Context. The radiative transport of photons through arbitrary three-dimensional (3D) structures of dust is a challenging problem due to the anisotropic scattering of dust grains and strong coupling between different spatial regions. The radiative transfer problem in 3D is solved using Monte Carlo or Ray Tracing techniques as no full analytic solution exists for the true 3D structures. Aims. We provide the first 3D dust radiative transfer benchmark composed of a slab of dust with uniform density externally illuminated by a star. This simple 3D benchmark is explicitly formulated to provide tests of the different components of the radiative transfer problem including dust absorption, scattering, and emission. Methods. The details of the external star, the slab itself, and the dust properties are provided. This benchmark includes models with a range of dust optical depths fully probing cases that are optically thin at all wavelengths to optically thick at most wavelengths. The dust properties adopted are characteristic of the diffuse Milky Way interstellar medium. This benchmark includes solutions for the full dust emission including single photon (stochastic) heating as well as two simplifying approximations: One where all grains are considered in equilibrium with the radiation field and one where the emission is from a single effective grain with size-distribution-averaged properties. A total of six Monte Carlo codes and one Ray Tracing code provide solutions to this benchmark. Results. The solution to this benchmark is given as global spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and images at select diagnostic wavelengths from the ultraviolet through the infrared. Comparison of the results revealed that the global SEDs are consistent on average to a few percent for all but the scattered stellar flux at very high optical depths. The image results are consistent within 10%, again except for the stellar scattered flux at very high optical depths. The lack of agreement between different codes of the scattered flux at high optical depths is quantified for the first time. Convergence tests using one of the Monte Carlo codes illustrate the sensitivity of the solutions to various model parameters. Conclusions. We provide the first 3D dust radiative transfer benchmark and validate the accuracy of this benchmark through comparisons between multiple independent codes and detailed convergence tests.


A plant pathogen and its host compete for control over a key phosphorylation site in an innate immune receptor. Receptors on plant cell surfaces are tuned to recognize molecular patterns associated with pathogenic bacteria. Macho et al. found that activation of one of these receptors in Arabidopsis results in phosphorylation of a specific tyrosine residue, which in turn triggers the plant's immune response to the phytopathogen Pseudomonas syringae. P. syringae counters by secreting a specifically targeted phosphatase, thus stalling the plant's immune response. A. P. Macho, B. Schwessinger, V. Ntoukakis, A. Brutus, C. Segonzac, S. Roy, Y. Kadota, M.-H. Oh, J. Sklenar, P. Derbyshire, R. Lozano-Durán, F. G. Malinovsky, J. Monaghan, F. L. Menke, S. C. Huber, S. Y. He, C. Zipfel, A bacterial tyrosine phosphatase inhibits plant pattern recognition receptor activation. Science 343, 1509–1512 (2014). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Aim
To use computed tomography (CT) to diagnose the reasons for hepatic portal venous gas (HPVG) in the case of an elderly male patient.

Methods
This is a case study of an elderly male patient who suffered acute, obvious abdominal pain accompanied with stop of exhaust defecation following three days of diarrhoea, abdominal distention and emesis. The patient also developed asthma, which gradually became severe. The patient was admitted to the hospital where he underwent a physical examination and a CT scan.

Results
The CT results confirmed that the patient was suffering from HPVG caused by severe diarrhoea. The CT scan showed obvious expansion and pneumatosis in the enteric cavity and subcutaneous emphysema in the intestinal wall. Also, the intrahepatic portal branches and small branches of veins in the mesentery were filled with a high density of gas. The combination of many factors led to HPVG. Gastrointestinal mucosa and pressure accompanied with intestinal septic infection were the main factors. The case report revealed that gas in the enteric cavity went into the submucosa, then into the small branches of veins in the mesentery and finally into the intrahepatic portal vein system.

Conclusions
Computed examination revealed the imaging features of HPVG. Hepatic portal venous gas suggested the growth of enteric cavity pressure, the damage of intestinal mucosa and intestinal infection, providing references for clinical diagnosis.


This thesis on management and pedagogy in bilingual education details the development of Estonia's early and late Estonian-language immersion programmes in a context where a need for increased social cohesion underpinned programming, political will was mobilised and leadership was distributed among stakeholders, Genesee (2003: 17) considers the Estonian early immersion programme as one of the most carefully planned of its kind. The research study documents management and pedagogical practices, including the ideational forces and concrete mechanisms that have contributed to the development of sustainable programming. Beardsmore (2007) calls for additional studies that simultaneously investigate pedagogy and management in bilingual education. The study incorporates action research, as the researcher investigated the development of a programme he had helped to co-manage and acted as an informant for the study. The personal account is grounded in an analysis of programme planning and reporting documents and of data from interviews with government decision-makers, and in a case study of four schools offering late immersion. Students, parents, deputy headteachers and headteachers were surveyed. Fifty-one lessons were observed. This case study of language immersion, with its successes and setbacks, is also grounded in a literature review that explores the concepts of bilingualism, bilingual education, stakeholding, distributed leadership, professional learning communities and pseudo-communities. The review also examines the economic and cognitive benefits of bilingualism. The study is further informed by moderate social constructivism, and complexity theory. Bilingual education is thus situated in a larger ecology of structural interdependencies. It is argued that know ledge about these concepts, and their interdependencies can potentially be used to build contexts favourable for bilingual education. A large number of assumptions, beliefs and pedagogical practices, as well as forces, mechanisms and counterweights were found to influence immersion programme development. Individual teacher assumptions, beliefs and practices tended to fall on a continuum between fostering or it is argued undermining student learning. All three were identified as having considerable impact on learning environments. In particular, the study revealed challenges faced by teachers in integrating content and language. Planning mechanisms such as results-based management frameworks were crucial in programme development. However, these mechanisms were in and of themselves inert, being powered by forces such as stakeholder inclusion, a belief in immersion, and stakeholder learning. Whilst an Immersion Centre that led and coordinated programming was a central component in programme development, this mechanism was fuelled by the moral authority of its staff, their sense of mission, and dialogue for partnership. Maintaining balance through counterweights such as accountability for process with accountability for results also contributed to programme success. The thesis proposes a redefinition of the terms CLIL (content and language integrated learning) and bilingual education. The thesis also argues that stakeholders such as educators and managers need to develop complexity competence which includes a high degree of competence in a wide range of fields and heightened meta-cognitive, meta-affective and meta-social skills. Two frameworks are offered for identifying and navigating key elements of the complexities of bilingual education - one is primarily pedagogically focused (A Continuum for Bilingual Education) and the other is primarily management focused (A Reciprocal Co-evolutionary Paradigm for the Development of Bilingual Education).</


Intertidal seagrass plays a vital role in estimating the overall health and dynamics of coastal environments due to its interaction with tidal changes. However, most seagrass habitats around the globe have been in steady decline due to human impacts, disturbing the already delicate balance in the environmental conditions that sustain seagrass. Miniaturization of multi-spectral sensors has facilitated very high resolution mapping of seagrass meadows, which significantly improves the potential for ecologists to monitor changes. In this study, two analytical approaches used for classifying intertidal seagrass habitats are compared—Object-based Image Analysis (OBIA) and Fully Convolutional Neural Networks (FCNNs). Both methods produce pixel-wise classifications in order to create segmented maps. FCNNs are an emerging set of algorithms within Deep Learning. Conversely, OBIA has been a prominent solution within this field, with many studies leveraging in-situ data and multiresolution segmentation to create habitat maps. This work demonstrates the utility of FCNNs in a semi-supervised setting to map seagrass and other coastal features from an optical drone survey conducted at Budle Bay, Northumberland, England. Semi-supervision is also an emerging field within Deep Learning that has practical benefits of achieving state of the art results using only subsets of labelled data. This is especially beneficial for remote sensing applications where in-situ data is an expensive commodity. For our results, we show that FCNNs have comparable performance with the standard OBIA method used by ecologists.


NEKs ( N IMA-r e lated k inases) are a group of kinases that share high amino acid sequence identity to NIMA ( N ever i n m itosis gene A ), which exists as a single member in the fungi Aspergillus nidulans and is functionally involved in the initiation of mitosis. NEK3 is a 506 amino acid serine/threonine kinase, localizes both to the nucleus and cytoplasm, and its gene localizes to 13q14.2 chromosome. It has an N-terminal catalytic domain and a C-terminal regulatory domain, which contains Thr475 in its PEST domain, which gets phosphorylated upon activation. Expression of mutants without Thr475 or PEST domain causes changes in cellular morphology and polarity of neuronal cells. NEK3 is also involved in cell motility and invasiveness of breast cancer tumor cells through interaction with regulators of the Rho GTPases Rac1 and RhoA, mediated by prolactin induced association of NEK3 to the human Prolactin Receptor (PRLR). Using the Matchmaker Gold Yeast Two-Hybrid system, a screening for interaction partners wasperformed and 65 clones were obtained, which cDNAs encode 27 different proteins. The identified candidate interacting proteins are functionally involved in sumoylation, ubiquitinylation, transcriptional regulation, DNA repair, RNA processing, and the regulation of cell proliferation, invasiveness and metastasis.Some interaction partners for NEK3 are located in the nucleus and plasma membrane but most of them localize to the cytoplasm. One of the cytoplasmatic interactors for NEK3, RhoGDI2, is a regulator of RhoGTPases and inhibits Rac1 and RhoA activation levels. In our pull down assay, NEK3 overexpression increases Rac1-GTP while concomittant overexpression of RhoGDI2 reducesit to non-detectable levels. Our data suggests that NEK3 interaction with RhoGDI2 is a important new regulatory elements in Rac1 signaling pathways.


