The work detailed in the thesis compares the performance of
single-phase thyristor bridge converters under different
control strategies; considering in particular the efficiency,
ac side power factor and harmonic content of the current and
voltage waveforms.
Extensive practical investigations were performed, in which,
analogue and digital control circuits were developed to
provide the drive signals necessary for a converter to operate
in the different control modes for:
a) A series -connected fully-controlled double thyristor
bridge (used mainly in traction applications) operating
under sequence control and;
b) A fully controlled single-bridge operating under
sequence and conventional control.
A novel pulse-width modulation control strategy was developed
for the single-bridge converter, using gate turn-off
thyristors as the switching elements, whereby output voltage
control is obtained by variation of the modulation index.
Turn-on and turn-off signals for the power devices were
obtained using an analogue control circuit. The advantages
and disadvantages of this switching strategy compared with
conventional and sequence control were studied, and results
clearly showed that an improved input power factor and lower
supply current and load voltage harmonics were all
obtained.
Mathematical models for single and double bridge converters
operating under sequence and conventional control were
developed using tensor techniques. Using these models,
computer programmes were written in Fortran 77 on the University mainframe computer, to assemble automatically and
solve the network equations as the converter topology
changes. In addition, analytical models were also developed
on the assumption that the load current is completely smooth.
However, such an assumption is not justifiable with ac-to-dc
converters and consequently a novel technique was developed to
include the load current ripple in calculating the supply
current harmonics. The results obtained are compared with
both the computed and experimental ones.


We propose a new reversible (lossless) watermarking algorithm for digital images. Being reversible, the algorithm enables the recovery of the original host information upon the extraction of the embedded information. The proposed technique exploits the inherent correlation among the adjacent pixels in an image region using a predictor. The information bits are embedded into the prediction errors, which enables us to embed a large payload while keeping the distortion low. A histogram shift at the encoder enables the decoder to identify the embedded location.


In order to translate the Customer Needs (CN) for the specific product into the right Technical Requirements (TR), the structure of conventional House of Quality (HOQ) is modified to have HOQ fit in with the needs of multi-attribute decision-making. Then, an Objective Programming Model (OPM) based on HOQ is constructed, which fully considers the design team's experience, and the interdependence between CN and TR, and the inner-dependences within themselves, along with resource limitations, and multi-objective nature of the problem. The target values of TR are obtained by solving the OPM using MATLAB, which can fully meet the CN. Finally an example is given, and the OPM is proved to be reasonable and effective.


Background/Aims The epidemiology of Chagas disease, until recently confined to areas of continental Latin America, has undergone considerable changes in recent decades due to migration to other parts of the world, including Spain. We studied the prevalence of Chagas disease in Latin American patients treated at a health center in Barcelona and evaluated its clinical phase. We make some recommendations for screening for the disease. Methodology/Principal Findings We performed an observational, cross-sectional prevalence study by means of an immunochromatographic test screening of all continental Latin American patients over the age of 14 years visiting the health centre from October 2007 to October 2009. The diagnosis was confirmed by serological methods: conventional in-house ELISA (cELISA), a commercial kit (rELISA) and ELISA using T cruzi lysate (Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics) (oELISA). Of 766 patients studied, 22 were diagnosed with T. cruzi infection, showing a prevalence of 2.87% (95% CI, 1.6–4.12%). Of the infected patients, 45.45% men and 54.55% women, 21 were from Bolivia, showing a prevalence in the Bolivian subgroup (n = 127) of 16.53% (95% CI, 9.6–23.39%). All the infected patients were in a chronic phase of Chagas disease: 81% with the indeterminate form, 9.5% with the cardiac form and 9.5% with the cardiodigestive form. All patients infected with T. cruzi had heard of Chagas disease in their country of origin, 82% knew someone affected, and 77% had a significant history of living in adobe houses in rural areas. Conclusions We found a high prevalence of T. cruzi infection in immigrants from Bolivia. Detection of T. cruzi–infected persons by screening programs in non-endemic countries would control non-vectorial transmission and would benefit the persons affected, public health and national health systems.


Background. Global trends in the delivery of healthcare services have placed tremendous strain on resources, among them human and capital. With this has emerged the need to revisit the job requirements and/or scope of practice of cadres within a profession, to ensure adequate training where needed. The administration of intravenous contrast media (IVCM), a fundamental element of expertise within the radiology field, is an example of such evolution in South Africa (SA). Currently falling within radiologists' scope of practice, it has become necessary for radiographers to extend their own scope to include this skill, owing to the national shortage of radiologists and subsequent service delivery constraints, as well as the need to close the gap with international trends.  Objective. To provide a synopsis of the perspectives of radiologists on the medicolegal responsibilities related to the administration of IVCM by radiographers.  Methods. A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional research design was conducted, targeting qualified radiologists in KwaZulu-Natal Province (KZN). An online questionnaire was administered through SurveyMonkey that provided information on the medicolegal responsibilities associated with the administration of IVCM.  Results. Of a total of 97 qualified radiologists in KZN, a response rate of 48.5% ( n =47) was obtained. The majority of respondents felt that radiographers should be responsible for obtaining informed patient consent (66.0%), and deciding on the site of IVCM administration (72.3%). It was also felt that the radiologists should remain responsible for decisions regarding the type and dose of IVCM (87.2%) and managing the possible complications and adverse reactions due to the administration of IVCM (78.7%).  Conclusion. Evidence-based research provides a contextualised approach towards addressing transformation in service delivery and training needs. This study, in demonstrating the importance of appropriate medicolegal responsibilities in the extension of a professional role, forms a basis for informing the future training of radiographers in SA.


: Single lamellar phosphatidyl[methyl-2H]choline vesicles were incubated with an excess of unlabeled phosphatidylcholine vesicles or phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol vesicles containing 8 mol % glucuronosyldiglyceride. Incubation of the two vesicle populations was performed in the presence or absence of a purified phosphatidylcholine exchange protein. The negatively charged glycolipid donor vesicles could be completely removed by column chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel. Following incubation with exchange protein and subsequent fractionation, the -N(CD3)3 phosphatidylcholine acceptor vesicles exhibited a 61-73% enrichment of the unlabeled phosphatidylcholine in the outer monolayer. Upon incubation in an air atmosphere, no appreciable transbilayer movement of the outer monolayer -N(CH3)3 phosphatidylcholine was observed for at least 5 days. Between days 5 and 7, however, extensive transbilayer movement occurred, leading to an outer monolayer/inner monolayer phosphatidylcholine ratio of 2.1 on day 7. In phosphatidylcholine-6 mol % cholesterol vesicles treated similarly, the outside/inside ratio of the unlabeled phospholipid was 6.7, suggesting a much smaller percentage of transbilayer movement. The loss of transbilayer asymmetry which occurred during a 36-h period after day 5 could be estimated at the upper limit, t 1/2 approximately 7.3 h for phosphatidylcholine vesicles and t 1/2 approximately 53 h for phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol vesicles. The actual rates for transbilayer movement, however, were likely more rapid. Transbilayer movement occurred at a time period when oxidized phospholipid breakdown products had reached critical levels.


The Osteichthyes, including bony fishes and tetrapods, is a highly speciose group of vertebrates, comprising more than 42000 living species. The anatomy of osteichthyans has been the subject of numerous comparative studies, but these mainly concern osteological structures; much less attention has been paid to muscles. In fact, the most detailed and comprehensive myological comparative analyses that were actually based on a direct observation of representatives of various major osteichthyan groups were provided various decades by authors such as Luther, Kesteven and principally Edgeworth. The present work provides an updated discussion of the homologies and evolution of the osteichthyan mandibular, hyoid and hypobranchial muscles, based on the author's own analyses and on a survey of the literature, both old and recent. The risks of discussing muscle homologies on the basis of a single line of evidence, even when it concerns innervation or development, is emphasized. It is stressed than only by taking into consideration various lines of evidence (e.g. developmental biology, comparative anatomy, functional morphology, paleontology, molecular biology, experimental embryology, innervation and/or phylogeny) it is possible to establish well-grounded hypotheses of muscle homology.


Abstract This study investigated the relationship between bullying involvement (bully, victim, bully/victim, and not involved) and gender, academic achievement, self-efficacies (academic, social, and emotional self-efficacies). Data were collected by administering the Revised Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire (Olweus, 1996), the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children (Murris, 2001), and a demographic information form to 721 middle school students (50.3% female, 49.7% male). The associations between bullying involvement and the independent variables were evaluated using a multiple correspondence analysis. Results showed that females tended to be not involved or victims, whereas males tended to be bullies or both bullies and victims. There were moderate associations between all self-efficacies, academic achievement, and bullying involvement. In particular, high self-efficacies and high academic achievement were related to being not involved in bullying, while low self-efficacies and low academic achievement were associated with either being a victim or both bully and victim.


ABSTRACT Reading texts can prompt intense emotions, and these emotions profoundly influence learning from texts. I first discuss the findings from the eight studies reported in this special issue. The studies represent pivotal advances in research on reading. Focusing on learning from science texts, they show that different emotions and different types of text influence reading in different ways. Furthermore, they document how the interplay of emotions, text features, and reading processes impacts knowledge acquisition, conceptual change, and attitude change. I then outline core directions for future research. We need to (a) expand current theories to adequately explain the multiple links between emotions, cognitive processes, and motivational processes during reading; (b) use causal designs to disentangle the cause-effect relations linking these processes to antecedents and outcomes, including reciprocal causation; (c) complement between-person designs with intra-individual analysis; (d) use dynamic measurement and multichannel indicators to capture emotional processes; and (e) investigate the generalizability of current findings across diverse groups of learners and sociocultural contexts.


