In the northern region of the Borborema Province, a 30 km‐long mafic/ultramafic belt of high pressure (HP) rocks called the Forquilha Eclogite Zone has been recently discovered in the Central Domain of Ceará State. The belt comprises three groups of rocks: (1) garnet amphibolites, (2) retrograded eclogites and (3) clinopyroxene–garnet amphibolites, all of them being hosted in garnet ± kyanite + sillimanite schists and orthogneisses which are often migmatized. The geochemical analyses of 30 representative samples confirm differences among the three groups that were initially classified by petrography. The garnet amphibolites are the most depleted rocks, with relatively flat rare earth element (REE)PM pattern and (SPIDER)PM pattern with negative Rb, Th, Nb, Sr and Zr anomalies. It is the most fractionated group, ranging from picrobasalts to andesites. Fractional crystallization and mineral accumulation are indicated by Eu and Sr anomalies. The data show geochemical affinities with island‐arc basalts. The retrograded eclogites display flat (REE)PM, but without Eu anomalies. Nb/La ratios are low and variable, as for slightly enriched MORB from ocean floor or intra‐oceanic back‐arc environments. However, a genetic link with the Group 1 rocks cannot be completely discarded. The clinopyroxene–garnet amphibolites are the most enriched group. (REE)PM and (SPIDER)PM patterns show many features of alkaline basalts. In the Nb/Yb versus Th/Yb diagram the data cluster near the E‐MORB standard. Several geochemical aspects of these rocks fit well those from the HP/UHP Pan‐African/Brasiliano Suture Zone in the Dahomeyides/Hoggar regions of West Africa. However, differences in their extent and lack of alignment preclude a direct correlation among these zones. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Diffusion of oxygen (O) in amorphous silicon dioxide (SiO2) was investigated by means of Si3N4/natSinatO2/28Si18O2/28Si isotope heterostructures grown by thermal oxidation and plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition. Diffusion experiments with and without a silicon nitride (Si3N4) cap, which serves as diffusion barrier for the gasses in the ambient, were performed. In particular, we determined the impact of the ambient gas, of the thickness of the isotopically enriched SiO2 layer, and of the annealing time and temperature on diffusion. Our results are compared with data given in the literature on oxygen and silicon diffusion in silica and are discussed in the framework of the experimental conditions established at the sample surface and at the buried 28Si18O2/28Si interface. Taking into account a point defect model that is predicted by recent atomistic simulations all experimental results can be explained consistently.


Introduction: COVID-19 infection is a viral pandemic started in 2019, all societies have the susceptibility of getting infected. Remdesivir is an anti-retroviral agent, with a broad spectrum of activity. Remdesivir activity against COVID-19 had been studied in both in vitro and in vivo, but still considered new for COVID-19 treatment and not available in all countries. The aim of our study was to report the use of remdesivir among Sudanese population and report the adverse events related to the course of treatment. Methods: case series study was conducted in Imperial Hospital reporting the three cases who received Remdesivir for treating COVID-19 infection.Cases presentation: Three cases had received remdesivir for treating COVID-19 infection, side effects reported were elevated liver enzymes, profound hypotension and hypoalbuminemia. Discussion: All three patients were severe cases of COVID-19 admitted to the ICU. Unexpectedly, severe resistant hypotension was the cause of death in 2 cases who received remdesivir. Increased liver enzymes was noticed in one case. In the other hand, hypoalbuminemia was noticed in one case as well.


Although official data suggest that Egypt avoided the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors have warned that the reality is far more grim. Their attempts to speak out have been met with harsh repression. A glance back at Egyptian history from the origins of the modern nation in the early nineteenth century reveals a consistent disregard for citizens' health, apart from their usefulness as military conscripts.


This study examines the influence of a national cultural dimension, specifically a strong orientation towards collectivism/reliance on network relationships, referred to as 'wasta', on the way in which psychological contracts form and change in a Saudi organisation. Specifically, it focuses upon how the psychological contract is perceived to have been breached by repatriates because of the role that wasta plays in shaping formal and informal HR practices pre- and post-assignment. The analysis demonstrates that prior to international assignment, wasta was taken for granted and only implicitly acknowledged as influencing selection criteria for assignments and individuals' expectations and obligations associated with their psychological contract. Once repatriated, wasta was foregrounded and perceived as highly problematic in terms of career advancement. This shaped repatriates' perceptions that their psychological contract had been breached, influencing their intentions to leave. These findings suggest that the psychological contract can be viewed as highly context-specific, as well as a person-centred phenomenon. We consider the implications of our research in terms of the influence of national cultural characteristics on individual's perceptions of breaches to the psychological contract and highlight the possible implications generally for Saudi Arabia, which is aiming to be less reliant on foreign labour.


Abstract Several neurophysiological studies have shown that the visual cerebral cortex of macaque monkeys performing delayed match-to-sample tasks contains individual neurons whose levels of activity depend on the sample the animal is required to remember. Haenny et al. (1988) reported that the activity of neurons in area V4 of monkeys performing an orientation matching task depends on the orientation for which the animal is searching. It was proposed that these neurons contribute to a representation of the orientation being sought. We have further characterized these neurons by recording visual responses from individual neurons during multiple behavioral tasks. Animals were trained to perform an orientation match-to-sample task using either a visual or a tactile orientation sample. In a set of 89 neurons examined using both types of sample, 25% showed statistically significant effects of sample orientation regardless of whether the sample was visual or tactile. Most of these preferred the same sample orientation in both conditions. These results allow us to specify the nature of the information signaled by these neurons more precisely than has previously been possible. For 193 units tested using one of the matching tasks, responses were also recorded while the animal performed a simple fixation task. In this task the animal was not required to attend to the visual stimuli that were presented. A few neurons that were responsive during the matching task were silent during fixation, but a comparable number was much more responsive during fixation. Across the whole population there was no systematic change in either responsivity or selectivity for orientation under the two conditions.


Global biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate, principally as a consequence of increasing human population. Effects of this expansion are exemplified by the extent to which many carnivores are now in conflict with humans, particularly in unprotected rangelands. One such species is the brown hyaena (Parahyaena brunnea), classified as 'Near Threatened' (Wiesel et al., 2008). The IUCN SSC hyaenid specialist group identified that brown hyaena are under threat due to human persecution and noted that greater understanding of their distribution and abundance is needed. With the principal aim of assessing the distribution and abundance of brown hyaena in South Africa, this study responds to that challenge. Five specific objectives were established: to utilise local knowledge to map the distribution of carnivores across South Africa; to determine the factors driving attitudes and perceptions of South African farmers to carnivores; to determine differences in relative abundance of carnivores in protected areas compared to unprotected in the North West and Limpopo Provinces; to compare home range estimates and movement patterns of free living brown hyaena inside and outside protected areas in the same provinces; to determine what variables influence brown hyaena home range size. Distribution of brown hyaena and other carnivores, and attitudes to them, were determined using a web-based questionnaire involving multiple stakeholder groups. The results confirmed current knowledge on carnivore distributions but, critically, revealed wider distribution of brown hyaena and other key species than are currently known by IUCN (2013). Responses demonstrated that cultural group and land use type significantly affected attitudes towards all carnivores, with Afrikaans livestock farmers demonstrating the most overtly negative attitudes to all carnivore species. An encouraging finding was that 25% of land owner respondents had positive attitudes to brown hyaenas and were therefore likely to be well disposed to engaging in conservation activities. Further information on the abundance and movement ecology of brown hyaena was gained through an intensive field study in the North West and Limpopo Provinces, which are under-researched. The study was conducted in protected and unprotected areas since brown hyaenas are found in both but are subject to different pressures. The use of remote camera traps demonstrated that the relative abundance of brown hyaena was four times lower in unprotected areas than in the protected areas. A significant finding was that mesopredators showed higher relative abundances in the unprotected areas. This suggests probable further human-wildlife conflict if mesopredator release continues to occur. Low levels of abundance in the unprotected areas, in conjunction with persecution, led to the conclusion that conservation efforts should be focused here. GPS collars were used to determine differences between brown hyaena home range across the protected and unprotected areas, to gain insights into their habitat use, and to establish their movement patterns through the fragmented landscape. The study demonstrated that home range sizes in the unprotected areas were not only significantly smaller than in the protected areas but also substantially smaller than those found across the entire hyaena's range. Reasons for the variation are suspected to be higher levels of persecution and greater biomass availability outside the protected areas in conjunction with the relatively high density of apex predators inside the protected areas. In conclusion, large carnivore research is critically required outside protected areas where carnivores are currently involved in the most conflict and are at the greatest risk.