BACKGROUND
Todays, smartphone technologies and applications are used in the medical and nursing fields. Medical and nursing students are among the groups in which the use of these tools is observed.

OBJECTIVES
To investigate their views on the barriers and facilitators of the use of these technologies.

METHODS
Four hundred people (200 people from each group) were invited randomly. A questionnaire was used to collect data. To collect data, hospitals were referred and the questionnaires were provided to students and after completion, they were collected. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software and descriptive and inferential statistics.

RESULTS
The most important barriers from the students' view included internet problems in the university or hospital, lack of technical support for this technology in the hospital or university, the quality of existing applications, lack of appropriate Apps in the local language, non-introduction of appropriate Apps and not knowing the right Apps. The most important facilitators were the appropriate support services in the university or hospital, placing the appropriate Apps on the department or university website, designing native Apps with the participation of experts, and introducing the appropriate Apps by professors or universities.

CONCLUSION
The use of Apps is increasing among medical and nursing students. In this regard, attention to the existing barriers and their elimination and strengthening the facilitators, and providing the necessary technical and educational infrastructure to facilitate the useful applications should be considered by decision-makers.


There has been a long-standing debate regarding whether or not there is gender symmetry in intimate partner violence (IPV); however, shelter samples have been understudied thus far. This study investigates the prevalence and predictors of IPV perpetration in a sample of 227 women in battered women's shelters. Participants were asked to complete a number of measures assessing demographics, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text rev.; DSM-IV-TR) diagnoses, traumatic life events, and perpetration and victimization of IPV. Although the vast majority of women in this sample (93%) report perpetrating some form of IPV, few women endorsed violence that was not mutual (5.3%). Furthermore, for every type of IPV assessed, women were victimized significantly more than they perpetrated. Results also indicate that women's perpetration of IPV, and predictors of such perpetration, varied across type, severity, and measurement of violence. However, most IPV outcome variables were predicted by women's experience of victimization. Taken as a whole, these results support the assertion that context matters when examining the relative rates of perpetration as well as its predictors.


Micro-abrasion remains a test configuration hugely used, mainly for thin coatings. Several studies have been carried out investigating the parameters around this configuration. Recently, a new study was launched studying the behavior of different ball materials in abrasive particles' dynamics in the contact area. This study intends to extend that study, investigating new ball materials never used so far in this test configuration. Thus, commercial balls of American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) 52100 steel, Stainless Steel (SS) (AISI) 304 steel and Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) were used under different test conditions and abrasive particles, using always the same coating for reference. Craters generated on the coated samples' surface and tracks on the balls' surface were carefully observed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and 3D microscopy in order to understand the abrasive particles' dynamics. As a softer material, more abrasive particles were entrapped on the PTFE ball's surface, generating grooving wear on the samples. SS AISI 304 balls, being softer than the abrasive particles (diamond), also allowed particle entrapment, originating from grooving wear. AISI 52100 steel balls presented particle dynamics that are already known. Thus, this study extends the knowledge already existing, allowing to better select the ball material to be used in ball-cratering tests.


The report studies the problem of the transport of vorticity or of momentum in light of the Taylor and Prandtl theories which are briefly reviewed. It also show how the formulas of Prandtl could be brought into agreement with experimental results in those cases where they agree with the principle of statistic similitude of Karman, and particularly in the problem of the distribution of velocity and temperature in the wake of a heated cylindrical obstacle.


Thirty-two patients who had polypoid melanoma were identified in a registry of 552 melanoma patients. The tumor is regarded as a variant of nodular melanoma and is associated with an increased thickness, more frequent ulceration than the nodular variant of melanoma, younger patient age, and higher probability of occult metastasis. Polypoid melanomas were most frequently present on the trunk, and were also encountered in unusual sites, such as the mucosa of the nose, hard palate, and anorectal junction. In terms of survival, the patients with the polypoid nodular variant fared significantly worse than those with nonpolypoid nodular (P = 0.05) and those with superficial spreading (P = 0.003) melanomas. The five-year survival rate for the polypoid variant was 42%, in contrast to 57% for the nonpolypoid nodular and 77% for the superficial spreading melanomas. The poor prognosis of patients who have polypoid melanoma is most likely due to its being the type of melanoma with the deepest penetration at the time of surgical excision.


OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the clinical and cost impact of providing, in routine general practice settings, a cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) package for insomnia to long-term hypnotic drug users with chronic sleep difficulties; and to identify factors associated with variations in clinical outcomes.

DESIGN
A pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial with two treatment arms (a CBT-treated 'sleep clinic' group, and a 'no additional treatment' control group), with post-treatment assessments starting at 3, 6 and 12 months.

SETTING
Twenty-three general practices in Sheffield, UK.

PARTICIPANTS
In total, 209 patients (aged 31-92 years) with chronic sleep problems who had been receiving repeat hypnotic drug prescriptions for at least 1 month (mean = 13.4 years) were recruited into the trial.

INTERVENTIONS
The intervention consisted of six 50-minute sessions as follows: introduction and sleep assessment, basic sleep hygiene, stimulus control and sleep restriction procedures, progressive relaxation, cognitive treatments, and review and discharge.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
These included: global sleep quality [as measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)], frequency of hypnotic drug use, mean dose of hypnotics consumed, health-related quality of life [as measured by the Short-Form 36 (SF-36)], NHS service costs and overall cost utility.

RESULTS
At 3- and 6-month follow-ups, patients treated with CBT showed improved global PSQI scores as well as improvements in the SF-36 dimensions of vitality at 3 months and physical functioning and mental health at 6 months. CBT-treated patients also reported reductions in the frequency of hypnotic drug use compared with the control group, with many CBT-treated patients reporting zero drug use at the follow-up assessments. Clinical improvements were maintained within the CBT group at the 12-month follow-up, with PSQI scores and the frequency of hypnotic drug use continuing to show significant reductions relative to the control group. Multiple regression analyses of PSQI scores within the sleep clinic group alone indicated that the magnitude of pre- to post-treatment change in overall sleep quality was closely related to Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale depression scores at 3-, 6-and 12-month follow-ups. In each model higher depression scores at baseline were associated with poorer treatment outcomes. No significant relationship was found between the patient's age and PSQI outcomes in any of these analyses. Within the sleep clinic group, reductions in drug use showed no significant association with the hypnotic product consumed. At the 3-month follow-up low-frequency drug use was reported by 22.9% (8/35) of temazepam users, 33.3% (5/15) of nitrazepam users and 38.9% (7/18) of zopiclone users. The total cost of service provision was GBP154.40 per patient (1999/2000 prices). The mean incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) at 6 months was GBP3418; this figure was insensitive to changes in costs. A simple model also showed that extending the evaluation period beyond 6 months may improve the cost-effectiveness of CBT. The incorporation of hidden costs associated with hypnotic drug treatment (e.g. accidents) also reduces the cost per QALY ratio, although to a much lesser degree.

CONCLUSIONS
In routine general practice settings, psychological treatment for insomnia can improve sleep quality, reduce hypnotic drug use, and improve health-related quality of life at a favourable cost among long-term hypnotic users with chronic sleep difficulties. These positive outcomes appear robust over time, persisting for at least 1 year among the more treatment-adherent patients. While these benefits may be reduced among those patients presenting with higher levels of psychological distress, the present study clearly indicates that older age per se presents no barrier to successful treatment outcomes. Further research should assess the long-term clinical and cost-effectiveness of psychological treatments for insomnia among non-hypnotic-using patients, and establish the minimum psychological treatment input required.


ABSTRACT The world civilizations course is an increasingly integral component of undergraduate curricula in the United States. History instruction literature reveals much discussion about desired learning objectives for students in the course. Given today's complex educational environment, meeting those objectives can be a challenge. Instructors' frustrations are implied, and often expressly stated, regarding the poor quality of their students' research skills. This has an impact on instructors' perceptions and design of the course. As a solution, the author of this paper discusses faculty-librarian collaboration to integrate library instruction into the University at Buffalo's world civilizations curriculum. A multifaceted approach is described, which combines traditional, contemporary, and novel instructional techniques. Preliminary data collected to assess the usefulness and effectiveness of this approach are reviewed.


This article aims to explore the representation of the Other in Flores och Blanzezflor , a 1312 translation of a French '"roman idyllique"', Le conte de Floire et Blanchefleur . As most of the action takes place in the Orient and as many of the main characters are pagan, including one of the main protagonist, Flores, Flores och Blanzeflor offers an opportunity to analyze how the Other was depicted in medieval Scandinavia. I argue in the present article that, probably influenced by the Germanic tradition, the translator chose to depict both the Orient and its inhabitants in a rather positive light. This Other, who appears to be almost the same as the society of the text's audience, allows to address the anxiety caused by the recent military success of the Saracens, an anxiety that seems to affect the Scandinavian elite despite their remoteness from the frontlines.


Pigeons learned to respond to the middle-sized member of six or seven sets of three stimuli differing in size. The sets were used successively, each serving as the discrimination problem from 10 to 16 times. After attaining criterion with one set, the birds received the others as probes. The number of responses in probes was related to the similarity of the probes to the prevailing discrimination problem. The birds responded either to the probe stimulus to which responding had most recently been reinforced, or to the probe stimulus closest in size to the positive member (S+) of the prevailing discrimination problem. Responses to a middle-sized probe-set stimulus occurred when it was the probe-set member most recently correlated with reinforcement, when it was one of two stimuli closest in size to S+, and when the stimulus closest in size to S+ was a negative member of the discrimination problem. All of the behavior could be explained in terms of control by the absolute sizes of the various stimuli.


