Studies of gene flow between crops and their wild relatives have implications for both management practices for cultivation and understanding the risk of transgene escape. These types of studies may also yield insight into population dynamics and the evolutionary consequences of gene flow for wild relatives of crop species. Moreover, the comparison of genetic markers with different modes of inheritance, or transmission, such as those of the nuclear and chloroplast genomes, can inform the relative risk of transgene escape via pollen versus seed. Here we investigate patterns of gene flow between crop and wild carrot, Daucus carota (Apiaceae) in two regions of the United States. We employed 15 nuclear simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and one polymorphic chloroplast marker. Further, we utilized both conventional population genetic metrics along with Shannon diversity indices as the latter have been proposed to be more sensitive to allele frequency changes and differentiation. We found that populations in both regions that were proximal to crop fields showed lower levels of differentiation to the crops than populations that were located farther away. We also found that Shannon measures were more sensitive to differences in both genetic diversity and differentiation in our study. Finally, we found indirect evidence of paternal transmission of chloroplast DNA and accompanying lower than expected levels of chloroplast genetic structure amongst populations as might be expected if chloroplast DNA genes flow through both seed and pollen. Our findings of substantial gene flow for both nuclear and chloroplast markers demonstrate the efficiency of both pollen and seed to transfer genetic information amongst populations of carrot.


Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of a newly developed computerized Dutch version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Methods: Subjects (N = 53) completed the computerized IPAQ at three specified times. Subjects wore a CSA activity monitor during seven full days and simultaneously completed a 7-d physical activity diary. Finally, respondents filled out a paper and pencil IPAQ. Results: Intraclass correlation coefficient ranged from 0.60 to 0.83. Correlations for "total physical activity" between the computerized IPAQ and the CSA activity counts were moderate (min: r = 0.38; kcal: r = 0.43). Correlations with the physical activity diary were also moderate (min: r = 0.39; kcal: r = 0.46). Correlations between the computerized and the paper and pencil IPAQ were high (min: r = 0.80; kcal: r = 0.84). Conclusions: The computerized Dutch IPAQ is a reliable and reasonably valid physical activity measurement tool for the general adult population.


In this paper, we propose a double balanced mixer with a tunable Marchand balun. The circuit is designed in a SiGe BiCMOS process using Schottky diodes. The tunability of the Marchand balun is used to enhance critical parameters for double balanced mixers. The local oscillator-IF isolation can be changed from –51 to –60.5 dB by tuning. Similarly, the IIP2 can be improved from 41.3 to 48.7 dBm at 11 GHz, while the input referred 1-dB compression point is kept constant at 8 dBm. The tuning have no influence on conversion loss, which remains at 8.8 dB at a LO power level of 11 dBm at the center frequency of 11 GHz. The mixer has a 3 dB bandwidth from 8 to 13 GHz, covering the entire X-band. The full mixer has a size of 2050 μm × 1000 μm.


This paper introduces a robust and scalable Gaussian process regression (GPR) model via variational learning. This enables the application of Gaussian processes to a wide range of real data, which are often large-scale and contaminated by outliers. Towards this end, we employ a mixture likelihood model where outliers are assumed to be sampled from a uniform distribution. We next derive a variational formulation that jointly infers the mode of data, i.e., inlier or outlier, as well as hyperparameters by maximizing a lower bound of the true log marginal likelihood. Compared to previous robust GPR, our formulation approximates the exact posterior distribution. The inducing variable approximation and stochastic variational inference are further introduced to our variational framework, extending our model to large-scale data. We apply our model to two challenging real-world applications, namely feature matching and dense gene expression imputation. Extensive experiments demonstrate the superiority of our model in terms of robustness and speed. Notably, when matching 4k feature points, its inference is completed in milliseconds with almost no false matches. The code is at github.com/YifanLu2000/Robust-Scalable-GPR.


Formal tenure systems have generally focused on defining the outside boundary of community tenure systems resulting in a homogeneous polygon that is treated as communal property by the formal legal system. In fact, if one looks inside this polygon, most of these "communal" tenure systems are a complex web of individual and shared rights that deal with the use and allocation of community resources. In this chapter we describe and compare three community tenure systems and delve into the tenure system operating inside the polygon.Many valuable forested areas in developing countries fall under a community tenure system. The traditional approach towards formalizing these areas is to grant a communal land title or concession transferring exclusive use rights to the forest dwellers. The title or concession defines the perimeter of the area (outside polygon) and serves to register the rights to the titled territory in the name of the group. In this way the formal tenure system divides up these territories into a set of polygons in space. The formal document may specify broad limits on deforestation and require some form of land use plan, but in many cases it does not really address the de facto land tenure and resource management structure inside the polygon. The result is a de jure "tenurial shell"5 which should facilitate interactions outside the polygon, but which in many instances actually constrains such interactions.Bromley and Cernea (1989, p. 15) have defined common property regimes (CPR) as:"… corporate group property. The property-owning groups vary in nature, size, and internal structure across a broad spectrum, but they are social units with definite membership and boundaries, with certain common interests, with at least some interaction among members, with some cultural norms, and often their own endogenous authority system."Much of the mainstream literature on CPR focuses on the "critical enabling conditions" for sustaining common property systems.6 While sharing the ultimate goal of sustainability, we approach CPR or community tenure systems, from a somewhat different perspective. By focusing on the land and resource tenure system we seek to understand the current situation with respect to the allocation, use, transfer and control of forest and other resources inside the polygon. In analyzing this de facto tenure system, we also compare it with the external de jure system to identify inconsistencies and possible areas of conflict.Given the dynamic nature of both tenure and resource systems, we are also concerned with identifying and managing the information requirements to support sustainable extractive practices between parties inside and outside the polygon. We contend that as community tenure systems come under increasing pressure, internal as well as external, it will be necessary for these communities to improve their local land administration capabilities and maintain more detailed tenure information if they are to be sustainable across generations. Information that focuses only on forest resources, and not on who holds the use and extractive rights, and the exact nature of those rights, is insufficient for the effective management of working forests. This point becomes clearer in the latter part of the paper when we examine some of the emerging scenarios in our three case studies.


The master's in Marketing and sales at Grenoble IAE is a resolutely generalist master's programme in the sense that the various directions it follows collectively target a broad range of marketing jobs. Each second year master's programme, on the other hand, specialises in a specific type of employment opportunity: The "Quanti" programme : Market Research Professions: recently endorsed by Syntec Etudes, this programme is already broadly in phase with the expectations of firms in the sector. The fast-moving changes in the profession, linked to the development of "big data", have nonetheless meant our having to adjust the programme accordingly. The professions targeted are therefore traditionally research managers with the advertiser, research companies, more marginally, product managers or market managers, and increasingly, project managers, data analysts, web analysts, and data and big data managers; Brand Marketing Engineering: this is the most generalist programme. It is based on the current specialisation in Marketing Engineering and concentrates on brand management in small and medium-sized enterprises or in major groups (product manager, brand manager, commercial sector manger, etc.); Digital Communication and Marketing: this programme, available only as a sandwich programme, acknowledges the growing importance of the Internet, social networking and digital media in the communication business and will very markedly enhance students' competencies in these fields. The professions targeted are: internal and/or external communication manager, communication project manager in agencies, marketing and communication manager, community manager, web communication manager, etc.; Digital Marketing and E-Business: this generalist programme in digital marketing is intended to train future managers in "e-business" activities (web marketing strategy, eand/or m-business; e-CRM ; online reputation; search engine marketing) and, more specifically, targets the professions of e-marketing operation manager, affiliation and partnership manager, web/e-business project manager, web marketing analyst, traffic manager, e-CRM loyalty manager, e-business/e-marketing/e-commerce manager, digital manager, etc.; Research and consultancy in marketing: this is intended to provide training in the research professions (researcher, research professor, director of studies and/or research in business) and marketing consultant. In comparison with the current specialisation, this programme takes a slightly different approach to becoming more professional, incorporating the broad skills base common to all master's degrees (training in an entrepreneurial "attitude", soft skills (Cf details below)), putting greater emphasis on training in analysis and consultancy and making a work term compulsory.


ABSTRACT Organic carbon (OC) radiocarbon (14C) signatures in marine surface sediments are highly variable and the causes of this heterogeneity remain ambiguous. Here, we present results from a detailed 14C-based investigation of an Arabian Sea sediment, including measurements on organic matter (OM) in bulk sediment, specific grain size fractions, and OC decomposition products from ramped-pyrolysis-oxidation (RPO). Our results show that 14C ages of OM increase with increasing grain size, suggesting that grain size is an important factor controlling the 14C heterogeneity in marine sediments. Analysis of RPO decomposition products from different grain size fractions reveals an overall increase in age of corresponding thermal fractions from finer to coarser fractions. We suggest that hydrodynamic properties of sediment grains exert the important control on the 14C age distribution of OM among grain size fractions. We propose a conceptual model to account for this dimensionality in 14C variability that invokes two predominant modes of OM preservation within different grain size fractions of Arabian Sea sediment: finer (<63 µm) fractions are influenced by OM-mineral grain aggregation processes, giving rise to relatively uniform 14C ages, whereas OM preserved in coarser (>63 µm) fractions includes materials encapsulated within microfossils and/or entrained fossil (14C-depleted) OC hosted in detrital mineral grains. Our findings highlight the value of RPO for assessment of 14C age variability in sedimentary OC, and for assessing mechanisms of OM preservation in aquatic sediments.


