OBJECTIVE--To determine the implications of subarachnoid haemorrhage for quality of life and aftercare. DESIGN--Prospective follow up study of patients surviving subarachnoid haemorrhage over one year (at discharge, three months, and one year) by examination of cognitive functions (a test battery) and changes in everyday life (semistructured interview). SETTING--Regional neurosurgical unit at a tertiary referral centre. PATIENTS--100 Patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage; 17 were lost during the study because of ineligibility (further surgery, previous head injury, relevant psychiatric history, and cultural differences), loss of contact, and non-compliance; a further 13 patients who developed a neurological deficit were considered separately. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE--Performance on cognitive test battery and reported changes in quality of life. RESULTS--At discharge patients with and without neurological deficit scored below established norms with most tests, but by three months the difference had resolved in patients without deficit. Reduced quality of life attributable to subarachnoid haemorrhage at one year mainly included less energy (seven patients), adverse emotional changes (five), early retirement, affected social life, and domestic tension (three each). None reported reduced capacity for work. CONCLUSIONS--Patients surviving subarachnoid haemorrhage without neurological symptoms have a good prognosis and should be encouraged to return to a normal lifestyle within about three months.


Software requirements engineering is an imperative phase in the software development life cycle in every project regardless of the project size. In a project, different people are involved in the requirements engineering process, including requirement engineers, stakeholders, end users, and system designers. Amongst them, stakeholders play an essential role. Differences in goals and priorities of multiple stakeholders would make requirements management complex and difficult, which is a huge challenge for requirement engineers. From time to time, new requirements emerge and existing requirements need changes to fulfil stakeholders' goals. Thus, such situation leads to high requirements volatility and low stability which causes overlapping and conflicting of requirements. The correctness and validity of requirements are of paramount importance as they are the key factors toward a successful system. A deep understanding of requirement management technique that conforms to users' needs is crucial. Such technique of the concept is applied to the Labour Management System. In this study, we have discussed the implementation of analysis of multi-stakeholder requirements using requirement interaction matrix in the f. The study used real requirements to yield a solid and dependable result. We have documented the requirements using a template and assessed their respective volatility level. An algorithm is constructed to   show   that   the   technique has managed to minimize   the time   used   when   checking requirements.


Owing to improvement of the signal/noise ratio, large airgun arrays consisting of 2 to 4 × 466 in. 3 (7.64 l) guns fired at 12- to 18-s intervals provide more refracted arrivals from the upper crust than can be obtained with a small 25 in. 3 (.41 l) airgun. In particular, sonobuoy data obtained previously with small airguns indicated a 1.5-km-thick layer with a refraction velocity of 3.6 km/s overlying a major refractor with a velocity of about 5.1 km/s near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. However, large-airgun-sonobuoy results reveal intermediate velocities between the 3.6 and 5.1 km/s refractors and commonly achieve penetration down to the mantle. Large-airgun data have been used to contour acoustic basement refraction velocities in the North Atlantic; these show a clear increase of velocity with age. A contour map of mantle depths is shown for the North Atlantic; it is based on 100 measurements, more than half of which are from high-quality, two-ship refraction data (solutions that include layers 2 and 3). A comparison between mantle depths determined from sonobuoy and two-ship solutions shows that the two-ship solutions have three times the variation of sonobuoys from the same geographical region. Solutions are plotted as velocity-depth points to show variations in the entire crust as a function of age. As the crust ages, the uppermost basement velocity increases and total crustal rock thickness increases rather abruptly on Upper Jurassic crust. These effects combine to decrease the gross crustal velocity gradient (exclusive of water and sediment) from about 1.0 sec −1 near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge to about 0.5 sec −1 near the continental margins.


Abstract Identifying and determining the origin of β-cristobalite, a high-temperature silica polymorph, in natural samples is challenging as it is rarely, if ever, preserved due to polymorphic transformation to α-cristobalite at low temperature. Formation mechanisms for β-cristobalite in high-silica rocks are difficult to discern, as superheating, supercooling, bulk composition, and trace element abundance all influence whether cristobalite crystallizes from melt or by devitrification. Here we report a study of α-cristobalite in Libyan Desert Glass (LDG), a nearly pure silica natural glass of impact origin found in western Egypt, using electron microprobe analysis (EMPA), laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron backscatter difraction (EBSD). The studied grains are mostly 250 μm in diameter and consist of ~150 μm wide cores surrounded by ~50 μm wide dendritic rims. Compositional layering in LDG continues across cristobalite grains and mostly corresponds to variations in Al content. However, layering is disrupted in cores of cristobalite grains, where Al distribution records oscillatory growth zoning, whereas in rims the high Al occurs along grain boundaries. Cristobalite cores thus nucleated within layered LDG at conditions that allowed mobility of Al into crystallographically controlled growth zones, whereas rims grew when Al was less mobile. Analysis of 37 elements indicates little evidence of preferential partitioning; both LDG and cristobalite are variably depleted relative to the upper continental crust, and abundance variations correlate to layering in LDG. Orientation analysis of {112} twin systematics in cristobalite by EBSD confirms that cores were formerly single β-cristobalite crystals. Combined with published experimental data, these results provide evidence for high-temperature (>1350 °C) magmatic crystallization of oscillatory zoned β-cristobalite in LDG. Dendritic rims suggest growth across the glass transition by devitrification, driven by undercooling, with transformation to α-cristobalite at low temperature. This result represents the highest formation temperature estimate for naturally occurring cristobalite, which is attributed to the near pure silica composition of LDG and anomalously high temperatures generated during melting by meteorite impact processes.


The open-source programming language R has gained a central place in the hydrological sciences over the last decade, driven by the availability of diverse hydro-meteorological data archives and the development of open-source computational tools. The growth of R's usage in hydrology is reflected in the number of newly published hydrological packages, the strengthening of online user communities, and the popularity of training courses and events. In this paper, we explore the benefits and advantages of R's usage in hydrology, such as the democratization of data science and numerical literacy, the 5 enhancement of reproducible research and open science, the access to statistical tools, the ease of connecting R to and from other languages, and the support provided by a growing community. This paper provides an overview of a typical hydrological workflow based on reproducible principles and packages for retrieval of hydro-meteorological data, spatial analysis, hydrological modelling, statistics, and the design of static and dynamic visualizations and documents. We discuss some of the challenges that arise when using R in hydrology and useful tools to overcome them, including the use of hydrological libraries, documen10 tation and vignettes (long-form guides that illustrate how to use packages); the role of Integrated Development Environments (IDEs); and the challenges of Big Data and parallel computing in hydrology. Last, this paper provides a roadmap for R's future within hydrology, with R packages as a driver of progress in the hydrological sciences, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) providing new avenues for data acquisition and provision, enhanced teaching of hydrology in R, and the continued growth of the community via short courses and events. 15


Introduction HIV risk among female entertainment and sex workers (FESW) remains high and use of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) significantly increases this risk. We designed a cluster randomised stepped wedge trial (The Cambodia Integrated HIV and Drug Prevention Implementation (CIPI) study) to test sequentially delivered behavioural interventions targeting ATS use. Methods and analysis The trial combines a 12-week Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) intervention with 4 weeks of cognitive-behavioural group aftercare (AC) among FESW who use ATS. The primary goal is to reduce ATS use and unprotected sex among FESW. The CCT+AC intervention is being implemented in 10 provinces where order of delivery was randomised. Outcome assessments (OEs) including biomarkers and self-reported measures of recent sexual and drug use behaviours are conducted prior to implementation, and at three 6-month intervals after completion. Consultation with multiple groups and stakeholders on implementation factors facilitated acceptance and operationalisation of the trial. Statistical power and sample size calculations were based on expected changes in ATS use and unprotected sex at the population level as well as within subjects. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approvals were granted by the Cambodia National Ethics Committee; University of New Mexico; University of California, San Francisco; and FHI360. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov. Dissemination of process indicators during the multiyear trial is carried out through annual in-country Stakeholder Meetings. Provincial 'Close-Out' forums are held at the conclusion of data collection in each province. When analysis is completed, dissemination meetings will be held in Cambodia with stakeholders, including community-based discussion sessions, policy briefs and results published and presented in the HIV prevention scientific journals and conferences. Conclusions CIPI is the first trial of an intervention to reduce ATS use and HIV risk among FESW in Cambodia. Results Will inform both CCT+AC implementation in low and middle-income countries and programmes designed to reach FESW. Trial registration number NCT01835574; Pre-results.


The establishment of the European External Action Service (EEAS) by the Lisbon Treaty was preceded by time-consuming negotiations about the composition, organization, budget and accountability of the service. In spite of the negative views among EEAS officials concerning the actual implementation of the reforms, they displayed a surprisingly positive attitude towards the new organization and identified strongly with it. This contribution aims to explain this empirical puzzle by drawing on two different approaches to attitude formation: one based on material calculations and another one on socio-psychological factors. It shows that a narrow understanding of rationality based on short-term career-related calculations cannot account for the support that the EEAS garnered among its ranks since a majority of officials reported a negative impact in terms of careers prospects. An explanation of positive attitudes towards the EEAS thus needs to take into account a broader conception of 'career prospects', including other indicators such as reputation and job satisfaction. Moreover, this contribution shows how a strong identification with the European Union (EU) and a desire to make EU foreign policy work might also explain why officials profess strong support for the EEAS.


