3: Cost and Survival Analysis before and after Implementation of Dana-Farber Clinical Pathways for Patients with Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Oral Abstract Session B Day 2, March 4, 2017 1:55–2:05 PM Ground Level, Grand Cypress Ballroom D Yichen Zhang, PhD Dana-Farber Cancer Institute After implementing a clinical pathway in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer at Dana Farber Cancer Institute (DCFI), the cost of care decreased significantly, with no compromise in survival. Clinical pathways are detailed, evidence-based treatment protocols that outline care for patients with specific disease types and stages. When properly designed and implemented, pathways can serve as an important tool to improve quality of care and manage resource utilization. In this instance, the authors created customized lung cancer pathways and partnered with a commercial vendor to provide a web-based platform for real-time decision support and post-treatment data aggregation. The DCFI rolled out its pathways for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in January 2014. At the end of the year, the authors identified 160 patients who had been diagnosed and treated for stage IV NSCLC in 2012 prior to implementation of the pathways and 210 patients who had been diagnosed after pathways were rolled out in 2014. The ambulatory costs of care were calculated for one year from the time of diagnosis. The analysis revealed that the total ambulatory cost of care decreased by more than $15,000 after the implementation of the pathways with no compromise of clinical outcomes. Chemotherapy, biologics and other antineoplastic drugs—those used to slow tumor growth—represented the single largest contributor to savings. This was achieved in part by reducing the use of selected high-price regimens that were not associated with significant clinical benefit. Pathways can provide comparative outcomes, value, and standardization, all of which will be crucial and helpful for shared saving and other payment models. Read the full article in JOP, and listen to podcast on this study with lead author David M. Jackman, MD. Abstract 37: Significant and sustained reduction in chemotherapy errors though improvement science37: Significant and sustained reduction in chemotherapy errors though improvement science Oral Abstract Session B Day 2, March 4, 2017 1:10–1:20 PM Ground Level, Grand Cypress Ballroom D Brian D. Weiss, MD Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center The majority of children with cancer are treated with complicated chemotherapy regimens that include multiple drugs, demanding monitoring schedules and complex dosing based on body surface area that often require changes in dose. Given this high risk for error in treating children with these highly complex regiments, Weiss et al., outline a quality improvement initiative that significantly cut chemotherapy administration errors at a large urban pediatric academic medical center. The medical center created a chemotherapy safety working group and developed an improvement program that was implemented in the spring of 2011. The researchers looked at the total number of chemotherapy (oral, intravenous, intrathecal, intramuscular, or subcutaneous) errors before and after the interventions, between January 10, 2010, and September 30, 2016. During the improvement project, researchers monitored impact of the interventions and reported outcomes as errors per 1,000 doses per month. By implementing a variety of unique interventions, the study center saw a reduction in errors from a baseline rate of 3.8 errors per 1,000 doses of chemotherapy to 1.9 – a shift that has been sustained for more than four years. The key intervention was a "chemotherapy safety huddle," where staff discussed and planned the next 24 hours of chemotherapy administration and reviewed any errors in the previous 24 hours. The authors said that the huddle created a culture of identifying potential threats to patient safety in a non-punitive setting. Additional interventions included headphones for clinicians ordering chemotherapy (to reduce noise and notify others that they should not be interrupted), methods to deal with leaking chemotherapy lines, standards for chemotherapy administration throughout the hospital, an intensive care unit nurse collaboration and the development of "chemo safety zones," quiet areas where clinicians review and sign treatment orders. Read the full article in JOP. Abstract 52: Reducing overuse of colony-stimulating factors without compromising patient safety: Evidence from a decision-support enabled utilization management program in patients with lung cancer receiving chemotherapy Oral Abstract Session B Day 2, March 4, 2017 1:45–1:55 PM Ground Level, Grand Cypress Ballroom D Gboyega Adeboyeje, MD, MS HealthCore, Inc.52: Reducing overuse of colony-stimulating factors without compromising patient safety: Evidence from a decision-support enabled utilization management program in patients with lung cancer receiving chemotherapy Oral Abstract Session B Day 2, March 4, 2017 1:45–1:55 PM Ground Level, Grand Cypress Ballroom D Gboyega Adeboyeje, MD, MS HealthCore, Inc. This retrospective cohort study found that a utilization management tool that makes real-time care recommendations can help reduce overuse of substances that assist the bone marrow in producing blood cells, called colony-stimulating factors (CSF), in attempts to prevent fevers in patients receiving chemotherapy with a low concentration of neutrophils white blood cells, known as febrile neutropenia (FN). CSFs have been shown to reduce the risk and severity of FN, but their use has diverted from guideline recommendations and resulted in overuse. The findings from this study suggest that overuse of CSF use in patients with lung cancer receiving chemotherapy can be better addressed through a utilization management tool. Initiatives that increase awareness of guideline recommendations and reduce the use of low-value practices continue to emerge in the oncology field. This study examines the effectiveness and safety of one such initiative. Implementation of a utilization management tool that assessed the risk of FN and made recommendations for or against CSF occurred in oncology practices across 9 U.S. states. Using the tool, oncologists could request CSF support and receive automated realtime recommendations based on the expected FN risk of the planned regimen for a specific patient. Using administrative claims data, researchers looked at 3,467 patients and identified 707 and 1150 case patients with lung cancer in practices with the tool in the periods before and after the implementation, respectively. The control group contained 636 and 974 patients with lung cancer in the corresponding time-periods in practices where the tool was not implemented. CSF use and FN rates were compared adjusting for baseline FN risk factors. In the adjusted results, CSF use was relatively unchanged in the control group in the periods before and after the program implementation, while there was a reduction from 48.4% to 35.6% in CSF use for those in the case group. Read the full article in JOP. This ASCO meeting brings together top leaders in the field to share strategies and methods for measuring and improving the quality of cancer care. This year's Symposium takes place March 34, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, FL and features more than 300 abstracts on the latest research related to quality of cancer care.


Indonesia is currently in the midst of a nation character crisis. Currently the face of the Indonesian nation is still tarnished with a variety of events that are very alarming events, such as corruption cases, news stories hoax provoking the community, some people are still easily provoked, the occurrence of student brawl, bulliying cases, promiscuity, rape, drug abuse / NAPSA, the lack of exemplary leadership of several rulers, the lack of attention of parents to children, etc. SMA as a higher education institution is one of the most important resources to develop a curriculum that clearly includes character education. Given the condition of the problem as mentioned above, it is necessary government efforts to build national character based on religion and nation culture. For that it is appropriate for schools to provide character education for students/students. Classical guidance is one form of service that is very effective and liked by students, Character education through classical guidance with Brain Storming method is expected to be fun for learners and can run as expected.


In 2007/08, a study was undertaken on sediment dynamics in shallow Lake Markermeer, The Netherlands. Firstly, the sediment characteristics median grain size, mud content and loss on ignition showed a spatial as well as water depth related pattern indicating wind-induced sediment transport. Sediment dynamics were investigated in a sediment trap field survey at two stations. Sediment yields, virtually all coming from sediment resuspension, were significantly correlated with wind speeds. Resuspension rates for Lake Markermeer were very high, viz. ca. 1,000 g/m(2)day as an annual average, leading to high suspended solids (SS) contents, due to the large lake area and its shallowness (high 'Dynamic Ratio'). Sediment resuspension behaviour was further investigated in preliminary laboratory experiments using a 'micro-flume', applying increasing water currents onto five Lake Markermeer sediments. Resuspension showed a clear exponential behaviour. Finally, a 3-D model was set up for water quality and SS contents in Lake Markermeer; first results showed a good agreement between modelled and actual SS contents. Construction of artificial islands and dams will reduce wind fetches and may be expected to cause a substantial decrease in lake water turbidity.


Background: Idiopathic right ventricular arrhythmias (IRVA) are responsive to medical and ablative treatment and have a benign prognosis. Arrhythmias caused by right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) are refractory to treatment and may cause sudden death. It is difficult to distinguish between these two types of arrhythmia. Objective: To differentiate patients with IRVA and ARVD by a conventional electrophysiological study. Methods: 56 patients with a right ventricular arrhythmia were studied. They had no history or signs of any cardiac disease other than right ventricular dysplasia. They were classified as having IRVA (n = 41) or ARVD (n = 15) on the basis of family history, ECG characteristics, and various imaging techniques. They were further investigated by standard diagnostic electrophysiology. Results: The two groups were clearly distinguished by the electrophysiological study in the following ways: inducibility of ventricular tachycardia by programmed electrical stimulation with ventricular extrastimuli (IRVA 3% v ARVD 93%, p < 0.0001); presence of more than one ECG morphology during tachycardia (IRVA 0% v ARVD 73%, p < 0.0001); and fragmented diastolic potentials during ventricular arrhythmia (IRVA 0% v ARVD 93%, p < 0.0001). Data from the clinical follow up in these patients supported the diagnosis derived from the electrophysiological study. Conclusions: Patients with IRVA or ARVD can be distinguished by specific electrophysiological criteria. A diagnosis of ARVD can be made reliably on the basis of clinical presentation, imaging techniques, and an electrophysiological study.


Cost containment in prescribing budgets is, and always will be, a key priority in any health service with limited resources. Therefore, a number of primary care trusts (PCT) have recently initiated pharmacy-led switches of 5-aminosalicylic acids (5-ASAs), with the intention of reducing prescribing budgets. However, this has generated considerable controversy among gastroenterologists, as there is concern that the clinical consequences of such programmes have not been adequately explored.

