Background. Immunity responses play a role in the clinical severity of dengue
viral infections, and both antiinflammatory and proinflammatory cytokines are
responsible for it. Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF- 1) is one of
cytokines that suggested taking apart in pathogenesis of dengue hemorrhagic
fever (DHF), and Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) especially affects
the hemorrhagic manifestation.
Aims. To determine the correlation between TGF- 1, PAI-1 and hemorrhagic
manifestation in DHF.
Methods. This is an observational analytic study with cross sectional design.
Subjects were DHF patients that hospitalized in Dr. Kariadi Hospital during July
2005 – July 2006, 3-14 years old and had written informed consent. TGF- 1 and
PAI-1 were measured by ELISA. The correlation test was used to determine the
correlation between TGF- 1, PAI-1 levels and hemorrhgic manifestation at day-
0 and day-2.
Results. Only 51 (61,4%) of 83 participated subjects could be analyzed. Mostly
females, with means of age 7,4 ± 2,5 years, fever onset 4,1 ± 1,5 days, length of
stay 5,4 ± 4,2 days. Means of TGF- 1 levels on day-2 (46360 ± 29766 pg/ml)
were higher than day-0 (36457,8 ± 19234 pg/ml); p=0,09, whereas PAI-1 levels
on day-2 (58,5 ± 5,7 ng/ml) were lower than day-0 (102,2 ± 5,9 ng/ml); p=0,003.
Correlation test between TGF- 1 to PAI-1 levels and hemorrhagic manifestation
on day-0 (r=-0,36, p=0,009 and r=-0,24, p=0,09); on day-2 (r=-0,12, p= 0,4 and
r=-0,0057, p=0,7). Correlation test between PAI-1 levels and hemorrhagic
manifestation on day 0 and day 2 (r=0,28; p=0,04 and r=0,13; p=0,3)
Conclusions. Significant correlation of TGF- 1 to PAI-1 levels is showed on
day-0, but is not on day-2, whereas correlation of TGF- 1 to hemorrhagic
manifestation is not significant. Significant correlation between PAI-1 levels and
hemorrhagic manifestation is showed on day 0 but not on day 2.
Keywords. DHF, TGF- 1, PAI-1, hemorrhagic manifestation


The practice of biogeography is rooted in disciplines that traditionally have had little intellectual exchange and yielded two complementary biogeographic approaches: ecological and historical biogeography. The aim of this paper is to review alternative biogeographic approaches in the context of spatial analysis. Biogeography can be used to set priorities for conservation of biological diversity, but also to design strategies to control biological invasions and vectors of human diseases, to provide information about the former distribution of species, and to guide development of ecological restoration initiatives, among other applications. But no one of these applications could be fully carried out until an integrative framework on biogeography, which bridges biogeographical historical and ecological paths of thinking, has been developed. Although we do not propose a new biogeographic method, we highlight the causes and consequences of the lack of a conceptual framework integrating ecology and history in biogeography, and how this required framework would allow biogeography to be fully utilised in fields such as conservation.


Poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) grafted sago starch was used as a new starting polymer to obtain the poly(hydroxamic acid) resin. The PMA grafted sago starch was prepared by a free radical initiating process. The ester group of the PMA grafted copolymer was converted to the hydroxamic acid using the hydroxylamine in an alkaline solution. The sorption behavior of the poly(hydroxamic acid) resin toward metal ions (Cu and Cr) was investigated in aqueous solution using a batch adsorption technique. The resin exhibits high affinity for the two metal ions (copper and chromium ions). The relative amount of metal ion taken up by the resin increases steadily with the increase of concentration of the sorption medium. The binding capacities of copper was maximum (0.0058 mmol g-l in 1 ppm), (0.0218 mmol g-l in 3 ppm) and (0.0294 mmol g-l) at pH 6. It was also found that, the sorption capacity of metal ions was pH dependent while its selectivity toward these metal ions is in the following order: Copper ion (Cu2+) > Chromium ion (Cr3+). The rate adsorption of copper was determined using the resin beads with copper solution for various time intervals and it was observed that the rate exchange of copper was very fast that is, t1/2 ≈5 min.


At present work, to make cushioning packaging material from the bamboo fibers. Change the time of the surface treatment and the component contents of foaming agents, adhesives, plasticizers, cross-linking agents, etc. to analyze the effects on the foam density, foaming rate, elasticity, and bubble diameter. The best reagent and the optimal ratio of the various components have been identified. Determined the parameter of foaming techniques based on the high efficiency and no polluting foaming mechanism. Experiment with the impact testing machine to obtain the maximum acceleration - static stress curve, dynamic stress - strain curves, dynamic buffer factor - stress curve, Analyzed the dynamic buffer performance on the of changing the drop height and compared with other cushioning material. we know that: at height of 450mm, the product had lower peak acceleration value than EPE and EPS during the stress area of 2.8-5.4kpa, which means the cushioning property of the bamboo pulp product is better at that time.


Human vision system exploits this fact by visual selective attention mechanisms towards important and informative regions. A computational model of combination both bottom-up and top-down simulating human vision system for machine vision inspection is proposed. In this model, top-down knowledge-based information is highlighted to integrate into bottom-up stimulus-based process of vision attention. The model is tested on inspecting contaminants in cotton images. Experiment result shows that the proposed model is feasible and effective in visual inspection. And it is available and quasi-equivalent to human vision attention.


The early transition of knowledge from highly specialised and sophisticated proteomics research to a diverse community in need of know-how is a challenge that requires backing from advanced research centres and groups, and a coordinating body for the dissemination of this knowledge. The European Proteomics Association (EuPA) Education Committee signified this as a priority area when the EuPA was formed, and began its program to coordinate proteomics training and knowledge dissemination in 2006. This report serves as an update of our past activities and an announcement of upcoming events. Over the last year the EuPA Education Committee has coordinated or supported different educational activities including basic and advanced courses, a summer school, workshops and tutorials. A new programme of basic courses dubbed "Teaching the Teachers" has been initiated. These courses reach a larger, Europe wide, audience in a short timeframe, thus improving the opportunities for trainees of elementary proteomics techniques. Another important event has been the merger of the EuPA and HUPO (Human Proteome Organisation) Education Committees into a single one in order to combine ideas and ef for ts that will favour global education in proteomics.


The paper deals with the comparison of the two known procedures of the Bayesian one-sided hypothesis testing. First procedure is based on the simple comparison of the probabilities of null and alternative hypotheses, second is based on the comparison of the probability of null hypothesis and the chosen significance level. The procedures are compared on the basis of the probability that the rejected hypothesis is true. The using of the first named procedure is recommended on the basis of realized analysis, in the case of one-sided testing.


Detailed investigations of the chemical and microphysical properties of rural continental aerosols were performed during the HAZE2002 experiment, which was conducted in May 2002 at the Meteorological Observatory Hohenpeissenberg (DWD) in Southern Germany. Online measurements included: Size-resolved chemical composition of submicron particles; total particle number concentrations and size distributions over the diameter range of 3 nm to 9 μm; gas-phase concentration of monoterpenes, CO, O 3 , OH, and H 2 SO 4 . Filter sampling and offline analytical techniques were used to determine: Fine particle mass (PM2.5), organic, elemental and total carbon in PM2.5 (OC2.5, EC2.5, TC2.5), and selected organic compounds (dicarboxylic acids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, proteins). Overall, the non-refractory components of submicron particles detected by aerosol mass spectrometry (PM1, 6.6±5.4 μg m −3 , arithmetic mean and standard deviation) accounted for ~62% of PM2.5 determined by filter gravimetry (10.6±4.7 μg m −3 ). The relative proportions of non-refractory submicron particle components were: (23±39)% ammonium nitrate, (27±23)% ammonium sulfate, and (50±40)% organics (OM1). OM1 was closely correlated with PM1 ( r 2 =0.9) indicating a near-constant ratio of non-refractory organics and inorganics. The average ratio of OM1 to OC2.5 was 2.1±1.4, indicating a high proportion of heteroelements in the organic fraction of the sampled rural aerosol. This is consistent with the high ratio of oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA) over hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA) inferred from the AMS results (4:1), and also with the high abundance of proteins (~3%) indicating a high proportion of primary biological material (~30%) in PM2.5. This finding was confirmed by low abundance of PAHs ( −3 ) and EC ( −3 ) in PM2.5 and detection of several secondary organic aerosol compounds (dicarboxylic acids) and their precursors (monoterpenes). New particle formation was observed almost every day with particle number concentrations exceeding 10 4 cm −3 (nighttime background level 1000–2000 cm −3 ). Closer inspection of two major events indicated that the observed nucleation agrees with ternary H 2 SO 4 /H 2 O/NH 3 nucleation and that condensation of both organic and inorganic species contributed to particle growth.


ces may be an important risk factor for lower limb injuries in runners. No studies have evaluated hip musculature imbalance in sprinters. Identifying pre-season strength and imbalances of the hip gluteal musculature can have an important impact on injury prevention within this population. Objective To describe the muscle performance and imbalances between limbs related to the hip extensor, external rotators and abductors muscles in sprinters. Design Athletes were assessed during the pre-season period. Muscle function performance of the hip extensors, external rotators and abductors were tested. Participants All participants (n=69) were federated at the Spanish athletics federation and involved in high-level track and field training sessions (minimum 5 sessions per week) for at least the last 3 years. All of them had undertaken similar training demands in the past. Interventions We measured the maximum number of repetitions without compensatory movements of each leg during the straight knee bridge exercise (test 1), hip external rotation in prone (test 2) and hip abduction in side-line (test 3). Data analysis and comparison in between limbs were calculated. Results No significant differences in between limbs were observed in all three tests (p<0,005). The assessment of the hip external rotators (test 2), have shown the worse performance among this population with 30,8% of the athletes on the dominant limb and 35,3% on non-dominant limb not being able to perform even 1 rep without compensation. Conclusions We did not observe significant imbalances in between limbs. The hip external rotators muscles demonstrated the worst performance with a high number of athletes not being able to perform the test. The weakness of the external rotators and compensations associated with it can have several different impacts on the lower limb function during running, therefore possible importance for injury prevention strategies.


