This research is about of code mixing at Television News Program TVRI Sumatera Barat. The research problems are (1) What types of Code Mixing is used in the scripts of Berita Ranah Minang. (2) What are the reason of using code mixing and (3) What does language matrix as language in code mixing. The objective of this study are finding out the levels of code mixing and to explain the factor of using code mixing in scripts of Berita Ranah Minang.
The research uses descriptive and qualitative research. Technique of collecting data are (1) reading whole scripts since January until December, (2) collecting the data, the data are purposive data in the forms of word, phrase, idiom and baster, (3) classifying into five levels of code mixing, (4) reducing the data which has been selected based on the theory, it involves the process of selecting and focusing the raw data into refined data. The researcher uses content analysis which focuses on analyzing levels and factors of code mixing in script Berita Ranah Minang.
This research finds five levels of code mixing in script. Those are word level, phrase level, baster level and idiom level. The dominant level of code mixing is word level. The research also finds factors of code mixing. Those are code usage limitation, popular term, domicile and time of conversation, conversation topic, function and aim. Code mixing happens because of the characters have some characterization influences code mixing. The character that has prestigious, high level life style, modern characterization produce code mixing in a level phrase.


As a new community, the virtual community is rising along with the development of Internet. Netizens establish and develop new forms of power relation through online interaction. In the condition of body absence, reconstructing rules, argument of opinions and collectively resisting become the main ways of power relation. Cyberpower is a flowing power. Its body, object and ways become uncertain.


ABSTRACT Erp (exported repetitive protein) is a member of a mycobacterium-specific family of extracellular proteins. A hydrophobic region that is localized at the C-terminal domain and that represents a quarter of the protein is highly conserved across species. Here we show that this hydrophobic region is not essential for restoring the virulence and tissue damage of an erp::aph mutant strain of M. tuberculosis as assessed by bacterial counts and lung histology analysis in a mouse model of tuberculosis.


PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES
To review 20 studies examining the relationship between breast self-examination (BSE) behaviors, BSE education, the stage of breast cancer at diagnosis, and the mortality or survival rates for breast cancer.

DATA SOURCES
20 studies from medical and nursing journals.

DATA SYNTHESIS
In the articles reviewed, the relationship between the value of BSE and BSE behaviors and education (defined as the stage of breast cancer at diagnosis and the mortality or survival rates for breast cancer) was unclear. Methodologic issues such as research design, confounding variables, operational definitions, and sampling were inconsistent and weak.

CONCLUSIONS
Meta-analysis suggests that the healthcare research community should state BSE research findings in terms of recommendations for further studies. Until a large number of prospective, randomized, and controlled studies of the relationship between BSE behaviors and education and the value of BSE are conducted, researchers will be unable to make a definitive statement regarding whether BSE provides advantages in detecting breast cancer at an earlier stage, reducing mortality, and increasing survival rates for women with breast cancer.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE
Nurse researchers play a key role in conveying the methodologic issues involved in BSE research to the healthcare community and are encouraged to publish their studies in medical journals. When the relationship between the value of BSE and BSE behaviors and education can be confirmed systematically, the healthcare community will recognize and use nurses' research findings to better inform women about breast health.


PURPOSE
This article seeks to describe online tools for surveying and improving quality of life for people with disabilities living in assisted living centers and special education service organizations.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH
Ensuring a decent quality of life for disabled people is an important welfare state goal. Using well-accepted quality of life conceptions, online diagnostic and planning tools were developed during an Institute for Education, University of Zurich, research project.

FINDINGS
The diagnostic tools measure, evaluate and analyze disabled people's quality of life. The planning tools identify factors that can affect their quality of life and suggest improvements.

RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS
Instrument validity and reliability are not tested according to the standard statistical procedures. This will be done at a more advanced stage of the project. Instead, the tool is developed, refined and adjusted in cooperation with practitioners who are constantly judging it according to best practice standards.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
The tools support staff in assisted living centers and special education service organizations.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE
These tools offer comprehensive resources for surveying, quantifying, evaluating, describing and simulating quality of life elements.


This muadalah curriculum is an independent curriculum according to the boarding school that developed it, curriculum independence includes aspects in determining teaching materials, assessment systems, and learning processes. This study uses a qualitative approach. The data collection was carried out by sourced from several documents of the muadalah curriculum contained in the boarding school, as well as interviews with parties related to the muadalah curriculum, and observations of researchers with field reviews of the process of implementing the learning of the muadalah curriculum at Islamic boarding schools. Darussalam. The results of the research show that the type of curriculum design is the Darussalam Islamic Boarding School, including the type of separated subject curriculum design. The subject curriculum consists of separate subjects, and "the subject is a collection of experience and knowledge organized logically and mathematically" by curriculum experts. Knowledge-centered curriculum design is designed based on the discipline structure, therefore this design model is also called the academic subject curriculum model. There are two factors that influence the implementation of the curriculum of the muadalah Islamic boarding school in Darussalam Islamic Boarding School, namely the supporting factors and the inhibiting factors. Supporting factors in the implementation of the curriculum, namely, the provision of qudwah hasanah from all boarding school stakeholders, the formation of a good environment, the competence of teachers according to their fields, teacher discipline in preparing materials, the relationship between students and supervisors, facilities and infrastructure, the boarding school environment. And the inhibiting factors are that there are still some teachers who lack mastery of the material, programs that have not been achieved, inadequate facilities, human resources in recording emissions that are not yet qualified. The solution to overcome the inhibiting factors in the "implementation of the Darussalam Islamic Boarding School curriculum, namely by determining the supervisor of the senior teacher "to provide guidance and direction, ta'hil is carried out to all teachers."


Annals, i. 31. 4: 'implere ceterorum rudes animos: uenisse tempus quo…'. Implore has been suspected and impellere has been suggested. Andresen says 'implere… womit, zeigen die folgenden Reden. Curt. x. 1. 28 credulas regis aures implebat'. The passage of Curtius continues not with an accusative and infinitive but with the words dissitnulans causam irae. A better defence is to be seen in Livy, xlv. 31. 6.


Liverpool has one of the highest respiratory morbidity rates in England, with double the lung cancer incidence, particularly in lower socioeconomic groups. To tackle this health inequality in February 2016 in conjunction with Liverpool CCG, the primary care sector, public health and Liverpool University we commenced the 3-year £3.3M Liverpool Healthy Lung Project. The project has 2 sequential phases. Phase 1 By means of a series of coordinated focused public engagement events throughout the city, starting in areas with higher lung cancer incidence, this aims to promote positive messages around lung health, and address the fear and fatalism surrounding lung cancer. Phase 2 All individuals between the ages of 58–70 who have COPD, have smoked, or are asbestos exposed are invited to a face to face lung health check conducted by an experienced respiratory nurse. Positive lifestyle messages are promoted and a 5-year personal lung cancer risk calculated (www.MyLungRisk.org using LLPv2 risk model). Those who trigger the 5% threshold are offered a low dose thoracic CT scan. The community healthy lung events attracted 1346 interactions and 462 individuals completed spirometry. 90 (19%) of these tests were abnormal which triggered a consultation in primary care. Projections suggest 34,000 patients will be eligible for phase 2: in the first 12 weeks, in Picton Ward (eligible population 2471) 896 (36%) individuals booked to attend the lung health check, where 230 (31%) triggered the offer of a CT. To date 138 scans have been reported: 24 (17%), had significant findings, of which 9 (6%) require a 3 month and 3 (2%) 12 month repeat scan for nodules. Two individuals had confirmed cancer (both resected), with 2 further cases currently being worked up. Of 406 patients (45%) without previously diagnosed COPD, 180 (44%) had abnormal spirometry, and have gone on to further diagnostics. The complete Picton Ward data will be presented at the conference. This innovative project is already improving access to respiratory healthcare in a deprived area of Liverpool, and should improve outcomes for lung cancer in this disadvantaged population. The project has been adopted by the national ACE program.


Korea's FX reserves have increased steadily since 2008, to a total of $404 billion as of the end of 2018. This has helped reduce private foreign currency funding costs and exchange rate volatility by contributing to a stable sovereign credit rating. In turn, this has helped to stabilise domestic financial and economic conditions.

Korea's FX authorities have consistently adhered to the principle that the exchange rate should be determined by market forces that reflect economic fundamentals and FX supply and demand. Measures to stabilise the market are carried out only in exceptional circumstances, when there are excessive fluctuations in the exchange rate over a short period of time. FX market intervention is believed to effectively reduce market volatility by calming market sentiment through the use of intervention tools customised to specific circumstances such as temporary herd behaviour. Details of interventions are not disclosed, as they might affect market participants' expectations. However, the authorities have recently decided to release the net dollar-won trading volumes, in order to increase transparency of FX policies in line with global standards.

The Bank of Korea (BOK) decides on the composition of the FX reserves based on its investment objectives, the neutral currency composition and market forecasts. The BOK also has worked to improve its risk management techniques for each type of risk factor and it has expanded its use of external managers to enhance the efficiency of its reserve management.

Full Publication: Reserve Management and FX Intervention


We find a low-complicity and accurate model to solve the problem of optimizing MAC-layer transmission of real-time video over wireless local area networks (WLANs) using cross-layer techniques. The objective in this problem is to obtain the optimal MAC retry limit in order to minimize the total packet loss rate. First, the accuracy of Fluid and M/M/1/K analytical models is examined. Then we derive a closed-form expression for service time in WLAN MAC transmission, and will use this in mathematical formulation of our optimization problem based on M/G/1 model. Subsequently we introduce an approximate and simple formula for MAC-layer service time, which leads to the M/M/1 model. Compared with M/G/1, we particularly show that our M/M/1-based model provides a low-complexity and yet quite accurate means for analyzing MAC transmission process in WLAN. Using our M/M/1 model-based analysis, we derive closed-form formulas for the packet overflow drop rate and optimum retry-limit. These closed-form expressions can be effectively invoked for analyzing adaptive retry-limit algorithms. Simulation results (network simulator-2) will verify the accuracy of our analytical models.