PCTs are currently under no obligation to consult secondary care prior to initiating pharmacy-led switches. In a secondary care-led condition such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), this seems highly counterintuitive. If gastroenterologists were to be consulted, how would we respond, and what could we contribute? This article examines the clinical consequences of PCT-initiated switch programmes in IBD, and the knock-on effects on patients and the secondary care gastroenterology community.

For a switch programme to be justified, the financial benefits it imparts must be balanced against its clinical effects. Here, we consider what the clinical effects of a 5-ASA switch might be. Many gastroenterologists express concern over such programmes, but is there evidence for a detrimental effect, and what is the experience that exists among the secondary care community to inform our approach?

Many gastroenterology specialists have already encountered pharmacy-led switches firsthand, and some of their experiences provide immediate cause for concern. Although anecdotal, reports abound that 5-ASA switches have been followed by flares of active disease and other adverse effects in a worrying number of patients. For example, in one recent pharmacy-led switch programme, a patient showed a significant drop in his white blood cell count after his 5-ASA was changed, and another two patients experienced bouts of diarrhoea. In a particularly worrying case, a young woman who was very concerned about her 5-ASA being switched was subsequently admitted with an episode …


An important challenge for future energy systems is a new modeling methodology that integrates the cyber and physical components. This model must include the impact of communication networks and further cyber components, besides the relevant information of the physical system, in terms of efficiency, sustainability, reliability, security, and stability. The Cyber Physical Energy Systems (CPES) concept is presented as an interesting alternative to address this issue and its main features are identified. The main CPES research areas are identified as: modelling energy systems, energy efficiency, energy resource management, and energy control. In this work, the advantages of the CPES approach are shown in order to address current challenges in future energy systems. Smart grids, based on microgrids and distributed generation concepts, are identified as an interesting application of the CPES. A new proposal for modeling smart grids based on the CPES approach is introduced.


Epidemiological and immunogenetic studies made in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), carried out for the first time in Uzbekistan, demonstrated the varying disease incidence in 4 populations: Uzbek, Tadjik, Russian and Tatar. In Uzbeks and Russians, a significant relationship was established between MS and antigen HLA-B7 carriership. A correlation was noted between the low incidence of MS among Uzbeks (0.8:100,000) and the higher among Russians (11.5:100,000) and the low prevalence of antigen HLA-B7 in the Uzbek and the higher one in the Russian population. It has been shown that the use of the medico-geographic mapping to specify the nature of MS is ineffective without regard to ethnic factors.


Objective: According to the definition of World Health Organization (WHO), attempting suicide is an act that a person intentionally and without others' interference shows an abnormal behavior (such as harming themselves or eating a drug higher than treatment dose) and his objective is realizing his expected changes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the demographic characteristics of married women with suicidal attempt and a variety of methods used to suicide among them who referred to the emergency department of Sina hospital in Tabriz.
 Methods: In a cross-sectional study 472 married female patients with suicide attempt who referred to the emergency department of Sina hospital in Tabriz in 2014 entered the study and relevant information was collected. Obtained information was analyzed using SPSS version 17.0.
 Results: Findings showed that the most frequent method of suicide was drug use (99.8%). A significant relationship was found between the type of drug used and seasons of the year. The majority of the population (90.5%) lived in urban areas and based on statistical analyses, a significant relationship was found between residency and type of drug used.
 Conclusion: According to the results of this study it can be concluded that drug use is the most frequent method of suicide that is done with a higher frequency in summer. Thus, rational prescription of drugs by physicians can be considered as one of the factors that can prevent suicide.


Universal Deformation Formulas (UDFs) for the deformation of associative algebras play a key role in deformation quantization. Here we present examples for certain classes of infinitesimals. A basic representable 2-cocycle $F$ of an associative algebra $\mathcal A$ is one for which there exist commuting derivations $D,\dots, D_n$ of $\mathcal A$ such that $F = \sum_{ij}a_{ij}D_i \smile D_j$, where the $a_{ij}$ are central elements of $\mathcal A$. When $\mathcal A$ is defined over the rationals, there is a natural definition of the exponential of such a cocycle. With this $\exp \hbar F$ defines a formal one-parameter family of deformations of $\mathcal A$, where $\hbar$ is a deformation parameter. The rational quantization of smooth functions on a smooth manifold using a bivector field as an infinitesimal deformation is a special case.


This anti-slavery medallion was cast in 1787, based on the symbol of the London Society for the  Suppression of the Slave Trade. It was a key object and image within the movement to abolish the slave trade in Britain. The medallion conveys a particular understanding of the slave trade as a social problem (such as assuming the vulnerability and passivity of the slave). Consequently, the medallion speaks to recent literature on the social construction of social problems. That literature, however, has tended to focus on the role of discourse in problem construction – rather than material objects like the medallion. This article interrogates the nature of the medallion as a material problem representation, bringing it into dialogue with discursive representations of a related contemporary issue: human trafficking. The article suggests ways in which the medallion challenges and develops those discursive representations. It concludes that the material dimension of the representation – and construction – of social problems is easily overlooked despite its significance, and that it merits further investigation.


Mouse uterine cells were obtained by trypsinization of uteri at timed intervals after the induction of a decidual reaction by intraluminal instillation of arachis oil on Day 4 of normal pregnancy. Cells were also obtained from ovariectomized mouse uteri, some of which had received a progesterone-oestradiol sequence to sensitize the uterus to a decidual stimulus. The differentiation of decidual cells was followed in cultures of these cells. The morphology of the cells obtained after 6 days in culture was dependent upon the seeding density employed. At low seeding density (plating densities of 75-100 cells/mm2) no net increase in cell number was observed, but large mononucleated stellate cells were present, with cytoplasmic and nuclear areas increased by 4-fold. At higher seeding densities (plating densities of up to 709 cells/mm2), a prolongation of cell survival and the appearance of substantial numbers of binucleated cells were observed. However, both cell types were characterized by the accumulation of filamentous material in the cytoplasm. Even at optimal seeding density the life-span of the decidualized cells could not be prolonged beyond 9 days. Uterine cells from hormone-treated ovariectomized animals underwent similar transformations but those from untreated ovariectomized mice gave only isolated islets of epithelial cells and scattered fibroblast-like cells in culture. These observations suggest that discrepancies in previous reports of in-vitro deciudualization of rat uterine cells result from differences in the seeding densities employed.


The information overload phenomenon has been studied for many years, and has proven to be more complex than researchers believed it to be. The study presented here aims at shedding some light on the complexity of information overload, by examining the relationship between perceived information overload intensity and three traditional and one nontraditional information overload predictors. The nontraditional predictor was power distance, which was manipulated through the collection of data from 184 local managers and professionals in New Zealand, Spain and the USA. The data analyses employed partial least squares-based structural equation modeling, and led to one surprising conclusion: perceived information overload intensity seems to be more strongly related to power distance than to the volume of written information or number of information transactions processed by an individual. This conclusion is referred to here as the information overload paradox.


The study investigated the effect of the angular position of the head on the blood flow in the jugular vein of giraffes. The vein considered is elastic and collapsible such that its cross-sectional area is not uniform. Transmural pressure causes the blood to move along the vein. Mathematical equations describing the flow were developed, and the vein was considered to be inclined at an angle φ to the horizontal. A finite-difference scheme was used to solve the equations of motion for the flow. The results are presented via relevant tables and plots. Our findings show that a change in the position of the head causes variation in the external pressure, which in turn causes variation in the cross-sectional area of the vein. Moreover, a drop (or increase) in the inertial pressure of the blood may cause the vein to collapse (or distend), which again triggers a change in the pressure.


During the last seven years, 19 patients with several stenoses of the cervical trachea underwent segmental resection of the trachea in our department. 7 cases required supplementary surgical correction of the airways prior to the operation. In 16 cases, primary success was achieved. 3 cases were cured by secondary repair of restenosis. All our patients could be decannulated.


We have studied the wavelength-dependent photodissociation dynamics of jet-cooled ClO radical from 235 to 291 nm using velocity map ion imaging. We find that Cl(2P(3/2))+O(1D(2)) is the dominant channel above the O(1D(2)) threshold with minor contributions from the Cl(2P(J))+O(3P(J)) and Cl(2P(1/2))+O(1D(2)) channels. We have measured the photofragment angular distributions for each dissociation channel and find that the A 2pi state reached via a parallel transition carries most of the oscillator strength above the O(1D(2)) threshold. The formation of O(3P(J)) fragments with positive anisotropy is evidence of curve crossing from the A 2pi state to one of several dissociative states. The curve crossing probability increases with wavelength in good agreement with previous theoretical calculations. We have directly determined the O(1D(2)) threshold to be 38,050+/-20 cm(-1) by measuring O(1D(2)) quantum yield in the wavelength range of 260-270 nm. We also report on the predissociation dynamics of ClO below the O(1D(2)) threshold. We find that the branching ratio of Cl(2P(3/2))/Cl(2P(1/2)) is 1.5+/-0.1 at both 266 and 291 nm. The rotational depolarization of the anisotropy parameters of the Cl(2P(3/2)) fragments provides predissociation lifetimes of 1.5+/-0.2 ps for the 9-0 band and 1.0+/-0.4 ps for the 8-0 band, in reasonable agreement with previous spectroscopic and theoretical studies.


