A central aim in fault mechanics is to understand the microphysical mechanisms controlling
aseismic-seismic transitions in fault gouges, and to identify microstructural indicators for such
transitions. We present new data on the slip stability of calcite fault gouges, and on microstructural
development down to the nanometer scale. Our experiments consisted of direct
shear tests performed dry at slip rates of 0.1–10 μm/s, at a constant normal stress of 50 MPa,
at 18–150 °C. The results show a transition from stable to (potentially) unstable slip above
~80 °C. All samples recovered showed an optical microstructure characterized by narrow,
30–40-μm-wide, Riedel and boundary shear bands marked by extreme grain comminution,
and a crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO). Boundary shear bands, sectioned using
FIB-SEM (focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy), revealed angular grain fragments
decreasing from 10 to 20 μm at the outer margins to ~0.3 μm in the shear band core, where
dense aggregates of nanograins also occurred. Transmission electron microscopy, applied to
foils extracted from boundary shears using FIB-SEM, combined with the optical CPO, showed
that these aggregates consist of calcite nanocrystals, 5–20 nm in size, with the (104)[201] dislocation
glide system oriented parallel to the shear plane and direction. Our results suggest
that the mechanisms controlling slip include cataclasis and localized crystal plasticity. Because
crystal plasticity is strongly thermally activated, we infer that the transition to velocity-weakening
slip is likely due to enhanced crystal plasticity at >80 °C. This implies that tectonically
active limestone terrains will tend to be particularly prone to shallow-focus seismicity.


A rare subset of HIV lymphoma, known as primary effusion lymphoma (PEL), is a high-grade tumour carrying human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8). Very little is known about genomic aberration in PEL, and only a few HIV-negative PEL have been reported. Here we report the results of chromosomal analysis and comparative genomic hybridisation (CGH) conducted to detect regions of gain and loss, in five HIV-negative Japanese cases of HHV-8-negative PEL. All patients except one (35-year-old female) were elderly men and the morphologic examination showed large cell type. PEL expressed B-cell-associated and activation-associated antigens, and exhibited clonal immunoglobulin genes. No HHV-8 was detected in all four examined cases, but Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was detected in one case. Genomic abnormalities and aberrations were identified in all HHV-8/HIV-negative PEL. CGH studies showed gain in 19 of 24 chromosomes. Gains of 3q13-27, 8q24, 10q21-23 and Yq were detected in two of the five cases, but other gains were noted in each case. Chromosomal analysis revealed complex abnormalities both in numbers and structures. Burkitt lymphoma-associated t(8;22) was detected in one case, but +8 chromosome and c-myc amplification were detected in the other three cases by Southern blot and/or fluorecence in situ hybridization (FISH). Abnormality of chromosome 8, which associates with c-myc, was detected in four of the five HHV-8/HIV-negative PEL. However, the other common genomic abnormalities of HHV-8/HIV-negative PEL were not detected in our study, but the complex abnormalities seemed to be true rather than the usual large B-cell lymphoma. Our results suggest that multi-step genomic abnormalities might be associated in HHV-8/HIV-negative PEL tumorigenesis.


Electronic tracking technologies revolutionized wildlife ecology, notably for studying the movements of elusive species such as seabirds. Those advances are key to seabird conservation, for example in guiding the design of marine protected areas for this highly threatened group. Tracking data are also boosting scientific understanding of marine ecosystem dynamics in the context of global change. To optimize future tracking efforts, we performed a global assessment of seabird tracking data. We identified and mined 689 seabird tracking studies, reporting on > 28,000 individuals of 216 species from 17 families over the last four decades. We found substantial knowledge gaps, reflecting a historical neglect of tropical seabird ecology, with biases toward species that are heavier, oceanic, and from high‐latitude regions. Conservation status had little influence on seabird tracking propensity. We identified 54 threatened species for which we did not find published tracking records, and 19 with very little data. Additionally, much of the existing tracking data are not yet available to other researchers and decision‐makers in online databases. We highlight priority species and regions for future tracking efforts. More broadly, we provide guidance toward an ethical, rational, and efficient global tracking program for seabirds, as a contribution to their conservation.


Real-time surface plasmon signal modulation was achieved by electrically varying the pitch of a nanoscale surface relief diffraction grating inscribed on an azobenzene thin film covered with a layer of silver. The azobenzene film was spin coated on an electrostrictive Lead Lanthanum Zirconate Titanate (PLZT) ceramic substrate and AC electric fields were applied longitudinally on the PLZT ceramic causing a change in the grating pitch as well as the surface plasmon resonance wavelength. This method permits extremely accurate control of the surface plasmon wavelength for tunable optics applications.


The porcine small intestine submucosa, an extracellular matrix-derived bioscaffold (ECM-SIS), has been successfully used to enhance the healing of ligaments and tendons. Since the collagen fibers of ECM-SIS have an orientation of +/- 30 degrees , its application in improving the healing of the parallel-fibered ligament and tendon may not be optimal. Therefore, the objective was to improve the collagen fiber alignment of ECM-SIS in vitro with fibroblast seeding and cyclic stretch. The hypothesis was that with the synergistic effects of cell seeding and mechanical stimuli, the collagen fibers in the ECM-SIS can be remodeled and aligned, making it an improved bioscaffold with enhanced conductive properties. Three experimental groups were established: group I (n = 14), ECM-SIS was seeded with fibroblasts and cyclically stretched; group II (n = 13), ECM-SIS was seeded with fibroblasts but not cyclically stretched; and group III (n = 8), ECM-SIS was not seeded with fibroblasts but cyclically stretched. After 5 days' experiments, the scaffolds from all the three groups (n = 9 for group I; n = 8 for groups II and III) were processed for quantification of the collagen fiber orientation with a small-angle light scattering (SALS) system. For groups I and II, in which the scaffolds were seeded with fibroblasts, the cell morphology and orientation and newly produced collagen fibrils were examined with confocal fluorescent microscopy (n = 3/group) and transmission electronic microscopy (n = 2/group). The results revealed that the collagen fiber orientation in group I was more aligned closer to the stretching direction when compared to the other two groups. The mean angle decreased from 25.3 degrees to 7.1 degrees (p < 0.05), and the associated angular dispersion was also reduced (37.4 degrees vs. 18.5 degrees , p < 0.05). In contrast, groups II and III demonstrated minimal changes. The cells in group I were more aligned in the stretching direction than those in group II. Newly produced collagen fibrils could be observed along the cells in both groups I and II. This study demonstrated that a combination of fibroblast seeding and cyclic stretch could remodel and align the collagen fiber orientation in ECM-SIS bioscaffolds. The better-aligned ECM-SIS has the prospect of eliciting improved effects on enhancing the healing of ligaments and tendons.


Urbanization process in the Republic of Lithuania has formed a strong visual, cultural and economic gap between rural and urban areas. The city is identified with the manifold social progress and vitality, while rural areas are pushed into non-progressive public areas and unimportant position. Lithuanian villages face major social and cultural changes and economic difficulties, which result in increasing migration of people to cities and foreign countries. Moreover, significant decline in the young population could be observed in small towns. Therefore, it is necessary to change the attitude of the rural population and to improve the management patterns of public institutions, to revive and to ensure sustainable development of the rural territory. Everyone could self-realize only in a safe and comfortable environment. The right environment in which persons feel safe and are able to realize their potential in activities, can be created by spatial planning. This research paper analyses statistical and geographical information about Klaipėda suburban areas. Intensity of new residential blocks' formation and their real needs are also discussed in the paper. Conclusions are drawn concerning the need to change the approach to the formation of new settlements in the area by taking into account the needs of inhabitants, i.e. use of "bottom-up" management approach. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.erem.69.3.6662


Objective The adverse effects of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have been documented for pneumonia; however, there is no consensus regarding whether the use of PPIs might be harmful regarding the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In this regard, we aimed to measure the potential associations of the current use of PPIs with the infection rates of COVID-19 among patients who underwent SARS-CoV-2 testing. Design Data were derived from a Korean nationwide cohort study with propensity score matching. We included 132 316 patients older than 18 years who tested for SARS-CoV-2 between 1 January and 15 May 2020. Endpoints were SARS-CoV-2 positivity (primary) and severe clinical outcomes of COVID-19 (secondary: admission to intensive care unit, administration of invasive ventilation or death). Results In the entire cohort, there were 111 911 non-users, 14 163 current PPI users and 6242 past PPI users. After propensity score matching, the SARS-CoV-2 test positivity rate was not associated with the current or past use of PPIs. Among patients with confirmed COVID-19, the current use of PPIs conferred a 79% greater risk of severe clinical outcomes of COVID-19, while the relationship with the past use of PPIs remained insignificant. Current PPI use starting within the previous 30 days was associated with a 90% increased risk of severe clinical outcomes of COVID-19. Conclusion Patients taking PPIs are at increased risk for severe clinical outcomes of COVID-19 but not susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. This suggests that physicians need to assess benefit–risk assessments in the management of acid-related diseases amid the COVID-19 pandemic.


