Wavelet analysis is a powerful tool with which to analyse the hydrologic effects of dam construction and operation on river systems. Using continuous records of instantaneous discharge from the Lees Ferry gauging station and records of daily mean discharge from upstream tributaries, we conducted wavelet analyses of the hydrologic structure of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. The wavelet power spectrum (WPS) of daily mean discharge provided a highly compressed and integrative picture of the post‐dam elimination of pronounced annual and sub‐annual flow features. The WPS of the continuous record showed the influence of diurnal and weekly power generation cycles, shifts in discharge management, and the 1996 experimental flood in the post‐dam period. Normalization of the WPS by local wavelet spectra revealed the fine structure of modulation in discharge scale and amplitude and provides an extremely efficient tool with which to assess the relationships among hydrologic cycles and ecological and geomorphic systems. We extended our analysis to sections of the Snake River and showed how wavelet analysis can be used as a data mining technique. The wavelet approach is an especially promising tool with which to assess dam operation in less well‐studied regions and to evaluate management attempts to reconstruct desired flow characteristics. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Satisfaction level of campus inventory management is the best way to measure the effective management to meet the expectation of the users and stakeholders. Campus inventory management is becoming complex and involved a lot of money and it is vital to the success of the overall picture of Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University management. Effectiveness of campus inventory management helps to enhance the better university's financial image and control which it is also essential to gain public confidence. Satisfaction of the students, staff, and faculty members in campus is the topic of resources. The objectives of this research study were to understand the flow of document and process of campus inventory and to offer guidelines to improve the flow of document and process of campus inventory. By using both quantitative and qualitative research technique, a total of 150 main staff from various departments of university at the summer of the year 2019 was subjected to a survey interviewed. In addition, about 15 staff was selected for the in-depth interview. The results of this study unveiled that the focus group reported that the majority of them were very happy and satisfied with the flow of document and process of campus inventory. The system was simple and easy to use and the level of accuracy is no problems with proper speed for transportation within requirement time. However, there are five suggestions from this study. First is to offer more online document and monitoring from both the users and the suppliers of the system. Second is to improve the speed of the flow of the information to be faster during and after the long holidays. Finally, the focus of speed and accuracy should not on only the top management of the university, but also the staff and faculty members who were the main users of the system.


Two field experiments investigated discrimination in an online mental health care market. The subjects were 908 mental health care providers (MHPs) who advertise for clients on a website through which help-seekers email providers. Both studies measured MHPs' receptiveness to an ostensibly black or white help-seeker requesting an appointment. In the first study, no racial or gender disparities were observed. However, help-seekers in the second study, who signaled lower education than those in the first, were confronted with significantly lower accessibility overall. Moreover, black help-seekers with low education and high social need (i.e., a caseworker) received significantly fewer positive responses than any other group. Although the two studies are not directly comparable, their results suggest a hierarchy of accessibility: MHPs prefer more educated help-seekers over less educated ones and among those less educated prefer black help-seekers with a caseworker the least. These disparities persist after controlling for MHPs' sociodemographic and financial characteristics.


This paper first examines the extent of cost and profit inefficiencies of the Philippine credit cooperative system using stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). Then, it looks into the effects of certain variables on the cost and profit efficiencies of credit cooperatives. Three groups of correlates of inefficiency were used: market characteristics, agency costs and gender governance. Results suggest that market conditions can explain to a certain extent the differences in the efficiency among credit cooperatives. However, the correlates of agency costs do not have a clear-cut effect on the efficiency of credit cooperatives. What is more significant though in this study is the effect on efficiency of women participation in the governance of credit cooperatives. The correlates of gender governance indicate that empowering women not only through enhancing their access to credit but also through increasing their participation in shaping policies can improve the efficiency of credit cooperatives. Results seem to suggest that credit cooperatives that are managed predominantly by women would likely pursue greater cost efficiency than profit efficiency.


The study area, Tlul Al-Baj, suffers from a shortage of fresh water and most people depend on groundwater for different uses (drinking, domestic, irrigation, etc.).
The present research aims to select the most suitable wells for desalination and production of potable water in Tlul Al-Baj area.
Twenty-two samples of groundwater were collected to evaluate the hydrochemical properties of groundwater in the shallow aquifer in the area and to determine their suitability for desalination purposes. The study included measuring the physicochemical characteristics of groundwater, such as total hardness (TH), total dissolved solids(TDS), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), sodium ratio (Na%), turbidity (Tur), pH…etc. Chemical analyses for the main components of water samples were also conducted, including cations such as sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca++), and magnesium (Mg++), as well as anions such as chloride (Cl)-, sulfate (SO4=), bicarbonates (HCO3-), and nitrate (NO3-). In addition, concentrations of trace elements such as iron (Fe), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni),cobalt (CO), chromium(Cr) and cadmium (Cd) were determined.
The results of the physical and chemical analyses for the groundwater of the study area were compared with the international and local standards to determine their suitability for drinking uses and  to select the most suitable wells for the production of drinking water by desalination. The results indicated that the most suitable wells for desalination were wells numbered 4, 8, 9, 17, and 19.


TO THE EDITOR: The thorough evaluation of cimetidine by Jacobs and Catania in December's Drug Intelligence and Clinical Pharmacy prompts this letter. Recent reports in The Lancet of patients becoming confused and disoriented during cimetidine therapy are of interest. We have experienced a similar case. An 84-year-old male presented with symptoms of epigastric pain, recent onset of anorexia and episodic disequilibrium. Past medical history revealed generalized atherosclerosis, nephritis of uncertain origin and, more recently, azotemia (BUN:26). An acute gastric ulcer was demonstrated on upper GI series. On day 2 of hospitalization, cimetidine 300 mg qid (pc and hs) was begun, along with 2 hourly antacid therapy. Within 24 hours the patient became disoriented and agitated. Cimetidine was discontinued, and he became oriented and rational after 24 hours. Because of extenuating circumstances, rechallenge with cimetidine was not considered. The patient's serum creatinine on the day of admission was 1.5 mg percent. Creatinine clearance on day 3 was 30 ml min/1.73M, with a serum creatinine of 2.2 mg percent. Cimetidine was administered to this patient at a dose range recommended by the manufacturer. The principal route of cimetidine's excretion is the kidney. At age 84, and in light of previous renal problems, this patient's kidney function was impaired, which may have led to an increased serum cimetidine level. In our opinion, mental confusion and disorientation should be watched for, especially in patients with compromised renal function. Perhaps these symptoms should be listed as possible side effects associated with cimetidine administration. THOMAS R. VICKERY, Pharm.D. Director of Pharmacy Services Woodland Memorial Hospital Instructor of Clinical Pharmacology Yuba College Woodland, California


Employee retention is one of the challenges facing many business organisations today. Many industries are afflicted with high demand for specialised employees and are also suffering high levels of turnover. We have moved into a knowledge-based society where human capital is considered a key resource and a competitive business advantage. The high attrition rate of critical (core) employees is costly to corporations. Loss of these high talent employees results in the stripping of valuable human capital, critical skills and institutional memory. Consequently, companies are giving increased attention to ways of retaining their high performing employees rather than relying on costly replacement and retraining. New paradigm companies recognise that an important element in business management practices is the need to successfully motivate and retain employees who survive organisational restructuring, downsizing, consolidation, reorganising or re-engineering initiatives. This paper examines the current human resource practices on the retention of core employees in twelve Australian organisations. It explores the relationship between human resource (HR) practices and retention and further identifies the elements of HR practices, which strongly influence the decision for core employees to stay. It is part of a three phased study and the methodologies discussed in this paper consist of a) a Delphi survey of expert opinions and b) an in-depth interview of HR Managers of organisations. Results from this study will assist in the development of an effective HRM retention program for organisations. Businesses can successfully keep critical employees with a total retention strategy and HR programs to support it.