Process executions generate event data that are typically stored in legacy information systems, such as databases. However, process discovery, which requires such event data, is performed in main memory. To bridge this gap, existing techniques must transform and extract event data, which can be expensive steps. This issue has been addressed by processing the event data directly in their origin. However, existing methods rely only on the simplest event data abstraction: the Directly Follows (DF) abstraction. This paper improves upon these existing works by considering another abstraction, the Minimum Self Distance (MSD) abstraction, which enables discovery of a larger class of models than the DF alone. That is, we propose IMw, a process discovery technique without logs and uses both the MSD and DF abstractions. Furthermore, this work proposes an approach to compute the MSD abstraction in-database, thus avoiding the need for transforming and moving event data. We evaluate IMw with real-life logs, and the experimental results show that IMw with in-database abstraction is faster than the traditional approach, aware of dynamic updates on event data, and able to discover models with pareto-optimal results, compared to existing techniques.


This is a prospective study of 78 chronic unilateral isolated anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) patients who were treated with an arthroscopically-assisted reconstruction technique using the semitendinosus tendon, occasionally associated with the gracilis, augmented with the Kennedy-ligament augmentation device (LAD). There was a minimum two-year follow-up period (mean, 34.3 months; range, 24-50 months). Ligamentous surgery was always restricted to the ACL intraarticular reconstruction. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative examinations at three, six, 12, 18, and 24 months, and every year thereafter, including subjective and objective evaluation with KT 1000 arthrometer laxity measurements, were completed. Two-year examination data were available on 77 (98.7%) of the 78 patients compared with preoperative data. The pivot shift (side-to-side difference) improved from 49.3% with Grade 0-1 to 92.2% with Grade 0-1. KT 1000 20-pound anterior drawer (greater than 5 mm side-to-side difference) improved from 49.3% (mean, 6 mm) to 91.1% (mean, 0.55 mm). KT 1000 maximum manual anterior drawer (greater than 5 mm side-to-side difference) improved from 21.9% (mean, 7.8 mm) to 97.4% (mean, 0.55 mm). After ACL reconstruction, 89.6% of patients had a full range of motion and only 10.3% had flexion contractures of less than 5 degrees; 5.2% of patients had mild effusion. Functional Lysholm knee scoring of 100 points improved from 7.7% scoring over 85 points preoperatively (mean, 66.5) to 92.1% postoperatively (mean, 95.6). Instability was controlled in 89.4% of the patients, and 71.4% have been involved in sports after injury. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction reduces pathologic laxity, improves lower-leg function, and minimizes flexion contracture and effusion.


Recently, push-based delivery has attracted considerable attention as a means of disseminating information to large client populations in both wired and wireless settings. We address the problem of ensuring the consistency and currency of client read-only transactions in the presence of updates. To this end, additional control information is broadcast. A suite of methods is proposed that vary in the complexity and volume of the control information transmitted and subsequently differ in response times, degrees of concurrency, and space and processing overheads. The proposed methods are combined with caching to improve query latency. The relative advantages of each method are demonstrated through both simulation results and qualitative arguments. Read-only transactions are processed locally at the client without contacting the server and thus the proposed approaches are scalable, i.e., their performance is independent of the number of clients.


Most actors of the Italian silent cinema in the early 1910s have a theatrical training. Some of them are already asserted or famous actors (like Cesare Dondini, Ermete Novelli, Ermete Zacconi, Giovanni Grasso) who are invited "to pose" for the cinema following their reputation, according to a strategy of an aesthetic and cultural legitimacy launched in 1909 by film d'art of the Pathe Consortium. I think it is the proverbial readiness and strength of the stage Italian actors that create a decisive contribution to the rapid development of the
national cinema industry, despite its serious structural deficiencies, from the protoindustrialized phase (1909) to the golden age of divismo (starting in 1913), until the first signs of decadence (1919), and the so-called "fall" of the UCI production and distribution system.
This is the main topic of the thesis: an investigation on the Italian stage actors engaged in the film industry ("from stage to screen" as the Italian title says, but in a "post-Vardac" approach) through many different sources: periodicals, memories, personal and business letters, and also contracts, found in several archive funds.
A specific chapter is dedicated to the artistic career of Febo Mari (1881-1939), real name Alfredo Rodriguez, witch is a time-sample symptomatic of deep ties established
between the growing film publishing and the Italian theatrical production system in the 1910s. The Mari debut in cinema and his ascent toward screen "divo" status coincides with the parable that leads from emergence to decadence of divismo in Italy.


The U.S. federal government enacted fuel efficiency standards for medium and heavy trucks for the first time in September 2011. Rationales for using this policy tool typically depend upon frictions existing in the marketplace or consumers being myopic, such that vehicle purchasers undervalue the future fuel savings from increased fuel efficiency. We measure by how much long-haul truck owners undervalue future fuel savings by employing recent advances to the classic hedonic approach to estimate the distribution of willingness-to-pay for fuel efficiency. We find significant heterogeneity in truck owners' willingness-to-pay for fuel efficiency, with the elasticity of fuel efficiency to price ranging from 0.51 at the 10th percentile to 1.33 at the 90th percentile, and an average of 0.91. Combining these results with estimates of future fuel savings from increases in fuel efficiency, we find that long-haul truck owners' willingness-to-pay for a 1 percent increase in fuel efficiency is, on average, just 29.5 percent of the expected future fuel savings. These results suggest that introducing fuel efficiency standards for heavy trucks might be an effective policy tool to raise medium and heavy trucks' fuel economy.


Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are highly charged and linear polysaccharide repeating units (with the exception of keratin sulfate), which are further classified according their monosaccharide composition and glycosidic linkage. They are present on most animal cell surfaces and in the extracellular matrix, where they engage through ionic interactions with a large number of proteins, including growth factors and their receptors. In this Thesis, we have developed an effective solid phase strategy for synthesis glycosaminogycans (GAGs). This strategy was applied for the assembly of monosaccharide building blocks into advanced oligosaccharide precursors up to the size of an octasaccharide with high yield and stereo-selectivity. A novel ester type linker was developed that incorporated a stable carbamate protected C5-spacer for later ligand immobilization. The carbamate function proved stable throughout the synthesis and was easily cleaved from the resin by a choice of two complementary methods. In addition a systematic evaluation of iduronic acid (IdoA) and Idose (Ido) glycosyl donors was carried out. In particular we evaluated a new class of highly reactive IdoA n-pentenyl orthoesters (NPOEs), with variation in protecting group pattern and the leaving group, for the sequential solution and solid-phase synthesis of glycosaminoglycans precursors.


Background To estimate the effect of mechanical exposure on musculoskeletal pain, there is a need to use valid and feasible exposure assessment methods. Direct measurements are not possible in large epidemiological studies and self-reported measures are prone to bias. Job exposure matrices (JEM) have been shown as a promising tool to assess work-related chemical exposures. Gender-specific JEM for mechanical exposures has, however, been used to a limited extent. The aim was therefore to develop and validate a gender-specific job exposure matrix for mechanical exposures in a representative sample of the Norwegian population. Methods Data from the Living Conditions Survey on Work Environment, collected by Statistics Norway in 2006 and 2009, was randomly split and one half was used to construct the JEM and the other to test the matrix validity. Occupation was classified on the 4 digit level according to the 1998 version of the Norwegian Standard Classification of Occupations (STYRK98), based on the International Standard (ISCO-88). Mechanical exposure information was collected by personal telephone interviews and included exposures that increase musculoskeletal load. Results The matrix represented 94% (329) of job titles in STYRK98. Among men, 41% of the job titles had ≥20 respondents while 45% of the job titles had ≤10 respondents. Among women, the corresponding proportions were 23% and 66%, respectively. After merging job titles with few respondents (≤10), based on similar work tasks and educational level, the number of occupational groups were 168 among men and 115 among women. Preliminary results show moderate agreement (kappa) between the group-based exposures and the individual-based exposures. Conclusion To evaluate whether the constructed gender-specific JEM can be regarded valid for exposure assessment in large epidemiological studies, the JEM's specificity and sensitivity and its predictive validity will be further analysed.


Formation of woven and lamellar bone in the adult skeleton can be induced through mechanical loading. Although much is known about the morphological appearance and structural properties of the newly formed bone, the molecular responses to loading are still not well understood. The objective of our study was to use a microarray to distinguish the molecular responses between woven and lamellar bone formation induced through mechanical loading. Rat forelimb loading was completed in a single bout to induce the formation of woven bone (WBF loading) or lamellar bone (LBF loading). A set of normal (non-loaded) rats were used as controls. Microarrays were performed at three timepoints after loading: 1 hr, 1 day and 3 days. Confirmation of microarray results was done for a select group of genes using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The micorarray identified numerous genes and pathways that were differentially regulated for woven, but not lamellar bone formation. Few changes in gene expression were evident comparing lamellar bone formation to normal controls. A total of 395 genes were differentially expressed between formation of woven and lamellar bone 1 hr after loading, while 5883 and 5974 genes were differentially expressed on days 1 and 3, respectively. Results suggest that not only are the levels of expression different for each type of bone formation, but that distinct pathways are activated only for woven bone formation. A strong early inflammatory response preceded an increase in angiogenic and osteogenic gene expression for woven bone formation. Furthermore, at later timepoints there was evidence of bone resorption after WBF loading. In summary, the vast coverage of the microarray offers a comprehensive characterization of the early differences in expression between woven and lamellar bone formation.


