We evaluated the effects of a prescribed fire in a ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest intermittently over 43 years. Changing climatic (precipitation) conditions spanned this evaluation with a sequential pattern of annual precipitation regimes above average, average, and below average (drought conditions) encompassed. The original objective of the fire to consume three-fourths of the litter and duff layers to reduce the water-holding capacities of these layers was initially met. Although nearly 50 % of the basal area of the pre-fire tree overstory was lost in the burn, basal area was approaching 90 % of the pre-fire level 43 yr following the fire. We attributed the lack of ponderosa pine reproduction after 43 yr to the litter and duff layers returning to pre-fire conditions. Annual herbage production increased for a while following the fire but then decreased with the increasing tree overstory and litter and duff layers following the burn. Within the context of the changing climatic (precipitation) conditions encountered, the results of this evaluation indicate that prescribed burning at intervals less than the 43 yr evaluation period are required to sustain the effects of this prescribed fire.


Following the extra ordinary decision to bail in the unsecured depositors and restructure the two main banks and the near complete destruction of the country's economic business model as an International Financial Centre, the author considers the changes necessary to rebuild the economy of Cyprus on solid and sustainable foundations. The effort should revolve around the need to build a capability to source funds and appraise capital investment projects, reform the banking sector so that banks will begin to perform their primary function as prudent lenders, remove economic distortions and other controls and constraints in the free market economy and last but not least, take such measures as to gradually instil a learning culture in the working population. It is recommended that Cyprus should establish a National Development Finance Agency to undertake the lead in appraisal and financing of key developmental projects and Public-Private Partnerships.


The paper analyzes current issues of managing human capital of a modern university including personnel planning and development, recruitment, talent management, and their impact on the university image and reputation. The paper reports on the research performed at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics regarding development of a system of indicators for faculty ranking. The research results are assessed against increased competition in the higher education sector, the new criteria for evaluation of the effectiveness of Russian universities, and the need to differentiate faculties' remuneration depending on their teaching and research performance. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n5s4p465


Detecting chemical compounds using electronic noses is important in many gas sensing related applications. Existing gas detection methods typically use prior knowledge of the target analytes. However, in some scenarios, the analytes to be detected are not fully known in advance, and preparing a dedicated model is not possible. To address this issue, we propose a gas detection approach using an ensemble of one-class classifiers. The proposed approach is initialized by learning a Mahalanobis-based and a Gaussian based model using clean air only. During the sampling process, the presence of chemicals is detected by the initialized system, which allows to learn a one-class nearest neighbourhood model without supervision. From then on the gas detection considers the predictions of the three one-class models. The proposed approach is validated with real-world experiments, in which a mobile robot equipped with an e-nose was remotely controlled to interact with different chemical analytes in an open environment.


An accelerated approach towards the development and commercialization of hydrogen fuel cells in the recent years has been necessiated owing to the adverse effects that follows the use of fossil fuels for all our energy requirements. Amongst the hydrogen driven fuel cells, Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are popular for their application in both stationary and transportation sectors. PEMFCs, however are restricted by a number of factors, one of them being their low tolerance to impurities present in the feed streams. One method to enhance their tolerance towards impurities is to operate at higher temperatures (125-200 oC). The transition in the operating temperature is facilitated either by altering the hydrated nafion membranes employed in PEMFCs or by using phosphoric acid doped polybenzimidazole (PBI) membrane. The membrane functions both as a proton conductor as well as a separator between the anode and cathode. The use of PBI allows higher operating temperatures for PEMFCs and are classified as High Temperature PEM fuel cells (HT-PEM). The ones which use Nafion and operates below 100 oC are classified as low temperature PEM fuel cells (LT-PEM) The way forward for the advancement of HT-PEM fuel cell technology is experimentation assisted by modeling studies. Numerical modeling helps to understand the intricate physical and chemical processes within the cell. Models that range from simple analytical models to three dimensional and system level models are available in the literature. However, the ones that study the fundamental aspects of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) under HT-PEM fuel cell operating conditions are rather scarce in the literature. The fundamental aspects of HOR and ORR are experimentally studied using rotating disc electrodes (RDE) typically at room temperature. The exchange current densities are then calculated from RDE measurements by extrapolating the data from room temperature to fuel cell operating temperatures. There are reports which points to the draw back of RDE to accurately measure HOR rates in acid electrolytes due to the very fast kinetics of HOR in acid media compared to alkaline media. It has been found that the exchange current densities calculated using Butler-Volmer equations are much higher than the ones measured using RDE. When it comes to ORR it is well known that the performance of PEM fuel cells is limited by the sluggish ORR, which leads to significant activation losses. This thesis presents the experimental and modeling studies of HT-PEM fuel cell performance. The durability of electrocatalysts is limited in presence of impurities in the electrochemical systems. The reformate hydrogen fuel used in fuel cells contain ppm level of CO which is deleterious for the fuel cell performance. HT-PEM fuel cells are advantageous because of high operating temperatures and can tolerate CO upto percentage levels. In our study, we explore the effect of trace amount of chloride when present in the anode catalyst layer at HT-PEM operating conditions. The chloride poisoning studies are performed using binderless electrodes and its effect on the performance on commercial Pt/C and PtRu/C anode catalysts is determined using half-cell and single cell studies. The influence on CO poisoning when trace amount of chloride is present in the anode catalyst layer is also studied using electrochemical impedance analysis for Pt/C catalysts and using potentiostatic studies for PtRu/C catalysts. The observed effects are discussed in detail in this thesis. Further, the performance on pure H2 and CO contaminated H2 at various operating temperatures is evaluated using modeling and simulation studies, and is validated experimentally using a 2.25 cm2 membrane electrode assembly (MEA). Starting from the elementary step reactions for HOR and ORR, six different models for the kinetics of HOR and three different models for ORR are derived. The derived models have the advantage that the exchange current density formulation is free from the arbitrary order dependency with respect to the partial pressures of reactants and products and depends on the symmetry factor. Using the derived expressions, two different charge transfer models are implemented as part of this thesis. One model assumes that the charge transfer reactions occur only at the interface between the electrolyte membrane and catalyst layer (interface charge transfer model), while the other accounts for the charge transport within the catalyst layer of the electrodes (distributed charge transfer model). These different charge transfer models with different HOR and ORR kinetics are incorporated into a multi-physics model of the cell, which accounts for the convective and diffusive transport within the flow channels and the electrodes. The model predictions are compared with experimental measurements performed as a part of this thesis and data reported in literature.


The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of intravenous administration of epinephrine (2 mg) (118 ug//kg) on physiological responses of normal and splenectomized goats. Epinephrine increased respiration rate (RR) and heart rate (HR) in normal and splenectomized animals, the rise in HR was greater in splenectomized animals. The increase in packed cell volume (PCV) following administration of epinephrine was significant in normal animals; it remained steady in splenectomized group. Epinephrine increased the total leukocyte count (TLC) in both groups, the increase was more pronounced in non-splenectomized animals. Injection of epinephrine resulted in an increase, followed by a decrease in lymphocyte ratio and a significant increase in neutrophil ratio in splenectomized animals. The ratio of monocytes decreased significantly at 30 min in both groups. Serum total protein concentration decreased in normal and splenectomized animals; albumin concentration showed an increase in normal group, but did not change in splenectomized group. The plasma glucose level increased in both groups in response to epinephrine; the rise was greater in splenectomized animals. Serum Na concentration increased in response to epinephrine in normal and splenectomized animals. The results demonstrated that splenecomy may influence the physiological responses to epinephrine in goats.


The Chandrayaan-2 Large Area Soft X-ray spectrometer (CLASS) is due to be launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 2014. It will map the elemental composition of the lunar surface, building on the Chandrayaan-1 X-ray spectrometer (C1XS) heritage. CLASS will use an array of e2v technologies CCD236 swept charge devices (SCD) providing an active detector area of approximately 64 cm2, almost three times the active area of C1XS which used the first generation of SCD, the CCD54. The CCD236 is designed as a soft X-ray detector, 0.8 keV to 10 keV, and benefits from improvements in design to allow for increased detector area, a reduction in split X-ray events and improvements to radiation hardness. This paper describes the investigation into the performance requirements of the CCD236, focussing on an optimisation of the energy resolution of a device irradiated to the estimated worse case end of life proton fluence.


The objectives of this work were to investigate the genetic variation in 79 soybean (Glycine max) accessions from different regions of the world, to cluster the accessions based on their similarity, and to test the correlation between the two types of markers used. Simple sequence repeat markers present in genomic (SSR) and in expressed regions (EST-SSR) were used. Thirty SSR primer-pairs were selected (20 genomic and 10 EST-SSR) based on their distribution on the 20 genetic linkage groups of soybean, on their trinucleotide repetition unit and on their polymorphism information content. All analyzed loci were polymorphic, and 259 alleles were found. The number of alleles per locus varied from 2-21, with an average of 8.63. The accessions exhibit a significant number of rare alleles, with genotypes 19, 35, 63 and 65 carrying the greater number of exclusive alleles. Accessions 75 and 79 were the most similar and accessions 31 and 35, and 40 and 78, were the most divergent ones. A low correlation between SSR and EST-SSR data was observed, thus genomic and expressed microsatellite markers are required for an appropriate analysis of genetic diversity in soybean. The genetic diversity observed was high and allowed the formation of five groups and several subgroups. A moderate relationship between genetic divergence and geographic origin of accessions was observed.


