Because of the complex composition of smoke generated during fires and the possible combination of inhalation injury with other pulmonary complications of burns, the clinical course of inhalation injury is variable. Because clinical manifestations may be delayed several hours and furthermore are not specific, fiberoptic bronchoscopy is most appropriate in diagnosing pulmonary injury at the time of admission. Dominating pathological feature is a membraneous tracheobronchitis. Acute airway occlusion with sloughed bronchial mucosa, oedema formation and pulmonary infection are the most common complications. Treatment includes administration of oxygen, use of bronchodilators, and, when necessary, mechanical ventilation. Supplemental oxygen delivered at high concentrations will increase CO elimination and should be administered to all patients until the blood level of carboxyhaemoglobin has been measured.


The movements of 10 house cats (4 desexed females, 5 desexed males and 1 intact male) living on the edge of a suburb adjoining grassland and forest/woodland habitat, and a neighbouring colony of seven farm cats, were examined using radio-telemetry over nine months. Nocturnal home range areas of the suburban cats varied between 0.02 and 27.93 ha (mean 7.89 ha), and were larger than diurnal home range areas (range 0.02 to 17.19 ha - mean 2.73 ha). Nocturnal home range areas of cats from the farm cat colony varied between 1.38 and 4.46 ha (mean 2.54 ha), and were also larger than diurnal home range areas (range 0.77 to 3.70 ha - mean 1.70 ha). Home ranges of cats in the farm cat colony overlapped extensively, as did those of cats living at the same suburban residence. There was no overlap of home ranges of female cats from different residences, and little overlap between males and females from different residences. Four of the suburban house cats moved between 390 m and 900 m into habitat adjoining the suburb. Polygons describing the home ranges of these animals were strongly spatially biased away from the suburban environment, though the cats spent the majority of their time within the bounds of the suburb. Movements further than 100-200 m beyond the suburb edge were always made at night. There is evidence that home range sizes and spatial movement patterns of house cats are largely determined by: a) the density and spatial distribution of cats utilising separate food resources, b) the personality and social dominance of individual cats, c) the location of favoured hunting and resting/sunning sites, and, d) barriers such as busy roads.


It is widely believed that balancing an inverted pendulum is a difficult nonlinear control task. Many researchers have used a variant of the inverted pendulum problem, the cartpole, for demonstrating the success of their neural network learning methods. It has been known for a long time that a linear control law, implemented by a single artificial neurone, can control the cartpole. Not noted before was that a random search in weight space can quickly uncover coefficients (weights) for controllers that work over a wide range of initial conditions. This result indicates that success in finding a satisfactory neural controller is not sufficient proof for the effectiveness of unsupervised training methods. By analyzing the dynamics of the linear controller, the cartpole problem is reformulated to make it a more stringent test for neural training methods. A review of the literature on unsupervised training methods for cartpole controllers shows that the published results are difficult to compare and that for most of the methods there is no clear evidence of better performance than the random search method.


This paper studies effects of the introduction of a new digital mass medium on reemployment of unemployed job seekers. We combine data on high-speed (broadband) internet availability at the local level with German individual register data. We address endogeneity by exploiting technological peculiarities that affected the roll-out of high-speed internet. The results show that highspeed internet improves reemployment rates after the first months in unemployment. This is confirmed by complementary analyses with individual survey data suggesting that internet access increases online job search and the number of job interviews after a few months in unemployment.


The refractive index of standard air has been tabulated for the range 0.2 to 20.0 μ, namely, 0.2(0.01)0.8; 0.8(0.1)2.0; 2.0(0.5)10.0; 10(1)20 μ. The values are based on Edlen's formula. For computations of Rayleigh scattering, the scattering cross sections, the mass and volume scattering coefficients have been tabulated for the same values of wavelength as for the refractive index. The optical thickness and the transmissivity of the standard atmosphere is given next, and finally, the mean scattering coefficient for visual observations which is βv=1.23×10−7 (cm−1).


This paper presents a computer system for assisting the health care services planning and the acquisition process of medical equipment. After choosing one of the health services listed on screen, the computer system presents a second list of essential and secondary equipment for that specific service. To specify a chosen equipment from that second list, the user has to answer a series of predetermined questions that are also displayed on screen. At the end of the questionnaire, the program generates a report containing the equipment characteristics defined by the user for its acquisition. All those questions were defined for a given equipment based on data describing its own characteristics. The user is able to modify the predetermined questions to adjust them for a specific type of equipment. The answers, given by the users, are then stored by the system and presented every time a new specification for that type of equipment is made.


Mathematica 6 was launched on 1 May 2007. The new features include a possibility of interactively manipulating 2D or 3D images. Wolfram Research Inc. maintains a site, where more than 2700 such demonstrations (April 2008) are available (http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/), among them are my own 230 demonstrations, from which I introduce several major categories (http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/search.html?query=kabai&limit=20). The Mathematica codes can be downloaded and used with the free MathPlayer also.


The present climate of Mars is punctuated by recurring dust storm events, where dust is lifted from the surface and is transported by the atmosphere. Dust addition or removal can brighten or darken the surface, as well as affect thermal insulating properties because of its low thermal conductivity. Of particular interest is the recurrence of global dust storms (GDSs) and whether their frequency is controlled by the replenishment or depletion of finite surface reservoirs between events. Global climate models predict changes in dust coverage before and after global storms, but output varies substantially regarding the amounts and locations of transported dust. The analysis of global, multiyear observations of surface temperature and albedo from orbit can constrain changes in dust coverage and/or thickness. We calculate and map interannual differences in surface temperature from Mars Year (MY) 24 through MY35 to identify regions of dust redistribution. Regional temperature changes across the MY25 GDS can be explained by changes in albedo and do not require changes in surface thermal properties, supporting extremely small dust thickness changes. Across the MY34 GDS, we find less extensive changes in surface temperature, indicating a reduced impact on dust redistribution compared to MY25. However, we identify a region between Acidalia and Arabia Terra that experienced substantial dust removal and positively correlates with visible high‐resolution orbital images. Our work supports minuscule changes in dust thickness from the observed GDSs and is consistent with effectively infinite dust reservoirs on timescales of at least 103 years.


This dissertation is to apply as many basic electrical and electronically knowledge gained during the 3 years study in the Physics with Electronics course into something practical, with primary intention of being educational. The idea is to set up a simple mechanical and also an electronic siren prototype, which is usually available in an ambulance or a police car. Because of the dangers of using real spark plugs and simulating their processes, the prototype will instead be empowered by a 12 volt lead battery and 12 volt, 45 watt direct current (DC) motor. A long, around 5 feet rod steel is welded to Suppurt the shafts and small bottles which represent pistons movements in a car engine. This DC motor is taken out from a submerge motor casing available in mechanic shops, which means this motor possibly can power up a motor boat. In real life, the movement of the shafts of a car engine powers up the vehicle and its components inside, including the air conditioner, radio and digital clock. But it seldom heard that a siren can be put into a car. So, in this project, it is the intention mainly focused on the ambulance siren, which is only used during emergency. Simple explanations will only be used about the movement of a mechanical, which is the car engine and what is the process of voltage circulating inside the electronic siren circuit, without involving complicated calculations.


Numerous control strategies of temperature regulation have been carried out for proton-exchange membrane fuel cell systems including a cooling fan in order to ensure operation at the desired condition and extend the lifetime of the fuel cell stack. However, most existing control strategies are developed without considering the efficiency limitation of the cooling system such that the cooling fan may be unable to eliminate the additional heat. Moreover, there are unknown modelling errors, external disturbance and noise during modelling and experiment processes for fuel cells. Due to those unknown dynamics, the conventional control strategies may fail to achieve the expectant results. To address this issue, an alternative control strategy is proposed in this paper, which consists of a composite proportional-integral (PI) controller with an unknown system dynamics estimator. First, the control strategy is developed by reducing the temperature of input air through the humidifier and simultaneously increasing the mass flow of air in order to eliminate the excess heat that a cooling fan cannot remove. Moreover, an unknown system dynamics estimator is proposed in order to compensate the effect of the unknown dynamics. The construction of the estimator is designed through finding an invariant manifold which implies the relation between known variables and the unknown manifold. The invariant manifold is derived by applying a simple low-pass filter to the system which is beneficial to avoid the requirement of the unmeasurable state derivative. Furthermore, the proposed estimator is easily merged into the proposed PI control strategy and ensures the exponential convergence of estimated errors. Besides, the estimator is further modified such that the derivative of the desired temperature is not required in the controller. Finally, numerical simulations of the PEMFC system are provided and the results illustrate the efficacy of the proposed control strategy.


: This paper is a review discussing the cytomolecular structure of the rods, retinal photoreceptor cells, whose structural uniformity contributed to the progress in studies of their structure and morphogenesis in the vertebrate eye. Recent studies of protein and phospholipid metabolism in the rod inner segment have been reviewed. The structure of the outer segment connecting cilium is discussed with reference to the TEM and SEM, freeze-fracture, biochemical and immunological studies. The membranes of the rod outer segment undergo continuous renewal. The use of fine biochemical methods permitted to find differences in the structure of the plasma membrane surrounding the rod outer segment and the membrane discs, that fill this segment. Recent hypotheses dealing with morphogenesis of the rod outer segment membrane discs are also discussed. Special attention is paid to actin and myosin, as well as a small transient fraction of galactose-containing rhodopsin.