This article provides empirical results on the patterns of native and immigrant geographic mobility in France. Using longitudinal data, we measure mobility from one French municipality (commune) to another over time and estimate the effect of the initial municipality's ethnic composition on the probability of moving out. Relying on a unique methodology, we try to correct for biases related to selection based on geographical and individual unobservables. Our findings tend to discredit the hypothesis of the "white flight" central pattern in residential mobility dynamics in France. Some evidence nevertheless denotes ethnic avoidance mechanisms in natives' relocating. We also find a strong negative and highly robust effect of co-ethnics' presence on immigrant geographic mobility. The final discussion explores some avenues to interpret these findings.


Abstract: Many research networks have emerged as means to increase research involvement, build research capacity, and develop a research culture, but little is known regarding their effectiveness. Evaluations require that networks have a clearly specified program theory and clearly specified objectives; many networks do not. This article describes the experience of the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Education and Research Network of Alberta, a network that undertook a modified evaluability assessment to assist in developing the network and to plan a meaningful evaluation. Lessons learned may help other research networks to think strategically and plan for effective evaluations.


This paper questions the utility of the ethical principles that are usually invoked to deal with genomic issues, particularly genetic databases. Concepts such as solidarity, benefit sharing, equity, public participation, and collective identity are discussed. The author argues that genetic banks are precipitating new concern over group interest, as opposed to concern over issues arising from individualistic medical ethics. Genomics era needs new paradigms in ethics. An individualistic approach based on choice and autonomy is not useful, because we make choices not only as individuals but also as members of different groups. The doctrine of informed consent evolved in different historical conditions from the ones we face in the era of genomics. This is complicated by the global context of genetic research, in addition to powerful commercial interests. This suggests that it is not sufficient to move from an individual-centred ethic approach to a more community-centred one; an approach of renegotiating the relationship between individual and community. We need also to be clear about what the interests at stake are, which may mean reconceiving the terms 'individual' and 'community' in this context and the ways in which their interests are affected, identifying the sources of collective identity that are at stake.


Regular expression (regex) matching is an essential part of text analytics and network intrusion detection systems. The leftmost longest regex matching feature enables finding a leftmost derivation of an input text and helps resolve ambiguities that can arise in natural-language parsing. We show that leftmost longest regex matching can be efficiently performed in a dataflow pipeline by combining a recently proposed regex-matching architecture with simple last-in first-out (LIFO) buffers and streaming filter units, without creating significant back-pressure or using costly sorting operations. The techniques we propose can be used to compute overlapping and non-overlapping leftmost longest and rightmost longest regex matches. In addition, we show that the latency of the LIFO buffers can be hidden by overlapping the processing of subsequent input streams, without replicating the buffer space. Experiments on an Altera Stratix IV FPGA show a 200-fold improvement of the processing rates compared with a multithreaded software implementation.


This paper is a studying on the Al-Shuhadah Bridge lies in the Muthanna province south of Iraq, including the soil investigation taken from the project and analysis for the designed bridge firstly manually by using equations 1 and 2 according to the data provided, secondly by using three dimensional Plaxis program of finite elements. The settlement calculated by the above two ways is nearly similar and considered reasonable values compared with the allowable settlement according to Skempton and McDonald (1956) limitations for maximum settlement and maximum angular distortion. The bearing capacity of the bridge also calculated by using equation 3 and the value is larger than the applied load due to the effect of truck loading, while the study found that the bridge is not suitable to carry the dynamic loads due to the effect of train action; therefore, this bridge is used for the highway only and can success for this purpose.


: A report is given of the 1st confirmed outbreak of Albizia versicolor poisoning in Malawi and the 1st natural outbreak reported in sheep and goats. Approximately 800 animals are estimated to have died over a 9-year period on a government farm near Lake Malawi. Deaths occurred exclusively from August to December when ripe dry pods that fell to the ground were ingested. The major clinical signs were hyperaesthesia, wild running, lateral recumbency with rapid leg movements, nystagmus and rapid blinking. Approximately 75% of clinical cases made a full and rapid recovery. Sheep more often showed signs of poisoning than goats which was attributed to inherent susceptibility rather than selective feeding. The majority of animals affected were under 1 year of age. A series of experiments was conducted and all animals dosed with 6.4 g/kg or more of dry pods died with typical clinical signs. Although A. versicolor is well known to the local population there appeared to be no appreciation of its toxicity. Poisonings are probably rare under traditional management systems.


The purpose of this research was to examine the influence of co-curricular involvement on the need for cognition. Using multiple regression, I analyzed the relationship between co-curricular involvement and the need for cognition while controlling for sex, race, pretest, precollege academic motivation, SES, precollege academic ability, high school involvement, institutional type, work, residence, major, non-classroom interactions with faculty, and the kind of instruction. I also analyzed whether race, sex, or the type of institution students' attend further influenced the effect of involvement on the need for cognition The main effects model found the impact of involvement on the need for cognition to be statistically non-significant. While looking at conditional effects, I found being involved had a small, but positive, statistically significant impact on the need for cognition for non-white students. Also during this exploration I found sex and institutional type did not significantly impact the effects of involvement on the need for cognition. The suggestions for future research include replicating the current study and examining the impact of specific co-curricular involvement opportunities; following-up this study with a qualitative study to discover what students are gaining from cocurricular involvement; looking for additional conditional effects; and exploring what other college experiences impact the need for cognition. Abstract Approved: Thesis Supervisor Title and Department


The influence of parameters of degree of plastic deformation for 30…80 % and subsequent temper on the structure and yielding stress in the microyield region of pre-improved carbon steels has been studied. The classification of dispersed phase of ferrite into two types containing the high angle boundaries and substructure boundaries respectively in relation to steels has been discussed.


Scale and symmetry in monumental architecture are embraced by archaeologists as the primary vocabulary in past statements of power. In ancient Mesopotamia in particular, the excessive size of public buildings implied the control of both space and people. The predictable, often symmetrical plans regulated and reflected control over users' behavior. However, interpretations based on plans alone remain simplistic; analyses from ground level can better encompass the lived experience of a building's occupants or users. Close ground-level phenomenological analysis of movement through the Neo-Assyrian capital city of Khorsabad (constructed and inhabited 717–706 B.C.E.), particularly its citadel, indicates that manipulation of fields of view, interplay of light and shadow, and variations in sound were equally important means of conveying ideological messages.


Textile meshes frequently are implanted in the abdominal wall to reinforce a hernia repair. However, revisions for mesh associated complications confirm that these devices are not completely free of risk. Explanted devices offer an opportunity to define the impact of mesh structure on tissue response. This retrieval study analyses the tissue reaction to 623 polypropylene mesh samples (170 class 1 with large pores, and 453 class 2 with small pores) explanted for pain, infection, or recurrence. Histopathological assessment included morphometry of inflammatory infiltrate (IF) and connective tissue (CT), and of collagen 1/3 ratio. Half of the meshes were removed after more than 23 month. Despite large inter-individual differences removal for infection showed more IF than for pain or recurrence with significant correlation of IF with CT. Class 1 meshes with large pores showed less IF, CT, fistula formation, calcification, and bridging than class 2 meshes with small pores. Meshes removed for recurrence showed a lowered collagen 1/3 ratio in 70%. Large pore class 1 meshes showed an improved tissue response and may be considered as favorable to prevent inflammatory side effects. The presence of lowered collagen 1/3 ratio in most of the samples with recurrences stresses the relevance of an intact healing process. Late manifestation of complications demands long-lasting follow-up.


The Ras-specific guanine nucleotide-exchange factors Son of sevenless (Sos) and Ras guanine nucleotide-releasing factor 1 (RasGRF1) transduce extracellular stimuli into Ras activation by catalyzing the exchange of Ras-bound GDP for GTP. A truncated form of RasGRF1 containing only the core catalytic Cdc25 domain is sufficient for stimulating Ras nucleotide exchange, whereas the isolated Cdc25 domain of Sos is inactive. At a site distal to the catalytic site, nucleotide-bound Ras binds to Sos, making contacts with the Cdc25 domain and with a Ras exchanger motif (Rem) domain. This allosteric Ras binding stimulates nucleotide exchange by Sos, but the mechanism by which this stimulation occurs has not been defined. We present a crystal structure of the Rem and Cdc25 domains of Sos determined at 2.0-Å resolution in the absence of Ras. Differences between this structure and that of Sos bound to two Ras molecules show that allosteric activation of Sos by Ras occurs through a rotation of the Rem domain that is coupled to a rotation of a helical hairpin at the Sos catalytic site. This motion relieves steric occlusion of the catalytic site, allowing substrate Ras binding and nucleotide exchange. A structure of the isolated RasGRF1 Cdc25 domain determined at 2.2-Å resolution, combined with computational analyses, suggests that the Cdc25 domain of RasGRF1 is able to maintain an active conformation in isolation because the helical hairpin has strengthened interactions with the Cdc25 domain core. These results indicate that RasGRF1 lacks the allosteric activation switch that is crucial for Sos activity.