Abstract—Health of a person plays a vital role in the collective health of his community and hence the well-being of the society as a whole. But, in today's fast paced technology driven world, health issues are increasingly being associated with human behaviors – their lifestyle. Social networks have tremendous impact on the health behavior of individuals. Many researchers have used social network analysis to understand human behavior that implicates their social and economic environments. It would be interesting to use a similar analysis to understand human behaviors that have health implications. This paper focuses on concepts of those behavioural analyses that have health implications using social networks analysis and provides possible algorithmic approaches. The results of these approaches can be used by the governing authorities for rolling out health plans, benefits and take preventive measures, while the pharmaceutical companies can target specific markets, helping health insurance companies to better model their insurance plans.


Many County Extension offices offer an adult Master Gardener Program, which includes advanced gardening training, short courses, newsletters, and conferences. However, with the comprehensive training provided comes a large time commitment. The Produce Your Own program was created to introduce adults to gardening in a similar manner, but with shorter, less demanding, and less technical sessions. The outreach program consisted of a series of four interactive sessions focused on plot design, crop selection, garden maintenance, harvesting, and preserving. The content can be adapted in many ways for adults, seniors, youth, and other audiences, which allows Extension to reach larger audiences.


Cur rently we are in the midst of a chronic disease epidemic of congestive heart failure (CHF) worldwide. This epidemic is marked by a rapid rise in prevalent cases over the past decade that is due in part to the aging population and improved survival in patients with other cardiovascular conditions. At present there are 5 million Americans with congestive hear t failure, with nearly 500,000 new cases every year. To provide cost-effective treatment for patients with congestive hear t failure, rapid and accurate differentiation of congestive hear t failure from other causes of dyspnea must be accomplished. Although echocardiography is considered the gold standard for the detection of left ventricular dysfunction, it is expensive, is not always easily accessible, and may not always reflect an acute condition. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a cardiac neurohormone specifically secreted from the cardiac ventricles as a response to ventricular volume expansion, pressure overload, and resultant increased wall tension. BNP can be used in the diagnosis of CHF. However, the present American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association practice guidelines (2001) for the evaluation and management of CHF state that the role of blood BNP in the identification of patients with CHF remains to be fully clarified. We have discussed the role of BNP in the diagnosis and management of CHF. (J Postgrad Med 2003;49:182-185)


Canada and the United States have vast energy resources, supported by thousands of kilometers (miles) of pipeline infrastructure built and maintained each year. Whether the pipeline runs through remote territory or passing through local city centers, keeping commodities flowing safely is a critical part of day-to-day operation for any pipeline. Real-time leak detection systems have become a critical system that companies require in order to provide safe operations, protection of the environment and compliance with regulations. The function of a leak detection system is the ability to identify and confirm a leak event in a timely and precise manner. Flow measurement devices are a critical input into many leak detection systems and in order to ensure flow measurement accuracy, custody transfer grade liquid ultrasonic meters (as defined in API MPMS chapter 5.8) can be utilized to provide superior accuracy, performance and diagnostics.This paper presents a sample of real-time data collected from a field install base of over 245 custody transfer grade liquid ultrasonic meters currently being utilized in pipeline leak detection applications. The data helps to identify upstream instrumentation anomalies and illustrate the abilities of the utilization of diagnostics within the liquid ultrasonic meters to further improve current leak detection real time transient models (RTTM) and pipeline operational procedures. The paper discusses considerations addressed while evaluating data and understanding the importance of accuracy within the metering equipment utilized. It also elaborates on significant benefits associated with the utilization of the ultrasonic meter's capabilities and the importance of diagnosing other pipeline issues and uncertainties outside of measurement errors.Copyright © 2016 by ASME


Abstract West Hiawatha field is located in Moffat County, Colorado. The field was first drilled in the early 1930s and comprises 18 pay sands over a 3,500-ft interval. Production over this interval is from the Wasatch, Fort Union, Lance, Lewis, and Mesaverde horizons. The Wasatch and Fort Union horizons are composed of fluvial channel sand bodies ranging in thicknes from 5 ft to 60 ft. The thicker sand channels have been mapped, and a general directional trend of the channels has been identified, along with an area where the channels are concentrated. The shallow Wasatch and Fort Union sands were traditionally completed with hydraulic fracture treatments designed to interest multiple pay sands in a single stage. Thin sands were often ignored because of the economic limitations of isolating small intervals. Recent completions have utilized coiled tubing as the fracturing conduct, which allowed individual sands to be fracture stimulated. As many as 14 coiled tubing-conveyed stages have been placed per wellbore, with individual stages placing from 20,000 to 55,000 pounds of proppant using a guar-based nitrogen foam fracturing fluid. With the improved clean-up and enhanced efficiency, wells have been brought on production four to six days earlier than when using the traditional method of completion. Results obtained by selectively fracturing all pay sands confirmed a significant variation of the fracture gradient in each interval. The variation in fracture gradient proved the ineffectiveness of stimulating multiple zones in one treatment. Production rates from these new completions are 75% above historical rates and have significantly increased the return on capital. The total field production is at the highest level in the field's 70-year history.


A tactical situation analogous to the goal-keeping and scoring problem in hockey is considered. The problem is formulated as a differential game and solved analytically using dynamic programming techniques. The analytic solution is represented by return function maps (in two variables). Other approaches to the problem are indicated with a discussion of their particular advantages and difficulties. Results are quoted for more complex goal-keeping games obtained by a combination of techniques.


Metastatic cutaneous melanoma is highly resistant to cytotoxic drugs, and this contributes to poor prognosis. In vivo studies on the chemosensitivity of metastatic melanoma are rare and hampered by poor response rates to systemic chemotherapeutics. Patients who undergo isolated limb infusion (ILI) with cytotoxic drugs show high response rates and are, therefore, a good cohort for studying chemosensitivity in vivo. We used tumors from patients who underwent ILI to study the role of melanoma tumor-suppressor genes and oncogenes on melanoma chemosensitivity. Prospectively acquired tumors from 30 patients who subsequently underwent ILI with melphalan and actinomycin-D for metastatic melanoma were investigated for mRNA expression levels of p14(ARF), p16(INK4a), and MITFm. The mutation status of B-RAF, N-RAS, and PTEN were also determined. A high percentage of tumors had activating mutations in either B-RAF (15/30) or N-RAS (10/30) and only two tumors carried altered PTEN. High expression of p16(INK4a) and absence of an activating B-RAF mutation independently predicted response to treatment. Further, inducible expression of p16(INK4a) sensitized a melanoma cell line to death induced by melphalan or actinomycin-D. This study shows that high expression of p16(INK4a) or the absence of activated B-RAF correlates with in vivo response of melanoma to cytotoxic drugs.


Dr. Zahm's report is a description of the six-component wind-tunnel balance in use at the Aerodynamic Laboratory, Washington Navy Yard. The description of the balance gives the mechanical details and the method of operation, and is accompanied by line drawings showing the construction of the balance. The balance is of particular interest, as it allows the model to be set up quickly and accurately in roll, pitch, and yaw, without stopping the wind. It is possible to measure automatically, directly, and independently the drag, cross-wind force, and lift; also the rolling, pitching, and yawing moments. It is also possible to make the balance self-recording.


With the emergence of various multimedia applications, service and devices, multimedia delivery is expected to become the major traffic of Internet which will keep increasing rapidly. In order to serve such large scale multimedia applications, more and more service providers store their video assets in the cloud and delivery streaming to their consumers cross cloud, for example, YouTube. Along with the growth of users and the amount of media content constantly being produced, traditional cloud-based storage has two drawbacks. First, a lot of servers and storages devices are needed, which could easily be the performance bottleneck in the whole system. Second, to provide differential classes of services in the large-scale situation, system tends to need many additional devices. This article proposes a robust, scalable, highly available and service level provisioning cloud-based storage system designed specifically for distributing multimedia content. The proposed system contains a proven Adaptive Quality of Service (AQoS) algorithm in order to provide differential service levels. The system can also be used flexibly in large, medium and small-scale environment. In addition, some algorithms are also developed to increase overall system performance and fault tolerance. Implementations and experiment results show that the proposed system can meet the requirements both in the laboratory and a practical commercial service environment.


Submerged Entry Nozzle (SEN) are usually made from a combination of carbon bonded alumina, zirconia and magnesia with graphite, which have been found to give the best response to the extreme demands of thermal shock, corrosion and erosion resistance. SEN brittle fracturing and clogging is a serious productivity and quality problem in continuous casting. The SEN critical area of failure is the steel flange where the SEN neck is fixed. Thermal shock or mechanical stress may cause cracking, which can result in premature failure. Preheating on optimal temperature before SEN installation is the standard procedure. Thermal stress effect on fracture behavior was done by analyze of material fractography, morphology, macrostructure and microstructure.


Abstract This paper presents a refined site classification scheme and a design spectrum (DS) model for different site conditions, with site natural period as the key classification parameter. The refined model has a particular emphasis on the phenomenon of resonant-like amplification behaviour in soil sites, which have not been explicitly considered in any existing code models. The need to address the effects of soil resonance and increased displacement demand is particularly justified in regions of lower seismicity, where structures are typically of limited ductility with low energy dissipation capability. Significantly, the mitigating effects of a very flexible soil site resulting in reduction in the level of seismic demand on low-rise buildings is a distinctive feature of the model which has been well validated by comparison with results obtained from computational site response analysis of soil columns derived from real borehole records, as well as from strong motion data recorded in the 1994 Northridge earthquake.