Infrared Radiation (IR) artwork inspection is typically performed through active thermography and reflectography with different setups and cameras. While Infrared Radiation Reflectography (IRR) is an established technique in the museum field, exploiting mainly the IR-A (0.7–1.4 µm) band to probe for hidden layers and modifications within the paint stratigraphy system, active thermography operating in the IR-C range (3–5 μ
 m) is less frequently employed with the aim to visualize structural defects and features deeper inside the build-up. In this work, we assess to which extent the less investigated IR-B band (1.5–3 μ
 m) can combine the information obtained from both setups. The application of IR-B systems is relatively rare as there are only a limited amount of commercial systems available due to the technical complexity of the lens coating. This is mainly added as a so-called broadband option on regular Mid-wave infrared radiation (MWIR) (IR-C'/3–5 μ
 m) cameras to increase sensitivity for high temperature applications in industry. In particular, four objects were studied in both reflectographic and thermographic mode in the IR-B spectral range and their results benchmarked with IR-A and IR-C images. For multispectral application, a single benchmark is made with macroscopic reflection mode Fourier transform infrared (MA-rFTIR) results. IR-B proved valuable for visualisation of underdrawings, pencil marks, canvas fibres and wooden grain structures and potential pathways for additional applications such as pigment identification in multispectral mode or characterization of the support (panels, canvas) are indicated.


We have studied the behavior of ionic impurities in the insulation layer of metal-base PWBs and carried out nondestructive detection of copper ionic migration using the pulsed electroacoustic method for measuring the space charge. Space charge polarization was observed initially and after pre-absorption under high-temperature, high-humidity conditions. It appears to be attributable to the ions present initially in the insulation layer. The space charge measurement detected a conductive region formed in the insulation layer near the anode after bias testing under high-temperature, high-humidity conditions (THB test). Element distribution analysis verified, it as a region of copper ionic migration. Growth of copper ionic migration in the insulation layer was detected nondestructively.


Since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), all countries across the globe have been trying to control its spread. A country's ability to control the epidemic depends on how well its health system accommodates COVID-19 patients. This study aimed to assess the ability of different countries to contain the COVID-19 epidemic in real-time with the number of confirmed cases, deaths and recovered cases. Using the dataset provided by the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX), we analyzed the spread of the virus from 22 January 2020 to 15 September 2020 and used Little's Law to predict a country's ability to control the epidemic. According to the average recovery time curve changes, 16 countries are divided into different categories—Outbreak, Under Control, Second Wave of Outbreak, and Premature Lockdown Lift. The curves of outbreak countries (i.e., U.S., Spain, Netherlands, Serbia, France, Sweden, and Belgium) showed an upward trend representing that their medical systems have been overloaded and are unable to provide effective medical services to patients. On the other hand, after the pandemic-prevention policy was applied, the average recovery time dropped in under control countries (i.e., Iceland, New Zealand, Taiwan, Thailand, and Singapore). Finally, we study the impact of interventions on the average recovery time in some of the countries. The interventions, e.g., lockdown and gathering restrictions, show the effect after 14 days, which is the same as the incubation period of COVID-19. The results show that the average recovery time (T) can be used as an indicator of the ability to control the pandemic.


This paper summarizes the results obtained in the use of plastisols of vinyl chloride homopolymer (PVC), obtained by the process of emulsion polymerization, as thermoplastic matrix in the production of composite pipes and in pipe repairing. Two processing techniques commonly used with thermosetting matrices were studied: filament winding and hand lay up. The produced composite structures of PVC reinforced with glass fibres were subsequently subjected to tests in order to determine their mechanical properties. This paper concludes that it is possible to use the described technique for piping repairing with good results.


Background and objectives This study examined predictors of the annual decline in estimated GFR (eGFR) in patients with type 2 diabetes and preserved kidney function. Design, setting, participants, & measurements In a prospective, observational cohort study, 1682 individuals with type 2 diabetes and baseline eGFR $ 60 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 (as estimated by the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation) were followed for 10 years. Linear regression was used to estimate participants ' changes in eGFR over time. Results During follow-up, 263 (15.6%) individuals had a rapid eGFR decline de fi ned as . 4.0% per year. Average eGFR decline was 2 5.8 6 3 and 2 0.6 6 2 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 per year in rapid decliners and nondecliners, re-spectively. Compared with normotensive, normoalbuminuric patients ( 2 0.2 6 0.2 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 per year), those with hypertension ( 2 1.0 6 0.1 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 per year), hemoglobin A 1c $ 7% ( 2 1.0 6 0.1 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 per year), longer diabetes duration ( 2 1.0 6 0.1 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 per year), obesity ( 2 1.2 6 0.1 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 per year), insulin treatment ( 2 1.5 6 0.1 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 per year), microalbuminuria ( 2 1.3 6 0.2 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 per year), or macroalbuminuria ( 2 2.7 6 0.4 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 per year) had signi fi cantly faster age-adjusted annual eGFR declines. Multivariable linear regression analyses revealed that albuminuria ( P , 0.001) was the strongest predictor of annual eGFR decline. Other independent predictors of annual eGFR decline were older age, hypertension, insulin treatment, and lower baseline eGFR. Conclusions Annual eGFR decline is predicted by multiple modi fi able risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes and preserved kidney function.


Drainage rejuvenation through headward migration of alluvial knickpoints is common in ephemeral semi‐arid streams, but has not yet been described for tropical rivers. In the Australian monsoon tropics (AMT), wet monsoon forests have an important ecological function, and are present along many alluvial valleys and springs within a eucalypt‐savanna dominated landscape. Using a combination of LiDAR, remote sensing and field evidence, we observe the ongoing destruction of wet monsoon forest through hydro‐geomorphic feedbacks, along with the headward retreat of an alluvial knickpoint at Wangi Creek in Litchfield National Park, Northern Territory. Due to the highly transmissive shallow aquifer along the lower Wangi Creek, this knickpoint retreat leads to a downstream drop in in‐channel water level, which in turn drives a decrease in the local groundwater table. The lowered groundwater level causes the shallow anabranches and formerly water saturated peaty floodplain soil to desiccate, which results in a reduction of vegetation density. The resulting dry surface conditions allow annual to bi‐annual high frequency low‐intensity fires to affect the monsoon forest, while wet rainforest upstream of the knickpoint remains intact. In this paper, we argue that such hydro‐geomorphic feedbacks may cause the initial destabilization of the forest, which then provides the necessary conditions for the impact of fire. This scenario thus challenges the prevalent view that fire is a first‐order control on the spatial extent of wet monsoonal rainforest in the study area, and provides a new and testable hypothesis for further studies in the AMT. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by degeneration of the upper motor neurons in the frontal cortex and the motor neurons of the brain stem and spinal cord. Cranial nerve nuclei III, IV, VI are usually normal histopathologically, as are the eye movements clinically. Using electro-oculography, we found decreased saccadic or smooth pursuit velocities in four of ten patients unidirectional saccadic pursuit in one of these four, and progressively decreasing saccadic velocities in another. We believe the defect is supranuclear and that the ocular motor system is more often abnormal in patients with ALS than previously recognized.


Two methods for the power analysis of standing jumps are proposed and compared in this article. The first method is based on a simple analytical formulation which requires as input the coordinates of the center of gravity in three specified instants of the jump. The second method is based on a multibody model that simulates the jumps processing the data obtained by a three-dimensional (3D) motion capture system and the dynamometric measurements obtained by the force platforms. The multibody model is developed with OpenSim, an open-source software which provides tools for the kinematic and dynamic analyses of 3D human body models. The study is focused on two of the typical tests used to evaluate the muscular activity of lower limbs, which are the counter movement jump and the standing long jump. The comparison between the results obtained by the two methods confirms that the proposed analytical formulation is correct and represents a simple tool suitable for a preliminary analysis of total mechanical work and the mean power exerted in standing jumps.


Alluvial fans serve as useful archives that record the history of depositional and erosional processes in mountainous regions and thus can reveal the environmental controls that influenced their development. Economically, they play an important role as groundwater reservoirs as well as host rocks for hydrocarbons in deeply buried systems. The interpretation of these archives and the evaluation of their reservoir architecture, however, are problematic because marked heterogeneity in the distribution of sedimentary facies makes correlation difficult. This problem is compounded because the accumulated sedimentary deposits of modern unconsolidated fan systems tend to be poorly exposed and few such systems have been the focus of investigation using high-resolution subsurface analytical techniques. To overcome this limitation of standard outcrop–analogue studies, a geophysical survey of an alpine alluvial fan was performed using ground-penetrating radar to devise a scaled three-dimensional subsurface model. Radar facies were classified and calibrated to lithofacies within a fan system that provided outcropping walls and these were used to derive a three-dimensional model of the sedimentary architecture and identify evolutionary fan stages. The Illgraben fan in the Swiss Alps was selected as a case study and a network of ca 60 km sections of ground-penetrating radar was surveyed. Seven radar facies types could be distinguished, which were grouped into debris-flow deposits and stream-flow deposits. Assemblages of these radar facies types show three depositional units, which are separated by continuous, fan-wide reflectors; they were interpreted as palaeo-surfaces corresponding to episodes of sediment starvation that affected the entire fan. An overall upward decline in the proportion of debris-flow deposits from ca 50% to 15% and a corresponding increase in stream-flow deposits were identified. The uppermost depositional unit is bounded at its base by a significant incision surface up to 700 m wide, which was subsequently filled up mostly by stream-flow deposits. The pronounced palaeo-surfaces and depositional trends suggest that allocyclic controls governed the evolution of the Illgraben fan, making this fan a valuable archive from which to reconstruct past sediment fluxes and environmental change in the Alps. The results of the integrated outcrop–geophysical approach encourage similar future studies on fans to retrieve their depositional history as well as their potential reservoir properties.