Many parameters have been proposed for evaluating livestock reproduction performances in tropical farming systems. In tropical free-ranged and small-holder systems, where reproduction cycles cannot be individually observed without expensive field surveys, one of these parameters is the average number of parturitions (h) expected by reproductive female, if the female spends the whole year in the herd. A frequent approach for estimating h is to use the ratio hc = m/T, so-called 'crude annual parturition rate', where m is the observed number of parturitions and T is the total time of presence of the reproductive females in the herd during the year. The bias encountered when h is estimated by hc was evaluated in this paper. Six methods of estimation were used, where T was the exact observed time of presence (hc1) or approximated by monthly, quarterly, half-yearly and yearly averages or final size of the reproductive herd size (hc2 to hc6). Data came from long-term follow-up of cattle and small-ruminant herds (with data recorded at animal level) in extensive agro-pastoral systems in Senegal. In general, h was correctly estimated by hc1. Nevertheless hc1 was sensitive to competing risks (e.g. deaths, sales and slaughtering of reproductive females) and was seriously biased when intensive withdrawals of females occurred before or during the parturition peak. Reliability of crude rates progressively decreased from hc2 to hc6, corresponding to the degradation of information used for approximating T. This decrease was much lower for cattle (for which all methods had acceptable reliability) than for small ruminants. Among the compared methods, the lower reliability was observed for hc6 that we do not recommend for small ruminants. Methods hc5 and hc6 are currently used in rapid cross-sectional retrospective surveys based on the recall of the farmers on the demographic events which occurred in the herd over the last past 12 months. The study has showed that such surveys and estimates hc5 and hc6 can generate seriously biased results. More globally, annual parturition rates can be highly variable depending on the 12-month periods considered. Annual parturition rates estimated on short-term data, even with precise herd follow-up surveys, must be considered cautiously.


The traditional perception of patents puts the emphasis on their importance to exclude imitators and to restore incentives to invent. This view is far too restrictive and at variance with many empirical and theoretical works. We show that these contradictions can be overcome by shifting from a traditional economic framework to a knowledge-based one. Such a move allows a renewed economic perception of patents, making them into essential instruments which serve not only to exclude potential infringers but also to "include" all the different stakeholders in the innovation process. Within this new approach the main role of the patent system is therefore to ensure the coordination among heterogeneous actors and to structure innovation activities. We illustrate our view by presenting the four polar cases of pharmaceuticals, electronics, software and biotechnologies.


The geometry of stable discrete polynomials using their coefficients and reflection coefficients is investigated. Two linear Schur invariant transformations with a free parameter in the polynomial coefficient space are introduced. The first transformation Rfrn times RfrrarrRfrn maps an arbitrary stable polytope into another stable polytope. The second transformation Rfrn times RfrrarrRfrn maps a stable tilted n-dimensional hyperrectangle defined by the discrete Kharitonov theorem into a stable (n+1)- dimensional polytope.


Sperm guidance is controlled by chemical and physical cues. In many species, Ca2+ bursts in the flagellum govern navigation to the egg. In Arbacia punctulata, a model system of sperm chemotaxis, a cGMP signaling pathway controls these Ca2+ bursts. The underlying Ca2+ channel and its mechanisms of activation are unknown. Here, we identify CatSper Ca2+ channels in the flagellum of A. punctulata sperm. We show that CatSper mediates the chemoattractant‐evoked Ca2+ influx and controls chemotactic steering; a concomitant alkalization serves as a highly cooperative mechanism that enables CatSper to transduce periodic voltage changes into Ca2+ bursts. Our results reveal intriguing phylogenetic commonalities but also variations between marine invertebrates and mammals regarding the function and control of CatSper. The variations probably reflect functional and mechanistic adaptations that evolved during the transition from external to internal fertilization.


Asymmetric pricing is the tendency of prices to rise readily and fall slowly. Explanations of asymmetric pricing mention monopoly power, costs of changing prices or spreading information, and elasticity differences. In this paper we describe a general dynamic, in a Walrasian competitive equilibrium market, where consumers and producers learn how to behave in the market. For each consumer (producer) we compute a payoff function which has two components: (a) the ability of the agent to actually carry out exchanges; (b) the ability of consumers to minimize, and of producers to maximize, the price actually paid in the exchanges. We study the effects of different learning algorithms, and in particular we compare individual vs. social learning procedures. Consumers arrive to the market with a maximum price each consumer is willing to pay, and producers with a minimum price each producer is willing to accept. We compare two different modalities for price clearing. In the food-market modality the payoff is computed using the exchange price requested by the producer. In the auction-market modality the payoff is computed using the exchange price offered by the consumer. In both modalities an exchange takes place only if the consumer's price is greater than the producer's price. The simulations show that asymmetric pricing emerges only in the food-market modality, as predicted by an analytic study of the model. Finally, we compare the simulation results with a classical asymmetric pricing model, the menu cost model ([1]).


Ninety-five microsatellite loci were isolated from the output of two Next Generation Sequencing projects: a genomic Illumina RADSeq and a transcriptomic Roche 454 cDNA sequencing of the Adriatic sturgeon (Acipenser naccarii). From a total of 7697 loci identified, 72 were characterized and 57 were polymorphic in the tetraploid A. naccarii, providing new markers suitable for parental allocations to be performed for future conservation actions. Loci isolated from the transcriptome showed a higher level of polymorphism, which could be related to the different sequencing approaches used. Notably, a higher rate of duplication was observed in the transcribed loci, pointing to a preferential retention of sequences with a functional role after whole genome duplications occurred in sturgeons. Cross-species amplification of these markers was also assessed in the diploid beluga sturgeon (Huso huso), with the aim of setting up a panel of markers to be applied in future conservation programmes regarding this species.


The use of new vehicle purchase price incentives to promote the fuel economy of cars and light trucks is discussed in this paper. It examines the options and the expected impact of incentives taking the form of fees and rebates ("feebates"). A prototype proposal accounting for vehicle size is analyzed in detail.


Competition between the invariant plane (IP) condition at the habit plane, the twin orientation relation (OR) and the kinematic compatibility (KC) at the junction plane (JP) of self-accommodated B19′ martensite in Ti–Ni was investigated via the geometrically nonlinear theory to understand the habit plane variant (HPV) clusters presented in Parts I and II of this work. As the IP condition cannot be satisfied simultaneously with KC, an additional rotation Q is necessary to form compatible JPs for all HPV pairs. The rotation J necessary to form the exact twin OR between the major correspondence variants (CVs) in each HPV was also examined. The observed HPV cluster was not the cluster with the smallest Q but the one satisfying Q = J with a { 1}B19′ type I twin at JP. Both Q and J are crucial to understanding the various HPV clusters in realistic transformations. Finally, a scheme for the ideal HPV cluster composed of six HPVs is also proposed.


The dendrimers are a unique class of branched macromolecules with defined architectures synthesized by iterative reaction steps. Because of their highly branched structures, the dendrimers have a wide potential application in many fields, including sensing, drug delivery, catalysis, etc. In order to understand the thermal equilibrium behavior of the dendritic homopolymers in solution, we derived the self-consistent field theory (SCFT) for the dilute dendrimer solutions. The center segment is anchored on the origin of the space, and the shape of the dendrimer is assumed to be spherically symmetric. The pre-averaged interaction parameter u is employed to represent the volume exclusion interaction between the segments. We only focus on the dendrimer immersed in the θ solvent, where the volume exclusion interaction between the segments is negligible (u=0). The number density of the segments, Φ(r), is calculated via systematically changing the topological parameters of the molecule, including the functionality f0 of the central segment, the functionality f of the branching points, the degree of polymerization of the spacers P, and the total generation number G. With all parameter combinations, Φ(r) was found always maximized at the center and monotonically decreasing along the radial direction. Thus, the dendrimers in θ solvent obeys the "dense-core" model instead of the "dense-shell" model. Increasing f0, f and G results in the increase of Φ(r) with any radius r. However, increasing P causes the decrease of Φ(r) near the center region and the increase of Φ(r) with larger r. The size of the dendrimer, analyzed by calculating the radius of gyration R, increases with f0, f, G and P. R calculated by our SCFT agrees well with the results obtained by the Rouse dynamics. With large f0, f and G, both SCFT and the Rouse dynamics predict the scaling law <R>≈GPa.


Photovoltaic (PV) devices are typically encapsulated using ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) to provide mechanical support, optical coupling, electrical isolation, and protection against environmental exposure. Under exposure to atmospheric water and/or ultraviolet radiation, EVA will decompose to produce acetic acid, lowering the pH and increasing the surface corrosion rates of embedded devices. Even though acetic acid is produced at a very slow rate, it may not take much to catalyze reactions that lead to rapid module deterioration. Another consideration is that the glass transition of EVA, as measured using dynamic mechanical analysis, begins at temperatures of about -15 degC. Temperatures lower than this can be reached for extended periods of time in some climates. Because of increased moduli below the glass transition temperature, a module may be more vulnerable to damage if a mechanical load is applied by snow or wind at low temperatures. Modules using EVA should not be rated for use at such low temperatures without additional low-temperature mechanical testing beyond the scope of UL1703


Web search engines are designed to serve all users, independent of the special needs of any individual user. The objective of the project is to develop a personalized web search engine which considers users interest and generates search results based on the user's semantic profile. The proposed system utilizes clustering and re-ranking algorithms in order to organize the web documents and provide an order to the results displayed to the user. Web crawlers are utilized to get the links, images and allied information from the World Wide Web. The fetched documents are further clustered using suffix tree clustering algorithm, which enhances the performance of the web search engine. The results are organized using Page Re-Rank algorithm which considers hyperlink and link structure information to bring an order to the web. The system creates a semantic profile of the user by monitoring and analyzing the users search history. The search results generated will utilize an amalgamation of varied techniques including clustering, re-ranking and semantic user profiles to enhance the performance of the web search engine.


