The question of interplay of coherent and incoherent space charge driven resonances and of their Landau damping has found some interest in beam dynamics of modern high-intensity synchrotrons. We revisit the theoretical and simulation models describing coherent half-integer parametric resonances, analyze their Landau damping in 2D beams on the basis of simulated tune spectra and conclude that above second order (envelope modes) they play no role in realistic, Gaussian-like beam models. We also analyze incoherent resonance effects in the beam core regions and find that their role has been underestimated in part of the literature, in particular with regard to the very long-term beam evolution as in synchrotrons. We conclude that for such time scales more careful analysis of realistic simulation models is needed to support synchrotron design and evaluation of experiments.


The article's aim is to conduct a comparative cross-section analysis of the innovative behaviour of the German manufacturing industry. The peculiarities of the food industry are tested in a combined analysis based on both input and output indicators. Linear and logistic regressions are used to investigate the differences between the food industry and other branches of the manufacturing industry. In comparison to other branches, the food industry has lower research & development (R&D) expenditures whereas the import of research from more technology intensive sectors is high. Most of the released new products are improvements and imitations. Market novelties are rare. The development time for new products is relatively short compared to other industries, on average 8.5 months. A major part of innovations are imitated rapidly by competing firms, therefore the first mover advantages are low. Due to the low newness of innovations, marketing activities (e.g. advertising, labelling) are more important for new product introductions than in other industries. The regression analysis for the input indicators measured by the innovation intensity shows that the innovative behaviour of food companies significantly deviates from other manufacturing sectors. However, the logistic regression analysis of the output indicators doesn't confirm these results. The dummy variable of the food companies has no significant impact on the output indicators. Firms in the food industry might embark on imitation and product modification strategies. Therefore, they realize an average innovation output without spending the same amount of money as the other industries. In addition, it can be confirmed that small enterprises of the German manufacturing industry have a higher innovation activity in terms of both innovation input and output. The impact of business expectations on input and output indicators is significantly positive. An international orientation measured by the ratio of exports to firm sales leads to a higher probability of introducing new products and novelties.


PERCEPTIONS OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION WORKERS (AEWs) ON THE PERFORMANCE AND IMPACTS OF DECENTRALIZED AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION: THE CASE OF EASTERN SAMAR AND LEYTE PROVINCES, PHILIPPINES Dario Agravante Cidro Advisor: University of Guelph, 2015 Professor G.C. Filson This thesis is an investigation of the performance and impacts of decentralized agricultural extension in two provinces of the Philippines – Eastern Samar and Leyte. The study secured the perceptions of 141 agricultural extension workers (AEWs) and 22 key informants. Secondary sources of information such as government reports and existing literature were examined to complement the primary survey data. The study employed a mixed method of research where the quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS and the qualitative results were grouped according to similar themes and ideas. The SPSS analyses include the descriptive data, Mann-Whitney U tests, and multivariate analysis using logistic regression. The results of the study suggest that the objectives of decentralizing agricultural extension has not met the expectations of AEWs and key informants due to key factors such as lack of funds at the local level, low priority for agricultural programs, and partisan politics. On the other hand, positive outcomes include timely release of salaries, direct access to human resource and financial resources at the local level, and proximity of AEWs to household family members. This study has proved that after 20 years of decentralization, the AEWs in Eastern Samar and Leyte provinces were dissatisfied with decentralization as expressed by their support for the renationalization of agricultural extension. The study likewise highlights the significance of the leadership qualities of local chief executives (Governors and Mayors), competence, and in-depth understanding of the value of agriculture and rural sector development. These characteristics are required for successful implementation of decentralized agricultural extension. The study recommends a nationwide survey on the impacts of decentralized agricultural extension to ascertain whether a majority of AEWs in the country favour renationalization of agricultural extension. It also calls for a stronger policy that will hold local chief executives accountable for failure of governance particularly in the field of agricultural and rural development. Finally, it encourages an active participation and sustained vigilance of various stakeholders to ensure that the principles of decentralization are adopted and practiced by local governments to meet the needs of the small and marginal farmers and fishermen at the local level.


In order to attain economic growth and development, all the world's economies had placed greater emphasis on renewable energy development and production. This had led to the advancement of technologies to invent conversion machineries that could transform biomass residues into electrical energy. Cameroon is a typical West African country that produces large quantity of biomass residues that could be effectively utilized for the production of electrical energy. The goal of this paper is to contribute to a sound energy market that would provide sufficient, viable and efficient energy services for the economic development of Wabane, a forest adjacent community to the newly created Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary and other neighboring villages/towns through the formulation of a comprehensive program that would identify the optimal path for the development, exploitation and proficient management of biomass-energy (palm kennel waste, cocoa waste, saw dust waste, sugar cane waste etc.) resources available in this area and the needed technological means to convert them into electrical energy. Among the various sources of Biomass residues, this paper is specifically focused on five main agricultural wastes due to the nature of biomass diversities and also because it's relative abundance in this area. These sources include; sawdust, palm-kennel, cocoa pods, coconut shell, and sugarcane waste. The major raw material is palm Kennel wastes as ERuDeF a local NGO operating in this area run four semi industrial palm oil mills amongst other private small scale mills in the area. Data on availability of these waste materials was collected by conducting many comprehensive interviews with the farmers, wood workers and other whose fields are within the study criteria.


Abstract: The first aim of this study was to test whether there are changes in erythrocyte lipid peroxidation products and membrane fluidity during cardiac surgery involving cardiopulmonary bypass. Secondly, in vitro tests were performed to examine whether melatonin alters induced lipid peroxidation and reduced membrane fluidity in erythrocytes from these patients. Fifteen patients undergoing cardiac surgery involving cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were selected. Five blood samples were taken at different times during surgery for analysis of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) content and membrane fluidity of the erythrocytes. TBARS are an index of the level of lipid peroxidation. The results revealed an increase in TBARS levels and a parallel decrease in erythrocyte membrane fluidity (increased membrane rigidity) after the onset of CPB with respect to the reference sample. Likewise, in vitro induction of lipid peroxidation in the erythrocyte samples from CPB patients followed a similar pattern. The changes in TBARS levels and membrane fluidity were suppressed by pre‐incubation of erythrocytes with melatonin prior to the induction (by 70 μm Fe2+ + 250 μm ascorbate) of lipid peroxidation in a concentration‐dependent manner. The results constitute a persuasive argument for the use of melatonin for preventive and therapeutic purposes during CPB.


Conversion cost is the cost required to convert Raw material into finished goods. As the conversion cost is less profits can be increased and it will also help to be competitive in the market. Cost management is the key to survival in a competitive global industry. The quantity of resin converted per year is a good indicator of the capacity of a plastic converter, which is associated with the converting technology in place. It allows interesting comparisons, and should reflect purchasing capabilities as well as potential for economy of scale. This project deals with waste utilization and energy analysis in terms of cost of the stretching process of bi- axially oriented polypropylene films using a hot oil coiler along with stretching unit. Efficient energy use is critical for the success of any industrial facility since reduced energy consumption through energy conservation/saving programs can benefit not only consumers and utilities, but society in general as well. This is very important for companies having cost structures that are highly dependent upon the relative importance of the cost of raw materials, particularly for extrusion-oriented converters active in film making or in sheet manufacturing.


Noug (Guizotia abyssinica) is an outcrossing oilseed crop that serves as a source of edible oil and other nutrients although its seed yield is generally low. The analysis of agro-morphological traits in relation to seed and oil yields is important for improving the productivity of this crop. The present study aimed at assessing the variation and heritability of quantitative (10) and qualitative (6) traits in noug based on 60 landrace accessions collected from wide geographic area in Ethiopia. The field trial was conducted at two sites in Ethiopia using a square lattice design. The analysis of variance revealed significant variation (p < 0.05) among these accessions. The highest broad-sense heritability (H2) was recorded for days to 10% flowering (DTF10; 85.4%), whereas number of capitula per plant (NCPP) and number of seeds per capitulum (NSPC) showed medium heritability (H2 = 38.5% and 31.6%, respectively). NCPP and NSPC showed a highly significant (p < 0.01) positive and negative genotypic correlation with days to flowering, respectively. These three traits showed very low genotypic coefficient of variation (<1%). In the case of qualitative traits, small capitulum, large flower, green leaf, green stem and course leaf margin showed significant association with higher number of seeds per plant (NSPP). Euclidean distance-based cluster analysis revealed that the clustering pattern of the accessions poorly correlates with the geographic distance between sample collecting sites. Similarly, no clear clustering pattern of accessions was revealed by principal component analysis (PCA) that explained 66.3% and 53.6% of the total variation of quantitative traits and qualitative traits, respectively. The oil content of these accessions was previously investigated and accessions with high oil content show large differences in terms of days to flowering, NSPP and thousand seed weight (TSW). Among the accessions included in this research, Hr_B21; Gj_C17, Sh_I4 and Gr_F15 Gj_G18 and Tg-R13 are top ranking, as they have at least one the following highly desirable traits: early maturity, high oil content, NSPP and TSW. Hence, crossbreeding of their selected genotypes would lead to the development of new cultivars that combine early maturity and both high seed and oil yields.