Highly polymerized bacterial deoxyribonucleic acids (DNAs) obtained from extracellular and from intracellular locations were analysed. DNAs from two strains (Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis) were of the type having high adenine and thymine contents ; two others (Alcaligenes faecalis and Pseudomonas fluorescens) had a high content of guanine and cytosine. For each micro-organism the composition of extracellular DNA was essentially the same as that of the intracellular DNA. Conditions associated with the extracellular accumulation of DNA in cultures of 3 strains were investigated. S. aureus elaborated a deoxyribonuclease (DNase) which required calcium ion and high pH for activity. In a culture medium of c. pH 6 and insufficient calcium, the DNase was inactive and DNA slime accumulated. In cultures of P . jluorescens a specific ribonuclease-sensitive DNase inhibitor protected slime DNA from depolymerization by culture DNase. In cultures of A . faecalis, also, both a DNA slime and a low concentration of DNase may occur. This enzyme, detected by studying its action against solutions of calf thymus DNA prepared from dried fibres, was activated by various cations within the pH range of cultures. Unlike other DNases, however, it has little capacity to attack the slimelayer DNA, which presumably is more nearly native.


Summary Phenotypic variation is as poorly understood as it is ubiquitous. Many biologists hold simplistic and even contradictory views of the relation between genic diversity and phenotypic variation. The correlation of electrophoretically detectable enzyme polymorphisms and morphological variation in island populations of lizards is described. A model explaining the different levels of genetic-phenetic variation among the populations is suggested by a multiple regression analysis. The principal conclusions are that gene flow between habitats significantly elevates variation, and isolation by distance results in a variation asymptote.


The development of free energy simulation protocols for calculating relative binding free energies of ligands is presented in this thesis. To this end, the protein Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase (DHODH), complexed to a highly congeneric series of compounds that show ambiguities in their binding modes, was studied in detail. To estimate the systematic error in force fields, relative free energies of hydration have been calculated using Replica-exchange Thermodynamic Integration (RETI) for sets of force field parameters and atomic partial charges in a classical molecular mechanics environment as well as a novel hybrid molecular mechanics/quantum mechanics model. The results demonstrated that all force fields and methods employed yield similar estimates of the relative free energies, while GAFF and OPLS-AA in conjunction with AM1BCC and AM1CM1A charges, respectively, performed best. To balance accuracy and ease of generating parameters, GAFF in conjunction with AM1BCC charges was selected to be the most valuable for describing the inhibitors in DHODH. To rigorously assess the thermodynamic end states for the ligands, crystal hydrates present in the binding site of DHODH have been investigated using the Just-Add-Water-molecules (JAWS) algorithm, Grand-canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations and the double-decoupling approach (DDM). These findings clearly suggested a change in hydration networks for both the inhibitors and their different binding modes, while all three approaches essentially yield identical results. This allowed us to construct free energy cycles using the single and dual topology approach in order to calculate the free energies of binding of the ligands as well as the stability of their binding modes. The results obtained were precise within the error of the methods, but not accurate, and allowed to complement the crystallographic findings.


Here we report direct physical evidence that confinement of molecular hydrogen (H2) in an optimized nanoporous carbon results in accumulation of hydrogen with characteristics commensurate with solid H2 at temperatures up to 67 K above the liquid-vapor critical temperature of bulk H2. This extreme densification is attributed to confinement of H2 molecules in the optimally sized micropores, and occurs at pressures as low as 0.02 MPa. The quantities of contained, solid-like H2 increased with pressure and were directly evaluated using in situ inelastic neutron scattering and confirmed by analysis of gas sorption isotherms. The demonstration of the existence of solid-like H2 challenges the existing assumption that supercritical hydrogen confined in nanopores has an upper limit of liquid H2 density. Thus, this insight offers opportunities for the development of more accurate models for the evaluation and design of nanoporous materials for high capacity adsorptive hydrogen storage.


The effects of 6-wk treadmill training program on the metabolism of isolated adipose cells from obese (fa/fa) and lean (Fa/?) Zucker rats were studied. Glucose metabolism and transport, insulin binding, and lipolysis were measured in adipose cells prepared from sedentary control and exercise-trained (ET) lean and/or obese rats. Two- to threefold increases in glucose metabolism were observed in cells from lean and obese ET rats compared with their respective controls. However, the insulin concentrations giving half-maximal stimulation (measuring insulin sensitivity) did not change (approximately 8 microunits/ml in lean and approximately 45 microunits/ml in obese rats). In lean ET rats, glucose transport and maximal glucose metabolic capacity (transport not rate-limiting) were increased twofold and sensitivity of lipolysis to epinephrine was increased three- to fourfold. These were not measured in obese rats. The results suggest that training of both lean and obese Zucker rats increases glucose utilization in adipose cells by increasing both glucose transport and intracellular glucose metabolism. Increased triglyceride turnover is also suggested by the increased sensitivity of lipolysis to epinephrine.


In 2007 the World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) report judged that the evidence for an association between red and processed meat consumption and colorectal cancer was convincing. In addition, the effect of other animal products on cancer risk has been studied, and the WCRF/AICR report concluded that milk probably decreases the risk of colorectal cancer but diets high in calcium probably increase the risk of prostate cancer, whereas there was limited evidence for an association between milk and bladder cancer and insufficient evidence for other cancers. There are several potential mechanisms relating meat to cancer, including heterocyclic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, N-nitroso compounds, and heme iron. Although the evidence in favor of a link between red and processed meat and colorectal cancer is convincing, the relations with other cancers are unclear. In this review, we summarize cohort studies conducted by the National Cancer Institute on meat and dairy intake in relation to cancer since the 2007 WCRF/AICR report. We also report the findings of meta-analyses published since 2007. Am J Clin Nutr 2014;100(suppl):386S–93S.


A classic approach to obtain High Dynamic Range Images (HDRI) consists in combining multiple images of the same scene with varying exposures. However, if the scene is not static during the time of capture, moving objects will appear blurry and ghosted, i.e. in multiple locations. Detecting and removing ghosting artifacts is an important issue for automatic generation of HDRI of dynamic scenes. This paper first describes a new method for detecting regions where ghosting occur based on an order relation between pixel values in consecutive images. Secondly, we propose to use a robust statistics tool to remove the detected ghosts. Results with different scenes and comparison with two other methods show the effectiveness of the approach.


The first description of percutaneous biliary drainage in the United States appeared in 1965 [1]. The percutaneously placed catheters were left in the obstructed biliary tract for drainage for up to 5 days. Since then, biliary drainage techniques have advanced substantially, and options have proliferated. Now, the nonsurgical palliation of malignant biliary obstruction, accomplished either endoscopically or percutaneously, is a well-established therapeutic modality.


—In this study, we examined 31 samples of varying chemical composition, including samples of soils from gasworks, coke production sites, and sites where wood preservatives were heavily used; ash and soot from municipal solid waste incinerators; antiskid sand; and dust from areas with heavy road traffic. The samples were comprehensively chemically characterized, especially their polycyclic aromatic compound contents, using gas chromatography‐time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry, whereas their biological effects were assessed using dehydrogenase activity, root growth (Hordeum vulgare), reproduction of springtails (Folsomia candida), algal growth (Desmodesmus subspicatus), germinability (Sinapis alba), Vibrio fischeri, DR‐CALUX, and Ames Salmonella assays. The number of compounds detected in the samples ranged from 123 to 527. Using the multivariate regression technique of partial‐least‐squares projections to latent structures, it was possible to find individual compounds that exhibited strong correlations with the different biological responses. Some of the results, however, indicate that a broader chemical characterization may be needed to identify all the compounds that may cause the measured biological responses.


We introduce a new approach to characterizing the unobserved portion of a distribution, which provides sublinear-sample additive estimators for a class of properties that includes entropy and distribution support size. Together with the lower bounds proven in the companion paper [29], this settles the longstanding question of the sample complexities of these estimation problems (up to constant factors). Our algorithm estimates these properties up to an arbitrarily small additive constant, using O(n/ log n) samples; [29] shows that no algorithm on o(n/ log n) samples can achieve this (where n is a bound on the support size, or in the case of estimating the support size, 1/n is a lower bound the probability of any element of the domain). Previously, no explicit sublinear-sample algorithms for either of these problems were known. Additionally, our algorithm runs in time linear in the number of samples used. Think not, because no man sees, Such things will remain unseen. –Henry Wadsworth Longellow, from "The Builders".


To the Editor: In the past few years, several publications have reported that Internet search queries may usefully supplement other, traditional surveillance programs for infectious diseases (1–3). The philanthropic arm of Google offers Flu Trends, a site that provides up-to-date estimates of influenza activity in 20 countries of the Pacific Rim and Europe (4) by using data mining techniques to find good predictors of historic influenza indicators (1).

This service has yet to be extended to other countries and other diseases because access to official surveillance data is required, among other reasons. However, another Google service, Insights for Search, enables users to find and download time-series data of relative counts of arbitrary searches for a large number of countries (5). Pelat et al. have shown that a few, well-chosen searches on Google Insights provide data that closely correlate with French surveillance data for seasonal influenza, chickenpox, and gastroenteritis (3). Although Internet searches appear to be a promising tool for public health surveillance, our experience from using Google Insights in the context of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in Singapore suggests it has important limitations.