The possible involvement of 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), an endogenous ligand for the cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2), in contact dermatitis in mouse ear was investigated. We found that the level of 2-AG was markedly elevated in the ear following a challenge with oxazolone in sensitized mice. Of note, the swelling following the challenge was suppressed by either the administration of SR144528, a CB2 receptor antagonist, immediately after sensitization, or the administration of SR144528 upon the challenge. The effect of AM251, a CB1 receptor antagonist, was marginal in either case. It seems apparent, therefore, that the CB2 receptor and its endogenous ligand 2-AG are closely involved in both the sensitization phase and the elicitation phase of oxazolone-induced contact dermatitis. In line with this, we found that Langerhans cells (MHC class II+) contain a substantial amount of CB2 receptor mRNA, whereas keratinocytes (MHC class II−) do not. We also obtained evidence that the expression of mRNAs for proinflammatory cytokines following a challenge with oxazolone was markedly suppressed by treatment with SR144528. We next examined whether the CB2 receptor and 2-AG participate in chronic contact dermatitis accompanied by the infiltration of tissues by eosinophils. The amount of 2-AG in mouse ear dramatically increased following repeated challenge with oxazolone. Importantly, treatment with SR144528 attenuated both the recruitment of eosinophils and ear swelling in chronic contact dermatitis induced by repeated challenge with oxazolone. These results strongly suggest that the CB2 receptor and 2-AG play important stimulative roles in the sensitization, elicitation, and exacerbation of allergic inflammation.


In this paper, we present a simple yet novel method of exploiting unlabeled text to further improve the accuracy of a high-performance state-of-the art named entity recognition (NER) system. The method utilizes the empirical property that many named entities occur in one name class only. Using only unlabeled text as the additional resource, our improved NER system achieves an F1 score of 87.13%, an improvement of 1.17% in F1 score and a 8.3% error reduction on the CoNLL 2003 English NER official test set. This accuracy places our NER system among the top 3 systems in the CoNLL 2003 English shared task.


We conducted a randomized clinical trial to compare the efficacy and safety of paclitaxel and a combination including paclitaxel and epidoxorubicin as second-line treatment in platinum-refractory or -resistant ovarian cancer. Patients who had progressive or stable disease during first-line therapy with regimens containing cisplatin or carboplatin (platinum-refractory patients) or who responded and subsequently relapsed within 6 months after discontinuation of first-line platinum-based regimen (platinum-resistant patients) were eligible for the study. They were randomly allocated to paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 every 28 days (41 women) for five cycles or epidoxorubicin 120 mg/m2 iv plus paclitaxel 150 mg/m2 iv every 28 days (40 women). The overall response rates (complete plus partial response) were, respectively, 17.1% in the paclitaxel and 34.2% in the epidoxorubicin plus paclitaxel group (P = 0.10). The 2-year percentage survival was 18 in the paclitaxel group and 10 in the epidoxorubicin plus paclitaxel group. A higher frequency of leukopenia and thrombocytopenia was reported in women allocated to epidoxorubicin plus paclitaxel than in the paclitaxel alone group, but the frequency of neurotoxicity was higher in the paclitaxel alone group. An important limitation of the study is the small sample size. With this sample size we can exclude that multiagent therapy in comparison with single-agent therapy improves response in platinum-refractory and -resistant ovarian cancer of more than 25%.


Using wireless mesh networks to offer Internet connectivity is becoming a popular choice for wireless Internet service providers as it allows fast, easy, and inexpensive network deployment. However, security in WMNs is still in its infancy as very little attention has been devoted thus so far to this topic by the research community and so it has become more vulnerable to various types of attacks. In this paper we described various DoS attacks and their detection methods in wireless mesh networks. DoS attacks can compromise the availability of wireless mesh networks as such attacks would essentially prevent one or more nodes from accessing or providing specific services.


The language style used to increase effect by introduce and comparing something or certain matter with others more general. Shortly, usage of certain language style basically has orientation to change and emerge certain connotation. Song is a poetry intoned. There is a language explanation on that song used by arranger (song creator) to express mind, feeling and his desirability. The form of language explanations are words. The word is selected and arranged by an arranger (song creator) with certain language style to emerge the beautiful effect so that the song becomes interesting. Thus, it can be told that song is one of belles-lettres, so that it suitable to be research object. This research is focused on the type, function and meaning of comparison language style. The reviewed problems are (1) type of comparison language style on the song lyrics of Peterpan and Letto, (2) function of comparison language style on the song lyrics of Peterpan and Letto, (3) meaning of comparison language style on the song lyrics of Peterpan and Letto. This research uses qualitative descriptive method. Whereas, the objective of this research is to describe the type, function and meaning in delivering its idea. As a whole, this research is expected could give contribution at the critical research of usage of language style in the belleslettres. The method has purpose to give and describe a problem be careful and factually. Whereas qualitative method as the research procedure that generate descriptive data in the form of written words at the belles-lettres textually. The application of method of descriptive qualitative has purpose to describe factually on the words or sentence at the song lyrics of Peterpan and Letto. Data analysis result indicates that in the song of Peterpan there are; (1) personification language style, (2) metaphor language style, (3) pleonasm language style, (4) periphrasis language style and (5) anticipation or prolepsis language style. Whereas the song of Letto there are (1) anticipation language style, (2) metaphor language style, (3) pleonasm language style, (4) periphrasis language style and (5) allegory language style. Then, seen from function of language style in the song of Peterpan there are (1) emotive function (expression and appealing), (2) informative function and (3) imaginative function. From the third function in the song lyrics of Peterpan many more use emotive function. Whereas in the song Letto there are (1) emotive function (expression and appealing) and (2) imaginative function. Then, in the meaning side, Peterpan and Letto there are two meaning that is cognitive meaning and non-cognitive meaning.


OBJECTIVE
The course of eating disorders is often protracted, with fewer than half of adults achieving recovery from anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. Some argue for palliative management when duration exceeds a decade, yet outcomes beyond 20 years are rarely described. This study investigates early and long-term recovery in the Massachusetts General Hospital Longitudinal Study of Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa.

METHODS
Females with DSM-III-R/DSM-IV anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa were assessed at 9 and at 20 to 25 years of follow-up (mean [SD] = 22.10 [1.10] years; study initiated in 1987, last follow-up conducted in 2013) via structured clinical interview (Longitudinal Interval Follow-Up Evaluation of Eating Disorders [LIFE-EAT-II]). Seventy-seven percent of the original cohort was re-interviewed, and multiple imputation was used to include all surviving participants from the original cohort (N = 228). Kaplan-Meier curves estimated recovery by 9-year follow-up, and McNemar test examined concordance between recovery at 9-year and 22-year follow-up.

RESULTS
At 22-year follow-up, 62.8% of participants with anorexia nervosa and 68.2% of participants with bulimia nervosa recovered, compared to 31.4% of participants with anorexia nervosa and 68.2% of participants with bulimia nervosa by 9-year follow-up. Approximately half of those with anorexia nervosa who had not recovered by 9 years progressed to recovery at 22 years. Early recovery was associated with increased likelihood of long-term recovery in anorexia nervosa (odds ratio [OR] = 10.5; 95% CI, 3.77-29.28; McNemar χ²₁ = 31.39; P < .01) but not in bulimia nervosa (OR = 1.0; 95% CI, 0.49-2.05; McNemar χ²₁ = 0; P = 1.0).

CONCLUSION
At 22 years, approximately two-thirds of females with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa were recovered. Recovery from bulimia nervosa happened earlier, but recovery from anorexia nervosa continued over the long term, arguing against the implementation of palliative care for most individuals with eating disorders.


This article focuses on the topic of material real running mode in order to put forward the theoretical reference for the structure optimization and equipment commissioning. The authors analyzed the operational regularity of loose material in horizontal circling vibrating dryer, and then established the mathematical model of the material running law and time in the single layer plate. The thesis simulated the material operational time to any position by programming, and represented that the simulation result had the good agreement with the measured data. The conclusions of this thesis have great significance for the practical structure design of this series of equipment, which can reduce the commissioning time and optimize the structure to a large extent.


The different target of the time period has been established over the past two decades in the institutionalization of a single currency union in West Africa. Depending on varied reasons the proposed programs have always failed before the set timelines in respect of ECOWAS monetary unification and single currency adoption. As a result, the paper explored and developed its argument based on the existing studies of structured economic shocks, significant to the failure of the single currency union, and its major causal factors. And with observed structured analysis propose catalytic activator method as a theoretical guide to attain the single currency union within three (3) years ahead, if the necessary requirement as the commitment level of members' State is applied towards the single currency unification program. It then elaborates in the spirit of precision the process required to sustain the eco-currency program in other to elevate members State in an out-date of its domestic currencies struggling as a subservient economic bloc to the adoption of a new anticipated domineering currency in its own merit to shoulder with the global dominating hard currencies.


My research on the Ethnography of Performance has been making use of film, first as a memory aid which allows me to review details of the rituals that I have observed, and after, by chance, by producing a documentary film. I made that first film with the aim of letting my friends know about what I was doing in the south of India. My research lies in the field of Performance Studies and my attention is focused on several aspects of the "doing" of the ritual of the Teyyams, a cult followed by some Hinduists of a specific area, and characterized by the "transformation" of the performer into a divinity.The documentary was relatively successful and I am currently involved in the production of a new film. But in the meantime, I have lost some of the innocence which engaged me in the production of the first film, and I face some doubts.In this text I address these issues.