Abstract Obtaining reliable estimates of the time-to-contact (TTC) in a three-dimensional (3D) parabolic trajectory is still an open issue. A direct analysis of the optic flow cannot make accurate predictions for gravitationally accelerated objects. Alternatively, resorting to prior knowledge of gravity and size can provide accurate estimates of TTC in parabolic head-on trajectories, but its generalization depends on the specific geometry of the trajectory and particular moments. The aim of this work is to explore the preferred viewing windows to estimate TTC and how the available visual information affects these estimations. We designed a task in which participants, wearing an head-mounted display (HMD), had to time the moment a ball in a parabolic path returned at eye level. We used five trajectories for which accurate temporal predictions were available at different points of flight time. Our results show that our observers can predict both the trajectory of the ball and TTC based on the available visual information and previous experience with the task. However, the times at which our observers chose to gather the visual evidence did not match those in which visual information provided accurate TTC. Instead, they looked at the ball at relatively fixed temporal windows depending on the trajectory but not of TTC.


We develop a time-dependent theory to investigate electron dynamics and photoionization processes of diatomic molecules interacting with strong laser fields including electron-electron correlation effects. We combine the recently formulated time-dependent generalized-active-space configuration interaction theory [D. Hochstuhl and M. Bonitz, Phys. Rev. A 86, 053424 (2012); S. Bauch et al., ibid. 90, 062508 (2014)] with a prolate spheroidal basis set including localized orbitals and continuum states to describe the bound electrons and the outgoing photoelectron. As an example, we study the strong-field ionization of the two-center four-electron lithium hydride molecule in different intensity regimes. By using single-cycle pulses, two orientations of the asymmetric heteronuclear molecule are investigated: Li-H, with the electrical field pointing from H to Li, and the opposite case of H-Li. The preferred orientation for ionization is determined and we find a transition from H-Li, for low intensity, to Li-H, for high intensity. The influence of electron correlations is studied at different levels of approximation, and we find a significant change in the preferred orientation. For certain intensity regimes, even an interchange of the preferred configuration is observed, relative to the uncorrelated simulations. Further insight is provided by detailed comparisons of photoelectron angular distributions with and without correlation effects taken into account.


Background Transient changes in Achilles tendon structure are known to occur post exercise, it is unknown whether completing an ironman affects tendon structure. Objective Assess the effect of an ironman on Achilles tendon structure. Design Case study of a subject completing an ironman triathlon. The study utilised Ultrasound tissue characterization (UTC) scanning to quantify tendon structure pre and post activity. The UTC scan was completed 1 day prior to the Ironman and on day 2 by one examiner. The quantification of the UTC scan was completed by two experienced users who were blinded to the scan order. Setting UK University. Patients (or Participants) 49 year old male subject. Interventions (or Assessment of Risk Factors) An ironman triathlon involves 3.86 km swim, 180.25 km bicycle ride and a marathon (42.20 km). Main Outcome Measurements UTC quantification of Achilles tendon using percentage volume of each of the four echo types, tendon volume and mean cross-sectional area (mCSA). Results Data is presented as the mean of the two examiners results. The mCSA increased by 10.7 mm2 and 5.4 mm2 on the right and left Achilles respectively. Tendon volume of the right Achilles tendon increased by 321.8 mm3 and whilst the left increased by 162.9 mm3. Data for the right and left leg were combined with the mean change in percentage of the different echo types presented post intervention. Echo type I increased by 1.7%, echo type II increased by 0.6% whilst echo type III and IV reduced by 1.7% and 0.6% respectively. Conclusions The results indicate a change in Achilles tendon volume, mCSA and percentage of the different echo types post ironman. This preliminary study suggests that further work is required to assess alterations in Achilles tendon post ironman, specifically this work should determine if this change is observable in a larger group of athletes and whether this change is transient in nature.


The infrared vibrational absorption (VA) and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra of methyl lactate in carbon tetrachloride and methanol have been measured in the 1000-1800 cm(-1) region. Noticeable changes due to the solute self-aggregation and solvent-solute intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions have been detected in the reported spectra of the 2M methyl lactate solution in CCl(4) and in methanol, respectively. Molecular dynamics simulations and a series of density functional theory (DFT) B3LYP/6-311++G(**)) and single point MP2/6-311++G(**) energy calculations have been performed to identify and to model the explicit hydrogen-bonding interactions between the methanol solvent and the methyl lactate solute and among the methyl lactate molecules. Geometry search and optimization have been performed for the most stable conformers of the methyl lactate dimer and the methyl lactate-(methanol)(N) clusters, with N=1, 2, and 3. The relative single point MP2 energies among conformers are noticeably different from those obtained with DFT for the larger methyl lactate-methanol complexes. The VA and VCD spectra of these complexes have been simulated and compared to the corresponding experimental spectra. From the combined experimental and theoretical VA and VCD studies, it has been identified that both the methyl lactate monomer and dimer are the main species in the 2M CCl(4) solution with 65% and 35% relative abundances, respectively, while the binary (55%) and quaternary (30%) methyl lactate-methanol clusters dominate in the 2M methanol solution, together with a smaller amount (15%) of the methyl lactate monomer. The effects of solute self-aggregation and solute-solvent interactions have been investigated in detail.


Validation is important assurance for the usage of remote sensing products. This paper introduces the design of a planning Validation network of Remote sensing Products in China (VRPC). VRPC is planning to incorporate more than 10 experimental stations relating to remote sensing observation. The observation fields of these stations need include typical land surface types as possible. VRPC will be realized step by step. In the first stage, four stations that have better remote sensing observation basis are incorporated. They are Heihe Remote Sensing Comprehensive Experimental Station, Huailai Remote Sensing Comprehensive Experimental Station, Jingyuetan Remote Sensing Experimental Station, Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station. In this paper, the over goal of VRPC was introduced firstly. Then the basic selection principles of the observation sites were set down especially for the validation of the remote sensing products. The layout scheme of each observation site was preliminarily designed for various types of products with different spatial resolutions. It is the key problem to realize the combination of observation and research among all the stations. Therefore the unified observation system and operating rules are necessary, which can increase the comparability and consistency of the observation data. Multi-year measurements ensure that inter-annual validity of land products can be assessed in China. 2013 is the first measurement year of the VRPC. Some joint observation plans will be performed in this summer. The validation products mainly include Leaf Area Index & FPAR, NPP & GPP, Land Surface Temperature, Evapotranspiration, and so on. The observation sites of VRPC are open and hope more cooperation and exchange in the world.


Domestic demand for sugar in Kenya has continued to outstrip domestic production levels over the last three decades Over the last ten years the country has registered an average annual deficit in sugar production of one ninety thousand metric tones. This gap between domestic production and domestic demand has to be met through importation. The main objective of this study was to investigate the factors that influence supply of sugar in Kenya with the aim of proposing policy measures to improve production.
The study found out that producer price, area under sugarcane and average annual rainfall and structural policies implementation phase are significant factors influencing sugar production The broad results indicate that improving producer price of sugarcane, acreage under sugarcane and availability of water (e g through irrigation) would improve the quantity of sugarcane supplied Results of the study also indicate that implementation of structural adjustment policies adversely affects sugarcane production. Previous periods yields of sugarcane and the periods before introduction of SAI's and SAPs policy formulation stage were found not to influence sugarcane production. This may he attributed to the fact that sugarcane is perishable industrial crop. Policies recommended from the findings of the study include that producer prices be made more favorable to sugarcane farmers, extensive methods of farming be enhanced and irrigation methods be employed. The short-run and long-run elasticities of output to various variables are equal implying that policy impact on sugarcane production will persist into the future and have a permanent impact.


Expansion of the matrix elements of SU(3) and canonical tensor operators in terms of the bi-orthogonal coupling coefficients and overlaps of the Draayer-Akiyama construction are considered. Special bi-orthogonal extremal isoscalar factors (with subscripts as multiplicity labels and proportional to q-Racah (q-6j) coefficients or the generalized Wilson-Rahman rational bi-orthogonal functions in terms of balanced or hypergeometric series) are used as a natural basis for extremal matrix elements of the highest weight component of the canonical tensor operators of SU(3) in the generating function approach of Biedenharn, Lohe and Louck. The expansion that is obtained (triple sum), together with previously derived asymmetric seed isofactors and elementary overlaps, gives the explicit overlap coefficients and can be used to derive SU(3) and canonical tensor operators as well as new explicit normalized seed isofactors with Regge-type symmetry, specified for the minimal null space case.