Sirens' song and Nesa's song. The semantics of unite and verbal sphere in the Indoeuropean world. This paper sets out to look at the Sirens and how they are considered in the Mycenaean world: as hybrids, they represent positive values but in the Ancient Greek world they are ambivalent. Sirens are actually liminal, deadly figures who are able to link together those dimensions which would otherwise be divided, separated by the hiatus of incomprehensions such as life-death, sanity-folly, horizontality-verticality. Considering these dynameis to be syncretic, amongst the various other etymological hypotheses we favour the etymological option which is the one that formulates the Sirens' dependency on the basis of *seh2-/sh2- , 'to link, unite'. We then consider the Hittite song of Nesa in which an intersection of the semantics of unite with the verbal sphere can be found. Thus we look at the meanings of οἴμη, οἶμος and isḫamai, which are lexemes that may potentially be traced back to the root *seh2-/sh2-. Finally, we look to the Vedic to comprehend an analogous presence in the Indian world of the semantics of unite. In the light of the evidence from Greek, Hittite and Vedic, we propose that the association of the semantics of unite in relation to the verbal sphere in a more global sense, is of Indoeuropean origin.


Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the concept of Administration of Justice as a research field and set out an agenda for future studies that could promote the production of scientific knowledge in this area.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper explores the idiosyncratic features, dimensions of analysis upon the Administration of Justice, states a research agenda and discusses the main challenges on this theme. This paper conceptualizes Administration of Justice as a research field and discusses related phenomena from institutional and economic perspectives on innovation, performance, governance and legitimacy.

Findings
As a research field, Administration of Justice is defined as a set of theoretical concepts, research methods and techniques, aiming to investigate the management processes associated with the use and articulation of resources, knowledge and institutions, at different levels of the justice system, and their influence on the provision of justice in a given social context. As social phenomena, four levels of analysis are proper to investigate the justice system: societal, inter-organizational, organizational and operational. Innovation, performance, governance and legitimacy are central themes of the Administration of Justice and present various gaps and research opportunities.

Research limitations/implications
The main implications is the proposal of an agenda for future studies on the Administration of Justice field, which is an important step in raising awareness of the issue.

Originality/value
Administration of Justice encompasses a growing interest among academics, justice practitioners and public managers regarding managerial and political practices carried out in the justice system. Although relevant, this subject has been scarcely studied by the management community. This paper invites community to adopt an organizational and institutional perspective to Administration of Justice, setting an agenda for future research.


One of the most striking macroeconomic phenomena in recent decades has been the achievement of rather low and more stable rates of inflation in many countries in the 1990s. Consequently, the main goal of this paper is to offer an overview of the main policy issues arising in a low inflation environment and their practical relevance in order to identify the main challenges facing central bankers in such an environment. The Paper asks the following questions: to what extent are the public's attitudes towards price stability, relative to other economic objectives - like unemployment, likely to change over time? How can the effectiveness of monetary policy change as a result of the non-linearities associated with the zero bound on nominal interest rates, the supposedly higher degree of downward real wage rigidity and, in general, the presence of downward nominal wage or price rigidities? What does the low inflation environment imply about the relative importance and effects of supply shocks, 'non-monetary' demand shocks and 'monetary' demand shocks? What sort of indicators are likely to be more useful to the central bank for assessing inflationary pressures and, in particular, should asset prices play a bigger role in the conduct of monetary policy?


well-known study of English ecclesiastical thought on social questions, was clearly in an ideal position to investigate the campaigns and ruminations on fertility in this period, and he has done the job with exemplary thoroughness and care. It is possibly to be regretted that the author did not highlight the peculiarities of the English debate on these questions by reference to more European and American writing. To do so would be to define demography as a system less of social biology and statistics than of social thought and rhetoric, bearing the distinctive hallmarks of very different national cultures. That task remains to be done.


I argue that Plato held a kinds of reality theory, not a degrees of reality theory, and that this position solves otherwise intractable problems about the Forms, notably the Third Man critique. These problems stem from the fact that Plato applied the same predicate bothto a Form (ness) and to its participants. Section I shows that this creates serious difficulties for the Forms, whether the predicate is taken in the same sense or in totally different senses. Section II presents the evidence that Plato had a third way of applying that predicate (namely, by analogy) which obviates those problems. Finally, section III explains how predication by analogy requires a kinds of reality theory, but is incompatible with a degrees of reality theory. Thus, Plato's kinds of reality theory validates the third way of predication discussed in section II, which in turn solves the problems enumerated in section I.


This study develops a video-rate stereo range finding circuit to obtain the depth of objects in a scene by processing video signals (R, G, B, and brightness signals) from binocular CCD cameras. The electronic circuit implements a dynamic threshold method to decrease the affect of signal noise in characteristic point detection, where a video signal from each CCD camera is compared with multiple thresholds, shifting dynamically by feeding back the previous comparison result. Several object depth measurement experiments for simple indoor scenes show that the dynamic threshold method gives high acquisition and correct rates of depth data compared with those by a fixed threshold method for the video signals and a relative method for R, G, and B signals utilized in the authors' previous range finders.


X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to analyze poly(vinyl isobutyl ether), a pure spin cast polymer. This polymer was centrifugally spun cast onto a glass substrate and stored in an UV/ozone cleaned, O‐ring sealed aluminum container. The polymer was examined at three different electron takeoff angles to verify homogeneity. Data were collected and atomic compositions calculated with a Hewlett‐Packard 5950B ESCA. Measured atomic composition percentages closely matched the expected stoichiometry of the polymer.


In 2000, the government of A. Vajpayee formed a commission to simplify the GST model and to tax goods and services. The Kelkar Task Force for the implementation of the FRBM Act of 2003 proposed a comprehensive tax on goods and services based on the principles of value added tax. But for the first time at national level, Chidambaram, the Minister of Finance, proposed a proposal to introduce goods and services taxes in his budget speech. In his budget speech, the Minister of Finance announced the date of the GST implementation target on 1 April 2010 and another authorized treasury committee set up a road map. The commission submitted a report to the government in April 2008 and issued its first discussion report on India's GST in 2009. On 1 April 2010, the target date for the implementation of the GST ended with the dissolution of a government-led government. The ND Modi government passed the legislation on December 19, 2014, after finance minister Arun Jaitley submitted the GST bill to the Congress on December 19, 2014. The account took the bill, which was approved by the US after the US had ratified it, known as the Constitution (the 122nd amendment) or the GST account. The new Constitution 122 bill gives Congress and the legislature the power to legislate to impose the GST. The center and the state are currently preparing for the implementation of the GST Act on 1 April 2017.


Persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) are ubiquitous, bioaccumulative compounds with potential endocrine-disrupting effects. They cross the placental barrier thereby resulting in in utero exposure of the developing fetus. The objective of this study was to investigate whether maternal serum concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p′-DDE) during pregnancy are associated with son's semen quality and reproductive hormone levels. During 2008–2009, we recruited 176 male offspring from a Danish cohort of pregnant women who participated in a study in 1988–1989. Each provided semen and blood samples that were analyzed for sperm concentration, total sperm count, motility, and morphology, and reproductive hormone levels, respectively. The maternal blood samples were collected in pregnancy week 30 and were analyzed for the concentrations of six PCBs (PCB-118, -138, -153, -156, -170, and -180) and p,p′-DDE. The potential associations between in utero exposure to ΣPCBs (pmol/ml), Σdioxin like-(DL) PCBs (PCB-118 and -156) (pmol/ml), and p,p′-DDE and semen quality and reproductive hormone levels were investigated using multiple regression. Maternal median (range) exposure levels of ΣPCB, ΣDL-PCB, and p,p′-DDE were 10.0 (2.1–35.0) pmol/ml, 0.8 (0.2–2.7) pmol/ml, and 8.0 (0.7–55.3) pmol/ml, respectively, reflecting typical background exposure levels in the late 1980s in Denmark. Results suggested that in utero exposure to ΣPCB, ΣDL-PCB, and p,p′-DDE was not statistically significantly associated with semen quality measures or reproductive hormone levels. Thus, results based on maternal PCB and p,p′-DDE concentrations alone are not indicative of long-term consequences for male reproductive health; however, we cannot exclude that these POPs in concert with other endocrine-modulating compounds may have adverse effects.


The production of milk and cheese assumes activities in the field of agricultural production, veterinary health, and the use of milk and dairy products has public health significance, and can be viewed through the "one health" concept. The aim of the paper is to underline public health and sustainability significance of interconnection among agriculture, veterinary and technology. Production of hard cheese with added value from milk produced in organic and self-sustaining systems research the risks, advantages and possibilities of traditional cheese production and focused on creating conditions for organic milk and hard cheese with added value production, with precisely defined conditions: isolating land plots, livestock farms and processing facilities from possible sources of pollution, water quality, harmonized development of plant and animal production and the capability of producers for organic agriculture with the obligation to constantly innovate knowledge. The new products ensure the employment and livelihood of people in the countryside, the economic prosperity of small family farms, link the activities in the field of veterinary health and agricultural production, contribute to the development of risk-management technology, healthy chooses and compatible with SDGs.
 Keywords: One Health approach, Traditional Milk Production, sustainability, Healthy Choices, SDGs


Background: In the healthcare system, teamwork is important to improve the quality of services and provide safe and effective cares. Operation room, as a high-risk environment, requires high levels of teamwork employees to secure performance. This study aimed at assessing the teamwork among surgical teams of hospitals affiliated to Social Security Organizations in Tehran City. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study "Observational Teamwork Assessment for Surgery" checklist was used to evaluate teamwork skill in surgical teams. Sixty surgical teams from two hospitals were assessed. In order to data analysis, descriptive statistics was used to calculate mean and standard deviation of age, work experience and teamwork scores in surgical, nursing and anesthesia sub teams. Two-Way ANOVA test was used to study relationship between scores of three surgical phases, sub teams and behaviors domains. Results: Mean and standard deviation of age and work experience of participants were 42.81±8.57 and 10.62±6.18 years, respectively. Mean score of teamwork was 3.60±0.51 (out of 6) that showed higher than average team performance level. Among three sub teams, nursing achieved the highest score (3.78±0.44). There was a significant difference between nursing sub team and others (p<0.05). Conclusion: Although mean score of teamwork was in higher than average level in studied teams, but discrepancies between three sub teams were high and worrisome. Use of educational solutions utilization can be effective to improve teamwork and increase quality of behaviors in operation room.


