primary strength.


This paper analyses the spatial distribution of the inter-annual variability of vegetation activity in central Siberia and its relationship with atmospheric circulation variability. We used NOAA-AVHRR NDVI series from Pathfinder Land Data Set at 1 degree of spatial resolution, and we calculated the annual vegetation activity in each pixel (aNDVI) from 1982 to 2001. Principal Component Analysis was used to determine the general spatial patterns of interannual variability of vegetation activity. We identified three main modes, which explain more than 50 % of total variance, each corresponding to a large region. By means of surface pressure grids we analysed the main patterns of the seasonal atmospheric circulation in the study area. We investigated the effect of seasonal atmospheric circulation patterns on the inter-annual variation of vegetation activity. In general, the strongest relationships between the atmospheric circulation variability, climate and the aNDVI variability were found in areas where the climatic characteristics are more limiting for the vegetation development, such as the northern regions. This may be explained by the fact that in these areas the variability of atmospheric circulation modes determines summer temperatures, which have a direct impact on vegetation activity.


The operation of smart vending machine systems creates decision-making problems under vendor-managed inventory schemes involving product allocation to vending machine storage compartments, replenishment points of products and replenishment thresholds at vending machines, and vehicle routes for inventory replenishments, all of which have critical effects on system profit. This paper considers the operation of smart vending machine systems in which possible product substitutions occur when customers face stock-outs. A simple, intuitive procedure is presented to estimate substitution probabilities, construct an integrated optimisation mathematical model for the operation problem of smart vending machine systems, and develop a two-phase heuristic based on this mathematical model. The results of computational experiments demonstrate the substantial economic benefit of the smart vending machine system over the conventional system. Sensitivity analysis indicates that certain input variables significantly impact the effectiveness of the smart vending machine system. [Received 28 August 2013; Revised 26 December 2013; Accepted 11 March 2014]


Ethics is a moral principle and action that becomes the basis of one's actions so that what he does is viewed by society as a commendable deed and enhances one's dignity and honor. Ethics is closely related to moral behavior. Professional ethics is a field of special or applied ethics which is the product of social ethics. The heart of ordinary intentions is also called karsa or will, will. And the content of this initiative will be realized by deeds. The legal obligation of a publik accountant is responsible for every aspect of his / her duties so that if an error occurs as a result of the auditor's negligence, then the publik accountant may be held accountable by law as a form of auditor's legal obligation. The auditor's legal responsibilities are heavier, but this is not a cue to panic. The auditor shall be solely responsible for the opinion of the financial statements and that opinion shall have the weight of integrity and professional competence based on established standards. So legal liability is not a threat to auditors but rather a challenge to work more professionally and independently. The need for a definitive legal tool for organizing publik accountants in Indonesia to complement existing rules of the game.


It is becoming increasingly difficult for advertisers to reach target consumers because memory for an ad is inhibited in the presence of competing ads. While previous studies have focused on ad repetition as a factor that can reduce competitive interference, this study focuses on ad distinctiveness. We compare the effects of ad distinctiveness on recall for the ad and its competing ad in high competitive ad environments with those in relatively low competitive ad environments. Regarding the effect of ad distinctiveness on recall for the focal ad, the results show that when an advertiser makes its ad distinctive, recall for its own ad is enhanced in both high and low competitive ad environments although the positive effect is relatively weak in high competitive environments. The results also show that, regarding the effect of ad distinctiveness on recall for its competing ad, when an advertiser makes its ad distinctive, recall for its competing ad is enhanced in low competitive ad environments rather than in high competitive ad environments.


Objective: In this study we aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of isepamicin versus amikacin at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg of body weight twice daily for 10-14 days in children with urinary tract infections (UTI). Methods: One hundred and seventeen patients with urinary tract infection were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomized to treatment with isepamicin or amikacin in a 1:2 ratio. Urinary tract infections were treated with isepamicin (n=42), or amikacin (n=75). Results: The most commonly isolated pathogens were Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp., Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus mirabilis and Enterobacter spp. The overall clinical response rate at the end of treatment was excellent in all treatment groups (93.0/93.4% cured) with no significant differences between isepamicin and amikacin in patients with infections. None of the patients had a life-threatening or severe adverse event that required discontinuation of the drug. Conclusion: Isepamicin was shown to be as effective and as well tolerated as amikacin in the treatment of urinary tract infections in pediatric patients. Key Words: Isepamicin, Amikacin, Aminoglycoside, Pediatrics.


The purpose of the study was to identify how the integrated approach to the organisation of in-service training relied on an English language-based simulation team project simulation team project entitled "Build a Fair and Just State of 1000 people" influences the professional and personal qualities of the civil servants, and how the sampled individuals perceive the intervention. The study utilized quantitative and qualitative methods to establish the causeeffect relationships that had occurred in the variables due to the integrated approach used to organise the in-service training of the civil servants. The course participants' professional efficacy, motivation, decision-making were the variables for the study. Five commonly used online psychometric tests for the civil servants were the instruments to measure the variables before and after the treatment. The project seen as the integrated approach to organising the course of inservice training of the civil servants brought positive changes to the participants' professional efficacy, motivation, and decision-making. The sampled students acknowledged the effectiveness of this educational intervention and expressed satisfaction with its content, delivery mode, and the experience they gained from it. This study addressed the loopholes in the in-service training system of the civil servants such as succeeding in English language fluency and specific managerial skills and demonstrating certain beliefs, values, and behaviour patterns which were mentioned in the above document as the issues of reforming the training system of civil servants in Ukraine. The study implies that simulation games are an effective approach in training civil servants because they help them absorb professional knowledge through solving job-specific tasks. It also seems suggestive that the training system could be more decentralised, functionthrough-context-based with an assessment system that is flexible and situational based more on the practical than the theoretical component.


The article provides an example from clinical practice concerning the case when homozygotic beta-thalassemia was primarily diagnosed in female patient only in mature age because of lacking of manifesting clinical picture typical for this disease.