The objective of this study was to prove if certain variables related to labour affect the traditional signs of perinatal asphyxia (cardiotocography records, Apgar score and the umbilical artery pH). This is an observational, multicentric, longitudinal, analytical, cohort study in pregnant women at term admitted to the delivery room of Hospital Infanta Cristina, Hospital de Fuenlabrada and Hospital Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda. Of all the variables under scrutiny, the onset of labour, parity, clamping the umbilical cord, gestational age, type of delivery, newborn weight and neonatal resuscitation have a significant relationship with the three signs of perinatal asphyxia. This study showed a relationship between the three signs and some of the studied variables, therefore recommending assessing them in the perinatal asphyxia diagnosis.

 Key words: Cardiotocography records, umbilical pH, Apgar score, perinatal asphyxia.


This study aimed at determining the field-saturated soil hydraulic conductivity, Kfs, of an unmanaged field affected by fire by means of single-ring infiltrometer runs and the use of transient and steady-state data analysis procedures. Sampling and measurements were carried out in 2012 and 2017 in a fire-affected field (burnt site) and in a neighboring non-affected site (control site). The predictive potential of different data analysis procedures (i.e., transient and steady-state) to yield proper Kfs estimates was investigated. In particular, the transient WU1 method and the BB, WU2 and OPD methods were compared. The cumulative linearization (CL) method was used to apply the WU1 method. Values of Kfs ranging from 0.87 to 4.21 mm·h−1 were obtained, depending on the considered data analysis method. The WU1 method did not yield significantly different Kfs estimates between the sampled sites throughout the five-year period, due to the generally poor performance of the CL method, which spoiled the soil hydraulic characterization. In particular, good fits were only obtained in 23% of the cases. The BB, WU2 and the OPD methods, with a characterization based exclusively on a stabilized infiltration process, yielded an appreciably lower variability of the Kfs data as compared with the WU1 method. It was concluded that steady-state methods were more appropriate for detecting slight changes of Kfs in post-fire soil hydraulic characterizations. Our results showed a certain degree of soil degradation at the burnt site with an immediate reduction of the soil organic matter and a progressive increase of the soil bulk density during the five years following the fire. This general impoverishment resulted in a slight but significant decrease in the field-saturated soil hydraulic conductivity.


This study aims to investigate the effect of stocking rate on vegetation cover (VC) and forage mass (FM) of Mediterranean Kermes oak shrublands, and the growth performance of pure hair goat kids ( Capra hircus L.). Two villages that had the same ecological conditions but where the presence of pure hair goats did or did not exceed the grazing capacity were selected specifically within this scope. The birth weight (BW) and the daily live weight gain at 90 days (DLWG at 90 days) of pure hair goat kids in these villages were identified and compared in order to monitor their growth. As a result, there is a very strong positive correlation between the growth performance of goat kids, and VC and FM in these villages (P<0.01). Results indicated that high stocking rate effect forage availability and this situation cause decrease in the growth performance of goat kids. It was concluded that forage availability and stocking rate in grazing plans are points to consider providing sustainable goat farming.


The evolution of plant defence in response to herbivory will depend on the fitness effects of damage, availability of genetic variation and potential ecological and genetic constraints on defence. Here, we examine the potential for evolution of tolerance to deer herbivory in Oenothera biennis while simultaneously considering resistance to natural insect herbivores. We examined (i) the effects of deer damage on fitness, (ii) the presence of genetic variation in tolerance and resistance, (iii) selection on tolerance, (iv) genetic correlations with resistance that could constrain evolution of tolerance and (v) plant traits that might predict defence. In a field experiment, we simulated deer damage occurring early and late in the season, recorded arthropod abundances, flowering phenology and measured growth rate and lifetime reproduction. Our study showed that deer herbivory has a negative effect on fitness, with effects being more pronounced for late‐season damage. Selection acted to increase tolerance to deer damage, yet there was low and nonsignificant genetic variation in this trait. In contrast, there was substantial genetic variation in resistance to insect herbivores. Resistance was genetically uncorrelated with tolerance, whereas positive genetic correlations in resistance to insect herbivores suggest there exists diffuse selection on resistance traits. In addition, growth rate and flowering time did not predict variation in tolerance, but flowering phenology was genetically correlated with resistance. Our results suggest that deer damage has the potential to exert selection because browsing reduces plant fitness, but limited standing genetic variation in tolerance is expected to constrain adaptive evolution in O. biennis.


The stable emulsions from oxidized polyethylene waxes with the use of various non-ionic emulsifiers from the group of fatty alcohol ethoxylates with HLB in the range 11−16 were obtained. The effectiveness of the emulsification was assessed by measuring the dispersed phase particle size and the emulsion stability. The highest emulsifying efficiency was achieved using a non-ionic emulsifier with HLB of 16.3.


This study is based on primary and secondary data encompassing status of camels and camel farmers, prevailing farming practices and camel centered measures in Balochistan, Pakistan. The key purpose is to give a glimpse to the policy makers about this neglected species that is bestowed with unearthed potentials. The province Balochistan has the lion's share (41%) of total camel population of Pakistan. The documented breeds in this region are seven out of total twenty breeds in Pakistan. The study explains that the camel famers are illiterate and living ultra low level life standards. The camel farming is on traditional pattern. Grazing has poor nutritive value resulting in delayed growth, puberty age, conception rate, increased calving interval and low milk yield. Milk marketing is not favored coupled with lack of market knowledge for selling live camels. The academic and administrative focus on camel's research and development is rare at all levels. It is high time to work on camel, camel farmer and camel farming with multi-pronged strategy. Educating camel farmers in field schools and adoption of scientific farming procedures, milk and meat marketing, value addition of milk and dairy products are the ways to move forward.


Aims: This qualitative research aims to describe experiences of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Phetchaburi province focused on their perceptions and lifestyles. Methods: The hermeneutic phenomenological is used as the research methodology framework. The semi-structured in-depth interviews was conducted on acquiring experiences of pregnant women with GDM. The sample is chosen using purposive sampling and the acquired clarity and saturation of data to generate the sample of 20. All pregnant women' rights were protected. Data collections are done during October-December 2013. The content analysis is conducted after each in-depth interview. Results: The pregnant women, aged 19-34 ( 50% ) and 35-40 ( 45% ) , the incidents of GDM comprised of A1 and A2. The GDM A1 was found among 70% of pregnant women in this study. The treatments given to GDM A1 were dietary control and exercise. Meanwhile, 30% of those suffering from GDM A2 are treated using dietary control, exercise and insulin injection. Content analysis focused on their perceptions with GDM revealed 2 themes: 1) Feelings of fear, concern, stress because of mental unpreparedness to deal with GDM related to insulin injection, selfblood sampling, fright of possible threats towards their baby and themselves, and 2) Awareness of their proneness to GDM because some of their family members are diabetes patients. The content analysis concerning lifestyles of pregnant women with GDM revealed 5 issues: 1) Dietary patterns among those who able and unable to achieve blood sugar control were different; 2) the family support benefits effort on blood sugar control of pregnant women with GDM; 3) the adherence to religion, faith, and belief in their unborn baby; 4) Tolerant to insulin injection for their baby; and 5) failure of exercise to improve the metabolism because poor exercise guidance and correct knowledge. Conclusions: The research result present the broader perspectives for health personnel to provide care for pregnant women with GDM and family for promoting self-care ability and engagement of family. The improvement of practical exercise guidance and the multidisciplinary care team comprising physicians, nurses, nutritionists and physical therapists to a pregnant woman should also be focused.


Recommender systems are gaining widespread acceptance in e-commerce applications to confront the ldquoinformation overloadrdquo problem. Providing justification to a recommendation gives credibility to a recommender system. Some recommender systems (Amazon.com, etc.) try to explain their recommendations, in an effort to regain customer acceptance and trust. However, their explanations are not sufficient, because they are based solely on rating or navigational data, ignoring the content data. Several systems have proposed the combination of content data with rating data to provide more accurate recommendations, but they cannot provide qualitative justifications. In this paper, we propose a novel approach that attains both accurate and justifiable recommendations. We construct a feature profile for the users to reveal their favorite features. Moreover, we group users into biclusters (i.e., groups of users which exhibit highly correlated ratings on groups of items) to exploit partial matching between the preferences of the target user and each group of users. We have evaluated the quality of our justifications with an objective metric in two real data sets (Reuters and MovieLens), showing the superiority of the proposed method over existing approaches.


