In the management of myocardial infarction prolonged confinement to bed has been superseded by early rising and rehabilitation, the latter being defined as all measures enabling the patient to resume his former activities and to achieve optimal physical and mental performances. Rehabilitation is primarily indicated for patients with recent uncomplicated infarction, severe exercise-induced angina untreatable by coronary bypass and after surgery of the coronary arteries or heart valves. It mainly consists of weekly training sessions aimed at improving physical performance. Its favourable physiological effects, now firmly established, include a 20-30% increase in maximum exercise and angina threshold with equivalent decrease in heart rate, blood pressure and myocardial oxygen consumption; a reduction in serum triglyceride levels, platelet aggregation and circulating and myocardial catecholamines; finally a considerable psychological impact with prompt and easy return to active life.


Abstract Kant's position on teleology and biology is neither inconsistent nor obsolete; his arguments have some surprising and enduring philosophical strengths. But Kant's account will appear weak if we muddy the waters by reading him as aiming to defend teleology by appealing to considerations popular in contemporary philosophy. Kant argues for very different conclusions: we can neither know teleological judgments of living beings to be true, nor legitimately explain living beings in teleological terms; such teleological judgment is justified only as a "problematic" guideline in our search for mechanistic explanations. These conclusions are well supported by Kant's defense of his demanding analysis, according to which teleological judgment literally applies to a complex whole only where teleology truly explains the presence of its parts.


In this thesis gallic acid-triethylene glycol (GATG) dendrimers were synthesised and efficiently functionalized with hydroxyl groups, phenylboronic acids and primary amines. The interactions of the dendrimers with bacteria and the potential for development of new antimicrobials were evaluated in this study. Specifically, the ability of the dendrimers to induce bacterial clustering and interfere with small molecule autoinducer-2 (AI-2) in the Quorum Sensing (QS) pathway of the marine bacteria V. harveyi was studied with the use of Coulter Counter aggregation assays and detection of QS–controlled luminescence. Novel alkynylated ligands with diol-, tetraol-, glucose- and mannose- moieties were synthesised and successfully functionalized to GATG dendrimers of generation G1 and G3 through catalyst-free azide-alkyne cycloaddition (AAC). The results of luminescence experiments reveled that the dendrimers functionalized with hydroxyl groups decreased AI-2 induced luminescence of V. harveyi MM32 at the at early time points (4 h) while a dose-dependent increase of luminescence and increased bacterial growth was observed at later time points.
GATG dendrimers of generation G1 and G3 were decorated with 9 and 81 phenylboronic acid in the periphery. These dendrimers had an inhibitory effect on growth and luminescence as observed by luminescence, aggregation and colony forming unit-counting assays. Although the mechanism is not yet fully understood, these promising results should be further explored.
Cationic GATG dendrimers of generation G1, G2 and G3 with 9, 27 and 81 primary amines in the periphery induced formation of clusters in V. harveyi in a generation dependent manner, an improved ability to induce cluster formation when compared with poly(N-[2- (dimethylamino)propyl]methacrylamide), a cationic linear polymer previously shown to cluster bacteria. Viability of the bacteria within the formed clusters and the evaluation of the QS controlled luminescence suggests that the GATG dendrimers may be activating microbial responses by maintaining a high concentration of QS signals inside the clusters while increasing permeability of the microbial outer membrane. Thus, a generation-dependent effect in bacterial luminescence production and membrane permeability was induced by the cationic dendrimers. The inhibition of growth and increased membrane permeability in combination with cell clustering may be promising antibacterial features of these dendrimers.
These results highlight the potential of the GATG dendritic platform to develop new antimicrobials aimed to target microbial viability and/or virulence (e.g. adhesion) and encourage further investigations on the importance of polymeric architecture and multivalency in the antimicrobial field.


Warnings • Only use F&P Eson Diffuser spare parts. • Ensure only one fabric Diffuser (H) is used in the Diffuser System (H and I). • This mask should only be used with approved CPAP or Bi-Level equipment recommended by your physician or respiratory therapist. A mask should not be used unless the CPAP or Bi-Level machine is turned on and operating properly. The exhaust holes associated with the mask should never be blocked. • Explanation of Warning: CPAP and Bi-Level machines are intended to be used with special masks, which have exhaust holes to allow continuous flow of air out of the mask. When the CPAP or Bi-Level machine is turned on and functioning properly, new air from the CPAP or Bi-Level machine flushes the exhaled air out through the mask's exhaust holes. However, when the CPAP or Bi-Level machine is not operating, not enough fresh air will be provided through the mask, and exhaled air may be re-breathed. Re-breathing of exhaled air for longer than several minutes can lead to suffocation in some circumstances. • At low CPAP or Bi-Level pressures the flow through the exhaust holes may be inadequate to clear all exhaled gas from the tubing. Some re-breathing may occur. • Do not block the exhaust holes. Before use, always ensure that the gas is flowing out the exhaust holes. • Do not use the mask if vomiting or feeling nauseous. • Discontinue use if discomfort or irritation occurs, and consult your healthcare provider. • Discontinue using the mask if there is an allergic reaction to any part of the mask. Consult your physician if this occurs. • Use with Stroke Patients: One study has shown poor compliance with CPAP therapy in stroke patients. Careful evaluation of the patient's capabilities for CPAP therapy should be exercised. • If oxygen is used with CPAP or Bi-Level machine, the oxygen flow must be turned off when the CPAP or Bi-Level machine is not operating. Oxygen accumulated in the CPAP or Bi-Level machine enclosure will create a risk of fire. • Keep ignition sources (e.g. smoking) away from anyone using oxygen with this mask. • California residents please be advised of the following, pursuant to Proposition 65: This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects and other reproductive harm. For more information, please visit: www.fphcare.com/prop65.


Sibyan mektebs, which were known to exist since early times, and which initially aimed to teach religious education and the Qur'an only to boys, are educational institutions that correspond to primary education today. These schools, whose structure has changed over time, constitute the first step of education. As it is known, these schools are usually built by philanthropists who have good knowledge and financial power. In this sense, it is known that there are many philanthropists with good economic status in Kemaliye district. The fact that this village mekteb was built by the villagers is an indication of this.

The subject of this study is the mekteb located in Yesilyurt Village of Kemaliye district of Erzincan. We learn from the document found in the Prime Ministry Ottoman Archives that this mekteb was built by the villagers in 1909. There is no construction inscription on the building. The mekteb which belongs to its head 20th century, is important because it is a structure that has survived until today with its facade features. In addition, introducing this structure, which has not been recorded before, to the scientific world is another aim of the research. It is one of the rare examples in Kemaliye and even Erzincan that can survive today. This study is also important in this respect. Thus, this structure will be introduced and inventoried by us for the first time. The mekteb is used as a village mansion today. Refunctioning the building as a village mansion was a good decision. Here, on important days, the people of the village come together to chat, and if a decision is to be taken about the village, they gather here again.

We can say that the building was damaged by some faulty interventions. For this reason, as a result of the study, suggestions for the protection of the building with a whole approach were also stated.


The relation between the robot with the environment is very important issue for the biped robot's control because the collision with the environment occurs repeatedly during the walking motion. Generally, the position control is used for the biped robot's control. But the position control can not cope with the collision force and the small environmental variations which the robot can not sens by the position sensors (visual sensor, ultrasonic sensors, etc.). In order to realize the stable contact with the environment, the robot must have a compliance by itself.So in this paper, we propose a compliance control strategy for a three dimensional biped robot with variable compliance gain. The goal of this control system is to realize the smooth state transition from the single support phase to the double support phase. The value of this variable compliance gain increases with the interaction force at the bottom of the foot. This variable compliance gain will maintain the performance of the control system in the free motion as well as contact conditions and plays an important role in adusting the stiffness of the biped robot system. The feasibility of the proposed method was confirmed by several numerical and experimental results.


The determination of mortgage rates results from a complex interaction of capital market pricing, the costs associated with credit enhancement, and the valuation of the servicing asset. The actual rate determination process relies on the calculation of the optimal security coupon, based on information from the capital markets, which is then used to determine the points associated with a given rate. Using this process, points for a range of note rates can be determined to generate a rate/point grid, allowing consumers to manage their loan costs by trading off points and rates. The process of determining optimal execution and generating a rate/point grid for conforming-balance loans often involves comparing credit enhancement and servicing costs for both the agency and the private-label market sector. In fact, agency and private-label execution served as competing securitization options for many periods between 2002 and 2006. The cost of credit enhancement is valued differently in the agency and private-label markets. Agency credit costs are a function of the guaranty fees quoted by the government and quasi-government agencies for various products and attributes, and are converted into present-value terms by various methods, including multiples quoted by the agency in question. The cost of private-label credit enhancement is a function of both the amount of subordination required and its pricing, and translates directly into price terms. Therefore, the choice of agency versus private-label execution is often a function of the factors influencing buydown multiples, which in turn are dictated by the same factors that drive servicing and IO valuations. Through the process known as " risk-based pricing," lenders augment the individual loan program's rate/point grid with " add-ons" to account for the idiosyncratic risk associated with unique obligor and loan characteristics. Add-ons are often converted in a rate premium for borrowers unable or unwilling to pay the incremental closing costs associated with the add-ons.


1. 1. Velocity thresholds of neurones in the displacement-sensitive pathway of the crayfish were investigated using a stimulus programme of ramp fluid movements, with a range of velocities from 0.01-55 cm s−1 at the source (in both forward and backward directions).

2. 2. The velocity of the stimulus was calculated to produce particle movements with velocities of between 0.001-1.0cms−1 at the receptors of the telson.