An asymmetric polysulfone membrane with reactive group of –OH was obtained by hydrolyzing the chloromethylated polysulfone membrane, and the albumin molecules were immobilized into the membrane with a crosslinking reagent of 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether. The albumin-fixed membrane was used to remove lipophilic toxins, bilirubin, from the bilirubin-albumin solution. The experiment results showed that the transfer rate of bilirubin was clearly enhanced after fixing albumin into the hydroxylated polysulfone membranes. The clearance of bilirubin was 49.3%. In addition, the effect of membrane thickness on the removal of bilirubin is discussed.


Forest regeneration by means of seedlings grown in container nurseries is usually performed manually with the use of the standard dibble bar or the tube dibble. Manual placement of a large number of seedlings in the soil requires a lot of work. Manual removal of the soil cover and digging the soil in spots with a diameter of 0.4 m requires, under average conditions, about 38 man-hours/ha, while planting with a dibble bar requires about 34 man-hours/ha. Additional work time is needed to carry seedlings over an area that is being afforested. At present, forestry does not have automatic planters that would enable the establishment of forest cultures. The aim of the paper is to present the concept of an autonomous robot and an innovative technology of performing forest regeneration and afforestation of former agricultural and reclaimed areas. The paper also presents the design solutions of the key working unit, which is a universal, openable dibble, cooperating with a three-toothed shaft to prepare a planting spot. The solution proposed enables continuous operation of the machine, i.e. without the need to stop the base vehicle.


Issues in the Care of Farm Animals Current History of the Movement in Selected States Jennifer N. Dunn Many animal care practices commonly accepted as a regular part of the agricultural industry are being questioned by organizations advocating for the care of farm and companion animals. The use of gestation crates for pregnant sows, veal crates for veal calves, and battery cages for egg-laying hens are being banned in some states in the United States. While appearing to be a modern phenomenon, animal rights/animal welfare issues actually can be found throughout history. The purpose of the study was to trace the history of the care of farm and companion animals movement in the United States. This included the identification of major events in the movement, as well as legislation that has been enacted to insure the proper care of farm and companion animals. The movement for the care of farm and other domestic animals can be connected to legislation or executive orders in at least seven states. In addition numerous states have begun the reevaluation of the current status, including potential legislation, for the protection of farm and companion animals. Most states that have passed legislation were influenced by out of state animal rights organizations. California received national media attention with the passing of Proposition Two which prohibited the use of gestation crates for pregnant sows, crates for veal calves, and battery cages for egg-laying hens. California was the first state to ban battery cages for egg-laying hens. Florida, Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, and Ohio have also passed state legislation regarding the treatment of animals.


The majority of organizations are competing to survive in this volatile and fierce market Environment. Organizations that can successfully retain their human resources have an advantage over organizations that cannot. The study tested "The Influence of Work Environment and Organizational Support on Employee Motivation at PT Maruwa in Batam City". The questionnaire distributed to 140 employee at One Factory, particular in B Shift but received 130 questionnaires. The sampling method in this research done with the approach of non-probability sampling with the simple purposive sampling. Scale of measurement used Likert items is five-point scale. Scale of measurement used Likert items a five-point scale range from strongly disagree on one until strongly agree. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS version 11.5 for Windows. The findings showed that work environmental has a significant positive effect on employee motivation, and organizational support has a significant positive effect on employee motivation. The limitations and implications and the study also discussed.


We consider a multi-source status update system consisting of two independent sources and one server. The packets of different sources are generated according to a Poisson process and served according to an exponentially distributed service time. We assume that the received status update packets need further processing before being used (hence, computation-intensive). This is mathematically modeled by introducing an additional server at the sink node. The sink server serves the packets according to an exponentially distributed service time. We derive the moment generating function (MGF) of the AoI of each source under a source-aware packet management policy. According to this policy, when a server (either the transmitter or sink server) is busy at the arrival of a packet, the packet currently under service is preempted only if the arriving packet is from the same source (hence, source-aware). Numerical results are provided to assess the results.


It is shown that the equilibrium axial shift of the Vk core of the self-trapped exciton (STE) in alkali halides is correlated with the lifetime and Stokes shift of the n-emission band and the binding energy of the STE. A configuration coordinate diagram for the STE in KCI is constructed which is consistent with existing data and accounts for the large Stokes shift and large binding energy of the STE. A detailed comparison is made between the configuration coordinate diagrams based on the off-centre (F-H pair) model and the on-centre (Vk + e) model of the STE. Using a previously developed extended-ion program package coupled with a CNDO code, the n-emission band peak energies and the binding energies of the STE are calculated for 12 alkali halides. The results are in general agreement with experiment.


The overuse of antibiotics in aquaculture and pharmaceuticals and their subsequent leaking into the environment have been demonstrated to be a potential route for creating antibiotic resistance in bacteria. In order to assess the impact of this problem and take regulatory measures, it is necessary to develop tools that allow for the detection of antibiotics in environmental samples in a routine, low-cost manner. In this study, we integrated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) into a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) membrane to fabricate a new sensor for the detection of norfloxacin in pharmaceuticals and aquaculture samples. The receptor layers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The results of these studies demonstrate that the addition of AuNPs to the polymer network enhanced the sensor sensitivity by at least a factor of two. The MIP–AuNPs sensor has a low detection limit (0.15 ng/mL, S/N = 3) with a wide linear range and very high sensitivity. The selectivity of the fabricated sensor was measured in the sample containing other antibiotics (like chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin). Rapid and precise norfloxacin detection in pharmaceutical compounds and fishpond water samples indicates that the fabricated sensor has the potential to be used for routine screening of aquacultures and pharmaceutical processes.


A fast modulator for dynamic supply linear RF amplifier has been integrated in a 0.35/spl mu/m CMOS technology. The use of this modulator with an external linear power amplifier (PA) allows to maintain its efficiency at a higher level than it would with the same PA supplied at constant voltage. The modulator is designed to track rapid envelope variations at high efficiency without compromising the RF PA linearity.


We consider the offline version of the routing and wavelength assignment problem in transparent all-optical networks. In such networks and in the absence of regenerators, the signal quality of a transmission degrades due to physical layer impairments. Certain physical effects cause choices for one lightpath to affect and be affected by the choices made for other lightpaths. This interference among lightpaths is particularly difficult to formulate in an offline algorithm, since in this version of the problem we start without any established connections, and the utilization of lightpaths are the variables of the problem. For this reason the majority of work performed in this field either neglects lightpath interactions or assumes a worst case interference scenario. In this article we present a way to formulate interlightpath interference as additional constraints on RWA and show how to incorporate these constraints in an IA-RWA algorithm that directly accounts for the most important physical layer impairments. The objective of the resulting cross-layer optimization problem is not only to serve the connection requests using the minimum number of wavelengths (network layer objective), but also to select lightpaths that have acceptable quality of transmission performance (physical layer objective).


In rabbits with experimental ischaemic cerebral hypertension the role of the natriuretic factor in the genesis of the phenomenon of "exaggerated" natriuresis after extracellular space expansion was studied. In control animals an expansion of the extracellular fluid was followed by an elevation of the natriuretic factor in blood, whereas in hypertensive rabbits the phenomenon did not appear. Besides, in hypertensive rabbits the urinary excretion and the clearance of the natriuretic factor were considerably higher than in the control animals. In the genesis of exaggerated natriuresis in hypertension a certain role is doubtlessly played by the natriuretic factor.


Before the invention of mechanical means of recording and the possibility of broadcasting sound remotely, the music that reached the ears of those who heard it either serendipitously or by design in church, in the town square, in enclosed private spaces, or even on the battlefield, could only be produced by the live actions of people with specific and complex skills exercised in close proximity to those listening. This seemingly obvious condition of any kind of early modern musical experience nevertheless reminds us that a historical investigation of this period that aims to understand music as both a social and a culturally dynamic phenomenon (that is, first and foremost as an action rather than a collection of objects) needs to focus close attention on the people who produced those sounds. As such, it should consider not only what they did as musicians (the techniques and strategies of musical practice, which may well, of course, include the 'performance of works'), but also, as far as possible, the social forces, institutional systems, and other conditions that governed their lives, whether their music-making was essentially an adornment to their overall practice of living ('amateurs') or constituted the means itself of making a living ('professionals'). This chapter focuses on the structures, formal and informal, that governed the lives of those who made their living, all or some of the time, from making music; it also considers the ways in which musicians' lives both shaped, and were shaped by, the environments in which they practised their art.


Progress in reinforcement learning (RL) research is often driven by the design of new, challenging environments -- a costly undertaking requiring skills orthogonal to that of a typical machine learning researcher. The complexity of environment development has only increased with the rise of procedural-content generation (PCG) as the prevailing paradigm for producing varied environments capable of testing the robustness and generalization of RL agents. Moreover, existing environments often require complex build processes, making reproducing results difficult. To address these issues, we introduce GriddlyJS, a web-based Integrated Development Environment (IDE) based on the Griddly engine. GriddlyJS allows researchers to visually design and debug arbitrary, complex PCG grid-world environments using a convenient graphical interface, as well as visualize, evaluate, and record the performance of trained agent models. By connecting the RL workflow to the advanced functionality enabled by modern web standards, GriddlyJS allows publishing interactive agent-environment demos that reproduce experimental results directly to the web. To demonstrate the versatility of GriddlyJS, we use it to quickly develop a complex compositional puzzle-solving environment alongside arbitrary human-designed environment configurations and their solutions for use in automatic curriculum learning and offline RL. The GriddlyJS IDE is open source and freely available at https://griddly.ai.