Three-dimensional model for simulated process is carried out by using Altair HyperWorks, a commercially software was used to obtain temperature distribution in Friction Stir Welding (FSW) of Aluminium Alloy 6061. In order to achieve temperature distribution in the welded aluminium plates during welding operation, heat input from tool shoulder and tool pin were considered in the model Heat generation characteristics are critical to good quality welds obtained in the important engineering by the Friction Stir Welding (FSW) process. As part of the effort to understand these characteristics, butt joint welding was studied and its thermal profiles were obtained both numerically and experimentally. The temperature distribution in the workpiece during FSW process is experimentally measured from the device thermal imaging camera at exact location on the workpiece in the welding direction. The developed model was then used to show the effect of various input parameters. For this purpose, five levels for each parameter (rotational speed and traverse speed) have been selected. The temperature history predicted from simulated model is compared with that of experimental values and is found to be in good agreement validating the numerical model. Parametric study to determine the effects of tool rotational and traverse speed on the performance of weld is carried out by predicting peak temperatures. Finally, it is shown that at constant tool rotational speed, it is observed that peak temperature during welding decrease when the tool traverse speed increase. When the rotating speed is increased, the heat input is also increased, which leads to higher temperature.


OBJECTIVE
Prolonged exposure (PE) and cognitive processing therapy (CPT) - post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatments now available at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - expose the provider to graphic traumatic material. Little is known about the impact of traumatic material on VHA providers. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between trauma content, patient characteristics, and burnout among VHA PTSD Clinical Team (PCT) providers. It was hypothesized that trauma content and patient characteristics would significantly predict burnout in this population.

DESIGN
This cross-sectional study consisted of 137 participants. The sample was mostly female (67%), Caucasian (non-Hispanic; 81%), and married (70%) with a mean age of 44.3 years (SD = 11.3).

METHODS
Participants completed an electronic survey that assessed demographics, patient characteristics (i.e., anger, personality disorder, malingering), trauma content characteristics (e.g., killing of women and children) as well as burnout as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS; Maslach et al., 1996, Burnout inventory manual. Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologist Press).

RESULTS
Over half of the study population reported being bothered by trauma content; however, trauma content did not predict burnout. Treating patients with personality disorders and suspected malingering predicted burnout in PCT providers. High numbers (77%) reported perceiving that emotional exhaustion impacted the quality of care they provided.

CONCLUSION
These findings suggest an important role of burnout assessment, prevention, and treatment strategies at the VHA.

PRACTITIONER POINTS
This paper addresses the impact of provider burnout on perceived quality of care. This paper also addresses potential predictors of burnout in PCT settings. This paper outlines potential remedies to provider burnout in the VHA.


In dynamic analysis of NPP civil structures the most suitable method proved to be the method of direct integration of equations of motion of the structure-soil system. This method takes account of geometrically nonlinear effects and dashpots with high level of attenuation. In addition, this method allows for receiving a highly effective solution for some types of NPP civil structures. However, the analysis of resultant response spectra has showed a high level of spectral accelerations at elevations of equipment arrangement. One of the main reasons of such result is in a high degree of conservatism, which provides for usage of the Rayleigh damping in material as compared with modal damping. This study describes an approach allowing to receive an improved damping matrix as a Caughey series that brings to diminishing conservatism when defining a dynamic reaction in the system. The study investigates influence of a number of the Caughey series terms to be accounted when defining the improved damping matrix. As a result, there are given also the floor response spectra for a real building considering damping in material as a Caughey series. The dynamic analysis has been implemented within Abaqus software frames.


In a recent paper (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 861, 2019, pp. 328–348), Benilov derived equations governing a laminar liquid sheet (a curtain) that emanates from a slot whose centreline is inclined to the vertical. The equations are valid for slender sheets whose characteristic length scale in the direction of flow is much larger than its cross-sectional thickness. For a liquid that leaves a slot with average speed, $u_{0}$ , volumetric flow rate per unit width, $q$ , surface tension, $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E}$ , and density, $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}$ , Benilov obtains parametric equations that predict steady-state curtain shapes that bend upwards against gravity provided $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70C}qu_{0}/2\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E}<1$ . Benilov's parametric equations are shown to be identical to those derived by Finnicum, Weinstein, and Ruschak (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 255, 1993, pp. 647–665). In the latter form, it is straightforward to deduce an alternative solution of Benilov's equations where a curtain falls vertically regardless of the slot's orientation. This solution is consistent with prior experimental and theoretical results that show that a liquid curtain can emerge from a slot at an angle different from that of the slot centreline.


Togni's reagents have become very popular trifluoromethylating reagents in organic synthesis. The existing form of Togni's reagent I is a hypervalent iodine compound which lies much higher in energy than its ether isomer. The high-energy hypervalent iodine form makes Togni's reagent I very effective and versatile. The energy differences between the two forms correlate with the trans influence of the substituents. The five-membered ring in the benziodoxole-based scaffold is an important reason for its existence in the higher-energy form. The relation to Buchwald's 2014 research is discussed.


In this research Technical Note the author has presented a novel method of finding a Generalized Similarity Measure between two Vectors or Matrices or Higher Dimensional Data of different sizes.


This book represents the effort by jurists from all walks of life – legal practitioners, scholars, judges, legal advisers to NGOs, and equality bodies – to reflect on the challenges that sexual orientation and gender identity pose to contemporary law. It originates from the international conference Equality and Justice - LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex) Rights in the XXI Century organized within the framework of the Equal-Jus.eu Project in Florence on May 12 and 13, 2011.
It discusses the state of legal studies in the field of sexual orientation and gender identity and deals more specifically with the notions and usage of sex and gender in the Western legal tradition, with constitutional and comparative law approaches, EU and migration law, and issues common to LGBTI couples such as freedom of movement, mutual recognition, parenthood, and inheritance. Significant attention is devoted to gender identity issues and to the role of the judiciary and of equality bodies in dealing with LGBTI cases. Essays are written in English, Italian and French.

The e-book can be downloaded from http://www.equal-jus.eu or (from November 2011) http://www.forumeditrice.it.


The development of British menswear during the first phase of the Peacock Revolution from 1960 to 1965 demonstrated a significant visual change in the representation of masculinity. Examining the elements that helped shape this moment in style indicates a deep rooted relationship between a group of upper class dandies and rock music icons. This practice-based study addresses gaps in existing research, qualitatively exploring the collaborative role of fashion and music that supported the progression of menswear. The methodological framework investigates the process of sociocultural evolution through the study of memetics, accompanied by a semiotic analysis of oppositional dress. Bricolage was applied as a method of shaping and applying new meaning to the themes investigated in this
research, expressing the potential of music to serve as a vehicle for change. An interactive audio-visual installation piece has been created to stimulate audience participation, encouraging the public to question more generally how fashion and music collaborate to facilitate shifts in identity.


With increasing frequency, educators desire to capture video output displayed by a computer to use in creating multimedia teaching materials. Simple in concept, the process in execution can be time-consuming and fraught with difficulties, especially when image detail is of great importance. We report on efforts to make Internet viewable teaching materials for university flight students based on screen output generated by the well-known Microsoft Flight Simulator program. After several approaches produced failure or marginally satisfactory results, we finally were able to record and edit screen output that clearly depicts instrument panel details as well as out-the-cockpit terrain visuals. Video capture and editing software is currently a little challenging to use, but it seems likely that future software refinements will parallel the rapid development, for example, of word processing programs from the clumsy software of the middle 1980s to the sophisticated, inexpensive, and easy-to-use current day programs.


High-performance quantum infrared cameras are substantially expensive and complicated in comparison to general visible light cameras. Producing a high-resolution infrared camera is especially difficult due to the lack of suitable photon absorption materials in the infrared spectrum and various challenges involved in design, manufacturing, and characterization. Graphene, a novel one atomic-layer-thick carbon material, is a promising building block for the next generation nanoelectronic and optoelectronic devices [1]. Graphene exhibits remarkably high conductivity [2], high electron mobility [3], [4], and a unique band structure [5], [6], which allows it to operate as nano infrared detectors [7], [8].


The adult heart is capable of remodelling in response to different pathological stimuli; in most cases, a phase of compensated hypertrophy evolves into frank dysfunction and heart failure. To identify microRNAs able to prevent cardiac hypertrophy and preserve cardiac function, we performed a high-content microscopy, high-throughput functional screening for human microRNAs able to reduce neonatal cardiomyocyte (CM) cell size using a whole-genome microRNA library. The most effective anti-hypertrophic microRNA was hsa-miR-665. In a model of transverse abdominal aortic constriction (TAC) in 8 weeks old CD1 mice (n=14 per group), AAV9-mediated delivery of miR-665 showed remarkable capacity to protect against pathological cardiac hypertrophy and preserve function over time. This effect was observed when the vectors were delivered either before (LVEF at 60 day after TAC: 51.3% ±5.8% in treated vs 34.82% ±0.77% in controls; P<0.005) or after hypertrophy onset (LVEF at 60 days after TAC: 57.5%±5.60% in treated vs 28.4%±15% in controls; P<0.001). Global mRNA changes in hearts treated with miR-665 were evaluated by mRNA deep sequencing. All the 43 genes, for which siRNA were available, out of the 67 genes that were found to be significantly expressed ≤2 fold over control were individually down-regulated by specific siRNAs and tested for being direct miR-665 targets. This approach identified three sarcomeric proteins as direct mediators of miR-665 activity, namely Enah, Fhl1 and Xirp2, which are known to be involved in sarcomeric mechanotransduction and myofibrillar remodelling. In conclusion, miR-665 represents an important tool to decipher the molecular mechanisms of hypertrophy and offers a potential lead for the development of new biotherapeutics.


Type IX collagen molecules contain three genetically distinct subunits. One of the subunits, alpha 2(IX), contains a covalently attached glycosaminoglycan side chain. A second subunit, alpha 1 (IX), has been found to be synthesized in two forms. The two forms are generated by the alternative use of two transcription start sites and splice patterns. The two forms have been found in chicken, mouse and human but cDNAs encoding both forms have only been reported for chicken. In the present report we describe the isolation of cDNA clones encoding the complete translated portion of both forms of human alpha 1(IX) collagen chains. Nucleotide sequence analysis has permitted the determination of the primary structure of both forms. These probes and sequences should prove useful in future studies of chondrodysplasias involving type IX collagen.