In this groundbreaking new study, Kate van Orden examines noble education in the arts to show how music contributed to cultural and social transformation in early modern French society. She constructs a fresh account of music's importance in promoting the absolutism that the French nonarchy would fully embrace under Louis XIV, uncovering many hitherto unpublished ballets and royal ceremonial performances. The great pressure on French noblemen to take up the life of the warrior gave rise to bellicose art forms such as sword dances and equestrian ballets. Far from being construed as effeminizing, such combinations of music and the martial arts were at once refined and masculine - a perfect way to display military prowess. The incursion of music into riding schools and infantry drills contributed materially to disciplinary order, enabling the larger and more effective armies of the seventeenth century. This book is a history of the development of these musical spheres and how they brought forth new cultural priorities of civility, military discipline, and political harmony. Music, Discipline, and Arms in Early Modern France effectively illustrates the seminal role music played in mediating between the cultural spheres of letters and arms.


Given the evolving clinical demographics and both surgical and perioperative management strategies related to laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LAP-CHOL), continued monitoring of patient characteristics undergoing this procedure is of value. In an analysis of 2 345 246 patients who underwent LAP-CHOL identified in the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide Ambulatory Surgery Sample from 1/2016-12/2019 (female n = 1 722 420 [73.4%] and male n = 622 827 [26.6%]), female patients were more likely to be younger and obese but less likely to be smoker and have medical comorbidity compared to male patients. Moreover, female patients were more likely to have a diagnosis of cholelithiasis but less likely to have a diagnosis of cholecystitis compared to male patients. This was particularly robust in younger age. In conclusion, this contemporary national-level analysis suggested that there are distinct differences in the clinical characteristics of patients undergoing LAP-CHOL according to gender. Awareness and reconciliation of these gender-specific differences would be important in clinical practice.


Purpose: To quantify the normal values for vascular density (VD) of the superfi cial (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) in healthy subjects using optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA). Materials and methods: 188 volunteers were recruited over a 3-month period. Multicentric, descriptive study that included 365 eyes from healthy subjects, 230 from females and 135 from males. Patients were divided in 3 groups depending on the age, 20-39, 40-59 and 60 or more years. All subjects were evaluated with (RT-Vue XR Avanti) OCTA. 3x3 mm2 and 6x6 mm2 HD scans center at the fovea were taken; SCP VD, and DCP VD were quantitatively measured using Integrated automated algorithms. Results: Ages range 20-86 average 39.7, SD 15.06. At 3x3 mm2 scan SCP VD and DCP VD median (IQ) are 47,20 (45,3-49,0) and 52,9 (50,8-54,7) respectively. At 6x6 mm SCP VD and DCP VD are 50,8 (48,6-52,7) and 53,5 (49,4-57,3) respectively. There is a signifi cant inversely proportional correlation with age in all plexuses. Correlation was observed between the gender and the vascular density in the foveal 3x3 mm2 SCP VD (P: 0,00) and in all 3x3 mm2 DCP VD (p: 0.00). Conclusions: This is a multicentric study in which we obtained a signifi cant sample using OCT angiography with an integrated automated algorithm for analysis of patients with high variability of origin. We obtain data of VD on healthy subjects, that can be used as normative database for VD on the Latino population.


The article deals with the value and role of functional tests in practice of clinical diagnostic laboratories. The possibilities of evaluation of biological function of homeostasis according the changes of magnesium ions or calcium concentration in urine or blood hence reflecting the deficiency of these ions in vivo. The magnesium tolerant test is described It is demonstrated that it can be applied both in curative preventive institutions and ambulatories. In the examined group of patients, 78% had physiologic parameters of magnesium concentration, 17% suffered from hypermagnesiumuria and 5%--from hypermagnesiumuria. The magnesium deficiency of different degree was detected in 87% of patients. In the most part of patients with magnesium deficiency normomagnesiumuria was detected. Only in one case with normomagnesiumuria the magnesium deficiency was absent. In 30% of patients with magnesium deficiency the concentration of cation in day urine decreased up to 2.2 times after load dose. In absence of deficiency the monotony of cation's excretion was noted. Under the magnesium deficiency the character of process changed but velocity of excretion of magnesium after load probe slightly decreased relative to values before the load. The impact of alcohol under established magnesium deficiency results in increasing of velocity of excretion of this analyte. In patient with diabetes mellitus type II six months before the diagnosis of this disease the hidden deficiency of magnesium was detected. The magnesium deficiency was not detected after the antidiabetic treatment was applied The results permit to postulate the possibility of application oral load test with magnesium to assess the impact of various stress, physical, emotional and psychological factors. The detection of magnesium deficiency permit to broad the complex treatment, to accelerate and to enhance the results of treatment of diseases. Besides, the evaluation of patient's condition according the reaction of the organism to the probe with magnesium load is an essential element of personalized medicine.


Artificial intelligence takes inspiration from the functionalities and structure of the brain to solve complex tasks and allow learning. Yet, hardware realization that simulates the synaptic activities realized with electrical devices still lags behind computer software implementation, which has improved significantly during the past decade. Herein, the capability to emulate synaptic functionalities by exploiting surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) is shown. By depositing photochromic switching molecules (diarylethene) on a thin film of gold, it is possible to reliably control the electronic configuration of the molecules upon illumination cycles with UV and visible light. These reversible changes modulate the dielectric function of the photochromic film and thus enable the effective control of the SPP dispersion relation at the molecule/gold interface. The plasmonic device displays fundamental functions of a synapse such as potentiation, depression, and long‐term plasticity. The integration of such plasmonic devices in an artificial neural network is deployed in plasmonic neuroinspired circuits for optical computing and data transmission.


The awareness of cultural beliefs and customs seems not to have attracted adequate attention during the phase of teaching and learning in ESP courses. The requirements of effective and appropriate interaction and communication with other cultures (Wiseman, Hammer, & Nishida, 1989) bring this matter to ESP teachers and learners. That studying merely from the course book and completing the given tasks discourages students from exploring the world, which expects a more efficient way to include language acquisition and cultural awareness. This paper explores the correlation of cultural awareness and blended learning in which educator in charge of a tourism class can raise students' cultural communicative competence together with their understanding of global culture. Some of the key issues of this pedagogical methodology also can be discussed regarding language learning, cultural awareness and self-studying in an ESP course. Keywords-Cultural awareness, blended learning, ESP, cultural communicative competence, language acquisition, Vietnam


Through a reading of Cherie Dimaline's 2017 young adult novel The Marrow Thieves, a survival story set in a futuristic Canada destroyed by global warming, this article explores the conceptualization and reimagination of the Anthropocene in contemporary postcolonial and Indigenous theory and fiction. Firstly, I will argue that literary representations of climate change can be complicit in producing hegemonic strands of Anthropocene discourse that consider human destructiveness and vulnerability at undifferentiated species level. Secondly, I will suggest that the novel's apocalypse reveals the processes of colonial violence and dispossession that have culminated in the eruptive event of environmental catastrophe, rather than portraying a story of universal and disembodied human threat that conceals oppression against Indigenous people.


The Multi-Core NoC is a 4 by 4 Mesh NoC targeted for Altera FPGAs. It implements a deflective routing policy and is used to connect sixteen NIOS II processors. Each NIOS II is connected to the NoC via an address-mapped Resource Network Interface.
 The Multi-Core NoC is implemented on four separate Altera Stratix II FPGA boards, each hosting a Quad-Core NoC, which operates on a local 50 MHz clock. It has an onboard throughput of 650 Mbps (12.5 MFlit/s), and uses 28% of the LUs, 18% of the ALUTs, 22 % of the dedicated registers and 31% of the total memory blocks of a Stratix II FPGA. Asynchronous clock bridges, with a throughput of 50 Mbps (~1MFlit/s), are used for the inter-board communication.
 Application programs use an MPI compatible Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) to communicate with the Resource Network Interface of the NoC. The RNI sets up message transfer, with a maximum length of 512 bytes, and sends flits with the size of 32 bit data plus 20 bit headers through the network. The MPI is the bottleneck of the system; it takes 46 us (43.4 kPackets/s) to send a minimum-sized packet through the protocol stack to a near neighbour and bounce it back to the original application. The bounce-back time for a far neighbour is 56 us.


Consider the class of distributed database systems consisting of a set of nodes connected by a high bandwidth network. Each node consists of a processor, a random access memory, and a slower but much larger memory such as a disk. There is no shared memory among the nodes. The data are horizontally partitioned often using a hash function. Such a description characterizes many parallel or distributed database systems that have recently been proposed, both commercial and academic. We study the optimization problem that arises when the query processor must repartition the relations and intermediate results participating in a multijoin query. Using estimates of the sizes of intermediate relations, we show (1) optimum solutions for closed chain queries; (2) the NP-completeness of the optimization problem for star, tree, and general graph queries; and (3) effective heuristics for these hard cases.
Our general approach and many of our results extend to other attribute partitioning schemes, for example, sort-partitioning on attributes, and to partitioned object databases.


This study is an investigation of L2 speakers' production of the pharyngeal gesture in the English /ɹ/. Real-time MRI recordings from one L1 French/L2 English and one L1 Greek/L2 English speaker were analyzed and compared with recordings from a native English speaker to examine whether the gestural composition of the rhotic consonant(s) in a speaker's L1, particularly the presence and location of a pharyngeal gesture, influences their production of English /ɹ/. While the L1 French speaker produced the expected high pharyngeal constriction in their production of the French rhotic, he did not appear to consistently produce an Englishlike low pharyngeal constriction in his production of English /ɹ/. Similarly, the native Greek speaker did not consistently produce a pharyngeal constriction of any kind in either his L1 rhotic (as expected) or in English /ɹ/. These results suggest that the acquisition and production of the pharyngeal gesture in the English rhotic approximant is particularly difficult for learners whose L1 rhotics lack an identical constriction, potentially due to a general difficulty of acquiring pharyngeal gestures that are not in the L1, the similarity of the acoustic consequences of the different components of a rhotic, or L1 transfer into the L2.