We analyze a set of simulations to assess the impact of climate change on global forests where MC2 dynamic global vegetation model (DGVM) was run with climate simulations from the MIT Integrated Global System Model-Community Atmosphere Model (IGSM-CAM) modeling framework. The core study relies on an ensemble of climate simulations under two emissions scenarios: a business-as-usual reference scenario (REF) analogous to the IPCC RCP8.5 scenario, and a greenhouse gas mitigation scenario, called POL3.7, which is in between the IPCC RCP2.6 and RCP4.5 scenarios, and is consistent with a 2 °C global mean warming from pre-industrial by 2100. Evaluating the outcomes of both climate change scenarios in the MC2 model shows that the carbon stocks of most forests around the world increased, with the greatest gains in tropical forest regions. Temperate forest regions are projected to see strong increases in productivity offset by carbon loss to fire. The greatest cost of mitigation in terms of effects on forest carbon stocks are projected to be borne by regions in the southern hemisphere. We compare three sources of uncertainty in climate change impacts on the world's forests: emissions scenarios, the global system climate response (i.e. climate sensitivity), and natural variability. The role of natural variability on changes in forest carbon and net primary productivity (NPP) is small, but it is substantial for impacts of wildfire. Forest productivity under the REF scenario benefits substantially from the CO2 fertilization effect and that higher warming alone does not necessarily increase global forest carbon levels. Our analysis underlines why using an ensemble of climate simulations is necessary to derive robust estimates of the benefits of greenhouse gas mitigation. It also demonstrates that constraining estimates of climate sensitivity and advancing our understanding of CO2 fertilization effects may considerably reduce the range of projections.


Photocatalyst of perovskite type V-doped titanium-bearing blast furnace slag (VTBBFS) were prepared by high temperature solid-state method with different concentration of V for 2 hours at 800°C. The structure and composition of VTBBFS photocatalyst was characterized by XRD, UV-vis absorption spectra, and SEM images. It shows that VTBBFS photocatalyst has perovskite structure, and a kind of irregular and massive particles by calcined at 800°C. Its photo absorption performance was checked by UV-Vis spectrophotometer, its absorption spectrum has a obvious red shift. Use Aspergillus Niger to research the antibacterial activities of VTBBFS photocatalyst. The results show the antibacterial activities of VTBBFS photocatalyst has a good antibacterial performance with 5% diluent of VTBBFS15 under the UV light.


Relational needs are the emotional needs which underlie our social connectedness and help sustain and nurture our attachments to others. In doing psychotherapy, therapists must be attuned not only to the needs of the client, but also to their own relational needs. Through self awareness and knowledge of healthy and appropriate boundaries, therapists can ensure the best interest of the client is kept foremost. In this article, the influence of the therapist's own relational needs in the psychotherapy process is examined in terms of the possible benefits and disruptions to the client's emotional growth. This is discussed in the context of the Integrative Psychotherapy model based on the core concepts of inquiry, involvement and attunement. Clinical supervision is seen as an important part of working through counter-transference.


Artificial immune systems (AISs) are one of the artificial intelligence techniques studied a lot in recent years. AISs are based on the principles and mechanisms of the natural immune system. In this study, the clonal selection algorithm, which is used commonly in AISs, is modified. This algorithm is applied to job shop scheduling problems, which are one of the most difficult optimization problems. For applying application results to the optimum solution, parameter values giving the optimum solution are determined by analyzing the parameters in the algorithm. The obtained results are given in detail in the tables and figures. The best makespan values are reached in 7 out of 10 test problems (FT06, LA01, LA02, LA03, LA04, LA05, and ABZ6). Reasonable makespan values are reached for the remaining 3 problems (FT10, LA16, and ABZ5). The obtained results demonstrate that the developed system can be applied successfully to job shop scheduling problems.


This paper presents a novel method to prepare stretchable conductors and pressure sensors based on the gold/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) system. The gold films were sputtered onto structured PDMS surfaces produced with a photolithographic surface treatment with the aim of reducing tensile strains in the gold film. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy analyses showed that these 3D patterns reduce cracks and delaminations in the gold film. Electrical measurements indicate that the patterns also protect the films against repeated tensile cycling, although the un-patterned samples remained conducting as well after the completion of 120 cycles. The extrapolated resistivity value of the patterned sample (4.5 × 10−5 Ωcm) compares well with previously published data. SEM micrographs indicate that the pattern features deflect the cracks and therefore toughen the gold film. However, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact angle analyses indicate that the patterning process also slightly modifies the surface chemistry. This patterning method was used to prepare capacitive strain gauges with pressure sensitivity (ΔZ/Z)/P of 0.14 kPa−1 in the sub-kPa regime. Such stretchable and potentially conformal low-pressure sensors have not been produced before and could prove advantageous for many smart fabric applications.


The aim of present study was to unravel the protective role of vitamin C on oxidative stress parameters in lung homogenates of bifenthrin intoxicated rats. Rats were divided into four groups. Group I served as control while group II animals were treated with bifenthrin @ 5.8mg/Kg/day. In group III, vitamin C was orally administered @ 60mg/Kg/day where as group IV received both vitamin C and bifenthrin @ 60mg/Kg/day and 5.8mg/Kg/day respectively. After 30th day of treatment, lung samples were taken and analysed for oxidative stress parameters. Significant (P<0.05) increase in lipid peroxidation was observed from control value of 4.80±0.39 to 7.90±0.50 in bifenthrin treated animals. Mean control values of SOD, GSH-Px and CAT were 0.55±0.05, 0.98±0.03 and 138.70±6.01 which were significantly (P<0.05) decreased to values of 0.27±0.0, 0.53±0.05 and 91.10±9.70 respectively in bifenthrin treated animals. The value of GST increased significantly (p<0.05) to 1.05±0.06 in bifenthrin administered animals from control value of 0.70±0.08. Pre-treatment with vitamin C in ameliorative group IV significantly restored the normal values of lipid peroxidation, SOD, GST and CAT but could not reverse the decreased values of GSH-Px. The present research is first of its type where in free radical generation due to bifenthrin –a commonly used insecticide was evaluated in lung homogenates when given orally which might be due to residues present in the lung. Besides it will be helpful in better understanding of toxicological profile of pyrethoids, the most commonly used insecticides.


Pizzo Mondello is a ca. 500 m thick pelagic-hemipelagic succession cropping out in Sicily consisting of a nodular cherty limestone facies association of late Carnian to late Norian age. The uppermost portion was attributed to the Rhaetian and is represented by the plane-bedded Portella Gebbia Limestone. The section has been proposed as the stratotype for the base of the Norian stage. The calcareous nannofossil content of limestones was studied with Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) in two portions of the Pizzo Mondello section, one within 'La Cava' that encompasses all the proposed horizons for the base of the Norian, and one within the Portella Gebbia Limestone in the uppermost part of the section. Calcareous nannofossil assemblages of the first portion display low diversity, being constituted exclusively by calcispheres, that may constitute up to 40% of the sediment volume. Species richness increases in the upper portion. Initially, samples are dominated by Prinsiosphaera triassica , a nannolith of unknown taxonomic affinity. Rare calcareous dinocysts ( Thoracosphaera cf. geometrica ) and coccoliths are present in few samples. Uppermost samples are still dominated by "calcispheres" comparable to Thoracosphaera , but also yield a variety of coccoliths and nannoliths. Calcareous nannofossil distribution was calibrated with conodont and radiolarian biostratigraphy. On the basis of this integrated work, specimens attributed to cf. Thoracosphaera , observed in the lower portion of the section, are late Carnian to early Norian, while samples dominated by Prinsiosphaera , with rare Thoracosphaera and coccoliths are Rhaetian. The calcareous nannofossil assemblage of the uppermost samples, along with radiolarians and the absence of conodonts, point to a Jurassic age (Pliensbachian) for the uppermost Portella Gebbia Limestone at Pizzo Mondello. In conclusion, the age of the uppermost part of the Pizzo Mondello section is Jurassic, i.e., younger than previously thought. Calcareous nannofossils are present from the base of section and exhibit a significant taxonomic diversity, thus providing an auxiliary biostratigraphic frame for the Rhaetian - Jurassic interval in this area.


The popularity of e-learning (EL) largely infiltrated into every sector of South African institutions of higher learning. This growing interest in EL is due to the advent of rapid internet technologies. For decades, South African institutions of higher learning have accepted EL as a vital learning tool for the enhancement of learning and teaching within the higher education sector. However, there are countless challenges that continue to hinder learning and teaching activities. This study seeks to determine the relationships between various challenges and EL capabilities through stated hypotheses. The study is a descriptive, qualitative design aided by a quantitative approach that were applied to collect data. In total 150 full and part-time ICT students including four permanent ICT lecturers participated in the study. By means of statistical methods of descriptive, inferential statistics aided by independent t-tests, three stated hypotheses were formulated and tested. The study therefore, recommends that higher institutions of learning should increase investments in various EL programs including relevant ICT infrastructure development and also in levels of connectivity. The study further recommends that EL contents should be designed taking into account the cultural characteristics of students.


Sudden Commencement (SC) is observed mainly as a sudden increase of the H-component of geomagnetic field at low latitudes. Past studies showed that it is caused by a sudden compression of the magnetosphere associated with rapid increases of the solar wind dynamic pressure. At middle and high latitudes, SCs cause perturbations associated with twin vortex type ionospheric currents. It was reported that the disturbance of the ionospheric current and the electric field associated with SC consists typically of the Preliminary Impulse (PI) and the Main Impulse (MI). Previous studies reported that some of SC-associated electric field disturbances observed by SuperDARN radars show only the two successive pulses of PI and MI, while some others are accompanied by damped oscillations of the ionospheric electric field lasting for about several tens of minutes to an hour with periods of several minutes. The reason why both types of SC-associated disturbances can occur, however, have not yet been understood well. We examine the cause of the difference between the two kinds of SC events, using SuperDARN radars in the northern hemisphere covering ~40 to 90 degree geomagnetic latitudes. For the analyzed period from January 2011 to December 2015, 244 SC events were identified and 61 events out of them were accompanied by the ionospheric electric field oscillations immediately following MIs, as observed by at least one SuperDARN radar. We contrast 183 events (only PI and MI) with 61 events (oscillation following MIs) and find that the average of magnitude of dynamic pressure change does not seem to be the cause of the difference between two types of disturbance associated with SC events. On the other hand, a detailed analysis on the electric field oscillations shows that some of them exhibit phase differences in latitude and longitude, while the others not. These observations indicate that the ionospheric electric field oscillations sometimes show propagation characteristics. We examine frequencies of the electric field oscillations. We also discuss the magnetic local time (MLT) dependence of the ionospheric electric field oscillations as well as its dependence on spatial displacement of the magnetopause associated with SC.


