Background Recent evidence suggests benefit to receiving physical therapy (PT) the same day as total joint arthroplasty (TJA), but relatively little is known about barriers to providing PT in this constrained time period. We address the following questions: (1) Are there demographic or perioperative variables associated with receiving delayed PT following TJA? (2) Does receiving immediate PT following TJA affect short-term outcomes such as length of stay, discharge disposition, or 30-day readmission? Methods. Primary TJA procedures at a single center were retrospectively reviewed. Immediate PT was defined as within eight hours of surgery. Demographic and perioperative variables were compared between patients who received immediate PT and those who did not. We identified an appropriately matched control group of patients who received immediate PT. Postoperative length of stay, discharge disposition, and 30-day readmissions were compared between matched groups. Results In total, 2051 primary TJA procedures were reviewed. Of these, 226 (11.0%) received delayed PT. These patients had a higher rate of general anesthesia (25.2% versus 17.8%, p=0.006), later operative start time (13:26 [11:31-14:38] versus 9:36 [8:24-11:16], p<0.001), longer operative time (1.8 [1.5-2.2] versus 1.6 [1.4-1.8] hours, p=0.002), and higher overall caseload on the day of surgery (6 [4-9] versus 5 [4-8], p=0.002). A matched group of patients who received immediate PT was identified. There were no differences in postoperative length of stay or discharge disposition between matched immediate and delayed PT groups, but delayed PT (OR 4.54; 95% CI 1.61-12.84; p=0.004) was associated with a higher 30-day readmission rate. Conclusion Barriers to receiving immediate PT following TJA included general anesthesia, later operative start time, longer operative time, and higher daily caseload. These factors present potential targets for improving the delivery of immediate postoperative PT. Early PT may help reduce 30-day readmissions, but additional research is necessary to further characterize this relationship.


While current doctrines try to separate conflicts within two distinct categories – conventional versus irregular, there are, however, a series of contemporary conflicts that challenge this western view on war showing that the disjunctive manner of classification in 'big and conventional' versus 'small and irregular' is limited and simplistic. The military strategists as well as the academics used a series of concepts in order to describe the main shifts in the character of war – from the Fourth Generation Warfare (4GW) and 'new wars' to hybrid wars. This article aims to identify these mutations in war evolution in the new, post-Cold War international context. The traditional image we have on this well-known 'labor division' within the military field no longer reflects


Hip is a site very commonly affected by osteoarthritis and the intra-articular administration of hyaluronic acid in the management of osteoarthritic pain is increasingly used. However, the debate about its usefulness is still ongoing, as not all results of clinical trials confirm its effectiveness. In order to achieve the best outcome, clinical assessment and treatment choices should be based on subjective outcome, pathological and mechanical findings that should be integrated with qualitative analysis of human movement. After viscosupplementation, clinical trials often evaluate as endpoint subjective outcomes (i.e. pain visual analogic scale) and static imaging such as radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging. In our clinical practice we use gait analysis as part of rehabilitation protocol to measure performance, enhancement and changes of several biomechanical factors. Taking advantage of available resources (BTS Bioengineering gait analysis Elite System) we studied a patient's gait after ultrasound guided hip injections for viscosupplementation. He showed an early clinical and biomechanical improvement during walking after a single intra articular injection of hyaluronic acid. Gait analysis parameters obtained suggest that the pre-treatment slower speed may be caused by antalgic walking patterns, the need for pain control and muscle weakness. After hip viscosupplementation, the joint displayed different temporal, kinetic and kinematic parameters associated with improved pain patterns.


Spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, is a newly invasive fruit fly species that has become a serious threat to fruit crops in the USA. Using a prominent and serrated ovipositor, the female SWD pierces and inserts her eggs inside healthy ripening fruit and if management action is not taken this could lead to rapid infestation of an entire farm. SWD causes significant damage to a wide range of hosts but is especially damaging to berry crops. Using traps, some growers monitor for the presence of SWD to determine when to spray insecticides. SWD can be readily distinguished from non-SWD fruit flies by several distinctive anatomic markings. The current gold standard non-commercial bait for SWD monitoring is yeast sugar water. From a commercial perspective, the Scentry trap and lure system is the best trap for monitoring SWD in commercial fields. The objective of this study was to discover which bait was most effective in trapping SWD on a blueberry farm. The different baits tested included distilled water, apple cider vinegar (ACV), newly fermented blueberry wine made on the farm, new blueberry wine + ACV, red grape wine, red grape wine + ACV, and commercially available synthetic SWD bait (Pherocon) + ACV. This study showed new blueberry wine to be the most effective, specific, and cost effective bait for trapping SWD. New blueberry wine trapped 27.5% of all the SWD, whereas ACV only caught 4%. New blueberry wine preferentially trapped female over male SWD.


Abstract Numerical evidence is presented for the existence of unsteady periodic gravity waves of large height in deep water whose shape changes cyclically as they propagate. It is found that, for a given wavelength and maximum wave height, cyclic waves with a range of cyclic periods exist, with a steady wave of permanent shape being an extreme member of the range. The method of solution, using Fourier transforms of the nonlinear surface boundary conditions, determines the irrotational velocity field in the water and the water surface displacement as functions of space and time, from which properties of the waves are demonstrated. In particular, it is shown that cyclic waves are closer to the point of wave breaking than are steady permanent waves of the same wave height and wavelength.


Terminalia Chebula extract is used for regeneration of hepatic cells and protection of liver against damage due to its active component. This study aims to observe the protective effect of Terminalia Chebula against Paracetamol induced change of serum total protein level in Wister Albino rats. The study was carried out in the Department of Physiology, Dhaka Medical College (DMC) during January 2013 to December 2013. A total number of 44 rats, age ranging from 90 to 120 days, weight between 150 to 200 gm (initial body weight) were selected for the study. After acclimatization for 14 days, they were divided into control groups and experimental groups. Before sacrifice, final body weights of all the rats were measured. then all the rats were sacrificed on 22nd day and then blood samples were collected. For assessment of liver function, serum total protein level was done by using standard laboratory kits. The mean serum total protein level was significantly (p<0.001) lower in paracetamol treated control group in comparison to those of baseline control group. Serum total protein level of all experimental groups were significantly (P<0.001) higher than Paracetamol treated control group. From the results of this study, it may be concluded that Terminalia Chebula may have some protective effect against Paracetamol induced liver damage in rats. Bangladesh Med J. 2017 Jan; 46 (1): 11-14


This paper examines how a textual mode of communication has combined with the new technologies of computer-mediated communication (cmc) to produce interesting new opportunities for social interaction and presentation of self. These opportunities are in turn used in ways that promote the process of community in a text-based electronic environment. This paper first examines some of the common textual adaptations this electronic communications environment engenders. It then examines how one Internet newsgroup, alt.cyberpunk, developed a cooperative narrative in which participants made presentations of self that, in other venues, might be considered "fictional" but must be accepted at face value in a way similar to the manner in which presentations of self are accepted within physical environments. The paper concludes that these new opportunities for self-presentation are engendered by the tightened feedback loop that cmc technologies bring to a textual mode of communication. "Real-time" textual interaction engenders a novel new social environment.