Dmc1 and Rad51 are eukaryotic RecA homologues that are involved in meiotic recombination. The expression of Dmc1 is limited to meiosis, whereas Rad51 is expressed in mitosis and meiosis. Dmc1 and Rad51 have unique and overlapping functions during meiotic recombination. Here we report the purification of the Dmc1 protein from the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and present basic characterization of its biochemical activity. The protein has a weak DNA-dependent ATPase activity and binds both single-strand DNA (ssDNA) and double-strand DNA. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays suggest that DNA binding by Dmc1 is cooperative. Dmc1 renatures linearized plasmid DNA with first order reaction kinetics and without requiring added nucleotide cofactor. In addition, Dmc1 catalyzes strand assimilation of ssDNA oligonucleotides into homologous supercoiled duplex DNA in a reaction promoted by ATP or the non-hydrolyzable ATP analogue AMP-PNP.


A detailed study of Oja's learning equation in neural networks is undertaken in this paper. Not only are such fundamental issues as existence, uniqueness, and representation of solutions completely resolved, but also the convergence issue is resolved. It is shown that the solution of Oja's equation is exponentially convergent to an equilibrium from any initial value. Moreover, the necessary and sufficient conditions are given on the initial value for the solution to converge to a dominant eigenspace of the associated autocorrelation matrix. As a by-product, this result confirms one of Oja's conjectures that the solution converges to the principal eigenspace from almost all initial values. Some other characteristics of the limiting solution are also revealed. These facilitate the determination of the limiting solution in advance using only the initial information. Two examples are analyzed demonstrating the explicit dependence of the limiting solution on the initial value. In another respect, it is found that Oja's equation is the gradient flow of generalized Rayleigh quotients on a Stiefel manifold.


Erythema multiforme major (EMM) is an acute, self-limited mucocutaneous disease characterized by the abrupt onset of symmetrical fixed red papules evolving to target lesions. It is triggered mainly by infections, such as herpes simplex virus (HSV) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, or drugs. In instances of extensive skin lesions with "giant" targets, prominent involvement of several mucous sites and fever, it may be difficult to distinguish from Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), a rarer, lifethreatening reaction which is mainly druginduced. We report a 7-year old boy with SJS and Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and 3 patients with EM and co-infection with Chlamydia pneumoniae: a 3-year old girl and a 29-year old man developed EMM lesions associated to Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumonia and a 20-year old woman with EMM associated to herpes simplex type 2 and Chlamydia pneumoniae infection. None of the 4 patients had history of drug intake in the last two months. Chlamydia pneumoniae is an intracellular bacteria responsible for respiratory infections. Despite the fact that its role in SJS/EMM has been rarely reported, our cases suggest that it may cause SJS and trigger EM when co-infecting a patient, either with Mycoplasma pneumoniae or herpes simplex. We conclude that infection by Chlamydia pneumoniae should be suspected and ruled out in every patient with SJS/EMM, especially in those with signs of respiratory infection.


Exposing young rats to particles of high energy and charge (HZE particles), a ground-based model for exposure to cosmic rays, enhances indices of oxidative stress and inflammation and disrupts the functioning of neuronal communication in critical regions of the brain [1]. These changes in neuronal function are similar to those seen in ageing [2, 3]. Although there is some recovery of function after exposure to Fe particles, particularly in changes observed 36 h following irradiation, long-term changes (75 days) have been observed, suggesting subcellular damage. Consequently, oxidative stress and inflammation induced by radiation could affect downstream events, such as changes in behavior and gene expression. Therefore, berry fruits high in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, such as blueberries and strawberries, may prevent the occurrence of neurochemical and behavioral changes that occur if fed prior to radiation [4]. Rats were exposed to Fe (1000 MeV/n; 1.5 Gy) particles at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory at Brookhaven National Laboratory; other rats served as non-irradiated controls. The animals were fed either a control or a 2% blueberry or strawberry diet 8 weeks prior to radiation. Rats were then either euthanized at 36 h (short term) or 30 days following irradiation (long term). Before and after the irradiation, the animals were housed at USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston. The results of the experiments indicate that: (1) Fe exposure caused significant differential, neurochemical changes in critical regions of the brain, such as hippocampus, striatum, frontal cortex and cerebellum, particularly long term. (2) Neurochemical changes resulted in the disruption of autophagy, increased inflammation and increased oxidative stress protein markers. (3) Antioxidant-rich berry diets significantly reduced the accumulation of toxic cellular debris in critical regions of the brain, primarily at the 30 days post-irradiation time-point. (4) Susceptibility to inflammation, autophagy dysregulation, and oxidative stress were proportional to the levels of antioxidant enzymes in the respective brain regions. (5) Exposure to Fe radiation may cause the accumulation of disease-related proteins such as PHF-Tau, which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Irradiation with Fe, which causes substantial build-up of toxic cellular debris in critical regions of the brain, may overwhelm the innate antioxidant enzyme defense system [5]. Therefore, berry diets high in antioxidants may be used to counter these damaging effects by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, and activating neuronal housekeeping, in addition to boosting endogenous antioxidant enzymes. This paper was presented at the NASA Session at Heavy Ion in Therapy and Space Radiation Symposium 2013.


Knock is a major design challenge for spark-ignited engines. Knock constrains high load operation and limits efficiency gains that can be achieved by implementing higher compression ratios. The propensity to knock depends on the interaction among fuel properties, engine geometry, and operating conditions. Moreover, cycle-to-cycle variability (CCV) in knock intensity is commonly encountered under abnormal combustion conditions. In this situation, knock needs to be assessed with multiple engine cycles. Therefore, when using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to predict knock behavior, multi-cycle simulations must be performed. The wall clock time for simulating multiple consecutive engine cycles is prohibitive, especially for a statistically valid sample size (i.e. 30–100 cycles).
 In this work, 3-d CFD simulations were used to model knocking phenomena in the cooperative fuel research (CFR) engine. Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (uRANS) simulations were performed with a hybrid combustion modeling approach using the G-equation method to track the turbulent flame front and finite-rate chemistry model to predict end-gas autoignition. To circumvent the high cost of running simulations with a large number of consecutive engine cycles, a concurrent perturbation method (CPM) was evaluated to predict knock CCV. The CPM was based on previous work by the authors, in which concurrent engine cycles were used to predict engine CCV in a non-knocking gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine. Concurrent cycles were initialized by perturbing a saved flow field with a random isotropic velocity field. By initializing each cycle with a perturbation sufficiently early in the cycle, each case yields a distinct and valid prediction of combustion due to the chaotic nature of the system.
 Three operating points were simulated, with different spark timings corresponding to heavy knock, light knock, and no knock. For all the operating points, other conditions were based on the standard research octane number (RON) test specification for iso-octane. The spark timing of the heavy knock case was the same as that of the RON test. The in-cylinder pressure fluctuations were isolated using a frequency filtering method. A bandpass filter was applied to eliminate high and low frequencies. The knocking pressures were calculated consistently between the experimental and simulation data, including the sampling frequency of the data. The simulation data was sampled to match the sampling rate of the experimental data.
 The knock intensities were compared for the concurrently obtained cycles, the consecutively obtained cycles, and experimental cycles. Knock predictions from the concurrent and consecutive simulations compared well to each other and with experiments, thereby demonstrating the validity of the CPM approach.


Economic growth and development of a country involves accumulation of knowledge and dynamic capabilities (Cimoli et al., 2009). Past research has begun to investigate the capability accumulation and macro-economic development of countries and sectors (Dosi et al., 1990), also by means of introduction of new products (Hausmann and Rodrik, 2003). In this work, recognizing that firms are the actual domain in which production takes place, we focus on the firm-level process of capability accumulation and diversification in a developing country. We investigate the relationship between diversification (and coherent diversification) and firm performance by employing an extensive database of Indian manufacturing firms with detailed information on product mix of firms. We claim that such an understanding of firms' incentives to diversify is relevant not only for the corporate management, but also for the diversification of countries and thereby its development. First, we explore the reasons behind firms' strategy to diversify, i.e, which firms choose a broad product scope and whether the change in the scope of the firm results in improved performance in terms of firm profitability and sales growth. Second, we look at the idiosyncratic characteristics of different products, by emphasizing the synergies of a product line with respect to the overall product basket of the firm. In this line, we develop a measure that captures the synergies and economies of scope between different products, and observe that the firms' future performance crucially depend on the interactions between the products that comprise its basket. Overall, our results are consistent with an intangible- capabilities model of firm diversification: diversification results in improved firm performance if the firm has underused capabilities and the new production line is able to exploit them.