Introduction Using mobile technology to increase access to and uptake of health information that translates into behaviour change is never easy. In partnership with The Female Health Company, The African Alliance for HIV Prevention developed and produced a 9 part web series designed to increase awareness and knowledge of as well as desire for the FC2 Female Condom – the only available tool for that a woman can initiate to protect herself from unplanned pregnancy, HIV and STI's - as part of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Programming globally. Methods Through the use of high profile and everyday people, from a range of backgrounds this series situates a life changing product in the social media and online space. A space where young people – especially in the global south – are increasingly vulnerable to HIV and STI's. The series is unique in that, apart from providing the technical skills to the viewer to use, advocate for and programme the FC2 Female Condom, this series focuses on sexual pleasure as an entry point. The series, shot in the Masterclass style focuses on the speaker as they share poignant stories from the HIV and STI field as well as make the personal, programming, funding and political case for the FC2 Female Condom. Results Shot in high definition and compact enough to fit on a flash drive this series has already had a profound effect on those who watch it and the first group of health care professionals will be trained using this series as a tool at the 8th South African AIDS Conference. The results of an evaluation carried out the 8TH South African AIDS Conference will be released during the STI and HIV World Congress in Rio, 2017. Conclusion In less then a decade, Sub Saharan Africa will have a higher penetration of mobile telephones then Northern America. This increase in access to technology and tools presents a unique opportunity for NGO's and the private sector to build awareness of and support access to essential HIV and STI prevention tools, such as the FC2 Female Condom.


This paper describes the successful use of Ad Hoc Advisory Committees drawn from universities and industry to jointly design and market continuing engineering studies (non-credit) programs. The joint Ad Hoc Committee technique has been successfully used in five different metropolitan areas to focus university offerings on the needs of its clientele. This has benefited the individual engineer, the companies and the universities involved. An example of a successful on-going continuing engineering studies program using this technique is described. Procedures, experience and "lessons learned" with use of the technique are discussed.


Partial liver grafts used in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) may have multiple hepatic artery (HA) stumps. This study was designed to validate the safety of partial reconstruction of multiple HAs in pediatric LDLT cases. From January 2000 to June 2014, 136 pediatric LDLT recipients were categorized into three groups: single HA group (Group 1, n = 74), multiple HAs with total reconstruction group (Group 2, n = 23), and multiple HAs with partial reconstruction group (Group 3, n = 39). Partial reconstruction was performed only when there was pulsatile back‐bleeding after larger HA reconstruction and sufficient intrahepatic arterial flow was confirmed by Doppler ultrasound (DUS). There was no significant difference in biliary complication rate, artery complication rate, patient survival, and graft survival among these groups. Risk factor analysis revealed that the presence of multiple HAs and partial reconstruction of multiple HAs were not risk factors of biliary anastomosis stricture. In conclusion, partial reconstruction of HAs during pediatric LDLT using a left liver graft with multiple HA stumps does not increase the risk of biliary anastomosis stricture or affect graft survival when intrahepatic arterial communication is confirmed by pulsatile back‐bleeding and DUS.


In this thesis I show that in the poem Unamune exhibits two tendencies. Besides the tranquil moments of the poem, there are many expressions of anxiety. In this anxiety can be seen certain links between this work and Del sentimlento tragico de la vids. At times Unamuno finds peace and religious hope in the contemplation of the white body of Christ and the light shining from it. At other times, describing Christ's black hair and the darkness surrounding him. Unamuno shows anxiety about the apparentiality of the World, the nature of God and the possibility of a death in which we would be unconscious. In Chapter One I give an outline of Del sentimiento tragico and show where its thought is echoed in El Cristo de Belazquez. The rest of the thesis concentrates on Unamuno's use of white, black, light and darkness to express his religious hopes and anxieties. Chapter two describes how Unarauno's recognition of the apparentiality of the world arouses in him the need to believe that the light from Christ gives purpose to life by promising eternal consciousness. Chapter three is a discussion of the mystic heights in the poem. Chapter Four discusses Unamuno's reaction to the darkness and shows that the happiness of the mystic heights is frequently shattered by anxiety.


Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) today, these batteries advantageous compared to other forms of energy storage due to their high energy density and long cycle life. The object of this thesis is to develop the model based on the internal electrochemical states of the battery for battery monitoring and control in advanced battery management systems (BMSs). The investigated battery is 2.5Ah LiFePO4 cylindrical 26650 type from company A123. Pseudo-two-dimensional (P2D) model developed by John Newman and his colleagues is probably the most widely used Physics based lithium-ion battery model in the world, however, the complexity of P2D model makes on-line simulation difficult in automotive applications. Hence, it is necessary to obtain a simplified model under all operating conditions of the batteries. In this paper, simplification of electrochemical models of Li-ion battery to improve simulation and computational efficiency will be proposed, the idea is to reduce the number of partial differential equations (PDEs), so a simplified Pseudo-two-dimensional (SP2D) model is established in this work. Moreover, the numerical method used to solve the system of equations can have a significant impact on the computational cost of the simulation. Two different methods called 'parameters polynomial approximation' and 'orthogonal collocation' are used in this paper to solve the PDEs, also the results obtained by applying these two mathematical methods are discussed and compared. A thermal model is also developed because the thermal accumulation of the battery strongly affects its performance and durability. The heat generation rate and the average temperature of the battery under different working state can be obtained by the thermal model. At the same time, the average temperature will be the additional input of the electrochemical model because the temperature will influence the chemical reaction within the battery. As a result, a combined-electrochemical-thermal model is obtained. The modeling of the battery for both electrochemical and thermal part is realized in MATLAB, so this paper also contains an instruction of the MATLAB code. Furthermore, A high-fidelity COMSOL model is created to compare the results with the MATLAB's. Another advantage of using COMSOL is that the 3D plot of the average temperature of the battery is available. Finally, the comparison of the results among three different approaches (MATLAB, COMSOL, and experiment) is performed. The SP2D model solved by 'orthogonal collocation' enable fast and accurate simulation of the behavior of battery at different discharge/charge rate while 'parameters polynomial approximation' shows a larger error at the relatively high rate. However, the SP2D model itself is not reliable at very high discharge/charge rate, overall it is a good model for studying systems operating under long charge or discharge time when fast computation time is required.


Zinc is an essential micronutrient in green plants, yet toxic at high concentrations. Only specialized hyperaccumulator plants can tolerate high zinc doses and are therefore of special interest for their potential application in phytoremediation and crop development. Zinc ions are taken up from the soil along with water and are transported radially towards the root's vascular bundle in two parallel pathways: cell wall (apoplast) and cytoplasm (symplast). Cross-membrane transport into and out of the cytoplasm is mediated by ZIP and HMA transporter proteins, respectively. The ZIP transporters responsible for zinc uptake are highly regulated to guarantee an optimal internal zinc concentration under varying external conditions. A dynamical model based on ordinary differential equations is used to study the regulation of ZIP transporters. Simulations of different model versions suggest an activator-inhibitor model as the most likely mechanism, because it provides more robust zinc homeostasis than simpler models without inhibitor. High robustness of the steady state towards external zinc variations, however, leads to instability of the steady state and high-amplitude oscillations. These oscillations form stable periodic solutions and emerge from a supercritical Hopf bifurcation in certain critical values of the external zinc concentration. Buffering can dampen the oscillations and lead to stability of the steady state. Since experiments do not suggest oscillatory behavior in the cellular zinc concentration, these results indicate the existence of strong zinc buffers. To study spatial aspects of the zinc distribution in root tissues, the ZIP regulatory model was coupled to a radial transport model. This model accounts for the structure of the root consisting of symplast and apoplast and includes effects of water flow, diffusion, and cross-membrane transport via transporters. It also incorporates the radial geometry and varying porosity of root tissues. We use existing biological data to estimate parameters and analyze the properties of the model in numerical simulations. Experimental results show a pattern of zinc accumulation close to the centre of the root, which disappears at high levels of the efflux transporter HMA. Using our model, we study the roles of ZIP regulation, HMA level and water flow velocity in the creation of this radial pattern. In the steady state, the model reproduces the zinc gradient found in experiments as well as its loss at increased levels of HMA. Surprisingly, water flow velocity is found to be also a key parameter for producing this gradient. These results give insight into the uptake and transport of zinc in roots and suggest improved experimental measurements.


Gear rattle is caused by engine torsional vibration (engine order response) imparted to the
transmission components, further causing the gears to oscillate within their functional
backlashes. These oscillations lead to the repetitive impact of gear teeth, which lead to
noisy responses, referred to as gear rattle. The lack of in-depth research into the effect of
lubricant on gear rattle has been identified as a deficiency in the previous research in
rattle. The aim ofthe current work is to address this shortcoming.
The thesis outlines a new approach in investigating the problem of idle gear rattle. The
approach is based on the assumption that under idling condition the teeth-pair impact
loads are sufficiently low and the gear speeds are sufficiently high to permit the
formation of a hydrodynamic lubricant film between the mating gear teeth. This film
acts as a non-linear spring-damper that couples the driver and the driven gears.
A torsional single-degree of freedom model is used in the development of the theory. The
model is then expanded into a seven-degree of freedom torsional model and finally into
an Il-degree of freedom model that also includes the lateral vibrations of the supporting
shafts. The Il-degree of freedom model is based on a real life transmission that is also
used in experimental studies to validate the model.
It is found that lubricant viscosity and bearing clearance (lubricant resistance in squeeze)
play important roles in determining the dynamics of the system and its propensity to
rattle. At low temperatures, the lateral vibrations of the shafts, carrying the gears interfere
with the gear teeth impact action. The severity of rattle is determined by the relationship
between the entraining and squeeze film actions of the hydrodynamic film. When the
latter dominates, the system can rattle more severely.
The numerical results are found to correlate well with the experimental findings obtained
from vehicle tests in a semi-anechoic chamber and also with those from a transmission
test rig in the powertrain laboratory.