Successful shooting in netball depends not only on achieving the correct angle, velocity and height of release, but also on how well the shooter can adjust these factors when faced with a defender. However, few studies, if any, have analysed the difference between shots taken with a defender present and those without (usually due to a penalty against the defender). The aim of the study was to examine the difference in kinematic variables between defended and undefended shots during netball games. The study was approved by the university's ethics committee and informed consent was given by eight elite netballers (age mean 22.1, s=2.3 years; stature 1.81, s=.08 m; mass 69.0, s=8.7 kg). Each participant was filmed playing in a Netball Superleague game during the 2007/2008 season. Two stationary Canon DM-XL1 digital cameras were placed on a balcony overlooking the playing area, so as not to interfere with the players or spectators. The sampling rate was 50 Hz, and the shutter speed 1/500 s. Two successful shots per player were digitised and analysed using SIMI Motion (Munich) and filtered using a Butterworth low-pass 2nd order filter. The two shots consisted of one successful defended shot, and one successful undefended shot (due to a penalty awarded against the opposing team's defender). Statistical analysis consisted of dependent t-tests. The height of release was higher for defended shots (2.16 m, s=0.28) than in undefended shots (1.93 m, s=0.04). This was caused partially due to greater elbow extension during the shooting action. The maximum elbow angle for defended shots was 138° (s=25) and for undefended shots 108° (s=23). The significant difference found between these values (P=0.049) was the only one found between the two shooting conditions. The angle of release at the shoulder was higher for defended shots (141°, s= 22) compared to undefended (133°, s=7), as was the vertical velocity of the wrist at release (0.54 m s -1, s=0.31 and 0.43 m s -1, s=0.12 respectively). Several differences were found between shooting with and without a defender, although only one was found to be significant. Nonetheless, it was clear that shooting with a defender present required a greater height of release, and larger shooting arm joint angles. It is important for netball players and coaches to shoot with defenders present during training in order to practice the style of shooting required during a game.


Aviation sector is one of the fastest growing industries which include both combat and transportation. Aviation sector is a major industry with world GDP contribution of $973 billion. By 2026, expected contribution of $ 1.1 trillion indirectly, and $ 1.5 trillion through direct support of global tourism is expected. For next two decades this sector is expected to grow at the rate of about 4%-4.5%. Global aviation sector accounts for 2% of global GHG (greenhouse gas) emission. Aviation industry's waste product like non-CO2 gases [NOx and SOx] emissions at higher altitude increase effect global warming. This value is much higher than that of CO2. According to ICAO, in 2010 aviation industry consumed 65% fuel and resulted in 448 MT of CO2 emissions. This valued will to 682-755 MT by 2020. This can lead to global warming and global temperature increase of 2 C. It is known that at higher altitudes, vehicular emissions are three to four times more than ground levels. The proposed work of this research paper is to reduce aircraft emission by improving technology, air traffic management and by use of alternative fuels.


This paper outlines a conceptual architecture for an autonomic middleware component designed to provide application-independent access control for use in largescale highly-dynamic computing environments. In such environments, most notably ambient/pervasive computing environments, centralised access control policy determination is impossible or inadvisable because of the complexity of trust relationships. In the absence of centralisation, network resources are forced to make trusting decisions locally, in the light of information that they themselves can gather. Thus the architecture that is described in this paper is founded around an automatic knowledge acquisition and processing mechanism, acting as the foundations of a semi-autonomous multi-agent system (MAS). The agents dynamically organise themselves into cooperating distributed communities that mediate between users and devices (collectively known as trustees) and network resources (principals). Once activated by their owners, agents maintain user credentials, negotiate amongst themselves to establish the credibility of prospective trustees identities and cooperate to gather evidence about the likelihood of trustees adhering to the policies of principals.


Several studies have reported the usefulness of the field-in-field (FIF) technique in breast radiotherapy. However, the methods for the FIF technique used in these studies vary. These methods were classified into three categories. We simulated a radiotherapy plan with each method and analyzed the outcomes. In the first method, a pair of subfields was added to each main field: the single pair of subfields method (SSM). In the second method, three pairs of subfields were added to each main field: the multiple pairs of subfields method (MSM). In the third method, subfields were alternately added: the alternate subfields method (ASM). A total of 51 patients were enrolled in this study. The maximum dose to the planning target volume (PTV) (Dmax) and the volumes of the PTV receiving 100% of the prescription dose (V100%) were calculated. The thickness of the breast between the chest wall and skin surface was measured, and patients were divided into two groups according to the median. In the overall series, the average V100% with ASM (60.3%) was significantly higher than with SSM (52.6%) and MSM (48.7%). In the thin breast group as well, the average V100% with ASM (57.3%) and SSM (54.2%) was significantly higher than that with MSM (43.3%). In the thick breast group, the average V100% with ASM (63.4%) was significantly higher than that with SSM (51.0%) and MSM (54.4%). ASM resulted in better dose distribution, regardless of the breast size. Moreover, planning for ASM required a relatively short time. ASM was considered the most preferred method.


Background: Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that affects wild and domestic animals causing a decrease in reproductive efficiency and abortion and can be transmitted to human. The incidence of human disease is closely tied to the prevalence of infection in animals and considered as an important health problem in Egypt.
Methods and Findings: In this study, blood specimens from 68 patients showed clinical signs and/or history of brucellosis and from different investigated animals (76 buffalo, 145 cattle and 191 sheep) were collected and serodiagnosed for Brucella infection. The sera of these blood specimens were first screened by rose bengal plate test (RBPT) and those giving positive reaction were retested by the standard tube agglutination test (SAT), EDTA modified SAT and rivanol test to determine their titers. The results for clinical specimens showed that 89.7%, 82.35%, 66.18% and 58.82% were positive using RBPT, SAT, EDTA modified SAT and rivanol test, respectively. The respective percentages of brucellosis in buffalo were 44.7%, 43.42%, 43.42% and 43.24%; while the respective percentages of brucellosis in cattle were 46.9%, 43.45%, 39.31% and 37.93%. In addition, serological examination of 191sheep revealed that 60.2%, 56.54%, 53.4% and 51.83% were positive using RBPT, SAT, EDTA modified SAT and rivanol test, respectively.
Conclusion: The results give clear evidence for: (i) the real picture of brucellosis surveillance among human cannot be reflected using single serodiagnostic test, (ii) In comparison to human, serodiagnosis of Brucella among animals are less dependent on test type and such dependency took the order sheep > cattle > buffalo, (iii) serodiagnosis of Brucella among buffalo had nearly no dependency on test type.


When it comes to communication performance, open distributed tuple-space systems depend heavily on the proximity of tuples to processes. Researchers have proposed many approaches for storing tuples in a way that processes benefit from the organization of tuples. Although some progress has been made, most of the proposed solutions fail to address the reverse problem: if most tuples are kept near the processes, the system's robustness is affected; the over-clustering of tuples in particular nodes creates a dependence to that particular node. Hence, we have a dichotomy where it is important to organize tuples in clusters near the processes, but it is equally important to avoid over-clustering. The ideal is to have a balance where tuples are clustered but not totally concentrated in very few tuple spaces (eg. one or two). This paper presents a self- organized solution to the tuple distribution problem, in which the possibility of over-clustering is considered.


Natural history collections (NHCs) are an important source of the long-term data needed to understand how biota respond to ongoing anthropogenic climate change. These include taxon occurrence data for ecological modeling, as well as information that can be used to reconstruct mechanisms through which biota respond to changing climates. The full potential of NHCs for climate change research cannot be fully realized until high-quality data sets are conveniently accessible for research, but this requires that higher priority be placed on digitizing the holdings most useful for climate change research (e.g., whole-biota studies, time series, records of intensively sampled common taxa). Natural history collections must not neglect the proliferation of new information from efforts to understand how present-day ecosystems are responding to environmental change. These new directions require a strategic realignment for many NHC holders to complement their existing focus on taxonomy and systematics. To set these new priorities, we need strong partnerships between NHC holders and global change biologists.


BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Respiration is an important component of plant carbon balance, but it remains uncertain how respiration will respond to increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, and there are few measurements of respiration for crop plants grown at elevated [CO(2)] under field conditions. The hypothesis that respiration of leaves of soybeans grown at elevated [CO(2)] is increased is tested; and the effects of photosynthesis and acclimation to temperature examined.

METHODS
Net rates of carbon dioxide exchange were recorded every 10 min, 24 h per day for mature upper canopy leaves of soybeans grown in field plots at the current ambient [CO(2)] and at ambient plus 350 micromol mol(-1) [CO(2)] in open top chambers. Measurements were made on pairs of leaves from both [CO(2)] treatments on a total of 16 d during the middle of the growing seasons of two years.

KEY RESULTS
Elevated [CO(2)] increased daytime net carbon dioxide fixation rates per unit of leaf area by an average of 48 %, but had no effect on night-time respiration expressed per unit of area, which averaged 53 mmol m(-2) d(-1) (1.4 micromol m(-2) s(-1)) for both the ambient and elevated [CO(2)] treatments. Leaf dry mass per unit of area was increased on average by 23 % by elevated [CO(2)], and respiration per unit of mass was significantly lower at elevated [CO(2)]. Respiration increased by a factor of 2.5 between 18 and 26 degrees C average night temperature, for both [CO(2)] treatments.

CONCLUSIONS
These results do not support predictions that elevated [CO(2)] would increase respiration per unit of area by increasing photosynthesis or by increasing leaf mass per unit of area, nor the idea that acclimation of respiration to temperature would be rapid enough to make dark respiration insensitive to variation in temperature between nights.