This study comprises an analysis of the attitudes and perceptions of Libyan migrants in the UK concerning domestic violence against women (DVAW). It is exploratory as well as explanatory in nature and is one of very few studies of gender violence with regard to Libya or Libyan migrant communities to date. It aims to understand how cultural, religious and social factors can interact, leading to women's subordination.
The research, on which the study is based, consists of a questionnaire survey administered to a sample of 175 migrants (108 women and 67 men) mainly in Greater Manchester as well as in Leeds. Twenty semi-structured interviews were carried out with 13 women and 7 men: these enabled deeper insight into respondents' frames of reference, opinions and understandings. The topics explored in the survey and the semi-structured interviews included definitions and conceptions of DVAW; perceptions of causes of DVAW [for instance economic deprivation or control, or general social attitudes, or socialisation processes]; justifications given for DVAW; perceptions of the prevalence of DVAW, and the impact of migration to the UK on attitudes towards DVAW. Various socio-demographic factors were tested in the survey sample to ascertain how important these independent variables were in shaping expressed attitudes. Of these, gender and educational levels were the most important, as well as previous residence in Libya (e.g. large cities vs. small towns). In the semi-structured interviews gender differences in attitudes toward violence also emerged, as well as a general tendency to perceive violence as a private matter. The study took a feminist standpoint, arguing that explanations of DVAW should centre on gendered social arrangements and power. It used both analysis of patriarchal systems and the idea of 'gender order' as frames for analysis, finding that DVAW draws upon household and wider power and control. Gendered power relations in Libyan communities are structured by the premise of male domination in micro and macro levels.
One of the findings of the study is that migration to and length of time spent in the UK has not substantially altered attitudes to DVAW among migrants, although women's attitudes have shifted more than men's, particularly among better-educated, urban and divorced women. This points to the persistence of systems of gender subordination within Libyan families and communities.


Objective: To evaluate the fracture resistance (RF) of Class II Glass-ionomer Cement (GIC) ART restorations with and without proximal retentions. Material and Methods: 20 freshly extracted human molars were used. Forty (40) standard Mesial-Occlusal (MO) and Distal-Occlusal (DO) preparations (20 for each material) were performed with a 245 bur. The unprepared surfaces of the teeth were protected with nail polish and the specimens submerged in 0.5Mol EDTA solution, pH 7.4 for 8h under stirring. The preparations were finished with dentine spoons and 50% received proximal retention with # 3 excavators. 20 cavities were restored with Chemfil Rock (10 with retention and 10 without retention) and 20 cavities were restored with Equia Fil (10 with retention and 10 with no retention) and were stored in an oven at 37ºC and 100% relative humidity for 24h and submitted to axial compression loading in Test Machine - EMIC at a rate of 0.5 mm / minute, until restoration fracture occurred. The values were analyzed by two-way ANOVA (p<0.05). Results: ChemFil Rock presented 300.84 (69.20) (without retention) and 361.70 (81.08) (with retention) and Equia Fil showed 314.60 (69.97) (without retention) and 366.67 (103.38) (with retention). Data obtained with retention were statistically superior to those obtained with non-retained ART restorations (p=0.014). No statistical differences were detected between materials (p=0.761). Conclusion: Retentive grooves improved fracture resistance of Class II GIC ART restorations. KeywordsDental materials; ART; Glass ionomer cements.


To determine whether physiological differences exist between primary (swallow-induced) and secondary (distension-induced) peristalsis in humans, 10 healthy male volunteers underwent esophageal manometry on 2 consecutive days using a perfused intraluminal catheter system that incorporated a latex balloon. Initially the catheter was positioned so that the balloon was centered 16 cm above the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), and intraluminal pressures were recorded 21, 11, 6, and 1 cm above the LES. After a series of wet swallows, dry swallows, and balloon distensions, the catheter was repositioned so that the balloon was 6 cm above the LES and pressures were recorded 1 and 11 cm above the LES. A series of balloon distensions were repeated in this position, and the subject was then given either atropine (10 micrograms/kg iv) or placebo in a double-blind randomized fashion (on consecutive days). The protocol was then repeated in reverse order. Distension-induced responses aboral to the balloon with the balloon located 16 cm above the LES were 1) of lower amplitude, 2) more often nonperistaltic, and 3) less atropine sensitive than swallow-induced contractions at comparable sites. With the balloon located distally (6 cm above LES) contractions induced at the 11-cm site (i.e., orad to the balloon) were much more atropine sensitive than contractions induced at the same site when the balloon was located proximally (i.e., 16 cm above LES). These data suggest that, contrary to previous reports, secondary peristalsis differs significantly from primary peristalsis. Furthermore, atropine differentially effects these two types of peristalsis, suggesting that the neural pathways involved are dissimilar.


We revisit the fundamental problem of compressing an integer dictionary that supports efficient <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\mathsf {rank}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${\mathsf {select}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> operations by exploiting simultaneously two kinds of regularities arising in real data: repetitiveness and approximate linearity. We attack this problem by proposing two novel compressed indexing approaches that extend the classic Lempel-Ziv compression scheme and the more recent block tree data structure with new algorithms and data structures that allow them to also capture regularities in terms of the approximate linearity in the data. Finally, we corroborate these theoretical results with a wide set of experiments on real and synthetic datasets, which allow us to show that our approaches achieve new interesting space-time trade-offs that characterise them as more robust in most practical scenarios compared to the known data structures that exploit only one of the two regularities.


July 2018 witnessed the release of the flagship report of the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) 2018. A trove of information that, in the months to come, will be unpacked and discussed by activists and researchers in the fishery and aquaculture sectors, SOFIA 2018 presents, for the first time, sex-segregated employment data—a step forward by the FAO towards implementing in its work the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (the SSF Guidelines) that call for gender equity and equality throughout the fisheries, including in information and communication. There is no doubt that global awareness of the role and contribution of women in fisheries is on the rise. Some sources estimate women as constituting nearly half of the total employment along the fish value chain. However, government enumerations across the world tend to still undercount women's participation and undervalue their contribution to the sector. Thus, based on country reports, SOFIA 2018 estimates women's participation in fisheries and aquaculture to be only around 15 per cent. How does this low enumeration impact women? The article 'Outside the Net' in this issue discusses how, in Sri Lanka, government statistics show declining levels of women's employment in the fisheries, a trend that commentators point out may simply indicate the growing invisibility of women's work in the sector. Further, country data as reflected in SOFIA 2018 continues to exclude vital reproductive work, such as gleaning, that women engage in to feed their families and that ensures food security in fishing communities. Such lack of recognition disbars women from policies and programmes supporting livelihood development. Lack of recognition is not only at the level of data. In this issue, Nalini Nayak's review of a recently released FAO publication finds a stark contrast between the increasing recognition of women's contributions to fisheries and their continuing low access to decision making roles, within both government and non-government organisations. Recognition of women's work is only the first step in mainstreaming their roles within decisionmaking in the sector. Women's work as fishworkers and caregivers is becoming increasingly fraught in the face of rapid climate change, responsible for an increasing frequency of extreme weather events and presenting grave threats to fisheries. This year, the cyclone Ockhi ravaged communities and took the lives of 348 fishermen in the southern coast of India. The tragedy points to continuing weaknesses in the ability of states to address issues of early warning mechanisms, last mile connectivity in communications, training of local communities, the need to take on board traditional knowledge systems, and post-disaster relief and rehabilitation. Environmental challenges, however, sometimes spark innovation. In eastern India, annual monsoon floods and the changing course of the river Brahmaputra wreaks regular and devastating damage on communities along the river's banks. This issue covers a unique initiative called 'Ships of Hope' which, through financial contributions from individuals and corporate entities, and the dedication of health workers, brings medical care literally to the shores of these communities. Such examples represent hope in troubled times. From the Editor


For the past century urban infrastructures have been designed primarily with automobile use in mind. The built environment consequently reflects a neglect of the human scale, that is, pedestrians. This thesis looks at existing contemporary bridges and explores ways of bringing pedestrian-scaled activity and vitality back onto the bridge, thereby breaking the confines of vehicular bridges to create a continuum of the urban environment on both ends. This thesis investigates methods of integration and coordination of vehicular and pedestrian traffic as a way to maintain the bridge as a "connector" for transport purposes, resulting in a future where bridges may facilitate a higher quality urban environment. The site for this thesis is the Jacques Cartier Bridge, a vehicular bridge that spans the St. Lawrence River in Montreal. This thesis examines the history of the street versus the road, place versus non-place, mobility versus transport and the influence of the Megastructuralist movement in Montreal as applicable elements for future bridge design. This thesis will also find ways to reacquaint itself with the estranged concept of the inhabitable bridge and demonstrating how it can be reintegrated into current and future infrastructural bridge concepts.


According to the F.A.O., 'IPM [integrated pest management; i.p.m.] is a pest management system that, in the context of the associated environment and the population dynamics of pest species, utilizes all suitable techniques and methods in as compatible a manner as possible and maintains the pest populations at levels below those causing economic injury.' A number of national and international policy statements demonstrate that the agrochemical industry endorses the principles of i.p.m. and supports their application and further extension in practice. Industry will continue to participate actively by making contributions to the scientific information base, by offering technical solutions and by assisting in the educational process. An analysis of the present state and future development of the science and technology of i.p.m. components shows that extended realization in practice will be a slow and gradual process. The short and medium term contribution of industry will concentrate on improved uses of currently available pesticides in terms of timing, formulation and application technology, etc. In the long term and provided that the economic objectives are justified, industry will successively make available a set of new and more selective biologically active products.