Background: The Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH) is a young tertiary hospital with recently established department in various specialties. In spite of this it caters for the health needs of a lot of the patients in Bayelsa state and its environs. The aim of this study therefore is to audit the otorhinolaryngological (ORL) practice in this center with the aim of establishing the pattern of ORL disease which is useful for the planning of effective ORL services Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients that presented to the ear, nose and throat department of NDUTH from January 2007 to December 2011. The patient's folders and clinic records were the source of data. Results: There were 2,275 patients seen within the period under study. The age ranged from 3months to 80 years. Patients who were in the 21-30 year age group (21.1%) were the most frequently seen. There were 1,150(50.55%) males and 1,125(49.45%) females with a male female ratio of 1.02:1. The adults were 1,725(75.82%) while the children were 550(24.18%). Otologic conditions ranked highest in the clinic presentations with wax impaction being the commonest ear disorder encountered. There were about 573 (25.19%) procedures done within this period. Aural syringing was the commonest procedure. There was no major theatre procedures carried out. Conclusion: The otorhinolaryngologic practice in the centre is growing and otologic diseases appear to be the most common conditions seen. There is therefore need to equip both the theatre and clinic so as to offer effective care. Audiololgical services also are relevant for the rehabilitation of these patients in view of the considerable number with hearing loss. The ORL practice here appears quite elementary. Therefore there is a need to vigorously equip the department Keywords: Otorhinolaryngology; Hospital Practice Audit; Niger Delta; Nigeria


The way that persons from different age groups experience "white light" is investigated. Human eye lens transmission changes spectrally with age and this may influence the way that humans from different ages experiences light. Such a difference may be important in industrial and medical environments. Two different age groups, one group younger than 40 years of age and another group older than 50 years of age were subjected to the same "white" definition task. A conventional single-booth setup was used where observers were able to adjust the intensity of four coloured LED's. Results of the psychophysical test procedure were used to generate specifications of two light sources, as selected by the two age groups. The two age groups selected two very different light sources when tasked to achieve a "perception" of white. Results show that the older group prefers a source with a colour rendering index number of 89 and the younger group prefers a source with a colour rendering index number of 74. The sources selected by the two age groups specifies correlated colour temperature values of 5150 K for the older age group and 6592 K for the younger group.


Shari'ah Finance Institution has developed progressively nowadays, for instance Shari'ah Banking, Shari'ah Insurance, Shari'ah Exchange,Shari'ah Pawning, and Baitul Mal wat-Tamwil. For that reason, the existence of Shari'ah Finance Institution demands investor and manager those have certainly criteria. The minimum criteria that should be owned by finance institution either from the institution, investor or manager are the credibility and the professionalility. The credibility and professionality become so important because of (1) in order Shari'ah Finance Institution has a competitive advantage, and (2) problem of human resources that indicates the lower professionalities, lower understanding regarding moral and Islamic business ethics , and (3) to increase the professionalities is not only including the skill but also including a moral commitment and business ethic that originated from religion (Islam) as a guidance how to conduct Shari'ah Finance Institution in the future. Keyword: Lembaga Keuangan Syari'ah; Profesionalitas; Kredibilitas;


: Cholesterol is known to participate in atheromatous plaque formation coming from blood stream and affecting vascular endothelium in environment of elevated low-density lipoproteins (LDL). Nevertheless, the occurrence of single atheromatous plaque evidences the possibility of local lipoprotein accumulation by vascular wall without systemic increase in serum LDLs. The author hypothesizes that in the absence of hypercholesterolemia atheroma can evolve through the utilization of modified LDL and free or etherified cholesterol, that remain in media non-removed by high density lipoproteins (HDL) owing to their structural damage after local vascular wall ischemia caused by vasa vasorum disorders. Disturbances in HDL acceptor function and transport of cholesterol and modified LDL to blood circulation and further into liver are followed by local accumulation of these products in smooth muscle cells. Overloaded by lipids smooth muscle cells move through internal fenestrated membrane thus activating receptor mechanism for transmission of modified lipoproteins to monocytes and capture of endothelial membrane and amorphous lipids by them in local lipid peroxidation area. A framework for hypothesis experimental and clinical testing is suggested.


Diurnal plasma glucose profiles and oral glucose tolerance during pregnancy were studied in normal women, chemical diabetics, and insulin-requiring diabetics. In normal women the mean diurnal plasma glucose rose by only 0.22 mmol/1 (4 mg/100 m1) during pregnancy. Mild chemical diabetes resulted in an increase in both the mean diurnal glucose concentration and the fluctuation of plasma glucose levels during the day. Fluctuation in glucose concentration in insulin-dependent diabetics was about three times that found in non-diabetic women of similar gestation, with relative hyperglycaemia during the day and hypoglycaemia at night. In non-diabetic women and those with chemical diabetes the mean dirunal glucose correlated closely with the total area under the three-hour oral glucose tolerance curve and significantly, but less closely, with the two-hour glucose tolerance test value.


Abstract The sensitivity of preservice teachers to the impact of teasing on children was examined. Preservice teachers (n = 164) and elementary-age children (n = 184) viewed one of three videotaped responses (i.e., Hostile, Ignore, or Humorous) to an observed teasing incident among children and then evaluated the child actor's response to the teasing and social status of the participants in the teasing episode. Preservice teachers were asked to respond as they thought children would. Results revealed several important differences between responses of preservice teachers and children, including how mad participants would be if they were involved and the effectiveness of the child's response to discourage subsequent teasing. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for understanding teachers' responses to teasing incidents in the school environment.


Rhizome rot caused by Pythium spp and Fusarium spp is one of the most devastating diseases of ginger in most of the ginger growing areas of the Nepal. Realizing the context for development of alternative control strategies to reduce dependency on synthetic fungicides, a field experiment on management of rhizome rot disease of ginger using eco-friendly natural products was conducted at GRP, Kapurkot, Salyan during 2012/2013. Fresh and fermented extract of Artemesia vulgaris Linn (Titepati), Urtica dioica (Sisnoo), Zanthoxylum armatum DC . (Timbur), Allium cepa L. , (Onion), Allium sativum L. (Garlic), Capsicum annuum L. (Chili), Nicotiana tabacum (Tobacoo) along with Jeevatu (a mixed product of beneficial microbes) and biofit were tested in the experiment. Experiment was conducted in the naturally inoculated sick plot in RCB design with eight treatments replicated thrice. Each experimental plot area was 3m x1.5m (4.5m 2 ). Observation on plant number, tiller clump -1 , plant height, disease incidence, fresh rhizome yield, disease rhizome yield and mother rhizome yield were recorded and evaluated using statistical analysis tool MSTAT-C. Fresh rhizome yield for all the treatments were found lower than national average. Jeevatu (5%) treated plot had highest fresh rhizome yield (7.70 m t ha 1 ) followed by (onion+garlic+chili) + urine (1:3) fermented extract (4.88 mt ha 1 ). Similarly, rhizome rot scale (1.66), disease incidence (41.96%) and the diseased rhizome yield (0.74 mt ha 1 ) was shown least on jeevatu treated plot. Highest disease rhizome yield (2.37 mt ha 1 ) was obtained in the treatment titepati + urine (1:2) fermented extract followed by control (2.07 mt ha 1 ).


Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy initiates new methods and turns the scale of clinical treatment on relapsed/refractory acute T lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). In this study, we generated the second-generation CD7-targeting CAR-T cells with a new antigen-binding scFv sequence and made it universal via CRISPR-based knockout of TRAC and CD7 genes (termed UCAR-T). The CD7 UCAR-T cells can efficiently proliferate and lyse T-ALL tumor cell in vitro, along with prominent proinflammatory cytokines secretion. A Jurkat-based xenograft mouse model further verified the superior cytotoxicity of the UCAR-T cells in vivo. During the UCAR-T construction, we observed a CD4/CD8 ratio shift among CD7-/- T/CAR-T cells, which motivated us to further analyze the effects of CD7 antigen on T/CAR-T cells. We sorted out CD7+/- T or anti-CD19 CAR-T cells after partially CD7 knockout and performed functional, phenotypic detection, as well as translational analysis. CD7-/- CAR-T cells tended to be CD8 negative and showed slightly better cytotoxicity at long-term assay. RNA-seq further confirmed an elevation of activated CD4 memory cell subpopulation. However, limited distinction on crucial regulatory genes and pathways was revealed, suggesting the safety and feasibility of UCAR-T application as well as the potential translational rather than transcriptional regulation of CD7 antigen.


Revision of families in the order Hadromerida (Porifera, Demospongiae) makes it necessary to establish two new genera. In the family Placospongiidae, the genus Amphinolana is introduced for a new species, A. claudelevii, from the Great Barrier Reef, Australian West Pacific. It is the second genus in the family and distinguished by the presence of cortical and choanosomal, dumbbell-shaped sterrasters which derive from an amphiaster-like microsclere and are termed amphinolasters. The other spicules of Amphinolana claudelevii include small microspined spirasters and the usual megascleres (tylostyles). In the family Clionidae, the genus Cervicornia is named to accommodate Alcyonium cuspidiferum Lamarck, previously placed in Spirastrella and Spheciospongia. This genus is separated from other clionids by large (up to 30 cm tall), ectosomal inhalant fistules and a pulp-like endopsammic choanosome. Cervicornia cuspidifera generates an unusual flow-direction of water which is taken in through its epibenthic, blind-ending fistules and exhaled through the coarse sand substrate. Klaus RÜTZLER Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C. 20560-0163 (USA) email@example.com.


