On 9 February 1946, a fifty-foot wall of water carrying huge cedar logs engulfed "the most interesting playground in Queensland"—Paronella Park—a Moorish Castle built in tropical rainforest on the banks of Mena Creek. A stormy sea of water tossed logs as if they were matchsticks and battered the castle. When the water dispersed the dream of Catalonian migrant Jose Paronella lay in ruins. Demonstrating the resilience needed in tropical Queensland, Paronella Park has risen from its ruins more than once and is today an award-winning tourist destination despite the floods and cyclones that regularly threaten it with destruction.


Growth of wireless home networking solutions has meant that household computers are now not just connected to the Internet and each other but to passers-by on the street. It is the aim of Wireless Intrusion Detection systems to identify and log malicious behaviour and report it to the administrator. This study compares contemporary products aimed at the Small Office/Home Office and personal market and gauges their usability and response to common attacks.


Dynamic Hubbard models have been proposed as extensions of the conventional Hubbard model to describe the orbital relaxation that occurs upon double occupancy of an atomic orbital. These models give rise to pairing of holes and superconductivity in certain parameter ranges. Here we explore the changes in carrier effective mass and quasiparticle weight and in one- and two-particle spectral functions that occur in a dynamic Hubbard model upon pairing, by exact diagonalization of small systems. It is found that pairing is associated with lowering of effective mass and increase of quasiparticle weight, manifested in transfer of spectral weight from high to low frequencies in one- and two-particle spectral functions. This ``undressing'' phenomenology resembles observations in transport, photoemission, and optical experiments in high-${T}_{c}$ cuprates. This behavior is contrasted with that of a conventional electron-hole symmetric Holstein-like model with attractive on-site interaction, where pairing is associated with ``dressing'' instead of undressing.


Individual bacterial cells grow and divide stochastically. Yet they maintain their characteristic sizes across generations within a tightly controlled range. What rules ensure intergenerational stochastic homeostasis of individual cell sizes? Valuable clues have emerged from high-precision longterm tracking of individual statistically-identical Caulobacter crescentus cells as reported in [1]: Intergenerational cell size homeostasis is an inherently stochastic phenomenon, follows Markovian or memory-free dynamics, and cells obey an intergenerational scaling law, which governs the stochastic map characterizing generational sequences of characteristic cell sizes. These observed emergent simplicities serve as essential building blocks of the first-principles-based theoretical framework we develop here. Our exact analytic fitting-parameter-free results for the predicted intergenerational stochastic map governing the precision kinematics of cell size homeostasis are remarkably well borne out by experimental data, including extant published data on other microorganisms, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Furthermore, our framework naturally yields the general exact and analytic condition, necessary and sufficient, which ensures that stochastic homeostasis can be achieved and maintained. Significantly, this condition is more stringent than the known heuristic result for the popular quasi-deterministic adder-sizer-timer frameworks. In turn the fully stochastic treat-ment we present here extends and updates extant frameworks, and challenges the notion that the mythical "average cell" can serve as a reasonable proxy for the inherently stochastic behaviors of actual individual cells.


In the last few years, family presence during resuscitation (FPDR) has emerged as an important topic. Traditionally, family members were not allowed to be present during resuscitation. The logic behind the practice of separating family members from their relatives during resuscitation was that watching a family member during resuscitation--a process that involves invasive procedures, is a traumatic and unnecessary experience for the family. However, over recent years, as part of a changing attitude towards patients and their families, and the development of medical consumerism, there is a change toward permitting family members to be present during resuscitation. Following these developments, fertile research is taking place. The Israeli Ministry of Health has not published any guidelines to date concerning FPDR. Therefore, FPDR is subject to the particular staffs' decisions. If a decision to adopt FPDR as a policy will be taken, it is not clear if the means to accommodate such a policy are available in Israel. FPDR is emerging as an important subject and as part of patient-centered care. More research and discussion are needed in the Israeli health system in order to understand the differences between the Israeli system and other health systems. To date, FPDR is not a viable option in the Israeli health system. Further research will help understand why this option is not a feasible option in Israel and will shed light on whether there are specific characteristics of the Israeli health care system that impede the implementation of such a policy change. There is also a need to understand the viewpoints of medical staff, patients and their families, as well as the social, logistic, ethical and legal implications of FPDR.


Marketing managers can increase shareholder value by structuring a customer portfolio to reduce the vulnerability and volatility of cash flows. This article demonstrates how financial portfolio theory provides an organizing framework for (1) diagnosing the variability in a customer portfolio, (2) assessing the complementarity/similarity of market segments, (3) exploring market segment weights in an optimized portfolio, and (4) isolating the reward on variability that individual customers or segments provide. Using a seven-year series of customer data from a large business-to-business firm, the authors demonstrate how market segments can be characterized in terms of risk and return. Next, they identify the firm's efficient portfolio and test it against (1) its current portfolio and (2) a hypothetical profit maximization portfolio. Then, using forward- and back-testing, the authors show that the efficient portfolio has consistently lower variability than the existing customer mix and the profit maximization portfolio. The authors provide guidelines for incorporating a risk overlay into established customer management frameworks. The approach is especially well suited for business-to-business firms that serve market segments drawn from diverse sectors of the economy.


On the shelf and upper slope off Peru the signal of coastal upwelling productivity and bottom-water oxygen is well preserved in alternately laminated and bioturbated diatomaceous Quaternary sediments. Global sea-level fluctuations are the ultimate cause for these cyclic facies changes. During late Miocene time, coastal upwelling was about 100 km west of the present centers, along the edge of an emergent structure that subsequently subsided to form the modern slope. The sediments are rich in organic carbon, and intense microbially mediated decomposition of organic matter is evident in sulfate reduction and methanogenesis. These processes are accompanied by the formation of diagenetic carbonates, mostly Ca-rich dolomites and Mg-calcites. The downhole isotopic signatures of these carbonate cements display distinct successions that reflect the vertical evolution of the pore fluid environment. From the association of methane gas hydrates, burial depth, and low-chloride interstitial fluids, we suggest an additional process that could contribute to the characteristic chloride depletion in pore fluids of active margins: release of interlayer water from clays without a mineral phase change. The shelf sediments also contain a subsurface brine that stretches for more than 500 km from north to south over the area drilled. The source of the brine remains uncertain, although the composition of the oxygen isotopes suggests dissolution of evaporites by seawater.


The double‐peaked response of the tropical stratospheric temperature profile to the 11 year solar cycle (SC) has been well documented. However, there are concerns about the origin of the lower peak due to potential aliasing with volcanic eruptions or the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) detected using multiple linear regression analysis. We confirm the aliasing using the results of the chemistry‐climate model (CCM) SOCOLv3 obtained in the framework of the International Global Atmospheric Chemisty/Stratosphere‐troposphere Processes And their Role in Climate Chemistry‐Climate Model Initiative phase 1. We further show that even without major volcanic eruptions included in transient simulations, the lower stratospheric response exhibits a residual peak when historical sea surface temperatures (SSTs)/sea ice coverage (SIC) are used. Only the use of climatological SSTs/SICs in addition to background stratospheric aerosols removes volcanic and ENSO signals and results in an almost complete disappearance of the modeled solar signal in the lower stratospheric temperature. We demonstrate that the choice of temporal subperiod considered for the regression analysis has a large impact on the estimated profile signal in the lower stratosphere: at least 45 consecutive years are needed to avoid the large aliasing effect of SC maxima with volcanic eruptions in 1982 and 1991 in historical simulations, reanalyses, and observations. The application of volcanic forcing compiled for phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) in the CCM SOCOLv3 reduces the warming overestimation in the tropical lower stratosphere and the volcanic aliasing of the temperature response to the SC, although it does not eliminate it completely.


Recordings of neural circuits in the brain reveal extraordinary dynamical richness and high variability. At the same time, dimensionality reduction techniques generally uncover low-dimensional structures underlying these dynamics. What determines the dimensionality of activity in neural circuits? What is the functional role of dimensionality in behavior and task learning? In this work we address these questions using recurrent neural network (RNN) models . We find that, depending on the dynamics of the initial network, RNNs learn to increase and reduce dimensionality in a way that matches task demands. These findings shed light on fundamental dynamical mechanisms by which neural networks solve tasks with robust representations that generalize to new cases. Recordings of neural circuits in the brain reveal extraordinary dynamical richness and high variability. At the same time, dimensionality reduction techniques generally uncover low-dimensional structures underlying these dynamics. What determines the dimensionality of activity in neural circuits? What is the functional role of dimensionality in behavior and task learning? In this work we address these questions using recurrent neural network (RNN) models. We find that, depending on the dynamics of the initial network, RNNs learn to increase and reduce dimensionality in a way that matches task demands. These findings shed light on fundamental dynamical mechanisms by which neural networks solve tasks with robust representations that generalize to new cases.


Women's careers have been a topic of research and discussion in many disciplines including sociology, business, industrial, organisational and vocational psychology, and career guidance. Despite the introduction of equal employment legislation in many countries, women's patterns of career development continue to reflect structural labour market disadvantage. This unique book brings together expert contributions from academic researchers, as well as representing the voices of older women who participated in an international research investigation. Grounded in multidisciplinary empirical studies, the book provides: * a variety of perspectives on women's careers in the 21st century * an international exploration of the voice of the older woman * an understanding of both the challenges and responses to women as they construct their careers. Offering a comprehensive understanding of women's career development throughout the lifespan, this book will be of key interest to academics and researchers from the fields of education, psychology, management, geography, labour market economics and sociology, as well as career practitioners, managers, trainers, researchers and policy developers.


