One of the objectives of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) is to prevent and reduce the effects of natural hazards, particularly ones caused by climate changes. The ICZM methodologies include use of geographic information systems, from data collection and geo-analysis to dissemination of information to the public. As a part of the Interreg MED Co-evolve project cofinanced by the European regional development fund, the ICZM based action plan is being developed for the City of Kaštela in Croatia. Activities include assessing coastal vulnerability to climate change, focusing on sea flooding and storm damages and related socio-economic vulnerabilities. The paper presents development of large scale vulnerability analysis, adopted from the methodologies developed for mid and small scales. Suitability of the available data is assessed, either official or open source, and data gaps are described. The analysis's results are presented in terms of the assets exposed to coastal flooding and storms, and future improvements of analysis towards house level vulnerability analysis is envisaged.


The incidence of inflammatory disorders in industrialized countries has dramatically increased over the last decennia, which is believed to result from a change in life-style. Treatment of these inflammatory disorders relies on the intervention in immune responses thereby restoring homeostasis. For now, many inflammatory disorders are treated with broad-acting immunosuppressive drugs or monoclonal antibodies that specifically target pro-inflammatory molecules of the immune system. An alternative therapeutic approach would be to use immunomodulatory proteins that are naturally involved in re-establishing immune homeostasis. This thesis describes the plant-based expression of a variety of immunomodulatory cytokines that may be used as biopharmaceutical proteins in the future. Furthermore, this thesis contains a pioneering chapter on the plant-based expression of immunomodulatory helminth-secreted glycoproteins. In Chapter 2 we describe the plant-based expression of the immune-regulatory cytokine human transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1). By co-expressing human furin with latent TGF-β1 we were able to engineer the post-translational proteolytic processing of TGF-β1, which enabled the production of biologically active TGF-β1. In Chapter 3 we reveal that aggregation is a major production bottleneck for the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10). By protein engineering we were able to prevent aggregation and created a biologically active fusion protein of IL-10. In Chapter 4 we express biologically active IL-22 in plants. We reveal that, in contrast to current literature, its activity is independent of the presence of N-glycans or their composition. This chapter further reveals that plants offer a powerful tool to allow investigation into the role of N-glycans in protein folding and biological activity of glycoproteins. In Chapter 5 we further explore the potential of glyco-engineering in plants by engineering helminth-like N-glycans. We produce large quantities of two major egg antigens from Schistosoma mansoni and successfully engineer Lewis X, LDN and LDNF N-glycan structures. These plant biotechnological research lines are a showcase for the potential of engineering proteins as well as post-translational modifications in plants with special emphasis on N-glycan engineering. Altogether, the results presented in the first four chapters reveal the remarkable flexibility of plants as a production platform for recombinant proteins. It showcases the potential of engineering proteins as well as post-translational modifications in plants, but it especially highlights the engineering of tailor made N-glycans in plants. This, combined with the speed of transient expression by means of agroinfiltration, makes transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana a powerful tool to study the role of N-glycans on glycoprotein function. In parallel to these plant biotechnological research lines, we also developed an in vitro model system based on mouse bone marrow-derived cells to study immunological responses. We used this model to obtain clues on why IL-10 therapy has not been as successful as previously anticipated. In Chapter 6 we have set-up biological activity assays based on bone marrow-derived cells and reveal that IL-10 activity is dependent on both IL-10R1 and IL-10R2, but not IL-10R2-associated signalling via Tyk2. We also show that interactions between IL-10R1 and IL-10R2 (both intracellular and extracellular) reduce cellular binding of IL-10, but are crucial to initiate IL-10 mediated signalling. Furthermore, we observed that macrophages and dendritic cells respond differently to IL-10. This was further investigated in Chapter 7 where we reveal that GM-CSF (the cytokine used to differentiate dendritic cells) is responsible for negatively regulating early IL-10-mediated responses. Strikingly, GM-CSF does not strongly affect the IL-10-induced activation of the transcription factor STAT3. Instead, GM-CSF induces strong constitutive phosphorylation of GSK-3β, a signalling component downstream of the PI3K/Akt pathway. These immunological chapters give novel insights on the mechanism of initiating IL-10-induced signalling and on the possible integration of signal transduction pathways elicited by different cytokines. Ultimately this knowledge could provide us with new therapeutic strategies to treat inflammatory disorders.


Weak monadic second-order logic of one successor (WS1S) is a simple and natural formalism to specify regular properties. WS1S is decidable, although the decision procedure's complexity is non-elementary. Typically, decision procedures for WS1S exploit the logic-automaton connection, i.e. they escape the simple and natural formalism by translating formulas into equally expressive regular structures such as finite automata, regular expressions, or games. In this work, we devise a coalgebraic decision procedure for WS1S that stays within the logical world by directly operating on formulas. The key operation is the derivative of a formula, modeled after Brzozowski's derivatives of regular expressions. The presented decision procedure has been formalized and proved correct in the interactive proof assistant Isabelle.


Abstract Honey is valued for its therapeutic qualities which are attributed among others to its antibacterial multifactorial properties. However, all the factors that influence these properties have not been identified. The present study is focused on the antibacterial action of fatty acids originating from royal jelly, the larval food of honeybees. Aliphatic C8-C12 acids characteristic of this bee product had previously been identified in more than fifty different samples of honey originating from seven countries and in eleven samples of Polish herbhoney. Experiments were performed to ascertain the influence of acidity on the antimicrobial activity of the acids. In acidic nutrient media all tested aliphatic hydroxyacids and unsaturated dicarboxylic acids demonstrated antibacterial action against different microbes with minimal inhibitory concentrations between 0.048 and 3.125 mM. Our results confirm that part of the antibacterial activity of honey contributes to these compounds of bee origin.


In conjunction with the talk and the exhibited multisculpture works in stone complementing our participation to the Pecs 2010 conference [1], this paper wants to deliver in phenomenological terms a closer look at the very generic side -geometrical aspects and mechanics- of the perennial practice of manual stone carving. This can become a base for future bridging to maths and applied maths that nowadays buttress all knowledge, including the most subjective : art itself. The possibility for modeling is evidenced by the literature available in the neighboring domain of the tooling industry devoted to percussive rock drilling. One can even start dreaming of beyond. As this short paper holds but limited iconography, more and larger images are provided on the Conference Disk.


UV absorbance measurements play an important role in bioprocess development. Yield and purity are often evaluated in terms of peak percentages in analytical SEC or ion‐exchange chromatography. Also, industrial chromatography steps are usually controlled based on UV data with pooling decisions according to absorbance thresholds. Model‐based process development would make elaborate screening experiments redundant, once the model has been calibrated to the specific process step. So far, absorbance measurements could not be used directly for modeling chromatography steps as the commonly applied models rely on mass or molar concentration. This study presents mechanistic modeling of an industrially relevant chromatography setting without any knowledge of the feed composition. The model equations were rewritten to employ boundary conditions in UV absorbance units, the absorption coefficients were shifted into the isotherm, and standard parameter estimation procedures could be applied. An anion‐exchange chromatography case study of a target protein expressed in Escherichia coli and 11 lumped impurity peaks demonstrated practical applicability. The target protein concentration in the feed material was estimated from chromatograms. Using this method, initially unknown feed concentrations can be determined a posteriori for ion‐exchange and multimodal chromatography from single‐component absorbance curves.


Polar ecosystems thrive significantly on carbon synthesized by sea ice-associated microalgae. The underside of sea ice in polar regions represents a natural habitat for heterotrophic organisms, e. g. copepods and amphipods. The under-ice fauna plays a key role in transferring ice algae-produced carbon into pelagic and benthic food webs of polar ecosystems. The under-ice community and the associated pelagic food webs are largely affected by climate change accompanied by the reduction of sea ice coverage and increase in the duration of the melt season. Until now, the degree to which Arctic marine food webs depend on sea ice-derived carbon is still unclear. In order to improve our understanding of the potential ecological consequences of a changing sea ice environment, we aimed to quantify the transfer of ice algae-produced carbon into the under-ice community and from there into pelagic food webs. Sample collection was carried out during the RV Polarstern expedition of ARK XXVII-3 (August-September 2012) throughout the Eastern Central Arctic Ocean north of 80°N. The carbon sources of abundant under-ice zooplankton species were studied using stable isotope analysis (SIA) of natural abundance carbon and nitrogen, and lipid fingerprinting.Compound-specific SIA (CSIA) of fatty acid trophic markers (FATM) was used to separate the trophic signal of phytoplankton FATM from those of ice algae. Mixing models were used to determine the relative contribution of FATM of the two carbon sources. We found the Arctic copepods Calanus glacialis and Calanus hyperboreus feeding on both, ice algae and pelagic phytoplankton. Several amphipod species demonstrated a high dietary dependency on ice algae.


This systematic review summarizes the current evidence on the financial return of worksite health promotion programmes aimed at improving nutrition and/or increasing physical activity. Data on study characteristics and results were extracted from 18 studies published up to 14 January 2011. Two reviewers independently assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Three metrics were (re‐)calculated per study: the net benefits, benefit cost ratio (BCR) and return on investment (ROI). Metrics were averaged, and a post hoc subgroup analysis was performed to compare financial return estimates between study designs. Four randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 13 non‐randomized studies (NRSs) and one modelling study were included. Average financial return estimates in terms of absenteeism benefits (NRS: ROI 325%, BCR 4.25; RCT: ROI −49%, BCR 0.51), medical benefits (NRS: ROI 95%, BCR 1.95; RCT: ROI −112%, BCR −0.12) or both (NRS: ROI 387%, BCR 4.87; RCT: ROI −92%, BCR 0.08) were positive in NRSs, but negative in RCTs. Worksite health promotion programmes aimed at improving nutrition and/or increasing physical activity generate financial savings in terms of reduced absenteeism costs, medical costs or both according to NRSs, whereas they do not according to RCTs. Since these programmes are associated with additional types of benefits, conclusions about their overall profitability cannot be made.


