This thesis provides an analysis of four stylistic features of Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms (ST) and their equivalents in two Arabic translations (TT1 and TT2): 1. The coordinator and; 2. Existential there; 3. Dummy it; and 4. Fronted adverbials. Examples of these four stylistic features are identified in the ST, TT1, and TT2. Their formal (structural/syntactic) and functional (semantic) properties are then anlaysed linguistically from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives. Two reader-response questionnaires are administered, one dealing with the ST and the other with TT2. These are used to ascertain readers' reactions to extracts involving these four stylistic features in the ST and their correspondents in TT2. Finally, the results of the formal and functional analyses of the four stylistic features are compared with those of the reader-response questionnaires.
The linguistic analysis reveals that all four stylistic features considered give rise to a variety of translation procedures in TT1 and TT2. It also reveals some changes from the ST meaning in the TTs, particularly in the case of fronted adverbials. The questionnaire analysis shows that while ST respondents saw the ST as 'simple' and 'vivid' regarding these features positively, TT2 respondents frequently regarded TT2 as 'simple' but saw this as a negative feature. Their general view was that Arabic TT2 has a poor style, because it fails to exhibit traditional stylistic and rhetorical features of Arabic writing, such as metaphor and parallelism. Apparently identical stylistic effects, such as 'simplicity', may not hold the same value for TT respondents, as for ST respondents.
The thesis finally shows the relevance and applicability to the data examined and analyses carried out of a number of translation norms proposed by key translation studies scholars who have dealt with norms: Nord, Toury and Chesterman: 1. Nord's regulative norms (conventions) (considered identical to Toury's textual-linguistic norms); 2. Toury's initial norms; 3. Chesterman's communication norm; and 4. Chesterman's relation norm.


Summary
The number of infective centres which were established successfully following the manual inoculation of French bean leaves with tobacco necrosis virus strain D (TNV
d
) or with TNV
d
RNA, decreased with increasing temperature between 13 and 30 °C. At 30 °C or above, primary and probably also secondary infections could not be established, though it is likely that a limited amount of virus RNA and nucleoprotein was produced at 30 °C in cells in which infection had been established previously at 23 °C. During the first day after inoculation, 23 °C was optimal for virus accumulation. Between 23 and 30 °C the rate at which lesions increased in diameter decreased with increasing temperature. The inhibitory effect of supraoptimal temperatures on the establishment of infection may be due to degradation of the infective entity by ribonuclease(s).


Oxynoemacheilus phasicus, new species, is described from the Rioni and Enguri River drainages in Georgia. It is distinguished from other Oxynoemacheilus species in the O. brandtii group by a mottled or marbled flank pattern in adults, a slightly emarginate caudal fin, and a deep caudal peduncle. Molecular data suggest that the new species is characterized by a minimum K2P distance of 7.5% from O. brandtii from the Kura drainage in the mtDNA COI barcode region. Oxynoemacheilus brandtii and O. elsae are re-diagnosed. A very slender Oxynoemacheilus from the Aras drainage clusters as sister to O. elsae in our molecular analysis and not with O. brandtii from the Kura River. However, it is identified as O. brandtii as it is indistinguishable from this species in morphological characters.


The purpose of this study was to explore changes in visual performance following the use of a virtual reality video game: the Nintendo Virtual Boy. Twenty-nine children (ages 9-14, mean age 11) underwent a visual testing battery before and after 30 minutes of play on the Nintendo Virtual Boy System. Simple t-tests showed an increase in accommodative and vergence facilities when comparing pre to post-play likely due to practice effects. Normative analysis displayed a trend of phoria shifts correlating to a decrease in compensating vergence ranges. Factor analysis reveals that some individuals are prone to undesirable short or long term visual changes. Subjects who are likely to experience changes are those with decreased ability to sustain accommodation, those who visually adapt to nearpoint stress, and those who spend excessive amounts of time using the virtual display.


The method and a special set for measuring the rigidity in bending and the torsion rigidity of flexible endoscopic elements under experimental and operating conditions are described. The set consists of the following components: a base, two racks, three removable holders, a height gauge, a set of weights, a set of inserts allowing flexible endoscopic pieces 4-16 mm in diameter to be fixed in the holder. Some experimental results are given.


TheBritish imperial policy of colonising smaller, weaker and less developed nations was the underlying cause of the Anglo-Zulu War. The imperial policy allowed British agents, including the military, to use unrestricted amount of violence to deal with nations resisting colonial authority. Leaders who used violence against natives without express British government authority with success were rewarded with decorations and career advancement. Those who failed or caused loss of British lives were lightly reprimanded and/or redeployed. The declaration and the waging of the Anglo-Zulu War was in line with the British policy of using violence against native states perceived as a threat to imperial interests. Leadership was pivotal in the occurrence of the Anglo-Zulu War. It was power relations and interactions between various British and Zulu leaders that resulted in Britons and Zulus going to war. The manner in which Carnarvon was advised to bring about the confederation of Southern African states caused the Anglo-War. Actions and decisions taken by various leaders led to a violent confrontation between the two nations. Decision-making processes within the imperial system facilitated the waging of the war without the express British government authority. The colonial office under Carnarvon's leadership was able to conceive the confederation concept and allocated resources for its implementation without any political oversight. Colonial officials were allowed to make and implement decisions in the colonies without London's approval. A hurried attempt to implement the confederation was the direct cause of the Anglo-Zulu War. Bartle Frere and Chelmsford were appointed for the sole purpose of dealing with the Zulus. Decisions taken by the Zulu kings, particularly Mpande and Cetshwayo facilitated an easy British victory.


1. The swimming performance of rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri , and the electrical activities, recorded extracellularly, of its red and mosaic muscles have been studied at different swimming speeds. 2. A linear relationship was found between the specific velocity (body lengths/sec) and the frequency of tail beating at frequencies up to 5/sec. 3. The red muscles are active at all swimming speeds at which the fish swim by tail oscillations. Discharges from this muscle decrease in duration with frequency up to 3.5-5.0 beats/sec and then increase while the interburst interval decreases linearly with tail-beat frequency. 4. Mosaic muscle becomes active at 3.05-3.60 tail beats/sec and increases slightly with increasing frequency of tail oscillations. Greatly increased activity was recorded in response to struggling and rapid accelerations. 5. The white (mosaic) muscle mass of teleosts is concluded to be involved at intermediate swimming speeds and to be active at the higher range of cruising speeds.


DSCAM regulates neuronal delamination from the ventricular surface by suppressing RapGEF2/Rap1 and N-cadherin. For normal neurogenesis and circuit formation, delamination of differentiating neurons from the proliferative zone must be precisely controlled; however, the regulatory mechanisms underlying cell attachment are poorly understood. Here, we show that Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule (DSCAM) controls neuronal delamination by local suppression of the RapGEF2–Rap1–N-cadherin cascade at the apical endfeet in the dorsal midbrain. Dscam transcripts were expressed in differentiating neurons, and DSCAM protein accumulated at the distal part of the apical endfeet. Cre-loxP–based neuronal labeling revealed that Dscam knockdown impaired endfeet detachment from ventricles. DSCAM associated with RapGEF2 to inactivate Rap1, whose activity is required for membrane localization of N-cadherin. Correspondingly, Dscam knockdown increased N-cadherin localization and ventricular attachment area at the endfeet. Furthermore, excessive endfeet attachment by Dscam knockdown was restored by co-knockdown of RapGEF2 or N-cadherin. Our findings shed light on the molecular mechanism that regulates a critical step in early neuronal development.


Background: Obesity is a public health problem that currently affects more than one-third of American adults. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires all private health plans to cover diagnostic screening and counseling for obesity. However, the ACA does not guarantee access to effective treatment for obesity.

Objective: To examine the health plans sold on the 2015 Health Insurance Marketplace (Marketplace) by describing the coverage and access barriers for surgical and non-surgical treatments for obesity.

Methods: Using data from the 2015 Marketplace Public Use Files that consist of a census of all health plans sold on the 2015 Marketplace in 37 states, which excludes plans sold on the 14 State-based Marketplaces. Descriptive statistics are employed to characterize the plans' coverage, exclusions, limitations, and out-of-pocket costs for bariatric surgery (surgical category), dietician services, nutritional counseling, gym access, gym membership, gym membership reimbursement, and weight loss programs (non-surgical category).

Results: Bariatric surgery was covered by 30.4% of plans. Of these plans, over one-third applied a limit on the coverage amount. Of the plans covering bariatric surgery with a copayment, 60.3% of these plans had a copayment of $1,000 or more. In contrast, the non-surgical treatments were covered by more than 80% of plans. Of these plans with a copayment, 71.6% had a copayment between $1 and $49. Of the plans covering treatments in the surgical or non-surgical categories, coinsurance rates were more prevalent than copayments, with almost two-thirds of plans having a coinsurance rate of 50% or more.

Conclusions: A majority of plans on the 2015 Marketplace covered non-surgical obesity treatments. However, bariatric surgery, the treatment that results in the greatest amount of weight loss, was covered by less than one-third of plans. Furthermore, bariatric surgery, even when covered, may be less accessible to patients with a Marketplace plan due to high cost sharing and limits on the coverage amount. This study is significant to public health because it provides an early description of the coverage and access barriers to obesity treatments available to Marketplace enrollees, highlighting the importance of promoting policy that expands coverage of and access to obesity treatments given the high prevalence of obesity in the U.S.


Earth and Marine Sciences, Geology, Climate Change, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geographical Sciences, Rocks and Regolith and Quaternary Studies are some of the subjects included in this Libguide.