3. 3. The distribution of threshold values for afferents in the fourth root of the sixth abdominal ganglion and interneurones of abdominal 4–5 connectives was plotted. Thresholds were similar for afferents and interneurones, differing in absolute value from 0.001-1.0cms−1. Although neurones had threshold values throughout this range, there were peaks in the distributions. For the sample of 143 interneurones these were at 0.002-0.004, 0.01-0.08, 0.1-0.4cms−1. In the sample of 43 afferents the middle peak fell at 0.02-0.06cms−1, but the other two were the same as those for the interneurones.

4. 4. The threshold for a behaviour pattern which makes crayfish turn to face the water current was around 0.1 cms−1 continuous fluid speed.

5. 5. Escape behaviour elicited by pure displacement stimuli was observed in our experiments only in animals of 2–3 cm body length which responded to displacement amplitudes of 28 mm s−1 and 6.7 cms−1 maximum particle velocity.

6. 6. Strongly phasic interneurones in the pathway obviously contribute significantly in triggering escape and need high acceleration transients to become fully active.

Note:


The purpose of this article is to share approaches for Indigenous students who are novice researchers at post-secondary settings in finding space and culturally relevant ways of representing their worldview in research through Indigenous methodologies and cultural frameworks. While there may be some similarities between Indigenous methodologies and Western qualitative research approaches, there are obvious cultural differences. This article presents an example of an Indigenous Māori centered approach and examples of Aboriginal approaches using Indigenous research methodology through cultural frameworks that may have relevance to both Indigenous students and non-Indigenous allies who support them on their research journey.


High-performance computing requires a deep knowledge of the hardware platform to fully exploit its computing power. The performance of data transfer between cores and memory is becoming critical. Therefore locality is a major area of optimization on the road to exascale. Indeed, tasks and data have to be carefully distributed on the computing and memory resources. We discuss the current way to expose processor and memory locality information in the Linux kernel and in user-space libraries such as the hwloc software project. The current de facto standard structural modeling of the platform as the tree is not perfect, but it offers a good compromise between precision and convenience for HPC runtimes. We present an in-depth study of the software view of the upcoming Intel Knights Landing processor. Its memory locality cannot be properly exposed to user-space applications without a significant rework of the current software stack. We propose an extension of the current hierarchical platform model in hwloc. It correctly exposes new heterogeneous architectures with high-bandwidth or non-volatile memories to applications, while still being convenient for affinity-aware HPC runtimes.


This guide provides an overview of recommended resources to support courses and research at Texas A&M University relating to Educational Psychology.


The genus Usnea Adans. (Parmeliaceae; lichenized Ascomycetes) is a typical group of mostly pale grayish-green fruticoselichens that grow as leafless mini-shrubs. More than 360 species of Usnea are known in the world. Usnea has long been thought to have treat various illnesses in addition to its historical use as dyes, cosmetics, preservatives, and deodorants, particularly in eastern countries such as China, Japan, Taiwan, India and Europe. The current review focuses on the traditional uses and phytochemistry aspects of different Usnea species, and discusses the pharmacological findings and toxicology of their extracts and isolated compounds. The available compilation of data will provide a new base for future perspectives and highlight the need for further studies of this potent herbal source to harvest more beneficial therapeutic drugs. Nineteen species of the genus Usnea are found to be important folk medicines all over the world. It is evident from the comparative analysis of the searched literature that the genus Usnea has been used for various purposes for centuries and its long and traditional medicinal history was well documented in the past. As per ancient records and recent scientific literature, the species of genus Usnea have been used as promising traditional medicines, exerting an array of therapeutic properties to relieve sore throats, bronchitis, cold, flu, infection, and indigestion. Phytochemical analysis confirms the general presence of a wide range of metabolites, polysaccharides, fatty acids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, terpenes, sterols, depsides, depsidones, and benzofurans. As specific constituents, usnic acid, polyphenols, and depsides have been considered as main efficacy component for antibacterial and antifungal activities. In addition, pharmacological analysis also revealed that other pure compounds and crude extracts of Usnea species prove to be significant anti-cancer, anti-proliferative, anti-oxidant, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, hepatoprotective, and anti-genotoxic agents. However, there is a need for more precise investigations to examine the clinical value of both isolated pure compounds and crude extracts and to elucidate their mechanisms of action. Apart from clinical validation and elucidation of their mechanism of action, biosafety studies of the compounds are also important to legitimately use the potential bioactive compounds for the further development of future lead drugs.


This essay addresses the challenges facing journalism in the information age by advocating for the study of journalism from an organizational communication perspective. The communication field has maintained an illogical divide between journalism and organizational communication scholarship. First, I present an overview of subdisciplinary identities. Second, I argue for an organizational communication approach to the study of journalism and refer to an empirical study as an exemplar of this approach. Finally, I present ideas for future research regarding the study of journalism and these subdisciplines. This approach is applicable to settings like newspapers, television news, and other media organizations. Analyzing journalism from an organizational communication perspective can connect academic subdisciplines and aid practitioners in understanding a rapidly evolving media landscape.


Guillaume Coatalen offers annotated editions of Richard Reynolds's The Foundacion of Rhetorike (1563), which has not been edited since the 1945 facsimile edition, and of William Medley's unknown A Brief Discourse of Rhetorike which survives in a single manuscript dated 1575.


Information is provided on the question of age of drug use initiation and relevant policy implications by examining four recent drug use studies. Data is taken from the 1998 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, the 1999 Illicit Drug Reporting System, the 1999 Drug Use Monitoring in Australia project and the 1998 Illicit Drugs and Property Crime Survey. The findings show that those who use drugs and commit crime are likely to have started using drugs earlier than drug users who do not have criminal careers.


Deep Learning, especially Convolutional Neural Net-works (CNN) have been performing very well for the last decade in medical image classification. CNN has already shown a great prospect in detecting COVID-19 from chest X-ray images. However, due to its three dimensional data, chest CT scan images can provide better understanding of the affected area through segmentation in comparison to the chest X-ray images. But the chest CT scan images have not been explored enough to achieve sufficiently good results in comparison to the X-ray images. However, with proper image pre-processing, fine tuning, and optimization of the models better results can be achieved. This work aims in contributing to filling this void in the literature. On this aspect, this work explores and designs both custom CNN model and three other models based on transfer learning: InceptionV3, ResNet50, and VGG19. The best performing model is VGG19 with an accuracy of 98.39% and F-1 score of 98.52%. The main contribution of this work includes: (i) modeling a custom CNN model and three pre-trained models based on InceptionV3, ResNet50, and VGG19 (ii) training and validating the models with a comparatively larger dataset of 1252 COVID-19 and 1230 non-COVID CT images (iii) fine tune and optimize the designed models based on the parameters like number of dense layers, optimizer, learning rate, batch size, decay rate, and activation functions to achieve better results than the most of the state-of-the-art literature (iv) the designed models are made public in [1] for reproducibility by the research community for further developments and improvements.


White adipose tissue (WAT) insulin action has critical anabolic function and is dysregulated in overnutrition. However, the mechanism of short-term high-fat diet–induced (HFD-induced) WAT insulin resistance (IR) is poorly understood. Based on recent evidences, we hypothesize that a short-term HFD causes WAT IR through plasma membrane (PM) sn-1,2-diacylglycerol (sn-1,2-DAG) accumulation, which promotes protein kinase C-ε (PKCε) activation to impair insulin signaling by phosphorylating insulin receptor (Insr) Thr1160. To test this hypothesis, we assessed WAT insulin action in 7-day HFD–fed versus regular chow diet–fed rats during a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. HFD feeding caused WAT IR, reflected by impaired insulin-mediated WAT glucose uptake and lipolysis suppression. These changes were specifically associated with PM sn-1,2-DAG accumulation, higher PKCε activation, and impaired insulin-stimulated Insr Tyr1162 phosphorylation. In order to examine the role of Insr Thr1160 phosphorylation in mediating lipid-induced WAT IR, we examined these same parameters in InsrT1150A mice (mouse homolog for human Thr1160) and found that HFD feeding induced WAT IR in WT control mice but not in InsrT1150A mice. Taken together, these data demonstrate the importance of the PM sn-1,2-DAG/PKCε/Insr Thr1160 phosphorylation pathway in mediating lipid-induced WAT IR and represent a potential therapeutic target to improve WAT insulin sensitivity.


Epoch gradient descent method (a.k.a. Epoch-GD) proposed by (Hazan and Kale, 2011) was deemed a breakthrough for stochastic strongly convex minimization, which achieves the optimal convergence rate of O(1/T) with T iterative updates for the objective gap. However, its extension to solving stochastic min-max problems with strong convexity and strong concavity still remains open, and it is still unclear whether a fast rate of O(1/T) for the duality gap is achievable for stochastic min-max optimization under strong convexity and strong concavity. Although some recent studies have proposed stochastic algorithms with fast convergence rates for min-max problems, they require additional assumptions about the problem, e.g., smoothness, bi-linear structure, etc. In this paper, we bridge this gap by providing a sharp analysis of epoch-wise stochastic gradient descent ascent method (referred to as Epoch-GDA) for solving strongly convex strongly concave (SCSC) min-max problems, without imposing any additional assumptions about smoothness or its structure. To the best of our knowledge, our result is the first one that shows Epoch-GDA can achieve the fast rate of O(1/T) for the duality gap of general SCSC min-max problems. We emphasize that such generalization of Epoch-GD for strongly convex minimization problems to Epoch-GDA for SCSC min-max problems is non-trivial and requires novel technical analysis. Moreover, we notice that the key lemma can be also used for proving the convergence of Epoch-GDA for weakly-convex strongly-concave min-max problems, leading to the best complexity as well without smoothness or other structural conditions.