This guide contains all of the ASC's writing resources. If you do not see a topic, suggest it through the suggestion box on the Writing home page.


Electroolfactograms were recorded in isolated olfactory epithelium of pigs, both females and castrated males, of various age. The boar pheromone, 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3-one, elicited negative electrical responses up to 2 mV in many preparations. The threshold response corresponded to as low as 10(-9) g of the pheromone on a filter paper. The specific anosmia to the boar pheromone was discovered in few preparations, where responses to the pheromone were absent and the sensitivity to common odour substances (butyl acetate, camphor, butyric acid, etc.) was unchanged.


Massive Primordial Black Holes (MPBH) can be formed after inflation due to broad peaks in the primordial curvature power spectrum that collapse gravitationally during the radiation era, to form clusters of black holes that merge and increase in mass after recombination, generating today a broad mass-spectrum of black holes with masses ranging from 0.01 to 105 M⊙. These MPBH could act as seeds for galaxies and quick-start structure formation, initiating reionization, forming galaxies at redshift z > 10 and clusters at z > 1. They may also be the seeds on which SMBH and IMBH form, by accreting gas onto them and forming the centers of galaxies and quasars at high redshift. They form at rest with zero spin and have negligible cross-section with ordinary matter. If there are enough of these MPBH, they could constitute the bulk of the Dark Matter today. Such PBH could be responsible for the observed fluctuations in the CIB and X-ray backgrounds. MPBH could be directly detected by the gravitational waves emitted when they merge to form more massive black holes, as recently reported by LIGO. Their continuous merging since recombination could have generated a stochastic background of gravitational waves that could eventually be detected by LISA and PTA. MPBH may actually be responsible for the unidentified point sources seen by Fermi, Magic and Chandra. Furthermore, the ejection of stars from shallow potential wells like those of Dwarf Spheroidals (DSph), via the gravitational slingshot effect, could be due to MPBH, thus alleviating the substructure and too-big-to-fail problems of standard collisionless CDM. Their mass distribution peaks at a few tens of M⊙ today, and could therefore be detected also with long-duration microlensing events, as well as by the anomalous motion of stars in the field of GAIA. Their presence as CDM in the Universe could be seen in the time-dilation of strong-lensing images of quasars. The hierarchical large scale structure behaviour of MPBH does not differ from that of ordinary CDM.


This study was conducted to evaluate the protective efficiency of different vaccines and vaccination programs against Newcastle disease virus (NDV) in chickens, in the field and the laboratory. In the field, three commercial chicken farms (LA, LB, and QC) used different types of live vaccines and vaccination programs via drinking water (DW) were serologically estimated by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay to detect the level of circulating antibodies against NDV. The laboratory study was carried out to assess whether the types of vaccine and their route of administration influence the HI level and viral shedding. Chicken groups (G1-G5) except for the control were challenged with velogenic NDV genotype VIIj circulating among vaccinated chickens in Egypt. The protection efficiency was evaluated by HI test pre-and post-challenge, and the virus shedding post-challenge was quantitated by real-time RT-PCR. The results of the field study indicated that although LA and QC farms showed clinical signs accompanied with high mortality after the 2nd (HI=22.1) and 3rd (HI=23.2) vaccination doses, respectively, and velogenic NDV destroyed chickens in these farms, the LB farm showed no deaths with apparently healthy birds (HI=23.3). In the laboratory inactivated and alternative vaccinations have the highest protection HI titer with no virus shedding while live vaccination either in DW or eye drops showed low protection and the virus was detected in chickens from the DW live vaccinated group. In conclusion, the currently used in field vaccination programs and their routes of administration should be reconsidered to combat NDV infection.


Bacillus subtilis has been the subject of intense study for nearly six decades. Initially, the key drivers were: (i) the need of the food industry for a nonpathogenic model bacterium to study the characteristics of endospores, and (ii) the observation, in 1959, that B. subtilis strain 168 could be genetically manipulated by transformation. In the intervening period, B. subtilis 168 has become second only to Escherichia coli K-12 in terms of the detail with which aspects of its genetic, biochemistry and physiology is understood. For the foreseeable future, B. subtilis represents an eminently tractable model in which to integrate knowledge gained from the reductionist approach to biology towards an understanding of how this bacterium functions as a unitary system. This will require the application of various 'omics' (e.g. genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics), the increased application of high-throughput technologies and system modelling. The ultimate aim of an in silico model of B. subtilis is that it can accurately mimic or predict its behaviour in the environment.

Keywords:

systems biology;
proteomic;
transcriptomics;
metabolomics;
cell factory


: Some clinicians claim a spontaneous complete recovery of facial nerve function after Bell's palsy in more than 80% of patients. However, for elderly patients and patients with a severe paresis/paralysis this is not the case. The main cause of Bell's palsy is probably reactivation of latent herpes viruses. Recent literature supports treatment with corticosteroids and antiviral medication, inhibiting viral replication and reducing oedema in the bony canal of the facial nerve. Using this medication in the first days of the disease provides a further 15% of patients with a good outcome in addition to the ones that improve spontaneously. Therefore, prednisone and valacyclovir are recommended for all patients with Bell's palsy and severe dysfunction, i.e. House-Brackmann facial grading scale IV, V and VI.


The goal of this thesis was to develop, characterize, and technically evaluate nonintrusive optical oximeters. Non-intrusive oximeters are oximeters with high level of comfort for the ambulatory patients or in case of application in the operation theater, with quick application and read-out, with no need for fixation and extended measurement
period. Two oximeters are presented. The first one functions based on visible light spectroscopy and the second one is a textile based continuous wave (CW) near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) oximeter.
In applications such as flap oximetry (e.g. in reconstructive surgery), skin oximetry, and oximetry of bone or heart, themselves, in open surgeries, a non-intrusive oximeter is required which incorporates a small probe and is capable of local measurement of tissue oxygen saturation (StO2) instantly. We developed a non-intrusive oximetry based on visible light spectroscopy (Oxy VLS), which applies visible light and based on the shape of the absorption spectrum of hemoglobin calculates StO2, oxyhemoglobin concentration ([O2Hb]), deoxyhemoglobin concentration ([HHb]), and reduced scattering coefficient (µ's). The functionality of the oximeter is demonstrated in a liquid phantom with adjustable StO2. We characterized the oximeter by the influence of scattering and light path as well as total hemoglobin concentration ([tHb]) of tissue and concluded that [tHb] had only marginal effect on the StO2 measured
by OxyVLS and the effect of m0 s was less than 10%. We additionally verified a good agreement between [O2Hb], [HHb], and (µ's) measured by OxyVLS and frequency domain (FD) NIRS oximeters. Moreover, we derived equations for conversion of the results obtained by Oxy VLS in a liquid phantom with adjustable StO2 to Nonin-neonatal, INVOS adult and neonatal, OxyPrem v1.3, and OxiplexTS which are common in research and clinics. Last but not least, we applied OxyVLS as a reference oximeter, in a phantom measurement and quantified the effect of adipose tissue thickness (ATT) on CW-NIRS oximeters.
In applications such as muscle oximetry, which is of interest, for example, in patients with high risk of peripheral vascular disease (PVD) or in case of pressure ulcer prevention in paraplegics, long term monitoring of StO2 is required. In such applications, oximetry has to not only protect the health of the patient but also provide a high
level of comfort. In paraplegics, for instance, the pressure points from the oximeter's sensor may increase the risk of pressure ulcer development. In our opinion a textile based CW-NIRS oximeter (TexNIRS) overcomes this issue. We developed and charv acterized sensors and actuators for NIRS on phantoms as well as on a healthy subject. We additionally, evaluated the application and plausibility of the values measured by TexNIRS on 16 legs from 10 healthy subjects by venous occlusion. StO2, venous oxygen saturation (SvO2), oxygen consumption (VO2), blood flow (BF), hemoglobin flow (HF), and change in [O2Hb] and [HHb] due to venous occlusion were plausible and in good agreement with the values reported in the literature.


Compared to other production industries, shift work has never been introduced on a large scale in the construction industry which is partly caused by the restriction of noise generating activities in urban areas, but also by the complex multi-company structure construction project consist of which obstructs and complicate the innovation process. With increasing production cost and significant impact on the society, environmentally and resource consuming, new and efficient production strategies are urgent. This thesis questions whether economic incentives can be identified by applying shift work in a construction project, where the preconditions are not considered well suited by the industry. This is done through conducting an economic evaluation and apply shift work on a standard Road and Sewer project and theoretically calculate the impact shift work would entail. Besides, a comprehensive empirical study though selective interviews were conducted to identify the view of shift work today, what challenges the industry faces and barriers for implementing shift work as a competitive strategy.
The financial evaluation indicated that by applying shift, it is possible to increase revenues up to 26 percent. It also showed there are significant variations in profitability between the shift structures, and it is therefore of great importance to understand the preconditions and how they are affected by shift work in order to choose the most suitable shift structure. It was evident in the empirical finding that shift work requires a significantly higher level of planning, coordination, and cooperation from all involved parties of the project. Another outcome was that there is an underlying resistance toward innovation and finding new solutions, which is likely to prevent development. This attitude and mindset is probably the most substantial obstacle the construction industry faces to experience an improvement in efficiency. A company must be willing to go through a change to sustain their market position and survive in an increasingly fearsome competition, which puts higher demand on the contractor.