This study examines the relationship between policy process, economic growth, scheme design and mobilization, and heathcare services among the rural dwellers of Sokoto state, Nigeria. This is done with the aim of providing the dwellers with
healthcare services that are lacking in the countryside of Sokoto state. There are many factors which hinder the provision of these healthcare services to the delivery which include insufficient funds, lack of good governance, poor policies on
healthcare services, poverty, poor scheme design, poor community mobilization and sensitization and corruption. Of these several problems, this research focuses on four major factors, namely policy process, economic growth, scheme design and
mobilization as independent variables and healthcare services as the dependent variable. The study uses convenience sampling in which samples were drawn from the 23 local governments of the state that comprise 3,000,000 rural dwellers. Data
was collected through the self-administered method by sending questionnaires to 800 rural dwellers in the state. A total of 54 items were captured in the questionnaire. The studyevaluates the relationship between healthcare services and these variables.
Multiple regression analysis was used to predict the significant contribution of the four variables. All the instruments were adapted from the past studies. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 18 was used to analyze the data and test the hypotheses. The findings of the study show that a positive relationship between
healthcare services and the four variables. The correlation coefficient between policy process and healthcare servicesas 0.251 while economic growth and healthcare services it was 0.166. For scheme design and healthcare services,it was 0.260, while
formobilization and healthcare services, it was0.119. The Multiple regression analysis shows that the variables are correlated and have a uniquely significant role in providing healthcare services. This shows that the result of this study can be used to address the problems facing the rural dwellers in their demand for quality and
affordable healthcare services in their areas.


Background: Blood transfusion is an integral component of modern medicine; however, it is also associated with life-threatening complications and risks of transmitting blood borne infections like HIV, Hepatitis B and C, syphilis and many more.

Objective: The aim of this study was to observe the prevalence of transfusion transmissible infections in blood donors and their distribution among various socio demographic variables.

Material and Methods: Blood donor records of all sero-reactive cases were reviewed retrospectively from January 2014 to December 2015 at the blood bank of Shri Ram Murti Smarak Institute of Medical Sciences, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. Distribution of sero-reactive donors among various socio-demographic variables was analyzed in terms of frequency, percentage, and ratio. Difference between proportions of sero-reactive donors was evaluated by Z test and p value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant at 95% confidence interval. Data was analyzed using MS Excel 2007.

Result: A total of 12,001 donors were selected for blood donation comprising 98.18% males and 1.82% females. Seroprevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis was 0.09%, 1.44%, 1.11%and 0.53%, respectively and overall being 3.2%. Statistically, significant difference in proportion in gender was found only for HBV. Majority of sero-reactive donors were from rural areas (72.47%) and agriculture (39.22%) was the most common occupation. There was significant difference in proportions of donors sero-reactive for HBV and HCV from low and high education levels.

Conclusion: Transfusion transmissible infections were more common in males and those from rural background. There was a significant difference in proportions of donors sero-reactive for HBV and HCV in low and high education groups. Voluntary donors are safer than both family and replacement donors.


Although Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has been accepted as the most effective agent in clinical use against superficial bladder cancer, its mechanism of action remains incompletely understood. A kinetic analysis in assessing the potential role of cytokines from BCG-stimulated murine splenocytes showed that IL-12 expression preceded that of other cytokines. Experiments subtracting endogenous BCG-driven IL-12 using neutralizing Ab or augmenting its activity with supplemental rIL-12 revealed not only that IL-12 plays a dominant role in IFN-γ induction but also that it is normally dose limiting. A striking increase in IFN-γ production could be generated in both mouse and human immunocompetent cell culture by the addition of even a small amount of rIL-12. Moreover, this same synergistic effect could be replicated during in vivo administration of BCG plus rIL-12 into the mouse bladder and was observed in a patient receiving intravesical combination therapy. In costimulation cultures, this synergy appeared to partially rely on IL-18 and IL-2 and could be down-regulated by IL-10. This suggests that a dynamic interplay between Th1 and Th2 cytokines is responsible for net IFN-γ production. The ability of supplemental exogenous IL-12 to strongly shift this balance toward Th1 provides an immunological basis for using it in conjunction with intravesical BCG for bladder cancer immunotherapy.


Active galactic nuclei (AGN) are among the most energetic sources in the universe, a large fraction of which are visible across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Historically a zoo of different types of AGN were categorized based on a variety of observational properties, which can be explained by one unification scheme. A subset of these sources is characterized by relativistic outflows, called jets. The standard model assumes intrinsic symmetry between the jet and the counter-jet. Radio interferometric observations provide the highest achievable resolution which is key to understanding the physics driving AGN jets.
The scope of this thesis is to investigate the physical processes responsible for the launching and collimation of relativistic jets. This is achieved with Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) at centimetre and millimetre wavelengths of the double-sided relativistic outflows within the active galaxy NGC 1052. At a distance of only 20 Mpc, linear scales down to a few hundred Schwarzschild radii can be imaged with mm-VLBI. The orientation of both jets close to the plane of the sky makes NGC 1052 an ideal target to study the symmetry-paradigm predicted by the unification scheme.
The thesis is organized as follows. The first two chapters will give an introduction on our current understanding of launching, collimation, and emission processes of AGN and their jets as well as an overview on the technique of VLBI. In chapters 3 trough 5 I will present the analysis and results of a multi-frequency and multi-epoch study on NGC1052. Chapter 6 summarizes these findings and places them within the context of current AGN/jet scholarship. Additional information on the analysis is provided in tabular and graphical form in the appendices A and B. During my thesis work I developed a set of python scripts for calibration and analysis, which are presented in appendix C. In the following I give a short overview on the main results from this dissertation.
Observations of NGC1052 at 22 GHz and 43 GHz over 4 years suggest an intrinsic asymmetry between both jets, which evolve east- and westwards in the plane of the sky. Based on a study of the outflow velocities, the eastern jet was found to be significantly faster than the western jet. Overall faster velocities were found compared to earlier estimates performed at lower frequencies. As the observing frequency increases regions are imaged at closer proximity to the jet spine. Therefore, these results point towards a transversal velocity gradient within both jets.
The images from this study were used as input information for relativistic hydrodynamic simulations of the relativistic jets in NGC1052. The simulations favor a scenario in which a slightly over-pressured jet, resulting from a pressure-mismatch between the jet and the ambient medium at the nozzle, penetrates into a decreasing-pressure ambient medium. A molecular torus has been included in the simulations to account for thermal absorption. Based on the simulation results the torus particle number density is estimated within the range 0.7–1.0×10^22 cm^−2 . This numerical estimate is consistent with estimates from X-ray and radio observations.
In addition, multi-frequency VLBI studies from 1.5 GHz to 86 GHz trace the absorbing effect of this torus, which covers large parts of the western, receding jet. It results in an emission gap between both jets whose size decreases with increasing frequency. Observations and simulations draw a consistent picture of the frequency-dependent thermal absorption of the non-thermal particles in the jet due to the optically thick structure. The torus only has a very small impact on the 43 GHz emission (and higher frequencies).
Both jets are extremely straight and unresolved, however, there is a slight change in the western jet direction at about 2 milliarcseconds, which cannot be observed in the eastern jet. This kind of structure can only be explained by asymmetries, intrinsic to the jet or arising from interactions with the ambient medium.


Background: In Inner Mongolia, Allium plants are rich in variety and widely distributed. They are often concentrated and distributed in a contiguous manner, so they are of great significance to the ecological environment protection of grasslands and forests. In addition, Inner Mongolia Allium species have a high utilization value. The Mongolian people have accumulated rich traditional knowledge of the utilization of Allium resources during the history of their nomadic lifestyle, including uses for food, forage, medicine and culture. At present, due to the unreasonable use of Allium resources by humans, it has caused serious damage to its resources and vegetation. Therefore, in order to change the utilization status of Allium resources and reasonably protect their resources, find out the local ethnic group's traditional utilization methods and management of Allium plants and understand the interaction mechanism between grassland and grassland plants play an important role in the sustainable use and protection of plant resources. Methods: This research mainly uses literature research, key person interviews, semi-structured interviews, field surveys, data collation and catalog analysis. Results: In this paper, 38 species of Allium plants distributed in Inner Mongolia were sorted out, and the Chinese names, scientific names, Mongolian names and utilization parts of each species were catalogued and sorted. The Mongolian people in Inner Mongolia are rich in knowledge about the edible, medicinal, forage, and cultural utilization of Allium plants. Conclusion: Mongolian people in Inner Mongolia have a variety of traditional uses of wild Allium plants, which has reference value for the research and research of Allium plants. However, at present, the resources of Allium plants in Inner Mongolia are gradually decreasing, and related traditional knowledge is being lost. The article puts forward three related suggestions: (1) Pay attention to the resource protection of wild Allium plants. (2) The traditional knowledge related to the use and ecology of Allium plants needs to be documented, preserved, and promoted. (3) To strengthen the Mongolian people's awareness of the importance and protection of their own culture. Keywords: Inner Mongolia, Allium , Traditional use of knowledge


This paper evaluates the possible reasons for consistent vitamin B12 deficiency in chronic toxigenic mold exposures and the synergistic relationships with the possible mycotoxic effects on one-carbon metabolism that lead to the manifestations of clinical neuropathological symptomology. Vitamins are first defined in general and the nutritional sources of vitamin B12 are evaluated in particular. Since patients with chronic exposures to toxigenic molds manifest vitamin B12 deficiencies, the role of mycotoxins in vitamin B12 metabolism is assessed, and since vitamin B12 plays important biochemical roles in one-carbon metabolism, the synergistic effects with mycotoxins on humans are reviewed. An outline of the proposed mechanism by which mycotoxins disrupt or interfere with the normal functions of vitamin B12 on one-carbon metabolism is proposed. The overall functions of vitamin B12 as a source of coenzymes, in intracellular recycling of methionine, in methionine synthase reaction, in the prevention of chromosome breakage, in methylation, and in maintaining a one-carbon metabolic balance are reviewed. Signs, symptoms, and clinical neurological indications of vitamin B12 deficiency are also cited. By implication and derivation, it is likely that the interruption of the structure and function of vitamin B12 would in turn interfere with the one-carbon metabolism leading to the neurological manifestations. This review is an attempt to formulate a basis for an ongoing research investigation on the subject.