We sincerely thank Harrison X. Bai and colleagues for their interest and comments regarding our recent article, in which we demonstrated the diagnostic significance of cortical superficial siderosis (cSS) for Alzheimer disease in patients with cognitive impairment. Regarding the methodologic issues of the present study that their letter raises, the diagnosis of cSS seen on susceptibilityweighted imaging was based on collegial discussion with experienced neuroradiologists, and no data are available for interobserver variability. We defined cSS as linear hypointensities on the surface of the cerebral gyri on SWI. The appearance of cSS on SWI was obvious in this study; fortunately, we had no difficulty in distinguishing cSS from lobar cerebral microbleeds (MBs). Very superficial clusters of multiple MBs can be mistaken for cSS, but these would be distinguished by their irregular appearance. In relation to exclusions, 4 patients with previous symptomatic subarachnoid hemorrhage, 23 patients with traumatic subdural hematoma, and 1 patient with an intracranial operation were excluded according to medical charts. We therefore presented 12 cases with cSS that did not seem to have occult sources of bleeding, as the authors pointed out. We agree with their statement that elucidating the pathogenesis of cSS from cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) warrants further analysis. However, imaging-histopathologic correlations shown in cases with CAA might indicate that recurrent blood leakage of meningeal vessels leads to the propagation of cSS. To confirm the progression of CAA-related cSS, prospective studies are needed that recruit patients with CAA based on the Boston criteria.


A new method of fault analysis and detection by signal classification in industrial frequency converters is presented. The WignerVille time frequency distribution is used to produce the representation of the signal and the probabilistic neural network as a classifier. The accuracy and robustness of the proposed method is investigated on signals obtained during the different fault mode operations of the industrial frequency converter.


Interferon regulatory factor (IRF) 5 is a key transcription factor for the activation of innate immune responses downstream of Toll-like receptor signaling. Based on recent genetic analyses, IRF5 is a focus for its potential involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), although how IRF5 contributes to SLE is uncertain. In this study, we demonstrate a requirement for IRF5 in the development of murine SLE via its role in B lymphocytes. We show that antinuclear autoantibodies and Ig glomerular deposits, hallmarks of SLE, are absent in Irf5−/− mice challenged to develop SLE by pristane injection. In particular, production of autoantibodies of the IgG2a subtype, the most prominent isotype in inducing autoimmunity, requires IRF5. Finally, we provide evidence for the critical role of this transcription factor in the secretion of pathogenic antibodies through its direct control of class switch recombination of the γ2a locus. By demonstrating a B-cell-intrinsic role, this study places IRF5 in a context that may have implications for understanding the pathogenesis of human SLE.


In vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated a protective effect of cannabidiol (CBD) in reducing infarct size in stroke models and against epithelial barrier damage in numerous disease models. We aimed to investigate whether CBD also affects blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability following ischaemia.


In Korea, the national evaluation program for emergency medical centers (EMCs) was introduced in 2003. EMCs in Korea have three levels of emergency centers including regional emergency centers, local emergency centers, and local emergency rooms. The evaluation system assesses the performance of EMCs at all three levels. The role of both regional emergency centers and local emergency centers administer the final treatment for severe emergency patients, although the definition of severe emergency patients is unclear. These factors may aggravate crowding at the emergency department. The national evaluation system aims to reduce the length of stay in the emergency department. However, reduction of the length of stay at emergency department may cause a conflict with the administration of final treatment for critically ill emergency patients owing to a lack of in-hospital beds. Crowding of the emergency department is not a problem of EMCs but that of the health system. In 2019, the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine performed a study to improve the national evaluation program for EMC and the performance of EMC. Here, we have summarized the results.


A temperature-sensitive (ts) mutant from the BHK-21 hamster cell line, tsBN462, has a defect in progression of the G1 phase at the nonpermissive temperature of 39.5 degrees C. The ts mutation in tsBN462 is located in the CCG1 gene, encoding the general transcription factor TAF(II)250. In tsBN462 at 39.5 degrees C, infectious progeny of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) was not produced and generation of authentic genomic termini of HSV-1 was inhibited. HSV-1 concatemers containing L components in two possible orientations were produced in tsBN462 at 39.5 degrees C; hence, the generation of authentic genomic termini seemed to be dispensable for inversion of the L component. As production of mRNAs of HSV-1 genes of three kinetic classes in the tsBN462 at 39.5 degrees C was comparable to findings under permissive conditions, the sequential and regulated manner in which HSV-1 gene expression is processed is likely to be maintained in the nonpermissive condition.


Microbial lifeforms associated with land plants represent a rich source for crop growth- and health-promoting microorganisms and biocontrol agents. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by the plant microbiota have been demonstrated to elicit plant defenses and inhibit the growth and development of numerous plant pathogens. Therefore, these molecules are prospective alternatives to synthetic pesticides and the determination of their bioactivities against plant threats could contribute to the development of control strategies for sustainable agriculture. In our previous study we investigated the inhibitory impact of volatiles emitted by Pseudomonas species isolated from a potato field against the late blight-causing agent Phytophthora infestans. Besides the well-documented emission of hydrogen cyanide, other Pseudomonas VOCs impeded P. infestans mycelial growth and sporangia germination. Current advances in the field support the emerging concept that the microbial volatilome contains unexploited, eco-friendly chemical resources that could help select for efficient biocontrol strategies and lead to a greener chemical disease management in the field.


AIMS
Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a cellular signalling lipid generated by sphingosine kinase-1 (SPHK1). The aim of the study was to investigate whether the activated coagulation factor-X (FXa) regulates SPHK1 transcription and the formation of S1P and subsequent mitogenesis and migration of human vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC).

METHODS AND RESULTS
FXa induced a time- (3-6 h) and concentration-dependent (3-30 nmol/L) increase of SPHK1 mRNA and protein expression in human aortic SMC, resulting in an increased synthesis of S1P. FXa-stimulated transcription of SPHK1 was mediated by the protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1) and PAR-2. In human carotid artery plaques, expression of SPHK1 was observed at SMC-rich sites and was co-localized with intraplaque FX/FXa content. FXa-induced SPHK1 transcription was attenuated by inhibitors of Rho kinase (Y27632) and by protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms (GF109203X). In addition, FXa rapidly induced the activation of the small GTPase Rho A. Inhibition of signalling pathways which regulate SPHK1 expression, inhibition of its activity or siRNA-mediated SPHK1 knockdown attenuated the mitogenic and chemotactic response of human SMC to FXa.

CONCLUSION
These data suggest that FXa induces SPHK1 expression and increases S1P formation independent of thrombin and that this involves the activation of Rho A and PKC signalling. In addition to its key function in coagulation, this direct effect of FXa on human SMC may increase cell proliferation and migration at sites of vessel injury and thereby contribute to the progression of vascular lesions.


In the beginning God created – and made me in his own likeness in the process, endowing me with that same creative ability. As I produce paintings, and especially the paintings of this thesis series, I am continually aware of the inherent power, beauty, and enduring quality of the vegetation in the Earth. Each painting is a celebration of the life process and cycles which produce the various plant forms. Each painting is a celebration of the strength and vitality within each form, the capacity to live and grow to a fullness of form, and the capacity to bring forth more in the same character. Just as each plant has some variation from that of the parent plant so each painting is derivative of the previous paintings and at once a new painting.


This guide, now in its sixth edition, offers a selection of some of the best winter routes to be found in the Cairngorms and on Creag Meagaidh. The granite peaks of the former have extensive areas of high plateau and four peaks of over 4000ft, while the latter is noted for its classic ice routes. There is superb winter climbing to be had in this unique mountain environment. There is a complete range of various difficulties, lengths and styles in the guide, from straightforward climbs to some of exceptional difficulty . Some routes are easily accessible, others are extremely remote but all require a solid mountaineering background. Set in the heart of Scotland, the classic gully routes of Lochnagar are here as are the more remote and serious climbs on Braeriach. With something to suit all winter climbers, the Cairngorms has it all. Key marketing points • Best winter routes on Creag Meagaidh and in the Cairngorms • Wide range of grades, styles and lengths for all mountaineers • Authoritative guide, now in its sixth edition and fully updated About the author


The western subspecies of Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus occidentalis has undergone severe population declines over the last two decades. Numerous petitions have warranted its listing under the Endangered Species Act; however, the question of whether the western subspecies is genetically separated from the eastern C. a. americanus form is controversial. Previous research found small, but significant divergence in a single mitochondrial gene based on a limited number of samples. In this study, I analyze 949 base pairs of the same mitochondrial cytochrome b gene from additional samples in both the western and eastern subspecies to reassess the evolutionary distinctiveness of the western taxa. Unlike the previous study, I did not find any fixed genetic differences, but only found slight, insignificant genetic differentiation between the subspecies. The separation into distinct subspecies of the eastern and western Yellow-billed Cuckoo might be more recent than can be captured by a single mitochondrial gene; alternatively high levels of gene flow might prevent complete segregation. Interestingly, I found a substantial amount of haplotype variation within the western samples, which may indicate genetic differences between western sampling locations. Future studies incorporating next generation sequencing are recommended to resolve the taxonomic status of Yellow-billed Cuckoo.