The security given to a network from unapproved access and dangers is broadly called as network security. It is the obligation of network managers to embrace preventive measures to shield their networks from potential security dangers. Computer networks that are associated with consistent data transactions inside the administration or business require security. The exponential development in the information that streams inside network, the quantity of individuals active on network, makes it essential to have a productive system that disallows outsiders to attack and access secret information. Consistently developing digital attacks should be checked to defend classified information. Machine learning methods which have a critical part in distinguishing the attacks are for the most part utilized as a part of the advancement of Intrusion Detection Systems. Because of colossal increment in network activity and diverse sorts of attacks, checking every single parcel in the system movement is tedious and computational serious


In this tutorial article, the strategies available to hedge market risks arising from different financing instruments are explained. Financial derivatives, whether futures or options have been widely applied in companies to mitigate or eliminate potential losses due to the uncertainty in interest or foreign exchange currency rates. However, the mathematical complexity of derivatives has sometimes been a barrier to non-highly specialised financial managers in understanding their foundations, advantages and ways to apply them in exposure reduction strategies. To address this issue, a practical approach to the use of derivatives is presented in this article. The swap valuation concepts and foundations of pricing are dealt with in the text, but their formal valuation techniques are described separately in the appendices. Explanations will be provided to calculate option premiums with the extensively used and free downloadable software of John Hull (Derivagem), but the mathematics involving the models used in option valuation will not be shown as they are outside the scope of this paper.


Our views on project success have changed over the years from definitions that were limited to the implementation phase of the project life cycle to definitions that reflect an appreciation of success over the entire project and product life cycle. This paper assesses our evolving understanding of project success over the past 40 years and discusses conditions for success, critical success factors and success frameworks. The paper concludes with a holistic view of project success and its implications for practice. This is an important topic because projects are an increasingly common way of work, and the lines between project and process work are harder to discern. Increasingly, more project managers work in companies using program and portfolio management as a means to organize project-related work. The success of individual projects, therefore, impacts the wider organization in several dimensions and makes the concept of project and project management success that much more relevant. The topic is also important because it has a bearing on the future directions of project management in the strategic context.


The color satellite image compression technique by vector quantization can be improved either by acting directly on the step of constructing the dictionary or by acting on the quantization step of the input vectors. In this paper, an improvement of the second step has been proposed. The knearest neighbor algorithm was used on each axis separately. The three classifications, considered as three independent sources of information, are combined in the framework of the evidence theory. The best code vector is then selected, after the image is quantized, Huffman schemes compression is applied for encoding and decoding.


Entrepreneurship in the Northern Region. There has been a tendency to ignore the role of the entrepreneur in regional development. An examination of economic literature indicated that he performed functions essential to the efficient use of resources and to technological advance, while relying heavily on information for knowledge on which to act. In carrying out such functions the entrepreneur was central to the whole of economic activity in the production of goods and services and in economic change. Consideration of growth and location theories did not alter these conclusions. Regional data on indicators of entrepreneurship led to the conclusion that in recent years indigenous entrepreneurship has been relatively low. This situation was in contrast to that existing in the 19th. Century when the Northern Region was a leading industrial centre of the world. An investigation of growth in the Region traced the rise of the major industries in the 19th century and their subsequent decline in the 20th century. The development of the large industries led to particular forms of organisation, marketing and geographic isolation for many firms and workers. The result was that for many, experiences were limited and information flows restricted. When shifts in demand came in the 20th century from heavy capital goods to lighter consumer goods, entrepreneurs in the North were unable to bring about the industrial changes necessary to rejuvenation of the region. Government action was needed with mobile plants becoming the corner-stone of regional policy in employment terms. The signs of long-term self-sustained growth were not so encouraging. With real constraints on the supply of mobile plants in the future the Region will have to rely more heavily on its present resources of industry and entrepreneurship to promote further economic growth than it has done in the past.


It is the purpose of this article to review and assert the utility of sociological knowledge about vaccines. Building on our previous work, we also want to pose a range of, as yet, unanswered questions about COVID-19 vaccination and thus offer an agenda for sociological research. Alongside exploring the social influences on vaccine hesitancy, we also argue that to effectively control the COVID-19 pandemic sociological analysis is also required of the processes of development and regulation of COVID-19 vaccines and of inequalities in the access to and availability of vaccines.


The shelves of bookstore business sections are filled with of books in which military leaders are role models for business leadership and strategy. Looking beyond books featuring war as a paradigm for business, one finds books which offer up game theory, both of the zero-sum and of the cooperative variety, as paradigms for business strategy. This article provides a review of this literature and concludes that, if indeed the theory of cooperative games is a proper paradigm for business, then the military leader is not the appropriate role model.


Background: This study investigated the effects of a prior individualized training program (TP) on the response to acute oxygen supply during exercise in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients showing exercise-induced desaturation. Methods: Twenty-two COPD patients (mean [SD] FEV1 = 52.1 [3]% predicted) who desaturated on exercise participated in a TP. Exercise tolerance while breathing compressed air or oxygen was assessed using a walking test (WT) before and after TP. Oxygen flow was individualized. Results: Before TP, acute oxygen supply improved mean exercise tolerance. But this response was heterogeneous as only 8 patients increased their walking distance with oxygen. TP improved exercise tolerance in the entire population. However, a greater affect of oxygen administration during exercise was not observed after TP. The response to oxygen again showed great disparity as only 6 patients increased their walking distance with oxygen after TP. Conclusion: The response to oxygen supply during exercise varied among COPD patients. Moreover, despite the clinical benefits of TP, no cumulative effect of TP and oxygen supply was observed during exercise performance.


This thesis examines the conceptual origins of the control of the air in Britain between 1911 and 1918. It concludes that military and naval aviators possessed an innate understanding of the concept, informed by the wider operational and organisational context of their respective parent services. For the Royal Flying Corps, the control of the air was understood in terms of providing auxiliary support to the British Army in the field. For the Royal Naval Air Service, the concept possessed an inherently strategic slant. Pre-war theorising, developed during the First World War, has been the subject of some controversy in the literature. The overtly tactical focus of the Royal Flying Corps and its concept of the control of the air, praised in the first instance, is now widely criticised. In contrast, naval aviators, highlighted as lacking focus and direction, are now hailed as progressive innovators. By examining various facets affecting the conceptual origins of the control of the air, including doctrine, education, and relations with allies, this thesis attempts to reinvigorate the traditional interpretation of military and naval air power in Britain during this period.


Live feed broadcast, as a new media, enables viewers to interact with broadcasters or other viewers during live video and co-create video with others. Facilitated by synchrony and mobility, the live feed broadcast is now available to anyone having a smart phone consequently leading to increased competition among broadcaster for viewers. The presence of viewers in one's live feed brings reputation as well as financial benefits to the broadcasters. Hence, the ease of broadcasting would increase competition and hence difficulty in viewer retention. Therefore, this study aims to investigate viewers' intention to actively participate in a live feed broadcast using a combination of socio-technical perspective and commitment-trust theory. The results reveal that social and technical features influence affective commitment and identification trust, which in turn affects the viewer co-creation behavior. The results will be useful for live feed broadcasters as well as platform providers. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.


The following questions are addressed: how to determine the joint rates and constraints on the end-effector rates and how to know which joint rates are instantaneously inactive and which can be driven independently. The approach is based on the instantaneous properties of series chains as derived from the theory of screw systems. In this framework, those screws that correspond to the joint rates of the constituent series chains are identified. Once the correspondence is determined, the sought-after kinematic properties can be deduced from the vector space properties of these screws.<<ETX>>


This chapter describes the boriding process and the parameters that govern it. It also describes the features of the obtained layers and the main applications of materials treated with this hardening process. The kinetics of growth of the Fe2B face is described using a mathematical model, in which the evolution of the growth of the boride layers is assumed to be controlled by the boron diffusion by means of a dimensional analysis of Fick's second law. The evolution of the growth of the Fe2B face on a low-carbon steel surface is illustrated by contour diagrams that involve the main variables of the process (time and exposure temperature). This type of diagrams allows the optimization of the process as a function of the treatment parameters.


Anthropogenic disturbances affect natural populations and assemblages by interacting with fundamental ecological processes. Field experiments simulating the effects of human activities at the appropriate spatial and temporal scales are useful to understand these interactions and eventually to predict their ecological consequences. In the Mediterranean, low-shore habitats of rocky coasts are often dominated by canopy algae Cystoseira spp., but these species are frequently replaced by assemblages of turf-forming algae and mussel beds. We propose that anthropogenic disturbance is the proximate cause of loss of Cystoseira in the Mediterranean, and that the disappearance of canopy algae causes an increase in cover of turf-forming species in disturbed habitats. Two hypotheses were investigated to test this proposition: (1) canopy algae will be dominant in relatively pristine habitats while turf-forming algae will be more abundant in urban areas, and (2) removal of canopy algae in unpolluted areas will result in the development of assemblages similar to those found in urban areas. We tested the first hypothesis by comparing patterns in abundance of Cystoseira and turf-forming algae at a number of locations in urban areas and in areas far from distinct sources of anthropogenic disturbance in the northwest Mediterranean. The second hypothesis was tested by conducting a large- scale manipulative experiment, involving the experimental removal of Cystoseira and several spatial and temporal repetitions of the manipulation. Turf-forming algae were always dominant in urban areas where Cystoseira was nearly absent. In contrast, canopy algae often dominated rocky shores in relatively pristine areas of the northwest Mediterranean. The removal of Cystoseira generally caused an increase in the percentage cover of turf-forming algae and a decrease in the abundance of inverte- brates. These changes were already evident 4 mo after manipulation and were consistent at the spatial and temporal scales examined in the study. Assemblages in cleared patches were qualitatively similar to those occurring where Cystoseira was naturally absent, but quantitative differences in the relative abundance of several taxa were still evident by the end of the study. These results support a cause- effect relationship between anthropogenic disturbance and loss of Cystoseira in the northwest Mediterranean and allow for quantitative predictions of the indirect consequences of disturbing canopy algae for the whole understory assemblage. Management options aimed at conserving these plants should simultaneously preserve other components of the assemblage.


