Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL) is developing the international Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) and Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) to advance neutrino science. The flagship of the DUNE project consists of a large particle detector constructed one-mile (1.6 km) beneath the surface at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, SD. The SURF detector is the largest of its type ever built and is comprised of four cryostats totaling 70,000 tons of liquid argon (LAr) to record neutrino interactions with unprecedented precision. Each cryostat houses a detector, the first includes 150 Anode Panel Assemblies (APA) submersed within 17,500 tons of LAr. Before installing 150 APA within the SURF detector they will be cryogenically cooled to nominally 90 K at the APA Test Facility (APATF) utilizing nitrogen flows. The APATF cryogenic system is entirely located one-mile underground at the SURF facility and includes nominally 13 kW of refrigeration at 80 K, cryogenic transfer lines, APA test cryostats, a cryogenic control system, and various control and pressure safety elements to ensure performance and safety requirements are achieved. The APATF preliminary design is in progress and major considerations include an efficient, cost-effective mechanism to deliver the required refrigeration to the APATF underground, support of rigid testing intervals to support the DUNE operating schedule, temperature stability of the APA and electronics within cryostats, efficient cryogenic system operation to minimize heat leak and/or liquid nitrogen consumption, thermo-mechanical stability and flexibility of components, and pressure safety of the APATF cryogenic system. Installation and integration of the APATF cryogenic system within the footprint and to adjacent sub-systems is also discussed.


: A total of 23 self-expanding metal stents were implanted in 17 patients (12 men, 5 women; mean age 66 [44-83] years) with inoperable malignant obstruction of the oesophagus or the oesophago-gastric junction. A primary success was achieved in all, a good functional result in 16 (94%). There were no complications. In the follow-up period (mean of 15.2 +/- 13 weeks) re-obstruction by the tumour process occurred in three patients. Twelve patients died after a mean survival time of 15.8 +/- 14 weeks. In ten of these the stent was still patent at death, while two had again developed dysphagia. The cumulative patency rate of the stents was 79%. These observations indicate that self-expanding metal stents can achieve satisfactory palliation in dysphagia due to a malignancy. The mortality and morbidity rates of the method seem to be less than those of other palliative measures.


The desire of every marketer is to develop and maintain strong customer relationships. One way this can be accomplished is through effective advertising. Marketers have recently begun to brand flash mobs as a way to effectuate strong brand relationships. Even so, it is unclear whether or not the branding of flash mobs supports or frustrates this pursuit. Therefore, the goal of this thesis is to help marketers understand the potential impact that branded flash mobs may have on consumer behaviour and brand relationships. Since these interactions are complex we need to observe the convoluted whole from untangled vantage points. Marketing scholars and researchers must then attempt to understand the latent opportunities and unsuspecting dangers when branding a flash mob. Toward answering this end, four distinct research studies were used to examine the phenomenon from four different perspectives.The aim of the first paper is twofold. First, it deductively seeks to understand how to categorize branded flash mobs within the marketing literature through an historical and cultural analysis of the phenomenon. Exploratory in nature, this study then employs a mixed methods approach to understand how marketers are currently using flash mobs, and more importantly, if branded flash mobs are an effective tool of communication and persuasion.In the second paper, a field experiment was conducted to assess the impact of a branded flash mob on consumers' emotions, consumer experience and connectedness in a public market. Qualitative interviews were used to capture the data. Shifting perspectives, the third paper seeks to understand why some branded flash mobs fail to 'go viral'. Using of a number of focus groups, participants were asked to watch several branded flash mob videos and discuss their willingness to share them online (e.g., email, Facebook, or Twitter).Toward a better understanding of the impact of branded flash mobs on brand equity, the final paper evaluates viewers' attitude toward the ad. Using netnographic techniques (Kozinets, 2002) 2,882 YouTube comments from three virally successful branded flash mobs ads were examined to understand how branded flash mobs affect brand equity. Responses grouped into one of four archetypical attitudes, each of which has a distinct impact on brand equity.Motivated by the potential for widespread exposure at a relatively low cost, marketers continue to produce branded flash mobs. Sometimes they are fresh and creative, while at others they are out of tune with the spirit of the phenomenon. This thesis uncovers the impact of these efforts on consumer behaviour and brand equity, and concludes with a guide for managers to consider when planning their next branded flash mob. An acknowledgement of the limitations and an outline for directions of future research are also presented.


Radiation procedures in diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine examinations, especially at referral centers, contribute a significant proportion to population dose; hence, there is a presumed detriment. Knowledge of the magnitude of dose from each type of exam is helpful in determining where to implement dose reduction efforts. Additionally, new records of dose data facilitate comparisons with past measurements. In this paper, updated patient exam dose data (frequency and effective dose equivalent) are provided for a large, comprehensive, tertiary care medical center that served more than 340,000 patients in 1997. Patient billing code data were used to study 31 different types of diagnostic exams encompassed in five major categories (angiography, fluoroscopy, radiography, nuclear medicine, and computerized tomography). Organ doses for each radiographic and nuclear medicine exam were estimated using published Monte Carlo conversion factors and appropriate exposure values. Estimates of organ doses were utilized to compute effective dose equivalent (EDE) per ICRP 26 and collective effective dose equivalent. Mean effective dose equivalent was also calculated for each exam category. Total collective effective dose equivalent had decreased from 1988 (2,030 person-Sv) to 1997 (1,817 person-Sv). The largest contributors to collective effective dose equivalent were angiography (768 person-Sv), computerized tomography (447 person-Sv), and nuclear medicine (355 person-Sv). Radiography (150 person-Sv) and fluoroscopy (97 person-Sv) contributed the least to collective effective dose equivalent. Mean effective dose equivalent contributions remained the same, with angiography accounting for the highest component, followed by nuclear medicine, computerized tomography, fluoroscopy, and radiography, respectively. Effective dose equivalent, collective effective dose equivalent, and mean effective dose equivalent values were calculated and tabulated in five major categories. These data provide updated information as to trends in exam and collective dose from 31 common types of radiologic exams performed at a large medical center, which can be used as an up to date baseline for analyses of trends in U.S. radiation doses due to medical imaging procedures. Although minor changes were observed in comparing the mean effective dose equivalent data to those of a previous study, substantial differences were evident in the collective effective dose equivalent data. This was due primarily to variations in the number of patients examined and changes in technology and practice.


A new motion-generation approach is proposed for wheeled mobile robots described by the unicycle kinematic model. This approach permits the generation of smooth continuous-acceleration controls using a dynamic path-inversion procedure that exploits the concept of G/sup 3/ -paths, i.e., Cartesian paths with third-order geometric continuity (both the curvature function and its derivative, with respect to the arc length, are continuous). The exposed steering method is well suited to be adopted for the robot's iterative steering within a supervisory control architecture for sensor-based autonomous navigation. A worked example illustrates the approach.


Background There are some conflicting results with Conventional Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts (CCABG) with arrested heart in coronary high-risk patients. Moreover, performing off-pump CABG in these cases may be associated with serious complications. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the on-pump beating CABG (OPBCABG) in coronary high-risk patients in comparison with the conventional methods. Methods In a prospective research study, 3000 off-pump CABG patients were considered during June 2003 to December 2011. Among these, 157 patients with one or more of the following risk factors were included for OPBCABG; severe left main stenosis, early post-acute myocardial infarction with ongoing chest pain, unstable angina, intractable ventricular arrhythmia, post complicated coronary intervention and severe left ventricular dysfunction. These patients were compared with 157 similar patients undergone CCABG with aortic cross clamp before 2003. Results Preoperative patient characteristics revealed no significant differences between the two groups. The patients' mean age and number of grafts were 57 years and 3 per patient respectively. Hospital mortality was 3.2% and 9% in OPBCABG and CCABG groups, respectively (P<0.001). Preoperative myocardial infarction, requirement of inotropic agents and intraaortic balloon pump, renal dysfunction and prolonged ventilation time were significantly higher in CCABG group. Conclusion Our results suggest that OPBCABG is effective in coronary high-risk patients and significantly reduces mortality and the incidence of perioperative MI and other major complications.


Rhododendron subgenus Tsutsusi ( Rhodoreae , Ericoideae , Ericaceae ), commonly known as evergreen azaleas, includes approximately 117 deciduous and evergreen species from Japan, China and northeastern Asia. Subgenus Tsutsusi has been divided into two sections, Brachycalyx and Tsutsusi , based on characteristics of the leaves, young twigs and corolla. We obtained molecular data from three chloroplast ( matK , ndhF and trnS - trnG ) and two nuclear (nrITS and the third intron of rpb2 ) regions for 30 species of Rhododendron subgenus Tsutsusi and five species of Menziesia . Parsimony, Bayesian and likelihood analyses based on total evidence were used to assess the monophyly of the sections within Rhododendron subgenus Tsutsusi and relationships among the species sampled. In particular, the placement of the problematic Rhododendron tashiroi was addressed. Results support Rhododendron tashiroi as a member of the Rhododendron section Brachycalyx clade. Molecular evidence also supports a clade within Rhododendron section Tsutsusi containing R . indicum , R . tsusiophyllum , R . tschonoskii and R . serpyllifolium , species which were not previously considered closely related.