As a crucial part of machine learning and pattern recognition, feature selection aims at selecting a subset of the most informative features from the set of all available features. In this article, supervised feature selection is at first formulated as a mixed-integer optimization problem with an objective function of weighted feature redundancy and relevancy subject to a cardinality constraint on the number of selected features. It is equivalently reformulated as a bound-constrained mixed-integer optimization problem by augmenting the objective function with a penalty function for realizing the cardinality constraint. With additional bilinear and linear equality constraints for realizing the integrality constraints, it is further reformulated as a bound-constrained biconvex optimization problem with two more penalty terms. Two collaborative neurodynamic optimization (CNO) approaches are proposed for solving the formulated and reformulated feature selection problems. One of the proposed CNO approaches uses a population of discrete-time recurrent neural networks (RNNs), and the other use a pair of continuous-time projection networks operating concurrently on two timescales. Experimental results on 13 benchmark datasets are elaborated to substantiate the superiority of the CNO approaches to several mainstream methods in terms of average classification accuracy with three commonly used classifiers.


Reactive molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is a powerful tool to study the reaction mechanism of complex chemical systems. Central to the method is the potential energy surface (PES) that can describe the breaking and formation of chemical bonds. The development of PES of both accurate and efficent has attracted significant effort in the past two decades. Recently developed Deep Potential (DP) model has the promise to bring ab initio accuracy to large-scale reactive MD simulations. However, for complex chemical reaction processes like pyrolysis, it remains challenging to generate reliable DP models with an optimal training dataset. In this work, a dataset construction scheme for such a purpose was established. The employment of a concurrent learning algorithm allows us to maximize the exploration of the chemical space while minimize the redundancy of the dataset. This greatly reduces the cost of computational resources required by ab initio calculations. Based on this method, we constructed a dataset for the pyrolysis of n-dodecane, which contains 35,496 structures. The reactive MD simulation with the DP model trained based on this dataset revealed the pyrolysis mechanism of n-dodecane in detail, and the simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental measurements. In addition, this dataset shows excellent transferability to different long-chain alkanes. These results demonstrate the advantages of the proposed method for constructing training datasets for similar systems.


: Human motor behavior is organized around two major neurotransmitter systems in the basal ganglia--dopaminergic and cholinergic. Hypokinetic disease may result from hypofunction of the dopaminergic system or cholinergic hyperfunction. The reverse seems true for many hyperkinetic movement disorders. Drugs which facilitate dopaminergic neurotransmission or which block cholinergic transmission relieve many hypokinetic disorders; the opposite approach is useful in treating many hyperkinetic disorders.


A High Court judge has made the first finding in a British court that exposure to organophosphates causes long term damage.

Mrs Justice Smith found that a Peterborough farm worker, John Hill, had experienced persistent neuropsychological and neurobehavioural effects from two exposures to the insecticide Actellic-D, whose active constituent is pirimiphos-methyl.

The judge also accepted the view of Peter Behan, professor of neurology at Glasgow University, that the exposures had caused Mr Hill to develop a condition similar to the chronic fatigue syndrome. But she dismissed claims by another of Mr Hill's experts, Goran Jamal, also of Glasgow University, that organophosphates cause long term peripheral neuropathy and abnormalities of the autonomic system. …


In this study, an initial survey of clothing insulation and changes in the metabolic rate of individuals in office spaces was performed to establish the distribution of room temperatures at which individuals perceived a neutral thermal sensation. Subsequently, the indoor thermal environment in four offices was surveyed during the summer with different air-conditioning systems to determine the thermal environment stability in each case. The results revealed that for the required temperature, there was a noticeable difference between the average and most frequent values. Moreover, it was determined that the required temperature distribution is not normal, but rather, it is skewed to the low-temperature side. In addition, the radiant air-conditioning system was found to generate a narrow distribution of the equivalent temperature and hence, facilitated a more uniform thermal environment compared to a convective (multi-unit) air-conditioning system. Therefore, in buildings with convective air-conditioning systems, even if the planar average thermal environment is categorized as comfortable, it may be possible that workers who are sensitive to the cold or heat will complain of discomfort more frequently than those in buildings with radiant air-conditioning systems because the probability of workers sitting in cold- or hot-spot areas is higher in the former case.


This paper uses the metaphor of 'boomerangs' articulated by Michel Foucault to discuss the potential for drones to become the 'next layer' of urban surveillance in our cities. Like earlier Western technologies and techniques of government that were 'tested out' in foreign warzones and then 'brought back' to urban centres (the helicopter and its utilization in Vietnam and its return to urban police forces is a clear illustration hereof), contemporary unmanned aerial vehicles hold the potential to act as proverbial 'Foucauldian boomerangs' and return from warzones in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan to Western cities. The paper explores how a nexus of Surveillance Studies and mobilities research may be a fruitful way into comprehending this new phenomenon. En route the practical applications of drones as well as the historical importance of aerial power are connected to a situational understanding of mobilities. The paper points at a number of challenges for the future and should be understood as a first tentative attempt to set this on the research agenda .


Abstract This paper investigates the stability of a teleoperation system under time-varying communication delays. The system is a laboratory platform consisting on a scale model of a gantry crane, teleoperated by means of a haptic device. This paper focuses on the problems arising from the time-varying nature of the UDP communication delay. First, the actual delay is investigated and bounds on its magnitude and on its time-derivative are estimated, emulating different geographical connections. Second, a recent Lyapunov-Krasovkii technique taken from the literature (Zhao et al. 2007) is applied to the model of the system and stability bounds are obtained for the position error (PE) architecture. The method is applied for different controller parameters and delay bounds, and it is compared to a frequency-domain technique (Kao and Rantzer, 2007), showing reasonably non-conservative results.


'Miracles of Life' opens and closes in Shanghai, the city where J.G.Ballard was born, and where he spent the most of the Second World War interned with his family in a Japanese concentration camp. In the intervening chapters Ballard creates a memoir that is both an enthralling narrative and a detailed examination of the events which would profoundly influence his work. Beginning with his early childhood spent exploring the vibrant surroundings of pre-war Shanghai, Ballard charts the course of his remarkable life from the deprivations and unexpected freedoms of the Lunghua Camp to his return to a Britain physically and psychologically crippled by war. He explores his subsequent involvement in the dramatic social changes of the 1960s, and the adjustments to life following the premature death of his wife. In prose displaying his characteristic precision and eye for detail, Ballard recounts the experiences which would fundamentally shape his writing, while simultaneously providing an striking social analysis of the fragmented post-war Britain that lies behind so many of his novels. 'Miracles of Life' is an utterly captivating account of an extraordinary writer's extraordinary life.


The aim of the project is to help the fisherman for identify our Indian border in the sea area while fishing. By using the 8 bit microcontroller the specified tasks is used to identify the Lankan border. This project is help to know our border limit of the navy. Then to use this project we can avoid unnecessary shooting and unnecessary death. The fisher man can know their limits. The project consists of Transmitting base station, Receiver setup. The base station is placed at the Indo-Lankan border area. The receiver setup is placed at the boat. The transmitting base station transmits the RF signal The receiver setup is placed inside the boat receives the signal, when the boat is nearing the border line. When the receiver receives the signal, a Message is transmitted to the coastal guard by means of a warning alarm is given to the fisherman. By means of this instant action, the coastal guard can stop the fisherman in crossing the border.


The central governor theory (CGT) states that metabolites that act through sensory feedback mechanisms act on the brain and spinal cord, allowing the nervous system to decide the extent of skeletal muscle recruitment during exercise. This ensures that homeostasis is maintained throughout exercise, regardless of the conditions of the exercise. Few studies have examined the role of the CGT and teleoanticipation during resistance training. PURPOSE: Examine the role of the CGT and teleoanticipation during resistance training, while completing the bench press (BP) during a known and unknown load. METHODS: A convenience sample of 26 participants (age= 21.31 + 1.99 yrs, ht 175.08 + 9.15 cm; mass 81.04 kg + 13.16 kg) completed three testing sessions: 1) 1 RM BP determination; 2) Submaximal BP reps to fatigue known weight (KW); 3) Submaximal BP reps to fatigue unknown weight (UW). KW and UW sessions were randomized and completed at 70% 1RM. RESULTS: One-way ANOVA revealed no significant effects for testing order. Repeated measures t-tests revealed no significant differences in number of repetitions (KW 14.23+ 2.76 v. UW 14.73 + 2.24; t = 1.18, df = 25, p = .25), RPE (KW 13.37 +1.40 v. UW 13.00 + 1.66; t = 1.26, df = 25, p= .22) or attentional focus (%associative v. %dissociative) (KW 68.46 + 12.87 v. UW 68.85 + 13.36, t=0.15, df = 25, p = .88). CONCLUSIONS: While completing the BP participants used more associative rather than dissociative attentional strategies. RPE, reps to fatigue, and attentional did not differ across KW and UW conditions. Load knowledge did not influence performance.


