Abstract Objective:Objective: Glutamate-aspartate cardioplegia additive solution (GACAS) is used to enhance myocardial preservation and left ventricular function during some cardiac surgeries. This study was designed to evaluate the stability of compounded GACAS stored in sterile polyolefin intravenous (IV) bags. The goal is to extend the default USP beyond-use date (BUD) and reduce unnecessary inventory waste. Methods:Methods: GACAS was compounded and packaged in sterile polyolefin 250 mL IV bags. The concentration was 232 mM for each amino acid. The samples were stored under refrigeration (2°C-8°C) and analyzed at 0, 1, and 2 months. At each time point, the samples were evaluated by pH measurement and visual inspection for color, clarity, and particulates. The samples were also analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for potency and degradation products. Due to the lack of ultraviolet (UV) chromophores of glutamate and aspartate, the samples were derivatized by ortho-phthalaldehyde prior to HPLC analysis. Results:Results: The time zero samples of GACAS passed the physical, chemical, and microbiological tests. Over 2 months of storage, there was no significant change in pH or visual appearance for any of the stability samples. The HPLC results also indicated that the samples retained 101% to 103% of the label claim strengths for both amino acids. Conclusion:Conclusion: The physical and chemical stability of extemporaneously prepared GACAS has been confirmed for up to 2 months in polyolefin IV bags stored under refrigeration. With proper sterile compounding practice and microbiology testing, the BUD of this product can be extended to 2 months.


The paper, commissioned by the International Labour Organization (ILO), examines both informal and regulated apprenticeship and their advantages for the employment prospects of young people, in particular in regulated systems. It then sets out the conditions necessary for the development of apprenticeship, drawing on examples from a number of G20 countries. The roles and responsibilities of the principal agents involved in regulated apprenticeship are examined and the paper ends with conclusions and lessons drawn from the cross-country analysis.


During the years 2006-2010 Gotland University conducted seminars excavations in Vastergarn parish on Gotland. Inside the wall a total of six house foundations have been found and a total of 127 combs have been registered. This thesis is based on a material study of the 127 registered medieval combs. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the combs and with their chronology illuminate in which period the society of Vastergarn was active. And also to find out what the material remains can tell us about the place and its people. The questions concern the dating and chronology of the combs, and also how analyzing the combs can provide additional information to Vastergarn. The method used is a comparative material - and literature study. The result of the analyze is that the combs are from the transitional period of the Viking - Medieval age, 900- 1100th century. A variety of nine different types could be distinguished. I believe that through an osteological –, and contextual spatial analysis and a comparative material study of the combs more information on the site can be presented.


A spectroscopic assay based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been developed for rapid genotyping of the measles virus (MeV). Silver nanorods fabricated using an oblique angle vapor deposition method acted as the SERS-active substrate. The SERS spectra of four separate MeV genotypes, i.e. A, H1, D4 and D9, and two separate negative media control samples were analyzed using multivariate statistical methods. Principal components analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) successfully separated three of the four MeV genotypes studied. The MeV genotypes used in this study had >96% sequence similarity as monitored using the MeV hemagglutinin (H) gene, and the clustering seen in PCA and HCA mirrored this sequence diversity. For example, the MeV genotypes with the highest sequence diversity (~3%, A and H1) were the most widely separated in the PCA scores plot and HCA dendogram. Conversely, the MeV genotypes with the lowest sequence diversity (~0.5%, D4 and D9) could not be statistically differentiated. However, a supervised chemometric method, partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was able to separate each of the four MeV strains, the two negative controls, and the background, with >90% sensitivity and >96% selectivity based solely on their inherent SERS spectra. These results demonstrate that SERS, in combination with multivariate statistical methods, is a highly sensitive and rapid viral identification and classification method that can be applied to MeV genotyping.


Microbial corrosion of concrete in sewers is known to be caused by hydrogen sulfide, although the role of wastewater in regulating the corrosion processes is poorly understood. Flooding and splashing of wastewater in sewers periodically inoculates the concrete surface in sewer pipes. No study has systematically investigated the impacts of wastewater inoculation on the corrosion of concrete in sewers. This study investigated the development of the microbial community, sulfide uptake activity, and the change of the concrete properties for coupons subjected to periodic wastewater inoculation. The concrete coupons were exposed to different levels of hydrogen sulfide under well-controlled conditions in laboratory-scale corrosion chambers simulating real sewers. It was evident that the periodic inoculation induced higher corrosion losses of the concrete in comparison to noninoculated coupons. Instantaneous measurements such as surface pH did not reflect the cumulative corrosion losses caused by long-term microbial activity. Analysis of the long-term profiles of the sulfide uptake rate using a Gompertz model supported the enhanced corrosion activity and greater corrosion loss. The enhanced corrosion rate was due to the higher sulfide uptake rates induced by wastewater inoculation, although the increasing trend of sulfide uptake rates was slower with wastewater. Increased diversity in the corrosion-layer microbial communities was detected when the corrosion rates were higher. This coincided with the environmental conditions of increased levels of gaseous H2S and the concrete type.


Objective: A study in a Caucasian population has identified two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ZNF533, one in DOCK4, and two in IMMP2L, which were all significantly associated with autism. They are located in AUTS1 and AUTS5, which have been identified as autism susceptibility loci in several genome-wide screens. The present study aimed to investigate whether ZNF533, DOCK4, and IMMP2L genes are also associated with autism in a northeastern Chinese Han population. Methods: We performed a similar association study using families with three individuals (one autistic child and two unaffected parents). A family-based transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) was used to analyze the results. Results: There were significant associations between autism and the two SNPs of ZNF533 gene (rs11885327: χ2=4.5200, P=0.0335; rs1964081: χ2=4.2610, P=0.0390) and the SNP of DOCK4 gene (rs2217262: χ2=5.3430, P=0.0208). Conclusions: Our data suggest that ZNF533 and DOCK4 genes are linked to a predisposition to autism in the northeastern Chinese Han population.


Interpretation of greenhouse gas records in polar ice cores requires a good understanding of the mechanisms controlling gas trapping in polar ice, and therefore of the processes of densification and pore closure in firn (compacted snow). Current firn densification models are based on a macroscopic description of the firn and rely on empirical laws and/or idealized geometries to obtain the equations governing the densification and pore closure. Here, we propose a physically-based methodology explicitly representing the porous structure and its evolution over time. In order to handle the complex geometry and topological changes that occur during firn densification, we rely on a Level-Set representation of the interface between the ice and the pores. Two mechanisms are considered for the displacement of the interface: (i) mass surface diffusion driven by local pore curvature and (ii) ice dislocation creep. For the latter, ice is modeled as a viscous material and the flow velocities are solutions of the Stokes equations. First applications show that the model is able to densify firn and split pores. Using the model in cold and arid conditions of the Antarctic plateau, we show that gas trapping models do not have to consider the reduced compressibility of closed pores compared to open pores in the deepest part of firns. Our results also suggest that the mechanism of curvature-driven surface diffusion does not result in pore splitting, and that ice creep has to be taken into account for pores to close. Future applications of this type of model could help quantify the evolution and closure of firn porous networks for various accumulation and temperature conditions.


The effect of strain rate on the dynamic compressive of carbon/epoxy composite materials was investigated via the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) technique. The specimens were tested in the thickness, as well as in the in-plane direction at different high strain rates. The macro- and micro-fracture morphology of the damaged laminated specimens was obtained utilizing the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The experimental results showed that the compressive properties could be significantly affected by the strain rates. The compressive strength and the ultimate strain in the in-plane direction were obviously lower than that in the thickness direction. As the strain rate increased, the laminate had not enough time to respond, the splitting failure of 0° ply of laminates loaded in-plane along 0° was firstly found, then interfacial crack and delamination were induced, the specimens were crushed to fragments at the highest strain rate. No obvious damage of laminates loaded through the thickness could be observed at strain rate below 2000 s-1. The main way of the dynamic compressive failures through the thickness was shear failure due to the brittle fracture of the fiber at 2260 s-1.


In experiments on 13 cats a unilateral section of the brachii of inferior colliculi produced a stable interhemispheric asymmetry not only in the auditory system, but in other (vestibular, visual, somatic, olfactory) analysers as well, which led to a disturbance of adequate space perception. This was manifested in orienting reactions directed only to the side of brain lesion. Animals were no more able to distinguish between the right and left troughs either by spatial or by modal cues. A complete "disregard" by the animals of the trough contralateral to the side of lesion suggests a hemispheric lateralization of conditioned connections providing for an adequate direction of the animals' running.


Hyperphosphatemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, abnormalities of mineral metabolism and bone disease, and the progression of renal insufficiency in patients with chronic renal disease. In early renal disease, serum phosphate levels are maintained within the 'normal laboratory range' by compensatory increases in phosphaturic hormones such as fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23). An important co-factor for FGF-23 is Klotho; a deficiency in Klotho plays an important role in the pathogenesis of hyperphosphatemia, renal tubulointerstitial disease, and parathyroid and bone abnormalities. Clinical hyperphosphatemia occurs when these phosphaturic mechanisms cannot counterbalance nephron loss. Hyperphosphatemia is associated with calcific uremic arteriolopathy and uremic cardiomyopathy, which may explain, in part, the epidemiologic connections between phosphate excess and cardiovascular disease. However, no clinical trials have been conducted to establish a causal relationship, and large, randomized trials with hard endpoints are urgently needed to prove or disprove the benefits and risks of therapy. In summary, hyperphosphatemia accelerates renal tubulointerstitial disease, renal osteodystrophy, as well as cardiovascular disease, and it is an important mortality risk factor in patients with chronic kidney disease.