Housing transformation is a situation where households carryout far-reaching alterations, extension, modification or addition to the original forms, extent and patterns of their buildings including their immediate environment. This paper investigated the process of housing transformation and its impact on the quality of life of residents. A case study approach was employed and the Federal Low-Income Housing Estate, Ipaja in Lagos State was purposively selected for the study. The population of study was 1514 housing units spread across four different zones (A-D) of the estate. Sample size of 560 housing units alongside their household heads were randomly selected as units of study. Data was collected by means of structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression model. 560 questionnaires were administered out of which 379 were validly returned. Result revealed that housing transformation in public housing is inevitable and carried out irrespective of the socio-economic status and lifestyles of residents. The study identified that spaces prone to transformation are those deemed as unsatisfactory and with dire effect on the quality of life of residents. The paper recommended that proper policy guidelines should be put in place to accommodate flexibility in design of public housing. In addition, adequate manpower should be provided to control and monitor transformational developments in public housing estates.


Sporadic late onset nemaline myopathy (SLONM) associated with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is an adult onset myopathy with poor clinical outcomes, requiring high-dose intravenous melphalan with autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (HDM-SCT). Here we report two cases of SLONM associated with MGUS in which improvements were achieved only with immunotherapy. A 39-year-old woman had a two-year history of dropped head syndrome and progressive proximal weakness. On admission, she was able to walk with assistance and had lordosis with camptocormia. Combination therapy with plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulin in addition to intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy ameliorated camptocormia and proximal weakness after one year. A 51-year-old man had difficulty in raising his arms and required walking assistance prior to visiting our hospital. He had proximal weakness and atrophy, winged scapulae, and gait disturbance. After combination immunotherapy, no progression was observed for 13 years. In both cases, patients did not desire to undergo HDM-SCT, and IgG kappa monoclonal protein was positive, of which the levels were normalized after immunotherapy. Combination immunotherapy can be a possible alternative to HDM-SCT in patients with SLONM. Both patients showed myogenic changes with abundant fibrillation, and needle EMG revealed positive sharp waves. Case 1 showed high signal intensities in MRI STIR/T2WI in muscles showing weakness. These findings are commonly observed in patients with myositis, suggesting that, without muscle biopsy, SLONM may be misdiagnosed as myositis. Muscle biopsy revealed scattered fibers with nemaline bodies without type 2B deficiency, which are important pathological findings that differentiate SLONM from congenital nemaline myopathy.


Power dynamics shape, and are shaped by, the tools used by participants in social movements. In this study we explore the values, attitudes, and beliefs of Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street stakeholders as they relate to their use of technology. This multi-method study applies the lens of value sensitive design [VSD; Friedman, B. (Ed.) (1997). Human values and the design of computer technology (vol. 72). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press] to examine stakeholder values and sites of value tension. We contextualize our findings with qualitative observation of how these values are reflected in each organization's online spaces, including Facebook, Twitter, and key organizational websites, as well as private spaces such as email. We found liberty, the value most mentioned by Tea Party members, was not reflected in the movement's organizational websites and Facebook pages, where user autonomy is frequently undermined. However, the Occupy value of equality is supported in the movement's web presence. We also found a set of shared central values – privacy and security, inclusion, and consensus – underlying both Tea Party and Occupy's approach to organization and participation. Value tensions around privacy and inclusion emerged for both groups, as some members opted not to use these tools due to security concerns and leaders struggled to adapt their communication strategies accordingly. This study provides insight into the adoption and contestation of different technological tools within grassroots social movements, how those decisions are shaped by core values, and how conflicts over the use of digital tools can result from tension between how different stakeholders prioritize those values.


Reliable flooding in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is desirable for a broad range of applications and network operations. However, relatively little work has been done for reliable flooding in low-duty-cycle WSNs with unreliable wireless links. It is a challenging problem to efficiently ensure 100% flooding coverage considering the combined effects of low-duty-cycle operation and unreliable wireless transmission. In this paper, we propose a novel dynamic switching-based reliable flooding (DSRF) framework, which is designed as an enhancement layer to provide efficient and reliable delivery for a variety of existing flooding tree structures in low-duty-cycle WSNs. The key novelty of DSRF lies in the dynamic switching decision making when encountering a transmission failure, where a flooding tree structure is dynamically adjusted based on the packet reception results for energy saving and delay reduction. DSRF distinguishes itself from the existing works in that it explores both poor links and good links on demand. In addition, we define the optimal wakeup schedule-ranking problem in order to maximize the switching gain in DSRF. We prove the NP-completeness of this problem and present a heuristic algorithm with a low computational complexity. Through comprehensive performance comparisons, including the simulation of large-scale scenarios and small-scale experiments on a WSN testbed, we demonstrate that compared with the flooding protocol without DSRF enhancement, the DSRF effectively reduces the flooding delay and the total number of packet transmission by 12%' 25% and 10%' 15%, respectively. Remarkably, the achieved performance is close to the theoretical lower bound.


This paper makes the case for Integral Ventures as an example for integral sustainability in Venture Capital. It is a contribution to the current financial crisis from the perspective of high-risk venture financing as a specific asset class. Part 1 sets the scene by presenting the global context in which current crises occur from the financial, social, and environmental perspectives. It introduces the concept of exponential growth to explain the mathematical complexity behind current problems and why it is difficult for most people to understand them until it could be too late to respond. Part 2 summarizes current developments toward sustainable finances, banking, reporting, and investing. It introduces Integral Investing as the application of Wilber's Integral Model in investing and makes the case for its value add. In Part 3, we show how Integral Investing is being applied in Venture Capital in an effort to help make to make this particular asset class integrally sustainable.


The Gulf of Mexico and Canada Basin are small oceans located in back-arc settings of the Paleo-Pacific Ocean, at the northern and southern tip of the North American craton. Both are pronounced rotational, pie-shaped basins, with their distal ends bounded by major transforms, and both opened by ~70° counter-clockwise rotation of micro-continents away from the craton. While they formed synchronously with elements of the Central and North Atlantic, their oceanic crust never connected with that of the Atlantic. Both oceans were periodically confined, with important implications for the paleoenvironment and petroleum system. Their North American affinity resulted in a number of intriguing similarities, such as timing and magnitude of main sediment influx. We argue for a genetic relationship between the geometry and kinematics of these pie-shaped oceans, their proneness to confinement, and their backarc setting. In contrast to common backarc basins, the Gulf of Mexico and Canada Basin had spreading ridges oriented nearly orthogonally to the PaleoPacific subduction direction. This distinctive high-angle back-arc development may be due to "Wilson Cycle" reactivation of orogenic belts intersecting the Paleo-Pacific margin, and/or to interaction between descending slabs beneath adjacent cratonic masses, and may apply to other examples worldwide, such as the South China Sea.


The genes encoding mammalian subtilisin-like endoproteases furin, PC1, and PC2 have been isolated and are implicated in endoproteolytic cleavage of precursor molecules, which is a key step in posttranslational maturation of proproteins and neuropeptide precursors. Following endoproteolytic cleavage, the carboxyl-terminal basic amino acid residues are removed by carboxypeptidase E (CPE). We have examined the expression of these genes during rat development by in situ hybridization and compared their expression patterns to those of potential substrates. In the primitive streak stage of embryogenesis (e7) furin is expressed in both endoderm and mesoderm. This overall expression pattern is maintained until e10, when a distinctly higher level of furin expression is observed in the heart and liver primordia. In mid- and late gestational stages furin is broadly expressed in the peripheral tissues, and, therefore, may contribute to the proteolytic processing of numerous fetal proproteins, such as the precursors for natriuretic factors in heart and IGF-II throughout the embryo. In contrast, the expressions of PC1 and PC2 are initiated much later (e13) and are mainly confined to the developing nervous system, but with distinct spatial distributions. At midgestational ages, PC1 mRNA is mainly expressed in the hypothalamus and peripheral ganglia, while PC2 is expressed not only in these tissues but also in the thalamus, midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata, cortical plate, and spinal cord. Besides neuropeptide precursor processing in the nervous system, PC1 and PC2 may also be involved in the proteolytic processing in additional regions as evidenced by the finding that both PC1 and PC2 mRNAs are expressed in the embryonic pituitary and pancreas. CPE mRNA is expressed in both neural tissues and some non-neural tissues. In the developing nervous system, the expression of CPE encompasses all the regions where PC1 and PC2 are expressed and in fact includes most brain regions as neurogenesis proceeds. CPE mRNA is also expressed in some peripheral tissues, such as the embryonic heart and cartilage primordia, and in some cases its expression overlaps with furin expression. Thus, CPE may functionally collaborate during development with the subtilisin family of endoproteases in the completion of proteolytic processing of neuropeptide precursors in the nervous system and proproteins in the peripheral tissues. In the pituitary, the endoproteolytic processing of polyfunctional precursor proopiomelanocortin (POMC) occurs in a developmentally regulated manner. We have shown that while PC2 mRNA is predominantly expressed in the intermediate lobe in the adult, we observed an increased expression of PC2 mRNA in developing rat anterior lobe, peaking at early postnatal stages.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


Drought is a global threat, increasing in severity and frequency throughout tropical ecosystems. Although plants often face drought in conjunction with biotic stressors, such as herbivory or disease, experimental studies infrequently test the simultaneous effects of drought and biotic stress. Because multiple simultaneous stressors may have non‐additive and complex effects on plant performance, it is difficult to predict plant responses to multiple threats from research examining one stress at a time. Using an experimental approach in the greenhouse, we investigated potential non‐additivity in seedling growth and survival to simulated drought and herbivory across a phylogenetically diverse pool of ten Hawaiian plant species. Overall, seedlings showed limited tolerance, defined as similar growth and survival in stressed compared with control (non‐stressed) plants, to simulated herbivory and drought, with the combined effects of both stressors to be generally additive and negative across species. Significant variation in stress tolerance was detected among species, and species variation was explained, at least in part, by functional traits such that species with larger root/shoot ratios and smaller seeds, tended to demonstrate greater herbivory and drought tolerance. Future research incorporating additional trait analysis and different stressors could shed light on mechanisms underlying seedling stress tolerance and clarify whether additivity, as detected in this study, extends across other combinations of stressors. Such work will provide needed insights into the regeneration of seedlings in tropical forests under threats of herbivory and climate change.