Characterizing the Mechanism of Tumor Suppression by PBRM1 in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma David Schoenfeld In this study, we investigated the mechanisms by which PBRM1 functions as a tumor suppressor in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. PBRM1, also known as BAF180 or Polybromo, is a member of the PBAF SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex. Cancer sequencing studies have revealed that SWI/SNF components are widely mutated in cancer. PBRM1 is recurrently mutated in various human malignancies, but it has a particularly high mutation rate in clear cell renal cell carcinoma: ~40% of clear cell renal cell carcinomas have a PBRM1 mutation, making it the second most highly mutated gene in clear cell renal cell carcinoma behind VHL. Although many recent studies have looked at how other SWI/SNF components function in cancer control, relatively little is known about the tumor suppressive mechanisms of PBRM1 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. To investigate PBRM1 function, we manipulated its expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma cell lines. In cell lines with intact PBRM1, we stably knocked down its expression using shRNA. In a cell line with mutant PBRM1, we stably restored expression of the wild-type protein. We found that PBRM1 deficiency significantly enhanced the growth properties of cells, but only when the cells were grown under stressful conditions, such as reduced serum or a 3-D culture environment. To investigate genes and pathways influenced by PBRM1 that may confer this growth advantage, we compared gene expression differences in the clear cell renal cell carcinoma cell lines and murine embryonic fibroblasts with or without PBRM1. We found that PBRM1 regulated numerous cancer-related genes and pathways. One gene, ALDH1A1, was consistently upregulated with PBRM1 deficiency across our cell lines. Further expression analysis using two different clear cell renal cell carcinoma primary tumor datasets revealed that PBRM1 mutation in primary tumors was also associated with higher ALDH1A1 levels. ALDH1A1, or aldehyde dehydrogenase 1, is part of the retinoic acid metabolic pathway and irreversibly converts retinaldehyde to retinoic acid. It functions in hematopoietic stem cell development, white versus brown fat programming, and insulin signaling. Numerous studies have also identified ALDH1A1 as a marker of tumor-initiating cells, also known as cancer stem cells. Not much is known about the regulation of ALDH1A1 expression in cancer, and it has not previously been linked to PBRM1 or SWI/SNF. We confirmed that stable knockdown of PBRM1 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma cell lines resulted in higher ALDH1A1 mRNA and protein expression, and also higher ALDH1-class enzyme activity. Alternatively, reexpression of wild-type PBRM1, but not cancer-associated mutant PBRM1, lowered ALDH1A1 expression and activity in the PBRM1-mutant line. Additionally, inhibiting ALDH1A1 or knocking it down in the context of PBRM1 deficiency reduced anchorage-independent growth, while over-expressing ALDH1A1 in the PBRM1-normal setting increased tumorsphere-forming capacity. These results suggest that ALDH1A1 is not only a marker of tumor-initiating cells, but can also increase the tumorigenic potential of cells. Based on our gene expression analysis, we additionally explored PBRM1 regulation of the EGFR and IFN pathways. PBRM1 decreased total EGFR protein levels and dampened downstream signaling. These changes had functional consequences, as PBRM1 deficiency led to faster growth in response to EGF stimulation. However, it did not create a setting of oncogenic addiction, as PBRM1 deficient cells were also more resistant to EGFR inhibition. Alternatively, PBRM1 deficiency reduced basal and IFNαinduced levels of IFI27, a pro-apoptotic interferon response gene, and made cells more resistant to growth inhibition by IFNα. PBRM1 mutations in cancer would thus be expected to have wide-ranging effects on a cell, and the targeting of any one specific downstream pathway might have limited efficacy. Finally, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of how PBRM1 deficiency could alter transcription, keeping in mind that PBRM1 is one subunit of the larger PBAF complex. In our clear cell renal cell carcinoma cell lines, we found that mRNA and protein levels of another PBAF-specific subunit, ARID2, increased with PBRM1 deficiency. PBRM1 mutation in primary tumors was also associated with significantly higher ARID2 expression. Immunoprecipitation and glycerol gradient fractionation experiments suggested that more ARID2 may associate with the SWI/SNF components BRG1 and SNF5 after PBRM1 knockdown. ARID2 ChIP-seq analysis revealed that this remnant PBAF-like complex was bound to fewer locations in the genome, and its binding locations were broadly redistributed. Both gained and lost ARID2 binding were associated with differential gene expression, of both upregulated and downregulated genes, indicating that the genomic context influences whether PBAF-binding is activating or repressive. Interestingly, we also found that ARID2 was required for some of the pro-tumorigenic changes associated with PBRM1 deficiency, such as upregulation of ALDH1A1 and EGFR levels, but not others, such as decreased IFI27 levels, implying alternative modes of transcriptional regulation. In total, this study implicates PBRM1 in the regulation of numerous cancer-related genes and pathways in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. PBRM1 mutation would alter the genomic binding of a residual PBAF-like complex containing ARID2, leading to transcriptional changes that promote tumor formation and growth. A better understanding of this oncogenic mechanism may reveal novel therapeutic


Motivated by the functional data analysis of a data set of tongue profiles, we describe in this talk the differential interval-wise testing (D-IWT), i.e., a local non-parametric inferential technique for testing the distributional equality of two samples of functional data. The described method can impute significant differences between the two samples to specific intervals of the domain and to specific orders of differentiation. D-IWT based inference provides a highly informative and detailed representation of the regions of the tongue where a significant difference between manners of articulation is located.


A specific and sensitive radioimmunoassay has been developed for pregnancy-associated endometrial alpha 2-globulin (alpha 2-PEG), the major secretory protein of the human endometrium during the mid- to late-luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and first trimester of pregnancy. This assay enabled alpha 2-PEG to be measured in the cytosolic extracts of endometrium, amniotic fluid, seminal plasma and in pregnancy sera. The concentration of alpha 2-PEG in cytosols prepared from mid-secretory endometrium was 44-fold higher than in those from proliferative endometrium and a further 30-fold increase during the first trimester in comparison with mid-secretory endometrium. Levels of alpha 2-PEG in amniotic fluid (15-20 weeks) and seminal plasma were 15 +/- 4 and 55 +/- 7 micrograms/ml, respectively. With the exception of sera, where alpha 2-PEG was undetectable using rocket immunoelectrophoresis, estimates of alpha 2-PEG levels in these compartments, measured by rocket immunoelectrophoretic and RIA assays were comparable, although for seminal plasma 2.5-fold higher estimates were obtained by RIA. Detectable levels of alpha 2-PEG were obtained in 253 of 275 (92%) pregnancy sera tested. During pregnancy, peak levels were detected between weeks 6 and 11 but these represented only 2% of the levels detected in amniotic fluid. These observations support evidence from in vitro studies that alpha 2-PEG is a product of the secretory glandular epithelium, a tissue prominent in the first trimester and whose principal secretory route during pregnancy is into the amniotic fluid.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Research on allergy has recently uncovered an apparent co-occurrence of allergies in skin and the lungs, a phenomenon that has been coined "atopic march". A positive correlation has been found between gut microbiota at birth and the development of asthma and skin eczema later in life. Chinese medicine has long described a functional relationship between the large intestine and the lungs, and between the lungs and skin. In this short article, we examined the evidence in support of these inter-organ physiological/pathological relationships. In addition to the clinical observation of the relationship between the composition of gut microbiota at birth and the development of asthma later in childhood, gut microorganisms have also been shown to exert a protective effect on bacteria-induced pneumonia in experimental animals. Genetic predisposition was also found to play an important role in the co-existence of certain diseases of lung and skin. Despite the fact that the mechanism(s) underlying the connection of immune systems between two organs (such as the large intestine and the lungs) is still not clearly understood, it is the first time to correlate the relationship among gut, lung and skin based on recent clinical studies in relation to the Zang-Fu Theory in Chinese medicine. Future investigation of the gut-lung and lung-skin axes in terms of physiological/pathological relationships may help to provide a greater understanding of the pathogenesis of allergies, possibly establishing relevance to the Zang-Fu Theory in Chinese medicine.


Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) of the electric transmission and transformation equipments has been carried out gradually in the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC). Equipments' risk assessment is a challenging work during implementing CBM, because the failure probabilities of equipments may vary with changes in the operating conditions, and hard to predict accurately. In this paper, the Time-Varying Outage Model (TVOM) of equipments is applied in the risk assessment to solve the above difficults. To demonstrate the necessity and efficiency of the TVOM, a numeral test on transformer was given to compare the result of the statutory method in SGCC standard and that of the time-varying outage model.


The activity of axons located mainly in the ventral part of the lateral funiculi of the cervical segments C2-C3 were recorded in precollicular decerebrate cats and their responses to lateral tilt of the whole animal studied. Units were identified according to their antidromic and/or transynaptic responses to stimulation of the ipsilateral lateral reticular nucleus (NRL) as well as their responses to ipsilateral and/or contralateral forelimb nerve stimulation. In most respects, those units which could be antidromically identified as cervical ascending tract axons showed properties similar to those described for neurons of the spinoreticular pathway, the bVFRT. Among the 106 recorded units, 42 responded to 15 degrees tilts in the median plane. Steady changes in unit discharge frequency were evoked by tilting, which lasted as long as the position of the cat was maintained. The response of the units to tilting consisted of increased in discharge rate during tilt in one direction, while tilt in the opposite direction resulted in a decrease in discharge rate. The magnitude of the responses was clearly related to the degree of tilt. All the units affected by tilt, except one, received inputs from both ipsilateral and contralateral forelimb nerves and some of them also from high-threshold neck muscle afferents. Furthermore, 12 of these units could be orthodromically excited at short latency from the ipsilateral brain stem, suggesting a possible monosynaptic input perhaps transmitted via the lateral vestibulospinal tract. The responses of the cervical ascending spinal tract units to tilt did not appear to depend on peripheral proprioceptive or cutaneous feedback since a number of precautions were taken to eliminate such influences, while control experiments in animals submitted to partial or complete bilateral VIIth nerve section showed the number of neurons responsive to tilt to be profoundly reduced or eliminated. It appeared also that the average spontaneous discharge rate of the ascending units was much lower following bilateral VIIth nerve section than that obtained from the corresponding units recorded in preparations with the VIIth nerves intact. These findings suggested that the responses of the cervical ascending neurons to tilt as well as their spontaneous background activity depended on influences arising from the macular labyrinthine receptors. The observation that the responses of these ascending neurons to peripheral nerve stimulation are modified by tilt further suggested that the macular system may interact with the somatosensory system originating from the forelimb and the neck musculature, thus being able to produce the fine adjustments that cerebellar and brain stem structures exert in the control of posture and movements.