Abstract We use the variational cluster approximation to study the relative thermodynamic stability of the spatially uniform phases of binary mixtures of hard rods and discs. The factors promoting the stability of the biaxial nematic phase are identified and discussed. The results suggest that a stable thermotropic nematic biaxial mixture cannot be obtained from molecules of the sizes and electric dipole interaction strengths commonly encountered in real calamitic and discotic thermotropic phases.


The complete nucleotide sequence of a woodchuck hepatitis virus genome cloned in Escherichia coli was determined by the method of Maxam and Gilbert. This sequence was found to be 3,308 nucleotides long. Potential ATG initiator triplets and nonsense codons were identified and used to locate regions with a substantial coding capacity. A striking similarity was observed between the organization of human hepatitis B virus and woodchuck hepatitis virus. Nucleotide sequences of these open regions in the woodchuck virus were compared with corresponding regions present in hepatitis B virus. This allowed the location of four viral genes on the L strand and indicated the absence of protein coded by the S strand. Evolution rates of the various parts of the genome as well as of the four different proteins coded by hepatitis B virus and woodchuck hepatitis virus were compared. These results indicated that: (i) the core protein has evolved slightly less rapidly than the other proteins; and (ii) when a region of DNA codes for two different proteins, there is less freedom for the DNA to evolve and, moreover, one of the proteins can evolve more rapidly than the other. A hairpin structure, very well conserved in the two genomes, was located in the only region devoid of coding function, suggesting the location of the origin of replication of the viral DNA.


All examined Haemophilus influenzae biogroup aegyptius isolates of the clone associated with Brazilian purpuric fever (the BPF clone) produced type 2 immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1) proteases encoded by identical iga genes that were distinct from the iga genes of other Brazilian H. influenzae biogroup aegyptius isolates. A partial nucleotide sequence analysis revealed close similarities to the iga genes of H. influenzae serotype c and one noncapsular H. influenzae biotype III strain isolated from a case of conjunctivitis in Tunisia, suggesting an evolutionary relationship. Epitopes recognized by neutralizing antibodies differed for the IgA1 proteases of the BPF clone and of other H. influenzae strains, including Brazilian H. influenzae biogroup aegyptius isolates from patients with noninvasive conjunctivitis. The low probability of developing cross-reacting neutralizing antibodies to the IgA1 protease of the BPF clone may contribute to the pathogenic potential of this virulent phenotype in Brazil.


We propose a novel scheme for the suppression of gain excursion in a cascaded erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFAs) link. By applying the differential amplified spontaneous emission monitoring method on link-control gain clamping, it is possible to achieve gain clamping for the whole link irrespectively of the control-signal wavelength and characteristics of individual amplifiers. The suggested algorithm/circuitry does not require predefinition of the injected signal power and operates independently of the wavelengths of control/data signals to the EDFA, enabling its application to different amplified links under distinct design parameters.


Recent simulations show that an idealized, high intensity, short pulse laser can generate quasi-monoenergetic proton beams with energies over 100 MeV in an interaction with a thin film [1]. However, most short pulse laser facilities with sufficient intensity have difficulty controlling the nanosecond and picosecond contrast necessary to realize such a regime. Experiments were performed to investigate proton and ion acceleration from a high contrast, short pulse laser by employing dual plasma mirrors along with a deformable mirror at the HERCULES laser facility at the Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, University of Michigan. Plasma mirrors were characterized, allowing a 50% throughput with an intensity contrast increase of 10(5). The focal spot quality was also exceptional, showing a 1.1 micron full width at half maximum (FWHM) focal diameter. Experiments were done using temporally cleaned 30 TW, 32 fs pulses to achieve an intensity of up to 10(21)Wcm(-2) on Si(3)N(4) and Mylar targets with thicknesses ranging 50 nm to 13 microns. Proton beams with energy spreads below 2 MeV were observed from all thicknesses, peaking with energies up to 10.3 MeV and an energy spread of 0.8 MeV. Similar narrow energy spreads were observed for oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon at the silicon nitride thickness of 50 nm with energies up to 24 MeV with an energy spread of 3 MeV, whereas the energy spread is greatly increased at a larger thickness. Maximum energies were confirmed with CR39 track detectors, while a Thomson ion spectrometer was used to gauge the monoenergetic nature of the beam.


The hardware control system of the 5-UPS/PRPU PMT (parallel machine tool) with redundant actuation was reconstructed to realize its hybrid force/position control, which was based on the primary "IPC+PMAC motion controller" system mode. Meanwhile, more perfect open type PMT control platform was constructed. Visual Basic language was used to realize the force servo control of the redundant limb and the relevant experiment was completed in the primary CNC system, combining with the PAMC motion controller library function. The results show that the force servo control strategy is exact and the newly designed hardware control system is effective, these results also provide feasible hardware basis and control method to realize the hybrid force/position control.


The nitrogen metabolism in rats with toxic affection of the liver caused by administration of CCl4 was studied as affected by the amino acid mixture moriamine S-2. It is established that with toxic hepatitis the nitrogen metabolism is sharply disturbed, especially during protein deficiency. The following evidences for this fact: a rise in the depth of the nitrogen negative balance, an increase in the intensity of amine nitrogen and ammonia excretion with urea as well as an increase in the amount of amine nitrogen in blood and tissues with a simultaneous decrease in the content of protein. The parenteral administration of the amino acid mixture for eight days to the animals with a toxic affection of the liver is more effective when nitrogen preparation is combined with the group B vitamin, vitamin C, insulin, nerobolyl and sirepar.


Since the pioneering work of Gary Becker (1968) , economists have analyzed determinants of crime from the perspective of the offender's rational decision to participate in illegal activities. Pooled time series and cross section data for 1977 and 2000 were used in this paper to examine intercountry differences in effects of economic incentives and deterrence on homicide rates. Inequality of income or consumption was significant in all of the estimated equations. This is consistent with the findings of Fajnzylber et al., who claimed that income inequality has a significant and independent impact on intentional homicide rate and that "this conclusion is not only derived from studies based on official crime statistics but is also present in those based on victimization rates from household surveys." Per capita GNP and total police personnel per 100,000 inhabitants were found to have significant relationships with completed intentional homicide.


This article explores how the low of the popular and the high of history intersect to negotiate masculinities in the nexus of politics and war in a Swedish history magazine. It investigates the content of the magazine's form and argues that it produces a kaleidoscopic take on the past which begs the reader to go along with the ads to buy another book, travel to one more historical site, buy a DVD or go to the movies, to turn the page, or to buy another issue of the magazine. Two articles, biographical in their outset, provide the basis for an analysis on how masculinities are negotiated by displaying political and military leaders in contradictory ways and enabling multiple entrance points for the contemporary reader and spectator. Articles on great men produce cultural imaginaries of warlords and political leaders by drawing on layers of historically contingent ways for men to act in public and private spheres and connecting late modern visual celebrity culture to the cults of fame in earlier centuries.


Limits on the technology available to marine scientists to study jellyfish in situ motivate the development of an automated robotic tracking system for deployment in the deep ocean. This paper synthesizes a control strategy for robotic jellyfish tracking with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). The control strategy employs three feedback loops tailored to the jelly-tracking task. A primary loop provides moderate proportional-derivative feedback to track animal swimming motion without producing excessive hydrodynamic disturbances, which might impact the behavior of the animal under study. A second boundary-control loop provides aggressive thrust, in a direction away from the target and only when needed to prevent loss of the target outside the boundaries of the vision sensor. A third disturbance-accommodation loop counters low-frequency bias forces without fighting commands issued by the human pilot. The complete system was implemented and tested in the Monterey Bay using the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute's ROV Ventana. The control system autonomously tracked six animals for durations longer than 15 min, including a Plychogena medusa which was tracked for 89 min


Dr. Katie Evans is the Walter Koss Endowed Associate Professor of Mathematics and Statistics and the Academic Director of Mathematics and Statistics and Industrial Engineering programs. She is the Director of the Integrated STEM Education Research Center (ISERC) and the Director of Louisiana Tech's Office for Women in Science and Engineering (OWISE). She earned her Ph.D. in Mathematics and M.S. in Mathematics at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. Her research interests include distributed parameter control modeling and simulation, dynamic modeling of physical systems, and STEM education. She has published 20 peer-reviewed publications in these areas, and her research has been funded by the NSF, AFRL, and LA-BOR. She also serves as an Associate Editor for the American Control Conference and the Conference on Decision and Control, two premier conferences in the controls community. She is a member of the IEEE, SIAM, and ASEE.


Abstract: Sillimanite- and staurolite-grade metamorphic rocks exhumed along the Pangong fault, the NE branch of the right-lateral Karakoram strike-slip fault in northern Ladakh, NW India, show multiple episodes of metamorphism and fabric development. Debate has centred on whether these metamorphic rocks were formed as a result of shear heating during strike-slip faulting, or whether they are exhumed earlier metamorphic rocks unrelated to movement on the Karakoram fault. Here we constrain the burial and exhumation history of the Pangong Metamorphic Complex combining the pressure–temperature evolution with accessory phase geochronology. Sillimanite-grade metamorphism in graphitic pelites was superseded by the preserved P–T conditions of a Bt + Ms + St + Grt + Qtz + Fsp assemblage at 585–605 °C and 6.05–7.25 kbar, equivalent to c. 20–25 km of burial. Laser ablation monazite U–Pb geochronology reveals that sillimanite-grade metamorphism occurred at 108.0 ± 0.6 Ma in rocks immediately adjacent to the Pangong strand of the Karakoram fault, implying that most metamorphic rocks along the Karakoram fault were not formed by shear heating during Miocene strike-slip faulting. This age correlates closely with the ages of the Hunza granite–granodiorite batholith, and the K2 orthogneiss in northern Pakistan, and confirms that some high-grade metamorphism occurred before collision and accretion of the Kohistan arc and the Indian plate to Asia; protracted high-grade metamorphism, and accompanying crustal thickening lasted at least 100 Ma along the South Asian plate margin. Our P–T and geochronology results also demonstrate the continuity of Cretaceous metamorphism across the Karakoram fault.