In this article, death is linked to the very fleeting nature of time, and to how time has something of uncontrollable and fluid. In the context of a wealthy family, dying means that memories (as foundations of a solid family life) become distorted, and physical beauty vanishes: to die is to disfigure, dying is disfiguring oneself. In order to carry out this analysis, it will be essential to study the function of some elements that indicate permanent presence in the text such as photographs, mirrors, gossip. Thus, we will use reflections by Schnaith regarding death, Berger's writings that allow us to meditate on the action of looking, Barthes' text analysing photographic images and Cozarinksy's works regarding gossip.


A new framework has been introduced in this paper for tumor radiosensitization and therapy response monitoring using low-frequency ultrasound. Human fibrosarcoma xenografts grown in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice (n = 108) were treated using ultrasound-stimulated microbubbles at various concentration and exposed to different doses of radiation. Low-frequency ultrasound radiofrequency (RF) data were acquired from tumors prior to and at different times after treatment. Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) techniques were applied to generate spectral parametric maps of tumors. Textural analysis were performed to quantify spatial heterogeneities within QUS parametric maps. A hybrid model was developed using multiple regression analysis to predict extent of histological tumor cell death non-invasively based on QUS spectral and textural biomarkers. Results of immunohistochemistry on excised tumor sections demonstrated increases in cell death with higher concentration of microbubbles and radiation dose. Quantitative ultrasound results indicated changes that paralleled increases in histological cell death. Specifically, the hybrid QUS biomarker demonstrated a good correlation with extent of tumor cell death observed from immunohistochemistry. A linear discriminant analysis applied in conjunction with the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated that the hybrid QUS biomarker can classify tumor cell death fractions with an area under the curve of 91.2. The results obtained in this research suggest that low-frequency ultrasound can concurrently be used to enhance radiation therapy and evaluate tumor response to treatment.


Objectives: To compare different methods of cord occlusion in complicated MC pregnancies. Methods: Single centre retrospective cohort study (Aug 97–Feb 08) of all MC pregnancies undergoing cord occlusion of one abnormal twin. Results: Cord occlusion was performed in 30 cases (2 sets of triplets). Indications were: TRAP (10), severe TTTS with one significantly compromised twin (6), discordance for a major fetal anomaly (14). We used 6 techniques: cord ligation (CL) (1), unipolar cautery (UC) (1), bipolar cautery (BC) (9), ultrasound guided laser (USL) (5), fetoscopic laser (FL) (4), radiofrequency ablation (RFA) (10).


Abstract A frequent charge in foreign exchange markets in developing countries is that of manipulators being at work. Since to buy is to raise prices and to sell is to lower prices, the question that naturally arises is whether the widespread charge of market manipulation is valid. The paper shows that (whether or not "widespreadness" has any merit) it is possible for a player to manipulate and profiteer. By using some simple principles of game theory, the paper outlines a strategy that a manipulator may use. The aim of this paper is not to provide a manual for the manipulator but to enable the regulator to understand the art and develop policies to curb manipulation.


According to the 95 landslides of field investigation and literatures, the topographic types of landslide movement were divided into river, ladder and linearity. Based on the power-law relationship between the volume and equivalent friction coefficient of non-block landslides, the topographic influence coefficients were studied which were influenced by the landslide volumes and occurrence mechanisms. Because of different volumes of seismic landslides and rainfall landslides, the influence coefficients of topography were significant different. It indicated that the disaster-causing mechanism of landslides not only closely related with the landslide volume, but also were controlled by topographic types and occurrence mechanisms.


Ceramic-polymer composites with different compositions have been prepared and
their electrical properties (absorption current, quasi-steady-state conduction current,
dielectric and pyroelectric behaviour) have been studied. In addition, similar
measurements have been made on a commercially available ceramic-polymer
composite, PIEZEfM. The ceramics used include Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) and
Barium Titanate (BaTi03) while the polymers were Polyvinylidene Fluoride (pVDF),
copolymer of Vinylidene Fluoride-Trifluoroethylene (VDF-TrFE) and Polypropylene
(PP). Analysis of data revealed that the process of charging and discharging currents
of the composites involves charge carrier hopping through localised states (trapping
sites) distributed throughout the bulk whereas the steady-state electrical conduction
in these composites may originate from an ionic hopping mechanism.
Dielectric properties of the composites in the frequency range of 10Hz to 100KHz
have been measured using an a.c. bridge technique. Results show that the dielectric
loss process is dominated by the polymer phase whereas the ceramic phase may
have a significant contribution at low frequencies and high temperatures. With the
increase of ceramic content in the composite, dielectric permittivity and loss were
observed to increase. Measured dielectric permittivities of the composites were
generally in agreement with the calculated values.
The pyroelectric activity of the composites has been measured by the direct
method. For samples with a high content of ceramic phase, calculated pyroelectric
coefficient data appear to be comparable to those observed. The inherent high
pyroelectric activity of the composites is essentially due to the ceramic phase while
the high dielectric permittivity of the polymer is required to maintain a large dielectric
displacement flux in the medium. Higher pyroelectric activity has been achieved in
PZfSNDF-TrFE (or PZTS/PVDF) composites in comparison with that of the other
composites in the present work. The pyroelectric figure of merit in these particular
composites was found to be about four times higher than that of the single phase
ceramic.


This study of 106 patients who had end-to-end anastomoses (EEA) performed by 26 surgeons in 11 hospitals reports the operative and postoperative complications of using the EEA stapling device. The complications are probably exaggerated, because this study involves the initial experiences of many surgeons. The 106 patients included 78 patients with colon anastomoses, 3 with small intestinal anastomoses, and 25 with gastric anastomoses. The mortality rate included two patients (1.9%) with low rectal anastomoses who died of problems associated with the EEA stapler. The anastomotic morbidity rate included 9 operative complications (9%), which were corrected at operation, and 12 postoperative complications (11%), which included leaks (4), fistula (4), and stenosis (4). Intra-abdominal abscess occurred in 3 and wound infections in 19 patients (18%). The EEA stapler requires practice and specific skills for its safe use. The EEA stapler makes a reliable, inverted anastomosis and can be used successfully throughout the gastrointestinal tract.


Background Each year, more than 1.2 million people die on the world's roads and tens of millions are seriously injured. Traffic crashes are currently the number one killer of young people aged 14–29, and the eighth leading cause of death among all people worldwide. However, these devastating consequences are preventable, and NGOs play a critical role in reducing the impact of traffic crashes in their communities and around the world. However, many NGOs still struggle to reach their full impact due to a lacking of training and expertise in critical operational areas including project management, fundraising, etc. Objective To improve NGO capacity to implement effective road safety programs, FedEx and the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety, which represents more than 140 NGOs from over 70 countries, have partnered to develop a targeted training program for road safety NGOs. The FedEx Global Road Safety Training Program focuses on key areas for programatic improvement including: project management; fundraising and proposal writing; research, monitoring and evaluation; communications; and more. Specifically, the Training Program includes face-to-face training workshops conducted in key regions of the world, as well the development of public webinars, online tool-kits, and mentor programs for NGOs. This program is expected to improve NGOs' ability to design and implement effective programs to advocate for road safety and reduce traffic-related injuries and fatalities in their localities. Results Currently, the Alliance is conducting a needs assessment among member NGOs to gather information on area-specific weaknesses of members, to inform the specific content of the Training Program. The Training Program will formally launch at the 2nd High-Level Conference on Road Safety in Brazil on 18–19 November 2015. The Training Program will be systematically monitored and evaluated to determine the effectiveness of the Training Program in improving member NGOs capacity to design and implement road safety programs with measurable results. Conclusions NGOs have significant potential to reduce traffic-related injuries and fatalities and advocate for road safety by implementing community programs, but many NGOs lack training in key operational areas to ensure the effectiveness of their programs. The FedEx Global Road Safety Training Program will provide this training to road safety NGOs around the world.