: This communication describes a hydrogen peroxide (HOOH) induced chemiluminescence (CL) in an in vitro aromatic (proline) hydroxylation system. The reactive components of the system are ascorbic (AA), ethylene diamine tetraacetic disodium salt (EDTA), ferrous sulfate, and HOOH. The CL is (1) nearly dissipated within three minutes, (2) enhanced and/or sustained by proline and polylysine to a greater degree than by alanine, (3) partially inhibited by a,a' dipyridyl, EDTA, and ethanol, (4) most dependent upon the presence of Fe2+, AA, and HOOH. The in vitro proline hydroxylation system is more effective than ground state oxygen in terms of the CL produced and the percent of hydroxyproline formed.


Our previous finding of strong cytotoxic polycyclic xanthones, actinoplanones A (1) and B (2), in the culture broth of Actinoplanes sp. R-304 stimulated us to isolate further five new cytotoxic polycyclic xanthones which were named actinoplanones C (3), D (4), E (5), F (6) and G (7) from the broth. Actinoplanones C (3) and G (7) showed very strong cytotoxicity against HeLa cells at less than 0.00004 microgram/ml dosage (IC50). The structures of 3-7 were varieties of 1 for the N-2 and C-4 substituents. All or several actinoplanones showed strong antimicrobial activities against bacteria and the rice blast fungus. Actinoplanone A (1) was tested for cytotoxicity against various tumor cells and for inhibitory effect on HeLa cell macromolecular synthesis, and 1 exhibited strong cytotoxicity against the cells and inhibitory action on DNA synthesis.


A deletion in 15q11.2 involving the SNURF/SNRPN gene is the typical finding in patients with Prader-Willi syndrome. Apart from translocations disrupting this gene, no other mutation types have been described so far. We report a patient in whom a small duplication in exon 1 of the SNURF/SNRPN gene was diagnosed which is predicted to interrupt only SNURF expression. The patient was investigated due to overgrowth, increased appetite and developmental delay in childhood. This duplication was inherited from her father who carries the duplication on his paternal chromosome 15 and also had transient excessive eating behaviour as an adolescent. RNA studies showed that the duplication introduces a premature stop codon in SNURF.


Introduction The difficulty of the follicular unit excision (FUE) hair transplantation procedure is currently attributed to hair curliness and subsurface angulation. Patients possessing the curliest hair shafts are considered the most challenging. Consequently, patients with these features are often denied FUE. However, this practice does not consider intrapatient variation in the graft attrition rate and the rates themselves, which are frequently low in very curly hair where the skin firmness/thickness is average. To better aid practitioners in predicting FUE performance, we have developed a new scoring system (the Sanusi FUE Score Scale [SFS Scale]) based on two major donor variables (hair and skin characteristics). Material and Method The scale assigns scores to each of three hair subtypes (straight-wavy, curly, and coily-kinky) and each of three skin subtypes (thick/firm, soft/thin, and medium thickness/firmness). The scores were weighted based on the assessment of 13 experienced FUE practitioners from around the globe, who were asked to score each of the three skin and hair characteristics for their contribution to FUE difficulty. Results On the contribution of skin characteristics to FUE difficulty, 12/13 (92%) practitioners assigned the highest (most difficult) score to thick/firm skin, with medium skin thickness/firmness being the least challenging. The same percentage of practitioners gave the highest difficulty score to coiled-kinky hair subtypes regarding the contribution of hair characteristics to FUE difficulty. All agreed that straight-wavy hair presents the least challenge to FUE performance. Tallying the scores of the skin and hair variables generates a final score range of 2–9, which is associated with five grades/classes of challenge in the FUE procedure, influencing the need for a specialized skill/nuanced approach or equipment. Conclusion We developed a universal FUE donor scoring scale that accounts for the diversity of human hair and skin types. Further evaluation to determine the validity of this new classification system in predicting and grading FUE difficulty and patient outcomes is warranted.


The locally wall thinned phenomenon of pipes is simulated as metal loss due to erosion/corrosion. Therefore, fracture behaviors of pipes with local wall thinning are very important for the integrity of nuclear power plant. In this study, monotonic bending tests without internal pressure are conducted on 1.91-inch diameter Schedule 80 STS370 full-scale carbon steel pipe specimens. We investigated fracture strengths and failure modes of locally wall thinned pipes that welded and unwelded by four point bending test. From test results, we could be divided three types of failure modes.


It has become a rather trite insight to concede that where one sets off in life can have a significant effect on where one ends up. Of course, there are many exceptions to this as people have achieved great success from the humblest of beginnings (and some have managed little success from the most privileged of backgrounds). However, there is still much wisdom and worth in tracing back one's life's journey in order to understood how one got from there to here, as it were. But, in doing so, it is also interesting to think about a certain reversal of that traditional sagacity - where we want to go might well have affected where we started. This insight might seem a little counter-intuitive, but it can be illuminating in thinking about the past in terms of the present and about why the journey from one to the other took the course that it did. For academics and especially self-proclaimed theorists, it seems a tantalizing prospect to take a stab at charting the intellectual route that has been travelled or, at least, appears to have been travelled. Accordingly, after several decades in the jurisprudence business, I want to make what some will consider a vain and self-serving attempt at writing my own intellectual biography.


This thesis is an in depth investigation of the history of the acceptance of Einstein's Theory of General Relativity by scientists and by the public through the media. It emphasises the key role that Australia played in that acceptance and in the verification of General Relativity.
This contribution came from the 1922 total solar eclipse across the continent as well as the discovery in 2003 at Parkes Radio Telescope of the first, and to this date only, pair of pulsars in mutual orbit. This system provides a unique opportunity to plumb the theory in a much
stronger gravitational field regime than previously. This historical scrutiny provides an insight into scientific revolutions in general. The examination of this particular development may then act as a template for the study of other scientific revolutions. One of the key findings is that the Theory of General Relativity was prematurely accepted. The main argument of the thesis is for 1928 being the year when sufficient evidence existed for
scientists to begin accepting the theory based on gravitational deflection of light instead of
the commonly accepted date of 1919. Emphasis is given to the explorations of the 1922 eclipse parties in Australia and the activities of the eight groups measuring light deflection at this eclipse. This work is gathered together here for the first time. The upshot is that it was
1928 before the results were published in full and a conclusion could be drawn. It is also established that the situation for Mercury needed a much longer time period to near the end of the twentieth century before a decisive verdict could be made. Similar to the situation for light deflection, it is found that 1928 is also the year in which spectroscopic data from spectral line frequency shifts of the Sun and white dwarfs had accumulated sufficiently so that a strong conclusion on the third of the classical tests of General Relativity could be made. From the late 1960s the radio region of the spectrum was employed more
frequently to investigate gravitational deflection. As a result of a subsequent extension of this application to interferometry, the increased precision of experiments provided a greater level of testing. No astronomical test yet has refuted General Relativity and agreement has
been reached at the 0.05% level with one parameter involving the double pulsar. In line with the emphasis of the 1922 eclipse in Australia, the Australian newspapers were gleaned up to 1928 to see how the 1919 British total solar eclipse results were regarded by the media and
the public and to ascertain how the media explained the purpose for those 1922 expeditions in Australia. It is found surprisingly that the newspapers performed admirably in explaining difficult concepts in simple terms for the public during this time. This work provides an historical account of the astronomical tests of General Relativity. More broadly, this thesis demonstrates how the acceptance of a scientific revolution depends on the constant
accumulation of data by many scientists and the communication of those results to the wider community. A century after it began, Einstein's revolution in thinking provides a suitable model for space and time in the Universe.


When considering the use of TBM as an alternative to conventional Drill & Blast tunnelling, it is of great importance to be able to give thorough and realistic performance predictions. Errors in prediction could be fatal for hard rock TBM projects, as these have a high geological risk and also demands high investment costs. This thesis is meant to provide field data to be used in the work of updating the NTNU prediction model. The effect of RPM on the rock breaking and TBM performance, as well as the effect of the rock mass fracturing have in particular been investigated. As a final purpose of this thesis laboratory testing has been performed to find the Drilling Rate Index™ and the Cutter Life Index™ of rock material. The field study of this thesis has been done at the Stillwater Mine in Montana, USA. The findings of the RPM trials conducted seem to support the notion that running the TBM at a lower RPM gives a higher basic penetration in millimeter per cutterhead revolution, and that the rock breaking process is more efficient. The effect on the rock breaking process may be explained by how the loading rate between cutter and rock surface is influenced by the speed the cutterhead rotates with. Through analyzing shift logs from the TBM in areas of high rock fracturing it has also been found that lowering the RPM will give a higher basic penetration. In this case it is however not certain if this is due to how the rock break off the surface, or if it is caused by the fact that the penetration rate in areas of high rock fracturing is limited by the muck removal capacity of the TBM conveyor. Through analysis of collected core sample data from probe drilling ahead of the TBM, it has been found that the rock mass fracturing has a strong correlation with the TBM penetration rate. It was also found that the rock mass fracturing highly influences the applicable thrust force of the TBM and thusly also has an indirect effect on the TBM performance. More work should be done at the Stillwater Mine regarding geological back mapping of the tunnel, in order to further assess the importance of the rock mass fracturing factor ks. A full laboratory testing of rock samples from the tunnel at the Stillwater Mine has been performed. Rock material in the form of both rock chips from the tunnel face and core samples from probe drilling have been tested. It was in the course of this testing observed that the Sievers' J test results are greatly different in rock chips compared with core samples. This is most likely caused by difference in mineralogy in the samples, and the fact that rock chips contain micro fractures from the rock breaking process. More work on assessing this difference should nonetheless be done.