Studies have used cell size as a proxy to estimate polyploidy levels, the number of chromosome sets in somatic cells, in modern and fossil plant species. This paper critically evaluates these methods by reviewing cell size- and polyploidy-related literature, and provides new cell size data from herbarium material and fossil remains of willow genus Salix. The 40 extant taxa used in the study include most of the polyploidy levels encountered in Salix (2n = 38, 76, 114, 152, 190). Diploid and tetraploid species were morphologically similar to the fossil specimens. Specimens from alpine and arctic regions, forms rarely found in the fossil record, were included to extend the range of polyploidy levels. Measurements taken for this study were on the petiole epidermal cells of fossil and herbarium specimens and the stomatal guard cell complexes of herbarium material. A literature review reveals cell size may not relate only to DNA content, but to a plant's age, nutritional state and the seasonal timing of organ development. Cell size measurements show that cultivated plants grown at elevations more than 800 m below their original place of growth have a significant increase in cell size. Leaf length-to-width ratio, infrageneric classification, and adaptation to dry or humid environments also correlate with cell size. Cell size proxies for estimating polyploidy levels in fossil willows provide only accurate results if morphologically similar modern plant material from natural habitats is used as a reference for comparison. Leaves should be similar in overall shape, base and apex shape, blade length and width, length-to-width ratio, petiole length, petiole-to-blade length ratio, venation pattern, and margin dentition.


by Norma Car lisle Muthe , RN, MA. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1981 , 244 pages, $10 .95 paperback. This book is unique as a clear , readable explanation of a complicated subject , written especially for nurses . Chapters are organized by gland and describe the hormones , their actions, and the effects of deficiency or excess. Disease entities , such as Hashimoto's, infertility, or amenorrhea are not approached as problems, but alluded to only in connection with appropriate hormones . The diabetes educator will appreciate the discussions of growth hormone , ACTH , epinephrine , and pancreatic and intestinal glucagon . The diabetogenic effect of excess thyroxine is explored. Thirty five pages are devoted to diabetes , including secondary hormonal causes , diagnostic tests , oral agents, insulin , exercise, diet and food exchanges , complications, teaching, children and adolescents, pregnancy and new concepts are all given adequate , but cursory treatment. A section on resources for patient literature and visually-impaired is helpful. This book would be an addition to the nurses' desk of any medical floor or clinic. AH


The thermal maturity ,  burial history and petroleum generation history of  four oil wells selected  from four oil fields in Southern Iraq, they are: Nasiriyah(Ns-1 well) , Gharraf (GA-5well) ,Abu Ammood (Ab-1well) and Riffai (Ri-1well) have been studied using 1D basin and petroleum systems modeling. Results showed  different period of subsidence, which ranges from high to moderate subsidence, occurred at upper Jurassic to Mid-Cretaceous and slow subsidence in Miocene  . The porosity in the studied area represents the highest value in Dammam , Tayarat ,Um-Eradhuma and Khasib Formations. For most of the studied wells, the Paleocene to Miocene has to be regarded as times when the maximum temperature prevailed associated with deep burial could be that the age is the petroleum generation and an additional filling of traps. The organic maturation in Riffai well has entered in the main oil stage, especially Suliay and Yamama Formations whereas only  Suliay Formation  in GA-5 well entered in the main oil stage Therefore, there are good generated and mature source rocks in this well.


In this paper I want to criticize the claim, familiar from some social-constructionist accounts, that "memory" be understood, largely or exclusively, as a "social discursive practice". I want to defend the argument that, to be intelligible, and to be properly used in social psychology, the notion of memory entails mental attitudes and the truth-conditions of language. Hence I plead for a wider understanding of what it is involved in the concept of "social practice".


Clearly defined debris flow deposits generated by a large sediment slide or slides off the Spanish Sahara have been identified on the lower continental rise west of the Canary Islands. The debris flow traveled over a slope as low as 0.1° and a distance of several hundred kilometres. The deposits cover an area of sea floor of about 30,000 km 2 . Recognition of the debris flow deposits is based on a characteristic geometry, a distinctive acoustic character, a pebbly mudstone fabric and sharp angular contacts in piston cores, and an undulating surface morphology revealed by bottom photographs. Similar deposits are observed on the Amazon cone and the North American continental rise and in the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea. Debris flows are probably a much more important depositional process on the sea floor than was previously suspected.


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: CT angiography (CTA) has been used for the evaluation of intracranial aneurysms and recently has been applied to assess postoperative aneurysms treated with titanium-alloy clips. We investigated the clinical usefulness of subtraction CTA by using the orbital synchronized helical scan technique (OSHST) for evaluating intracranial aneurysms surgically treated with cobalt-alloy clips. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We scanned an agar gel phantom with a cobalt-alloy clip mounted in the center by using subtraction CT with and without OSHST. Eighteen patients (20 aneurysms) who underwent surgery with cobalt-alloy clips were postoperatively evaluated with subtraction CTA with OSHST, and the results were compared with those from digital subtraction angiography. Two neuroradiologists independently evaluated the 3D CTA images and source images with and without subtraction for the presence of residual flow in the aneurysm and stenotic change in parent or neighboring arteries. RESULTS: For the phantom study, significantly fewer artifacts from clips were noted on images obtained by using subtraction CT with OSHST than on those obtained without OSHST. For the clinical study, subtraction CTA with OSHST also showed fewer clip artifacts than did conventional CTA. Image quality was poor, and we were unable to diagnose residual neck for 5% (1/20) with subtraction CTA with OSHST and 75% (15/20) with conventional CTA. For evaluation of adjacent vessels, image quality was poor for none (0/20) with subtraction CTA with OSHST and for 55% (11/20) with conventional CTA. For subtraction CTA with OSHST, sensitivity in detecting residual neck was 1.0, and specificity was 0.94. For conventional CTA, sensitivity and specificity were both 0.25. CONCLUSIONS: OSHST is a useful technique for subtracting cobalt-alloy clips, and subtraction CTA with OSHST is available for evaluating aneurysms after clipping with cobalt-alloy clips.


A new method has been developed for surface treatment of TiO2 photoanodes with LiI/NaI to enhance the photocurrent and, subsequently, the performance efficiency of the fabricated dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Three different concentrations (0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 mmol%) of LiI and NaI solutions were used to investigate the effect of this surface treatment on the device performance of DSSCs. A positive shift in the energy level of TiO2 has been experienced by surface treated devices, which is predominantly supported by the decrease in VOC. Furthermore, the introduction of LiI/NaI onto the TiO2 surface resulted in a reduction in the crystallite size, indicating an increase in the surface area which helps in more dye adsorption leading to higher JSC values of the devices. Besides, modification of the conduction band energy level, it also allows a fast electron injection process by shifting the density of states. Thus, this approach offers a simple but efficient route to enhance the photocurrent and efficiency of DSSCs.


Underlying the sense of hearing and balance are hair cells that transduce the mechanical deflection of their hair bundles into electrical signals through mechanosensitive ion channels, which open and trigger an inward transduction current. Sidi et al. have identified a transient receptor potential cation channel called NompC in zebrafish sensory hair cells as a core component of this mechanosensory machinery. Mutants lacking functional NompC no longer responded to acoustic stimuli. Invertebrate orthologs of NompC were previously implicated in hearing, but a vertebrate mechanosensor has remained elusive. S. Sidi, R. W. Friedrich, T. Nicolson, NompC TRP channel required for vertebrate sensory hair cell mechanotransduction. Science 301, 96-99 (2003). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Non-mechanical variable lenses are important for creating compact imaging devices. Various
methods employing dielectrically actuated lenses, membrane lenses, and/or liquid crystal lenses
were previously proposed1-4. Here we present tunable-focus flat liquid crystal diffractive lenses
(LCDL) employing binary Fresnel zone electrodes fabricated on Indium-Tin-Oxide using
conventional micro-photolithography. The phase levels can be adjusted by varying the effective
refractive index of a nematic liquid crystal sandwiched between the electrodes and a reference
substrate. Using a proper voltage distribution across various electrodes the focal length can be
changed. Electrodes are shunted such that the correct phase retardation step sequence is
achieved. If the number of 2π zone boundaries is increased by a factor of m the focal length is
changed from f to f/m based on the digitized Fresnel zone equation: f = rm 2/2mλ, where rm is mth
zone radius, and λ is the wavelength.
The lenses operate at very low voltage levels (±2.5V ac input), exhibit fast switching
times (20-150 ms), can have large apertures (>10 mm), and small form factor, and are robust and
insensitive to vibrations, gravity, and capillary effects that limit membrane and dielectrically
actuated lenses. Several tests were performed on the LCDL including diffraction efficiency
measurement, switching dynamics, and hybrid imaging with a refractive lens. Negative focal
lengths are achieved by adjusting the voltages across electrodes. Using these lenses in
combination, magnification can be changed and zoom lenses can be formed. The promising
results make LCDL a good candidate for non-mechanical auto-focus and zoom lenses.


Abstract : This thesis introduces the mechanical breadboard as a learning / development tool and details the creation of one concept. It begins with a review of the state of the art for mechanical breadboards to include commercial and academic developments and products. It defines what a mechanical breadboard is for this research, what the customer needs are, and what critical functions the breadboard should be able to prototype. Following this analysis, a development team created a new novel structural system for a mechanical breadboard as the research indicated these components were both important to the overall system and had a great opportunity for innovation and improvement. The solution developed is based on node and frame member structural system that allows multiple degrees of freedom in the structural layout. The node is the key component of the structural system and utilizes a three section design to give multiple degrees of freedom and attachment points.


The result of over ten years of research, "A Dictionary of Creek/Muskogee" draws on the expertise of a linguist and a native Creek speaker to yield the first modern dictionary of the Creek language of the southeastern United States. The dictionary contains over seven thousand Creek-English entries, over four thousand English-Creek entries, and over four hundred Creek place-names in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Oklahoma. The volume also includes illustrations, a map, antonyms, dialects, stylistic information, word histories, and other useful reference material. Entries are given in both the traditional Creek spelling and a modern phonemic transcription. "A Dictionary of Creek/Muskogee" is the standard reference work for the Creek language. Jack B. Martin is an associate professor of English at the College of William and Mary and a specialist in southeastern Native languages. Margaret McKane Mauldin is an adjunct instructor of Creek at the University of Oklahoma.