Managing the disaster response, involving many heterogeneous organizations, challenges information system support for coordinating their activities. Current means for coordination such as e-mail exchange, white boards, phone or web-based mission diaries provide only very limited support. One problem is managing the temporal coordination of the response activities of different organizations to unify and synchronize their efforts. It is important that activities can be flexible defined and that each organization can integrate activities of other organizations into their plans. This implies also that several coordinators in different organizations exist. The status and awareness of activities as well as conflicts, when coordinating them, needs to be provided to all interested stake holders in real-time. We provide a model and a system to support this scenario. It is implemented in the Google Wave collaboration infrastructure based on open standards.


We develop a predictive theory applicable to the scrape-off layer (SOL) of inner-wall limited plasmas. Using the non-linear flattening of the pressure profile as a saturation mechanism for resistive ballooning modes, we are able to demonstrate and quantify the increase of the SOL width with plasma size, connection length, plasma β, and collisionality. Individual aspects of the theory, such as saturation physics, parallel dynamics, and system size scaling, are tested and verified using non-linear, 3D flux-driven SOL turbulence simulations. Altogether, very good agreement between theory and simulation is found.


A V-4Cr-4Ti alloy and pure V were oxidized in flowing argon for 0.5-8h and subsequently annealed in vacuum for 16h at 973K. The oxygen of 1000-9000ppm was introduced into the V-alloys with little nitrogen, where oxygen was concentrated in region near the surface. By the annealing, oxygen was homogeneously diffused into depth of 150µm. The diffusion depth of oxygen in V-4Cr-4Ti is much smaller than that of pure V, because of Ti-O precipitates formed as oxygen trap. The study indicated that it is feasible to control oxygen level and distribute in the surface region of the vanadium alloys.


Glioneuronal heterotopias are rare malformations composed of differentiated derivates of neuroectodermal tissue that include disorganized neuronal and glial cells. They are typically located extracranially. The nasal cavity represents the most common location. Glioneuronal heterotopias have also been reported in the orbit, pharynx, middle ear, neck and thorax. Rarely, glioneuronal heterotopias may be located intracranially. We are aware of only 15 patients reported with intracranial extra-axial glioneuronal heterotopia (IEGH). We present the prenatal ultrasound and MRI as well as the matching postnatal CT, conventional MRI and diffusion tensor imaging findings of a newborn with an infratentorial IEGH accompanied with craniofacial anomalies.


Months after the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the real truth hidden by incompetence and dissembling by Japanese authorities has emerged: Three of the four nuclear power plants at Fukushima suffered a meltdown. Japan's leading anti-nuclear crusader and two French public figures worried about the impact on the future of nuclear technology respond.


The variation in stomatal characters in leaves from one Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. tree is analysed. Measurements were taken from over 70 sites on the abaxial surfaces of representative 'sun' and 'shade' leaves having the same insertion point. The mean values of stomatal density and index in the shade leaf were significantly lower (71 and 93%, respectively) than those for the sun leaf. Within leaves, up to 2.5-fold differences in stomatal density values were observed. Contour maps derived from the data reveal non-random trends over the leaf surface. Correlations between stomatal density, epidermal cell density and stomatal index indicate that the variation in stomatal density within leaves arose primarily from local differences in stomatal differentiation, rather than from local differences in leaf expansion. This research demonstrates that a high level of variation in stomatal characters occurs both within and between leaves. We conclude that a well-defined sampling strategy should be used when estimating stomatal characters for (tree) leaves. Furthermore, the leaf's insertion point and situation within the tree crown should be taken into account. We discuss the implications of these findings for palaeoclimatic interpretations and emphasize the need for great caution when drawing conclusions based solely on stomatal characters.


Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is the most common form of systemic vasculitis in children. Palpable purpura, arthralgia, arthritis, abdominal pain and renal involvement are the major clinical manifestations. Gastrointestinal involvement is related with abdominal pain and bleeding. We described a 71 year-old female experienced acute exacerbation of HSP presented with gastrointestinal bleeding. She was hospitalized for hematemesis and diagnosed duodenitis by esophagogastroduonenoscopy (EGD). Duodenitis was improved at EGD checked in 7 days. She still complained of melena and abdominal pain. There were no abnormal findings at sigmoidoscopy. Jejunal ulcer and purpura were diagnosed by capsule endoscopy. Symptoms were relieved after administration of systemic steroid. But she needed renal replacement therapy for 3 months. Small bowel ulcer diagnosed by capsule endoscopy in patients with HSP was rarely described in Korean literature. This case suggests that capsule endoscopy have a role in diagnosis of small bowel ulcer and its severity in HSP with gastrointestinal symptom.


In this article, we build on Brantlinger's work to critique the binary of normal and abnormal applied in US schools that create inequities in education. Operating from a critical perspective, we draw from Critical Race Theory, Disability Studies in Education, and Cultural/Historical Activity Theory to build a conceptual framework for examining the prevailing ideology of normal found in US schools. We use our conceptual framework to deconstruct the current, westernised, static ideology of normal. Once deconstructed, we explore current iterations of the ideology of normal in schools. Finally, we suggest using the conceptual framework as a tool to reconstruct the ideology of normal as something more dynamic and inclusive.


An excess in the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can contribute to the development of cancer due to the oxidative damage to molecules such as DNA, protein and cellular membranes. Antioxidant proteins, including those that belong to the glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) families, contribute to the maintenance of the cellular redox balance by detoxification of ROS. Our attention was drawn to a report indicating that the non-receptor tyrosine kinase c-Abl could phosphorylate and activate the activity of GPx1 in tissue culture cells. To investigate this phenomenon further in humans, GPx activity were determined in samples obtained from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), a disease initiated by the rearrangement of two different chromosomes and resulting in the Bcr-Abl oncogene. Samples were obtained before and after treatment with the Bcr-Abl inhibitor imatinib mesylate, and of the seven patient sample sets obtained, four exhibited elevated GPx activity following treatment, which was contrary to expectation. In order to expand upon this observation, the CML established cell lines KU812 and MEG-01 were treated with imatinib and the effect on several antioxidant proteins was determined. The levels of GPx1, manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR1) were each significantly increased following treatment with imatinib. This increase was not due to altered steady-state mRNA levels, and appeared to be dependent on the expression of Bcr-Abl, as no increases were observed following imatinib treatment of cells that did not express the fusion protein. The nutrient-sensing signaling protein, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), can be activated by Bcr-Abl and its activity regulates the translation of several proteins. Treatment of those same cells used in the imatinib studies with rapamycin, an inhibitor of mTOR, resulted in elevated GPx1, TrxR1 and GPx4 protein levels independent of Bcr-Abl expression. These proteins all belong to the selenoprotein family of peptides that contain the UGA-encoded amino acid selenocysteine. Collectively, these data provide evidence of a novel means of regulating antioxidants of the selenoprotein family via the mTOR pathway.


Engineers at a large electronics new product initiation site were interested in developing human factors (HF) approaches to help improve assembly quality during two stages of their production assembly design: early design of tasks, fixtures and tooling; and during early ramp-up of new assembly lines at outsourcing sites. Researchers worked in an action research approach with company engineers and ergonomists to integrate HF into both design stages. This paper presents the human factors approaches and discusses the challenges of using human factors to improve assembly quality. For the first stage of early design, a HF-design for assembly (HF-DFA) scorecard was developed with 22 items scored on a O (no risk or problem) to 2 (high risk or problems) scale. Items included physical risks, such as grip size and force, movement risks, such as re-grasping or re-orienting, visual risks, such as visual accuracy and inspection difficulty, and cognitive issues such as ability to detect a problem and risk of damage to part or component. High scores were associated with assembly tasks that were both reported as difficult by operators, and also had quality problems. The HF-DFA was adopted as a controlled engineering document and used to proactively score assembly tasks prior to final design of tasks, fixtures and tooling. In the second stage of early ramp, researchers combined the HF-DFA and other HF and performance-based metrics into a modified HF-house of quality (HF-HoQ) approach where the focus was on "worker" requirements rather than the traditional customer requirements. The HF-HoQ was evaluated using video of four identical tasks performed at different outsourcing locations that had a seven-fold difference in defect rates. The HF-HoQ successfully detected the site with the highest defect rate, but not the lowest. The authors recommend further testing and development of approaches that attempt to bring insight from HF to the issue of improving assembly quality. Relevance to industry: Human factors is broader than injury prevention, and has been linked to assembly quality. Two HF approaches were developed to help improve quality in early design stages and during early ramp-up of assembly lines . Companies are encouraged to develop and evaluate HF approaches for improving assembly quality.


"Captain William Moore was one of the outstanding pioneer characters of the northwestern frontier, from the State of Washington through British Columbia and into Alaska where he played a prominent part in the stirring days of the gold excitement of the Klondike."


As urbanization increases, municipalities across the world have become aware of the negative impacts of road‐based transportation, which include traffic congestion and air pollution. As a result, several cities have introduced tolling schemes to discourage vehicles from entering the inner city. However, little research has been done to examine the impact of tolling schemes on the routing of commercial fleets, especially on the resulting costs and emissions. In this study, we investigate a vehicle routing problem considering different congestion charge schemes for several city types. We design comprehensive computational experiments to investigate whether different types of tolling schemes work in the way municipalities expect and what factors affect the performance of the congestion charge schemes. We compare the impact on a company's total costs, fuel usage (which drives emissions), and delivery tour plans. Our experimental results demonstrate that some congestion pricing schemes may even increase the emissions in the city center, and higher congestion charges may not necessarily lead to lower emissions.