We analyze a heart monitoring center for patients wearing electrocardiogram sensors outside hospitals. This prevents serious heart damages and increases life expectancy and health-care efficiency. In this paper, we address a problem to provide a scalable infrastructure for the real-time processing scenario for at least 10,000 patients simultaneously, and efficient fast processing architecture for the postponed scenario when patients upload data after realized measurements. CardioHPC is a project to realize a simulation of these two scenarios using digital signal processing algorithms and artificial intelligence-based detection and classification software for automated reporting and alerting. We elaborate the challenges we met in experimenting with different serverless implementations: 1) container-based on Google Cloud Run, and 2) Function-as-a-Service (FaaS) on AWS Lambda. Experimental results present the effect of overhead in the request and transfer time, and speedup achieved by analyzing the response time and throughput on both container-based and FaaS implementations as serverless workflows.


The mineral growth of the human fetus may be determined from the chemical composition at various stages of fetal development. Data on the chemical composition from which such growth can be shown earlier than the sixth lunar month are, to our knowledge, practically lacking in the literature. This may be due to the difficulty of obtaining sufficient material for the macrochemical methods used by the earlier investigators. In the present study, we were able, using microchemical methods, to study the chemical composition of the human fetus as early as the third lunar month. In a series of sixteen fetuses, analyses were made for sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, chlorine and nitrogen. The analyses of the two youngest fetuses are not complete, since there was not sufficient material for all the microchemical methods. Data which give the per cent of body fat, constant dry weight and per cent of water are


The human AP endonuclease (Ape1 or ref-1) DNA base excision repair (BER) enzyme is a multifunctional protein that has an impact on a wide variety of important cellular functions including oxidative signaling, transcription factor regulation, and cell cycle control. It acts on mutagenic AP (baseless) sites in DNA as a critical member of the DNA BER repair pathway. Moreover, Ape1/ref-1 stimulates the DNA-binding activity of transcription factors (Fos-Jun, nuclear factor-kappaB, Myb, ATF/cyclic AMP-responsive element binding protein family, HIF-1alpha, HLF, PAX, and p53) through a redox mechanism and thus represents a novel component of signal transduction processes that regulate eukaryotic gene expression. Ape1/ref-1 has also been shown to be closely linked to apoptosis associated with thioredoxin, and altered levels of Ape1/ref-1 have been found in some cancers. In a pilot study, we have examined Ape1/ref-1 expression by immunohistochemistry in sections of germ cell tumors (GCTs) from 10 patients with testicular cancer of various histologies including seminomas, yolk sac tumors, and malignant teratomas. Ape1/ref-1 was expressed at relatively high levels in the tumor cells of nearly all sections. We hypothesized that elevated expression of Ape1/ref-1 is responsible in part for the resistance to therapeutic agents. To answer this hypothesis, we overexpressed the Ape1/ref-1 cDNA in the GCT cell line NT2/D1 using retroviral gene transduction with the vector LAPESN. Using an oligonucleotide cleavage assay and immunohistochemistry to assess Ape1/ref-1 repair activity and expression, respectively, we found that the repair activity and relative Ape1/ref-1 expression in GCT cell lines are directly related. NT2/D1 cells transduced with Ape1/ref-1 exhibited 2-fold higher AP endonuclease activity in the oligonucleotide cleavage assay, and this was reflected in a 2-3-fold increase in protection against bleomycin. Lesser protection was observed with gamma-irradiation. We conclude that: (a) Ape1/ref-1 is expressed at relatively high levels in some GCTs; (b) elevated expression of Ape1/ref-1 in testicular cancer cell lines results in resistance to certain therapeutic agents; and (c) Ape1/ref-1 expression in GCT cell lines determined by immunohistochemistry and repair activity assays parallels the level of protection from bleomycin. We further hypothesize that elevated Ape1/ref-1 levels observed in human testicular cancer may be related to their relative resistance to therapy and may serve as a diagnostic marker for refractory disease. To our knowledge, this is the first example of overexpressing Ape1/ref-1 in a mammalian system resulting in enhanced protection to DNA-damaging agents.


Due to the fast growth of network systems, abundant intrusive approaches have been grown extensively which are escalating many security and solidity threats. Intrusions Detection Systems (IDS) are security programs to decide whether events and activities occurring in the network are intrusive or legitimate. The purpose of IDS is to identify intrusions in network traffic with low false alarms and high detection rate while consuming lesser resources and computational cost. There are plentiful issues in traditional IDS including regular updating, low detection capability to unknown attacks, high false alarms rate, extraordinary resources consumption and many others. Similarly, Intelligent Network IDS have snags of performance efficiency, false positive and false negative while today's advance Neural Network approaches are also facing training/learning overhead, high false alarms and low detection rate. Soft computing is an innovative field to develop intelligent IDS while minimizing the deficiencies in other approaches. The objective of this research is to propose an efficient soft computing approach with low false alarms and high detection rate while maintaining low cost and less time. Our research promising results show that a new proposed system is an improved and applicable representation of an ideal intrusion detection system.


This article presents a training system for live-line workers. The developed training system is based on immersive virtual reality and automatic speech recognition technology. The training is focused on live-line Cut-Out-Switch (COS) replacement work in a distribution system. Most work in power systems must be free of interruption, so it is carried out by live-line techniques. However, these techniques have increased the number of accidents by electric shock. Because most electric accidents are due to live-line work, it is important to train live-line workers. The proposed training system provides repeated and cost-effective training for a small space. It also guarantees safety during training operations. In this article, the background of live-line techniques and the work procedure of COS replacement are presented. The architecture of the developed system, the creation of the virtual work environment, and the collision detection among virtual objects are also described.


This chapter summarizes research on early imitation carried out in Sweden over the last 15 years. Research showing that imitation observed in the newborn period can be demonstrated, but also that the processes behind imitation in the neonate are both complex and fragile. One example of such processes is the large variability in imitative responses observed by many investigators studying imitation in the newborn period. This variability has been specifically studied in the Swedish cohorts, and it seems as if real individual differences are at play from the very beginning.


1 First flowering dates are occurring earlier than they did in the past in many locations around the world. It is sometimes assumed, implicitly or explicitly, that the changes in first flowering dates describe the phenological behaviour of entire populations. However, first flowering dates represent one extreme of the flowering distribution and may be susceptible to undesirable confounding effects. 2 We used observations of flowering in Colorado and Massachusetts to test whether changes in population size and sampling frequency affect observations of first flowering dates. 3 We found that the effect of population size on first flowering dates depended on location. Changes in population size were strongly related to the dates on which first flowering was observed in Massachusetts but not in Colorado. The lack of a significant effect in Colorado may reflect the rapid onset of spring after snowmelt and fixed developmental schedules of the plants at this sub‐alpine site, or the scale of the plots sampled during the study. 4 We also found that changes in sampling frequency can influence observed changes in first flowering dates and other aspects of the flowering distribution. Similar to the effect of declines in population size, lower sampling frequency caused later observations of first flowering. However, lower sampling frequency, if maintained consistently throughout a study, did not significantly affect estimates of changes in flowering dates over time or in response to climate. 5 Synthesis. Researchers should consider the effects of changes in population size and sampling frequency when interpreting changes in first flowering dates. In some cases, past results may need to be reinterpreted. When possible, researchers should observe the entire flowering distribution or consider tracking peak or mean flowering dates to avoid the confounding effects of population size and sampling frequency.


This paper addresses the estimation of systolic time intervals, namely the pre-ejection period (PEP) and the left ventricular ejection time (LVET), using heart sound. PEP is estimated with a Bayesian approach resorting to the signal's instantaneous amplitude and typical time intervals between atrio-ventricular valve closure and aortic valve opening. As for LVET, aortic valve closure is determined through the analysis of a high-frequency signature of S2. Additionally, LVET has also been estimated from a PPG signal at a peripheral site, for the sake of comparison over a subset of data. We evaluated our algorithms on a set of 658 heartbeats and achieved 10.32 msec average absolute PEP estimation error with 7.3 msec standard deviation and for LVET, 15.8 msec average estimation error with 13.6 msec standard deviation. Current results support our assumption that heart sounds can be applied to detect the onset of the aortic valve movement processes.


Objective: This study is a convergence research of social welfare, naval architecture, and ocean engineering for developing software of practical evacuation simulation for land/marine structures including social welfare facilities (elderly welfare facilities). Methods: In order to develop technologies of evacuation environment and object (evacuation subject) modeling, evacuation simulation, analysis/result visualization, etc. for life rescue in emergent situations such as fire, this study conducted an actual test at the Nam-gu Senior Welfare Center, and derived an evacuation test procedure and evaluation method from testing with elderly users, 15 persons. Findings: This study also developed Elderly Classification for Safe Evacuation (ECSE) usable in deriving factors for safe evacuation based on related literature. Crisis management is an extension of daily and structural risk management, and all structures designed and constructed should be evaluated technologically for the management. In this sense, such evaluation technologies should be developed first. The technology developed in this study is a system that enables prior testing of land and marine structures for the risk of disasters, and is usable at design and operation departments. Particularly in the operation of social welfare residential facilities for the social weak, one of the most important factors is life safety in emergency situations such as fire. All the licensed social welfare facilities are required to have guidelines for safety management and fire safety equipment according to relevant laws and regulations, but safety evaluation is still based on qualitative judgment, and there are few quantitative grounds for assessing the safety of target facilities. Improvements/Applications: Through these processes, evacuation simulation S/W satisfying the IMO Guideline was developed successfully for the first time in Korea. This study introduces the process of deriving safety factors before the development of virtual reality-based evacuation software.