Rapid detection and reporting of third generation cephalosporine resistance (3GC-R) and of extended spectrum betalactamases in Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) is a diagnostic and therapeutic priority to avoid inefficacy of the initial antibiotic regimen. In this study we evaluated a commercially available chromogenic screen for 3GC-R as a predictive and/or confirmatory test for ESBL and AmpC activity in clinical and veterinary Enterobacteriaceae isolates. The test was highly reliable in the prediction of cefotaxime and cefpodoxime resistance, but there was no correlation with ceftazidime and piperacillin/tazobactam minimal inhibitory concentrations. All human and porcine ESBL-E tested were detected with exception of one genetically positive but phenotypically negative isolate. By contrast, AmpC detection rates lay below 30%. Notably, exclusion of piperacillin/tazobactam resistant, 3GC susceptible K1+ Klebsiella isolates increased the sensitivity and specificity of the test for ESBL detection. Our data further imply that in regions with low prevalence of AmpC and K1 positive E. coli strains chromogenic testing for 3GC-R can substitute for more time consuming ESBL confirmative testing in E. coli isolates tested positive by Phoenix or VITEK2 ESBL screen. We, therefore, suggest a diagnostic algorithm that distinguishes 3GC-R screening from primary culture and species-dependent confirmatory ESBL testing by βLACTATM and discuss the implications of MIC distribution results on the choice of antibiotic regimen.


An unusual lesion that posed a diagnostic challenge was found on the lingual surface of the right mandible of a 52-year-old man. It was asymptomatic, and the patient was unaware of its presence. When information from various sources was pieced together, the lesion was ultimately diagnosed as an oral ulceration with sequestration. This condition is rare and has been reported only sporadically in the literature. The presented case is even less common, because the patient performed a corrective procedure on himself.


I present an in-depth analysis of the role of parenthood and children's living arrangements on new union formation of men and women in the UK. Using two cohorts datasets, the NCDS 1958 and the BCS 1970, which provide full retrospective information on unions and births up to age 42, I run discrete-time event history models combined with a multilevel approach to estimate gender differences in repartnering probability. I find evidence that the gender gap in new partnership formation is significantly but not entirely driven by parenthood, that is, fathers repartner more likely than mothers and childless men are still marginally more likely to find a partner than childless women. Further, I find that parent-child coresidence slows down the repartnering process of mothers and, to a lesser extent, fathers. However, this relationship tends to disappear only for fathers if custodial children are very young.


We propose a new type of graphene-based transistor intended to allow lower voltage, lower power operation than possible with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) field-effect transistors. Increased energy efficiency is not only important for its own sake, but is also necessary to allow continued device scaling and the resulting increase in computational power in CMOS-like logic circuits. We describe the basic device structure and physics and predicted current-voltage characteristics. Advantages over CMOS in terms of lower voltage and power are discussed.


In the differential diagnosis of colonic obstruction, the endometriosis is an uncommon disease, rarely reported. The endometriosis of the bowel should be suspected on young women with a history of colonic symptoms and gynecologic complaints. The preoperative diagnosis is difficult, based on the clinical history, the imaging modalities and the endoscopic explorations.


Semiconducting polymers composed of 2,2'-(9,9-dioctyl-9H-fluorene-2,7-diyl)dithiophenes (F8T2s) and (2E,2'E)-3,3'-(2,5-bis(octyloxy)-1,4-phenylene) bis(2-(5-bromothiophene-2-yl)acrylonitrile)s (OPTANs) have been synthesized through Pd(O)-catalyzed Suzuki coupling polymerization by controlling the monomer ratio. The synthesized polymers were confirmed to exhibit good solubility in common solvents, simple processability, and thermal stability up to 350 degrees C. The highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMOs), lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMOs), and optical band-gap energies were determined using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and UV-visible spectrometry. The synthesized polymers showed their maximum absorption and edge at around 520 and 650 nm, respectively. The optical band-gap energies of the polymers were determined to be 1.89 eV. Bulk heterojunction organic solar cells were fabricated using the conjugated polymer as the electron donor, and 6,6-phenyl C61-butyric acid methylester (PC61BM) or 6,6-phenyl C71-butyric acid methylester (PC71BM) as the electron acceptor. The power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of the solar cells based on polymer:PC71BM (1:1) and polymer:PC71BM (1:2) were 0.68% and 1.22%, respectively, under air mass 1.5 global (AM 1.5 G) illumination at 100 mW/cm2.


Context. Observations of post-flare transversal coronal loop oscillations by TRACE have given us an excellent opportunity to implement magneto-seismological techniques for probing the plasma fine structure of the Sun's upper atmosphere. Aims. We investigate the combined effect of magnetic and density stratification on transversal coronal loop oscillations. Methods. A coronal loop will be modelled as an expanding magnetic flux tube with arbitrary longitudinal plasma density. The governing equation of the fast kink body mode is derived and solved by analytical approximation and numerical methods. Results. It is found that even a relatively small coronal loop expansion can have a significant and pronounced effect on the accuracy of the plasma density scale height measurements derived from observation of loop oscillations. Conclusions. To conduct more accurate and realistic magneto-seismology of coronal loops, the magnetic field divergence should be taken into account.


Recent empirical contributions in labor economics suggest that individual firms face upward sloping labor supplies. We rationalize this by assuming that idiosyncratic non-pecuniary conditions interact with money wages in workers' decisions to work for specific firms. Likewise, firms supply differentiated goods in response to differences in consumer tastes. Hence, firms are price-makers and wage-setters. By combining monopolistic and monopsonistic competition, our setting captures general equilibrium interactions between the two markets. The equilibrium involves double exploitation of labor. Compared to the competitive outcome, the high-productive workers are overpaid under free entry, whereas the low-productive workers are underpaid. In the same vein, capital-owners receive a premium, whereas workers are exploited.


Interpreting a program carries a runtime penalty: the interpretational overhead. Traditionally, a compiler removes interpretational overhead by sacrificing inessential details of program execution. However, a broad class of system software is based on non-standard interpretation of machine code or a higher-level language. For example, virtual machine monitors emulate privileged instructions; program instrumentation is used to build dynamic call graphs by intercepting function calls and returns; and dynamic software updating technology allows program code to be altered at runtime. Many of these frameworks are performance-sensitive and several efficiency requirements—both formal and informal—have been put forward over the last four decades. Largely independently, the concept of interpretational overhead received much attention in the partial evaluation ("program specialization") literature. This dissertation contributes a unifying understanding of efficiency and interpretational overhead in system software. Starting from the observation that a virtual machine monitor is a self-interpreter for machine code, our first contribution is to reconcile the definition of efficient virtualization due to Popek and Goldberg with Jones optimality, a measure of the strength of program specializers. We also present a rational reconstruction of hardware virtualization support ("trap-and-emulate") from context-threaded interpretation, a technique for implementing fast interpreters due to Berndl et al. As a form of augmented execution, virtualization shares many similarities with program instrumentation. Although several low-overhead instrumentation frameworks are available on today's hardware, there has been no formal understanding of what it means for instrumentation to be efficient. Our second contribution is a definition of efficiency for program instrumentation in the spirit of Popek and Goldberg's work. Instrumentation also incurs an implicit overhead because instrumentation code needs access to intermediate execution states and this is antagonistic to optimization. The third contribution is to use partial equivalence relations (PERs) to express the dependence of instrumentation on execution state, enabling an instrumentation/optimization trade-off. Since program instrumentation, applied at runtime, constitutes a kind of dynamic software update, we can similarly restrict allowable future updates to be consistent with existing optimizations. Finally, treating "old" and "new" code in a dynamically-updatable program as being written in different languages permits a semantic explanation of a safety rule that was originally introduced as a syntactic check.


Biodiesel can be defined as simple alkyl ester of fatty acid produced from vegetable oils and animal fats. Because of increases in crude oil prices, limited resources of fossil fuel and environmental concerns there has been renewed focus on palm oils and vegetable oils. There are four primary ways to make biodiesel, direct use and blending, microemulsions, thermal cracking (pyrolysis) and transesterification. The most commonly used method is transesterification of vegetable oils and animal fats. The transesterification reaction is affected by molar ratio of glycerides to alcohol, catalysts, reaction temperature, reaction time and free fatty acids and water content of oils or fats. The objective of this project to identify Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAMEs) that has been produced from palm oil and corn oil using gas Chromatography (GCMS). From the study, there are two different type of FAMES in vegetable oils which are saturated and unsataturated. Different types of FAMES result to the different types of biodiesel. Transesterification process can be done either using acid-catalyst or base catalyst. In this study, transesterification has been done using base catalyst Potassium hydroxide was mixing with methanol to produce potassium methoxide. There are different ratio of Potassium to methanol used to know whether the different ratio affect the yield of product. Smaller ratio used gives the high yield of product compared to larger ratio. Commercialization of biodisel as renewable energy beneficial to country, environment, and consumer.