The expected improvement (EI) algorithm is one of the most popular strategies for optimization under uncertainty due to its simplicity and efficiency. Despite its popularity, the theoretical aspects of this algorithm have not been properly analyzed. In particular, whether in the noisy setting, the EI strategy with a standard incumbent converges is still an open question of the Gaussian process bandit optimization problem. We aim to answer this question by proposing a variant of EI with a standard incumbent defined via the GP predictive mean. We prove that our algorithm converges, and achieves a cumulative regret bound of $\mathcal O(\gamma_T\sqrt{T})$, where $\gamma_T$ is the maximum information gain between $T$ observations and the Gaussian process model. Based on this variant of EI, we further propose an algorithm called Improved GP-EI that converges faster than previous counterparts. In particular, our proposed variants of EI do not require the knowledge of the RKHS norm and the noise's sub-Gaussianity parameter as in previous works. Empirical validation in our paper demonstrates the effectiveness of our algorithms compared to several baselines.


Windmills require continuous observing and command to attain the required output power when the wind velocity has fluctuated. Command a nonlinear physical windmill needs an efficient regulator that calibrates the environment's fluctuations and initial conditions. As the fluctuations in wind speed are continuous, the conventional type of control will not be active for most cases of wind variations. An efficient control technique has been suggested to damp the impacts of non-linearity property. The current research provides modeling, numerical verification, and analysis of model reference fuzzy control scheme for direct drive wind turbine coupled with a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator tied with the electrical network. The machine side control is designed to capture the most considerable energy to get better wind power production. The grid side control regulates the bus voltage that is transformed into regulated three-phase grid voltage and frequency. The main control objectives of Proportional Integral control and model reference fuzzy control have been simulated and then compared. Armature profiles are also verified for different cases of operation through simulation. This controller's behavior guarantees excellent dynamic performance with wind speed variation due to the control system's robustness.


We analyse the phase variations of the microwave field in a TE011 microwave cavity and how these variations affect the frequency of an atomic clock. We analytically solve for the microwave fields in a TE011 cavity. These analytic solutions show significant new terms that are not present in previous two-dimensional treatments. The new terms show that cavities with small radii, near 2.1 cm for a 9.2 GHz cavity, have smaller phase shifts than cavities with larger radii. We also show that the three-dimensional phase variations near the axis of the cavity can be efficiently calculated with a rapidly converging series of two-dimensional finite element calculations. The cavities used in atomic clocks have holes in the endcaps, and we use finite element methods to study the large fields and phase shifts near these holes. The effects of the phase variations on atoms traversing a cavity are analysed using the sensitivity function, and we present a cavity design that has small phase shifts for all atomic trajectories. For two π/2 pulses, the proposed cavity has transverse variations of the effective phase that are within ±0.1 µrad and produce no systematic frequency error for a nearly homogeneous and expanding cloud of atoms.


Hemosuccus pancreaticus (bleeding from the pancreatic duct into the gastrointestinal tract via the ampulla of Vater) is a rare, potentially life-threatening and obscure cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. It is caused by rupture of the psuedoaneurysm of a peripancreatic vessel into pancreatic duct or pancreatic psuedocyst in the context of pancreatitis or pancreatic tumors. It can pose a significant diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma due to its anatomical location and that bleeding into the duodenum is intermittent and cannot be easily diagnosed by endoscopy. A 61-year-old female with HIV and alcoholism presented with 3 weeks of intermittent abdominal pain and melena. Examination revealed hypotension with pallor and mild epigastric tenderness. She was found to have severe anemia and a high serum lipase. It was decided to perform a contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan that demonstrated a hemorrhagic pancreatic pseudocyst with possible active bleeding into the cyst. An emergent angiogram showed a large pseudoaneurysm of the pancreaticoduodenal artery that was successfully embolized. Subsequent endoscopy showed blood near ampulla of Vater confirming the diagnosis of hemosuccus pancreaticus. Thus the bleeding pseudocyst was communicating with pancreatic duct. The patient had no further episodes of gastrointestinal bleeding. Hemosuccus pancreaticus should be considered in patients with intermittent crescendo-decrescendo abdominal pain, gastrointestinal bleeding and a high serum lipase. Contrast-enhanced CT scan can be an excellent initial diagnostic modality and can lead to prompt angiography for embolization of the bleeding pseudoaneurysm and can eliminate the need for surgery.


Lightning continues to be the major cause of outages on overhead power distribution lines. Through laboratory testing and field observations and measurements, the properties of a lightning stroke and its effects on electrical distribution system components are fairly well-understood phenomena. A meticulous compilation of 32 years of historical records has been kept for outage causes, duration, and locations for eight distribution feeders at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Due to the limited growth of ORNL, the number, length, and location of the 13.8 kV overhead lines have remained the same between 1960 and 1992. Except for noted differences (voltage construction class, length, age, and maximum elevation above a reference level), other factors that could influence the reliability of an overhead line have remained nearly the same. This allowed a meaningful reliability study to be performed on the entire ORNL electrical distribution system. In this article, the main findings of the reliability assessment as it relates to lightning-resistant overhead line construction techniques are out-lined, and a simple and cost-effective method to reduce lightning caused outages is offered. In addition, comparisons are made between the failure rates and causes experienced at ORNL and those in industry surveys. Where large discrepancies exist between survey data and experiences at ORNL, evidence is presented to explain the differences between ORNL's distribution system and those typical of industry.


The main objective of this master's work was to investigate whether the HSE initiatives developed by the company are suitable for achieving good safety results at construction sites in contractual environment in developing countries. This has been conducted by evaluating these HSE initiatives implemented by the Principle Contractor at one of company's construction projects. The project is executed to build a run-of-the-river hydropower plant in the chain of the Andes in Peru. The evaluated HSE initiatives were safety inspections, Job Safety Analysis and reporting of unwanted occurrences at site. The evaluation was conducted through analysis of the implementation of HSE initiatives and their immediate and long-term effects. HSE initiatives were checked to see if they had been implemented as planned and according to the best industry practices in construction safety in developing countries. The immediate effects of HSE initiatives were analysed to assess the quality of implementation of HSE initiatives and their contribution to achieving the good safety result at the project. The long-term effects were evaluated scrutinising a trend in injury rates, actual visual compliance at site and adequacy of safety climate at the project. The results of the evaluation showed that safety inspections and reporting of unwanted occurrences have been implemented by Principle Contractor according to company's HSE requirements and the best industry practices. The implemented Job Safety Analysis routines did not satisfy company's HSE requirements. The evaluation showed that the achieved immediate effect of HSE activities is not satisfactory due to the delay with execution of remedial actions; moreover, the potential functionality of Job Safety Analysis and reporting of unwanted occurrences was not fully used at the project. The long-term effect of the evaluated HSE activities was assessed as satisfactory. This was concluded based on that the measurement of safety climate has given a positive result, while a trend of the injury rate and the measurement of visual compliance to national safety regulations and international standards deviated from a desirable results. The results of the evaluation were considered in the light of different internal and external factors which might influence implementation of HSE initiatives and overall safety at the project. The difficulties with the implementation of Job Safety Analysis can be partially explained by a low level of professional and safety education and consequently low demands to workplace safety by workers due to the current economic situation in the country. In addition, a strong hierarchy, typical for the national culture of this country, hindered a proper cooperation between supervisors and workers for execution of Job Safety Analysis. Further, contractor's general management did not allocate an HSE responsibility on supervisors and did not demonstrate importance of safety at the project. This also affected immediate and long-terms effects of Job Safety analysis, safety inspections and reporting of unwanted occurrences. The difficulties to achieve a positive immediate effect can be attributed mainly to lack of contractor's general management support in execution of remedial actions and human factors such as workers' and supervisors' level of education, religiousness and their attitude to risk-taking. The satisfactory long-term effect can be explained by a proper implementation of company's HSE requirements, effective work of contractor's HSE department and compliance to strong HSE requirements from International Finance Corporation which provided a loan to the company for the project execution. Therefore, it was concluded that company's approach of using the contract to implement its Policy on HSE in developing countries through HSE requirements to contractors is effective when it comes to long-term effects on safety at the projects, but strongly affected by economic situation, national culture, contractor's general management attitude to safety and human factors.


We propose a variable-rate variable-power M-level quadrature amplitude modulation (MQAM) scheme employed under delay quality-of-service (QoS) constraints over spectrum-sharing channels. An underlay cognitive radio system, with one primary user and a secondary user, with constraints on interference leakage imposed by the primary receiver is considered. The transmission parameters of the secondary user are set optimally such that the successful communications for the primary user in terms of a minimum rate to be supported is satisfied, irrespective of co-existence with the secondary user. We obtain interference constraints that, when satisfied by the secondary users, is sufficient to satisfy the service outage requirement of the primary user. We further study the performance of the secondary user's link employing an adaptive MQAM scheme when, on top of the aforementioned interference constraint, the secondary user is also required to satisfy a statistical delay QoS constraint. Considering two modulation schemes, i.e., continuous MQAM and discrete MQAM with restricted constellations, we obtain the effective capacity of the secondary user's link and derive the optimum power allocation that maximizes the effective capacity of the secondary user.