The aim of this study was to investigate reproduction performance in the 1st and 2nd parity of Latvian Landrace sows, to estimate genetic parameters for reproduction traits, and to determine their genetic correlations with age at the first farrowing (AFF) and weaning to insemination interval (WII) in the Latvian Landrace swine population. Data from 2054 of the 1st parity and 1416 of the 2nd parity sows were collected from 2005 till 2010 and were included in the analysis. Four reproduction traits in the study were analysed: number of piglets born alive (NBA), number of piglets dead (ND), number of piglets weaned per litter (NW) and 21-day litter weight (W21). Genetic parameters were estimated with multi traits animal model using REML procedure. The heritability estimates in the first parity were 0.07, 0.16, 0.36, 0.01 and 0.32 for NBA, NW, W21, AFF and WII, respectively. Between AFF and sows reproduction traits in the first and the second parity unfavourable genetic correlations were found in the present data set. Moderate negative genetic correlation between WII and sows reproduction traits was observed.


A new technology for manufacturing large sealing flange is presented. It involves bending combined with welding and finishing machining at the construction site. The innovation in this method is that the preliminary machining of the section, using a heavy-duty vertical lathe, is replaced by precision bending. Therefore large diameter flange can be manufactured at very low cost. Bending of a specimen with an E-cross-section was investigated by numerical simulation and experiment. The mechanism of lateral deformation was analyzed and the method to overcome it was given. This technology was successfully used for manufacturing a large flange which used in a large wind tunnel.


This thesis is at the crossing point of dierent elds: Quantum Magnetism which studies the collective properties of low spin systems, Neutron Scattering a powerful technique that enables to probe the microscopic properties of matter, and High Pressure where the use of ultra hard materials allows discoveries in a previously unexplored range. Combining these, we shall search for novel states in magnetic materials under extreme conditions. The extreme conditions are the quantum spin s=1/2, the low dimensionality, the low temperatures, and the high pressures. The material is the Shastry-Sutherland compound SrCu2(BO3)2, a model quantum magnet which has attracted considerable interest over the last decade.


This pictorial autobiography of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald documents two lives that have become legendary. The book draws almost entirely from the scrapbooks and photograph albums that the Fitzgeralds scrupulously kept as their personal record and provides a wealth of illustrative material not previously available. The book offers: Fitzgerald's thoughts about his early loves in St Paul, Minnesota; a photograph of the country club in Montgomery, Alabama, where the two met; reviews of "This Side of Paradise"; poems to the couple from Ring Lardner; snapshots of their trips abroad; Fitzgerald's careful accounting of his earnings; a photograph of the house on Long Island where "The Great Gatsby" was conceived; postcards with Fitzgerald's drawings for his daughter. These rare photographs and memorabilia combine into a narrative augmented by selections from Scott's and Zelda's own writings, conveying the spirit of particuular moments in their lives.


A series of linear and spot stir welding friction tests were carried out on aluminum samples of 1 mm in thickness and area of 100 mm x 27 mm. The tool rotating speed was varied from 2000 to 4000 RPM and the feeding rate from 45 to 67.8 mm/min. The temperature distribution during welding was measured by thermocouples inserted within the aluminum strips. The microstructure of the welded nuggets and the HAZ were analyzed by optical and scanning electron microscopy. Some samples were tested intension to measure the load carrying capacity of the welded bead. Preliminary analyses indicate that the temperature at the heat affected zone increases with the rotating speed.


Microcalcification is an indication of vulnerability of plaques in humans. With conventional imaging modalities, screening of micrometer-sized structures in vivo with high spatial resolution has not been achieved. The goal of this study is to evaluate the potentials of micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy (TRFS), scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM), and photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) in the determination of atherosclerotic plaques with microcalcifications and, therefore, the prospect of constructing a modality on a cath-eter system. The discrimination of microcalcifications within the fibrocalcific plaques and, therefore, the effectivity of these imaging techniques are discussed. The potential of quantum dots (QDs) in biological imaging is also elucidated since they attract great attention as contrast and therapeutic agents, owing unique properties including good light stability, low toxicity, strong fluorescence intensity, and changing emission wavelength with QD size, ranging from 10 to 100 Å in radius.


Piano-key weirs can be used instead of classic rectangular side-weirs (CRSWs) to increase the discharge capacity of side weirs. So far, no research has been done on trapezoidal piano-key side weirs (TPKSWs) in a curved channel. This study examines the effect of using one or two cycles in TPKSWs on discharge capacity, having the same total width and upstream–downstream length. Dimensional analysis has been performed to determine the dimensionless parameters affecting the discharge coefficient related to the developed length (CdL) of TPKSWs in a curved channel. An empirical equation for CdL has been proposed based on the experimental results. There is a good agreement between estimated and measured data. Results showed that the discharge coefficient related to the total width of a TPKSW is 1.7 to 5.6 times higher than that of a CRSW. Also, the CdL of a one-cycle TPKSW is 1.4 to 2 times higher than that of a two-cycle TPKSW.


Local prepared nutrient media made from guinea corn and maize were used to culture bacteria such Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiellasp, Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and compared with the growth on commercial nutrient agar and broth. Bacteria growth was higher in the commercial nutrient agar and broth but with little significant difference. Locally prepared potato dextrose agar was also used to culture fungal isolates such as Aspergillusniger, Aspergillusfumigatus, Aspergillusflavus, Cephalosporiumsp, and Mucorsp and compared with commercial made potato dextrose agar using mycelia extension technique. Fungal growth was higher in commercially prepared potato dextrose agar with little difference. The results of these studies suggest that these locally sourced materials could be used for media preparation in place of commercially produced media.


Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) is a very common condition in racehorses and is characterized by an alteration of the respiratory system. Depending on the magnitude, EIPH causes bleeding in lung passages making breathing difficult. EIPH is evaluated by endoscopies on a scale from 0 to 5, with 0 corresponding to no hemorrhage and 5 to a severe condition. In Puerto Rico, the only preventive measure used is the administration of a diuretic 4 h before the race. A data set was analyzed to determine factors associated with the incidence of EIPH and the preventive effect of the diuretic. The data was supplied by Equus PR, Center of Veterinary Medicine, and the factors considered were month of the year, sex (male or mare), distance of the race in meters (C1: 400 to 1,200; C2: 1,300 to 1,400; C3: > 1600), and the use or not of a diuretic. The randomly selected data of 2,632 endoscopies of racehorses running or not that were utilized represented 20% of the total endoscopies recorded in 2014. Of this number 1,377 were from horses within 1 to 3 h after the race, representing 52% of the total. A Chi-square test analysis was performed to determine the frequency of EIPH regarding the factors of month, sex, distance of the race, and use of the diuretic. Of the 1,377 animals, 488 presented some degree of EIPH, equivalent to 35% of the total sample. The percentage of affected horses suffering EIPH severity levels from 1 to 5 was 52.8, 23.6, 13.5, 7.3 and 2.8, respectively. The frequency and severity of EIPH were similar (P = 0.435) during the 12 months of the year. Males and mares also had similar (P = 0.587) incidence. Horses running shorter races (C1 and C2) had a higher (P<0.02) incidence of EIPH than those running longer races (C3). The number of healthy horses, or those suffering from the condition, was similar (P = 0.375) regardless of diuretic use. In summary, 35% of the racehorses competing presented some level of EIPH; month of year and sex did not alter the incidence. Horses running shorter distances showed a higher incidence of the condition, and use of the diuretic was not effective as a preventive method for EIPH.


This useful volume adopts a balanced approach between technology and mathematical modeling in computer networks, covering such topics as switching elements and fabrics, Ethernet, and ALOHA design. The discussion includes a variety of queueing models, routing, protocol verification and error codes and divisible load theory, a new modeling technique with applications to grids and parallel and distributed processing. Examples at the end of each chapter provide ample material for practice. This book can serve as an text for an undergraduate or graduate course on computer networks or performance evaluation in electrical and computer engineering or computer science.


Mixture of Weibull distributions has wide application in modeling of heterogeneous data sets. The parameter estimation is one of the most important problems related to mixture of Weibull distributions. In this paper, we propose a L-moment estimation method for mixture of two Weibull distributions. The proposed method is compared with maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) method according to the bias, the mean absolute error, the mean total error and completion time of the algorithm (time) by simulation study. Also, applications to real data sets are given to show the flexibility and potentiality of the proposed estimation method. The comparison shows that, the proposed method is better than MLE method.


Skeletal muscle is a highly plastic tissue in the human body that undergoes extensive adaptation in response to environmental cues, such as physical activity, metabolic perturbation, and disease conditions. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays a pivotal role in protein folding and calcium homeostasis in many mammalian cell types, including skeletal muscle. However, overload of misfolded or unfolded proteins in the ER lumen cause stress, which results in the activation of a signaling network called the unfolded protein response (UPR). The UPR is initiated by three ER transmembrane sensors: protein kinase R‐like endoplasmic reticulum kinase, inositol‐requiring protein 1α, and activating transcription factor 6. The UPR restores ER homeostasis through modulating the rate of protein synthesis and augmenting the gene expression of many ER chaperones and regulatory proteins. However, chronic heightened ER stress can also lead to many pathological consequences including cell death. Accumulating evidence suggests that ER stress‐induced UPR pathways play pivotal roles in the regulation of skeletal muscle mass and metabolic function in multiple conditions. They have also been found to be activated in skeletal muscle under catabolic states, degenerative muscle disorders, and various types of myopathies. In this article, we have discussed the recent advancements toward understanding the role and mechanisms through which ER stress and individual arms of the UPR regulate skeletal muscle physiology and pathology.