Objective: To compare the short-term effects of different hormone replacement therapy (HRT) regimens on left ventricular structure and function in healthy postmenopausal women. Methods: Forty-two apparently healthy postmenopausal women were evaluated prospectively in this controlled study. Subjects were divided into 4 groups. Ten subjects, who did not accept HRT or any other treatments, formed the control group. The remaining subjects were assigned to receive oral estradiol (2 mg/day) + norethisterone acetate (1 mg/day) (n = 11), transdermal estradiol (0.05 mg) + norethisterone acetate (0.25 mg) (n = 11) or tibolone (2.5 mg/day) (n = 10) therapy during 12 weeks. Echocardiography and Doppler techniques were used to assess the cardiac effects of different HRT regimens. Results: After 12 weeks of treatment, there were significant increases in left ventricular ejection fraction (transdermal group: p = 0.008, oral group: p = 0.003, tibolone group: p = 0.005) and cardiac output (transdermal group: p = 0.003, oral group: p = 0.003, tibolone group: p = 0.021) in all treatment groups. In addition, in the transdermal group, a slight increase in left ventricular end-diastolic volume was significant (p = 0.046). Conclusion: These data suggest that oral and transdermal HRT regimens and tibolone may contribute to the improvement in left ventricular systolic function without having an effect on left ventricular structure after short-term administration in healthy postmenopausal women.


Influenza A (H1N1) is a rapidly spreading acute respiratory illness that remains a worldwide burden on public health. To simulate natural infection routes, BALB/C mice were challenged with the H1N1 virus by aerosol and intranasal instillation routes. We compared the weight change and survival of the mice for 14 consecutive days after infection. The infected mice were euthanized at days 3, 5, 7, and 9 to perform necropsies, lung pathological analyses, viral titers measurement, and lung cytokines examination. The aerosol‐treated mice showed clinical symptoms on day 4, obvious lung lesions on day 5, rapid weight loss on day 7, peak virus replication in the lungs on days 7 to 9, and bronchial epithelial hyperplasia on day 9. However, after intranasal instillation, the mice exhibited clinical signs on day 2, rapid weight loss and obvious lung lesions on day 3, and peak virus replication in the lungs on days 3 to 5; no bronchial epithelial hyperplasia was detected. High levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines were detected in the lungs of infected mice by both two routes. Disease and lung lesion progressions were slower in the mice that inhaled H1N1‐containing aerosols than in those treated by intranasal instillation, and lung lesions were homogeneous in the aerosol group and heterogeneous in the intranasal group. In this study, BALB/C mouse models of H1N1 virus aerosol inhalation were successfully established and compared with mouse models of intranasal inoculation, aerosol mouse models had an infection route and lung pathology characteristics that more closely resembled those observed in humans.


Based on the physical and chemical properties of silk and flax fibers, different reactive dyes are selected in union-color of one bath dyeing. For evaluating the dye-ability of the blended fabrics, reactive dyes containing bi-functional reactive groups are found. On basis of a number of experiments, influences of fixing temperature, fixing time, sodium sulfate consumption and sodium carbonate dosage are discussed. Through orthogonal experiment,the optimum conditions to silk/flax blended fabrics with Reactive Yellow B-4GLN are defined. Results of performance test indicate that Reactive Yellow B-4GLN has good colorfastness and levels and the union-color property of silk/flax fabrics is well.


Introduction First aid training for lay people is recognised as an important capacity building component of pre-hospital care in communities. In countries such as Australia, this training is increasingly targeted to school children, but relatively little attention is directed to knowledge retention or optimal training methods for this population. This literature review aimed to determine whether the published literature demonstrates that first aid knowledge is retained by school children who have learnt first aid from professional first aid providers. Methods A systematic search of the peer-reviewed and grey literature was conducted for narrative review. Journal articles were retrieved from three databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, ERIC) using the search terms 'first aid'; 'resuscitation'; 'training'; 'child*'; and 'school'. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied and review findings organised thematically. Results The search yielded four primary studies of European school children aged between 4 and 12 years trained by professional first aid providers. Subsequent review identified emergent themes of Resuscitative first aid and Non-resuscitative first aid. Heterogeneity was apparent in training and evaluation methods, and study quality varied. Reported first aid knowledge retention was mixed. Conclusion There is a lack of quality evidence to guide optimal training methods and maximise first aid knowledge retention in school children. To date, research in this area has been limited to Europe. Further research is therefore recommended. Formal evaluation of professional first aid training can help guide training methods and enhance first aid knowledge retention in school children, thereby building more robust first aid capacity in the community.


Abstract The PhotochemCAD program has been revised extensively. Calculations can be performed using eight modules (oscillator strength, transition dipole moment and natural radiative lifetime, Förster energy transfer, multicomponent analysis, blackbody radiator, artificial spectrum creation, transmission calculation, and analysis of energy transfer among linear multichromophore arrays). The user interface has been streamlined to facilitate visual display, operation of the various modules, input of user data via a wizard and output of spectra and calculations. The database of absorption and fluorescence spectra has been expanded to 150 photochemically relevant compounds. A database of solar spectra has been added. The program runs under Windows and is equipped with extensive literature references and help features, including a tutorial section with video files.


William Graham Sumner is the "forgotten man" of American intellectual history. Too often dismissed or only superficially understood, his interpretations are now attracting closer scrutiny and appreciation. He is remembered chiefly as one of the founding fathers of sociology. He was also a strong supporter of classical liberalism during a time when liberalism was being transformed into a belief in statism. Sumner's analysis of the relation between the individual and society is deeper and more sophisticated than is commonly thought. For students of American history and politics, the essays reveal the complexity of American political and social thought. For observers of the contemporary social scene, they raise issues concerning the relation of liberty to property and both to government that remain as vital and unresolved as they were a century ago.