A collection and distribution scheme of urban intelligent traffic information based on video events detection is presented in this paper. In this scheme, advanced technology of computer vision, digital image processing technology, database technology, communications technology, control technology, image sensor technology and system integration technology are integrated and applied in the transportation field effectively to achieve the collection and processing of various urban traffic information and the release of integrated information, thereby traffic jams and accidents are reduced effectively. Therefore, the scheme is of great significance to promote the rapid development of transportation business and speed up the informatization process of urban transportation. And in the paper, the bus information collection and release system is employed as an example to explain the application of the system.


Eye movements provide important signals for joint attention. However, those eye movements that indicate bids for joint attention often occur among non-communicative eye movements. This study investigated the influence of these non-communicative eye movements on subsequent joint attention responsivity. Participants played an interactive game with an avatar which required both players to search for a visual target on a screen. The player who discovered the target used their eyes to initiate joint attention. We compared participants' saccadic reaction times (SRTs) to the avatar's joint attention bids when they were preceded by non-communicative eye movements that predicted the location of the target (Predictive Search), did not predict the location of the target (Random Search), and when there were no non-communicative eye gaze movements prior to joint attention (No Search). We also included a control condition in which participants completed the same task, but responded to a dynamic arrow stimulus instead of the avatar's eye movements. For both eye and arrow conditions, participants had slower SRTs in Random Search trials than No Search and Predictive Search trials. However, these effects were smaller for eyes than for arrows. These data suggest that joint attention responsivity for eyes is relatively stable to the presence and predictability of spatial information conveyed by non-communicative gaze. Contrastingly, random sequences of dynamic arrows had a much more disruptive impact on subsequent responsivity compared with predictive arrow sequences. This may reflect specialised social mechanisms and expertise for selectively responding to communicative eye gaze cues during dynamic interactions, which is likely facilitated by the integration of ostensive eye contact cues.


Recent studies have shown that mobile applications are increasingly becoming "chatty", resulting in excessive signaling load on cellular networks, potentially causing major network outages. One of the main causes of this signaling overload is the static dormancy timer that 3GPP-based networks employ to control the release of radio resources allocated to a device. To systematically manage the ever-increasing signaling load, we design a novel network-aware system named REACT for dynamically tuning the dormancy timers. In doing so, we highlight a key trade-off between signaling overhead on the network and energy consumed on mobile devices. Contrary to the prior work, our solution models and predicts traffic of mobile apps at the network side with high degree of accuracy, and then dynamically tunes the dormancy timer at a per-device, per-base-station or per-RNC granularity, the approach requires no modifications on mobile devices. Our evaluation shows that REACT reduces signaling overhead by more than a factor of 2 compared to current static setting of dormancy timers. Furthermore, network-aware dynamic tuning of dormancy timers enables a flexible system that can aggressively save energy on devices when the overall network load is low, and manages signaling overhead effectively during high network load.


—K-Modes is an extension of K-Means clustering algo- rithm, developed to cluster the categorical data, where the mean is replaced by the mode. The similarity measure proposed by Huang is the simple matching or mismatching measure. Weight of attribute values contribute much in clustering; thus in this paper we propose a new weighted dissimilarity measure for K-Modes, based on the ratio of frequency of attribute values in the cluster and in the data set. The new weighted measure is experimented with the data sets obtained from the UCI data repository. The results are compared with K-Modes and K-representative, which show that the new measure generates clusters with high purity.


The objective of this study was to experimentally characterize the air/water partitioning of the two major isomeric forms of commercially applied endosulfan. Henry's law constants (HLCs) or air/water partitioning constants for technical endosulfan (6,7,8,9,10-hexachloro-1,4,-5a,6,9,9a-hexahydro-6,9-methano-2,4,3-benzo-dioxathiepin-3-oxide) and its two major isomers, endosulfan I and endosulfan II, were experimentally determined using a wetted wall column (WWC) method. The HLC values for the isomers were significantly higher than their literature HLC values. The HLCs for salt water were higher than distilled water suggesting that the salt ions reduced the solubilities of the chemicals. The HLC of endosulfan I was log linearly related to change in temperature; however, no such relationship could be established for endosulfan II. When pure endosulfan II (99% endosulfan II and 1% endosulfan I) was allowed to equilibrate in the WWC apparatus, the ratio of endosulfan II to endosulfan I in the gas phase became 8:92 at 20°C. These results suggested that the II form of endosulfan was converting to the I form. This apparent conversion was observed to be temperature dependent. Air/water transfer of the endosulfan isomers was similar when either N or air was used as the gas phase. The ratio of endosulfan I to endosulfan II observed in the gas phase when HLC experiments with technical endosulfan were performed (91:9) were similar to ratios of the two isomers that are observed in field-collected air samples.


Rates of protein synthesis were significantly lower in the cut soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles than in their uncut counterparts. Rates of protein degradation were significantly higher in cut soleus muscles, but not in cut extensor digitorum longus muscles as compared with their uncut controls. Concentrations of ATP and phosphocreatine were significantly lower in cut soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles after incubation in vitro in contrast with respective control uncut muscles. These data indicate that cutting of muscle fibres alters rates of protein synthesis and degradation, in addition to altering concentrations of high-energy phosphates. Since these findings stressed the importance of using intact muscles to study protein metabolism, additional studies were made on intact muscles in vitro. Stretched soleus muscles had higher concentrations of high-energy phosphates at the end of an incubation period than did unstretched muscles. However, the length of the soleus, extensor digitorum longus and diaphragm muscles during incubation did not affect rates of protein degradation.U


Drought stress is perhaps the most commonly encountered abiotic stress plants experience in the natural environment, and it is one of the most important factors limiting plant productivity. Here, we employed untargeted metabolite profiling to examine four drought-stressed hybrid poplar (Populus spp.) genotypes for their metabolite content, using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The primary objective of these analyses was to characterize the metabolite profile of poplar trees to assess relative drought resistance and to investigate the underlying biochemical mechanisms employed by the genotypes to combat drought. Metabolite profiling identified key metabolites that increased or decreased in relative abundance upon exposure to drought stress. Overall, amino acids, the antioxidant phenolic compounds catechin and kaempferol, as well as the osmolytes raffinose and galactinol exhibited increased abundance under drought stress, whereas metabolites involved in photorespiration, redox regulation and carbon fixation showed decreased abundance under drought stress. One clone in particular, Okanese, displayed unique responses to the imposed drought conditions. This clone was found to have higher leaf water potential, but lower growth rate relative to the other clones tested. Okanese also had lower accumulation of osmolytes such as raffinose, galactinol and proline, but higher overall levels of antioxidants such as catechin and dehydroascorbic acid. As such, it was proposed that osmotic adjustment as a mechanism for drought avoidance in this clone is not as well developed in comparison with the other clones investigated in this study, and that a possible alternative mechanism for the enhanced drought avoidance displayed by Okanese may be due to differential allocation of resources or better retention of water.


The current study aims to identify the employee value proposition (EVP) attributes that the administrative and academic administrative staff in Gaza academic institutions would perceive as the value they gain through employment. It also determines the different importance levels of EVP attributes and evaluating the degree of availability of these attributes to measure the gap between perceived and existing values according to employees' perspective. Finally, it suggests the key factors that could improve the EVP efficiency for the administrative and academic Administrative staff in Gaza academic institutions. The data was analyzed based on a survey and was drawn from three of the major universities in Gaza, Islamic University (IUG), Al-Aqsa University and University College of Applied Sciences (UCAS). Overall, the findings confirm that there is a gap in all of the questionnaire items, the level of all fields availability is lower than its importance according to respondents' estimation, the top five items with the greatest gap were in the following order (meritocracy, growth rate, recognition, compensation, and organizational stability).


Raman measurements on high quality, relaxed InN nanocolumns grown on Si(001) and Si(111) substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy are reported. A coupled LO phonon-plasmon mode around 430 cm–1, together with the uncoupled LO phonon appears in the nanocolumnar samples. The coupled mode is attributed to spontaneous accumulation of electrons at the lateral surfaces of the nanocolumns, while the uncoupled phonon originates from their inner part. Infrared reflectance measurements confirm the presence of electrons in the nanocolumns. The electron density in the accumulation layer depends on the growth temperature and is sensitive to exposure of HCl. Our results indicate that accumulation of intrinsic electrons occurs not only at the polar surfaces of InN layers, but also on non-polar lateral surfaces of InN nanocolumns. Its origin is attributed to an In-rich surface reconstruction of the nanocolumns sidewalls. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)


Introduction Effective asthma control with drug therapy delivered via pressurised metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) is critically dependent on good inhaler technique. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) dedicate significant time and resources to patient education and review sessions, which tend to focus on the co-ordination of pMDI actuation with the slow inspiratory breath. Tools exist to facilitate this experience: dummy pMDIs, add-on devices which whistle at the ideal inspiratory flow rate and the highly valued but difficult-to-obtain placebo pMDIs. The latter currently offer the closest real-life training experience but are hampered by the multiple-use concerns of cross-infection (or confident decontamination), HCP-only demonstration, and unnecessary exposure to fluorocarbon propellants. The alternative of training with the active pMDI raises the issues of overdosing and drug wastage. Methods Our self-imposed project brief was to design an improved low-cost solution to the placebo/drug pMDI training conundrum which included patient participation as an absolute, the ability of the HCP to visually assess technique, avoidance of contamination, and compatibility with different actuator formats; and specifically excluded, for example, validation and implementation of new decontamination techniques. Results The solution is an add-on device, confirmed to fit all UK active and placebo pMDIs. The device (Figure 1, Flo-Checkä) is inserted into the pMDI actuator mouthpiece orifice and completely occludes the aerosol path. The lip-guard feature prevents mouth-contact contamination of the actuator and, when the patient inhales, inspiratory air is drawn in via side vents engineered to mimic the general resistance of a pMDI. Conclusions A survey of manufacturer-supplied respiratory support devices in relation to all UK inhaled products (London Medicines Evaluation Network, 2013) revealed an almost universal lack of product specific devices with the exception of the Accuhalerâ (Glaxo Group Limited) and Symbicortâ (AstraZeneca AB) training whistles; neither of which addresses the issues raised above. Several specific placebo pMDIs are available but the pharmaceutical industry is cognizant of fluorocarbon use justification, the danger of misinterpretation as an active product, and manufacturing a low volume high unit-cost product. It is hoped that developments such as the Flo-Check address some of the issues: for manufacturer, patient and HCP. Abstract M7 Figure 1 Flo-Check device