A wide range of business opportunities are created via mobile technologies and services. Notwithstanding the availability of technologically advanced mobile devices, mobile banking services have not been widely accepted by banks' clients. This study aims to examine the major factors that contribute towards clients' intention to accept and use mobile banking as one of the e-financial services among Yemeni banks. Financial Institutions around the world are looking for the development and keep up to date with emerging technology to stay in the competition range. Banking is one of the sectors that are influenced by the mobile technological advancement. Many researchers have studied and proposed theories and models of technology usage and acceptance in order to predict and explain user behavior with technology considering the rapid change in both technologies and their environments. Based on Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and integrating The Mental Accounting Theory (MAT), Hierarchy of Effects Model (HOE), Perceived Risk, this study developed and validated a multi-dimensional model, Mobile Banking Technology Model (MBTM), to better understand intention to use mobile banking service among clients within banks in Yemen. Questionnaire survey method was used to collect primary data from individuals who are non-user of mobile banking services in Yemeni banks. Four hundred and eighty-two valid responses were received. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) via AMOS software was utilized to determine the importance levels of associations and interactions between the factors tested. This research proposed model developed with seven core constructs; perceived risk , perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, self-efficacy, awareness as independent variables, intention as the dependent variable, perceived value as mediator variables…


The rapid expansion of modern power systems has brought a tremendous computational challenge to dynamic security analysis (DSA) tools which consequently need to process extensive contingencies. In this work, hardware emulation is investigated to accelerate the DSA solution of a large-scale AC/DC system deployed on the field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) faster-than-real-time (FTRT) execution. Electromagnetic transient (EMT) modeling of the DC grid is conducted since the fast converter dynamics require a small time-step for accuracy; in contrast, the transient stability (TS) simulation is applicable to the AC grid which tolerates a much larger step size. To coordinate the 2 different types of simulation, an interface based on dynamic voltage injection is proposed to integrate the AC and DC grids, in addition to maintaining a low hardware latency. An emulation platform consisting of multiple FPGA boards is established so that with a proper allocation it has a sufficient capacity to accommodate the system under study which has 6 ACTIVSg 500-bus systems interconnected by a 6-terminal DC grid. The efficacy of the proposed FTRT hardware emulation platform is demonstrated by 2 case studies with more than 5500 contingencies analyzed in total, where an FTRT ratio of more than 208 is achieved for the hybrid AC/DC grid, while it is over 277 times for a single 500-bus system. Furthermore, the FTRT dynamic emulation results, including the security indices, are validated by the simulation tool DSATools/TSAT


Biometrics is the area of bioengineering that pursues the characterization of individuals in a population (e.g., a particular person) by means of something that the individual is or produces. Among the different modalities in biometrics, face recognition has been a focus in research for the last couple of decades because of its wide potential applications and its importance to meet the security needs of today's world. To date, most of the systems developed are based on 2D face recognition technology, which uses pictures for data processing. With the development of 3D imaging technology, 3D face recognition emerges as an alternative to overcome the difficulties inherent to 2D face recognition, i.e. sensitivity to illumination conditions and positions of a subject. But 3D face recognition still needs to tackle the problem of deformation of facial geometry that results from the expression changes of a subject. To deal with this issue, a 3D face recognition framework is proposed in this paper. It is composed of three subsystems: expression recognition system, expressional face recognition system and neutral face recognition system. A system for the recognition of faces with one type of expression (smile) and neutral faces was implemented and tested on a database of 30 subjects. The results proved the feasibility of this framework.


The breakthrough idea of technology dependence is developed from mass communication theory as an enhancement to the evolving literature on IS Continuance. Unlike prominent constructs in the continuance literature, dependency as adapted for use here involves conscious user recognition of the benefits from and motivations for technology use, which stands in contrast to typical continuance constructs that presume routinized and nonconscious usage patterns. This study develops, tests and explains emerging dimensions of technology dependency in the context of mobile 3G handset users in a university workplace community. Results provide the basis for development of measures and hypothetical relationships with related variables for future research, and provide a valuable new variable for inclusion in the IS Continuance literature stream.


In this paper, the orbital radius required to cool the Earth by 2K is determined using the Stefan-Boltzmann Law. The delta-V required to achieve this new orbital radius using a Hohmann Transfer manoeuvre is then determined and the mass of fuel required for such a manoeuvre is determined using Tsiolkovsky's rocket equation. The total mass of fuel required is found to be 0.04374 Earth masses.


This paper addresses a new robust control methodology to enhance the power system stability and voltage regulation as an integrated design approach. The automatic voltage regulation (AVR) and power system stabilizer (PSS) design problems are reduced to solve a single H∞ based static output feedback control problem. To determine the optimal gains, an iterative linear matrix inequalities (LMI) algorithm is used. A four-machine infinite-bus system example is given to demonstrate the efficiency of developed approach. The proposed robust technique is shown to maintain the robust performance and minimize the effects of disturbances, properly.


Composites (HPNCs/CS) of hierarchical metal–organic framework derived nitrogen-doped porous carbon (HPNC) and interpenetrating 3D hollow carbon spheres (CS) from lotus pollen are prepared via facile carbonization of Zn-metal–organic frameworks (ZIF-8) by controlling the appropriate temperature. In comparison with a single 3D hollow carbon sphere from lotus pollen, HPNCs/CS reduce the agglomeration of HPNCs and increase the specific surface area, and also promote electrical conductivity. In this work, HPNCs/CS materials exhibit high electrochemical performances with a high specific capacitance of 280 F g−1 in 6 M KOH electrolyte at a current density of 1 A g−1. Moreover, the symmetric supercapacitor (HPNCs/CS//HPNCs/CS) exhibits a special energy density of about 16.2 W h kg−1 at a power density of 0.45 kW kg−1 in a wide voltage region of 0–1.8 V and a superb cycle stability (89.0% capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles) at 0.5 A g−1. Such marked response in electrochemical behaviors shows that the HPNCs/CS//HPNCs/CS supercapacitor is a promising practical energy-storage material.


Homeopathic products are available over the counter in many pharmacies in the United States and are popular among consumers, although there is no conclusive evidence of their therapeutic effects. Pharmacists are obligated to provide well-informed, evidence-based information on these products, but many graduates may not be receiving adequate training in this area. This report outlines the results of a survey assessing whether taking a focused elective course in complementary and integrative health (CIH) affects knowledge and perceptions regarding homeopathy. A 22-question survey was developed and distributed to graduates of Idaho State University College of Pharmacy. Responses on survey items were compared between those who had reported taking the CIH elective course and those who had not. Of the 475 pharmacists, 89 completed the survey (response rate of 18.7%). Pharmacists who had taken the CIH elective course reported being more comfortable answering patient questions (82% vs. 44%, p < 0.001), felt more able to make recommendations (75% vs. 36%, p < 0.001), and felt they could explain the proposed mechanism of action of homeopathic remedies to their patients (87% vs. 61%, p = 0.002). Those who took the elective course were also more likely to say that any benefits of homeopathy were due to the placebo effect (82% vs. 64%, p = 0.007). A significantly higher portion of respondents who had not taken the elective course indicated that they could benefit from further training on CIH topics when compared with those who had taken the elective course (85% vs. 51%, p = 0.02). There was no significant difference between groups with respect to their use of reliable resources (e.g., PubMed and Natural Medicines) vs. unreliable sources (other internet searches or personal anecdotes) when addressing CIH-related questions. These findings indicate that pharmacists with more focused training in CIH are more comfortable, confident, and knowledgeable when discussing homeopathy. Such education should be provided more broadly to students in colleges of pharmacy.


RRD Tool (the acronym for round-robin database tool) aims to deal with time series data, such as network bandwidth, temperatures, CPU load etc. The data are stored in a database round-robin (circular buffer); such storage system footprint remains constant over time.
It also includes tools to extract RRD data in a graphical format, for which it was originally intended.
There are links for Perl, Python, Ruby, Tcl, PHP and Lua. An independent full implementation and Java are called: rrd4j.
RRD tool supposes variable data, during periods of time of a different length. This interval, usually named footprint is specified when a RRD file is created and it can be no longer modified further on. As data cannot be always available, RRDtool interpolates any transmitted data in order to fit the internal established footprints.
The value for one before interpolated stage is named point for primary data (PDP). PDPs multiple can be consolidated according to a consolidation function (CF), in order to form a point of consolidated data (CDP). The typical consolidation functions are the following: medium, minimum, maximum.
After the data were consolidated, the resulted CDP is stocked into a round- robin (RRA) archive. Such an archive stores a fix number of CDPS; it also specifies the number of PDPs in a single CDP and the proper function CF.
We realized the application for a real scenario. The role of this application is to monitor the temperature on four equipments connected to the internet. The access time for each equipment differs from one another. This aspect determines different time for responses to the interrogations.
The application was implemented in php.