Since the terrorist attacks have increased over the world in recent years, blast-resistant protection of building structures has received considerable attention. The rigid and flexible composite protection layer as a new protection measure was examined through the method of experimental tests in this paper. Two sealed steel boxes were selected for the testing, one with the rigid and flexible composite layer, while the other without any protection. The rubber was selected as the flexible material while the steel plate is selected as the rigid material. The effectiveness of the composite layer under different explosive loadings was investigated. By comparing the structural strains, the experimental results show that the rigid and flexible layer can suppress the structural dynamic response obviously, and the blast-resistant effect of the composite layer will be increased further with increase of explosive charge.


Background and Objectives : The intracytoplasmic sperm injection or ICSI is high efficiency and acceptable all over the world in treatment of severe male factor infertility, unexplained infertility, in-vitro maturation of oocytes and reinjection in non fertilized oocytes of conventional IVF method. The objective of this study was to determine the fertilization rate of human oocytes, cleavage rate and pregnancy rate in ICSI method. Methods : This was a retrospective descriptive study conducted by collecting data from reproductive biology unit, Srinagarind hospital, Khon Kaen university, Khon Kaen, Thailand. Total of 1,053 human oocytes from 164 cycles which undertaken for ICSI treatments between January 1, 2012 to May 31, 2014. The number of retrieval oocytes, sperm injected oocytes,   fertilized oocytes, clevaged rate and pregnancy rate were analysed by poisson statistic and STATA program version 10.0. Results : In 164 treatment cycles were included for ICSI procedure. Total of 1,053 oocytes were collected. The average of oocytes obtained per retrieval was 6.5 + 5.5. During the study period, 876 mature oocytes had been ICSI of 156 cycles (average 5.6 + 4.9 per cycle). The fertilization rate and cleavage rate were 82.7 % and 94.5 %, respectively. The fertilization rate were not statistically significant different between indication group and non-indication group (74.3% and 87.2 %, p=0.1101). The overall of pregnancy rate in ICSI was 13.3 %. The pregnancy rate of indication group and non indication group were 11.8 % and 14.9 %, respectively. Conclusion : In this study fertilization rate and cleavage rate by ICSI were good. ICSI is an alternative method to use in treatment of infertile couples due to low quality sperm.


Regioregular poly(3-alkylthiophene)s are widely used in organic electronics applications such as solar cells and field effect transistors. Nickel, palladium, and platinum diphenylphosphinoethane complexes were tested as catalysts for the Grignard metathesis (GRIM) polymerization of 2,5-dibromo-3-hexylthiophene and 2-bromo-5-iodo-3-hexylthiophene. Nickel-mediated polymerization generated regioregular, low-polydispersity poly(3-hexylthiophene) with well-defined molecular weight consistent with a "living" chain-growth mechanism. By contrast, palladium-mediated polymerization proceeded by a step-growth mechanism and generated polymers with less than 80% head-to-tail couplings. Platinum-mediated polymerization gave very low molecular weight products. Kinetic and computational results suggested that the nickel catalyst acts as an initiator and remains associated with the growing polymer chain, while palladium dissociates from the growing chain. Computational and experimental evidence was provided for various side reactions of dissociated Pd(0) catalyst, which could yield a step growth mechanism and lower regioirregularity.


Soil erosion is a major problem in most agricultural field where it threatened the whole ecosystem. Conventional planting included heavy applies of pesticides and fertilizer had given negative impact to the environment. Aquaponics of combining aquaculture and hydroponics in one integrated system is a useful revolutionary food production system. Salinity can inhibit the plant growth but saltwater aquaponics is studied as an extension from aquaponics recently. Lettuce is selected as the study plant species. A study had carried out by comparing the lettuce seeds germination and plants growth in soils and aquaponics, and lettuces growth with and without salt treatment in freshwater and saltwater aquaponics. The result showed no significance difference on seeds germination and plant growth between sandy soil and coconut coir soil (P > 0.05). Lettuces in aquaponics had the highest total water content, mean plant height increment, and most leaves. Germination of lettuce seeds that treated with different salt concentration was inhibited and the one treated with 0.2M salt solution had no germination. Growth of lettuces from saltwater were inhibited whether it was preliminary treated with salt or not whereas those from freshwater grew very well. In conclusion, aquaponics was more effective in growing lettuces than soils. Freshwater is more suitable to use for growing lettuces than saltwater. Saltwater inhibited lettuce growth whether with or without salt treatment. Waste product from aquaculture had successfully utilised as a nutrient source for growing crops.


ABSTRACT On 3 October 2016 The Guardian ran a story titled, '"I need peace": Seven-Year-Old Bana Tweets Her Life in Besieged Aleppo'. @AlabedBana's Twitter feed recounts Bana's everyday experiences in Aleppo. The posts emphasise a child's-eye perspective: simple language and pleas for peace amid violence and trauma. Sometimes her mother tweets from the account and signs off with her name. After The Guardian's story Bana's Twitter followers grew by tens of thousands. I encountered this article through The Guardian's Facebook page and amongst the many engaged and supportive comments was a smaller selection of comments that doubted the veracity of the Twitter account (suggesting manipulation, or worse propaganda). Further, a series of fake, troll accounts emerged to spoof al-Abed– again doubting the possibility that a seven-year-old could author such a narrative. This article considers the new variables, complexities, and mediations that new media diaries bring to a discussion of childhood diaries by considering the circulation and reception of @AlabedBana's Twitter. How might Twitter 'work' as a diary mode for representing trauma, particularly childhood experiences of war and conflict? What issues might @AlabedBana's Twitter diary raise for scholars thinking about the trajectories of global life narratives emerging from new media diary modes?


Struggling writers are sometimes tempted to throw away their current effort and start over with a a blank page and a fresh approach. But the cost of yielding to this temptation is high, especially when one has already sunk a great deal of time and energy into a work that must be discarded. However, as computational creativity increases the speed and lowers the cost of narrative generation, the option of a fresh do-over becomes ever more attractive. So we consider here a simulation-based approach to the generation of episodic stories in which stories are generated, evaluated and frequently discarded in a rapid, coarse-grained cycle of engagement and reflection. The goal of simulation is to better exploit the situated possibilities for information transfer amongst the characters in a story, while the goal of repeated simulation is to find the story that achieves maximal coherence amongst its episodic parts.


Abstract Kraeutler, MJ, Carver, TJ, Belk, JW, and McCarty, EC. What is the value of a National Football League draft pick? An analysis based on changes made in the collective bargaining agreement. J Strength Cond Res 32(6): 1656–1661, 2018—The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare the value of players drafted in early rounds of the National Football League (NFL) Draft since the new collective bargaining agreement began in 2011. The NFL's player statistics database and database of player contract details were searched for players drafted in the first 3 rounds of the 2011 to 2013 NFL Drafts. Performance outcomes specific to each position were divided by each player's salary to calculate a value statistic. Various demographics, NFL Combine results, and total number of games missed because of injury were also recorded for each player. These statistics were compared within each position between players selected in the first round of the NFL Draft (group A) vs. those drafted in the second or third round (group B). A total of 147 players were included (group A 35, group B 112). Overall, players in group A were significantly taller (p ⩽ 0.01) and heavier (p = 0.037) than players in group B. Group B demonstrated significantly greater value statistics than group A for quarterbacks (p = 0.028), wide receivers (p ⩽ 0.001), defensive tackles (p = 0.019), and cornerbacks (p ⩽ 0.001). No significant differences were found between groups with regard to number of games missed because of injury. Players drafted in the second or third rounds of the NFL Draft often carry more value than those drafted in the first round. NFL teams may wish to more frequently trade down in the Draft rather than trading up.


Real-time(RT) object-oriented(OO) distributed computing is a form of RT distributed computing realized with a distributed computer system structured in the form of an object network. Several approached proposed in recent years for extending the conventional object structuring scheme to suit RT applications, are briefly reviewed. Then the approach named the TMO(Time-triggered Message-triggered Object)structuring scheme was formulated with the goal of instigating a quantum productivity jump in the design of distributed time triggered simulation. The TMO scheme is intended to facilitate the pursuit of a new paradigm in designing distributed time triggered simulation which is to realize real-time computing with a common and general design style that does not alienate the main-stream computing industry and yet to allow system engineers to confidently produce certifiable distributed time triggered simulation for safety-critical applications. The TMO structuring scheme is a syntactically simple but semantically powerful extension of the conventional object structuring approached and as such, its support tools can be based on various well-established OO programming languages such as C++ and on ubiquitous commercial RT operating system kernels. The Scheme enables a great reduction of the designers efforts in guaranteeing timely service capabilities of application systems. Start after striking space key 2 times.


Objective: This study was conducted to discover the farmers' behavioral intention to use mobile phones for agricultural information and how mobile phones impact farmers' abilities to obtain the latest weather and market information. Method: In this way, this study surveyed 1500 farmers in ten districts of Sindh, Pakistan, 150 from each district. The list was obtained from Sindh Government Agriculture Department and Sindh Irrigation & Drainage Authority (SIDA). Findings: The results mentioned that 97.3% respondents own their personal mobile phone and 64.5% of the respondents call to the market directly for seeking crop information. Moreover, in Sindh, Pakistan, farmers make use of mobile phones to keep current with the market; contact buyers and very limited 7.9% of the respondents get weather information. In some places information and communication technology disseminates information rapidly around the world to the benefit of many communities. Furthermore, the farmers were found unaware of the proper mobile phone usage. Improvements: Therefore, there is still a need to enhance farmers' capacity for new technology and provide new opportunities and facilities to farmers for enhance their product.