We inquire how structure emerges during the process of protein folding. For this we scrutinize collective many-atom motions during all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. We introduce, develop, and employ various topological techniques, in combination with analytic tools that we deduce from the concept of integrable models and structure of discrete nonlinear Schrödinger equation. The example we consider is an α-helical subunit of the HIV envelope glycoprotein gp41. The helical structure is stable when the subunit is part of the biological oligomer. But in isolation, the helix becomes unstable, and the monomer starts deforming. We follow the process computationally. We interpret the evolving structure both in terms of a backbone based Heisenberg spin chain and in terms of a side chain based XY spin chain. We find that in both cases the formation of protein supersecondary structure is akin the formation of a topological Bloch domain wall along a spin chain. During the process we identify three individual Bloch walls and we show that each of them can be modelled with a precision of tenths to several angstroms in terms of a soliton solution to a discrete nonlinear Schrödinger equation.


The author discusses his department's conversion to a new incident reporting system--why the decision was made, how the program was set up and data were entered, the purchase and installation of new computers, the computer network itself, the flow plan for reports, how training was conducted, and what problems had to be overcome.


Retinal gamma-aminobutyric acid type C (GABA[C]) receptors are believed to consist of rho subunits. The pharmacological properties of GABA(C) receptors appear to vary among different species. Since the mouse is an important model for gene targeting and behavioral studies, this study was aimed at cloning rho subunits in the mouse. Here we report the isolation of two full length cDNAs corresponding to mouse rho1 and rho2 subunits. In contrast to the rat, both subunits in mouse are able to form homomeric receptors, but only rho2 receptors are insensitive to picrotoxinin. Mouse rho1 and rho2 also co-assemble to form heteromeric receptors. These findings form the basis for further study on GABA(C) receptors using the mouse model.


Fatigue crack propagation life of weld toe crack through residual stress field was estimated using Elber's crack closure concept. Propagation of weld toe crack is heavily influenced by residual stresses caused by the welding process, so it is essential to take into account the effect of residual stresses on the propagation life of a weld toe crack. Fatigue cracks at transverse and longitudinal weld toe was studied, these two cases represent the typical weld joints in ship structures. Numerical and experimental studies are performed for both cases. Residual stresses near the welding area were estimated through a nonlinear thermo-elasto-plastic finite element method and the residual stress intensity factor with Glinka's weight function method. Effective stress intensity factor was calculated using the Newman-Forman-de Koning-Henriksen equation, which is based on the Dugdale strip yield model in estimating the crack closure level, U, at different stress ratios. Calculated crack propagation life coincided well with experimental results.


Sediment inflows to the San Francisco Bay system have been significantly affected by man since the 1860's. Mining and agriculture caused large increases in sediment inflows during the late 1800's, and rapidly increasing fresh water diversions for irrigation are now causing depleted sediment inflows. In addition, maintenance dredging within the system alters sediment transport. Sediments entering the system with land drainage consist largely of silts and clay minerals. These materials enter with high winter river flows and settle initially in the upper bays. Daily spring and summer onshore winds generate waves that suspend fine materials and hold them in suspension while tidal- and winddriven currents circulate the suspended material throughout the system and to the ocean. The effectiveness of waves in suspending deposited material increases rapidly with decreasing water depth. As the upper bays fill with sediment to depths where wave action resuspends the annual load at the same rate as the supply, the water depths tend to remain constant there, and further accumulation of sediment in the system occurs seaward. Evaluation of historical bathymetric surveys, including the effects of rising sea level, shows progressive sedimentation in the system that is now approaching Central Bay. Future fresh water diversions will materially slow this trend and will cause reduced turbidity from sediment particles.


Introduction: Despite several interventions, HIV/AIDS continued global leading cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in developing countries including Ethiopia. Aim: This study was aimed at assessing the risks of HIV infection and conditions after ART initiation among people living with HIV/AIDS at Zewditu Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: An ethnographic study was conducted using an in-depth interview through semi structured questionnaire and tape recorder. Using tape recorder, careful probing, verbatim transcription, interviewing up to saturation point and considering disparity are activities to keep data trustworthiness. Data were read carefully and grouped in to themes; risky behaviors, diagnosis and reactions, conditions after ART initiation, and future plan for thematic analysis. Results: Seven people living with HIV/AIDS (three male and four female) were participated. The mean age of respondents was 39.29 ± 6.34 SD. There were three orthodox followers, three divorced, two in marriage and two college graduated. All had serious risky behaviors to HIV infection: four had multiple sexual partners, three were very poor, two with substance abuse, two had blood contact history, and one had unprotected sex with different men. All accepted their diagnosis result, but only four started ART soon. All participants stopped having children or pregnancy since knowing their status and only four disclosed status. All respondents showed health improvement, and four respondents have desire to have marriage and children. Conclusions: Interviewed people were with different serious risky behaviors that will lead them HIV infection. ART service helped them improve their health, weight gain and have future plan on marriage, having children and education. Coordinated community level education, strong counseling, accessing uninterrupted HIV testing and ART services, open partner/family discussion, early HIV diagnosis and treatment, avoiding substance abuse, improving income of people with HIV/AIDS and safe sex practice are crucial to prevent HIV infection and improve ART adherence.


Clinical decision support is very important especially in such a wide-spread disease as a coronary artery disease. A large variety of prediction methods can potentially solve the classification problem to support clinical decisions. However, not all of them provide similar efficiency for the classification of patients with coronary artery disease. We have analyzed prediction the efficiency of classifiers (Ridge Classifier, XGB Classifier and Logistic Regression) depending on the number and combination of features. We have tested 24 sets of features on 4 classifiers to proof the hypothesis that using optimized features sets with a higher Pearson ratio results in more efficient classifiers than using all available data.


Disposing of waste into landfills is detrimental to the natural environment; waterbodies, land and the air. Conservation of natural resources is important for all future generations. It is estimated that over 390 million tons of waste was disposed into United States landfills in 1999 (http://www.zerowasteamerica.org). Today, in 2001, the situation is likely to be much worse. If this trend continues, we are likely to bury ourselves under a suffocating pile of landfill waste. In light of our Company's (Ricoh Electronics, Inc.) genuine concern to reduce this burden on the natural environment, we have embarked on a mission to discontinue disposing waste into landfills. Establishing such a system in the United States would be very difficult. The United States is a vast land with many landfills. Its culture is one of landfill disposal and not recycling. Despite this fact, Ricoh Electronics, Inc accomplished a culture change among its employees to achieve zero waste to landfill. As of March 2001, all eleven of Ricoh's North American manufacturing factories successfully established Zero Waste to Landfill Systems.


In order to solve the existing problems such as the less-plump corners and wrinkle during the forming process of a double curvature thin-wall part. Material parameter formulas are calculated based on Hill 1948 anisotropic yield criterion and flow rule. The material mechanical property parameters of 2A12 are obtained using uniaxial tensile experiment. Single factor test method is used and LS-DYNA is applied to conduct finite element analysis. So the influence law of holding force, blank shape and blank size imposed on the finite element model are calculated in sequence. On the basis of these laws, that the blanking force, blank dimension and blank shape are decided. Stamping die for the experiment model is designed and made, deformation measurement technology of coordinate grid circle is used to carry out strain analysis. From the comparison result between experiment and simulated data, it can be seen that Hill 1948 yield criterion and flow law can better solve the formability of 2A12 sheet.


Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects one in 66 children in Canada. The contributions of changes in the cortex and cerebellum to autism have been studied for decades. However, our understanding of brainstem contributions has only started to emerge more recently. Disruptions of sensory processing, startle response, sensory filtering, sensorimotor gating, multisensory integration and sleep are all features of ASD and are processes in which the brainstem is involved. In addition, preliminary research into brainstem contribution emphasizes the importance of the developmental timeline rather than just the mature brainstem. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review is to compile histological, behavioral, neuroimaging, and electrophysiological evidence from human and animal studies about brainstem contributions and their functional implications in autism. Moreover, due to the developmental nature of autism, the review pays attention to the atypical brainstem development and compares findings based on age. Overall, there is evidence of an important role of brainstem disruptions in ASD, but there is still the need to examine the brainstem across the life span, from infancy to adulthood which could lead the way for early diagnosis and possibly treatment of ASD.


This volume continues the story of Sterling C. Robertson's colonization efforts in Texas. Includes a description land in the Upper Brazos, and lists the 58 land grants issued between March 21, 1835 and July 25, 1835. Includes transcriptions of grants, correspondence, and other papers related to the Robertson Colony. Includes bibliographies and indexes.


Extraordinary $(X)$ waves are perpendicularly injected for electron Bernstein $(B)$ wave heating into an Ohmically heated plasma from the inboard side in the WT-3 tokamak. Measurements show that absorption does not take place at the electron cyclotron resonance layer nor the upper hybrid resonance layer, but does happen midway between them. This is consistent with the ray tracing prediction, i.e., the poloidal field and poloidal inhomogeneity of toroidal field lead the $B$ waves to have a large parallel refractive index ${N}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}$ $(g1)$, and the $B$ waves are damped away via the Doppler-shifted cyclotron resonance.