In the last decade we have been witnessing a new revolution in information processing and information accessibility via Internet. The evolution of Information Technologies (IT) and personal digital technologies has important impact on automation and manufacturing industry. The IT has become essential component of operational, control and business processes in everyone's life worldwide. In the area of Real Estate the modern smart houses are now being built enabling owners to change window tints, turn on music, control thermostats, regulate sprinklers, monitor security, and open the front door from their cars [1]. In the medical field the impact of IT is most significant in the area of patient's remote monitoring, medication administration and diagnosis control. Wearable computers, such as small wristwatch devices enable to check temperatures, news headlines, personal messages, and personal planners. Modern handheld devices, mobile phones, cameras, TVs, and personal computers are converging into single mobile and computational device. In the field of education, most of the colleges are implementing wireless campus enabling students to monitor their course content and working on collaborative projects. Current Precision CNC Lathes and Mills SmartCut II Series are not only a cutting device but a fully computerized and interconnected apparatus controlled remotely via mobile handheld device with wireless link. SmartCut was designed for growing companies evolving from manual lathe operations to CNC and more sophisticated users who would like a simple, easy to use machine. The Fagor 8055TC control is equipped with multiple ports for connection to off-line programming systems for more advanced users. The combination of these control features and hand wheels enable you to use a single machine for one-off or prototype production; in a semi-automatic mode for small production lots; and in its fully automatic mode for medium length production runs [2]. The author discusses the current state of the art and future trend of IT for the 21st century in automation and manufacturing industry as well as in education and public sectors.


In many European and Australasian countries, majority of taxpayers do not need to prepare their own income tax returns because their revenue bodies have generated for them. The system is referred to as no-return system. The main idea of such system is mainly to ease taxpayers' burden and at the same time reducing tax evasion as well as increasing revenue collection. Malaysia has also taken a similar step by introducing Monthly Tax Deduction (MTD) as final tax scheme to salaried group taxpayer. This notion is taken by the Malaysian Government due to cases where some taxpayers who believed that they do not have to file a return form because their incomes have been deducted at source through MTD by their employers, which is absolutely not true. While the scheme is undeniably commendable, it is of researchers' concern on the factors that affect the taxpayers' intention to use such scheme. Using the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) as a basis theory, this study investigated the influence of attitude and subjective norms towards the usage intention of MTD as final tax. The study used a sample of salaried earners from Petronas and Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia. The results from multiple regression analysis indicate that both factors i.e. attitude and subjective norms have significant relationships towards intention to use MTD as final tax. Furthermore, the results also indicate that attitude is the most influential factor. This study contributes in several ways. Theoretically, it confirms the applicability of TRA in the intention to use MTD as final tax. Practically, the findings on the usage intention towards MTD as final tax and its determinants would also assist the IRBM in formulating strategies or mechanisms for improvement.


Critics in Conversation is a collaboration between Anette Therese Pettersen (NO) and Diana Damian Martin (RO/UK) that explores ways in which criticism can be a public process of debate and discussion.

Taking place through three festival partnerships, and working with Nina Skogli, Critics in Conversation also reflects on the changing scope of criticism in the temporary community created by festival culture.

Critics in Conversation is supported by Norsk kulturrad and Fritt Ord, and the project has previously in 2017 visited Stamsund Teaterfestival, Ravnedans and Sand Festival.


The education of young people who have previously been excluded from formal education is a field often associated with a high risk of failure – failure for the learners, teachers and the program. In researching the teaching practices in this field, it is tempting for the researcher to do so through the lens of what they perceive as the pedagogical theories that should be informing contemporary practice. In the field of literacy and numeracy education, the social practices approach has gained prominence among researchers who are sympathetic to a socio-cultural study of literacy and numeracy because of its inclusiveness of multiple literacies and numeracies that can be found in different social contexts. This article analyses one of four case studies in a research project on the teaching practices of experienced literacy and numeracy teachers: teaching literacy and numeracy to socially excluded young people in an inner city youth centre. In their research, the authors had to critically challenge their taken for granted assumptions about what a pedagogy informed by a social practices approach to literacy and numeracy should look like. The teaching methods that they observed at the youth centre, while clearly effective – particularly in establishing connections with the learners to form strong relationships of mutual trust -  appeared on the surface to defy some of the key features of a social practices approach. In understanding the apparent contradictions between what the authors had expected to see and what they were seeing, Kemmis's framework for the study of practice that is based on the notion of practices as reflexive and dialectical proved fruitful. The framework allowed us to interpret both the theory (the social practices approach to literacy and numeracy) and the practices at the youth centre in more  nuanced ways that deepened our appreciation of the theory – practice relationship.


PURPOSE
Laparoscopic surgery is associated with reduced surgical trauma, and less acute phase response, as compared with open surgery. Cytokines are important regulators of the biological response to surgical and anesthetic stress. The aim of this study was to determine if CO2 pneumoperitoneum would change cytokine expression, gas parameters and leukocyte count in septic rats.

METHODS
Wistar rats were randomly assigned to five groups: control (anesthesia only), laparotomy, CO2 pneumoperitoneum, cecum ligation and puncture by laparotomy, and laparoscopic cecum ligation and puncture. After 30 min of the procedures, arterial blood samples were obtained to determine leukocytes subpopulations by hemocytometer. TNFalpha, IL-1beta, IL-6 were determined in intraperitoneal fluid (by ELISA). Gas parameters were measured on arterial blood, intraperitoneal and subperitoneal exudates.

RESULTS
Peritoneal TNFalpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 concentrations were lower in pneumoperitoneum rats than in all other groups (p<0.05). TNFalpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 expression was lower in the laparoscopic than in laparotomic sepsis (p<0.05). Rats from laparoscopic cecum ligation and puncture group developed significant hypercarbic acidosis in blood and subperitoneal fluid when compared to open procedure group. Total white blood cells and lymphocytes were significantly lower in laparoscopic cecum ligation and puncture rats than in the laparotomic (p<0.01). Nevertheless, the laparotomic cecum ligation rats had a significant increase in blood neutrophils and eosinophils when compared with controls (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that the CO2 pneumoperitoneum reduced the inflammatory response in an animal model of peritonitis with respect to intraperitoneal cytokines, white blood cell count and clinical correlates of sepsis. The pneumoperitoneum produced hypercarbic acidosis in septic animals.


Abstract This paper presents the results of a study of the influence of process parameters (contact time, temperature and pressure) and hydrogen-containing gas consumption on the efficiency of catalytic hydrotreating of middle distillate fractions, performed using a mathematical model of the process. It was found that with the increase in the contact time of the raw material with the catalyst, the concentration of sulfides decreases more rapidly than the concentrations of benzothiophenes and dibenzothiophenes. The degree of conversion of sulfides, benzothiophenes and dibenzothiophenes increases with the process temperature in the range from 350 to 425 °C by 39.9; 37.5 and 19.4%, respectively. The greatest degree of desulfurization is achieved by simultaneous increase in pressure and temperature. Thus, at a temperature of 430 °C, an increase in pressure from 2.0 to 4.0 MPa leads to a decrease in the residual sulfur content from 230 to 13.5 ppm. With an increase in the consumption of hydrogen-containing gas from 42,000 to 50,000 m3/h, the efficiency of the hydrotreating process of the middle distillate fractions increases (the residual content of total sulfur in the hydrotreating product decreases from 55.9 to 24.8 ppm).


The NOMS Commissioning Strategies Group supports effective policy development and operational delivery within the National Offender Management Service and Ministry of Justice by conducting and commissioning high-quality social research and statistical analysis. We aim to publish information to add to the evidence-base and assist with informed debate. Intermediate outcomes of family and intimate relationship interventions: a rapid evidence assessment


Background Indicators of persistent pain in neonates are poorly defined; validated clinical assessment tools are few. Without objective tools, subjective measures are likely used to assess pain or comfort in sick/preterm neonates. Objective Single centre study to determine (i) staff and parents' perception of assessing comfort or persistent pain in neonates (ii) strategies used by staff in the absence of clinical tools and to what degree these were consistent between individuals. Methods Using questionnaires, parents and staff were asked about the degree of difficulty experienced in assessing pain and comfort in neonates. Staff were asked which factors they believed were valuable comfort/pain indicators in neonates. Results 47/50 (94%) parents and 83/91 (91%) staff participated. (i) 50% of staff reported it was moderately/very difficult to determine whether a baby's comfort/pain; 13% reported finding it very easy. Among parents, 75% reported it was very/moderately easy and 23% difficult. >75% of parents believed babies' comfort/pain was regularly assessed. 15% of parents thought staff experienced difficultly in assessing babies. (ii) 94 different factors were suggested as indicative of comfort and 139 of persistent pain. Terminology differed widely and many factors were non-specific. 67% of staff described the importance of simply forming a general impression. Conclusions Neonatal unit staff perceive assessment of comfort/pain in babies as difficult. Most parents feel confident assessing their babies but overestimate the ease with which staff can do so. Staff currently use disparate and subjective means. This may present challenges in involving parents in clinical care, communication between staff and continuity of care.


The ever-increasing amount, variety as well as generation and processing speed of today's data pose a variety of new challenges for developing Data-Intensive Software Systems (DISS). As with developing other kinds of software systems, developing DISS is often done under severe pressure and strict schedules. Thus, developers of DISS often have to make technical compromises to meet business concerns. This position paper proposes a conceptual model that outlines where Technical Debt (TD) can emerge and proliferate within such data-centric systems by separating a DISS into three parts (Software Systems, Data Storage Systems and Data). Further, the paper illustrates the proliferation of Database Schema Smells as TD items within a relational database-centric software system based on two examples.