Ca2+ currents (ICa) and myoplasmic Ca2+ transients were simultaneously recorded in single muscle fibers from the semitendinosus muscle of Rana pipiens. The vaseline-gap voltage-clamp technique was used. Ca2+ transients were recorded with the metallochromic indicator dye antipyrylazo III. Ca2+ transients consisted of an early fast rising phase followed by a late slower one. The second phase was increased by experimental maneuvers that enlarged ICa, such as augmenting [Ca2+]o (from 2 to 10 mM) or adding (-)-Bay K 8644 (2 microM). When [Ca2+]o was increased, the second phase of the Ca2+ transients and ICa showed an average increase at 0 mV of 2 +/- 0.9 microM (4) and 1.4 +/- 0.3 mA/ml (4), respectively. (-)-Bay K 8644 increased the late phase of the Ca2+ transients and ICa at 0 mV by 0.8 +/- 0.3 microM (3) and 6.7 +/- 2.0 mA/ml (4), respectively. The initial fast rising phase of the Ca2+ transients was not modified. (-)-Bay K 8644 slowed the time constant of decay of the transients by 57 +/- 6 ms. In other experimental conditions, Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was impaired with repetitive stimulation in 1 mM [EGTA]i-containing fibers. Under those circumstances, Ca2+ transients directly followed the time integral of ICa. Pulses to 0 mV caused a large Ca2+ transient that became suppressed when large pulses to 100 mV were applied. In fibers with functioning SR, pulses to 100 mV elicited somewhat smaller or similar amplitude Ca2+ transients when compared with those elicited by pulses to 0 mV. The increase in ICa after raising [Ca2+]o or adding (-)- Bay K 8644 cannot directly explain the change in Ca2+ transients in fibers with functioning SR. On the other hand, when Ca2+ release from the SR is impaired Ca2+ transients depend on ICa.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the prevalence of negative mental health outcomes among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and asexual (LGBTQ+) veterinary professionals and students with the prevalence reported in a previous study of veterinarians; compare LGBTQ+ veterinary professionals and students in regard to access to LGBTQ+ policies and resources, workplace or school climate, and identity disclosure; and examine whether these variables were associated with mental health (eg, psychological distress) or work- and school-related (eg, emotional labor) outcomes.

SAMPLE
440 LGBTQ+ veterinary professionals and students in the United States and United Kingdom.

PROCEDURES
Between July and December 2016, a web-based questionnaire was distributed through email messages to members of LGBTQ+ veterinary groups and announcements at general veterinary and LGBTQ+-focused conferences and in newsletters.

RESULTS
Nonheterosexual cis men, nonheterosexual cis women, and transgender and nonbinary individuals all had higher lifetime prevalences of suicidal ideation and attempted suicide, compared with previously reported prevalences for male and female veterinarians in general. Professionals reported more welcoming climates than did students (eg, lower frequency of exposure to homophobic language and more supportive environments) and greater identity disclosure; however, students reported greater access to institutional resources and policies. Climate variables had a more robust relationship with negative outcomes than did access to LGBTQ+ policies or identity disclosure variables.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Comparatively high rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among LGBTQ+ professionals and students and the relationship between climate variables and negative mental health outcomes suggested enhanced efforts are needed to improve the climates in veterinary workplaces and colleges.


The main objective of this study was to examine challenges faced by handicraft businesses in implementing product promotion strategies. It was specifically focused on strategies, effectiveness of the strategies and the challenges in implementing the promotion strategy. Descriptive approach was adopted that enabled researcher to apply various methods of data collection and analysis where questionnaires were used for data collection while tabulation and graphs were put into use for data analysis. Data were gathered at Makonde Handicraft Village which is located at Mwenge area, along Sam Nujoma road and Tingatinga Arts Cooperative Society, Oysterbay. The major findings showed that personal selling is the effective strategy and the other promotion strategies like newspapers, radio, billboards, television, magazine, public relations, email and internet use, personal selling and trade fairs are not commonly applicable. Government negligence, exploitation, lack of training, lack of financial support, lack of promotion assistance from stakeholders, tax related complaints, expensive working tools, inability to engage with ICT and lack of ownership to the working places were the most critical challenges facing these businesses. Other striking results include the finding that the handcraft sector is dominated by owners/operators with low education level and is also attracting extremely few youngsters, a threat to its future sustainability. The study recommends that the Government through its relevant ministries, departments and agencies should come forth with support or policies that would create an environment for all stakeholders, including financial institutions, training institutions, and NGOs, to lend a helping hand in promoting skills development in the area as well as the promotion of handcraft businesses and products.


Ongoing work within the engineering design research community seeks to develop automated design methods and tools that enhance the natural capabilities of designers in developing highly innovative concepts. Central to this vision is the ability to first obtain a deep understanding of the underlying behavior and process dynamics that predict successful performance in early-stage concept generation. The objective of this research is to better understand the predictive factors that lead to improved performance during concept generation. In particular, this work focuses on the impact of idea fluency and timing of early-stage design concepts and their effect on overall measures of ideation session success. To accomplish this, we leverage an existing large-scale dataset containing hundreds of early-stage design concepts; each concept contains detailed ratings regarding its overall feasibility, usefulness, and novelty, as well as when in the ideation session the idea was recorded. Surprisingly, results indicate that there is no effect of idea fluency or timing on the quality of the output when using a holistic evaluation mechanism, such as the innovation measure, instead of a single measure such as novelty. Thus, exceptional concepts can be achieved by all participant segments independent of idea fluency. Furthermore, in early-stage concept generation sessions, highest-rated concepts have an equal probability of occurring early and late in a session. Taken together, these findings can be used to improve performance in ideation by effectively determining when and which types of design interventions future design tools might suggest.


This paper reviews the current status of the international fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism, highlighting the importance of its prevention for economic and financial stability in Latin America and the Caribbean. It synthesizes the recent history of international legislation and agreements with respect to the issues, and presents the framework of public and private sector actors engaged in combating these threats. It reviews Latin American and Caribbean countries' compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) (40 + 9) Recommendations, and analyzes the region's performance with respect to their third round Mutual Evaluation Reports.


The inclusion of Humphrey Jennings, the great documentary filmmaker, in a collection exploring British art cinema might cause eyebrows to be raised. This chapter will argue, nevertheless, that he belongs in any such survey. It will argue that he needs to be seen first and foremost as a poet in the broadest sense of that word, whose entire oeuvre is characterised by a fascination with images, and that any appreciation of his films needs to take into account the full scope and diversity of his work. He can thus be seen as an example of the 'expressive individual' David Bordwell has argued is fundamental to art cinema (1979: 720). Indeed, by virtue of his polymathic abilities, his musings on formal and stylistic art traditions and his own practice, Jennings might be seen alongside the likes of artists-as-filmmakers Pier Paolo Pasolini and Andrej Tarkovsky. As such, any study seeking to provide a more nuanced and broader understanding of British art cinema should find space for Humphrey Jennings, especially at a time when his film work has been re-released for the benefit of contemporary audiences.