In Singapore, the recent pandemic caused an outbreak that peaked at the start of August 2009; the first confirmed importation was at the end of May and first confirmed unlinked case was at the end of June. However, the number Google searches for "influenza," "H1N1," "swine flu," and similar terms (in English and Chinese), as well as symptoms associated with the disease, peaked much earlier than did the number of cases (Figure). The number of searches surged after newsworthy events but was low during the epidemic itself and had declined to about 20% of maximum search volume by the time of the actual peak, as shown by traditional surveillance. Furthermore, no discernible local maxima were observed that corresponded to the peak in case data. In contrast, alternative traditional measures of influenza incidence—prevalence of the novel strain among viral samples and general practice surveillance (6,7)—provide a consistent description of the outbreak.

Figure

Number of Google searches conducted for "influenza" (black lines) and "H1N1" (gray lines) compared with number of acute respiratory infections (ARI, gray bars) reported in government clinics, Singapore, 2009. During the ...

This finding echoes a major point raised by Carneiro and Mylonakis (2), namely, that without adjusting for spikes driven by disease publicity rather than the disease itself, Internet searches may lose much of their value in supplementing traditional surveillance measures. Our experience is that using Google Insights to survey a disease may not work well for diseases with considerable media exposure, in particular, emerging diseases such as pandemic (H1N1) 2009 or severe acute respiratory syndrome. Such outbreaks may require the more sophisticated approach used by Flu Trends, should it be extended to other diseases and more corners of the globe. We agree with Pelat et al. (3) that Google Insights may work well for less-publicized infectious diseases. The dividing line between well-publicized and unpublicized diseases may, however, remain ambiguous. Thus, to ensure that web search data reflect disease incidence requires validation against traditional surveillance, although in that situation, the availability of corroborating traditional methods of surveillance limits the value of web-query data.


The inoculation study was conducted in the greenhouse to investigate the effect of phosphorus (P) concentrations on growth and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization of multipurpose tree legumes Erythrina brucei and Millettia ferruginea. Plant growth parameters (shoot length, dry weight) and P uptake increased significantly after inoculations with AM fungi, Rhizophagus clarus, Rhizophagus intraradices and the mixed species. Results on effect of P application on total Mycorrhizal Dependency(MD) of studied tree species showed that maximum MD values were recorded for R. clarus (34.87%) in M. ferruginea and (26.19%) in E. brucei respectively. For the mixed species was recorded, the next highest MD values 26% in M. ferruginea and 16.67% in E. brucei. The least MD values were recorded for treatments with Rh. intraradices in both trees under study. The optimum P concentrations for maximum benefits from the AM symbiosis in aforementioned tree species varied from 0.005 to 0.02 mg g-1 and corresponding peaks of arbuscules, vesicles, percent root colonization, and spore count per 50 cm3 sand were noticed at similar concentrations. Thus, the results showed that the recorded plant growth peaks were due to AM colonization of the tree seedlings. Therefore, inoculating plants with a suitable AM inoculant could result in a benefit comparable to high P input and lead to a significant saving of inorganic P fertilizer.

 Key words: Agroforestry, trees, root colonization, spore density.


One of the classic tactics of "spin"—telling a story so that listeners hear the message you want to convey—is to preannounce a report and what you are going to do about it a day or two before the report comes out. That way you get your reaction in first, and, because no one else has read the report, the media describe it in your terms.

Alan Milburn, secretary of state for health, is a fine master of spin, and he showed his skills again last week over a report on learning from adverse events in the NHS by Liam Donaldson, England's chief medical officer (see pages 1683 and 1689). In the process, he obscured one of the key lessons for any organisation that is serious about reducing errors.

As An Organisation with a Memory (the report's evocative title) points out, adverse events in the NHS—indeed, any health system—are common. And most of them are not caused by bad individuals: "In the great majority of cases, the causes of serious failures stretch far …


Abstract. Methane is the third most important greenhouse gas in the atmosphere after water vapour and carbon dioxide. A major handicap to quantify the emissions at the Earth's surface in order to better understand biosphere-atmosphere exchange processes and potential climate feedbacks is the lack of accurate and global observations of methane. Space-based integrated path differential absorption (IPDA) lidar has potential to fill this gap, and a Methane Remote Lidar Mission (MERLIN) on a small satellite in polar orbit was proposed by DLR and CNES in the frame of a German-French climate monitoring initiative. System simulations are used to identify key performance parameters and to find an advantageous instrument configuration, given the environmental, technological, and budget constraints. The sensitivity studies use representative averages of the atmospheric and surface state to estimate the measurement precision, i.e. the random uncertainty due to instrument noise. Key performance parameters for MERLIN are average laser power, telescope size, orbit height, surface reflectance, and detector noise. A modest-size lidar instrument with 0.45 W average laser power and 0.55 m telescope diameter on a 506 km orbit could provide 50-km averaged methane column measurement along the sub-satellite track with a precision of about 1% over vegetation. The use of a methane absorption trough at 1.65 μm improves the near-surface measurement sensitivity and vastly relaxes the wavelength stability requirement that was identified as one of the major technological risks in the pre-phase A studies for A-SCOPE, a space-based IPDA lidar for carbon dioxide at the European Space Agency. Minimal humidity and temperature sensitivity at this wavelength position will enable accurate measurements in tropical wetlands, key regions with largely uncertain methane emissions. In contrast to actual passive remote sensors, measurements in Polar Regions will be possible and biases due to aerosol layers and thin ice clouds will be minimised.


In contemporary debates on the authority of global institutions, there is an important yet
often overlooked organisational curiosity: namely, the International Seabed Authority
(ISA). The ISA reflects a highpoint in international communitarian governance.
Premised around traditional notions of access, control and allocation of deep seabed
resources, its mandate is both invariably spatial-temporal, and yet also limited and
functional. Its purpose is to govern the extraction of seabed mineral resources for the
collective benefit of the international community. To achieve that ambition, however, a
highly complex and bureaucratic regulatory structure has been established. In this
paper we aim to consider this tension in the mandate of the ISA, particularly insofar as
it manifests in aspects of its institutional design and functioning in practice.
Understanding these dynamics not only helps one better understand governance of the
deep seabed, but also broadly demonstrates the innate tensions in granting
institutional control over common spaces.


A Hall-effect-sensor-based position observer that is suitable for mitigation of torque ripple in permanent-magnet synchronous machines is derived. The observer includes an initial commissioning routine to compensate for the offset in the placement of Hall sensors, which is shown to be necessary for effective control of torque harmonics. Using the position observer in lieu of a high-precision encoder, the overall cost of control-based torque-ripple mitigation is reduced significantly. In addition to the observer, an enhancement is made to a recently developed torque-ripple mitigation algorithm. Specifically, the algorithm is modified to compensate for sensor delay. Proposed methods have been validated in simulation and hardware


This paper presents new cryptanalytic results on reduced-round versions of the FOX block cipher, also known as IDEA-NXT. We can recover all subkeys of 2-round variants of FOX, and derive internal cipher data from r-round FOX, for any r > 2. This information leakage phenomenon is based only on the high-level Lai-Massey scheme, and was already observed in Feistel ciphers such as DES, but is absent even in IDEA, whose design inspired the FOX ciphers. Moreover, this paper presents the first impossible-differential analysis of reduced-round FOX, and new results on 4-round and 5-round FOX.


Abstract Background: The analysis of socio-demographic factors that determine the duration of tourist trips among urban single people. Material/Methods: The research included 598 randomly selected single people from Warsaw and Poznan. The study was conducted using the survey method. The relation between trips for ≥ 10 days and the variables characterizing the demographic structure of the respondents were assessed using log-linear analysis. The significance of the impact of the factors examined in the analysis was determined by chi-squared test. Results: Single people from Poznan with secondary and higher education are, respectively, more than 4-fold and 7-fold likely to go on longer trips ( ≥ 10 days) than shorter ones (< 10 days). Highly educated single people from Warsaw (compared to those with secondary education) are 1.25 times more likely to travel for ≥ 10 days than for < 10 days. The likelihood for long trips also increases several times among people who have income > PLN 2,000 (3 times in Poznan, 7 times in Warsaw) and those declaring income < PLN 1,500 (1.6 times in Poznan, 1.5 times in Warsaw). In the case of respondents from Warsaw, being a man doubles the likelihood of traveling for ≥ 10 days. Conclusions: Participation of urban single people in long-term trips is a reflection of contemporary trends in the market of tourist services. However, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive analysis of leisure time behavior of single people. It is crucial in the quest to satisfy the tourist desires of today's consumers of leisure services. Abstract Background: The analysis of socio-demographic factors that determine the duration of tourist trips among urban single people. Material/Methods: The research included 598 randomly selected single people from Warsaw and Poznan. The study was conducted using the survey method. The relation between trips for ≥ 10 days and the variables characterizing the demographic structure of the respondents were assessed using log-linear analysis. The significance of the impact of the factors examined in the analysis was determined by chi-squared test. Results: Single people from Poznan with secondary and higher education are, respectively, more than 4-fold and 7-fold likely to go on longer trips ( ≥ 10 days) than shorter ones (< 10 days). Highly educated single people from Warsaw (compared to those with secondary education) are 1.25 times more likely to travel for ≥ 10 days than for < 10 days. The likelihood for long trips also increases several times among people who have income > PLN 2,000 (3 times in Poznan, 7 times in Warsaw) and those declaring income < PLN 1,500 (1.6 times in Poznan, 1.5 times in Warsaw). In the case of respondents from Warsaw, being a man doubles the likelihood of traveling for ≥ 10 days. Conclusions: Participation of urban single people in long-term trips is a reflection of contemporary trends in the market of tourist services. However, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive analysis of leisure time behavior of single people. It


Estimating covariance matrices in high-dimensional settings is a challenging problem central to modern finance. The sample covariance matrix is well-known to give poor estimates in high dimensions with insufficient samples, and may cause severe risk underestimates of optimized portfolios in the Markowitz framework. In order to provide useful estimates in this regime, a variety of improved covariance matrix estimates have been developed that exploit additional structure in the data. Popular approaches include low-rank (principal component and factor analysis) models, banded structure, sparse inverse covariances, and parametric models. We investigate a novel nonparametric prior for random vectors which have a spatial ordering: we assume that the covariance is monotone and smooth with respect to this ordering. This applies naturally to problems such as interest-rate risk modeling, where correlations decay for contracts that are further apart in terms of expiration dates. We propose a convex optimization (semi-definite programming) formulation for this estimation problem, and develop efficient algorithms. We apply our framework for risk measurement and forecasting with Eurodollar futures, investigate limited, missing and asynchronous data, and show that it provides valid (positive-definite) covariance estimates more accurate than existing methods.