Background: Deep neck infections are a life-threatening disease that spread to the neck spaces and the mediastinum via neck fascial planes. In spite of using antibiotics, the mortality of deep neck infections is still high. The aim of our study was to analyze the factors related to mortality and morbidity of patients with deep neck infection who were admitted to the intensive care unit. Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients with deep neck infections who were admitted to the intensive care unit over a 2 year period between June 2006 and May 2008. The various factors related to mortality and morbidity were analyzed. Results: Twenty-four patients were included over 2 years. The median age was 58 years. Eighteen patients (75%) were males and six patients were females. Ten patients (41.7%) had underlying diabetes mellitus. The median white blood cell count and C-reactive protein (CRP) were 14,000/mm3 and 24.1 mg/dl, respectively. The most common cause of deep neck infection was of dental origin (62.5%) and the most common complication was mediastinitis (37.5%). The factors related to mortality were underlying diabetes mellitus, pO2, CRP, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, gas-forming score (GAS), and complications due to mediastinitis. Conclusions: It is useful to measure several factors in patients with deep neck infections. The patients with underlying diabetes mellitus, increased CRP, a GAS score of 2, and complications to mediastinitis have a high mortality rate, so active surgical and medical management should be performed.


Resonantly enhanced sum-frequency generation of pulsed laser radiation is treated theoretically for the case of a three-level system. The density-matrix equations of motion are solved using second-order, time-dependent perturbation theory with the inclusion of transient effects. The energy and spectrum of the generated radiation are calculated as functions of laser detunings, laser pulse lengths, and temporal overlap of the laser pulses. The tuning characteristics and output pulse characteristics are found to differ qualitatively depending on whether or not the excitation pulses satisfy the adiabatic following criteria generalized for the case of a three-level atom.


Analysis of internal structures of embodied and situated agents may provide insights into the mechanisms underlying adaptive behaviour. This paper is concerned with the evolution and analysis of visually-guided approach behaviour in a simulated robotic agent controlled by a recurrent artificial neural network, whose connection weights have been evolved using evolutionary algorithms. Analysis of the evolved behaviours and their network-internal mechanisms reveals a behavioural structure and organization resembling a Brooksian subsumption architecture. The task decomposition, as well as the resulting individual behaviours and their integration, however, are realized as network-internal state space dynamics, evolved in the course of agent-environment interaction, i.e. with a minimum of designer intervention.


Based on Transportation Research Circular Number E-C194, March 2015. "Literature Searches and Literature Reviews for Transportation Research Projects: How to Search, Where to Search, and How to Put It All Together: Current Practices."


In the twenty first century, the changing epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) globally with increasing disease incidence across many countries relates to the altered gut microbiota, due to a combinatorial effect of environmental factors, human immune responses and genetics. IBD is a gastrointestinal disease associated with a gut microbial dysbiosis, including an expansion of facultative anaerobic bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae. Advances in high-throughput sequencing enable us to entangle the gut microbiota in human health and IBD beyond the gut bacterial microbiota, expanding insights into the mycobiota, virobiota and helminthes. Caudovirales (viruses) and Basidiomycota, Ascomycota, and Candida albicans (fungi) are revealed to be increased in IBD. The deconvolution of the gut microbiota in IBD lays the basis for unveiling the roles of these various gut microbiota components in IBD pathogenesis and being conductive to instructing on future IBD diagnosis and therapeutics. Here we comprehensively elucidate the alterations in the gut microbiota in IBD, discuss the effect of diets in the gut microbiota in relation to IBD, and illustrate the potential of manipulation of gut microbiota for IBD therapeutics. The therapeutic strategy of antibiotics, prebiotics, probiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation will benefit the effective application of precision microbiome manipulation in IBD.


Reconstruction of the shape and motion of humans from RGB-D is a challenging problem, receiving much attention in recent years. Recent approaches for full-body reconstruction use a statistic shape model, which is built upon accurate full-body scans of people in skin-tight clothes, to complete invisible parts due to occlusion. Such a statistic model may still be fit to an RGB-D measurement with loose clothes but cannot describe its deformations, such as clothing wrinkles. Observed surfaces may be reconstructed precisely from actual measurements, while we have no cues for unobserved surfaces. For full-body reconstruction with loose clothes, we propose to use lower dimensional embeddings of texture and deformation referred to as eigen-texturing and eigen-deformation, to reproduce views of even unobserved surfaces. Provided a full-body reconstruction from a sequence of partial measurements as 3D meshes, the texture and deformation of each triangle are then embedded using eigen-decomposition. Combined with neural-network-based coefficient regression, our method synthesizes the texture and deformation from arbitrary viewpoints. We evaluate our method using simulated data and visually demonstrate how our method works on real data.


Development of mine pit and overburden disposal has caused dynamic changes in the catchment area of Ukud River, one of the rivers that flow through Lati Mining Operation. The maximum discharge of the river reached 13m3/second and the catchment area occupied a total area of 1901.7 hectares. Since the mining operations started, the river discharge fluctuations have changed considerably. In addition, the catchment area that was dominated by overburden disposal area contained sulphide minerals that potentially degrade the water quality of Ukud River due to the formation of acid mine drainage. Hydrological studies are essential to investigate potential environmental impacts of the mining activities. This study was conducted to determine the characteristics of the hydrologic systems in the mining area using semi-distributed models that can be used to simulate the river flow within catchment area.


Background: Alopecia is a common and distressing adverse effect in breast cancer (BC) patients (pts) receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of this device to prevent chemotherapy-induced alopecia in early breast cancer patients (EBCP) receiving adjuvant treatment. The quality of life of pts was also evaluated. Patients and methods: From January to December 2016, a sensor-controlled scalp cooling system (DigniCap:Sysmex Europe GmbH, Norderstedt, Germany) was proposed to a consecutive group of EBCP submitted to adjuvant chemotherapy at the Breast Unit of Spedali Civili Hospital of Brescia. Degree of hair loss was assessed by two nurse using Dean9s alopecia scale by digital photographs at baseline and each chemotherapy cycle. EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire and self-reported visual analogical scale (VAS) of symptoms (anxiety, tone of mood, fatigue, nausea,well-being, activity) were collected at baseline and after the first two cycles of chemotherapy. Results: 70 pts were enrolled and 49 (70%) completed the chemotherapy plan and were evaluable. Median age was 51 years, 8 pts (16%) received neoadjuvant and 41 pts (84%) adjuvant chemotherapy, 21 (43%) were treated with 4 cycle of chemotherapy (TC, EC or paclitaxel alone), and 28 (57%) with sequential chemotherapy with antracycline and taxane +- trastuzumab. Fifteen pts (30%) stopped the treatment because of loss of hair in 9 pts, for headache in 4 pts and for other problems in 2 pts. At the end of chemotherapy, 13 pts (27%) had no loss of hair (Dean score 0), 25 pts (51%) had a minimal loss of hair (Dean score 1), 9 pts (18%) had a 50% hair loss (Dean score 2), 2 pts (4%) had a 75% hair loss (Dean score 3). No pts reported hair loss more than 75% (Dean score 4). There wasn9t a significant difference between mean score value of QLQ-C30 at baseline and after chemotherapy and between the groups with and without hair loss. VAS documented an increase of fatigue and decrease of anxiety from baseline to final evaluation. The side effects presented with the use of DigniCap were the following: headache in 32% of pts and cold feeling in 57 % of pts. Conclusion: Scalp cooling with cold caps appears to be effective in preventing CIA among the majority of women undergoing treatment chemotherapy. The quality of life did not change in scalp-cooled patients. Acknowledgments: a thank you to the ESA association that donated Dignicap to Oncology Department. Citation Format: Vassalli L, Pedersini R, Romelli M, Claps M, Fornaro C, Conti E, Tagliani M, Baronchelli A, Ragni D, Lombardi E, Rodella F, Amoroso V, Berruti A, Simoncini EL. Efficacy and patient acceptability of the DigniCaP ScalpCooler to prevent hair loss in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-11-19.