In this paper, the authors derive the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems in the presence of frequency offset and channel estimation errors. The channel is assumed to be frequency-selective Rayleigh fading. The analysis of the demodulated signal shows that the interference can be decomposed into two independent components: inter-carrier interference and interference contributed by other transmit antennas. The SINR for MIMO-OFDM systems with equal gain combining (EGC) and maximal ratio combining (MRC) are also derived.


Active portfolio management is dynamic: with turnover controlled, the impact of today's trading persists into the future, where it influences future trading, commingles past and future information, and alters long-term performance. The best strategy for one portfolio rebalance is not the best strategy over many rebalances. The goal of this work is to expand our single-period analysis of active management to match the practical, multi-period world. How much turnover should active managers do? How should different signals be weighted to reflect their differing volatilities and predictive information horizons? What performance can we expect over many trading sessions? This article gives a simple solution for the time dimension of active management, helping active managers improve the long-run performance delivered to investors. The solution includes expressions for active risk, turnover, and active return before and after trading costs. An example solves the problem of "the tortoise and the hare:" how best to select turnover and combine one signal that has short-range predictive power with another that has long-range power.


The "mixture of experts" framework provides a modular and flexible approach to function approximation. However, the important problem of determining the appropriate number and complexity of experts has not been fully explored. In this paper, we consider a localized form of the gating network that can perform function approximation tasks very well with only one layer of experts. Certain measures for the smooth functioning of the training algorithm to train this model are described first. We then propose two techniques to overcome the model selection problem in the mixture of experts architecture. In the first technique, we present an efficient way to grow expert networks to come up with an appropriate number of experts for a given problem. In the second approach, we start with a certain number of experts and present methods to prune experts which become less useful and also add on experts which would be more effective. Simulation results are presented which support the techniques proposed. We observe that the growing/pruning approach yields substantially better results than the standard approach even when the final network sizes are chosen to be the same.


Understanding the environment is a key requirement for any autonomous robot operation. There is extensive research on mapping geometric structure and perceiving objects. However, the environment is also defined by the movement patterns in it. Information about human motion patterns can, e.g., lead to safer and socially more acceptable robot trajectories. Airflow pattern information allow to plan energy efficient paths for flying robots and improve gas distribution mapping. However, modeling the motion of objects (e.g., people) and flow of continuous media (e.g., air) is a challenging task. We present a probabilistic approach for general flow mapping, which can readily handle both of these examples. Moreover, we present and compare two data imputation methods allowing to build dense maps from sparsely distributed measurements. The methods are evaluated using two different data sets: one with pedestrian data and one with wind measurements. Our results show that it is possible to accurately represent multimodal, turbulent flow using a set of Gaussian Mixture Models, and also to reconstruct a dense representation based on sparsely distributed locations.


As the title indicates, this book emphasizes an approach to the care of the newborn infant. In certain ways the approach is unconventional, in that the presentation does not focus solely on the intensive care of the critically ill newborn infant. Since the most hazardous time in any infant's life is the newborn period, the term "high-risk" really applies to all neonates. This point of view results in a shift in emphasis away from the currently popular intensive-care nursery to the so-called normal newborn nursery. The shift is away from a definition of success based on mortality and a redefinition based on morbidity and the total functioning of survivors. Anticipatory observation is encouraged. Practical guidelines for the daily needs of newborn infants from delivery to the period beyond discharge from the nursery are defined. The quality of total newborn care can be no better than the level of expertise


This paper proposes a new strategy for establishing the LMS step-size parameter in the context of adaptive MLSE-PSP reception over time-varying frequency-selective fading channels. This strategy is based on the optimization of the step-size in the sense of minimizing the LMS steady-state mean square error (MSE) in the estimation of the channel impulse (IR) response. Analytical expressions of the optimum step-size are derived assuming Doppler spectrum models usually adopted for mobile communication channels. These expressions are used to choose the step-size of LMS based MLSE-PSP receivers under different conditions of Doppler spread. Several computer simulation results are provided which show the performance benefits so obtained.


Data from 8 Seaglider transects, obtained along the Svinøy section in the Norwegian Sea during a 7-month period between May and December of 2012, have been used to test the applicability of stream-coordinate averaging on the Norwegian Atlantic Front Current, an unstable, meandering, baroclinic frontal jet. Additionally, we have estimated the transport of Atlantic Water in the western branch of the Norwegian Atlantic Current from absolute geostrophic velocity estimates. The Seaglider is an unmanned underwater vehicle, capable of dives down to a depth of 1000 m. It collects hydrographic data, and estimates a depth-averaged current for each dive which allows for an estimate of absolute geostrophic velocity and thus the geostrophic velocity at maximum dive depth. The stream-coordinate average of the Norwegian Atlantic Front Current is narrower and stronger than the corresponding Eularian average, with a current core 40 km wide and with maximum speed exceeding 30 cm/s, bearing a stronger resemblance to the current core observed in individual transects. The Eularian average, in contrast, results in a current more than 80 km wide with a maximum speed of approximately 18 cm/s. Transport estimates from the western branch of the Norwegian Atlantic Current are sparse relative to the eastern branch, and previous estimates based on dynamic calculations from hydrography have been reliant on an assumption of no motion at middepth. Our transport estimates of Atlantic water (de ned as water with salinity greater than 35) in the western branch of the Norwegian Atlantic Current show an average value of 4.7 Sv (1 Sv = 10 m/s). The average contribution of the barotropic component of the transport is 2.6 Sv, which is equal to 54 % of the total transport. A comparison between the estimated current at 1000 m depth, derived from the Seaglider data, and measurements from a moored current-meter has been made in order to verify the validity of our currentand transport estimates.


Abstract Grounded in large-scale studies, this research further investigates the nature of pro-environmental behaviours and related factors by selecting a nation-wide sample of Turkish pre-service science teachers as educators of future generations. We examined the relationships between pro-environmental behaviours and psychological and cognitive variables by evaluating the proposed theoretical model through path analysis. Data were collected from 1497 pre-service science teachers using environmental future scale, behaviour inventory of environmental action, knowledge of environmental issues scale, environmental attitude (ecocentric and anthropocentric) scale, and Environmental Action Internal Control Index. Highlighting the explanatory power of some cognitive and psychological attributes on pro-environmental behaviours in Turkey, this research identified attitudinal motives as the primary indicator of pro-environmental behaviours, compared to other constructs. Accordingly, the study implies that the promotion of pro-environmental behaviours could be achieved by redesigning the teacher education curriculum around the development of a realistic sense of hope and optimism via ecocentric worldviews.


The aim of this study is to know the effect on service quality Islamic banking services business in Indonesia and its impact on customer satisfaction. The results showed that the model is built based on theoretical studies that have met the criteria for conformity with the value of RMSEA and GFI .951 .035. The Factors consists of compliance, assurance, reliability, tangible, empathy, and responsiveness, with a result of 80.10% to customer satisfaction, which consists of availability of service, responsiveness, professionalism, the speed of transaction and completeness.


In this paper, we derived recurrence relations for joint moment generating functions of nonadjacent generalized order statistics (GOS) of random samples drawn from doubly truncated class of continuous distributions. Recurrence relations for joint moments of nonadjacent GOS (ordinary order statistics (OOS) and k-upper records (k-RVs) as special cases) are obtained. Single and product moment generating functions (moments) of nonadjacent GOS are derived. Doubly truncated new modified Weibull (Weibull, Extreme-value, exponential and Rayleigh), three Burr type XII (Lomax) and inverse Weibull distributions, among others, arise as special cases of this doubly truncated class. Two applications are introduced, the first is the characterizations for members of the class based on recurrence relations for moments of GOS, OOS and k-RVs. As the second application we found Tables of single and product moments of OOS from doubly truncated Lomax distribution.


[1] Predawn ionospheric temperature has been known to increase with conjugate sunrise. This paper presents the onset time of predawn ionospheric heating and heating rate at around 600 km height globally using Hinotori electron temperature data for magnetically quiet (Kp −50 nT) medium to high solar activity conditions. The analysis of the data shows that the onset of predawn ionospheric heating occurs at nearly the same solar zenith angle (SZA) of the conjugate point at low latitudes where the geomagnetic field line is shorter than about 5000 km. However, at higher latitudes with longer field lines, the conjugate SZA decreases with increasing field line length. In addition, the heating rate decreases with increasing field line length until the field line becomes about 5000 km long, and the rate remains nearly constant for longer field lines. The conjugate SZA increases with increasing solar activity (F10.7) until F10.7 reaches about 200, and the conjugate SZA remains nearly constant for higher F10.7. The observations indicate that the photoelectron flux causing predawn ionospheric heating is attenuated by scattering in the high-altitude (>600 km) ionosphere and plasmasphere.