BackgroundThe emerging controversy concerning the causal role of atherosclerosis in the development of aortic aneurysms was examined using the accumulated clinical and autopsy data obtained during a 20-year follow-up of a cohort of more than 8,000 men of Japanese ancestry in Hawaii. Methods and ResultsAnalyses of 174 clinical incident events indicated that there were two types of aneurysmal disease, 151 aortic aneurysms and 23 aortic dissections. The baseline risk factors that predicted the clinical aortic aneurysms were the same factors that predicted aortic atherosclerosis in the same cohort, namely, high blood pressure, high serum cholesterol, and cigarette smoking. These same risk factors were also significantly associated with the occurrence of 27 aortic aneurysms among 293 autopsied men. The less common aortic dissections had an age-specific incidence pattern indicative of an innate susceptibility precipitated by an exposure to another factor. This pattern was consistent with the findings that the incidence of aortic dissections was predicted mainly by baseline high blood pressure. Conclusionsperspective of prevention, it appears that the risk factors for aortic atherosclerosis and probably atherosclerosis itself are necessary elements in the causal pathway for the great majority of aortic aneurysms in this cohort.


This dissertation aims to investigate the extent to which British Indians draw upon Asian
Indian and British Caucasian cultural values in the purchase of a brown good. Drawing
upon previously published research and primary data (including a field trip to India,
preliminary investigative interviews, two pilot studies and the main survey questionnaire)
eleven hypotheses are developed, simultaneously tested and results discussed. A sample
size of 425 usable responses, made it possible to use Factor analysis, Pearson's correlation
coefficient and Multinomial logistical regression (MLM). MLM's use within cross-cultural
research represents an important methodological contribution to this area, as it appears not
to have been used before.
The eleven hypotheses in this thesis represent the culmination of an extensive literature
review process and understanding of cross-cultural methodological issues. The hypotheses
measure three research themes: acculturation, consumer behaviour and culture.
At the causality level, this research study supports previous research that indicates culture as
influencing consumer behaviour. More importantly, British Indians consumer behaviour
and cultural values are similar, but in differing aspects, to both Asian Indians and British
Caucasians. This finding makes a major contribution to our understanding of British
Indians and culture's affect on consumer behaviour. Further research into British Indians is
encouraged using participants from different socio-economic groups and geographical
locations.
Implications of the literature and the research's findings are used to increase awareness of
multi-culturalism from both an academic and commercial perspective. Cross-cultural
methodological limitations are provided, indicating epistemological issues that require
further discussion if this research field is to advance.


Objectives: We investigated the frequency of chemotherapy use and its associated factors in patients in all age groups in the last year of life. Methods: We identified cancer patients who died in 2004 in any of 17 hospitals. We used demographic and treatment characteristics by computerized hospital information systems and by linking the identification numbers to the 2004 death registry. Results: 48.7% of patients in the last 6 months of life, 43.9% in the last 3 months, and 30.9% in the last month of life received chemotherapy. The frequency of chemotherapy use was lower for older patients. In those ≧65 years old, there was no difference between women and men in the proportion that received chemotherapy. For patients <65 years of age, a larger proportion of women than men received chemotherapy, and chemotherapy use was significantly less frequent for patients with refractory disease than for those with responsive disease. Patients dying at a relatively small hospital without a hospice inpatient unit were significantly more likely to receive chemotherapy. Conclusions: Despite the fact that most cancer patients are resistant to chemotherapy at the end of life, it was administered often to all age groups.


The rapid growth in the demand of embedded systems and the increased complexity of embedded software pose an urgent need for advanced embedded software development techniques. Software technology is shifting toward semi-automated code generation and integration of systems from components. Component-based development (CBD) techniques can significantly reduce the time and cost for developing software systems. However, there are some difficult problems with the CBD approach. Component identification and retrieval as well as component composition require extensive knowledge of the components. Designers need to go through a steep learning curve in order to effectively compose a system out of available components. We discuss an integrated mechanism for component-based development of embedded software. We develop an On-line Repository for Embedded Software (ORES) to facilitate component management and retrieval. ORES uses an ontology-based approach to facilitate repository browsing and effective search. Based on ORES, we develop the code template approach to facilitate semi-automated component composition. A code template can be instantiated by different sets of components and, thus, offers more flexibility and configurability and better reuse. Another important aspect in embedded software is the nonfunctional requirements and properties. In ORES, we capture nonfunctional properties of components and provide facilities for the analysis of overall system properties.


Recent incidents of mycotoxin contamination (particularly aflatoxins and fumonisins) have demonstrated a need for an industry-wide management system to ensure Australian maize meets the requirements of all domestic users and export markets. Results of recent surveys are presented, demonstrating overall good conformity with nationally accepted industry marketing standards but with occasional samples exceeding these levels. This paper describes mycotoxin-related hazards inherent in the Australian maize production system and a methodology combining good agricultural practices and the hazard analysis critical control point framework to manage risk. Risk management for mycotoxin contamination of Australian maize Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 2008, 48, 342–350 www.publish.csiro.au/journals/ajea CSIRO PUBLISHING


The study documents the occurrence of a new alien gastropod Pseudorhaphitoma iodolabiata in the Mediterranean Sea, collected in Iskenderun Bay, Turkey, on September 2011. This record increases to 213 the number of alien molluscs in the Mediterranean.


Compared to continental lithosphere, oceanic lithosphere has a limited lifespan at the Earth's surface. As a result of its continuous subduction and formation at mid-ocean ridges, modern oceanic crust is almost nowhere older than ~200 Ma. This implies that the lithosphere that was underlying ancestral oceans, such as the Panthalassa Ocean surrounding Pangea during its culmination in late Paleozoic – early Mesozoic times, has (almost) all been lost to subduction. As a result, deep-time plate tectonic reconstructions rely primarily on geological, paleontological and paleomagnetic data from the continents. Such reconstructions portray the distribution of plates that host continents through geological time, but generally lack (or include only conceptual) plate motions and -geometry in the oceanic domains. In this thesis, approaches are developed and data is collected that improve deep-time global plate kinematic reconstructions of the Panthalassa Ocean through quantitative restoration of lost oceanic plates. First, all available data from oceanic lithosphere of the present-day descendant of the Panthalassa, the Pacific Ocean, that did not (yet) subduct is used. The oldest part of the Pacific Plate, which originated in Jurassic time, contains magnetic lineations in three orientations that constrain relative plate motions of three conceptual plates conjugate to the Pacific (Izanagi in the northeast, Farallon in the northeast and Phoenix in the south) back to ~190 Ma. In chapter 1, the plate tectonic configuration that led to the birth of the Pacific Plate is reconstructed. Second, the location and tectonic nature of the boundaries of the Panthalassa Ocean through time are defined, which relies on reconstruction of Pangea's (and post-Pangea's) external trenches relative to the surrounding continents, and involves the restoration of complex crustal deformation at subduction plate boundary zones. In chapters 2-5 regional reconstructions are presented of the Pacific margin of Mexico and Caribbean region. The third step involves the use of data from fully subducted lithosphere. This includes paleomagnetic and stratigraphic data from 'Ocean Plate Stratigraphy' materials that were scraped off during subduction and are now exposed in the circum-Panthalassa accretionary complexes. Furthermore, seismic tomographic images reveal the locations of subducted material in the mantle that are correlated to reconstructed intra-oceanic or continental margin subduction zones, thereby constraining the position of these subduction zones relative to the mantle. Chapters 6 and 7 present reconstructed Permian-Cretaceous plate motions of the Farallon, Izanagi and Phoenix plates based on paleomagnetic data from OPS remnants exposed in the accretionary prisms of Mexico, Costa Rica, Japan and New Zealand, as well as of an intra-oceanic subduction zone of which the remnant arc is exposed in Japan.


Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA

Background: Identifying the drug-deliverables that target autophagy is crucial to finding a cure for pancreatic cancer (PC), as activated autophagy is associated with poor patient outcomes. Our recent studies recognized the anti-PC potential of an antioxidant-rich collection of seaweed polyphenols and identified potential compounds for the treatment of PC. Accordingly, we investigated whether such compounds could regulate autophagy in therapy-resistant PC cells in vitro and in residual PC in vivo.

Results: Human Panc-3.27 and MiaPaCa-2 cells were exposed to FIR with/without polyphenol from Spatoglossum asperum (SA-EA), Padina tetrastromatica (PT-EA), or Hormophysa triquerta (HT-EA). The cells were subjected to QPCR to examine transcriptional alterations in the following autophagy functional regulators: ATG3, ATG5, ATG7, ATG5, LC3A, LC3B, Beclin, Myd88, HMGB1, Rage, and TLRs 1-9. Using a clinically relevant mouse model of residual PC, we use tissue microarray (TMA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) procedures to investigate the potential of polyphenol(s) to target ATG3, ATG5, ATG12, LC3A, LC3B, BECN1, and survivin after clinical radiotherapy. Radiation significantly increased the transcription of autophagy functional regulators in both lines. Seaweed polyphenols completely suppressed all investigated regulators in both lines. TMA-IHC analysis revealed the complete regulation of ATG3, ATG5, 12, LC3A, LC3B, BECN1, and survivin in residual PC following SA-EA, PT-EA, and HT-EA treatment.