Iron cast machining is nowadays preceded by the process of marking out, ascertaining appropriate casting precision and size of machined surface surpluses. The procedure entails delineating (etching) boundaries of the nominal machining surpluses upon the raw cast surfaces. Their size, standardized according to the ISO 8062 certificate, depends on maximal cast dimensions and the casting method applied. The characteristic machining surplus size of the hereby investigated typical industrial casts ranges between 6 and 8 mm. As casting accuracy is determined by individual foundry standards, the actual machining surplus size values commonly differ from the nominal ones. Thus, in order to ascertain appropriate machining of a given cast, variable surplus distribution is warranted, resulting in actual surplus size values of 2–12 mm.Inherent to the iron casting procedure are variable hardness values within the casting wall cross-section, with the outer wall surface (directly contingent to the mold that rapidly cools the cast) characterized by the highest hardness value, decreasing incrementally towards its center. Verification of surface hardness values takes place after machining and involves selected work surfaces (e.g. base areas of a runner block). Excessive machining of oversized surpluses within the verified areas results in insufficient hardness of their surfaces.Bearing the above considerations in mind, optimization of surplus distribution was attempted, relating to most advantageous hardness values of selected cast work surfaces. The investigation was conducted under industrial conditions, upon milling center framework casts. The selected work surfaces were processed gradually; the surface hardness was measured after each machining step. Results thus obtained were implemented for further machining surplus optimization of equivalent casts.Copyright © 2014 by ASME


Although not matching the formal definition of the predictive probability distribution, meteorological and hydrological ensembles have been frequently interpreted and directly used to assess flood‐forecasting predictive uncertainty. With the objective of correctly assessing the predictive probability of floods, this paper introduces ways of taking into account the measures of uncertainty provided in the form of ensemble forecasts by modifying a number of well‐established uncertainty postprocessors, such as Bayesian Model Averaging and Model Conditional Processor. The uncertainty postprocessors were developed on the assumption that the future unknown quantity (predictand) is uncertain while model forecasts (predictors) are given, which imply that they are perfectly known. With this in mind, we propose to relax this assumption by considering ensemble predictions, in analogy to measurement errors, as expressions of errors in model predictions to be integrated in the postprocessors coefficients estimation process. The analyses of the methodologies proposed in this work are conducted on a real case study based on meteorological ensemble predictions for the Po River at Pontelagoscuro in Italy. After showing how improper can be the direct use of ensemble predictions to describe the predictive probability distribution, results from the modified postprocessors are compared and discussed.


Sizing mechanism of emulsion rosin size-alum systems was studied in terms of chemical structures of rosin size components in handsheets prepared under various conditions. Extraction of handsheets and cellulase-treated residues of the handsheets with dioxane-water revealed that at least 80 % of the rosin size molecules were present in the sheet as free acid structures without forming aluminum salts for both cured and noncured handsheets. Since no sizing features appeared on the extracted handsheets, the rosin size molecules having free acid structures contributed to the appearance of sizing features. Thermal behavior of the cellulase-treated residues also supported that no aluminum rosinates were formed in the sheet at least by curing treatments, although sizing degrees of the cured handsheets were clearly higher than those of non-cured ones. Scanning electron microscopic observations of surfaces of cured and non-cured handsheets, and X-ray diffraction analysis of the cellulase-treated residues showed that melting of rosin size molecules having free acid structures and their spreading over pulp fiber surfaces was the primary reason for the curing effect. Although the presence of aluminum compounds in the sheet was necessary for the efficient appearance of sizing features, this effect must be explained in terms of some mechanisms other than the simple aluminum rosinate formation.


Introduction: Non Fermenting Gram Negative Bacilli (NFGNB) are group of organisms commonly present in hospital environment spreading through fomites. They are said to be isolated in 15% of all the isolates in infection. Owing to increase in drug resistance, there is a growing need to understand the pattern of presentation. This study was done to evaluate the distribution and pattern of presentation of NFGNB in isolates in hospital setting. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out on 415 specimens analyzed in the laboratory of a tertiary care hospital for a period of one year and five months. All the clinical samples received were processed under standard protocol of inoculation and incubation. The blood culture bottles were placed in Bac T/ Alert 3 D and the positive culture bottle were processed by Grams stain and in routine bacteriological media for inoculation and incubated. The Non fermenting Gram negative organisms isolated were subjected for identification and antibiotic susceptibility profile by VITEK 2 and manual methods. Results: Majority of the isolates was identified as Pseudomonas spp (67.5%) followed by Acinetobacter spp (26.2%). Maximum specimens examined were urine samples (34.9%) followed by pus (25.3%). Overall, Amikacin, Ceftazidine and Cefipime were found to be the most sensitive antibiotic for NFGNB. Conclusion: There is a growing need to judicious use of antibiotics in NFGNB infections in order to prevent further antibiotic resistance thereby reducing health care costs and challenges in infectious disease management.


As microelectronic technology continues to evolve, it is finding increased applications in the medical sector. Implantable medical devices are continuing to branch out to new types of therapies, posing a continuously growing number of alternatives to medication. Cardiac rhythm management products are the most common, with application in pacing, defibrillation, and heart resynchronization. New applications include Parkinson's treatment, pain management, acid reflux monitors and syncope monitors. Driving factors in medical electronic devices include form factor, weight, functionality, battery longevity, cost, and reliability. This combination of requirements was aggressive and unique in early implantable devices. To meet this challenging set of requirements, medical original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) were forced to internally develop custom packaging and assembly solutions. With the evolution of consumer electronic products over the past two decades, tremendous advances have been made in microelectronics material, assembly equipment, assembly process, and component availability. Portable handheld electronic devices have a similar set of driving factors as medical implantable electronics. Medical OEMs are able to transition from custom packaging and assembly solutions toward industry standard practices, leveraging technology driven by the tremendous volume of the handheld electronics market. This "fast follower" approach allows for decreased product development cycles, a better understanding of product reliability, and cost reductions.


Abstract This paper analyzes the determinants of case disposition times in Belgian first instance courts by exploiting a unique dataset of 174 court cases. Unlike previous studies, our analysis focuses mainly on case-level determinants. Regression results show that the use of expert assessments on average prolongs overall disposition time by 902 days. Furthermore, the number of pleadings, as a proxy of case complexity, also significantly impacts the duration of trials. Additionally, results indicate that case outcomes, such as settlements or plaintiff wins, are significant determinants of case duration. In addition to case-level characteristics, our results indicate that two civil procedure reforms aimed at accelerating adjudication led to a major decrease of case duration in Belgian first instance courts.


This report represents the first systematic effort to assess the relationship between climate vulnerability, sovereign credit profiles, and the cost of capital in developing countries. Climate risks are multi-dimensional, covering a range of geophysical, social, and economic issues. The intensification of these risks and the degree to which they are accurately priced by financial markets are of increasing concern to global economic stability. Integrating climate risks into financial decision-making is crucial to long-term economic and financial stability as these risks affect return on investment. Broader recognition of these risks will be necessary for sustainable development. For every USD 10 paid in interest by developing countries, an additional dollar will be spent due to climate vulnerability. This financial burden exacerbates the present-day economic challenges of poorer countries. The magnitude of this burden will at least double over the next decade. The climate consequences on poorer countries' cost of capital and overall fiscal health need to be addressed. A range of existing policy and market responses can build climate resilience in vulnerable countries and deliver demonstrable financial benefits. Investments that enhance the resilience of climate vulnerable countries are crucial to not only helping vulnerable countries deal with the consequences of climate risks, but also bring down their cost of borrowing.


Background: In patients with bladder cancer (BCa) preoperative staging with 11C-choline positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) could be used to derive prognostic information and hence stratify patients preoperatively with respect to disease management. Methods: From June 2004 to May 2007, 44 patients with localized BCa were staged with 11C-choline PET/CT before radical cystectomy. The results of imaging were correlated to overall survival (OS) and cumulative incidence of cancer-specific death (CSD). Results: There was no statistically significant difference in OS and CSD between the patient groups when stratified for organ-confined versus non-organ-confined disease or lymph node involvement defined by either 11C-choline PET/CT (OS: p = 0.262, hazard ratio [HR] = 1.60; p = 0.527, HR = 0.76; CSD: p = 0.144, HR = 2.25; p = 0.976, HR = 0.98) or CT (OS: p = 0.518, HR = 1.34; p = 0.228, HR = 1.67; CSD: p = 0.323, HR = 1.90; p = 0.136, HR = 2.38). The limitation of this study is the small number of included patients. Conclusion: In our prospective trial neither CT nor 11C-choline PET/CT were able to sufficiently predict OS or CSD in BCa patients treated with radical cystectomy albeit trends and moderately increased HRs could be demonstrated without significant differences between CT or 11C-choline PET/CT. However, these trends might prove statistically significant in bigger patient cohorts. Therefore initial transsectional imaging might be of clinical relevance in respect to prognosis and could play a role in the counseling of BCa patients.