Input methods for interaction in smartphone-based virtual and mixed reality (VR/MR) are currently based on uncomfortable head tracking controlling a pointer on the screen. User fixations are a fast and natural input method for VR/MR interaction. Previously, eye tracking in mobile VR suffered from low accuracy, long processing time, and the need for hardware add-ons such as anti-reflective lens coating and infrared emitters. We present an innovative mobile VR eye tracking methodology utilizing only the eye images from the front-facing (selfie) camera through the headset's lens, without any modifications. Our system first enhances the low-contrast, poorly lit eye images by applying a pipeline of customised low-level image enhancements suppressing obtrusive lens reflections. We then propose an iris region-of-interest detection algorithm that is run only once. This increases the iris tracking speed by reducing the iris search space in mobile devices. We iteratively fit a customised geometric model to the iris to refine its coordinates. We display a thin bezel of light at the top edge of the screen for constant illumination. A confidence metric calculates the probability of successful iris detection. Calibration and linear gaze mapping between the estimated iris centroid and physical pixels on the screen results in low latency, real-time iris tracking. A formal study confirmed that our system's accuracy is similar to eye trackers in commercial VR headsets in the central part of the headset's field-of-view. In a VR game, gaze-driven user completion time was as fast as with head-tracked interaction, without the need for consecutive head motions. In a VR panorama viewer, users could successfully switch between panoramas using gaze.


The political thought of the contemporary Arab thinkers can be formulated in the relation between tradition and modernity. Struggle with modernity and return to the tradition of the Salafist minds, the possibility of rejuvenation of tradition by some other intellectual thinkers, the acceptance of modernity and putting the tradition aside, and the combination and compromise between tradition and modernity, are various forms of this ratiometric that can be beneficial in understanding the political thought of many contemporary Arab thinkers among the Sunni community. Meanwhile, the Council is a key word considered by many scholars from different Sunni countries, especially in the post-Ottoman Empire era, a good starting point for achieving a desirable political system. The type of impression of these thinkers from the council and the meaning given to this key sign from different perspectives, forms the mindset of many of these thinkers: reducing the meaning of council to the level of consultation and monistic view of it, the unanimity of the council with the resolution and community, the belief in the council as a society of Muslim citizens and the Islamic Ummah, and the promotion of the council from democracy are different aspects of contemporary thinkers. The result of this new look can be found in the neglect of the capacity of tradition, including the council, to systematize politics in the modern era with a thinker such as Ali Abdul Raziq, an attempt to revive the council in the new caliph-lovers, such as young Rashid Reza, and the link between Shura(council) and democracy in the moderate school of eastern scholars such as Rashid Reza Pir, Gharzavin and Ghonoushi, and finally believing in the superiority of the council to democracy under Mohammad Tofigh al-Shavi. This paper, by a documentary method, and expressing conceptual framework and different narrations of the concept of the council, seeks to reconsider the position of the council to the aforementioned thinkers.


The study was carried out in Nigeria and Cameroon to compare the implementation of pre-primary education in both countries. A descriptive survey research design was used for the study. The population comprised pre-primary school teachers and head teachers both in Nigeria and Cameroon. The sample size was 1,200 respondents. A researcher- designed questionnaire was the instrument for data collection. The questionnaire was structured on 4 point rating scale based on real limit of numbers. Three research questions and three null hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance guided the study. Mean and standard deviations were employed in analyzing the research questions while t-test statistic was used in testing the stated hypotheses. The findings included that in Cameroon, professional pre-primary certificate Grade I and A-level certificate holders form the predominant teachers qualifications while in Nigeria, WASC and T.C.II holders form the bulk of pre-primary school teachers. Most Teacher training colleges in Cameroon offer special programme on education for pre-primary teachers as against few in Nigeria. In Cameroon, in-service training is granted teachers in pre-primary school while this does no apply in Nigeria. Infrastructural and instructional facilities are provided both in the urban and rural areas of Cameroonian pre-primary institutions as against what is obtained in Nigeria. The researcher made a number of recommendations among which were that government should come up with intervention policy to train more teachers for pre-primary education in Nigeria. Keywords: pre-primary education, policy, implementation, Nigeria, Cameroon


Abstract. For the past 2 decades wind turbines have been growing in number all over the world as a response to the increasing demand for renewable energy. However, the rapid expansion of wind turbines presents a problem for many radar systems, including weather radars. Wind turbines in the line of sight of a weather radar can have a negative impact on the radar's measurements. As weather radars are important instruments for meteorological offices, finding a way for wind turbines and weather radars to co-exist would be of great societal value. Doppler weather radars base their measurements on in-phase and quadrature phase (I/Q) data. In this work a month's worth of recordings of high-resolution I/Q data from an operational Swedish C-band weather radar are presented. The impact of point targets, such as masts and wind turbines, on the I/Q data is analysed and characterised. It is shown that the impact of point targets on single radar pulses, when normalised by amplitude, is manifested as a distinct and highly repeatable signature. The shape of this signature is found to be independent of the size, shape and yaw angle of the wind turbine. It is further demonstrated how the robustness of the point target signature can be used to identify and filter out the impact of wind turbines in the radar's signal processor.


Amphibians are the most diverse group as regards the endocrinology of Ca homeostasis because in them only "true" parathyroid glands made first appearance but its involvement varies greatly according to their phyletic affinities and habitats. Presence of ultimobranchial gland, parathyroid and renal 25-hydroxyvitamin-D-1-hydroxylase enzyme in anurans represents their tetrapod pattern of Ca regulation. Among "higher" urodeles, both parathyroid and pituitary are involved in hypercalcemic regulation whereas in "lower" urodeles (some of them are "aparathyroid" too), pituitary alone appears to discharge this function. The latter situation is analogous to the fish. Apodans do possess ultimobranchial and parathyroid glands but the problem of their Ca metabolism has not yet been explored. This review deals exhaustively with the endocrinology of Ca metabolism in amphibians. Also, the evolution of hypercalcemic regulation in tetrapods will be discussed in the light of recent developments.


Porous monolith was obtained by the bulk polymerization of ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA) and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) conducted in a glass tube. Poly(EDMA-GMA) monolith had a specific surface area of 98.7 m2/g. Poly(EDMA-GMA) monolith was characterized by swelling studies, FTIR, scanning electron microscopy, and elemental analysis. Poly(EDMA-GMA) monolith with a swelling ratio of 48%, and containing 45.7 μmol Cibacron Blue F3GA/g, were used in the adsorption/desorption of human serum albumin (HSA) from aqueous solutions and human plasma. The nonspecific adsorption of HSA was very low (0.8 mg/g). The maximum amount of HSA adsorption from aqueous solution in phosphate buffer was 22 mg/g at pH 5.0. Higher HSA adsorption value was obtained from human plasma (up to 53.2 mg/g) with a purity of 92%. Desorption of HSA from Cibacron Blue F3GA-attached poly(EDMA-GMA) monolith was obtained using 0.1 M Tris/HCl buffer containing 0.5 M NaCl. It was observed that HSA could be repeatedly adsorbed and desorbed with p...


We present a computational model of mitochondrial deoxynucleotide metabolism and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) synthesis. The model includes the transport of deoxynucleosides and deoxynucleotides into the mitochondrial matrix space, as well as their phosphorylation and polymerization into mtDNA. Different simulated cell types (cancer, rapidly dividing, slowly dividing, and postmitotic cells) are represented in this model by different cytoplasmic deoxynucleotide concentrations. We calculated the changes in deoxynucleotide concentrations within the mitochondrion during the course of a mtDNA replication event and the time required for mtDNA replication in the different cell types. On the basis of the model, we define three steady states of mitochondrial deoxynucleotide metabolism: the phosphorylating state (the net import of deoxynucleosides and export of phosphorylated deoxynucleotides), the desphosphorylating state (the reverse of the phosphorylating state), and the efficient state (the net import of both deoxynucleosides and deoxynucleotides). We present five testable hypotheses based on this simulation. First, the deoxynucleotide pools within a mitochondrion are sufficient to support only a small fraction of even a single mtDNA replication event. Second, the mtDNA replication time in postmitotic cells is much longer than that in rapidly dividing cells. Third, mitochondria in dividing cells are net sinks of cytoplasmic deoxynucleotides, while mitochondria in postmitotic cells are net sources. Fourth, the deoxynucleotide carrier exerts the most control over the mtDNA replication rate in rapidly dividing cells, but in postmitotic cells, the NDPK and TK2 enzymes have the most control. Fifth, following from the previous hypothesis, rapidly dividing cells derive almost all of their mtDNA precursors from the cytoplasmic deoxynucleotides, not from phosphorylation within the mitochondrion.


Purpose: This article considers the relevance of healthcare modernization processes in Russia in terms of marketing activities activation, public-private partnerships intensification. Design/Methodology/Approach: The problem of ensuring security when government and healthcare institutions interact by means of blockchain technologies is under-explored and requires further research and investigation. Therefore, methods of induction, deduction, problem, system and logical analysis along with the economic process and system modelling method combined with the formalization method are used in this article. Findings: A mechanism for effective ensuring the safety of interaction between the government and healthcare institutions using blockchain technologies in the course of conducting financial flows and operational information exchange in modern Russia is proposed. Practical Implications: The proposed mechanism for effective ensuring of security in terms of interaction between the government and the healthcare institution by means of blockchain technologies in modern Russia effectively ensures the security of interaction between the government and healthcare institutions . Originality/Value: Authors' findings could be introduced into the healthcare industry.


The study examined agricultural investments in the light of deregulating the cost of funds. Factors that determine aggregate credit volume to the sector within the costs of funds regulated and deregulated periods and; the growth level in agricultural credit within the deregulated period were the specific objectives. Secondary data were used, sourced from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Data were analyzed using Co-integration technique and Real Credit Growth Rate Model. The Co-integration results showed that in the long-run, average interest lending rate and budgetary allocation were key variables on aggregate credit volume to agricultural sector. In the short-run, savings mobilized by financial institutions, the average lending rate, previous year's average saving rate, inflation rate and government budgetary allocation to the sector were the significant variables on credit volume to agriculture. The result of the real credit growth rate within the deregulated period was 8.91%. Arising from this, therefore, the study recommended a complete unbundling of the markets as it will ensure funds availability for investments in the sector.