Sensor data fusion imposes a number of novel requirements on query languages and query processing techniques. A spatial/temporal query language called /spl Sigma/QL has been proposed to support the retrieval and fusion of multimedia information from multiple sources and databases. In this paper we investigate fusion techniques, multimedia data transformations and /spl Sigma/QL query processing techniques for sensor data fusion. Fusion techniques including fusion by the merge operation, the detection of moving objects, and the incorporation of belief values, have been developed. An experimental prototype has been implemented and tested to demonstrate the feasibility of these techniques.


The geography of "culture-war" is usually addressed as the expression of religious, socio-economical, ethnically and historical divides that characterise territorial constructs. In recent research trends, psychologists suggest this culture-war divisions result from gut-feeling-driven moral intuitions that underlie political preferences. Their model, Moral Foundation Theory, is empirically challenging. Because of the complexity of political practices and discourses, researchers have used alternative types of politico-moral productions such a religious discourses to validate MFT. This limits the possibility to understand the geography of culture-war. In this paper, I show how both these failures can be overcome with a longitudinal study on the Swiss direct democratic system. Switzerland has a unique democracy in which all adult citizens vote by referenda up to four times every year on various "objects" such as laws and amendments to the constitution. To vote, Swiss receive from the Federal Chancellery Voting Papers (VP) in which referendum parties present their arguments. I use every VP distributed between 1981 and 2014 (n=278) to analyse the moral foundations of both sides of each referenda. To do so, I run a content analysis on the political arguments presented using the Moral Foundation Dictionary. I then verify Haidt's model by associating the moral print of each referendum with the political orientation of federal political parties. In a second time, I associate these "prints" to the results of each referendum clustered at the municipality level (n=2485). I then run a series of linear regressions to isolate and identify socio-geographical characteristics that correlate with each foundation.


PROLOG is the most well known, widely used programming language for logic programming.
PROLOG is a programming language that uses a small set of basic mechanisms
to create surprisingly powerful programs. These mechanisms are pattern-matching, treebased
data structuring and backtracking. PROLOG is used for the development of scheduling
systems, knowledge systems, expert systems and many other applications. However,
being goal-driven (query driven) PROLOG'S query engine suffers from some well-known
problems such as susceptibility to infinite looping, repeated subcomputation and unsatisfactory
semantics of negation. These limitations have been addressed by the tabled extensions
(TLP) to PROLOG evaluation. The main idea of tabling is to cache the answers
for computations and then reuse them when a repeated computation appears. The TLP
approach assumes that the database of facts/rules, of which the query results drawn from,
remains constant through time and therefore the tabulated results are assumed to remain
valid. This prohibits the use of TLP in non-monotonic logic where such an assumption
cannot be guaranteed. To overcome this problem the idea of incremental tabulation has
been introduced. An incrementally maintained table is one that continually contains the
correct answers in the presence of updates to underlying predicates on which the tabled
predicate depends. The critical challenges for incremental evaluation are how to detect
and update the tabled answers due to the changes in the database of facts and rules associated
with the tabled answers.
ii
This thesis presents an alternative approach to incremental tabulation that is capable
of working in non-monotonic situations. The basic idea of our approach is that, as the
PROLOG inference engine evaluates the query for the first time, the answers returned by
the engine for the query are converted into a justification-based truth-maintenance system
(JTMS) network. Every successful branch is translated into a JTMS network that links the
facts used in the proof branch to the answer generated by that branch. When the same
query is re-evaluated, the query engine collects the valid answers for the query at that
moment and returns them by using the cached proof structure for the query. When the
state of database is changed, the JTMS component propagates the effect of the change
through its network to maintain the consistency of old proofs. At the same time, the
database monitor keeps watching the addition of the new data (facts/rules) to the system
and triggers the resumption of previously proven queries in order to update their proof
structure.
The outcome of this thesis is JLOG. JLOG is a sub-system integrated with PROLOG
inference engine which supports incremental tabled extensions to PROLOG evaluation.
The thesis presents the design, necessary data structures, algorithms and implementation
details of JLOG. The results of comparing the performance of JLOG to regular PROLOG
and Tabled PROLOG systems are also presented.


Over the last century, the United States has enforced its economic and ideological desires throughout the world, but perhaps no other country has been as deeply and diversely impacted by these as Puerto Rico. In order to understand the socioeconomic effects of this volatile relationship, this paper examines the history and workforce of Fort Buchanan, a U.S. Army base in the San Juan metropolitan region. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the thesis presents the qualitative and quantitative effects of the base within the historical context of the United States' imperial and military occupation of the island. The case study of Fort Buchanan demonstrates how exchanges between the two countries are characterized by dynamic flows, persistent tensions and negotiations, and variability across time, space, and politics. While the United States' changing volitions and consistent subjugation have limited the options for growth and prosperity in Puerto Rico, the thesis argues that both parties can use the dynamism inherent in this relationship to their benefit. Even without sovereignty, Puerto Ricans have ensured their continued existence and ability to negotiate with the United States by adapting to and accommodating its changing imperial and military desires. This is shown to be especially true concerning the opportunities for employment and economic development that result from U.S. military presence on the island, which are difficult to find otherwise. Given the depth of socioeconomic impacts that result from these transnational exchanges and an uncertain future ahead, the thesis concludes by arguing that the cultural and qualitative aspects of this relationship merit further study.


The research focused on determinants of undergraduate students' brand choice of banks. Specifically, the study aimed at pursuing the following objectives- to determine the extent of the relationship between  bank proximity  and students' choice of commercial banks, to determine if there is significant relationship between quality service brand and students' choice of commercial banks, to ascertain the extent at which peer group/colleagues (referrals) influence the students' choice of commercial banks, to ascertain the extent at which perceived brand image affect students' choice of commercial banks, and to ascertain if significant relationship exist between brand awareness and students' choice of banks. The population of study consists of 12562 students of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli and Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe. A sample size of 388 was drawn using Taro Yamane's formula at 5% error of tolerance and 95% level of confidence. The instruments used for data collection was primary questionnaire. The total number of 388 copies of the questionnaire was administered to the target respondents. While 320 copies were duly completed and returned, 68 copies were not returned. Survey research method was adopted for the study. The formulated hypotheses were tested using Pearson Product Moment correlation coefficient and Simple Linear regression tools. The findings indicate that there is a significant relationship between bank proximity and undergraduate students' choice of commercial banks (r =.944, P<.05). Quality service brand does not have significant influence on students' choice of commercial banks (r = 0. 844; t = 6.541; F= 143.525; p < 0.05). Peer group/colleagues (Referrals) do not have significant influence on the student's choice of commercial banks (r = 0.569; t = 14. 231; F = 99.104; p < 0.05). There is a positive relationship between perceived image of banks and student choice of commercial banks ( 0. 869; t = 9.531; F= 179.134; p < 0.05). And finally, brand awareness has a significant effect on student choice of commercial banks (r =. 955, P<.05). The study recommends that commercial banks should locate their branches within the campus premises of the tertiary institutions, and/or at least put ATM booths therein. They should also always innovate to improve on their service quality. Students treated with respect and dignity should recommend their peerage to the banks. Moreover, banks must treat their employees as their frontline customers so that they in turn will serve their profitable customers better. And finally, managements should embark on brand awareness creation to educate and sensitize the student customer segment on the uniqueness of their service products.


Influenza A viruses belong to Orthomyxoviridae family and are known to cause infection in humans as well as a variety of mammals and birds. The virus is transmitted between diverse species where it extensively utilizes the host biology for its evolution into new pandemic strains. Not surprisingly, many aspects of the life cycle of Influenza A virus are intimately linked to the functions of host cellular proteins and RNAs. Recent discoveries of viral and cellular factors mediating virus-host interactions have allowed scientists to unravel the key molecular mechanisms of viral infection and escape from innate and adaptive immune responses. Recent technological advancements and usage of genome-wide screens will help in identification of cellular proteins that assist or restrict Influenza A virus life cycle, which in turn will not only further our current understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of Influenza infection but also help to develop novel targets of antiviral strategies. In this review we summarize the techniques used to identify host factors and examine the possible roles of the genes and pathways identified in the viral life cycle.


This is a case of a 43-year-old male presenting with short stature and heart failure. The patient was admitted at the medicine ward of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) for dyspnea. This paper will investigate several issues: differentiating congenital from acquired hypothyroidism, the relationship between hypothyroidism and the cardiomyopathies, and the therapeutic options in patients with cardiomyopathy secondary to hypothyroidism. This is a case of a 43-year-old male presenting with short stature and heart failure. The patient was admitted at the medicine ward of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) for dyspnea. This paper will investigate several issues: differentiating congenital from acquired hypothyroidism, the relationship between hypothyroidism and the cardiomyopathies, and the therapeutic options in patients with cardiomyopathy secondary to hypothyroidism. This is a case of a 43-year-old male presenting with short stature and heart failure. The patient was admitted at the medicine ward of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) for dyspnea. This paper will investigate several issues: differentiating congenital from acquired hypothyroidism, the relationship between hypothyroidism and the cardiomyopathies, and the therapeutic options in patients with cardiomyopathy secondary to hypothyroidism. This is a case of a 43-year-old male presenting with short stature and heart failure. The patient was admitted at the medicine ward of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) for dyspnea. This paper will investigate several issues: differentiating congenital from acquired hypothyroidism, the relationship between hypothyroidism and the cardiomyopathies, and the therapeutic options in patients with cardiomyopathy secondary to hypothyroidism.