Recently, as the evolution of application's development and management paradigms, the deployment declaration becomes a standard interface connecting application developers and Cloud platforms. Kuberenetes is such a system for automating deployment, scaling, and management of micro-service based applications. However, managing and operating such a cloud benefit with additional complexities from the declarative deployment. This paper proposes a log model based problem diagnosis tool for declaratively-deployed cloud applications with the full lifecycle Kubernetes logs. With the runtime logs and deployment declarations, we can pinpoint the root causes in terms of abnormal declarative items and log entries. The advantage of this approach is that we provide a precise log model of a normal deployment to help diagnose problems. The experimental results show that our approach can find out the anomalies of some real-world Kubernetes problems, some of which have been confirmed as bugs. Within the given fault types, our approach can pinpoint the root causes at 91% in Precision and at 92% in Recall.


The Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) is a high resolution imaging radar. Some methods used to evaluate the jamming effect of general radar are unsuitable to ISAR. Considering the principle of radar jamming and the theory of image disposal, the paper gives a new evaluation method of barrage jamming effect on ISAR, it evaluates the jamming effect through calculating the difference of two picture's Moment Invariants, and this method can reflect distortion degree of the jammed target during the whole jamming process. The results of simulation prove the method is corrective and effective.


This memo describes a syntax for encoding DNS Resource Records in XML,
and a schema to define that syntax written in XML Schema. It can be
used to represent all DNS RDATA. This can be used by diverse
applications as a common format. DNS Resource Records are represented
as XML elements with the name of the element taken from the mnemonic
used to represent the DNS Resource Record in presentation format. The
RDATA is represented as XML attributes or content of the element. The
attribute names are taken from the RDATA field names specified in the
normative RFC.


Introduction:  Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23) is a major regulator of phosphate metabolism often elevated in genetic hypophosphataemic disorders and in chronic kidney disease. Recent studies have identified relationships between FGF23 and various markers of iron status including ferritin. New assays measuring the intact form of FGF23 have been released.  Objective:  To determine the relationship between ferritin and C-terminal and intact FGF23 concentrations in blood.  Method:  FGF23 concentrations were measured using the 2nd generation, two-site enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for either C-terminal or intact FGF23 (Immutopics Inc., Ca, USA). Ferritin was measured on a COBAS 6000 (Roche Diagnostics). Assay accuracy and precision were monitored using kit controls supplied by the manufacturers.  Results:  We observe a weak negative correlation between measurements of C-terminal and intact FGF23 (Pearson's rho=0.85 p<0.0001). We observed no statistically significant correlation of ferritin concentrations with either FGF23 C-terminal or intact. However high concentrations of ferritin were observed in samples showing low concentrations of C-terminal FGF23 (<140RU/mL) and intact FGF23 (<122pg/mL).  Conclusion:  Although not statistically significant, we observe a negative relationship between concentrations of ferritin and FGF23. High level of C-terminal FGF23 is found in patients with chronic kidney disease, especially in patients with end-stage renal disease usually regarded as a compensatory response to hyperphosphatemia or phosphate overload. We observed a cluster of patients with retention of both C-terminal and intact FGF23 associated with low levels of ferritin suggesting that metabolism and/or excretion of FGF23 in CDK patients might be an iron dependent mechanism.


Abstract Numerical solutions for transient fluid flow in nuclear systems often suffer from the effects of numerical diffusion and damping making the assessment of system stability rather difficult. Efforts for coping with this problem include research and development of algorithms with improved fidelity for stability calculations as they apply to particular problems. Benchmarking exercises in comparison with specially designed experiments are necessary to verify algorithmic fidelity and guide the development and adjustments of the algorithms. In this paper, an analytical approach is introduced where a simple model—an analogue—is constructed such that the basic instability mechanisms are represented in a form that lends itself to analytical solutions that are free from the diffusion and damping problems that plague finite volume algorithms. Direct conclusions can be made regarding the stability of a system in the case where the analogue closely resembles the system under study. However, when the system is too complex for direct assessment, the stability fidelity of numerical solutions can be assessed by comparing the numerical solution for the simple system with the analytical solution and using the comparison to quantify any damping effects and justify the application of the numerical method to the complex representation of the real system under study. The theoretical analysis is supported by reference to recent test data in the NuScale Integral System Test (NIST) facility representing a scaled-down NuScale module.


ESBL Klebsiella pneumoniae contributes widely to the alarming increase observed globally in antibiotic resistance within the past few years. The aquaculture sector is known as a fast-emerging business today. It is one of the significant concerning sectors with the emerging ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae due to its complex treatment and easy-transfer genes. This mini-review aims to determine the emergence of bla - CTX-M and bla - TEM genes in ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae found in aquaculture within Southeast Asia. All qualified journals considered have been conscientiously examined and passed the mini-review criteria; 8 eligible studies from Southeast Asia from 2016 to 2021 were utilized. Among the eight journals, five out of the eight studies have displayed the detection of the bla - CTX-M gene found within freshwater, fish markets, and integrated farming systems in Thailand and India, with a prevalence of 44.38% and 33.73%, respectively. The remaining three studies display bla - TEM genes found in freshwater, retail markets, and freshwater aquaculture in Hongkong and the Philippines, with a prevalence of 19.53% and 2.37%. Within Southeast Asia, 37.50% account for the bla - TEM gene, while 62.50% account for bla - CTX-M , making it the most pervasive gene found within Southeast Asia. Infections caused by ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae can be resistant to various antibiotics, complicating the treatment process. Observing proper hygiene and taking extra precautions can significantly reduce ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae emergence.


Hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH) is a group of genetically heterogeneous conditions characterized by the continued expression of fetal hemoglobin in adulthood. These constitute natural models for understanding the mechanism(s) of the hemoglobin switch. Many large deletions in the beta-globin gene cluster and point mutations in one of the fetal globin gene promoters have been described before. In this study we describe a novel C-->A transversion (-114) in the distal CCAAT box of the Ggamma-globin gene promoter associated with the Ggammabeta+-HPFH phenotype in an Algerian family. Individuals heterozygous for this mutation exhibit moderate raise in Hb F levels (0.6-3.5%). Much higher Hb F levels (3.8-11.2%) are observed when a beta(o)-thalassemia allele is present in trans to the hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin allele. This novel Algerian HPFH mutation further stresses the importance of the distal CCAAT box in the postnatal regulation of gamma-globin gene expression.