Conclusions: These data demonstrate the autophagy blue print in therapy-resistant PC cells for the first time. Moreover, the data strongly suggest that the selected polyphenols could serve as effective adjuvants for current PC treatment modalities and may inhibit tumor relapse by comprehensively targeting therapy-orchestrated autophagy in residual cells.

Citation Format: Sheeja Aravindan, Satish Kumar Ramraj, Faizan H. Khan, Terence S. Herman, Somasundaram T. Somasundaram, Natarajan Aravindan. Novel adjuvants from seaweed impede autophagy signaling in therapy-resistant residual pancreatic cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1004. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1004


The disintegration of cells of Coccidioides immitis, Histoplasma capsulatum, Blastomyces dermatitidis and Candida albicans by ultrasonical treatment, repeated freezing-thawing or mechanical methods permitted to obtain antigens with a high protein content. The treatment of these fungal cells with beta-naphthol, ethanol, glycerine or alkali makes it possible to isolate antigens containing mainly polysaccharides. The studied antigens turned out to be complex compounds. Proteins, glycoproteins, nucleoproteins and small quantities of phosphorus and nucleic acids were revealed in their composition. The protein-rich antigens were most active as inductors of a cellular and humoral immune response. These preparations turned out to be the most active and specific for DH testing. The polysaccharide-rich antigens were highly active in in vitro reactions but possessed a low immunogenecity. Immunoelectrophoretical analysis showed a mosaic character of antigen assembly in the preparations isolated from fungal cells and culture filtrates. In different antigens of C. immitis there have been revealed 4-7, in H. capsulatum 3-8 and in B. dermatitidis 3-6 components. The culture filtrates and "cell-saps" had a more complex antigenic spectrum: coccidioidin 7, histoplasmin 8, blastomycin 6; in C. albicans cell-sap, up to 20 antigens have been revealed. In the antigenic spectrum of C. immitis, H. capsulatum and B. dermatitidis common components prevailed, but in C. albicans no cross-reacting antigens have been revealed. Species- and phase-specific antigens have been found in preparations of H. capsulatum.


The large amount of data collected today is quickly overwhelming researchers' abilities to interpret the data and discover interesting patterns. Knowledge discovery and data mining approaches hold the potential to automate the interpretation process, but these approaches frequently utilize computationally expensive algorithms.

This research outlines a general approach for scaling KDD systems using parallel and distributed resources and applies the suggested strategies to the SUBDUE knowledge discovery system. SUBDUE has been used to discover interesting and repetitive concepts in graph-based databases from a variety of domains, but requires a substantial amount of processing time. Experiments that demonstrate scalability of parallel versions of the SUBDUE system are performed using CAD circuit databases and artificially-generated databases, and potential achievements and obstacles are discussed.


Two isoforms of acidic 1,2-alpha-D-mannosidases have been isolated from culture filtrate of Penicillium citrinum. The pI values of the two forms, designated 1,2-alpha-mannosidase Ia and Ib, were 4.6 and 4.7 respectively. Isoenzymes Ia and Ib exhibited the same molecular mass which was determined to be 53 kDa by SDS/PAGE and 54 kDa by gel-permeation chromatography. Enzymes Ia and Ib hydrolysed yeast mannan and 1,2-alpha-linked mannooligosaccharides, but did not hydrolyse p-nitrophenyl alpha-D-mannoside. The optimal pH for the hydrolysis of Man(alpha 1-->2)Man was 5.0 for both isoenzymes. Similar kinetic parameters were determined for the two forms. Activation energy was a little lower for Ia than Ib. There was little difference between the enzymes with regard to their performance at acidic or alkaline pH. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of the two enzymes were identical. Analysis of C-terminal peptides, which were prepared by tryptic digestion and anhydrotrypsin-agarose chromatography, showed that Ia and Ib had the same amino acid sequences in the C-terminal region. Tryptic digestion revealed a slight difference between the isoenzymes in the pattern of cleaved peptides on SDS/PAGE.


What are the determinants of individual-level trust in Internet-based voting in non-democracies? Modern digital and electronic transformations of the electoral process offer citizens new forms of voting, however it is not clear which citizens are prepared to trust these innovations. Existing work on trust in internet-based voting has mainly focused on Western democracies, where well-functioning institutions curb potential abuses. As a consequence, existing perspectives have drawn on work on technology adoption and focused on individual-level cost-benefit analyses and elite framing of these technologies. In non-democracies, however, there are few checks and balances on electoral manipulations that allow the authorities to shape outcomes extra-legally. In such settings, institutional trust in the authorities and beliefs about the ease with which internet-based voting can be abused take on new and greater salience. In this paper, we provide an exploratory analysis aimed at testing whether existing perspectives help explain trust in internet-based voting in electoral non-democracies, as well as whether concerns about abuse also play a role. To test these arguments, we make use of an online survey of over 16,250 respondents in the Russian Federation, a case regarded as archetypical in the literature on electoral non-democracies. Our findings provide important insights into public opinion surrounding novel electoral procedures, generally, and internet-based voting, more specifically, in non-democracies. These insights, in turn, have important implications for our understanding of attitudes towards electoral integrity in non-democracies and the potential for popular constraints on the ability of autocrats to modify electoral procedures to reproduce power.


Objective To analyze the dynamic changes of thyroid hormone and cortisol hormone (COR) and their relationship with prognosis in patients with severe craniocerebral injury. Methods A retrospective analysis of 48 patients with severe craniocerebral injury who were admitted to our hospital from January 2014 to January 2017 was performed. According to the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) after 3 months of treatment, the patients were divided into a favorable prognosis group (GOS score = 4-5) and a poor prognosis group (GOS score = 1–3). Clinical data such as ICU hospitalization time and mechanical ventilation time between the two groups were collected and compared. The GCS score was evaluated and recorded at 24 h and 7 d after injury, respectively. The fasting venous blood was collected from patients at 24 h and 7 d after injury, and the levels of thyrotropin (TSH), total triiodothyronine (TT3), total thyroxine (TT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), and free thyroxine (FT4) were detected by the time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay, while the cortisol (COR) levels were examined by the chemiluminescence assays. The prognostic risk factors of patients with severe craniocerebral injury were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. A nomogram prediction model was constructed based on the results of the logistic analysis. The value of each factor in predicting the prognosis of patients with severe craniocerebral injury was analyzed using the ROC curve. Results Significant differences existed between the poor prognosis group and the favorable prognosis group in age, whether complicated with a cerebral hernia, intracranial hematoma volume, admission time, ICU hospitalization time, GCS score, and mechanical ventilation time (P < 0.05). At 24 h after injury, the levels of TT4, FT3, and FT4 in the poor prognosis group were significantly lower than those in the favorable prognosis group (P < 0.05). On the 7th day after the injury, the levels of FT3, FT4, TT3, TT4, and TSH in the poor prognosis group were prominently lower than those in the favorable prognosis group (P < 0.05). At 24 h after injury, the COR level in the poor prognosis group was observably higher than that in the favorable prognosis group (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that age, complicated with a cerebral hernia, length of stay in ICU, FT3, FT4, TT4, and COR were the risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients with severe craniocerebral injury (P < 0.05), while the GCS score was the protective factor (P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) of ICU length of stay, GCS score, FT3, and FT4 to predict the prognosis of patients with severe craniocerebral injury was better with 0.841, 0.885, 0.881, and 0.850, respectively. The survival curve drawn by the K-M method showed that high levels of serum FT3, FT4, and TT4 and low levels of COR were conducive to improve the overall survival time of patients (P < 0.05). Conclusion Abnormal levels of thyroid hormone and cortisol hormone were found in patients with severe craniocerebral injury. Age, combined brain herniation, ICU length of stay, FT3, FT4, TT4, COR, and GCS scores were all prognostic factors in patients with severe traumatic brain injury. These factors have high value in judging the death and survival of patients with severe craniocerebral injury.


The Centinela Mining District (CMD), Atacama Desert (northern Chile), includes several mid‐late Eocene porphyry Cu deposits that contains supergene mineralization and provides access to a record of gravel deposits that host syn‐sedimentary exotic Cu mineralized bodies. By studying these gravels, we reconstruct the unroofing history and constrain the geomorphological conditions that produced supergene and exotic Cu mineralization. We present an integrated study based on stratigraphic and sedimentological data, lithology clast counts, 40Ar/39Ar and U/Pb ages from interbedded tuff layers and U/Pb detrital zircon geochronology data. To relate the gravel deposition episodes to the timing of the supergene mineralization, we provide in‐situ and exotic supergene mineral ages (40Ar/39Ar and K‐Ar). Six gravel units were deposited between the mid‐Eocene and the mid‐Miocene. The Esperanza gravels were deposited concurrently with the emplacement of porphyry Cu deposits at depth. The subsequent Tesoro I, II and III and Atravesado gravels register the unroofing of these deposits, from the advanced argillic zone to the sericitic and prophylitic hypogene zones. The Arrieros gravels register landscape pediplanation, that is, denudational removal and wear of the landscape to base level on a relatively stable tectonic regime, occurring roughly contemporaneous with supergene activity. The supergene mineral ages of the CMD define a time span (ca. 25–12 Ma) during which most of the supergene ages cluster in northern Chile. This time span corresponds with a period of warm and humid climate conditions in the southern hemisphere. We conclude that landscape pediplanation favours supergene mineralization and helps preserve the former supergene mineralized zones from significant erosion. Low erosion rates during pediplanation may constitute a necessary condition for the efficiency of the supergene processes in such semi‐arid climate.