In a well-designed porous sca old, there is a need for a convenient balance between biological compatibility and mechanical functionality such that the porosity permits tissue regeneration and solid structure carries the load in the best possible way. In this thesis, a design framework that allows for the optimal design and analysis of a bone sca old which undergoes tissue regeneration according to a self healing model is proposed. Computational models are implemented using COMSOL Multiphysics which provides the opportunity to build an FEA (Finite Element Analysis) model where boundary value problems from di erent disciplines and mathematical equations are coupled and studied at the same time to reach an optimally performing tissue. To simulate the self healing process a mechano-regulatory model is developed mimicking tissue regeneration. As the topology optimization design method, level-set method is employed, where the design process starts with an initial geometry, that satisfies physical constraints. At each time step, this geometry is improved based on sensitivity analysis results until convergence is reached. Results of both the mechanoregulatory and the topology optimization methods validate well-known benchmark design problems in literature. Finite element method integrated to the level-set based topology optimization is proven to be among the most computationally e cient and generic design tool for solving non-intuitive tissue engineering problems. Hence, the proposed design framework, when implemented with corresponding physical models, is equally applicable to other hard and soft tissue designs.


The "Third Way" became a synonym for progressive politics between or beyond neoliberalism (the new right) and traditional social democracy (the old left). Third Way politics responds to the transformation of the traditional industrial society into a vaguely defined post-industrial society, characterized, inter alia, by economic globalization; the increasing importance of information as an economic input and output as well as a structuring principle of economic activities; the emergence of a new underclass of unemployed or working poor; the increasing emphasis on the shareholder value; a new consensus on economic policy, emphasizing financial and monetary stability rather than economic growth; and individualization. In the European context, Third Way politics tries to enhance economic efficiency and to strengthen employment. It emphasizes that redistributive policies, typical of the traditional industrial society, are no longer sustainable and thus accepts a higher level of economic inequality. Although it offers equality of opportunity, civic participation and a new emphasis on inclusion as a substitute for "equality of outcome", it lacks a convincing concept of social justice.


State and local governments seeking to address the proliferation of billboards and other outdoor advertising must negotiate two obstacles of First Amendment law. The first is the Supreme Court's 1981 decision in Metromedia, Inc. v. City of San Diego. Following Metromedia, regulators can neither select among noncommercial messages nor privilege commercial messages over noncommercial ones.For years, regulators navigated around Metromedia by drawing a distinction between commercial and noncommercial speech. Then came the Supreme Court's decision in City of Cincinnati v. Discovery Network, holding that regulators had to account for why they were privileging noncommercial over commercial speech in the context of outdoor advertising. The result of these two holdings – both good law – is a confusing and treacherous straight, through which outdoor advertisers are more than happy to drag state and local governments seeking to regulate them. This Note demonstrates how constitutionally to regulate outdoor advertising in the wake of Metromedia and Discovery Network.


A theoretical 12-transmembrane segment model based on the hydrophobic moment has been proposed for the transmembrane topology of the glycine transporter GLYT1 and all other members of the sodium- and chloride-dependent transporter family. We tested this model by introducing N-glycosylation sites along the GLYT1 sequence as reporter for an extracellular localization and by an in vitro transcription/translation assay that allows the analysis of the topogenic properties of different segments of the protein. The data reported herein are compatible with the existence of 12 transmembrane segments, but support a rearrangement of the first third of the protein. Contrary to prediction, hydrophobic domain 1 seems not to span the membrane, and the loop connecting hydrophobic domains 2 and 3, formerly believed to be intracellular, appears to be extracellularly located. In agreement with the theoretical model, we provide evidence for the extracellular localization of loops between hydrophobic segments 5 and 6, 7 and 8, 9 and 10, and 11 and 12.


During a prospective study of endemic group A streptococcal upper respiratory tract infection and the streptococcal carrier state, we investigated persistence of group A streptococci after treatment with recommended doses of antibiotics. We evaluated clinical findings, culture results, and streptococcal antibody responses at the acute-stage clinic visit and at convalescent-stage visits 3 and 8 weeks later. Data from 280 children ill with pharyngitis and their family contacts were analyzed (mean age 13.3 years); 129 individuals (46%) had group A beta-hemolytic streptococci isolated at the initial visit. Despite antibiotic treatment, group A streptococci were not eradicated from the upper respiratory tract of 34 (26%) of the 129 culture-positive individuals. Thirteen of the 34 (38%) required a second course of antibiotic therapy before the infecting serotype was eradicated, but a majority, the remaining 21 (62%) patients, were not bacteriologically cured despite repeated courses of antibiotics. Streptococcal antibody data suggested that the majority of the treatment failures were streptococcal carriers. Only 5% of asymptomatic individuals with a positive culture for group A streptococci demonstrated an antibody rise. These bacteriologic and serologic data document that it usually is unnecessary to retreat asymptomatic convalescent individuals having throat cultures persistently positive for group A streptococci, since these individuals seldom represent true streptococcal infection.


Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is one of the common heart disease acquired in children in many regions of the world, mainly in developing and underprivileged countries. This heart condition occurs following rheumatic fever caused by streptococcal infection. It affects the functionality of heart valves. When untreated it may lead to medical complications and even death. The disease mainly targeting children and young adults is responsible for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in people. Prevention and treatment of acute rheumatic fever plays an important role in controlling the disease. Diagnosis of the disease is critically important because misdiagnosis of acute rheumatic fever can lead to worsening of damage caused to heart valves and may also lead to premature death. This being a preventable problem, it can be managed through surgeries to repair functions of cardiac valves. Alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking has shown synergistic effect which may prove detrimental to cardiovascular health.


This paper studies a two stage economy where the non-monetary assignments of indivisible objects are followed by market transactions. In this economy, there are finitely many players and finitely many types of indivisible objects and one divisible good called money. Every player demands at most one object besides money. The first stage is governed by a non-monetary assignment mechanism, while the second stage is governed by the market. We impose the obtainability condition on the first stage mechanism, which requires that each player has an option to obtain any unassigned object. This condition is satisfied by a broad class of mechanisms, including the Boston mechanism and deferred acceptance algorithm. We define an equilibrium concept called perfect market equilibrium (PME) and its refined concept. We then analyze three classes of situations, the case with abundant money, the case where some players (e.g., firms) cannot obtain objects (e.g., degree) in the first stage, waiting for some other players (e.g., students) obtain them and trade the objects with them in the future, and the third case with no money. We set forth some sufficient conditions under which existence and efficiency are guaranteed and compare the three situations in terms of these conditions.


We study the effect of network structure on the dynamical response of networks of coupled discrete-state excitable elements to two distinct types of stimulus. First, we consider networks which are stochastically stimulated by an external source. Such systems have been used as toy models for the dynamics of some human sensory neuronal networks and neuron cultures. The collective dynamics of such systems depends on the topology of the connections in the network. Here we develop a general theoretical approach to study the effects of network topology on dynamic range, which quantifies the range of stimulus intensities resulting in distinguishable network responses. We find that the largest eigenvalue of the weighted network adjacency matrix governs the network dynamic range. Specifically, a largest eigenvalue equal to one corresponds to a critical regime with maximum dynamic range. This result appears to hold for random, all-to-all, and scale free topologies, and is robust to the inclusion of time delays and refractory states. We gain deeper insight into the effects of network topology using a nonlinear analysis in terms of additional spectral properties of the adjacency matrix. We find that homogeneous networks can reach a higher dynamic range than those with heterogeneous topology. Second, we consider networks stimulated only once at a single node, with dynamics allowed to evolve without additional stimulus. Each realization of such a process will create a cascade of activity of varying duration and size. We analyze the distributions of cascade size and duration in complex networks resulting from a single nodal excitation, finding that when the largest eigenvalue is equal to one, so-called ``critical avalanches'' are power-law distributed in size, with exponent -3/2, and power-law distributed in duration, with exponent -2. We employ techniques from dynamical systems to recover the differences among avalanches started at different network nodes, also deriving distributions for avalanches in subcritical and supercritical regimes.


This paper focuses on the two dimensional rectangular non-oriented guillotine cutting stock problem (TDRCSP) in which many pieces with different dimensions need to be cut with different quantities in order to satisfy customers' orders. In order to maximise the use of raw materials, make-to-order 'MTO' and make-to-stock 'MTS' production strategies are combined; in addition to the (firm) orders that need to be fulfilled, other quantities of pieces are considered when designing cutting patterns in order to satisfy the forecast plan over a fixed time horizon. A new formulation of the optimisation problem is proposed in this paper considering multi-period demand planning as well as inventory management constraints. To solve this new problem, a hybrid heuristic, based on the combination of the Bottom Left and Shelf algorithms, is considered. It is shown that formulating the problem combining the original non-oriented guillotine TDRCSP with demand and inventory planning optimises the raw material use and yields good solutions in very short computational times. Results show that integrating forecast and inventory constraints are much more of an additional way to improve the raw material use than a real constraint. Finally, a discussion on the hybrid heuristic sensitivity and robustness is reported.