Dynamic software updating (DSU) is a technique to upgrade a running software system on the fly without stopping the system. During updating, the runtime state of the modified components of the system needs to be properly transformed into a new state, so that the modified components can still correctly interact with the rest of the system. However, the transformation is non-trivial to realize due to the gap between the low-level implementations of two versions of a program. This paper presents AOTES, a novel approach to automating object transformations for dynamic updating of Java programs. AOTES bridges the gap by abstracting the old state of an object to a history of method invocations, and re-invoking the new version of all methods in the history to get the desired new state. AOTES requires no instrumentation to record any data and thus has no overhead during normal execution. We propose and implement a novel technique that can synthesize an equivalent history of method invocations based on the current object state only. We evaluated AOTES on software updates taken from Apache Commons Collections, Tomcat, FTP Server and SSHD Server. Experimental results show that AOTES successfully handled 51 of 61 object transformations of 21 updated classes, while two state-of-the-art approaches only handled 11 and 6 of 61, respectively.


[1] We developed a theoretical method for predicting effective stress and pore pressure based on rock physics model. We applied the method to reveal the pore pressure distribution within the Nankai accretionary prism off southwestern Japan and to investigate variations in pore pressure associated with evolution of the plate boundary decollement. From the crack aspect ratio spectrum estimated from laboratory and well-log data, we calculated a theoretical relationship between acoustic velocity and mean effective stress by using differential effective medium theory. By iteratively fitting the theoretically calculated velocity to the seismic velocities derived from 3D tomographic inversion, we estimated in situ mean effective stress within the accretionary prism. Pore pressure is then the difference between the effective stress and the confining stress. When we calculated pore pressure, we considered compressive state of stress in the accretionary prism. Our results confirm that pore fluid pressure is high within the subducting sedimentary sequence below the decollement; we determined a normalized pore pressure ratio (λ*) of 0.4-0.7. Abnormal pore pressures develop in the under-thrust sequence as a result of the increase in overburden load because of the thickened overlying prism and a low permeability barrier across the decollement. Overpressuring within the accreted sequence is initiated at the deformation front and proceeds landward. The increase in horizontal compaction within the accreted sequence may raise pore pressures within the accreted sequence, and the pore pressure (mean effective stress) contrast at the decollement becomes smaller landward of the deformation front.


When fitting Gaussian mixtures to multivariate data, it is crucial to select the appropriate number of Gaussians, which is generally referred to as the model selection problem. Under regularization theory, we aim to solve this model selection problem through developing an entropy regularized likelihood (ERL) learning on Gaussian mixtures. We further present a gradient algorithm for this ERL learning. Through some theoretic analysis, we have shown a mechanism of generalized competitive learning that is inherent in the ERL learning, which can lead to automatic model selection on Gaussian mixtures and also make our ERL learning algorithm less sensitive to the initialization as compared to the standard expectation-maximization algorithm. The experiments on simulated data using our algorithm verified our theoretic analysis. Moreover, our ERL learning algorithm has been shown to outperform other competitive learning algorithms in the application of unsupervised image segmentation.


The aim of this research was to describe the profile of critical thinking at Senior high school students in mathematics problems solving with intermediate Mathematics skills. This is a qualitative-exploratory research conducted at SMA Negeri 1 Semarang by using one student as a subject, with intermediate mathematics skills. The profile of critical thinking research subjects with intermediate mathematics skills was conducted through steps as follows: (i) understanding the problem, at determination step the subject can mention all data, the subject has been expressed clearly and in detail. In the decisive step in question is using the right information, so that the subject can mention the subject matter thoroughly and carefully, (ii) the plan of problem solving, the first subject can reveal the facts of the matter are provided with appropriate and justify appropriate capabilities previously. Second, in planning the steps that will be used to resolve the issue, the subject of research suggests gradual steps, but not yet detailed and accurate. Third, in revealing the definition or rules in order to solve the problem has been done properly and systematically, yet not exhaustive and detailed, (iii) carrying out the solution, the first step of selecting the method or steps that had to do with precisely known. Second, when revealing the definition or rules to resolve the problem, the subject and do not have trouble remembering the rules of trigonometry known before. Third, in carrying out the calculation profile, the subject can work correctly after doing the calculations made outside the plan, (iv) re-examine profile, first the subject has not been an evaluation of the steps that have been made carefully, because the subject just re-read the steps one by one. Second, the study subjects believed that the final answer is correct, for rereading, although the subject of count back at simplifying the comparison of two numbers. Third, the study subjects were not able to draw conclusions based on reason.
Keywords: critical thinking, mathematics problems, mathematics skills


The microstructures and room temperature and 600°C tensile properties of Ti-5.8Al-4.0Sn-4.0Zr-0.7Nb -0.4Si-1.5Ta alloy after isothermal forging have been studied. The forging temperature range was from 850°C to 1075°C, and the constant strain rate of 8×10-3/S-1 was adopted. With the increase of forging temperature, the volume fraction of primary α phase decreased and the lamellar α phase became thicker when the temperatures were in range of 850°C -1040°C; The grain size became uneven and the α phase had different forms when the forging temperature was 1040°C and 1075°C respectively; The tensile strength was not sensitive to the temperature and the most difference was within 20MPa. Tensile strength and yield strength attained to the maximum when temperature was 1020°C; the ductility decreased with the increase of forging temperature, and this trend became more obvious if forging temperature was above the β-transus temperature.


We prove the first superpolynomial lower bounds for learning one-layer neural networks with respect to the Gaussian distribution using gradient descent. We show that any classifier trained using gradient descent with respect to square-loss will fail to achieve small test error in polynomial time given access to samples labeled by a one-layer neural network. For classification, we give a stronger result, namely that any statistical query (SQ) algorithm (including gradient descent) will fail to achieve small test error in polynomial time. Prior work held only for gradient descent run with small batch sizes, required sharp activations, and applied to specific classes of queries. Our lower bounds hold for broad classes of activations including ReLU and sigmoid. The core of our result relies on a novel construction of a simple family of neural networks that are exactly orthogonal with respect to all spherically symmetric distributions.


Pollution sources are determined by source apportionment, and are used as human-influenced factors to calculate the pollution risk of regional groundwater. In this case study, 266 samples of shallow groundwater were collected from the Lower Liaohe River Plain in northeastern China. Hydrochemical indexes of NH 4 + , Ca 2+ , Cl − , F − , HCO 3 − , Pb, Mg 2+ , NO 3 − , NO 2 − , K + , Na + , SO 4 2− , total Cr, chemical oxygen demand, total dissolved solids, and total hardness of each sample were determined. Factor analysis method was used to identify potential pollution sources. Five common factors (agricultural activities, groundwater extraction, industrial activities, river pollution, and sewage discharges) represented 77.10% of the total variance. The results showed that the relatively high pollution risk mainly occurred in the west, with 19.91% of the area. The southeastern area showed a low risk of pollution, covering only 1.07% of the study area. Clearly, human activities have significantly changed the distribution of regional groundwater pollution risk in the study area.


In this paper, a differential and decoupled micromachined gyroscope fabricated by through-etching the silicon substrate anodically bonded on the glass substrate was presented. The decoupled structure can make the sense mode frequency match with the drive mode frequency and reduce the quadrature error. The sensitivity is further improved by differential detection using antiphase oscillation of double masses along the drive axis. Finite-element simulation is performed with ANSYS software to analyze the vibration mode. The device employs silicon-on-glass gyroscope sensor chip processed with Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) and glass-silicon anodic bonding. Then it is tested at atmospheric pressure. Drive mode and sense mode are obtained as 2015 Hz and 1957 Hz which are closed to the simulated ones. Q factor of the drive and sense mode also can be gained as 56 and 3.4.


The expansion of the marine renewable energy (MRE) sector will increase pressure on sea space and existing maritime users which could potentially lead to conflict. Commercial fishing has been identified by many as the industry most likely to be affected by the development of MRE. In order to reduce the risk of spatial conflict and to enable decision-making based on the co-existence of the two sectors, it is important to gain a better understanding of the attitudes of fishermen towards the development of MRE projects in their locality. A survey was designed to provide quantitative information on fishermen's attitudes to marine renewable energy and the perceived impacts and opportunities. Three MRE developments which have been proposed around the island of Ireland (comprising Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) were chosen as case study sites in which to carry out the survey. The sites represent offshore wind, wave and tidal energy respectively and are in differing stages of development. In total, 104 complete surveys were conducted with fishermen located at ports in the vicinity of the case study sites. 40% of those surveyed agreed that it is important to develop marine renewable energy in their locality. A further 15% were neutral on this matter. It is encouraging for developers and policy makers that the majority of respondents (70%) were of the opinion that fisheries and MRE projects can co-exist.