We present uroman, a tool for converting text in myriads of languages and scripts such as Chinese, Arabic and Cyrillic into a common Latin-script representation. The tool relies on Unicode data and other tables, and handles nearly all character sets, including some that are quite obscure such as Tibetan and Tifinagh. uroman converts digital numbers in various scripts to Western Arabic numerals. Romanization enables the application of string-similarity metrics to texts from different scripts without the need and complexity of an intermediate phonetic representation. The tool is freely and publicly available as a Perl script suitable for inclusion in data processing pipelines and as an interactive demo web page.


Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy (SABR) is an extension of the concepts of Stereotactic Radiosurgery from intracranial procedures to extracranial targets. This brings with it new technological challenges for set-up of a SABR program and continuing quality assurance. Compared with intracranial procedures SABR requires consideration of motion and inhomogeneities and has to deal with a much larger variety of targets ranging from lung to liver, kidney and bone. To meet many of the challenges virtually all advances in modern radiotherapy, such as Intensity Modulated and Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IMRT and IGRT) are used. Considering the few fractions and high doses per fraction delivered to complex targets it is not surprising that patient specific quality control is considered essential for safe delivery. Given the variety of targets and clinical scenarios we employ different strategies for different patients to ensure that the most important aspects of the treatment are appropriately tested, be it steep dose gradients, inhomogeneities or the delivery of dose in the presence of motion. The current paper reviews the different approaches and phantoms utilised at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre for SABR QA.


The species composition and diversity of aerial insects inhabiting different ecosystems are not well known particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, a study on species diversity and abundance of aerial insects in the Jos Museum Zoological (JMZ) Garden, Plateau State, Nigeria was carried out between June and July, 2013. Aerial insects were collected from edge, mid and interior points of rocky outcrop and savannah woodland using a sweep net. Each transect point was 50 metres long, 20 sweeps were made in each transect point. Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to test for significant difference in the mean abundance of aerial insects between habitats. One-way ANOVAwas used to test for significant difference in the mean abundance of aerial insects between points and insects' orders. The Shannon diversity index was used to compare species diversity in the two habitats. The Sorensen's similarity index was used to compare species compositional similarity or variation between habitats. A total of 103 individuals aerial insects distributed in 11 Orders, 36 Families, 35 genera and27 species were collected. Fiftyeight(58) insects representing 55.77% were collected from rocky outcrop while 45 insects representing 44.23% were collected from savanna woodland. The species diversity index did not vary significantly (P<0.05), but showed a complete dissimilarity in species composition in the two habitats. These findings clearly suggest that the JMZ Garden is rich in insect species of different orders and is a healthy ecosystem. It is, therefore, recommended that unsustainable anthropogenic activities such as refuse dumping, defeaeating, logging and bush burning should bediseouraged in the garden.


In our paper we describe the development and deployment of an e-commerce platform in Dwesa, a rural area in the former homeland of Transkei in South Africa. The system is designed to promote tourism and advertise local arts, crafts and music, and it entails a number of related projects. Deployment of infrastructure, technical support, promotion of the initiative and teaching of computer literacy take place during monthly visits of approximately one week, and involve young researchers from two universities (one previously disadvantaged; the other historically privileged). This ensures a synergy between technical expertise and understanding of the local context. Findings so far emphasise the importance of contextualising the intervention to suit local needs and adjust to the local context. The platform is currently being extended to include e-government, e-learning and e-health capabilities. If proven successful, this model can be exported to similar areas in South Africa and in the rest of Africa. This could open up potential opportunities for the still unexplored market for ICT in rural Africa.


Members of the LitR/CarH family are adenosyl B12-based photosensory transcriptional regulator involved in light-inducible carotenoid production in nonphototrophic bacteria. Our study provides the first evidence of the involvement of a class III LitR, which lacks an adenosyl B12-binding domain in the light response of Burkholderia multivorans belonging to betaproteobacteria. Our biochemical analysis suggests that class III LitR protein exhibits features as a photosensor including absorption of light at the UV-A region (λmax = ca. 340 nm), photocyclic response, and light-dependent dissociation. This suggests that class III LitR associates with a UV-A-absorbing molecule, and it has a photosensing mechanism distinguishable from that of the B12-based type. ABSTRACT The LitR/CarH protein family is an adenosyl B12 (AdoB12)-dependent photoreceptor family with DNA-binding activity, and its homologs are widely distributed in the genomes of diverse bacterial genera. In this investigation, we studied the role and functions of a LitR homolog from a Gram-negative soil bacterium, Burkholderia multivorans, which does not possess an AdoB12-binding domain. Transcriptome analysis indicated the existence of 19 light-induced genes, including folE2, cfaB, litS, photolyase gene phrB2, and cryB, located in the region flanking litR. Disruption of litR caused constitutive expression of all the light-inducible genes, while mutation in the light-induced sigma factor gene, litS, abolished the transcription of the phrB2 operon and the cfa operon, indicating that LitR and LitS play a central role in light-inducible transcription. A gel shift assay showed that recombinant protein LitR specifically binds to the promoter regions of litR and the folE2 operon, and its binding was weakened by UV-A illumination. LitR absorbs light at maximally near 340 nm and exhibited a photocyclic response and light-dependent dissociation of multimer into tetramer. The litR mutant produced a 20-fold-higher intracellular level of folate than that of the wild-type strain. Thus, the evidence suggests that LitR light-dependently regulates the transcription of litR itself and the folE2 operon, resulting in the production of folate, and then the expressed RNA polymerase complex containing σLitS directs the transcription of the phrB2 operon and the cfa operon. These light-dependent characteristics suggest that class III LitR, in complex with a UV-A-absorbing molecule, follows a novel light-sensing mechanism. IMPORTANCE Members of the LitR/CarH family are adenosyl B12-based photosensory transcriptional regulator involved in light-inducible carotenoid production in nonphototrophic bacteria. Our study provides the first evidence of the involvement of a class III LitR, which lacks an adenosyl B12-binding domain in the light response of Burkholderia multivorans belonging to betaproteobacteria. Our biochemical analysis suggests that class III LitR protein exhibits features as a photosensor including absorption of light at the UV-A region (λmax = ca. 340 nm), photocyclic response, and light-dependent dissociation. This suggests that class III LitR associates with a UV-A-absorbing molecule, and it has a photosensing mechanism distinguishable from that of the B12-based type.


PICARD is a mission dedicated to the simultaneous measurements of the solar total and spectral irradiances, its diameter and asphericity. It also probes seismically the solar interior by analysing its local intensity variation. PICARD contains a double program with in-space and on-ground measurements. Space observations are a priori most favourable, however, space entails also technical challenges, a harsh environment, and a finite mission lifetime. The PICARD spacecraft, launched on June 15, 2010 will retire in April 2014. On ground, the instruments are less affected by in-space degradation and maintenance is easily provided so if the atmosphere is properly monitored and taken into account, they still represent an opportunity to generate the needed long-term time-series. That is why ground measurements have been carried out since May 2011-and will be pursued after the space program. In this talk, we describe both sets of instruments, and then present our current results. In particular, we show new estimates of the absolute values of the total solar irradiance, diameter and oblateness. We also report about helioseismic studies and about the apparent absence of mid-term trend in the measurement of the diameter.


Cuboid-shaped organic microcavities containing a pyrromethene laser dye and supported upon a photonic crystal have been investigated as an approach to reducing the lasing threshold of the cavities. Multiphoton lithography facilitated fabrication of the cuboid cavities directly on the substrate or on the decoupling structure, while similar structures were fabricated on the substrate by UV lithography for comparison. Significant reduction of the lasing threshold by a factor of ~30 has been observed for cavities supported by the photonic crystal relative to those fabricated on the substrate. The lasing mode spectra of the cuboid microresonators provide strong evidence showing that the lasing modes are localized in the horizontal plane, with the shape of an inscribed diamond.


The lack of comprehensive planning prior to the initiation of a software development project is a very pervasive failing. This paper walks through a sample software development plan discussing the various areas that a software development manager should address in preparing his project's plan. Various considerations and suggestions are presented for each of the management subject areas. How the user/customer can use the developer's plan to aid in monitoring of his software's evolution is also presented. Detailed planning of a software development project is necessary to the successful completion of the project.


Wind energy is a renewable energy with great potential. Unlike fossil fuels, wind energy is clean, pollution-free from CO2 emissions, and inexhaustible. However, wind speed is not constant, it fluctuates rapidly, and is uncontrollable. Fluctuating wind speed causes fluctuating output power at the wind turbine. Fluctuating wind power causes the grid frequency to fluctuate, which in turn reduces the quality of the transmitted power and generates instability in the power system. To reduce wind power fluctuations, the output power smoothing method can be used. This paper proposes the smoothing power output method without using energy storage devices to produce a constant output power of the doubly fed induction generator. The fluctuating wind speed generates constant output power based on wind speed predictions. Predicted average wind speed using neural networks with the Levenberg–Marquardt learning algorithm is based on the measurement data of wind speed in Indonesia, Nganjuk prefecture. Simulations are performed using Matlab Simulink. Simulation results show that the output power can be kept constant for a certain period of time. The speed of the rotor with this proposed method has an average above optimal rotor speed.