The work presented in this thesis is concerned with the investigation of the dynamic behaviour of magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) and smart sandwich structures. An extensive review, covering existing smart materials and their applications, has highlighted that smart materials and structures can be applied to large scale structures. Comprehensive experimental tests have been carried out in order to gain knowledge and data on the dynamic shear properties and behaviour of stiffness change of MRE and MRE cored adaptive sandwich beam structures depending on magnetic fields. Dynamic shear property tests with different curing stages have been enhanced to obtain various properties. The new developed forced vibration test rig enabled forced vibration tests of MRE embedded sandwich beam with various aspects such as different magnetic field strength, various oscillations of force amplitudes, boundary conditions and damping effects under localised magnetic fields to be made. In parallel to these experimental investigations, a new theoretical model was developed by combining the magnetisation effects on iron particles in terms of the curing times. In addition, a new macro scale modelling approach for rubber like materials (nonlinear behaving materials) was made by adopting FEA analysis to obtain the optimum volume of pores and size of iron particles to enhance the performance of MREs. A higher order sandwich beam theory is extended to include damping properties of MRE. It has been demonstrated that a higher order sandwich beam theory appears to be the most versatile and accurate modelling method for a sandwich beam with an MRE core material. The results from higher order theory have been combined with a power flow analysis for the smart floating sandwich raft vibration isolation system. Finally, an experimental study was performed to illustrate the control capabilities of MRE adaptive vibration absorber for a propeller shaft in real time. From this research work, a better understanding of the dynamic behaviour of MRE embedded sandwich beam has been acquired.


Midcervical contusion injuries disrupt descending ipsilateral excitatory bulbospinal projections to phrenic motoneurons, compromising ventilation. We hypothesized that a unilateral contusion injury at C3 versus C5 would differentially impact phrenic activity reflecting more prominent disruption of ipsilateral descending excitatory drive to more caudal segments of the phrenic motor pool with more cranial injuries. Phrenic motoneuron counts and evidence of diaphragm muscle denervation at individual neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) were evaluated at 14 days post-injury after unilateral contusion injury (100 kDynes). Whole body plethysmography and chronic diaphragm EMG were measured before the injury and at 3, 7, and 14 days post-injury. Contusion injuries at either level resulted in a similarly sized cavity. C3 contusion resulted in loss of 39 ± 13% of ipsilateral phrenic motoneurons compared with 13 ± 21% after C5 contusion (p = 0.003). Cervical contusion injuries resulted in diaphragm muscle denervation (C3 contusion: 17 ± 4%; C5 contusion: 7 ± 4%; p = 0.047). The pattern of denervation revealed segmental innervation of the diaphragm muscle, with greater denervation ventrally after C3 contusion and dorsally after C5 contusion. Overall, diaphragm root mean square electromyography activity did not change ipsilaterally after C3 or C5 contusion, but increased contralaterally (∼ 11%) after C3 contusion only on the first day post-injury (p = 0.026). Similarly, there were no significant changes in breathing parameters during eupnea or exposure to hypoxia (10% O2) - hypercapnia (5% CO2) at any time post-injury. Unilateral midcervical contusions minimally impair ventilatory behaviors despite phrenic motoneuron loss and diaphragm muscle denervation.


In the paper the coiling process of Electrical motor stator iron core and its present condition are introduced. The coiling mechanism of inner stator iron core is analyzed. How to get the coiling parameters: pitch of tooth tape and recover value of coiling by FEM is discussed in details. It is verified by the results obtained from FEM, which shows an accurate agreement. The inefficient and high-cost problem experimental approach to find the operation parameters is avoided.


The structure of a single light-emitting diode (LED) chip for operation under high voltage alternating current (ac) conditions was proposed. The chip was designed and fabricated as an integrated circuit with several isolated LED structures grown on a single insulated sapphire substrate. The efficient blue LED chip for operation directly from 220-V ac power source has been designed, fabricated, and analyzed. The white ac operated LED (ACOLED) chip demonstrates a value of averaged luminous flux ~ 320 lm and luminous efficiency 80 lm/W under operation from 220-V ac source with 4 W of power consumption. The ladder type of circuit and the efficient ACOLED chip configuration results in proficient operation under ac conditions.


Although injection drug use occurs inside Canadian federal prisons, the correctional service does not allow prisoners access to sterile injection equipment as a harm reduction measure. International evaluations have shown that prison-based needle and syringe programs (PNSPs) lead to many beneficial health and other outcomes, and contribute to safer environments for prisoners and staff. This article presents qualitative data from a community-driven study with 30 former prisoners in Ontario, Canada. Participants shared insights that are highly valuable for understanding the prison context in relation to the need for PNSPs, both in Canada and in other jurisdictions.


Abstract This research examines the relationship between social control and social learning variables on involvement in violent vs. non-violent extremism. Using data from the Profiles of Individual Radicalization in the United States (PIRUS) database (n = 1,757), this study presents a series of logistic regressions. Among radicalized individuals, weaker social control and stronger social learning of violence were associated violent over non-violent behavior. These results hold across all models. Taken together, these findings support the role of control and learning theories in identifying correlates of violent and non-violent extremism and suggest the possibility of reciprocal and interaction effects for future work.


Background: Many patients suffer from incisional hernia all over the world. Although various surgical techniques have been introduced in recent decades, the occurrence of this problem still remains as a challenge facing surgeons. Objectives: To compare the modified sandwich technique (MST) to on-lay mesh repair technique (OMR) in the repair of huge incisional hernias. Patients and Methods: In a randomized control clinical trial during 2004 – 2008 in Shiraz, Southern Iran, 90 patients with huge incisional hernias were randomly approached by two repair techniques namely MST and OMR. In MST group, polypropylene mesh was fixed in each side of fascia with nylon 2-0 and the wound closure was done with nylon loop 1 , while In OMR technique, the fascia was released 5 cm in each side and polypropylene mesh was fixed with nylon 2-0. The wound closure was identical to MST group. Results: The mean age of patients in MST group was 49.3 years with a standard deviation (SD) of 11.8 years and 48 years with SD of 13.6 in OMR group. Recurrences occurred primarily during the first two postoperative years in both groups. Total recurrence rate following MST procedure was 2.2%, compared to 18.2% for OMR (P = 0.01). Mean of hospitalization was 3.4 days in MST group and 4 days in OMR (P = 0.6). The percentage of female patients was 69.6% in MST group and 77.3% in OMR. Mean operation time was 2.3 hours in MST comparing to 2.1 hours in OMR (P = 0.7). Conclusions: Our results showed that in the repair of incisional hernias, MST led to a lower recurrence rate and fewer major complications in comparison to OMR.


Nuclear migration and positioning are crucial for the morphogenesis of plant cells. We addressed the potential role of nuclear positioning for polarity induction using an experimental system based on regenerating protoplasts, where the induction of a cell axis de novo can be followed by quantification of specific regeneration stages. Using overexpression of fluorescently tagged extranuclear (perinuclear actin basket, kinesins with a calponin homology domain (KCH)) as well as intranuclear (histone H2B) factors of nuclear positioning and time-lapse series of the early stages of regeneration, we found that nuclear position is no prerequisite for polarity formation. However, polarity formation and nuclear migration were both modulated in the transgenic lines, indicating that both phenomena depend on factors affecting cytoskeletal tensegrity and chromatin structure. We integrated these findings into a model where retrograde signals are required for polarity induction. These signals travel via the cytoskeleton from the nucleus toward targets at the plasma membrane.


The Bcr-Abl and Lyn protein tyrosine kinases have been separately linked to the emergence of imatinib resistance in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia. We have developed fluorescent sensors for these kinases that are enzymatically and photophysically distinct, allowing us to simultaneously, yet separately, visualize the tyrosine kinase activities of both Abl and Lyn. Multicolor monitoring revealed that an imatinib-resistant cell line (MYL-R) displays a remarkable 13-fold enhancement in Lyn kinase activity relative to its imatinib-sensitive counterpart (MYL). By contrast, both cell lines display nearly identical Abl activities. The upregulation of Lyn kinase phosphotransferase activity in MYL-R cells is linked to an overexpression of the Lyn B isoform. Furthermore, MYL-R cells possess a 4-fold higher level of activated Lyn and 5-fold lower level of autoinhibited Lyn than MYL cells. Finally, studies with an activating SH2 ligand revealed that Lyn from imatinib-resistant MYL-R cells is primed and active, whereas Lyn from imatinib-sensitive cells is dependent upon phosphorylated SH2 ligands for activity.