This paper presents an alternative to the current use of gasoline and diesel for transportation in Barbados. By relying on experimental evidence, it shows that biomethane emanating from the combination of Sargassum seaweed that is found on the seashores of the country with wastewater from rum distillery production can be used to produce an alternative transportation fuel. If implemented successfully, this alternative combustion method can avoid as much as 1 million metric tons of CO2 emissions every year in the country. These findings have important implications for policymakers. First, they can contribute to the national objective of becoming fossil fuel free by 2030 and diversifying the energy matrix. Second, this alternative fuel can improve resilience to natural catastrophes, complementing the transition to renewables and diversification of the sector. Third, the impact on the tourism industry is expected to be high and positive, as the Sargassum seaweed has been declared a national emergency due to its prevalence on beach tourism spots. JEL Codes: R41, N7, Q43, Q16, Q54, Z32


We study winner-take-all contests for crowdsourcing procurement in a model of costly effort and stochastic production. The principal announces a prize value P, agents simultaneously select a level of costly effort to exert towards production, yielding stochastic quality results, and then the agent who produces the highest quality good is paid P by the principal. We derive conditions on the probabilistic mapping from effort to quality under which this contest paradigm yields efficient equilibrium outcomes, and demonstrate that the conditions are satisfied in a range of canonical settings.


Status epilepticus (SE) has a high mortality and morbidity rate in children. Disturbances in learning and memory are frequently associated with SE although it is not clear when the cognitive deficits occur. If cognitive dysfunction occurs immediately following the seizure, the window of opportunity for therapeutic intervention is limited. The first goal of this study was to determine the timing of cognitive dysfunction following SE in weanling rats. As there is evidence that enriching the environment can improve cognitive and motor deficits following brain injury, our second goal was to determine whether environmental enrichment improves cognitive function following SE. Rats underwent lithium‐pilocarpine‐induced SE at postnatal (P) day 20 and were then tested for visual‐spatial memory in the water maze at P22, P25, P30, or P50. Rats with SE performed significantly worse in the water maze than control rats at all time points. Once the time‐courses of visual‐spatial memory deficits were determined, a second group of P20 rats were subjected to SE and were then placed in an enriched environment (enriched group) or remained in standard cages in the vivarium (nonenriched group) for 28 days. Following environmental manipulation, the animals were tested in the water maze. Rats housed in an enriched environment following the SE performed substantially better in the water maze than rats housed in standard cages. However, no differences were found between the enriched and nonenriched groups in EEG or histological evaluation. Although SE results in cognitive impairment within days of the seizure, housing in an enriched environment after SE has a beneficial effect on cognitive performance in rats.


Progress in wireless technology has raised the number of people using mobile devices and stimulated the accelerated evolution of online shopping carried with these devices.  However, today many corporations are making significant investments to take benefit of the new business opportunities given by internet technology, research on m-online shopping proposes potential customers may or may notadopt mobile shopping despite of their availability and benefits. Thus, this study identifies the key factors that influence customer intention to make online mobile shopping.  This research investigates the dimensions of mobile shopping service based on online shoppers' expectations and perceptions. This research developed a conceptual framework for examining the role of the perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and trust in order to determining customers' intention to use mobile shopping. Data were obtained from 212 students of business administration college, who conducted a mobile online shopping process, the sample was tested on the analysis model using (SEM-PLS). The results strongly support the proposed model in predicting consumer intention to use mobile shopping. the major findings of this study found positive relationship among perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and trust association with intention to use m-online shopping. The current study model and its findings could present a rigorous basis for understanding customers' attitude for mobile shopping contexts.


Within the debate about the rise of costs in the German health system, the argument has put forth that patients' excessive demand for benefits is caused by the existence of a moral hazard problem. One way of influencing an insured person's consumer behaviour is the introduction of several copayment models. The first task of this work is to examine the role of moral hazard in an insured person's consumer demand for drugs. Empirical evidence of this phenomenon is a central aspect of this task. Furthermore, the question if copayment is a suitable means of control to reduce the exorbitant demand for drugs will be answered. The focus here lies on the criteria effectiveness of control, reconcilabilty with the welfare state and effectiveness in general.


SIR,-It is a little surprising to me that the report of the Public Health Laboratory Service and Working Party (8 November, p. 329) concluded that a vaccine which had provided protection against B. pertussis types 1, 2, and types 1, 2, and 3, should have been so relatively unsuccessful in immunizing against types 1, 3. As types 1, 3 appeared to be prevalent during the period from which the P.H.L.S. survey was being made, is it possible that something had taken place to interfere with the effectivity of the pertussis fraction of the prophylactic used? The earlier successful official surveys, and my own, were made when the injections given were probably almost entirely a dual antigen of diphtheria and pertussis. Since then the picture has been complicated by the addition of tetanus toxoid and poliomyelitis, the latter either by injection or by mouth. This now brings us to the interesting question as to how many diseases or antigens the body is equipped or designed to protect itself simultaneously against without failure of one or another immunity response to multiple stimuli. Some ten years ago, in a paper given at a Wellcome symposium before a most distinguished assembly, I suggested that in the use of multiple prophylactics we must be careful not to overload the local immunity mechanism by injecting too much, or too great a variety in one arm. No one questioned this warning note. I had some reason for giving this warning. Dr. L. B. Holt and I had been investigating the effects of varying the pertussis and tetanus content in mixtures with diphtheria toxoid.' There was some evidence (P=0.05) that excess of tetanus toxoid in a diphtheriatetanus mixture caused a drop in the diphtheria immunity response. Likewise, in a diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis mixture the immunity response to diphtheria was better when the diphtheria-pertussis mixture was given in one arm and the tetanus toxoid in the other. Likewise the adjuvant action of increasing doses of H. pertussis in a diphtheria-pertussis mixture was most clearly demonstrated. Admittedly there is only some evidence of tetanus toxoid interference with diphtheria response, but who can say that pertussis immunity cannot be influenced adversely by trying to do too much at a time? Rubella and morbilli have not been mentioned in this discussion, but these might further complicate the picture unless spacing of treatments is carefully considered. I, for one, should not care to see any addition to the usual triple antigen, and I think there is a good case for review of its composition with regard to the dosage of the toxoids. Finally, if the results of the P.H.L.S. investigation were due to the use of a substandard antigen, could these figures have been better if the other components had not been unnecessarily potent?-I am, etc., Guy BOUSFIELD. Broadbridge Heath, Sussex.


Background Ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) is becoming increasingly prevalent and aggressive in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is a phenomenon linked with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, although association rates in Angola are currently unknown. A topical treatment that is effective in HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals may be preferable to surgery in some contexts. We aimed to estimate the proportion of OSSN associated with HIV in Angola and to report on the success of topical 5-fluorouracil as a primary treatment in HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients. Methods Photographs of OSSNs taken at presentation and following treatment with 5-fluorouracil in patients presenting to Boa Vista Eye Clinic, Angola, between October 2011 and July 2013 were grouped into HIV-positive and HIV-negative groups and analyzed to compare presenting features and treatment response. Eighty-one OSSNs were analyzed for clinical features and 24 met the inclusion criteria for analysis of treatment response. Results Eighty-two patients presented with OSSN between October 2011 and July 2013. Twenty-one (26%) were HIV-positive and typically had OSSNs that exhibited more pathological features than those in HIV-negative patients. Twenty-four (29%) patients met the inclusion criteria for analysis of treatment response; of these, 26 (91%) OSSNs in both groups displayed at least partial resolution after one treatment course. In the HIV-positive group, five of eight patients displayed complete resolution, two showed partial resolution, and one failed. In the HIV-negative group, five of 16 showed complete resolution, ten of 16 had partial resolution, and one failed. Conclusion Individuals presenting with OSSN in Angola are more likely to have HIV infection compared with the general population. Regardless of HIV status, 5-fluorouracil drops can be an effective strategy for management of OSSN without incurring the costs and risks of surgery in the developing world setting.


Objective: The low back pain is the most common and most costly occupational diseases. There are several interventions that can reduce low back pain. Program of back school is a short-term intervention and it is composed training programs, assesses and improved skills. The purpose of this study is to survey the impact of the program on the quality of life in dentists with low back pain. Material and methods: This clinical trial study consists of 32 dentists with chronic low back pain in the intervention group and 29 dentists in the control group. Control group were only under physical drug treatment and intervention group were trained in educational programs and physical drug treatment. Quality of life at baseline and after 6 months was assessed by the SF-36 questionnaire. Then, two groups were compared before and after the intervention. Results: The study shows that back school program is an effective treatment to improve the quality of life of dentistry. The dentists who were treated with this program within the indices of physical condition, physical performance and public health had higher scores (p<0.05). This represents a higher quality of life in these items in the patients. Discussion: According to the high prevalence of low back pain among dentists, back school program is a useful intervention for treatment of chronic low back pain and it can increase quality of life in dentists.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the cost savings attributable to the implementation and expansion of a primary care case management (PCCM) program on Medicaid costs per member in Iowa from 1989 to 1997.