In the present essay, I analyze "Magias do Mar," a short story published in 2017 by Angolan writer Pepetela. Drawing from the Angolan myth of Kianda, a mythological creature believed to be the goddess of the ocean, Pepetela's narrative evokes animism in a manner that parallels Harry Garuba's observations on contemporary African thought. I reflect on Garuba's work and examine how animism in "Magias do Mar" works to challenge colonial and modern Western epistemologies and practices. Of particular interest is the narrative's reflection on the extermination of African wildlife through hunting. I conclude by arguing that Pepetela's use of animism in "Magias do Mar" has significant implications for postcolonial ecocritical analysis.


Akt, a protein kinase hyperactivated in many tumors, plays a major role in both cell survival and resistance to tumor therapy. A recent study, 1 along with other evidences, shows interestingly, that Akt is not a single‐function kinase, but may facilitate rather than inhibit cell death under certain conditions. This hitherto undetected function of Akt is accomplished by its ability to increase reactive oxygen species and to suppress antioxidant enzymes. The ability of Akt to down‐regulate antioxidant defenses uncovers a novel Achilles' heel, which could be exploited by oxidant therapies in order to selectively eradicate tumor cells that express high levels of Akt activity.


We implement a new algorithm for listing all maximal cliques in sparse graphs due to Eppstein, Loffler, and Strash (ISAAC 2010) and analyze its performance on a large corpus of real-world graphs. Our analysis shows that this algorithm is the first to offer a practical solution to listing all maximal cliques in large sparse graphs. All other theoretically-fast algorithms for sparse graphs have been shown to be significantly slower than the algorithm of Tomita et al. (Theoretical Computer Science, 2006) in practice. However, the algorithm of Tomita et al. uses an adjacency matrix, which requires too much space for large sparse graphs. Our new algorithm opens the door for fast analysis of large sparse graphs whose adjacency matrix will not fit into working memory.


Through an analysis of Ian McEwan's novel Atonement (2001), this essay considers the potentialities and limitations of narrative, and of representation more generally, as means of capturing and conveying the accelerated and intensely traumatic character of mechanized warfare. I show how the unflinchingly detailed depictions of mutilated bodies that feature in the novel's re-creation of the German Blitzkrieg go some way toward evoking a traumatic encounter with the realm of pure, volatile materiality that Jacques Lacan terms the "real." I note, though, that for Lacan and other theorists it is a characteristic of the most overwhelming experiences that they are not experienced directly, but rather outstrip the capacity of the subject to apprehend and assimilate them as they occur. As Paul Virilio's analysis of twentieth-century warfare makes clear, such events were produced on an unprecedentedly massive scale during the Second World War. I argue that in Atonement these conditions are most effectively evoked when the text relinquishes its aspirations to pure, contemporaneous presence and instead employs tactics of evasion, elision, and belatedness. I conclude by suggesting that, under certain circumstances, McEwan's novel may not merely evoke a traumatic encounter but may also be productive of symptoms associated with this experience in their actuality.


The aim of this study was to evaluate the relative frequencies, types and distribution of benign oral masses in North Jordanians. The records of the Department of Pathology at Jordan University of Science & Technology were reviewed and analyzed for patients with benign oral soft tissue masses, received during an 11-year period (1991-2001). The main outcome measures were patients' age and sex, and the mass type and location. A sum of 818 benign oral soft tissue masses (4% neoplastic and 96% non-neoplastic) was analyzed. Common benign neoplasms were salivary pleomorphic adenoma and lipoma. Non-neoplastic lesions consisted of traumatic (43%) inflammatory/ infective (33%), cystic (14%) and developmental (9%) lesions. Common non-neoplastic lesions were fibroepithelial polyp, pyogenic granuloma, mucoceles, hemangioma and squamous papilloma, in a descending order. There were 330 (40%) males and 488 (60%) females with a male to female ratio of 1: 1.5. The mean age was 33 years, with the majority in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th decades. The sites commonly affected by benign neoplasms were the palate, tongue, upper lip and buccal mucosa, in a descending order and the sites commonly affected by non-neoplastic lesions were the gingiva, buccal mucosa, lower lip and tongue in a descending order. It is concluded that some of the features of benign oral masses in north Jordanians published in this paper are similar to those from other countries, and some are different. Further nationwide population-based surveys are needed to further define the epidemiology of benign oral masses among Jordanians.


Time-varying exchange rate pass-through effects to domestic prices under fixed euro exchange rate perspective represent one of the most challenging implications of the common currency. The problem is even more crucial when examining crisis related redistributive effects associated with relative price changes. The degree of the exchange rate pass-through to domestic prices reveals its role as the external price shocks absorber especially in the situation when the leading path of exchange rates is less vulnerable to the changes in the foreign prices. Adjustments in domestic prices followed by exchange rate shifts induced by sudden external price shocks are associated with changes in the relative competitiveness among member countries of the currency area. In the paper we examine exchange rate pass-through to domestic prices in the Euro Area member countries to examine crucial implications of the nominal exchange rate rigidity. Our results indicate that absorption capabilities of nominal effective exchange rates clearly differ in individual countries. As a result, an increased exposure of domestic prices to the external price shocks in some countries represents a substantial trade-off of the nominal exchange rate stability.


This study examines the volatility of daily stock returns and the volatility of returns during trading and non-trading hours for securities trading on the Istanbul Stock Exchange. Some unique characteristics of this exchange enable us to examine the reasons for the high volatility during trading hours. First, the price-determination procedure at the opening is the same as the pricing mechanism used during the rest of the day. Second, there is no specialist or market maker who sets prices. Third, there is a two-hour day break in trading during a business day. The volatility of daily return calculated from opening prices is found to be significantly higher than those calculated from closing prices in this market setting as well. Volatility of returns during trading periods is found to be higher than those during non-trading periods. Furthermore, per-hour volatility during the day break is higher than per-hour volatility during the night break. Findings of this study have some implications for the role of market maker and the impact of timing and length of a break in trading on the volatility of security returns.


This paper describes array processing procedures which have been developed to investigate the ambient noise in the ocean. Most previous studies of ambient noise have been concerned with its detrimental effect on array performance. More recently however the ambient noise is being used to study oceanographic features and locate passive objects. Array processing methods which have been developed for active imaging or passive narrow‐band detection are not necessarily optimal for this application. In this paper procedures for imaging using very broadband signals are described and it is shown that good resolution can be obtained using a volume array with a small number of transducers (four to six), by processing the cross‐correlation matrix of the signals. Resolution is enhanced by an order of magnitude by using a deconvolution procedure combined with a Hilbert transform. The optimum processing procedure is found to be a multiplicative method which only uses the cross correlations between a reference transducer...