We have previously shown that lung when treated with Sendai virus-mediated gene transfer can produce secreted proteins and release them into the circulation (Griesenbach et al., Mol Therapy 2002). Despite the high levels of transduction efficiency the gene expression is transient and repeated administration is not feasible due to induction of immune responses. To overcome these barriers we developed a lentiviral vector specifically pseudotyped with the Sendai virus envelope proteins F and HN (rSIV. F/HN) to allow efficient transduction of the airways. Stable expression for >20 months after a single dose and efficient transduction after repeated administration despite detection of anti-rSIV. F/HN neutralising antibodies make the vector an attractive candidate for a large range of disease indications. Here, we first transduced mouse lung with rSIV. F/HN carrying the secreted reporter gene Gaussia luciferase (GLux) or a control virus by nasal instillation (1e6 transduction units (TU)/mouse, n = 5 –6/group). Persistent levels of GLux expression were detectable in lung (3 logs above control) and broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF, 4 logs above control) for at least 12 months. Importantly, even this modest dose of virus lead to significant (p < 0.01) levels of GLux in serum (274 ± 72 RLU/ul, control: 41 ± 6 RLU/ul) which persisted for at least 12 months further supporting the hypothesis that the lung is a suitable, non-invasive factory for production of secreted proteins. Gene therapy strategies for haemophilia have focussed on intravenous or intramuscular delivery of the gene transfer agent. Here, we treated the murine lung with rSIV. F/HN carrying the FVIII cDNA (1.6e8–3.4e8 TU/mouse,) or placebo and assessed whether therapeutically relevant levels of FVIII can be produced. Significant (p < 0.05) and dose-related levels of FVIII were detectable in lungs and BALF 10 and 28 days post-transduction. Dose-related levels of FVIII were also detectable in plasma, which reached a therapeutically relevant level of 3% of normal 1 month after gene transfer. These data support the concept that rSIV. F/HN-mediated transduction of lungs can produce therapeutically relevant and persistent levels of recombinant protein in blood. Reference 1 Griesenbach U, Cassady RL, Ferrari S et al. The nasal epithelium as a factory for systemic protein delivery. Mol Ther. 2002;5:98–103


Other Engineering Courses AEP 5500 Applied Solid State Physics of Renewable Energy CHEME 6640 Energy Economics (not offered 2019-20) CHEME 6641 Energy Value Chain Module (not offered 2019-20) CHEME 6650 Energy Engineering (not offered 2019-20) CHEME 6660 Analysis of Sustainable Energy Systems CHEME 6661 Bioenergy and Biofuels Module CHEME 6662 Solar Energy Module CHEME 6664 Hydrokinetic and Aerodynamic Energy Module CHEME 6667 Transportation Energy Systems Module CHEME 6670 Fossil Fuels Module CHEME 6671 Nuclear Energy Module CHEME 6672 Electric Power Systems Module CHEME 6673 Tools for Analyzing Energy and Society CHEME 6675 Energy Life Cycle Assessment Module


Technology scaling enables today the design of ultra-low power wearable bio-sensors for continuous vital signs monitoring or wellness applications. Such bio-sensing nodes are typically integrated in Wireless Body Sensor Network (WBSN) to acquire and process biomedical signals, e.g. Electrocardiogram (ECG), and transmit them to the WBSN gateway, e.g. smartphone, for online reconstruction or features extraction. Both bio-sensing node and gateway are battery powered devices, although they show very different autonomy requirements (weeks vs. days). The rakeness-based Compressed Sensing (CS) proved to outperform standard CS, achieving a higher compression for the same quality level, therefore reducing the transmission costs in the node. However, most of the research focus has been on the efficiency of the node, neglecting the energy cost of the CS decoder. In this work, we evaluate the energy cost and real-time reconstruction feasibility on the gateway, considering the FOCUSS signal reconstruction algorithm running on a heterogeneous mobile SoC based on the ARM big. LITTLE TM architecture. The experimental results show that standard CS does not satisfy real-time constraints, while the rakeness enables different QoS-energy trade-offs, achieving the most efficient real-time reconstruction on the Cortex-A7 @ 1.3 GHz for 0.2 J/window (for a target QoS of 23 dB), while the lowest CPU consumption is achieved with the Cortex-A15 @ 1.9 GHz.


The aim of this paper is to show the causes of the dental extractions in the Navarra Health Service-Osasunbidea. For 6 months all the dental extractions carried out in the clinics of the Navarra Health Service in Pamplona were registered. Data was registered for each extraction carried out. A note was made of the age and sex of the patient, the tooth extracted and the cause of the exodontia. The causes considered were: periodontia, caries, mixed causes, orthodontia, fracture and others. 4,259 extractions were carried out; 62.1% were on men and 37.9% on women (significatively different from the general population, p < 0.0001). The average age was 53.14 years (SD = 16.77 years, 95% CI: 52.62 to 53.66 years). 49.9% of extractions were due to caries, 33.7% for periodontal reasons, 3.6% for mixed causes, 1.6% for orthodontia, 0.7% because of fracture, and 10.4% for other causes. There were statistically significant differences in the distribution by sexes of the exodontias due to periodontia (p = 0.0001), orthodontia (p < 0.0001) and other causes ((p = 0.0009). The average age of the exodontias due to periodontia, accumulated in the front teeth, was greater than that for caries (p < 0.0001), accumulated in the back teeth. The average age of the exodontias due to orthodontia was 20.16 years (p < 0.0001 with all of the other causes).


Background Episodes of hypoxia and reperfusion play an important role in the development of intestinal damage during perinatal development. The aim of this study was to investigate the histopathology of the intestine in the developing chick embryo after exposure to repetitive hypoxia and recovery under two different conditions: normoxic and hyperoxic (60% O 2 ). Methods Chick embryos were exposed to 5 minutes of hypoxia. This was repeated six times with a recovery period of 15 minutes under normoxic conditions (21% O 2 ) for chick embryos in test group 1 (TG1) and under hyperoxic conditions (100% O 2 ) for chick embryos in test group 2 (TG2), from day 11 until day 20. Chick embryos that recovered under hyperoxic conditions (100% O 2 ) were previously incubated under hyperoxic conditions (60% O 2 for 24 hours). Histologic evaluation of the ileum was performed at different times after the interventions (2, 4, 8, 16, and 24 hours). Results In both test groups, only chick embryos older than 19 days showed intestinal damage. Intestinal histology on day 19 showed vasodilation of villus capillaries (10% in TG1 and 15% in TG2), necrosis in the top of the villi (29% in TG1 and 30% in TG2), and necrosis with preservation of base of the crypts (2% in TG1) and transmucosal necrosis (2% in TG2). Conclusions Significant histologic changes, compared with the control group, were only found in chick embryos that were studied 2 hours after the interventions. Furthermore, recovery under hyperoxic conditions did not cause more intestinal damage compared with recovery under normoxic conditions.


This thesis demonstrates that legislation introduced by the National Party of South Africa between 1950 and 1988 was ineffective in subduing the exchange of homoerotic commodities. Ultimately, the quantitative and qualitative methodology used in this thesis reveals that despite increased regulation, some same-sex desiring men in South Africa had the means to participate in a transnational network of exchange. This transient network of commodities and images created a community beyond borders and boundaries that resisted regulation and created a space for like-minded individuals to communicate.
Methodologically, this thesis is a composite of macro- and micro-history that navigates contentious issues with cultural history and simultaneously addresses some limitations of visualizing data in this manner. Collections from the Gay and Lesbian Memory in Action (GALA) archive in Johannesburg, South Africa are digitized and processed to visualize two different commodity networks (http://dangerdeviancyanddesire.com). Associated correspondence, editorials, newspaper clippings, and oral histories corroborate these visualizations.


Objective: To determine prevalence of depression in mothers of children with mental retardation using the ICD-10 criteria for depression. Material & Method: This cross sectional study was conducted at Psychiatry outpatient Department, Civil Hospital Karachi. Three hundred twenty three mothers were included in the study and interviewed between the periods of October 2014 to April 2015. Mothers of children with mental retardationwere assessed for depressive disorder using ICD-10criteria for depression. Data was entered and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Number of depressed mothers who have mentally retarded child was more as compared to non depressed mothers. The association of depression to their marital status was found to be significant (p-value 0.009) revealing that single parenting mothers were more vulnerable to depression as compared to children living with both parents. Most of the depressed mothers were more educated (p-value 0.00) and were mostly graduates, and had their child in the older age group that is 9 to 12 years (p-value 0.03) and had a female child. (Table 2) effected (p-value 0.00). The association of maternal age and socioeconomic status with depression was found to be insignificant (p-value 0.43 and 0.37 respectively. Conclusion: This study reveals a high prevalence of depression in mothers of mentally retarded children and highlights the need for help. Strategy should be reinforced in the clinical settings to screen such mothers for Depression.


A method was developed to estimate the relative contributions of paracellular and transcellular pathways to the total biliary clearance of sucrose in isolated perfused rat liver. When livers were perfused with a sucrose-containing medium (1 mM), biliary sucrose concentration reached an equilibrium of 165 +/- 27 microM within 10 min, without further significant change up to 40 min. After removal of sucrose from the perfusate, the decrease of the sucrose concentration in bile was found to obey biphasic first-order kinetics, showing a rapid initial decrease (half-life 3.3 +/- 0.5 min) and then a slower decrease (half-life 29.4 +/- 5.7 min). Both phases of decrease were further characterized. Pretreating rats with the cholestatic agents alpha-naphthyl isothiocyanate (ANIT), oestradiol valerate (OV) and colchicine increased the biliary equilibrium concentration and decreased the half-life of the fast phase of the biliary sucrose elimination. The slow phase was unaffected in the livers of ANIT- and OV-treated rats. The slow phase of biliary sucrose efflux was sensitive to colchicine treatment. A close correlation was observed between the slow-phase fraction of the biliary sucrose and the corresponding sucrose content of the liver. By quantitative analysis of the efflux kinetics the relative contribution of the paracellular pathway to the biliary clearance of sucrose was estimated to be 83 +/- 2% in control livers, which increased to about 90% in livers of pretreated animals. These results are important in view of the use of sucrose in evaluating the paracellular-pathway permeability in intra- and extra-hepatic cholestasis.