Restructured beef steaks were formulated by adding protein-rich ingredients (pea protein isolate (PPI), rice protein (RP), and lentil flour (LF) (at 4 and 8%)), phosphate (0.2%), and two binding agents: 1% (TG) and 0.15% (TS). The effects of their addition on the physicochemical properties of the beef steaks were investigated. Protein content of the RP8TG sample was significantly higher than that of the control in both the raw and cooked state. Raw LF4TS exhibited greater ( ) a values than the control; however, after the cooking process, L , a , and b values were similar for all treatments. Textural assessment showed that elevating protein level increased ( ) hardness, chewiness, cohesiveness, and gumminess in cooked restructured steaks. LF addition reduced all textural values assessed, indicating a strong plant protein effect on texture modification. The commercial binder produced a better bind in combination with protein ingredients. This facilitated the production of uniformed restructured beef steaks from low-value beef muscles with acceptable quality parameters using a novel process technology.


Contrary to popular opinion, the Supreme Court has not yet resolved whether lobbying is constitutionally protected. Belying this fact, courts, Congress, and scholars mistakenly assume that lobbying is protected under the Petition Clause. Because scholars have shared the mistaken assumption that the Petition Clause protects the practice of "lobbying", no research to date has looked closely at the Petition Clause doctrine and the history of petitioning in relation to lobbying. In a recent opinion addressing petitioning in another context, the Supreme Court unearthed the long history behind the right to petition and argued for the importance of this history for future interpretation of the Petition Clause.Following the Supreme Court's direction, this Article examines the implications of the history of petitioning for lobbying and, drawing from recent empirical research on lobbying, argues that the way Congress engages with the public through our current lobbying system actually violates the right to petition. At the Founding, and for much of this Nation's history, the right of petition protected a formal, transparent platform for individual — and, in particular, minority — voices to participate in the lawmaking process. Without regard to the number of signers or the political power of the petitioner, petitions received equal process and consideration. This platform allowed both the enfranchised and unenfranchised to gain access to lawmakers on equal footing. Women, African Americans, and Native Americans all engaged in petitioning activity, and Congress attended to each equally.Moving beyond ahistorical, decontextualized interpretations of the Petition Clause, this Article posits that our current lobbying system — wherein access and procedure are informal, opaque, and based on political power — actually violates the right to petition, which provided access and formal procedure without respect to the political power of the petitioner. The history of petitioning teaches that affording access to the lawmaking process on the basis of an individual's political power makes as little sense as affording access to courts on such a basis.This history suggests the need for revisiting the Petition Clause doctrine. On the one hand, it argues for a stronger petition right, especially a right to consideration and response. On the other hand, it suggests a narrowed petition right that protects only practices that correspond with the traditional practice of petitioning. Fundamentally, this Article demonstrates that a contextualized understanding of the Petition Clause, grounded in an accurate historical frame, requires comprehensive reform of our lobbying system and a formalization of the petition process in order to preserve our republican form of government.Final version of the article now available. This article is part of a much larger project on lobbying and petitioning, however, so feedback is still quite welcome: mmckinley (at) law (dot) harvard (dot) edu.


The purposes of this study were to evaluate families of Boxers with ventricular arrhythmias to determine whether this disorder is a familial trait and, if so, to determine the mode of inheritance. Eighty-two Boxers were evaluated by physical examination, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram. Dogs were considered affected if at least 50 premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) were observed during a 24-hour period. All dogs were at least 6 years of age at evaluation. Complete cardiovascular examinations were performed on dogs from 6 extended families. The 2 most complete pedigrees were used to determine the pattern of inheritance. The number of PVCs observed during a 24-hour period in affected dogs ranged from 112 to 4,894 (mean +/- SD, median; 1,309 +/- 2,609, 1,017). The number of PVCs observed during a 24-hour period in the unaffected dogs ranged from 0 to 16 (7 +/- 10, 12). Pedigree evaluation was performed to determine pattern of inheritance. An autosomal dominant pattern was determined to be most likely because a sex predisposition was not observed, affected individuals were observed in every generation, and 2 affected individuals produced unaffected offspring. We conclude that familial ventricular arrhythmias is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait in some Boxers.


Legal concepts are seen today as archaic relics of the past, and as representing a largely dispensable feature of the common law. This Article challenges the widely accepted view of legal concepts as remnants of formalist thinking, and argues that legal concepts play a crucial role in ensuring the vitality and subsistence of the common law over time, place, and context. Legal concepts embody what we term "a duality of meaning," which effects a separation between a concept's analytical and normative meanings. The analytical (or structural) meaning of a concept is, at its core, well-defined and remains stable over time, whereas the normative meaning of a concept, represented by the values it embodies, is subject to constant change and contestation. The duality of meaning enables the common law to realize a delicate balance between stability and change. Through the analytical meaning of its conceptual devices, the common law retains a constant structural framework in its various doctrines, while simultaneously allowing the normative meaning of those very concepts to accommodate plural and often-conflicting values and ideals. This conceptual architecture in turn enables the common law to adapt to changing social needs and values. The Article offers a detailed analysis of the various mechanisms of normative change that common law courts routinely employ by relying on the duality of meaning embodied in legal concepts. Recognizing the crucial role of legal concepts in the common law is more than just of theoretical significance: it is essential to understanding how the common law operates in practice and how it maintains its relevance through time. The Article details the important payoffs that flow from reinvigorating the centrality of conceptual analysis in the common law. Specifically, it demonstrates that the common law's reliance on concepts can bridge the gap between legal formalism and legal realism, foster competition among values and ideologies in society; and most importantly, is indispensable to normative reasoning in the law.


At present time most system engineers do not have access to cognitive work analysis knowledge or training in terms that they could understand and apply in the system design process. This may lead to specifying systems requirements that do not account for cognitive strengths and limitations of the prospective users. This paper proposes integration of cognitive work demands in the systems engineering process through development of a Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) framework and a Tutorial using Systems Modeling Language (SysML). The CWA framework provides a structured approach for defining, managing, organizing, and modeling cognitive work requirements in systems engineering process.


Probabilistic topic models were originally developed and utilized for document modeling and topic extraction in Information Retrieval. In this paper, we describe a new approach for automatic learning of terminological ontologies from text corpus based on such models. In our approach, topic models are used as efficient dimension reduction techniques, which are able to capture semantic relationships between word-topic and topic-document interpreted in terms of probability distributions. We propose two algorithms for learning terminological ontologies using the principle of topic relationship and exploiting information theory with the probabilistic topic models learned. Experiments with different model parameters were conducted and learned ontology statements were evaluated by the domain experts. We have also compared the results of our method with two existing concept hierarchy learning methods on the same data set. The study shows that our method outperforms other methods in terms of recall and precision measures. The precision level of the learned ontology is sufficient for it to be deployed for the purpose of browsing, navigation, and information search and retrieval in digital libraries.