Abstract Red rice is a major weed in rice production in the southern United States. Red rice and rice intercross because they are the same species. Our objectives were to determine the genetic diversity represented by accessions of red rice and to identify DNA markers that might be useful in identifying hybrids between red and cultivated rice. Red rice accessions were collected from Arkansas and other rice-producing states. Seventy-nine red rice accessions, 10 known or putative hybrid derivatives of red rice and cultivated rice (RC hybrids), and seven rice cultivars were analyzed using microsatellite DNA markers developed for cultivated rice. Microsatellite markers differentiated awned and awnless red rice accessions, six of the seven rice cultivars, and all 10 RC hybrids tested. Thus, these markers were useful in identifying red rice types and RC hybrids. Nomenclature: Red rice, Oryza sativa L. ORYSA; rice, Oryza sativa L.


English 320 is a three-credit course that provides intensive practice employing the conventions of professional genres to write for business and professional contexts. The objectives of this course are to help you learn to respond to a variety of workplace writing tasks by designing appropriate documents and presentations, individually and in teams. While it isn't possible to duplicate a work environment in this classroom, the goal is to provide activities, assignments, and opportunities that will develop the skills and habits you will need to write and function professionally in corporate, non-profit, or small business environments.


The growth of a middle ear cholesteatoma behind a normal tympanic membrane is a rare though possible event. In such cases, CT may provide useful information for diagnosis. The results are presented of a CT study carried out on 14 patients affected with unilateral conductive hearing loss and with normal tympanic membrane. CT allowed the diagnosis of middle ear cholesteatoma to be made in all cases. All patients were treated with surgery: 8 of them underwent tympanoplasty and 6 explorative tympanotomy. While the diagnosis of cholesteatoma was confirmed in 13 patients, in 1 case tympanosclerosis was diagnosed. CT diagnosis of middle ear cholesteatoma is based on the demonstration of a low-density soft-tissue mass, in association with bone erosion or ossicular dislocation. The author emphasizes the difficulty of a CT diagnosis of cholesteatoma in the patients with middle ear soft-tissue masses in the absence of bone alterations.


District Leadership Building Principal Capacity in Improving Teacher Quality: Implementing Effective Professional Development Karen Mitterling Johnson Department of Educational Leadership and Foundations, BYU Doctor of Education This article focuses on lessons learned from district implementation of Utah Senate Bill 64 passed in 2012, which requires large-scale reform in evaluating teacher quality. This statemandated reformation effort requires all principals to evaluate teacher performance using new state teacher standards adopted in 2011. District implementation efforts used effective professional development that included peer collaboration and practicum experiences as evidenced by successfully certifying all principals in the evaluation of teacher performance. Twenty-seven principals representing nine districts were selected for this qualitative study. Data was collected during a one-on-one interview with each principal to gather insights about district efforts to prepare them individually to effectively evaluate teacher performance. In addition, data were coded and analyzed for evidence of change knowledge principles. The central lesson learned is that sustainable and continuing teacher quality improvements require a continual collective capacity vision and approach at all levels of the educational system. Certifying principals in the use of an improved teacher evaluation tool through effective professional development efforts is one step in achieving improvements in teacher quality. Consideration of the following four components of change knowledge principles foster and strengthen district efforts when implementing strategic targets for the continuation of teacher quality improvements: (a) expand teacher quality improvements to include both individual and collective capacity building opportunities; (b) create a plan of action that builds on efforts to comply with state law and expands implementation efforts to use the evaluation tool for improved student learning through continual teacher quality improvements; (c) provide professional development that includes strategic opportunities for principals to build their capacity in their critical role and responsibilities to continue teacher quality growth; (d) provide supports in the context of a principal's school through practicum experiences that foster the acquisition and sustainability of skills that support teacher quality improvements.


This paper addresses agreed fundamentals between fundamentalists, relating to sharia ruling with an explanation of each vocabulary base, and the statement of the overall meaning, and one jurisprudence application to each rule. This paper stated six rules. This paper has shown that there were agreed fundamentals between fundamentalists, and this is an alert for students of Shari school to be aware of when they are reading fundamentalist rules, to distinguish between what was agreed, and what was disagreed, as well as this paper contributes to the development of jurisprudential talent of students of Islamic Sharia, through explaining the vocabularies of the rules, the statement of their meaning, and the jurisprudential applications on the fundamentalism rules.


Avatars are growing in popularity and are present in many interfaces used for computer-mediated communication including social media, ecommerce webpages, and organizational applications. Despite their prevalence, the Communication literature lacks a systematic evaluation of existing research on avatars. An examination of this literature reveals similarities but also notable discrepancies in conceptual definitions and operationalizations. Further, research situates avatars across several facets of the basic communication model: as senders and receivers, as an aspect of the channel, and as a form of feedback. Our review synthesizes previous research in four areas. First, we examine how scholars have conceptualized the term "avatar" and identify similarities and differences across these definitions. Next, we examine research that has sought to explain avatar selection and design. Here, we review both motivations in CMC contexts (such as self-presentation and identity expression) and potential effects (i.e., the Proteus effect). Following, we review theoretical perspectives on avatar perception (e.g., the computers as social actors framework). Then, we examine avatar characteristics that communicators evaluate. We identify ways in which communicators evaluate the humanity of an avatar (anthropomorphism, form realism, behavioral realism, and perceived agency) and discuss implications for communication outcomes. We also review findings on the social categorization of avatars, such as when people apply categories like sex, gender, race, and ethnicity to their evaluations of virtual representations. Finally, we consider future directions for avatar research. From a research perspective, we also argue for avatars not just as a topic of study, but also as a tool for understanding other elements of human communication. Avatar-mediated environments provide researchers with a number of advantageous technological affordances that can enable manipulations that may be difficult or inadvisable to execute in natural environments. We conclude by discussing the use of avatar research to extend communication theory and our understanding of communication processes.


First administered in 2002, the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) is an annual, Web-based organizational climate survey of U.S. federal government employees. In recent years, numerous external stakeholders have urged the FEVS administration team at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to consider changing its sampling policy to one of a perennial census of the FEVSeligible workforce. Among the most frequently cited reasons is a belief that offering all employees the opportunity to participate could boost response rates. A corollary of this belief is that an agency currently sampling its FEVS-eligible workforce is somehow achieving a lower response rate than it otherwise could be. In this paper, we report results from an email contact wording experiment systematically manipulating whether employees were made aware of the underlying sampling strategy. We find emphasizing a census has no effect, but emphasizing the employee was part of a random sample produces a slight increase in response rates.


Surface modification of hydroxylated, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (OH-MWCNTs) was carried out by silanization with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS). Rigid polyurethane foam nano- composites were prepared by silanized MWCNTs in different weight percents via a one shot method and the thermal, mechanical and morphological properties of the nanocomposites were investigated in detail. The obtained results from thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the thermal stability of the nano- composites were increased by higher silanized MWCNTs contents. Morphological studies showed an increased cell density parallel to higher silanized MWCNTs contents in the polyurethane matrix. Further- more, the tensile properties showed that the Young's moduli, as well as tensile strengths, were improved in comparison with pristine foam. The obtained data revealed reverse effects of 3 % functionalized MWCNT on the properties of respective nanocomposites due to agglomeration of MWCNTs.


Background: Esophageal cancer is one of the major malignancies, with various epidemiological aspects in recent years in developing countries, including increased prevalence and variations of pathologic patterns. This may be due to increasing rates of Barrett's esophagus, gastroesophageal reflux, smoking and obesity. This study was performed from 1991 to 2005 in order to evaluate various clinicopathological aspects of esophageal cancer in patients referred to a gastroenterology clinic in Tehran. Methods:This retrospective cross-sectional study was performed according to data from clinical records, including demographic information, pathologic and endoscopic reports. We used SPSS/12 software for statistical analysis. Chi-square and ANOVAtests were used and a P-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results:156 patients (87 males and 69 females) with an average age of 62.4±10.3 years (mean ± SD) were studied. 105 (67.3%), 39 (25%), and 12 (7.7%) patients had squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), adenocarcinoma and metastatic carcinoma, respectively. The location of tumors was 20.6 % (32 patients) in upper third, 35.2% (55 patients) in middle third and 44.2% (69 patients) in the lower third of the esophagus. There was no significant relation between sex and age of patients with the type of cancer and location of tumors. There was a significant relation between the location of tumors and cancer pathology (P<0.001). Conclusion: In our study, esophageal cancer had no significant epidemiological variations, so SCC was still more common than other esophageal cancers. Upper and lower thirds were the most common locations of SCC and adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, respectively.


The biological mechanisms of platelet destruction must be correctly identified before platelet survival curves can be interpreted. This report develops a theory of platelet destruction which is compared with experiments performed on platelets labelled with the radioactive isotope 51Cr. Platelet destruction rate is a complicated function of platelet number and the thrombokinetic destruction state of the body. A linear approximation of this function shows that destruction is dominated by constant and random consumption. A second order non-linear approximation shows the effect of 'platelet crowding'. This theoretical study explains the difference between predicting the complete platelet survival curve from only two experimental points (in the linear approximation) and the methods of curve fitting currently recommended by the International Committee for Standardization in Haematology. It indicates that the curve fitting of known functional forms to experimental data usually results in an under interpretation of the observations and dilutes the diagnostic potential of the platelet survival curve.