Although it has been clearly established that glucocorticoids inhibit mitogen- or antigen-induced lymphocyte proliferation, the mechanism underlying this effect has remained ill-defined. Recently, it has become evident that T cell proliferation is mediated by a soluble T cell growth factor (TCGF) released by mitogen/antigen stimulated T cells. Therefore it seemed probable that the inhibitory effects of glucocorticoids were manifested either at the level of TCGF production or at the level of the activated T lymphocyte. We found that differentiated cytolytic T lymphocytes harvested from TCGF-dependent long-term culture were only mildly sensitive to inhibitory effects (25 to 30% inhibition) of glucocorticoids as measured by decreased cellular proliferation and the incorporation of tritiated thymidine. The degree of inhibition observed was most probably mediated through glucocorticoid receptors in that the half maximal inhibitory glucocorticoid concentration correlated with half-maximal glucocorticoid receptor saturation. In contrast, we found that mitogen-induced TCGF production and T cell proliferation were completely inhibited by pharmacologic concentrations of dexamethasone (10 -6 M). Finally, the TCGF supplementation of mitogen-stimulated cultures treated with maximal inhibitory concentrations of dexamethasone resulted in complete amelioration of glucocorticoid suppression. These results indicate that a major mechanism of glucocorticoid-mediated immunosuppression may occur at the level of the TCGF-producing cell, resulting in the control of clonal expansion of activated T cells via inhibition of TCGF production.


Using epitaxy and the misfit strain imposed by an underlying substrate, it is possible to elastically strain oxide thin films to percent levels—far beyond where they would crack in bulk. Under such strains, the properties of oxides can be dramatically altered. In this article, we review the use of elastic strain to enhance ferroics, materials containing domains that can be moved through the application of an electric field (ferroelectric), a magnetic field (ferromagnetic), or stress (ferroelastic). We describe examples of transmuting oxides that are neither ferroelectric nor ferromagnetic in their unstrained state into ferroelectrics, ferromagnets, or materials that are both at the same time (multiferroics). Elastic strain can also be used to enhance the properties of known ferroic oxides or to create new tunable microwave dielectrics with performance that rivals that of existing materials. Results show that for thin films of ferroic oxides, elastic strain is a viable alternative to the traditional method of chemical substitution to lower the energy of a desired ground state relative to that of competing ground states to create materials with superior properties.


This article is concerned with the representation of memory in sf films at the beginning of the twenty-first century. It will examine three films in particular: Michael Winterbottom's Code 46 (UK/US 2003), Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (US 2004) and Wong Kar-wai's 2046 (France/Germany/Hong Kong/China 2004). These films are concerned with the complexities of chance encounters and elusive relationships, highlighting themes of memory, love, nostalgia and longing. They follow on from an earlier tradition of sf films that focus on memory's subjectivity, preoccupied with the use of technology in creating false or prosthetic memories. The films examined here, however, focus less on the details of technology used in manipulating memory. Instead, their concerns are with the blurring of the distinctions between remembering and forgetting.


This qualitative study examines the concept of EAT associated with the verb meok- 'eat' in Korean. Data were collected from one online Korean newspaper and analysed based on the twin approaches of conceptual metaphor and conceptual metonymy. The Korean verb meok- evokes images of food, nourishment and enjoyable gustation. However, when the verb meok- is used metaphorically, particularly as part of compounds, it evokes expressions of unhappiness, with a negative connotation. As a simplex verb, meok- has been investigated in many studies. However, the investigation of meok- as a compound verb, which projects negativity in the metaphorical use, seems to be rare. Within the conceptual metaphor and metonymy theory of Lakoff and Johnson (1980), Lakoff (1993), Radden & Kovecses (1999) and Kovecses (2010), the present study is aimed at identifying the metaphorical and metonymical expressions of simplex and compound verbs of meok-. The study also examined how the adversity is exposed as a Korean socio-cultural factor in meaning construction of meok-.
The analysis of the investigation found that the simplex meok- 'eat' is conceptualized metaphorically as EXPERIENCE IS EATING, HARBOURING THOUGHT IS EATING, ACQUIRING POSSESSION IS EATING, INTELLECTUAL SATISFACTION IS EATING and CONSUMING RESOURCE IS EATING. Metonymically, the simplex verb meok- 'eat' is conceptualized as EATING STANDS FOR LIFE containing EATING MEAL FOR THE STANDARD OF LIFE, EATING TYPES OF RICE OR WATER FOR TYPES OF LIFE and EATING ALONE FOR LIVING ALONE. Analysis further found that the most significant phenomenon of five (5) compound verbs of meok- 'eat' were saliently extended to the domains of DESTRUCTION as DESTRUCTION IS EATING. Two (2) compound verbs, kkameok- (peel.eat) and ppaemeok- (take out.eat), show partial destruction with DIMINISHING IS EATING and ELIMINATION IS EATING. The other three compound verbs, galgameok- (nibble.eat), jabameok- (slaughter.eat) and malameok- (mix.eat) showed whole destruction in DESTROYING RESOURCE IS EATING, DESTROYING HUMAN LIFE IS EATING and DESTROYING INSTITUTION IS EATING. Analysis also revealed that the concept of adversity is pervasive when used with the metaphorical uses of meok-, specifically in the UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE in simplex meok- and in the DESTRUCTION of resources, human life, and social institutions in the compound verbs of meok-.
The findings revealed that the most important identification of metaphorical uses of meok- is that, in UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE, the agent is 'affected agent' motivated by the unpleasant bodily experience of internalization of food. Metonymical extensions of meok- were more strikingly associated with bap 'cooked rice', the Korean staple foodstuff. However, the Korean speaker's cognitive choice of the metaphorical uses of compound verbs of meok- is 'destruction'. It appears that the Koreans conceptualize the abstract destructive phenomena of the real world via the destructive concept of EAT. Findings also indicate that the sense of adversity with a critical and negative connotation serves as an alert and serves as a verbal warning through the use of metaphorical expressions of meok-.


Most people suffer pain at some stage of their lives. Therefore, pain is the most common reason to seeking therapeutic alternative or conventional medicine. Pain management particularly in chronic pain due to postoperative is systematically have been developed by various great recommendations that assist the health care practitioner and patient in making decisions about health care. In recent years, we have developed a better understanding of the pathomechanisms that link inflammation and peripheral sensitization about pain which can be overcome through an alternative treatment. This approach is known as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The development of the combined health approach has lately been known as Integrative Medicine, which seeks to restore and maintain health by understanding a series of patients' unique circumstances and overcoming their various physical, psychological, environmental, and spiritual influences. Through "whole system" treatment will be to elaborate an integrated approach, by dhikr, hijamah, and herbal medicine for facilitating the transition from viewing "pain" only as a matter of specific bodily functions (specific) to a more holistic view at the systemic level through integrative medicine to health care with a broader holistic approach.


Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of institutional factors and the European Union (EU) accounting harmonization on the value-relevance and comparability of dirty surplus accounting flows (DSFs) in the member countries throughout the period 1993 to 2002. Design/methodology/approach - The returns-earnings models and fixed-effect operating income growth models are used to examine the differences in the incremental and relative relevance of DSFs between countries which have a piecemeal system of regulation with significant input from the profession and/or market participants, and the code law countries with the government being the most important institution with regard to accounting regulation. Moreover, the relevance of DSFs in the three sub-periods is compared, each reflecting quite distinct attitudes in the EU towards international accounting harmonization. Findings - DSFs are incrementally relevant in Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Sweden and the UK, where equity market plays an important role in the country's financing system; and in comparison to comprehensive income, reported income is a dominant measure of performance in most European countries, with the exception of the five afore-mentioned countries. There is also evidence that cross country differences in the value-relevance and predictability of DSFs decrease in the later years of this sample period. Research limitations/implications - Future research focusing upon the specific accounting changes made by companies in the EU is needed for a better understanding of the relative importance of stock market integration and standard setting changes in explaining the characteristics of DSFs. Practical implications - The results indicate that the convergence in the reporting of DSFs over time is driven by global capital market integration, and more importantly, the accounting harmonization activities carried out via self-regulation with significant input from the profession and/or market participants at national level. Originality/value - The paper seeks to explore, firstly, the extent to which differences in the reporting of DSFs across the EU may be explained by institutional differences. Secondly, it explores whether or not differences across the countries have decreased in three phases of the EU harmonization process.