Success in reductionistic research in cognitive science or biology is often portrayed as eliminating any need for independent explanations at higher levels. On the standard philosophical account, successful reduction of a higher level science means that its laws can be derived from those of a lower level science and hence perform no explanatory work of their own. But this misrepresents what successful reductionistic inquiry promises or can deliver. At least in the life sciences (including cognitive science), the usual focus of reductionistic inquiry is not the discovery of laws at a lower level than some law of initial interest. Instead, investigators begin with a phenomenon and general idea of the mechanism responsible for it and seek to discover its component parts and operations and how they work together. The focus of actual reductionistic inquiry is the decomposition of mechanisms, not the derivation of laws, and the desire to understand scientific inquiry in this way has led some of us to propose and develop a new mechanistic philosophy of science. Building this new approach has required a variety of case studies of scientific inquiry. Our own most recent case is research on the circadian rhythms exhibited in numerous behaviors and physiological functions. Researchers have had considerable success with the most basic reductionistic task in this field: identifying the parts within organisms that are important to the generation of the rhythms. In mammals, it has been found that many individual neurons in the suprachiasmatic nucleus function as clocks, and that key components include genes such as Period ( Per ) and Cryptochrome ( Cry ) and the proteins PER and CRY into which they are translated. Moreover, some key operations performed by these parts are known: PER and CRY form a compound (dimer) which is transported into the nucleus and inhibits Per and Cry , hence reducing the rate of production of further molecules of PER and CRY. Reductionistic research in the last 15 years has succeeded in identifying these and many other parts of the clockworks. Such inquiry, no matter how successful it is in finding the parts and characterizing the operations they perform, does not suffice to explain circadian phenomena. The operations performed by the parts in individual cells are organized and orchestrated such that the cell functions as a unit – one that displays complex temporal dynamics. Moreover, there are operations between SCN cells that synchronize their oscillations and between SCN cells and the receptors responsive to environmental cues that entrain the clock to the local time and between SCN cells and the many bodily organs that exhibit circadian behavior. Finally, there are operations connecting the organism to the environment, especially to sources of light and temperature. None of these operations at higher levels are discovered by focusing on the operations involving genes and proteins inside SCN cells—they require tools and techniques appropriate to the level at which the operations are occurring. An especially challenging part of inquiry in the life sciences involves relating parts and operations at different levels. Within the mechanistic framework, these are best handled not by invoking notions such as top-down or bottom-up causation, but by understanding the constitutive relation between a mechanism and its component parts and operations. When the mechanism is affected by operations impinging on it, so are some of its components. Conversely, when some of its components are changed by being operated on by other components, the mechanism as a whole and the operations in which it engages are changed. The ontological picture, as exemplified in modern biology, is one in which the capacity of mechanisms to operate in their environments is explained at lower levels but the mechanisms (as wholes) interact causally with other mechanisms at higher levels. This picture iterates as one goes to even lower levels by decomposing a part of the original mechanism into its parts or to higher levels as one treats the original mechanism as a part in a yet higherlevel mechanism. There are operations at multiple levels of organization and no level is eliminated by discovering the operations within it that enable a given mechanism to interact with others at its level.


About one third of the water needed for agriculture in the world is
generated by melting snow. Snow cover, surface and ground water recharge are
considered as sustainable and renewable resources. It is therefore necessary to
identify and study these criteria. The aim of this study is to determine the
spatial and temporal distribution of snow cover in the district of the Sheshpir
basin in Fars province (in south of Iran). Ground-based observation of snow
covers, especially in mountainous areas, is associated with many problems due
to the insufficient accuracy of optical observation, as opposed to digital
observation. Therefore, GIS and remote sensing technology can be partially
effective in solving this problem. Images of Landsat 5TM and Landsat
7TM satellites were used to derive snow cover maps. The images in
ENVI 4.8 software were classified by using the maximum likelihood algorithm.
Other spatial analyses were performed in ARC-GIS 9.3 software. The maximum
likelihood method was accuracy assessed by operation points of testing. The
least and the average of overall accuracy of produced maps were found to be 91%
and 98%, respectively. This demonstrates that the maximum likelihood method has
high performance in the classification of images. Overall snow cover and the
review of terrain through the years 2008-2009 and
2009-2010 showed that snow cover begins to accumulate in November and reaches
its highest magnitude in February. Finally, no trace of snow can be
observed on the surface of the basin in the month of May. By average, 34% of
the basin is covered in snow from November through to May.


The different zones of the lens aperture of a perfect lens are masked by polarization devices. The central circular zone of the lens aperture is masked by one polarizer, and the outer annular zone is masked by another polarizer. These two polarizers are at two different orientations. An analyzer is placed at the output side. It is seen that the optical transfer function (OTF) of such a system depends on the state of polarization of the input beam, the orientation of the analyzer placed at the output side, the radius of the central-circular-zone mask, and the orientation of the masks. In this paper, variation of the OTF of such a system with the orientation of the outer-annular-zone mask is studied.


Social democratic unionism has arguably been one of the most successful worker organisations in modern history. Through collective bargaining and political influence, this type of unionism has been effective in redistributing the gains from capitalist markets. This paper reviews the challenges, pathways and dilemmas social democratic unions face in the knowledge economy. Similar to industrialisation, the knowledge economy has the potential to fundamentally change the social fabric that trade unions derive their power resources from. There are three major and interrelated challenges: (1) technological change and the knowledge economy, (2) new socio-political coalitions and (3) keeping employers in. Focussing on Denmark and Sweden, it is argued that these three challenges strike the core of social democratic unionism, as they can undermine the ability to encompass the whole labour market because of polarisation or upgrading of jobs. The paper goes on to outline three possible pathways: 'going radical', 'going academic' and 'going old-school'. 'Going radical' entails a sharper focus on fighting precarious work with other regulatory means other than collective bargaining. 'Going academic' entails a focus on education and lifting all occupational groups. 'Going old-school' entails adapting the principle of collective bargaining to new types of companies and occupations while sticking to the regulatory means as before. It is argued that none of the strategies is a silver bullet to the challenges, but that a key to the success of any of the strategies is that minimum wage levels are defended, as this will fuel investment in education for lower-paid work.


Mechanisms of neurotransmitter release facilitation were studied using electrophysiological recording of end-plate currents (EPC) and nerve ending (NE) responses after substitution of extracellular Ca ions with Sr ions at the frog neuromuscular junction. The solutions with 0.5 mM concentration of Ca ions (calcium solution) or 1 mM concentration of Sr ions (strontium solution) were used where baseline neurotransmitter release (at low-frequency stimulation) is equal. Decay of paired-pulse facilitation of EPC at calcium solutions with increase of interpulse interval from 5 to 500 ms was well described by three-exponential function consisting of early, first and second components. Facilitation at strontium solutions was significantly diminished due mainly to decrease of early and first components. At the same time, EPC facilitation with rhythmic stimulation (10 or 50 imp/s) at strontium solutions was significantly increased. Also more pronounced decrease of NE response 3rd phase, reflecting potassium currents was detected under rhythmic stimulation of 50 imp/s at strontium solutions comparing to calcium solutions. It was concluded that facilitation sites underlying first and early components had lower affinity to Sr ions than to Ca ions. The enhancement of frequency facilitation at strontium solutions is mediated by two mechanisms: more pronounced broadening of NE action potential and increase of bivalent cation influx due to feebly marked activation of Ca(2+)-dependent potassium current by Sr ions, and slower dynamics of Sr(2+) removal from NE axoplasm comparing to Ca(2+).