The tracking accuracy of speed plays a significant role in the autonomous vehicle's control and safety management. In this study, we presented a novel method called self-adaptive proportional integral derivative (PID) of radial basis function neural network (RBFNN-PID) which is shown with improved longitudinal speed tracking accuracy for autonomous vehicles. A forward simulation model of longitudinal speed control for autonomous vehicles is established based on the driver model of self-adaptive RBFNN-PID and the vehicle dynamics model. Based on that, we used the traditional PID and fuzzy control methods as benchmarks to demonstrate the edge of the self-adaptive RBFNN-PID control under the new European driving cycle. Simulation results show the RBFNN-PID method is significantly more precise than the comparing groups, with a reduced error in the range of [-0.369, 0.203] m/s. The vehicle performance gives better ride comfort as well. In all, self-adaptive RBFNN-PID is proven to be effective in longitudinal speed control of autonomous vehicles and significantly outperforms the other two methods.


Failed strategy implementations are a key business risk, and we explore how applying design thinking can mitigate key risks in strategy implementation. Based on a literature review and exploratory interviews, we identify a set of key strategy implementation risks, and map these risks against the key principles of the design thinking methodology. We discuss the usage of design thinking capabilities to tackle key strategy implementation risks and call for a situation-specific adaptation of strategy implementation. The paper concludes with an outlook on future research activities.


A turbidimetric-kinetic photometer which monitors 64 samples simultaneously and independently has been developed for the automated measurement of endotoxin. This instrument measures the turbidity change at 660 nm in a gelation reaction of the LAL/endotoxin system and automatically scores the reaction time required to obtain a certain turbidity change as gelation time. Since a stationary dry bath incubator controls the reaction temperature of the samples at 37 ± 0.5°C and also controls the ambience of the optical system assembled into the incubator, the objective detection of gelation is provided without any disturbance from sample vibration, and the drift of the detection system is minimized. An extremely wide range for the calibration curve, such as 4 or 5 orders of magnitude of endotoxin concentration, is obtained without sample dilution. The coefficients of variation of the calculated endotoxin concentration are 4.91 to 14.0%.


In the UK, widespread national variation in the funding and provision of end-of-life care services has led to an independent Palliative Care Funding Review being commissioned, the aim of which is to create a transparent funding system, with better outcomes for patients and value for the NHS. The Review's proposed national per-patient funding model is currently being piloted. This article provides a critical analysis of the model, with a particular focus on its likely impact on family members caring for adults approaching the end of life. It outlines some of the challenges faced by family carers and discusses the importance of meeting their needs within the UK's current social, economic and political context. It discusses how the Review's proposals are likely to meet or neglect particular needs of family carers. It is argued that, although the Review promotes holistic care and support for family carers, there do not appear to be clear funding mechanisms for the provision of such support. As a result, variations in the provision of supportive services for family carers are likely to continue, with potentially significant policy implications. Conflicts of interest: none


The Kazakh folk epic talks about the heroic deeds and life of nomadic tribes, being the historical and cultural heritage of the nation, which has been passed from mouth to mouth for centuries, thereby preserving national memory and contributing to the maintenance of patriotic feelings. The purpose of this article is not only to consider the Kazakh epic in the traditional vein of narrating about the historical past, but also to emphasize its ethnographic and genealogical value. By analyzing epic poetry, folk songs and folklore in general, as well as examining fragments of individual works, the authors recreate a holistic picture of the genealogical basis of the folk epic. The article compares the differences in the traditions of the Kazakh epic poetry of the 16th-18th and 19th centuries, which are observed, first of all, in the compositional structure, the subject of the story, the worldview in general. According to the results of the study, it was determined that the genealogical basis of the Kazakh folk epic lies in a certain archetype of a hero, the only son born to become a defender of the honor and dignity of the nation. At the same time, special attention is paid to describing its origin through a poetic description of its family tree. From this follows the complex genre of the epic chronicle, which has artistic and historical value and is an example of spiritual heritage. This study is of practical use for specialists in the field of history, literature, ethnography and genealogy.


Abstract This study to determine how useful the information provided by parents might be about why their children enrolled at other schools. Parents and matriculating students responded to identical survey items about the college selection process. Analysis of paired responses indicated that parent and student perceptions of the college selection process were inconsistent to conclude that parents' information would be useful in understanding their children's decision to attend other schools. As our institution has considered strategies to improve its yield (the proportion of students whom are accepted for admission who actually enroll), we thought it would be useful to determine why students we accept for admission choose to attend elsewhere. For years we had obtained survey data from new freshmen matriculating at our institution about why they selected our school. But we have had almost no information from students whom we accepted who did not enroll. Unfortunately, our surveys of `no-shows' typically have resulted in very low response rates (in the vicinity of 10 to 12 percent). We speculated there were two reasons. First, obtaining the new school addresses of these students was very difficult. Mailed surveys sent to their homes were probably not always forwarded to the students by their parents. Second, we guessed that the motivation of such students to complete a questionnaire coming from a `rejected institution,' if they did receive it, was low. However, we reasoned that contacting the parents of students whom our institution accepted for admission, but who chose to attend elsewhere, would be relatively easy. We speculated further that parents of these students likely would have the information we sought concerning their child's decision to attend another institution and that they would be more willing than their son or daughter to complete a mailed survey (or to answer questions in a telephone interview). One question remained: To what extent were parents reliable sources of information about their children's decision to select a school other than ours? The research literature concerning the value of contacting parents to assess the reasons for their children selecting one institution versus others did not provide a clear answer. Bowers and Pugh (1973) offered early insight into the congruence between parents' and students' placement of importance on various institutional attributes that affect college choice. The authors wanted to find out the various reasons parents and students chose a large public university in Indiana. Additionally, the authors sought information concerning the degree of importance students and parents placed on the cited institutional attributes. The authors had parents and students in their freshman year of college complete the same questionnaire containing 22 reasons likely to be considered in the college selection process, and asked participants to rate institutional attributes using a scale of "no importance," "minor consideration," and "major consideration." Usable responses were obtained from approximately 80 percent of the 4,841 entering freshmen, totaling 4,215 acceptable responses. Usable responses were obtained from approximately So percent of 6,365 parents, totaling 2,941 acceptable responses. Significant similarities (p Murphy (1981) demonstrated similar findings when students ranked academic reputation as the primary attribute affecting college choice. Additionally, Bowers and Pugh (1973) found significant similarities among parents and students for attributes that involved no importance. These included geographic location of the institution, advice from alumni, and financial assistance. The findings of the study conducted by MacDermott, Conn, and Owen (1987) contrasted with the findings of Bowers and Pugh (1973) in terms of attributes that were of major importance in college selection among parents and students. …


Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), the most prevalent commercial nanomaterial products, are widely released into the environment. AgNPs are toxic to various aquatic organisms, but their influence on the aquatic organism's gut microbiota remains unknown. Here, we characterized the bacterial communities in the guts of adult zebrafish treated with AgNPs (10, 33 or 100 μg L−1) for 35 days and also measured the concentration of AgNPs in the zebrafish digestive tract. As expected, dose dependence of AgNP accumulation was observed in the digestive tract, accompanied by decreased overall microbial richness and diversity. To our surprise, however, the effects of the AgNP treatment on the gut microbiota of male and female fish were not the same; furthermore, AgNPs significantly altered the relative composition of the bacterial species in the community harbored in male zebrafish but not in females. This research investigates and compares zebrafish intestinal microbiota after AgNP exposure, pointing to the potential health risk to aquatic organisms from alteration of gut microbiota.


The community of statisticians and statistics educators should take responsibility for the evaluation and improvement of software quality from the perspective of education. The paper will develop a perspective, an ideal system of requirements to critically evaluate existing software and to produce future software more adequate both for learning and doing statistics in introductory courses. Different kinds of tools and microworlds are needed. After discussing general requirements for such programs, a prototypical ideal software system will be presented in detail. It will be illustrated how such a system could be used to construct learning environments and to support elementary data analysis with exploratory working style.


A mode control strategy for a two-mode hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) with a fixed-gear mode is proposed, considering wheel torque demand while minimizing fuel consumption. First, the dynamic equations of a power-split HEV are derived, and these equations consist of two electrically variable transmission modes and four fixed-gear modes. Using the dynamic equations, the optimal operation mode is selected from the viewpoint of the maximum available output torque with respect to the driver's demand and vehicle velocity. Next, an optimized mode selection map is constructed using optimization to minimize fuel consumption while satisfying the required wheel torque. We note that fixed-gear mode uses the fixed-gear mode 1 to implement a higher gear ratio if the vehicle speed is low and if the required output torque is large, as in a conventional automatic transmission shift map, and selects the fixed-gear mode 4 to implement a lower gear ratio if the vehicle speed is high and if the required output torque is low. A vehicle simulation was performed to verify the mode control algorithm of the two-mode HEV, and the results were compared with vehicle experimental results. The simulation results showed that the mode control strategy for the two-mode HEV gave satisfactory performance, similar to the experiment results.