How do precursor cells know when it is time to stop dividing and
differentiate? The phenomenon of lineage-specific progenitor cells undergoing
a limited period of proliferation prior to terminal differentiation is a common
theme in multicellular development. Despite this, little is understood about how
these two events are co-ordinated during the normal schedule of development.
I have studied the question of how proliferation and differentiation are
co-regulated in the oligodendrocyte lineage in the rodent optic nerve.
Oligodendrocytes are post-mitotic cells that myelinate axons in the vertebrate
central nervous system. They develop from precursor cells whose maturation is
controlled by a timer, which is an intrinsic property of the cells, that limits
proliferation. The timer seems not to control the number of divisions the cell
can undergo but rather the length of time during which divisions can occur.
Significant effort has been devoted to understanding how the
intracellular timer regulates oligodendrocyte development. The timer consists
of two components that are modulated by distinct kinds of extracellular signals.
Mitogens drive a timing component whose value increases as precursor cells
continue to divide. Once this value exceeds a critical threshold, it signals that
the proliferative period has elapsed, and hydrophobic signalling molecules
trigger an effector component that elicits cell-cycle arrest and differentiation.
The value of the timing component is determined by several
intracellular molecules whose activities change as the timer runs. One of these
molecules is the cell-cycle inhibitor p27: it accumulates in oligodendrocyte
precursor cells as they proliferate in culture. When p27 expression is high the precursor cells are more likely to stop dividing and differentiate than when it is
low. In oligodendrocyte precursor cells derived from mice that lack p27, the
timer runs aberrantly and cell-cycle arrest and terminal differentiation are
delayed.
It is not understood how the molecular mechanics of the timer control
oligodendrocyte development. Does the timer serve to arrest the cell-cycle,
with differentiation following by default, or is cell-cycle arrest subordinate to
the programme of terminal differentiation? These questions remain
unanswered, largely because of a persistent inability to experimentally
manipulate the genome of oligodendrocyte precursor cells.
The present study was an attempt to overcome these problems and had
two aims - first, to devise a reliable system for transfecting oligodendrocyte
precursor cells and second, to determine whether the timer primarily controls
the timing of cell-cycle arrest. I developed a new retroviral vector that co-expresses
p27 and green fluorescent protein (GFP) in precursor cells. The use
of GFP allows the identification of living precursor cells that over-express p27,
which can then be followed over many days in culture.
My findings support previous work showing that p27 plays a role in
governing the timing of oligodendrocyte differentiation. They show that over-expression of p27 promotes oligodendrocyte differentiation by advancing the
value of the timing component, although it does not promote differentiation if
the effector component is inoperative. The cell-cycle time of precursor cells
that over-express p27 is dramatically extended, but not stopped. It appears that
a firm cell-cycle arrest and entry into a quiescent state may be required to elicit
terminal differentiation.


Innovation is widely recognized as a key driver of economic growth, but innovation is now mainly measured by patent statistics and seen as reflecting earlier investments in formal innovation systems that produce new products an new technologies. A consequence of this approach to describing the innovation process is that there is little role for entrepreneurs and in particular little chance of innovation taking place in rural regions. Yet prior to the 20th century most innovation came from individual entrepreneurs and many innovations originated in rural regions. In particular one form of innovation - user-innovation, where individuals or single firms when confronted with a significant problem that has no acceptable existing solution create their own innovation, is particularly relevant to rural regions. While most rural innovations serve local or niche markets there are examples of major rural innovations that have had disruptive national or global impacts. Preliminary results from the new USDA Rural Establishment Innovation Survey confirm that user innovation is an important aspect of many rural entrepreneurs and an important aspect of firm competiveness.


We survey the protein folds in the worm genome, using pairwise and multiple-sequence comparison methods (i.e. FASTA and PSI-blast). Overall, we find that approximately 250 folds match approximately 8000 domains in approximately 4500 ORFs, about 32 matches per fold involving a quarter of the total worm ORFs. We compare the folds in the worm genome to those in other model organisms, in particular yeast and E. coli, and find that the worm shares more folds with the phylogenetically closer yeast than with E. coli. There appear to be 36 folds unique to the worm compared to these two model organisms, and many of these are obviously implicated in aspects of multicellularity. The most common fold in the worm genome is the immunoglobulin fold, and many of the common folds are repeated in various combinations and permutations in multidomain proteins. In addition, an approach is presented for the identification of "sure" and "marginal" membrane proteins. When applied to the worm genome, this reveals a much greater relative prevalence of proteins with seven transmembrane helices in comparison to the other completely sequenced genomes, which are not of metazoans. Combining these analyses with some other simple filters allows one to identify ORFs that potentially code for soluble proteins of unknown fold, which may be promising targets for experimental investigation in structural genomics. A regularly updated worm fold analysis will be available from bioinfo.mbb.yale.edu/genome/worm.


The results of tests of 56 cylinders of D cross section conducted in the Aeronautical Laboratory of the University of Maryland are presented in this report. These cylinders were subjected to pure bending and torsional moments of varying proportions to give the strength under combined loading conditions. The average buckling stress of these cylinders has been related to that of circumscribing circular cylinders for conditions of pure torsion and pure bending and the equation of the interaction curve has been determined for conditions of combined loading.


Studies of oxidation of elemental S in soils showed that thiosulfate and tetrathionate are produced during S oxidation in soils. In this work, unamended and elemental S-amended soils were incubated (30°C) under aerobic conditions for various times. The amounts of S2O3-, S4O6-, and SO4-S produced during incubation were determined. Results showed that S2O32- was produced within the first few days of incubation and that S4O62- accumulated in some soils. The rate of S oxidation increased with increasing incubation temperature (5, 15, and 30°C) and with increasing the rate of S application (50, 100, and 200 µg S/g soil). For 100 µg S/g soil, the rates of oxidation of elemental S in 10 Iowa surface soils ranged from 39 to 75 µg S/g soil after incubation at 30°C for 70 days; rates were more rapid in alkaline soils than in acid soils. There was little change in pH of soils even when the S application rate was increased from 50 to 200 µg S/g soil. The rate of S oxidation was lower in air-dried soils than in field-moist soils


Recently, the increase in production, consumption causes the shortage of the natural resources and the increase in waste disposal. In order to build up a sustainable society, the input and the output of the natural system should be reduced by the recirculation of materials and energy. We have tried to develop high performance building materials by solidification technology at low temperature. The starting materials were the inorganic wastes or soil. These solidified inorganic waste and solidifying soil have good mechanical strength for paving tile. Solidifying soil called as Tataki works has good performance of mitigating urban heat islands. Numerical simulation method based on heat transfer model was studied to estimate performance of mitigating urban heat islands of solidifying soil. Numerical model was calculated by the surface temperature changes in the outside with air temperature changes. Simulation result was compared with experimental measurement.


Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is a polymorphic polymer which, when made to crystallize in its polar form, yields piezo- and pyroelectric properties. In recent years PVDF has found its way towards intelligent textile applications, as researchers have attempted to create e.g. sensors for cardiorespiratory monitoring and energy harvesting by adding a commercially available PVDF film to a textile material. Present work is a first step towards constructing an electroactive fibre or yarn for true integration into textile materials. Important factors for achieving a fibre with useful electromechanical response, are high crystallinity and high content of polar β phase crystallites. The present study attempted to find how the spinning and drawing parameters should be adjusted to achieve such properties. Experimental results showed that crystallinity can be increased significantly (up to 90% crystalline content) by increasing melt draw ratio during spinning. The fibres drawn only in the melt showed mainly non-polar α phase crystallinity, and it was necessary to add a subsequent cold drawing step in which α- to β-phase conversion occurred. It was further seen that while a high crystallinity has a negative effect on the maximum draw ratio of fibres, an increase in the draw ratio during cold drawing had a positive effect on the conversion from α to the β form. Thus there seems to be an antagonistic effect between high degree of crystallinity and high degree of polar crystallites. An interesting finding was that an increased deformation speed during cold drawing appeared to promote conversion to the β form. The results indicate that with some fine-tuning of melt spinning and cold drawing parameters, it is possible to produce PVDF fibres with high crystallinity (above 80%) and almost completely in the β-form.


The human genome with its 23 pairs of chromosomes, is the result of evolution. This evolution has been ruled by the mutation process and also by the physiological and pathological reorganization of the genomic material inside or between the chromosomes, which are conditioning the genomic variability. This reorganization is starting at singular points on the short or long chromosomic arms, called crossing-over, or translocations, insertions, break points. In this paper, we will show that these points, also called weak points or hot spots of the genome are correlated, independently of their origin. In addition, we will give some properties of the genetic interaction matrices in terms of attractors of the genetic expression dynamics.


A total of 87 milk samples was collected from 47 Australian sea lions, Neophoca cinerea, with pups ranging from one day old to 471 days old. Analysis of proximate composition yielded an overall mean (+/- s.d.) of 30.82 +/- 9.84% lipid, 56.97 +/- 9.96% water, 9.97 +/- 2.52% protein, and 0.88 +/- 0.25% ash. Milk fat content increased during lactation and was inversely proportional to water content. There was a significant difference between the lipid content of milk collected during the first half of lactation ( 250 days, range 314-469 days) (39.1 +/- 5.5%, n = 12) (Mann-Whitney U-test, P < 0.0001). The relatively low lipid (energy) content of Australian sea lion milk is postulated to be, in part, an adaptive response to living in a low-energy marine environment where the rate of energy transfer from mother to young is decreased and the duration of maternal dependence of the young is increased.