Esters of indole-3-acetic acid were extracted and purified from the liquid endosperm of immature fruits of various species of the horse chestnut (Aesculus parviflora, A. baumanni, A. pavia rubra, and A. pavia humulis). The liquid endosperm contained, at least 12 chromatographically distinct esters. One of these compounds was purified and characterized as an ester of indole-3-acetic acid and myo-inositol. A second compound was found to be an ester of indole-3-acetic acid and the disaccharide rutinose (glucosyl-rhamnose). A third compound was partially characterized as an ester of indole-3-acetic acid and a desoxyaminohexose.


Porous-surfaced with solid core Ti-6Al-4V implant compacts were fabricated by traditional powder metallurgy. Powder metallurgy technique was used to produce three different porous surfaced implant compacts 30, 50, and 70% in vacuum atmosphere. The solid core formed in the center of the compact shows similar microstructure of near full density of Ti-6Al-4V. The compressive yield strength was up to 270 MPa and significantly depended on the surface porosity, core size, and temperature of sintering. Selected porous-surfaced Ti-6Al-4V implant compacts with a solid core have much higher compressive strengths compared to the human teeth and sintered fully porous Ti-6Al-4V joint replacements. The ingrowth of bone tissue into the outer porous surface layer results in part fixation, while the solid inner core region provides the necessary mechanical strength for a device used for the replacement of heavy load bearing joint regions such as the hip and knee. The microstructure of sintered samples was investigated.


The effect of silane treatment on tensile properties and morphology of recycled acrylonitrile butadiene rubber(NBRr)/polypropylene(PP)/rice husk powder(RHP) composites has been studied. Polypropylene/recycled acrylonitrile butadiene rubber/rice husk powder (PP/NBRr/RHP) composite were prepared by melt mixing technique at 180º C for 9 minutes and 50rpm rotor speed using an internal mixer. Five different composites compositions (70/30/0, 7030/5, 70/30/10, 70/30/15 and 70/30/30), with silane treated RHP(treated) and without silane treatment(untreated) was studied. The specimens were analyzed by different techniques i.e. tensile test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The result obtained showed lower tensile properties with increasing amount of NBRr content. Lower tensile strength and tensile modulus was exhibited with increasing NBRr content. However higher tensile strength, greater tensile modulus and lower elongation at break in PP/NBRr/RHP was exhibited for silane treated RHP composites compare with untreated RHP. PP/NBRr/RHP composite was found to become more brittle with strong attachment between PP/NBR matrix and RHP filler with silane treatment. Good adhesion between silane treated RHP filler and PP/NBRr matrix was confirmed by the morphological studies.


The negative effect of the conventional laser bonding caused by high temperature has been analyzed in the Si-glass bonding process. A new method which is the combination of chip surface activated pre-bonding and laser bonding has been proposed. The method has been used for Micro Electro Mechanical System package experiment. The process is: firstly, a hydrophilic surface was formed by using a special chemical method. Secondly, Si and glass were pre-bonded at room temperature. Finally, the laser with the wavelength of 1.070 μm, spot diameter of 480 μm, power of 70 W was local heated by the laser. This method achieves low-temperature bonding without external press. And the tensile test also shows that the strength of sample bonding reaches 2.8 MPa~3.2 MPa. So it not only ensures the quality of MEMS chip, but also reduces the cost of the package.


Since 1960, Latin American attempts at regionalism have undergone distinct phases. More notably, they have tended to diverge across space, gradually giving birth to separate blocs that seem to be tearing South, Central and North America apart. Additionally, within and across these regions several overlapping projects coexist. This article focuses on the dynamics of segmented and overlapping regionalism in order to describe what they look like, analyse how they articulate with one another, and explain why member states have pushed for such a messy outcome. This situation, linked to the evolution of the global context, might be indicating that regionalism in Latin America has reached its peak, beyond which it may be difficult to achieve further progress. Two conclusions are elicited: first, economic integration is becoming a geographically diffused phenomenon rather than a regional one; second, regionalism is still a compelling foreign policy but its causes, goals and outcomes are no longer what they used to be.


1. Czech Republic has never signer any agreement on recruitment with Turkey. 2. Turkish immigration to Czech Republic has never been organized by the governmental institution or private person. 3. The unemployment rate in Turkey – May 2011 – 9,4% . 4. However, Turkish immigration to Czech Republic monitors upward trend still we discuss maximum hundreds of Turkish citizens in Czech Republic. 5. The Czech Republic has been a transit country for Turkish immigrants on their way to West because of the number of Turkish illegal migrants. 6. It is quite difficult to determine whether Turkish immigrants engage in business in the Czech Republic came from Turkey or from Germany. Rather, it seems from Turkey, because of their language skills – German is not very common . Unfortunately there are not official dates available mapping from where Turkish citizens are arriving to the Czech Republic. 7. Currently, we cannot monitor any phase of immigration similar to Turkish immigration to West Germany. (through 3rd person, bilateral agreement, illegal employment – touristic visa, family reunion, asylum applications, growth of the ethnic business) 8. Turkish citizens work mainly in their traditional business, similar as in Germany. 9. Location of the Turkish restaurants and the shops in the Czech Republic is on more prestigious streets then in Germany. 10. Turkish citizens engage in their business in the Czech Republic try to speak Czech language. 12. Turkish citizens in the Czech Republic as any other foreigners live mainly in the big cities, where they engage in their business. Very similar to the situation in Germany. 13. Turkish brands and products in the Czech Republic: Beko, Cilek, Mavi,... 14. In the Czech Republic we cannot find "Turkish quarters" such as are very common in Germany.


In spite of a long‐standing interest in the distribution of knowledge spillovers from university research, there is only limited theoretical understanding of if and when opportunities to interact with a research university constitute a significant force of attraction for globally mobile investment in R&D. Based on an empirical investigation of the benefits of interaction with universities, this paper proposes an analytical framework and four ideal types of strategy for localised collaboration between R&D subsidiaries and universities. This taxonomy, which largely transcends industry sectors, and the illustrative cases presented in this paper provide insights into the potential scope for localised university‐industry interaction from the perspective of multinational enterprises. By connecting the empirical results to the question whether these benefits are significant enough to enhance a region's attractiveness as a location for R&D, we are able to develop a better understanding of the alternative strategies for policymakers and university leaders interested in stimulating such linkages.


The aim of this work was to assess the feasibility of 3-D inkjet printing of elastomers in latex form to create a novel material that would offer shielding against electromagnetic interference (EMI).
To achieve this aim it was necessary to characterise and select suitable materials, carry out ink jetting trials, modify the materials accordingly to improve the printability and assess post jetting conditions including drying and curing behaviour. Particle size, surface tension, and viscosity measurements were made for a series of elastomer latex materials and carboxylated styrene butadiene rubber (XSBR) latex was identified as the most suitable. Latex ink optimisation included dilution with water and the addition of a humectant, triethylene glycol monomethyl ether (TGME), which delayed drying and reduced nozzle blocking. The surface energy was measured for arrange of potential substrates and PET was identified as the most suitable, due to its relatively high surface energy which allowed for an ideal level of wetting and spreading. Analysis of the cross-sectional profiles of the printed samples by white light interferometry showed that drying during printing was an important issue for the latex ink. Ink jetting of a composite material with control of filler distribution was shown to be feasible when ten layers of conductive carbon black ink were deposited alternately between ten layers of XSBR ink. Printing was successfully carried out with a latex combined with a resorcinol resin which was subsequently cured, indicating that it should be possible to 3D print a thermoset elastomer in this way. Conductive carbon black was printed in various patterns onto PET sheet and the dielectric properties measured. Results indicated that at very low carbon contents, the printed patterns could provide EMI shielding.
The research has shown that it is feasible to create a cured 3D elastomeric object containing filler with a controlled distribution that is capable of providing EMI shielding.


This study comprises an update of the economic values for dairy traits for the Australian industry and the formulation of updated selection indices. An economic model, which calculates partial economic values for each trait individually, was developed to determine the economic implications of selective dairy breeding, based on the effect of trait changes on the profit of commercial dairy farms in Australia. Selection indices were developed from economic values, which were transformed into base economic weights by including the discounted genetic expressions coefficients. Economic weights (in Australian dollars) were 1.79, 6.92, -0.10, -5.44, 8.84, 7.68, 1.07, 4.86, 1.91, 3.51, 4.90, 0.31, 2.03, 2.00, and 0.59, for milk fat (kg), milk protein (kg), milk volume (L), body weight (kg), survival (%), residual survival (%), somatic cell count (cells/mL), fertility (%), mammary system [Australian Breeding Value (ABV) unit], temperament (ABV unit), milking speed (ABV unit), udder depth (%), overall type (%), fore udder attachment (%), and pin set (%), respectively. The updated economic weights presented in this study constituted the basis of the definition for 3 new indices. These indices were developed from combination of bioeconomic principles, patterns of farmer preferences for trait improvements, and desired gains approaches. The 3 indices, Balanced Performance Index, Health Weighted Index, and Type Weighted Index, have been released to the industry.


Even though muscle dysmorphia (MD) is classified as a body dysmorphic disorder, it shares similarities with eating disorders (ED). The aim of the present study was to explore similarities between men with MD, women with ED, and a control group of men with body related preoccupations, regarding self-esteem, body esteem, and personality traits. Analyses revealed that clinical groups reported lower body esteem, more perfectionism and narcissism than the control group; only the ED group showed a significantly lower selfesteem than the control group. Also, men with MD showed higher self-esteem and body-esteem, as well as a higher level of narcissistic grandiosity than women with ED. Even though, we cannot exclude that gender differences could partly explain these findings, the present results suggested that a preserved self-esteem and a heightened narcissistic grandiosity tend to characterize MD.