Thick Upper Paleozoic offshore limestones and Cretaceous near-shore deposits in northeastern Sonora indicate the extent of the former seaways. Near El Tigre the Upper Paleozoic limestones attain a thickness of about 5500 feet, are like those in southeastern Arizona, and show the existence of a fairly broad persistent sea. Marked shoaling is indicated by the shaly character of the Upper Mississippian deposits. Near El Tigre the Paleozoic limestones are overlain by several thousand feet of near-shore deposits representing the Trinity division of the Cretaceous. Significant fossils include Parahoplites, Acanthoplites, Cheloniceras, Beudanticeras, and Exogyra aff. latissima var. aquila (Brongniart). Southward from the Bisbee district the Glance conglomerate and Morita formation increase markedly in coarseness and thickness, attaining over 8000 feet along the northern part of the Sierra de los Ajos. Similar coarse clastic deposits, extending from Cabullona to Santa Cruz, show deposition in a geosyncline adjacent to a rising and probably fairly high landmass which lay south of the Bisbee district and west of the El Tigre district. The transgressive character of the Trinity sediments on the Upper Paleozoic limestones suggests that the Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous seas older than Trinity time never extended as far west as Sonora. During the Laramide revolution the sedimentary rocks of the geosyncline were intensely folded, uplifted, and eroded to a surface of high relief which subsequently was buried by thousands of feet of Tertiary lavas. Extensive steep-angled faulting along north-northwest lines began in middle or late Tertiary time and at present controls most of the topographic features. . . .


Although once a widely speculated about and largely theoretical topic, spaceflightinduced intracranial hypertension is more accepted as a distinct clinical phenomenon; yet, the underlying physiological mechanisms are still poorly understood. In the past, many terms were used to describe the symptoms of malaise, nausea, vomiting, and vertigo though longer duration spaceflights have increased the prevalence of overlapping symptoms of headache and visual disturbance. Spaceflight-induced visual pathology is thought to be a manifestation of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) because of its similar presentation to cases of known intracranial hypertension on Earth as well as the documentation of increased ICP by lumbar puncture in symptomatic astronauts upon return to gravity. The most likely mechanisms of spaceflight-induced increased ICP include a cephalad shift of body fluids, venous outflow obstruction, blood-brain barrier breakdown, and disruption to CSF flow. The relative contribution of increased ICP to the symptoms experienced during spaceflight is currently unknown though as other factors recently posited to contribute include local effects on ocular structures, individual differences in metabolism, and the vasodilator effects of carbon dioxide. Spaceflight-induced intracranial hypertension must be distinguished from other pathologies with similar symptomatology. The following chapter discusses the proposed physiologic causes and the pathological manifestations of increased ICP in the spaceflight environment and provides considerations for future long-term space travel.


In recent work, we used pseudo-differential theory to establish conditions that the initial-boundary value problem for second order systems of wave equations be strongly well-posed in a generalized sense. The applications included the harmonic version of the Einstein equations. Here we show that these results can also be obtained via standard energy estimates, thus establishing strong well-posedness of the harmonic Einstein problem in the classical sense.


This paper presents a pilot project, developing at the University of Macerata and of the University Arizona, that is called "EduPlan4Inclusion", oriented to implement accessibility in academic contents for all students, through the use of technology. The project wants to highlight the possible direction for Universities to balance the demands of an inclusive curriculum to a diverse student cohort within a technology-rich environment. In conclusion, the research proposes in this paper can be used to directly guide the reform of curriculum design and teaching methods in Colleges and Universities, with the aim to activate the possibility of implementing a more shared inclusive culture.


This report assesses the extent to which student and staff opinions towards school — specifically, Victoria's Attitudes to School Survey (ATSS) administered to students and its School Staff Survey (SSS)—can improve predictions of government school performance reflected in students Australian Tertiary Admissions Ranks (ATARs), beyond predictions based on students' Year-9 reading and numeracy NAPLAN scores, their demographic characteristics and their socioeconomic status (SES). As the number of questions in the two surveys is very large, we first reduce their dimensionality by combining sets of similar questions into broader categories, and calculate average student answers within schools. (We are not able to identify student attitude responses individually.) We then add these variables to our school-level prediction regressions. While the added explanatory power of these variables in predicting school success rates is limited, we find that for all four success indicators, the student survey variables add more explanatory power than the staff survey variables. Statistically significant coefficients appear sporadically for student motivation, connectedness to peers, a stimulating learning environment, class behaviour, and, surprisingly, student distress. However, these do not necessarily indicate causal effects: our results may reflect, wholly or in part, the more positive attitudes to school of successful students and their teachers, collinearity between observed variables, possible confounding factors, and the subjective nature of survey responses. Finally, we emphasize that ATAR values are only one imperfect measure of school performance. About half the students in a cohort do not go on to university, and for such students other measures of school performance are relevant. The predictive power of these surveys is of secondary importance to their intrinsic value in providing information on student and teacher attitudes as direct indicators of what is happening in schools. Engagement and well-being are significant positive outcomes in themselves."


In the EU annually, an estimated 9 million people suffer from Campylobacter
Spp. related food poisoning, with a loss of productivity in the region of 2.4
billion Euros. A Gram-negative bacteria about which little is known outside
commercial broiler chicken rearing, the proliferation of campylobacter on fresh
chilled chicken produce as a result of temperature abuse in the supply chain
is considered to represent a significant risk to consumer health.
The current study employed both culture-based methodology and real time
polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis to determine the population
dynamics of Campylobacter jejuni ATCC-33291 on raw chilled chicken
produce when packaged under those vacuum and modified atmosphere
packaging (MAP) conditions commonly employed in the control of bacterial
spoilage. Bacterial growth or decline was determined at 4oC, 10oC, 20oC,
30oC, 37oC and 42oC; reflecting both the typical range of temperature abuse
in transit and facilitating comparison with the published literature. Regression
analysis of the experimentally derived data was employed to construct a
digital model of campylobacter population dynamics; enabling the prediction
of bacterial proliferation, and in turn consumer safety, for any given
combination of packaged chilled chicken produce and temperature breach
parameters.
Digital modelling of the RT-PCR analysis derived data indicates an increase in
campylobacter DNA copy number at temperatures of 20oC and 30oC, not
reflected in the equivalent enumeration by culture-based microbiology. This
observed disparity may reflect a cycling bacteria population or the expression
of exogenous bacterial DNA, and indicates a requirement to define the
pathology of campylobacteriosis in relation to biofilm structural components.
Modelling of Vibrio Spp. experimentally isolated from chicken produce
highlights both a necessity to characterise bacterial proliferation within a
range of campylobacter strains representative of those present in chilled chicken produce, and indicates a role for RT-PCR based campylobacter
identification within both poultry produce monitoring and clinical isolation.
Although requiring characterisation, determination of residual gas in MAP
packaging shows a significant difference in CO2 content between control and
samples inoculated with C. jejuni ATCC-33291 when incubated at 30oC.
Further definition may indicate an application for gas analysis in the detection
of campylobacter proliferation in retail packaging, in conjunction with digital
proliferation modelling, or as a standalone system.
The feasibility of methodology for the generation, integration and digital
modelling of bacterial proliferation is discussed, in the context of a
temperature and humidity logging tracking system with empirical decision
making capability in relation to consumer safety, biosecurity and product
origination. Shortcomings in the understanding of Campylobacter Spp.
lifecycle and host colonisation routes are discussed, serving to highlight an
opportunity to both build on the current knowledge of food borne pathogens
and form a direct scientific basis for the direction of consumer safety
measures.


Metallic materials including stainless steel, cobalt-chromium alloys, titanium and its alloys, and nickel-titanium (NiTi) shape memory alloys have been used in biomedical applications since the 1940s due to their favorable mechanical properties. Classified as a smart material, NiTi alloy has gained noticeable popularity in biomedical fields such as orthopedic, dental, and cardiovascular applications as it retains reasonable corrosion resistance and biocompatibility along with unique shape memory properties. However, several studies have shown their limits in medical applications due to the risk of Ni ions release from the NiTi implant surface. In order to prevent Ni release, ceramic-based surface coatings such as hydroxyapatite, alumina, and titanium dioxide have been proposed applied by various methods such as electrophoretic deposition, sol-gel, biomimetic and dip coating. In this work, HA coatings on NiTi wire samples were obtained by using biomimetic and dip-coating methods. The biomimetic coating consisted of immersing the NiTi wire samples into simulated body fluid for 24 and 48 h periods, whereas dip coating was accomplished by placing the NiTi wire samples into the HA suspension and retracting the sample with a controlled speed. The effects of the two coating methods on coating quality, surface characteristics and corrosion behavior of NiTi wire samples were investigated. Dip coating method was shown to be a more favorable technique for the NiTi wire samples used throughout this study.


Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta) is important in the maturation and function of the mammary gland and is present in milk. We have examined whether, in addition to inhibiting lactogenesis, TGF beta exerts acute regulatory effects on lactating mammary cells. The isoform TGF beta 1 at 5 and 50 ng/ml suppressed the onset of lactation and the subsequent production of beta-casein by differentiating mouse mammary explants from pregnant mice. By contrast, it did not inhibit protein synthesis or secretion from acini isolated from lactating-mouse mammary gland or protein secretion from explants from lactating mice. These data indicate that TGF beta inhibits the onset of casein secretion, but is not an acute regulator of casein synthesis or secretion from differentiated lactating mammary cells.


Following a prolonged decline in enrollment and interest in power engineering, educators have formulated a variety of responses they believe will stem the tide of woes that seem to have besieged the profession. The range of creative solutions proposed in many programs are centered around what power engineering curriculum should contain, how course materials should be delivered, and how to market (or promote) the program. This paper takes a critical look at a number of studies on curriculum development and learning in higher education. It examines the role that should be given to students' conception about learning, instructors' experience and teaching philosophies, and the impact of curriculum organization on students' performance in the design and implementation of educational innovations. The best aspects of the new innovations in power engineering curriculum are then combined with other components that are deemed necessary to come up with what a model power engineering program should look like.


Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are a diverse group of trans-membrane proteins that control cellular growth, survival and differentiation. Constitutive activation of RTKs is a hallmark of cancers, and can occur via copy number amplifications, point mutations, gene fusions or combinations of these events. Several RTKs are important anti-cancer targets that can be inhibited by small molecules and antibodies. Treatments with RTK inhibitors have had promising results in some cancers with RTK alterations (e.g., non-small cell lung cancer), but limited effectiveness in others (e.g., glioblastoma multiforme). This discrepancy warrants further study of the RTK pathway alterations in glioblastoma and across different cancer types. Seventy-nine percent of TCGA glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumors with wild type IDH1 and IDH2 (IDHwt) harbor at least one somatic alteration in genes associated with the RTK signaling pathway. These include aberrations in RTKs themselves (EGFR, FGFR, MET, NTRK and PDGFR) or downstream components of their signaling (PI3K complex and PTEN). Of these, alterations in EGFR are most frequent and occur in over 45% of IDHwt GBM cases, including EGFR amplifications (32%), point mutations (4%), and combinations of amplifications and point mutations (15%). Our analysis of the TCGA lower-grade glioma (LGG) cohort revealed similar patterns of RTK signaling activation in 73% of IDHwt LGGs. In the IDHwt LGG cohort, EGFR amplifications occur in 11% of cases, point mutations in another 10% of cases, and multiple EGFR alterations in an additional 16% of cases. Along with amplifications and point mutations, fusions of FGFR, EGFR and NTRK have been reported in IDHwt GBM and found to occur in IDHwt LGGs by our group. Based on this work, targeting RTKs other than EGFR has emerged as a potential treatment strategy for IDHwt gliomas. While activating RTK events in gliomas and other cancers are well known, their effect on downstream pathway signaling has not been fully elucidated. First, it is unclear whether the different mechanisms of RTK activation have similar effects on downstream pathway activity. Second, it is unknown how multiple types of RTK activation that occur in the same patient interact together to impact the signaling cascade. To address these questions, we used PARADIGM pathway analysis to estimate RTK pathway activity across 28 TCGA tumor types, including LGG and GBM. We then used PARADIGM-Shift to explore the effects of different types of RTK pathway alterations on the downstream signaling cascade. Our analysis implicates FGFR, NTRK and EGFR fusions as the strongest activators of RTK signaling in IDHwt gliomas. We also show that multiple RTK alterations in the same sample produce stronger pathway activation than single alterations. These experiments provide a framework for predicting sensitivity to RTK inhibitors across cancer types. Citation Format: Olena Morozova, Sam Ng, Arjun Rao, Josh Stuart, David Haussler, Sofie Salama. Pan-cancer analysis reveals distinct effects of receptor tyrosine kinase mutations on downstream pathway activities. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Translation of the Cancer Genome; Feb 7-9, 2015; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(22 Suppl 1):Abstract nr A2-52.


" The fact that so many of the child sufferers are illegitimate is a vital factor in the problem. This is because, according to Bantu custom, the father of an illegitimate child has no responsibility whatever for the support of the child, and he will not recognize any obligations beyond his payment of two beasts if his paternity is proved. The welfare of the child becomes the responsibility of the parents of the mother. To go further than this and to make the issue a legal one is so involved and complicated that this further step is seldom undertaken. The man feels quite at liberty to take another woman, beget other children, and again disclaim all responsibility. "On the mother's side, when the 'lover' abandons her she often does her best to get another man to help support her; another illegitimate arrives and often the new man does not want to support the other fellow's child and in consequence it becomes neglected."


Cross-species comparison has emerged as a powerful paradigm for predicting cis-regulatory modules (CRMs) and understanding their evolution. The comparison requires reliable sequence alignment, which remains a challenging task for less conserved noncoding sequences. Furthermore, the existing models of DNA sequence evolution generally do not explicitly treat the special properties of CRM sequences. To address these limitations, we propose a model of CRM evolution that captures different modes of evolution of functional transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) and the background sequences. A particularly novel aspect of our work is a probabilistic model of gains and losses of TFBSs, a process being recognized as an important part of regulatory sequence evolution. We present a computational framework that uses this model to solve the problems of CRM alignment and prediction. Our alignment method is similar to existing methods of statistical alignment but uses the conserved binding sites to improve alignment. Our CRM prediction method deals with the inherent uncertainties of binding site annotations and sequence alignment in a probabilistic framework. In simulated as well as real data, we demonstrate that our program is able to improve both alignment and prediction of CRM sequences over several state-of-the-art methods. Finally, we used alignments produced by our program to study binding site conservation in genome-wide binding data of key transcription factors in the Drosophila blastoderm, with two intriguing results: (i) the factor-bound sequences are under strong evolutionary constraints even if their neighboring genes are not expressed in the blastoderm and (ii) binding sites in distal bound sequences (relative to transcription start sites) tend to be more conserved than those in proximal regions. Our approach is implemented as software, EMMA (Evolutionary Model-based cis-regulatory Module Analysis), ready to be applied in a broad biological context.


A number of salient predictors of longevity, other than age and gender, have emerged from research on samples of elderly community dwellers. In particular, high levels of cognitive function, high socioeconomic status, high self-health ratings and activity levels, and low incidence of lifestress all predict longevity in this population. In contrast to the abundant research on predictors of longevity in elderly community dwellers, there is a paucity of research on predictors of longevity in the elderly institutionalized. This is problematic, as findings on community- dwelling elderly may not generalize to other samples of elderly, such as elderly institution dwellers. Volunteer samples of elderly from longitudinal studies have been shown to differ even from other community dwellers in cognitive function and socioeconomic status (higher for volunteers). -- Therefore, a non-demented institutionalized elderly sample from all major institutions in Newfoundland was retrospectively examined on two measurement occasions, within 12 months of each other. One hundred and fifty-six subjects between the ages of 65 and 95 years were available at first measurement (Wave One), and 122 of the same subjects were alive and agreed to be retested on a second occasion 12 months later (Wave Two). Dimensions of health, personality, quality of life and lifestress were measured, and relevant demographic data were analysed. Time-to-death (i.e. time from initial measurement until subject's death) was used to classify all subjects. Three comparisons of data were made: 1) retestees were compared to non-retestees (i.e., subjects who were alive at retest but were not retested), 2) the full sample was compared on the basis of time-to-death, and 3) the retestees alone were compared on the basis of time-to-death. Analyses of Variance were computed for all comparisons. -- Several predictors of longevity emerged from this study: retestee status (i.e. being retested), higher activity levels and higher lifestress were the main predictors of longevity in the institutionalized sample. Fewer years of education were also related to death, for the group surviving between three and six years after initial testing. Findings were compared to previous research findings, and suggestions for future research were made.


In this paper, a layered metamaterial structure composed of silver layers as a conductor and layers of SiO2 as a dielectric is designed and proposed; so that a uniaxial anisotropic metamaterial is created. It is observed that in frequency at which the effective permittivity of the proposed structure goes to zero, the flat wave front of the plane wave is kept in passing through this structure provided that dipole approximation would be valid. Therefore, with creating a small cavity in the center of the layered metamaterial, the flat wave front of the plane wave is kept and each object which is placed inside the cavity is hidden from the external observer. Finite element simulation using COMSOL Multiphysics approved the result. Using this structure, we could yield the invisibility condition in visible spectrum of 532nm.


This thesis examines the environmental content of municipal official plans in Ontario, Canada. It is an exploration of how environmental policy can be measured, categorized and compared at the municipal level. The legislative and societal framework from which municipal environmental policy emerges is examined before a method for measuring the level of the policy is proposed. The results of the policy measurement are then analyzed quantitatively for relationships with demographic characteristics and qualitatively for strength of language and level of policy as well as for spatial patterns in policy levels. From these analyses conclusions are drawn regarding the presence of significant variation in the environmental content found in municipal official plans. Conclusions are also made regarding the attention given to individual components of municipal environmental content. Finally, recommendations for future environmental policy integration into municipal official plans are suggested as are recommendations for future research.


The demand for compression is to reduce the storage space and reduction of transmission cost. When a digital image is transmitted through a communication channel, the rate of the transmission depends on the size of the data. The simply way at current is to improve on these resource requirements is to compress images such that they can be transmitted earlier and then decompressed by the receiver. There are different applications requiring image compression such as multimedia, internet, satellite imaging, remote sensing, conservation of art work, etc. frequent methods for image compression have been accessible in the literature survey but there is forever a scope for improvement. In current work the fractal image compression has been employed as a proficient method in image compression. An original compression encoding technique using hard threshold has been planned based on fractal image compression and the results are compared with the other condition of art image compression methods. The proposed method reduces the Encoding time significantly while somewhat compromising with the value of the image. The initial experiments show that the advanced proposed approach could attain smaller encoding time and higher compression ratio on images. The proposed algorithm exhibits promising grades from quantitatively and qualitatively points of view.