1,3-Dihydro-5-phenyl-2H-pyrido[3,2-e]-1,4-diazepin-2-ones (11-13), in which the chlorophenyl ring of 7-chloro-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-ones is replaced by a pyridyl ring, were synthesized and evaluated as anticonvulsants using subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole (scPTZ) and maximal electroshock (MES) induced seizure screening tests. A methyl substituent at the N-1 and/or C-3 position of the diazepin-2-one ring system was not a determinant of scPTZ activity, but the 1,3-dimethyl derivative (13) was more potent than the parent 1,3-unsubstituted compound (11) in the MES screen. 1,3-Dihydro-1,3-dimethyl-5-phenyl-2H-pyrido[3,2-e]-1,4-diazepin-2- one (13) inhibited sc bicuculline and sc picrotoxin induced seizures, but it did not inhibit in vitro benzodiazepine binding which suggests it may act by a different mechanism of action. In the mouse Phase II scPTZ screen all compounds tested were less active than clonazepam but more active than valproic acid.


Although there are numerous websites that provide recommendation services for various items such as movies, music, and books, most of studies on recommender systems only focus on one specific item type. As recommender sites expand to cover several types of items, though, it is important to build a hybrid web recommender system that can handle multiple types of items. The switch hybrid recommender model provides a solution to this problem by choosing an appropriate recommender system according to given selection criteria, thereby facilitating cross-domain recommendations supported by individual recommender systems. This paper seeks to answer the question of how to deal with situations where no appropriate recommender system exists to deal with a required type of item. In such cases, the switch model cannot generate recommendation results, leading to the need for a fallback model that can satisfy most users most of the time. Our fallback model exploits a graph-based proximity search, ranking every entity on the graph according to a given proximity measure. We study how to incorporate the fallback model into the switch model, and propose a general architecture and simple algorithms for implementing these ideas. Finally, we present the results of our research result and discuss remaining challenges and possibilities for future research.


Abstract The purpose of the present paper was to investigate the efficacy of augmentation of clomipramine (CMI) by tandospirone in 36 untreated outpatients with major depressive disorder. Twelve patients were treated with CMI and tandospirone (T group), 12 with CMI and diazepam (D group) and 12 with CMI alone (C group) for 6 weeks. No statistically significant differences in the percentage improvement of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (17 items; HDRS‐17) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (14 items; HARS‐14) scores were shown among the three treatment groups. However, at 2 weeks, the percentage improvement of HDRS‐17 score in the T group tended to be higher than that in the D and C groups, although there was no statistically significant difference among the three treatment groups. No change in plasma prolactin level or adverse events was induced by the addition of tandospirone. These results suggest that 6 weeks of treatment with tandospirone or diazepam was not effective for augmentation of CMI in major depressive disorder patients. However, augmentation of antidepressants by tandospirone administration for a few weeks might induce early expression of antidepressive effects.


Possessing great potential power for gathering and managing data in chemistry, biology, and other sciences, Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods are prompting increased exploration into the most effective areas for implementation. A comprehensive resource documenting the current state-of-the-science and future directions of the field is required to furnish the working experimental scientist and newcomer alike with the background necessary to utilize these methods. In response to the growing interest in the potential scientific applications of AI, Using Artificial Intelligence in Chemistry and Biology explains in a lucid, straightforward manner how these methods are used by scientists and what can be accomplished with them. Designed for those with no prior knowledge of AI, computer science, or programming, this book efficiently and quickly takes you to the point at which meaningful scientific applications can be investigated. The approach throughout is practical and direct, employing figures and illustra tions to add clarity and humor to the topics at hand. Unique in scope, addressing the needs of scientists across a range of disciplines, this book provides both a broad overview and a detailed introduction to each of the techniques discussed. Chapters include an introduction to artificial intelligence, artificial neural networks, self-organizing maps, growing cell structures, evolutionary algorithms, cellular automata, expert systems, fuzzy logic, learning classifier systems, and evolvable developmental systems. The book also comes with a CD containing a complete version of the EJS software with which most of the calculations were accomplished. Encouraging a broader application of AI methods, this seminal work gives software designers a clearer picture of how scientists use AI and how to address those needs, and provides chemists, biologists, physicists, and others with the tools to increase the speed and efficiency of their work.


This paper describes a rule-based methodology for word sense disambiguation and an application of the methodology to information extraction using rules generalized with the help of the WordNet system. The methodology creates word sense disambiguation rules based on user trained examples working in the domain of interest. It achieves accuracy rates comparable to the best competing methods and can be easily integrated into higher level applications.


How-to guide for using RefWorks. Information and tutorials on starting an account, entering/importing data from various databases, managing your account, using Write-n-Cite and searching within RefWorks.


Objective The objective of this work is to determine the symptoms of Sick Building Syndrom(SBS), and highlight the riskf factors for onset of SBS Methodology Descriptive cross-sectional syudy was conducted from March to May 2011, which concerned 14 bank branches in the city of Sidi Bel-Abbes which employs 222 workers; based on a self-administred questionnaire predetermined; standardised and validated by INRS. Results and discussion Response rate of 70%; the survey reported a prevalence of symptoms that may be related to an SBS for more than 85%, with irritation symptoms mucocutaneous ranging from 18-68% depending on the location. It is found that many employees find their work environment uncomfortable and complaining mainly of high temperature, air quality, too low light and noise when the gene is the one in the room and sometimes the noise outside. For a significant number of employees, arelationship is (subjectively) between the disorder and the workplace. The influence of gender, position held, age, seniority is noted in the room; by against smoking does not appear to have a significant role. Conclusion To eliminate the problem of Sick Building Syndrom (SBS), the most widely adopted approach is based on the assumption that it is improving all the factors of the work situation will prevent many complaints of the type SBS thanks to the slogan "ventilate, maintain and clean". Tags: Sick Building Syndrom, bank employees, Sidi Bel-Abbes.


This research is regarding narrative in Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. Narrative has many ways to develop the narrative. One of them is duration. There are five possibilities, which suggest themselves. They are summary, ellipsis, scene, stretch and pause. In each possibility, they have different use of time. Qualitative method and descriptive analysis are used to analyze the data. The data are taken from Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows. The theory used in this research is from Seymour Chatman (1978). Summary occurs when the time is cut short in story-time, complemented with durative verb and adverb. Ellipsis is happened when the discourse in the story is stopped yet the story-time keeps on going, abridging the story-time to the period which is already determined. Scene happens when the story-time and discourse-time run together using dialogue and overt physical actions of relatively short duration. Stretch is happened when discourse-time runs longer than story-time, using imagination to cut short the story-time and enter the discourse time. Pause is occurred when the story-time stops completely and discourse-time takes over, describing the event or characters.


This article aims at presenting the polemic current views on the genesis of tropical medicine in Brazil, by analyzing medical agents, concepts and procedures during the 18th century, which are generally understood as opposed to the institutionalization of this field of studies. It is our objective to revise the rigid boundaries between the pre-scientific and the scientific periods medical practice underwent during the Empire.


Kahneman and Tversky's Cumulative Prospect Theory (CPT) has proved to be better suited for representing risk preferences than von Neumann and Morgenstern's Expected Utility Theory (EUT). We argue that neglecting this may explain to some extent why farmers do not contract crop insurance as much as they are expected to. We model the decision to contract an individual yield crop insurance for a sample of 186 French farmers. We show that 21% of the farmers who would be expected to contract assuming that their preferences are EUT, would actually not do so if their true preferences were in fact CPT.


Quilts serve as a visual introduction to mathematical objects that allow students to explore mathematical art as they gain geometric insights. From Plato's dissection in the fourth century and Leonardo da Vinci's curvilinear shapes in the fifteenth century to Mascheroni constructions of the eighteenth century, these quilt designs and hands-on constructions will engage the viewer in mathematical visualization and problem solving. With each compass construction a corresponding completed quilt will be shown. No sewing is necessary.


In this communication we describe the clinical and molecular genetic findings in a family with a variable ectrodactyly linked to SHFM3. This is only the second detailed report of the clinical features of the SHFM3 linked syndrome in a large pedigree. Within this family the expressivity of the condition ranges from the classical ectrodactyly deformity to partial absence of the thumb and agenesis of the distal tip of the index finger. There is discordant limb severity, with the feet more severely affected than the hands. Two individuals have a nail dysplasia indicating the presence of a minor ectodermal component. A cleft palate was present in one individual. Radiological features of family members include short metacarpals with rounded proximal heads, agenesis of the radial ray, epiphysial coning, and an unusual supernumerary ossicle opposed to the distal phalanx of the left thumb. Genetic mapping studies in this family exclude p63 involvement and demonstrate that ectrodactyly in this pedigree is linked to the SHFM3 region on chromosome 10q24. A meiotic recombination event enabled exclusion of a maximum of 1.9 Mb of DNA from the previously known critical region thereby narrowing the critical interval to between D10S1265 and D10S222, with the minimal critical region being between D10S1240 and D10S1267. Further investigations are in progress to identify the gene within the SHFM3 critical region responsible for ectrodactyly. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


In this article data on fi scal autonomy of different levels of government in the European Union are
presented. Within Europe central governments still hold the lion's share of the power to tax and spend.
Other levels of government largely have to make do with upward and downward funding schemes which
seriously diminish their fi scal autonomy. It is argued that this (vertical) fi scal imbalance has considerable
negative impacts on especially the legitimacy of the European Union, both in terms of input and output legitimacy, and that the EU as a whole suffers from a joint legitimacy problem in fi scal matters. After
a review of several theories on federalism (fi scal federalism theory, dual or competitive federalism and
cooperative federalism) it is concluded that the model of cooperative federalism best suits the European
Union. Part of this model is tax sharing (or joint taxation) which is advocated as a way-out of the current
fi scal deadlock.