Chunrong Zhao Xiufeng Yin 2 Chunping Zhao 1Department of Obstetrics, Linyi Central Hospital of Shandong Province, Linyi, Shandong 276400, People's Republic of China; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yixing People's Hospital, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214200, People's Republic of China Introduction: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as glucose intolerance that is first diagnosed during pregnancy, a condition risking the health of both the mother and the baby. Naringenin (NGN) has been demonstrated to have multiple therapeutic functions, while it is also considered to exhibit antidiabetic properties. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of NGN in pregnant diabetic rats. Methods: GDM was induced by feeding the rats with a high-fat diet for 5 weeks, followed by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (35 mg/kg). The fasting blood glucose were determined with a glucometer and the 24-h urine protein (24-UPro) were determined by the sulfonyl salicylic acid method. The pathological morphological changes and apoptosis of glomeruli cells of kidney tissue using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and TUNEL analysis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were used to detect the serum T-AOC, the activity of SOD, the levels of GSH-Px, CAT and MDA, TNF-α, IL-6, TGF-β, ICAM-1.The expression of related genes were measured by RT-qPCR and Western blot analyses. Results: In the NGN-treated group, it was observed that the general status of the rats was improved, while the levels of blood glucose and 24-UPro were significantly decreased. In addition, the histopathological changes in renal tissues and renal cell apoptosis were significantly improved upon treatment with NGN. The expression levels of oxidative stress and inflammation-associated factors also differed signifigcantly between the model and NGNtreated groups. Upon treatment with NGN, the levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α were significantly increased, while the activity of enzymes involved in the oxidative metabolism of fatty acids was significantly decreased. Conclusion: These preliminary experimental findings demonstrate that NGN has a certain renoprotective effect on GDM, which provides a novel therapeutic option for this condition.


Non-generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) (pro forma) earnings form an increasingly important part of firms' performance reporting narrative. This paper reviews the academic and professional debate surrounding non-GAAP earnings reporting by management. I argue that the demand for customised performance reporting is a natural response to constraints imposed by a one-size-fits-all reporting system and that the non-GAAP phenomenon forms part of a long-standing debate over the definition and presentation of periodic performance. A review of extant research suggests non-GAAP disclosures are driven by informative reporting and opportunistic motives. Opaque presentation of non-GAAP earnings is associated with earnings mispricing, particularly among unsophisticated investor groups. Regulations and governance systems designed to ensure transparency are associated with higher quality disclosures and less mispricing. While customised reporting behaviour is evident in many settings, I argue that such disclosures create particular risks in a financial reporting context because they threaten the integrity of the underlying reporting system. Prevailing regulatory approaches are reviewed and factors limiting disclosure transparency are highlighted. The paper concludes with suggestions for further research.


Digital financial services (DFS) can expand the delivery of basic financial services to the poor through innovative technologies like mobile-phone-enabled solutions, electronic money models and digital payment platforms. By 2020, it is estimated that the mobile will have the potential to serve about 250 million people for financial services in India. Yet there remains a long way for India to go in digital finance. Realizing this, the objectives of the current research are to recognize various key challenges of DFS, to find contextual relationships between various challenges and to develop a hierarchy of challenges to promote DFS in India. The findings revealed 45 contextual relationships among the key challenges using experts' inputs. Implementing interpretive structural modelling (ISM) indicated "Lack of literacy/digital literacy (C4)" and "Universal unavailability of Internet (C8)" as the key driving challenges coming on the way of using DFS.


Abstract Background: There is limited evidence that plasma homocysteine (Hcy) is increased in women with adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as low birth weight (LBW). Objective: We examined the relationship between maternal Hcy at the first prenatal visit and birth weight. Study design: In a prospective observational study, women were recruited during their first prenatal visit after sonographic confirmation of gestational age. Along with the standard tests, blood was also taken for the measurement of maternal serum and red blood cell (RBC) folate, vitamin B12, and Hcy. In addition to collecting standard clinical and sociodemographic details, a detailed questionnaire on vitamin supplementation was completed under supervision. Birth outcomes were collected immediately after delivery. Results: Of 498 women recruited, 213 (42.8%) were nulliparous, 97 (19.4%) were obese, 64 (12.9%) selfreported as current smokers, and 489 (98.2%) were taking folic acid (FA) supplements at presentation. The mean (SD) birth weight was 3426.3 g (600.7), 14.0% of infants were small for gestational age, and 7.4% were large for gestational age. Mean (SD) plasma Hcy was 7.1 (2.1) µmol/l. On multiple linear regression, higher plasma Hcy was associated with selfreported smoking (p = .009), relative income poverty (p = .037) and Irish nativity (p = .009). There was no relationship between maternal plasma Hcy and birth weight centile, either overall or when analyzed separately for either smokers (r = 0.0001, p = .98) and nonsmokers (r = −0.007, p = .097). Plasma Hcy was correlated negatively with serum folate, RBC folate, and serum vitamin B12. There was no association between maternal Hcy and the duration of FA supplementation in weeks (r = −0.08, p = .083) or between maternal Hcy and gestational age at phlebotomy (r = −0.54, p = .35). Conclusions: In this well-characterized cohort of women in early pregnancy, there was no correlation between maternal plasma Hcy and birth weight. However, higher Hcy was associated with maternal smoking and social deprivation which may explain the association reported previously between an increased Hcy and LBW. Rationale This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between maternal homocysteine in early pregnancy and infant birth weight. Increased plasma homocysteine in early pregnancy was not associated with a lower birth weight. However, there was a positive correlation between increasing plasma homocysteine and maternal smoking and social disadvantage which are risk factors for lower birth weight. This study highlights the importance of correcting for confounding variables, such as smoking and social disadvantage, when evaluating the relationship maternal nutritional biomarkers and intrauterine fetal development. Rationale This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between maternal homocysteine in early pregnancy and infant birth weight. Increased plasma homocysteine in early pregnancy was not associated with a lower birth weight. However, there was a positive correlation between increasing plasma homocysteine and maternal smoking and social disadvantage which are risk factors for lower birth weight. This study highlights the importance of correcting for confounding variables, such as smoking and social disadvantage, when evaluating the relationship maternal nutritional biomarkers and intrauterine fetal development.


Research into the co-occurrence of problem gambling, familial violence, and alcohol misuse is limited. While these issues have been considered in combination (i.e. violence and alcohol misuse, problem gambling and alcohol misuse, problem gambling and violence), within Australia, in particular, there has been an absence of exploration of this triad. The current research attempts to fill the gap in the literature, to establish whether there is any difference between problem gamblers with co-occurring violence and problem gamblers who had not experienced violence in terms of their alcohol misuse and gambling behaviours. Interviews were conducted with 81 treatment-seeking problem gamblers to explore how a history of victimization only, perpetration only, victimization and perpetration, or no history of family violence impacted on gambling behaviours (including baseline Victorian Gambling Screen), as well as alcohol misuse. Results indicated that in this treatment-seeking sample there were no significant differences for gambling behaviours or alcohol misuse between problem gamblers with issues of violence and those without. Males demonstrated (on average) a greater tendency toward hazardous drinking or disordered alcohol use. It would be prudent for treatment services to routinely examine problem gamblers' history of violence and alcohol misuse until research verifies the nature of this triad.


We define a simple orthogonal polyhedron to be a three-dimensional polyhedron with the topology of a sphere in which three mutually-perpendicular edges meet at each vertex. By analogy to Steinitz's theorem characterizing the graphs of convex polyhedra, we characterize the graphs of simple orthogonal polyhedra: they are exactly the 3-regular bipartite planar graphs in which the removal of any two vertices produces at most two connected components. We also characterize two subclasses of these polyhedra: corner polyhedra, which can be drawn by isometric projection in the plane with only one hidden vertex, and xyz polyhedra, in which each axis-parallel line through a vertex contains exactly one other vertex. Based on our characterizations we find efficient algorithms for constructing orthogonal polyhedra from their graphs


This book outlines the comparative evolutionary ecology, biology, life-history, behaviour, conservation status, threats, history of human interactions and latest research on the three species of otariids that live in the waters of southern Australia: the Australian fur seal, New Zealand fur seal and Australian sea lion. It also includes brief descriptions of Antarctic and Subantarctic seals that occupy the Antarctic pack-ice and remote Australian territories of Macquarie Island and Heard Island.