Lymphomatoid granulomatosis (LYG) is a rare B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder predominantly involving the lungs, but poorly-recognized among clinicians and pathologists. It is an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)driven disease mimicking several other diseases on clinical and radiological grounds, generally showing multiple, bilateral nodular, ill-defined infiltrates of the lungs tending to coalescence and/or cavitation. LYG often affects middle-aged males with an underlying immunodeficiency and commonly involves skin and central nervous system during disease progression. Diagnosis requires a generous biopsy and a careful histologic examination with immunohistochemical stains and molecular demonstration of EBV genome in large atypical B-cells. LYG is graded as I to III based on the number of large EBV-positive B-cells and grade II/III are now considered as a peculiar variant of T-cell rich diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. In this brief review clinical, radiologic and pathologic features of LYG will be analyzed discussing differential diagnosis, the most appropriate treatment and prognosis.


Konrad Zuse built the Z1, a mechanical programmable computing machine, between 1935/36 and 1937/38. The Z1 was a binary floating-point computing device. The individual logical gates were constructed using metallic plates and interconnection rods. This paper describes the design principles Zuse followed in order to complete a complex calculating machine, as the Z1 was. Zuse called his basic switching elements "mechanical relays" in analogy to the electrical relays used in telephony.


Monodisperse lipid-coated microbubbles are a promising avenue to unlock the full potential of ultrasound contrast agents for medical diagnosis and therapy. However, their formation by microfluidic flow-focusing is non-trivial. The lipid monolayer shell around the freshly formed bubbles is initially loosely packed, resulting in gas exchange between bubbles through Ostwald ripening, eventually leading to the formation of large, potentially thrombogenic, foam bubbles. Here, we show that by formulating a gas mixture of a low- and a high-aqueous solubility gas, a microbubble suspension can be formed that is not only monodisperse and highly stable, but it can also be synthesized without foam bubble formation at clinically relevant concentrations. The optimal gas volume fraction and resulting gas composition of the stable bubbles are modeled and were found to be in excellent agreement with the experimental data. This physics approach to an interfacial chemistry problem therefore opens a route to bedside production of stable, safe, and readily injectable monodisperse bubbles for medical applications.


Neural machine translation (NMT) needs large parallel corpora for state-of-the-art translation quality. Low-resource NMT is typically addressed by transfer learning which leverages large monolingual or parallel corpora for pre-training. Monolingual pre-training approaches such as MASS (MAsked Sequence to Sequence) are extremely effective in boosting NMT quality for languages with small parallel corpora. However, they do not account for linguistic information obtained using syntactic analyzers which is known to be invaluable for several Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks. To this end, we propose JASS, Japanese-specific Sequence to Sequence, as a novel pre-training alternative to MASS for NMT involving Japanese as the source or target language. JASS is joint BMASS (Bunsetsu MASS) and BRSS (Bunsetsu Reordering Sequence to Sequence) pre-training which focuses on Japanese linguistic units called bunsetsus. In our experiments on ASPEC Japanese–English and News Commentary Japanese–Russian translation we show that JASS can give results that are competitive with if not better than those given by MASS. Furthermore, we show for the first time that joint MASS and JASS pre-training gives results that significantly surpass the individual methods indicating their complementary nature. We will release our code, pre-trained models and bunsetsu annotated data as resources for researchers to use in their own NLP tasks.


This research advances the understanding of jacket-type platform induced local and global erosion and deposition processes for combined wave–current conditions. To this end, a laboratory study was carried out comparing the equilibrium scour depth for two structural designs that are differentiated in the geometrical distance of the structure's lowest node to the seabed. Measurements of local scour depths over time have been conducted with echo sounding transducers. An empirical approach is proposed to predict the final scour depths as a function of the node distance to the seabed. Additionally, 3D laser scans have been performed to obtain the digital elevation model of the surrounding sediment bed. Novel methodologies were developed to describe and easily compare the relative volume change of the sediment bed per surface area due to structure–seabed interaction, enabling spatial analyses of highly complex erosion and deposition patterns. The seabed sediment mobility around the structure is found to be highly sensitive to a change in node distance. The decrease of the node distance results in a higher erosion depth of sediment underneath the structure of up to 26%, especially for current-dominated conditions, as well as an increased deposition of sediment downstream of the structure over a distance of up to 6.5 times the footprint length. The results of this study highlight the requirement to consider the interaction of the structure with the surrounding seabed within the design process of offshore structures, to mitigate potential impacts on the marine environment stemming from the extensive sediment displacement and increased sediment mobility.


We describe a device that is currently under industrial development and that will give blind persons a three-dimensional space perception. It consists of a triangulating laser telemeter head placed on the back of the hand and connected to a belt bag that contains the electronic parts and has auditory feedback close to the ear. The microprocessor unit converts in real time the distance measured by the telemeter in a sonorous musical note. Scanning the space with an adequate movement of the hand produces musical lines, corresponding to the profiles of the environment. We discuss the optical configuration of the system relative to our first year of clinical experimentation.


The interaural latency difference of the fifth wave of the auditory brainstem response (ABR) is the basis for an excellent test for acoustic tumors. Close attention is necessary to latency correction methods for conductive and sensory hearing loss. Modification of the method of Selters and Brackmann gives diagnostic error rates which are markedly superior to other common tests. The range of applicability, reliability, and efficiency of ABR testing can be increased by proper selection of stimulus intensity and repetition rate. ABR distortion by filters is serious problem, which can be solved by digital methods.


Provides users with its associated functions for pedagogical purposes in visually learning Bayesian networks and Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) computations. It enables users to: a) Create and examine the (starting) graphical structure of Bayesian networks; b) Create random Bayesian networks using a dataset with customized constraints; c) Generate 'Stan' code for structures of Bayesian networks for sampling the data and learning parameters; d) Plot the network graphs; e) Perform Markov chain Monte Carlo computations and produce graphs for posteriors checks. The package refers to one reference item, which describes the methods and algorithms: Vuong, Quan-Hoang and La, Viet-Phuong (2019) The 'bayesvl' R package. Open Science Framework (May 18).


ABSTRACT The transfer of company-assigned expatriate employees from balance sheet expatriate contracts to local contracts is an alternative international assignment compensation strategy increasingly adopted by global corporations. Despite its growing popularity, there is a significant lack of research on the impact (both professional and personal) of transferring employees from expatriate to local contracts. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate this emerging international HR trend, with specific focus on exploring the experiences of career transition of company-assigned long-term expatriates (delayed localization) to local contracts at multinational organizations located in Sweden and America. Eight individual cases were analyzed. Findings revealed that localization was an unexpected career transition, a negative type of career shock, characterized by limited support from employers, mentors, and local colleagues. The findings further indicated that localization was a type of career transition rather different from other previous career transitions experienced by participants; it represented a major career and life transition. Based on the findings, we proposed HRD interventions to assist expatriates during the transition from expatriate to local contracts. Areas for future research are also suggested.


We eliminated type beta transforming growth factor (TGF-beta) signaling by adenovirus-mediated local expression of a dominant-negative type II TGF-beta receptor (AdCATbeta-TR) in the liver of rats treated with dimethylnitrosamine, a model of persistent liver fibrosis. In rats that received a single application of AdCATbeta-TR via the portal vein, liver fibrosis as assessed by histology and hydroxyproline content was markedly attenuated. All AdCATbeta-TR-treated rats remained alive, and their serum levels of hyaluronic acid and transaminases remained at low levels, whereas all the AdCATbeta-TR-untreated rats died of liver dysfunction. The results demonstrate that TGF-beta does play a central role in liver fibrogenesis and indicate clearly in a persistent fibrosis model that prevention of fibrosis by anti-TGF-beta intervention could be therapeutically useful.


This brief is concerned with the problem of learning observer-based robust H∞ fault-tolerant Control (FTC) for Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy descriptor systems with time-delay affected by both actuator faults and external disturbances. The proposed observer allows simultaneous estimation of system states and actuator faults. Based on the state estimation and the actuator fault reconstruction, a FTC is designed to maintain the performance of the faulty system. Using the H optimization technique, the analysis and design conditions of the fuzzy learning observer-based FTC are provided and then formulated into a set of delay-dependent linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) which can be solved in a single step. An example is finally presented to validate our findings.


Solifuges are an enigmatic and poorly studied group of arachnids. Commonly referred to as camel spiders or sun spiders, these animals are voracious predators of small animals and found in arid biomes of the Old World and the Americas. In this paper, we provide a catalogue for the solifuges (Arachnida: Solifugae) that are held at the Center of Natural History in Hamburg. The collections in Hamburg are predominantly historical and were accumulated by Karl Kraepelin between 1889 and 1914 with the help of other famous arachnologists such as Ferdinant Karsch and Eugène Simon. The re-study of these collections indicates that there are 38 type species and 65 type specimens from 10 families. We provide a detailed account of this material, including collection data, taxonomic updates, measurements and high-resolution images for species that are either poorly or not at all illustrated. Most specimens (70%) were collected in Africa as part of colonial expeditions or field surveys but there are also types from Western Asia (11%), and North and South America (19%). We provide an overview of the history of this collection, including a summary of the field surveys during which the specimens were collected and the arachnologists who described the material. Overall, this is the third-largest collection of solifuges in Germany with a distinct biogeographical focus and one of the largest collections of camel spiders in Europe.


Cortex Eucommiae is well known in traditional Chinese herbal medicine. The present study investigated the effects of polysaccharides from Cortex Eucommiae (PCE) on exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative stress in mice by measuring the changes in the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and catalase (CAT) and levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). The mice were randomly divided into four groups: a negative control group, a low-dose PCE intervention group, a medium-dose PCE intervention group and a high-dose PCE intervention group. The mice in the control group were given distilled water whereas those in the three intervention groups were given different doses of PCE (10, 50 and 100 mg/kg). After 28 days, the mice were made to perform an exhaustive swimming exercise. Changes in the activities of the main antioxidant enzymes and the levels of MDA and 8-OHdG in the blood, liver and muscle of the mice were measured. The results of the study showed that PCE increased the activities of SOD, GPX and CAT and decreased the levels of MDA and 8-OHdG in mice, suggesting that PCE has a protective effect on exhaustive exercise-induced oxidative stress.