We require repeated blood samples for at least 10 days from conscious, unrestrained rats in our studies investigating the inflammatory response to intra-abdominal infection. Furthermore, we require a means by which other experimental devices (implanted concurrently) can be kept out of reach of the animals for the duration of the study. Under these conditions, previously reported postoperative restraint and cannulation techniques did not allow cannula patency for longer than a few days. We designed a cannula that is constructed from microbore tubing, attached to a modified winged infusion catheter, and sutured over the scapulae of the animal. Our device features a curved, perforated tip to allow its easy insertion into the thoracic aorta via the left carotid artery, and it provides an attachment site for a small, lightweight backpack. This cannula has a small dead-space and accommodates repeated arterial blood sampling for at least 10 days without leading to bacteremia or significant alterations in hematological or immune parameters. With minor modifications, this cannula has potential application in the chronic cannulation of other vessels and ducts in other small animals.


This paper studies the overt manifestations of Hindu gods in three Indian science fiction (SF) novels written in English, and the reasons behind such vivid portrayals. It analyses the specific mechanics of these representations, whereby Hindu mythology is hybridized and transposed with the quasi-science of SF to propel the narrative. This paper discusses the appropriation of these mythological narratives, their subsequent reinterpretation in Indian SF, and how this reworking constitutes a direct critique of contemporary material realities. It aims to place the "divine" within the context of the materiality of a text, and to that effect, borrows Darko Suvin's "novum" as a theoretical framework to first locate the tangible heart of a text, and then explains how and why Hindu gods play an important role in the contouring of this kind of "mythological SF".


In this paper, I have tried in the first instance to describe the experience of stroke, and to set my own story in the context of more general observations on strokes and on the appropriate care of stroke patients. The paper makes clear that the stroke brought my active working life to an abrupt end, but I am keen to stress that in my case at least the thinking must go on. The production of this paper offers a test case of this last proposition. The paper does not attempt to survey my whole working life (mainly as a Church of England parish priest) and its interaction with my faith, but it does try to explore some of the consequences for faith, and for prayer, prompted by the stroke. There is a personal story of sometimes bewildering complexity behind every stroke. "But why is stroke any different from other serious illness?" This paper seeks to identify some of the distinctive characteristics of strokes; but I leave it to others to answer the question more adequately. It only needs to be stated here that all strokes, in some measure, affect mental processes, sometimes profoundly; and we easily underestimate the extent to which our performance is affected by our states of mind.


A circular economy is the stated aim of current technological and political developments in the waste management sector. Achieving the goal of a circular economy requires significant improvements in waste treatment technologies. For this reason, this paper summarises the relevant technologies, detailing the developments in the significant sensor-based sorting technologies. This review analyses the key spectral analysis methods like Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, Visual Spectroscopy, X-ray transmission, X-ray fluorescence analysis and Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy. This study further contains a detailed analysis of the standard sensor-based sorting construction types chute sorter, belt sorter and robot-aided sorting. Further insights in the branch of sensor-based sorting are permitted by describing the key players and stakeholders in sensor-based sorting, detailing the area of expertise and current fields of study for primary sensor and sorting machine suppliers. A convenient lookup table detailing the capabilities of these significant suppliers is provided. The last chapter summarises relevant trends and developments in digitalisation and Industry 4.0 in the waste and recycling sector, elaborating on relevant technology like digital waste management, sorting robots in waste management, smart villages and recyclable materials scanners. The reviewed data portrays the waste management industry's substantial developments. While new technologies, like machine learning, convolutional neural networks and robot sorting, are increasingly implemented, a substantial discrepancy exists between technological capabilities and the current State-of-the-Art.


A series of Cu–ZrO2 catalysts prepared by a co-precipitation method were studied for the hydrogenation of levulinic acid to give γ-valerolactone (GVL). The effects of a range of catalyst preparation parameters, namely molar Cu/Zr ratio, calcination temperature and the ageing time of the precipitates, were systematically investigated. The molar Cu/Zr ratio was found to have a strong influence on the BET surface area of the material leading to a high activity for catalysts prepared with a Cu/Zr molar ratio of unity. Using this molar ratio the calcination temperature was varied from 300 °C to 800 °C, the material calcined at 400 °C showed the highest activity. Increasing the ageing time used in the catalyst preparation identified 6 h as the optimum to achieve the highest activity for LA conversion. Based on characterisation of all materials we conclude that the active Cu species is present in only low concentration suggesting that it should be possible to produce a catalyst of high activity with much lower Cu content.


Communication systems are becoming more complicated to support different types of services. How to coordinate different services around a user in a flexible and customized way is a new and interesting challenge. Service providers have proposed solutions such as the Universal Communication Identifier (UCI) and IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) but they require the modification of current systems and only perform the service integration in their service domains. On the other hand, unified communications (UC) solutions have been proposed to support service integration across different service domains. In this paper, we proposed a personal unified communication system (PUCS). This system uses personal-oriented modules which allow it to integrate any communication services over heterogeneous wireless networks around a user in a customized and flexible way. Users can then enjoy unified communications in their personal domains without support from public or group service providers. The PUCS can provide users with UC capabilities such as personal mobility (PM), any-to-any communications, user presence, instant message (IM), unified messaging, speech access, and text access. The solution is scalable since it is implemented on personal domains. A further advantage is that, by using a universal personal identifier (UPI) and an alias system, a user can also be affiliated with different group domains. This makes it possible to define specific service profiles for each domain so that the user can also enjoy the unified communications provided specifically for that domain.


This article addresses the ways in which digitalised accounts of warfare and violence can shape emotional responses to death and suffering, as well as particular possibilities of remembering, forgetting and future accountability. Empirically, the article focuses on the photoblog of a Russian web journalist Rustem Adagamov, whose coverage of the events in Gaza attracted hundreds of comments from readers. Looking at Adagamov's blog from the distance of the past two years—the years of Goldstone report and the controversies surrounding it; of Israel's deadly storming of the 'Freedom Flotilla'; of the ongoing blockade and military attacks in Gaza and of other warfare in the region—this article attempts to imagine how narratives and public perceptions of war and death, captured by digital archives, would appear to future historians or archaeologists. My discussion is less concerned with speculations about their hypothetical reactions; what I am suggesting instead is that we should try to adopt an imaginary standpoint of a future archaeologist, or rather, of a future advocate of those from whom humanness and the right to life were denied both physically and discursively. I argue that adopting such a viewpoint as both a conceptual and an ethical anchor, we can take haunted futurity as a base for today's transformation to justice and conviviality.


Pulmonary hemorrhage is a potentially serious complication of radiofrequency ablation of pulmonary neoplasms that may occur with or without hemoptysis. Several factors influence the development of parenchymal hemorrhage, including tumor size, tumor location, and procedural technique. As radiofrequency ablation has become more common, the prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment of hemorrhage is vital. The authors report a case of radiofrequency ablation of a solitary pulmonary metastasis complicated by pulmonary hemorrhage and hemoptysis


Self-collimation characteristics of the two-dimensional square-lattice photonic crystal (PC) consisting of metal rods immersed in silicon are studied by the finite-difference time-domain method. The Drude dispersion model is adopted to describe the metal rod, and the self-collimation behaviours of the near-infrared light through the PC are studied. The frequency region and the tolerance of incident angle for the self-collimation behaviour can be controlled by changing the shape of the metal rods.


We consider the evolutionary state of the black hole X-ray source GRO J1655-40 in the context of its transient nature. Recent optical observations show that the donor in GRO J1655-40 is an intermediate-mass star (≃2.3 M☉) crossing the Hertzsprung gap. Usually in such systems the donor's radius expansion drives a near-Eddington or super-Eddington mass transfer rate that would sustain a persistently bright accretion disk. We show that GRO J1655-40 is close to a narrow parameter range where disk instabilities can occur. This range corresponds to a short-lived evolutionary stage in which the secondary's radius expansion stalls (or reverses), with a correspondingly lower mass transfer rate. If GRO J1655-40 belongs to this class of transients, the predicted accretion rates imply large populations of luminous persistent and transient sources, which are not seen in X-rays. The transient nature of the related system GRS 1915+105 may reflect spectral variations in a bolometrically persistent source rather than a genuine luminosity increase.


Self-assembly and directed-assembly are two very important aspects of supramolecular chemistry. As a young postgraduate student working in Canada with Tom Fyles my introduction to Supramolecular Chemistry was through the self-assembly of phospholipid membranes to form vesicles for which we were developing unimolecular and self-assembling transporter molecules. The next stage of my development as a scientist was in Japan with Seiji Shinkai where in a "Eureka" moment, the boronic acid templating unit (directed-assembly) of Wulff was combined with photoinduced electron transfer systems pioneered by De Silva. The result was a turn-on fluorescence sensor for saccharides; this simple result has continued to fuel my research to the present day. Throughout my career as well as assembling molecules, I have enjoyed bringing together researchers in order to develop collaborative networks. This is where molecules meet people resulting in assemblies worth more than the individual "molecule" or "researcher". My role in developing networks with Japan was rewarded by the award of a Daiwa-Adrian Prize in 2013 and I was recently rewarded for developing networks with China with an Inaugural CASE Prize in 2015.


With the development of large scale quantum computers, the current landscape of asymmetric cryptographic algorithms will change dramatically. Today's standards like RSA, DSA and ElGamal will no longer provide sufficient security against quantum attackers and need to be replaced with novel algorithms. In face of these developments, NIST has already started a standardization process for new Key Encapsulation Mechanisms (KEMs) and Digital Signature (DS). Moreover, NIST has recommended the two stateful Hash-Based Signature (HBS) schemes XMSS and LMS for use in devices with long expected lifetime and limited capabilities for maintenance. Both schemes are also standardized by the IETF. In this work, we present the first agile hardware implementation that supports both LMS and XMSS. Our design can instantiate either LMS, XMSS or both schemes using a simple configuration setting. Leveraging the vast similarities of the two schemes, the hardware utilization of the agile design increases by 20% in LUTs and only 3% in Flip Flops (FFs) over a standalone XMSS implementation. Furthermore, our approach can easily be configured with an arbitrary number of hash cores and accelerators for the one-time signatures for different application scenarios. We evaluate our implementation on the Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA platform which is the recommended target for PQC implementations by NIST. We explore potential trade-offs in the design space and compare our results to previous work in this field.