Objective:To evaluate the outcome of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) treated using a combination of endoscopic fetal surgery-specific techniques and surgical restraint. Summary Background Data:TTTS is a condition of identical twins that, if progressive and left untreated, leads to 100% mortality. The best treatment option is obliteration of the intertwin placental anastomoses, but fetal surgery carries significant maternal and fetal risks. Even if successful, percutaneous endoscopic laser ablation of placental vessels (LASER) causes premature rupture of membranes (PROM) in 10% to 20% of pregnancies. Patient selection is particularly critical because the progression of the disease is unpredictable. This has prompted many to intervene early, yielding survival rates of ≥1 twin of 75% to 80%. Methods:We developed a minimally invasive approach to fetal surgery, a unique membrane sealing technique and a conservative algorithm that reserves intervention for severe TTTS. Pregnancies with TTTS (stages I–IV) managed in the last 8 years were reviewed. LASER was offered in stage III/IV only. Results:Ninety-eight cases of TTTS were managed in a pediatric surgery/maternal-fetal medicine collaborative Fetal Treatment Program—39 were observed (40%) and 59 underwent LASER (60%). Survival of ≥ twin was seen in 82.7%, and overall survival was 69.4%. These survival rates are similar to, or better than, other comparable series with similar stage distribution (low:high stage ratio 1:1) in which all patients underwent LASER. PROM rate was 4%. Conclusions:Reserving LASER treatment for severe TTTS results in outcomes similar to, or better than, LASER for all stages. Applying fetal surgery-specific endoscopic techniques, including port-site sealing, reduces postoperative complications.


Fantasy games, in which players compete to correctly predict real-world outcomes in sports, entertainment, and politics, have grown in popularity and now represent a significant portion of online gaming. Pick'em pools, also known as office pools, are a fantasy game specifically focused on tournament-style competitions such as the "March Madness" NCAA basketball championship. Pick'em pool players often spend significant time trying to understand the current state of competition and to anticipate future events that may significantly affect their performance within the pool. Unfortunately, the combinatorial nature of the outcome space makes these tasks extremely challenging, and intuition is often a highly inaccurate guide. In this paper we present iSee, a system that allows players to make these complex calculations and inferences. We describe a variety of interface options for the interactive presentation of tournament outcome visualizations. We also describe in detail the implementation of a set of algorithms for reliably projecting player performance and distilling the complex outcome space to a number of key scenarios. Finally, we report on a pilot study soliciting user feedback on the system.


A significant increase in the information processing abilities of CNN's demands powerful information processing at the cell level. In this paper, the defining formula, the main properties, and several applications of a novel coupling cell are presented. Since it is able to implement any Boolean function, its functionality expands on those of digital RAMs by adding new capabilities such as learning and interpolation. While it is able to embed all previously accumulated knowledge regarding useful binary information processing tasks performed by standard CNNs, the pyramidal universal cell provides a broader context for defining other useful processing tasks, including extended gray scale or color image processing as well. Examples of applications in image processing are provided in this paper. Implementation issues are also considered. Assuming some compromise between area and speed, a VLSI implementation of CNNs based on pyramidal cells offers a speedup of up to one million times when compared to corresponding software implementations.


Moorings are a vital and often problematic component of any floating offshore renewable energy system, whether for wind or wave energy conversion, and here we consider the multi-float WEC system M4 in a 122 configuration. Previous experimental work has shown elastic cables to reduce extreme snap loads by a factor of about 6 when considering single cables between the bow float and a mooring buoy, and between the mooring buoy and the bed [1]. Here we compare results for two alternative configurations designed to reduce the mooring footprint as well as extreme snap loads. The first system, shown in Figure 1 (a), consists of a large surface buoy connected to the seabed with three equi-spaced elastic cables in pre-tension, with a single elastic cable to the bow float. The second system, shown in Figure 1 (b) has a smaller submerged buoy, again connected to the seabed with three equi-spaced elastic cables in pre-tension, however, this is connected to a smaller surface buoy which is subsequently connected to the bow float. Both systems are taut-slack. In this paper we present experimental measurements taken at the COAST laboratory at the University of Plymouth. Both configurations are tested in irregular (JONSWAP) wave conditions up to limiting steepness, with run times of 35 mins at 1:40 scale or about 3.5 hours full scale. Peak, mean and rms bed loads for both configurations are presented along with rms and peak relative angular pitch response with drive train disengaged (free hinge between mid and stern floats).
References[1] P. Stansby et al., "Experimental study of mooring forces on the multi-float WEC M4 in large waves with buoy and elastic cables," Ocean Eng., vol. 266, no. P4, p. 113049, 2022.


To investigate the characteristics of circularly-polarized waves as propagated through the troposphere, a field recording station has been set up at Hudson, Ohio. Continuous field intensity recordings have been made of the horizontal and vertical components as well as the circularly-polarized field over a 125-mile path from Columbus, Ohio. The results of these recordings are compared ? with recordings of the propagation of plane polarized waves over the same path, as wall as over the path from Detroit, Michigan, this latter path being about 50 per cent over water. A mobile recording survey has been conducted on a radial from Columbus through Hudson, and also on the circumference of a thirtymile radius around Colwdns. An analysis of this survey has been made showing the relationship betmen the horizontal and vertical components of the circularly-polarized field. lh addition, a comparison of the propagation data from Texas is made with the data obtained in this study. This cmparison sham marked daferences in the diurnal variation i n the two regions. This work has been performed under contract betmen the National Bureau of Standards and the mited Broadcasting Company.


Main objective of Web Scraping is to extract information from one or many websites and process it into simple structures such as spreadsheets, database or CSV file. However, in addition to be a very complicated task, Web Scraping is resource and time consuming, mainly when it is carried out manually. Previous studies have developed several automated solutions. The purpose of this article is to revisit the different existing Web Scraping approaches, categories, and tools, but also its areas of application.


Needle biopsy of the liver is a means of securing a strip of hepatic tissue for histologic examination by a relatively simple procedure that can be performed at the patient's bedside. The idea is not new. It was first suggested in 1895.1Although a few investigators in Europe employed the method, it received little attention until 1939. Since then there have been many reports on its application. Table 1 lists the references to the literature that have been examined. In addition to the references listed, other series of cases as yet unpublished have been made known to me. Iversen2in Copenhagen, Denmark, states that over 600 biopsies have now been performed in his clinic. Davis2in New Orleans has recently completed a seriesof 96 cases; Schiff2and his co-workers in Cincinnati have performed 60 such examinations, and Ducci2in Santiago, Chile, has done 62. The


PURPOSE
We compared our experience with intra- and extracorporeal stenting in laparoscopic transabdominal pyeloplasty in children and adolescents. As the placement of transanastomotic stents during laparoscopy can be difficult, we developed a technique for laparoscopic transrenal stent placement.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Eighty-six consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic transabdominal pyeloplasty in our institution from December 2003 to November 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Initially we antegradely placed the double J catheter (n=48), whereas in later patients transrenal/transcutaneous stents were inserted (n=38), either via a cannula from the flank (n=33) or from the inside-out by transrenal puncture using a specially constructed spear (n=5). End points of the analysis were stent-related technical problems and complications and the need for reoperation.

RESULTS
Sixty-two boys and 24 girls with a mean age of 5.6 years (range, 78 days-17.3 years) and mean weight of 22.1 kg (range, 5.5-71 kg) underwent laparoscopic transabdominal pyeloplasty. The most common technical problem in the double J group was inability to place the double J catheter in 9 of the 48 patients. In combination with other complications such as dislocations, urinary tract infections, or catheter occlusions, this led to an overall complication rate of 35% in the group that underwent double J catheter insertion versus 13% in the group with transrenal stenting (P<.05). In the whole series, 4 patients required a redo pyeloplasty, all of them in the double J group.

CONCLUSIONS
We recommend transrenal stents to facilitate stent removal without general anesthesia and to minimize complications such as stent dislocation. The initial experience with our simple device for transrenal puncture and stent placement is promising.


A band plan is a plan for utilizing a particular band of radio frequencies that are a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Each band plan defines the frequency range to be included, how channels are to be defined, and what will be carried on those channels. An Amateur Radio Band Plan is an arrangement of how to use radio frequencies. Amateur radio frequency allocation is done by national telecommunications authorities, in our case, it should have been done by Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission. Globally, the ITU oversees how much radio spectrum is set aside for amateur radio transmissions. In 2001 the National Frequency Allocation Plan was made and adopted in 2004 by BTRC. The commission allocated HF and VHF, UHF frequency range for HAM, but merely specified any details. Radio amateurs use a variety of transmission modes, including Morse code, radioteletype, data, and voice. Specific frequency allocations are a matter of record and vary from country to country and between ITU regions as specified in the current ITU HF frequency allocations for amateur radio. In our thesis we are aiming to come up with the band plan for amateur radio in Bangladesh. The proposal contains the distribution of amateur frequency to set the first such footing towards an effective utilization of the allocated frequencies. The proposed band plan is in accordance with the National Frequency Allocation Plan (NFAP) of Bangladesh, compatible with International Amateur Radio Union Region 3 (IARU R3) countries and it is done after taking consideration of our technology and resource.