King Faysal (1906-1975) ruled Saudi Arabia from 1964 until his assassination eleven years later. By that point his legacy as one of the most instrumental actors in the development of the modern Middle East had been assured.Faysal bin 'Abdul 'Aziz Al Sa'ud had first served as a key diplomat and foreign minister for Saudi Arabia when he was prince and heir apparent. Always a keen decision-maker, he established important relationships not only in the region but also with European nations and the United States. By the time he ascended to the throne, Faysal understood how dependent many nations were on his country's oil, an understanding that led to the oil embargo of 1973 and the solidification of Saudi Arabia's leadership, wealth, and power.In "Faysal", Joseph Kechichian offers the first biography of the ruler in decades, and the first to make use of interviews and key archival and declassified documents. Utilizing the same writing style that has earned accolades from "The Economist" and other publications, Kechichian offers a balanced assessment of Faysal and his impact. Any understanding of the ties between Saudi Arabia and the West is incomplete without this book.


In order to estimate the rainfall fields over an entire basin raingauge, pointwise measurements need to be interpolated and the small-scale variability of rainfall fields can lead to biases in the rain rate estimation over an entire basin, above all for small or medium size mountainous and urban catchments. For these reasons, several raingauges should be installed in different places in order to determine the spatial rainfall distribution during the evolution of the natural phenomena over the selected area. In technical applications, many empirical relations are used in order to deduce heavy areal rainfall, when just one raingauge is available. In this work, we studied the areal reduction factor (ARF) using radar reflectivity maps collected with the Polar 55C, a C-band Doppler dual polarized coherent weather radar with polarization agility and with a 0.9 ◦ beamwidth. The radar rainfall estimates, for an area of 1 km 2, were integrated for heavy rainfall with an upscaling process, until we had rainfall estimate for an area of 900 km 2. The results obtained for a significant amount of data by using this technique are compared with the most important relations of the areal reduction factor reported in the literature.


Since the start of commercial plastics production in the 1940s, global production has rapidly accelerated, doubling approximately every 11 years. Despite this increase and clear evidence of plastics loss into the oceans, including a substantial standing stock, previous research has not detected a temporal trend in plastic particle concentration in the surface ocean. Using a generalized additive statistical model, we examined the longest dataset available on floating plastic debris collected using plankton nets in the western North Atlantic from 1986 through 2015. There was a significant increasing temporal trend in plastic particle concentration that tracked cumulative global plastics production. We estimated an increase of 506,000 tonnes of floating plastic in the ocean in 2010 alone, or 0.2% of global production. Our results suggest that, while loss of plastic particles from the surface ocean undoubtedly occurs, the input exceeds the collective losses.


This paper will analyse two of the likely damage mechanisms present in a paper fibre matrix when placed under controlled stress conditions: fibre/fibre bond failure and fibre failure. The failure process associated with each damage mechanism will be presented in detail focusing on the change in mechanical and acoustic properties of the surrounding fibre structure before and after failure. To present this complex process mathematically, geometrically simple fibre arrangements will be chosen based on certain assumptions regarding the structure and strength of paper, to model the damage mechanisms. The fibre structures are then formulated in terms of a hybrid vibro-acoustic model based on a coupled mass/spring system and the pressure wave equation. The model will be presented in detail in the paper. The simulation of the simple fibre structures serves two purposes; it highlights the physical and acoustic differences of each damage mechanism before and after failure, and also shows the differences in the two damage mechanisms when compared with one another.
The results of the simulations are given in the form of pressure wave contours, time-frequency graphs and the Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) diagrams. The analysis of the results leads to criteria by which the two damage mechanisms can be identified. Using these criteria it was possible to verify the results of the simulations against experimental acoustic data. The models developed in this study are of specific practical interest in the paper-making industry, where acoustic sensors may be used to monitor continuous paper production. The same techniques may be adopted more generally to correlate acoustic signals to damage mechanisms in other fibre-based structures.


We have made a very compact diode laser system for our optically pumped cesium beam frequency standard experimental setup. With the new developed saturated absorption spectrum setup the whole laser mount with all optical parts is small in a /spl Phi/8 cm/spl times/5 cm cylinder. A bi-directional laser diode temperature stabilizer doing either cooling or heating has been developed to stabilize the laser diode temperature within /spl plusmn/4 mK in wide ambient temperature range (10-30/spl deg/C). In addition, an automatic frequency lock device could lock the diode laser frequency to a cesium D/sub 2/ line by simply a button pressing and it could re-lock the laser frequency itself in case the frequency lock was broken. The techniques mentioned above make the diode laser system very durable. It is resistant to mechanical vibration and wide ambient temperature change, and it is very easy to operate. It can be locked to a certain cesium transition line for several months and it is movable while the frequency is locked. These features make this system suitable for a small optically pumped cesium beam frequency standard.


HOLISTICA Journal of Business and Public Administration has been the result of the authors' need to approach 'in integrum' the phenomena, processes and structures in different specializations. The complexity of socio-economic life determines specialists, as a sine-qua-non condition, to pay more attention to the influence of the parts on the whole, to the configuration and reconfiguration of the whole through the modification of the parts. The multitude of relations and interdependences between the economic, social, political environments create the context for integrated multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary analyses, in which specialists from various thematic areas could offer solutions to current issues.Starting from the definition of the term holism – a conception which interprets the thesis of the irreducibility of the whole to the sum of its parts, considering an immaterial, unknowable principle as an 'integrating factor in the world (DEX), the journal aims at bringing together scientific and methodological research, viewpoints that would explain the behavior of the specific components and the effects on the whole.This is why the main topics of the journal cover a broad area of domains as: management (general, strategic, project, human resources, financial, production, quality, information system, company, foreign investment etc.), public management (good governance, public finance and budgeting, sustainable development, public institutions, public investment, public services, public expenditure etc.), marketing (strategic marketing, sales policies, customer behavior, market segmentation, marketing research, supply and demand etc.), public and nonprofit marketing (strategic marketing, public policies, citizens' behavior, marketing research, public supply and demand etc.), business administration (entrepreneurship, business approach, accounting, planning, decision making etc.), business communication, public administration (all subjects that could offer an image on the administration), law (regulations, EU directives, commercial legislation, labor law etc.), public law (administrative, civil, communitaire, European etc.), economics (macro and micro economics, forecast, statistics, national strategies etc.).In our opinion, a diverse and ample knowledge of current issues, the possibility to reflect on the most important subjects from multiple perspectives and linking these to the whole make the identification of solutions possible, so as to reach the common goal – a better life.We are facing multiple economic challenges (crises, disequilibria, structural changes, conceptual controversies), social challenges (unemployment, social exclusion, underprivileged categories, racism, etc.), political challenges (conflicts, attacks, terrorism, changes in doctrines, etc.), all with a direct or indirect impact on communities and individuals. Each of us is at the same time a part and a whole, a system and a subsystem, we connect or we are connected and, most importantly, we make decisions and are the object or the subject of all other decisions. This fact motivates our desire to bring to the attention of decision-makers the importance of granting proper attention to the impact and effects of their actions on the whole. The integrating element which gives its essence, unity and specificity to the whole lies in this neural network of links and dependencies.


Knowledge of agricultural soils is a relevant factor for the sustainable development of farming activities. Studies on agricultural soils usually begin with the analysis of data obtained from sampling a finite number of sites in a particular region of interest. The variables measured at each site can be scalar (chemical properties) or functional (infiltration water or penetration resistance). The use of functional geostatistics (FG) allows to perform spatial curve interpolation to generate prediction curves (instead of single variables) at sites that lack information. This study analyzed soil penetration resistance (PR) data measured between 0 and 35 cm depth at 75 sites within a 37 ha plot dedicated to livestock. The data from each site were converted to curves using non-parametric smoothing techniques. In this study, a B-splines basis of 18 functions was used to estimate PR curves for each of the 75 sites. The applicability of FG as a spatial prediction tool for PR curves was then evaluated using cross-validation, and the results were compared with classical spatial prediction methods (univariate geostatistics) that are generally used for studying this type of information. We concluded that FG is a reliable tool for analyzing PR because a high correlation was obtained between the observed and predicted curves (R2 = 94 %). In addition, the results from descriptive analyses calculated from field data and FG models were similar for the observed and predicted values.


Artificial neural networks (ANNs) technology models the pattern recognition capabilities of the neural networks of the brain. Similarly to a single neuron in the brain, artificial neuron unit receives inputs from many external sources, processes them, and makes decisions. Interestingly, ANN simulates the biological nervous system and draws on analogues of adaptive biological neurons. ANNs do not require rigidly structured experimental designs and can map functions using historical or incomplete data, which makes them a powerful tool for simulation of various non-linear systems.ANNs have many applications in various fields, including engineering, psychology, medicinal chemistry and pharmaceutical research. Because of their capacity for making predictions, pattern recognition, and modeling, ANNs have been very useful in many aspects of pharmaceutical research including modeling of the brain neural network, analytical data analysis, drug modeling, protein structure and function, dosage optimization and manufacturing, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics modeling, and in vitro in vivo correlations. This review discusses the applications of ANNs in drug delivery and pharmacological research.


The "re-opening" of the American economy while the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is still circulating puts workers at heightened risk of contracting the deadly virus. In some blue-collar industries, the risk is particularly acute because of the inherent nature of the work itself and of the workplaces in which it is conducted. And the risk, for a variety of reasons, falls disproportionately on people of color and low-income workers. With governors stay-at-home orders and other pandemic safety restrictions, Center for Progressive Reform Member Scholars Thomas McGarity, Michael Duff, and Sidney Shapiro examine the federal government's many missed opportunities to stem the spread of the virus in the nation's workplaces, and make recommendations for what needs to happen next to protect employees on the job.