Utilizing as testbeds physiologically-structured, individual-based models for fish and Daphnia populations, techniques for the parallelization of the simulation are developed and analyzed. The techniques developed are generally applicable to individual-based models. For rapidly reproducing populations like Daphnia which are load balanced, then global birth combining is required. Super-scalar speedup was observed in simulations on multi-core desktop computers. The two populations are combined via a size-structured predation module into a predator-prey system with sharing of resource weighted by relative mass. The individual-based structure requires multiple stages to complete predation. Two different styles of parallelization are presented. The first distributes both populations. It decouples the populations for parallel simulation by compiling, at each stage, tables of information for each of the distributed predators. Predation is completed for all fish at one time. This method is found to be generally applicable, has near perfect scaling with increasing processors, and improves performance as the workload to communications ratio improves with increasing numbers of predator cohorts. But it does not take best advantage of our testbed models. The second design decouples the workload for parallel simulation by duplicating the predator population on all nodes. This reduces communications to simple parallel reductions similar to the population models, but increases the number of cycles required for predation. The performance of the population models is mimicked. Finally, the extinction and persistence behaviors of the predator-prey model are analyzed. The roles of the predation parameters, individual models, and initial populations are determined. In the presence of density-dependent mortality moderating the prey population, competition via resource of the larger fish versus the smaller is found to be a vital control to prevent extinction of prey population. If unconstrained, the juvenile fish classes can — through their rapid initial growth and predation upon the juvenile prey classes — push the prey population to extinction. Persistence of the predator-prey community is thus threatened when the fish population is dominated by juveniles. Conversely, the presence of larger fish moderates the juveniles and stabilizes the community via competition for shared resource.


Herein, the synthesis, characterization and possible fields of application of a highly functionalized polymeric material are shown. The homopolymerization of the monomer 2-tert-butoxycarbonylaminomethacrylate (tBAMA) via different radical polymerization techniques is discussed. Due to the orthogonal protection of the functional groups the resulting materials should be selectively transformed into weak polyelectrolytes, a polycation – poly(2-tert-butoxycarbonylaminoacrylic acid) (PtBAA), a polyanion - poly(2-aminoacrylic acid methyl ester) (PAMA) or a polyzwitterion – polydehydroalanine (PDha). The complete deprotection of PtBAMA could result in a polyzwitterion with a high charge density and the location of opposite charges in close proximity along the polymeric backbone. Since functional polymeric materials, especially polyelectrolytes, have a wide field of applications several possible applications using PtBAMA and its derivatives are discussed. For instance, the formation of nanoparticles derived from PtBAMA via miniemulsion polymerization. The formed nanoparticles could be of interest concerning carrier systems, due to their functional groups. One other possibility to form defined particles is the preparation of IPECs. In this work, negatively charged PtBAA or PDha is mixed with P4VPq as the positive counterpart. Another important field of application is the prevention of non-specific protein interactions. Therefore, the production of films with tBAMA and subsequent polymerization and deprotection of these films are of great interest. Moreover, electrospinning of PtBAMA and its deprotection will be shown, as well as the formation of films using PDha. One possible application of polyelectrolytes is the biosensoric, more precise the formation of a depositing or protecting layer for different enzymes. The deposition and stability of the enzyme on the electrode are the crucial factors, which can be enhanced by using polyelectrolytes.


Nowadays, processors alone cannot deliver what computation hungry image processing applications demand. An alternative is to use hardware accelerators such as Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) or Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). Applications, however, exhibit different performance characteristics depending on the accelerator. This paper describes the hybrid platform and the programming environment that allows to efficiently create programs on a combined GPU/FPGA desktop. We use the roofline model to identify the most appropriate accelerator for each application and High-Level Synthesis (HLS) tools to reduce the FPGA development time. To introduce our platform and tool chain both accelerators are compared by implementing a basic image operation. Next, a promising algorithm is explored and implemented, splitting and distributing the work between GPU, FPGA and CPU in order to validate the hybrid concept. Our results show that their combination exhibits a higher performance for computational intensive image processing applications than a GPU only.


This paper addresses the problem of using demand load control to minimize balancing costs when extra generation is needed. The problem is formalized as an optimal control problem where the amount of load to be postponed at successive time instants is set with respect to constraints representing the balance between generation and demand at successive time instants. The paper presents three market designs, namely minimization of the system operators' cost over the peak period, successive independent merit orders, and successive predictive merit orders considering payback effect. It shows that actual practices such as successive independent merit orders may lead to significant extra costs, which can be strongly reduced by including mid-term implications in the decision-making.


Abstract Introduction: Compared to the classic maxilla-first sequence in bimaxillary orthognathic surgery, inverted mandible-sequence has been encouraged for potentially higher accuracy. However, evidence regarding this topic is lacking. Methods: A systematic review of the literature on different sequencing of bimaxillary surgery was conducted, gathering from following databases: Cochrane, Pubmed, Scopus, Medline (Ovid), Web of Science, ScienceDirect. Articles mentioning "sequencing", "mandible-first", "orthognathic surgery" of at least case-report level of evidence were included without restriction. Relevant articles were included for quality assessment and extracted data for indications of mandible-first sequence from all studies. Meta-analysis of surgical accuracy at upper central incisors in horizontal and vertical dimension was performed from included experimental studies. Results: The search of initially 619 articles resulted in 9 final articles: 6 case reports and 3 experimental studies. The four most commonly listed indications for mandible-first approach included instability of condylar centric relation (CR) position, posterior maxillary downgrafting, when rigid fixation of maxilla cannot be ascertained, and large maxillomandibular advancements. The pooled analysis of experimental studies composed of 188 patients (122 females, 66 males). Quality assessment of these studies resulted as moderate. Meta-analysis revealed no difference of surgical accuracy between both sequencing, with considerable heterogeneity. Conclusion: Mandible-first approach has been advocated under certain indications, in order to reduce potential jaw repositioning error and ease of surgical manipulation. Differences were not found in maxilla repositioning at central incisors, horizontally and vertically between both approaches. However, the results should be taken with caution because of heterogeneity in study design and outcome measurements.


ABSTRACT A novel antifungal drug candidate, the 1-tetrazole-based agent VT-1161 [(R)-2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-1,1-difluoro-3-(1H-tetrazol-1-yl)-1-{5-[4-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)phenyl]pyridin-2-yl}propan-2-ol], which is currently in two phase 2b antifungal clinical trials, was found to be a tight-binding ligand (apparent dissociation constant [Kd], 24 nM) and a potent inhibitor of cytochrome P450 sterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51) from the protozoan pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi. Moreover, VT-1161 revealed a high level of antiparasitic activity against amastigotes of the Tulahuen strain of T. cruzi in cellular experiments (50% effective concentration, 2.5 nM) and was active in vivo, causing >99.8% suppression of peak parasitemia in a mouse model of infection with the naturally drug-resistant Y strain of the parasite. The data strongly support the potential utility of VT-1161 in the treatment of Chagas disease. The structural characterization of T. cruzi CYP51 in complex with VT-1161 provides insights into the molecular basis for the compound's inhibitory potency and paves the way for the further rational development of this novel, tetrazole-based inhibitory chemotype both for antiprotozoan chemotherapy and for antifungal chemotherapy.


OBJECTIVES
To provide an overview of the current literature on the use of inhaled beta2 agonists in non-asthmatic competitive athletes, and to assess the performance enhancing effect of inhaled beta2 agonists.

METHODS
Review of the literature.

RESULTS
Twenty randomised, placebo controlled studies (19 double blind, one single blind) were located. Only three studies reported a performance enhancing effect of inhaled beta2 agonists. However, methodological shortcomings were most likely responsible for these findings (for example, non-elite athletes, inconsistent results in different tests, subgroups with above-average responsiveness).

CONCLUSIONS
This review reveals that there is no ergogenic potential of inhaled beta2 agonists in non-asthmatic athletes. In view of the epidemiology of asthma in athletes and the considerable workload involved in provision of therapeutic use exemptions the inclusion of inhaled beta2 agonists on the list of prohibited substances should be reconsidered.


The objective of this project is to show how sentimental analysis can help improve the user experience over a social network or system interface. The learning algorithm will learn what our emotions are from statistical data then determine the mood. After that it will change our social interactions accordingly on our social network sites or other interfaces like desktop or system services or web-pages. Suppose you are bored or sad ,in the case of social networks one thing the computer could do is to be more suggestive of things that lighten your mood and change interactions like backgrounds color's ,icons services. The site could automatically try suggesting interactions with people and applications that would help improve the mood, while hiding others that might make it worse. The project aims to implement these in the social network community as well as services and interfaces of our systems, while making our lives better and our experience richer and efficient.