To the Editor: We have read the article by Naqvi et al. with great interest. The authors reported 2 cases with retrobulbar cyst-like structure following optic nerve sheath decompression (ONSD), requiring a secondary surgery to alleviate symptoms. The authors stated that these are the first such cases to be reported in the English ophthalmologic literature. Previously, in an MRI study, retrobulbar perioptic pseudocyst was demonstrated in 9 (75%) of 12 eyes, which underwent ONSD via a transconjunctival medial orbitotomy and with dura-arachnoid excision. In 1 of these cases, secondary surgery was required 23 months after ONSD due to a large perioptic cyst indenting the optic nerve and posterior sclera. Symptoms such as peripapillary hyperemia, retrobulbar pain, and radiologic findings ameliorated after the partial excision of the pseudocystic lesion. Naqvi et al. overlooked this publication. Perioptic fluid collection is a common and transient radiologic finding after ONSD; however, it rarely causes complications. We agree with the authors that this observation supports that the action mechanism of ONSD is through cerebrospinal fluid leakage. If this assumption is true, ONSD with dura-arachnoid excision technique can be more effective than the slit incision technique. If sheath excision was performed in the first surgery of the patients with large pseudocyst, we do not think that repeat ONSD would be possible and feasible in secondary surgery for cyst excision.


Background: Advanced heart failure is associated with a wide range of physiological derangements, including muscular deterioration, weight loss, and cardiac cachexia. These conditions, as well as poor nutrition status, have been shown to affect the quality of outcomes in patients who undergo left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Noting that handgrip strength has been shown to be an effective indicator of poor functional status, muscular strength, and nutrition, we investigated its use as a tool for prediction of length of stay (LOS) in patients undergoing LVAD implantation. Materials and Methods: Handgrip strength was measured in 90 patients undergoing evaluation for LVAD implantation using the Jamar Hand Dynamometer. Handgrip strength was normalized to body weight (HGS:BW), and patients were divided into 2 groups: those with HGS:BW <28.5% and those with HGS:BW ≥28.5%. Clinical data and length of stay were compared between groups. Results: Patients with lower HGS:BW tended to have worsened clinical indicators of heart failure severity, including reduced ejection fraction, serum albumin, and hemoglobin and increased B-type natriuretic peptide and white blood cell count. Lower HGS:BW was an independent predictor for increased LOS. Conclusion: Handgrip strength measurement at the bedside is a simple and effective means of assessing functional status and risk for increased LOS following LVAD implantation, which may aid in preoperative evaluation of LVAD candidacy.


The internal mechanical condition of an excited muscle has been examined by applying quick stretches at various moments after a maximal shock. At the end of the latent period there is an abrupt change of state, the contractile component suddenly becoming capable of bearing a load equal to the maximum tension set up in an isometric tetanus. The intensity of the active state produced by a shock is greatest at the start, is maintained for a time and then declines as relaxation sets in. The properties of the fully active state are defined by the three constants of the characteristic equation relating speed of shortening to load. A muscle consists mechanically of three components: (1) a contractile one, (2) an undamped series elastic one and (3) a parallel elastic one. The complication provided by (3) is avoided by working with small initial loads. The load-extension relation of the series elastic component has been determined. Its extensibility is high at small loads, becoming much less at greater ones. The full isometric force produces an extension in it of about 10% of the muscle's length. In an isometric tetanus the form of the myogram is fully determined by the characteristic force-velocity relation of the contractile component and the load-extension curve of the series elastic one, the former having to shorten and stretch the latter before an external tension can be manifested. In a twitch there is insufficient time, before relaxation sets in, for the full tension to be developed. When the tension is raised sufficiently by a quick stretch applied early after a shock the contractile component cannot shorten as it would normally and the heat of shortening is absent. The heat of activation is probably a by-product of the process by which the sudden change of state from rest to full activity occurs. When a muscle is subjected to a tension rather greater than it can bear it lengthens slowly; to a tension considerably greater it 'gives' or 'slips'. When a muscle is stretched rapidly a transitory overshoot of tension occurs followed by 'slip'. During the disappearance of this extra tension heat is produced, as in the 'cold drawing' of a wire or thread. An analogous process occurs in relaxation under a load. When two shocks are applied in succession, the second restores the active state to its full intensity, from which it has declined to an extent depending on the interval after the first one. If, under isometric conditions, the series elastic component is still partly stretched at the moment when the second response occurs, the total tension developed is greater. This is the origin of the so-called 'supernormal phase' and the basis of the greater tension maintained in atetanic contraction. During a tetanus each shock restores the active state of the muscle to its full intensity. It seems reasonably certain that excitation of a muscle fibre occurs at its surface. It has been suggested that contraction is set up inside by the arrival of some chemical substance diffusing inwards after liberation a t the surface. The onset, however, of full activity occurs so soon after a shock that diffusion is far too slow to account for it. A process, not a substance, must carry activation inwards.


After more than a decade of development work and hopes, the usage of mobile Internet has finally taken off. Now, we are witnessing the first signs of evidence of what might become the explosion of mobile content and applications that will be shaping the (mobile) Internet of the future. Similar to the wired Internet, search will become very relevant for the usage of mobile Internet. Current research on mobile search has applied a limited set of methodologies and has also generated a narrow outcome of meaningful results. This article covers new ground, exploring the use and visions of mobile search with a users' interview-based qualitative study. Its main conclusion builds upon the hypothesis that mobile search is sensitive to a mobile logic different than today's one. First, (advanced) users ask for accessing with their mobile devices the entire Internet, rather than subsections of it. Second, success is based on new added-value applications that exploit unique mobile functionalities. The authors interpret that such mobile logic involves fundamentally the use of personalised and context-based services.


Our research investigates the impact that hearing has on the perception of digital video clips, with and without captions, by discussing how hearing loss, captions and deafness type affects user QoP (Quality of Perception). QoP encompasses not only a user's satisfaction with the quality of a multimedia presentation, but also their ability to analyse, synthesise and assimilate informational content of multimedia. Results show that hearing has a significant effect on participants' ability to assimilate information, independent of video type and use of captions. It is shown that captions do not necessarily provide deaf users with a 'greater level of information' from video, but cause a change in user QoP, depending on deafness type, which provides a 'greater level of context of the video'. It is also shown that post-lingual mild and moderately deaf participants predict less accurately their level of information assimilation than post-lingual profoundly deaf participants, despite residual hearing. A positive correlation was identified between level of enjoyment (LOE) and self-predicted level of information assimilation (PIA), independent of hearing level or hearing type. When this is considered in a QoP quality framework, it puts into question how the user perceives certain factors, such as 'informative' and 'quality'.


A general route to a series of aryl-substituted pyranoside derivatives has been developed as a model for the synthesis of blepharocalyxin E. Two exo-substituted tetrahydro-4H-furo[2,3-b]pyran-2-one derivatives, 8a and 8b, were prepared and treated separately with anisole and phenoxytriisopropylsilane under Lewis acid conditions to effect C-aryl pyranoside synthesis. In each case, a gamma-lactone was formed, which rearranged to the desired structure on acid treatment. Four compounds (12, 14, 16, and 18) were prepared by this route as single isomers in good overall yield.


Many applications of superconductor integrated circuits may require a small part of the circuit to work at the highest possible clock frequency, e.g. an ADC in the receiver front-end, while more complex parts of the circuits may work at a lower frequency, e.g. a digital filter. Since the maximum clock frequency is proportional to the square root of the Josephson critical current density (Jc), such circuits can be realized as multi-Jc circuits containing trilayers with different Jc's. A fabrication technology will be presented enabling a single chip to accommodate circuits optimized for different critical current densities. Details of the multi-Jc process will be discussed as well as the typical circuit implementations and test results.


A nascent analysis methodology is presented to support long-term decision making for space exploration. The methodology is executed in a system-of-systems engineering framework which includes a unifying lexicon for problem definition (across disciplines) and establishment of modeling boundaries. The three phase framework and the underlying methodology is applied to the task of generating and evaluating space exploration architectures. In particular, the proof-of concept examines a solar system mobility network, which embodies a more versatile exploration strategy through a distributed capabilities approach. Since extensive reporting of the full set of simulation results that have been obtained are outside the paper's scope, the focus is instead on illustrating how the system-of-systems methodology can illuminate implications of various technical, operational, policy, and economic decisions. The overarching goal of the research is better informed decision making at the system-of-systems level.


Cerium dioxide (CeO2) nanoparticles were synthesized by a novel mechanochemical process. The precursors of Ce2(CO3)3.xH2O and NaOH were mixed at a weight ratio of 4 to 1. The mixtures were milled using a planetary ball mill with ball to powder ratio of 10:1. The products were then characterized using a battery of characterization methods, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and gas adsorption-desorption measurement. The as-prepared particles were largely amorphous with an average specific surface area of about 119.94 m2/g. Nanocrystalline CeO2 with crystallite size of 4.5 nm was obtained when the sample was annealed in air at 350 oC. The heat treatment results showed that the crystallinity of nanocrystalline CeO2 increased with increasing annealing temperature.