Development of a Novel Bioprinting System: Bioprinter, Bioink, Characterization and Optimization Chandler Alan Warr Department of Chemical Engineering, BYU Master of Science The use of 3D printing in biological applications is a new field of study given that 3D printing technology has become more available and user friendly. Possible uses include using existing 3D printing polymers to use in extracorporeal or in vitro devices, like Lab-on-a-Chip, and the development of new biologically derived materials to print cell-containing constructs. The latter concept is what is more commonly known as bioprinting. Our research had the goal of developing a bioprinting system including the printer, a bioink, and a feedback system for printing parameter optimization which could be done cheaply and within the reach of nearly any research lab. To make the bioprinter, we were able to take a popular plastic 3D printer and convert it to a bioprinter with 3D printed parts and the addition of a new motherboard. This came with great contribution from Carnegie Melon University. We were also able to improve upon the original design and, along with the new bioprinting capabilities, maintain the original capabilities of the plastic 3D printer. A new bioink was developed to work in coordination with this bioprinting system. Our lab has the luxury of having access to decellularized tissue, which provided a unique material to create a bioink which is derived from the extra-cellular matrix of porcine hearts. The final bioink protocol allows the users to make their own bioink, from easily obtainable tissue and determine their own concentration of the extra-cellular matrix/collagen within a range. Lastly, a feedback system was developed using a Raspberry Pi and camera module to provide real-time visual feedback of the bioprinting process which is otherwise very difficult to see and optimize parameters from. A protocol was developed to sequentially optimize the parameters for an opensource slicing software which governs the resolution of the bioprinter itself. In related research, the cytotoxicity and cell adherence properties of a printing resin for a microfluidic 3D printer were evaluated for use in Lab-on-a-Chip applications. The existing resin was tested and determined to be cytotoxic to cells and therefore not suitable for biological applications. We showed that a simple ethanol washing step and plasma treatment pulled the cytotoxic elements out of the polymer and modified the surface such that cells could attach and proliferate on the printed resin. Another printed resin was also tested which was determined to have no natural cytotoxicity, but the same plasma treatment was needed to allow for cell adherence.


This paper investigates burst segmentation for the evaluation of acoustic cues used to identify unvoiced French stops. Unlike other works which utilize a fixed length window, our approach consists in segmenting bursts into transient and frication noise. The transient is found by minimizing the sum of spectral variances of transient and frication noise over the burst. The spectral variance criterion has the advantage of being sensitive both to energy deviations and spectral variations. Additional correction procedures augment the robustness of the segmentation against the presence of spurious noises during the closure and the determination of the voicing onset with delay. The relevance of our segmentation method has been evaluated by comparing the characteristics of the main spectral peak (energy prominence versus frequency) in the transient segmented by our method with those of the full burst. Our experiments showed that bursts segmented by our method allow a better discrimination between the three places of articulation.


Introduction: Frequent hospitalizations, systemic antibiotics and proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) use are risk factors for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) in patients with cirrhosis. Hepatic encephalopathy (HE), a complication of cirrhosis, is managed with lactulose and/or rifaximin. Studies show a potential decrease in the risk of CDI with these therapies but have not compared the two treatments. We compare the effect of lactulose and rifaximin treatment on the risk of CDI development hypothesizing that rifaximin, given its activity against C. difficile, may decrease the risk of CDI. Methods: This was a multi-center retrospective study of all hospitalized cirrhotic patients treated for HE with lactulose and/or rifaximin at Mayo Clinic MN, FL and AZ from 2008-2013. Data on demographics, medications, admission, discharge, previous hospitalizations, antibiotic and PPI use, and dates of CDI episodes were gathered. Results: A total of 1112 hospitalizations in 1055 unique patients (55 had 1 subsequent readmission and 1 patient had 2) were found. Of these, 428 (40.6%) women with median age 58 years (interquartile range 52-65). C. difficile infection developed after 66/1112 (5.9%) hospitalizations within 12 months post-discharge. Of these, lactulose was administered in 21 (31.8%) hospitalizations, rifaximin in 5 (7.6%) and both in 40 (60.6%) hospitalizations. Systemic antibiotics were used in 28 (42.4%) admissions and PPIs in 60 (90.9%). Univariate analysis based only on medication (using lactulose alone as the reference group), regardless of dosage, showed that rifaximin alone was not significantly associated with CDI development as compared to lactulose alone (HR 1.57, 95% CI 0.57-4.33, P50.39). Use of both medications was also not significant when compared to lactulose alone (HR 1.41, 95% CI 0.84-2.38, P50.19). The results were similar after controlling for confounder variables. Multivariable analysis based on length of stay, age and gender showed no significant difference between rifaximin alone versus lactulose alone, and both medications versus lactulose alone for developing CDI. Conclusion: In our study, there was no significant difference between lactulose and rifaximin treatment on CDI development in patients with HE. While the use of both these medications might be safe, CDI should still be considered when managing HE in cirrhotic patients who develop diarrhea.


The number of mobile terminals with a Web browser has increased in recent years, and many diverse mobile services using the Internet have evolved. However, there are still limitations such as that it is difficult to change or replace browser functionalities in mobile terminals. This is a factor in service providers being unable to freely provide services. We propose an extensible browser architecture (EBA) to extend the browser functions. The EBA consists of two layers: browser foundation and browser application layer. The browser foundation layer provides the core functions of the browser as Java class libraries. The browser applications, which are written in the Java language and downloadable, utilize modules using the browser class libraries in the browser foundation layer to provide a variety of browser applications. Several applications demonstrate the effectiveness of the EBA.


Objectives: It is now well documented that adolescents with T1D are at greater risk for elevated anxiety than young people without diabetes. In addition, higher levels of state anxiety are associated with higher haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), less frequent blood glucose monitoring, and more poorly controlled diabetes. Anxiety is also predictive of poor glycaemic control as far as 12 months into the future. To better understand how stress and anxiety may be related to moment-to-moment fluctuations in blood glucose levels, we used a novel method of measuring changes in emotional state in real time, known as experience sampling methodology (ESM), in combination with continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology. Methods: ESM is an ambulatory research method whereby participants respond to questions sent via a smartphone 'app' at multiple times throughout the day. In this study, adolescents (n= 53) diagnosed with T1D (aged 12-18 years) responded to questions regarding their current emotional state 10 times a day, over a 10-day period. Results: Preliminary analysis, using multilevel regression modelling, explored the relationships between anxiety and measures of glycaemic control. The following measures of glycaemic control were examined: concurrent sensor glucose (SGL), mean sensor glucose in the previous 60 minutes, and standard deviation (SD) of sensor glucose in the previous 60 minutes. The results of the model indicated that a quadratic term for concurrent SGL (p Conclusions: These novel findings confirm that elevated anxiety is associated with sub-optimal blood glucose levels in the preceding hour. Further analysis of this data will explore this relationship in greater detail, including possible inter-individual variation in this pattern. Disclosure K. Bebbington: None. D. Rudaizky: None. G.J. Smith: None. A.M. Hunt: None. E.A. Davis: None. T. Jones: Research Support; Self; Dexcom, Inc., Medtronic MiniMed, Inc. Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Eli Lilly and Company, Roche Diabetes Care. A. Lin: None.


With the three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics method, the airflow effects over the huge telescope assemble is investigated in this article. The distributing of velocity field and natural convection are studied by modeling and simulating the turbulent airflow of the huge telescope. Numerical simulations show the best observation direction is the 90o angle between the main optics axis and the horizontal line in which the air velocity distribution is the least. And the air temperature distribution and uniformity around the telescope are also provided by simulation.


Starting with LacZ of Escherichia coli, coding for β-galactosidase, the aim of the thesis project is to apply in vitro directed evolution techniques to help create other glycosidic bond hydrolysis activities. This was done using the main β-galactosidase backbone with limited amino acid sequence change. Any altered glycosyl hydrolase activity would lead to changed substrate specificity. Moreover, genetic changes leading to improved beta-galactosidase activity was also investigated. Error-prone PCR was applied to the LacZ gene (β-galactosidase) to achieve the desired aims. The technique used to introduce random mutagenesis was based on modifications of method developed by Xu et al., 1999.Optimization was performed with DNA polymerase selection, PCR conditions and various Mn and dITP concentrations to obtain best amplified PCR product for random mutagenesis library construction. Plasmid pTZ1 containing the entire coding sequence of LacZ was used a whole plasmid random Mutagenesis library construction strategy. The complete pTZ1 plasmid sequence had to be done in order to help establish a framework for primer design and establish a complete restriction map of the plasmid including the lacZ gene. The sequence analysis of the plasmid revealed that it has 5,502bp. Screening of random mutagenesis libraries was based on the colour development resulting from the glycosidic hydrolysis of chromogenic substrate to identify any glycosidic activity towards particular glycosyl hydrolase on LB plates or M9 plates. We have screened random mutagenesis libraries for any possible activity for β-glucosidase, β-xylosidase or for an improved β-galactosidase activity. Colonies that showed colour development on substrate even after retransformation of plasmid DNA for β-xylosidase activity were selected and its mutated plasmid DNA was sequenced. Two of the variants in which one has mutation at K552E position and another at N959Y were isolated, from two different clear blue colonies on βxylosidase substrate. However, to the issue of change in substrate specificity (colour development on plates) was not clear. The direct evolution method applied here is seems simpler and promising in creating random mutagenesis libraries in order to select variants with useful novel properties.