This article analyses recent activities undertaken by the European Commission in collaboration with retailers and other stakeholders to help achieve sustainable consumption and production (SCP) as proposed in its SCP/SIP Action Plan. The focus is on the setting up and functioning of a Retail Forum. These activities are seen in the wider context of the use of "soft law" and, in particular, of voluntary environmental agreements as an effective alternative to regulatory measures in promoting sustainable development both along the supply chain and as regards consumers. The article suggests that the voluntary approach can be extremely useful to promote sustainable consumption and production provided that some essential conditions are met: voluntary commitments must be verifiable, they need the right level of ambition and they must involve a wide range of actors. In particular, the article explores the feasibility of developing a code of conduct for the retail sector.


About the Book:
The main purpose of this book is to take a step forward in the development of a consensus-based transcription system for Spanish intonation within the Tones and Break Indices (ToBI) framework by taking into account data from different dialectal varieties. The book comprises ten chapters which describe the basic intonational patterns of the following dialects of Spanish: Castilian, Cantabrian, Canarian, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Venezuelan Andean, Ecuadorian Andean, Chilean, Argentinian and Mexican Spanish.

Each chapter offers a Sp_ToBI analysis of the basic intonational contrasts found in these dialects that is based on a wide range of data including a variety of statements, yes-no questions, wh- questions, echo questions, as well as vocatives and imperatives. One of the advantages of the present work is that all chapters share a common methodology in data collection, thus permitting a precise comparison of the resulting intonation contours and their analyses. Digital recordings of the actual data on which the chapters are based are available at the website of the Interactive Online Atlas of Spanish Intonation (Atlas interactivo de entonacion del espanol, accessible at http://prosodia.upf.edu/atlasentonacion/). We hope that the work presented here will serve as an empirical groundwork for the establishment of a standard, comprehensive system for transcribing the intonation of the Spanish language.


In this paper, we propose two information-theoretic techniques for efficiently trading off the location update and paging costs associated with mobility management in wireless cellular networks. Previous approaches always attempt to accurately convey a mobile's movement sequence and hence cannot reduce the signaling cost below the entropy bound. Our proposed techniques, however, exploit the rate distortion theory to arbitrarily reduce the update cost at the expense of an increase in the corresponding paging overhead. To this end, we describe two location tracking algorithms based on spatial quantization and temporal quantization, which first quantize the movement sequence into a smaller set of codewords and then report a compressed representation of the codeword sequence. Although the spatial quantization algorithm clusters individual cells into registration areas, the more powerful temporal quantization algorithm groups sets of consecutive movement patterns. The quantizers themselves are adaptive and periodically reconfigure to accommodate changes in the mobile's movement pattern. Simulation study with synthetic and real movement traces for both single-system and multisystem cellular networks demonstrate that the proposed algorithms can reduce the mobile's update frequency to 3-4 updates/day with reasonable paging cost, low computational complexity, storage overhead, and codebook updates.


Currently, cement base grout is used widely for sealing of the rock fractures in order to decrease the permeability of rock mass. Grouting procedure is one of the main tasks in cycle of rock excavation. In addition, huge amount of grout should be used during dam construction in order to seal the bedding and embankment walls. Therefore, considering the effect of grouting in duration and cost of the project, improving the design methods seems essential.In successful grouting the goal is to achieve the required sealing of fractures while avoiding ground movement due to applied pressure. Empirical methods have been developed to decide the pumping pressure, grout mix properties and stop criteria in order to fulfill requirements of successful grouting but there are ambiguities in using them and performance of them have been questioned. In these methods, assumptions and criteria are based on rules of thumbs and experiences from previous projects. The main uncertainties connected to these methods are identifying amount of grout spread and state of the fracture.Theoretical approach is an analytical solution which provides the chance for estimation of penetration length of the grout in real time. Furthermore, void filling fracture aperture and trend of the grout flow are estimated. As the development of this theory, elastic and ultimate jacking limits have been established based on the estimated penetration length. Therefore, it is possible to identify jacking of the fracture and estimate the state of the fracture in real time. In this research work, performance of this theoretical approach which is called "Real Time Grouting Control Method" has been validated through case studies. Properties of the used material, data for pressure and flow in addition to geological characteristics have been gathered from projects in sedimentary rock (Gotvand Dam in Iran and THX Dam in Laos) and hard rock (City Line Project in Sweden). This theory made it possible to observe overflow of grout and jacking of the fractures in sedimentary rock. In place of hard rock with mostly vertical fractures, this theoretical approach confirms usage of higher pressure which will shorten the grouting time.In this research work, variation in properties of the grout mix during grouting has been neglected. moreover, orientation of the fracture and its deformation due to injection pressure are not considered. Despite these assumptions, the results were promising and performance this approach in estimation of grout spread and identifying jacking of the fracture has been verified.


The role of backcountry huts as focal points for weed establishment and spread into New Zealand's national parks has received little attention. In this study we describe the pattern of weed spread around Takahe Valley Hut, Murchison Mountains, Fiordland National Park. Established in 1948, the hut is located at 900 m a.s.l. at the ecotone between Nothofagus forest and valley floor shrubland/grassland. We recorded the distribution of vascular plants in quadrats (110) placed by restricted randomisation around the hut, and measured relative irradiance and distance from the hut. Nine exotic species, mostly grasses, were recorded, the most frequent being Agrostis capillaris (34%). The majority of occurrences of exotic plant species were located in the immediate vicinity (less than 5 m) of the hut but two exotic species (Agrostis capillaris and Dactylis glomerata) ranged more widely. Exotic species were present in well-drained shrubland and grassland but did not extend far into Nothofagus forest or onto infertile wetlands. The percentage of exotic species in quadrats declined significantly with distance from the hut. There was no linear relationship between the percentage of exotic species and relative irradiance. When forest quadrats were excluded, the number of native species in quadrats was negatively correlated with the number of exotic species, suggesting competitive displacement of native species by exotics in non-forest habitats. Long-term persistence of most exotic species at this site depends on physical disturbance and nutrient enrichment associated with human activities at the hut site. However the maintenance of this species pool has provided sufficient propagule pressure for some exotic species to disperse into the wider area. Weed accumulation around huts can be reduced by locating huts in vegetation types that are more resistant to invasion, and maintaining facilities to eliminate local weed infestations. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


The potentiometric anion responses of ion-selective electrodes prepared with polymeric membranes doped with gallium(III), indium(III) and thallium(III) metalloporphyrins are examined. These group XIII metals, when inserted into either octaethyl- or tetraphenyl-porphyrin derivatives and subsequently incorporated into plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) membranes, serve as anion ionophores with selectivity patterns that deviate significantly from the classical Hofmeister series for anions. The gallium(III) porphyrin-based electrodes exhibit significantly enhanced response toward fluoride, whereas the indium(III) and thallium(III) porphyrins display some preference for chloride and also effectively discriminate less hydrated anions such as perchlorate and nitrate. All of the metalloporphyrins investigated are determined to function via a charged carrier response mechanism. This mechanism is elucidated by correlating the effect of adding lipophilic ionic sites, either cationic (quaternary ammonium) or anionic (tetraphenylborate) salts, to the observed anion selectivity and response patterns of the metalloporphyrin-based liquid /polymer membrane electrodes.


This book covers the many uses of organolithiums in synthetic organic chemistry with a systematic examination of the various aspects of lithium chemistry. Research in the last thirty years is examined with exhaustive literature references till almost almost the present. The book is within reach of all, specialists and postgraduates and it is advisable that every organic chemistry laboratory keeps one copy because it collects researches by all leader groups in this field.


Background and Aim: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease and an increasing health problem worldwide. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of educational intervention focusing on Health Belief Model on self care behaviors of diabetic patients. Material & Method: This was a clinical trial study in which the study population consisted of diabetic patients attending in 4 hospitals in Tehran in 2006. Seventy and one patients were selected and randomly assigned to either intervention group (35 patients) or control group (36). After determining their education needs using the health belief model, education program was implemented for intervention group. At the initial visit and two month after education, self care behaviors, HBM's domains and awareness of patients were assessed using an interview schedule and a questionnaire. SPSS software (version 12) was used for statistical analysis. Results: Independent T test didn't show any statistically significant difference between two groups in the awareness, self care behaviors and HBM's domains before the educational program (P>0.05). After implementing the program, the same test indicated a statistically significant difference between two groups in HBM's domains (P<0.05), except in perceived barriers and perceived benefits domains (P>0.05). Also, a statistically significant difference was seen between two groups in self care behaviors domains (P<0.05), except in foot care domain (P>0.05). After education, paired T test and wilcoxon test indicated a statistically significant difference in mean and median of awareness, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, self efficacy and self care behaviors in intervention group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Implementing education program based on Health Belief Model is useful to predict and change self care behaviors of diabetic patients.