Secondary lahars represent one of the major threats at active or quiescent volcanoes. Therefore, it is important to stablish their frequency, distribution, and triggering mechanism to define hazard-scenarios. In this work, an analysis of a lahar, that occurred on February 4th, 2010 in the Nexpayantla ravine, on northwestern sector of Popocatépetl volcano is presented. A geomorphological and textural analysis coupled with rain data and satellite imagery were used to determine its origin and to delineate inundation areas. This lahar was triggered by a 100 mm/day precipitation and initiated as a stream flow, that transformed into a debris flow, and ended as a stream flow. The transformation from streamflow to debris flow was due to sediment entrainment by laminar erosion and mass wasting processes. In contrast, its subsequent dilution was favored by changes in channel geometry, the high wood content, and the lack of fine sediment. Modelling of this lahar by numerical simulations allowed to calculate a flow depth of up to 1.7 m. Satellite imagery revealed that the deposit observed in the field represents only 68 % of the actual inundation area. Precipitation data indicates a 27-years return period for rains similar in magnitude to the one that triggered this lahar. Further detailed studies of secondary lahars will allow to better constrain hazard-scenarios at Popocatepetl volcano.


Inter-firm cooperation has received attention in recent year due to its benefit. However, little has been studied about the way to develop this relationship. In  this  paper  we  provide  evidence  on  the  development of  small  and  medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Vietnam relying on inter-firm relationship. Using a recent national survey in 2014 for tourism sector, empirical results indicate that trust in partner, along with motivation from relationship, are the main predictor of this relationship. Further, it confirms the positive influence of similarities between partners on inter-firm cooperation. Our empirical results indicate that classical determinants of inter-firm relationship including firm age, firm size, location and the ownership are also important in Vietnam. In addition to the traditional indicators we analyze the effect of government support. Direction from the government contributed significantly to the growth of Vietnamese SMEs by fostering inter-firm cooperation, but the importance of this kind of support may be diminishing as private firms do not seem to benefit from this form of support.


Attitudes to risk have generated a lot of attention over the years due to its vital importance in decision-making processes that are necessary for life and livelihoods. Attitudes towards uncertainty have received less attention even though arguably most important decisions are under uncertainty rather than risk. In addition, many studies modelling attitudes to risk have adopted experiments that place significant cognitive burden on respondents. Crucially, they are also framed in a way that do not reflect everyday problems. Specifically, the most common way of eliciting attitudes is to ask decision makers to choose between discrete monetary lotteries with known probabilities attached to the payoffs. Yet, arguably, the vast majority of choices that people make in their day-to-day lives are with respect to continuous non-monetary outcomes. To address these gaps, this thesis investigates responses to continuous 'prospects' across different conditions (risk & uncertainty), contexts (monetary & time) and content domains (gain, loss & mixed). Further, this thesis examines the link between attitudes to risk/uncertainty and mental health related factors and the effect of attitudes to risk and uncertainty on farmers' decisions both for themselves and for others. This thesis uses both non-parametric methods - relating to the patterns that characterise participants' choices and their determinants; and parametric models – based upon cumulative prospect theory (CPT) as it extends to continuous prospects. The data were gathered using lab-in-field experiments in which Nigerian farmer's chose between pairs of prospects with continuous distributions, which were not exclusively monetary in nature. Attitudes towards risk, as opposed to uncertainty were elicited by specifying that all outcomes over the specified interval were 'equally likely' (thus a uniform probability density). Uncertainty was specified by indicating to farmers that one outcome within the specified interval would be realised but without the specification of an associated probability density. Key findings are that attitudes differ under different conditions, contexts and content domains. Using continuous prospects, respondents did not treat equally likely outcomes as 'equally likely' and appear to demonstrate cumulative probability distribution warping consistent with the CPT. However, there were behaviours that are difficult to reconcile with CPT such as the preferences of many respondents could only be modelled using "extreme curvature" of the value function. This was induced by what we term negligible gain avoidance (i.e. avoiding prospects with zero lower bound in the gain domain) or negligible loss seeking (i.e. preferring prospects with zero upper bound in the loss domain) behaviours. CPT, Salience theory, Heuristics and other theories examined in this study could not alone explain these behaviours. Results from investigating the effect of bipolar disorder tendencies (BD) on risk attitudes show that BD significantly affects the shape of the value and probability weighting functions; and farmers that have BD are more likely to make random choices. Other results show that risk aversion for losses increases participation in off-farm income generating activities; and that farmers' likelihood to engage in specific types of offfarm activities is determined by their risk and uncertainty attitudes.


This article reports the results of a study which aimed to examine the development of children's ability to depict loneliness in their drawings. Seventy-eight children and 20 adults took part in the study. Participants were first asked a series of questions assessing their conceptions of loneliness, and were then invited to draw a picture that conveys loneliness. The resulting drawings were coded and scored for the presence of the two dimensions of loneliness: cognitive and emotional. First, the authors examined the use by participants of graphic indicators denoting deficiencies in one's social relations resulting to loneliness (cognitive dimension); second, they assessed the expressive strategies participants employed to convey the negative affect that typically accompanies loneliness in their drawings (emotional dimension). Finally, the authors tested the relationship between children's definitions of loneliness with their drawings of the construct. The results show a clear developmental progression in children's pictorial representations of loneliness. Whereas the majority of young children represented loneliness as the absence of a social network, older children used graphic indicators to convey both the absence of a social network and the sadness that accompanies loneliness. In contrast to children, adults consistently included symbolic or metaphoric graphic indicators in their drawings to convey the negative affect accompanying the experience of loneliness.


Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a common bacterial infection among humans. Current knowledge implies that acquisition of H. pylori seems to occur predominantly in childhood and a major role of intrafamilial spread is now beyond controversy. However, the major route of transmission remains poorly understood. The prevalence of H. pylori infection continues to vary markedly between developing countries and developed countries, and according to ethnicity, place of birth and socioeconomic factors among people living in the same country. According to the nation-wide seroprevalence study for 5,732 asymptomatic Korean population, which was conducted from March 1998 to October 1998, the seroprevalence of H. pylori infection was 46.6%, showing the transition from a developing country to a developed country. The seroprevalence in children (neonate-15 yr) and adult (16-79 yrs) were 17.2% and 66.9%, respectively. According to multivariate analysis, variables such as sex, age, geographic area, crowding (number of person per room) in childhood, economic status in childhood, and types of housing in childhood were significantly and independently associated with H. pylori seroprevalence of adults. In children, age, geographic area, household income, mother`s education, and drinking water source were significant factors of H. pylori infection. As 7 years has already passed since the nation-wide study, well designed study for the seroprevalence of H. pylori infection, by which epidemiological factors and the route of transmission of H. pylori infection could be discovered, is warranted. (Korean J Gastroenterol 2005;46:153-158)


Vegetation dynamics plays a critical role in causing the decadal variability of precipitation over the Sahel region of West Africa. However, the potential impact of changes in CO2 concentration on vegetation dynamics and precipitation variability of this region has not been addressed by previous studies. In this paper, we explore the role of CO2 concentration in the regional climate system of West Africa using a zonally symmetric, synchronously coupled biosphere-atmosphere model. We first document the response of precipitation and vegetation to incremental changes of CO2 concentration; the impact of CO2 concentration on the variability of the regional biosphere-atmosphere system is then addressed using the second half of the twentieth century as an example. An increase of CO2 concentration causes the regional biosphere-atmosphere system to become wetter and greener, with the radiative effect of CO2 and improved plant-water relation dominant in the Sahelian grassland region and the direct enhancement of leaf carbon assimilation dominant in the tree-covered region to the south. Driven by the observed sea surface temperature (SST) of the tropical Atlantic Ocean during the period 1950–97 and with CO2 concentration prescribed at a pre-industrial level 300ppmv, the model simulates a persistent Sahel drought during the period of 1960s−1990s. The simulated drought takes place in the form of a transition of the coupled biosphere-atmosphere system from a wet/green regime in the 1950s to a dry/barren regime after the 1960s. This climate transition is triggered by SST forcing and materialized through vegetation-climate interactions. The same SST forcing does not produce such a persistent drought when a constant modern CO2 concentration of 350ppmv is specified, indicating that the biosphere-atmosphere system at higher CO2 level is more resilient to drought-inducing external forcings. This finding suggests that the regional climate in Sahel, which tends to alternate between dry and wet spells, may experience longer (or more frequent) wet episodes and shorter (or less frequent) dry episodes in the future than in the past. Our study has significant implications regarding the impact of climate change on regional socio-economic development.


Speech/non-speech sound classification is an important problem in audio diarization, audio document retrieval and advanced human interfaces. The focus of this study is on the development of spectral and temporal acoustic features for speech/non-speech sound classification based on production differences in speech versus whistle. Seven time- and frequency-domain based features are investigated. Performance of the proposed feature set for the task of speech/whistle classification is evaluated at frame level. This evaluation utilizes support vector machine (SVM) models and Gaussian mixture models (GMM) for back-end classifiers. At the frame-level, the proposed front-end fusion gives an absolute performance gain of +15.0% and +3.1% over MFCC with SVM and GMM based classifiers, respectively. This research will benefit the development of intelligent speech interfaces for identification, recognition, and speech coding, as a preprocessing step for real world audio streams.