This study is part of a project on the representations of Jordanian women in Arabic and English digital news, and how these relate to their perceived status in their society and to Arab women's general image in Western media. We focus on their depictions in related news stories appearing in English during the period 2014-2016 and how they compare to the overall representations of Arab women in news discourse. To this end, we combine discourse analysis approaches and corpus linguistic techniques to analyse a corpus composed of 616 articles (445,904 words) published in English mainly by 10 news websites based in several countries. We processed our data through Sketch Engine to identify the significant lexical items and expressions used by journalists to describe Jordanian women, then we classified these according to the topical frames they reflect. Finally, we related these themes to both the established stereotypes and the recent images associated with Arab women in Western media. Our results show that the most frequent topics linked to Jordanian women are: empowerment and activism, rights, oppression, work, education, family, marriage, religion and traditions. Most of these echo, in various degrees, both the conventional portrayals of Arab women in the mainstream media as oppressed victims of their societies and their emerging as protesters and fighters for their rights. Yet, these themes are addressed in different tones when it comes to Jordanian women such that religion and dress restrictions are deemphasized while rights, education, and participation in public life are highlighted. Still, some topical frames are underscored as being specifically associated with Jordanian women reflecting their particular achievements, especially, in education and working in non-traditional jobs, on the one hand, and their continuous struggle to gain more constitutional rights, on the other. While our findings shed light on sketching Jordanian women in global news, they provide further discursive evidence against the monolithic representation of Arab women in Western media.


To estimate available spectrum for dynamic access in the context of cognitive radio, many of the designed systems rely on dedicated complex software defined radio (SDR) receivers with onboard powerful signal processing capabilities, connected through dedicated high speed networks to complex processing backends, transmitting their measurements in real time to a central system. Even if promising results have been achieved with these systems, we believe this architecture does not scale if an area wider than the lab has to be covered. In real conditions, one would have to select good installation sites, engineer antenna location and setup, install a high speed dedicated network link, falling back to the usual issues mobile phone carriers are facing, raising again the problems that were at the birth of small cell cognitive networks. Our approach was to look for solutions to deployment from the beginning of the study and integrate scalable capabilities with limited costs in the rationale of the architecture design. Our `Cloud SDR' architecture aims at being a Self-organized, dynamic, self calibrated, cloud oriented spectrum sensing system to perform continuous spectrum occupation measurements at a country-wide scale. In this paper we describe the main features of the system and present preliminary results obtained with the sensing stations deployed in the suburbs of Paris, France, during the first semester of 2014.


The controlled deterioration test has frequently been used to evaluate the vigour of several species and could be an alternative for evaluation of the vigour in bean seeds. However, the conditions for the accomplishment of this test are not still completely defined. Due to this the objective of the present study was to determine the conditions more adapted for the conduction of the controlled deterioration test in bean seeds compare its efficiency with the accelerated ageing test. Five lots of bean seeds were used with different physiological qualities. The initial quality of each seed lot was evaluated by: germination test, first germination count, ageing accelerated test, electric conductivity and field emergence. The initial moisture of the seeds was established to be 15, 20 and 25% and for each initial moisture content, there were four combinations of deterioration period of 24 and 48 hours and deterioration temperature of 40 and 45°C. The results allowed the conclusion that seeds with 20% initial moisture, for 48 hours under temperature of 45oC presented high correlation with the accelerated ageing test.


As long as the Romans had contact with the people of Italy only, their treaties embodied the concept of societas. The new formula "amicitia and societas" and the expression amicitia seem to have arisen only when Rome came into contact with other peoples in the Mediterranean area. The article aims to demonstrate that the roots of these new relationships are in international relations in the ancient Near East, and that the Romans adopted them from the Greeks. Later, they adapted the formula to their policy of expansion by using it to impose the maiestas populi Romani.


The nursing researches have collaborated to build the profession knowledge. The tendency in qualitative methodologies is evident, and among them we highlight the phenomenology approach. This paper will present the possibilities of Martin Buber's philosophy in research. In the field work, it can help the interview technique because it is related with relationship and dialogue. During the analyses phase it should be applied as a theoretical framework to interpretation. The Martin Buber's philosophy present elements to understand the encounter of presence among the humans beings, it came from the way of see himself/herself and the world. Thus, we understand the Buber's contribution as a theoretical framework to data production in qualitative research.


Previously, a mixed culture chemostat system was used to demonstrate that the pH generated from carbohydrate metabolism, rather than carbohydrate availability per se, was responsible for the shifts observed in the oral microflora which are associated with high carbohydrate diets and the development of dental caries. The aim of this study was to determine more accurately the microbially generated pH at which such shifts occurred. Nine oral bacteria were grown in three independent chemostats, and pulsed with glucose on 10 consecutive days. In one chemostat, pH control was discontinued for 6 h, and the pH fall was restricted to a minimum value of pH 5.5; the pH fall was arrested in the other two chemostats at either pH 5.0, or at pH 4.5. When the pH was allowed to fall, the numbers and proportions of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus rhamnosus increased; this increase was directly related to the magnitude of the pH fall. Veillonella dispar was the most numerous organism following all glucose pulsing regimes, especially at low pH. The increase in proportions of acidogenic bacteria was accompanied by a fall in the proportions of acid–sensitive species (Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella nigrescens, Streptococcus gordonii and Streptococcus oralis). The counts of these species were relatively stable between pH 5.5 and 4.5, but were markedly reduced when the pH fell below pH 4.5; Neisseria subflava could not persist in the culture at pH 4.5 or below. The data suggest that the disruption of communities associated with glucose metabolism and low pH can be explained in terms of a two–stage process. A fall in pH to a value between pH 5.5 and 4.5 may allow the enrichment of potentially cariogenic species, whilst permitting species associated with health to remain relatively unaffected. A further reduction in pH (<pH 4.5) may not only enhance the competitiveness of odontopathogens, but inhibit the growth and metabolism of non–caries–associated species. The results also indicate that species other that mutans streptococci or lactobacilli are competitive at pH values low enough to demineralise enamel, and thus suggest that a broader range of micro–organisms may be associated with caries initiation.


This study discusses netnographic findings involving 472 YouTube postings categorized to identify themes regarding consumers' experience of music in advertisements. Key themes relate to musical taste, musical indexicality, musical repetition and musical authenticity. Postings reveal how music conveys individual taste and is linked to personal memories and Heidegger's coincidental time where moments of authenticity may be triggered in a melee of emotions, memories and projections. Identity protection is enabled as consumers frequently resist advertisers' attempts to use musical repetition to impose normative identity. Critiques of repetition in the music produce Heideggerian anxiety leading to critically reflective resistance. Similarly, where advertising devalues the authenticity of iconic pieces of music, consumers often resist such authenticity transgressions as a threat to their own identity. The Heideggerian search for meaning in life emphasizes the significance of philosophically driven ideological authenticity in consumers' responses to music in advertisements.


When Aschoff published his landmark textbook Pathologische Anatomie in 1909,1 lung carcinomas were barely mentioned. Their classification into histological subtypes was also very basic as they were simply described as being 'usually made up by cylindrical cells, rarely being medullary, colloid or cancroid'.2 Since then a lot has changed because of our increased knowledge and, unfortunately, because of a dramatic increase of cases of lung carcinoma following the epidemic of cigarette smoking. Now we know that, under the umbrella of lung carcinomas, there are several different neoplastic diseases.3 Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) represent one of the major types of lung epithelial neoplasm, and three histological subtypes of invasive SCC are identified in the most recent WHO classification: keratinising, non-keratinising and basaloid3 plus the preinvasive 'in situ' type.

Despite our advances in understanding the biology of these tumours, treatment for the largest group, the non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC) of which SCC are part, it is still mainly guided by the tumour-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system, with surgery as first-line choice in early carcinomas (stages I, II and II according to the TNM system).4 Although curative in a number of people, surgical treatment eventually still fails in a large number of cases. Only 67% of patients with Stage IA survive 5 years, while just 25% are still alive, at the same time, if the stage is IIIA.5 The number of clinical trials evaluating the effect of adjuvant postoperative chemotherapy is therefore increasing to try to improve the outcome of surgery; however, the results are, so far, modest. When evaluating a patient for adjuvant treatment, the main predictive factor so far identified and currently used in clinical practice is still the TNM stage. Despite an increasing number of studies performed, no prognostic and/or predictive biomarkers have been …


Social interaction is a fundamental component of relationships; however, the key features of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) include marked and lifelong impairments in social interaction that adversely affects abilities to fulfil this essential relationship requirement. Despite the momentum of worldwide research on ASD, there is insufficient empirical study on adults with ASD and their relationships. This research examined the reported social interaction needs of adults when involved in neurodiverse relationships (relationships that include adults with ASD and neurotypical (NT) adults). The use of an advocacy/participatory approach allowed for a detailed investigation of the characteristics of participants' interpersonal communication. It was identified that a pairing of incompatible social interaction needs caused a sequence of distinctive, competing, and intertwined interactions that formed into interwoven communication cycles. These cycles included compensatory and competing behaviours, which were specific to each group of participants. Prompting, prompt dependency and/or prompt avoidance occurred within a dynamic system.