A La0.67Ca0.26Sr0.07Mn1.05O3 (LCSM) perovskite was prepared for the first time as a ceramic monolithic regenerator used in a regenerative magnetic refrigeration device. The parameters influencing the extrusion process and the performance of the regenerator, such as the nature of the monolith paste and the influence of the sintering on the adiabatic temperature change, were investigated. Comparisons between the extruded monolithic structure before and after the sintering showed that an increase of the adiabatic temperature change was seen after the sintering. Furthermore, calculations show that the performance of the monolithic structure is potentially superior to a parallel plate regenerator, indicating the potential cost and structural benefit of using such structure, i.e. a mechanically stable ceramic thin wall structure, which can be produced in one processing step.


The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of chitosan or nanodiamond incorporation on the color stability and surface roughness of a bisacrylic resin subjected to artificial aging. Four bisacrylic resins were evaluated, namely, control, chitosan-modified material, nanodiamond-modified material, and chitosan-nanodiamond-modified material. Twenty-four specimens were prepared for each material. The surface roughness was determined using a profilometer with a cut-off of 0.25 mm. The baseline color was measured according to the CIE L*a*b* system using a reflectance spectrophotometer. After these tests, the specimens were individually immersed in cola soft drink, red wine, or distilled water (n = 8) for 28 days. After the aging, the surface roughness and final color were re-evaluated. The color stability was determined using the difference between the coordinates obtained before and after the aging process. The data on roughness and color change were evaluated using ANOVA and the Tukey test (α = 0.05). The results show that the incorporation of nanodiamonds and chitosan into a bisacrylic resin provided a better color stability to the materials (p = 0.007). The storage in red wine resulted in a higher variation in the surface roughness values, especially when only the nanodiamond was incorporated to the material (p < 0.05). The incorporation of both chitosan and nanodiamonds are promising in providing an improvement in the properties of the bisacrylic resin when they are simultaneously incorporated in the product.


Abstract In the production of tool steel, the control of secondary metallurgy plays an important role to meet the rapidly increasing demands for clean steel, as impurities and non-metallic inclusions can reduce its mechanical properties. This study focuses on the influence of stirring rate during the vacuum degassing of liquid steel on the inclusion characteristics. During this treatment, both gas and induction stirring are used; thus, fluid flow simulations were made for the vacuum treatment of melts at high (900 A+100 L min−1 Ar) and low (700 A+10 L min−1 Ar) stirring rates. By decreasing the Weber number to a value smaller than the critical value (Wecrit = 12·3) at a lower stirring rate, the probability for dispersion and entrapping of slag inclusions into the liquid steel significantly decreases. Five plant heats were carried out with different rates of induction stirring and argon flow in the ladle during vacuum treatment. The results gained by light optical microscopy investigation show that the total amount of large size single inclusions (>11·3 μm) in steel samples after vacuum treatment and in the final product decreases considerably with a lowered stirring rate. Thus, the experimental results support the theoretical results based on the Weber number.


A retrospective analysis of acquired gynaetresia (Vaginal Stenosis) managed at the University College Hospital Ibadan, Nigeria between 1967 and 1996 was conducted in terms of clinical presentation and management. The prevalence rate was 7/1000. The peak age incidence was 20-30 years. Chemical vaginitis resulting from insertion of caustic vaginal pessaries for various reasons was the major cause of acquired gynaetresia. Dyspareunia/apyreunia and vaginal stenosis/occlusion were the most common symptoms and clinical findings respectively.The various surgical treatment of acquired gynaetresia included one stage vaginoplasty, McIndole-Read's two stage vaginplasty, separation of labial agglutination, Williams's operation, and simple dilatation of the vagina. Successful correction was recorded in 68% of the patients while 28% had residual partial stenosis, 4% had complete stenosis and 6% were lost to follow-up. It was concluded that acquired gynaetresia is preventable. Efforts should be made by authorities to address this issue and create designated centres in the country for the management of these cases and training of junior gynaecologists.


Background : Clinical features and outcomes of liver abscess are ever changing, even in South Asia, where parasitic infections are common. It is important to devise management strategies to suit the changing needs. We wanted to capture this emerging spectrum in "real life" through assessment of clinical features, management strategies and outcomes of a cohort of treated liver abscess patients at a single center. Methods : A retrospective study of patients admitted to a referral institution between February 2010 and June 2014 was undertaken. Patients with liver abscess who have received prior treatment in another hospital, and have then been referred for a complicated disease course were studied; their demographics, clinical presentations, evolution and outcomes were analyzed. Results : A total of 154 patients [males 109, 70.78%), mean age 43.71 ±16.49 years] were included in this study. Alcohol use was the most common (23.38%) predisposing factor, followed by biliary obstruction (20.78%) and diabetes (11.04%). Most common presenting features were fever, pain abdomen and jaundice [92.9%, 86.4% and 20.8% patients respectively]. Majority of patients (58.4%) had a solitary liver abscess; right lobe being the commonest site(61%). Median abscess volume was 180 ml (Range 7-1524 mL); abscess rupture occurred in 21 (13.6%) cases, most commonlyin subdiaphragmatic location. Overall, abscess drainage was required in 97 (63%) patients [single time aspiration 15 (15.5%), percutaneous indwelling catheter 80 (82.8%), surgical drainage 2 (2.1%)]. Patients who required percutaneous drainage were mostly males, had higher abscess volumes and were more frequently alcohol users and diabetics. Six (3.9%) patients died in the study period. : While large abscess, alcoholism and diabetes were associated with increased need for catheter drainage, 37% can be treated by drug therapy alone. Careful selection of subjects for drainage may help in decreasing the mortality rate in this benign condition.


The CSEM method can measure and understand the fluid content and its changes in a pore space. The method is based on detecting the resistivity contrast of the resistive reservoir fluid to its conductive surrounding media. Recent advances in electronics now make it possible to reliably collect marine time domain electromagnetic data, or tCSEM™. As the tCSEM™ method records only the Earth's response and is collected in a style similar to seismic, it can be robustly integrated with seismic data. By recording in the absence of the active source, the airwave phenomena also can potentially be isolated from the subsurface response in shallow water. Commercially available nodal systems have successfully collected marine tCSEM™ data and examples are discussed. New cable based systems are under development which contain densely spaced sensors for recording both the electric and magnetic fields. Combining cable and nodal systems will provide for more robust integration with seismic and borehole measurements.


Purpose: Anastomotic airway complications are a significant cause for morbidity and mortality after lung transplantation (LT). The aim of this study was to investigate post LT anastomotic airway complications to evaluate both the need for and modalities used for treatment. Methods and materials: All patients undergoing LT performed between August 2005 and May 2010 by a single surgeon at our institution were reviewed retrospectively. All airway complications were managed by the Interventional Pulmonary team. Airway stenoses were managed with rigid bronchoscopy, balloon dilation, observation and or stent placement. Results: A total of 98 patients underwent LT (86 bilateral, 7 left, 5 right). 46 female and 53 male, with a mean age 49.7. 28 patients (28.6%) developed pneumonia within three months of transplantation, 8 of which were identified as a result of pseudomonas (28.6%). 28 (28.6%) patients also reported having evidence of acute cellular rejection within three months after transplantation. The median length of mechanical ventilation after transplant was 3 days (range 1 to 183). Of the 98 patients, 35 (35.7%) developed airway stenosis at a median of 16 weeks (range 1 to 164 weeks following surgery). Of these patients, 23 (65.7%) patients received at least one airway intervention. Conclusions: Airway stenosis after LT can be successfully managed with a variety of airway interventions. Further studies are needed to determine the best modalities.