This study examines the evolution of the texture, structure, and chemical composition of rocks derived from clastic materials of the Ossa-Morena Zone (Hesperian Massif, Spain). Previous studies of phyllosilicates in these rocks (by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, and electron microprobe) indicated a temperature decrease from bottom (epizone conditions) to top (diagenetic conditions) of the rock section.At the nanometer scale, phyllosilicate packets form large angles where grains intersect with no preferred orientation. With metamorphic grade, packets are wide and defect free, compared to packets at lower grade. These packets are ∼ 15 layers under diagenetic conditions to >80 layers in the epizone. Dioctahedral K-rich micas (muscovite, phengite, and illite) have coexisting 1Md, 1M, and 2M polytypes. Long-period polytypes of 4, 5, and 6 layers are reported for the first time in dioctahedral K-rich micas. The chemical compositions of the micas are nearly identical in the anchizone and the diagenetic zone, comprising an illitic (0.8 atoms per formula unit, a.f.u., of K) and a phengitic component (0.15 a.f.u, of Mg and 0.13 a.f.u, of Fe). Fe may correspond to a ferrimuscovitic substitution. Epizone samples have a high phengitic content (Mg = 0.24 a.f.u.) and almost no illite component. One diagenetic sample has coexisting berthierine, trioctahedral chlorite, sudoite, and corrensite. Berthierine and chlorite are identical in composition. Because of the clastic nature of the system, the composition of corrensite is not typical of other corrensites, with higher Al content, Fe/Mg ratio at ∼1, and K as the exchangeable cation.Textural differences between the diagenetic zone and the anchizone are the progressive increase in the size of dioctahedral K-rich mica grains, which involves an increasing illite crystallinity based on the Kübler index. The chemical compositions of these micas are illite (diagenesis and anchizone) and phengite in the epizone. There are no intermediate phases, suggesting a compositional gap between illite and phengite. The coexistence of different polytypes of dioctahedral K-rich micas and the absence of chemical homogeneity indicate disequilibrium in the Cambrian pelitic rocks studied.


This article builds on my earlier research (e.g. on William Raban's site-specific work) into the contemporary problem of showing moving image work in art galleries. The misfit between works' formal strategies and their mode of presentation is an ongoing issue.

The essay is based on a review of two exhibitions held in London in 2011 of video works by Philippe Parreno, and Douglas Gordon. Parreno's show was praised as novel and exemplary for the way in which it marshalled its audience from room to room to watch the films, but I argue that the relationship between the work and the way it is presented is arbitrary. In the case of Douglas Gordon's show I argue that the work is a conventional movie masquerading as an installation.

In each case I conduct a rigorous analysis of the work itself and how it has been installed. My writing is informed by formalist and constructivist approaches, and considers the relationship between the work's form and its output / presentation, paying attention specifically to the relationship between these two aspects, which I see as equally important.

The article analyses contemporary exhibition practices in order to arrive at new theories and working methods for showing moving images in galleries. It draws attention to the tradition of exhibiting in alternative venues, where filmmakers, as opposed to "gallery" artists, have been much more successful in making moving image installations. The research aims to help artists and writers to better understand the issues and histories surrounding the making and showing of film and video in 'art' spaces. In a context where most art critics are not specifically informed about the history and theory of experimental film and video practice, the research seeks to raise the level of debate around video, and latterly film, projections in art galleries.


Skin epidermis is a constantly renewing epithelium that is composed of various cell types and provides an ideal model system for tissue regeneration and heterogeneity studies. Integrins are a family of transmembrane receptors that mediate cell adhesion in the epidermis, and integrin expression spatially reflects epidermal heterogeneity. It remains unclear whether differential expression of integrins can characterize cell types in skin epidermis. This study applied a fluorescence‐activated cell sorting (FACS) strategy based on differential expression of α6 and β1 integrins, and used transcriptome analysis to explore epidermal heterogeneity. First, epidermal cells were acquired from C57BL/6 mice back skin. Nine bulk‐cell populations were sorted with differential expressions of α6 and β1 integrins, and were successfully characterized as the main cell types in the epidermis through RNA‐seq and transcriptome analysis. Then, tetOKrt14‐H2BGFP mice were used to trace the cell proliferation rate during wound healing with GFP intensity. Epidermal cells were acquired from the re‐epithelialized back skin wounds, and a total of 576 single cells were sorted, combining integrin expression and GFP tracing. FACS single‐cell RNA‐seq enabled high resolution in the classification of subtypes in both interfollicular epidermis and hair follicle, and both quiescent and intermediate cell states of the basal and infundibulum stem cell populations were distinguished. This study proposed a presorted method to investigate the relationship between integrin expression and epidermal heterogeneity. Multiple epidermal cell types and their expression profiles were identified, which provides data resources for dermatology research.


We present techniques to process large scale-free graphs in distributed memory. Our aim is to scale to trillions of edges, and our research is targeted at leadership class supercomputers and clusters with local non-volatile memory, e.g., NAND Flash. We apply an edge list partitioning technique, designed to accommodate high-degree vertices (hubs) that create scaling challenges when processing scale-free graphs. In addition to partitioning hubs, we use ghost vertices to represent the hubs to reduce communication hotspots. We present a scaling study with three important graph algorithms: Breadth-First Search (BFS), K-Core decomposition, and Triangle Counting. We also demonstrate scalability on BG/P Intrepid by comparing to best known Graph500 results [1]. We show results on two clusters with local NVRAM storage that are capable of traversing trillion-edge scale-free graphs. By leveraging node-local NAND Flash, our approach can process thirty-two times larger datasets with only a 39% performance degradation in Traversed Edges Per Second (TEPS).


Aim: To evaluate the effect of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and vitamin C on ventral prostatic antioxidant system in adult male rats. Methods: A group of 20 adult male rats were administered ip Aroclor 1254 in corn oil at a dose of 2 mg·kg-1·day-1 for 30 days. Ten control rats were administered only the vehicle. After 30 days the treated rats were divided at random into 2 sub-groups of 10 animals each. One sub-group received vitamin C at a dose of 500 mg·kg-1·day-1 for 10 days. The other group was maintained as Aroclor 1254 control. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment the rats were killed by decapitation. Ventral prostatic homogenate was prepared and used for the estimation of enzymatic antioxidants, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), lipid peroxidation (LPO) and prostatic acid phosphatase. The serum levels of total T3, total T4, TSH, testosterone and estradiol were also assayed. Results: The body weight and ventral prostatic weight were reduced in PCB treated rats. The activities of SOD, CAT, GST and acid phosphatase were decreased while the levels of H2O2 and lipid peroxidation were increased in the ventral prostate of PCB treated rats. Administration of vitamin C restored these parameters. Serum levels of thyroid hormones, estradiol and testosterone were decreased in PCB treated animals. Administration of vitamin C restored the thyroid hormone levels. Conclusion: PCB induces oxidative stress and decreases the antioxidant enzymes in the ventral prostate of adult male rats; the effects could be reversed by the administration of vitamin C.


This study presents design, performance analysis, and optimization of a hybrid microgrid for the hospital complex located on Eskişehir Osmangazi University (ESOGU) campus using Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) software. Solar energy potential of the campus and the real electricity consumption of the hospital collected over one-year period were used in the design of the microgrid. The optimization takes into account the overall performance and the economic feasibility of the microgrid system over its lifetime. The designed microgrid consisting of photovoltaic (PV) modules, diesel generators, batteries, converters, and loads is configured as a grid-connected hybrid system. In order to optimize the system, PV module failures, increase in demand, increase in fuel cost of diesel generators, and mains interruptions are defined as performance variables and realistically modelled in the HOMER simulation. Later, both the individual and the combined effects of these variables on the performance of the microgrid was investigated via simulation using five operating scenarios. The objective was to obtain reliable data from the microgrid design that reflects the realistic operation of microgrid over its 25-years of service time. Simulation results have shown that the economic feasibility and the performance of the microgrid are greatly affected by these factors. For example, in a worst case scenario where all variables are acting together, net present cost increases to 40.44%, cost of energy increases to 21.92%, and operating cost rises to 53.91%. Moreover, the results show a reduction up to 33.30% in the portion of energy that is directly transferred from renewable sources to the load. The simulation results were then used to optimize the design of the microgrid system for the best overall performance. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that the proposed hybrid microgrid system supplies the energy demand of the hospital, lowers the cost of electricity consumption, provides a reasonable payback time, and the best of all, it contributes to the clean campus concept.©2019. CBIORE-IJRED. All rights reserved   Article History: Received May 16th 2018; Received in revised form October 18th 2018; Accepted December 16th 2018; Available onlineHow to Cite This Article: Çetinbaş, I., Tamyürek, B., and Demirtaş, M. (2019) Design, Analysis, and Optimization of a Hybrid Microgrid System Using HOMER Software: Eskişehir Osmangazi University Example. Int. Journal of Renewable Energy Development, 8(1), 65-79.https://doi.org/10.14710/ijred.8.1.65-79


It is a well-known phenomenon that marginalized communities living in areas which potentially have great attraction for tourists in Pakistan also suffer most from the effects of climate change. The fact that marginalized communities represent no significant potential and power to combat the increased disaster risks that climate change is bringing is further dragging them to serious vulnerabilities. In developing countries there is a need to bring marginalized communities to the front line of adapting to climate change, as increasing floods and droughts impact upon their livelihoods. These communities are mostly engaged with agricultural activities, fish farming and live close to the natural environment and forests where most of the tourist attractions are located. Marginalized communities should have experience and awareness to build the resilience of their communities to the intensifying natural hazards to come but unfortunately, the situation is against the hypothesis. With no involvement and contribution of marginalized communities while decision-making, real community adaptation to climate change disasters simply cannot be achieved. This paper aims to point out the critical nexus between marginalized communities' experiences of climate change, disaster risk reduction, and how they can come collectively to make a whole society strong and sustainable. Climate changing patterns of eight districts of Pakistan are being analyzed by using monthly data from 2000 to 2013 on the amount of precipitation (mm) and mean monthly temperature and mean monthly maximum temperature (mean daily maximum temperature) as indicators of distorting climate patterns, especially in the last ten years.