Electroanatomical mapping is currently used to provide clinicians with information about the electrophysiological state of the heart and to guide interventions like ablation. These maps can be used to identify ectopic triggers of an arrhythmia such as atrial fibrillation (AF) or changes in the conduction velocity (CV) that have been associated with poor cell to cell coupling or fibrosis. Unfortunately, many factors are known to affect CV, including membrane excitability, pacing rate, wavefront curvature, and bath loading, making interpretation challenging. In this work, we show how endocardial conduction velocities are also affected by the geometrical factors of muscle thickness and wall curvature. Using an idealized three-dimensional strand, we show that transverse conductivities and boundary conditions can slow down or speed up signal propagation, depending on the curvature of the muscle tissue. In fact, a planar wavefront that is parallel to a straight line normal to the mid-surface does not remain normal to the mid-surface in a curved domain. We further demonstrate that the conclusions drawn from the idealized test case can be used to explain spatial changes in conduction velocities in a patient-specific reconstruction of the left atrial posterior wall. The simulations suggest that the widespread assumption of treating atrial muscle as a two-dimensional manifold for electrophysiological simulations will not accurately represent the endocardial conduction velocities in regions of the heart thicker than 0.5 mm with significant wall curvature.


Anthocyanins are increasingly being recognized for their potential health benefits, including
effects on the immune and cardiovascular system. This PhD research project addressed some
key research gaps by evaluating the effects of anthocyanins and an anthocyanin-rich
blackcurrant beverage on markers of immunity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
Cellular screening models examined the anti-inflammatory effects of pelargonidin-3-Oglucoside
and three of its plasma metabolites in THP-1 monocytes, THP-1 macrophages and
whole blood cultures. There were modest effects on the production of interleukin (IL)-6 and
IL-10, while no effects were observed on IL-1β, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor-α. The effects
were dependent on the experimental model employed and the data suggest differential antiinflammatory
potencies of the tested phenolic compounds and only modest effect sizes.
The whole blood culture model also examined, for the first time, the effects of pelargonidin-3-
O-glucoside and three of its plasma metabolites on phagocytosis and oxidative burst activity,
but there were no significant effects. Subsequent studies should explore other
immunomodulatory effects of dietary anthocyanins.
An acute RCT investigated, for the first time, the effects of an anthocyanin-rich blackcurrant
beverage in response to a high-fat meal on selected markers of CVD risk in healthy middleaged
men and women. The anthocyanin-rich blackcurrant beverage significantly improved
flow-mediated dilation, platelet function, systolic blood pressure and IL-8 concentrations. The
effects were observed with 711 mg anthocyanins, which corresponds to 120 mg fresh
blackcurrants, an amount that is high but achievable through the diet. There were no significant
effects of the beverage on diastolic blood pressure, arterial stiffness, plasma concentrations of
nitrite, nitrate, or numbers of endothelial or platelet microparticles. In conclusion, the data
suggest that anthocyanins can attenuate deleterious effects of a dietary fat challenge and could
represent an effective tool for CVD prevention.


Nanostructured Si is a promising anode material for the next generation of Li‐ion batteries, but few studies have focused on the electrical properties of the Li‐Si alloy phase, which are important for determining power capabilities and ensuring sufficient electrical conduction in the electrode structure. Here, we demonstrate an electrochemical device framework suitable for testing the electrical properties of single Si nanowires (NWs) at different lithiation states and correlating these properties with structural changes via transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We find that single Si NWs usually exhibit Ohmic I–V response in the lithiated state, with conductivities two to three orders of magnitude higher than in the delithiated state. After a number of sequential lithiation/delithiation cycles, the single NWs show similar conductivity after each lithiation step but show large variations in conductivity in the delithiated state. Finally, devices with groups of NWs in physical contact were fabricated, and structural changes in the NWs were observed after lithiation to investigate how the electrical resistance of NW junctions and the NWs themselves affect the lithiation behavior. The results suggest that electrical resistance of NW junctions can limit lithiation. Overall, this study shows the importance of investigating the electronic properties of individual components of a battery electrode (single nanostructures in this case) along with studying the nature of interactions within a collection of these component structures.


More than 85% of Ewing's family tumors carry a specific chromosomal translocation that fuses the NH(2) terminus of the EWS gene to the COOH terminus of the FLI1 transcription factor. It has been shown previously that both the transactivation domain encoded by EWS and the DNA binding domain of FLI1 were necessary for transforming cells to anchorage independence. We now report that a COOH-terminal domain in addition to the FLI1 DNA binding domain is necessary to promote cellular transformation. NIH 3T3 cells expressing a COOH-terminal deletion mutant (EWS/FLI1 DeltaC) have a greatly reduced capability to form colonies in soft agar and tumors in severe combined immunodeficient mice. The rate of tumor formation for NIH 3T3 that express EWS/FLI1 DeltaC is 50 days, whereas EWS/FLI1 forms tumors within 22 days. In addition, cells expressing the EWS/FLI1 DeltaC mutant failed to completely demonstrate the round-cell histology that is seen in both Ewing's tumor cell lines and NIH 3T3 cells expressing full-length EWS/FLI1. Northern and microarray analyses were performed to assess the effect of loss of the FLI1 COOH terminus on transcriptional modulation of EWS/FLI1 target genes. We found that although EWS/FLI1 DeltaC up-regulates smaller numbers of genes (21 genes) compared with EWS/FLI1 (34 genes), 41% of the EWS/FLI1 targets were also up-regulated by EWS/FLI1 DeltaC. On the other hand, EWS/FLI1 DeltaC is unable to down-regulate genes (3 genes) as efficiently as EWS/FLI1 (39 genes) with only one target gene repressed by both fusion constructs. Our study indicates that the EWS/FLI1 transcription factor has strong transcriptional activating as well as repressing properties and suggests that transcriptional activation and repression of target genes may occur through biochemically different mechanisms.


Continued learning is vital to effective teaching. The present paper reports on a case study which explored the affordances of the laboratory class cycle as a structure for anchoring elementary mathematics teachers' continual learning about teaching. The laboratory class is a teaching cycle that engages teachers in the preparation, observation and critique of mathematics lessons. Six teachers and one administrator who worked closely with the teachers in an elementary school in the south eastern region of the United States participated in the study. Interviews were conducted with all the participants to elicit the value they attached to the laboratory class cycle. Findings showed that each of the three components in the laboratory class cycle assisted the participants in their learning to teach.


An experimental research was performed to examine the effect of hydrodynamically and thermally developing distilled waterbased SiO 2 nanofluid flows in circular minichannels subject to constant heat flux boundary condition on the hydro-thermal performance. The Reynolds number (Re), the diameter of minichannel (D), and the nanoparticle volume concentration of ( ) were considered as design and flow parameters. As objective functions, the Nusselt number (Nu) and the friction factor (f) were determined. Each design parameter was investigated in three levels as 300, 600, and 900 for Re, 1.21, 1.55, and 1.90 mm for D and 0, 0.4%, and 0.8% for . The properties of the distilled water and the synthesized nanofluids which were required in heat transfer and fluid flow calculations were experimentally determined as a function of temperature between 20 and 60  C. The objective functions were mathematically represented in terms of the design and flow parameters using the Response Surface Methodology. The effectiveness of these meta-models was tested both experimentally and statistically. The effect of each parameter on Nu and f were investigated in detail. Finally, as a result of a multi-objective optimization analysis, the optimum design and flow parameters were reported as a Pareto solution set that maximizes Nu and minimizes f simultaneously.


Bringing together 14 papers previously published in refereed journals, The Price of Water provides information that many readers would not otherwise have access to through their professional and academic libraries.

The basic disciplines of the articles are economics and philosophy, built upon by discussion of hydrology, civil engineering, water law and water resource planning. The scope of the book is broad, dealing with a diverse range of subjects such as regional and catchment planning and integrated water resources management.

Topics considered include:

The Price of Water aims to link up economics with the other dominant water resource disciplines, establishing an economics of the real world, rather than an academic abstraction - the hydrosocial balance. In providing a new and practicable basis for planning outsream water investments, as well as understanding the baseline situation, the development and use of the hydrosocial balance to modelling water resources supply and use at the regional (or river basin) scale delivers this link.

Key Features

Provides a full and clear account of the use of the hydrosocial balance in water resource planning.

Offers a practical approach to managing water quantity and water quality issues alongside each other.

The first book to propose the use of water pricing as an instrument of drought management.

Gives an original account of the global 21st Century challenges that water resource planners will have to address.

ISBN: 9781843390817 (Print)

ISBN: 9781780402857 (eBook)


ZnO films with controlled microstructures and crystal orientations were fabricated on nonseeded substrates by a spin-spray method employing tri-sodium citrate as a structure-directing agent at 90°C. The microstructure of the films changed from a rod array to a dense film by addition of the tri-sodium citrate in the solution. The FT-IR spectra of the films prepared with citrate contained organic molecules including carboxyl groups, being attributed to citric ion. Surface analysis by XPS indicated that the adsorbed citric ions were estimated to form zinc-citrate complex including ammonium ion or ammonium citrate.


Global change in the form of climate warming, demographic developments, land use and capital movements to vulnerable regions will likely contribute to the already increasing human and economic losses from natural disasters. As countries in both the developing and developed world contemplate increasing losses from natural disasters, and as the victims relate these losses to human culpability, questions of burden-sharing for preventing and absorbing human and financial losses are becoming increasingly topical. This paper provides an overview of two forms of state and market burden-sharing at the local and global levels: collective loss-sharing after a major disaster by the state or the international community and the pre-disaster transfer of risk through insurance and other hedging instruments. With the recent attention given to the role of the private sector for apportioning and preventing disaster losses, we examine the efficiency and equity arguments for both collective loss-sharing and private risk transfer. We give special attention to the potential for governments of poor countries to transfer their natural disaster risks to the insurance and reinsurance markets, and to the international capital markets with newly developing hedging instruments, such as catastrophe bonds. We suggest that, under certain conditions, subsidized risk transfer can be an efficient and equitable way for industrialized countries to assume partial responsibility for the increasing disaster losses in poor countries, in addition to their role in aiding the economies of these countries.