Unmanned vehicles (UVs) are quickly becoming ubiquitous in almost every aspect of hostile-environment operations. A key challenge in designing futuristic one-controlling-many systems will be minimizing periods of excessive operator workload that can arise when critical tasks for several UVs occur simultaneously. To a certain degree, you can predict and mitigate such periods in advance. However, actions that mitigate a particular period of high workload in the short term might create long-term episodes of high workload that were previously nonexistent. So, we need decision support that helps an operator evaluate alternative actions for managing a mission schedule in real time. To this end, we present an iterative design cycle that tries to leverage intelligent, predictive aiding together with human judgment and pattern recognition to maximize both system and human performance in the supervision of four UAVs. Automated decision support tools that provide more local, as opposed to global, visual recommendations can produce better performance in multiple UAV scheduling


We study the output costs of 40 systemic banking crises since 1980. Most, but not all, crises in our sample coincide with a sharp contraction in output from which it took several years to recover. Our main findings are as follows. First, the current financial crisis is unlike any others in terms of a wide range of economic factors. Second, the output losses of past banking crises were higher when they were accompanied by a currency crisis or when growth was low at the onset of the crisis. When accompanied by a sovereign debt default, a systemic banking crisis was less costly. And, third, there is a tendency for systemic banking crises to have lasting negative output effects.


This study examines high school students' levels of burnout and school engagement with respect to academic success, study habits, and self-efficacy beliefs. The data were gathered during the 2011-2012 school year from 633 students attending six high schools located in Ankara, Turkey. The analyses were conducted on responses from 605 students. The research methods included the Personal Information Form comprising items about students' demographic characteristics, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Form, the Utrecht School Engagement Scale, the Study Habits Inventory, and the Scale for Self-Efficacy Expectations among Adolescents. The data were analyzed with multivariate analysis of variance. The results suggested that students with low self-efficacy beliefs had higher burnout levels. In addition, students with inadequate study skills and those with low self-efficacy beliefs were at higher risk of losing their beliefs. Another finding was that students with high academic success also had high self-efficacy. Unexpectedly, students with inadequate study skills and low self-efficacy beliefs were found to have high self-efficacy. Students with adequate study skills and high self- efficacy beliefs also had high school engagement levels. The study findings were discussed in relation to the literature and interpreted. Based on the interpretations, recommendations were made to school counselors and researchers.


Physically unclonable functions (PUFs) serve as untamperable secrets buried in a device thatmust meet some properties in order to be securely used in cryptographic protocols. Due to the stealthy nature of PUFs, the verification of these properties is in itself a difficult task. In this paper, we survey the current trends regarding those aspects. An international standard working draft is described which handles the accurate and consensual definition of the required properties and also covers the high-level methodology related to the test of PUFs. Some in-depth examples of evaluation procedures are also described, bothbefore the fabrication (illustrated on entropy measurement) andafter the fabrication (illustrated on reliability analysis—especially how it withstands aging). These evaluations are carried out on the loop-PUF structure, a delay-PUF for which a simple stochastic model can be derived.


The advent of index tracking early in the 1970s and the continuous growth of assets tied to the S&P 500 index have enforced perceptions of the importance of becoming an index-member, due to increased demand by index fund participants for the stocks involved in index composition changes. This study focuses on S&P 500 inclusions and examines the impact of potential overnight price adjustment after the announcement of an S&P 500 index change. We find evidence of a significant overnight price change that diminishes the profits available to speculators although there are still profits available from the first day after announcement until a few days after the actual event. More importantly observing the tick-by-tick stock price performance of the key days of the event window for the first time, we find evidence of consistent trading patterns during trading hours over inclusion event. A separate analysis of two different sub-periods as well as of NASDAQ and NYSE listed stocks allows for a detailed examination of the price and volume effect in continuous time.


Canada's unaffordable legal services problem: The Federation of Law Societies of Canada's text, "Inventory of Access to Legal Services Initiatives of the Law Societies of Canada," contradicts the law societies' duty to maintain affordable legal services. It considers the problem of unaffordable legal services as being one of mere "gaps" in the availability of legal services. And in the province of Ontario, in an expressly blunt contradiction of its statutory duty to "facilitate access to justice," the Law Society of Upper Canada's website states that the law society does not set fees for legal services, and it cannot reduce a lawyer's bill. Such publications tell the population that the law societies disassociate themselves from the problem of the unaffordability of legal services. If as a result, people were to think that the problem of unaffordable legal services must be the government's problem, the law societies would be quick to reject that solution as a violation of the principle of the independence of the legal profession. Then apparently, it's nobody's problem and duty.And therefore, in place of lawyers' affordable services, the "Inventory of Initiatives" text summarizes the law societies' greater use of programs of "cutting costs by cutting competence" by way of, self-help, law students and paralegals, "unbundling" of legal services, and lawyers' pro bono charity.The problem is causing four types of damage: (1) to the many thousands of people whose lives have been severely damaged for lack of legal services; (2) to the courts clogged with the very slow moving cases of self-represented litigants; (3) to the legal profession, shrinking instead of expanding to meet the ever-increasing need of the population for lawyers' services; and, (4) to legal aid organizations who provide free legal services to poor people, but whose funding governments fear to make adequate to meet the need for such services while the majority of the taxpayers cannot afford legal services for themselves.A democracy does not have to accept such poor performance and neglect from its law societies, nor the loss of its ability to make effective use of the rule of law and constitutional rights and freedoms. Therefore, to forestall the inevitability of government intervention, Canada's law societies have immediate need for some program in place that makes persuasive their claims that they are doing something of substance, beyond mere vague expressions of concern, to solve the problem. Now, they have nothing. But undertaking to improve the Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII) to become a support-service providing legal opinions and related services to lawyers nationally, as has LAO LAW provided to Ontario's lawyers successfully for 35 years, would immediately show that they are taking action that will definitely have a substantial impact upon the cost of legal services. Otherwise, they will do nothing, or "too little, too late." Then government intervention will be needed, to impose a new form of management structure that is more responsive to the absence of affordable legal services than is the self-regulation of the legal profession as presently provided by Canada's law societies.


A child or adolescent is profoundly impacted by the death of a parent. The grief process can affect students socially, physically, and academically, no matter their relationship with the parent who died. School counselors should understand the impact of such a loss and plan interventions to address grieving students' needs. Interventions by the school counselor with parentally grieving students can help support students. In addition, noncrisis death education is a way of reaching all students. There is much information in the literature regarding the grief process for children and adolescents. There is also much information regarding school-based interventions that can be done to help students who have lost a parent to death. It is not known how school counselors in this upper Midwest urban public school district intervene. The purpose of this study was to explore school counselors' perceptions of school-based bereavement assistance provided to parentally bereaved students (K-12 students who had a parent die). Data were collected via a survey distributed to school counselors employed at K-12 schools in a public school district in the upper Midwest during the spring of 2006. Participants were asked to answer questions related to noncrisis death education, interventions and effectiveness of interventions by school counselors with parentally bereaved students. Results of this study showed half of school counselor respondents supported noncrisis death education as part of the developmental guidance curriculum. When assisting parentally bereaved students, school counselors reported using a variety of interventions. Themes presented included importance of family interaction as well as need for individualizing intervention plans. Finally, respondents indicated a variation of effectiveness. Recommendations for future research complete this thesis.


When objects collide they produce sound. Just by listening, humans can estimate object material, size, and impact force. The physics of how these parameters interact to generate sound is well established, yet the inverse problem faced by listeners – inferring physical parameters from sound – remains poorly understood. One challenge is that two objects create a sound, leaving the inference of any single object's properties ill-posed. Here we show that judgments of physical variables exhibit the phenomenon of explaining away, as might be expected if listeners perform inference in a generative model of acoustical physics. We presented listeners with recordings of a ball hitting a board. Listeners could identify the heavier of two balls, even when the two balls were dropped on boards differing in material – an ill-posed inference. To test whether listeners were implicitly estimating and discounting the board material, we altered the decay rates of the boards to imply a harder or softer material. These alterations affected mass comparisons despite not being directly informative about mass, suggesting that listeners factorize the acoustic contributions of the two objects. The results indicate that humans have internalized a generative model of impact sounds and use it to perform intuitive physical inference.


In 2012, Level 2 Earthquake Ground Motions (Type I) and 'modification factor for zones (zone factor)' in the seismic design specifications for highway bridges in Japan were revised. Design earthquake ground motions should be multiplied by zone factors to evaluate the seismic performance. Regarding one of zones, Type I design earthquake ground motions are remarkably changed from the former earthquake ground motions multiplied by "0.85" to the revised ones multiplied by "1.2". The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of design earthquake ground motions considering zone factors on nonlinear response of steel bridge piers. The time-history dynamic analysis on the single-degree-of-freedom system was adopted in order to identify whether the bridges have enough seismic performance. Comparing obtained maximum response displacements of two kinds of earthquake ground motions (Type I and Type II), this paper came to conclusions. The results revealed that, regarding some zones, the Type I design earthquake ground motions have generally caused larger maximum response displacement than that of Type II.


Labeled [3H]deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from Lactobacillus jensenii ATCC 25258 yielded a substantial amount of heteroduplexes only with DNA molecules from other strains of L. jensenii. A low yield of heteroduplexing was obtained between DNAs of L. jensenii and L. acidophilus, although both species had the same guanine plus cytosine content (36 mol%). The striking phenotypic similarity between L. jensenii and L. leichmannii was not reflected in their DNA base composition (36 and 50 mol% guanine plus cytosine, respectively), and, as expected, they produced a very low yield of hybridized DNAs. Although the phylogenic relationship between these different species of Lactobacillus cannot be deduced from their DNA relatedness, it can nevertheless be established from the structural similarity of their D-lactic dehydrogenases.