As components engineering has progressively advanced over the past 20 years to encompass a robust element of reliability, a paradigm shift has occurred in how complex systems fail. While failures used to be dominated by 'component failures,' failures are now governed by other factors such as environmental factors, integration capability, design quality, system complexity, built in testability, etc. Of these factors, environmental factors are difficult to predict and assess. While test regimes typically encompass environmental factors, significant design changes to the system to mitigate any failures found is not likely to occur based on the cost. The early stages of the engineering design process offer a significant opportunity to evaluate and mitigate risks due to environmental factors. Systems that are expected to operate in a dynamic and changing environment have significant challenges for assessing environmental factors. For example, external failure initiating event probabilities will change with respect to time and new types of external initiating events can be expect with respect to time. While some of the well exercised methods such as Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) [Error! Reference source not found.] and Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) [Error! Reference source not found.] can partially address a time-dependent external initiating event probability, current methods of analyzing system failure risk during conceptual system design cannot. As a result, we present our efforts at developing a Time Based Failure Flow Evaluator (TBFFE). This method builds upon the Function Based Engineering Design (FBED) [Error! Reference source not found.] method of functional modeling and the Function Failure Identification and Propagation (FFIP) [Error! Reference source not found.] failure analysis method that is compatible with FBED. Through the development of TBFFE, we have found that it can provide significant insights into a design that is to be used in an environment with variable probability external initiating events and unique external initiating events. We present a case study of the conceptual design of a nuclear power plant's spent fuel pool undergoing a variety of external initiating events that vary in probability based upon the time of year. The case study illustrates the capability of TBFFE by identifying how seasonally variable initiating event occurrences can impact the probability of failure on a month timescale that otherwise would not be seen on a yearly timescale. Changing the design helps to reduce the impact that time-varying initiating events have on the monthly risk of system failure.


We examine what determines the flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Indonesia, focusing on the role of institutional measures. A knowledge-and-physical-capital (KPC) model is applied to a panel dataset that covers 42 of Indonesia's FDI partners from 2004 to 2012. Evidence shows that both horizontal and vertical FDIs coexist in the bilateral aggregate data of Indonesia's FDI flows, but horizontal FDI appears to be dominant. This can be explained by the market size (proxied by the total GDP of both countries and similarity in incomes per capita) and the relative factor endowments (proxied by skilled labor and physical capital). The vertical FDI, on the other hand, could be only explained by the significant effect of unskilled labor. Institutional factors, particularly corruption, are apparently important in affecting Indonesia's bilateral FDI flows. The results also show that a higher FDI level in Indonesia positively correlates with macroeconomic factors, open policy factors, and utility infrastructure factors.


Sundry improvement plans are used for improving a picture which incorporates ash scale control, sifting and Histogram Equalization (HE). The issue with pictures is that, their quality depends upon a number of different variables like lighting in the picture catching area, commotion and capability of the administrator. The writing addresses the verbalized issue widely and presents answers for them. Contrast improvement systems are used for correcting visual nature of low difference pictures. Histogram Equalization (HE) is one such procedure used for difference upgrade. The proposed illustrations have a few shared traits in their procedures. Approximately every one of them is at fluctuation either in histogram leveling strategies or in picture quality estimation instruments. An instrument is lost in the writing that is proficient to improve the picture and even perform the examination. In this paper, a GUI apparatus is composed which is coupled with different procedures of picture improvement through histogram balance. Opening-by-recreation is a standout amongst the most effective picture division strategy is used to attain to the craved results. To assess the adequacy of the delineated systems; PSNR, Tenengrad, and Absolute Mean Brightness mistake (AMBE) are used as parameters. The results are decently backed by the parameter estimations toward the end.


Two studies were conducted to examine marital schemata, attachment relations, and marital communication. The first study involved 162 couples who completed questionnaires concerning dimensions of importance in their marriage, their attachment patterns, and communication patterns during conflict. The second study consisted of in-depth interviews of 18 individuals concerning their memories of early family life and concurrent relational functioning. It was hypothesized that partners who shared the same marital schema would also have similar attachment patterns. This hypothesis was not supported by the data. It was also predicted that couples in different types of marriages would report different patterns of communication during conflict. This hypothesis was strongly supported. Finally, it was predicted that the Separate marital types would have a less secure attachment style than either the Traditional or the Independent marital types because they exhibit less interdependence with their spouses and are more likely to avoid conflict with them. Both Separates and Independents had an avoidant attachment style. Traditionals had the most secure attachment style. The interview data indicated that Traditionals were preoccupied with their relationships, whereas Independents were somewhat dismissive. Directions for future research are discussed.


In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm for computing an atlas from a collection of images. In the literature, atlases have almost always been computed as some types of means such as the straightforward Euclidean means or the more general Karcher means on Riemannian manifolds. In the context of images, the paper's main contribution is a geometric framework for computing image atlases through a two-step process: the localization of mean and the realization of it as an image. In the localization step, a few nearest neighbors of the mean among the input images are determined, and the realization step then proceeds to reconstruct the atlas image using these neighbors. Decoupling the localization step from the realization step provides the flexibility that allows us to formulate a general algorithm for computing image atlas. More specifically, we assume the input images belong to some smooth manifold M modulo image rotations. We use a graph structure to represent the manifold, and for the localization step, we formulate a convex optimization problem in R (k the number of input images) to determine the crucial neighbors that are used in the realization step to form the atlas image. The algorithm is both unbiased and rotation-invariant. We have evaluated the algorithm using synthetic and real images. In particular, experimental results demonstrate that the atlases computed using the proposed algorithm preserve important image features and generally enjoy better image quality in comparison with atlases computed using existing methods.


Objective: Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) is a monogenetic disorder caused by haploinsufficiency of the retinoic acid-induced 1 (RAI1) gene on 17p11.2. SMS patients are dysmorphic with developmental delay, autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and insomnia. Treating the insomnia, ADHD, and disruptive behavior are key in managing SMS; however, to date there are no treatment guidelines or FDA-approved medications.
Methods: We present a case of a 7-year-old girl with developmental delay, insomnia, and behavioral problems whom we had diagnosed with SMS, and treated her insomnia and ADHD.
Results: Ramelteon 4 mg at night decreased her CSHQ (Children Sleep Habits Questionnaire) score from 91 to 79, and amphetamine-dextroamphetamine salt 30 mg daily lowered her Vanderbilt ADHD parent rating scale from 70 to 54.
Conclusions: Ramelteon may be effective in treating insomnia in SMS; larger randomized studies would be beneficial in demonstrating the efficacy and safety of these medications in the future.


This paper describes work being conducted on the development of intelligent sensors with learning capabilities as part of an integrated systems approach. The integrated systems approach treats the sensor as a complete system with its own sensing hardware (the traditional sensor), A/D converter, processing and storage capabilities, software drivers, self-assessment algorithms, communication protocols and evolutionary methodologies that allow the system to learn its own behavior. The immediate application is the monitoring of rocket test stands, but the technology should be generally applicable to the Integrated Systems Health Monitoring (ISHM) vision. This paper outlines progress made in the development of intelligent sensors by describing the work done till date on Physical Intelligent Sensors (PIS) and Virtual Intelligent Sensors (VIS). The PIS as discussed here consists of a thermocouple used to read temperature in an analog form which is then converted into digital values. A microprocessor collects the sensor readings and runs numerous embedded event detection routines on the digital data. If any event, i.e. spike, drift, noise, is detected, it is reported, stored and sent to a remote system through an Ethernet connection. Hence the output of the PIS is data coupled with a confidence factor in the reliability of the data. The VIS discussed here is a virtual implantation of the PIS in the G2 software environment. The VIS is designed to mirror the operations of the PIS; however, the VIS works on a computer at which digital data is provided as the input. This work lays the foundation for the next generation of smart devices that have embedded intelligence for distributed decision making capabilities.© 2006 ASME


The article, starting with the forecasts of the near depletion of the main energy source that allows the development of all human activities and emphasizing the strict dependence of urban and metropolitan systems on fossil fuels, shows an overview of the major innovations developed by technology in the specific field of urban car-based mobility. The entire discussion is developed considering the condition of energy mono-dependence produced by the total energy reference to the fossil fuels. In particular, we consider the global data of energy consumption and similarly those related to mining activities. Above all, a specific study is presented on the theory of the U.S. geologist Hubbert who developed a model to assess the mining potential of a deposit in relation to the so-called conventional oil. The curve describes a "bell-shaped" trend of the estimated amount of recoverable oil, four different phases can be distinguished, the last of which is characterized by the final exhaustion of oil resources. Unfortunately this phase seems to have already begun, but no consequent pressures for effective development of efficient alternative energy sources are observed. The article proposes an energy reversal based essentially on three factors: technological innovation, the recovery and promotion of social capital (especially in cities), the start of market structures which, in observance of the necessary profit, put sustainability (and not growth) at the base of their development processes. The research and technological development may, in the near future, allow to use efficiently sources of renewable energy. At the same time, innovation can enable the development of new engines that use atypical propellants such as: sun, air or water. Technological innovation is the greatest hope for a possible solution to the energy problem, particularly with regard to physical mobility. The technology, however, if used incorrectly, acts as an accelerator and entropic transformer further compromising the conditions of the planet. The final section describes the key technologies for vehicles based on propellant alternative to gasoline, which are, at present, already available for the market and could represent one of  "systems" to solve the near depletion of the fossil resource. The new forms of zero-emission fuel, such as compressed air, hydrogen, electricity, etc. will be investigated through the description of the different ideas of vehicle whose feasibility is already extensively tested.


Cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) exhibit selective reflection that can be tuned owing to the dynamic control of inherent self‐organized helical superstructures. Although phototunable reflection is reported, these systems hitherto suffer from a limitation in that the tuning range is restricted to one narrow period and the optically addressed images have to sacrifice one color in the visible spectrum to serve as the background, resulting from the insufficient variation in helical twisting power of existing photoresponsive chiral switches that are all bistable. Here, delicate patterns of three primary red, green, and blue (RGB) colors with a black background are presented, which is realized based on piecewise reflection tuning of the CLC induced by a newly designed photoresponsive tristable chiral switch. Three stable configurations of the chiral switch endow the CLC with two continuous and adjacent tuning periods of the reflection, covering not only entire visible spectrum, but also one more wide period within near‐infrared region. Therefore, the concept of piecewise tuning in CLC system demonstrates a new strategy for phototunable RGB and black reflective display.


The most important stage in the relations between the USSR and India is the second half of the 1950s and the 1960s, when the systemic factors led to the transformation of the two states into natural strategic allies. The article studies the evolution of Soviet and Indian foreign policies and the impact of exogenous and endogenous factors on their strategies. The analysis of unique, special and universal aspects of the general strategy of two states reveals their geo-economic and geopolitical interests and conditions which promoted or limited the realization of these interests.


There has been growing interest in stochastic methods to natural language generation (NLG). While most NLG pipelines separate morphological generation and syntactic linearization, the two tasks are closely related. In this paper, we study joint morphological generation and linearization, making use of word order and inflections information for both tasks and reducing error propagation. Experiments show that the joint method significantly outperforms a strong pipelined baseline (by 1.1 BLEU points). It also achieves the best reported result on the Generation Challenge 2011 shared task.


The protein kinase AKT1 (v‐akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog 1), also referred to as protein kinase B (PKB), is an essential mediator of the phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase signaling pathway. Elevated activity of AKT1 is common in human cancer. Localization at the plasma membrane, leading to enhanced phosphorylation and activation of AKT1, is an important factor determining the oncogenicity of this kinase. Although the phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase signaling pathway is frequently upregulated in cancer, cancer‐specific mutations in AKT1 are not common. Recently, such a mutation has been identified in breast, colon and ovarian cancers. The mutation is located in the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain of AKT1 and results in a glutamic acid to lysine substitution at residue 17. The resultant change in the conformation of the PH domain facilitates membrane binding of the mutant protein. Here we show that exchange of the PH domain leading to preferential binding of phosphatidylinositol 4,5‐bisphosphate (PIP2) over phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5‐trisphosphate (PIP3) constitutively activates AKT1. AKT1 with this altered PIP affinity induces oncogenic transformation in cultures of chicken embryo fibroblasts and causes neoplastic growth and angiogenesis in the chorioallantoic membrane of the chicken embryo. Gain‐of‐function mutants of AKT1 may not be affected by PI3K inhibitors that are currently in development. Therefore, AKT1 remains a distinct and important cancer target.


Introduction: According to national trauma databases, 25% of all people injured have some type of facial injury. The gold standard for diagnosing bony trauma of the facial skeleton has been computed tomography (CT) scan. In 2011, the "Wisconsin criteria" were established and subsequently validated as a method to predict which patients truly have a facial fracture and warrant further imaging. The purpose of this study is to externally validate these criteria and determine the economic impact they might have on avoiding unnecessary CT scans. Methods: This was a retrospective chart review. We collected 1000 patients who had undergone facial CT related to trauma and retrospectively applied the "Wisconsin criteria" based on physical exam documentation. Results: Of the 1000 facial CT scans obtained, we identified 408 fractures, 12% of which required operative intervention. The "Wisconsin criteria" applied to our patient population had a sensitivity of 90% and a negative predictive value of 93%. Using these criteria resulted in a missed fracture rate of 2.8%. Finally, had these criteria been used to determine when a facial CT scan was indicated, our institution could be saving over US$300 000 annually. Conclusion: The "Wisconsin criteria" are a reliable method to screen for facial fracture in trauma patients. Using a validated instrument tool to guide decision-making, we can avoid obtaining low-value imaging studies. This can have a large economic impact while maintaining safety and reliability in accurate diagnosis.


Common rail injection systems in innovative gas engines require an accurate control of the rail pressure dynamics. This task is, in fact, combined with a precise setting of the opening/closing time intervals of electro-injectors to achieve a satisfactory metering of the ratio between gas and air, then a good performance that reduces pollution and consumption. To achieve a trade-off between model accuracy and control simplicity, an important issue is to optimize the model of the pressure dynamics in the main accumulation volumes. This paper reports preliminary results in estimating the optimal parameters of a non-linear model by two different techniques. First delays in the main variables are estimated by a particle swarm optimization. Then, time-variability of model parameters is investigated.


Matrix Energetics is a system of self-transformation developed by Richard Bartlett in the context of alternative medicine, which he teaches at training seminars around the world to anyone who wishes to learn it. The authors conducted the present study to determine what happens psychologically at a Matrix Energetics seminar and to see if there could be any long-term health benefits associated with participation at such a seminar. Participants were 97 attendees at a Matrix Energetics seminar held over three days at a hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There were 69 women and 26 men ( N = 95) with a mean age of 51.1 years ( SD = 13.2; age range: 18–77 years; N = 94). Participants were given questionnaires to complete before the beginning of the seminar, at the end of each of the three days, and through a website at a two-month follow-up. The questionnaires included measures of demographic information, personality, psychological well-being, physical and mental health, state of being, and profundity of experiences. In addition, behavioral observations were made and participants were interviewed. During the seminar participants appeared to experience reality as being more plastic than we ordinarily assume it to be while in an attentive, expanded, and emotionally positive state of being. Using the total scale of the 36-Item RAND Health Survey, a paired samples t test revealed that overall health was better at the follow-up ( M  = 81.33; SD  = 10.43) than at the time of the initial questionnaires ( M  = 72.77; SD  = 16.15) with t (24) = 3.42, p  = .002 (two-tailed), although that result needs to be interpreted with caution. The alterations of consciousness experienced in the context of Matrix Energetics should be further investigated as should the potentially therapeutic benefits of experiencing Matrix Energetics.


Neurologic complications during neonatal extracorporeal life support (ECLS) are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Gaseous microemboli (GME) in the ECLS circuit may be a possible cause. Advances in neonatal circuitry may improve hemodynamic performance and GME handling leading to reduction in patient complications. This study compared hemodynamic performance and GME handling using two centrifugal pumps (Maquet RotaFlow and Medos Deltastream DP3) and polymethylpentene oxygenators (Maquet Quadrox-iD and Medos Hilite 800LT) in a neonatal ECLS circuit model. The experimental circuit was primed with Lactated Ringer's solution and packed human red blood cells (hematocrit 40%) and arranged in parallel with the RotaFlow and DP3 pump, Quadrox-iD and Hilite oxygenator, and Better-Bladder. Hemodynamic trials evaluating pressure drops and total hemodynamic energy (THE) were conducted at 300 and 500 mL/min at 36°C. GME handling was measured after 0.5 mL of air was injected into the venous line using the Emboli Detection and Classification Quantifier System with unique pump, oxygenator, and Better-Bladder combinations. The RotaFlow pump and Quadrox oxygenator arrangement had lower pressure drops and THE loss at both flow rates compared to the DP3 pump and Hilite oxygenator (P < 0.01). Total GME volume and counts decreased with Better-Bladder at both flow rates with all combinations (P < 0.01). Hemodynamic performance and energy loss were similar in all of the circuit combinations. The Better-Bladder significantly decreased GME. All four combinations of pumps and oxygenators also performed similarly in terms of GME handling.


In a cohort of women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), we aimed to ascertain whether women with abnormal glucose tolerance 1-year postdelivery had a more atherogenic lipid profile during and after pregnancy than those with normal glucose tolerance. A prospective cohort study with longitudinal design between January 2004 and March 2016 was conducted. Three hundred and six (56.8%) of 537 women diagnosed with GDM during the studied period attended a control visit during the first year after delivery. Of these, 112 (36.6%) had prediabetes and 16 (5.2%) had type 2 diabetes mellitus. No significant differences during pregnancy were found in total, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triacylglycerol (TAG) concentrations among the three groups. Only HDL cholesterol and TAG levels differed significantly among groups at 2 and 12 months after delivery. Logistic regression analysis revealed pregnancy HDL and glucose metabolism status to be associated with the HDL cholesterol concentration 1-year postdelivery. Furthermore, the only independent factor associated with TAG levels 1 year after delivery was the gestational TAG concentration. In summary, an overweight multiethnic group of women with prior GDM presented a high incidence of postpartum dysglycemia (41.8%). HDL-cholesterol and TAG levels, both components of the metabolic syndrome, differed significantly among the three study groups in the glucose-metabolism status at 2 and 12 months after delivery. Women with previous GDM must be followed up in the postpartum period for early detection and management of lipid and glucose disorders.