Psychological well-being (PWB) refers to a person's quality of looking at things and situations. Despite one's limitations, he/she can overcome challenges and live a satisfying, productive, and happy life. It has become an interesting subject and a growing concern, especially for those who go through an unfavorable life situation. Thus, the paper describes the level of psychological well-being of Catholic high school students with absentee parents studying in a private school in Antique during the school year 2019-2020. Furthermore, it determines the relationship existing between psychological well-being and students' demographics such as sex, family monthly income, academic level, involvement in ministry, and Sunday Mass attendance.


Treatment plans can be thought of as one of the products of a medical interaction. As such, treatment for illness has been investigated as an outcome measure and seems to reflect bias in some areas of the practice of medicine. Although the evidence for patterns of differential treatment is compelling, determining the source of treatment bias has been difficult. Based on detailed analysis of transcripts of actual interactions in general medicine and oncology clinics, we propose that treatment plans are negotiated through everyday language practices that work to maximize agreement. We demonstrate that, on the level of individual medical encounters, patient agency is both apparent and operative and that physician power does not unilaterally determine outcomes. Thus, this investigation goes beyond the abstract study of physician and patient preferences or prejudices, focusing closely on the consequences of actual talk in settings where medical recommendations are being made.


Antibiotics are potential pollutants that represent an important environmental problem because of their toxic effects on the food chain and aqueous streams. The goal of this study was to determine the efficiency of a horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland for a pharmaceutical pollutants antibiotic penicillin G. This study used constructed wetland pilot system for removal of penicillin G in artificial wastewater. in this study, the effects of initial concentration of wastewater, hydraulic retention time, and reed on the pollutant removal efficiency were investigated. The data was analyzed using the central composite design which is the most commonly used response surface methodology design. 30 Samples of wastewater were taken from the output of constructed wetlands subsurface and tested in the laboratory-based on the standard reference method for experiments in water and wastewater. The results showed that reed, and retention time, have a direct relationship, and enhance them to increase efficiency. The initial concentration of wastewater is inversely related to removal efficiency. In the constructed wetland, the removal efficiency for 72 hours and different input concentrations was between 94.17% and 73.61%. Based on the study results, it can be stated that subsurface constructed wetland can remove the maximum concentration of hospital wastewater and even double this concentration with efficiency up to 90 percent, and it can be used as a proper treatment system for removal of penicillin G. Review History:


We present CONSENT, a simple yet effective CONtext SENsitive Transformer framework for context-dependent object classification within a fully-trainable end-to-end deep learning pipeline. We exemplify the proposed framework on the task of bold words detection proving state-of-the-art results. Given an image containing text of unknown font-types (e.g. Arial, Calibri, Helvetica), unknown language, taken under various degrees of illumination, angle distortion and scale variation, we extract all the words and learn a context-dependent binary classification (i.e. bold versus non-bold) using an end-to-end transformer-based neural network ensemble. To prove the extensibility of our framework, we demonstrate competitive results against state-of-the-art for the game of rock-paper-scissors by training the model to determine the winner given a sequence with $2$ pictures depicting hand poses.


In this work, we propose an approach to exploit the ability of compressive sensing to recover diffusion MRI signal and its characteristics from a limited number of samples. Our approach is threefold. First, we learn and design a parametric dictionary from a set of training diffusion data. This provides a highly sparse representation of the diffusion signal. The use of a parametric method presents several advantages: we design a continuous representation of the signal, from which we can analytically recover some features such as the ODF; besides, the dictionary we train is acquisition-independant. Next, we use this sparse representation to reconstruct the signal of interest, using cross-validation to assess the optimal regularization parameter for each signal reconstruction. The use of cross-validation is critical in the L1 minimization problem, as the choice of the parameter is sensitive to the noise level, the number of samples, and the data sparsity. Third, we use a polynomial approach to accurately extract ODF maxima. In the last section, we motivate and describe the choice of experimental parameters for the HARDI contest.


Gallbladder carcinoma is an aggressive malignancy with high mortality mainly due to the limited potential for curative resection and its resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. Here, we show that the histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) trichostatin-A (TSA) and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) reduce the proliferation and induce apoptosis of gallbladder carcinoma cells by suppressing the AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling. Gallbladder carcinoma SGC-996 cells were treated with different concentrations of TSA and SAHA for different lengths of time. Cell proliferation and morphology were assessed with MTT assay and microscopy, respectively. Cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis were analyzed with flow cytometry. Western blotting was used to detect the proteins related to apoptosis, cell cycle, and the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Our data showed that TSA and SAHA reduced SGC-996 cell viability and arrested cell cycle at the G1 phase in a dose- and time-dependent manner. TSA and SAHA promoted apoptosis of SGC-996 cells, down-regulated the expression of cyclin D1, c-Myc and Bmi1, and decreased the phosphorylation of AKT, mTOR p70S6K1, S6 and 4E-BP1. Additionally, the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin further reduced the cell viability of TSA- and SAHA-treated SGC-996 cells and the phosphorylation of mTOR, whereas the mTOR activator 1,2-dioctanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphate (C8-PA) exerted the opposite influence. Our results demonstrate that histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) suppress the proliferation of gallbladder carcinoma cell via inhibition of AKT/mTOR signaling. These findings offer a mechanistic rationale for the application of HDACIs in gallbladder carcinoma treatment.


While studies show that climate change is exacerbating health effects due to extreme hot weather, scientific evidence in the Asia-Pacific region remains scarce. In this study, we aim to assess the health effects of extreme temperature, identify individual and community factors contributing to population vulnerability, and develop adaptation strategies for temperature-related health risks. Various methods were adopted for different research purposes in the study. Distributed lag non-linear model and conditional Poisson model were used to assess temperature-health associations. Subgroup analysis, hierarchical Bayesian model and logistic regression model were used for identifying vulnerable subgroups. Results showed that extreme temperature is associated with a range of human morbidity or mortality outcomes in the selected Asia-Pacific localities. The interaction of extreme temperature and air pollution also increased health risks. It is projected that heat-related health effects will increase dramatically under climate change scenarios with urban expansion and ageing population in the near future. Vulnerable subgroups in the study were identified as the elderly, people with pre-existing diseases, outdoor workers, residents living in high population density areas, and those with low socio-economic status. In addition, a few cities developed adaptation strategies to manage the health risks as a result of extreme temperatures, such as heat-health action plans and early warning systems. Future efforts should be taken to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of adaptation strategies for alleviating public health impacts of climate change in the Asia-Pacific region. Adaptation, Climate change, Health effect, Morbidity, Mortality, Temperature, Vulnerability


This book is concerned with the subject of anti-terrorism laws and their impact on the rights of refugees and asylum seekers. In particular, it looks at the compatibility of anti-terrorism laws with international human rights law instruments.

Over the last decade international terrorism and the subsequent anti-terrorism laws have created insecurities both for States and individuals and, as a result, have become important issues both internationally and nationally. This book critically evaluates these topical subject areas, which States are frequently reluctant to divulge information on details due to their political nature and the sensitive security-centered information they entail. Contained herein is a comparative study of law and policy, which attempt to fill gaps in current analysis in the literature. I argue that the recent anti-terrorism and asylum law has had a dire impact on the legal rights of asylum seekers. More specifically, the core international human rights standards that are central to the integrity of World War II asylum law have become weakened and to a significant extent even perverted by special criminal law responses to national security and terrorist threats after 9/11 by the a number of Western States.

While there is a wide spectrum of anti-terrorism laws, there are also a number of safeguards and rights provided by international human rights law, instruments designed to provide legal protection for individuals. Some states - the U.S., the U.K., and Australia - have chosen to disregard the legal protections they are obliged to uphold, arguing that the current security climate justifies the exceptional nature of such apparently negative action. Apart from the politics of security concerns, international relations and media priorities contribute to the moulding of laws and policies. This has been particularly the case for the current treatment of asylum seekers.

Most of the anti-terrorism laws and policies impact on the treatment and rights of non-nationals and immigrants, particularly on those seeking protection either as refugees or asylum seekers. This impact can be seen in two spheres, one within context of immigration control - including asylum determination processes - and another within the judicial procedures involved when asylum seekers are suspected of being a threat to national security and/or a terrorist. The measures that will be focused are detention; restriction of movement and exclusion.

Chapter One examines why immigrants seeking protection are considered threatening to the host State and how policies are moulded by this idea. Historical events, international law and relations, foreign policy and domestic politics are all examined. This chapter emphasises and explains how the nexus of territorial security and the movement of persons and terrorism have changed in nature since September 11, 2001. It portrays a scenario of rights vs. rights: on the one hand the rights of individuals who seek protection and, on the other, the right of a State to protect itself and provide security to its citizens. The contest of rights takes place in a dualist environment created by governments ("us" and "them") and the national security concerns of the state subordinate individual rights. In doing so the Chapter One concludes that with the use of anti-terrorism and national security law and policy asylum seekers and refugees are criminalised and treated with discontent which has resulted in their basic human and legal rights being curtailed.