Cytokines and eicosanoids are well documented important mediators of endotoxemia. Bicyclic imidazoles are a novel class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory compounds that display unique pharmacological profiles by reducing cytokine production and arachidonic acid metabolism. In this study, we evaluated the ability of the bicyclic imidazole, SKF saline (n = 5); SKF and SK&F 86002 + LPS (n = 5). Administration of LPS resulted in cardiopulmonary dysfunction characterized by decreased stroke volume and arterial oxygen tension, and increased room air alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient, pulmonary arterial pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, and peak intratracheal pressure. Additionally, LPS administration was associated with leukopenia and increased pulmonary myeloperoxidase activity. Pretreatment with SK&F 86002 attenuated LPS induced hypotension, hypoxemia and bronchoconstriction and blocked the pulmonary hypertension. SK&F 86002 blocked the LPS-induced increase in myeloperoxidase activity, indicating a reduction in pulmonary neutrophil infiltration, but had no effect on systemic leukopenia. Pretreatment with SK&F 86002 significantly attenuated LPS-induced increases in plasma thromboxane B2 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. We hypothesize that ameliorating effects of SK&F 86002 in this endotoxin model of cardiopulmonary dysfunction are related to inhibition of cytokine and eicosanoid biosynthesis.


This investigation seeks to identify factors associated with adolescent marijuana use in the 30 days prior to survey response collection in the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Both inverse probability weighted and unweighted backwards elimination multivariate logistic regression modeling techniques were used to determine these factors. Final models compared the magnitude of the difference between odds ratios, the selection of final variables, the statistical significance of selected variables, and the overall fit of the models to determine whether or not we believed a weighted model was more appropriate for this type of complex sampling survey data.

Our analysis showed that age, tendency towards risky behavior, importance of religious beliefs, academic grades, cigarette use, and alcohol consumption were significant predictors of marijuana use. In addition, the odds of marijuana use in those who smoke cigarettes and consume alcohol are much higher than the odds in those who do not partake in either.

The public health significance of this study is that the results can be used to help public health officials understand the risk factors that affect an adolescent's decision to use marijuana. This insight would allow them to collaborate with policy makers to more accurately identify at risk teens and allow for avoidance, earlier detection, and treatment strategies.

The assumptions of logistic regression were met, but few model diagnostics were available for the weighted model due to the lack of appropriate statistical diagnostics in the Stata statistical software. However, based on our results, we believe the weighted model, which incorporates the complex sampling methods used in the data collection, is more sufficient for our data. Although the available diagnostics revealed similar results for both models, we saw notable differences in the odds ratios for race and academic grades, which leads us to believe that weights are a necessary component of the model.


The article describes and details the individual elements of the forensic characteristics of the crime under Article 117 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, namely, the mother's murder of her newborn child. The study of investigative practice and special literature on the scientific organization of the investigation, in particular the murder of her newborn child by a mother, shows that this activity is impossible without the use of such a scientific category as a forensic characteristic. Since the forensic characteristic is a kind of information model that will allow, in the course of the investigation of this offense, to correctly assess the investigative situation, to determine the organizational and legal actions at the initial stage of the investigation, namely, the construction of versions, the preparation of appropriate plans, etc.
Having in its arsenal information regarding the individual elements of this offense, namely: the way the mother committed the murder of her newborn child, the place and time of its commission, information about the identity of the offender, in this case the woman in labor, the child who was found dead, as well as changes in the environment and other information will allow the investigating authorities to more effectively predict the possible course of events, establish all the circumstances to be proved, as well as the persons involved in the committed offense.


"Only entropy comes easily" - Anton Chekhov Various methods have been used to overcome the point identification problem inherent in the linear age-period-cohort model. This paper presents a set-identification result for the model and then considers the use of the maximum-entropy principle as a vehicle for achieving point identification. We present two substantive applications (US female mortality data and UK female labor force participation) and compare the results from our approach to some of the solutions in the literature.


BACKGROUND
Microneurography is a neurophysiological technique which enables recording from single peripheral nerve fibres in persons who are awake. The method is only used in research. We discuss how microneurography has been used to map nerve-fibre functions under normal circumstances and in chronic pain conditions.

METHOD
The article is based on a literature search in PubMed and on the authors' own knowledge and experience of the method from their research.

RESULTS
Microneurography has contributed to the understanding of pain under physiological conditions and in chronic pain conditions, in particular peripheral neuropathic pain. For example, signs of hyperexcitability have been found in peripheral nerve fibres in connection with neuropathies and peripheral neuropathic pain conditions, and the proportion of hyperexcitable nerve fibres has been shown to be greater in neuropathy patients with chronic pain than in neuropathy patients without pain. Findings indicate that so-called CMi nociceptors play an important role in chronic neuropathic pain.

INTERPRETATION
In the longer term we hope that research using microneurography will help to reveal mechanisms of direct importance for the development of targeted treatment of neuropathic pain.


Introduction: The cytological diagnosis of lymph node(LN) metastases depends on many variables such as the number of passes made at each station,access to ROSE or type of sample processing.Our objective was to analyze the diagnostic value of ROSE and cell block(CB) obtained for mediastinal staging by EBUS in lung cancer. Methods: Selective EBUS sampling was performed to patients with lung cancer and mediastinal disease by chest CT or PET-CT.For each fine needle aspiration(FNA),we collected the results of ROSE,final cytology diagnosis and CB.At least 3 FNA per LN were performed if ROSE did not show malignant cells. Results: We studied 148 patients from June 2010 to August 2011,of which 49 met the inclusion criteria.87.8% were male with a mean age of 62.7 years(42-78).A total of 130 FNA were performed,being unable to obtain a BC in 23.1% of them.The % of agreement between cytology and CB was 94.9%.BC added 3.1% of new diagnoses.ROSE avoided the need of obtaining 71 FNA,from a total of 134 second and third passes(47%).The % of agreement between ROSE and the final cytology report was 82.6%, presenting a NPV and a PPV of 73% and 100%, respectively.Benignity was confirmed by surgical techniques in all patients with negative EBUS,which represents a NPV of 100% in the studied sample. Conclusions: 1.CB has a high correlation with cytology(94.9%)but adds few new diagnoses(3.1%).It should be mainly used for immunohistochemical or molecular studies. 2. ROSE avoids 47% of FNA,based on its PPV of 100%. 3. The NPV of cytology after 3 passes with ROSE assessment is 100%.This approach can avoid further confirmatory surgical techniques.


The size and power of various generalization of the RESET test for functional misspecification are investigated, using the "Bootsrap critical values", in systems ranging from one to ten equations. The properties of 8 versions of the test are studied using Monte Carlo methods. The results are then compared with another study of Shukur and Edgerton (2002), in which they used the asymptotic critical values instead and found that in general only one version of the tests works well regarding size properties. In our study, when applying the bootstrap critical values, we find that all the tests exhibits correct size even in large systems. The power of the test is low, however, when the number of equations grows and the correlation between the omitted variables and the RESET proxies is small.