A series of investigations were carried out to examine the potential for routine use of fly ash in highway concrete, with special reference to Indiana. Existing methods of mix proportioning of fly ash concretes were reviewed in detail, and a new method developed to better assure good durability characteristics despite expected fluctuations in fly ash properties. Extensive investigations were carried out on the properties of concretes designed by this method and using representative Indiana fly ashes of both Class F and Class C varieties. In general these concretes exhibited compressive strengths and other mechanical properties at least as satisfactory as those of presently specified plain portland cement concretes, and the potential durability appeared to be significantly improved. The development of early flexural strengths was found to lag those of plain concretes somewhat, but after several months this lag disappeared. Provision of an adequate air content is necessary to assure freeze-thaw durability, and it was found that the necessary dosage of air entraining agent varied with the fly ash, but could be determined very easily by use of the foam index test. A number of technical conclusions were drawn with respect to reactions within the fly ash concretes, and a chapter on recommendations and cautions has been supplied.


Spectral methods have become increasingly popular in designing fast algorithms for modern highdimensional datasets. This thesis looks at several problems in which spectral methods play a central role. In some cases, we also show that such procedures have essentially the best performance among all randomised polynomial time algorithms by exhibiting statistical and computational trade-offs in those problems. In the first chapter, we prove a useful variant of the well-known Davis–Kahan theorem, which is a spectral perturbation result that allows us to bound of the distance between population eigenspaces and their sample versions. We then propose a semi-definite programming algorithm for the sparse principal component analysis (PCA) problem, and analyse its theoretical performance using the perturbation bounds we derived earlier. It turns out that the parameter regime in which our estimator is consistent is strictly smaller than the consistency regime of a minimax optimal (yet computationally intractable) estimator. We show through reduction from a well-known hard problem in computational complexity theory that the difference in consistency regimes is unavoidable for any randomised polynomial time estimator, hence revealing subtle statistical and computational trade-offs in this problem. Such computational trade-offs also exist in the problem of restricted isometry certification. Certifiers for restricted isometry properties can be used to construct design matrices for sparse linear regression problems. Similar to the sparse PCA problem, we show that there is also an intrinsic gap between the class of matrices certifiable using unrestricted algorithms and using polynomial time algorithms. Finally, we consider the problem of high-dimensional changepoint estimation, where we estimate the time of change in the mean of a high-dimensional time series with piecewise constant mean structure. Motivated by real world applications, we assume that changes only occur in a sparse subset of all coordinates. We apply a variant of the semi-definite programming algorithm in sparse PCA to aggregate the signals across different coordinates in a near optimal way so as to estimate the changepoint location as accurately as possible. Our statistical procedure shows superior performance compared to existing methods in this problem.


Dynamical systems occur in many areas of science, especially fluid dynamics. One is often interested in examining the structural changes in dynamical systems, and these are often related to the appearance or disappearance of solution trajectories connecting one or more stationary points. Homoclinic orbits are trajectories that connect a hyperbolic saddle-type stationary point to itself, and often arise as the limiting case of periodic solutions. In global bifurcation analysis, the occurrence of homoclinic orbits is closely tied to chaotic behaviour in dynamical systems. Numerical computation of homoclinic orbits requires solving a boundary value problem (BVP) over a doubly infinite interval. There are three ways that this can be done. The first is to truncate the problem to a large finite interval and create appropriate projected boundary conditions to ensure that the solution over the infinite interval is approximated well. The second is to transform the problem to one over a finite interval via an exponential change of independent variable. The third is to use a method appropriate for an infinite interval by discretising the problem using a set of approximating functions appropriate to an infinite interval. In this thesis we will compare algorithms of all three types, and test our implementations of them on several test problems. • The first algorithm we will examine will be the original time method of Beyn. This method truncates the infinite interval to a finite one, and produces projected boundary conditions that force the endpoints of the trajectory to lie in the appropriate invariant subspaces of the stationary point. This algorithm also includes a method for determining whether or not the truncated interval is large enough to obtain a solution accurate to a required tolerance. • The second algorithm is called time + subspace, and is a variation on the original time method that fixes the distance between the stationary point and the endpoint of the solution, but allows the interval to vary – the reverse of which was true for original time. • The third algorithm is of the second type and is based upon the arclength parameterisation of the orbits. This method uses the arclength of the trajectory as the independent variable to transform the problem to a finite interval. However, the BVP formulated in this way can have a singularity at the end of the domain, and thus a special collocation method is required to handle this. • As this method does not perform well on orbits exhibiting Šilnikov behaviour, a variation of this method called the partial arclength method which uses a different exponential transformation of the independent variable near the stationary point is presented to address the deficiency. • The final algorithm presented in this thesis uses Laguerre polynomials to compute points on the stable and unstable manifolds of the stationary point by solving a BVP over a semi-infinite interval. These are then used to produce boundary conditions for the truncated BVP that ensure that the endpoints are on the appropriate manifold and not just the appropriate subspace.


Suppose we have two Markov chains defined on the same state space. What happens if we alternate them? If they both converge to the same stationary distribution, will the chain obtained by alternating them also converge? Consideration of these questions is motivated by the possible use of two different updating schemes for MCMC estimation, when much faster convergence can be achieved by alternating both schemes than by using either singly.


Bediuzzaman Said Nursi addressed many issues on the Muslim way of life in his famous tafsīr, Risale-I Nur. The discussion and commentaries in this tafsīr, which were written during the 1910s and 1950, are still relevant to many present-day issues. This study aims to seek out his opinions on women's issues as well as his reasoning behind the commandments of the Qur'ān and Sunnah related to them. This study will focus on the chapters and the sub-chapters in Risale-I Nur and their commentaries on women's issues and proposed solutions. This qualitative study utilizes the deductive and inductive methods, as all of the selected commentaries will be examined and categorised accordingly to the corresponding issue. The result indicates that there are several women's issues discussed in Risale-I Nur, as well as Bediuzzaman Said Nursi advices on how to utilize women's potential appropriately.


A decision maker constructs a convex set of nonnegative martingales to use as likelihood ratios that represent parametric alternatives to a baseline model and also non-parametric models statistically close to both the baseline model and the parametric alternatives. Max-min expected utility over that set gives rise to equilibrium prices of model uncertainty expressed as worst-case distortions to drifts in a representative investor's baseline model. We offer quantitative illustrations for baseline models of consumption dynamics that display long-run risk. We describe a set of parametric alternatives that generates countercyclical prices of uncertainty.