The Molina Member is a Paleogene, sand-rich interval, up to 125 meters thick, found within the otherwise mud-dominated, nonmarine Wasatch Formation of west-central Colorado. Sandstone beds of the Molina Member form sheet-like units interbedded with subordinate volumes of mudstone. The sandstones contain a low-diversity assemblage of sedimentary structures that is commonly dominated by horizontal, planar laminae, and bedding is locally contorted by large-scale soft-sediment deformation. A braided fluvial model best explains the characteristics of these strata, yet the existing braided-river models do not fully account for the assemblage of sedimentary structures or the relatively high volumes (up to half of the section) of interbedded mudstones. Two modern braided rivers, Medano Creek (Colorado) and the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River (Texas), have rapid, shallow flows that form horizontal, planar bedding. In both systems the presence of large volumes of easily mobilized sandy sediment, a flashy discharge regime, and a lack of reworking between flood stages lead to the development of high-energy, shallow-water bedforms and the preservation of the resulting high-energy sedimentary structures. Similar conditions and processes are suggested to have controlled deposition of the sand-dominated Molina Member, which is a depositional anomaly within the otherwise muddy Wasatch Formation. Short-term availability of readily eroded, second-cycle sandstones from a newly elevated source area to the southeast is the most likely reason for the abrupt change from a mud-dominated fluvial system to the sandy Molina system.


OF DISSERTATION ENHANCE NMF-BASED RECOMMENDATION SYSTEMS WITH AUXILIARY INFORMATION IMPUTATION This dissertation studies the factors that negatively impact the accuracy of the collaborative filtering recommendation systems based on nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF). The keystone in the recommendation system is the rating that expresses the user's opinion about an item. One of the most significant issues in the recommendation systems is the lack of ratings. This issue is called "coldstart" issue, which appears clearly with New-Users who did not rate any item and New-Items, which did not receive any rating. The traditional recommendation systems assume that users are independent and identically distributed and ignore the connections among users whereas the recommendation actually is a social activity. This dissertation aims to enhance NMF-based recommendation systems by utilizing the imputation method and limiting the errors that are introduced in the system. External information such as trust network and item categories are incorporated into NMF-based recommendation systems through the imputation. The proposed approaches impute various subsets of the missing ratings. The subsets are defined based on the total number of the ratings of the user or item before the imputation, such as impute the missing ratings of New-Users, NewItems, or cold-start users or items that suffer from the lack of the ratings. In addition, several factors are analyzed that affect the prediction accuracy when the imputation method is utilized with NMF-based recommendation systems. These factors include the total number of the ratings of the user or item before the imputation, the total number of imputed ratings for each user and item, the average of imputed rating values, and the value of imputed rating values. In addition, several strategies are applied to select the subset of missing ratings for the imputation that lead to increasing the prediction accuracy and limiting the imputation error. Moreover, a comparison is conducted with some popular methods that are in common with the proposed method in utilizing the imputation to handle the lack of ratings, but they differ in the source of the imputed ratings. Experiments on different large-size datasets are conducted to examine the proposed approaches and analyze the effects of the imputation on accuracy. Users and items are divided into three groups based on the total number of the ratings before the imputation is applied and their recommendation accuracy is calculated. The results show that the imputation enhances the recommendation system by capacitating the system to recommend items to New-Users, introduce New-Items to users, and increase the accuracy of the cold-start users and items. However, the analyzed factors play important roles in the recommendation accuracy and limit the error that is introduced from the imputation.


The security literature offers a multitude of calculi, languages, and systems for information-flow control, each with some set of labels encoding security policies that can be attached to data and computations. The exact form of these labels varies widely, with different systems offering many different combinations of features addressing issues such as confidentiality, integrity, and policy ownership. This variation makes it difficult to compare the expressive power of different information-flow frameworks. To enable such comparisons, we introduce label algebras, an abstract interface for information-flow labels equipped with a notion of authority, and study several notions of embedding between them. The simplest is a straightforward notion of injection between label algebras, but this lacks a clear computational motivation and rejects some reasonable encodings between label models. We obtain a more refined account by defining a space of encodings parameterized by an interpretation of labels and authorities, thus giving a semantic flavor to the definition of encoding. We study the theory of semantic encodings and consider two specific instances, one based on the possible observations of boolean values and one based on the behavior of programs in a small lambda-calculus parameterized over an arbitrary label algebra. We use this framework to define and compare a number of concrete label algebras, including realizations of the familiar taint, endorsement, readers, and distrust models, as well as label algebras based on several existing programming languages and operating systems.


Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms can provide an effective solution for dynamic and automated network resource management in Software Defined Networking (SDN). In this contribution, we propose an auto-configuration enabler inside the next-generation Internet of Things (IoT) architecture proposed in the ASSIST-IoT project, for network resource allocation. The AI algorithm is responsible for controlling intent-based routing in an SDN network. This paper focuses on the problem of optimal intent switching between two designated paths using a Deep-Q-Learning approach based on an artificial neural network. The AI algorithm was trained to maximise the total throughput in the network and to use the network efficiently. The presented results confirm the validity of the applied AI approach to the problem of improving network performance in next-generation networks for economically and technically efficient implementation in the evaluation of IoT network systems.


All nuclear power plants must have fire monitoring and fire suppression systems. The design, construction and operation of these systems involve considerable skill and considerable cost. The instrumentation and control requirements are extensive and sophisticated. Adequate reference works for these requirements and how to achieve them are not available. This paper is an attempt to describe these instrumentation and control requirements and also to present a specific design concept. This incorporates the result of the writer's experience in working with the design review and commissioning the instrumentation and controls of the entire fire detection and suppression system in an operational nuclear power plant and his subsequent study on the subject.


This paper discusses the strengths and weaknesses of pan-European datasets, in particular ECHP and EU-SILC, for research in housing. Although 'housing' is a complex topic when studied from a European comparative perspective, I argue that there is no inherent reason why housing should be less amenable to cross-national research than other equally complex topics in comparative social science research, such as research into family change and stability, or the impact of educational systems on social stratification. Given appropriate theory, conceptualisation and contextualisation, along with strong methodologies, meaningful and informative research in housing with ECHP and EU-SILC are possible. There are however a number of limitations, which are mainly related to the fact that both datasets are geared towards the 'production' of a 'system of social indicators' informing European and national governments. Because of these limitations, ECHP and in particular EU-SILC are less attractive and less useful for academic research then they could potentially be.


A five-star quality rating is one of the most widely used systems for evaluating items. However, it has two fundamental limitations: 1) the rating for one item cannot describe crucial information in detail; 2) the rating is not on an absolute scale that can be used to compare items. Because of these limitations, users cannot make an optimal decision. In this paper, we introduce our sophisticated approach to extract useful information from user reviews using collapsed dependencies and sentiment analysis. We propose an interactive word cloud that can show grammatical relationships among words, explore reviews efficiently, and display positivity or negativity on a sentence. In addition, we introduce visualization for comparing multiple word clouds and illustrate the usage through test cases.


This paper describes behavioral compilation tools built for use in an intelligent silicon compiler. These tools allow the user or an expert system to compile behavioral descriptions to a register transfer level under user-imposed constraints. A flexible design model offers a combination of design features previously unavailable in behavioral compilers such as multicycle, chained, and pipelined function units along with the ability to choose between bus- and mux-based connectivity models. Furthermore, we present a new design strategy that allows easy exploratory design and we describe algorithms for state synthesis and connectivity binding that achieved higher quality designs than previous systems on selected benchmarks. The code for this project is run under 42 BSD Unix on a VAX 11 780 and is written in C.


We generalize recent theoretical work on the minimal number of layers of narrow deep belief networks that can approximate any probability distribution on the states of their visible units arbitrarily well. We relax the setting of binary units (Sutskever & Hinton, 2008; Le Roux & Bengio, 2008, 2010; Montúfar & Ay, 2011) to units with arbitrary finite state spaces and the vanishing approximation error to an arbitrary approximation error tolerance. For example, we show that a q-ary deep belief network with layers of width for some can approximate any probability distribution on without exceeding a Kullback-Leibler divergence of . Our analysis covers discrete restricted Boltzmann machines and naive Bayes models as special cases.


Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is an inducible enzyme which triggers the biosynthesis of prostaglandins. COX-2 is activated in response to inflammatory stimuli and is one of the major molecules that is involved in the development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). Consistent with such a conceptual framework, it has been shown that COX-2 inhibitors prevent the carcinogenesis of CRC and aid in the treatment of sporadic or familial cases of CRC as shown by an overall increase in the survival rate. However, prolonged use of these inhibitors is associated with increase risk of development of cardiovascular complications, implying that further research is required to identify COX-2 inhibitors that are associated with lower risks of such complications.


The objective of this research is to propose and design a compact tactile display module and verify its performance in a pen-like haptic interface, particularly on the touch screen. A small, safe, silent and light tactile display module with low power dissipation has been built. Based on this module, we present the Ubi-Pen, a pen-like haptic interface providing texture and vibration stimuli. Preliminary evaluations indicate it can satisfactorily represent tactile patterns. We also evaluate its capacity to support GUI operations by producing a simple click-like feedback when buttons are pressed. In addition, it provides texture sensation when a user rubs an image displayed on a touch screen.


Since the turn of the millennium, the major development agencies have been promoting "knowledge for development," "ICT for development," or the "knowledge economy" as new paradigms to prompt development in less-developed countries. These paradigms display an unconditional trust in the power of Western technology and scientific knowledge to trigger development—they taste of epistemic and technological determinism. This article probes, by means of a genealogy, how and when development cooperation began adhering to epistemic and technological determinism, and which forms this adhesion has taken over time. The genealogy shows, first, that knowledge and technology have always been integrally part of the very "development" idea since this idea was shaped during enlightenment. Second, while the genealogy reveals that epistemic and technological determinism were embedded in the development idea from the very beginning, it also illustrates that the determinism has always been challenged by critical voices.