Across the football codes, kicking is the main skill used to score goals and pass between team members. Kicking with high ball velocity and high accuracy is required to kick to targets at far distances or reach a submaximal target in less time. The impact phase is the most important component of the kicking action: it is the only time a player forcefully contacts the ball to produce the flight path. Ensuring high impact efficiency and the appropriate combination of flight characteristics are imparted onto the ball during foot-ball impact is important for successful kicking. The aim of this thesis was to determine how foot-ball impact characteristics influences impact efficiency, ankle plantarflexion, ball flight characteristics and kicking accuracy. By using a mechanical kicking machine to systematically explore impact characteristics and performing an intra-individual analysis of human kickers, high-speed-video analysis of foot-ball impact found impact characteristics influenced impact efficiency, ankle plantarflexion, ball flight characteristics, and kicking accuracy. Increasing ankle joint stiffness, impact locations on the foot closer to the ankle joint, altering foot-ball angle and reducing foot velocity each increased impact efficiency. These results supported the coaching cue 'maintaining a firm ankle' during impact as effective at increasing impact efficiency. The impact location between the foot and ball across the medial-lateral direction, foot-ball angle and foot trajectory were each identified as influential to ball flight characteristics and/ or kicking accuracy. The oblique impact theory applied to the duration of impact provided a theoretical framework underpinning how each impact characteristic influenced ball flight characteristics. More consistent performing players produced less kick-to-kick variability in their impact characteristics, while lower kick accuracy was due to errors produced in the combination of impact characteristics. In conclusion, foot-ball impact characteristics were influential to impact efficiency, ankle plantarflexion, ball flight characteristics, and kicking accuracy.


The paper is devoted to a comparative analysis of the diagnostic value of retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and computed tomography (CT) in 50 patients with chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic tumors and comparison of radiation exposure of a patient during the use of these methods of x-ray examination. CT was shown to be a more informative method, particularly in the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis. However, the results obtained with CT, were not specific enough to make convincing differential diagnosis between tumorous and inflammatory processes. In parallel with it radiation exposures the patients were subjected to, were assessed using an original method with thermoluminescent dosage meters. It was established that tissue doses, on the whole, were larger in ERCP than in CT, the difference being determined by the distinctive features of both methods and the duration of the endoscopic component in pancreatography.


In this 2-part publication, the impact of the main low pressure system parameters of a pusher counter rotating Geared Open Rotor (GOR) on mission fuel burn, certification noise and emissions is presented for a 160 PAX medium haul class aircraft.Due to their high propulsive efficiency, GORs have the potential to significantly reduce fuel consumption and emissions relative to conventional high bypass ratio turbofans. However, this novel engine architecture presents many design and operational challenges both at engine and aircraft level.The assessment of the impact of the main low pressure preliminary design parameters of GORs on mission fuel burn, certification noise and emissions is necessary at preliminary design stages in order to identify optimum design regions. These assessments may also aid the development process when compromises need to be performed as a consequence of design, operational or regulatory constraints.Part I of this two-part publication describes the main low pressure (LP) system design choices for a GOR as well as the preliminary design philosophy and simulation framework developed for the assessments. Part II presents the assessment studies. The simulation framework described in this paper comprises the following models: engine and aircraft performance, engine mechanical design and weight, engine certification noise and emissions.A novel aspect of the presented simulation framework is that the design point efficiency and the design feasibility of the low pressure components are calculated for each engine design.Copyright © 2015 by ASME


This article examines microbial ecologies and industrial ontologies as they unfold in the animal worlds created by the American factory farm. Based in a hundred-mile radius region of the U.S. Great Plains—where some seven million hogs are annually manufactured from prelife to postdeath—it unpacks agribusiness managers' varied modes of socio-ecological intervention once porcine overproduction causes disease to breach the indoor spaces of confinement barns. Maintaining the genetic potency of modern industrial animals requires managers to appraise how the pig has become intertwined with wind patterns, terrain gradations, and humanity. One result is that corporations are enacting intimate biosecurity protocols in workers' domestic homes, a move that frames human sociality as a reservoir sheltering porcine disease. Workers are reimagined as a threat to the vitality of industrial hogs in ways that subtly alter the value of human livelihood and autonomy in this region. To situate how rural work became ambiguously posthuman, this essay develops a political economy of speciation. It inhabits managers' abstract technologies that allow them to become attuned to the industrial pig as a fragile and world-defining species in need of new types of laboring subjectivity, while analyzing the postanthropocentric politics of class and value in a zone reorganized around forms of capitalist animality.


In this paper we present a novel kind of personal application: Rich Personal Semantic Web Clients. The idea is to enable to user to create and experience the Semantic Web as a collection of local databases which interoperate in semantic P2P "topic" channels by exchanging patches of RDF information. Once sufficient information has been collected locally, rich, fast browsing of the "Semantic Web" becomes possible without generating external traffic or computational load. Also user defined rules, trust metrics, filtering, can be freely applied. "Semantic Web" data can be furthermore integrated with personal local semantic data such as local sources or Desktop information. A prototype of such client, DBin, is presented and then we describe issues such as user interfaces and the social aggregation model induced by this novel application model.


We tested whether adenosine has differential effects on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression under normoxic and hypoxic conditions, and whether A(1) or A(2) receptors (A(1)R; A(2)R) mediate these effects. Myocardial vascular smooth muscle cells (MVSMCs) from dog coronary artery were exposed to hypoxia (1% O(2)) or normoxia (20% O(2)) in the absence and presence of adenosine agonists or antagonists for 18 h. VEGF protein levels were measured in media with ELISA. VEGF mRNA expression was determined with Northern blot analysis. Under normoxic conditions, the adenosine A(1)R agonists, N(6)-cyclopentyladenosine and R(-)-N(6)-(2-phenylisopropyl)adenosine did not increase VEGF protein levels at A(1)R stimulatory concentrations. However, adenosine (5 microM) and the adenosine A(2)R agonist N(6)-[2-(3, 5-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-(2-methylphenyl)]ethyl adenosine (DPMA; 100 nM) increased VEGF protein levels by 51 and 132% and increased VEGF mRNA expression by 44 and 90%, respectively, in cultured MVSMCs under normoxic conditions. Hypoxia caused an approximately fourfold increase in VEGF protein and mRNA expression, which could not be augmented with exogenous adenosine, A(2)R agonist (DPMA), or A(1)R agonist [1,3-diethyl-8-phenylxanthine (DPX)]. The A(2)R antagonist 8-(3-chlorostyryl)-caffeine completely blocked adenosine-induced VEGF protein and mRNA expression and decreased baseline VEGF protein levels by up to approximately 60% under normoxic conditions but only by approximately 25% under hypoxic conditions. The A(1)R antagonist DPX had no effect. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that 1) adenosine increases VEGF protein and mRNA expression by way of A(2)R. 2) Adenosine plays a major role as an autocrine factor regulating VEGF expression during normoxic conditions but has a relatively minor role during hypoxic conditions. 3) Endogenous adenosine can account for the majority of basal VEGF secretion by MVSMCs under normoxic conditions and could therefore be a maintenance factor for the vasculature.


This paper describes the GE Compliance Checker [GECCO], a knowledge-based application for use in the home mortgage industry. GECCO is a tool for automating the information-intensive processes of underwriting and reselling mortgage loans. GECCO was initially designed and deployed for one business component of GE Capital Mortgage Corporation [GECMC], and then successfully integrated into three other GECMC businesses. Its first application was for third-party underwriting. This was followed by the use of GECCO in wholesale pricing and registration, and in direct loan origination. Most recently, GECCO has evolved into a commercial product offered for purchase to mortgage lenders. GECCO has significantly improved the underwriting and resale process: quality control has become much more effective, adding consistency, completeness and robustness to the decision making process; the quantity of loans processed has increased; customer service has been enhanced; and a once "subjective" process has now been standardized. The successful use of AI has also permeated GECMC business application software to the extent that AI has become a requirement rather than a remote technology used in an isolated application.


Objective Few studies have attempted to estimate the rate of decline over time in essential tremor (ET). The study objectives were to: (1) measure change, deriving a single summary measure for the entire group, and relate it to a commonly used clinical rating scale (ie, yearly change in points on that scale); (2) to assess change as a function of baseline clinical characteristics and (3) to answer the basic clinical question—is change perceptible/obvious during the follow-up of ET cases? Setting Prospective collection of longitudinal data on ET cases enrolled in a study of the environmental epidemiology of ET at Columbia University Medical Center (2000–2008). Participants 116 unselected ET cases. Interventions Each case underwent the same evaluation at baseline and during one follow-up visit (mean follow-up interval (range)=5.8 (1.4–12.4) years). Primary and secondary outcome measures We assessed tremor during a commonly affected daily activity—drawing (ie, spirography), quantifying tremor using a simple, standardised 10-point rating scale developed by Bain and Findley. Results The Bain and Findley spiral score increased at an average rate of 0.12±0.23 points per year (maximum=1 point/year). In cases who had been followed for ≥5 years, the change was obvious—a blinded neurologist was able to correctly order their spirals (baseline vs follow-up) in three-fourth of cases. The rate of change was higher in cases with versus without familial ET (p=0.01). Conclusions Tremor in ET is slowly progressive; yet in the majority of cases, a clear difference in handwritten spirals was visible with a follow-up interval of five or more years. There may be differences between familial and non-familial ET in the rate of progression. These clinical data are intended to aid in the prognostic discussions that treating physicians have with their patients with ET.


Aloe Vera is the base of a very lucrative business around the world, in which Mexico participates as the main Aloe Vera raw materials producer and exporter country. For the perishable nature of Aloe Vera raw materials, they go under a stabilization process that fulfills the final consumer requirements. Many of the companies certify their raw materials, processes and final products in order to guarantee to the final consumer the origin, purity, and product content, besides the ethical strictness of their promotional and commercial information. The certifying council (International Aloe Science Council) express in their promotion that certified companies are more competitive than those that don't certify their products. However, since the lack of evidences of this fact and the high cost that represents this certification for the small companies, a study was made to determine through the consultation of the Aloe Vera industry directives in Mexico, if such effect is perceived. The study information was obtained by means of questionnaires and interviews with directive of companies of Tamaulipas, Yucatan, Durango and the Texas's Valley. The results showed that the factors with more impact in the competitiveness of Aloe Vera industry in Mexico are product quality and capacity of the company directives. In general 90% of the sample agrees there is a direct relationship between raw materials, products and processes certification and the competitiveness of the companies. In consequence this answer gave elements to support the hypothesis of the existence of a relationship among the considered variables.