An upper-level undergraduate course entitled "Radar and Satellite Meteorology" has offered for the past five years at the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison. This course has two components, one is the lectures on remote sensing theory, and the other is laboratory exercises that involve the investigation of archived radar and satellite data. One of the most popular laboratory exercises, according to the students' feedback, is the simulated real-time severe weather nowcasting in the computer-equipped classroom. The students are experienced a severe weather outbreak and placed in a real-time operational decision-making environment. Archived Level-II and Level-III Next-generation Radar (NEXRAD) data is viewed with either the freely available Integrated Data Viewer (IDV) or McIDAS software packages. The "bundling" feature of these software packages allows the instructor to pre-package radar data (e.g., reflectivity, storm-relative Doppler velocity) and feed it to the students every four to five minutes, simulating the delay between radar volume scans. Teams of students are required to monitor the evolution of the situation and issue severe weather warnings based on radar analysis skills developed in lecture and previous labs. Documented storm reports are also integrated into the lab to assist — or sometimes detract from — the students' warning decisions, and the classroom clock is even adjusted to correspond with the time of the events. This exercise provides students with a unique operational experience that is often missing from the undergraduate curriculum. Its inherent portability and flexibility allows instructors to adapt it to any historical severe weather event, making it appropriate for courses in mesoscale and synoptic meteorology in addition to remote sensing.


Adding to the Antiviral Arsenal The envelope of influenza virus contains two immunodominant glycoproteins: hemagglutinin and neuraminidase (NA). Existing antivirals like zanamivir (Relenza) and oseltamivir (Tamiflu) target NA; however, the development of drug resistance is a problem. Kim et al. (p. 71, published online 21 February) now report a different class of NA inhibitors. NA catalyzes the removal of sialic acids from the surface of host cells to initiate entry. Discovery of a NA–sialic acid intermediate led to the production of sialic acid analogs that bound covalently to NA and inhibited its enzymatic activity. These compounds showed activity against a wide variety of influenza strains, inhibited viral replication in cell culture, and were able to protect mice against influenza infection. Protection of mice was equivalent to protection seen from zanamivir. Moreover, the compounds showed activity against drug-resistant strains in vitro. These compounds represent a potentially useful addition to the arsenal of antivirals used to treat influenza infection. Looking deeply into the mechanism of enzyme inhibition provides a clue for the development of new drugs to fight flu. Influenza antiviral agents play important roles in modulating disease severity and in controlling pandemics while vaccines are prepared, but the development of resistance to agents like the commonly used neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir may limit their future utility. We report here on a new class of specific, mechanism-based anti-influenza drugs that function through the formation of a stabilized covalent intermediate in the influenza neuraminidase enzyme, and we confirm this mode of action with structural and mechanistic studies. These compounds function in cell-based assays and in animal models, with efficacies comparable to that of the neuraminidase inhibitor zanamivir and with broad-spectrum activity against drug-resistant strains in vitro. The similarity of their structure to that of the natural substrate and their mechanism-based design make these attractive antiviral candidates.


The note focuses on the speculative attack on domestic assets, which can occur irrespective of country's fiscal situation, suggesting political economy considerations may be the reason. However, recent events have reopened the debate on how to reduce vulnerability to capital outflows in developing countries, though other risk factors have been identified, which if minimized, can still reduce vulnerability to speculative attacks. It addresses the perils of inconsistent macroeconomic policies, as evidenced in Argentina, where the Central Bank was financing the government's budget deficit by creating money, while trying to keep the exchange rate fixed. Moreover, a speculative attack on bonds, instead of currency, can also lead to a devaluation, such as a sudden shift in perceptions about macroeconomic stability, may lead to a loss in reserves, as in Mexico's 1994 crisis, when high interest rates associated with a currency defense was perceived as intolerable. This is substantiated through case studies, which further include the expectation of realized contingent liabilities, a drop in tax revenues associated with business cycles driven by capital inflows, and investor refusal to roll over debt in countries other than the crisis country, know as contagion. Recommendations include the adoption of consistent macroeconomic policies; reduction of debt rollover risks; strengthening financial regulation; and, capital flows regulation.


A 2.45 GHz fully differential CMOS power amplifier (PA) with high efficiency and linearity is presented. For this work, a 0.18-/spl mu/m standard CMOS process with Cu-metal is employed and all components of the two-stage circuit except an output transformer and a few bond wires are integrated into one chip. To improve the linearity, an optimum gate bias is applied for the cancellation of the nonlinear harmonic generated by g/sub m3/ and a new harmonic termination technique at the common source node is adopted along with normal harmonic termination at the drain. The harmonic termination at the source effectively suppresses the second harmonic generated from the input and output. The amplifier delivers a 20.5dBm of P/sub 1dB/ with 17.5 dB of power gain and 37% of power-added efficiency (PAE). Linearity measurements from a two-tone test show that the power amplifier with the second harmonic termination improves the IMD3 and IMD5 over the amplifier without the harmonic termination by maximally 6 dB and 7 dB, respectively. Furthermore, the linearity improvements appear over a wide range of the power levels and the linearity is maintained under -45 dBc of IMD3 and -57dBc of IMD5 when the output power is backed off by more than 5dB from P/sub 1dB/. From the OFDM signal test, the second harmonic termination improves the error vector magnitude (EVM) by over 40% for an output power level satisfying the 4.6% EVM specification.


In a study designed to determine the spread of anesthetic solutions in the intercostal space, the spread of india ink was studied in fresh cadavers. They were turned prone and had epidural catheters placed at ribs 4, 6, 8 and 10, 7-8 cm lateral to the midline, by two different techniques. Group 1 had epidural catheters directed laterally into the subcostal groove. Group 2 had catheters directed medially into the intercostal space. A window was dissected in the anterior chest wall to visualize the location of the catheters and the spread of india ink. Catheters in Group 1 were observed to be lateral to the medial border of the intercostalis intimus muscle and injection of india ink resulted in spread entirely within a single intercostal space. Catheters in Group 2 were observed to be 2-3 cm medial to the border of the intercostalis intimus muscle and injection of ink resulted in concentric spread over 3-5 intercostal spaces. Posteroanterior and lateral radiographs taken with contrast material in live patients confirmed these patterns of spread. The catheters in Groups 1 and 2 were within the same tissue plane. The results indicate that the pattern of spread obtained by injection of fluid in the intercostal space is dependent upon the site of injection in relation to the angle of the rib.


Abundances of 11 major and minor elements and 11 trace elements have been determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis of two Apollo 12013 rock fragments, a sample of rock 12013,17 sawdust, and a Java tektite (J2). Although the abundances of major elements in tektite J2 are similar to those of rock 12013, comparison of the minor and trace elements shows that no fragment or sawdust of rock 12013 that has been analyzed to date is chemically similar to tektite glass. Rock sawdust is representative of "whole rock" composition only if the amount of contamination from the sawing process is known. After appropriate correction for saw wire contamination, analyses of sawdust yield fairly accurate averaged elemental compositions of complex clastic lunar and other rocks.


Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a particularly aggressive cancer subtype that is difficult to diagnose due to its discriminating epidemiology and obscure metabolome. For the first time, 3D spatial and chemometric analyses uncover the unique lipid metabolome of TNBC under the tandem modulation of two key metabolites – insulin and methionine - using non-invasive optical techniques. By conjugating heavy water (D2O) probed Raman scattering with label-free two-photon fluorescence (TPF) microscopy, we observed altered de novo lipogenesis, 3D lipid droplet morphology, and lipid peroxidation under various methionine and insulin concentrations. Quantitative interrogation of both spatial and chemometric lipid metabolism under tandem metabolite modulation confirms significant interaction of insulin and methionine, which may prove to be critical therapeutic targets, and proposes a powerful optical imaging platform with subcellular resolution for metabolic and cancer research.


This study investigates the effects of early fitting in trans-tibial amputees. The assumption is that compared to elastic bandaging, the use of a rigid dressing in early fitting will result in quicker wound healing and earlier ambulation. A retrospective file search was carried out in three different hospitals, analysing the time to first prosthesis, the incidence of local and general complications and the functional outcome after discharge from hospital. Each of the hospitals used a different method of postoperative care: elastic bandaging, immediate postoperative application of the plaster cast or delayed application of the plaster cast within one week post amputation. In comparison to the elastic bandaging method (N=52), the use of a rigid dressing in the early fitting method (immediate and delayed, N=97) resulted in a statistically significant shorter period from amputation to the delivery of a first regular prosthesis (110 days vs 50 days) and a decreased risk of knee flexion contracture. Although, differences in local complications were not observed, the risk of pressure sores in other places than the stump was increased in early fitting. Instead of further reducing the time to first prosthesis by immediate fitting, the use of delayed fitting resulted in a statistically significant shorter period from amputation to the delivery of a first regular prosthesis (56 vs 40 days). However, delayed fitting was associated with an increased risk for reamputation. In conclusion, this study indicates that early fitting by use of a rigid dressing after trans-tibial amputation is the treatment of choice. If it is possible to apply a plaster cast in the operating room, the authors would prefer the immediate fitting method.


Cannabis, once delegated to transactions in the shadows and the constant threat of criminal prosecution, has emerged as a booming industry as states continue to legalize it for medical and recreational use. Federal lawmakers have yet to bless the use of cannabis through legislation, so the threat of criminal penalties looms for both cannabis businesses and the businesses that support them, such as CPA firms. State legalization has brought forth an industry that once operated under the radar into the light of legitimacy. With legitimacy comes the obligation to both report and pay taxes at the federal, state, and local levels. Yet, CPAs, conservative by nature, have reasonable objections to offering these services. Both national and state CPA associations require CPAs have good moral character, but providing services to a federallyillegal business has always stood as a violation of that mandate. This qualitative, multi-case research study using semi-structured interviews of CPAs serving the cannabis industry and CPAs that have elected not to serve the industry provides insights into the concerns regarding engaging legal cannabis clients and a framework to protect good moral character when serving the cannabis industry. The framework consists of two parallel paths, due diligence and due care. Due diligence is the processes undertaken to ensure a thorough understanding of the client. Due care is the processes that support protecting both the client and the firm.