This study considers a range of illustrated encyclopaedias published in London and Paris in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries depicting peoples of the Pacific or Oceania. Using a framework of curiosity, exoticism, and costume iconography, as well as considering relevant contemporary developments, I argue that, despite the widespread appeal to 'curiosity', the books reveal a fairly superficial interest, at a popular level, in other peoples: one that is mainly interested in contrasting 'civilised' Europe with less civilised or 'savage' others. The genres to which these books belonged developed in the sixteenth century, and the books considered in this study followed their genre traditions, fitting the 'new discoveries' of Oceania into these existing traditions. The frontispieces set the tone of the books, and embodied moral value judgements revealing European views of political, social and economic relations between Europe and other peoples and countries at that time. They were also following an iconographic tradition set down much earlier and generally failed to acknowledge recent events that challenged these prevailing views. I consider how the images of Oceanic peoples in the French costume books were developed (or as I argue 'invented') from the source material, which was mainly images in the published accounts of Captain Cook's three voyages. In inventing images designed to please the eye, the sources chosen reveal the prejudices and expectations of European readers. But how were the 'new' Oceanic peoples incorporated into these books? By seeing Oceanic peoples as part of America it was easy to fit them into existing prejudices about 'savages' and into existing pictorial conventions for depicting 'savages'. For an audience expecting to see 'savages' wearing grass skirts and feather headdresses these images would have appeared 'authentic'. My study will highlight more popular views rather than the views of philosophers, or the voyagers' accounts, which understandably have been given more academic attention. These books are overlooked today because they are derivative and their images are not necessarily ethnographically accurate; yet they were popular in their time. They represent a conservative Eurocentric viewpoint and their inclusion of new material from Oceanic voyages did not challenge these views. Images and texts such as these likely reinforced European views of their own superiority and made it easy to justify missionary activity and colonisation in various parts of the world, particularly Oceania.


What do we mean by workplace culture? Is culture change in an organization possible, and what happens when managers and politicians try? Work Identity at the End of the Line? is the story of workplace culture and identity in the railway industry before, during and after privatisation in the mid-1990s. Drawing on original interviews as well as autobiographies from those who worked for British Rail, the author analyses the experience of the privatisation process. By placing those events in their historical context of previous private and state ownership, this book provides a critical and highly readable understanding of what happened to the railway industry and its workforce during the 1990s. It provides a powerful critique of the attack on the wider public sector and the culture of its workforce since the 1980s. The book will be of interest to sociologists, cultural and economic historians, policy makers, as well as those studying culture change in business and management.


We investigate the dynamics and deposits of granular flows and the amplitude of landslide-generated water waves using the HySEA depth-averaged shallow-water numerical model, both at laboratory and field scales. We evaluate the different sources of error by quantitatively comparing the simulations with (i) new laboratory experiments of granular collapses in different conditions (dry, immersed, dry flow entering water) and slope angles and (ii) numerical simulations made with the SHALTOP code that describes topography effects better than most depth-averaged landslide-tsunami models. For laboratory configurations, representing the limits of the shallow-water approximation in such models, we show that topography and non-hydrostatic effects are crucial. When topography effects are accounted for empirically—by artificially increasing the friction coefficient and performing non-hydrostatic simulations—the model is able to reproduce the granular mass deposit and the waves recorded at gauges located at a distance of more than 2–3 times the characteristic dimension of the slide with an error ranging from 1 per cent to 25 per cent depending on the scenario, without any further calibration. Taking into account this error estimate, we simulate landslides that occurred on Montagne Pelée volcano, Martinique, Lesser Antilles as well as the generated waves. Multiple collapse simulations support the assumption that large flank collapses on Montagne Pelée likely occurred in several successive sub-events. This result has a strong impact on the amplitude of the generated waves and thus on the associated hazards. In the context of the ongoing seismic volcanic unrest at Montagne Pelée volcano, we calculate the debris avalanche and associated tsunamis for two potential flank-collapse scenarios.


Objective: To describe and compare individuals with any DSM-IV mental disorder from three different birth cohorts – young (16–34 years), middle age (35–59 years) and older age (60–85 years) – on a range of clinically relevant factors. Method: Data were derived from the 2007 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Individuals from three birth cohorts with a range of mental health and substance use disorders were identified using DSM-IV criteria and compared using regression analysis. The specific factors that were compared include: (1) type of disorder/disorders present; (2) suicidality; (3) number of co-occurring disorders; (4) levels of distress and impairment; (5) self-assessed physical and mental health; (6) presence of physical conditions; (7) size and quality of social support/network; and (8) treatment-seeking behaviour. Results: The birth cohorts differed dramatically in terms of the specific disorders that were present. The older cohort were significantly more likely to experience internalising disorders and significantly less likely to experience externalising disorders in comparison to the young cohort. The older cohort were significantly more likely to experience co-morbid physical conditions as well as lower life satisfaction, poorer self-rated physical health, increased functional impairment, and more days out of role. The younger cohort had a significantly larger peer group that they could confide in and rely on in comparison to the older cohort. Conclusions: Clinicians and researchers need to be cognisant that mental disorders manifest as highly heterogeneous constructs. The presentation of a disorder in a younger individual could be vastly different from the presentation of the same disorder in an older individual. The additional burden associated with these factors and how they apply to different birth cohorts must be taken into consideration when planning mental health services and effective treatment for the general population.


Pheochromocytomas are rare tumors, and patients usually present with paroxysmal symptoms. However, because of the advances in and frequent use of computerized imaging, adrenal pheochromocytomas may be discovered incidentally in patients who lack typical signs and symptoms. To determine the prevalence of adrenal incidentaloma as the initial finding in patients with benign sporadic adrenal pheochromocytoma, we retrospectively reviewed the clinical findings of 150 patients with benign sporadic adrenal pheochromocytoma diagnosed at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, from 1978 to 1995. Although the majority of patients had symptoms attributable to catecholamine excess, 15 (10%) presented with an adrenal mass lesion discovered serendipitously on radiologic examination in the absence of paroxysmal symptoms. Two of these patients were normotensive, and urinary excretion of metanephrines and catecholamines was normal in one. The other 13 patients presented with sustained hypertension and/or one of its complications as the sole manifestation of catecholamine excess, an excess confirmed by biochemical urinary studies. Adrenal incidentaloma represents part of the spectrum of presentation of benign sporadic adrenal pheochromocytoma, a presentation found in 10% of patients.


The journal Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, founded and maintained over the course of many years for the exclusive publication of research results from one single institution, has undergone changes over the last decade which have resulted in an open journal. Conditions leading to the journal's founding and the excellent role it has played in the dissemination of knowledge produced by the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz are examined. The fact that it has differed from journals published by scientific societies does not diminish its importance. The present option to give this journal an international slant, with possibilities for competing on the foreign market, and which would be facilitated by the preference given to papers written in English, raises some questions about the role of Brazilian specialized journals within the framework of our scientific development.


Introduction The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the Summer Training Option in Rural Medicine (STORM) program and other elective experiences during the summer between the first and second pre-clerkship years of medical school on medical students' career intentions. Methods A retrospective voluntary and anonymous cohort study was conducted by distributing an email survey to the 211 second-year medical students at the University of Kansas School of Medicine (KUSM). The survey consisted of a variety of questions regarding their recent summer break elective experiences. Results Eighty-nine students (42.2% response rate) completed the survey; 21 respondents participated in the STORM program. Important factors influencing the choice of an elective included, working one-on-one with an educator, hands-on experiences, and receiving academic credit. Sixty-seven respondents (75.3%) concluded that their experience met their expectations, 50 (56.2%) concluded that their experience helped solidify their career goals, while 20 (22.5%) concluded that their experience made them question their career goals. Eleven respondents (12.4%) wished they had participated in a different summer experience, and 16 respondents (18.0%) changed their career plans after their summer experience. Conclusions A break between first and second years of medical school allowed students to explore career options; such experiences may ignite a particular passion, solidify an already determined specialty choice, or dissuade a student from pursuing a particular career pathway. Medical school affirmation of the importance of significant, sustained, and student-chosen opportunities to work one-on-one with a mentor and engage in hands-on learning during the pre-clerkship years is crucial. The STORM program was one elective option that delivered on students' expectations.


Ancistrocladus korupensis D. W. Thomas & Gereau (Ancistrocladaceae) is a recently described liana from Cameroon. Its leaves yield the alkaloid michellamine B, which shows in vitro activity against HIV. The only known population is limited to ~15,000 ha within Korup National Park and its immediate surroundings. This study: (1) describes ecological patterns (geographic range, population density, stage and size class distributions, host tree characteristics, and seed dispersal patterns) of A. korupensis ; (2) quantifies patterns of genetic variation on species and subpopulation levels and fine-scale genetic structure; (3) describes variation in michellamine B content; and (4) makes conservation recommendations based on ecological and genetic data. Ecological data from 457 individuals from seven sites indicate that the A. korupensis population is dominated by canopy-climbing individuals. Population densities are low with values ranging from 2.5 to 12.9 individuals/ha. Reproduction data suggest limited seed dispersal, episodic fruiting, and no vegetative reproduction. Allozyme data indicate low genetic diversity with only 7.1% of the 14 loci polymorphic. Values for Hobs and He were 0.022 (_ 0.000 SE) and 0.041 (_ 0.000 SE), respectively. Wright's F statistics analysis suggests that A. korupensis is highly inbred (FIS = 0.455) with moderate levels of subpopulation differentiation (FST = 0.1153). Michellamine B content was best predicted by leaf type but also showed a significant relationship for stage class. The occurrence of rare, private alleles in most of the sites, low overall population size and density, and low availability of individuals for recruitment into the adult stage class are important considerations for the rational management of A. korupensis.