DATA SOURCES
Medicaid administrative data from Iowa aggregated at the county level.

STUDY DESIGN
Longitudinal analysis of costs per member per month, analyzed by category of medical expense using weighted least squares. We compared the actual costs with the expected costs (in the absence of the PCCM program) to estimate cost savings attributable to the PCCM program.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
We estimated that the PCCM program was associated with a savings of US dollars 66 million to the state of Iowa over the study period. Medicaid expenses were 3.8 percent less than what they would have been in the absence of the PCCM program. Effects of the PCCM program appeared to grow stronger over time. Use of the PCCM program was associated with increases in outpatient care and pharmaceutical expenses, but a decrease in hospital and physician expenses.

CONCLUSIONS
Use of a Medicaid PCCM program was associated with substantial aggregate cost savings over an 8-year period, and this effect became stronger over time. Cost reductions appear to have been mediated by substituting outpatient care for inpatient care.


Sarcoidosis is a multisystem inflammatory disorder associated with non-caseating granulomas in affected organs, most commonly the lungs. Involvement of extrapulmonary organs is common, but lack of pulmonary involvement is rare and is called non-pulmonary sarcoidosis (NPS). Like pulmonary sarcoidosis, a definitive diagnostic test for NPS does not exist. Instead, the diagnosis of sarcoidosis requires the following elements: clinical and radiographic manifestations of sarcoidosis, histopathological detection of non-caseating granulomas and the exclusion of other diseases that may present similarly. Because of the experience with corticosteroids in pulmonary sarcoidosis, they are generally considered first-line therapy for NPS too. Ursodeoxycholic acid can be used to reduce cholestasis in NPS, but is inferior to corticosteroids in reducing inflammation. We hereby present a case that is particularly notable for its rare presentation of NPS as a granulomatous hepatitis with cholestatic liver function tests.


ABSTRACT In the present work, the close similarity that exists between Mindlin's strain gradient elasticity and Eringens nonlocal integro-differential model is explored. A relation between length scales of nonlocal-differential model and gradient elasticity model has been arrived. Further, a relation has also been arrived between the standard and nonstandard boundary conditions in both the cases. C0-based finite element methods (FEMs) are extensively used for the implementation of integro-differential equations. This results in standard diagonally dominant global stiffness matrix with off diagonal elements occupied largely by the kernel values evaluated at various locations. The global stiffness matrix is enriched in this process by nonzero off diagonal terms and helps in incorporation of the nonlocal effect, there by accounting the long-range interactions. In this case, the diagonally dominant stiffness matrix has a band width equal to influence domain of basis function. In such cases, a very fine discretization with larger number of degrees of freedom is required to predict nonlocal effect, thereby making it computationally expensive. In the numerical examples, both nonlocal-differential and gradient elasticity model are considered to predict the size effect of tensile bar example. The solutions to integro-differential equations obtained by using various higher-order approximations are compared. Lagrangian, Bèzier and B-Spline approximations are considered for the analysis. It has been shown that such higher-order approximations have higher inter-element continuity there by increasing the band width and the nonlocal character of the stiffness matrix. The effect of considering the higher-order and higher-continuous approximation on computational effort is made. In conclusion, both the models predict size effect for one-dimensional example. Further, the higher-continuous approximation results in less computational effort for nonlocal-differential model.


In the past few years, a new type of circuit
board, named here as active substrate board (ASB), was introduced over circuit
applications of diodes. Unlike a traditional printed circuit board (PCB), an ASB
has its substrate made of a semiconductor. The inability of the traditional
integrated circuit (IC) technology to integrate wavelength dependent radio
frequency (RF) components triggered the advent of ASBs. These boards draw
desirable features from IC as well as PCB technologies. Unprecedented
challenges came up in modeling the different devices fabricated on an ASB owing to their large sizes and the presence of
wideband microwaves. So far, modeling the effect of large sizes and ambient microwaves
on DC bias of diodes have not been considered in scientific literature. Furthermore,
the state of the art numerical simulators are unable to imitate the behavior of
such diodes observed over measurements. Here, a semi-analytical, circuit model of
distributed diodes on ASB is presented that is fairly accurate in predicting
the actual behavior of the diodes. The model also opines a novel phenomenon where
microwaves affect the DC characteristics of diodes with added resistances.


Recurrent hiatal hernia was corrected in 63 patients. Analysis of the previous procedures indicated that inadequate or no fixation sutures were employed or reflux was not corrected at the previous operation, or both. Ancillary procedures including vagotomy, pyloroplasty, and gastric resection did not prevent the complications and symptoms if reflux was not corrected. The operation for recurrent hernia consisted of posterior gastropexy employing the median arcuate ligament coupled with calibration of the cardia. Results are classified as excellent to good in 81% of the cases. There were two deaths in this series for a mortality of 3.3%, contrasted to a mortality of 0.5% for 425 patients having elective repair of hiatal hernia. There has been no subsequent recurrent herniation in this series, with a follow-up extending to eight years and a mean follow-up of 3.3 years.


The crystal structure of a ternary protein complex has been determined at 2.4 angstrom resolution. The complex is composed of three electron transfer proteins from Paracoccus denitrificans, the quinoprotein methylamine dehydrogenase, the blue copper protein amicyanin, and the cytochrome c551i. The central region of the c551i is folded similarly to several small bacterial c-type cytochromes; there is a 45-residue extension at the amino terminus and a 25-residue extension at the carboxyl terminus. The methylamine dehydrogenase-amicyanin interface is largely hydrophobic, whereas the amicyanin-cytochrome interface is more polar, with several charged groups present on each surface. Analysis of the simplest electron transfer pathways between the redox partners points out the importance of other factors such as energetics in determining the electron transfer rates.


Abstract Several studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of different tillage systems on the vertical seed distribution, seedling recruitment pattern, and persistence of the rigid ryegrass seed bank. Experiments were conducted in South Australia at two locations (Roseworthy Campus and Minlaton, a site on the Yorke Peninsula) in 2003 and 2005. The distribution of surface seeds through the soil profile was associated with the level of soil disturbance. The low–soil-disturbance tillage systems left more seed on the soil surface, whereas the high–soil-disturbance systems buried most of the seeds. The seedling recruitment of rigid ryegrass was lower under the low–soil-disturbance tillage systems than under the high–soil-disturbance tillage systems at both locations. The seedling recruitment was two- to fourfold greater under minimum tillage than under no-till. Not only was the seedling recruitment lower under the low–soil-disturbance tillage systems, biomass accumulation by rigid ryegrass seedlings was also lower under these systems. The carryover of residual viable seeds from one season to the next was similar between the tillage systems. However, seed decay under no-till (48 to 60%) was much greater than under minimum tillage (12 to 39%). Nomenclature: Rigid ryegrass, Lolium rigidum Gaudin, LOLRI.


Abstract—The application of neural network using pattern recognition to study the fluid dynamics and predict the groundwater reservoirs properties has been used in this research. The essential of geophysical survey using the manual methods has failed in basement environment, hence the need for an intelligent computing such as predicted from neural network is inevitable. A non-linear neural network with an XOR (exclusive OR) output of 8-bits configuration has been used in this research to predict the nature of groundwater reservoirs and fluid dynamics of a typical basement crystalline rock. The control variables are the apparent resistivity of weathered layer (p1), fractured layer (p2), and the depth (h), while the dependent variable is the flow parameter (F= ). The algorithm that was used in training the neural network is the back-propagation coded in C++ language with 300 epoch runs. The neural network was very intelligent to map out the flow channels and detect how they behave to form viable storage within the strata. The neural network model showed that an important variable gr (gravitational resistance) can be deduced from the elevation and apparent resistivity pa. The model results from SPSS showed that the coefficients, a, b and c are statistically significant with reduced standard error at 5%.


Glaciogenic cloud seeding with silver iodide (AgI) has been used to enhance precipitation for over 60 years. Assessments of AgI impact and dispersion are often quantified using atmospheric processes models with impact assessed by comparing models with and without inclusion of cloud seeding modules.  However, there is inherent uncertainty in these aerosol models and physical validation of AgI distribution is of value to both validate and improve model performance. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the capacity to physically validate the dispersion of AgI by measuring silver enrichments in snow.Field and laboratory methods were developed to detect trace seeding signatures in snowpack. Unique laboratory layout and protocols were developed to reduce contamination potential within a traditional ICP-MS laboratory setting (not housed in a Class 100 Clean Room). Using these methods, we sampled a series of snow profiles within the target area of active cloud seeding in the central mountains of Idaho. Our results demonstrate the ability the ability to reproduce distinct evidence of elevated Ag at concentrations at a hillslope (0.25 km2) and at the basin (2,400 km2) scale. The construction of 8 snow pits at one site (hillslope scale) and 6 sites along a 65 km transect (basin scale) reliably identified both of the seeded storm layers sampled. The location of the peaks in Ag concentration within the snow profiles generally corresponds in timing to known cloud seeding events. Distinct seeded storm layers were reliably identified seeding signatures more than 60 km from the AgI sources, where silver concentrations were only enhanced 1-3 parts per trillion. Ag enriched snow in these chemical profiles generally correspond to downwind target locations and AgI seeding times.