We investigate the hypothesis that Executive Functions (EFs) are implicated in the learning of science and mathematics by examining the relation between performance in two Science and Mathematics Conceptual Understanding and Conceptual Change (CU&C) tasks, and two Stroop-like Inhibition and Shifting EF tasks, in a group of 69 4 th and 6 th grader children. The results showed high correlations between accuracy performance in the CU&C and EF tasks even when Intelligence Ability (IA) and Age were partialed out. A path analytic model showed that performance in the CU&C tasks could be explained by performance in the EF and IA tasks, which were positively related to each other. Further analyses showed that accuracy of performance particularly in the CU&C tasks could be predicted by performance in the EF tasks, with high or medium EF scores being a prerequisite for placement in the group of high CU&C achievers.


Abstract At the beginning of the twentieth century, Sir Ronald Fisher introduced the concept of applying statistical analysis during the planning stages of research rather than at the end of experimentation. When statistical thinking is applied from the design phase, it enables to build quality into the product, by adopting Deming's profound knowledge approach, comprising system thinking, variation understanding, theory of knowledge, and psychology. The pharmaceutical industry was late in adopting these paradigms, compared to other sectors. It heavily focused on blockbuster drugs, while formulation development was mainly performed by One Factor At a Time (OFAT) studies, rather than implementing Quality by Design (QbD) and modern engineering-based manufacturing methodologies. Among various mathematical modeling approaches, Design of Experiments (DoE) is extensively used for the implementation of QbD in both research and industrial settings. In QbD, product and process understanding is the key enabler of assuring quality in the final product. Knowledge is achieved by establishing models correlating the inputs with the outputs of the process. The mathematical relationships of the Critical Process Parameters (CPPs) and Material Attributes (CMAs) with the Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs) define the design space. Consequently, process understanding is well assured and rationally leads to a final product meeting the Quality Target Product Profile (QTPP). This review illustrates the principles of quality theory through the work of major contributors, the evolution of the QbD approach and the statistical toolset for its implementation. As such, DoE is presented in detail since it represents the first choice for rational pharmaceutical development.


This report is a study of the results obtained from a large number of test of an Hispano-Suiza airplane engine in the altitude laboratory of the Bureau of Standards. It was originally undertaken to determine the heat distribution in such an engine, but many other factors are also considered as bearing on this matter.


Scale-invariant morphology parameters applied to atomic hydrogen maps (HI) of galaxies can be used to quantify the effects of tidal interaction or star-formation on the ISM. Here we apply these parameters, Concentration, Asymmetry, Smoothness, Gini, M20, and the GM parameter, to two public surveys of nearby dwarf galaxies, the VLA-ANGST and LITTLE-THINGS survey, to explore whether tidal interaction or the ongoing or past star-formation is a dominant force shaping the HI disk of these dwarfs.
Previously, HI morphological criteria were identified for ongoing spiral-spiral interactions. When we apply these to the Irregular dwarf population, they either select almost all or none of the population. We find that only the Asymmetry-based criteria can be used to identify very isolated dwarfs (i.e., these have a low tidal indication). Otherwise, there is little or no relation between the level of tidal interaction and the HI morphology. We compare the HI morphology to three star-formation rates based on either Halpha, FUV or the resolved stellar population, probing different star-formation time-scales.
The HI morphology parameters that trace the inequality of the distribution, the Gini, GM, and M20 parameters, correlate weakly with all these star-formation rates. This is in line with the picture that local physics dominates the ISM appearance and not tidal effects. Finally, we compare the SDSS measures of star-formation and stellar mass to the HI morphological parameters for all four HI surveys. In the two lower-resolution HI surveys (12"), there is no relation between star-formation measures and HI morphology. The morphology of the two high-resolution HI surveys (6"), the Asymmetry, Smoothness, Gini, M20, and GM, do show a link to the total star-formation, but a weak one.


Current theory proposes that nestlings beg to signal hunger level to parents honestly, or that siblings compete by escalating begging to attract the attention of parents. Although begging is assumed to be directed at parents, barn owl (Tyto alba) nestlings vocalize in the presence but also in the absence of the parents. Applying the theory of asymmetrical contests we experimentally tested three predictions of the novel hypothesis that in the absence of the parents siblings vocally settle contests over prey items to be delivered next by a parent. This 'sibling negotiation hypothesis' proposes that offspring use each others' begging vocalization as a source of information about their relative willingness to contest the next prey item delivered. In line with the hypothesis we found that (i) a nestling barn owl refrains from vocalization when a rival is more hungry, but (ii) escalates once the rival has been fed by a parent, and (iii) nestlings refrain from and escalate vocalization in experimentally enlarged and reduced broods, respectively. Thus, when parents are not at the nest a nestling vocally refrains when the value of the next delivered prey item will be higher for its nest–mates. These findings are the exact opposite of what current models predict for begging calls produced in the presence of the parents.


Abstract Both in Asia Pacific and Latin America, considerable confusion and ambiguity surround the notion of 'open Regionalism' that question its relevance for practical purposes. Chapter I will examine various interpretations and applications of the concept and study under what circumstances the two elements 'open' and 'regionalism' come into contradiction. The chapter first put to provide some precision on the relationship that may exist between Open Regionalism and regional integration, and then it inquires of under what conditions regionalism can be a 'stepping stone' or 'building block' towards the improvement of multilateralism. The rapid economic growth in Asia provided a solid foundation for inter-firm networks and intra-regional trade and investment flows, with few institutional or government-led schemes. In the 1990s, Latin America, whose integration has often been characterized as 'policy driven', has also experienced a deepening of de facto integration, resulting in stronger intra-regional trade and investment linkages. Chapter II reviews briefly the impact of the recent economic crisis on production, trade and investment patterns for each region and identifies integration instruments that might be compatible with and conducive to policies to enhance the synergetic effects of de facto and policy-driven integration. 'deep' integration usually refers to an integration that deals with 'behind the border' issues, going further than 'shallow' integration that involves mainly the reduction of measures applied at the border. Chapter III analyzes the appropriate scope and nature of 'new' trade issues to be included in 'deep' integration of developing countries and assess whether the initiatives through regional agreements can be more effective than those undertaken at the multilateral level. The chapter elaborates on arguments, in favor of or against, potential dynamic benefits and costs that might be involved with regional cooperation, in areas such as, services, investment, infrastructure, trade finance, social and equity problems, small-and medium-size enterprises. Chapter IV analyzes the implication of the Uruguay Round commitments on the development process and major problems faced in their implementation. Based on this review, the chapter identifies the major areas of interests of developing countries for a new 'millennium Round'. In doing so, some new 'Conditionalities' and opportunities that the new round might introduce on regional agreements are considered.


As a part of the German Environmental Surveys performed in 1985/86 (West Germany), 1990/91 (West Germany) and 1991/92 (East Germany), dust samples were collected in the households of about 1600 randomly selected adults (25 to 69 years) and an analysis of these samples was performed in respect of their content of 8 different pyrethroids and of the synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO). In the 1990-92 survey about 90% of the samples contained permethrin in concentrations above the limit of quantification. This showed permethrin to be the most widespread of the 8 compounds investigated. The geometric mean of the permethrin content in domestic dust was 0.22 mg/kg. Only about 8% of the samples contained one or more of the other investigated substances (cyfluthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, alpha-cypermethrin, deltamethrin, empenthrin, d-phenothrin) in quantifiable amounts. About 76% of the samples contained quantifiable amounts of PBO. In East Germany the geometric mean of the PBO content (0.21 mg/kg) was significantly higher than in West Germany (0.07 mg/kg), but no difference for permethrin was found. Significant associations could be shown for the permethrin content and the application of biocides as well as for the PBO content and regional factors (size of community, type of dwelling area). Samples collected in 1985/86 (West Germany) showed a geometric mean for permethrin of 0.06 mg/kg and for PBO of 0.07 mg/kg. Comparing the values of 1985/86 and 1990/91, a significant increase can be observed for permethrin, whereas the PBO concentration remained constant.