I is an honor and privilege to present the 1982 Duff Memorial Lecture. I should start by confessing that for some years I have felt a bit like a pretender in the field of atherosclerosis research. To be sure, I have been very much involved in lipid and lipoprotein research and so, to the extent that lipoproteins are involved in atherogenesis, I could justify my participation in the proceedings of the Council. But the voice of G. Lyman Duff himself made me uneasy. In a classic review he wrote in 1951 together with one of our outstanding past Chairmen, Gardner McMillan, he referred to overly enthusiastic champions of the lipid hypothesis as follows: "So popular has this view [the lipid hypothesis] become that the casual reader of recent literature might wonder whether some authors conceive of an atherosclerosis so independent of the substrate of the vessel wall that it may occur in the absence of the blood vessels themselves." I hope that I am not one of those authors, but you can see that I would have felt uncomfortable presenting a Duff Lecture in which the cells of the artery wall did not make an appearance. I am relieved to be able to assure you that they will appear — even an intact artery. Duff was one of the greats among the pioneers working with the complex problem of atherosclerosis. Anyone who has read his papers knows how


Patients with diabetes mellitus accounted for 7% of all hospitalized patients. The authors analyse the treatment of 126 patients in whom diabetes mellitus was complicated by angiopathies of the lower limbs. Patients over 60 years of age accounted for 60.3% of cases. Concomitant diseases were found in 87 patients. The article shows the main principles of the complex management of patients, which is based on correction of carbohydrate and other types of metabolism, treatment of concomitant diseases, and timely operation. When surgery was necessary in stage IV of the disease, preference was given to economical operations. It is shown that if amputation of the limb cannot be avoided, an effort should be made to preserve the knee. The mortality rate was 10.3%.


Medicaid expenditures for alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health (ADM) services in 1984 were examined for the States of California and Michigan. Persons receiving such services constituted 9 to 10 percent of the total Medicaid population in the two States and accounted for 22 to 23 percent of total Medicaid expenditures. ADM expenditures were 11 to 12 percent of the total. Although the two States had similar proportions of overall expenditures for these services, Michigan appeared to emphasize inpatient psychiatric care, while California emphasized ambulatory and nursing home care. Based on the experience of the two States, national Medicaid expenditures for ADM services exclusive of long-term care were estimated to be $3.5 to $4.9 billion in 1984, two to three times the level suggested by earlier estimates.


The present paper constitutes a brief advance of much longer and more detailed ongoing work on the concept of "trace" in contemporary linguistic theory, particularly in syntax. It is commonly believed that the idea was coined by Noam Chomsky. However, we already detect its use, with a very accurate value, in the early work of Zellig Harris on mathematical linguistics or, to be more precise, on mathematical structures of language. In its origins, rather than being an index responsible for marking the location occupied by a unit previous to its syntactic movement (which always takes the form of fronting ), the trace was the result of a matrix product between n-adic functions. Thus, in Harris the trace is primarily a concept anchored in matrix calculus, or, put it differently, an algebraic notion. Chomsky's notion, on its turn, is closely related with the LISP programming language. This text seeks to provide a preliminary analysis of the conceptual complexity implied in the concept of trace, which linguists should become aware of, for otherwise they will be doomed to be entangled in misunderstandings unfruitful to our discipline for decades to come.


Projected Hazard: Model-derived significant wave height (in meters) for the given storm condition and sea-level rise (SLR) scenario. Model Summary: The Coastal Storm Modeling System (CoSMoS) makes detailed predictions (meter-scale) over large geographic scales (100s of kilometers) of storm-induced coastal flooding and erosion for both current and future sea-level rise (SLR) scenarios. CoSMoS v3.0 for Southern California shows projections for future climate scenarios (sea-level rise and storms) to provide emergency responders and coastal planners with critical storm-hazards information that can be used to increase public safety, mitigate physical damages, and more effectively manage and allocate resources within complex coastal settings. Phase I data for Southern California include flood-hazard information for the coast from the border of Mexico to Pt. Conception. Changes from the initial November 2015 release may be reflected in small areas. Data are complete for the information presented but are considered preliminary; additional changes may be reflected with model improvements made for the Phase II data release in summer 2016. Details: Model background: The CoSMoS model comprises three tiers. Tier I consists of one Delft3D hydrodynamics FLOW grid for computation of tides, water level variations, flows, and currents and one SWAN grid for computation of wave generation and propagation across the continental shelf. The FLOW and SWAN models are two-way coupled so that tidal currents are accounted for in wave propagation and growth and conversely, so that orbital velocities generated by waves impart changes on tidal currents. The Tier I SWAN and FLOW models consist of identical structured curvilinear grids that extend from far offshore to the shore and range in resolution from 0.5 km in the offshore to 0.2 km in the nearshore. Spatially varying astronomic tidal amplitudes and phases and steric rises in water levels due to large-scale effects (for example, a prolonged rise in sea level) are applied along all open boundaries of the Tier I FLOW grid. Winds (split into eastward and northward components) and sea-level pressure (SLP) fields from CaRD10 (Dr. Dan Cayan, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, San Diego, California, written commun., 2014) that vary in both space and time are applied to all grid cells at each model time-step. Deep-water wave conditions, applied at the open boundaries of the Tier I SWAN model runs, were projected for the 21st century Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 climate scenario (2011-2100) using the WaveWatch III numerical wave model (Tolman and others, 2002) and 3-hourly winds from the GFDL-ESM2M Global Climate Model (GCM). Tier II provides higher resolution near the shore and in areas that require greater resolution of physical processes (such as bays, harbors, and estuaries). A single nested outer grid and multiple two-way coupled domain decomposition (DD) structured grids allow for local grid refinement and higher resolution where needed. Tier II was segmented into 11 sections along the Southern California Bight, to reduce computation time and complete runs within computational limitations. Water-level and Neumann time-series, extracted from Tier I simulations, are applied to the shore-parallel and lateral open boundaries of each Tier II sub-model outer grid respectively. Several of the sub-models proved to be unstable with lateral Neumann boundaries; for those cases one or both of the lateral boundaries were converted to water-level time-series or left unassigned. The open-boundary time-series are extracted from completed Tier I simulations so that there is no communication from Tier II to Tier I. Because this one-way nesting could produce erroneous results near the boundaries of Tier II and because data near any model boundary are always suspect, Tier II sub-model extents were designed to overlap in the along-coast direction. In the landward direction, Tier II DD grids extend to the 10-m topographic contour; exceptions exist where channels (such as the Los Angeles River) or other low-lying regions extend very far inland. Space- and time-varying wind and SLP fields, identical to those used in Tier I simulations, are applied to all Tier II DD grids to allow for wind-setup and local inverse barometer effects (IBE, rise or depression of water levels in response to atmospheric pressure gradients). A total of 42 time-series fluvial discharges are included in the Tier II FLOW domains in an effort to simulate exacerbated flooding caused by backflow at the confluence of high river seaward flows and elevated coastal surge levels migrating inland. Time-varying fluvial discharges are applied either at the closed boundaries or distributed as point sources within the relevant model domains. Wave computations are accomplished with the SWAN model using two grids for each Tier II sub-model: one larger grid covering the same area as the outer FLOW grid and a second finer resolution two-way coupled nearshore nested grid. The nearshore grid extends from approximately 800-1,000 m water depth up to 8-10 m elevations onshore. The landward extension is included to allow for wave computations of the higher SLR scenarios. Time- and space-varying 2D wave spectra extracted from previously completed Tier I simulations are applied approximately every kilometer along the open boundaries of the outer Tier II sub-model SWAN grids. The same space- and time-varying wind fields used in Tier I simulations are also applied to both Tier II SWAN grids to allow for computation of local wave generation. Tier III for the entire Southern California Bight consists of 4,802 cross-shore transects (CST) spaced approximately 100 m apart in the along-shore direction. The profiles extend from the -15 m isobath to at least 10 m above NAVD88. The CSTs are truncated for cases where a lagoon or other waterway exists on the landward end of the profile. Time-varying water levels and wave parameters (significant wave heights, Hs; peak periods, Tp; and peak incident wave directions, Dp), extracted from Tier II grid cells that coincide with the seaward end of the CSTs, are applied at the open boundary of each CST. The XBeach model is run in a hydrostatic (no vertical pressure gradients) mode including event-based morphodynamic change. Wave propagation, two-way wave-current interaction, water-level variations, and wave runup are computed at each transect. XBeach simulations are included in the CoSMoS model to account for infragravity waves that can significantly extend the reach of wave runup (Roelvink and others, 2009) compared to short-wave incident waves. The U.S. west coast is particularly susceptible to infragravity waves at the shore due to breaking of long-period swell waves (Tp > 15). Resulting water levels (WLs) from both Delft3D (high interest bays and marshes) and open-coast XBeach (CSTs) were spatially combined and interpolated to a 10 m grid. These WL elevations are differenced from the originating 2 m digital elevation model (DEM) to determine final flooding extent and depth of flooding. Events: The model system is run for pre-determined scenarios of interest such as the 1-yr or 100-yr storm event in combination with sea-level rise. For Phase I, only the 100-year storm is run. Storms are first identified from time-series of total water level proxies (TWLpx) at the shore. TWLpx are computed for the majority of the 21st century (2010-2100), assuming a linear super-position of the major processes that contribute to the overall total water level. TWLpx time-series are then evaluated for extreme events, which define the boundary conditions for subsequent modeling with CoSMoS. Multiple 100-yr events are determined (varying Hs, Tp, Dp) and used for multiple model runs to better account for regional and directional flooding affects. Model results are combined and compiled into scenario-specific composites of flood projection. Digital Elevation Model (DEM): Our seamless, topobathymetric digital elevation model (DEM) was based largely upon the Coastal California TopoBathy Merge Project DEM, with some modifications performed by the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center to incorporate the most recent, high-resolution topographic and bathymetric datasets available. Topography is derived from bare-earth light detection and ranging (lidar) data collected in 2009-2011 for the CA Coastal Conservancy Lidar Project and bathymetry from 2009-2010 bathymetric lidar as well as acoustic multi- and single-beam data collected primarily between 2001 and 2013. The DEM was constructed to define the shape of nearshore, beach, and cliff surfaces as accurately as possible, utilizing dozens of bathymetric and topographic data sets. These data were used to populate the majority of the Tier II grids and generate initial profiles of the 4,802 CSTs used for Tier III XBeach modeling. All data are referenced to NAD83 horizontal datum and NAVD88 vertical datum. Data for Tiers II and III are projected in UTM, zone 11. Outputs include: Projected wave height for the 100-year storm and 0.0 m sea-level rise scenario. Data correspond to the near-shore region including areas vulnerable to coastal flooding due to storm surge, sea-level anomalies, tide elevation, and wave run-up during the same storm and sea-level rise simulation. References Cited: Roelvink, J.A., Reniers, A., van Dongeren, A.R., van Thiel de Vries, J., McCall, R., and Lescinski, J., 2009, Modeling storm impacts on beaches, dunes and barrier islands: Coastal Engineering, v. 56, p. 1,133–1,152, doi:10.1016/j.coastaleng.2009.08.006. Tolman, H.L., Balasubramaniyan, B., Burroughs, L.D., Chalikov, D.V., Chao, Y.Y., Chen H.S., Gerald, V.M., 2002, Development and implementation of wind generated ocean surface wave models at NCEP: Weather and Forecasting, v. 17, p. 311-333.