Performance evaluation of complex manufacturing systems is challenging due to many factors such as system complexity, parameter uncertainties, problem size, just to name a few. In many cases when a system is too complex to model using mathematical formulas, simulation is used as an effective alternative to conduct system analysis. A manufacturing system is a good example of such cases where both system performance and system complexity are greatly impacted by material handling (MH) strategy, management, and operational control. In this paper, we study vehicle general assembly (GA) system with MH, and focus on developing an efficient simulation method for modeling and analysis where traditional simulation methods may suffer from computation intensity. Making use of the partial system decomposability, we introduce an aggregated event-scheduling simulation method with two-level framework. A dividing mechanism with boundary conditions is employed in top-level simulation to divide the global event list into small sizes. A timing-focuses strategy based on max-plus algebra is applied in bottom-level local simulation to further reduce local event lists. With this new method it is possible to mimic real production systems fast and accurately within a reasonable computational time frame. The effectiveness and efficiency of the new simulation method are validated through experimental results.


This article reviews the data on the epidemiology of gastric cancer, to determine if treatment of an asymptomatic individual can be justified. It reviews retrospective and prospective case‐control studies of gastric cancer in Italy and other countries. Mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma is associated with Helicobacter pylori infection. The risk of noncardia gastric cancer is higher (4‐fold or greater) in those with H. pylori infection. Although no studies have shown prevention following treatment, erradication of asymptomatic H. pylori infection in an individual in the age group 40 or lower may be expected to reduce the risk of gastric cancer.


CONTEXT
Intrasession reliabilities of isometric knee extension kinetics via portable strain gauge have been reported across several knee joint angles and constraints. However, intersession variabilities, which are more valuable, have yet to be determined. Therefore, we aimed to quantify the intersession variability of knee extension kinetics over 3 testing sessions using an affordable and portable strain gauge.

DESIGN
Participants performed maximum voluntary isometric contractions of the knee extensors over 3 sessions.

METHODS
Eleven (6 men and 5 women; 31 [6.4] y) volunteers performed maximum voluntary isometric contractions in constrained (isokinetic setup with thigh and chest straps) and unconstrained (treatment plinth) conditions. Peak force (PF), peak rate of force development, rate of force development (RFD), and impulse (IMP) from 20% to 80% of PF were assessed. Means, SDs, percentage changes, minimal detectable changes, coefficients of variation (CV), and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated and reported.

RESULTS
PF had the lowest intersession variability regardless of condition (CV = 5.5%-13.8%, ICC = .67-.93). However, variability of peak rate of force development (CV [range] = 12.2%-24.7%, ICC = .50-.78), RFD (CV = 10.0%-26.8%, ICC = .48-.84), and IMP (CV = 15.2%-35.4%, ICC = .44-.88) was moderate at best. The constrained condition (CV [SD] = 14.1% [4.8%], ICC = .74 [.08]) had lower variability compared with the plinth (CV = 19.8% [7.9%], ICC = .68 [.15]). Variability improved from sessions 1 to 2 (CV = 20.4% [7.7%], ICC = .64 [.14]) and to sessions 2 to 3 (CV = 15.3% [6.4%], ICC = .76 [.10]).

CONCLUSIONS
PF can be assessed regardless of setup. However, RFD and IMP changes across sessions should be approached with caution. Backrests and thigh straps improve RFD and IMP variability, and at least 1 familiarization session should be provided before relying on knee-extensor kinetics while utilizing a portable strain gauge.


Options are considered risky for investors and speculators due to fluctuation in the direction of price movements. An investor has to face the risk of profits where it may be extremely high or loss, here investors fail in choosing profitable options. The study is made to minimize the risk of investors by using straps option combination strategy in choosing profitable investment strategy and to know how the option combination strategy would be profitable when market moves up or down. The study has considered the securities of both increasing and decreasing prices, so that it would be possible to give suggestions for investors that how in both cases they can make profits.


This research means to discover the influence o f top management commitment and the perception o f division manager about total quality management (TQM) and the implementation o f fundamental base o f it toward to the effectiveness of the quality cost control (QCC) and its implication to the managerial performance at BUMN (state owned company) manufacturers in Indonesia. Population method survey is implemented to 28 BUMN manufacturers in Indonesia. The data used are primary and secondary data. Then, the hypothesis is tested using path analysis. The results show that: 1) Top management commitment and perceptions of division managers have no significant relationship with the application o f the basic pillars o f Total Quality management in BUMN manufacturer. (2) Simultaneously and partially, the commitment o f top management, the perception o f division manager, and the implementation of fundamental base o f TQM have influence toward the effectiveness of QCC; and (3) The implications o f both simultaneously and partially o f commitment of top management, the perception of division manager, the implementation o f fundamental base o f TQM, and the effectiveness of QCC influence the managerial performance.


For the past 70 years, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been the licensing authority for wireless spectrum. Traditionally, spectrum was commercially licensed to primary users with defined uses. With the growth of personal communication systems in the 1990's, unallocated spectrum has become a scarce commodity. However, since most primary users are active only at certain times and places, much of the allocated spectrum remains underutilized. Substantial holes exist in the spatio-temporal spectrum that could be opportunistically used by unlicensed secondary users. As a result, the FCC is considering allowing secondary users to opportunistically use frequencies that are not being used by primary users. If multiple secondary users are present in the same geographical area, the concept of Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) allows these users to share the opportunistic spectrum. If several secondary users want to use a limited set of frequency resources, they will very likely interfere with each other. Sensing is a distributed technique where each transmitter/receiver pair senses (both passively and actively) the available channels and uses the channel that provides the best performance. While sensing alone allows sharing of the spectrum, it is not the optimal method in terms of maximizing the capacity in such a shared system. If we allow the secondary users to collaborate and share information, optimal capacity might be reached. However, collaboration adds another level of complexity to the transceivers of the secondary users, since they must now be able to communicate (Note that in general, the secondary users may have completely different communication protocols, e.g., Wi-Fi and Bluetooth). Additionally, optimizing the capacity of the available spectrum could have other negative side effects such as impacting the fairness of sharing the resources. Our primary goal is to explore the benefit of this cost-benefit tradeoff by determining the capacity increase obtainable from collaboration. As a secondary goal, we also wish to determine how this increase in capacity affects fairness. To summarize, the goal of this work is to answer the question: Fundamentally, what is the benefit of collaboration in Dynamic Spectrum Sharing?


Peer-to-Peer system has emerged as a promising technology to provide video-on-demand service. Several P2P-VoD systems have been deployed and attracted a large population of viewers. However, it is challenging to design P2P media streaming networks because of the stringent time constraints on the delivered media streams, which require more efficient and resilient overlay architectures. Compared with existing client server system model, where the single server must have enough resources to support all simultaneous clients. Proposed system focuses on design of P2P media streaming networks, which requires the fast distribution of multimedia content to clients. Proposed algorithm is described as 1)serial and parallel scheduling of chunks correctly switched to get required quality of service 2)dynamic nature of peers is considered 3)fault tolerance is provided in case of peer failure.


This paper or topic gives the details of the "THREE DIMENSIONAL DATA STORAGE". There are two types of 3-D storage technology 1) Holographic Storage Technology 2) Multi -layer Storage Technology Both technologies are currently in developing phase. In the Holographic Storage technology there is a description about it which can show how it is superior from the other recent technologies, such as CD/DVD. Paper also includes the mechanism for reading and writing the data in the storage media and also the requirement for the storage material that used for storage the data. Also include the description of the some of the institut es. While in the Fluorescent material multi-layer technology, paper include that how the production of the storage media is done in this storage technology and the current development status of the storage technology.


Numerous experimental and clinical studies have documented that trauma-including surgery-alters the immune response, and that the response is a function of the magnitude of the injury or operation. The abnormalities seen after surgical operations on humans or animals include decreased antibody response, decreased neutrophil chemotaxis, decreased delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction, abnormal neutrophil adherence, serum immunosuppressive factors, decreased fibronectin levels, reduced serum opsonic activity, and reduced efficacy of interleukin-2. These abnormalities involve all aspects of the host defense mechanisms, both the cellular and humoral mediators and the specific and nonspecific immune responses. The capacity to control these responses in surgical patients may have important clinical applications.


Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) at present can be considered the best choices to set up the auxiliary power unit of an hybrid electric vehicle. This paper describes how it is possible and convenient to manage a PEMFC at low pressure, using a blower instead of a compressor/expander. The polarization curve obtained from experimental tests on the stack confirms a typical behaviour at different values of pressure; although high pressure brings best performance, in the balance of the plant the air compressor generally absorbs more then 40% of the power generated from the stack. As a matter of fact, the overall efficiency of the whole FC apparatus can be improved by managing it at low pressure. In an FC/batteries hybrid electric vehicle, the FC is asked to operate not at partial load, but only at full load by using an ON-OFF control. Consequently it is possible to arrange a very compact and reliable apparatus in which the dynamic mass flow and pressure controls are not required and the mechanical and electric hardware is very simple.


Theoretical and experimental studies were conducted to investigate wave loadings on, and structural responses of, floating platforms. Strip theory is applied to calculate wave forces on the structure. The wave forces, the interaction between waves and the structure, and the resulting inertia forces are then applied to the structure, as external forces, to calculate member stresses. The structure is treated as a space frame for stress calculations. Typical characteristics of dynamic stresses resulting from wave loading are considered. A wave tank model test program was conducted to collect strain data. The model test program, measurements, and correlation of measured data with theoretical calculations are considered. Satisfactory agreement was found between theoretical stress calculation and measured data.


This thesis explores the potential of a pragmatic semiotic perspective to inform the design of research writing programs in higher education. Increasing numbers of international research students have highlighted the need for effective programs that develop the ability to construct research papers and theses. A particular challenge for international students is research from sources, which requires the use of discipline-based genres and texts, as well as the synthesis of ideas into original and meaningful compositions. New educational methods and technologies – such as the use of portfolios and diagramming software – can help to promote such skills, provided their use is informed by sound understandings of the research writing process.