This thesis investigates the application of Distributed Cognition (DCog) to understand patients' situated interactions with Home Haemodialysis Technology (HHT). With the anticipated increase in home healthcare, there is a need to understand how Home Medical Devices (HMDs) should be designed so that they are patient-friendly and can be safely used in the home. This implies studying situated interactions with current HMDs and identifying the issues that patients face. Taking HHT as an example of a HMD, this thesis focuses on understanding the contexts in which renal patients interact with HHT, and their interaction strategies and issues, from a DCog perspective. DCog has been a useful theoretical framework for understanding work in clinical settings, but has not previously been applied to the study of interactions with HMDs. Data was gathered during visits to 19 patients through ethnographic observations and semi-structured interviews. 3 renal nurses, 3 renal technicians, and 1 nephrologist were also interviewed. Data was analysed by constructing the representational models of the Distributed Cognition for Teamwork framework (DiCoT) to understand the context of interactions, focusing on system activities, information flows, physical layouts, artefacts, social structures, and system evolution, and by applying the principles associated with these models to identify patients' interaction strategies and issues. This thesis brings five contributions to the study of situated interactions with HHT. Firstly, it provides an account of patients' experiences of interacting with HHT. Secondly, it demonstrates the utility of DCog as a theoretical framework for understanding interactions with a HMD such as HHT. Thirdly, it develops new theoretical principles that help to understand how people distribute cognitive processes through time. Fourthly, it develops a Contextual Factors Analysis that facilitates the analysis of complex interaction strategies. Finally, it develops an overarching approach that augments DCog analysis from considering a system of representations to considering systems of activity-centric interactions.


As America's baby boomers age, communities, states and the federal government must address an older society's needs for safe, convenient homes, transportation and care. Most of the elderly will reside in the sprawling suburbs, which many experts say must change to be more like small European villages if the aged are to live independently.


Approximately one-third of all general practitioners returned a multiple choice questionnaire covering general medical knowledge. The overall average score was 63.6 percent and a definite fall off was observed with advancing age. It was also found that those who worked in group practices did rather better than those in single-handed practice--similarly full-time general practitioners performed rather better than part-time general practitioners. The proportion of respondents who were members of a recognised college of general practitioners approximates to the proportion of all general practitioners in New Zealand who are college members. The average mark for college members was exactly the same as the average mark for the group as a whole, suggesting that college members represent a typical cross section of the general practitioner community. This survey could be a useful baseline for further studies in the future should continuing education become obligatory for maintaining college membership.


In this paper, we use a non-cooperative and cooperative approach for bargaining for risk reallocations. We discuss the strategic interaction between two rms, who trade risk over-the-counter in a one-period model. As a key example, we consider macro longevity risk. The reason is that there is an incomplete market for this risk. Then, for the noncooperative bargaining approach, we show that it is likely to end up in a situation similar as the Prisoner's dilemma. Then, all Nash equilibria are of no interest for the rms. The only way to avoid this, is to restrict the strategy space a priori. Then, rms can agree on a fair joint strategy. In this way, an interesting Nash equilibrium may exist. So, cooperative behavior is required. Therefore, we discuss also a cooperative bargaining model. This is perfectly in line with the approach of Nash (1950b [19]). All Pareto optimal risk proles are obtained by pooling each other's risk and, then, reallocate (see e.g. Gerber and Pafumi (1998 [7])). Them, we parameterize the Pareto set and we briey discuss two well-known solution concepts of cooperative bargaining. Implicit formulas of posterior risk proles corresponding to these concepts are obtained via a one-dimensional parameter. Throughout this paper, we provide some simple, numerical examples.


Inclusive Design is the practice of providing access to a solution for as many users as possible. However, stigma can be seen as the Achilles heel of Inclusive Design, as it is possible for artefacts employed by users outside of mainstream society to carry a negative association independently of the user. This can result in mainstream users rejecting the product, which can in turn become a signifier of the stigmatised condition leading to further discrimination. This paper details methods identified for addressing negative associations that products can carry when employed by stigmatised user groups. It is made clear from the outset that stigma is a societal wide issue and the research is not intended to try and address this; the outcome is intended to be a disassociation from the stigma for the artefacts. Research was conducted and several methods were identified where products had become successfully disassociated from the stigmatised user, meaning that the product itself was free from any negative association. These methods were then taxonomised and evaluated for effectiveness for creating artefacts free of negative association. It was found that it is possible to create artefacts that are free from negative association and although it may not have been the intention to address the stigma of the user, this may occur as a benefit.


Today's market is becoming increasingly more competitive as companies strive to achieve success by reaching a large number of customers in a mass market while simultaneously treating them as individuals in a customized market. Many companies have begun to appreciate the benefits of using product platforms as they increase the customizability of their offered products, while reducing development costs and time to market. However, product variety is not customization; it is simply an attempt on the part of a company to meet the individual needs of their customers by flooding the market with many variations of the same product. With recent innovations in the field of information technology, web-based product development methodologies provide the capability for advanced customer involvement during the design process, which is a crucial aspect of differentiating customization from variety. Current approaches have provided web-based frameworks where users are offered a limited amount of control in the design process by assembling different configurations of given modules or by choosing a product already available in the company database. The focus in this paper is on advancements to a web-based framework where design parameters are collected from the user by means of a web-based browser interface, optimization is completed using the specified parameters, and a 3D visual representation is dynamically provided based on the results from the optimization. This proposed framework is illustrated using an example from ongoing research involving General Aviation Aircraft design.Copyright © 2004 by ASME


VERY numerous early terracotta figurines were found in the old excavations in the Aids; and, in contrast to the bronzes, very little of the material was published. In the meantime the stock has been increased by further excavation to a total of over 3,300 pieces. Of these Heilmeyer has been able to incorporate nearly half in his classification, and he describes and illustrates 34s selected pieces. These figurines are simple and (except the chariot wheels) hand-made. They are often painted with a glaze that has too easily come away. They are said frequently to show the modeller's finger (or thumb) print, which suggests further possibilities of identification. The types are human beings, horses, chariots, cattle, rams, and occasionally dogs. Few pieces are complete, and the chariots are too fragmentary to be very informative. Hera is very possibly represented by a female with a stephane. Heilmeyer would recognize Zeus in die series of armed figures which he takes back to the early tenth century. Dogs with more than one head occur, apparently in die seventh century; Heilmeyer naturally thinks of Cerberus.


BACKGROUND: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is defined as a resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) to isoniazid and rifampicin at least. METHODS AND RESULTS: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate and compare a cohort of 37 patients with MDR-TB hospitalized in our specialized Unit for a treatment of MDR patients of the Czech Republic located in Prague in the years 2007 – 2012. We have evaluated the group of patients according to a birthplace, resistance type, clinical outcome, social profile, length of bacteriological positivity of sputum and length of hospitalization. 14 of the patients (38%) were born in the Czech Republic (group A) and 23 (62%) were immigrants to the Czech Republic (group B). In cohort of 37 patients were 27 males (mean age 39 years) and 10 females (mean age 35 years). Primary resistance was present in 24 (65%) cases and in 13 (35%) cases secondary resistance. From social point of view there were 17 (46%) manual workers, 8 (21,6%) pensioners, 8 (21,6) unemployed, 4 (10,8%) refugees. There were 26 (70%) cured patients, ten (27%) remained on treatment, treatment faulire was noticed in 2 patients (5,4%), discontinuation of treatment in 1 patient (2,7%), and no patients died. The mean length of bacteriological positivity of sputum samples was 3,8 months and the mean length of hospitalization was 9,8 months. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of MDR TB cases in the Czech Republic has remained on the same level for several previous years compared to gradual increase in the world. If the number of immigrants from countries with high prevalence of tuberculosis to the Czech Republic will increase, the control of TB can be negatively influenced.


Milk-alkali syndrome was once considered to be of historic interest and a rare cause of hypercalcemia. Currently, it should be an important consideration in the differential diagnosis of hypercalcemia, after malignancies and primary hyperparathyroidism. The resurgence is in part due to the easy availability of over the counter (OTC) calcium preparations. We describe a 50-year-old man who presented with severe hypercalcemia on two occasions associated with renal failure and metabolic alkalosis. Extensive investigations during the first admission failed to unravel a specific cause of hypercalcemia but a thorough history during his subsequent admission helped to confirm the diagnosis of milk-alkali syndrome.


The history of steel bell and spigot joints with fiber-center lead gasket for concrete pressure pipe in California dates back to 1933, and the modern joints with O-ring gaskets for concrete and steel pressure pipelines to 1940. The performance of these gasketed joints in the seismically active region of California has been excellent. There have been isolated occurrences of damage to both unrestrained gasketed joints and welded restrained joints. The damage generally occurred at the end of concrete encasements or at structures or near bends. Several case studies will evaluate the effect of three large recent earthquakes on nearby pipelines. This paper will show that the empirical evidence suggests that gasketed joints of concrete pressure pipe and intermediate diameter steel pipe perform well in earthquakes and they should be considered for pipeline projects in seismically active regions. Recommendations will be made regarding measures that may reduce the risk of damage to pipelines using gasketed joints.


An approach which uses regional entropy measures in the spatial frequency domain for texture discrimination is presented. The measures provide texture discriminating information independent of that contained in the usual summed energy within based frequency domain features. Performance of the entropy features as measured by a between-to-within-class scatter criterion is comparable to that of traditional frequency domain features and gray level co-occurrence contrast features. A method of frequency scaling is introduced to enable the comparison of texture samples of different subimage size. The resulting regional entropy measures are subimage size-invariant subject to certain constraints which arise from properties of the discrete Fourier transform.