We consider auction environments in which bidders must incur a cost to learn their valuations and study the optimal selling mechanisms in such environments. These mechanisms specify for each period, as a function of the bids in previous periods, which new potential buyers should be asked to bid. In addition, these mechanisms must induce buyers to both acquire and to reveal truthfully their valuations. Using a generalized Groves principle, we prove a very general "full extraction of the surplus" result: the seller can obtain the same profit as if he had full control over the buyers' acquisition of information and could have observed directly their valuations once they are informed. We also present appealing implementations of the optimal mechanism in special cases.


This paper describes the features of KIN-nav, a navigation system specifically dedicated to intra-operative evaluation of knee laxity, and assesses the reliability of the system during surgery. The acquisition protocol for its intra-operative use, the original user interface, and the computational methods for elaboration of kinematic data are described in detail. Moreover, an extensive and specific validation of the system was performed in order to evaluate its intra-operative performance and usability. KIN-nav's reliability and accuracy were analyzed in a series of 79 patients undergoing ACL reconstruction. The intra-surgeon repeatability computed for ACL-deficient and reconstructed knees at different flexion angles was less than 0.6 degrees for varus-valgus (VV) rotation, less than 1 mm for AP translation, and less than 1.6 degrees for IE rotation. The inter-surgeon repeatability is less than 2 degrees for VV rotation, 5 degrees for internal-external rotation, and less than 3 mm for AP translation. The proposed method was fast (requiring an additional 10 minutes of surgical time on average), required only a short learning period (5 cases), was minimally invasive, and was robust from the numerical perspective. Our system clearly shows that the use of navigation systems for kinematic evaluation provides useful and complete information on the knee state and test performance, and is simple and reliable to use. The good repeatability in manual kinematic tests is an improvement on the present ability to discriminate knee kinematics intra-operatively, and thus offers the possibility of better discrimination between knee pathologies and the prospect of new surgical applications.


There is a growing interest to find ways and methods to finance capital investments in infrastructure by deploying private capital. Entering private capital into transport infrastructure planning, construction, and maintenance markets requires that the investors. behaviour and motives are understood. Private sector financing of infrastructure and other larger-scale investments have increasingly taken the form of project finance. The project cash flows are divided by equity investors, debt investors, contractors and suppliers and the users that receive the service. This research investigates the characteristics of a feasible framework for private finance of road infrastructure projects using one case project as an aid, which is analysed in depth. The research makes an effort to find out whether private finance of road infrastructure projects is able to bring additional benefits for the state and the project investors and whether private finance is applicable from the viewpoint of the aforementioned. The concept of risk is presented in the framework of financial theory. The relevant project cash flows are identified, as their volatility builds the risks of the project. The project cash flows are studied in detail as to how they form the value of the project. One essential outcome is the project model. The empirical model is built in view of the decision making point on case project in 1996, when the bidding for the project was officially initiated. Recent observed, real data is used to validate the project model. The sub-models of the project model include the cash flow model and the risk structure model, the former based on financial theory and Capital Asset Pricing Model, the latter based on the cash 6 flow model and literature on risk. Simulation is used as the primary method of analysis. The primary source of time series data for economic variables, traffic volumes and road operating and construction is the Finnish Road Administration's production statistics. The case project finance is evaluated from multiple angles . what type of projects and what type of investors seem to be appropriate for shadow toll finance. Also some policy recommendations are provided. The private investors can gain by financing infrastructure projects, but it comes with a price, which is always paid by the taxpayers or users. To justify private finance, the beneficial aspects of private capital deployment must be substantial. The projects must be the best projects from a socio-economic viewpoint and not the ones that do not survive the competition in the normal budgetary process. Different risk factors are behind the long-term value risk and short-term insolvency risk of the project company. Project-specific risk factors are at least as important as economy level factors. This report may be found at http://www.vtt.fi/inf/pdf/publications/2007/P624.pdf


ABSTRACT Medical emergency response teams (MERTs) are widespread throughout inpatient hospital care facilities. Besides the rise of the ubiquitous rapid response team, current MERTs span trauma, stroke, myocardial infarction, and sepsis in many hospitals. Given the multiplicity of teams with widely varying membership, leadership, and functionality, the structure of MERTs is appropriate to review to determine opportunities for improvement. Since nonmedical ERTs predate MERT genesis and are similar across multiple disciplines, nonmedical ERTs provide a standard against which to compare and review MERT design and function. Nonmedical ERTs are crafted to leverage team members who are fully trained and dedicated to that domain, whose skills are regularly updated, with leadership tied to unique skill sets rather than based on hierarchical rank; activity is immediately reviewed at the conclusion of each deployment and teams continue to work together between team deployments. Medical emergency response teams, in sharp contradistinction, often incorporate trainees into teams that do not train together, are not focused on the discipline required to be leveraged, are led based on arrival time or hierarchy, and are usually reviewed at a time remote from team action; teams rapidly disperse after each activity and generally do not continue to work together in between team activations. These differences between ERTs and MERTs may impede MERT success with regard to morbidity and mortality mitigation. Readily deployable approaches to bridge identified gaps include dedicated Advanced Practice Provider (APP) team leadership, reductions in trainee MERT leadership while preserving participation, discipline-dedicated rescue teams, and interteam integration training. Emergency response teams in medical and nonmedical domains share parallels yet lack congruency in structure, function, membership, roles, and performance evaluation. Medical emergency response team structural redesign may be warranted to embrace the beneficial elements of nonmedical ERTs to improve patient outcome and reduce variation in rescue practices and team functionality.


This document provides guidelines for extensions to the Incident
Object Description Exchange Format (IODEF) described in RFC 5070 for
exchange of incident management data, and it contains a template for
Internet-Drafts describing those extensions, in order to ease the work
and improve the quality of extension descriptions. This document is
not an Internet Standards Track specification; it is published for
informational purposes.


Severity of AKI is determined by the magnitude of increase in serum creatinine level or decrease in urine output. However, patients manifesting both oliguria and azotemia and those in which these impairments are persistent are more likely to have worse disease. Thus, we investigated the relationship of AKI severity and duration across creatinine and urine output domains with the risk for RRT and likelihood of renal recovery and survival using a large, academic medical center database of critically ill patients. We analyzed electronic records from 32,045 patients treated between 2000 and 2008, of which 23,866 (74.5%) developed AKI. We classified patients by levels of serum creatinine and/or urine output according to Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes staging criteria for AKI. In-hospital mortality and RRT rates increased from 4.3% and 0%, respectively, for no AKI to 51.1% and 55.3%, respectively, when serum creatinine level and urine output both indicated stage 3 AKI. Both short- and long-term outcomes were worse when patients had any stage of AKI defined by both criteria. Duration of AKI was also a significant predictor of long-term outcomes irrespective of severity. We conclude that short- and long-term risk of death or RRT is greatest when patients meet both the serum creatinine level and urine output criteria for AKI and when these abnormalities persist.


It is noteworthy that multinational firms are beginning to offshore a wide range of operations. Theoretical studies have showed that offshoring contributes to a higher productivity. This paper aims to provide evidence of the effect of offshoring on productivity, on the basis of original 2006 survey data of offshore sourcing of Japanese firms. Our estimation shows that the offshoring of tasks for production of intermediates goods and final assembly, as well as the offshoring of tasks for R&D and information services, positively affects productivity growth, while the outsourcing of other service tasks has no significant impact on productivity. It also shows that firms outsourcing to the United States or Europe have realized high production efficiency, followed by firms outsourcing to Asia, in comparison with non-offshoring firms.


Understanding the potential environmental impacts of the materials we use is important. By doing this we can chose whether or not to regulate, reduce or ban substances which potentially present significant risk to human health and ecosystems. But in order to make environmental decisions effectively, we must collect, analyse and communicate information in the right way.
Decision-making processes for emerging materials often do not consider the life cycle implications of substitute materials, nor the implications of uncertain data. This Engineering Doctorate (EngD) project explores how information provision about emerging materials can allow effective decision-making on environmental issues.
This research examines the use of life cycle assessment (LCA) as a tool for understanding the environmental impact of emerging materials across the life cycle within a product. It reviews the use of life cycle thinking in policy-making to determine key aspects for decision-support; the challenges of applying LCA principles towards emerging materials and key pathways for managing uncertainty. It also evaluates how LCA can be relevant to industry as a mechanism for decision-support on new materials.
These aspects are explored through novel LCA case studies. Key contributions to knowledge come from development of strategic pathways for managing uncertainty relating to carbon nanomaterials and the identification of appropriate methods of uncertainty assessment of emerging materials where uncertainty is very high. Novel LCA studies on emerging nanomaterial and solar technology also contribute new understanding on the life cycle aspects of these systems. Case study on the industry use of LCA adds to discussion on organisational environmental footprinting, and suggests new approaches for LCAs use within decision-support. Examination of life cycle thinking within policy highlights the urgent need for policy-makers to better assess the potential for unforeseen consequences as a result of precautionary action.
This thesis brings together discussion on the implications of life cycle thinking for policy-makers and industry, with the practical challenges of performing LCA on emerging materials where uncertainty is high and little data is available. Its conclusions accentuate the need for better collaboration with industry both in obtaining life cycle data and incorporating LCA into decision-support, and the important role scenario analysis, expert engagement and risk assessment has in supporting uncertainty management where uncertainties are very high.