In this paper, a theater design tool, "Auto-theater", tentatively made by the author is proposed to improve the theater design based on the parameter design. In the past, almost all the architects used the tools made by the software manufactures to draw graphics. Now, a few architects start to make the tools by themselves to generate designs. The primary objective is to help the architects focus themselves from using drawing tools onto making their own design tools, so that they will better understand the architectural rules. The paper describes in detail the development of "Auto-theater", discusses its application and outlooks its future.


For this paper we performed a simulation in R to calculate the maximum possible speed and mach number of a skydiver jumping from 40,000m and staying in a continuous heads-down position. The parameters are based loosely on the "Red Bull Stratos " project. We found that the skydiver would have a maximum velocity of 444.8ms^-1 at 60 seconds into the dive, reaching mach 1.5, and would stay supersonic for 55 seconds of the flight.


Gallium model systems containing fourand six-coordinate gallium sites have been investigated using solid-state NMR. Measurement of the isotropic chemical shift and electric field gradient (EFG) have been performed at 9.4 T on a-Ga2O3, b-Ga2O3, LiGaO2, NaGaO2, KGaO2, Ga2(SO4)3, and LaGaO3 using a variety of techniques on both NMR active nuclei (69Ga and 71Ga) including static, high speed magic-angle spinning (MAS), satellite transition (ST) spectroscopy, and rotor-assisted population transfer (RAPT). The chemical shift is found to correlate well with the coordination number, with four-coordinate gallium having values of approximately 50 ppm and six-coordinate gallium having values near 225 ppm (referenced to 1 M gallium nitrate solution). The magnitude of the EFG is found to be correlated to the distortion of the gallium polyhedra, with the strained systems having EFGs of 3 × 1021 Vm−2 or more, while the less strained systems have values of 1.5 × 1021 Vm−2 or less. A plot of chemical shift versus EFG suggests that solid-state NMR of gallium oxyanions can be more discriminating than liquid state NMR chemical shifts alone. Copyright  2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


known that apoptosis, necessary for renewal and vital activity of cells, is suppressed in the tumour cell. The strategies of anti-cancer therapy may be a search of the new drugs and development of targeted substances, including the Bcl-2 family proteins, to initiate apoptosis. One of such drugs may be spatially substituted phenol anphen sodium (AS), a derivative of dibunol that can inhibit free radical oxidation and interact with peroxide radicals in the cell, and has also biological activity. The study aims to investigate possible anti-cancer, antioxidant AS action on experimental tumours of the ascitic sarcoma 37 and Lewis carcinoma of F1 (C57Bl × DBA) mice. The influence of AS drug on Bcl-2 family proteins level in blood plasma Lewis carcinoma cells suspension in spleen cells of white mice was determined. the number of ascitic cells in ascitic fluid were studied; the changes in anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins and Bcl-2 family proteins levels were monitored by immunoblotting. Results: A significant (100%) anti-tumour effect of the antioxidant sodium antepoxide AS (2-(carboxy) -2- (N-acetylamino) -3- (3 ', 5'-di-t-butyl-4'-hydroxyphenyl) - sodium propionate was seen when it was administered to mice after transplantation of ascites sarcoma cells 37. The reduction of the Bcl-2 protein took place in the blood plasma of F1 mice (C57B1 × DBA), when AS (10- 4 M) was administered to mice before transplantation by Lewis cells of carcinoma, as shown by immunoblotting. At the same time, this did not change the survival rate of mice. The administration of AS into the Lewis carcinoma cell suspension causes a dramatic decrease in the amount of monomer and homodimer of Bcl-2 protein for 1-3 hours in these cells. AS drug administered during 4 days (10 -4 M) to white mice caused a change in the ratio of Bcl-2 family proteins in the spleen cells, indicating the onset of the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. Conclusion: The anti-cancer effect of AS can be associated with an effect on the molecular targets of the apoptosis pathway, including the proteins of the Bcl-2 family.


We report the case of a patient with AIDS who presented with bilateral, massive pulmonary cystic disease and pneumothorax presumably caused by Pneumocystis carinii which responded to treatment with cotrimoxazole. Follow-up with sequential chest X-rays and computed tomography scans showed a progressive improvement in the lung cysts which had resolved almost completely 11 months later. Several theories have been proposed to explain the cavitary lesions in this infection. The course observed in our patient suggests that a non-destructive mechanism was responsible for his lung cysts.


Reusing software components without proper analysis is very risky because software components can be used differently from the way that they were developed. This paper describes a new testing approach for reusing software components. With this new approach, it is possible to automatically decide if software components can be reused without testing. In addition, when retesting is required for reusing software, test cases are generated more efficiently using the previous testing history.


The SCOPE is a coupled radiative transfer and energy balance model used for simulation of vegetation optical properties and temperature at leaf and canopy level over a spectral range from 0.4 to 50 μm. Inversion of the model allows retrieving a number of plant traits: pigments (Cab, Car, Cant), dry matter content (Cdm), water content (Cw), leaf area index (LAI) and others. Subsequent forward simulation can calculate photosynthesis, evapotranspiration (ET) and a fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (fAPAR) that can be used further for integrated water use efficiency (WUE) and light use efficiency (LUE) calculations, respectively. The higher the accuracy in retrieved parameters is achieved the higher precision in calculated ecosystem functional properties will be.
This work aimed to develop a model-based retrieval algorithm from multispectral satellite data. The initial retrieval algorithm used numerical optimization of residuals squared sum and operated over the spectral range from 0.4 to 2.4 μm. First, the algorithm was extended to the thermal domain (up to 50 μm) and validated against open-source spectral measurement datasets (SPECCHIO). As the SCOPE model operates at both leaf and canopy levels, we had to use different cost functions and constraints for each level. Having validated the hyperspectral retrieval algorithm, we tried to make a convolution to the multispectral case of Sentinel-3 satellite sensors: ocean and land colour instrument (OLCI) and sea and land surface temperature radiometer (SLTR). Finally, parameter retrieved with the algorithm from Sentinel-3 images were used for a forward simulation of the SCOPE model and calculation of integrated WUE and LUE at few selected FLUXNET towers. The results of the simulation were validated against data from FLUXNET eddy-covariance towers.


Service quality is an important and effective tool for banks to achieve customer satisfaction and earn their loyalty, especially under intense competition. Indeed, there is a strong competition between Islamic banks in Malaysia whereby each practitioner is working hard to satisfy their customers' needs for service excellence. There are few studies that have included Shariah compliance with five other variables namely tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy known as CARTER model however, majority of these studies have not been conducted for Malaysia. The few studies that were conducted for Malaysia used only descriptive statistics and their sample sizes were small. Hence, this study addresses this gap by conducting the survey in Klang valley region which includes Kuala Lumpur, Gombak and Shah Alam. The method was carried out by conducting a survey of 300 respondents. Data is analyzed using factor analysis and multiple regressions to measure the relationship between the variables. The results indicated that compliance, reliability, and empathy have a positive relationship with customer satisfaction and are significant while assurance, tangibility, and responsiveness are insignificant. Hence, practitioners can emphasize on the three significant factors in improving their service quality. The academicians can benefit by conducting further research into this body of knowledge.


In this paper, we present a tool enhancement that allows an effective transition from the system level development phase to the software level development phase of a tool-supported safety engineering workflow aligned with the automotive functional safety standard ISO 26262. The tool enhancement has capabilities for model generation and code generation. Whereas the generation of Simulink models supports the development of application software, the configuration and generation of safety drivers supports the development of the basic software required for initialization, runtime fault detection and error handling. We describe the safety engineering workflow and its supporting tool chain including the tool enhancement. Moreover we demonstrate that the enhancement supports the transition from the system level development phase to the software level development phase using the case study of a hybrid electric vehicle development.


Here, we report the complete genome sequence of strain NMC 61 of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis, which was previously isolated from conveyor belts during chicken slaughter and has the potential to form biofilms on several surfaces. The genome is predicted to contain 110 noncoding small RNAs on the chromosome. ABSTRACT Here, we report the complete genome sequence of strain NMC 61 of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis, which was previously isolated from conveyor belts during chicken slaughter and has the potential to form biofilms on several surfaces. The genome is predicted to contain 110 noncoding small RNAs on the chromosome.


The region of West Central Michigan encompassing Grand Rapids and surrounding communities ranks in the top quartile among 306 U.S. regions evaluated by The Commonwealth Fund's Scorecard on Local Health System Performance, 2012, performing especially well on measures of prevention and treatment quality, avoidable hospital use, and costs of care. This relatively higher performance may stem from the area's conservative medical practice style and local stakeholders' stewardship of community health and health care, as illustrated by a long history of regional planning and accountability for promoting the efficient use of resources. Complementary efforts and incentives to improve quality of care, community outreach programs, and a commitment to strengthening the safety net also may influence regional performance. However, more recently, rising costs and increasingly competitive market dynamics appear to be challenging the social contract that has long guided community cooperation.