The loss of green areas and vegetation in suburban neighborhoods poses shortand long-term consequences associated with environmental changes and socioeconomic decline that can propel such developments to an unsustainable state. We summarize an interdisciplinary investigation aimed at identifying the drivers of green area loss, green cover loss, and quantifying the impact on three inner-ring suburban neighborhoods located along the Rio Piedras watershed in San Juan, Puerto Rico. An inductive approach to social-ecological research was undertaken because it provides a flexible platform for interdisciplinary collaboration on this complex and dynamic subject. The three developments selected for the study were constructed in the mid-20th century under paradigms of modernity that included providing conditions for a better and more dignified way of living, among which green areas played a central role. The green area change analysis was undertaken first, by way of using building footprint growth as a proxy, which represents a minimal estimate of change, and transferring the information from aerial photographs, original development plans, construction drawings, and GIS maps to AutoCAD to quantify building footprint change for each neighborhood. The period of analysis started from the time of the construction of each development to the year 2010. The second estimation was performed using orthorectified infrared aerial imagery to quantify green cover in year 2008 and contrast that information with the conditions at the time the developments were constructed. Green-gray area dynamics were thus analyzed together with longitudinal socioeconomic data to help in the assessment of effects. The investigation revealed long-term socioeconomic declining trends in two of the neighborhoods, weak governance of the built environment, substantial increase in automobile ownership, and distinct physical-spatial characteristics as drivers behind the changes observed. The complexity and variety of exogenous and endogenous factors that have been identified in this study as affecting private and public inner-ring suburban green areas reveals dynamic and spatially differentiated concomitant processes and suggests that these are conditioned by the socioeconomic trajectories of each neighborhood and by larger metropolitan scale socioeconomic and technological trends. Lower income neighborhoods reflect a tendency for socioeconomic decline and greater loss of green areas and vegetation cover in time, thus suggesting policies geared toward adaptive governance. In contrast, the upper income neighborhood exhibits a more stable socioeconomic trajectory and less significant green area loss as well as increase in vegetation cover. Three hypotheses are posited for future sampling increments and testing. The findings and literature on urban economics and the decline of inner-ring suburbs in the U.S. suggest the need for policy geared to sustainable urban redevelopment as a strategy for adaptive governance. The competing needs for land by higher density uses and by green areas in sustainable redevelopment initiatives requires a trade-off analysis in which a thorough account of costs and benefits is warranted. As such, sound data as that presented in this paper will aid urban ecological design in the process of achieving sustainable and environmentally sound land-use adaptations that seek to recuperate green areas' environmental services in urban and suburban contexts.


In an attempt to identify new members of the human type II hair keratin family by means of 3'- and 5'-RACE methods and cDNA from anagen hair follicles, we detected a sequence that encoded a hitherto unknown type II cytokeratin. The novel cytokeratin comprises 251 amino acids and exhibits the highest sequence homology with K5. Comparative one- and two-dimensional western blots of keratins from anagen hair bulbs, containing or not containing the outer and inner root sheaths (ORS/IRS), and from footsole epidermis with an antibody against the new cytokeratin, revealed its comigration with K6 and its expression in the ORS/IRS complex. We have therefore named the new cytokeratin K6hf, to distinguish it from the various K6 isoforms and to indicate its expression in the hair follicle. Both in situ hybridization with a K6hf-specific cRNA probe and indirect immunofluorescence with the K6hf antibody showed that K6hf is exclusively expressed in the so-called "companion layer" of the hair follicle, a single layered band of flat and vertically oriented cells between the cuboidal ORS cells and the IRS that stretches from the lowermost bulb region to the isthmus of the follicle. Concomitant K17 and K16 expression studies showed that besides suprabasal ORS cells, these cytokeratins are sequentially expressed subsequent to K6hf in companion cells above the hair bulb. Our study confirms the view of a vertically oriented companion layer differentiation. The clearly delayed K17 and K16 expression relative to that of K6hf in companion cells most probably excludes these keratins as possible type I partners of K6hf and suggests the existence of a still unknown type I partner of its own. Thus, not only morphologically but also biochemically, the companion layer is different from the ORS and can therefore be regarded as an independent histologic compartment of the hair follicle.


We are introducing the "Model standard of the public library", where I once read that "scores can be expressed from zero to ten". Is it worth talking about quality in general, if we allow that one of the indicators can be zero? The evaluation of quality is the subject of the study of science, which is called qualimetry The one of founders of qualimetry was G. Azgaldov. However, there are still a lot of people willing to write about the evaluation of quality so that not a word to say about qualimetry. They did not read the books of Azgaldov, and some even dispense with the term qualimetry. Without knowing the qualimetry, we make an obvious methodological error in the assessment of quality. What can be done with digital indicators "from zero to ten"? It's obvious: fold it! You can also divide the amount obtained by the number of indicators: you get a certain "average"... with "zero" quality for one indicator. The quality of the "individual indicator" does not compensate for the lack of quality in another indicator. Too much quality in one does not cover shortcomings in the other: quality in quantitative terms is not summarized. Each indicator should be expressed in the form of a decimal fraction, with the norm (the standard of quality) being the score of 1. The cumulative quality of the object is expressed by multiplying the indicators. There can not be at least one indicator equal to zero (multiplying any integer by zero yields zero). Even if at least one indicator from many equals 0.1 or 0.2, the cumulative index falls so low that it makes us ashamed to talk about any quality! Another interesting and very important regularity for us is connected with the number of parameters for which an estimate is made - as the number of parameters increases, the quality assurance problems increase dramatically. Thus, a conditionally "permissible" cumulative estimate of 0.7 with a number of indicators equal to 7 can be obtained only if each of them is not lower than 0.9. It is necessary to think whether it is worthwhile to express an abstract "score" on the evaluation of the quality of work, which in one case "pulls" for two thousand hours, and in another characterizes the work of the library for many years?


AIM
To derive and evaluate a short form of the Dentine Hypersensitivity Experience Questionnaire.

METHODS
Data from three previous studies of dentine hypersensitivity (n = 353) were pooled and randomly divided into half. Ten- and 15-item short forms were derived in the first half of the data using the item impact and regression methods. The four short forms were evaluated in the second half.

RESULTS
The 10 and 15-item versions of the regression short form detected impacts in 37% and 61% of participants, respectively, compared to 68% and 93% using the item impact method. All short forms had internal consistency (Cronbach's α) >0.84 and test-retest reliability (ICC) >0.89. All correlated with the long form (all r > 0.93, p < 0.001) and with the effect of the mouth on everyday life (all r ≥ 0.73, p < 0.001). None of the short forms detected a treatment effect in two trials although all four showed a tendency to detect an effect in a trial where the long form had done so.

CONCLUSIONS
The 15-item short form derived with the item impact method performed better than other short forms and appears to be sufficiently robust for use in individual patients.


This paper simulates the price effects of the proposed Ferro Industrial Products (Ferro) and Powder-Lak merger in order to suggest the role that merger simulation models should play in South African merger control. Merger simulation can provide support to the Commission's analysis by; focusing parties' attentions on verifiable economic arguments; making transparent the values of the key parameters and assumptions in the Commission's analysis; producing quantitative estimates of the results of a given transaction; and indicating the amount of resources to allocate to proposed merger cases. However, it offers only one piece of evidence in a case and its results must be interpreted with an understanding of the potential limitations.


Continuous measurements of sap flow have been widely used to measure water flux through tree stems and branches. However, these measurements lack the resolution necessary for determining fine-scale, leaf-level responses to environmental variables. We used the heat ratio method to measure sap flow rates through leaf petioles and leaflet petiolules of saplings of the tropical tree Tabebuia rosea (Bignoniaceae) to determine how leaf and leaflet sap flow responds to variation in light and vapor pressure deficit (VPD). We found that in the morning sap flow rates to east-facing leaves increased 26 minutes before adjacent west-facing leaves. Although leaves had higher integrated sap flow than their largest leaflet, this difference was not proportional to the difference in leaf area, which could be due to lower conduit area in petiolules than in petioles. In contrast to measurements on main stems, integrated daily sap flow was negatively correlated with daily mean VPD. Furthermore, leaves exhibited previously undescribed patterns of hysteresis in the sap flow-VPD and sap flow-PAR relationships. When hysteresis in the sap flow-PAR relationship was clockwise, the sap flow-VPD relationship was also clockwise; however, when hysteresis in the sap flow-PAR relationship was counterclockwise, the sap flow-VPD relationship displayed an intersected loop. These pattern differences highlight how substantially leaf-level processes may vary within a canopy and how leaf-level processes may not scale predictably to the stem level.


Lumbar sympathectomy in majority of patients with thromboangiitis was found to be followed by a reduced pathogenetically reliable orthostatic and post-orthostatic++ spasm of the diseased arteries. Patients with persistent and continuous remission had normo- and hypotonic orthostatic reaction of the extremity vessels. Remote clinical results of the intervention on lumbar sympathetic ganglia were dependent on the degree of correction of local angiotonic and angiospastic disorders.