The two topologies and associated syntheses described here are dedicated to the design of capacitive-coupled dual-behavior resonator filters. The technique is based on the coupling of adjacent dual-behavior resonators (DBRs). The aim is to control the spurious resonances associated to classical DBR filters. In the first coupling technique, the inverter is replaced with an equivalent scheme composed of a set of three capacitors, i.e., a positive capacitor associated with two negative ones in parallel on both sides. The second technique relies on the same principle, but two equivalent schemes are moved along each stub of the resonators; the capacitance is then calculated by considering the position of the coupling effect on the stub and the value of the inverter. In both cases the synthesis is totally defined. In order to validate this concept, capacitive-coupled DBR filters and classical filters were designed on alumina substrate so as to compare simulation and experimental data


Background: Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers. Herbal compounds have been considered for the treatment of cancer due to anticancer effects. Peel of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) has antioxidant and anticancer properties due to its phenolic compounds. Quercetin is a herbal flavonoid that can inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. The present study compared the anti-proliferative effects of pomegranate's fruit peel extract and quercetin on the calu-6 human lung carcinoma cell line and their co-effects in inhibiting the proliferation and migration of cancer cells. Material and Methods: Calu-6 cell line was purchased from Pasteur institute and cultured in RPMI1640 medium containing 10% FBS and 1% antibiotic. To determine the survival rate of t-cells, MTT assay was performed. Type of cell death was determined by flow cytometry, and scratch test was used to determine the migration rate of the cells. Results: The results showed that pomegranate fruit peel extract and quercetin inhibited the proliferation of lung cancer cells. Also, quercetin and pomegranate extract induced apoptosis in calu-6 cells individually and simultaneously so that the level of expression of annexin-V in quercetin and pomegranate peel extract was 18.20% and 15.59%, respectively, and increased by 25.51% during the co-treatment that difference was significant at P<0.05 The results of the scratch test also indicated that pomegranate peel extract and quercetin inhibited metastatic activity in calu-6 cells. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that quercetin and pomegranate peel extract have anti-cancer effects and can be considered as a complementary medicine of lung cancer.


Objective: Besides others, there are two major problems in total hip replacement surgery which result in implant failure. First there is aseptic loosening due to a lack of implant biocompatibility or micromovements and second periimplant wear debris induced osteolysis which limits the survival rate of an implant. Regarding to recent data there are only limited therapeutic strategies to heal these bony defects without arthroplasty revision surgery. Since the investigation and characterization of adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from bone marrow, a cell and tissue engineering based therapy might be a promising solution to heal endoprosthesis associated bony defects. Moreover the application of growth factors in bone reconstructive surgery is another treatment concept to promote local bone regeneration. Patient and Methods: We report about a 73-year old patient with a painful weight bearing and a large, wear debris induced pelvic osteolysis after total hip arthroplasty. To prevent from salvage surgical procedures and preserve bone, a healing attempted was performed by filling the critical bony defect zone with a BMP-2/MSC composit. Results: Clinical and radiological follow-ups showed a progressive bony healing of the critical size defect area without any complications. Fifteen months after application the patient is still pain free, has no limitations in daily life or sport activities. Conclusion: The case embarks on a strategy of non-embryonic stem cell and growth factor application to heal bony defects at patients with total hip endoprosthesis.


The use of antiseptics in wounds can cause long-term side effects. This study aims to determine the potential of mango leaves (Mangifera indica L) as a natural ingredient for healing wounds. This true experimental research used six treatment groups. This study used a completely randomized design of four repetitions using 24 samples of white rats (Rattus norvegicus) taken randomly. The results of the Anova statistical test showed that there was a difference in the effect of giving mango leaf extract to incisive wound healing. The results showed that a concentration of 20% showed a faster recovery time of 7.25 days with an average wound closure of 4.02 mm. This indicates that the extract of mango leaves has the potential to be used as a healing wound for the incision.


This paper presents the reinforcement work carried out in San Francesco Church in Cuneo: it is a steel structural work designed to realize two categories of intervention; one provisional to guarantee the building's safety and the other one for the permanent reinforcement. The numeric model of the church's naves and pillars which were out of plumb has been realized; the prestressing action of chains and metallic spatial prop of strengthening has been simulated in the computer model. The numeric model has also allowed to simulate the lightening action of pillars by means of steel device of shoring operated by twelve hydraulic jacks.


Genesis
Johnson (2010, p.26) argues that most ideas 'do not happen in a flash' but rather form as a result of the 'adjacent possible', a term coined to describe the notion that ideas are only 'built out of a collection of existing parts' at a certain time. The Pop-Up Art Schools (PUAS) at the University of Huddersfield, the focus of this chapter, resulted from an eclectic collection of temporary and alternative cultural, social and retail events at a particular time. Pop-up shops began opening in unexpected places; pop-up restaurants and bars offered new experiences in unusual locations and art galleries inhabited disused shops. These pop-ups seemed fresh and exciting, and were portrayed by the media as creative 'go now or miss it' opportunities. There seemed to be a zeitgeist, something 'in the air'. There was clearly an attraction to the fleeting and ephemeral, combined with a desire to experience something unusual and memorable. Many of the pop-ups seemed to offer the chance to form an instant community through shared 'real-life' experiences and connection with others. They seemed to provide an antidote to the impersonal, the corporate and the slick. They seemed to have more soul.


A growing body of theoretical and empirical work has been attempting to answer the questions of how and how much of the effects of children's early experience may depend on their inner characteristics. Theory and evidence suggest that some children, notably those with difficult temperaments, are more susceptible to both negative and positive aspects of parenting. The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether child temperament moderated the links between the quality of mother-infant interactions, observed when children were 1 year of age, and two components of child executive functioning (EF) at 3 years, namely impulse control and conflict EF, among 74 mother–child dyads. The results were consistent with the notion that children with more difficult temperaments may be more susceptible to maternal behaviors than children with less difficult temperaments, but only regarding the development of impulse control abilities. There was no clear evidence of such moderation for conflict EF. These results support the idea that distinct mechanisms may underlie the development of different dimensions of child EF.


The preparation of high-performance stretchable electrodes is the main challenge in achieving stretchable lithium-ion batteries. The ideal solution is to use an extensible current collector with high conductivity; however, no related work has been reported yet. Commercial binders have difficulty withstanding tensile deformation and guaranteeing sufficient contact between active materials and current collectors. Here, stretchable electrodes are developed based on a poly(styrene)-b-poly(n-butyl acrylate)–poly(styrene)/single-walled carbon nanotube composite as an elastic current collector and poly(styrene)-b-poly(methyl acrylate)–poly(styrene) as an elastomeric binder. The relationship between the conductivity of the current collector and the electrode performance is revealed. It is found that when the conductivity of the stretchable current collector is higher than 10−2 S cm−1, the stretchable electrodes exhibit equivalent electrochemical performance to those prepared from rigid metal current collectors. 50% deformation can be reached which is enough for most wearable devices. With the decrease of carbon nanotube content, 80% deformation can be reached without badly sacrificing the performance. Stretchable electrodes that have been subjected to 100 stretching cycles display similar performance to the initial pre-stretched state, indicating that the electrode is stable and deforms reversibly. Based on their performance, stretchable current collectors may soon replace rigid metal ones in batteries used in stretchable electronics.


BACKGROUND
Education, as a key indicator of human capital, is considered one of the major determinants of internal migration, with previous studies suggesting that human capital accumulates in urban areas at the expense of rural areas. However, there is fragmentary evidence concerning the educational correlates of internal migration in sub-Saharan Africa.

OBJECTIVES
The study questions whether more precise measures of migration in Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) populations support the hypothesis that migrants are self-selected on human capital and more educated people are more likely to leave rural areas or enter urban areas within a geographical region.

METHODS
Using unique longitudinal data representing approximately 900,000 people living in eight sub-Saharan African HDSS sites that are members of the INDEPTH Network, the paper uses Event History Analysis techniques to examine the relationship between formal educational attainment and in-and out-migration, over the period 2009 to 2011.

RESULTS
Between 7% and 27% of these local populations are moving in or out of the HDSS area over this period. Education is positively associated with both in-and out-migration in the Kenyan HDSS areas; however, the education effect has no clear pattern in the HDSS sites in Burkina Faso, Mozambique, and South Africa.

CONCLUSIONS
Empirical results presented in this paper confirm a strong age profile of migration consistent with human capital expectation, yet the results point to variability in the association of education and the propensity to migrate. In particular, the hypothesis of a shift of human capital from rural to urban areas is not universally valid.


A synthetic chemical strategy aimed at altering the cross-linking density of the electropolymerized conjugated polymer polypyrrole has been devised and implemented. The actuation performance of the synthesized material was assessed using a new type of apparatus capable of making rapid, non-contact dynamic measurements. The affect of cross-linking on the actuation performance of polypyrroles, was investigated.


The filling of multi-walled carbon nanotubes with metallic silver nanowires via wet chemistry method was investigated. The carbon nanotubes were filled with long continuous silver nanowires. The carbon nanotubes were almost opened and cut after being treated with concentrated nitric acid. Silver nitrate solution filled carbon nanotubes by capillarity. Carbon nanotubes were filled with silver nanowires after calcinations by hydrogen. The diameters of silver nanowires were in the range of 20-40 nm, and lengths of 100 nm - 10 μm. We studied the micromorphology of the silver nanowires filled in carbon nanotubes by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Based on the experimental results, a formation mechanism of the Ag nanowire-filled carbon nanotubes was proposed.