Purpose: To study the detectability performance of an Optical Coherence Tomography imaging system in the presence of speckles within the framework of the Hotelling observer. Method and Materials: Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging modality widely used in in-vivo study of tissues. Optical propagation in biological samples is dominated by scattering due to fluctuations in refractive index. This random fluctuation in the index makes it necessary to model the samples as random fields and statistical analysis the tool of choice. The Hotelling observer, a numerical observer that forms its test statistic based on the covariance of the input data, will be used in the classification task of distinguishing one class of sample from the other. The input of the Hotelling observer (i.e., the OCT signal) is considered to be generated by mixing the reference beam with the backscattering of the mean field in the sample. The scattering is handled by using the 1st Born approximation. Poissonian imaging noise will be considered. Results: An expression of the detectability index is derived for a classification task within the framework of the Hotelling observer. With this expression, we study how the sample properties and the layout of the optical system affect the performance of an OCT system. Conclusion: This work sets the foundation for the assessment of the OCT system and system optimization with respect to a classification task. The stochastic model used to describe the sample is more general in the sense that it goes beyond Gaussian statistic, and the functional form is easy to adjust to include different types of sample.


CONTEXT
Estrogen has been suggested as a risk factor for thyroid cancer.

OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to examine the associations between hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO), and incidence of thyroid cancer.

DESIGN
This was a prospective cohort study.

SETTING
The study was conducted at 40 clinical centers in the United States.

PARTICIPANTS
A total of 127 566 women aged 50-79 were enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative during 1993-1998.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Hysterectomy and BSO were self-reported. Incident thyroid cancer cases were confirmed by medical record review.

RESULTS
Three hundred forty-four incident thyroid cancer cases were identified during an average of 14.4 years of follow-up. Compared with women without hysterectomy, women with hysterectomy, regardless of ovarian status, had a significantly higher risk of thyroid cancer (hazard ratio 1.46 [95% confidence interval 1.16-1.85]). Hysterectomy with BSO was not associated with a lower risk for thyroid cancer compared with hysterectomy alone. Among women with hysterectomy alone, hormone therapy use was associated with lower risk of thyroid cancer (hazard ratio 0.47 [95% confidence interval 0.28-0.78]). However, we did not observe significant associations between hormone therapy use and thyroid cancer in women without hysterectomy or women with hysterectomy plus BSO.

CONCLUSION
Our large prospective study observed that hysterectomy, regardless of oophorectomy status, was associated with increased risk of thyroid cancer among postmenopausal women. In addition, our data did not support the hypotheses that exogenous estrogen is a risk factor or that estrogen deprivation is a protective factor for thyroid cancer. Further research is needed to clarify whether these apparent associations may be due to shared risk factors between indications for hysterectomy and thyroid cancer.


This thesis examines the Proterozoic and early Paleozoic connections between Victoria and Tasmania. Many different models have been suggested, and I conclude here that the Selwyn Block model is the most appropriate as it satisfies both the geological and geophysical data. The model proposed that the Proterozoic cratonic crust of western Tasmania continues north under Bass Strait and lies unconformably below the Melbourne Zone in central Victoria. The Selwyn Block is the northern end of the Proterozoic micro-continent, VanDieland, which also includes western Tasmania, the west South Tasman Rise and the East Tasman Plateau. In order to be able to extrapolate the major rock packages in Tasmania across Bass Strait, they first had to be determined in Tasmania. Seven Proterozoic zones were outlined—King Island, Rocky Cape, Burnie, Pedder, Tyennan, Sorell-Badger Head, and Glomar, with an eighth, Eastern Tasmania equivalent to the Paleozoic Tabberabbera Zone in eastern Victoria. Only the first three Proterozoic zones continue across Bass Strait, with the other four truncated either in Bass Strait or lying further south. Outcrops of rocks from the King Island and Burnie Zones are present in windows in Victoria but the Rocky Cape Zone is completely concealed. However, the presence in the mid-crust of the Rocky Cape and King Island zones can be seen in the enclaves and in the geochemical signatures of the Upper Devonian granites of central Victoria and in rare conglomerate clasts. VanDieland was initiated inside Nuna, between Laurentia and East Antarctica, at about 1.8 Ga. Much of the sedimentation seen in the Rocky Cape Zone is the erosional products of the Grenville Orogeny. As Rodinia broke up, VanDieland began to be extended at about 760 Ma, and this continued until final separation from Antarctica at about 570 Ma. After this, it drifted 'north' as micro-continental slivers along the Terra Australis margin until about 530 Ma. It then re-amalgamated in a closing back arc system within the greater Ross-Delamerian Orogeny, although it did not accrete onto Gondwana, remaining perhaps 200 to 300 km outboard. In the Early Devonian, as VanDieland got closer to Gondwana, a Banda Sea-style subduction system retreated southwards outboard of its eastern margin. This accreted VanDieland into Gondwana and gave rise to a crude, clockwise age distribution of the granites in Tasmania, from approximately 400 Ma on Flinders Island to 350 Ma on King Island.


Suggested methods describe the process of self-diffusion along grain boundaries and triple junctions in polycrystals without using geometric models of the grain boundaries structure. The calculation method introduced diffusion characteristics along grain boundaries derived from the results of molecular dynamic simulations of nanocrystalline materials. The diffusion experiments were imposed to establish relationship between introduced diffusion characteristics and the diffusion parameters along grain boundaries and triple junctions of the Fisher's grain boundary diffusion model. By the example of copper for the first time the characteristics of self-diffusion along grain boundaries of nanocrystalline materials and coarse grained analog defined in the same temperature range was compared for the first time. It was found that values of the self-diffusion characteristics along grain boundaries in high purity nanocrystalline and polycrystalline copper are equal at the same temperatures.


A non-triangulation inserting particle method is presented to prevent numerical fractures of SPH computations. The particles in those regions in which numerical fractures may occur are chosen at the beginning of SPH computations. And, the chosen particles are arrayed by the two different rules respectively according to the particle position relations. When the distance between each two chosen connected particles exceeds a certain value and neither of the corresponding two particles has fractured in SPH computations, a new particle is generated between those two ones and the position relation of particles is updated. The physical quantities that the new particle carries are obtained according to some given rules. The method and the same type of method in the reference are compared. The application of the method is analyzed. Conservation of mass and Conservation of momentum of the whole system are kept in this method. Several examples are given to validate the efficiency of the method to prevent numerical fractures.


— Poisson regression is a non-linear regression model with response variable in the form of count data that follows Poisson distribution. Modeling for a pair of count data that show high correlation can be analyzed by Poisson Bivariate Regression. Data the number of infant mortality and maternal mortality are count data that can be analyzed by Poisson Bivariate Regression. The Poisson regression assumption is an equidispersion where the mean and variance values are equal. However, the actual count data has a variance value which can be greater or less than the mean value (overdispersion and underdispersion). Violations of this assumption can be overcome by applying Generalized Poisson Regression. Characteristics of each regency can affect the number of cases occurred. This issue can be overcome by spatial analysis called Geographically Weighted Regression. This study analyzes the number of infant mortality and maternal mortality based on conditions in East Java in 2016 using Geographically Weighted Bivariate Generalized Poisson Regression (GWBGPR) method. Modeling is done with Adaptive Bisquare Kernel weighting which produces 3 regency groups based on infant mortality rate and 5 regency groups based on maternal mortality rate. Variables that significantly influence the number of infant and maternal mortality are the percentages of pregnant women visit health workers at least 4 times during pregnancy, pregnant women get Fe3 tablets, obstetric complication handled, clean household and healthy behavior, and married women with the first marriage age under 18 years.


Schema matching is the process of developing semantic matches between two or more schemas. The purpose of schema matching is generally either to merge two or more databases, or to enable queries on multiple, heterogeneous databases to be formulated on a single schema (Doan and Halevy 2005). This paper develops a taxonomy of schema matching approaches, classifying them as being based on a combination schema matching technique and the type of data used by those techniques. Schema matching techniques are categorized as being based on rules, learning, or ontology, and the type of data used is categorized as being based on schema elements or instance data. This taxonomy is an extension to previous work, and significant current research efforts are categorized using this taxonomy. Several of these research efforts are profiled and their categorization in the taxonomy is explored. The current research is used to identify the directions in which future research is headed.