Watershed-scale modeling can be a valuable tool to aid in quantification of water quality and yield; however, several challenges remain. In many watersheds, it is difficult to adequately quantify hydrologic partitioning. Data scarcity is prevalent, accuracy of spatially distributed meteorology is difficult to quantify, forest encroachment and land use issues are common, and surface water and groundwater abstractions substantially modify watershed-based processes. Our objective is to assess the capability of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model to capture event-based and long-term monsoonal rainfall–runoff processes in complex mountainous terrain. To accomplish this, we developed a unique quality-control, gap-filling algorithm for interpolation of high-frequency meteorological data. We used a novel multi-location, multi-optimization calibration technique to improve estimations of catchment-wide hydrologic partitioning. The interdisciplinary model was calibrated to a unique combination of statistical, hydrologic, and plant growth metrics. Our results indicate scale-dependent sensitivity of hydrologic partitioning and substantial influence of engineered features. The addition of hydrologic and plant growth objective functions identified the importance of culverts in catchment-wide flow distribution. While this study shows the challenges of applying the SWAT model to complex terrain and extreme environments; by incorporating anthropogenic features into modeling scenarios, we can enhance our understanding of the hydroecological impact.


The specification of tissue identity during embryonic development requires precise spatio-temporal coordination of gene expression. Many transcription factors required for the development of organs have been identified and their expression patterns are known; however, the mechanisms through which they coordinate gene expression in time remain poorly understood. Here, we show that hormone-induced transcription factor Blimp-1 participates in the temporal coordination of tubulogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster by regulating the expression of many genes involved in tube maturation. In particular, we demonstrate that Blimp-1 regulates the expression of genes involved in chitin deposition and F-actin organization. We show that Blimp-1 is involved in the temporal control of lumen maturation by regulating the beginning of chitin deposition. We also report that Blimp-1 represses a variety of genes involved in tracheal maturation. Finally, we reveal that the kinase Btk29A serves as a link between Blimp-1 transcriptional repression and apical extracellular matrix organization.


This paper in investigates the effect of bubble on the primary Si size in Al-18wt. %Si alloy. The primary Si size observed was varied with bubble size and bubbling time in bubble process. The effect of the holding temperature of the melt in bubbling process was also investigated. In water model, as the injecting bubble size decreases, the residual bubble size in the water decreases and the residual bubble conservation time in the water increases. Also in the experiment of Al melt, the primary Si size decreases, as the injecting bubble size decreases and as the bubble processing time increases. Pore was observed at the center of primary Si. This pore was observed at many Si phases. So, this experiment suggests that the bubble can be used as nucleation sites of primary Si


This article concerned with the formation mechanism of the micro-arc oxidization(MAO) coating on magnesium alloys. The micro-arc oxidation ceramic coating on AZ91 magnesium alloy was prepared in a silicate alkaline solution (Na2SiO3:5-30g/l, NaOH: 1-5g/l, KF: 5-8g/l, Na3C6H5O7: 0.5-2g/l, EDTA: 0.5-2g/l). The experiments were carried out in AC current galvanostatic mode with a current density of 20-50A/dm2. The microstructure of the MAO coating was characterized by means of transmission electron microscopy(TEM). Microcrystallite and/or nanocrystallite were found in the MAO coatings, the size of the former was about 50-200nm and the latter was about 20-50nm. Cellular structure was observed in the coatings, which was composed of a lot of micro/nano grains. The grains grew preferentially in some directions during the MAO process, and the cellular structure is formed by the grains growing in a laminar way. The cellular structures also grew and aggregated by laminar way to form the whole MAO coatings.


Impellers with splitter blades are used for pumps and compressors in the design of turbomachines. Design parameters such as the number of blades, blade discharge angle and impeller discharge diameter impact affect pump performance and energy consumption. In this study, the effect of the number of blades (z=5, 6, and 7), blade discharge angles (β2b=25, and β2b=35) and splitter blade lengths (40, 55, 70, and 85% of the main blade length) on Deep Well Pump (DWP) performance has been studied experimentally. In the experiments, pump casing, blade inlet angle, blade thickness, blade width and impeller inlet and discharge diameters have been kept fixed while other parameters such as the number of blades, blade discharge angles and splitter blade lengths have been allowed to vary. As a result of the experimental study, the highest efficiency of all the impellers for best efficiency point (b.e.p) has been obtained on the impeller with the number of blades z=6, blade discharge angle 2b=25 and 85% splitter blade addition compared to impellers without splitter blades.


ABSTRACT The micropalaeontology collections of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris (France) house the abundant and diverse collections gathered by Maurice Lys, geologist at the Institut Français du Pétrole from 1945 to 1971. Samples from the Middle Permian of the occidental Hindu Kush (central Afghanistan) collected and studied by Lys and his colleagues have been processed for ostracods study. Here, ostracods are for the first time reported from the Middle Permian (Roadian and Wordian) carbonate sequence of central Afghanistan, corresponding to 31 species distributed into 12 genera. Only small portions of the original samples have been treated, explaining the low abundance of the assemblage and the necessity to keep most of the species in open nomenclature. This discovery is nevertheless of major importance as it extends the palaeobiogeographic distribution of ostracods during the Middle Permian and further increases their palaeobiodiversity on the brink of the two extinction events at the end of the Palaeozoic. Palaeoenvironmental preferences of the recovered taxa seem to record an increase in the water depth from the east to the west over the studied area. The first analysis of ostracods provincialism during the Roadian is performed and identifies two clusters with strong similarity between South China Block and North American Platform and between central Afghanistan and Indochina Block.


Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a devastating fungal disease of small-grain cereals that causes significant yield losses and mycotoxin contamination, diminishing food and feed safety worldwide. In contrast to wheat, little is known about the agricultural practices that influence FHB and Fusarium mycotoxins in barley. Thus, a nationwide survey was conducted across Switzerland for harvest samples in 2016 and 2017, accompanied with a questionnaire to obtain information about the agricultural practices in each barley field. In total, 253 grain and 237 straw samples were analyzed. In both years, F. graminearum was the predominant Fusarium species in grains followed by F. avenaceum and F. poae. Growing maize before barley was associated with increased amount of F. graminearum DNA in grains and straw as well as with elevated concentrations of deoxynivalenol in grains of barley. On the other hand, growing pasture before barley resulted in increased incidence of F. poae and concentration of numerous mycotoxins in grains (e.g., enniatins) and straw (e.g., beauvericin). Reduced tillage practices were linked to increased incidence of F. graminearum and deoxynivalenol content in grains and straw. In contrast, conventional tillage was linked to higher incidence of F. poae. Moreover, use of spring barley was associated with decreased amount of F. graminearum DNA in grains and straw, but increased incidence of F. poae and F. avenaceum. Use of the spring variety Eunova was linked to increased concentrations of several Fusarium mycotoxins in grains (e.g., enniatins and nivalenol). Furthermore, the application of strobilurin-based fungicides was associated with higher deoxynivalenol and beauvericin contents in grains. The application of plant growth regulators was associated with increased concentration of some Fusarium mycotoxins in grains (e.g., culmorin), while absence of growth regulators application was linked to elevated concentration of some other mycotoxins (e.g., nivalenol). We conclude that individual agricultural practices can suppress some FHB causing species and reduce the associated mycotoxins, but can promote others. Hence, integrated control measures combining numerous prevention and intervention strategies should be applied for the sustainable management of mycotoxins in barley.


In this paper we describe a Con guration PRo ling tool (CPR) and show how it can be used to aid compiler designers, FPGA architects and in the construction of a macro-generator libraries. CPR uses subgraph matching to identify the parts of an application which are most important to achieve high performance. Using CPR as a guide we implemented a few macros for a macro-generator library, which yielded signi cant improvement in both the quality of con gurations and speed of compilation.


Viral respiratory diseases (VRDs), such as influenza and COVID‐19, are thought to spread faster during winter than during summer. It has been previously argued that cold and dry conditions are more conducive to the transmission of VRDs than warm and humid climates, although this relationship appears restricted to temperate regions and the causal relationship is not well understood. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 causing COVID‐19 has emerged as a serious global public health problem after the first COVID‐19 reports in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. It is still unclear whether this novel respiratory disease will ultimately prove to be a seasonal endemic disease. Here, we suggest that air drying capacity (ADC; an atmospheric state variable that controls the fate/evolution of the virus‐laden droplets) and ultraviolet radiation (UV) are probable environmental determinants in shaping the transmission of COVID‐19 at the seasonal time scale. These variables, unlike temperature and humidity, provide a physically based framework consistent with the apparent seasonal variability in COVID‐19 and prevalent across a broad range of climates (e.g., Germany and India). Since this disease is known to be influenced by the compounding effect of social, biological, and environmental determinants, this study does not claim that these environmental determinants exclusively shape the seasonality of COVID‐19. However, we argue that ADC and UV play a significant role in COVID‐19 dynamics at the seasonal scale. These findings could help guide the development of a sound adaptation strategy against the pandemic over the coming seasons.


Considering the inflation model based on a $f(R)$ gravity theory, we obtain several important constraints from the large angular scale CMBR observations. First, the ordinary slow-roll assumption during the inflation together with Harrison-Zel'dovich spectral conditions chooses $R^2$ gravity as a unique candidate. Second, the $R^2$ gravity leads to specific near scale-invariant Harrison-Zel'dovich spectra both for the scalar and the tensor perturbations. Third, using the COBE-DMR data we derive the strong constraints on the coupling constant and the energy scale during the inflation. Also, our result shows the gravitational wave contribution to the CMBR anisotropy is negligible. So, the future observation can provide the strong constraints on the inflation model based on $R^2$ gravity. This is a summary of a talk presented in COSMO-01, and the more completed published version can be found in astro-ph/0102423.