Big data is playing a significant role in the current computing revolution. Industries and organizations are utilizing their insights for Business Intelligence by using Deep Learning Networks (DLN). However, dynamic characteristics of BD introduce many critical issues for DLN; Concept Drift (CD) is one of them. CD issue appears frequently in Online Supervised Learning environments in which data trends change over time. The problem may even worsen in a BD environment due to the veracity and variability factors. The CD issue may render the DLN inapplicable by degrading the accuracy of classification results in DLN which is a very serious issue that needs to be addressed. Therefore, these DLN need to quickly adapt to changes for maintaining the accuracy level of the results. To overcome classification accuracy, we need some dynamical changes in the existing DLN. Therefore, in this paper, we examine some of the existing Shallow Learning and Deep Learning models and their behavior before and after the Concept Drift (in experiment 1) and validate the pre-trained Deep Learning network (ResNet-50). In future work, this experiment will examine the most recent pre-trained DLN (Alex Net, VGG16, VGG19) and identify their suitability to overcome Concept Drift using fine-tuning and transfer learning approaches.


In Natural Language Processing (NLP), Part-of-speech tagging is one of the important tasks. It, however, has not drawn much attention of Vietnamese researchers all over the world. In this paper, we present an experimental study on Vietnamese POS tagging. Motivated from Chinese research and Vietnamese characteristics, we present a new kind of features based on the idea of word composition. We call it morpheme based features. To verify the effectiveness of these features, we use three powerful machine learning techniques - MEM, CRF and SVM. In addition, we also built a Vietnamese POS-tagged corpus with approximately 8000 sentences of different genres to conduct experiments. Experimental results showed that morpheme-based features always give higher precision in comparison with previous approaches - usually word-based features. We achieved the precision of 91.64% by using these morpheme-based features.


SIR,-The outraged chorus of protest from Dr B A P Karunaratne and others in Papua New Guinea (16 October, p 1115) serves only to focus attention on Dr Kurer's few mild criticisms of Madang Hospital and thereby does the hospital a disservice by distracting attention from the rest of an enjoyable and clearly affectionate account of health care in Papua New Guinea. "Methinks the lady doth protest too much." C G O'BRYAN-TEAR


This paper presents a practical method for constructing a more compact matrix structure of the precedence information used in a new weak precedence parsing. The parsing algorithm differs from the conventional weak precedence algorithm in that the precedence relation .> signals a sequence of reduce actions, not just one. The method can be used for any weak precedence grammars without degrading the good error detection capability of the traditional weak precedence parsers. It is shown by the empirical results that the obtained matrices are the very reasonable size and that the presented parsing algorithm is very efficient.


From the World2 and World3 models to contemporary Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) that model carbon neutral emission pathways, global computer models have served as virtual laboratories for addressing economic, environmental and technological concerns together. Representing technological change has been a controversial element of global modelling efforts because, to a great extent, it sets the parameters on conceivable futures. To retrace this history, this article analyses four moments when modellers debated technological change: the controversy spurred by The Limits to Growth in the 1970s; subsequent global future studies during that decade; the IIASA Energy in a Finite World study in the 1980s; and the shift to endogenous technological change in IAMs in the 2000s. It shows that the notion of technological change as a predictable parameter affecting the future of society was not a given. Technological change progressively became a parameter in models as more elaborate methodologies were developed to simulate it. When modellers began to focus on climate action in the 1990s and 2000s, their interest in the relationship between technological change and social change dwindled. The increasing skill with which modellers formally represented technological dynamics was commensurate to the decline of heated discussions over how conflicting worldviews shaped simulations.


The understanding of multiple effects by possible future development is essential for adapted land use planning. This study assessed the potential of land use scenarios for the provision of ecosystem services using local knowledge in two districts of northern Ghana. Local knowledge was gathered through surveys with extension officers, who are regarded as eligible knowledge holders for agricultural land use. Firstly, ecosystem services that were perceived as important by the stakeholders were identified, namely food, fodder, energy, construction materials, marketable products, water provision, and erosion control. Quantitative indicators were then determined to analyze the capacity of land use types to supply the ecosystem services. Land use scenarios were developed based on their applicability and capacity to mitigate climate change impacts. The perception of stakeholders was applied to evaluate changes in ecosystem services provision by the scenarios. A modeling approach for a spatially explicit simulation was used to assess the potential to provide ecosystem services at a district level. The results reflected the different trade-offs and synergies between ecosystem services of each scenario, depending on the district. Along with the local perception, characteristics of land use patterns also influenced the regional potential of ecosystem services provision.


The practice of medicine and the practice of writing poetry are often considered to require competing skills. The New Zealand doctor-poet Glenn Colquhoun looks at the similarities between the two activities and argues that narrative and metaphor play important roles in the creative moment at the core of both disciplines. He argues that, along with objectivity, subjectivity is a valuable way of "knowing" in medicine. He illustrates his points with a selection of poems drawn from his practice and an essay exploring the importance of the subjective in decoding the consultation between doctor and patient.


Corporate governance has grown enormously in the last decade of the world, to specific sectors of industry, indefinite borders (usually for specific purposes or divided into people or cultures). In short, you can consider it as a system for managing and verifying your company. The main confrontation of corporate governance is responsibility and an answer for the board and expects the board to take the right care, so that it does not play a role for others or property or diligently in his or her role or damages extensive and systematic plans. a. Make sure that executives do this. Globalization and development in the world economy have extended the scope of corporate governance.


Bachev., H. (2018). Institutional environment and climate change impacts on sustainability of Bulgarian agriculture. Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science, 24(4) , 523–536 Achieving diverse goals of sustainable development greatly depends on the specifi c socio-economic, institutional and natural environment in a particular country, industry, region, community, etc. Despite its importance, in Bulgaria, like in other East European countries, there are very few empirical studies on impact(s) of institutional environment and climate change on agrarian sustainability. This paper incorporates the interdisciplinary New Institutional Economics, and assesses the impact of major elements of institutional environment and climate change on agrarian sustainability in Bulgaria. The methodological framework is outlined, the impacts of various components of institutional environment and climate change on agrarian sustainability are evaluated and conclusions with implications for further research are presented. The study is based on in-depth interviews with managers of "representative" marketoriented farms of different juridical type, size, specialization, and ecological and geographical location. Institutional components most contributing to improvement of agrarian sustainability at current state of development are: personal connections; available information for prices, markets, innovations, etc.; established reputation; existing trust, and existing possibilities for free contracting. Factors mostly deterring sustainable agrarian development are: existing confl icts over agrarian resources, investment possibilities and obstacles, existing monopoly and power positions, and climate change. Studies of this type are to be further expended as precision and representation increased though improving methods, data sources, and cooperation with interested parties.


Whole-Genome Duplications (WGDs) have shaped the gene repertoire of many eukaryotic lineages. The redundancy created by WGDs typically results in a phase of massive gene loss. However, some WGD-derived paralogs are maintained over long evolutionary periods and the relative contributions of different selective pressures to their maintenance is still debated. Previous studies have revealed a history of three successive WGDs in the lineage of the ciliate Paramecium tetraurelia and two of its sister species from the P. aurelia complex. Here, we report the genome sequence and analysis of 10 additional P. aurelia species and one additional outgroup, allowing us to track post-WGD evolution in 13 species that share a common ancestral WGD. We found similar biases in gene retention compatible with dosage constraints playing a major role opposing post-WGD gene loss across all 13 species. Interestingly we found that post-WGD gene loss was slower in Paramecium than in other species having experienced genome duplication, suggesting that the selective pressures against post-WGD gene loss are especially strong in Paramecium. We also report a lack of recent segmental duplications in Paramecium, which we interpret as additional evidence for strong selective pressures against individual genes dosage changes. Finally, we hope that this exceptional dataset of 13 species sharing an ancestral WGD and two closely related outgroup species will be a useful resource for future studies and will help establish Paramecium as a major model organism in the study of post-WGD evolution.