Objective: To compare the complications and outcome using 2 different techniques of parametrial resection in a consecutive series of radical hysterectomies performed in 1 department. Material and Methods: Between 1993 and 1998 (Series I), 55 radical hysterectomies Rutledge type 3 were performed in our Department using clamps to resect the parametria from the pelvic wall. Between 1999 and 2001(Series II) 40 patients underwent the same type of procedure using sharp dissection with clipping or coagulation of the vessels on the pelvic side walls. All patients that underwent preoperative chemotherapy or radiotherapy were excluded. Results: The median age for the whole group of patients was 45 years (range, 28—76) and the median follow-up 48 months (range, 9—115). Eighty percent of the patients had a squamous cell carcinoma, 15% an adenocarcinoma and 5% an adenosquamous tumour. The stage distribution was similar in both series (Stage Ia-IB1, Stage IB2 and Stage IIa: 58%, 16% and 25% for Series I; and 61%, 10% and 28% for series II). The number of parametria without lymph nodes reported by the pathologist was similar (66% and 59%, for Series I and II respectively). Metastatic parametrial lymph nodes were observed in 4/55 (7%) and 5/40 (13%) for Series I and II, respectively. Parametrial infiltration was observed in 7 (13%) and 7 (18%) for Series I and II, respectively. Five patients (9%) had positive resection margins in Series I and none in Series II (Wilcoxon, p1⁄4 0.05). Urinary and bowel complications, blood loss and dyspareunia were similar in both series. Three year overall survival for series I and II were 85% and 85% respectively, and 3-year disease-free survival 84% and 73% respectively. Conclusion: Although the resection by sharp dissection on the pelvic side wall resulted in decrease in the number of patients with positive resection margins, without increasing the number of complications, this has not resulted in an improved survival. However, this could be due to the small series and the fact that the study was not randomised.


The need to innovate to advance exploration success is ongoing and, while regional geochemical surveys are common, increasing the data we collect and improving survey results has stagnated. A new adaption of existing methods known as UltraFine+™ extracts the <2 µm fraction of soils and sediments, which is then analysed and combined with spectral mineralogy proxies and physicochemical properties to improve targeting for Au and base-metal exploration. We applied the UltraFine+™ workflow to three small orientation site studies in Western Australia, and reprocessed archived regional soil samples from the Geological Survey of Western Australia to test the method. The orientation programme (c. 200 samples) involved samples from the Leonora and Sir Samuel 1:250 000 map sheets, an area that hosts known major Au and base-metal deposits. We then applied this approach to the Kingston 1:250 000 map sheet area, analysing a further 300 samples in a region on the Yilgarn Craton margins that is essentially greenfields, as there has been little exploration and the original geochemical survey data were heavily censored due to the abundance of transported regolith dominated by quartz-rich sand. The archived samples were specifically selected soils (sheetwash or sandplain) with a component of Quaternary–Tertiary transported cover. Results at the orientation test sites (Telfer West, Tooting Bec and DeGrussa) were promising. Importantly, the study revealed a marked decrease in censored results for Au (from 63% to 10% below detection limit). Geochemistry and some example indices for mineral exploration and lithology mapping, as well as example maps using the additional spectral mineralogy proxies or particle-size variation, are presented. The application of the <2 µm particle-size separation and the UltraFine+™ workflow importantly demonstrate the additional value from (re-)assaying regional soil and sediment samples to generate new targets and improve regional geochemical maps. This is an exercise that can be applied to new greenfields surveys and, when exploration budgets are lean, to archived samples.


HeartMate II left ventricular assist device controllers provide data including pulsatility index, reflecting the relationship between pump function and hemodynamics. We propose that a higher pulsatility index at hospital discharge following implant may be associated with less vascular congestion and improved clinical outcomes. A retrospective analysis of 40 patients (age 59.2 ± 10.3 years) supported with the HeartMate II devices was conducted. Data revealed moderate Pearson correlations between pulsatility index at discharge and right atrial pressure, pulmonary artery systolic pressure, pulmonary artery diastolic pressure, mean pulmonary arterial pressure, and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, respectively, post-surgery (median of 377 days), demonstrating a stronger relationship when analyzed for the EPC controller (n = 28) only (r = −.57, p < .01; r = −.38, p < .05; r = −.59, p < .01; r = −.47, p = .01 and r = −.53, p < .01, respectively). The pulsatility index derived from the EPC controller was associated with the significant risk of re-hospitalization within 1 and 2 years after the implantation of left ventricular assist device; hazard ratio = 0.557 with 95% confidence interval (0.315–0.983), p = .04 and hazard ratio = .579 (0.341–0.984), p = .04. A higher pulsatility index at discharge was associated with greater volume unloading, lower pulmonary pressures, and lower risk of all-cause re-hospitalizations within 1 and 2 years post-surgery. As such, pump-derived data may provide additional value in predicting left ventricular assist device hemodynamics.


Abstract Woodland salamanders are among the most abundant vertebrate animals in temperate deciduous forests of eastern North America. Because of their abundance, woodland salamanders are responsible for the transformation of nutrients and translocation of energy between highly disparate levels of trophic organization: detrital food webs and high‐order predators. However, the spatial extent of woodland salamanders' role in the ecosystem is likely contingent upon the distribution of their biomass throughout the forest. We sought to determine if natural environmental gradients influence the fine‐scale distribution and density of Southern Ravine Salamanders (Plethodon richmondi) and Cumberland Plateau Salamanders (P. kentucki). We addressed this objective by constructing occupancy, co‐occurrence, and abundance models from temporally replicated surveys within an old‐growth forest in the Cumberland Plateau region of Kentucky. We found that Plethodon richmondi had a more restricted fine‐scale distribution than P. kentucki (mean occupancy probability [ψ¯^] = 0.737) and exhibited variable density, from <250 to >1000 individuals per hectare, associated with increased soil moisture and reduced solar exposure due to slope face. While more ubiquitously distributed (ψ¯^ = 0.95), P. kentucki density varied from <400 to >1,000 individuals per hectare and was inversely related to increased solar exposure from canopy disturbance and landscape convexity. Our data suggest co‐occurrence patterns of P. richmondi and P. kentucki are influenced primarily by abiotic conditions within the forest, and that populations likely occur independently and without evidence of biotic interaction. Given the critical role that woodland salamanders play in the maintenance of forest health, regions that support large populations of woodland salamanders, such as those highlighted in this study—mesic forest stands on north‐to‐east facing slopes with dense canopy and abundant natural cover, may provide enhanced ecosystem services and support the stability of the total forest.


Applications of electrochemical technology involving low reactant concentrations require electrodes with high mass transport rates and specific surface areas to increase cross-sectional current densities and optimise capital and operating costs. Experimental results will be compared with model predictions for two such reactor types, which facilitate adherent and coherent deposit morphologies: a) cathode feeder electrodes contacting unconsolidated beds of moving, conducting particles that can grow, and enable continual harvesting of the metallic product by hydraulic transport from the bed of the particles; b) mesh cathodes in fluidised beds of inert particles, to enhance mass transport rates; used for metal recovery from: i) low concentrations of platinum in aqueous iodide solutions; ii) acidic aqueous chloride solutions, produced by the leaching of waste electrical and electronic equipment, containing precious metals in low concentrations and base metals in high concentrations.


Bloom syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder whose characteristics include an increased risk for many types of cancers. In contrast to the homozygous mutations of Bloom syndrome, heterozygous carriers of BLM mutations may be at increased risk for developing colorectal cancer. We have screened 2,333 Jewish individuals, including 497 individuals with colorectal cancer, 125 with adenomatous polyps, 767 with noncolorectal cancers and 944 controls for the truncating BLMAsh founder mutation. The BLMAsh mutation was carried by 0.80% of individuals with colorectal neoplasia, 0.87% of those with any type of cancer and 0.85% of controls. In addition to case-control data, we found no evidence to support a significant relationship between increased cancer risk and heterozygous BLMAsh mutations with respect to age of cancer diagnosis, tumor multiplicity or family cancer history.


Left ventricular non-compaction is a rare genetic disease of the heart muscle. Compaction is a process, which occurs during the development of the heart. If this process is not complete, the inside of the heart muscle will look spongy. The only definitive treatment of LV non-compaction is cardiac transplantation. Prevention of both heart failure and thromboembolic events are the main target of treatments. We describe a patient with the diagnosis of isolated LV non-compaction made after presentation with dyspnea. Angiography showed three-vessel disease. The patient underwent bypass grafting .Early diagnosis of disease can prevent the occurrence of myocardial infarction.


Like its predecessors in the series, this book is an epic chronicle of previously unpublished topics, including the uniforms and equipment of the submarine force, PT boat squadrons, mine warfare men, gun crews, signalmen, and more. In addition, never-before addressed subjects including the U.S. Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, Public Health Service, Coast and Geodetic Survey and the Samoan Fita-Fita are examined. Clothing, accoutrements, insignia, small arms, knives, life jackets, novelty items and sweetheart jewelry are all covered.