Wheel bearings play a crucial role in the mobility of a vehicle by minimizing motive power loss and providing stability in cornering maneuvers. Detailed engineering analysis of a wheel bearing subsystem under dynamic conditions poses enormous challenges due to the nonlinearity of the problem caused by multiple factional contacts between rotating and stationary parts and difficulties in prediction of dynamic loads that wheels are subject to. Commonly used design methodologies are based on equivalent static analysis of ball or roller bearings in which the latter elements may even be represented with springs. In the present study, an advanced hybrid approach is suggested for realistic dynamic analysis of wheel bearings by combining lumped parameter and finite element modeling techniques. A validated lumped parameter representation serves as an efficient tool for the prediction of radial wheel load due to ground reaction which is then used in detailed finite element analysis that automatically accounts for contact forces in an explicit formulation.


This thesis uses a combination of industrially acquired seismic reflection data, along with supplementary bathymetry and geotechnical borehole data, to investigate the architecture, structural elements and evolution of submarine mass wasting deposits. The primary study area is the mid-continental margin of Norway and the Levant margin, east-Mediterranean Sea serves as a secondary study area. The principal aim is to gain an improved understanding of the evolution of submarine mass wasting deposits and the processes involved. To this end this thesis consists of three core research chapters which present the results of investigations into the mechanism responsible for the formation of a non-typical example of a submarine mass wasting deposit, the spectrum of geological features that can be found associated with submarine mass wasting deposits, and an example of a frontally confined submarine mass wasting deposit. In the first core chapter, an example of a non-typical submarine mass wasting deposit from the Norwegian continental margin was investigated using three- dimensional (3D) seismic data. The mass wasting deposit, informally named the 'South Voring Slide' (SVS) was found to differ from previously documented examples in that it showed significant thinning and volume loss which could not be accounted for by the transfer of material downslope over a basal shear surface. Analysis of the deformation and geometry of the SVS suggests that it developed due to the mobilisation of an approximately 40 m thick interval at the lower part of the SVS, and its removal from beneath a thin overburden which subsequently underwent extensional fragmentation. Submarine mass wasting deposits exhibit many different types of kinematic indicators from which information relating to the dynamic emplacement of the event can be deduced. The second core research chapter presents a classification scheme and comprehensive compilation of all of the various kinematic indicator types, fully illustrated using best examples taken from the 3D seismic database available from the Norwegian and Levant margins. For each kinematic indicator, a definition and seismic recognition criteria are presented along with discussion and worked examples of the kinematic information which they provide. It was shown that the application of 3D seismic data to the study of submarine mass wasting deposits can yield much information pertaining to the direction and magnitude of transport, mode of emplacement, dominant mass wasting process and rheology. In particular, it was shown that 3D seismic data allows swift and confident evaluation of the direction of translation, and in many cases also allows the degree of translation of the displaced material to be constrained. The final core research chapter documents and describes an example of a large frontally confined submarine mass wasting deposit from the Norwegian margin. The mass wasting deposit, informally named the 'Confined Storegga Slide (CSS)', is unique in that it detaches along a deep-seated basal horizon at a depth of 640 m below the seabed and exhibits spectacular contractional deformation in its distal region. Using a combination of 2D and 3D seismic data and bathymetry data, it has been possible to fully delimit the extent of the CSS, which has a section length of 135 km and involves some 1,227 km3 of material. The results of this study show that the CSS developed as part of the large, multi-phase Holocene Storegga Slide, and demonstrates how subsequent phases Storegga Slide development induced later deformation and volumetric changes which have not previously been recognised.


When rat soleus muscles fibers regenerated after notexin-induced damage, AChRs were present at high density on the surface of the new muscle fibers at the sites of the original NMJs, even if the intact motor axons were not present during regeneration. Some AChR molecules which were labelled with R-BgTx before notexin-induced damage persisted for some days at junctional sites after new muscle fibres had regenerated. During muscle fiber degeneration, components of the muscle fiber plasma membrane appeared to remain longer in the junctional region than elsewhere. When muscles on which new "ectopic" NMJs had been forming for at least 2 weeks were damaged, AChR clusters together with sites of high AChE activity were present 2 weeks later on the regenerated muscles in the region of new NMJ formation, even if the "foreign" nerve was not intact during the period of regeneration. If ectopic NMJs had been forming for only 4 days at the time of muscle and nerve damage, neither AChR clusters nor AChE activity were detected on the regenerated muscle fibers.


In magnetic exchange force microscopy a magnetic tip is scanned over the surface of a solid and an image representing the exchange interaction recorded. Sudden changes in the image corresponding to magnetization switching can be monitored as a function of the tip-surface distance thereby giving important information about the lifetime of metastable magnetic states and how it is affected by the exchange interaction. Here, theoretical calculations are carried out to study the tip-surface interaction and determine the mechanism and rate of transitions in a magnetic exchange force microscopy experiment, and comparison made with reported experimental data on an Fe cluster interacting with an antiferromagnetic Fe overlayer on a W(001) surface. The activation energy was determined from calculations of minimum energy paths and the pre-exponential factor in the Arrhenius rate expression evaluated from harmonic transition state theory, extended to account for zero modes. A noncollinear extension of the Alexander-Anderson model was used to describe the magnetic properties of an atomic scale representation of the system. The calculations reveal how the tip size, tip-surface distance and magnetic field affect the lifetime of the magnetic states.


Abstract In this article, we investigate the foundations for a Gibsonian neuroscience. There is an increasingly influential current in neuroscience based on pragmatic and selectionist principles, which we think can contribute to ecological psychology. Starting from ecological psychology, we identify three basic constraints any Gibsonian neuroscience needs to adhere to: nonreconstructive perception, vicarious functioning, and selectionist self-organization. We discuss two previous attempts to integrate affordances with neuroscience: Reed's ecological rendering of Edelman's selectionism as well as Dreyfus' phenomenological interpretation of Freeman's neurodynamics. Reed and Dreyfus face the problem of how to account for "value." We then show how the free-energy principle, an increasingly dominant framework in theoretical neuroscience, is rooted in both Freeman's neurodynamics and Edelman's selectionism. The free-energy principle accounts for value in terms of selective anticipation. The selection pressures at work on the agent shape its selective sensitivity to the relevant affordances in the environment. By being responsive to the relevant affordances in the environment, an agent comes to have grip on its interactions with the environment and can thrive in its ecological niche.


The authors demonstrate importance of hygienic monitoring for describing the course of chronic lead intoxication among workers of storage battery production. The authors specify and describe the principles of hygienic monitoring program, grouped and individual parameters (hygienic, medical and biologic) that are risk factors for chronic lead intoxication and subjects of control. The article contains some examples demonstrating possibilities of hygienic monitoring for matching the occupational morbidity parameters of storage battery production workers with work conditions and other parameters influencing the disease.


The application of power MOSFETs in spaceborne power converters was simulated by exposing switched devices to low-dose-rate ionizing radiation. Both radiation-hardened and nonradiation-hardened devices were tested. The results were compared to those obtained at higher dose rates and with constant gate bias. The primary effects of ionizing radiation on power MOSFETs are changes in the threshold voltage and degradation of mobility. These effects result in slower switching speeds and reduced drive capability. Both threshold shift and mobility degradation were found to depend on bias conditions and dose rate. Therefore, in order to predict device behavior, both the radiation environment and operating conditions must be taken into account.<<ETX>>


Construction projects are full of risk and uncertainties and delays can have negative economic consequences and can create bad image for all the parties involved in the project. Delays in construction projects have several causes associated with owner, consultant and contractors. This paper aims to explore the causes of delays in construction projects in Oman. The causes of delays in construction projects are firstly discussed with a review of different published literature. The results of interviews with experienced construction professional working with client, consultant and contractor are reported. Results reveal that contractual issues, workforce, materials, coordination between construction parties, and external factors are the main factors which cause delay to construction projects in Oman. This research work is exploratory in nature and provides basic causes of delays in construction project in general. Further research is recommended to explore project's specific causes of delay in construction in Oman.


Section 14 of the Bill of Rights Act extends to protect internet access within New Zealand as a means of expression. Judicial restriction of internet access via the imposition of special conditions during sentencing is therefore an infringement of s 14. This interpretation of s 14 is consistent with its purpose, legislative history, and the broad approach afforded to human rights generally, as well as international case law and statutes. Any imposition of special conditions restricting internet access must be a demonstrably justifiable limit per s 5 of the Bill of Rights Act to be legitimate. The practical considerations of such a technological limit also warrant judicial consideration before it is imposed. As yet, New Zealand has no explicit protection of internet access but growing acceptance of its importance indicates that reform or judicial acknowledgement are, or soon will be, required.


This paper proposes an object-level rate control algorithm to jointly controlling the bit rates of multiple video objects. Utilizing noncooperative game theory, the proposed rate control algorithm mimics the behaviors of players representing video objects. Each player competes for available bits to optimize its visual quality. The algorithm finds an ¿optimal solution¿ in that it conforms to the mixed strategy Nash equilibrium, which is the probability distribution of the actions carried by the players that maximizes their expected payoffs (the number of bits). The game is played iteratively, and the expected payoff of each play is accumulated. The game terminates when all of the available bits for the specific time instant have been distributed to video object planes (VOPs). The advantage of the proposed scheme is that the bidding objects divide the bits among themselves automatically and fairly, according to their encoding complexity, and with an overall solution that is strategically optimal under the given circumstances. To minimize buffer fluctuation and avoid buffer overflow and underflow, a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control based buffer policy is utilized.