Received: February 01, 2019 Accepted: February 14, 2020 Published: February 31, 2020 Volume: 3 Issue: 2 DOI: 10.32996/ijllt.2020.3.2.20 Nowadays, scientific analysis of language has a special place in the sciences, since the scientific methods give a better understanding of the texts. The emergence of forensic linguistics in recent years in Iran and the presentation of various approaches in this field has greatly accepted. This article analyzes a number of advisory theories of Iranian Justice Department based on the systemic functional grammar. One of the concepts in the systemic functional grammar is grammatical metaphor. Grammatical metaphor is one of the hallmarks of the language of science, and according to Holliday (2004) grammatical metaphor is of great importance in the development of scientific discourse and the advancement of reasoning in texts. Holliday has introduced and distinguished three types of grammatical metaphor, i.e. ideational, interpersonal and textual. The purpose of this research is to study the application of these types of metaphors in legal texts, to gain a better understanding of them. For this purpose, we examine the use of ideational, interpersonal and textual metaphors by examining about 20 advisory theories of Iranian Legal Department of Justice randomly. The results of this study suggest that legal texts have their own unique style and that the reason for applying such metaphors is to make these texts distinctive. Therefore, a better and more accurate understanding of these texts can be achieved with a closer look at the analytical tools presented. KEYWORDS


How do students discover ecology? Answering this question is essential for diversifying the environmental workforce because scientific disciplines, such as ecology, are often not discovered until students enter academia and are exposed to different disciplinary options. Ecology, and many of the environmental sciences, have persistent and alarmingly low numbers of underrepresented minorities (URM; African American, Hispanic American, Native American, and Pacific Islanders), while other science and technology fields have shown progress in diversification. Why does such underrepresentation persist in environmental disciplines? Social factors such as sense of belonging, science identity, implicit biases, and stereotypes all have been explored and are known to influence the participation of URM students in science. The unique role of the field experience in environmental sciences as a "rite of passage" and "authentic" research experience is one important influence on how URM students experience ecology. Interventions using social elements such as belonging and sense of place are demonstrated ways to broaden participation particularly in environmental science fields, yet dramatic underrepresentation still persists. Here we review known factors affecting and enhancing the recruitment and retention of URMs in the sciences and focus on comprehensive strategies shown to be effective recruiting URM students into the environmental workforce.


To assess age-specific infection fatality rates (IFRs) for COVID-19, we have conducted a systematic review of seroprevalence studies as well as countries with comprehensive tracing programs. Age-specific IFRs were computed using the prevalence data in conjunction with reported fatalities four weeks after the midpoint date of each study, reflecting typical lags in fatalities and reporting. Using metaregression procedures, we find a highly significant log-linear relationship between age and IFR for COVID-19. The estimated age-specific IFRs are very low for children and younger adults but increase progressively to 0.4% at age 55, 1.3% at age 65, 4.2% at age 75, and 14% at age 85. About 90% of the geographical variation in population IFR is explained by differences in age composition of the population and age-specific prevalence. These results indicate that COVID-19 is hazardous not only for the elderly but also for middle-aged adults. Moreover, the population IFR for COVID-19 should not be viewed as a fixed parameter but as intrinsically linked to the age-specific pattern of infections. Consequently, public health measures to protect vulnerable age groups could substantially decrease total deaths.


Competition for land in the mountains can be foreseen to increase in the near future. This development will result in trade offs and prioritization between the different demands for land. For reindeer husbandry it is essential to motivate the need for control over good grazing land for different seasons and situations, not only by preventing direct exploitation of such land, but also to minimize disturbance by traffic and people in the vicinity. It will therefore be important to demonstrate in quantitative terms 1) what habitat types and areas that are essential for the reindeer in different seasons and situations and for different activities (grazing, resting, protection for insects etc), and 2) how different forms and intensities of disturbance affect the reindeer. We plan a project with these aims and will primarily work with the summer grazing situation. For many years we have run a similar project related to sheep grazing in the vicinity of Hessdalen, and we have developed methods and techniques that to a large extent are applicable to reindeer. We will discuss methods and results from the sheep study, how they can apply to reindeer, and provide the quantitative information needed. We use modern, high resolution GPS telemetry with very high spatial resolution (95% within ca 6.4 m), and frequent recording, e.g., every five minutes during some periods. This provides knowledge not only of the movements by the animals in the landscape, but also on their activities and will be related to vegetation maps with the same accuracy as the telemetry data (from aerial photographs, offering higher resolution than available satellite data). Results show that sheep use only a very small portion of the available rangeland, and that selectivity varies with season and weather conditions. Almost certainly the situation is similar with reindeer, although the two species have rather different grazing pattern, with reindeer being much more mobile than sheep. We plan to use the same methods to describe what habitats and areas are essential for reindeer, and how it varies over time, with weather, insect abundance etc. The highly accurate telemetry also provides possibilities to quantify how different types and intensities of disturbance affects the habitat use and behavior of the different reindeer categories.


Background. Given the scarcity of cadaveric organs, efforts are intensifying to increase the availability of living donors. The current study assessed the feasibility of using ABO-incompatible living-donor kidneys to expand the donor pool. Methods. The authors performed 18 ABO-incompatible living-donor kidney transplants between May 1999 and April 2001. Ten patients received living-donor kidneys from A2 and eight patients received kidneys from non-A2 blood group donors. Immunosuppression consisted of Thymoglobulin antibody induction, tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone. Eight non-A2 and two A2 kidney recipients also received a pretransplant conditioning regimen of four plasmapheresis treatments followed by intravenous immunoglobulin and splenectomy at the time of transplantation. Antidonor blood group antibody titer was measured at baseline, pretransplant, at 1- to 3-month and 1-year follow-up, and at the time of diagnosis of antibody-mediated rejection. Results. No hyperacute rejection episodes occurred. One-year graft and patient survival rates in the 18 ABO-incompatible recipients were only slightly lower than those of 81 patients who received ABO-compatible kidney transplants during the same period (89% vs. 96% and 94% vs. 99%, respectively). Glomerular filtration rate and serum creatinine levels did not differ between the groups. Antibody-mediated rejection occurred in 28% of ABO-incompatible recipients, and was reversible with plasmapheresis, intravenous immunoglobulin, and increasing immunosuppression in all patients except one. Conclusions. ABO-incompatible living donor kidney transplants can achieve an acceptable 1-year graft survival rate using an immunosuppressive regimen consisting of Thymoglobulin induction, tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone combined with pretransplant plasmapheresis, intravenous immunoglobulin, and splenectomy.


The beginnings of the shaping of social representations of borrowings in the public sphereThe article presents an initial phase of the process of shaping of social representations of borrowings. The aim was to obtain a view of the way in which participants of the public sphere talked about these elements of language, how they perceived them as well as what common sense image was created on this basis in the communication sphere and how it was modified. The first judgements and opinions on the matter of foreign words appeared around the 16th century and evolved from that moment. The theory of social representations developed by Serge Moscovici was applied as a theoretical and methodological basis of the description. Its research tools allow us to see the way in which societies construct meanings of matters important to them. On the basis of the analysis of the material it was established that from the beginning there were rather antagonistic elements of social representations of borrowings. The functionality of borrowings was noticed. Yet it was postulated that they should be eliminated from texts on account of the necessity to develop the native language, the incomprehensibility of statements as well as the excessive trend of foreignness.


Inequalities and injustices are thorny issues in liberal societies, manifesting in forms such as the gender-pay gap; sentencing discrepancies among Black, Hispanic, and White defendants; and unequal medical-resource distribution across ethnicities. One cause of these inequalities is implicit social bias-unconsciously formed associations between social groups and attributions such as "nurturing," "lazy," or "uneducated." One strategy to counteract implicit and explicit human biases is delegating crucial decisions, such as how to allocate benefits, resources, or opportunities, to algorithms. Algorithms, however, are not necessarily impartial and objective. Although they can detect and mitigate human biases, they can also perpetuate and even amplify existing inequalities and injustices. We explore how a philosophical thought experiment, Rawls's "veil of ignorance," and a psychological phenomenon, deliberate ignorance, can help shield individuals, institutions, and algorithms from biases. We discuss the benefits and drawbacks of methods for shielding human and artificial decision makers from potentially biasing information. We then broaden our discussion beyond the issues of bias and fairness and turn to a research agenda aimed at improving human judgment accuracy with the assistance of algorithms that conceal information that has the potential to undermine performance. Finally, we propose interdisciplinary research questions.


Various electrolyte components have been investigated with the aim of improving the cycle life of lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) batteries. A tetraglyme-based electrolyte containing dual anions of Br- and NO3- is a promising electrolyte system in which the cell voltage during charging is reduced because of the redox-mediator function of the Br-/Br3- and NO2-/NO2 couples while the Li-metal anode is protected by Li2O formed via the reaction between Li metal and NO3-. To maximize the potential of this system, the fundamental factors that limit the cycle life should be clarified. In the present work, we used non-destructive electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to analyze the temporal change of the charge transfer resistances during cycles of Li-O2 batteries with the dual anions. The charge transfer resistance at the cathode was revealed to exhibit good correlation with the reduction of the discharge voltage. These results, combined with the results of electrode surface inspections, revealed that irreversible accumulation of insulating deposits such as Li2O2 and Li2CO3 on the cathode surface was a major cause of the short cycle life. Furthermore, the analyses of the time course of the solution resistance suggested that diminished reactivity between the redox mediators and Li2O2 was a critical factor that led to the irreversible accumulation of the less-reactive Li2O2 on the cathode and eventually to a shortened cycle life. These findings indicated that increasing the reactivity between Br3- and Li2O2 is essentially important for improving the cycle stability of Li-O2 batteries, and the reactivity can be non-destructively assessed by tracking the dynamic changes in the solution resistance.