Over the previous few decades there has been an increased emphasis on the cultural aspects of English language teaching. However, in settings where English is used as a global lingua franca the cultural associations of the language are complex and the role culture plays in successful communication has yet to be extensively investigated. To conduct such a study it is necessary to explicate the role and nature of English in global contexts and particularly how
English functions as a lingua franca (ELF). Furthermore, a theoretical understanding of the relationships between languages and cultures in intercultural communication is needed, which emphasises the fluid and dynamic nature of any connections. The thesis focuses on cultural awareness (CA) as an approach to equipping learners and users of English for the diversity of intercultural communication. However, it is suggested that CA has still not incorporated an
understanding of the multifarious uses of English in global contexts where no clear cultural associations can be established. Thus, intercultural awareness (ICA) is offered as an alternative which addresses these needs. This results in the formulation of research questions which aim to explore how ICA can best be characterised in an expanding circle setting and the role it plays in intercultural communication. Furthermore, this research also aims to explicate the relationships between the English language and cultures in such an environment and how this reflects on language use and attitudes. The study was predominantly qualitative utilising approaches associated with ethnography with the aim of producing a rich description of the research participants and their environment. The fieldwork took place over a six month period in a Thai university and seven participants formed the core of this study. The main data sources were recordings of the participants engaged in intercultural communication and interviews with the participants. These were supplemented with a survey, diaries, observations and documents from the research site. The findings of the study suggest that in successful intercultural communication culturally based forms, practices and frames of reference are employed as emergent, dynamic and liminal resources in a manner that moves between individual, local, national and global
references. Furthermore, the results also indicated that ICA was a valid construct in the context investigated for explaining the types of cultural knowledge and related skills needed by participants to take part in successful intercultural communication through English.


We describe the specification and proof of an (imperative, sequential) hash table implementation. The usual dictionary operations (insertion, lookup, and so on) are supported, as well as iteration via folds and iterators. The code is written in OCaml and verified using higher-order separation logic, embedded in Coq, via the CFML tool and library. This case study is part of a larger project that aims to build a verified OCaml library of basic data structures.


For some classes of analytical methods, it is assumed that the error in the laboratory-to-laboratory standard deviation (S(L)) is appreciable. To demonstrate the magnitude of this error in S(L) for such methods, formulas were derived to obtain a two-tailed 100(1-alpha)% upper limit on the relative error in S(L) obtained from an interlaboratory study, assuming that the laboratory-to-laboratory variance (S(L)2) obtained in the validation of an analytical method is approximately normal and/or Chi-square distributed. This 100(1-alpha)% upper limit (delta(1-alpha/2)) is referred to as a margin of relative error in S(L) (MRE(S(L. Monte Carlo simulations were performed, and the results compared satisfactorily with the formula calculations. To aid in designing future interlaboratory studies in which concern is focused on the magnitude of the uncertainty in S(L), expressed as a proportion of the true value (sigma L), a formula was derived to determine the number of laboratories needed to attain a given MRE in S(L) for a stated number of replicates per laboratory.


A new CT perfusion technique providing extended anatomic coverage was evaluated in 12 patients with suspected acute middle cerebral artery ischemia. With a multidetector CT scanner, scans were obtained in an alternating fashion at two distinct "toggling" table positions (two 1-cm sections each) during a 40-mL contrast agent bolus (approximately 5 seconds per image), and perfusion parameter maps were created. The CT perfusion results were compared with follow-up images. Nine patients showed focal perfusion abnormalities in at least one section, most commonly on mean transit time maps. Using a single table location would have underestimated or missed the involved tissue in most cases. In three of 12 patients, perfusion maps failed to delineate any abnormality. In two patients, perfusion and diffusion MR imaging confirmed the absence of perfusion abnormality and tissue injury, respectively. In one case, a small ischemic injury was revealed by diffusion MR imaging. By using the toggling-table approach, perfusion images can be obtained over an extended anatomic area and, thus, reveal the presence and the extent of presumed tissue injury.


Abstract Starting and running your own enterprise is one of the most rewarding but challenging ways to develop a business career. This text provides students with the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to successfully own and manage a new, small or growing business venture. It covers all of the key concepts and tools needed in both entrepreneurship and small business management. It provides comprehensive information about small business management and entrepreneurship in Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, providing students with a truly international perspective.


Although evidence-based algorithms consistently outperform human forecasters, people often fail to use them after learning that they are imperfect, a phenomenon known as algorithm aversion. In this paper, we present three studies investigating how to reduce algorithm aversion. In incentivized forecasting tasks, participants chose between using their own forecasts or those of an algorithm that was built by experts. Participants were considerably more likely to choose to use an imperfect algorithm when they could modify its forecasts, and they performed better as a result. Notably, the preference for modifiable algorithms held even when participants were severely restricted in the modifications they could make (Studies 1-3). In fact, our results suggest that participants' preference for modifiable algorithms was indicative of a desire for some control over the forecasting outcome, and not for a desire for greater control over the forecasting outcome, as participants' preference for modifiable algorithms was relatively insensitive to the magnitude of the modifications they were able to make (Study 2). Additionally, we found that giving participants the freedom to modify an imperfect algorithm made them feel more satisfied with the forecasting process, more likely to believe that the algorithm was superior, and more likely to choose to use an algorithm to make subsequent forecasts (Study 3). This research suggests that one can reduce algorithm aversion by giving people some control - even a slight amount - over an imperfect algorithm's forecast.


This thesis uses a combination of industrially acquired seismic reflection data, well data, topographic data and satellite imagery to investigate the structure, evolution and geophysical expression of extrusive constructions found within large (-500 m diameter) mud volcano systems from the South Caspian Basin. The principal aim is to gain a better understanding the structural architecture of mud volcano systems and the ways in which they are constructed. To this end this thesis includes three core research chapters which present investigations into the internal structure and eruptive history of a large mud volcano system, the geophysical response of seismic data to gassy seabed conditions and the structure and formation of mud volcanic subsidence craters. In the first core chapter the edifice of the giant C'hirag mud volcano system was investigated using three-dimensional (3D) seismic data. Internally, this feature consists of a number of discrete seismic facies units interpreted to represent either wedge-shaped units of erupted mud volcanic sediment or sheet-like units of non-eruptive sediment. Unit stacking patterns indicate the importance of pulsed mud volcanic activity as a control on the internal architecture of large mud volcano edifices and suggest it to be an important mechanism of basinal sediment and fluid expulsion. Analysis of the geometrical relationships of the internal sediment units to an underlying collapse caldera allows for a reconstruction of the system's history of collapse. Together, the details of internal unit type, stacking and relative edifice collapse timing constitute a detailed reconstruction of the volcano system's eruptive history and a record of the structural evolution of a large focussed fluid flow system. At the seabed a number of volcano systems within the South Caspian Sea study area were found to be imaged by areas of phase-reversed seabed reflection in seismic data. These 'seabed phase reversals' are useful for better delimiting and understanding the structure of mud volcano source points and the extent of recent eruptive deposits. At one example kilometre-scale lobate mudflows are seen emerging from two seabed mud pool (salses) emphasizing the importance of both features in shaping the volcano's seabed morphology. Testing the hypothesis that seabed phase reversals are the result of gas within the seabed sediment took the form of a one-dimensional geophysical model of the study area seabed constructed using data from a borehole together with other published data. The results revealed that a phase reversal of the seabed reflection is a geophysical possibility under conditions typical of gassy seabed sediment. There is therefore a high likelihood that seabed phase reversals are the result of gas within seabed sediment. It is therefore suggested that seabed phase reversals can be used alongside other acoustic phenomena that indicate the presence of gas in a sedimentary section. In the final core chapter circular craters found at the upper terminations of onshore and offshore mud volcano systems are investigated. Using field maps. seismic lines, topographic data and satellite images it has been possible to describe these craters in detail for the first time and compile a generalized model for their structure. This includes a crater rim, an inward dipping crater margin fault, a moat and raised crater pedestal of freshly extruded mud volcanic sediment. The characteristic 'moat and pedestal' morphology features at most of the craters featured here as well as at a number of others from elsewhere. Whilst the precise mechanism of crater formation is unclear it is strongly suspected that they form as a result of subsurface evacuation and collapse. They are thus similar to other sedimentary and igneous collapse features for which they may be useful analogues.


Cracking in gas turbine blades was found to initiate from a mechanism of low-cycle fatigue (LCF). LCF is induced during thermal loading cycles in gas turbines. However, metallography of two cracked blades revealed a change in microstructure at as-cast surfaces for depths up to 0.41 mm (0.016 in.). Evaluation by SEM confirmed the difference in structure was associated with a lack of formation of coarse gamma prime structure in the matrix. Microhardness and miniature tensile test results indicated lower strength consistent with the absence of the coarse gamma prime constituent. The blade vendor found that the lot of hot isostatically pressed (HIP) blade castings had been exposed to an improper atmosphere during the HIP process, resulting in the weakened structure. Because subsequent failures were found in blades that did not come from the suspect HIP lot, the scope of the problem was considered generic, and the conclusion was that the primary failure mechanism was LCF. Material imperfections were a secondary deficiency that had the effect of causing the blades from the bad HIP lot to crack first.


The primary task for the environmental state is to address problems related to the market's externalisation of environmental costs. It has four main resources at its disposal: regulation, redistribution, organisation, and knowledge generation. The way these four resources are deployed make up a state's environmental governance arrangements. Using data on environmental regulation, taxes, public administrations, and knowledge production from 28 countries, and a hierarchical cluster analysis, four different types of environmental states are identified: established, emerging, partial, and weak. This is followed by some suggestions for further research on the environmental state in a comparative perspective.