A novel glucose biosensor based on the catalytic effect of platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) on the enzymatic reaction for the glucose determination has been developed. PtNPs were in-situ synthesized on the surface of the eggshell membrane (ESM) upon which glucose oxidase (GOx) had been simultaneously immobilized accompanied by the synthesis of the PtNPs to produce a GOx-PtNPs/ESM. The glucose biosensor was fabricated by positioning the GOx-PtNPs/ESM on the surface of a dissolved oxygen sensor. The glucose concentration was quantified by the decrease of dissolved oxygen. The effect of the amount of K2PtCl4 (0.1 M), the volume of the GOx (1%, w/v), reaction time, pH, phosphate buffer concentration and temperature on the response of the glucose biosensor were studied in detail. This biosensor exhibited a response time of less than 30 s, a wide linear concentration range of 10–225 μM and a detection limit of 5 μM, good repeatability (RSD = 1.03%, n = 10), and satisfactory reproducibility (RSD = 0.54%, n = 5). The biosensor retained 90.0% of its initial response after 8 months at 25 °C. Common interferents such as D-fructose, citric acid, sucrose, L-ascorbic acid and so on did not any give significant interference. The proposed biosensor was successfully applied for the determination of glucose concentration in human blood serum with recoveries between 93.6% and 102.8%.


Carbon cycling in natural ecosystems is a biologically mediated process with global consequences. Recent work has revealed the important role that lakes play in the global carbon cycle, suggesting organic carbon burial in small lakes and reservoirs matching and even surpassing that of the world's oceans. While much is known regarding biogeochemical cycling of carbon in the water column and underlying sediments of freshwater and marine systems, less is known about permanently redox‐stratified water bodies. The modern ocean is fully oxygenated, however, the ocean is thought to have been redox‐stratified throughout much of Earth's history, and seasonal redox‐stratification is an increasing problem in many freshwater systems due to eutrophication driven by human land usage and warming resulting from global climate change. To better understand carbon signals preserved in the rock record from times of ocean redox‐stratification as well as the effects of increasing redox‐stratification on carbon cycling in modern freshwater systems, we have characterized the concentration and stable isotopic signal of inorganic and organic carbon in permanently redox‐stratified Fayetteville Green Lake (FGL), New York. The results of these analyses indicate that: (1) groundwater is the primary source of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) at FGL; (2) organic carbon is extensively cycled within the water column and upper sediments resulting in an increasingly isotopically depleted DIC pool; (3) cyanobacteria‐driven carbonate precipitation in the oxic zone is the primary source of carbonate in the sediments; (4) methane concentrations increase below the chemocline with extremely negative δ13C values (−99.1‰ to −102.3‰).


: The association of Streptococcus bovis bacteremia and endocarditis with colonic pathology, mainly neoplastic, is well known. Its relationship with liver disease without evidence of gastrointestinal disease has been rarely described. To analyze the association between S. bovis infection and liver disease, positive blood cultures for this microorganism in hospitalized patients in the Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology Departments from December 1993 until October 1995, have been reviewed. Three cases of S. bovis infection (one bacteremia, two endocarditis) were found. Alcoholic liver disease was diagnosed in all three patients, with associated hepatitis C virus in one of them. Colonic pathology was excluded by colonoscopy and/or barium enema. Other gastrointestinal disorders were excluded by means of gastroscopy, barium gastrointestinal study and abdominal ultrasonography. Antibiotic therapy was based in betalactamics, with associated aminoglycoside in two cases. One patient needed aortic and mitral valve replacement and another one needed orthotopic liver transplantation. No new gastrointestinal pathology emerged in the follow-up (5-23 months). Cases of S. bovis bacteremia and endocarditis should be screened not also for colonic pathology, but also for liver disease, particularly in alcoholics.


To solve the problem of insufficiency in microscopic performance of foamed asphalt binder, surface energy theory was utilized to analyze the foaming behavior and wettability of asphalt binder. Based on the surface energy theory, the Wilhelmy plate method and universal sorption device method were employed to measure the surface energy components of asphalt binders and aggregates, respectively. Combined with the traditional evaluation indictor for foamed asphalt, the relationship between the foaming property and surface energy of asphalt binder was analyzed. According to the surface energy components, the wettability of asphalt binder to aggregate was calculated to verify the performance of foamed asphalt mixture. Results indicate that the foaming behavior of asphalt will be influenced by surface energy, which will increase with the decline of surface energy. In addition, the surface energy of asphalt binder significantly influences the wettability of asphalt binder to aggregates. Meanwhile, there is an inversely proportional relationship between surface energy of asphalt binder and wettability. Therefore, it can be demonstrated that surface energy is a good indictor which can be used to evaluate the foaming behavior of the asphalt binder. And it is suggested to choose the asphalt binder with lower surface energy in the process of design of foamed asphalt mixture.


This is our initial report on the first 4 cases of infra-renal abdominal aortic aneurysms undergoing Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR) with local anaesthesia, controlled sedation and monitoring by an anaesthetist. All 4 patients were males with a mean age of 66.7 years. Only one (1) required ICU stay of 2 days for cardiac monitoring due to bradycardia and transient hypotension post procedure. No mortality or major post operative morbidity was recorded and the mean hospital stay post procedure was 3.5 days (range 2-5 days).


According to traffic operation characteristics and lane changing maneuvers, combining with the export notice signs and considering the worst driving conditions, the gap acceptance theory and kinematics are employed to establish the length of lane change operation between interchanges with probability theory. To operating speed as the premise, the necessary length that drivers change to the inside lane from the nearside lane is analyzed in terms of waiting for the gap acceptance, and the necessary length that drivers change to the nearside lane from the inside lane is also analyzed in terms of running for the gap acceptance, then calculation model of minimum net distance between interchanges on eight-lane expressway is constructed. The recommended value is then put forward.


Coherent mixed states (or thermal coherent states) associated with the displaced harmonic oscillator at finite temperature, are introduced as a 'random' (or 'thermal' or 'noisy') basis in Hilbert space. A resolution of the identity for these states is proved and used to generalize the usual coherent state formalism for the finite temperature case. The Bargmann representation of an operator is introduced and its relation to the P and Q representations is studied. Generalized P and Q representations for the finite temperature case are also considered and several interesting relations among them are derived.


Objective Much of the research to date on barriers to treatment for patients with hepatitis C has approached the problem from either the perspective of the medical provider or the healthcare system. Methods To better understand these barriers from the patients' perspectives, nine exploratory focus groups of patients with hepatitis C (N=48) were conducted in 2008 and 2009, using a hybrid qualitative analysis. Results Eight content categories emerged. Treatment-related issues, including barriers to care, were most emphasized, representing nearly one-half of the entire content. Need for accurate disease-related information was also extensively discussed. Social factors were important, including considerable focus on stigma. Participants described coping abilities including faith and perseverance. Conclusion Areas of concern expressed in these focus groups represent underexplored areas that may warrant additional attention or areas for intervention and investigation, such as exploring differences between perceptions of patients and providers regarding the hepatitis C treatment process and addressing barriers to care.


A truth maintenance system is a subsystem that manages the utilization of assumptions in the reasoning process of a problem solver. Doyle's original motivation for creating a truth maintenance system was to augment a reasoning system with a control strategy for activities concerning its nonmonotonic state of beliefs. Hitherto, much effort has been invested in designing and implementing the concept of truth maintenance, and little effort has been dedicated to the formalization that is essential to understanding it. This paper provides a complete formalization of the principle of truth maintenance. Motivated by Reiter and de Kleer's preliminary report on the same subject, this paper extends their study and gives a formal account of the concept of truth maintenance under the general title of assumption‐based reasoning. The concept of assumption‐based theory is defined, and the notions of explanation and direct consequence are presented as forms of plausible conclusions with respect to this theory. Additionally, the concepts of extension and irrefutable sentences are discussed together with other variations of explanation and direct consequence. A set of algorithms for computing these conclusions for a given theory are presented using the notion of prime implicates. Finally, an extended example on Boolean circuit diagnosis is shown to exemplify these ideas.


The generation of solid waste has become an increasing environmental and public health problem, especially in developing countries. These problems associated with the generation of solid waste are part of social changes where households play an important role. Invariably, these social changes influence the size, structure and characteristics of given households. This paper presents the findings of a study carried out in Freetown municipal area in Sierra Leone to assess socioeconomic factors affecting household solid waste generation and composition in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Structured questionnaires were administered with respect to these socioeconomic factors in four (4) selected constituencies of the city. These are the most populated constituencies that generated 70% of the total quantity of solid waste in the city. Therefore, they are suitable samples of the study area. The rate of waste generation was determined by using door- to-door approach in five (5) selected households from each constituency through sorting and weighing of solid wastes respectively. The dependent variables were solid waste generation and composition, and the independent variables were family size, education, income levels among others. The data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis to determine relationships between independent variables and dependent variables through correlation. The results showed that the solid waste generation and composition in Freetown was significantly affected by average family size, employment status, monthly income, and number of room(s) occupied by households. In general, the paper adequately suggests new insights concerning the role of socioeconomic factors in affecting the generation and composition of household solid waste.


: The effect of desoxycorticosterone (DOC) on Na, K-ATPase activity was studied in vivo and in vitro on microsomal rat brain fractions. An hour after intramuscular administration of DOC a noticeable increase in the enzyme activity was observed. Preincubation of microsomal brain fractions with 5 and 15 mkg/ml of DOC caused a decrease in Na, K-ATPase activity, with the results evident 3-5 minutes after the addition of the hormone into the incubation medium. The idea of a two-phase hormonal effect is suggested. It is likely that desoxycorticosterone effect is realized both by the direct influence, on Na, K-ATPase of the brain plasma membrane and by the influence on the biosynthesis.