Chapter Two has three aims: an analysis of the labeling and definition of a terrorist act; an examination of the theoretical and jurisprudential approaches to the exclusion of refugees and asylum seekers suspected of being terrorist; and, an exploration of the dignitary principles (that should be) used when assessing the possible exclusion from protection.

Analysis of jurisprudence and policy since September 11, 2001, suggests the interpretation and use of exclusion clauses in the Refugee Convention have been transformed and, as a result gave rise to many criticisms. The conclusion is reached that when applied in its full spirit the Refugee Convention provides an effective and wide scope of protection both for the host states seeking security from terrorism and the individuals seeking refuge. However, the states have chosen to go beyond what the Refugee Convention proscribes and this trend has had a dire impact on the legal rights of asylum seekers and refugees.

Chapter Three examines the respective anti-terror laws and procedures in Australia, the U.K. and the U.S., and the impact they have had on the legal rights of refugees and asylum seekers. It involves critiquing substantive law and an analysis of how and why the recent counter-terrorism legislation has been created. It pinpoints the tensions and contentious issues governments have experienced and sought to address. In doing so, differences and similarities are drawn out. For example, while the U.S. and the U.K. have codified aspects of international human rights law instruments in their domestic legislation and, consequently, also have procedures which provide a scrutiny of anti-terror laws and policy, Australia differs in her stance towards any scrutiny over her national laws and has viewed any criticism with suspicion and discontent. Moreover, while the U.S. and the U.K. have experienced terrorist attacks on their soil thus giving them the context in which anti-terror measures were argued to be justified, Australia used these attacks abroad to expand most of the anti-terror legislation. In comparing counter terrorism law and policy, specific provisions that directly or potentially have an impact on asylum seekers and refugees have been identified and compared in three different jurisdictions. In light of relevant international and regional human rights legal instruments, the conclusions underline how the rights of asylum seekers and refugees have been altered and/or reduced.

Chapter Four examines how international law is incorporated in the three countries examined and how international human rights law standards become relevant to and indispensable in State practice. It selectively critiques the important, contentious and topical areas of mandatory detention, procedural rights and the rule of law, and the recent practice of diplomatic assurances. While emphasising the importance of international human rights law in relation to counter-terrorism and protection seekers, the chapter���s conclusion is that state practice - in a number of areas - does not fully comply with the international human rights law.

Chapter Five, in the light of dignitary principles emanating from international law and academia, provides a number of safeguards and recommendations which, if implemented, could ensure that States observe the minimum standards of international human rights whilst protecting their national security and combating terrorism. In this chapter conclusions are also drawn on the success of anti-terror laws, and the desirability of their use in immigration control context. Evaluation is by a survey of successful prosecutions, as well as by reference to the ethical methods envisaged by international human rights law. In concluding remarks section, the themes addressed throughout the book are drawn together and a number of areas for further research are highlighted.


Whole, 125I-labeled gonococci (GC) were incubated with rabbit sera against whole GC. After washing, the [125I]GC were lysed in detergent, and radioiodinated antigen-antibody complexes were immunoprecipitated by protein A-Sepharose. Several GC outer membrane proteins, including proteins I, II, and III, could be identified in immunoprecipitates obtained with these antisera. In many immunoprecipitates, a 44K protein was present. Reactivity of antisera toward protein II could be demonstrated, and some rabbit sera contained very prominent apparent antibody activity toward this protein. Proteins I and III were found in similar ratios in immunoprecipitates, suggesting that they form heteropolymers in GC outer membranes. Qualitative and quantitative difference in antibody reactivity and specificity could be demonstrated with serially obtained sera from rabbits immunized with whole GC. The use of viable or Formalin-fixed heat-killed staphylococci yielded "non-immunological" precipitation of 125I-labeled GC constituents; this occurred with staphylococci regardless of whether they contained protein A.


Repeated epistaxis in a 12 year old child revealed an aneurysmal bone cyst of ethmoid, an exceptional localization for this lesion. Modern imaging techniques (CT scan, NMR) provided precise data on its extent, primordial for decision as to surgical approach. NMR imaging was more effective than the CT scan for diagnosis, since blood lakes were identified, and for determination of extent, since tumoral elements were distinguished from sinusal retentions.


The genus Berkheya is paraphyletic with the related genera Cullumia , Cuspidia , Didelta and Heterorhachis embedded within a broader clade termed the ' Berkheya clade'. As a contribution towards reassessment of species relationships and delimitation of species groupings within the clade, the utility of external achene morphology for supporting natural species groups within the clade was evaluated. Achenes from 67 species and 10 infraspecific taxa were examined, including representatives of each genus currently recognised in the Berkheya clade. Achene pubescence and pappus characteristics (e.g., scale shape and number of scales within a series) were indicated to be particularly variable and thus less reliable for assessment of species relationships. Of the currently recognised genera, only segregation of Cullumia was supported by achene and pappus characteristics. Species groupings implicit in Roessler's infrageneric classification of eight series within Berkheya were to a large extent supported. However, in particular, series Speciosae was indicated to be a disparate species grouping and the distinction of series Angustae and Cruciatae is not supported by achene and pappus morphology. Achene and pappus characteristics suggest several novel species groupings (e.g. an affinity between Berkheya cuneata , B. ferox and B. spinosa ). Although the taxonomic sampling in published molecular phylogenetic analyses is limited, achene and pappus morphology partially supports clades resolved in prevailing phylogenetic reconstructions for the clade. More complete sampling in future molecular phylogenetic analyses is required to test novel species affinities suggested in the present study and to explore the evolution of the achene and pappus in the Berkheya clade.


Previous analyses of U.S. carbon taxes have tended to ignore interactions between this tax and other, pre-existing U.S. taxes. This paper assesses the effects of the carbon tax using a model that addresses these interactions. The model is unique in integrating a detailed treatment of taxes and attention to nonrenewable resource supply dynamics within a disaggregated general equilibrium framework. We find that the GNP and welfare costs of the carbon tax are significantly lower than what would be predicted if tax interactions were disregarded. When the revenues are used to finance reductions in marginal taxes at the personal or corporate level, the welfare costs are 25-32 percent lower than when the revenues finance lump-sum reductions in taxes. Pre-existing distortions -- specifically, the relatively light taxation of fossil-fuel-producing industries in comparison with other industries -- imply that the gross efficiency costs of carbon taxes are about 15 percent lower than would be the case if fossil-fuel-producing industries were not initially tax-favored.


The novel method of Cosmic-ray neutron sensing (CRNS) allows non-invasive soil moisture measurements at a hectometer scaled footprint. Using this technique one can relate the flux density of albedo neutrons, generated in cosmic-ray induced air showers, to the amount of water within a radius of several hundred meters. In the recent years the understanding of neutron transport by Monte Carlo simulations led to major advancements in precision, which have successfully targeted a manifold of use cases. For example the improvements in the signal interpretation have meanwhile also been applied to the determination of snow water in Alpine regions. Up to now, the conversion of soil moisture to a detectable neutron count rate relies mainly on the equation presented by Desilets and Zreda. While in general a hyperbolic expression can be derived from theoretical considerations, their empiric parameterisation needs to be revised as many groups have found site-specific calibrations, which are simply based on different empirical data sets.

Investigating the above-ground neutron intensity by a broadly based Monte Carlo simulation campaign revealed a more detailed understanding of different contributions to this signal, especially targeting air humidity corrections. The packages MCNP and URANOS were used to derive a function able to describe the respective dependencies including the effect of different hydrogen pools and the sensor response function. The resulting formula significantly improves the soil-moisture-to-intensity conversion and allows for a more comprehensive instrument data quality, which especially closes the gap between observations of very dry and wet conditions.


The objective of this study was to assess awareness and concern of neuroleptic (NL)‐induced side effects in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) patients. Although NLs are effective tic suppressants, they can be associated with various side effects. Data on patient knowledge and concern about side effects can guide educational efforts. One hundred consecutive GTS patients or parents in a tertiary referral medical center responded to a standardized, in‐person questionnaire. They were given a list of 15 side effects and asked which could be ascribed to NLs (9) or not (6). Side effect concern was rated on a 0 (none) to 10 (extreme) scale. The mean age for the 100 patients was 19.4 ± 14 years; 55 had a history of NL use, and 45 were NL‐naive. Less than half the cohort met criteria for being well informed. Only one third of the listed NL side effects were accurately identified by at least 75% of the respondents. Patients with past or current NL treatment were more accurate in identifying NL side effects but less concerned about them than NL‐naive patients. The side effects of greatest concern were seizures, tardive dyskinesia, thinking and emotion disturbances, and cardiac irregularities. Overall, patient awareness of NL side effects is insufficient, and although past exposure to NLs enhances knowledge, it decreases concern. © 2005 Movement Disorder Society


This revised edition, originally published in 1955 by Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, provides a comprehensive record of the most significant political ideas in this country from Massachusetts puritanism to post-World War II conservatism. Its emphasis is on the political concepts which have been articulated in the different political eras in our history. The book relates to three primary value systems: religious pluralism, capitalistic economics, and political-social democracy. It is the effort of statesmen and theorists to achieve compatibility of these differing points of view.


Among major and burning issues in Pakistan is the problem of unemployment. This study finds the determinants of unemployment by applying the ARDL bound approach using the time series data from 1973 to 2010.The results indicate that unemployment has statistically significant positive relationships with output gap, Productivity and Economic Uncertainty while it has statistically significant negative relationships with Gross Fixed Investment and Openness of Trade . At a policy level it is suggested that output gap should be decreased (i.e., policies focusing on increasing GDP should be adopted and implemented). Government should adopt depreciation policy along with reduction in trade restrictions. Not only should government himself undertake investment projects, but it should also encourage private investment.