For decades Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903) designed parks and park systems across the United States, leaving an enduring legacy of designed public space that is enjoyed, studied, and protected today. His plans and professional correspondence offer a rich source for understanding his remarkable contribution to the quality of urban life in this country and the development of the profession of landscape architecture. Olmsted's writings also provide a unique record of society and politics in post-Civil War America. Historians, landscape architects, conservationists, city planners, and citizens' groups continue to turn to Olmsted for inspiration in their planning and protection of public open space in our cities. This latest and seventh volume of the Papers of Frederick Law Olmsted presents the record of his last years of residence in New York City. It includes reports on the design of Riverside and Morningside parks and Tompkins Square in Manhattan, as well as his comprehensive plan for the street system and rapid transit routes of the Bronx. It records his continuing work on Central Park and presents his final retrospective statement, "The Spoils of the Park." In addition, volume seven contains an annotated version of the journal in which Olmsted recorded instances of political maneuvering and patronage politics in the years before his dismissal from the New York parks department in 1878. Later documents chronicle the early stages of his planning of the Boston park system-the Back Bay Fens, Arnold Arboretum, and Riverway. Other major commissions, each with its own political complications, were the grounds of the U.S. Capitol, the completion of the new state capitol in Albany, the designing of a park on Mount Royal in Montreal, and construction of the park system of Buffalo, New York. The volume also presents Olmsted's commentary on issues of the times including federal Reconstruction policy and civil-service reform. The Olmsted Papers project is supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the National Trust for the Humanities, the National Association for Olmsted Parks, as well as private foundations and individuals.


This thesis focusses on two classes of systems that exhibit non-Fermi liquid behaviour in experiments: we investigated aspects of chiral ferromagnets and of antiferromagnetic metals close to a quantum critical point. In chiral ferromagnets, the absence of inversion symmetry makes spin-orbit coupling possible, which leads to a helical modulation of the ferromagnetically ordered state. We studied the motion of electrons in the magnetically ordered state of a metal without inversion symmetry by calculating their generic band-structure. We found that spin-orbit coupling, although weak, has a profound effect on the shape of the Fermi surface: On a large portion of the Fermi surface the electron motion parallel to the helix practically stops. Signatures of this effect can be expected to show up in measurements of the anomalous Hall effect. Recent neutron scattering experiments uncovered the existence of a peculiar kind of partial order in a region of the phase diagram adjacent to the ordered state of the chiral ferromagnet MnSi. Starting from the premise that this partially ordered state is a thermodynamically distinct phase, we investigated an extended Ginzburg-Landau theory for chiral ferromagnets. In a certain parameter regime of the Ginzburg-Landau theory we identified crystalline phases that are reminiscent of the so-called blue phases in liquid crystals. Many antiferromagnetic heavy-fermion systems can be tuned into a regime where they exhibit non-Fermi liquid exponents in the temperature dependence of thermodynamic quantities such as the specific heat capacity; this behaviour could be due to a quantum critical point. If the quantum critical behaviour is field-induced, the external field does not only suppress antiferromagnetism but also induces spin precession and thereby influences the dynamics of the order parameter. We investigated the quantum critical behavior of clean antiferromagnetic metals subject to a static, spatially uniform external magnetic field. We studied how the interplay of precession and damping affects various thermodynamic and transport quantities. We found that the susceptibility d M/d B is the thermodynamic quantity which shows the most significant change upon approaching the quantum critical point and which gives experimental access to the (dangerously irrelevant) spin-spin interactions. Finally, we studied the quantum critical behaviour of two-dimensional antiferromagnetic metals. Going beyond an order parameter theory, we included the electronic quasiparticles as well as the fluctuating magnetization in a functional Renormalization Group calculation. Preliminary results indicate a divergence in the fRG-equations already at a finite distance from the quantum critical point - this is incompatible with the Hertz-Millis picture.


Recurrent venous thromboembolism is associated with increased mortality in 5-9% of the patients. On the other hand prolonged anticoagulation can increase the bleeding risk which can also be responsible for an increased mortality. Therefore, it is necessary to validate the recurrence risk of venous thromboembolism on an individual basis. In this review the most relevant risk factors for recurrent venous thromboembolism are analyzed. Spontaneous thrombosis is associated with significantly increased recurrence rates in comparison to risk associated venous thrombosis. In addition, a positive D-dimer result after stop of anticoagulation, an increased amount of residual thrombus in proximal veins analyzed by compression sonography, a proximal localization of thrombosis, symptomatic pulmonary embolism and male sex are clinically relevant risk factors for increased recurrence rates. While mild thrombophilic defects like heterozygous factor V Leiden mutation are not associated with a clinically relevant recurrence risk, inherited inhibitor deficiencies and the antiphospholipid-syndrome are known to be responsible for an increased recurrence rate of venous thromboembolism. A new recurrence risk-score (RR-Score) for individual judgement of patients with a first spontaneous venous thrombosis is introduced.


Auxiliaries can serve a more important financial role in today's environment than ever before. Hospitals are searching for positive avenues to promote themselves to the community and to generate more financial support to help offset the losses created by decreasing inpatient utilization and payments from third-party payers. Auxiliaries should recognize that their financial role has never been more important to the financial viability of their hospitals. Auxiliaries should communicate closely with hospital administration so that both organizations work to achieve compatible goals. Auxiliaries should be operated more like businesses, which means establishing goals and objectives, preparing effective budgets and interim financial statements, thinking and planning innovatively, and establishing adequate inventory controls, investment policies, and pricing structures. If auxiliaries follow these steps, they will not only succeed in providing more financial support to hospitals than ever before but will also receive the recognition and support they deserve for their effort.


The efficient use of the available resources is very important for a country's economical and political development. Energy is the main component of the natural resources of industrialized and developing countries. Since Turkey is not an oil or a natural gas producing country, her current energy resources should be allocated to the appropriate energy consuming sectors considering the various objectives and constraints. The main objective of this study is to devise a model to allocate the current energy resources to the Turkish Manufacturing Industry sub-groups by using Linear Physical Programming (LPP), which is a multi-objective optimization technique. The most widely used energy resources in the Turkish Manufacturing Industry, namely, fuel-oil, lignite, hard coal, electricity, LPG and natural gas are taken into consideration in this study. Furthermore, several scenarios are generated on the probable risks of price fluctuations, energy shortages in relation to specific resources, and on the influences of energy emission targets to measure the robustness of allocation preferences.


Impulses in primary afferent nerve fibers may produce short- or long-lasting modifications in spinal nociception. Here we have identified a robust long-term depression (LTD) of synaptic transmission in substantia gelatinosa neurons that can be induced by low-frequency stimulation of primary afferent Aδ-fibers. Synaptic transmission between dorsal root afferents and neurons in the substantia gelatinosa of the spinal cord dorsal horn was examined by intracellular recording in a transverse slice dorsal root preparation of rat spinal cord. Conditioning stimulation of dorsal roots with 900 pulses given at 1 Hz (10 V, 0.1 msec) produced LTD of EPSP amplitudes in substantia gelatinosa neurons to 41 ± 10% of control that lasted for at least 2 hr. When A- and C-fibers were recruited, conditioning stimulation was as effective as A-fiber stimulation alone. After LTD, synaptic strength could be increased to its original level by applying a second, high-frequency tetanic stimulus to the dorsal root, indicating that LTD is reversible and not attributable to damage of individual synapses. Bath application of the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline and glycine receptor antagonist strychnine did not affect LTD. When NMDA receptors were blocked by bath application ofd-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid, LTD was abolished or strongly reduced. Loading substantia gelatinosa neurons with Ca2+ chelator BAPTA also blocked or reduced LTD. After incubation of slices with calyculin A, a selective and membrane permeable inhibitor of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, LTD was not attenuated. We propose that this form of LTD may be relevant for long-lasting segmental antinociception after afferent stimulation.


Various efforts are made to quantify and explain risk taking behavior including systematic risk with in financial institutions. This study is about determining various factors affecting commercial banks systematic risk in Pakistan. Sample included in the study consisted of twelve commercial banks listed in PSX (Pakistan Stock Exchange), these banks hold 81.3% market share of customer deposits. Data was collected from 2010 to 2016. The systematic risk for this study was calculated through stock beta (SB) and value at risk (VaR). To determine systematic risk the independent variables used are liquidity, firm size, asset quality, firm growth, return on assets, business mix, operating efficiency and loan growth. The result shows that liquidity, asset quality, return on assets and firm size have significant impact on systematic risk of banks in Pakistan.


On-chip functional blocks for sample preprocessing are necessary elements for the implementation of fully portable micrototal analysis systems (μTAS). We demonstrate and characterize the microparticle and whole-blood manipulation capabilities of surface acoustic wave (SAW) driven counterflow micropumps. The motion of suspended cells in this system is governed by the two dominant acoustic forces associated with the scattered SAW (of wavelength λf): acoustic-radiation force and acoustic-streaming Stokesian drag force. We show that by reducing the microchannel height (h) beyond a threshold value the balance of these forces is shifted toward the acoustic-radiation force and that this yields control of two different regimes of microparticle dynamics. In the regime dominated by the acoustic radiation force (h ≲ λf), microparticles are collected in the seminodes of the partial standing sound-wave arising from reflections off microchannel walls. This enables the complete separation of plasma and corpuscular components of whole blood in periodical predetermined positions without any prior sample dilution. Conversely, in the regime dominated by acoustic streaming (h ≫ λf), the microbeads follow vortical streamlines in a pattern characterized by three different phases during microchannel filling. This makes it possible to generate a cell-concentration gradient within whole-blood samples, a behavior not previously reported in any acoustic-streaming device. By careful device design, a new class of SAW pumping devices is presented that allows the manipulation and pretreatment of whole-blood samples for portable and integrable biological chips and is compatible with hand-held battery-operated devices.