Obtaining a relevant dataset is central to conducting empirical studies in software engineering. However, in the context of mining software repositories, the lack of appropriate tooling for large scale mining tasks hinders the creation of new datasets. Moreover, limitations related to data sources that change over time (e.g., code bases) and the lack of documentation of extraction processes make it difficult to reproduce datasets over time. This threatens the quality and reproducibility of empirical studies. In this paper, we propose a tool-supported approach facilitating the creation of large tailored datasets while ensuring their reproducibility. We leveraged all the sources feeding the Software Heritage append-only archive which are accessible through a unified programming interface to outline a reproducible and generic extraction process. We propose a way to define a unique fingerprint to characterize a dataset which, when provided to the extraction process, ensures that the same dataset will be extracted. We demonstrate the feasibility of our approach by implementing a prototype. We show how it can help reduce the limitations researchers face when creating or reproducing datasets.


Recently, several scholars have suggested that academic self-regulation may be particularly important for students participating in online learning. The purpose of the present study was to develop a quantitative self-report measure of perceived task value and self-efficacy for learning within the context of self-paced, online training, and to investigate reliability and validity evidence for the instrument. Investigations of this kind are essential because task value and self-efficacy have been shown to be important predictors of students' self-regulated learning competence and academic achievement in both traditional and online contexts. In Study 1 (n = 204), 28 survey items were created for the Online Learning Value and Self-Efficacy Scale (OLVSES) and an exploratory factor analysis was conducted. Results suggested two interpretable factors: task value and self-efficacy. In Study 2 (n = 646), confirmatory factor analysis suggested several survey modifications that resulted in a refined, more parsimonious version of the OLVSES. The resulting 11-item, two-factor scale appears to be psychometrically sound, with reasonable factor structure and good internal reliability. In Study 3 (n = 481), a third sample was collected, and scores from the OLVSES appeared to demonstrate evidence of adequate criterion-related validity. Instrument applications and suggestions for future research are discussed.


BACKGROUND
Most reviews of IVF ovarian stimulation protocols have insufficiently accounted for various patient populations, such as ovulatory women, women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or women with poor ovarian response, and have included studies in which the agonist or antagonist was not the only variable between the compared study arms.

OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE
The aim of the current study was to compare GnRH antagonist protocols versus standard long agonist protocols in couples undergoing IVF or ICSI, while accounting for various patient populations and treatment schedules.

SEARCH METHODS
The Cochrane Menstrual Disorders and Subfertility Review Group specialized register of controlled trials and Pubmed and Embase databases were searched from inception until June 2016. Eligible trials were those that compared GnRH antagonist protocols and standard long GnRH agonist protocols in couples undergoing IVF or ICSI. The primary outcome was ongoing pregnancy rate. Secondary outcomes were: live birth rate, clinical pregnancy rate, number of oocytes retrieved and safety with regard to ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Separate comparisons were performed for the general IVF population, women with PCOS and women with poor ovarian response. Pre-planned subgroup analyses were performed for various antagonist treatment schedules.

OUTCOMES
We included 50 studies. Of these, 34 studies reported on general IVF patients, 10 studies reported on PCOS patients and 6 studies reported on poor responders. In general IVF patients, ongoing pregnancy rate was significantly lower in the antagonist group compared with the agonist group (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.82-0.96). In women with PCOS and in women with poor ovarian response, there was no evidence of a difference in ongoing pregnancy between the antagonist and agonist groups (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.84-1.11 and RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.65-1.17, respectively). Subgroup analyses for various antagonist treatment schedules compared to the long protocol GnRH agonist showed a significantly lower ongoing pregnancy rate when the oral hormonal programming pill (OHP) pretreatment was combined with a flexible protocol (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.59-0.91) while without OHP, the RR was 0.84, 95% CI 0.71-1.0. Subgroup analysis for the fixed antagonist schedule demonstrated no evidence of a significant difference with or without OHP (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.79-1.12 and RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.83-1.05, respectively). Antagonists resulted in significantly lower OHSS rates both in the general IVF patients and in women with PCOS (RR 0.63, 95% CI 0.50-0.81 and RR 0.53, 95% CI 0.30-0.95, respectively). No data on OHSS was available from trials in poor responders.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS
In a general IVF population, GnRH antagonists are associated with lower ongoing pregnancy rates when compared to long protocol agonists, but also with lower OHSS rates. Within this population, antagonist treatment prevents one case of OHSS in 40 patients but results in one less ongoing pregnancy out of every 28 women treated. Thus standard use of the long GnRH agonist treatment is perhaps still the approach of choice for prevention of premature luteinization. In couples with PCOS and poor responders, GnRH antagonists do not seem to compromise ongoing pregnancy rates and are associated with less OHSS and therefore could be considered as standard treatment.


Arabidopsis thaliana exhibits a developmentally regulated disease-resistance response known as age-related resistance (ARR), a process that requires intercellular accumulation of salicylic acid (SA), which is thought to act as an antimicrobial agent. ARR is characterized by enhanced resistance to some pathogens at the late adult-vegetative and reproductive stages. While the transition to flowering does not cause the onset of ARR, both processes involve the MADS-domain transcription factor SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP). In this study, ARR-defective svp mutants were found to accumulate reduced levels of intercellular SA compared with wild type in response to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. Double mutant and overexpression analyses suggest that SVP and SOC1 (SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CO 1) act antagonistically, such that SVP is required for ARR to alleviate the negative effects of SOC1 on SA accumulation. In vitro, SA exhibited antibacterial and antibiofilm activity at concentrations similar to those measured in the intercellular space during ARR. In vivo, P. syringae pv. tomato formed biofilm-like aggregates in young susceptible plants, while this was drastically reduced in mature ARR-competent plants, which accumulate intercellular SA. Collectively, these results reveal a novel role for the floral regulators SVP and SOC1 in disease resistance and provide evidence that SA acts directly on pathogens as an antimicrobial agent. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .


In this paper, we present a solution for translating an existing relational database (RDB) schema with recent patents into relatively newer database (i.e., object-oriented and object-relational database) schemas, based on available standards. The solution is more beneficial compared to the existing approaches as it generates two different and equivalent target schemas based on the user choice. The main aim of the proposed method is to enrich the source RDB semantically with metadata information, which may have not been obviously represented in it. An enriched common data model is then produced, which preserves all necessary characteristics of target models to be mapped into any of the target schemas. A prototype has been designed in order to translate RDBs into target schemas realizing the concepts and algorithms of the approach. An experiment has been conducted, results of which have been very encouraging, and validating the feasibility, efficiency and correctness of the proposed solution.


The texture and microstructure resulting from heavily drawn and annealed oxygen-free high conducting (OFHC) copper wires have been investigated using several microscopical techniques including orientation imaging microscopy and nano-indentation. In the as-drawn condition, the microstructure and texture were heterogeneous across the wires, and consisted of three distinct concentric regimes: the inner core, the mid section, and the outer region. Whilst the microtexture of the inner core was dominated by a strong <111>+weak<100> duplex fiber texture, the mid section and the outer region had a comparatively weak fiber texture. Analysis using a Taylor-type viscoplasticity model revealed that the weak texture observed in this material was a direct consequence of shear deformation during drawing. The recrystallization kinetics of the wires upon isothermal annealing at various temperature was influenced by the deformation heterogeneity, and can be accurately described by a modified JMAK-Microhardness model. In this approach, the JMAK model is expressed in terms of microhardness data, from which the parameters of the different restoration kinetics were determined.


Knowledge, Spirit, Law is a de facto phenomenology of scholarship in the age of neoliberal capitalism. The eleven essays (plus Appendices) in Book 1: Radical Scholarship cover topics and circle themes related to the problems and crises specific to neoliberal academia, while proposing creative paths around the various obstructions. The obstructions include metrics-obsessed academia, circular and incestuous peer review, digitalization of research as stalking horse for text- and data-mining, and violation by global corporate fiat of Intellectual Property and the Moral Rights of Authors. These issues, while addressed obliquely in the main text, definitively inform the various proscriptive aspects of the essays and, via the Introduction and Appendices, underscore the necessity of developing new-old means to no obvious end in the production of knowledge — that is to say, a return to forms of non-instrumentalized intellectual inquiry. To be developed in two concurrent volumes, Knowledge, Spirit, Law will serve as a "moving and/or shifting anthology" of new forms of expression in humanistic studies. Book 2: The Anti-Capitalist Sublime will be published in Autumn 2016.


Summary Polymerase chain reaction amplification of cDNA for acidic fibroblast growth factor in several lines of cultured human cells revealed two forms of mRNA. The novel smaller mRNA lacks the entire second coding exon of the acidic fibroblast growth factor gene, whereas the previously identified mRNA consists of three coding exons. The truncated variant of acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF') is only 60 amino acids long with an apparent molecular mass of 6.7 kD on sodium dodecyl sulfate gels in contrast to 18 kD for the full-length acidic fibroblast growth factor, aFGF' elicits only minimal fibroblast proliferation and antagonizes the effects of acidic fibroblast growth factor when added exogenously to or when coexpressed with aFGF in BALB/c/3T3 fibroblasts. Thus, the truncated variant of acidic fibroblast growth factor may provide fibroblasts with a unique mechanism for endogenous regulation of their responses to acidic fibroblast growth factor.


The increasing concerns about global climate change and rising environmental pressures have prompted countries and cities to explore new sustainable development pattern. The concept of eco-city has been proposed as a potential sustainable urban solution. China as the most populous country in the world, is especially challenged by its rapid urbanization and environmental degradation, and has launched a number of eco-city initiatives in recent years. Among them many are eye-catching bilateral collaboration projects with the engagement of international partners. The growing trend of Sino-foreign eco-city initiatives give rise to the main research question of this study: "What is the role of bilateral collaborations in Chinese eco-city development?" This question is further divided into three sub-questions, among which the first sub-question intends to categorize previous Sino-foreign eco-city collaborations based on distinct features observed through an investigation on eight previous Sino-foreign eco-cities. The second sub-question focuses on the critical success factors influencing bilateral collaborations in Sino-foreign eco-cities at political/institutional, organizational, and individual levels. Finally based on the lesson drawings from previous experience, the study intends to answer the question of what a viable Sino-Dutch collaboration alternative could look like in Shenzhen International Low-carbon Town. Qualitative research methods including case study and comparison are used in the study. Case studies on eight selected Sino-foreign eco-cities present detailed empirical information and analysis systematically. Following the case studies, three types of bilateral collaborations in previous Sino-foreign eco-city projects were concluded: client-provider/designer type collaboration, intergovernmental agreement based collaboration, and JV-based collaboration under joint supervisory board. Based on the case studies, a framework of success factors influencing bilateral collaborations in Sino-foreign eco-cities is also established. With the lesson drawings from previous experience and specific analysis for Shenzhen International Low-carbon Town, two potentially viable Sino-Dutch collaboration alternatives including the cultivating and sufficing collaborations are proposed. Finally, some general findings across the cases are discussed and summarized in the paper. This study intends to fill in the literature gap in international bilateral collaborations in eco-city development by focusing on China's experience. Besides, it also can contribute to the academic and professional community by making an inventory of existing Sino-foreign eco-city projects. The empirics and findings in this study can also shed light on the design of future bilateral collaborations in Chinese eco-city development with proper adaptations.


Psorospemum haeckeli, a common parasite of the European noble crayfish Astacus astacus, occurs as an egg-shaped spore of ca 100 X 60 X 60 pm, particularly within the collagenous layer of the thoracic arteries and the surrounding subepidermal connective tissue. Smaller numbers are also found within the connective tissues of virtually all organs. The morphology and histology of these spores was investigated by microscopic techniques and the composition of their major structural components was identified by histochemistry. Each spore is enveloped by a layer of connective tissue which is assumed to derive from the host. It varies in thickness and composition among the infected organs. The spore proper consists of a 3-layered shell enclosing many globules. The outer shell layer is composed of solid, collagenand elastin-negative, proteinaceous plates separated by sutures. The medial shell layer appears less compact and includes glycoprotelns or neutral mucopolysaccharides. The inner layer is composed of 2 membranous structures including glycoproteins, glycolipids, and collagenand elastin-like proteins. The interior of the spore contains lipid globules of variable size, intensely staining nonlipid globules with crystalline and vacuolar inclusions, and 2 closely associated nuclei. In most of the crayfish investigated some of the spores were encapsulated by haemocytes and melanized.