In a previous study, a formulation of methotrexate (MTX) incorporated in the lipid bilayer of 100-nm liposomes in the form of diglyceride ester (MTX-DG, lipophilic prodrug) was developed. In this study, first, the interactions of MTX-DG liposomes with various human and mouse tumor cell lines were studied using fluorescence techniques. The liposomes composed of egg phosphatidylcholine (PC)/yeast phosphatidylinositol/MTX-DG, 8:1:1 by mol, were labeled with fluorescent analogs of PC and MTX-DG. Carcinoma cells accumulated 5 times more MTX-DG liposomes than the empty liposomes. Studies on inhibitors of liposome uptake and processing by cells demonstrated that the formulation used multiple mechanisms to deliver the prodrug inside the cell. According to the data from the present study, undamaged liposomes fuse with the cell membrane only 1.5–2 hours after binding to the cell surface, and then, the components of liposomal bilayer enter the cell separately. The study on the time course of plasma concentration in mice showed that the area under the curve of MTX generated upon intravenous injection of MTX-DG liposomes exceeded that of intact MTX 2.5-fold. These data suggested the advantage of using liposomal formulation to treat systemic manifestation of hematological malignancies. Indeed, the administration of MTX-DG liposomes to recipient mice bearing T-cell leukemic lymphoma using a dose-sparing regimen resulted in lower toxicity and retarded lymphoma growth rate as compared with MTX.


Pterulinic acid (1) and pterulone (2), two novel halogenated antibiotics, were isolated from fermentations of Pterula sp. 82168. Both compounds exhibited significant antifungal and weak or no cytotoxic activities. 1 and 2 are effective inhibitors of eucaryotic respiration. The target of the antibiotics resides within the mitochondrial NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I).


Women's health care has separated childbearing from health promotion and management of chronic health. A critical dimension of an integrative nursing of women's health is bringing together childbearing with women's health during the life span. This integration is needed in areas such as preconception care. When Women's Health Care is viewed as an integrated continuum approach to health, rather than as a series of episodic events, higher levels of women's wellness will be achieved. An integrative science enhances research promoting women's health and patterns of care aimed at disease prevention. This article represents nursing Science in Women's Pre-conceptional Wellness.


Summary. We use cumulants to derive Bayesian credible intervals for wavelet regression estimates. The first four cumulants of the posterior distribution of the estimates are expressed in terms of the observed data and integer powers of the mother wavelet functions. These powers are closely approximated by linear combinations of wavelet scaling functions at an appropriate finer scale. Hence, a suitable modification of the discrete wavelet transform allows the posterior cumulants to be found efficiently for any given data set. Johnson transformations then yield the credible intervals themselves. Simulations show that these intervals have good coverage rates, even when the underlying function is inhomogeneous, where standard methods fail. In the case where the curve is smooth, the performance of our intervals remains competitive with established nonparametric regression methods.


Water-assisted ultrashort laser pulse processing of semiconductor materials is a promising technique to diminish heat accumulation and improve process quality. In this study, we investigate femtosecond laser ablation of deep trenches in GaAs, an important optoelectronic material, using water and ambient air environments at different laser processing regimes. We perform a comprehensive analysis of ablated trenches, including surface morphological analysis, atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging, elemental mapping, photoluminescence, and Raman spectroscopy. The findings demonstrate that GaAs ablation efficiency is enhanced in a water environment while heat-accumulation-related damage is reduced. Raman spectroscopy reveals a decrease in the broad feature associated with amorphous GaAs surface layers during water-assisted laser processing, suggesting that a higher material quality in deep trenches can be achieved using a water environment.


This paper presents in-situ applications of fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) and steel reinforced grouts (SRG) composites. Issues related to this type of application have been investigated in the last decade, mainly in Italy due to the growing need for repair or rehabilitation and conservation of the vast architectural heritage. The ten-year experience of the authors makes it possible to make some considerations and critical issues about first FRP-SRG applications on masonry construction. The aim is to show that cooperation between university research and enterprises may lead to an interesting and positive evolution of knowledge of technical solutions.


INTRODUCTION
Osteoporosis is characterised by decreased bone mass and weakened bones, with an increased risk of fractures. Osteoporotic fracture, the most serious complication of osteoporosis, is related not only to lower bone mineral density (BMD), but also falls. Osteoporosis and fractures are associated with a decreased health-related quality of life (HRQL). Zoledronic acid (ZOL) is an intravenous once-yearly bisphosphonate that has been shown to be effective and safe in improving BMD and reducing fracture risk in controlled clinical trials.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
In this self-controlled, prospective trial, 220 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis (mean age 67 years) received a single infusion of ZOL 5 mg at baseline and month 12. BMD, HRQL and Fall Index (FI) were measured at baseline, and months 12 and 24 (before each use of ZOL). The main outcome measures were the changes in lumbar spine and hip BMD and the changes in HRQL, the Short Form-36 questionnaire (SF-36). Additional comparisons were based on the FI. LSD multiple comparisons were used in the comparisons of BMD, SF-36 domain scores and FI.

RESULTS
The patients had significantly higher L1-4, total hip, femoral neck and trochanter BMD (P < 0.05) with improved HRQL (P < 0.05) over two years of treatment of once-yearly ZOL 5mg. FI was reduced (P < 0.05) with oral daily elemental calcium and vitamin D in the treatment course.

CONCLUSIONS
ZOL improves BMD and HRQL, especially in the physical aspects, over two years of treatment in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis, and can help improve balance ability.


Ehrharta erecta (panic veldt grass) is an actively spreading invasive grass in California with an uncommon capacity to invade forest understory. Greater understanding of the ecology, impacts, and potential for control of this invader is needed to set priorities and guide management. In a mixed-evergreen forest in Santa Cruz County, we measured impacts of E. erecta on native plant species richness and abundance, quantified the effectiveness of mechanical and chemical management methods, and tested whether this species forms a seed bank. We found lower percent cover of native species in plots invaded by E. erecta compared to nearby non-invaded plots, but we did not find significant differences in species richness, and we did not find a significant relationship between E. erecta cover and native cover in invaded plots. Strikingly, we measured nearly four times greater total vegetation cover in E. erecta invaded plots. Twenty-two months following management treatments, we found significant reductions in E. erecta using both mechanical and chemical methods. Herbicide application produced greater non-target effects. In a separate experiment, we tested the effects of native plant addition on restoration outcomes and regrowth of E. erecta. Transplanting native Clinopodium douglasii into management plots did not slow regrowth of E. erecta. Transplants did increase the percent cover native plants, but only by increasing C. douglasii itself. Finally, in a greenhouse experiment we compared the number of E. erecta germinants from duff and soil collected from two depths. Ehrharta erecta germinated from all three substrates, with the greatest number of germinants in the upper soil layer, suggesting that E. erecta seeds accumulate in the soil over time. The results of this research demonstrate that E. erecta drives ecological change in a mixed-evergreen forest community, effective management is possible using manual and chemical removal methods, and restoration of native species can be promoted through planting. Since we found evidence that E. erecta forms a seed bank, we recommend rapid response to E. erecta invasion and consideration of management methods that have low soil disturbance in treating established E. erecta populations.


Large numbers of experimental results show that carbides Me3C (Me means Fe, Ni, Co, Mn) are the primary carbon source to form diamond structure under the high temperature and high pressure (HPHT). In this paper, based on the empirical electron theory of solids and molecules (EET), the valence electron structure (VES) and interface structure factors of diamond and various carbides are calculated, and the boundary condition of electron movement in the improved Thomas- Fermi-Dirac theory by Cheng (TFDC) is applied to the carbide/diamond interfaces. It is found that the electron density of crystal plane in Me3C formed by C-C bonds is continuous with that in diamond at the first order of approximation. Compared with Ni-based carbides [Ni3C, (NiMn)3C)], the electron density difference of Fe-based carbides [Fe3C, (FeNi)3C, (FeMn)3C]/diamond interfaces is lower, and that of (FeNi)3C/diamond interface is minimum. The results show that the energy needed to transform carbon atomic groups into diamond structure is lower for Fe-based carbides than Ni-based carbides.


In most colleges or universities scheduling a meeting with a lecturer is far more frustrating than it really needs to be which is seen by experience. He's either unavailable due to class obligations or is sometimes unknowingly booked for that time. This can result in a lot of complaints and negative feedback on the lecturer's evaluation form and could in some cases lead to negative stereotyping. It is true that some lecturers have assistants but there are also many without especially in light of the global recession which many schools cutting back on administrative costs. Sometimes even though the lecturer has an assistant\aide he might not have read the email or sometimes students make appointments over the phone and its written down somewhere and misplaced. The issue of double or over booking can lead to a lot of confusion when a lecturer works in multiple capacities at the university or across several universities especially if bookings are not coordinated carefully. It gets even more complicated when students make appointments with lecturers but also the head of school to organize meeting with otter lecturers. In the past, considerable amount of work have been done in using Agents in computer science in the likes of m-commerce, e-commerce, and telemedicine to name a few. There has been a lot of work done in agent scheduling for meeting creation and management and so taking this aspect into consideration, we arrived at our proposition to develop an intelligent agent which would negotiate and collaborate with the agent of academic staff for an appropriate appointment time for the student. The solution would facilitate priority level creation which would then mean that the appointment can factor in the priority level of the students, level of appointment, and date for exam. The implementation would be carried out using JADE-LEAP agent development kit on Android 2.2 handset.