A thesis submitted to Addis Ababa University College of Business and Economics Department of Public Administration and Development Management in Partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Masters in Public Management and Policy


Background: Drooping of the upper eyelid is one of the most common complaints in oculoplastic practice. Ptosis causes cosmetic deformity that is apparent both to the patient and to others. Frontalis suspension is a commonly used surgery that is indicated in patients with severe ptosis with poor levator muscle function. Aim: To evaluate the result of frontalis sling surgery, autogenous fascia lata compared with silicon rod in virtue of amount of lid lag, lagophthalmos, cosmesis and recurrence. Method: It is a prospective, non-randomized, interventional study of patients having unilateral or bilateral moderate to severe ptosis with poor levator function. A total 94 eyes were operated for frontalis sling surgery with a single pentagon (Fox) technique. Two groups classified – 54 unilateral eyes with silicon rod and 40 bilateral eyes with autogenous fascia lata. Patients evaluated till 6 months. Results: The results were compared in terms of cosmetic and functional success. The silicon sling group showed reduction in lid lag and lagophthalmos, which was extremely significant. But cosmesis and recurrence rate was similar in both groups.  Conclusion: Frontalis sling surgery with silicon rod can be the procedure of choice for severe unilateral or bilateral ptosis with similar cosmetic and functional outcomes. Keywords: Ptosis, Sling surgery, Silicon rod, Cosmetic


Time irreversibility (asymmetry with respect to time reversal) is an important property of many time series derived from processes in nature. Some time series (e.g., healthy heart rate dynamics) demonstrate even more complex, multiscale irreversibility, such that not only the original but also coarse-grained time series are asymmetric over a wide range of scales. Several indices to quantify multiscale asymmetry have been introduced. However, there has been no simple generator of model time series with "tunable" multiscale asymmetry to test such indices. We introduce an asymmetric Weierstrass function W(A) (constructed from asymmetric sawtooth functions instead of cosine waves) that can be used to construct time series with any given value of the multiscale asymmetry. We show that multiscale asymmetry appears to be independent of other multiscale complexity indices, such as fractal dimension and multiscale entropy. We further generalize the concept of multiscale asymmetry by introducing time-dependent (local) multiscale asymmetry and provide examples of such time series. The W(A) function combines two essential features of complex fluctuations, namely fractality (self-similarity) and irreversibility (multiscale time asymmetry); moreover, each of these features can be tuned independently. The proposed family of functions can be used to compare and refine multiscale measures of time series asymmetry.


The research on the influence of magnetic field over the CaCO3 precipitation in water has been carried out. The hard water is water contaminated with Ca, Mg, CO3. Those ions are surrounded by water molecules which is also known as hydration shell. The hydration shell is a layer that holds ions to form a molecule such as a CaCO. The given magnetic field will affect the hydration shell. The study was conducted by varying the magnitudes of the magnetic field which equal to 0.05 and 0.1 Tesla. The sample solution for this research is 520 mg/L CaCO. The experiment has been accomplished within 120 minutes experiment resulted a maximum reduction percentage of 28.57% for the magnetic field value of 0.05 Tesla. While the magnetic field value of 0.1 Tesla obtained 57,69 % of the maximum reduction.


The immunological crossreactivity between the two granule‐specific membrane glycoproteins, synaptophysin and granulophysin, was studied using a series of site‐specific monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. The epitope relatedness of six monoclonal antibodies against granulophysin was examined by competitive ELISA. The antibodies are shown to recognize distinct, but overlapping epitopes within a compact region that is constructed by the three‐dimensional configuration of the molecule. All these antibody clones also recognize rat neuronal synaptophysin. Two monoclonal antibodies against synaptophysin, of which one is the well‐characterized SY38 antibody, directed against the carboxy terminal of the molecule, are also shown to react with granulophysin. Characterized polyclonal antibodies against different peptide antigens of synaptophysin failed to recognize granulophysin. Synaptophysin and granulophysin are distinctly recognized in brain cell (white matter) and the pituitary both qualitatively and quantitatively. Based on these and other observations, it is suggested that the repeat motif in the cytoplasmic tail of synaptophysin represents an immunodominant construct that is the target for the observed crossreactive antibodies and that a similar tertiary construct has been preserved in granulophysin and in other transmembrane proteins.


Effective management of heritage assets relies on decision-making which is underpinned by empirical evidence of impact of treatments on long term survival prospects of materials. Historic wrought iron presents a particular problem for conservation. It occupies a niche position between heritage and engineering, is frequently exposed to outdoor atmospheric corrosion and, in the case of bridges, gates and similar structures, may be required to perform a distinct function. Sector guidance to direct practices is based on anecdotal evidence and established methods. British Standards relate to modern steels hence application to historic ferrous metals is complicated by differences in metallurgy and lack of concession to conservation ethics.
This study generates empirical evidence of the effects of five surface preparation methods and three protective coating systems on the corrosion rate of historic wrought iron samples. Immersion in sodium hydroxide solution and blasting with crushed walnut shells are found to reduce corrosion rates of uncoated wrought iron. Aluminium oxide and glass beads blasting increase corrosion rate but offer removal of contaminants and a keyed surface for coating adhesion. Flame cleaning increases corrosion rate by almost four times the uncleaned wrought iron corrosion rate.
A two-pack epoxy resin coating system with polyurethane topcoat applied over substrate surfaces blasted to Sa2.5 (near white metal) and a surface tolerant single-pack alkyd coating applied over coherent oxide layers successfully prevented corrosion for almost two years in high static relative humidity environments. An alkyd system applied over Sa2.5 blasted surface does not significantly reduce corrosion rate of the uncoated substrate. A cost benefit approach to interpreting the empirical results in relation to practicalities of applying the treatments is advocated.
The methods developed for standardising historic sample material and measuring oxygen consumption of coated samples as proxy corrosion rate offer scope for further work in this area. A standardised approach to testing permits correlation of test data between workers in this area to generate a database of empirical data to inform decision-making.


According to system justification theory, people are motivated to preserve the belief that existing social arrangements are fair, legitimate, and justifiable (Jost & Banaji, 1994). The strongest form of this hypothesis, which draws on the logic of cognitive dissonance theory, holds that people who are most disadvantaged by the status quo would have the greatest psychological need to reduce ideological dissonance and would therefore be most likely to support, defend, and justify existing social systems, authorities, and outcomes. Variations on this hypothesis were tested in four U.S. national survey studies. We found that: (a) low income respondents and African Americans were more likely than others to support limitations on the rights of citizens and media representatives to criticize the government (b) low income Latinos were more likely to trust in U.S. government officials and to believe that "the government is run for the benefit of all" than were high income Latinos, (c) Southerners in the U.S. were more likely to endorse meritocratic belief systems than were Northerners and poor and Southern African Americans were more likely to subscribe to meritocratic ideologies than were African Americans who were more affluent and from the North, (d) low income respondents and African Americans were more likely than others to believe that economic inequality is legitimate and necessary, and (e) stronger endorsement of meritocratic ideology was associated with greater satisfaction with one's own economic situation. Taken together, these findings provide support for the dissonance-based argument that people who suffer the most from a given state of affairs are paradoxically the least likely to question, challenge, reject, or change it. Implications for theories of system justification, cognitive dissonance, and social change are also discussed.


The conference interpreting skillset – full consecutive and simultaneous interpreting – has long been in demand well beyond the multilateral intergovernmental organizations, notably in bilateral diplomacy, business, international tribunals and the media. This comprehensive coursebook sets out an updated step-by-step programme of training, designed to meet the increasingly challenging conditions of the 21st century, and adaptable by instructors with the appropriate specializations to cover all these different applications in contemporary practice. After an overview of the diverse world of interpreting and the prerequisites for this demanding course of training, successive chapters take students and teachers through initiation and the progressive acquisition of the techniques, knowledge and professionalism that make up this full skillset. For each stage in the training, detailed, carefully sequenced exercises and guidance on the cognitive challenges are provided, in a spirit of transparency between students and teachers on their respective roles in the learning process. For instructors, course designers and administrators, more detailed and extensive tips on pedagogy, curriculum design and management will be found in the companion Trainer's Guide .


Background: The Plusoptix Vision Screener (PVS) is a new non-cycloplegic videoretinoscopy autorefractor. Refractive accuracy may affect its performance as a screening tool. Aims: Study 1: To determine the intra- and interobserver variability of PVS measurements. Study 2: To compare PVS measurements with gold-standard manual cycloplegic retinoscopy (MCR). Methods: Study 1: PVS refraction of 103 children with mean (SD) age 5.5 (0.6) years by two observers. Study 2: PVS and MCR refraction of 126 children with mean (SD) age 5.5 (1.5) years, including 43 children with manifest strabismus ⩾5 PD, comparing mean spherical equivalent (MSE) and Jackson cross cylinders J0 and J45. Results: Study 1: Repeatability coefficients (observer 1): MSE: 0.63 D, J0: 0.24 D, J45: 0.18 D; those of observer 2 were nearly identical. The mean difference (95% limits of agreement) between the two observers for MSE, J0 and J45 were, respectively, 0.03 (−0.62 to 0.68 D), −0.008 (−0.25 to 0.23 D) and 0.013 (−0.18 to 0.20) D. Study 2: MSE tended to be lower on PVS than MCR, with differences of up to 8.00 D. Less than 20% of values were within ±0.50 D of each other. Agreement was better for J0 and J45. Strabismus was associated with an odds ratio of 3.7 (95% CI 1.3 to 10.5) of the PVS failing to obtain a reading. Conclusions: The PVS may underestimate children's refractive error.


Scientists, for the most part, want to get it right. However, the social structures that govern their work undermine that aim, and this leads to nonreplicable findings in many fields. Because the social structure of science is a decentralized system, it is difficult to intervene. In this article, I discuss how we might do so, focusing on self-corrective-labor schemes (i.e., ways of distributing replication efforts within the scientific community). First, I argue that we need to implement a scheme that makes replication work outcome independent, systematic, and sustainable. Second, I use these three criteria to evaluate extant proposals, which place the responsibility for replication on original researchers, consumers of their research, students, or many labs. Third, on the basis of a philosophical analysis of the reward system of science and the benefits of the division of cognitive labor, I propose a scheme that satisfies the criteria better: the professional scheme. This scheme has two main components. First, the scientific community is organized into two groups: discovery researchers, who produce new findings, and confirmation researchers, whose primary function is to do confirmation work (i.e., replication, reproduction, meta-analysis). Second, a distinct reward system is established for confirmation researchers so that their career advancement is separated from whether they obtain positive experimental results.