The aim of the present study was to investigate the phylogeny and evolution of sequestrate fungi (with gastroid or partially exposed basidiomes) in relation to their gilled relatives from the Cortinariaceae (Basidiomycetes). Phylogenetic analyses of 151 ITS sequences from 77 gilled species and 37 sequestrate taxa were performed using maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood methods. Results show that sequestrate basidiome forms occur in all three major ectomycorrhizal lineages of Cortinariaceae: the clades Cortinarius, Hebeloma/Hymenogaster/Naucoria, and Descolea. However, these forms do not appear within the saprobic outgroup Gymnopilus, indicating multiple origins of sequestrate forms from ectomycorrhizal ancestors. Additionally, within the Cortinarius clade sequestrate forms have multiple origins: emergent Cortinarius spp., Thaxterogaster, Quadrispora, Protoglossum, and two Hymenogaster spp. (H. remyi, H. sublilacinus) share common ancestors with Cortinarius spp., but these sequestrate genera are not closely related to each other (with exception of Thaxterogaster and Quadrispora). Hymenogaster sensu stricto, Setchelliogaster, and Descomyces were placed in the two other major clades. Thus, sequestrate taxa evolved independently many times within brown-spored Agaricales. Furthermore, emergent, secotioid, and gastroid forms have evolved independently from each other, and so are not necessarily intermediate forms. After their establishment, these apparently morphologically stable taxa show a tendency to radiate.


Tool selection is a critical part during manufacturing process. The tool geometry plays a vital role in the art of machining to produce the part to meet the quality requirements. The tool parameters which play major roles are tool material, tool geometry, size of the tool and coating of the tool. Out of these, selection of right kind of tool geometry plays a major role by reducing cutting forces and induced stresses, energy consumptions and temperature. All this will leads to reduced distortions and the selection of wrong tool geometry results in enhanced tool cost and loss in production. However these tool geometric features are often neglected during machining considerations and procurement of tools. Thus the objective of the study is to analyze the contribution of tool geometry in peripheral milling operation and to find the optimized helix angle to get minimum cutting force (useful in thin wall machining) and thereby ensuring perpendicularity and best surface finish to reduce the chatter vibration and deflection by optimizing the machining parameters such as spindle speed, feed per tooth and side cut. The experiments are conducted on CNC milling machine on aluminium alloy 2014 using solid carbide end mills of 10 mm diameter with various helix angles by making all other geometric features constant. Taguchi method is used for design of experiment. The optimum level of parameters has been identified using Grey relational analysis (GRA) and also the percentage contribution is identified using ANOVA.


There were 850 deaths among 11,071 Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) men from 1958 to 1962. The group was similar to other men in California except for occupation, an older age distribution, and much less tobacco exposure. The total number of deaths observed and death from respiratory disease were approximately one half and one fourth, respectively, of that expected at comparable ages for California men. In the SDA group, the 28 deaths contributed to by emphysema or lung cancer were concentrated in a minority with a history of heavy tobacco usage; only one such death occurred among 3,913 (35%) SDA "lifetime" members who had never smoked. The findings from this study are consistent with previous epidemiologic studies and predictions of a large reduction in lung cancer and other mortality in any nonsmoking US population. The findings support the causal relationship of cigarette smoking to lung cancer but discount the "selection or constitutional" theory.


Remarkable progress has been made in islet transplantation over a span of 40 years. Once just an experimental curiosity in mice, this therapy has moved forward, and can now provide robust therapy for highly selected patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D), refractory to stabilization by other means. This progress could not have occurred without extensive dynamic international collaboration. Currently, 1,085 patients have undergone islet transplantation at 40 international sites since the Edmonton Protocol was reported in 2000 (752 allografts, 333 autografts), according to the Collaborative Islet Transplant Registry. The long-term results of islet transplantation in selected centers now match registry data of pancreas-alone transplantation, with 6 sites reporting five-year insulin independence rates ≥50%. Islet transplantation has been criticized for the use of multiple donor pancreas organs, but progress has also occurred in single-donor success, with 10 sites reporting increased single-donor engraftment. The next wave of innovative clinical trial interventions will address instant blood-mediated inflammatory reaction (IBMIR), apoptosis, and inflammation, and will translate into further marked improvements in single-donor success. Effective control of auto- and alloimmunity is the key to long-term islet function, and high-resolution cellular and antibody-based assays will add considerable precision to this process. Advances in immunosuppression, with new antibody-based targeting of costimulatory blockade and other T-B cellular signaling, will have further profound impact on the safety record of immunotherapy. Clinical trials will move forward shortly to test out new human stem cell derived islets, and in parallel trials will move forward, testing pig islets for compatibility in patients. Induction of immunological tolerance to self-islet antigens and to allografts is a difficult challenge, but potentially within our grasp.


This work presents a miniaturized bandpass filter in V-band using integrated passive device (IPD) technology with thick metal layers and Benzocyclobutene (BCB) dielectric on a glass substrate. The proposed filter, comprised of two stepped-impedance resonators with quarter-wave short-circuited stubs and floating pads, has low passband insertion loss and high stopband attenuation in a compact size. The fabricated filter has an insertion loss of 2.46 dB at the center frequency of 59 GHz, and a 3 dB bandwidth from 55.7 to 62.2 GHz. The core size of this filter is only 0.32×0.4 mm2(0.064 ×0.08 λ02).


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• Article 17 MAR sets out the legal framework with respect to the disclosure of inside information. Article 17(1) MAR contains the primary duty to disclose inside information and stipulates that the issuer must disclose inside information that directly concerns that issuer. Article 17(4) MAR grants the issuer the possibility to delay the disclosure of inside information if three cumulative conditions are met; once one or more conditions are no longer met, the primary duty revives.
• In addition to the primary duty, two separate duties to disclose have been included in Article 17 MAR: i) Article 17(8) MAR stipulates that the issuer must make complete and public disclosure of inside information that is disclosed to selected parties and ii) if the issuer had opted to delay the disclosure of inside information, Article 17(7) MAR stipulates that the issuer must make complete and public disclosure of that information if it has lost its confidential nature.
• One could raise doubts over the necessity and function of Paragraphs 8 and 7 of Article 17 MAR. However, in this Paper we defend the independent status of these Paragraphs. If the inside information has lost its non-public nature, the duty to disclose that information can no longer be based on Article 17(1) MAR. Paragraphs 8 and 7 of Article 17 MAR contribute to legal certainty and to achieving the goals of the MAR.


The purpose of this study is to examine the situation of the school for boys 15-21 years of age lacking compulsory school attendance and is being located at five residential care units from the pedagogues' point of view. The study was conducted by interviewing four pedagogical leaders and two teachers. The results demonstrate that the boys can choose the subjects they study as well as the amount of time they spend on studying each week. The teachers include non-learning activities during their lessons. Some of the pedagogues' teach at a ninth grade level regardless of the boys' actual level. The boys have access to books. The pedagogues explained that they have a good relationship with the boys and that they noticed a lack of interest from the care workers regarding the boys' education. Most of the situated boys lack complete grades from the ninth grade when they leave the residential care unit. The major findings of this study are that the residential care units don't offer education in all subjects in ninth grade. The pedagogues' describe that they are afraid of insulting and scare the boys away from the school which affects the education of the boys.


According to the principle KADS (knowledge acquisition and design structuring), the development process or model-based intelligent process control system (IPCS) is divided into three sequential stages - system analysis, conceptual modeling, and system implemention - in which a series of models are built, each of which only focuses on certain aspects of process control problem and IPCS. IPCS consists of a series of modelling activities. This approach leads to the development of complex industrial IPCS process control of PVC production line.


Fasciolosis is a widespread, significant, endemic problem in cattle in rice-growing areas of Indonesia. Its effects are usually sub-clinical so it remains largely unrecognised by farmers and extensionists. Indonesian and Australian parasitologists have developed a suite of control strategies. Initial attempts to promote these strategies through Transfer of Technology (TOT) approaches achieved increased awareness, but little lasting change in farmer practices was evident 4 years later. This paper reports on the process, and early promising results from, an initiative to trial a Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology to stimulate an extension process whose outcome is effective, sustainable fasciolosis control in Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia. In PAR, groups of farmers, extension agents and scientists work closely in a cooperative and flexible process, to resolve commonly identified problematic issues. The emphasis is on working with rather than for people through an interactive process to enhance opportunities for learning by doing. The process involved working through a four-step process to gain credible access to four farmer groups in three villages identified as having a fasciolosis problem. This was followed by a 9-month long series of activities, coordinated through farmer group meetings, which included (1) creating awareness through developing a media package, and then maintaining farmer involvement through (2) design and execution of field trials, (3) monitoring results, and (4) presentation and discussion of results with farmers. Group meetings were an important part of the information exchange process, and the use of learning aid tools was regarded as complementary for interpersonal communication. Of the four recommended control strategies, two were already practised for reasons other than fasciolosis control, one was acceptable but had prohibitive cost, and the fourth was unattractive because it was technically difficult to implement. A significant development was a new strategy generated within a farmer group that was adopted readily by other groups. We conclude that adoption of technical innovations by farmers depends largely on two issues: (i) the nature of the associated farming systems, and (ii) the way in which the innovation is presented through extension agency activity. A participative approach appears to have considerable potential for stimulating significant practice change, particularly if it incorporates farmer involvement in generation and dissemination of locally relevant knowledge and recommendations. PAR fosters such a reflexive approach.