Background: Clinical features of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations: L858R, deletions in exon 19, T790M, insertions in exon 20, G719X, and L861X in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are well-known. The clinical significance of other uncommon EGFR mutations, such as E709X, is not well understood. This study aimed to improve the understanding of E709X, and the clinical response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) of NSCLC patients with such an uncommon mutation. Methods: Specimens from 3,146 patients were tested for EGFR mutations. We surveyed the clinical data and the effectiveness of TKI treatment in NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations E709X. Results: Of the 3,146 patients, 1,689 (53.7%) had EGFR mutations. This included 726 patients with deletions in exon 19, 733 patients with L858R, and 230 (13.6%) patients with other EGFR mutations. In the 230 patients who had mutations other than single deletion in exon 19 or single L858R in exon 21, 25 (1.5%) patients had the uncommon E709X mutations. Twenty patients had complex E709X mutations and five had single E709X mutation: delE709-T710insD. Of these 25 patients, 18 received either gefitinib or erlotinib treatment. The response rate of TKIs treatment was 50.0%, and the median progression-free survival was 6.2 months. All 5 patients who had delE709-T710insD were non-responders to TKI treatments. Conclusion: E709X EGFR mutations constituted a small part of the whole group of EGFR mutations. Most patients had complex mutations. The mutation delE709-T710insD was a single mutation and was not associated with good response to TKI treatment.


This study examines lessons learned from the design, implementation, and early results of an integrated managed care pilot program linking member benefits of a Medicare-Medicaid health care plan with community services and supports. The health plan's average monthly costs for members receiving an assessment and services declined by an economically meaningful, statistically significant amount in the postintervention period relative to the preintervention period compared with those who did not accept an assessment or services. The results along with the lesson learned from the pilot are viewed by the parties as supportive of further program development.


Asthma with bronchial hypersecretion is a type of asthma that is poorly studied. Its pathogenesis is not well understood, but is probably related to innate impaired immunity, particularly with toll-like receptors (TLRs) and secretory mucins (MUC). Objectives 1) Define the clinical and inflammatory phenotype of asthma with bronchial hypersecretion of mucus. 2) Compare the type of mucin present in induced sputum (IS) of patients with and without bronchial hypersecretion. 3) Determine the expression of TLRs in IS and blood of asthmatics with and without bronchial hypersecretion. Materials and methods Cross-sectional study which included 43 non-smoking asthmatic patients without bronchiectasis, 19 with bronchiectasis, and 24 without bronchial hypersecretion. All patients underwent the following: IS, spirometry, fractional exhaled nitric oxide, prick test, total immunoglobulin E (IgE), and blood albumin. Analysis of mucins was determined by ELISA and expression of TLR2 and TLR4 by flow cytometry. The level of asthma control was determined by the Asthma Control Test (ACT) questionnaire and quality of life was assessed by the reduced version of the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (mini-AQLQ). Results Asthmatics with bronchial hypersecretion were significantly older (62.6 years vs 48.5 years; p=0.02); had greater severity (persistent severe asthma 94.7% vs 29.2%; p=0.000); a higher proportion of nasal polyposis (36.8% vs 8.3%; p=0.022); less control of asthma (73.7% vs 8.3%; p=0,000); a higher proportion of asthma with negative prick test (68.4% vs 16.6%; p=0.001), and lower levels of IgE (113.4 IU/mL vs 448 IU/mL; p=0.007), compared with asthmatics without bronchial hypersecretion. Significant differences were observed neither in the expression of TLRs 2 and 4 in inflammatory cells of IS or peripheral blood, nor in the expression of mucins between both groups. Conclusion Asthma patients with bronchial hypersecretion have more severe and uncontrolled disease, with poor quality of life as well as a non-allergic inflammatory phenotype. Within the mechanisms involving these differences, it does not appear that mucins and TLRs play an important role.


Over 75% of people post stroke are left with some degree of upper limb (UL) impairment. Regular UL activity can help to promote neuroplasticity and motor recovery. Clinical guidelines suggest that people with stroke should receive a minimum of 45 minutes of rehabilitation, 5 days a week, although the dose and intensity of activity are person-dependent. However, there is a lack of engagement with UL activity, despite expectation for improved function. Research objective: To shed light on this disconnect, the current research investigates the relationship between UL activity engagement and expectations for UL motor recovery in stroke. Data collection: Ten chronic stroke participants and four carers were recruited for a series of individual interviews to explore perceptions of UL stroke rehabilitation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted at the University of Southampton by an experienced researcher. Data analysis: Data were analysed from two sets of interviews using mixed methods. Data from interview 1 showed that people with chronic stroke want to regain more function in their UL, and this motivates them to undertake UL activities. Participants were confident that they could undertake their own UL physical activity plan every day (M= 8.18/10) and persevere to make progress from their stroke (M= 8.45/10). However, despite this, only 2/10 participants engaged in more than 4 hours a week of UL activity. Thus, people with stroke are not engaging in enough UL physical activity. Thematic analysis revealed that reasons cited for not undertaking UL activity were physical (e.g. lack of UL function, spasticity, difficulty fitting external devices); and psychosocial (e.g. mood, motivation, frustration). Interview 2 (underway) will present data exploring their understanding of motor learning and the role of UL activity. Quality and validity of data and analysis: Themes were generated through discussion by two researchers and reached saturation. Theoretical and empirical context: The current findings are consistent with previous research into facilitators and barriers of stroke rehabilitation. Conclusion: This research will provide further understanding into factors affecting engagement in UL activity following stroke, and may provide insight into how engagement in UL activity can be increased.


Urban American Indian/Alaska Native peoples experience disproportionate levels of food insecurity when compared to the general US population. Through a collaborative research partnership between Native American Lifelines of Baltimore, an Urban Indian Health Program, and a Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health student-led research team, food security was identified as a priority issue. A sequential explanatory mixed methods study was planned to explore food security and food sovereignty in the Baltimore Native community prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the local impact of COVID-19, a community-based participatory research approach guided the community-academic team to revise the original study and increase understanding of how the pandemic impacted food security in the community. This article highlights the lessons learned and strengths of using a community-based participatory approach to guide adaptations made due to COVID-19 to this research study. By utilizing a co-learning approach and emphasizing flexibility, we were able to collaboratively collect meaningful data to drive future community solutions to food insecurity while building an evidence base for policy changes to better support urban Native food security.


Abstract In the first half of 2020, the global pandemic of the COVID-19 virus became a phenomenon affecting all spheres of human life. Measures against the spread of the virus have led to restrictions in life in public spaces and have also affected the transport sector. These impacts consisted of two types - firstly, the number of connections was reduced due to a drop in transport demand, and secondly, it was necessary to comply with hygiene measures on the part of carriers and passengers. The impacts of these measures could be monitored at all spatial levels, from global to local. This paper deals with the course of the so-called first wave of the pandemic in the Czech Republic in relation to public transport and its organization. The aim of the paper is to provide an overview of these measures in relation to general government regulations and their subsequent implementation at the national, regional (county) and local (selected large cities) level. Furthermore, the paper uses three case studies to show what changes long-distance domestic transport has undergone on selected routes. There was a significant reduction in the number of long-distance connections, some lines were not operated at all, and of course, all cross-border connections were canceled. The paper covers the period from the turn of February and March 2020, when the measures began to take effect, to the end of May 2020, when almost all the adopted measures were gradually relaxed. The paper concludes with a summary of the basic features of the organization of transport during the validity of the special measures, as well as areas where significant changes took place and whose consequences may persist after the pandemic subsides.


Most natural and engineered information-processing systems transmit information via signals that vary in time. Computing the information transmission rate or the information encoded in the temporal characteristics of these signals, requires the mutual information between the input and output signals as a function of time, i.e. between the input and output trajectories. Yet, this is notoriously difficult because of the high-dimensional nature of the trajectory space, and all existing techniques require approximations. We present an exact Monte Carlo technique called Path Weight Sampling (PWS) that, for the first time, makes it possible to compute the mutual information between input and output trajectories for any stochastic system that is described by a master equation. The principal idea is to use the master equation to evaluate the exact conditional probability of an individual output trajectory for a given input trajectory, and average this via Monte Carlo sampling in trajectory space to obtain the mutual information. We present three variants of PWS, which all generate the trajectories using the standard stochastic simulation algorithm. While Direct PWS is a brute-force method, Rosenbluth-Rosenbluth PWS exploits the analogy between signal trajectory sampling and polymer sampling, and Thermodynamic Integration PWS is based on a reversible work calculation in trajectory space. PWS also makes it possible to compute the mutual information between input and output trajectories for systems with hidden internal states as well as systems with feedback from output to input. Applying PWS to the bacterial chemotaxis system, consisting of 182 coupled chemical reactions, demonstrates not only that the scheme is highly efficient, but also that the number of receptor clusters is much smaller than hitherto believed, while their size is much larger.


This paper presents methods for detection and reconstruction of 'missing' data in image sequences which can be modelled using 3-dimensional autoregressive (3D-AR) models. The interpolation of missing data is important in many areas of image processing, including the restoration of degraded motion pictures, reconstruction of drop-outs in digital video and automatic 're-touching' of old photographs. Here a probabilistic Bayesian framework is adopted. The method assumes no prior knowledge of the motion field or 3D-AR model parameters as these are estimated jointly with the missing image pixels. Incorporating a degradation model into the framework allows detection to proceed jointly with interpolation.