The aim of this research was to see whether a conceptual framework could be developed
that would help conduct:
• studies of people's interaction with information;
• user requirements analysis for information services and systems.
The following questions were addressed:
• could the accumulated past research in user studies and information seeking
behaviour now provide a good basis for the development of a conceptual
framework for understanding people's interaction with data, information and
knowledge and
• whether a conceptual framework could be developed that:
~ indicated those factors that influence the individual's interaction with
information
~ indicated and helped explain those factors that influence each other and the
individual's experience when interacting with information and information
systems
~ helped to derive data that enabled the researcher to identify user requirements
for an infonnation system that relates to their needs
and also whether:
• the conceptual framework would help to identify an appropriate research
methodology and techniques for studying people and determining their
requirements for information services and systems?
As a result of the research a framework, that encompassed earlier models and
frameworks, was developed. The framework evolved through an inductive analysis of
the literature and was then applied to two communities. This led to modification of the
framework. The resulting framework, and the levels of analysis that were considered
significant, identified categories of data that were important and indicated the
relationships between these variables. The communities were postgraduate students and
informal carers. Insights were generated into the information experience of the two
conununities and their requirements for an infonnation service. With regard to
methodology and techniques it was concluded that, although the framework did help to
identify the data that one can collect, many techniques, such as observation or task
analysis can be applied and are likely to vary, depending on the research context.
However certain techniques were shown to be more effective than others for gathering
different types of data, such as behvioural or psychological.


We developed a battery of tests, incorporating motor function, olfaction, and mood, that distinguishes between early mild, probable idiopathic Parkinson's disease (iPD), and normal control subjects. Here, we determined the PD Battery's ability to prospectively identify which patients with symptoms and signs suggestive of, but not yet diagnostic of, iPD who would subsequently be diagnosed as having iPD. Of 212 enrolled patients, 194 have been followed for at least 1 year. Among these 194, 59 were diagnosed with iPD, 40 as neurologically normal, and the remaining 106 with other neurologic conditions such as essential tremor. The test battery was 92% specific and 68% sensitive for iPD. The area under the Receiver Operating Characteristics curve was 0.88 for predicting which participants would subsequently be diagnosed as having iPD or as being neurologically normal.


With the growing importance of telecommunication and internet, more complex networked systems are being designed and developed. The challenges of dealing with vast complexity of networking problems such as load balancing, routing and network congestion accentuate the need of more sophisticated technique to solve these problems. Ant colony optimisation (ACO) is one of the best and efficient solutions to cope up with these problems. This paper presents the following:- Theoretical study of Metaheuristic technique commonly named as Ant Colony Optimisation (ACO) and how it is better than conventional algorithms, An Overview of ACO models and the reason behind being ACO better than other  Conventional algorithms


Plant species that receive significant human introduction effort and assistance generally are the most problematic invaders. Despite this, invasive ornamental species in urban settings have received relatively little attention if not invading natural areas. Here we consider Centranthus ruber in an urban setting in South Africa as a case study and explore when emerging invaders are able to cross the urban–wildland interface and what hinders early eradication in urban environments. Centranthus ruber was introduced into Cape Town, South Africa, more than a century ago as a garden ornamental, but until recently was not considered invasive. We determine the current and potential future distribution in South Africa, evaluate current management activities, and provide recommendations for control and legislation. By August 2013, we had found 64 populations, of which 31 were casual, 27 naturalized, and 6 invasive. This increased to more than 530 identified populations by the end of 2015, due to both spread and increased awareness. Centranthus ruber can invade near-pristine areas, with one population found in natural vegetation in the Table Mountain National Park. However, with only one slowly spreading population, the threat might be limited. We found no difference in plant mortality between chemical and mechanical clearing, but with mechanical clearing stimulating the soil seedbank, we recommend chemical methods. Using a species distribution model, we found large parts of South Africa, including the southwestern Cape where we conducted our surveys, to be climatically suitable for this species. Consequently, the category 1b regional listing in NEM:BA in the Western Cape is justified, but a listing in other parts of the country also might be appropriate. Based on our findings, we suggest that the extirpation of C. ruber in South Africa is possible, but without buy-in from residents in urban environments, reinvasion will render this impossible. This study stresses the importance of managing and legislating emerging invaders at the urban–wildland interface and the monitoring of common ornamental species with invasive traits. Nomenclature Red valerian, Centranthus ruber (L.) DC


THESIS 7678%%%%EU legislation requires Ireland to set ambient air quality objectives, assess the ambient air quality, gather information on ambient air quality and make it available to the public, and to maintain or improve the ambient air quality. These ambient air quality objectives are specified in the Daughter Directives of the Air Quality Framework Directive (CEC, 1996; 1999; 2000; 2002). The Irish EPA considered that NO2 and PM10 would present the greatest challenges in meeting the EU standards and warned of the implications for traffic management and transport policy (EPA, 2000). ?Road traffic has replaced stationary combustion sources as the greatest threat? to air quality in Ireland, according to the EPA (2000). The transport sector is estimated to contribute 50% of total NOx emissions and 80% of total CO emissions in Ireland. Sources of PMio in Ireland are under investigation. Although classified as priority pollutants, there has been no historical national monitoring campaign for CO, NO2, PM10 and benzene, as there has been for smoke and sulphur dioxide.


Abstract. Possible future trajectories of the Earth system in the Anthropocene are determined by the increasing entanglement of processes operating in the physical, chemical and biological systems of the planet, as well as in human societies, their cultures and economies. Here, we introduce the copan:CORE open source software library that provides a framework for developing, composing and running World-Earth models, i.e., models of social-ecological co-evolution up to planetary scales. It is an object-oriented software package written in Python designed for different user roles. It allows model end users to run parallel simulations with already available and tested models. Furthermore, model composers are enabled to easily implement new models by plugging together a broad range of model components, such as opinion formation on social networks, generic carbon cycle dynamics, or simple vegetation growth. For the sake of a modular structure, each provided component specifies a meaningful yet minimal collection of closely related processes. These processes can be formulated in terms of various process types, such as ordinary differential equations, explicit or implicit functions, as well as steps or events of deterministic or stochastic fashion. In addition to the already included variety of different components in copan:CORE, model developers can extend the framework with additional components that are based on elementary entity types, i.e., grid cells, individuals and social systems, or the fundamental process taxa environment, social metabolism, and culture. To showcase possible usage we present an exemplary World-Earth model that combines a variety of model components and interactions thereof. As the framework allows a simple activation and deactivation of certain components and related processes, users can test for their specific effects on modeling results and evaluate model robustness in a controlled way. Hence, copan:CORE allows developing process-based models of global change and sustainable development in planetary social-ecological systems and thus fosters a better understanding of crucial mechanisms governing the co-evolutionary dynamics between societies and the natural environment. Due to its modular structure, the framework enhances the development and application of stylized models in Earth system science but also climatology, economics, ecology, or sociology, and allows combining them for interdisciplinary studies at the interface between different areas of expertise.


In the wake of the Russian Revolution and the ensuing civil war, approximately one-and-a-half million Russians fled their country. Many settled in Prague, where they were welcomed and supported by the newly formed Czechoslovak Republic. This book presents the first full account of Prague's Russian emigre community from 1918 to 1938, when the Nazi invasion scattered the inhabitants yet again. Russia Abroad examines the life of this vibrant community, its activity, achievement, and importance. Catherine Andreyev and Ivan Savicky explore the reasons that Czechoslovakia embraced the Russian immigrants, the evolution of the Russian community, and why the original idea of supporting Russian emigres and creating an academic centre of progressive Russians had to be modified in the light of national and international politics. The story they tell not only illuminates aspects of Russian life and culture of the period but also offers insights into later diasporas in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.


Chronic predatory offenders, problem police officers, and others with a demonstrated propensity for violent conduct are the concern of Violent Men: An Inquiry Into the Psychology of Violence. This revised edition explores the personal motives, attitudes, assumptions, and perceptions of men who are recurrently violent. How patterned and consistent is the violence of such men? What are the dynamics of their escalating encounters? What personal dispositions and orientations are most apt to lead to violence? Readers will not only discover insightful scholarly research, but sense the humanity of violent men, as well as their uniqueness.


This study aims to describe the process of fraud committed by employees in the Yayasan API. The focus of this research is to analyze the modus of fraud and the factors of fraud incidence. This research is a qualitative research with the paradigm of phenomology. Data collection using constructivism method with participant observation and interview approach. Data analysis techniques using from Miles and Huberman techniques.This research reveals a variety of fraud mode perpetrators of fraud. In addition, this study describes the factors that cause fraud by using the fraud triangle theory approach that is pressure, opportunity and rationalization.Internal control weaknesses and defects in the application become factors that facilitate theft being carried out in large numbers and lasted for long periods.