1. Electrophoretic application of L-glutamate from glass capillary micro-pipettes was used to investigate the 'spot sensitivity' of the membrane of coxal adductor muscle fibres from adult specimens of Schistocerca gregaria Forskal and Locusta migratoria (L.). 2. Circumscribed spots could be detected on the fibre surface where brief applications of L-glutamate produced transient depolarizations (glutamate potentials). 3. Extracellular recording of excitatory junction potentials revealed that focal points of glutamate sensitivity are closely related to, and probably identical with, neuromuscular junctions. 4. Large doses readily de-sensitized the membrane to L-glutamate for periods greatly exceeding the duration of the glutamate potentials. 5. In chronically denervated muscles peaks of sensitivity could still be detected. 6. Spots sensitive to L-glutamate were not depolarized by D-glutamate. 7. The equilibrium point for glutamate potentials coincides with the equilibrium point of miniature excitatory potentials and lies between -10 and -25 mV.


The present paper proposes the creation of a model for the harmonisation of contract law in Latin America. For this purpose two conditions are relevant: the factual assessment of the phenomenon of the disassembling of traditional contract law and the assessment of the creation of a common Latin American legal culture. Based on them, a singular method of harmonisation can be constructed, the scope of which is to reduce legal dispersion in Latin American contract law.


Objectives Seasonal variations in tuberculosis diagnoses have been attributed to seasonal climatic changes and indoor crowding during colder winter months. We investigated trends in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) diagnosis at antiretroviral therapy (ART) programmes in Southern Africa. Setting Five ART programmes participating in the International Epidemiology Database to Evaluate AIDS in South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Participants We analysed data of 331 634 HIV-positive adults (>15 years), who initiated ART between January 2004 and December 2014. Primary outcome measure We calculated aggregated averages in monthly counts of PTB diagnoses and ART initiations. To account for time trends, we compared deviations of monthly event counts to yearly averages, and calculated correlation coefficients. We used multivariable regressions to assess associations between deviations of monthly ART initiation and PTB diagnosis counts from yearly averages, adjusted for monthly air temperatures and geographical latitude. As controls, we used Kaposi sarcoma and extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) diagnoses. Results All programmes showed monthly variations in PTB diagnoses that paralleled fluctuations in ART initiations, with recurrent patterns across 2004–2014. The strongest drops in PTB diagnoses occurred in December, followed by April–May in Zimbabwe and South Africa. This corresponded to holiday seasons, when clinical activities are reduced. We observed little monthly variation in ART initiations and PTB diagnoses in Zambia. Correlation coefficients supported parallel trends in ART initiations and PTB diagnoses (correlation coefficient: 0.28, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.35, P<0.001). Monthly temperatures and latitude did not substantially change regression coefficients between ART initiations and PTB diagnoses. Trends in Kaposi sarcoma and EPTB diagnoses similarly followed changes in ART initiations throughout the year. Conclusions Monthly variations in PTB diagnosis at ART programmes in Southern Africa likely occurred regardless of seasonal variations in temperatures or latitude and reflected fluctuations in clinical activities and changes in health-seeking behaviour throughout the year, rather than climatic factors.


We study a decentralized admission control problem with capacity borrowing. In this problem, the admission decision is made by each server who is assigned dedicated capacity. However, a server can borrow capacity from other servers if his dedicated capacity is exhausted. The borrower compensates the lender by a payment equal to the ''borrowing cost''. Hence, the servers share their capacities via borrowing, but they also compete against each other for their pooled capacities. We formulate this problem as a stochastic dynamic game and characterize the equilibrium strategic admission behavior of servers. We show that the critical factors that affect the equilibrium behavior and the system revenue are the magnitude of the borrowing cost, the arrival rate of customers and the revenue difference between different classes of customers. We have identified conditions under which servers maximizing their own payoffs end up making decisions that benefit the system. Our study highlights the important roles that the borrowing cost plays in shaping servers' behavior in service systems and provides concrete guidance for practitioners to design a decentralized admission control system.


In our previous study, a gene predicted to encode a tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) was found to be significantly up-regulated in root rot diseased Gerbera by transcriptome sequencing. To confirm the genes and investigate the function, we cloned the gene by RT-PCR and then conduct bioinformatic analyses. In this study, a 1537 bp long cDNA sequence of thisgene (named as GhTAT) was firstly cloned, which containeda coding region of 1 233 bp, which was predicted to encode a protein of 410 amino acids. Bioinformatic analysis showed that theGhTAT was a stable hydrophobic protein without signal peptide. Subcellular location prediction result indicated that this protein located in chloroplast, which is the biosynthesis position of tyrosine and the derived products of tyrosine biosynthesis pathway. Moreover, typical tyrosine aminotransferase domain was found in this protein, indicating that it is a TAT. According to the TAT-based phylogenetic analysis and similarity analysis, the closest relationship and highest similarity was found between GhTAT and Halianthus annuus TAT, which again verified the TAT property of GhTAT. Tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) is the first enzyme in tyrosine biosynthesis pathway, whose products include many antioxidant substances such as tocopherols and tocotrienols. The up-regulation of GhTAT in root rot diseased gerbera suggest that it may play important role in response to the root rot pathogen infection. In addition, 60 phosphorylation sites (accounting for 14.6%) were found in this protein, suggesting that the expression of this protein and its encoding gene were greatly influenced by the phosphorylation reactions.


This study presents a comprehensive assessment of the process-induced warpage of molded wafer for chip-first, face-down fan-out wafer-level packaging (FOWLP) during the fan-out fabrication process. A process-dependent simulation methodology is introduced, which integrates nonlinear finite element (FE) analysis and element death-birth technique. The effects of the cure-dependent volumetric shrinkage, geometric nonlinearity, and gravity loading on the process-induced warpage are examined. The study starts from experimental characterization of the temperature-dependent material properties of the applied liquid type epoxy molding compound (EMC) system through dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and thermal mechanical analysis. Furthermore, its cure state (heat of reaction and degree of cure (DOC)) during the compression molding process (CMP) is measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) tests. Besides, the cure dependent-volumetric (chemical) shrinkages of the EMC system after the in-mold cure (IMC) and postmold cure (PMC) are experimentally determined by which the volumetric shrinkage at the gelation point is predicted through a linear extrapolation approach. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed theoretical model, the prediction results are compared against the inline warpage measurement data. One possible cause of the asymmetric/nonaxisymmetric warpage is also addressed. Finally, the influences of some geometric dimensions on the warpage of the molded wafer are identified through parametric analysis.


Automated trust negotiation is an approach to establishing trust between strangers through iterative disclosure of digital credentials. In automated trust negotiation, access control policies play a key role in protecting resources from unauthorized access. Unlike in traditional trust management systems, the access control policy for a resource is usually unknown to the party requesting access to the resource, when trust negotiation starts. The negotiating parties can rely on policy disclosures to learn each other's access control requirements. However a policy itself may also contain sensitive information. Disclosing policies' contents unconditionally may leak valuable business information or jeopardize individuals' privacy. In this paper we propose UniPro, a unified scheme to model protection of resources, including policies, in trust negotiation. UniPro improves on previous work by modeling policies as first-class resources, protecting them in the same way as other resources, providing fine-grained control over policy disclosure, and clearly distinguishing between policy disclosure and policy satisfaction, which gives users more flexibility in expressing their authorization requirements. We also show that UniPro can be used with practical negotiation strategies without jeopardizing autonomy in the choice of strategy, and present criteria under which negotiations using UniPro are guaranteed to succeed in establishing trust.


The impact of global change forces marine species to acclimatize and adapt to new environmental conditions. Some species already experience environments that represent a challenge due to rapid and partly drastic variations, such as the North Sea. The brown shrimp, Crangon crangon, inhabits the shallow coastal areas of the North Sea. Its high abundance and high reproduction rates make this species an important member of the coastal ecosystem and a valuable target for local fisheries. This shrimp is apparently well prepared to thrive in a highly variable environment. However, it is still unknown, how this species manages to cope with these environmental changes at the metabolic level. Until now it was difficult to obtain the transcriptome of a non-model organism like the brown shrimp. However, next-generation sequencing technologies allow performing inexpensive and rapid transcriptome analyses. Here we report about the first transcriptome of midgut gland tissue from C. crangon, which we used as a basis for seasonal gene expression analyses. The brown shrimp seems to have the capability to express specific digestive enzymes depending on different seasonal requirements. Furthermore, C. crangon exhibits an extraordinary enzyme polymorphism, which may suggest a process of molecular evolution. Assuming that polymorphic expression of digestive enzymes is an adaptation to variable environmental conditions, the pronounced enzyme polymorphism observed in C. crangon may reflect an acute adaptive process of an organism coping with a changing environment.


This article explores the construction of parent—teacher conferences in the Swedish preschool and focuses on processes that construct and maintain these meetings. The analysis draws upon an ethnographic study in two preschools and the empirical material consists of 11 audiotaped parent—teacher conferences and observations of everyday activities related to them. By using empirical data from a wider context than the specific speech event, it is possible to gain knowledge about the complexity of the construction of parent—teacher conferences. Using the concept of a 'pocket of local order', it is argued that parent—teacher conferences are practices which consist of a large number of activities linked to resources and restrictions that can be interpreted as an imperative to the participants to conduct talks in preschool and at home, to fill in forms and then use these activities in the conference. In addition, parents and teachers, as well as children, contribute to the construction and maintenance of the pocket of local order, i.e. activities that can be interpreted as an imperative to the actors to reach institutional goals.