The paper presents low power realization of FIR filters using multirate architectures. The multirate architectures enable computationally efficient implementations of FIR filters. The computational complexity of these architectures is analysed and power analysis is presented to show how the computational efficiency can be exploited to reduce power dissipation. The results show upto 73% power reduction for dedicated ASIC implementation with no datapath area overhead. The paper also presents the implementation of the multirate architecture on the TMS320C2x/C5x programmable DSPs and shows that it can result in upto 43% power reduction.


The reaction of 3,3′-dilithiobithiophenes with tetrachlorogermane afforded 4,4-dichlorodithienogermoles, which readily underwent substitution on the central germanium atom. Reactions of a dichlorodithienogermole with LiAlH4, MeLi, Me2NC6H4Li, and C6F5MgBr gave the corresponding Ge-substituted products. Dihydrodithienogermole obtained from the reaction with LiAlH4 was further treated with LDA to give a dimer whose structure was verified by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) study. Hydrolysis of dichlorodithienogermoles provided cyclotetragermoxanes. Their optical properties were examined with respect to the UV absorption and fluorescence spectra. It was found that one of the cyclotetragermoxanes responded to a nitorobenzene vapor in the solid state, decreasing the PL intensity.


Summary Tomato seedlings grown in high-density plug trays are often weak, with excessively elongated stems that are easily damaged, and do not survive well when transplanted into the field. To alleviate this problem, we found that overhead irrigation with 5°C water at 1 – 2 d intervals produced strong seedlings with shorter and stronger stems, increased root and shoot dry weights (DW), and elevated levels of chlorophyll. Irrigation with water at 5°C, 10°C, or 15°C showed that 5°C yielded stems with the greatest strength (575 g mm–1) measured with a texture analyser. No significant difference in seedling height was observed with irrigation scheduled at 08.00 h, 13.00 h, or 16.00 h. Stem and growth indices based on the ratios of stem diameter:plant height, and shoot DW:plant height, respectively, indicated that irrigation with 5°C water increased the stem index to 162% and the growth index to 152%, respectively, compared to control (27°C-watered) seedlings. Seedlings were elongated by gibberellin (GA3) treatment and shortened by treatment with the inhibitor of GA3, paclobutrazol. Paclobutrazol acted synergistically with 5°C water irrigation to reduce stem elongation. Silver thiosulphate (STS), an inhibitor of ethylene action, did not inhibit the stem shortening caused by irrigation with 5°C water when the STS was applied immediately following irrigation. These results suggest the possible involvement of GA3 in stem shortening caused by irrigation with 5°C water. We conclude that irrigation with 5°C water acts as a positive stimulus to promote the growth of seedlings with stronger stems, elevated levels of chlorophyll in their leaves, and higher DWs of all tissues.


Cardiovascular Monitoring[1], which is important evidence used to analyze the therapeutic efficacy, plays a significant role in the operation. A multi-parameter monitoring system is introduced in this paper. The system not only detects initial physiologic signals like photoplethysmographic pulse signal, blood pressure and electrocardiogram signal, but also extracts cardiovascular parameters, including the amplitude of photoplethysmogram, area ratio, pulse beat interval, pulse decay time constant, etc. The operating principle of the system, hardware composition, a flow chart of software module, direction of data flow and algorithm for extracting parameters are introduced. Finally, a validation clinical experiment was undertaken, and results confirmed that the system realized real-time monitoring of cardiovascular parameters, which reflected the variation of cardiovascular system during surgery and could assist doctors with drug administration.


Many international policy problems, including climate change, have been characterized as global public goods. We adopt this theoretical framework to identify the baseline determinants of individual opinion about climate policy. The model implies that support for climate action will be increasing in future benefits, their timing, and the probability that a given country's contribution will make a difference while decreasing in expected costs. Utilizing original surveys in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States, we provide evidence that expected benefits, costs, and the probability of successful provision as measured by the contribution of other nations are critical for explaining support for climate action. Notably, we find no evidence that the temporality of benefits shapes support for climate action. These results indicate that climate change may be better understood as a static rather than a dynamic public goods problem and suggest strategies for designing policies that facilitate climate cooperation.


In this paper we study how the expansion of multinational enterprises in the host country affects its wages using a general equilibrium factor specific framework for a small open economy with a flexible labor market. We identify three potential effects of MNE activity associated with the transfer of foreign knowledge, diffusion of this knowledge among indigenous firms and the inflow of capital from abroad. We show that the impact of multinational enterprises on wages in the host country depends on differences in capital intensity between multinational and local sectors, the amount of capital transferred to the host country from abroad and the magnitude of knowledge spillovers stemming from multinational activity to indigenous firms.


The purpose of this study was to compare the different of the core muscles ability between normal subjects and athletes of an assessment consisted of seven movement tests. Nineteen participants were voluntarily recruited in this study and divided into normal subjects (N=9, age=20.2+-0.7 y/o, weight:63.7+-11.7 kg, height:170.9+-6.7 cm) and collegiate athletes (N=10, age=19.9+-1.0 y/o, weight; 72.4+-7.8 kg, height; 172.5+-4.5 cm). The result shows that the path length of plank, bird dog with right-hand raise, bird dog with left-hand raise, right side plank, right bridge, left bridge and area of right bridge, left bridge has significant differences between two groups (Table 1). Athletes exhibit shorter path length and smaller path area in all of these data.


Bio-Alcamid (Polymekon Research, Brindisi, Italy) is a permanent soft tissue filler that has been injected for the correction of contour deformities. It has a number of indications, including pectus excavatum. Infection and migration seem to be the most common complications with this product. The authors report an illustrative case of pectus excavatum deformity treated with Bio-Alcamid. Results highlight the successful treatment of gel migration with liposuction, which has not been recommended by the manufacturer nor reported in the literature to date.


The promise to build structures atom by atom that would lead to devices or materials with tuned properties that surpass any material we encounter in the macroscale world inspires more researchers everyday to study nanotechnology. As a direct result of this interest in nanotechnology, manipulation systems with nano or sub-nano scale precision are required to position or pattern matter in smaller scales to study it. However, this manipulation task is not straightforward due to small scale physics, which reduces the effect of weight and inertia, the dominant forces in macroscale, and promotes other forces such as adhesion or electrostatic interactions. Hence, to understand nanoscale physics, the first step to take is to model and characterize the underlying principles. In this context, scanning probe microscopes (SPMs) are suitable tools for experimenting on nanoscale physics, in addition to being good candidates as nanomanipulation systems due to their ability to locally interact with the substrate using the end-effector that they utilize on the order of a few nanometers or below. On the other hand, using SPMs for nanomanipulation has drawbacks as well. Since they utilize a single end-effector to interact with the substrate, the manipulation process is serial hence slow with low throughput. Furthermore, having no real-time visual feedback and the non-linearity of the actuators decrease the precision and the repeatability of the positioning, hence decreasing the reliability of the manipulation. In order to consider SPMs as viable nanomanipulation tools, these challenges of speed and reliability should first be tackled by utilizing smarter algorithms and mechanisms. In this work, we demonstrate two case studies that are used for tackling the speed and reliability challenges of nanomanipulation. As the first case study, an AFM is utilized to position nanoparticles. In the AFM based mechanical contact manipulation of nanoparticles, we demonstrate automated control to increase speed and reliability. In order to achieve the automation, we present models to investigate the physics of nanoparticle manipulation using an AFM cantilever, and use these models to investigate the effect of cantilever selection to manipulation success. We demonstrate particle detection using line-scans and a contact loss detection algorithm using cantilever normal deflection data to decrease the number of images taken during manipulation. We also demonstrate through experimental results that it is possible to push and pull particles on a flat surface into defined patterns autonomously, using an AFM probe tip, and with an error less than the particle diameter, and with success rates as high as 87%. Moreover, an STM is utilized to manipulate surfaces using electrical pulses and high electric fields as a second case study of this thesis. During the STM based electrical non-contact manipulation, utilizing conductive AFM probes as STM end-effectors as a step towards a multiple probe approach is suggested to improve the speed and throughput of the STM manipulation. STM imaging of surfaces using STM tips and conductive AFM probes are demonstrated and algorithms for STM based electrical manipulation of surfaces is presented and experimentally verified. Furthermore, models for STM operation and manipulation using STM tips and AFM probes as end-effectors are developed and the effects of several design parameters on STM based imaging and manipulation that utilizes AFM probes and STM tips are investigated. In addition, a faster and more flexible controller is designed and implemented which allows instant switching between AFM and STM modes, when conductive AFM probes are utilized.


Over recent decades a structural transformation has affected agriculture in the frontier areas of Malaysian Borneo and Outer Island Indonesia with the rapid conversion of agricultural lands, fallows, and formerly forested areas into oil palm. These frontiers have similar positions in the international political economy of oil palm and have complementary resource endowments. In both cases, state planners face the common challenges of finding a disciplined labour force, delivering land for estate development, maintaining local legitimacy, and dealing with local contestation. Yet there are significant differences in systems of governance and policy frameworks regarding land, shifting capacity of state actors to facilitate the transformation of these agrarian frontiers, and changing degrees of local, national and international contestation. Considering the generic and the specific elements at play in each case, this paper argues that analogous policy narratives have shaped the ways in which landholders have been engaged in the process of oil palm expansion in Malaysia and Indonesia. In both cases, with the shift from state-led to neoliberal governance approaches to agricultural development, the 'frontier' has been created and transformed through policy narratives that facilitate the conversion of whole landscapes into oil palm. This has been achieved by obscuring indigenous forms of agriculture and land tenure, while creating reserves of available 'state' or 'idle' customary land, and counterpoising smallholder 'marginality' and 'backwardness' to the modernity of contemporary estate agriculture.