Background and purpose of study : Communication between clinicians and patients forms an integral part of any treatment session. To promote positive treatment outcomes, this communication must be effective. To date, research into back pain management has tended to focus on the nature of interventions, neglecting the vital communication that co-exists. This study aimed to measure verbal communication between clinicians and patients and identify trends in non-verbal communication. With a clearer understanding of how clinicians and patients interact, it is anticipated that this knowledge can be used to maximise health gain in subsequent treatments. Methods : Following an assessment, the first follow-up treatment session was video recorded for 21 patients (aged 17–65 years), attending a hospital outpatient physiotherapy clinic. Patients with serious spinal pathology or those, whose first language was not English, were excluded. Verbal communication during the interaction was measured using the validated Medical Communication Behaviour System (MCBS). Trends in non-verbal behaviour were analysed at 40-second intervals, using Heintzman's classification (smiling, forward leaning, affirmative head nodding, touching and eye gaze). A brief semi-structured interview was undertaken with clinicians to determine the perceived effect of the presence of the video camera. Results : In 21 treatment sessions, 2055 statements were observed, with clinicians spending approximately twice as long talking as patients. Using the MCBS categories, the majority of clinician and patient interaction related to 'content' behaviours (52% and 26% respectively). For the clinician, this includes history-taking, advice etc. The highest frequency of clinicians' non-verbal behaviour was touch (n=352) and for patients, was eye gaze (n=36). In a secondary analysis, age, gender and experience of the clinician were all shown to influence the communication that occurred. Conclusion : Validated outcome measures can be used to analyse the complex communication that occurs between clinicians and patients with back pain. Video recording clinical sessions can provide valuable feedback for clinicians and students on their communication skills.


Chemiluminescence (CL) emission can be generated by mixing potassium permanganate with captopril under acidic conditions. Formaldehyde can significantly enhance the CL signal. This phenomenon has been utilized to design a new flow-injection chemiluminescence method for the determination of captopril with the permanganate-formaldehyde-captopril CL system. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the proposed method has a quantitation linear range of captopril between 0.02 and 2.0μg mL-1, with a detection limit of 0.01μg mL-1 and a correlation coefficient of 0.9998. The method was applied to the determination of captopril in pharmaceutical preparations and the results were satisfactory.


Factors affecting a lender's decision to grant farmers operating credit in North Dakota are quantified in an intertemporal loan profitability model using stochastic dynamic programming. Experimental data obtained from a panel of lenders demonstrates the sensitivity of an optimal policy to changes in a lender's discount rate, a borrower's repayment status, and patronage. The value of credit scoring models that appraise a borrower's credit worthiness also is determined.


The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and the various legislations on decentralisation articulate the explicit objectives of the policy which includes responsiveness to community needs. The rationale behind Ghana's decentralisation programme and the functions of the District Assemblies (DAs) therefore provide a starting point for investigation into the process. This paper examines the level of responsiveness of the DAs to the needs of the communities. Questionnaires were administered to three thousand five hundred households chosen from forty two communities in eight districts. The chi-square and the logistic regression model were employed in the descriptive and inferential analysis respectively. It was realised that the implementation of the decentralisation programme has brought about some progress in the communities. It was also realised that the DAs have been responsive to the pressing development needs of the communities, in that, a significant relationship was established between community progress and the greatest achievements of assemblies. However, peace/order/security and road/transport/communication which were identified as significant determinants of community progress did not receive the needed attention from the DAs. Keywords : Ghana, decentralisation, district assembly, community, responsiveness IFE PsychologIA Vol. 14(1) 2006: 60-76


The 1970's and 1980's can be considered the third stage in the explosive development of condensed matter physics. After the very intensive research of the 1930's and 1940's, which followed the formulation of quantum mechanics, and the path-breaking activity of the 1950's and 1960's, the problems being faced now are much more complex and not always susceptible to simple modelling. The (subjectively) open problems discussed here are: high temperature superconductivity, its properties and the possible new mechanisms which lead to it; the integral and fractional quantum Hall effects; new forms of order in condensed-matter systems; the physics of disorder, especially the problem of spin glasses; the physics of complex anisotropic systems; the theoretical prediction of stable and metastable states of matter; the physics of highly correlated states (heavy fermions); the physics of artificially made structures, in particular heterostructures and highly metastable states of matter; the determination of the microscopic structure of surfaces; and chaos and highly nonlinear phnomena. 82 refs.


In eukaryotes, pre-mRNA splicing is catalysed by the spliceosome, a highly complex and dynamic molecular machine, which assembles stepwise by the sequential recruitment of five small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) and numerous non-snRNP proteins. In humans, formation of the pre-catalytic, spliceosomal B complex with a stably associated tri-snRNP requires the action of the helicase Prp28, which displaces the U1 snRNP from the 5' splice site to be replaced by the U6 snRNA. At the same time, the so-called, B-specific proteins are recruited. Transformation of the B complex into an activated (Bact) spliceosome is initially triggered by the action of the helicase Brr2 that unwinds the U4/U6 RNA duplex. This results in the crucial release of the U4 snRNP, which allows the U6 snRNA to interact with the U2 snRNA forming essential components of the catalytic centre. Concomitantly, the B-specific proteins dissociate in the course of the activation, while the Bact-specific proteins, the Prp19/CDC5L complex and the intron binding complex (IBC) are stably integrated.
Smu1 and RED are two B-specific proteins that are conserved among higher eukaryotes but absent in S. cerevisiae. Currently, little is known about the precise function of these proteins. Their transient association with the B complex suggests that they may be involved in the B-to-Bact complex transition, but previous studies proposed that these proteins form a functional module that is involved in the regulation of alternative splicing. However, it is not clear how Smu1 and RED might contribute to this process. Furthermore, it has not been investigated whether these proteins participate in constitutive splicing and thus it remains possible that Smu1 and RED – like several other B-specific proteins – are in general important for intron excision in higher eukaryotes. To provide clarity on this subject, I analysed the function of Smu1 and RED in pre-mRNA splicing both in vivo and in vitro.

To address whether constitutive splicing is dependent on Smu1 and RED, an RNAseq analysis was performed with HeLa cells siRNA-depleted of Smu1 or RED. Knock-down of these two proteins resulted in profound changes in alternative splicing patterns and also led to the retention of constitutively spliced introns, suggesting that Smu1 and RED are important for splicing in general, and thus not only involved in the regulation of alternative splicing. A role for Smu1 and RED in constitutive splicing was also demonstrated in vitro, using HeLa nuclear extract that was immunodepleted of Smu1 and RED. By using a well-functioning Smu1-specific antibody, Smu1 was nearly quantitatively removed from the extract along with more than 90% of RED, suggesting that the majority of human Smu1 and RED exist as a dimer in HeLa cell extract. Splicing of MINX-120 was less efficient in the absence of Smu1/RED, with an apparent slow-down in the rate of mRNA production. Investigation of spliceosome assembly revealed a transient accumulation of spliceosomal B complexes in the Smu1/RED-depleted extract, while the subsequently formed Bact and C complexes were still formed but at a slower rate. These results indicate that defects in splicing triggered by the absence of Smu1 and RED were caused by impaired spliceosome activation.

To investigate whether Smu1 and RED need to interact to fulfil their function, spliceosome assembly in the presence of the individually expressed proteins was investigated. As the addition of single proteins to the Smu1/RED-depleted extract did not restore the B-to-Bact transition and splicing product formation, Smu1 and RED do not appear to function on their own. This was attributable to poor or less stable binding to the spliceosome of the individual proteins compared to the Smu1/RED dimer. Removal of the WD40 domain of Smu1 abolished binding of the dimer to the spliceosome, and spliceosome assembly remained blocked at B complex level, demonstrating that the WD40 domain is essential for proper interaction of the dimer with the spliceosome. Truncation of RED's N- and C-terminal regions, which contact U2 or tri-snRNP proteins, respectively, within the B complex, restored splicing and spliceosome activation partially or nearly fully, suggesting that the contacts RED establishes with U2 or U5 individually are not essential for the function of Smu1/RED. To determine whether Smu1 and RED function as a binding platform for other spliceosomal factors, I purified B complexes that accumulate in their absence and investigated their composition. As no additional proteins were missing, Smu1 and RED appear to play a direct role in splicing, as opposed to aiding the binding of other factors required for spliceosome activation. Thus, these results indicate that Smu1 and RED themselves are important for efficient conversion of the B complex into Bact.

To provide evidence that Smu1 and RED are also involved in spliceosome activation in vivo, I knocked-down these proteins in HeLa cells and investigated endogenous spliceosome assembly by immunoblotting, using antibodies that recognise phosphopeptides specifically associated with assembled B or Bact complexes. Knock-down of Smu1 or RED led to an increased B complex signal and a decreased Bact complex signal, indicating that the activation of the spliceosome is also impaired in vivo in the absence of Smu1 and RED.

While knock-down of Smu1 and RED affected introns of all sizes, the vast majority were shorter than 100 nt. Short introns constitute only a small fraction of introns in the human genome, and thus this result indicates that the splicing of very short introns in vivo is highly dependent on the presence of Smu1 and RED. In vitro splicing studies using truncated versions of the MINX-120 pre-mRNA and Smu1/RED-depleted extract, also demonstrated that splicing was more dependent on the presence of Smu1 and RED when intron length was shorter. Truncation of the intron to either 90 or 80 nt reduced the overall efficiency of splicing compared to MINX-120, but it also enhanced the inhibitory effect of Smu1/RED-depletion. While MINX-90 was spliced somewhat less efficiently than MINX-120, splicing of MINX-80 was nearly abolished in the absence of Smu1 and RED, and led to an apparent block at the B complex stage with little or no formation of Bact or catalytically-active C complexes. Thus, Smu1 and RED play a crucial role in the splicing of extremely short introns both in vitro and in vivo. To investigate whether the intron length per se or the distance between the 5'SS and the BS or between the BS and the 3'SS determines whether splicing is dependent on Smu1/RED or not, I compared spliceosome assembly on PM5 pre-mRNAs with a shortened 5'SS-BS distance or a shortened polypyrimidine (PY) tract (BS-3'SS distance).
While spliceosome activation was not affected by the truncation of the PY tract in the absence of Smu1 and RED, shortening of the 5'SS-BS distance to ~55nt (as found in MINX-80) blocked the assembly at the B complex level, indicating that the distance between the 5'SS and the BS is the decisive factor for a strong Smu1/RED-dependence.