BACKGROUND
Visfatin, which is secreted predominantly from visceral adipose tissue, has an insulin-mimetic action and may play a role in the regulation of insulin sensitivity in humans. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from venous blood samples are the most accessible tissue for the analysis of gene expression. The aims of the study were to compare the expression of visfatin in PBMCs with that in omental adipose tissue in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

METHODS
Visfatin mRNA was measured in omental adipose tissue and PBMCs from 10 women with PCOS and 10 healthy controls, matched for BMI and age, using the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

RESULTS
The expression of visfatin mRNA in both omental adipose tissue and PBMCs from the women with PCOS was significantly higher (P = 0.01 and P = 0.05, respectively) than that in the controls. This finding indicated that mononuclear cells are a potential source of visfatin in women with PCOS. However, only the expression of visfatin mRNA in adipose tissue, not that in PBMCs, showed a significant positive correlation with insulin levels 2h after glucose loading (P = 0.044, r(2) = 0.45), and with homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA(IR); P = 0.035, r(2) = 0.47). In addition, the expression of visfatin mRNA in PBMCs did not correlate with the expression of visfatin mRNA in omental adipose tissue.

CONCLUSIONS
PCOS is associated with increased visfatin mRNA concentrations in PBMCs and in omental adipose tissue. However, only visfatin mRNA concentration in omental adipose tissue is closely correlated with BMI and insulin resistance.


Abstract Christine Hine talks with Tecnoscienza about her academic trajectory and passions, from botany and biology to her entry into the STS field. In this interview she comments on her most famous book (Virtual Ethnography) and her latest work (Systematics as Cyberscience) which traces linkages between science practice and knowledge, ICTS and biology. bringing her back to her first academic background as a natural scientist. Christine Hine also recalls her experience as past president of EASST and asked about what young STS scholars would nowadays need, emphasizes the absolute centrality of networking and collaborations to foster the field with new yeast. Keywords biology, virtual ethnography, cyberscience, academic trajectory, EASST


Social robots recognize and respond to human
social cues with appropriate behaviors.
Social robots, and the technology used in their
construction, can be unique tools in the study
of abnormal social development. Autism is a
pervasive developmental disorder that is characterized
by social and communicative impairments.
Based on three years of integration
and immersion with a clinical research
group which performs more than 130 diagnostic
evaluations of children for autism per
year, this paper discusses how social robots
will make an impact on the ways in which we
diagnose, treat, and understand autism.


Although quality is not easy to evaluate since it is a complex concept compound by different aspects, several properties that make a good object-oriented design have been recognized and widely accepted by the software engineering community. We agree that both the traditional and the new object-oriented properties should be analyzed in assessing the quality of object-oriented design. However, we believe that it is necessary to pay special attention to the polymorphism concept and metric, since they should be considered one of the key concerns in determining the quality of an object-oriented system. In this paper, we have given a rigorous definition of polymorphism. On top of this formalization we propose a metric that provides an objective and precise mechanism to detect and quantify dynamic polymorphism. The metric takes information coming from the first stages of the development process giving developers the opportunity to early evaluate and improve the quality of the software product. Finally, a first approach to the theoretical validation of the metric is presented.


A theoretical and numerical model is presented which describes the nonlinear interaction of lower hybrid waves with a non-equilibrium electron distribution function in a magnetized plasma. The paper presents some relevant examples of numerical simulations which show the nonlinear evolution of a set of three waves interacting at various resonance velocities with a flux of electrons presenting some anisotropy in the parallel velocity distribution (suprathermal tail); in particular, the case when the interactions between the waves are neglected (for sufficiently small waves' amplitudes) is compared to the case when the three waves follow a resonant decay process. A competition between excitation (due to the fan instability with tail electrons or to the bump-in-tail instability at the Landau resonances) and damping processes (involving bulk electrons at the Landau resonances) takes place for each wave, depending on the strength of the wave-wave coupling, on the linear growth rates of the waves and on the modifications of the particles' distribution resulting from the linear and nonlinear wave-particle interactions. It is shown that the energy carried by the suprathermal electron tail is more effectively transfered to lower energy electrons in the presence of wave-wave interactions.


Since Harlan Mills introduced it more than 20 years ago, the Cleanroom process model has enjoyed considerable-and unwarranted-favorable publicity. Almost nothing critical of Cleanroom has been published. Is it because Cleanroom is beyond reproach or because the best would-be critics have not taken Cleanroom seriously? Despite 20 plus years of passionate advocacy, Cleanroom has not become part of the software development mainstream. During this same period, other quality abetting practices have, including formal inspections, requirements analysis, configuration control, structured programming, systematic testing under coverage tools, and information hiding. But not Cleanroom. Cleanroom advocates many things with which the author agrees. There is, however, one fundamental tenet of the Cleanroom doctrine that moves him to criticism: its continuing attack on all forms of testing other than the specific stochastic testing it advocates. Cleanroom's attack on proper unit testing is especially onerous because it has promoted dangerous malpractice.


Abstract Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) and Liriomyza sativae (Blanchard) are important pests of vegetable crops in Indonesia and are likely to spread to neighboring countries. Three pesticides (dimehypo, abamectin, and cyromazine) are currently used to control these pests, but there is little information on their effectiveness against field populations and on their impact on parasitoids controlling Liriomyza species. The toxicity of these chemicals to L. huidobrensis and three common parasitoids (Hemiptarsenus varicornis Gerault, Opius sp., and Gronotoma micromorpha Perkins) was therefore evaluated in Indonesia with mortality laboratory assays. All three chemicals were effective against larvae of three populations of L. huidobrensis with different histories of chemical exposure. Dimehypo caused mortality in adult Opius sp., G. micromorpha, and H. varicornis, whereas abamectin was toxic only at concentrations substantially higher than the field rate. Cyromazine did not influence survival of the parasitoids. A commonly used fungicide, mancozeb, had no impact on parasitoid mortality. Trials were repeated with a strain of H. varicornis from Australia and a different parasitoid (Diglyphus isaea) recently found in Australia. Neither parasitoid was influenced by mancozeb or cyromazine. Abamectin applied at field rates caused some mortality among the adults of both species, but was less toxic than chlorpyrifos. Abamectin produced lower LC50s against Australian H. varicornis than against Indonesian H. varicornis. These results suggest that cyromazine can be incorporated into Liriomyza control programs in Indonesia that conserve parasitoids, whereas dimehypo and abamectin need to be used cautiously. Local Australian parasitoids should help control L. huidobrensis as long as only cyromazine and nontoxic fungicides are applied.


The conventional treatment techniques are efficient in wastewater treatment but their construction and operation costs are high. Natural treatment such as offstream and in-stream wetlands proved to be effective, feasible and require low operation/maintenance costs, and no trained labor or added chemicals are required. These techniques have been applied in Egypt at a pilot scale. Lake Manzala Engineered Wetland (LMEW) on Bahr El-Baqar drain and Passive Instream Wetland (PIW) in Faraa El-Bahwo drain are some of these projects. The objective of this study is to investigate the technical applicability of those two natural treatment techniques in the Nile Delta and assess the suitability of the treated effluent for reuse in agriculture. Both systems were visited to evaluate physical characteristics and design elements of each treatment system. Water samples were collected at different stages of each treatment system. The collected samples were analyzed for the Fecal Coliform (FC), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Total Phosphorus (TP) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS). Monitoring results of LMEW showed that the overall treatment efficiency varies depending on the type and behavior of each pollutant. The removal efficiency in LMEW was as high as 98% for FC and as low as 57% for BOD. For PIW, the results showed that the overall treatment efficiency varies from 97.5% for FC to 38% for TP. For both treatment systems, the results show the possibility of reusing the treated water in irrigation according to the local regulations.


We present DenseRaC, a novel end-to-end framework for jointly estimating 3D human pose and body shape from a monocular RGB image. Our two-step framework takes the body pixel-to-surface correspondence map (i.e., IUV map) as proxy representation and then performs estimation of parameterized human pose and shape. Specifically, given an estimated IUV map, we develop a deep neural network optimizing 3D body reconstruction losses and further integrating a render-and-compare scheme to minimize differences between the input and the rendered output, i.e., dense body landmarks, body part masks, and adversarial priors. To boost learning, we further construct a large-scale synthetic dataset (MOCA) utilizing web-crawled Mocap sequences, 3D scans and animations. The generated data covers diversified camera views, human actions and body shapes, and is paired with full ground truth. Our model jointly learns to represent the 3D human body from hybrid datasets, mitigating the problem of unpaired training data. Our experiments show that DenseRaC obtains superior performance against state of the art on public benchmarks of various human-related tasks.