On Žižek's Dialectics explores the theoretical and practical potential of the psychoanalytic method deployed by Slavoj Žižek by investigating its epistemological implications within our contemporary capitalist universe. The book begins by evaluating Zizek's account of the capitalist ideology of enjoyment through the analysis of Lacan's critique of Marx's surplus-value. If the originality of Žižek's wager lies in the claim that enjoyment secretly sustains our ideological space, can we think of surplus-jouissance in a way that not only unmasks the ruse of capitalism but also adumbrates the construction of an alternative social space?

The answer to this question is developed in the second part of the book. Arguing that the transformative potential of Zizek's epistemology needs to be fully unravelled if it is to avoid the risk of congealing into mere academic exercise, Fabio Vighi attempts to politicise Žižek's groundbreaking critical method by calling upon the necessity to translate its emphasis on the "indigestible" surplus of knowledge into the drive to think the new. Under the current conditions, this creative moment can no longer be delayed.


In order to define the relative importance of renal failure and increased bone resorption in the hypercalcaemia of myelomatosis 22 untreated patients were studied, of whom 12 were hypercalcaemic. Most patients had malabsorption of radiocalcium from the gastrointestinal tract and evidence of increased bone resorption as assessed by fasting urinary hydroxyproline/creatinine ratio. The mean OHPr/Cr ratio, however, was similar in patients with and without hypercalcaemia. Renal failure and Bence Jones proteinuria occurred more frequently in the hypercalcaemic patients. In four patients with hypercalcaemia there was an increase in OHPr/Cr after saline infusion accompanied by an improvement in renal function and hypercalcaemia. Mithramycin given to the same patients further reduced hypercalcaemia, presumably by inhibiting bone resorption. It was concluded that the hypercalcaemia of myelomatosis is due to the combination of renal failure and increased bone resorption, but that the OHPr/Cr ratio in the untreated state is a poor indicator of the degree of bone resorption in hypercalcaemic patients.


Abstract The 2004-2006 eruption of Mount St. Helens produced a sequence of lava domes characterized by a 1-3 m thick outer carapace of highly brecciated and comminuted dacite fault rocks. This outer layer of fault rocks is proposed to be a physical manifestation of the "drumbeat" microseismicity, such that magma extrusion occurred via integration of rapid, co-seismic slip along small displacement (<5 mm) faults. A suite of deformation experiments performed on samples of Mount St. Helens (MSH) dacite under confining pressures of 0, 25, 50, and 75 MPa, at room temperature, and an average displacement rate of ~10-4/s were run to reproduce fault textures found in nature. The MSH dacite starting material has low porosity (7-8%), and a microcrystalline groundmass with little glass. A subsidiary set of deformation experiments on dacite samples from the 2006 Augustine eruption was run under identical experimental conditions to evaluate the effect of increased porosity (φ ~ 20-24%) on failure mechanisms. The MSH dacite samples show a progressive increase in peak strength with increasing confining pressure, are strong (peak stress at 75 MPa is 700 MPa) and failed by localized, brittle behavior, characterized by macroscopic fractures and rapid stress drops. In contrast, Augustine dacite deformed by distributed cataclastic flow and is much weaker (peak stress at 75 MPa is 220 MPa). We propose that the generation of low-porosity dacite was an important variable in promoting wholesale localized faulting and the attendant drumbeat microseismicity at Mount St. Helens. Microstructures of gouge developed experimentally at room temperature are remarkably similar to those developed at ~730 °C at MSH. Mode I microcracking, shear fracture of grains, and grain size comminution occurred in both natural and experimental fault rocks. Laser grain size particle analyses show peaks at 1.5 μm for experimental run products vs. peaks at 1.9 and 4 μm for natural MSH gouge. We conclude that because the MSH lava had solidified prior to faulting, temperature is secondary in importance in the formation of the gouge material. Based on the amount of fault displacement per microseismic event, the number of "drumbeats," and the aggregate radial thickness (1-3 m) of the gouge, we calculate that the 3-6 m/day eruption rate allows for gouge-filled slip surfaces having thicknesses of 0.8-5 mm and strike lengths of 98-190 m per seismic event.


This paper presents a model-based and integrated strategy for hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) power management and aftertreatment control with preview information of road grade. The HEV power management has been well studied for decades to optimize vehicle fuel economy by properly determining the power split ratio between internal combustion engine and electric motor. Meanwhile, the HEV tailpipe emissions have also been decreased, thanks to the implementation of aftertreatment systems, of which selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems have been widely equipped in ground vehicles powered by diesel engines to reduce  ${\rm{NO}}_{\rm x}$ emissions. For SCR systems, major efforts are dedicated to design the efficient ammonia dosing strategies for removing ${\rm{NO}}_{\rm x}$  without generating excessive ammonia slip at the tailpipe. By coordinately controlling the HEV power management and aftertreatment systems, it is possible to achieve lower fuel consumption and emissions from tailpipe. In addition, the proposed control strategy incorporates the preview road grade information to calculate the optimal torque–split ratio and ammonia dosing amount such that the overall performance can be improved for the trip. The road grade impacts on vehicle fuel consumption and emissions are investigated in this paper. A model-based controller with an explicit consideration of road grade has been analytically developed and verified in simulation environment. The performance of the proposed controller is evaluated under US06 test cycle and comparison results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed design. Controller's real-time implementation potential is also discussed in this paper.


Despite major advances made in modeling vascular tissue biomechanics, the predictive power of constitutive models is still limited by uncertainty of the input data. Specifically, key measurements, like the geometry of the stress-free (SF) state, involve a definite, sometimes non-negligible, degree of uncertainty. Here, we introduce a new approach for sensitivity analysis of vascular hyperelastic constitutive models to uncertainty in SF measurements. We have considered two vascular hyperelastic models: the phenomenological Fung model and the structure-motivated Holzapfel-Gasser-Ogden (HGO) model. Our results indicate up to 160% errors in the identified constitutive parameters for a 5% measurement uncertainty in the SF data. Relative margins of errors of up to 30% in the luminal pressure, 36% in the axial force, and over 200% in the stress predictions were recorded for 10% uncertainties. These findings are relevant to the large body of studies involving experimentally based modeling and analysis of vascular tissues. The impact of uncertainties on calibrated constitutive parameters is significant in context of studies that use constitutive parameters to draw conclusions about the underlying microstructure of vascular tissues, their growth and remodeling processes, and aging and disease states. The propagation of uncertainties into the predictions of biophysical parameters, e.g., force, luminal pressure, and wall stresses, is of practical importance in the design and execution of clinical devices and interventions. Furthermore, insights provided by the present findings may lead to more robust parameters identification techniques, and serve as selection criteria in the trade-off between model complexity and sensitivity.


This paper examines the pace at which manufacturers have added certain powertrain technology into new vehicles from model year 1975 to the present. Based on data from the EPA's Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends database [1], the analysis will focus on several key technologies that have either reached a high level of penetration in light duty vehicles, or whose use in the new vehicle fleet has been growing in recent years. The findings indicate that individual manufacturers have, at times, implemented new technology across major portions of their new vehicle offerings in only a few model years. This is an important clarification to prior EPA analysis that indicated much longer adoption times for the industry as a whole. This new analysis suggests a technology penetration paradigm where individual manufacturers have a much shorter technology penetration cycle than the overall industry, due to "sequencing" by individual manufacturers.


The purpose is to describe a clinical case of orbital metastases as the presentation sign of the primary tumor, and the importance of a multidisciplinary diagnosis. A 70-year-old man attended the Ophthalmology Department referring ocular pain. Mild proptosis and a dermal lesion in the neck were noticed. Biopsy of the dermal lesion and systemic work-up were compatible with lung adenocarcinoma with metastatic dissemination. After one cycle of palliative chemotherapy, patient's medical condition worsened, and he eventually died. Although rare, orbital symptoms can be the initial clinical presentation preceding the diagnosis of the primary silent lung neoplasm. Ophthalmologist has an important role in diagnoses of metastatic orbital cancer. Involvement of the multidisciplinary team is important for diagnosis and treatment.


Purpose - – The purpose of this study is to focus on the development experience in the global world of two small communities, Viimsi in Estonia and Magog in South Africa. These two communities were chosen as exemplars because the authors were familiar with both, and understood them to be illustrative of differing outcomes of interaction of small communities with the global economy offering the prospect of generalisation of findings to the framework and theory. Twenty years ago, both were poor, since then Viimsi has become wealthy, while Magopa remains poor. It is not believed that becoming the wealthiest community in Estonia was Viimsi's per-determined destiny. What people of Viimsi did to make their community a success relative to the surrounding peer communities is a story of the visible as much as the invisible attributes. Design/methodology/approach - – These attributes are examined using a framework the authors' originally developed to explore the participation of Indigenous communities in the global economy in pursuit of development as they defined it. A thorough investigation was done on the interactions among various community stakeholder groups in an attempt to describe the social fabric of these two communities, and this was used to explain why Viimsi was able to take advantage of globalisation, when Magopa was not. Findings - – While it will be hard, no doubt, to translate all the success attributes of Viimsi to a different location and time, some of the lessons that were uncovered from the study are universal in nature, making them potentially useable for other small communities trying to find their way in the global world. Research limitations/implications - – Studying only two communities means that the generalisation of the findings is limited to theory. None can be made directly to the population of similar communities, except indirectly through exploration using the theory being developed to test its validity in other circumstances. Practical implications - – The findings from this paper will increase the understanding of the factors that contribute the a community's success of lack of, in participating in the global economy. Originality/value - – This is an under-researched area within development literature.