The Secretary of Health under President Ramos emphasizes prevention rather than curative medicine and plans on starting a family planning program in the Philippines. Family planning was basically neglected during 1986-1992. The goal of the program is to reduce infant and maternal mortality and to curb population growth which is outstripping the country's ability to feed itself (annual population growth - 2.3%, agriculture growth rate - 1%). Family planning includes limiting the number of births, birth spacing, and helping infertile women (10-12% of women). The entire health budget of the Philippines is only 2% of the national budget which is smaller than the 5% recommended by WHO. Thus, the Secretary intends to ask for international assistance, but not until he first develops the program. The guideline he uses for program development is that any program must be simple, practical, economical, effective, and duplicable (SPEED). He wants to incorporate nongovernmental organizations into the program since they are flexible and innovative, emphasize quality, and change quickly. Many women (17% of all women of reproductive age in 4 villages in Cavite Province) have had at least 1 abortion, even though it is illegal. The leading reason for abortions is unwanted or unplanned pregnancy, so family planning will reduce the number of abortions. The Secretary wants people to participate in family planning for instance, to make their own choice about what method to use, be it artificial or natural.


Abstract In order to assess a cliff&rss vulnerability to erosion, researchers must consider a number of parameters that collectively account for all possible erosional processes. The authors have developed a radial diagram that allows the most active processes of erosion to be visualized (e.g. hydrodynamic, gravity-driven or atmospheric), and when such diagrams are presented on a map, they can be used to rapidly identify the contributing erosional processes at a given location. The diagram, developed for the Baie des Chaleurs region (eastern coast of Canada), displays numerical values that represent the relative importance of various weakening parameters for a set of cliffs. In addition, a colour code represents the dominant lithology, and the diagram diameter is a function of the erosion rate. The data for each diagram are based on field observations, experimental work and results of mineralogical and petrophysical analyses. Ten fundamental parameters were used to assess the structural, petrophysical and environmental processes of erosion: porosity, percentage of matrix or cement, homogeneity of the stratification, presence of schistosity, fracture density, number of fracture sets, presence of faults, dip of the strata, effect of waves, and the presence of groundwater. Coastal managers can use these diagrams in conjunction with natural risk maps to estimate the vulnerability of a cliff and decide whether engineering structures are required for preservation.


The modern laboratory medicine provides observation of requirements to glucometers in line with standard DIN EN ISO 15197-2:2013 for self-control under treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus and registration of biologic types data. The study compared functioning of diagnostic devices in point-of-care of four manufacturers. The samples of whole blood taken from two patients were analyzed in three lots of test-strips with concentration of glucose 4.5 and 11.8 mmol/l using glucometers Accu-Chek Active, One Touch Select, Sattelite Express and Contour TS and reference analyzer Olympus AU 400. The results of measurements were analyzed using technique of separated test of patient. The results demonstrated that precision indicators of measurement of blood glucose on glucometers Accu-Chek Active and One Touch Select were within the scope of quality criteria DIN EN ISO 15197-2:2013. The results of testing of glucometer Sattelite Express exceeded the given criteria under measurement of normoglycemic level of concentration and for Contour TS in all range of measured values.


This paper reports on an exploratory two-stage study of microbreweries in the UK. The first stage comprises an analysis of data from the Small Independent Breweries Association to offer an aggregate picture of the sector. The second stage reports on a qualitative study of the experiences of 14 microbreweries. The findings from the fieldwork show that the UK microbrewing sector is growing, that competitiveness within the brewing establishment is based on artisan manufacture, provenance and diversity rather than price, and that the sector is contestable but operates as a competitive fringe within the greater industry. The study illustrates that microbreweries can contribute to local economies and that, because of the innovation, diversity and growth in the sector, entrepreneurship is in evidence. While saturation seems a threat, the evidence presented here suggests that UK microbrewing is a healthy sector, with the prospect of ongoing growth and contribution.


For consumer protection, many governments perform random inspections on goods sold by weight or volume to ensure consistency between actual and labeled net contents. To pass inspection, random samples must jointly comply with restrictions placed on the individual sampled items and on the sample average. In this article, we consider the current United States National Institute of Standards and Technology joint acceptance criteria. Motivated by a problem from a real manufacturing process, we provide an approximation for the probability of sample acceptance that is applicable for processes with one or more known sources of variation via a random effects model. This approach also allows the assessment of the sampling scheme of the items. We use examples and simulations to assess the quality and accuracy of the approximation and illustrate how the methodology can be used to fine-tune process parameters for a prespecified probability of sample acceptance. Simulations are also used for estimating variance components.


Objective:To evaluate the Cardiac Image Modeling (CIM 4.6; University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand) tool's ability to assess cardiac function via quantitative calculations of global and regional ejection fraction (EF) from magnetic resonance imaging in comparison with a current method of global analysis with Argus (Siemens Medical Solutions) and regional analysis with visual analysis. Background:Global cardiac function is commonly assessed quantitatively by post processing tools that calculate global EF. Currently, regional cardiac function is assessed by subjective visual analysis of wall motion, which can have significant interobserver variability. CIM is a tool that may reduce variability by generating a semi-automated 3-dimensional heart model to calculate quantitative global and regional EF. Materials and Methods:Thirty-one patients (22 men, 9 women; mean age 55.1 ± 17.5 years) were selected based on global EFs calculated at the time of the clinical visit with the Argus postprocessing tool (Siemens Medical Solutions). Patients were then placed into 2 predetermined categories of normal: EF ≥50% and abnormal: EF <50%. Regional EF was calculated for each segment of a 16-segment cardiac model. Three blinded reviewers used the standard of care assessment of regional function, which was a qualitative grading of the 16 segments into categories of normal or abnormal regional wall motion by visual analysis. CIM quantitatively analyzed global EF and regional EF for each segment. These segments were then sorted into the predetermined categories of normal (EF ≥50%) and abnormal (EF <50%). Level of agreement was conducted via Pearson correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman analysis for global EF analysis and observed proportion of agreement (pa), sensitivity, and specificity for regional EF analysis. Results:Global EF analysis showed a high correlation (r2 = 0.85; y = 0.94x + 4.85, P < 0.001) between the Argus and CIM analyses. Sixteen-segment regional EF analysis showed pa averages >0.60. Regional wall motion by short axis slices showed pa averages >0.75, and combined analyses of all 3 reviewers' 16-segment regional data showed an overall total pa = 0.79 (sensitivity = 72%, specificity = 88%). Interobserver and intraobserver variability were low (pa > 0.65) in this study. Conclusions:Global EF analysis of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging by CIM showed high agreement with the commonly used Argus postprocessing tool. Furthermore, CIM is capable of evaluating regional EF with good agreement in comparison with the current visual method. In addition to determining abnormal versus normal cardiac wall motion, CIM is able to add to the analysis a quantitative regional EF for each given segment. As a semi-automated tool, CIM has the potential to reduce reviewer variability and decrease the time required for analysis. In the future, CIM can potentially quantitatively track global and regional changes in patients with heart disease and aid the clinical management throughout the course of the disease.


Conventional seq2seq chatbot models only try to find the sentences with the highest probabilities conditioned on the input sequences, without considering the sentiment of the output sentences. Some research works trying to modify the sentiment of the output sequences were reported. In this paper, we propose five models to scale or adjust the sentiment of the chatbot response: persona-based model, reinforcement learning, plug and play model, sentiment transformation network and cycleGAN, all based on the conventional seq2seq model. We also develop two evaluation metrics to estimate if the responses are reasonable given the input. These metrics together with other two popularly used metrics were used to analyze the performance of the five proposed models on different aspects, and reinforcement learning and cycleGAN were shown to be very attractive. The evaluation metrics were also found to be well correlated with human evaluation.


We explore some equisingularity criteria in one parameter families of generically reduced curves. We prove the equivalence between Whitney regularity and Zariski's discriminant criterion. We prove that topological triviality implies smoothness of the normalized surface. Examples are given to show that Witney regularity and equisaturation are not stable under the blow-up of the singular locus nor under the Nash modification.