Alterations in histones, chromatin-related proteins, and DNA methylation contribute to transcriptional silencing in cancer, but the sequence of these molecular events is not well understood. Here we demonstrate that on disruption of estrogen receptor (ER) α signaling by small interfering RNA, polycomb repressors and histone deacetylases are recruited to initiate stable repression of the progesterone receptor (PR) gene, a known ERα target, in breast cancer cells. The event is accompanied by acquired DNA methylation of the PR promoter, leaving a stable mark that can be inherited by cancer cell progeny. Reestablishing ERα signaling alone was not sufficient to reactivate the PR gene; reactivation of the PR gene also requires DNA demethylation. Methylation microarray analysis further showed that progressive DNA methylation occurs in multiple ERα targets in breast cancer genomes. The results imply, for the first time, the significance of epigenetic regulation on ERα target genes, providing new direction for research in this classical signaling pathway.


Olanzepine microsphere prepared by external Inotropic gelation technique by using sodium alginate
 and carbopol 974 P as a polymer and calcium chloride as a cross linking agent. In this formulation
 combination of sodium alginate and carbopol 974 P used as a polymer that helps to retard the releasing
 the drug and increases bioavaibility of drug. The Olanzepine microsphere has other characterization is
 in the term ofdrug content, drug entrapment efficiency, P XRD, Differential Scanning Colorimetry, FTIR
 , SEM, in vitro drug release and in vivo drug release.
 The in vitro release pattern of Olanzepine microsphere studied in 900 ml of 0.1 N Hydrochloric acids,
 using USP dissolution apparatus I. The optimized batch F7 shows greater than 80 % of drug release that
 is due to using carbopol polymer that helps to retarded the drug release at targeted site over the other
 formulation. Optimized formulation shows better antidepressant action as compare to pure Olanzepine
 drug.


In a random testing environment, a significant amount of energy is wasted in the LFSR and in the CUT by useless patterns that do not contribute to fault dropping. Another major source of energy drainage is the loss due to random switching activity in the CUT and in the scan path between applications of two successive vectors. In this work, a new built-in self-test (GIST) scheme for scan-based circuits is proposed for reducing such energy consumption. A mapping logic is designed which modifies the state transitions of the LFSR such that only the useful vectors are generated according to a desired sequence. Further, it reduces test application time without affecting fault coverage. Experimental results on ISCAS-89 benchmark circuits reveal a significant amount of energy savings in the LFSR during random testing.


SUMMARY: A total of 978 cultures of heterotrophic organisms were isolated from twelve actively nitrifying soils; each isolate was tested for ability to form nitrite or nitrate in glucose peptone broth. None of the isolates yielded substantial amounts of nitrite; concentrations found did not exceed 2 μg. nitrite-N/ml. Almost 7% of the isolates formed nitrite-N in excess of 0·2 μg./ml., while slightly over 2% yielded more than 0·5 μg./ml. Fungus isolates were the most numerous and most active nitrite producers; fifteen of the fungi formed nitrate in addition to nitrite. Concentrations of 5–45 μg. nitrate-N/ml. were recorded for the active fungi. Further isolations of fungi from ten soils of diverse properties resulted in 353 cultures but only three of these formed nitrate. One of these cultures yielded 90 μg. nitrate-N/ml. after 14 days growth in the test medium.
Most of the fungi which produced nitrate (16 of the 18 active cultures) were identified as Aspergillus flavus. A Penicillium sp., and a Cephalosporium sp. also formed low concentrations of nitrate. Each isolate of A. flavus obtained from soil proved capable of nitrate formation. Strains of A. flavus were encountered which did not yield nitrate, but these had been obtained from culture collections, and had been carried on artificial media for many years. Some stock cultures of A. flavus, several cultures of A. flavus and one of A. glaucus, freshly isolated from wheat seed, also were active nitrate producers. Ammonium sulphate and urea media supported growth of soil fungus isolates but not nitrate formation. Other organic nitrogen substrates in order of increasing effectiveness in nitrate production were: yeast extract, peptone, Protone and casein.


Abstract Objectives Treatment of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) should aim at achieving mucosal healing. However, monitoring schedules to support this goal remain undefined. We aimed to identify patients' and physicians' preferences regarding monitoring strategy and investigated the feasibility of such a strategy. Methods Elements considered relevant for monitoring were identified in questionnaire surveys among 1) patients with IBD receiving biologic agents (n = 172) and 2) their physicians (n = 87). Adherence to a monitoring strategy incorporating these elements was investigated in a retrospective cohort of patients with IBD treated with biologic agents (n = 139). Results Patients considered blood and stool samples, endoscopies, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to be relevant aspects of monitoring their disease. However, patients also considered stool samples and endoscopies unpleasant. Physicians considered blood samples (99%), medical consultations (99%), fecal calprotectin (85%), endoscopy (78%), and MRI (71%) to be important aspects of IBD monitoring but considered endoscopies and MRI relevant only at clinical signs of relapse. A review of the clinical use of monitoring strategies including the elements identified above revealed high adherence for blood samples and disease activity indices (92%), but low adherence for fecal calprotectin (38%), therapeutic drug monitoring (38%), and endoscopies (32%). Conclusion Important tools for evaluating mucosal healing (e.g., endoscopy) were rated highly unpleasant by patients, and physicians found endoscopies/MRI relevant only in case of relapse. These findings were reflected by low rates of adherence to use of these monitoring tools. In defining monitoring schedules to help achieve treatment goals, these important barriers must be addressed.


Image-based virtual try-on aims to synthesize the customer image with an in-shop clothes image to acquire seamless and natural try-on results, which have attracted increasing attentions. The main procedures of image-based virtual try-on usually consist of clothes image generation and try-on image synthesis, whereas prior arts cannot guarantee satisfying clothes results when facing large geometric changes and complex clothes patterns, which further deteriorates the afterwards try-on results. To address this issue, we propose a novel virtual try-on network based on landmark-guided shape matching (LM-VTON). Specifically, the clothes image generation progressively learns the warped clothes and refined clothes in an end-to-end manner, where we introduce a landmark-based constraint in Thin-Plate Spline (TPS) warping to inject finer deformation constraints around the clothes. The try-on process synthesizes the warped clothes with personal characteristics via a semantic indicator. Qualitative and quantitative experiments on two public datasets validate the superiority of the proposed method, especially for challenging cases such as large geometric changes and complex clothes patterns.
Code will be available at https://github.com/lgqfhwy/LM-VTON.


The amount of information exchanged through mobile application by users is been increasing for last decade, one of the reasons behind it is the implementation of better features and services that mobile devices can handle, cell phones are easy acquirable products and reach every economic level of society, opening space for development of new product and services to different type of clients narrowing the production of the application for specific service, the result of democratic technology is the generation of new fields to be explored Big data is clear example of technology evolution and data usage. One of the functionalities that became part of the cell phone standard is the camera into the smartphone which varies from a low resolution to really high quality image depending on the hardware provider and cost of it. According with Flickr report the number of public picture posted on the web reaches over 50 million a day, the number of public post has decreased along the years due the fact that network started occupying other roles besides connect people. This measure does not include the private pictures exchanges well known application that are used to perform this service are not included as they belong to a private network just the number of message handle by Facebook and WhatsApp sums up 60 billion message a day including photos, texts, links and documents. With introduction of APIs and Infrastructure as a service (IAAS) have increased the possibilities of combinations from different sources to create products that satisfy users just in simple steps which differentiates one application to another. The availability of API that can identify object is a new feature to be explored and can be used to start to change the conventional way to do tasks, the creation of new services can be explored in this area.


Finding all nondominated vectors for multi‐objective combinatorial optimization (MOCO) problems is computationally very hard in general. We approximate the nondominated frontiers of MOCO problems by fitting smooth hypersurfaces. For a given problem, we fit the hypersurface using a single nondominated reference vector. We experiment with different types of MOCO problems and demonstrate that in all cases the fitted hypersurfaces approximate all nondominated vectors well. We discuss that such an approximation is useful to find the neighborhood of preferred regions of the nondominated vectors with very little computational effort. Further computational effort can then be spent in the identified region to find the actual nondominated vectors the decision maker will prefer. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2009


The able descriptions by Falconer, supplemented of late by Rütimeyer and Lydekker, have made the Sivālik Ungulates widely known in the scientific world; but the remains of the Carnivora, partly on account of their comparative rarity and, perhaps, partly because they mostly belong to forms which do not strike the imagination so forcibly, have had less attention bestowed on them. As long ago as 1836, Falconer and Cautley described two of the larger forms under the names of Felis cristata and Ursus sivalensis*. The latter was afterwards raised to the rank of a genus, called by Falconer, Hyœnarctos, evidently in opposition to De Blainville, who, under the designation of Sivalarctos, placed it at the head of his new suborder Subursidæ. Subsequently Dr. Falconer described another novel and highly interesting Carnivore under the title of Euhydriodon sivalensis. All these descriptions will be found in the first volume of the Palæontological Memoirs†. Owing to the untimely death of Dr. Falconer, science was deprived of the rare advantage of a description of the remaining Carnivora from the pen of that gifted comparative anatomist. Most of them, however, had been figured by Mr. Ford for the 'Fauna Antiqua Sivalensis'‡, but were never published. At the suggestion of Prof. Judd and Mr. Etheridge, I undertook an examination of these; and through the courtesy and liberality of Dr. Woodward, of the Geological Department, every facility was afforded to me for my investigation. I have also to acknowledge my obligations to Mr. Davies, of the Geological Department