A major goal of evolutionary research is to elucidate the processes involved in the evolution of group versus solitary living, by examining the selective forces driving or constraining a particular type of social system. Species with intermediate group living tendencies are particularly interesting because they offer insight into evolutionary transitions and, in particular, how different selective environments may modulate group living behaviours. This dissertation explores the different factors that shape the social strategies of the western black widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus, a facultatively groupliving spider. Over a period of four years, I characterized the social structure of coastal British Columbia populations of1. hesperus, and show that individuals live either solitarily or in groups depending on the time of year, their reproductive status, and age. I then used an experimental approach to investigate the dynamics and adaptive value of facultative group-living behaviours, by testing different hypotheses about the decisions involved in social interactions, web building, microhabitat settlement, movement, and foraging. Several factors were manipulated and shown to influence the patterns of group living in 1. hesperus, including individual nutritional state, prey availability, group size, population density, and neighbour proximity. Spiders adjusted their group living behaviours according to changes in these factors, and responded strategically to the presence and proximity of conspecifics. Based on the results of these experiments, I developed a model of group living in spiders that specifically considers the dynamic and strategic nature of social interactions in the context of frequency-dependent selection. The research presented in this thesis furthers our understanding of the evolution of social behaviour by providing new evidence on the mechanisms that promote and regulate facultative group-living behaviours.


Intra-industry trade (IIT) related concepts have often been used as indicators of the extent to which trade growth can be accommodated without factor market disruption. The most commonly used indicators have been movements in the Grubel-Lloyd (GL) index. However, GL-based indicators are sometimes misleading and, at best, they give qualitative information only. We develop two other indicators. The first involves computing changes in IIT. While this method provides a precise measure of the contribution of growth in IIT to total trade (TT) growth, it tends to overestimate the contribution of non-disruptive trade growth. This problem is overcome by our second indicator, dynamic intra-industry trade or matched changes in trade. All our indicators are illustrated with data for 133 Australian manufacturing industries.


The possibility of differential remote acculturation to a distant culture is yet another chasm that divorced coparents must bridge as they raise their children in globalizing urban settings. This study explored the association between parental remote acculturation and perceived parental remote acculturation gaps in two acculturation domains (behavior, identity), in relation to children's adjustment in Turkish divorced families. Altogether, 177 urban divorced mothers in Turkey reported their own and their ex-partners' remote acculturation to U.S. and Turkish cultures, and their joint children's internalizing (social withdrawal, anxiety) and externalizing (aggression) behaviors. Perceived remote acculturation gaps were operationalized with match:mismatch and interaction methods. Sequential regression analyses accounting for parental conflict resolution revealed that mothers' perceptions of fathers' American identity was positively associated with children's social withdrawal. Regarding perceived acculturation gaps, one particular cross-dimension pairing—strongly U.S.-identified "AmeriTurk" mothers paired with strongly Turkish-identified fathers—predicted lower internalizing problems. Although having an Americanized father might confer some risk for children in divorced families in Turkey, having an "AmeriTurk" mother and traditional Turkish father may be protective, suggesting the benefit of integration as a family-level remote acculturation strategy. Taken together, parental remote acculturation and perceived remote acculturation gaps in identity (not behavior) predicted the socioemotional (not behavioral) adjustment of children above and beyond parental discord. Findings highlight the family repercussions of remote acculturation in Eurasia, underscore the importance of multidomain acculturation measurement, confirm the superior sensitivity of the interaction method, and extend its application to assessing cross-dimension pairings as a new type of acculturation gap.


Because "odd" individuals often suffer disproportionately high rates of predation, solitary individuals should join groups whose members are most similar to themselves in appearance. We examined group-choice decisions by individuals in armored and nonarmored species and predicted that either (1) the oddity effect would result in preference for conspecific groups for solitary individuals of both species, or (2) individuals in the armored species would prefer to associate with groups containing individuals of the more vulnerable species. Armored brook sticklebacks (Culaea inconstans) and nonarmored fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) have the same predators and often occur together in streams. In mixed-species shoals, yellow perch (Perca flavescens) attacked minnows earlier and more often than sticklebacks. We tested whether solitary minnows and sticklebacks preferred to associate with conspecific or heterospecific shoals under conditions of both low and high predation risk. When predation risk was high, minnows preferred to associate with conspecifics over heterospecifics, as predicted by the oddity effect. In contrast, sticklebacks preferentially associated with groups of minnows over groups of conspecifics when predation risk was high. When predation risk was low, solitary individuals of both species preferentially associated with conspecific over heterospecific shoals. Stickleback shoal choices under low-risk conditions may have been influenced by interspecific competition for food. In feeding experiments, minnows were more efficient foragers than sticklebacks, so it should benefit sticklebacks to avoid minnows unless predation risk is high. Therefore, for armored prey, the benefits of associating with more vulnerable prey appear to override the costs of both the oddity effect and food competition when predation risk is high. Copyright 2003.


Objective: The current study extends research on Latino caregiving to describe the role of neighborhood-level factors and dementia severity for caregiver well-being. Method: Data are drawn from the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (HEPESE 2010/2011, N = 343). We present regression analyses that describe the relationship between dementia severity in the older care recipient and neighborhood-level structural factors for caregiver mental health. Results: Mexican Americans providing care in neighborhoods characterized by a higher percent Latino report fewer depressive symptoms and greater life satisfaction. Percent Latino and percent Spanish speaking residing in the neighborhood are especially protective of caregiver depressive symptoms when care recipients display more severe dementia-related neuropsychiatric symptoms. Discussion: Neighborhood characteristics play an important role in the Latino caregiver well-being processes. Targeting neighborhoods, especially in regard to culturally competent dementia care education and services, should be the focus of intervention strategies for Mexican-origin caregivers.


This article provides an overview of coaching methods and interventions that address different forms of imbalance in clients' time perspectives, proposing a fresh look on dealing with multiple time management issues. We selected different coaching intervention techniques according to the time perspective theory, which distinguishes between five different time perspectives: Past Negative, Past Positive, Present Fatalistic, Present Hedonistic and Future. The selection was made based on the literature review and expertise gained through practical experience of coaching. As a result, our paper offers a step-by-step guide for practitioners on how to start with time perspective coaching: from performing initial diagnostics, to distinguishing problems associated with excessive reliance on particular time frames and providing practical tools that can help individuals to overcome the negative consequences associated with them. This paper presents an alternative approach to working with time management related issues and to developing a healthier relationship with time in general. Research shows that having a balanced time perspective improves well-being and productivity on many levels: work-related, social and personal.


There have been multiple studies of how monetary compensation affects perceived willingness to participate in medical research. However few studies have addressed perception of risk, especially risk to privacy associated with genetic or behavioral genetic investigations. One recent study, an M.S. thesis investigation by Ascheman (2009), identified several difficulties in studying undergraduate perceptions of risk from participation in such investigations: low levels of comprehension of informed consent documents, and difficulties in separating participants' perceptions of risk to privacy from the potential influences of money offered for participation. This study expands the work of Ascheman (2009) by using a vignette story format for presentation of the experimenter-constructed informed consents. It also included a baseline privacy risk without compensation condition in a 2 (level of privacy risk) X 2 (level of compensation) mixed within-between subjects design. The study was conducted as an online investigation with undergraduate research volunteers. The presented levels of risk had a significant effect on participants' willingness to participate and perception of risk at all presented levels of risk and compensation. However, no significant risk-by compensation interactions were found. Moreover, the compensation offered (ten versus one hundred dollars) in the vignettes did not have a significant differential effect on either willingness to participate or perception of risk at any of the presented levels of risk. Additionally, monetary compensation did not demonstrate a main effect on either of these measures with the exception of a willingness to participate variable that asked how participants believed others would react to the presented vignettes. Compared with prior studies, the use of a short vignette in a story-format informed consent, substantially increased comprehension of the essential experimenter constructed informed consent information about


A new approach to the numerical reconstruction of wave fronts stored by in-line holography is presented. The new algorithm can achieve good reconstructed results in both unitary and nonunitary systems. The influences of recording distance and noise as well as of digitalization errors on the quality of reconstruction are numerically investigated. The experimental results demonstrate the validity of this new approach.


This article introduces a number of critical features of mechanical transduction and neuronal sensory coding, with particular reference to mechanical pain. High threshold mechanoreceptors (HTMRs) in skin are the first relay point for the transduction of noxious mechanical force into the nervous system, and their properties determine how and when nociceptive signal is relayed up to the central nervous system. The article describes the structure and physiology of the mechano-nociceptors and explains the peripheral molecular mechanisms of transduction leading to mechanical pain. In addition, this article also describes a set of computer models of HTMRs and relevant ion channels representing structural and biophysical features of the biological prototype. A better understanding of HTMRs' function may lead to the development of novel therapeutic pathways in the treatment of chronic mechanical pain.


Application of time domain reflectometry (TDR) in soil hydrology often involves the conversion of TDR‐measured dielectric permittivity to water content using universal calibration equations (empirical or physically based). Deviations of soil‐specific calibrations from the universal calibrations have been noted and are usually attributed to peculiar composition of soil constituents, such as high content of clay and/or organic matter. Although it is recognized that soil disturbance by TDR waveguides may have impact on measurement errors, to our knowledge, there has not been any quantification of this effect. In this paper, we introduce a method that estimates this error by combining two models: one that describes soil compaction around cylindrical objects and another that translates change in bulk density to evolution of soil water retention characteristics. Our analysis indicates that the compaction pattern depends on the mechanical properties of the soil at the time of installation. The relative error in water content measurement depends on the compaction pattern as well as the water content and water retention properties of the soil. Illustrative calculations based on measured soil mechanical and hydrologic properties from the literature indicate that the measurement errors of using a standard three‐prong TDR waveguide could be up to 10%. We also show that the error scales linearly with the ratio of rod radius to the interradius spacing.