The Celestine monks of France represent one of the least studied monastic reform movements of the late Middle Ages, and yet also one of the most culturally impactful. Their order - an austere Italian Benedictine reform of the late thirteenth century, which came be known after the papal name of their founder, Celestine V (St Peter of Murrone) - arrived in France in 1300. After a period of marginal growth, they flourished in the region from the mid-fourteenth century, founding thirteen new houses over the next hundred years, taking their total to seventeen by 1450. Not only did the French Celestines expand, they gained a distinctive character that separated them from their Italian brothers. More urban, better connected with both aristocratic and bourgeois society, and yet still rigorous and reformist, they characterised themselves as the 'Observant' wing of their order, having gained self-government for their provincial congregation in 1380 following the arrival of the Great Western Schism (1378-1417). But, as Robert L.J. Shaw argues, their importance runs beyond monastic reform: the late medieval French Celestines are a mirror of the political, intellectual, and Christian reform culture of their age. Within a France torn by war and a Church divided by schism, the French Celestines represented hope for renewal, influencing royal presentation, lay religion, and some of the leading French intellectuals of the period, including Jean Gerson.


Connect6 is a new generation k-in-a-row game, which has drawn great interest not only from game enthusiasts, but also from researchers, due to its characteristics such as fairness and high state-space complexity. In this paper we describe the design and implementation of an FPGA-based Connect6 player that can compete against other computer-based opponents, communicating through a serial interface. Our algorithmic implementation utilises only basic FPGA building blocks such as LUTs and flip-flops and does not include any IP cores or hardware macros, making it portable across different FPGA platforms without design modifications. The design has been implemented and validated both on a Xilinx Spartan-3A, and a Xilinx Spartan-6 FPGA boards. The algorithm uses a powerful threat-based placement strategy that maximises the FPGA's winning opportunity while reducing the opponent's options. Extended simulation and evaluation based on software and human players confirms that our FPGA-based implementation performs well, and the algorithm used in the design leads to a high probability of success.


Large quantities of network traffic flow data are generated on university campus networks. These data contain information on the sources and destinations of individual flows encoded as IP addresses. The cluster analysis of such data can reveal useful knowledge for web cache designing, user profiling, and network resource management. However, popular clustering algorithms such as k-means and DBSCAN are not directly applicable to datasets containing IP addresses. Moreover, such generic algorithms can yield results that are difficult to interpret.This paper presents the cluster analysis of network traffic flows using a hybrid clustering algorithm. The algorithm integrates the longest prefix matching concept of TCP/IP traffic routing and the nearest neighbor algorithm. The similarity between IP addresses is determined by the longest prefix match. Similar IP addresses are then grouped together by an adapted version of the nearest neighbor algorithm. The algorithm provides automatic clustering that does not require input parameters such as the desired number of clusters and similarity threshold value. Furthermore, the algorithm yields 'natural' clusters consistent with the characteristics and usage of IP addresses. The test results are verified using nslookup. About 90% of the clusters were correctly identified by the algorithm.


The nicotinamide nucleotide dimers (NAD)2 and (NADP)2, obtained by electrochemical reduction of NAD+ and NADP+, are able to reduce such single-electron acceptors as the proteins cytochrome c, azurin and methaemoglobin, though at different rates. Under the same conditions the reduced nicotinamide coenzymes NADH and NADPH are not able to reduce these proteins at measurable rates unless a catalyst (phenazine methosulphate or NADH-cytochrome c reductase in the case of cytochrome) is present. The redox mechanism seems to involve the formation of an NAD(P). radical that in the presence of O2 gives rise to superoxide (O2.-), since superoxide dismutase inhibited these reactions.


The Pentecoste reservoir is a large water reservoir approximately 85 kilometer west from Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil. The reservoir is located within the basin of the river Curu and is fed by two rivers: The Rio Caninde and the Rio Capitao Moore. Due to the drought of the last 3 years in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil the amount of water in the Pentecoste reservoir is at only 2% of its maximum capacity. It is expected that the drought is not the only reason behind the low water level in the reservoir. The expectation is that the changed shape of the reservoir due to sedimentation also influences the water availability. This is caused by the fact that the regulated outflow of the reservoir is calculated using this shape. The shape which is used in this calculation is outdated since the reservoir will have a different shape now than it had when it was constructed in 1957.
The shape of a reservoir is determined with a bathymetric survey. Bathymetric surveys are normally conducted when the reservoir is full. At that moment the depth is measured at various points in the reservoir. With the corresponding coordinates these depth measurements can be used to model the entire reservoir. This method is very time-consuming; it took 16 days to survey the Pentecoste reservoir in 2009. Another method of bathymetric survey makes use of satellite images. Within this method the bathymetric survey is conducted when the water level is low and satellite images are used to investigate the surface elevation above the water level. This method is less time consuming but it is unknown how accurate the results of this methodology are.
So the water availability is influenced by the shape of the reservoir and the shape of the reservoir can only be determined by time-consuming or inaccurate bathymetric surveys. These facts are the basis for the goals set in this research. The first goal concerns the way how the shape changes and influences the water availability and the second goal concerns the accuracy of the simplified bathymetric methodology. The goals are
Analyze the influence of the change in shape due to sedimentation of the Pentecoste reservoir –in the past and future– on the water availability and analyze and predict how this shape has and will change in the past and future.
Analyze the measurement and propagation errors of the Landsat bathymetric survey methodology in comparison to the real reservoir shape determined by the extensive bathymetric survey in 2009.
If the first goal can be achieved it can make frequent repetition of bathymetric surveys unnecessary because the reservoir shape can be predicted, the second goal will give insight into the accuracy of the simplified bathymetric methodology. To achieve these goals a research design has been made. This design consists of three parts: the theoretical framework, the methodology and the data collection. The theoretical framework introduces and explains the different theoretical concepts used in this research, such as: reservoir shape, depth-area-volume relations, reliability levels for regulated outflow and water availability. The methodology introduces the methods and tools which will be used to operationalize the concepts and achieve the goals. It introduces the methods which are used to find the relations between the various parameters and time and how the parameters will be used to assess the water availability over time. After these parts which concern the first research goal, the different bathymetric surveys are explained more extensively. The third and last part of the research design shows how the required information to perform the introduced methods is collected, the data collection.
After the research design is presented and the research has been conducted the results are presented. The results are split up in three parts, first the reservoir shape, second the water availability and last the comparison of the different bathymetric surveys. In the first part of the results the reservoir shape is presented. The four parameters, maximum depth, maximum surface area, maximum volume and the shape-factor are plotted against time. These graphs show different relations between the shape-parameters and time. The maximum depth and maximum volume show a linear decrease over time. The maximum surface area does not show any change over time while it is made plausible that the surface area determined at the construction in 1957 contains a large measurement error. The fourth shape-parameter, the shape-factor, shows an exponential increase over time. The reservoir shape is also presented by the depth-area-volume relations. The equations of these relations are determined for 1957, 2009 and 2064 (50 years after the start of this research). The equations have and will change over various decades. The changes in the depth-area-volume equations show that the Pentecoste reservoir has and will become shallower and that the slopes of the reservoir become more concave. This change can be explained easily by the fact that sediment is transported into the reservoir and settles down within it, particularly onto the lower-lying parts of the bed.
The second part of the results concerns the water availability. The water availability is shown to not change linear over time. This is explained by the increase in evaporation when a reservoir becomes shallower and the increase in spillway loss when the reservoir volume decreases. This effect only becomes visible when the reservoir volume has decreased significantly. Since this is not the case in the first 100 years after construction it is possible to represent this period using a linear function. This linear function represents the yield loss per year, which is 0.14%, 0.13% and 0.12% of the initial volume for respectively the 99%-, 95%- and 85%-reliability levels. The last part of the results is about the measurement and propagation errors of the simplified bathymetric methodology. The measurement errors are 7.6% and 10.4% for respectively the maximum surface area and the maximum volume. The results of the maximum depth did not show any deviation between both methodologies. The propagation errors, errors in volume and yield reductions per year are larger, this is caused by the propagated error of the maximum volume. The outcomes are still usable to some extend because they have the same order of magnitude. Another conclusion is that the bathymetric survey conducted in 2009 resulted in a more detailed bed elevation map of the entire reservoir, which can be explained by the difference in input data.
All these results add up to the possibility to predict the change of shape of the Pentecoste reservoir. This prediction is possible to make, but it is unknown how accurate it is so it is recommended to do a bathymetric survey in the future, 20 to 50 years from now, to assess the real shape of reservoir and to compare it to the predicted values.
Some remarks have to be made about the validity of this report. In the discussion, several assumptions are pointed out which will need attention in a further report. After these remarks some possibilities for additional research are introduced. Ideas for additional research are for example a bathymetric survey in the future, more comparisons between the two survey methods and a further analysis of the volume decrease under influence of the erosivity factor.


Population resilience in a metapopulation of American pikas (Ochotona princeps) at Bodie, California, was investigated with a series of 18 detailed occupancy surveys conducted between 1989 and 2010. These were compared with earlier 1972 and 1977 censuses and earlier historical records of pikas at Bodie. There is concern that American pikas may be increasingly vulnerable to warm temperatures due to climate change, and this investigation represents the longest study of the species in a relatively low-elevation (warm) environment. The Bodie pika population represents one of the best mammalian examples of a classic metapopulation system. Annual number of observed patch extinctions (total = 114) and recolonizations (109) varied greatly among the 18 census intervals. There has been no decline in percent of patches occupied in the northern half of the study area since 1972, and the number of documented pikas in the north in recent surveys exceeded the numbers found in 1972 and 1977. In contrast, the southern half of the metapopulation collapsed during our study, apparently the result of stochasticity of metapopulation dynamics; no southern patches were occupied after 2006. The potential impact of temperature on metapopulation dynamics was examined using long-term chronic (average summer monthly maximum) and acute threshold (number of days ≥ 25°C and ≥ 28°C within a year) temperatures. There is no evidence that warming temperatures have directly and negatively affected pika persistence at Bodie. Neither warm chronic nor acute temperatures increased the frequency of extinctions of populations on patches, and relatively cooler chronic or acute temperatures did not lead to an increase in the frequency of recolonization events. Warm temperatures, however, could have impeded the dispersal of colonists moving from north to south, thus contributing to the failure of the southern region to become repopulated.