Synapses between cochlear nerve terminals and hair cells are the most vulnerable elements in the inner ear in both noise-induced and age-related hearing loss, and this neuropathy is exacerbated in the absence of efferent feedback from the olivocochlear bundle. If age-related loss is dominated by a lifetime of exposure to environmental sounds, reduction of acoustic drive to the inner ear might improve cochlear preservation throughout life. To test this, we removed the tympanic membrane unilaterally in one group of young adult mice, removed the olivocochlear bundle in another group and compared their cochlear function and innervation to age-matched controls one year later. Results showed that tympanic membrane removal, and the associated threshold elevation, was counterproductive: cochlear efferent innervation was dramatically reduced, especially the lateral olivocochlear terminals to the inner hair cell area, and there was a corresponding reduction in the number of cochlear nerve synapses. This loss led to a decrease in the amplitude of the suprathreshold cochlear neural responses. Similar results were seen in two cases with conductive hearing loss due to chronic otitis media. Outer hair cell death was increased only in ears lacking medial olivocochlear innervation following olivocochlear bundle cuts. Results suggest the novel ideas that 1) the olivocochlear efferent pathway has a dramatic use-dependent plasticity even in the adult ear and 2) a component of the lingering auditory processing disorder seen in humans after persistent middle-ear infections is cochlear in origin.


Stomach contents were analysed to investigate the diets of 52 commercial species of fish. Fish were collected from Bass Strait and adjacent Victorian waters, south-eastern Australia; samples effectively covered the whole of the Victorian coast. Particular emphasis was placed on estimating the importance of arrow squid, Nototodarus gouldri in the diets of the species investigated. For most of the species investigated, the major food items (expressed as the proportion of stomach contents by number, weight and volume or through the calculation of the Index of Relative Importance) were fish or crustaceans. Cephalopods were found in the diets of 21 species but provided a major proportion of the stomach contents in only six species. Arrow squid did not appear to be a major item in the diets of any of the species investigated. For those species that eat large amounts of cephalopods, it appears to be octopus, rather than squid, that is of most significance in the diet.


Adulterations and geographical origins are two essential quality factors of foods and herbs. In this work, the authentication of a traditional Chinese herb, Gastrodia elata BI. (GE), against artificial frauds and fine classification of geographical origins, was performed using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and chemometrics. Class models of representative and authentic GE samples collected from different geographical origins were developed using one-class partial least squares (OCPLS) for untargeted detection of 4 common exogenous adulterants, including taro starch, sweet potato starch, potato starch and Polygonatum sibiricum powder. Fine classification of GE samples from 14 geographical origins was performed using a new large-class-number classification strategy, interval-combination one-versus-one partial least squares discriminant analysis (IC-OVO-PLSDA). Different data preprocessing methods were investigated to improve the classification accuracy of models. As a result, OCPLS with second-order derivative (D2) spectra could detect 1.0% (w/w) or higher levels of 4 different adulterants and obtain a sensitivity of 0.9107. For fine classification of geographical origins, a total classification accuracy of 0.9250 was achieved by IC-OVO-PLSDA with standard normal variate (SNV) spectra. The study demonstrates the potential of using NIR combined with chemometrics for the authentication of pure GE against multiple adulterants and fine classification of geographical origins.


A number of farming systems projects are currently being conducted in the north eastern cropping region of Australia. These are jointly funded by the grains industry and state government R&D agencies, and conducted by the latter with some involvement of private industry. The issues which were the genesis of these projects are basically technological (ie productivity-enhancement) to maintain or improve farm income over time, and environmental to redress natural resource degradation associated with the current system. This paper is concerned with the analysis of results from these projects to provide information which helps grain growers in making decisions. In particular, we aim to consider the issues to be analysed and the characteristics of the systems involved in deciding the type of economic analysis to be conducted for these projects. Characteristics of farm production systems in the region include complexity, variability and dynamics, particularly in terms of tactical decision making. The most appropriate methods of analysis need to be carefully considered, but there is a rich history of experience to draw from in these choices.


Thoracic aorta were elastic type, tunica intima consisted of a single layer of flattened endothelial cells, sub endothelial layer and indistinct internal elastic membrane. Tunica media is thickest among the three layers and welldefined elastic lamellae, they were separated by circularly arranged smooth muscle, collagen fibers and reticular fibers. External elastic membrane was not distinguishable from many elastic layers in tunica media and tunica adventitia was comprised of collagen fibers, elastic fibers, vasa vasorum and fibroblasts in loose connective tissue. Histochemically thoracic aorta of both the species showed strong (+++) PAS positive in the tunica intima of Bidri goat and Deccani sheep. Tunica media showed moderate (++) alcian blue (pH 1.0) reaction in sheep, whereas, in goat it was strong (+++) alcian blue reaction and tunica adventitia was strong (+++) PAS positive in Deccani sheep whereas, in goat it was strong (+++) alcian blue positive.


In this paper we report findings from a study of what we are calling 'sports media activism' (or 'SMA'). We were interested in how, why, and for what purposes a range of sport media activists are engaging with sport-related social issues through different media. This research contributes to a limited body of literature on sport-related activism, and especially to thinking about the role of media in sport-related activism. By 'taking sport seriously' in this paper, we consider what might be learned by focusing on the experiences of those creating and contributing to sport-related activism and alternative media. Also, by assessing a range of projects that we include under the sport media activism umbrella—each with their own goals and intentions for change—we think there is room to inform thinking about 'alternative' media more broadly.


Hydroxy toluene and nitro toluene are not easily oxidized. Nitro and hydroxy groups inhibit oxidation in the presence of super oxide.1-3 Super oxide is generated in aprotic solvent by the reduction of molecular oxygen electrochemically in the potential range -0.85 to 0.90 versus SCE. Super oxide oxidized toluene and its derivatives. Besides case of oxidation of toluene and its derivatives, work could be extended further in persu oxygen reduction studies on non metallic surface such as different type of carbon and graphite with a view to understand the reaction mechanism and possible applications to fuel cell technology.4-6 A fuel cell is a device that convert the electricity through a chemical reaction with or another oxidizing agent. A fuel cell operates electrochemically or more literally chemico electricity. This cell is actually a reactor, it consist of two electronic conductor electrodes separated by an ionic conducting electrolyte with provision for the continuous movement of fuel oxidant and reaction product into and out of the cell. The fuel is carbon rod the electrolyte tetramethyl ammonium bromide and the oxidant is superoxide. The superoxide ion move to carbon electron is accepted by monomer and finally give polymer.


Part of a research aimed at the regional analysis of Hungarian adult education, the Hungarian Folk High School Society (MNT), this essay intends to provide a regional image of the MNT network based on quantitative indices after examining regional centres, member organisations. Attempt is made to highlight essential regional characteristics of the network, thus offering a starting point for a complex regional analysis. Based on the regional roster, a complex development index of small regions, the NUTS presents the network's national coverage, distribution and the supply of folk high schools on regional, county and small region level, while tackling the organisations in each centre. Starting from the data gained, the essay seeks replies to the correlation of supply and the level of local development.

Keywords: adult education • public education • civil organisations • folk high school • territorial distribution


Depending on spatial requirements and the distribution of key resources in the environment, social behavior among lizards varies from defense of exclusive territories to the establishment of dominance hierarchies. In captivity or under conditions where dispersal is not possible, dominance hierarchies often emerge in species that are otherwise territorial. This review explores some of the morphological, behavioral, and hormonal determinants of social status in male lizards and how these may lead to differential reproductive function in dominant and subordinate individuals. Emphasis is placed on the importance of population density, local resource dispersion, and the composition and stability of social groups in promoting hierarchical behavior. Results of these studies have ramifications for several aspects of zoo management, including exhibit design, choice of animals to be housed together, provision of resources in space and time, and orientation of enclosures within captive breeding facilities. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.


In this thesis, we explore two different approaches to causal inferences. The traditional approach models the theoretical relationship between the outcome variables and their explanatory variables, i.e., the science, at the same time as the systematic differences between treated and control subjects are modeled, i.e., the assignment mechanism. The alternative approach, based on Rubin's Causal Model (RCM), makes it possible to model the science and the assignment mechanism separately in a two-step procedure. In the first step, no outcome variables are used when the assignment mechanism is modeled, the treated students are matched with similar control students using this mechanism, and the models for the science are determined. Outcome variables are only used in the second step when these pre-specified models for the science are fitted. In the first paper, we use the traditional approach to evaluate whether a husband is more prone to quit smoking when his wife quits smoking than he would have been had his wife not quit. We find evidence that this is the case, but that our analysis must rely on restrictive assumptions. In the subsequent two papers, we use the alternative RCM approach to evaluate if a Harvard freshman who does not smoke (observed potential outcome) is more prone to start smoking when he shares a suite with at least one smoker, than he would have been had he shared a suite with only smokers (missing potential outcomes). We do not find evidence that this is the case, and the small and insignificant treatment effect is robust against various assumptions that we make regarding covariate adjustments and missing potential outcomes. In contrast, we do find such evidence when we use the traditional approach previously used in the literature to evaluate peer effects relating to smoking, but the treatment effect is not robust against the assumptions that we make regarding covariate adjustments. These contrasting results in the two latter papers allow us to conclude that there are a number of advantages with the alternative RCM approach over the traditional approaches previously used to evaluate peer effects relating to smoking. Because the RCM does not use the outcome variables when the assignment mechanism is modeled, it can be re-fit repeatedly without biasing the models for the science. The assignment mechanism can then often be modeled to fit the data better and, because the models for the science can consequently better control for the assignment mechanism, they can be fit with less restrictive assumptions. Moreover, because the RCM models two distinct processes separately, the implications of the assumptions that are made on these processes become more transparent. Finally, the RCM can derive the two potential outcomes needed for drawing causal inferences explicitly, which enhances the transparency of the assumptions made with regard to the missing potential outcomes.