A paradigm shift in educational theory has also brought a range of constructivist perspectives that have challenged traditional approaches in several fields relevant to research writing, including composition studies and educational technology. The two currently dominant theoretical perspectives in these fields are the cognitive-constructivist and the sociocultural perspectives, both of which are largely concerned with the construction of knowledge and meaning. However, neither of these perspectives provides an entirely adequate understanding of research from sources, since they tend to emphasise the individual and social aspects of writing respectively.

This thesis, by contrast, explores the potential for a pragmatic semiotic perspective, based on the philosophies of Peirce, Dewey and Deleuze. Although the perspective has had a limited influence on composition studies, it has been promoted as a way of transcending the dualisms in the field. In Peirce's semiotics and Dewey's pragmatism, all knowledge construction and meaning-making is viewed as semiosis, or the action of signs, which is necessarily both an individual and a social process. The pragmatic semiotic perspective has a growing influence in education generally, particularly in connection with the use of new educational technologies. This thesisinvestigates whether it can also provide a more suitable theoretical framework for the design of effective research writing programs.


Fluorinated amorphous carbon films were deposited using microwave electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition (ECR-CVD) reactor with CF4 and C6H6 as source gas and were annealed in nitrogen ambience for the investigating of their thermal stability .The relative concentration of C=C bond and optical bandgap were obtained by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-VIS) spectrum, respectively. It has been demonstrated that there is a close relationship between relative concentration of C=C bond and optical bandgap, and the films deposited at a higher microwave power have a lower optical bandgap and a better thermal stability.


Various aspects of the physiology of rust-infected leeks were studied. Rates of net photosynthesis of healthy leaves of leek were very low In comparison with other C3 species. However, rust Infection led to substantial reductions In photosynthetic rates In Infected leaves. This was linked to large stimulations In dark respiration and reductions In photorespiration, coupled with reductions In the activity of a variety of photosynthetic enzymes. Including RuBPcase, PePcase and 3-phosphoglycerate kinase. Rust Infection also led to reductions In total soluble protein and chlorophyll, and chloroplast preparations from Infected leaves exhibited much reduced rates of oxygen evolution compared to healthy controls. Rates of net photosynthesis were markedly Increased In uninfected leaves of otherwise rusted leeks. Such leaves also exhibited decreased rates of photorespiration, although dark respiration was not affected. An examination of enzyme activity In uninfected leek leaves revealed that RuBPcase, 3-phosphoglycerate kinase, NADP-glyceraldehyde-3-P-dehydrogenase and NADP malic enzyme activities were all significantly stimulated. Infection of the lower leaves had no effect on the activity of PePcase and NAD malic enzyme in upper, uninfected leaves, nor were protein and chlorophyll content altered. Construction of a carbon budget revealed that rust infection led to a substantial reduction in assimilate production in all but the two upper, uninfected leaves of infected leeks. Disease also led to reductions in the translocation of assimilates out of all rusted leaves, although stimulations in assimilate translocation were noted in uninfected fourth leaves. Although photosynthesis was stimulated in upper, uninfected leaves of rusted leeks, assimilate production by these leaves was slightly lower than controls. Since reductions in photosynthesis by infected leaves appeared to account for reductions in dry weight, the observed stimulations in photosynthesis in uninfected leaves may only have served to alleviate the effects of rust infection. A detailed examination was made of photosynthesis in localized regions of infected leek leaves. Oxygen evolution, expressed on both a chlorophyll and an area basis, was significantly reduced in pustule regions, coupled with an increase in dark respiration, for the duration of the experiment. The activity of RuBPcase was lower in pustule areas, and losses in total soluble protein and chlorophyll were observed. Areas between pustules exhibited photosynthetic rates near to control values, on a chlorophyll basis, and dark respiration was reduced for at least part of the experiment. No significant alteration in RuBPcase activity, nor in protein or chlorophyll levels, was detected in inter-pustule areas. Rates of photosynthesis were significantly stimulated in tissue from uninfected leaves of rusted plants, coupled with a lowering of dark respiration. RuBPcase activity was significantly stimulated in uninfected leaves towards the end of the experiment, while protein and chlorophyll levels were unaltered. Phosphate did not appear to limit photosynthesis in any tissue type, since the addition of exogenous phosphate had no appreciable effect on rates of photosynthesis. Stomatal resistance was also measured, revealing that infection led to reductions in stomatal resistance in pustule regions, while areas between pustules remained unchanged. By the end of the experiment, i.e. 21 days after inoculation, stomatal resistance was considerably higher in uninfected leaves of otherwise rusted leeks, compared to controls. Cytokinin concentrations were higher in pustule areas at 14 days after inoculation, although trans-zeatin (t-ZR) concentration returned to near control values in pustules by the end of the experiment. Abscisic acid (ABA) concentrations were significantly higher in both infected regions and in uninfected leaves by 14 days after inoculation. However, the concentration of ABA was significantly less in Infected regions by 21 days after inoculation, and there was almost eight times more ABA present in uninfected leaves by this time. The concentration of dihydrozeatin (DHZR) was slightly Increased in all tissue types compared to healthy controls, by the end of the experiment. ABA and cytokinin concentrations were always consistently lower in roots of infected plants than in healthy ones at 21 days after inoculation, and with the exception of DHZR, at 14 days after inoculation also. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).


College athletics is commonly referred to as "big business" for universities. But it's also big business for elite student-athletes, meaning those who are talented enough to later become professional athletes. What happens if they get injured while still in college? An injury could cost an elite student-athlete millions of dollars, in the form of lost expected future income from playing professional sports. More and more elite student-athletes are looking to insurance to help with this risk. This Article explores the types of insurance available for elite-student athletes, mainly total disability and loss-of-value insurance. The Article is the first to focus on student-athletes' biggest hurdle in obtaining the insurance — the cost. It argues that change is needed because current limitations on elite student-athletes provide easier access to total disability insurance than to loss-of-value insurance. The Article also cautions that even though insurance is a solution to this unavoidable problem for elite student-athletes, it is not foolproof. Insurance is only reimburses part of the lost future income. That partial benefit may also possibly be inadequate because it is based on draft projections, which will not always be accurate.


Design and implementation of a modern radar receiver that is capable of rapidly searching a large frequency range with maximum sensitivity in real time presents a challenge. Such a receiver not only has stringent operational requirements like high instantaneous dynamic range (IDR), multiple signal detection capability, wider bandwidth and also high frequency resolution. Currently, operating speeds of digital processors are not on par with state-of-the-art ADCs. To overcome this impediment, researchers are exploring methods of offloading the computational intensive tasks to specialized hardware accelerators. A 3 giga-sample-per-second (GSPS) wideband digital receiver system implemented on a unique hybrid computing platform, which is composed of two Tesla C2050 GPUs and a Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA, is presented. Drastically improving its performance over its predecessors, the proposed receiver system detects five simultaneous signals in 1.25 GHz bandwidth (125–1375 MHz) with a maximum IDR of 42.5 dB and a frequency resolution of 0.5 MHz. The proposed receiver architecture performs a high-resolution spectral estimation and employs a hardware efficient platform for detecting multiple signals before the next set of buffered data arrives for processing.


Abstract The study determines the physico-chemical parameters of water from Odo-Ebo River with a view to providing information on the effects of discharge from carwash on the River's water quality. Samples (48) for physico-chemical water quality were collected monthly over a period of an annual cycle (February 2015–January 2016) from four stations, namely: upstream (about 500 m before the carwash), two discharge points (1st and 2nd discharge points), and downstream (about 500 m after the carwash). The discharge points had higher mean values in 9 out of the 13 investigated water quality parameters, especially plant nutrient ions (phosphate, nitrate, and sulphate), with the discharge points significantly differing from the other stations in terms of phosphate concentration and apparent colour. This led to reduction in dissolved oxygen and zooplankton abundance, changes in apparent water colour, and increase in COD at the effluent receiving points. Furthermore, the higher mean values of dissolved oxygen, BOD5, turbidity, and true colour recorded upstream and downstream were reflections of higher biological productivity and organic detritus at these stations as compared to discharge points. The specific presence of some eutrophic species at the discharge points has only further proven the negative effects the effluent from the carwash had on the river, thus posing a potential threat to its aquatic organisms' diversity. This eutrophication effect was observed downstream as an increase in zooplankton abundance and diversity. Therefore, environmental protection regulations are needed to reduce anthropogenic influence on the rivers in Nigeria.


Image search Reranking methods usually fail to capture the user's intention when the query term is ambiguous.Therefore, Reranking with user interactions, or active Reranking, is highly demanded to effectively improve the search performance. The essential problem in active Reranking is how to target the user's intention. To complete this goal, this paper presents a structural information based sample selection strategy to reduce the user's labeling efforts. Furthermore, to localize the user's intention in the visual feature space, a novel local-global discriminative dimension reduction algorithm is proposed. In this algorithm, a sub manifold is learned by transferring the local geometry and the discriminative information from the labeled images to the whole (global) image database. Experiments on both synthetic datasets and a real Web image search dataset demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed active Reranking scheme, including both the structural information based active sample selection strategy and the local-global discriminative dimension reduction algorithm. Index Terms-Active reranking, local-global discriminative (LGD) dimension reduction, structural information (SInfo) based active sample selection, web image search reranking.