The dependence of spliceosome activation on a minimal 5'SS-BS distance is probably due to physical limitations exerted by the intron. In this case, resolving this steric hindrance should allow spliceosome activation even without the support of Smu1 and RED. Indeed, when the MINX-80 pre-mRNA was cleaved into two RNAs, spliceosome activation was restored in the absence of Smu1/RED. This supports the idea that a short 5'SS-BS distance exerts a structural constraint, which can be relieved by physically separating the 5' and 3' regions of an intron.

Based on my data and structural information obtained from the cryo-EM structure of the human B complex, a model for how 5'SS-BS distance might lead to the dependency of spliceosome activation on Smu1/RED was generated. In the human B complex, Smu1 and RED form a molecular bridge between the U2 snRNP protein SF3B3 and the RNA helicase Brr2. This interaction appears to be important for spliceosome activation, potentially either by tethering Brr2 in a position required to unwind the U4/U6 interaction during activation or by directly aiding in triggering Brr2 unwinding activity. In the B complex, the intron is base paired with the U6 ACAGAG box at the 5'SS and with the U2 snRNA at the BS region. In most cases the distance between the 5'SS and the BS of the intron is sufficiently long to grant the U2 domain enough flexibility to move towards Brr2 and to form a bridge directly, even when Smu1 and RED are absent, albeit it at a slower rate. However, when this distance is short, i.e. ~56 nt or less, the intron adopts a fully extended conformation that results in a structural constraint. This could potentially result in repositioning of the U2 domain away from Brr2 and/or hinder its ability to move towards Brr2, and in turn inhibit spliceosome activation. As Smu1 and RED extend the U2/Brr2 bridge, the negative effect of a short 5'SS to BS distance would be greatly enhanced in their absence. Taken together, my studies provide novel insights into the function of the B-specific proteins Smu1 and RED in splicing. They additionally elucidate how intron architecture impacts spliceosome assembly and splicing, and how spliceosomal proteins potentially help the splicing machinery to overcome the challenges created by short introns.


Sovereignty is the first-order question of a politics attaching itself to the state, and seventeenth-century England provides an important case study in the roots of its modern iterations. With these central claims in view, this book explores the thought of Thomas Hobbes, John Milton, and Andrew Marvell, as well as lesser-known figures, such as William Fiennes, Lord Saye and Sele, and John Barclay. In addition to political philosophy and literary studies, it also takes account of the period's legal history, such as the exercise of the crown's feudal rights through the Court of Wards and Liveries, the status of corporations and contracts, debates over habeas rights, and the contested jurisdiction of prerogative courts. Theorizing sovereignty in a way that points forward to later modernity, the book critiques key concepts in the thought of Carl Schmitt: the mechanization of the state; land appropriation and legal order; the concept of the "people"; the pluralist state; and the protection–obedience axiom.


Background: Compression fractures are often associated with lower energy trauma and may occur in the setting of abnormal bone health associated with genetic disorders and endocrine disorders, neoplastic disease, infection, and inflammatory disorders. There is no significant series in the literature describing the prevalence or etiology of pathologic pediatric compression fractures. Methods: IRB-approved retrospective study was performed at a tertiary children's hospital from 2012-2022. Patients <18 years old diagnosed with atraumatic vertebral compression fractures were included and reviewed for demographics, underlying diagnosis/comorbidity, presentation, mobility, deformities, imaging data, treatments, and outcomes. Results: 181 patients (54% Male) were included with mean age 14.17 years and follow-up of 20 months. A compression fracture was the presenting symptom of an underlying diagnosis in 32% of patients. Primary osteoporosis was the cause in 15%, and secondary osteoporosis was in 65% of patients; primarily due to immunosuppressants (46%) and ALL (10%). Primary lesions were the etiology in 20% of patients. There was a median of 3 fractures per patient, mostly of the midthoracic (82%) and thoracolumbar spine (51%). Radiographs revealed wedge fractures in 82% and vertebra plana in 11%. Patients were managed with careful observation or bracing (78%) and only 6% received an operation. By last follow-up, more patients developed scoliosis and were wheelchair-bound. Overall, there was a 16% mortality rate which was mostly associated with cancer. Conclusion: About 32% of patients presented with a compression fracture as the presenting symptom of an underlying disease. Pathologic vertebral compression fractures in children frequently occurred due to immunosuppressants, ALL, and metastatic disease. The fractures are often wedge or non-structural in the thoracolumbar and mid-thoracic regions of the spine. MRI's may be useful for distinguishing between benign fractures and malignancy. Most children were treated by observation, but bracing for kyphosis was often necessary.


We synthesized a new type of PbS colloidal quantum dot (QDs) embedding CuS (PbS[CuS] QDs) by rapid injection of a sulfur precursor into a lead precursor solution followed by cation exchange of Pb with Cu ions. By the cation exchange reaction, the edge of PbS QDs was partially converted into CuS, which enhances the absorptivity of light and creates an additional absorption band in the near infrared (NIR) region due to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect by the existence of vacancies in CuS. From the transient and static photoluminescence (PL) decay measurements, we found that the PL decay time of PbS[CuS] QDs was ∼2 fold longer than that of the PbS QDs and the PbS[CuS] QDs showed great PL quenching compared to the PbS QDs. Accordingly, the generated excitons in PbS/CuS QDs are more easily dissociated into free charge carriers than those in the PbS QDs. As a result, the mesoscopic PbS/CuS QD-sensitized solar cells constructed using FTO (F-doped SnO2)/bl-TiO2 (blocking TiO2)/mesoscopic TiO2/PbS/CuS CQDs/P3HT (poly-3-hexylthiophene)/Au showed 0.6 V open-circuit voltage (Voc), 20.7 mA cm−2 short-circuit current density (Jsc), 65% fill factor (FF), and 8.07% overall power conversion efficiency under 1 sun conditions (100 mW cm−2 AM 1.5G) due to the improved absorptivity and the reduced recombination of charge carriers.


Background: A child receiving an acceptable diet is expected to reach the optimal anthropometric measures. More than 60% of dietary requirement has to be met through complimentary diet. Objectives: This aimed to estimate the prevalence of dietary diversity and to assess factors associated with it from caregivers' perceptions by quantitative and qualitative participatory techniques. Methods: A mixed-method study comprising community-based cross-sectional quantitative and participatory rural appraisal qualitative components was conducted in 25 villages from the field practice area of medical institute in South India during 2017. Caregivers of eligible children 6–23 months from villages were interviewed regarding various food groups consumed in the last 24 h using a validated checklist. Association of demographic-, child, and mother-related characteristics with inappropriate dietary diversity was identified using multivariate negative log-binomial model. Results: Of the 603 eligible children, 75.1% had inappropriate dietary diversity. Although inappropriate dietary diversity prevailed across all categories, mothers with less than primary education (adjusted prevalence ratio [PR]: 1.26) children <1 year (adjusted PR: 1.29) and not on current breastfeeding (adjusted PR: 1.15) had significantly more inappropriate diversity. Restraining and motivating forces for dietary diversity were initially recorded from free listing and subjected to force-field analysis. Ignorance, lack of literacy, affordability issues, nuclear family pattern, and influence of junk foods are restraining forces. Conclusion: Inappropriate dietary diversity among 6–23 months children in the rural block of Tamil Nadu, South India, is extensive (75%). Current Child development programs should focus to address these issues based on these identified contextual factors.


Innovation and new technology adoption represent two central elements for the enterprise and industry development process in agriculture. The objective of the paper is to provide an ex-ante analysis of the effectiveness of alternative policy design options concerning the RDP measures intended to provide incentives for investment/innovation adoption in five case study areas across Europe. The model implemented is based on a real option approach that includes investment irreversibility and stochasticity in SFP. The results show the relevance of uncertainty in determining the timing of adoption and emphasise the importance of predictability as a major component of policy design.


Buffer insertion is a very effective technique to reduce propagation delay in deep sub-micron VLSI interconnects. As design dimension shrinks, more buffers are needed to improve timing performance. However, the buffer itself consumes power and it has been shown that power dissipation overhead due to buffer insertions is significantly high. Many methodologies to optimize propagation delay with power constraint have been proposed but none of them can be integrated into buffer insertion algorithm using dynamic programming. This paper presents a new technique to optimize the interconnect delay and power consumption of buffers in buffer insertion algorithm using dynamic programming. The proposed technique allows dynamic power consumption of buffers to be computed incrementally. In order to increase the efficiency of the algorithm, we incorporate a technique called look-ahead into the algorithm. Experimental results show that the proposed technique is accurate, fast, and scalable with problem size.


Centrosomes nucleate microtubules and contribute to mitotic spindle organization and function. They also participate in cytokinesis and cell cycle progression in ways that are poorly understood. Here we describe a novel human protein called centriolin that localizes to the maternal centriole and functions in both cytokinesis and cell cycle progression. Centriolin silencing induces cytokinesis failure by a novel mechanism whereby cells remain interconnected by long intercellular bridges. Most cells continue to cycle, reenter mitosis, and form multicellular syncytia. Some ultimately divide or undergo apoptosis specifically during the protracted period of cytokinesis. At later times, viable cells arrest in G1/G0. The cytokinesis activity is localized to a centriolin domain that shares homology with Nud1p and Cdc11p, budding and fission yeast proteins that anchor regulatory pathways involved in progression through the late stages of mitosis. The Nud1p-like domain of centriolin binds Bub2p, another component of the budding yeast pathway. We conclude that centriolin is required for a late stage of vertebrate cytokinesis, perhaps the final cell cleavage event, and plays a role in progression into S phase.