This dissertation is specially based on the researcher study about the cybercrime and analysis of laws: a case study of Zanzibar legal issues. The data collected through interviews, internet and library research with focus on the issue of cybercrime in Zanzibar ; the data was collected from different institutions called Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), High court of Zanzibar, Zanzibar Attorney General Chamber and Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affair, Zanzibar Law review Commission, Police Headquarter and MwembeMadema Police Station, Peoples Bank of Zanzibar, Zanzibar Telecommunication Company ltd, Ministry of Infrastructure and Communication and The State University of Zanzibar. The study will help to fill the gap between laws and cyberspace in Zanzibar and bring benefits to the responsible institutions to initiate legislation specific for cybercrime and amend our laws to meet the requirement in a life of digital technology. Also, the study boarded in studying experiences of international legal response and regional legal frame work in order to identify importance of the innovation and challenges faces the field. And last give the recommendation on issue required to solve the challenge on current legislation.


This paper analyzes the effect of market concentration and product differentiation on the observed outcomes of competition among oligopolists. The empirical framework is designed to examine whether competition is less intense in markets with equal levels of concentration but more differentiation among the products offered. A two-stage estimation procedure is proposed to address the endogeneity problem inherent in comparing outcomes across different market structures. I estimate the competitive effects using data from a cross section of oligopoly motel markets located along U.S. interstate highways. The results indicate that firms benefit substantially by offering differentiated products. The presence of any market competitor drives down prices, but the effect is much smaller when the competitor is a different product type. Differentiation is optimal product choice behavior because the resulting competition among firms is less tough when their products are differentiated.


The first detection of GWs from a binary neutron star merger (GW170817) marked the beginning of the multimessenger astronomy era. A few hours after the GW detection, the observation of an associated electromagnetic counterpart compatible with a kilonova/macronova emission remarkably confirmed our basic picture concerning the ejection of matter and the nucleosynthesis occurring in such a kind of events. At the same time, it gave a first demonstration of the power of a multimessenger analysis in exploiting binary compact mergers as laboratory of fundamental physics. In this contribution, we will present the status of kilonova/macronova modeling in terms
of the different ejection mechanisms, and of the associated r-process nucleosynthesis. We will show the impact of the variety of ejecta (both in terms of microphysical properties and spatial distributions) on the light curves, with a particular application to the case of GW170817. This modelling provides complementary information to the GW signal and is crucial to set multimessenger constraints, for example for the equation of state of nuclear matter.


The philosophy of 'lowest price wins' in the selection of subcontractors often leads to problems with quality of work and claims for further costs. Since Latham (1994), many models have offered selection methods that take account of a wide range of quality criteria as well as price. A review of existing literature and models enables a list of selection criteria to be drawn up and a survey ascertains which selection criteria are considered most important and whether opinions change when faced with different types of project. The results of the questionnaire are analysed through the use of Simple Relative Indexes, Spearman's Rank Correlation Coefficient tests and a number of T-tests. It is established that price is no longer considered the only important factor in subcontractor selection, and that health and safety, past performance, and insurance cover are considered equally important and, in some scenarios, more important than price.


ABSTRACT In this study, the potentiality and economic viability of solar photovoltaic (PV) in Ghana was assessed using RETScreen software. 5 MW of grid-connected solar PV power system using SunPower SPR-320E-WHT-D PV module can be harnessed from Navrongo, Bawku, Wa, Tema, Bolgatanga, Axim, Salaga, Kintampo, Kete Krachi, Tamale, Hohoe, Koforidua, Ejura, Takoradi, Bole, Sunyani, Bibiani, Cape coast, Prestea, and Akuse, which requires US$17,752,179 of investment capital and 25,313 m2 of land for PV installation. The potential of 5 MW grid-connected PV development for Accra, Kumasi, Wenchi, and Tafo are limited. However, there are solar PV energy potentials for low-capacity PV modules for these locations. Investing in solar photovoltaic technology is capital intensive in a developing country like Ghana. However, Government's effort to provide incentives like subsidies and creating the economic environment for private sector investment will boost investment possibilities of renewable energy in Ghana, which can help in curbing the recent power outages and load shedding, thereby increasing productivity and economic resilience.


In a new model for answer retrieval, document collections are distilled offline into large repositories of facts. Each fact constitutes a potential direct answer to questions seeking a particular kind of entity or relation, such as questions asking about the date of particular events. Question answering becomes equivalent to online fact retrieval, which greatly simplifies the de-facto system architecture.


Sir Richard Owen (1804-1892), comparative anatomist, colleague and later antagonist of Darwin, and head of the British Museum (Natural History), was a major figure in Victorian science, and one of the least well known. Historians of science have found Owen a difficult subject, partly because he seldom wrote at length about his theories of the nature of life. However, his contemporaries--Darwin, Lyell, Grant, Huxley, and others-certainly knew his ideas and agreed or argued with him while developing their own views. Now, for the first time, modern readers may consult the single sustained exposition of his views that Owen ever provided: his Hunterian Lectures. Phillip Reid Sloan has transcribed and edited the seven surviving lectures and has written an introduction and commentary that situate this work in the context of Owen's life and the scientific life of the time. The lectures survey some of the history of comparative anatomy since Aristotle and draw on work by some of Owen's contemporaries. Their chief value, however, lies in Owen's elucidation of his own view on the relationships among various groups of living things."Owen is one of the linchpin figures of Victorian science. The publication of these lectures is important, and Sloan is to be commended for a fine transcription."--Adrian Desmond, University College, London


pregnancy, 3 fetuses were lost to follow up and one pregnancy is still ongoing. In the RAI group 5/18 pregnancies (27%) were terminated and one fetus was lost to follow up. Arrhythmia was only present in the LAI group: 8/28 (29%) fetuses with LAI had third degree AV Block, of which three developed hydrops. Overall 29 fetuses (63%) were live born. Eighteen (18/29, 62%) newborns survived the first year, and 15/29 (51%) patients were alive at the time of data collection at a median age of 5.4 years. Biventricular anatomy was present in 8/17 (47%) patients in the LAI group univentricular palliation was more common in the RAI group: 10/12 patients underwent at least the first step of palliation, 5/12 (42%) children with RAI have reached the Fontan procedure stage after palliative surgery. One neonate (RAI) was found to be inoperable, and one child had a biventricular corrective surgery. Conclusions: In this study, fetuses with RAI and complex cardiac disease had a slightly more favourable outcome than previously described, once they survive the first year of life.


The use of tethered Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in aerial robotic applications is a relatively unexplored research field. In this work a numerically efficient implementation of a sigma-point Kalman filter is applied to the attitude and relative position estimation of a small-size tethered unmanned helicopter. For that purpose, the state prediction is performed using a kinematic process model driven by measurements of the inertial sensors (accelerometer and gyroscope) onboard the helicopter and the subsequent correction is done using information from additional sensors like magnetometer, radar altimeter and magnetic encoders measuring the tether orientation relative to the helicopter. Assuming the tether is kept taut by an actuated device on ground during the system operation, this approach avoids the need of a global positioning system (GPS) as the position is estimated relative to the anchor point. The filter performance is evaluated in simulations.


IN 1945 the use of amorphous penicillin was being suggested as a mode of treatment for syphilis of the central nervous system. A few articles had appeared indicating that the treatment had increased efficacy over the modes of therapy then in vogue, and it seemed desirable to check these impressions. Therefore, in September, 1945, an investigative project was set in motion at the Ypsilanti State Hospital. The patients with dementia paralytica committed to the hospital were suffering from the usual severe type. Criteria for the selection of patients in the groups to be studied were considered important. It was decided to divide the patients entering the hospital with dementia paralytica into five groups, taking them as nearly as possible in rotation. The criteria necessary for the patients to be considered were (1) that they not have had penicillin therapy prior to their admission to the hospital, and (2) that their


Uncertainty about the future and orebody should significantly impact evaluation of mining projects. Scenario planning, widely used in other industries, for example in the petroleum industry, can provide organisations with an opportunity to explore the consequences of uncertainty on their future plans. By developing plausible scenarios, scenario planning assists decision makers by allowing them to make systematic and possibly effective decisions for the future. This paper reviews existing mine project evaluation in the context of a new framework called scenario-based project evaluation (SBPE) (Vann et al, 2012) that addresses many shortcomings of existing approaches. SBPE uses conditional simulations (CS) models as inputs which are evaluated against future alternative project pathways ('alternatives'). These alternatives are evaluated using multiple plausible images of the deposit (CS realisations) which capture realistic variability and as an ensemble, map uncertainty of various orebody attributes at fine scale. The alternatives can involve different mining, stockpiling, blending and processing strategies. The ultimate output is a (stochastic) set of cash flows for each alternative from which financial measures, such as NPV, can be derived. Alternatives can then be explored in the presence of against external scenarios such as changes in prices, costs, and taxation. The obvious problem with such data rich results is knowing which scenarios or group of scenarios are optimal. An innovative approach to robust stochastic optimisation (RSO) suited to the SBPE framework is presented here for the first time. This approach to RSO aims to deal with the large number of alternatives generated from SPBE. The goal of applying the RSO approach to SBPE is to identify robust strategic alternatives (project configurations) which have the flexibility to deal with variability and uncertainty of geological and processing inputs such as density, grade and process performance. By applying the proposed RSO method, it is possible to deal with uncertainty and identify the best project configuration in the face of a large number of envisaged scenarios. A case study is provided, in which we have tested the application of the proposed method and compared the result with conventional methods. An important conclusion from this research is that selecting the value of the penalty coefficients in the RSO approach proposed is (as is all optimisation) an exercise of trade-offs; a higher net present value (NPV) is generally associated with a higher risk and a lower risk is associated with a lower NPV. Indeed, this is a strong argument for considering the RSO approach outlined here over more conventional approaches.