Abstract In many situations, selection should favor females that bias the sex ratio of their offspring. Two commonly examined factors potentially influencing off- spring sex ratio are paternal ornamentation and maternal condition. Male junglefowl with larger combs are attractive to females. I housed female Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) with sterile male consorts and artificially inseminated them with sperm from other males that the females never saw. I found no relationship between either the comb size of the consort or the comb size of the sperm donor and the sex ratio of the offspring. I previously reported a significant sex ratio bias related to maternal mass in Red Junglefowl. However, that analysis was based on sex ratio data not weighted for brood size and assuming a normal distribution. Here, I show that this effect disappears when I conduct a more appropriate analysis weighting sex ratio according to brood size and accounting for the binomial error distribution. I also failed to find evidence that male chicks hatch from larger eggs than female chicks. These results suggest that Red Junglefowl females may not bias the sex ratio of their brood in response to either their own condition or the attractiveness of the males with whom they copulate. Furthermore, these results demonstrate the importance of choosing the correct methods of sex ratio analysis. Falta de Evidencia de Asignación Adaptativa Diferencial entre Sexos en Gallus gallus


Since the starting of accession talks in 3 October 2005, Turkey's bid to the European Union has been a long contested debate. This thesis analyzes the European Union's CFSP and Turkey's relations with the EU from a rational institutionalist perspective. What is known as the European Union today has come a long way from being merely trade club to an economic and political entity on its own right. Within this respect, the research question in this thesis demonstrates that, the European Union started out with an administrative body to manage the common market on steel and coal, and in less than a half-century turned out to be a complex network of institutions where member states transferred some of their competences to this supranational level. In the EU's urge to form a more robust common foreign and security policy, a possible inclusion of Turkey in the EU will bring strategic benefits as well as possible costs linked with it. In other words, the Turkish accession to the EU will bring substantial material benefits to European security and this acts as a factor influencing member state preferences, and to a certain extent the public's view towards Turkey.


Existing methodologies and protocols for characterizing the harmonic components of voltage and current from digital measurements only consider the measurement of the amplitudes of these quantities. Thus, the phase angles of the harmonic components, required for some types of analysis in electrical systems, are simply ignored. In fact, there is no standardized methodology for measuring and temporal aggregation of phase angles of harmonic components. In this context, the present article aims to contribute to the subject by presenting the behavior of the phase angles of the harmonic components over time under different conditions. For this purpose, specific voltage and current waveform measurements were performed to analyze the phase angle behavior of the harmonic components over 24 hours, considering individual electrical loads, as well as residential and commercial installations, both connected to a low voltage power distribution system. Additionally, the behavior of the phase angles of the harmonic components measured at the output of a medium voltage distribution feeder will be presented. The results show a sporadic behavior for these quantities, reinforcing the need to develop a new methodology for temporal aggregation of phase angles of harmonic components.


Children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are at increased risk of infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa , but pericardial involvement with this microorganism is rare and our MEDLINE search did not disclose any previous report of Pseudomonas pericarditis in infancy. We describe an 11-month-old infant with HIV infection who had pericarditis with effusion and tamponade caused by P aeruginosa . Patient Report . An 11-month-old female infant was admitted with fever and cough of 24 hours' duration. Diagnosis of HIV infection had been previously established by positive HIV viral culture and DNA polymerase chain reaction. Developmental delay and progressive cerebral atrophy on serial magnetic resonance imaging were indicative of HIV encephalopathy. Her immunoglobulin levels were elevated (IgG, 43.9 g/L; IgM, 5.12 g/L; and IgA, 1.25 g/L) and lymphocyte subsets showed low CD4 + values (0.14; absolute count, 0.53×10 9 /L) and high CD8 + values (0.36; absolute count, 1.37×10 9 /L), with a reversed CD4:CD8


This paper discusses the historical development and present procedures used by the Corps of Engineers for specifying, obtaining, and evaluating density of hot mix asphalt concrete. To obtain satisfactory density requires that proper equipment and experienced personnel be used for construction of the asphalt concrete. Experiences with various rollers and rolling techniques that have proven satisfactory are discussed. The lack of density obtained in longitudinal joints has always been a problem in airfield construction, and on most airfield pavements initial damage begins in these longitudinal joints. Statistical quality control procedures are used to insure that unbiased evaluation of in-place density is obtained. Control charts are used to record density results and to identify trends in density that may indicate potential problems before they become significant. (Author)


For a long time, the crystal structures of small molecules were regarded as useful only for establishing the stereochemical formulae of the crystallized compounds. Recently, chemists have realized that in the study of the environment in the solid state there exists valuable structural information on the binding characteristics of chemical groups. Numerous comparisons have been made which show the nearly perfect correlation between small-molecule structural results, and the observed binding in receptor-substrate complexes. Moreover, the observed conformations of flexible substrates interacting with the neighbouring molecules in their crystal structures, can lead to valuable hypotheses on their conformation when bound in the active site of a biological macromolecule.


To engage recipients of Extension science-based video programming involves understanding what behaviors and decisions the recipients may be considering that can be affected by the programming. Such understanding may be developed through interviews, focus groups, and surveys, which should provide guidance for elements of the style and content of the video production. The success of the video in assisting viewers' decision-making should then be evaluated, for example through a survey, as described here. The approach presented draws upon and twines models from two different strands of communication research: nonpersuasive communication (Fischoff, 2007) and behavioral prediction (Fishbein & Yzer, 2003).


The Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism (CSEM) has been widely used in the field of physics education. However, to date, no study presents a version of the test in Spanish. This article has three general objectives: 1) to present the CSEM in Spanish and analyze its reliability and discriminatory power, 2) to perform a detailed analysis of the most frequent difficulties of the students in the concepts evaluated in the test, and 3) to establish recommendations for research and instruction of these concepts. The test was implemented to 310 students who finished an Electricity and Magnetism course in a Mexican university. Researchers or physics professors from Spanish-speaking countries may use the test in Spanish that we present in the PhysPort project (physport.org); and the analysis and recommendations for instruction in this study.


The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) triggers on-board in response to ∼40 short gamma-ray bursts (SGRBs) per year; however, their large localization regions have made the search for optical counterparts a challenging endeavour. We have developed and executed an extensive program with the wide field of view of the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) camera, mounted on the Palomar 48 inch Oschin telescope (P48), to perform target-of-opportunity (ToO) observations on 10 Fermi-GBM SGRBs during 2018 and 2020–2021. Bridging the large sky areas with small field-of-view optical telescopes in order to track the evolution of potential candidates, we look for the elusive SGRB afterglows and kilonovae (KNe) associated with these high-energy events. No counterpart has yet been found, even though more than 10 ground-based telescopes, part of the Global Relay of Observatories Watching Transients Happen (GROWTH) network, have taken part in these efforts. The candidate selection procedure and the follow-up strategy have shown that ZTF is an efficient instrument for searching for poorly localized SGRBs, retrieving a reasonable number of candidates to follow up and showing promising capabilities as the community approaches the multi-messenger era. Based on the median limiting magnitude of ZTF, our searches would have been able to retrieve a GW170817-like event up to ∼200 Mpc and SGRB afterglows to z = 0.16 or 0.4, depending on the assumed underlying energy model. Future ToOs will expand the horizon to z = 0.2 and 0.7, respectively.


The paper explores current legal regulation on Artificial Intelligence (AI) across countries. The research argues that special emphasis should be laid to the prospective of treating AI as an autonomous legal personality, separate subject of law and control. The article identifies major approaches in legislation and practice on state regulation of AI and explores a number of current options: AI as a subject of law introduced into national legislation without prior background, AI as a subject of law equal to a person, and regulated or not regulated by separate rules of law, etc. The research rested on qualitative approach to study. The materials included national and international legislation, academic and media data. The study stood on the comparative legal analysis, integrated legal interpretation and modeling. The research findings laid grounds for preliminary recommendations on legal drafting with regard to AI status as that of autonomous legal personality. They can be used for national legislation development, further research on legal aspects of robotic AI.


When speculating upon the future configuration of political and economic/forces in Northeast Asia, observers tend to be confronted with the same problem that baffled them 40 years ago: not only is it rather difficult to say with any great degree of certainty where the region is headed, it is also unclear as to how stable the existing institutional conditions within the key countries are. In the midst of clear indications of rising prosperity in places such as China's southern coastal provinces are found leaders primarily concerned with surviving the erosion of their political legitimacy as well as over a billion people overwhelmed by the daily need to make ends meet. In such circumstances, there is precious little energy left to consider global trends, let alone adjust to new domestic and international challenges.


Abstract. Soil moisture can be obtained from in-situ measurements, satellite observations, and model simulations. This study evaluates different methods of combining model, satellite, and in-situ soil moisture data to provide an accurate and spatially-continuous soil moisture product. Three independent soil moisture datasets are used, including an in situ-based product that uses regression kriging (RK) with precipitation, SMAP L4 soil moisture, and model-simulated soil moisture from the Noah model as part of the North American Land Data Assimilation System. Triple collocation (TC), relative error variance (REV), and RK were used to estimate the error variance of each parent dataset, based on which the least squares weighting (LSW) was applied to blend the parent datasets. These results were also compared with that using simple average (AVE). The results indicated no significant differences between blended soil moisture datasets using errors estimated from TC, REV or RK. Moreover, the LSW did not outperform AVE. The SMAP L4 data have a significant negative bias (−18 %) comparing with in-situ measurements, and in-situ measurements are valuable for improving the accuracy of hybrid results. In addition, datasets using anomalies and percentiles have smaller errors than using volumetric water content, mainly due to the reduced bias. Finally, the in situ-based soil moisture and the simple-averaged product from in situ-based and Noah soil moisture are the two optimal datasets for soil moisture mapping. The in situ-based product performs better when the sample density is high, while the simple-averaged product performs better when the station density is low, or measurement sites are less representative.