The removal of unwanted nutrients, such as carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater, is crucial in maintaining our waterways and preventing eutrophication. The enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) process is a widely applied and globally important biological process for the removal of phosphorus and treatment of wastewater. This removal performance occurs through the intracellular accumulation of phosphate by polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAO). Candidatus "Accumulibacter phosphatis" (Accumulibacter) are identified as a major PAO responsible for EBPR by culture-independent methods. Maintenance of stable EBPR performance is of importance and EBPR failure is often attributed to the presence of glycogen-accumulating organisms (GAO). Candidatus "Competibacter phosphatis" (Competibacter) has been identified as a major GAO, which competes anaerobically with PAO for carbon without removing phosphate, therefore negatively impacting EBPR performance. Typically, full-scale EBPR systems operate as floccular activated sludge, in which small biofilm aggregates (30-200 mm) of microorganisms treat wastewater. However, there is recent interest to operate activated sludge as 'aerobic' granules, which form larger biofilm aggregates (200-2000 mm) which exhibit faster settling characteristics and higher biomass concentrations than floccular sludge, making it operationally and economically advantageous. Phylogenetic-group specific probes for environmental samples. Since EBPR systems are mixed microbial communities, most studies are limited to in-situ investigations. The first research paper (Chapter 4) assessed the microbial community using fluorescence in-situ hybridisation (FISH). FISH is regularly used to assess the microorganisms present in EBPR activated sludge biomass, and to link process performance with resident microbial communities. This assessment has substantial implications for EBPR, specifically relating to the identification of two critical, relatively-abundant and competing bacterial populations of Accumulibacter and Competibacter. These are members of the Betaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria respectively and targeted by the phylogenetic group specific (PGS) oligonucleotide FISH probes, BET42a and GAM42a. A metagenomic study of two EBPR biomasses, which produced a near complete genome for Accumulibacter, and our own 16S-23S rRNA gene analysis revealed that Accumulibacter was actually targeted by the Gammaproteobacteria PGS FISH probe. This FISH probe inconsistency was of particular importance on this occasion as the trusting use of the PGS probes would confuse the monitoring of key bacteria that have competing roles within EBPR. Granule formation mechanisms. To date, the majority of research on granular sludge has focused on optimisation of engineering aspects relating to reactor operation with little emphasis on the fundamental microbiology. The second research paper (Chapter 5) investigated microbial mechanisms for granule formation as observed in three laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactors operating for biological phosphorus removal, treating two different types of wastewater. During the initial stages of granulation two distinct granule types (white and yellow) were distinguished within the mixed microbial population. White granules appeared as compact, smooth, dense aggregates dominated by 97.5% Accumulibacter and yellow granules appeared as loose, rough, irregular aggregates with a mixed microbial population of 12.3% Accumulibacter and 57.9% Competibacter among other bacteria. Phylogenetic and microscopic analysis suggests the granule types are likely not a result of strain-associated differences, and rather the result of two different formation mechanisms. Further understanding and application of these formation mechanisms and the associated microbial ecology may provide conceptual information benefiting start-up procedures for full-scale granular sludge reactors. Bacteriophage activity causing community and performance changes. Bacteria are known to play important roles in biogeochemical cycles and biotechnology processes, such as EBPR, but little is known about the influence of bacteriophage on these processes. The third research paper (Chapter 6) investigated the effect of bacteriophage infection of EBPR process performance and granular sludge. However, a major impediment to the study of host-bacteriophage interactions is that the host bacteria and their bacteriophage are often not available in pure culture. In this study we used in-situ microbial methods to investigate a bacteriophage infection of the uncultured bacterium Accumulibacter, resulting in a decline in phosphorus removal performance and granular sludge stability within laboratory-scale EBPR treatment reactor. This is the first demonstration of bacteriophage affecting both bacterial-community structure and nutrient-removal performance in activated sludge and suggests that bacteriophage play a significant role in determining the structure and function of bacterial communities in activated sludges. Metatranscriptomic and metaproteomic comparison of floccular and granular sludge. Our understanding of the fundamental microbial mechanisms associated with granular sludge formation and stability is still very limited. The fourth research paper (Chapter 7) we present a combined metatranscriptomic and metaproteomic comparison between floccular and granular sludge and identifies significant differences in gene expression and protein. Overall, 569 mRNA transcripts and 191 proteins were identified as being statistically different between floccular and granular sludge. Results indicate that genes and proteins involved in signal transduction, cell motility, EPS formation and cell membrane biogenesis may play crucial roles in granulation. The study also identified a large number of hypothetical and unknown proteins, which may be involved in granule formation and stability, further emphasising our lack of understanding of granulation.


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The natural history of cerebral aneurysms is thought to be governed by multifactorial processes involving hemodynamics, biomechanics, mechanobiology, and perianeurysmal environment. The purpose of this study was to highlight the importance of considering the influence of contacts with perianeurysmal environment structures on the hemodynamics and geometric evolution of intracranial aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A large aneurysm of the basilar artery in contact with bone and observed to grow during a 4-year follow-up period was selected for study. Anatomic models were constructed from longitudinal CTA images acquired at 1-year intervals during the observation period. Computational fluid dynamics simulations were carried out under pulsatile flow conditions to analyze the blood flow pattern and WSS distribution in the aneurysm during its evolution. RESULTS: The aneurysm was observed to grow against the bone, resulting in a geometric change of the proximal parent artery, which, in turn, induced substantial changes in the aneurysm hemodynamics. In particular, a region of elevated WSS created by the inflow streams was observed to shift locations around the place where the aneurysm enlarged in contact with the bone as the aneurysm progressed. In addition, a "notch" near the distal end of the aneurysm, away from the bone and subject to relatively high WSS, was observed to grow and, later, completely disappear. CONCLUSIONS: Contacts with perianeurysmal structures need to be considered and analyzed to assess whether they could exert a significant influence on the geometric evolution of each individual intracranial aneurysm and its hemodynamics.


The following article explores the interdependency between urban crisis as a pre-condition for self-organised responses to it and self-organised projects that try to provide solutions for problems caused by the respective crisis. Berlin is taken as specific field of investigation as self-organisation is very much linked to its recent history and it therefore seems to be a very relevant case for this topic. The example of the International Building Exhibition 1984/1987 in Berlin (IBA 84/87) is studied as a historic reference to provide a framework for comparing more recent processes with a long-term experience since the late 1980'. Four recent examples of self-organised projects that aim to provide spaces without profit are presented with the focus on their creation processes. The article further explores the specific relationship between Berlins' actual housing crisis and various forms of self-organised reactions to it. Finally, the research tries to explore possible impacts these projects might have on formal local planning structures in a long-term perspective.


There is no doubt that Punjab farming is capital intensive and agricultural production increased with the use of machinery, high yielding varieties of seeds, pesticides and fertilizers. But the use of technology made agriculture more capital intensive. Punjab farmers are suffering from stagnated agricultural production and their expenditure on agricultural inputs are increasing over the time. This situation creates financial problems for the farming class. The present paper tried to shows the current situation of Punjab's agriculture in terms of operational land holding, productivity, irrigational sources, marketing of agricultural produced, and transformation from labour intensive to capital intensive farming etc.


When he died in 1924, Joseph Conrad, who was named a 'racist' by Chinua Achebe
(1977) and defended by others as taking an anti-imperialist stance (Brantlinger 1996), was a
total stranger to the Chinese readers, whose country was made a semi-colony in the late
nineteenth century. In the 1930s, however, four of his works were translated and published
within four years, all commissioned by the Committee on Editing and Translation funded by
the China Foundation for the Promotion of Education and Culture.
The thesis investigates the Chinese translations of Conrad's works published during the
Republican Era in 1912-1937, exploring the power relations between the translators as agents
and the social structure in which they operated. The thesis is divided into six chapters. After
the introduction, I describe, in Chapter 2, the translators' practice in terms of their narrating
positions on the textual and paratextual levels as reflected in the translations of the sea
stories borrowing analytical models on narrative discourse devised by Gerard Genette and
Roger Fowler. I proceed in Chapter 3 with an account of the commissioner, tracking down
the organization of the China Foundation and the Committee on Editing and Translation
which initiated the project of translating World Classics (including Conrad's works) in the
1930s. In Chapter 4, I reassess the notion of 'faithfulness', a key concept in the discourse of
translation in theory and criticism at the time. Using Pierre Bourdieu's theory of practice as
the theoretical framework, I argue that the practice of the translators, who created the image
of Conrad through their translations, can be explained with reference to their relations with
other agents (commissioners, theorists, critics, etc.) occupying different positions within the
intellectual field, and the habitus which mediated their position and the social structure they
were engaged in Chapter 5, followed by the conclusion.


Business simulations are viewed as a tool that can model relationships in the business environment. This paper provides a review of the simulation research published in the Academy of Management Journal from 1964 through 2010. Detailed information ranging from sample size and composition to variables studied and results is provided for twenty articles. The author also summarizes several dimensions of the ABSEL research and suggests some 'next steps' for researchers using computer simulations in both basic and applied studies.