Most application data units are too large to be carried in a single packet (or cell) and must be segmented for network delivery. To an application, the end-to-end delays and loss rate of its data units are much more relevant performance measures than ones specified for individual packets (or cells). The concept of a burst (or block) was introduced to represent a sequence of packets (or cells) that carry an application data unit. In this paper, we describe how a real-time variable bit-rate (VBR) service, with quality of service (QoS) parameters for block transfer delay and block loss rate, can be provided by integrating concepts and delay guarantee results from our previous work on burst scheduling, together with ideas from asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) block transfer. Two new contributions are presented herein. First, we design an admission control algorithm to provide the following two classes of service: bounded-delay block transfer with no loss, and bounded-delay block transfer at a specified block loss rate. Secondly, we show how to extend existing end-toend delay bounds to networks with hierarchical link sharing.


Publisher's note: "Although Arne's Judith of 1761 was commended by Charles Dibdin as an oratorio 'that does honour to the English genius', and was long recognised as an important adjunct of the Handelian form and perhaps the finest such work by a native composer before Elgar, the difficulty of establishing an authoritative performing version of the composer's only surviving work in the genre has undoubtedly contributed to its neglect. Here published in a complete, critical edition for the first time, it seems entirely fitting that this true cultural monument of 18th-century Britain should be celebrated with the hundredth volume of Musica Britannica."

The edition is based on the autograph score in the British Library, but also references a wide range of manuscript and printed sources, published libretti and newspaper reports. The autograph itself bears abundant evidence of subsequent performances extending across Arne's lifetime and beyond, a complex performance history that is charted at https://www.musicabritannica.org.uk/volumes/mb100_performance_history.pdf. The extended preface analyses the various stages in the work's evolution and places it in a wider historical, cultural and religious context.


Smart phones have become so popular nowadays that the age of using individual smart phones has dropped to the level of primary school. Smart phones contain different functions such as using Internet, banking transactions, follow the news, video conversation, social media, entering the stock market, etc. Intensive use of mobile phones causes some problems. This problems creates some issues for students in their lives. The aim of this research was to reveal the problems that students face as a result of excessive use of smart phones. For this purpose, fifty university freshman students were asked to express whether they were dependent on the smart phone and the problems they encountered as a result of excessive use of smart phones. Data were collected by semi-structured interview form. Data were analyzed by content analysis. As a result of the research, it was found that most of the students were smart phone addicts. It has been found that excessive use of smartphones leads to health, individual, social, school and family problems. The most important problems encountered in health are lacrimation, increased level of myopia and increased pain in the eyes and dry eyes. Problems such as anxiety disorder, pain in the neck and hands, and numbness and distractibility were also expressed. In terms of school, the most important problems are devoting most of time to smart phone and resulting less study lesson and read book.When used properly, mobile phones contribute positively to the learning process. However, excessive use leads to addiction and many social, physical and psychological problems.


This thesis presents an analysis of floral diversity, soil C carbon storage and bird
diversity in the south Konkan coast of the Western Ghats of India. The objectives of the
investigation were to study structure, composition, distribution, richness and diversity of
vegetation under different land-use types, to determine soil organic carbon bontent and to
determine species composition, richness and diversity of birds under different land-use types.
For the investigation, agricultural, forest, casuarina plantation, grassland, mango
plantation, homegarden and mangrove sites were selected randomly over a 460 km2 area. At
the forest, casuarina, homegardens and mangrove sites quadrate sampling technique was used
for phyto-sociological analysis. Soil organic matter was determined by the weight loss-onignition
method on soils collected as selected sites. A point transect survey method based on
distance sampling was used to study seasonal variation in bird species richness and diversity in
different land-use types. The sample based rarefaction curves were computed using Estimates
8.2.0 and Eco-sim version free software applications. The bird data was analyzed using
Distance 6.2 release 2 software.
Floristic analysis revealed that the study area is home for 407 plant species belonging
to different I 04 families. The most dominating families are Fabaceae, Cucurbitaceae,
Euphorbiaceae, Malvaceae, Apocynacaeae, Asteraceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Convolvulaceae,
Poaceae, Acanthaceae, Mimosaceae, Rubiaceae, Verbenaceae and Rhizophoraceae. The high
species richness was recorded in the forest followed by homegardens and casuarina plantation,
while it was lowest in the mangrove vegetation. The highest Shannon-Weaver index of
diversity was recorded for the homegardens > forests > casuarina plantation > mangrove
vegetation. The highest value of species evenness and Simpson's index of diversity was
recorded for the forests and lowest in the casuarina monoculture. The highest total C storage
up to 50 cm depth was found in forest soils > mango plantation > mangrove > agricultural land
soils > casuarina monoculture soils. The study revealed that the top 30 cm layer contains about
61-69% of the total C stock. SOC content decreased vertically with increase soil depth. SOC
content showed significant positive correlation with soil moisture content and soil salinity, and
significant negative correlation with soil pH and bulk density. In a total of 4796 encounters,
9348 individual birds belonging to 114 species and 51 families were detected from seven ·
habitats in two seasons during the study period. The highest species richness was observed in
the monsoon season. Overall 72% bird species were common in the both seasons. The most
dominating families are Accipitridae, Columbidae, Hirundinidae, Muscicapidae, Ardeidae,
Corvidae, Cuculidae and Sturnidae. In the dry season the highest species richness and
Shannon-Weaver diversity index was observed in the forest land. In the monsoon, season the
highest species richness and Shannon-Weaver diversity index was observed in the grassland
The research findings on floral analysis of different land-use types suggest that the
region is ecologically and ethno-botanically rich. The wide variety of floral and avian species
indicates the high species richness and diversity in the study area. The region is prone to
drastic anthropogenic land-use changes such as deforestation, conversion to agriculture,
industrialization (especially, nuclear power generation), shrimp farming, construction works
and chira mining. This study provides a basis for developing measures for the conservation and
management of natural resources in south Konkan coast of Maharashtra. The present study
conclude that land clearing, land breaking, nuclear power project installation will affect the
floral and faunal biodiversity as well as carbon balance. Therefore, the study suggests that the
nuclear power project should not be started on the site for future environmental health and
safety, public health and security and to avoid future hazards of loss of biodiversity in the
south Konkan coast of Maharashtra state.
xi


Abstract Adiabatic thermals rising through an environment which has formed a friction layer by rotating in contact with a roughness plate are studied in the laboratory. The effects of frictionally induced motions on the growth of thermals and vortexes are assessed by comparing the friction situations with identical ones in which the roughness plate has been removed. The analysis shows that convergence created by the friction layer gives rise to additional upward motion at the center of the cloud tank, and this tends to offset the rotational suppression of the thermal's growth. Entrainment of the environmental fluid by the thermal appears to be increased, and the enhancement of volumetric growth may be due in part to entrainment of turbulent fluid from the friction layer. An attempt is made numerically to evaluate this effect. Vortexes formed in the friction layer are found to be fatter and less intense than in the low-friction environment, and they also break contact with the ground. The results of the la...


In this paper, we propose two novel techniques, which successfully address several major problems in the field of particle swarm optimization (PSO) and promise a significant breakthrough over complex multimodal optimization problems at high dimensions. The first one, which is the so-called multidimensional (MD) PSO, re-forms the native structure of swarm particles in such a way that they can make interdimensional passes with a dedicated dimensional PSO process. Therefore, in an MD search space, where the optimum dimension is unknown, swarm particles can seek both positional and dimensional optima. This eventually removes the necessity of setting a fixed dimension a priori, which is a common drawback for the family of swarm optimizers. Nevertheless, MD PSO is still susceptible to premature convergences due to lack of divergence. Among many PSO variants in the literature, none yields a robust solution, particularly over multimodal complex problems at high dimensions. To address this problem, we propose the fractional global best formation (FGBF) technique, which basically collects all the best dimensional components and fractionally creates an artificial global best (aGB) particle that has the potential to be a better ¿guide¿ than the PSO's native gbest particle. This way, the potential diversity that is present among the dimensions of swarm particles can be efficiently used within the aGB particle. We investigated both individual and mutual applications of the proposed techniques over the following two well-known domains: 1) nonlinear function minimization and 2) data clustering. An extensive set of experiments shows that in both application domains, MD PSO with FGBF exhibits an impressive speed gain and converges to the global optima at the true dimension regardless of the search space dimension, swarm size, and the complexity of the problem.


The aim of the this investigation is to study the influence of Ni on tribiological behavior of an austempered ductile iron (ADI) containing Mo, Ni and Cu. Ductile irons with chemical composition Fe-3.56%C– 2.67%Si –0.25%Mo–0.5%Cu and Ni contents of 0.8 and 1.5% were cast into standard Y-blocks. Wear test samples were machined off from the bottom section of blocks. Austenitizing heat treatment was carried out at 870°C temperature followed by austempering at 270, 320, and 370°C for 5-1140 minutes. The wear test was carried out by using block-on-ring test machine. Sliding dry wear behavior was studied under applied loads of 50, 100 and 150N. The results show that wear resistance is independent of austempering temperature with an applied load of 50N, but there is a strong dependence at higher austempering temperatures with applied loads of 100 and 150N. Wear mechanism is described as being due to subsurface fatigue, with cracks nucleated at plastically, deformed graphite interfaces. The wear controlling mechanism is the crack growth when wear shows a dependence on applied load and austempering temperature.