The Athabasca Basin is a large Paleo- to Mesoproterozoic quartz arenite sandstone basin that occupies most of the northernmost quarter of Sas-katchewan and a smaller portion of northeastern Alberta. The locations of the basin and the uranium discoveries discussed in this paper are shown in Figure 1. The majority of the unconformity-type uranium deposits of the Athabasca Basin are sandstone-hosted and are associated with post-Hudsonian, reactivated graphitic faults within Aphebian metasedimentary gneisses of the Wollaston Domain and the Wollaston-Mudjatik transition zone in the eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin. However, the Shea Creek deposit, consisting of the Anne, Kianna, and Colette zones, occurs in the western portion of the basin and is associated with the transition between the granitic Clearwater Domain and the Lloyd Domain.


It has long been accepted that acupuncture, puncturing and scraping needles at certain points on the body, can have analgesic and anesthetic effects, as well as therapeutic effects in the treatment of various diseases. This therapy, including acupuncture anesthesia, has drawn the attention of many investigators and become a research subject of international interest around the world. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the nervous system, neurotransmitters, endogenous substances and Jingluo (meridians) may respond to needling stimulation and electrical acupuncture. An abundance of information has now accumulated concerning the neurobiological mechanisms of acupuncture, in relation to both neural pathways and neurotransmitters/hormonal factors that mediate autonomic regulation, pain relief and other therapeutics. Early studies demonstrated that the analgesic effects of electroacupuncture (EA) are mediated by opioid peptides in the periaqueductal gray. Recent evidence shows that nitric oxide plays an important role in mediating the cardiovascular responses to EA stimulation through the gracile nucleus-thalamic pathway. Other substances, including serotonin, catecholamines, inorganic chemicals and amino acids such as glutamate and α-aminobutyric acid (GABA), are proposed to mediate certain cardiovascular and analgesic effects of acupuncture, but at present their role is poorly understood. The increased interest in acupuncture health care has led to an ever-growing number of investigators pursuing research in the processes of the sense of needling touch, transduction of needling stimulation signals, stimulation parameters and placebos. In this Review, the evidence and understanding of the neurobiological processes of acupuncture research have been summarized with an emphasis on recent developments of nitric oxide mediating acupuncture signals through the dorsal medulla-thalamic pathways.


This research examines the treatment of terror detainees during pre-charge detention in Pakistan and the UK. Pakistan is the principal focus and the UK acts as a comparator thereto. Suspected terrorists are more vulnerable to maltreatment during pre-charge detention. Their vulnerability increases more in a country like Pakistan where more than 60,000 people have died in various terrorist attacks. Arguably, there is no case-study on the topic in Pakistan and the UK has not been used as a comparator. This scholarship, therefore, attempts to fill the gap by evaluating the treatment of terror detainees during pre-charge detention in Pakistan by using relevant human rights law and principles as a yardstick and the UK as a comparator to the main case.
This scholarship uses liberal critique research methodology assessing pre-charge terror detention in the following six themes: the period of pre-charge terror detention; police interrogation and questioning; internal police review mechanisms; police records; the rights of a terror suspect to contact the outside world; and the detention conditions. The relevant anti-terror legislation of the two countries will be used to find the law on the topic. The related provisions in the UDHR, ICCPR and UNCAT will also be used to find out how we ought to treat terror detainees in a criminal justice system.
The results show that the UK fulfils most of its human rights obligations, while Pakistan does not. The UK provides a maximum period of 14 days for pre-charge detention, while Pakistan has 90 days. A terror suspect can be interrogated for up to two hours at a time in the UK, while police interrogation sessions in Pakistan are unlimited. The UK includes internal police review mechanism as a check on the special powers of the police, while there is no such arrangement in Pakistan. The countries also differ in their police records, the rights of a terror suspect to contact the outside world and the detention conditions. Consequently, Pakistan can arguably learn from the UK's experience on the topic.


BACKGROUND: Magnesium hydride is considered to be a promising hydrogen storage material because of its high gravimetric and volumetric storage capacities. However, its slow kinetics and high desorption temperature of > 300 °C limit practical applications. In this work, TiC nanoparticles were selected to modify the hydrogen storage properties of MgH2. Composite mixtures (MgH2 + TiC) were prepared using both cryogenic milling and high-energy ball milling. RESULTS: The resulting morphology and crystallite structure of the composites were identified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The milled samples show good mixing of the hydride and carbide particles, with MgH2 particles around 0.09–1 µm and TiC particles 10–20 nm. The (MgH2 + TiC) composites consist of -MgH2, s-MgH2 and TiC. MgH2 nano-crystallites of 25 nm were formed after cryomilling. Thermogravimetry reveals that the composites release ~6.5 mass % hydrogen from 190–400 °C at a heating rate of 10 °C min-1 under He flow, with the onset and peak temperatures at 190 and 280 °C, respectively, for the (MgH2 + TiC) after 8 h cryomilling and 60 h ball milling. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that TiC is an effective catalyst for hydrogen desorption of MgH2.


Control over the charge density is very important for implementation of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals into various optoelectronic applications. A promising approach to dope nanocrystal assemblies is charge injection by electrochemistry, in which the charge compensating electrolyte ions can be regarded as external dopant ions. To gain insight into the doping mechanism and the role of the external dopant ions, we investigate charge injection in ZnO nanocrystal assemblies for a large series of charge compensating electrolyte ions with spectroelectrochemical and electrochemical transistor measurements. We show that charge injection is limited by the diffusion of cations in the nanocrystal films as their diffusion coefficient are found to be ∼7 orders of magnitude lower than those of electrons. We further show that the rate of charge injection depends strongly on the cation size and cation concentration. Strikingly, the onset of electron injection varies up to 0.4 V, depending on the size of the electrolyte cation. For the small ions Li+ and Na+ the onset is at significantly less negative potentials. For larger ions (K+, quaternary ammonium ions) the onset is always at the same, more negative potential, suggesting that intercalation may take place for Li+ and Na+. Finally, we show that the nature of the charge compensating cation does not affect the source-drain electronic conductivity and mobility, indicating that shallow donor levels from intercalating ions fully hybridize with the quantum confined energy levels and that the reorganization energy due to intercalating ions does not strongly affect electron transport in these nanocrystal assemblies.


Abstract Objective: Each year, more than 11,000 adolescents and young adults (AYAs), aged 15–34, die from cancer and other life-threatening conditions. In order to facilitate the transition from curative to end-of-life (EoL) care, it is recommended that EoL discussions be routine, begin close to the time of diagnosis, and continue throughout the illness trajectory. However, due largely to discomfort with the topic of EoL and how to approach the conversation, healthcare providers have largely avoided these discussions. Method: We conducted a two-phase study through the National Cancer Institute with AYAs living with cancer or pediatric HIV to assess AYA interest in EoL planning and to determine in which aspects of EoL planning AYAs wanted to participate. These results provided insight regarding what EoL concepts were important to AYAs, as well as preferences in terms of content, design, format, and style. The findings from this research led to the development of an age-appropriate advance care planning guide, Voicing My CHOiCES™. Results: Voicing My CHOiCES™: An Advanced Care Planning Guide for AYA became available in November 2012. This manuscript provides guidelines on how to introduce and utilize an advance care planning guide for AYAs and discusses potential barriers. Significance of Results: Successful use of Voicing My CHOiCES™ will depend on the comfort and skills of the healthcare provider. The present paper is intended to introduce the guide to providers who may utilize it as a resource in their practice, including physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, psychiatrists, and psychologists. We suggest guidelines on how to: incorporate EoL planning into the practice setting, identify timepoints at which a patient's goals of care are discussed, and address how to empower the patient and incorporate the family in EoL planning. Recommendations for introducing Voicing My CHOiCES™ and on how to work through each section alongside the patient are provided.


Nectins are Ca2+-independent immunoglobulin-like cell-cell adhesion molecules that play roles in organization of a variety of cell-cell junctions in cooperation with or independently of cadherins. Four nectins have been identified. Five nectin-like molecules, which have domain structures similar to those of nectins, have been identified, and we characterized here nectin-like molecule-2 (Necl-2)/IGSF4/RA175/SgIGSF/TSLC1/SynCAM1. Necl-2 showed Ca2+-independent homophilic cell-cell adhesion activity. It furthermore showed Ca2+-independent heterophilic cell-cell adhesion activity with Necl-1/TSLL1/SynCAM3 and nectin-3. Necl-2 was widely expressed in rat tissues examined. Necl-2 localized at the basolateral plasma membrane in epithelial cells of the mouse gall bladder, but not at specialized cell-cell junctions, such as tight junctions, adherens junctions, and desmosomes. Nectins bind afadin, whereas Necl-2 did not bind afadin but bound Pals2, a membrane-associated guanylate kinase family member known to bind Lin-7, implicated in the proper localization of the Let-23 protein in Caenorhabditis elegans, the homologue of mammalian epidermal growth factor receptor. These results indicate the unique localization of Necl-2 and its possible involvement in localization of a transmembrane protein(s) through Pals2.