Many human activities in the margin of Choghakhor wetland, (Iran) causes evaluation of the phytoplankton status in relation to the physico-chemical parameters in different seasons of 2011 in 5 marginal stations of the wetland. Water samples prepared in triplicate and temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrate and phosphate concentration were measured using APHA methods. The phytoplankton identified, counted and Shannon diversity index (Hʹ). Phytoplankton community included 59 genera, 43 families and 6 divisions, among which Bacillariophyta was the most common (46.6%) followed by Chlorophyta (32.0%), Cyanophyta (13.3%), Dinophyta (4.4%), Euglenophyta (3.0%) and Chrysophyta (0.8%). Phytoplankton density, nitrate, and phosphate concentration were different in different stations and seasons (P < 0.05). The highest density was recorded for Nitzschia followed by Cosmarium, Microcystis, Peridinium, Euglenaria and Dinobryon. Also, Microcystis density was maximum in station 5 [S5]. There were significant correlations between the phytoplankton density and nitrate concentration (r = 0.6, P < 0.01), Chlorophyta and phosphate concentration (r = 0.3, P < 0.01), Cyanophyta and phosphate concentration (r = 0.2, P < 0.05). Although wetland water was still clean (Hʹ > 3), high density of Nitzschia and Microcystis as eutrophication bio-indicators showed starting of eutrophication. Microcystis as the most abundant genus of Cyanophyta must be seriously controlled to avoid blooms in the wetland.


The resonance Raman spectra of the Pr state of the N-terminal 65-kDa fragment of plant phytochrome phyA have been measured and analyzed in terms of the configuration and conformation of the tetrapyrroles methine bridges. Spectra were obtained from phyA adducts reconstituted with the natural chromophore phytochromobilin as well as phycocyanobilin and its isotopomers labeled at the terminal methine bridges through (13)C/(12)C and D/H substitution. Upon comparing the resonance Raman spectra of the various phyA adducts, it was possible to identify the bands that originate from normal modes dominated by the stretching coordinates of the terminal methine bridges A-B and C-D. Quantum chemical calculations of the isolated tetrapyrroles reveal that these modes are sensitive indicators for the methine bridge configuration and conformation. For all phyA adducts, the experimental spectra of Pr including this marker band region are well reproduced by the calculated spectra obtained for the ZZZasa configuration. In contrast, there are substantial discrepancies between the experimental spectra and the spectra calculated for the ZZZssa configuration, which has been previously shown to be the chromophore geometry in the Pr state of the bacterial, biliverdin-binding phytochrome from Deinococcus radiodurans (Wagner, J. R., J. S. Brunzelle, K. T. Forest, R. D. Vierstra. 2005. Nature. 438:325-331). The results of this work, therefore, suggest that plant and bacterial (biliverdin-binding) phytochromes exhibit different structures in the parent state although the mechanism of the photoinduced reaction cycle may be quite similar.


Breaking down the structure of long texts into semantically coherent segments makes the texts more readable and supports downstream applications like summarization and retrieval. Starting from an apparent link between text coherence and segmentation, we introduce a novel supervised model for text segmentation with simple but explicit coherence modeling. Our model – a neural architecture consisting of two hierarchically connected Transformer networks – is a multi-task learning model that couples the sentence-level segmentation objective with the coherence objective that differentiates correct sequences of sentences from corrupt ones. The proposed model, dubbed Coherence-Aware Text Segmentation (CATS), yields state-of-the-art segmentation performance on a collection of benchmark datasets. Furthermore, by coupling CATS with cross-lingual word embeddings, we demonstrate its effectiveness in zero-shot language transfer: it can successfully segment texts in languages unseen in training.


Fixation of carbon dioxide into valuable products is a promising method to mitigate the issues of global warming and decrease the consumption of fossil-fuel carbon sources. Poly alkylene carbonates (PACs) are environmentally friendly and low-cost polymers that are synthesized from copolymerization of carbon dioxide and epoxides. PACs are contemplated as an alternative to commercially available non-degradable polymers in the market for a broad range of applications. However, a burden for the synthesis of this group of polymers is the chemical activation of thermodynamically stable CO2. It is, therefore, imperative to develop a catalyst with high efficiency to overcome this hurdle. In this chapter, we describe the development and recent advances in the catalytic systems that have been designed to activate CO2 for copolymerization with epoxides. In particular, we will focus on the industrial trends presented in the patents for conversion of CO2 into PACs.


Identifying large and important coverage holes is a time-consuming process that requires expertise in the design and its verification environment. This paper describes a novel machine learning-based technique for finding large coverage holes when the coverage events are individually defined. The technique is based on clustering the events according to their names and mapping the clusters into cross-products. Our proposed technique is being used in the verification of high-end servers. It has already improved the quality of coverage analysis and helped identify several environment problems.


Caveolin-1(Cav-1) scaffolding domain (CSD) peptides compete with the plasma membrane Cav-1, inhibit the interaction of the proteins and Cav-1, and re-store the functions of Cav-1 binding proteins. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) binds to Cav-1 and its enzymatic activity was inhibited. In this study, we investigated the effect of CSD peptides on interaction between HO-1 and Cav-1, and on the HO-1 activity in vitro and in vivo. Our data showed that CSD peptides decreased the compartmentalization of HO-1 and Cav-1, and increased the HO-1 activity both in LPS-treated alveolar macrophages and in mice. Meanwhile, CSD peptides obviously ameliorated the pathology changes in mice and lowered the following injury indexes: the wet/dry ratio of lung tissues, total cell numbers in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lactate dehydrogenase activity in the serum. Mechanistically, it was firstly found that CSD peptides promoted alveolar macrophages polarization to M2 phenotype and inhibited the IκB degeneration. Furthermore, CSD peptides down-regulated the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, MCP-1, and iNOS in alveolar macrophages and in lung tissue. However, the protective role of CSD peptides on LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice could be abolished by zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP, a HO-1 activity inhibitor). In summary, CSD peptides have beneficial anti-inflammatory effects by restoring the HO-1 activity suppressed by Cav-1 on plasma membrane.


In 1905, Einstein postulated that the speed of light is not only finite, but that its speed in vacuum is a universal limit that no process can exceed. The Theory of General Relativity later extended this concept to include gravitational interactions, and Eddington's timely measurements of stellar positions during a solar eclipse in 1919 confirmed that gravity's effect on spacetime is both real and entirely physical -- not merely a mathematical curiosity.

With the death of Newton's notions of universal time and instantaneous gravity came the idea of gravitational waves as distortions in space-time that propagate the gravitational interaction at the speed of light. These gravitational waves are emitted from any object undergoing a non-axi-symmetric acceleration of mass, but -- due to the exceptionally weak coupling between gravitational waves and matter -- are expected to induce displacements of the order of 10^-18 m in kilometre-scale detectors: the extraordinary diminutiveness of this effect has thus far precluded any direct detection of the phenomenon.

Numerous gravitational wave detectors have been built since the 1960s, in the form of both interferometric detectors and resonant mass devices. Interferometric detectors currently represent the most promising form of detector, due to their relatively wide-band response to gravitational wave signals and promising levels of sensitivity. In recent years a worldwide network of these interferometric detectors (LIGO, GEO600, Virgo and TAMA300) have begun to approach (or indeed reach) their design sensitivities.

Although these detectors have started to provide upper limit results for gravitational wave emission that are of astrophysical significance, there have as yet been no direct detections. As such, work is underway to upgrade and improve these detectors. However, increasing the signal sensitivity necessarily leads to an increase in their sensitivity to their limiting noise sources. Two critical noise limits that must be characterised, understood, and hopefully reduced for the benefit of future detectors, are thermal noise (from mirror substrates, reflective coatings and suspension systems) and photon noise -- associated with the intrinsic shot noise of light and the noise due to light's radiation pressure.

Two interferometric experiments designed to help inform on these phenomena were constructed at the University of Glasgow's Institute for Gravitational Research.

The first experiment compared the relative displacement noise spectra of two specially constructed optical cavities, to extract the thermal noise spectrum of a single test mirror. In future experiments, this optic could be changed and the thermal noise spectrum for any suitable combination of mirror substrate and reflective coating evaluated.

The second experiment involved the investigation of suitable control schemes for a three-mirror coupled optical cavity. As the resonant light power in interferometers increases in future devices (in order to decrease the photon shot noise) the need to de-couple the control schemes that govern the respective cavities so that they can be controlled independently, becomes more important. As a three-mirror cavity effectively represents a simple coupled system, it provides a suitable test-bed for characterising suitable control schemes for more advanced interferometers.

Together, these experiments may provide information useful to the design of future gravitational wave interferometers.


Accounts of Sandakan and the Death Marches have recently come to light in Australia's never ending quest to solidify its place in history and create national memory. Sandakan is now a landscape of memory for Australians, and a place for the continuing reaffirmation of national identity. The events are perpetuated in a series of memorials, museums, cemeteries and other concrete manifestations of national trauma in and around the Sandakan district. This paper examines material and aesthetic manifestations of the Australian national memory at two memorial sites: the Sandakan Memorial and the Kundasang Memorial, in light of their socio-cultural and political contexts. The investigation makes evident the political terrain of a nation's quest for constructing and memorialising identity.