Background: Recent studies from multiple countries have shown a high prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) among severely ill patients. Despite providing valuable insight into the clinical management of CAPA, large-scale prospective studies are limited. Here, we report on one of the largest multicenter epidemiological studies to explore the clinical features and prevalence of COVID-19-associated pulmonary mold infections (CAPMIs) among mechanically ventilated patients. Methods: Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and serum samples were collected for culture, galactomannan (GM), and β-D-glucan (BDG) testing. Patients were classified as probable CAPMI based on the presence of host factors, radiological findings, and mycological criteria. Results: During the study period, 302 COVID-19 patients were admitted to intensive care units (ICUs), among whom 105 were mechanically ventilated for ≥4 days. Probable CAPMI was observed among 38% of patients (40/105), among whom BAL culture of 29 patients turned positive for molds, while galactomannan testing on BAL (GM index ≥1) and serum (GM index >0.5) samples were positive for 60% (24/40) and 37.5% (15/39) of patients, respectively. Aspergillus (22/29; 75.8%) and Fusarium (6/29; 20.6%) constituted 96.5% of the molds isolated. Diaporthe foeniculina was isolated from a COVID-19 patient. None of the patients who presented with CAPMI were treated with antifungal drugs. Conclusion: Despite being prevalent, the absence of appropriate antifungal treatment highlights that CAPMI is a neglected complication among mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients admitted to ICUs. CAPMI can be caused by species other than Aspergillus.


Two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted increasing attention recently due to their extraordinarily different material properties compared with conventional bulk materials. The 2D materials possess ultralow weight, high Young's modulus, high strength, outstanding carrier mobility, as well as high anisotropy between the in-plane and out-of-plane mechanical properties. The nearby atoms in the same plane of layered 2D materials are connected via covalent bonding, while the interlayers are stacked together via weak van der Waals interactions. In this article, we review the in-plane mechanical properties (including the in-plane Young's modulus, pretension, breaking strength/strain) and out-of-plane mechanical properties (including the perpendicular-to-plane Young's modu‐ lus, shear force constant, and shear strength) of different 2D materials, varying from conductors, semiconductors, to insulators. The different fabrication methods for suspended 2D material structures are presented. The experimental methods and principles for mechanical properties characterization are reviewed. A comparison of the mechani‐ cal properties among different 2D materials is summarized. Furthermore, electrical output change as a result of mechanical deformation (piezoresistive and piezoelectric effects) is introduced briefly. By exploiting the unique mechanical and mechanoelectric transduc‐ tion properties, 2D materials can be used in wide-ranging applications, including flexible electronics, strain sensors, nanogenerators, and innovative nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS).


Various devices were used to carry circumcision operation out. It noted that these devices, especially the Plastic Clamp method, significantly decrease complications as long as basic surgical rules, are followed. This study aims to examine the application of Plastic Clamp circumcision in infants. Children whose physical examinations revealed circumcision contradictions excluded from the study. During the study period, a total of 485 children was circumcised using the plastic clamp method under sedated anesthesia and by a single pediatric surgeon. Measurements take before operations and plastic clamps with diameters ranging from 1.2 to 1.6 cm used. The duration of the surgical procedure, early and late period post-operative complications, the separation duration of the plastic clamp, and problems evaluated. Study Results, the average length of the surgical operation was determined to be 5.5 minutes. The average hospital stay duration of the patients was 2 hours. During the follow-ups, edemas were observed in mucosal areas of 24 (4.9%) patients, 48 hours after the clamp placed and edema and swelling recovered seven days after the circumcision at the latest. On average, it observed that plastic clamp separated on its own in 7.1 days. It noted that in 4 (0.8%) patients, the plastic clamp separated prematurely during 6 hours following the operation due to pulling. Conclusion study plastic Clamp (Alisklamp) is starting to gain popularity because it falls off on its own and that it can be applied quickly under local anesthesia


Data leakage is a budding security threat to organizations, particularly when data leakage is carried out by trusted agents. In this paper, we present unobtrusive techniques for detecting data leakage and assessing the "guilt" of agents. Water marking is the long-established technique used for data leakage detection which involves some modification to the original data. To overcome the disadvantages of using watermark, data allocation strategies are used to improve the feasibility of detecting guilty agent. Distributor "intelligently" allocates data based on sample request and explicit request using allocation strategies in order to better the effectiveness in detecting guilty agent. Fake objects are designed to look like real objects, and are distributed to agents together with requested data. Fake objects encrypted with a private key are designed to look like real objects, and are distributed to agents together with requested data. By this way we can identify, the guilty agent who leaked the data by decrypting his fake object.


Studying buildings can be a rich entry point into emerging cultural geographies. The archipelago of Chiloé in southern Chile is experiencing rapid change since the country's extreme turn toward neoliberal governance in the 1970s. Once a rural, communal, and sea-faring region, it has been transformed by industrial aquaculture in recent decades which has driven a new urban landscapes and consumer-oriented lifestyles. This paper offers findings from an ethnographic study of changing consumption geographies, from iconic tourist sites linked to the region's rich heritage geographies, to the new corporate retailers and shopping malls. Specifically, the new shopping mall clashes with the heritage and tourist landscape of colonial era churches and other unique heritage architectures that have captured the attention of tourists and investors. We glimpse a dynamic architectural geography in flux, as an array of buildings pulls the population in multiple directions at once, making it an ideal case study of the competing forces of what Deleuze and Guattari called de- and re-territorialization, an appropriate analytic for understanding the powerful forces of commodification.


Four new phases of general formula, Li11RE18M4O39-δ: REM = NdAl, NdCo, SmCo, SmFe, have been synthesised and characterised. The NdAl phase, and probably the others, is isostructural with the NdFe analogue, but some cation disorder and partial site occupancies prevent full structural refinement of powder neutron diffraction data. The NdCo phase also forms a solid solution with variable Li content (and charge compensation by either oxygen vacancies or variable transition metal oxidation state). The NdAl phase is a modest conductor of Li(+) ions whereas the other three phases are electronic conductors, attributed to mixed valence of the transition metal ions. Subsolidus phase diagrams for the systems Li2O-Nd2O3-Al2O3, 'CoO' have been determined and an additional new phase, LiCoNd4O8, which appears to have a K2NiF4-related superstructure, identified.


Nephrogenic Diabetes insipidus (NDI) is an issue coming about because of lacking against diuretic hormone (ADH) activity and is described by the entry of extensive measures of exceptionally dilute urine. This problem must be separated from other polyuric states, for example, essential polydipsia, osmotic diuresis and diabetes mellitus. Diabetes insipidus is a condition when a person is passing urine with excess of water, this condition arise due to improper re-absorption of water during urine formation. Aquaporins (AQPs) play a important role in absorption of water. AQP2 is quite dominant than other isoforms. This article provides nutshell information about Diabetes Insipidus and role of Aquaporin-2 gene in its physiology.


Films of various thicknesses were formed from pyrene (P)-labelled poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) high Tg latex particles, sterically stabilized by poly(iso butylene) (PIB). Annealing of the films was performed above the Tg at elevated temperatures up to 270 °C for 30 min intervals. The UV-visible (UVV) technique was used to monitor film formation and dissolution. The absorption of chloroform molecules into the annealed latex film was followed by the diffusion of PMMA chains into the solvent reservoir. The diffusion coefficients of the PMMA chains were measured and found to range from 2.6 × 10-9 to 9.7 × 10-13 cm2 s-1 for the latex films of various thicknesses. Thicker films dissolved much faster than the thinner films. Monte Carlo simulations were performed for photon transmission through a rectangular lattice, where trap centres are introduced to simulate the effect of voids and cracks on the transparency of the latex film. As the lattice thickness was increased, the number of trap centres decreased.


[1] In June 1999, an intense swarm of earthquakes occurred on the Endeavour segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge influencing hydrothermal activity in and around the Main Endeavour Field (MEF). Here we report the dissolved concentrations of 31 species from five high-temperature vents sampled 3 months after the seismic event. The spatial variability of vent fluid chemistry is extreme. Vapor-dominated vent fluids at Cantilever and Sully sites have high measured temperatures (375°–379°C), high dissolved gas and boron concentrations, but low SiO2. Modeling results indicate that these fluids can be accounted for by supercritical phase separation and brine condensation. Other vent fluids have moderate temperatures (340°–366°C) and chloride concentrations (208–426 mmol/kg), and may result from mixing of supercritical, vapor-rich fluids with evolved seawater. Phase equilibria calculations indicate that in addition to chloride, redox, temperature, and especially pressure play key roles in accounting for compositional variability of vent fluids at MEF. In comparison with earlier (1988) data, the 1999 data set reveals significantly lower chloride concentrations and higher boron, whereas alkali and alkaline earth cations are lower by 10–20% in keeping with chloride decrease. That dissolved chloride, boron, and other elements returned to preevent levels when again sampled in 2000 provide additional data documenting the inherently dynamic nature of hydrothermal systems at mid-ocean ridges.


Dynamic programming has its firm place in the toolbox of a computer scientist. Its educational value, however, goes far beyond the border of our discipline. The example of dynamic programming illustrates how such an important algorithm design principle, and more generally algorithmic thinking skills, can be applied to solve problems in other fields. We describe our experiences with an approach towards teaching dynamic programming without a formal introduction to recursion, which allowed us to successfully introduce it to first-semester students of natural sciences with almost no background in computer science.


In this work we consider a target tracking scenario where a moving observer with a bearings-only sensor is tracking a target. The tracking performance is highly dependent on the trajectory of the sensor platform, and the problem is to determine how it should maneuver for optimal tracking performance. The problem is considered as a stochastic optimal control problem and two sub-optimal control strategies are presented based on the Information filter and the determinant of the information matrix as the optimization objective. Using the determinant of the information matrix as an objective function in the planning problem is equivalent to using differential entropy of the posterior target density when it is Gaussian. For the non-Gaussian case, an approximation of the differential entropy of a density represented by a particle mixture is proposed. Furthermore, a gradient approximation of the differential entropy is derived and used in a stochastic gradient search algorithm applied to the planning problem.


Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (ConvNets) have seen great success on machine learning tasks in recent years but have shown difficulty with tasks that require long-term deliberative planning. Whereas, purpose-built hybrid network architectures have been able to solve increasingly challenging deliberate tasks in two-dimensional and three-dimensional artificial worlds. Starting from a purpose-built network and transitioning to a general architecture, like a deep ConvNet, may retain long-term deliberative planning while allowing greater flexibility in the task domain. This paper employs a standard genetic algorithm (GA) to train the weights of a ConvNet with a recurrent 3x3 filter to produce robust and deliberative motion planning. This technique resulted in an average of 98.97% completion over 10,000 runs in the most difficult deliberate task. This demonstrates that a shallow ConvNet with recurrent connections is capable of producing deliberate and robust motion planning. Further, the evolved ConvNet exh...


This article is the second part of the 3D numerical analysis of the thermal and hydro dynamical processes which take place inside the fuel channel of the RBMK-1500 reactor during the interaction between the coolant and the fuel bundles. This article covers the results devoted to the upper part of the fuel channel, meanwhile, the preceding investigation [3] focuses on the processes, which run inside the lower part of the fuel channels of the RBMK-1500 reactor. The evaluation of the pressure drop, coolant temperature rise, flow velocity and steam mass fraction changes at the distance grids (spacers) and at the heat transfer intensification grids-intensifiers of the upper part of the fuel channel was carried out using the ANSYS CFX software. It was stated that the heat transfer intensification grids (intensifiers) increased the turbulence of the coolant (water-steam mixture) and influenced on the rise of the heat transfer rate and on the intensity of the steam generation. The average value of the heat transfer coefficient in the upper part of the channel was equal to 40000 W/(m 2 ·K) and was about 14% higher than in the lower part of the channel. Differently from the lower part of the channel, the heat transfer coefficient increased at the heat transfer intensification grids and did not return back to the previous values after passing through them. The main reason of that was the turbulence of the water-steam mixture and vortex formation. All those processes have influenced on the more intensive wetting of the fuel elements by the water droplets and on the more intensive droplets evaporation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.mech.24.1.19468


If your interest is finance and trading, then using Python to build a financial calculator makes absolute sense. As does this book which is a hands-on guide covering everything from option theory to time series. Overview Estimate market risk, form various portfolios, and estimate their variance-covariance matrixes using real-world data Explains many financial concepts and trading strategies with the help of graphs A step-by-step tutorial with many Python programs that will help you learn how to apply Python to finance In Detail Python is a free and powerful tool that can be used to build a financial calculator and price options, and can also explain many trading strategies and test various hypotheses. This book details the steps needed to retrieve time series data from different public data sources. Python for Finance explores the basics of programming in Python. It is a step-by-step tutorial that will teach you, with the help of concise, practical programs, how to run various statistic tests. This book introduces you to the basic concepts and operations related to Python. You will also learn how to estimate illiquidity, Amihud (2002), liquidity measure, Pastor and Stambaugh (2003), Roll spread (1984), spread based on high-frequency data, beta (rolling beta), draw volatility smile and skewness, and construct a binomial tree to price American options. This book is a hands-on guide with easy-to-follow examples to help you learn about option theory, quantitative finance, financial modeling, and time series using Python. What you will learn from this book Build a financial calculator based on Python Learn how to price various types of options such as European, American, average, lookback, and barrier options Write Python programs to download data from Yahoo! Finance Estimate returns and convert daily returns into monthly or annual returns Form an n-stock portfolio and estimate its variance-covariance matrix Estimate VaR (Value at Risk) for a stock or portfolio Run CAPM (Capital Asset Pricing Model) and the Fama-French 3-factor model Learn how to optimize a portfolio and draw an efficient frontier Conduct various statistic tests such as T-tests, F-tests, and normality tests Approach A hands-on guide with easy-to-follow examples to help you learn about option theory, quantitative finance, financial modeling, and time series using Python.


A private cloud has become an essential computing infrastructure for many enterprises. However, according to a recent study, 30% of VMs in data centers are not being used for any productive work. These "inactive" (or "zombie") VMs can arise from faulty VM management code within the cloud infrastructure but are usually the result of human neglect. Inactive VMs can hurt the performance of productive VMs, can distort internal cost management, and in the extreme can result in the cloud infrastructure being unable to allocate resources for new VMs. Correctly assessing the productivity of a VM can be challenging: e.g., is a VM that has low CPU utilization being used to slowly edit source code or is it an inactive VM that happens to be performing routine maintenance (e.g., virus-scan and software updates)? To address this problem, we develop a supervised learning model that leverages primitive information (e.g., running process, login history, network connections) of VMs periodically collected by a lightweight data collection framework. This model employs a linear support vector machine (SVM) approach that reflects single VM behavior as well as coordinated VM behaviors. We evaluated the identification accuracy of this model with a real-world dataset within IBM of more than 750 VMs. Results show that our model has a 20% higher accuracy (90%) than state-of-the-art approaches. An accurate model is an important first step to enable private cloud infrastructures to achieve better resource management through such actions as suspending or dynamically downsizing inactive VMs.


Using a computerized ultrasound system, 63 autopsied livers were examined. A quantitative description of the ultrasound image was made by using statistical parameters from pattern recognition algorithms. As a reference a chemical/morphometrical classification into normal, diffuse and regional fatty infiltration and fibrosis/cirrhosis was performed. Diagnostic accuracy varied from 77% to 92%. Ultrasound tissue characterisation showed an influence of fatty and connective tissue structures on image parameters. This supplies evidence for the fact that computerised ultrasound examination yields more information from the ultrasound image than the normal observer. This may be the cause of an increased diagnostic accuracy when using computerized ultrasound systems, especially in the case of fibrosis/cirrhosis.


The late Professor Daya Krishna, then Editor of the Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research (JICPR) (New Delhi) initiated, in the "Notes and Queries" section of an issue of that journal, a debate whose starting point was the provocative question "Is Nyāya Realist or Idealist?" which, in respect to its contents, constituted a challenge to the traditional characterization of Nyāya philosophy as "realist," and Krishna marshaled some very ingenious (if sometimes brief) arguments to show not only that the received characterization needed serious reconsideration but that there may well be grounds, hitherto unforeseen, for calling Nyāya, or some of its tenets, idealist. Inevitably, strong but reasoned responses by noted scholars rejecting Krishna's proposal followed and occupied number after number of the pages of that journal. Some of the responses were not only attempts to address the issues raised by Daya Krishna, but were in the nature of comments on other authors' points of view expressed in response to his original query. While, in the main, these responses, as against Daya Krishna's onslaught, sought to defend Nyāya's realistic character, they did so on different grounds in many cases. Here, it is intended to summarize and present for the reader's perusal some of these responses and rejoinders apart from reproducing at the outset, and in toto, the original query of Daya Krishna.


The defined contribution world has never been more competitive. Retirement plan providers are fighting aggressively to keep existing clients as pricing has come down dramatically, services have improved, and, importantly, provider disclosures are significantly better. Carrying out a thorough review and benchmarking of a plan's retirement plan provider has never been more prudent or more rewarding. This article provides some guidance on reevaluating your provider relationship.


The authors attempt to explain the low percentage of women in Australian police services. Issues explored include the recruitment process, deployment of women; the representation of women in senior ranks and management; police culture; attitudes to women police; and working conditions. Greater flexibility with regard to working conditions, duties and traditional perceptions of women's capabilities may lead to increased numbers of women police in the future.


When invited to review The SAGE Handbook of Visual Research Methods for Qualitative Research, I was delighted as the visual has been central to my research (Mannay, 2010), and at the time, I was preparing a visual workshop for the Spring School on Advanced Methodologies for Communication Studies at the Catholic University of Lisbon. Naturally, I wanted to revise and refine my knowledge in preparation, and as this edited collection promised to 'capture the state of the art in visual research', I was confident that here, I would be able to re-engage with contemporary theory and practice.
The handbook is divided into seven thematic sections; the first, 'Framing the Field of Visual Research' begins with 'An integrated conceptual framework for visual social
research' by, co-editor, Luc Pauwels. Pauwels laments the ways in which visual methods are reinvented, renamed and relabelled, and argues that such practices are ahistorical and detrimental to advancing more mature methodologies. This is followed by an overview of the origin and nature of visual artefacts usefully categorised as 'found materials as a data source', 'researcher-initiated production of visual data and meanings' and 'secondary research uses and respondent generated material'. Pauwels offers a frame for grouping, sorting and reflecting on visual approaches, which I found valuable for both situating my own practices and for teaching.


This article argues that the time is ripe to reacquaint sociology and surrealism. Taking inspiration from surrealism's emphasis on making the ordinary strange through bizarre, lively and sometimes haunting methods might result in a more poetic and playful sociology. The article looks at how this might be applied in practice through drawing on a variety of examples of social research that share some of the tenets of surrealism, not least the latter's focus on social justice. This enables discussion of a number of methodological concerns stemming from feminist and post-structuralist thought, including the troubling of narrative coherency and the notion of "voice." Infusing sociology with "a surrealist spirit" requires opening up and moving away from rationality in ways that allow for the exploration of contradictions, irreverence, humor, and paradox.