Cyclin‐dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) is a unique member of the Cdk family; its kinase activity requires association with its activator, p35 or p39. p35 is the strongest and best characterized activator. Previous studies showed that p35 is a neuron‐specific protein that restricts Cdk5 activity in neurons. However, a high expression level of Cdk5 is found in astrocytes, which raises the possibility that astrocytic Cdk5 is functional. Here we show the presence of functional Cdk5 associated with p35 in astrocytes and demonstrate its important role in process elongation of scratched astrocytes. We found that p35 and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were co‐localized in primary cultured and acute isolated brain cells. Cdk5 could form an immunocomplex with p35 and its activity was shown in pure primary cultured astrocytes. p35 was upregulated in astrocytes injured by scratching, concomitantly with upregulation of Cdk5 kinase activity. Pretreatment of the scratched astrocytes with a Cdk5 inhibitor, roscovitine, could delay wound healing by inhibiting the reorganization of tubulin, GFAP, and the extension of hypertrophic processes. Moreover, overexpression of dominant negative Cdk5 could shorten the length of extending protrusion of reactive astrocytes. Thus, our findings demonstrated that functional Cdk5, associated with p35, was expressed in astrocytes and its activity could be upregulated in reactive astrocytes, a new role of Cdk5 that has never been reported in the nervous system. The present study may provide new insight for understanding the multifunctional protein complex Cdk5/p35 in the nervous system. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


A new method for automated spike sorting for recordings with high density, large scale multielectrode arrays is presented. Exploiting the dense sampling of single neurons by multiple electrodes, we obtain an efficient, low-dimensional representation of detected spikes consisting of estimated spatial spike locations and dominant spike shape features, which enables fast and reliable clustering into single units. Millions of events can be sorted in minutes, and the method is parallelized and scales better than quadratically with the number of detected spikes. We demonstrate this method using recordings with a 4,096 channel array, and present validation based on anatomical imaging, optogenetic stimulation and model-based quality control. A comparison with semi-automated, shape-based spike sorting exposes significant limitations of conventional methods. Our analysis shows that it is feasible to reliably isolate the activity of hundreds to thousands of neurons in a single recording, and that dense, multi-channel probes substantially aid reliable spike sorting.


Most fluids show laminar behavior in miniature flow structures with channel cross-sections below 0.5 mm. Different layers of miscible fluids and particles can flow next to each other in a microchannel without any mixing other than by diffusion. Small particles diffuse faster than larger ones, which allows separation of particles by size. It is possible to design fluidic microchips in which separations, chemical reactions, and calibration-free analytical measurements can be performed directly in very small quantities of complex samples such as whole blood and contaminated environmental samples.


The recent Strategic Insights paper Security through aid by Anthony Bergin and Sarah Hately on the use of aid and development assistance to enhance security gives attention to important but currently neglected opportunities to counter violent extremism. Those opportunities can be broadly conceptualised as positive and negative: positive building of resilience and negating the potential misuses of aid. In this post, I will focus on lessons to be learned from environmental management which could be applied to negating the misuse of aid and development assistance in a security context.


Abstract As of March 2003, the immigrant population in the United States (US) has reached 33.5 million individuals. Finding a way out of poverty is very difficult for many immigrants due to both individual and institutional barriers to savings and asset accumulation. Given that the primary sources of wealth among native-born households is through homeownership, it is only fitting that foreign-born households would also wish to achieve the "American Dream." This paper outlines significant supports and barriers to savings and, more importantly, homeownership among US immigrants. Several suggestions for asset-based policy development for immigrants are also included in the discussion. By examing these concepts, policy practitioners can learn how to improve economic well-being for current immigrants and future generations of Americans.


This study examines sex differences in reasoning ability assessed with Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices among 2,206 (1001 male and 1205 female) school students aged between 15 and 18 from urban and rural secondary schools in the Minya region of southern Egypt. There are no statistically significant differences in intelligence between males and females up until the age of 15. However, males scored significantly higher than females at the ages of 16, 17 and 18, consistent with Lynn's developmental theory of sex differences in intelligence. In exploring the Egyptian education system and the social dynamics of the Minya region in more depth, we attempt to find various confounds which might offer explanations for this difference. However, we find that Lynn's model is the most persuasive.


A novel reliability evaluation criterion, designated as consistent security, is proposed in this paper to compare the comprehensive performance between the current differential protections in various bias current designs. It is initially based on the investigations of the comparative analysis between the complex percentage differential criterion, which is a kind of compensated bias current design, and normal percentage differential criterion. A variety of fault scenarios is included in these comparisons (e.g., current-transformer (CT) saturation induced by a severe external fault resulting in false differential current, various internal fault scenarios leading to possible ratio, and phase differences of outgoing current to the incoming current). Based on investigations on the CT saturation due to external faults, a novel baseline, "consistent security", is thus put forward to evaluate the comprehensive performances of the differential protections implemented with different bias current designs. On the basis of consistent security, it can be proved that the complex differential criterion is better than normal differential criterion in most operation conditions.


Corporate bonds are become a growing source of funds in developing countries generally, and microfinance institutions (MFIs) are starting to gain access to them. This paper discusses the experience of two leading MFIs that have been able to access local markets by issuing bonds: Mibanco, a commercial microfinance bank in Peru, and Compartamos, a finance company in Mexico that now has the largest number of borrowers in the Americas. The reasons for selling bonds are described, as well as the prerequisites for accessing these markets, such as a solid performance record, and the help of a number of external players such as rating agents. The bond issues of both of these organizations were successful, resulting in a very significant fall in the overall cost of the funding.


The prevalence of HIV/AIDS remains a major concern in Kenya because of the high rates of infection among adult population and significantly among young people.  Young women, in particular, have consistently been found to have higher prevalence rates than men in the same age group. The major purpose of this study was to investigate personality disposition of HIV/AIDS positive women in Thika sub- subcounty.  The scare study also aimed at find out the locus of control among HIV/AIDS positive women in Thika sub-county.  The central idea was to critically analyze the counseling implications of the findings. The study consisted of 70 respondents all HIV/AIDS positive from Thika sub-county.  To accomplish this objective, Rotter's I-E scale was availed as an instrument for data collection.  The purposive sampling procedure was used to derive the sample .Expost-facto research design was used.  Descriptive statistics were employed for data analysis.  It was discovered that majority of HIV/AIDS positive women in Thika sub- county had external locus of control.  Externality was noted among respondents of low levels of education.  However, it was noted that there was no difference between scores of respondents living in urban areas and those living in rural. The implications of the results were critically examined.  The results were found to be of particular interests to practicing counselor's health educators and policy makers.  This is because the findings can be useful in designing public health interventions in control of HIV/AIDS pandemic. Recommendations were made for counselors, education policy makers, as well as for the future researchers. Key words : Locus of control, age, HIV/AIDS, personality disposition


This article describes a design/build exercise conducted in an Architectural Materials and Methods class to achieve three interrelated objectives: (1) to apply physically the semester's theoretical focus on the constituent process and languages of architecture investigations, (2) to capitalise on the physical and aesthetic properties of concrete masonry to explore fabrication and detailing in the design process, and (3) to examine preconceptions about solo work and team work in architectural education and practice.

What makes this project unique among other design/build projects is its emphasis on Concrete Masonry Units (known as CMU in the USA) and their visual, tactile and functional properties. The junior and senior students were allowed three building elements: an 8′ cube of space, an unlimited number of concrete blocks, and the visual ecology of a site. The structural vocabulary that Frank Lloyd Wright developed consisted of a three-dimensional field of lines through which the solid elements of the building were located, enabling the voids to be integral to the whole and equally meaningful. Using these elements, students were asked to design/build temporary structures in a field next to the airport hangar on campus. The pedagogical objective was to adopt Wright's creative spirit, as opposed to quoting his architectural language.


Problem
Liander initiated a project, Standaard Op Maat (SOM), to reduce the total supply chain cost and increase customer satisfaction. A part of this project is the revision of the current urgent order fulfilment. The general impression is that a sizeable decrease in inventory costs is possible via proper alignment of the various stock locations for service parts, while maintaining a high service level. Therefore, we stated the following objective:
Create a service parts allocation model for urgent orders, which determines the best storage network and order parameters in corresponding warehouses.
Current practice
Before developing a methodology, the current practice of urgent order fulfillment and its performance is analyzed. We identified the following key problem in the current practice:
The exclusive availability of local warehouses to Netcare mechanics employed for upkeep and failure work. The exclusive availability causes unnecessary emergency shipments from the central warehouse for all other types of work that are not upkeep or failure related, while the SKU may be available in a nearby local warehouse.
We defined the performance of the service part allocation for urgent orders by costs, as a result of Inventory value and emergency shipments, and the number of StoringsVerBruiksMinuten (SVBM) due to waiting time for spare parts. In order to approach the caused SVBM by Logistics, all expensive SKUs (>€ 100.-) are categorized according to their criticality on the gas or electricity network in the event of a failure. We refer to this value as SVBM'.
Models
In the developed model there are four different networks for storing a SKU (excluding van): 1) supplier only (consignment stock), 2) central warehouse only, 3) combination of central warehouse and MWs (manned warehouses) and 4) combination of central warehouse, MWs and UWs (unmanned warehouses). Networks 3 and 4 are configured in a two-echelon system, which enables us to utilize the risk pooling effect at the central warehouse. Besides choosing a network, the model also determines the optimal order parameters (minimizing costs while restricting the number of SVBM') at the corresponding warehouses. In order to find the best solution with the associated decision variables we apply column generation.
In order to measure the performance of order parameters in a network, the following assumptions are made: 1) There is no lateral resupply between local warehouses.,2) No orders are backordered; rather, an emergency order occurs from the next higher supply chain level, 3) Customer and replenishment order size is one.
The column generation model is used for SKUs valued above € 100.-. The SKUs valued less than € 145.- are all locally stored, irrespective of other SKU's characteristics, corresponding to networks 3 and 4. A second model is developed for the inexpensive SKUs below € 100.-, based on the assumption that these low valued service parts are always locally stored. This local model saves calculation time in the column generation model and enables the optimization of the replenishment size.