The paper proposes an economic assessment of paternalism by comparing different alternative responses to dynamically inconsistent behaviors consecutive to hyperbolic discounting. Two main types of action are possible, self-commanding strategies and paternalism The first category includes personal rules and pre-commitment The second can be subcategorized between coercive and non-coercive forms of paternalism, which are respectively associated (although it is debatable) with legal paternalism and with 'nudges'. Despite being self-inflicted, self-commanding strategies are actually not cost free and can result in a dramatic cutback of people's freedom of choice. Likewise, legal paternalism can, on occasion, be less harmful than personal rules or pre-commitment; similarly, nudges can be more invasive and less effective than their proponents want us to believe. The aim of this paper is not to propose any standardized form of response to irrational behavior (whatever that may mean) but to argue, on the contrary, that every case should be individually appraised. Individual situations can be remedied by self-commanding strategies or by paternalistic policies, either in isolation or in combination.


Delay faults are an increasingly important test challenge. Traditional delay fault models are incomplete in that they model only a subset of delay defect behaviors. To solve this problem, a more realistic delay fault model has been developed which models delay faults caused by the combination of spot defects and parametric process variation.
According to the new model, a realistic delay fault coverage metric has been developed. Traditional path delay fault coverage metrics result in unrealistically low fault coverage, and the real test quality is not reflected. The new metric uses a statistical approach and the simulation based fault coverage is consistent with silicon data. Fast simulation algorithms are also included in this dissertation.
The new metric suggests that testing the K longest paths per gate (KLPG) has high detection probability for small delay faults under process variation. In this dissertation, a novel automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) methodology to find the K longest testable paths through each gate for both combinational and sequential circuits is presented. Many techniques are used to reduce search space and CPU time significantly. Experimental results show that this methodology is efficient and able to handle circuits with an exponential number of paths, such as ISCAS85 benchmark circuit c6288.
The ATPG methodology has been implemented on industrial designs. Speed binning has been done on many devices and silicon data has shown significant benefit of the KLPG test, compared to several traditional delay test approaches.


Summary After entering the leaf, CO2 faces an intricate pathway to the site of photosynthetic fixation embedded within the chloroplasts. The efficiency of CO2 flux is hindered by a number of structural and biochemical barriers which, together, define the ease of flow of the gas within the leaf, termed mesophyll conductance. Previous authors have identified the key elements of this pathway, raising the prospect of engineering the system to improve CO2 flux and, thus, to increase leaf photosynthetic efficiency. In this review, we provide a perspective on the potential for improving the individual elements that contribute to this complex parameter. We lay particular emphasis on generation of the cellular architecture of the leaf which sets the initial boundaries of a number of mesophyll conductance parameters, incorporating an overview of the molecular transport processes which have been proposed as major facilitators of CO2 flux across structural boundaries along the pathway. The review highlights the research areas where future effort might be invested to increase our fundamental understanding of mesophyll conductance and leaf function and, consequently, to enable translation of these findings to improve the efficiency of crop photosynthesis.


We have investigated the diversity and repertoire of human TCR delta chain variable gene segments in the human peripheral blood CD4- CD8- (double-negative) population, using rearrangement and expression studies and sequence analyses. 20 TCR delta DNA clones were derived from the RNA of bulk-cultured double-negative T cells and their nucleotide sequences determined. These clones can be classified into six different V delta subfamilies. The distribution, however, was uneven in these cells, with 16 of 20 being derived from the V delta 1 (9) and V delta 2 (7) subfamilies. The remaining subfamilies, V delta 3, V delta 4, V delta 5, and V delta 6, were only represented by one clone each. The majority of these subfamilies seem to consist of a single member, in contrast with the closely linked V alpha subfamilies, which, in most cases, consist of multiple members. Our findings suggest that only a limited number of V delta genes are used in human peripheral blood double-negative T cells and that two major V delta subfamilies (V delta 1 and V delta 2) are used more frequently. Sequence comparison of our cDNA clones to V alpha clones indicates that there is no overlap in usage of V alpha and V delta gene segments, except for the V delta 4 (V alpha 6) subfamily. Comparison of the different V delta sequences suggests that the majority of the sequence diversity is concentrated in the junctions between V, D, and J segments and results from extensive N region diversity.


In this study, bentonite/polyacrylamide hybrid hydrogels were prepared via free radical polymerization of acrylamide (AM) with photocurable poly (ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PEGDMA) as cross-linkers under UV irradiation. The structure of the hydrogels was characterized by FTIR, DTA techniques. Both single factor and orthogonal design experiments were adopted to investigate the swelling kinetics of the hydrogels. The effect of AM, PEGDMA, bentonite, photoinitiator on the swelling ratios was studied in detail. The as-prepared hydrogels could find a lot of applications in biomaterials.


Muropeptides are breakdown products of peptidoglycan (PGN) of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. They are released during bacterial growth and division, as part of the host response by lysozyme and amidases, or upon antibiotic treatment. After phagocytosis of bacteria or bacterial breakdown products by host immune cells, the muropeptides trigger intracellular signaling cascades, leading to altered gene expression and activation of the immune response. Numerous muropeptides and derivatives have been synthesized chemically to characterize their immunostimulatory effects and adjuvant activity. Muramyl dipeptide, a natural partial structure of PGN, is the minimal structure with adjuvant activity. This review discusses the structure and occurrence of muropeptides and gives a broad overview of their inflammatory and adjuvant activity and the possible involvement of receptors in these responses.


Abstract: The term 'eclectic', as applied to health care for children with developmental disorders, portrays an individualized, adaptive service response to local constraints and pressures. While this may appear appropriate for the local setting, the end result is a broad diversity of health care approaches. This paper discusses three separate processes that interact at a local level, increasing the likelihood of an eclectic local model of health care for this population of children. The first process draws from the direct clinical work. Variable training, knowledge and skills among health care providers, in combination with differing beliefs around the nature of the problems and their management leads to health care which directly reflects the attributes of the local clinicians. A separate, second process fuelling variability is the differing models of departmental responsibility across Australia – which Government departments fund which aspect of care for children with disabilities. The final process relates to funding streams for health care. State public health, federal Medicare and private insurance all support health services for children with disabilities, with the financial incentives (budgets compared to fee‐for‐service) driving a divergence of practice. This paper concludes that the external political, administrative and financial frameworks within which health care is constructed will continue to promote clinical eclecticism to a degree that would probably be considered unacceptable in other areas of child health care. The solution can only arise from within the clinical work itself, with greater clarity of understanding around the nature of the disorders, the outcomes for which health care takes responsibility, and an increasing focus on an evidence based set of approaches towards achieving these.


The formation and dynamical history of hot Jupiters is currently debated, with wide stellar binaries having been suggested as a potential formation pathway. Additionally, contaminating light from both binary companions and unassociated stars can significantly bias the results of planet characterisation studies, but can be corrected for if the properties of the contaminating star are known. We search for binary companions to known transiting exoplanet host stars, in order to determine the multiplicity properties of hot Jupiter host stars. We also characterise unassociated stars along the line of sight, allowing photometric and spectroscopic observations of the planetary system to be corrected for contaminating light. We analyse lucky imaging observations of 97 Southern hemisphere exoplanet host stars, using the Two Colour Instrument on the Danish 1.54m telescope. For each detected companion star, we determine flux ratios relative to the planet host star in two passbands, and measure the relative position of the companion. The probability of each companion being physically associated was determined using our two-colour photometry. A catalogue of close companion stars is presented, including flux ratios, position measurements, and estimated companion star temperature. For companions that are potential binary companions, we review archival and catalogue data for further evidence. For WASP-77AB and WASP-85AB, we combine our data with historical measurements to determine the binary orbits, showing them to be moderately eccentric and inclined to the line of sight and planetary orbital axis. Combining our survey with the similar Friends of Hot Jupiters survey, we conclude that known hot Jupiter host stars show a deficit of high mass stellar companions compared to the field star population; however, this may be a result of the biases in detection and target selection by ground-based surveys.


Three isolates of Fusarium graminearum (DAOM 180377, 180378, and 180379) were screened for their ability to produce mycotoxins on the solid substrates corn and rice. They all produced deoxynivalenol and zearalenone on corn. On rice, only DAOM 180378 and 180379 produced significant amounts of these mycotoxins, with levels of deoxynivalenol being much higher than those of zearalenone. The effects of the initial moisture content before autoclaving, incubation temperature, and time were studied with isolate DAOM 180378. At 19.5 degrees C the main product was zearalenone, whereas at 25 degrees C both deoxynivalenol and zearalenone were formed. Higher incubation temperatures (28 degrees C) favored deoxynivalenol formation, the maximum amount being 515 ppm (515 micrograms/g) formed after 24 days at an initial moisture content of 40%. The maximum level of zearalenone produced at the same temperature was 399 ppm, but at an initial moisture content of 35%. Other factors, such as pH, oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations, and size of the culture flask also appeared to affect the production of mycotoxins.