Abstract In addition to selecting a "greatest hit" and a "hidden gem," here, Sreemati Mitter provides readers with a broad overview of Journal of Palestine Studies (JPS) content on the topic of capitalism in Palestine. Mitter singles out Alexander Schölch's classic, "The Economic Development of Palestine, 1856–1882" (1981) as a greatest hit and Peter Lagerquist's haunting "Vacation from History: Ethnic Cleansing as the Club Med Experience" (2006) as a hidden gem. Read together, she argues, these two pieces help elucidate how powerful forces of global market capitalism converged on Palestine's storied Mediterranean coast to shape its economy in the modern period.


Galaxies exhibit coherent alignments with local structure in the Universe. This effect, called Intrinsic Alignments (IA), is an important contributor to the systematic uncertainties for wide-field weak lensing surveys. On cosmological distance scales, intrinsic shape alignments have been observed in red galaxies, which are usually bulge-dominated; while blue galaxies, which are mostly disc-dominated, exhibit shape alignments consistent with a null detection. However, disc-dominated galaxies typically consist of two prominent structures: disc and bulge. Since the bulge component has similar properties as elliptical galaxies and is thought to have formed in a similar fashion, naturally one could ask whether the bulge components exhibit similar alignments as ellipticals? In this paper, we investigate how different components of galaxies exhibit IA in the TNG100-1 cosmological hydrodynamical simulation, as well as the dependence of IA on the fraction of stars in rotation-dominated structures at z = 0. The measurements were controlled for mass differences between the samples. We find that the bulges exhibit significantly higher IA signals, with a nonlinear alignment model amplitude of $A_I = 2.98^{+0.36}_{-0.37}$ compared to the amplitude for the galaxies as a whole (both components), $A_I = 1.13^{+0.37}_{-0.35}$. The results for bulges are statistically consistent with those for elliptical galaxies, which have $A_I = 3.47^{+0.57}_{-0.57}$. These results highlight the importance of studying galaxy dynamics in order to understand galaxy alignments and their cosmological implications.


ABSTRACT Massive red sands assigned to the middle Eocene Lisbon Formation (Claibornian Stage) cap the higher hills in Washington, Clarke, and Choctaw Counties in southwestern Alabama and closely resemble, in mineralogy and texture, sediments of the upper Pliocene-lower Pleistocene Citronelle Sand, the Miocene Ecor Rouge Sand and Pleistocene terrace deposits of the Tombigbee River. Because of this similarity, and the fact that these sands are nowhere overlain by stratigraphically higher units, questions have been raised as to whether they do, in fact, represent a fluvial phase of the marine Lisbon Formation or whether some might actually belong to one of the other mentioned units. Multivariate classification techniques were applied to the mineral data from samples from each of the units to dete mine which formation the sands most closely resemble. Cluster analyses were able to effect a segregation of the Ecor Rouge and Citronelle Formations but did not effectively isolate the red sands with any other single unit. Discriminant analyses proved more efficient and consistently grouped samples from the red sands with either the Lisbon Formation, or more commonly, with terrace deposits of the Tombigbee River. Field checks on localities where the samples had indicated a "Lisbon similarity" disclosed that at most of these sites the red sands were in an apparent erosional contact with the laminated clays of the Lisbon Formation. This would indicate that, rather than being a shoreward facies of the Lisbon, these sands represent material reworked from the Lisbon Formation and are separated from it by either a diastem or major unconformity Only a few locations were found where the red sands unequivocally belonged to the Lisbon, hence it was concluded that the blanket assignment of most of the red sands to the Lisbon Formation in southwestern Alabama is unjustified. Most represent high terrace deposits associated with the Tombigbee River whereas the remainder possess a Lisbon "character" resulting from reworking of the Lisbon marine sediments.


Whole genome sequencing (WGS) and phenotypic drug susceptibility testing was performed on a collection of 2,542 Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) isolates from tuberculosis (TB) patients recruited in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam, to investigate Mtb diversity, the prevalence and phylodynamics of drug resistance, and in silico resistance prediction with sequencing data. Amongst isolates tested phenotypically against first-line drugs, we observed high rates of streptomycin [STR, 37.7% (N=573/1,520)] and isoniazid resistance [INH, 25.7% (N=459/1,786)], and lower rates of resistance to rifampicin [RIF, 4.9% (N=87/1,786)] and ethambutol [EMB, 4.2% (N=75/1,785)]. Resistance to STR and INH was predicted moderately well when applying the TB-Profiler algorithm to WGS data (sensitivities of 0.81 and 0.87 respectively), while resistance to RIF and EMB was predicted relatively poorly (sensitivities of 0.70 and 0.44 respectively). Rates of multidrug-resistance [(MDR, 3.9% (N=69/1,786)], and resistance to a number of second-line drugs [Para-aminosalicylic acid (29.6% N=79/267), Amikacin (15.4% N=41/267) and Moxifloxacin (21.3%), N=57/267], were found to be high within a global context. Comparing rates of drug resistance among lineages, and exploring the dynamics of resistance acquisition through time, suggest the Beijing lineage (lineage 2.2) acquires de novo resistance mutations at higher rates and suffers no apparent fitness cost acting to impede the transmission of resistance. We infer resistance to INH and STR to have arisen earlier, on average, than resistance to RIF, and to be more widespread across the phylogeny. The high prevalence of background INH resistance, combined with high rates of RIF mono-resistance (20.7%, N=18/87) suggests that rapid assays for INH resistance will be valuable in this setting. These tests will allow the detection of INH mono-resistance, and will allow MDR isolates to be distinguished from isolates with RIF mono-resistance.


The aim of the study was to estimate in the regional surplus of oilseed crops straw, which can be used for energy purposes. For spatial analysis, data from the Central Statistical Office for the counties from the State Agricultural Census of 2010. The regional differences in the production of rape seed were characterised against the background of natural and organizational conditions. The factors limiting the size of rapeseed production are: the quality of soil (about 33% of the poor soils), freezes risk especially in the north-eastern parts of the country and a large share of small farms in south-eastern Poland. The technical potential of straw from oilseed crops available for energy purposes was approximately 285 thousand tons. The estimated technical potential is highly diversified regionally, due to zoning of rapeseed production. The size of the estimated biomass potential in the districts allows decision on its use at the local level, and thus affects reduction of additional costs such as transport. Bearing in mind the primary objective to secure the food needs, use of residues from products is of great importance.


In recent years, the interest in offshore wind farms has been increased significantly. One of the reasons of this development is the less perceived environmental cost of an offshore wind farm with respect to an in-land one, especially for new installations where big turbines are preferred. However, they have also the advantage of an increased and more constant wind speed, leading to higher and more constant production of electrical power. For these kinds of wind farms a pure DC system could be an interesting and cost effective solution. This paper describes an innovative Medium Voltage Direct Current electrical grid system (MVDC) for wind farms, based on transformer-less wind turbines. An accurate analysis is presented and the proposed solution has been validated through a simulation and experimental phase performed on a low voltage prototype.


An experimental investigation has been performed to study the film-cooling performance of the cylindrical holes embedded in the sine-wave-shaped-trench. The sine-wave-shaped-trench is obtained by changing the trailing edge of the transverse trench into sine-wave shape; the holes are located next to the peaks of the wave. The sine-wave-shaped-trench is expected to get a wider spread of the cooling jet in the spanwise direction. The film-cooling effectiveness, heat-transfer coefficient, and discharge coefficient of the sine-wave-shaped-trench hole configurations with different trench depths (0.75D, 1D) and wave peaks (1D, 2D) are measured by the transient thermal liquid measurement technique. The blowing ratio covers a range from 0.5 to 2.0. The transverse trench hole is investigated as a basis of the comparison. Thermal and hydrodynamic fields are investigated numerically using Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulations with Realizable k–ε turbulence model and enhanced wall treatment. Results show that broadening the wave peak of the sine-wave-shaped-trench improves the spanwise uniformity of the injection. There is a pair of anticounter-rotating vortices formed downstream of the sine-wave-trailing-edge. Increasing the trench depth shows positive effects on the heat-transfer coefficients ratio of the sine-wave-shaped-trench. The discharge coefficients of the sine-wave-shaped-trenches are higher than that of the transverse trench which means the sine-wave shape trench has a lower flow resistance.


This study was designed to use LiDAR data to research tree heights in montane forest blocks of Kenya. It uses a completely randomised block design to asses if differences exist in forest heights: 1) among montane forest blocks, 2) among Agro ecological zones (AEZ) within each forest block and 3) between similar AEZ in different forest blocks. Forest height data from the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) on the Ice Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite (ICE-SAT) for the period 2003-2009 was used for 2146 circular plots, of 0.2 - 0.25 ha in size. Results indicate that, tree height is largely influenced by Agro ecological conditions and the wetter zones have taller trees in the upper, middle and lower highlands. In the upper highland zones of limited human activity, tree heights did not vary among forest blocks. Variations in height among forest blocks and within forest blocks were exaggerated in regions of active human intervention.


With the aspiring development towards Trajectory-based Operations, novel tools for robust trajectory prediction are necessary. For this, the impact of uncertain input variables to the trajectory prediction must be understood to permit higher automation with increasing look-ahead times. In this study, a neural network provides input probability density functions for the aircraft mass and speed intent (multiple phases with constant calibrated air speed or Mach number). With our flight performance model, 10,000 climb phases are predicted in a Monte-Carlo simulation with a look-ahead time of 600 seconds for six different aircraft types. The resulting trajectory uncertainty is analyzed to prove that the stochastic characteristics of the input can be used to predict the arising uncertainties in future positions. Since the selected uncertainties are interdependent and time-lagged, the normality of the input vanishes in the trajectory uncertainty. However, a Beta distribution provides a good fit for up to 90% of the cases. The findings are applicable to decision support tools if the expected uncertainty shall be included.