Liver mitochondrial fractions as normally isolated contain only 10-20% of total mitochondria and may not be representative of the whole mitochondrial population. This study was designed to evaluate the dependence of the sensitivity of carnitine palmitoyl-transferase I (CPT I) to malonyl-CoA inhibition in mitochondrial fractions that are not normally studied. Four fractions prepared from rat liver were found to be contaminated to different extents by microsome vesicles, on the basis of marker-enzyme activities and micrographic data. Purification of mitochondrial fractions on a Percoll gradient decreased to some extent the microsomal contamination, which was due in part to the existence of close bonds between microsomes and the outer membranes of mitochondria. A greater degree of contamination of mitochondrial fractions by microsomes was correlated with a greater sensitivity of CPT I to malonyl-CoA inhibition. Attempts were made to enhance the sensitivity of CPT I to malonyl-CoA with the use of microsomes. Measurements performed by adding mitochondria and microsomes in the same CPT I assay failed to demonstrate any significant enhancement of malonyl-CoA inhibition. However, addition of ATP to a mixture of mitochondria and microsomes was shown to trigger the binding of both particles, as assessed by enzymic and micrographic data, and to increase the sensitivity of CPT I to malonyl-CoA inhibition. These results demonstrated that the binding of microsomes to mitochondria, unlike the simple mixing of both particles, was capable of altering the sensitivity of CPT I to malonyl-CoA. The data also suggest that this process could be of physiological importance, owing to the frequency of contiguous zones between mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum observed in sections of intact liver cells.


With the emergence of social media, user-generated content from people affected by disasters has gained significant importance. Thus far, research has focused on identifying categories and taxonomies of the types of information being shared among users during times of disasters. However, there is a lack of theorizing with the dynamics of and relationships between the identified concepts. In our current research, we applied probabilistic topic modelling approach to identify topics from Chennai disaster Twitter data. We manually interpreted and further clustered the topics into generic categories and themes, and traced their development over the days of the disaster. Finally, we build a process model to explore an emerging phenomenon on social media during a disaster. We argue that the conditions/activities such as collective awareness, collective concern, collective empathy and support are necessary conditions for people to feel, respond, and act as forms of collective behaviour.


Helicobacter pylori infects ~50% of the world population, causing chronic gastritis and other forms of cellular damage. The present study assessed the influence of H. pylori on the mRNA expression levels of nuclear factor-κB1 (NFKB1), p38α and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in human gastric mucosa in a southern Brazilian population. Human gastric tissue was collected by upper endoscopy and H. pylori diagnosis was performed using a rapid urease test and histological analysis. Total RNA was extracted and purified for subsequent cDNA synthesis and analysis by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The gastric tissue samples were divided into four groups as follows: Normal, inactive chronic gastritis, active chronic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia. The SDHA gene was classified as the most stable when compared with ACTB, GAPDH, B2M and HPRT1 genes, and was therefore selected as the reference gene for qPCR data normalization. TNF-α mRNA expression was significantly higher in samples that were positive for H. pylori and with active chronic gastritis. However, no difference was detected in the mRNA expression levels of NFKB1 and p38α between the groups. The present study concluded that the presence of H. pylori is associated with TNF-α upregulation in human gastric mucosa, but had no effect on NFKB1 and p38α mRNA expression levels.


BACKGROUND
Whether repeat bone mineral density (BMD) measurement adds benefit beyond the initial BMD measurement in predicting fractures in older women is unknown.

METHODS
We prospectively measured total hip BMD in 4124 older women (mean +/- SD age, 72 +/- 4 years) from 1989 to 1990 and again 8 years later. Incident nontraumatic hip and nonspine fractures were validated by radiology reports (>95% follow-up). In addition, spine fractures were defined morphometrically in 2129 of these women by lateral spine x-ray films from 1991 to 1992 and then again 11.4 years later. Prediction of fracture risk was assessed with proportional hazards models and receiver operating characteristic curves for BMD measures.

RESULTS
Over a mean of 5 years after the repeat BMD measure, 877 women experienced an incident nontraumatic nonspine fracture (275 hip fractures). In addition, 340 women developed a spine fracture. After adjustment for age and weight change, initial and repeat BMD measurements were similarly associated with fracture risk (per unit standard deviation lower in BMD) for nonspine (hazard ratio, 1.6), spine (odds ratio, 1.8-1.9), and hip (hazard ratio, 2.0-2.2) fractures (P<.001 for all models). Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) revealed no significant differences to discriminate nonspine (AUC, 0.65), spine (AUC, 0.67-0.68), or hip (AUC, 0.73-0.74) fractures between models with initial BMD, repeat BMD, or initial BMD plus change in BMD. Stratification by initial BMD t scores (normal, osteopenic, or osteoporotic), high bone loss, or hormone therapy did not alter results.

CONCLUSION
In healthy, older, postmenopausal women, repeating a measurement of BMD up to 8 years later provides little additional value besides the initial BMD measurement for predicting incident fractures.


This thesis investigates the quintessence of leadership in terms of antecedents and consequences, focusing on the leadership traits and styles that relate to employee work-related attitudes. The thesis sheds light on the distinct traits of leaders/managers in the context of the Five-Factor Model of personality and the congruent leadership styles that reflect directly on employee behaviours, work-related attitudes, and organisational performance. Unlike most of the existing studies exploring the antecedents and consequences of leadership, which rely predominantly on small samples and contemporaneous correlations, this thesis uses large-scale survey data to provide a detailed investigation of the influence of gender and sector difference in influencing the triadic relationship personality-leadership-employee attitudes and behaviour.
The thesis provides answers to the three main research questions. The first research question is whether there are specific personality traits that can explain the propensity of individuals to become managers and undertake leadership roles. The second question explores the relationship between leadership style at the organisational level and employee work-related attitudes i.e. job related to well-being. Finally, the third question examines whether leadership style at organisational level can build employee work-related attitudes, and more specifically organisational commitment.
The findings confirm the importance of personality traits as strong predictors of managerial/leadership roles. Likewise, management/leadership style at the organisational level has a significant influence on employee job related well-being and employee organisational commitment. In particular, the role of trust in leaders, as both a moderator and a mediator, affecting this relationship within particular industrial sectors is confirmed. These findings contribute to the existing theoretical and empirical literature on the antecedents and consequences of leadership.


A natural language query interface for databases provides the user friendliness in retrieving the desired information by querying in a native natural language. Up to now, many natural language query interfaces for conventional databases have been developed. However, the field of natural language query interfaces for object-oriented databases which have recently started to emerge as the next-generation databases has become a new research area. This paper describes a processing technique to manipulate natural language representations of path expressions. From the fact that the path expression is one of the key features in the object-oriented data model, a frame based decomposition method is proposed for efficient processing.


Digital technologies allow us to trace human behaviors by generating large amounts of data. In this study a private Turkish bank data containing 60 thousand customers and 2 million credit card transactions are used to analyze the shopping behaviors of individuals. Even though we are in an age of growing online shopping, people still prefer to visit shopping malls, or the stores placed in high streets to experience shopping. They usually make their shopping place decisions according to store variety, accessibility, comfort, and social aspects. In this study, we investigate people's variety seeking behavior in the context of shopping malls and shopping categories to assess their shopping experience. We use K-means clustering algorithm to distinguish between customers' shopping behaviors by using the behavioral features we extract from their credit card spending. In addition, we propose a method to assign individuals to one of the segments by measuring the demographic property similarity with segments. Our results indicate that there is an association between demographic properties and shopping behavior. The findings also suggest that females are more likely to search for variety of shopping malls and categories, and hence perceive shopping as an entertaining and social activity, whereas men prefer to shop in particular shopping malls for need-driven purchases indicating that they do not wish to lose time and energy for shopping. We hope that our research will guide the marketers to communicate the right group of customers with the right strategy.


SWAN (Service for Web-based ANalysis) is a CERN service that allows users to perform interactive data analysis in the cloud, in a "software as a service" model. It is built upon the widely-used Jupyter notebooks, allowing users to write - and run - their data analysis using only a web browser. By connecting to SWAN, users have immediate access to storage, software and computing resources that CERN provides and that they need to do their analyses.
Besides providing an easier way of producing scientific code and results, SWAN is also a great tool to create shareable content. From results that need to be reproducible, to tutorials and demonstrations for outreach and teaching, Jupyter notebooks are the ideal way of distributing this content. In one single file, users can include their code, the results of the calculations and all the relevant textual information. By sharing them, it allows others to visualize, modify, personalize or even re-run all the code.
In that sense, this paper describes the efforts made to facilitate sharing in SWAN. Given the importance of collaboration in our scientific community, we have brought the sharing functionality from CERNBox, CERN's cloud storage service, directly inside SWAN. SWAN users have available a new and redesigned interface where theycan share "Projects": a special kind of folder containing notebooks and other files, e.g., like input datasets and images. When a user shares a Project with some other users, the latter can immediately see andwork with the contents of that project from SWAN.