Background Shared decision-making is recognised as an important element of person-centred dementia care. Objectives The aim of this review was to explore how people living with dementia and cognitive impairment can be included in day-to-day decisions about their health and care in extended care settings. Design A systematic review including primary research relating to shared decision-making, with cognitively impaired adults in (or transferrable to) extended care settings. Databases searched were: CINAHL, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, NICE Evidence, OpenGrey, Autism Data, Google Scholar, Scopus and Medicines Complete (June to October 2016 and updated 2018) for studies published in the last 20 years. Results Of the 19 included studies 15 involved people with living dementia, seven in extended care settings. People living with cognitive impairment often have the desire and ability to participate in decision-making about their everyday care, although this is regularly underestimated by their staff and family care partners. Shared decision-making has the potential to improve quality of life for both the person living with dementia and those who support them. How resources to support shared decision-making are implemented in extended care settings is less well understood. Conclusions Evidence suggests that people living with cognitive impairment value opportunities to be involved in everyday decision-making about their care. How these opportunities are created, understood, supported and sustained in extended care settings remains to be determined. Trial registration number CRD42016035919


Efficient RDF, graph based queries are becoming more pertinent based on the increased interest in data analytics and its intersection with large, unstructured but connected data. Many commercial systems have adopted distributed RDF graph systems in order to handle increasing dataset sizes and complex queries. This paper introduces a distribute graph approach to pre-processing linked data. Instead of traversing the memory graph, our system indexes pre-processed join elements that are organized in a graph structure. We analyze the Dbpedia data-set (derived from the Wikipedia corpus) and compare our access method to the graph traversal access approach which we also devise. Results show from our experiments that the distributed, pre-processed graph approach to accessing linked data is faster than the traversal approach over a specific range of linked queries.


In a global numerical weather prediction (NWP) modeling framework we study the implementation of Gaussian uncertainty of individual particles into the assimilation step of a localized adaptive particle filter (LAPF). We obtain a local representation of the prior distribution as a mixture of basis functions. In the assimilation step, the filter calculates the individual weight coefficients and new particle locations. It can be viewed as a combination of the LAPF and a localized version of a Gaussian mixture filter, i.e., a Localized Mixture Coefficients Particle Filter (LMCPF). Here, we investigate the feasibility of the LMCPF within a global operational framework and evaluate the relationship between prior and posterior distributions and observations. Our simulations are carried out in a standard pre-operational experimental set-up with the full global observing system, 52 km global resolution and $10^6$ model variables. Statistics of particle movement in the assimilation step are calculated. The mixture approach is able to deal with the discrepancy between prior distributions and observation location in a real-world framework and to pull the particles towards the observations in a much better way than the pure LAPF. This shows that using Gaussian uncertainty can be an important tool to improve the analysis and forecast quality in a particle filter framework.


ABSTRACT Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) appeared on the Algerian landscape in 2007 after the merger between Al Qaeda and the GSPC, with the objective of expanding its existing network in North Africa and the Sahel region. Pressure from security forces in Algeria propelled the group to seek refuge in Mali, where the 2012 conflict provided a safe haven for the group. Opération Serval, launched by the French military in 2013, dealt a severe setback to AQIM, as many of its fighters were killed and others dispersed to other parts of the region. From that period onwards, there has been a reduction in terror attacks and bombings until recently. Yet, an increase in kidnapping of foreigners for ransom coupled with drug trafficking signalled a transformation in the modus operandi of the group. To understand this trend, the article applies the crime-terror paradigm in order to assess the evolution of AQIM from a terror group with political and religious intentions into a group engaged in criminal activities with economic motivations. The article finds that AQIM is a hybrid entity that displays both terrorist and criminal motivations which are determined by the context within which the group finds itself.


Electrochromic nickel oxide (NiOx) thin films are one of the most promising anodic colored materials. However, there is lack of accurate description of their electrochemical process and degradation mechanism. In this study, a novel approach involving in situ electrochromic efficiency is proposed to reveal the electrochemical origin of an electrochromic NiOx thin film cycled in a Li+-ion electrolyte. The results indicate that the coloring process of the NiOx thin film refers to the oxidation reactions of Ni2+ to Ni3+ and Ni2+ to Ni4+ (in two forms of Ni3O4 and Ni2O3), and the bleaching process is associated with the reduction reactions of Ni4+ to Ni2+, Ni4+ to Ni3+, and Ni3+ to Ni2+. The irreversible reduction of Ni4+ to Ni3+ plays a dominant role in the activation procedure of NiOx. It is deduced that the Li+-ion trapping in the bleaching process along with the reduction reactions of Ni4+ to Ni3+ and Ni3+ to Ni2+ causes the degradation of the electrochromic properties. This study provides a further insight into the electrochromic mechanism and is conducive to the improvement of the long-term cyclic durability for Li+-based electrochromic NiOx. Moreover, the study significantly establishes a direct connection between an electrochemical process and a variation in the optical absorbance of materials.


The main objective of this paper was to create a baseline for the spatial and temporal characterization of fisheries in the Chinchorro Bank Biosphere Reserve. Monthly records of one of three fishing cooperatives in the area were taken between August 2004 and June 2005. The individual length and weight of each fish species were recorded per boat. Catch per unit effort (CPUE) was calculated as kilograms per fisherman per hour (kg-fisherman -1 -hr -1 ). CPUE values for Epinephelus striatus, Mycteroperca bonaci, Lachnolaimus maximus and Sphyraena barracuda were highest in the "Nortes" (northerly-winds) season due to increased fishing effort and to the fact that they were apparently caught in spawning aggregation sites. Generally, fishing at Chinchorro Bank exerts low to moderate ecological impact because fishing gear restrictions and fisheries are closely linked to the extraction of spiny lobster, a resource with a higher aggregated-value in contrast to reef fisheries.


Two new polycyclic tetramate macrolactams, lysobacteramides A (1) and B (2), together with HSAF (heat-stable antifungal factor, 3), 3-dehydroxy HSAF (4), and alteramide A (5) were isolated from a culture of Lysobacter enzymogenes C3 in nutrient yeast glycerol medium. Their structures were determined by MS and extensive NMR analysis. The absolute configurations of 1-5 were assigned by theoretical calculations of their ECD spectra. Although HSAF and analogues were reported from several microorganisms, their absolute configurations had not been established. The isolation and the absolute configurations of these compounds revealed new insights into the biosynthetic mechanism for formation of the polycycles. Compounds 1-4 exhibited cytotoxic activity against human carcinoma A549, HepG2, and MCF-7 cells with IC50 values ranging from 0.26 to 10.3 μM. Compounds 2 and 3 showed antifungal activity against Fusarium verticillioides with IC50 value of 47.9 and 6.90 μg/mL, respectively.


The poor performance of the French economy in the 1930s has long been recognised as a major contributory factor in the decline of the Third Republic, which collapsed after the defeat of 1940. Although France entered the Great Depression later than the rest of the world, French governments failed to learn from the experience of other countries in combating it. This book is the first full study of the formation of economic policy in these crucial years, and of the political debate to which it gave rise. It examines the origins of the notion of planning and the 'planomania', which gripped France in 1934; and it shows why this solution was ultimately rejected. It also analyses in detail the arguments of pro- and anti-devaluers. The conclusion suggests that stagnation was to some extent chosen as a conscious policy, since at least until 1936 the Depression never seemed severe enough to threaten the social order.


Background: There is a high risk of malaria infection in Uganda due to availability of conducive conditions in breeding habitats of An. gambiae s.l., the vectors for Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria.
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine whether the abundance and distribution of macro-invertebrates and An. gambiae s.l. are influenced by water physico-chemical parameters.
Methods: In this study, habitats were classified as ponds, streams, temporary pools and roadside ditches. From these habitats, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, temperature and pH were measured in-situ in the morning and afternoon between October and December 2017. Macro-invertebrates and An. gambiae s.l. larvae were sampled, preserved, morphologically identified and counted.
Results: There was a strong association between An. gambiae s.l. with land use, habitat types and water physico-chemical parameters. Baetidae, Coenagrionidae, Aeshnidae, Nepidae, Lymnaeidae and Hirudidae were highly abundant in streams. Notonectidae, Haliplidae and Elmidae were dominant in ponds while Dytiscidae, Culicidae, Chironomidae, Sphaerolichidae and An. gambiae s.l. were abundant in temporary pools. Carabidae were abundant in roadside ditches.
Conclusion: Water physico-chemical parameters, land use and habitat types influenced the abundance and distribution of macro-invertebrates including An. gambiae s.l. We recommend that studies should be conducted to establish the mechanisms through which these factors influence abundance and distribution of An. gambiae s.l. and other macro-invertebrates.


Abstract: Activated cyclopropanes, such as vinyl and carbonyl cyclopropanes, are useful building blocks in organic chemistry due to their exceptional reactivity. This review focuses on the use of cyclopropyl carbonyls and imines in cyclization and cycloaddition reactions for the synthesis of cyclic compounds. Cycloisomerization and other cyclization reactions are treated first, followed by formal cycloaddition reactions and applications in total synthesis. For each class of reactions, key pioneering works are shortly presented and emphasis is then set on recent results. Indeed, the utility of activated cyclopropanes in organic synthesis have been significantly increased in the last years by combining modern catalytic methods with the well-established reactivity of these building blocks. Together with progress in the synthesis of the cyclopropanes, these new methods allowed a better control over the diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity of the reactions as well as their use for the synthesis of complex natural products.