Background: Chronic pain is an emotional and sensorial experience that triggers functional incapacity guided especially by the biopsychosocial changes, that lead to its aggravation directly affecting the recovery of the patient. Objective: To verify the presence of biopsychosocial factors in the subject with chronic pain on the physiotherapeutic care undergone in a clinical physiotherapy school. Method: A cross-sectional study, conducted in the physiotherapy clinic of the Health Sciences Center of the Universidade Estadual do Norte do Parana, in which were evaluated 26 subjects with chronic pain through the Pain Numerical Rating Scale; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; Pain Catastrophizing Scale; Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire; and Global Perceived Effect Scale. The statistical analysis had significance value of P≤0.05. Results: Even with reduction of pain intensity with P=0.04, the values do not indicate clinically relevant difference. The global perceived effect scale does not indicate a significant improvement of the subjects; however this is justified because the treatment does not address biopsychosocial aspects, being a technical approach. Conclusion: The treatment of chronic pain associated with a biopsychosocial approach would be the most indicated in clinical practice.


Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) is the collection of air within the mediastinal cavity, which is commonly described in the literature for mechanical ventilation and perforation of hollow viscera. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rare but salient etiology of this complication in the current pandemic. Here, we are narrating a case of a 46-year-old male, in whom COVID-19 pneumonia was complicated by SPM. The complication was identified on chest computed tomography (CT) and was managed conservatively, leading to a favorable outcome. SPM has undemanding management, but timely identification and appropriate treatment institution are crucial in this milieu. A literature search revealed similar cases of SPM in COVID-19 with different outcomes and the important ones are included in this report.


The U.S.-Mexico border region has two important but often overlooked characteristics. First, it is the physical place of most of the integration between the United States and Mexico, including market driven integration such as trade flows, migration, and investment as well as policy driven integration such as security cooperation, infrastructure development, and emergency response. Second, the border region has a growing transnational population that lives, works, goes to school, and participates in family and social networks on both sides of the border. Recent U.S. policy has hardened the border in response to concerns about terrorism, drug and human trafficking, undocumented migration, and arms smuggling. The consequences of these policies include disruption of the on-going economic integration, large external costs imposed on the growing transnational population, and barriers to progress on a number of issues of national importance, including dispute resolution, migration, and environmental management, among others. The paper identifies and discusses the advantages of the three different definitions of the border in current usage: counties and municipios that touch the border; the 100 kilometer boundary first set by the La Paz Agreement and later amended to 300 kilometers in Mexico and 100 in the U.S.; and the ten states that are along the border. The hardening of the border is partly the result of a lack of border institutions and the inability of border residents to speak in a common voice when they talk to their capitals. This is changing, however, as new institutions such as the Border Governors Conference take on a more active role in promoting the interests of border states and border regions. An examination of a recent Delphi survey of border decision-makers shows a high degree of cross border agreement on the goals and needs of the region in key areas such as competitiveness, security, and sustainability.


Crossbore intersections in liquid ends of positive displacement pumps (PDPs) have regions with high stress concentration. Due to the cyclic loading that occurs in most PDPs, these stress concentration points are susceptible to fatigue cracking. In order to prolong their life, the liquid ends are often overpressurized (autofrettaged), thus inducing beneficial compressive hoop stresses in these critical regions upon removal of the autofrettage pressure. This autofrettage process drives the region of high stress concentration beyond the elastic limit and well into the elastic-plastic region. Elastic-plastic stresses and strains due to loading and unloading were analyzed in crossbore geometries, with Bauschinger effect included, using 3-D finite element analysis of the liquid end. For comparison, an analytical approach was developed, based on the strain energy density criterion first proposed by Glinka. The approach was modified to include the Bauschinger effect for precise estimation of such stresses and strains. Good correlation was observed between elastic-plastic crossbore stresses and strains predicted by the analytical approach and the finite element analysis.


The paper examines the long-term implications of various reform options on retirement entry decisions and the actual retirement age of older workers. It focuses on the changes in pension legislation since 1992 and the reform options discussed by the German Social Security Reform Commission installed in 2002 (�Rurup Commission�). Our simulations show that the early-retirement adjustment factors introduced by the 1992 pension reform will raise the average effective retirement age for men by almost two years. The two-year increase in all relevant age limits proposed by the �Rurup Commission� would raise retirement age of men by another eight months.


A review of research on student attrition suggests eight factors influencing students' decisions to remain in a course or in college that may respond to college, counselor, and teacher interventions. First, as low grades are consistently revealed as contributing to attrition, appropriate course placement, basic skills instruction, criterion-based testing and grading, and other techniques that promote student success may foster persistence. Second, poor study habits and skills are/also related to attrition, and college staff should disseminate information on effective study methods and memorization skills. Third, the higher the level of students' educational plans, the more likely they are to persist; thus instructors and counselors should help students develop and maintain specific and realistic educational goals. Fourth, student commitment to program completion affects retention, and college staff can help students develop and maintain commitment and motivation. Fifth, sensing that instructors care about their progress fosters students' persistence. Sixth, by contacting students in academic difficulty; teachers and counselors may be able to prevent their dropping out. Seventh, the use of individualized instruction tends to enhance persistence, and finally,_am organized program of student support can promote the retention of even high risk students. This paper links retention strategies to key research findings and offers cautions about the strategies' limitations. (XL) *********************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ***********************************************************************


Gamma-ray observations ranging from hundreds of MeV to tens of TeV are a valuable tool for studying particle acceleration and diffusion within our galaxy. Supernova remnants, pulsar wind nebulae, and star-forming regions are the main particle accelerators in our local Galaxy. Constructing a coherent physical picture of these astrophysical objects requires the ability to distinguish extended regions of gamma-ray emission, the ability to analyze small-scale spatial variation within these regions, and methods to synthesize data from multiple observatories across multiple wavebands. Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) provide fine angular resolution (<0.1 degree) for gamma-rays above 100 GeV. Typical data reduction methods rely on source-free regions in the field of view to estimate cosmic-ray background. This presents difficulties for sources with unknown extent or those which encompass a large portion of the IACT field of view (3.5 degrees for VERITAS). Maximum-likelihood-based techniques are well-suited for analysis of fields with multiple overlapping sources, diffuse background components, and combining data from multiple observatories. Such methods also offer an alternative approach to estimating the IACT cosmic-ray background and consequently an enhanced sensitivity to largely extended sources. In this proceeding, we report on the current status and performance of a maximum likelihood technique for the IACT VERITAS. In particular, we focus on how our method's framework employs a dimension for gamma-hadron separation parameters in order to improve sensitivity on extended sources.


The Web Services Business Process Execution Language, version 2.0 (WS-BPEL 2.0 or BPEL for brevity) introduces a model for business processes based on Web services. A BPEL process orchestrates interactions among different Web services. The language encompasses features needed to describe complex control flows, including error handling and compensation behavior. BPEL for Semantic Web Services (BPEL4SWS) uses Semantic Web Service Frameworks to define a communication channel between two partner services instead of using the partner link which is based on WSDL 1.1. It enables describing activity implementations in a much more flexible manner based on ontological descriptions of service requesters and providers.


In the transition process many 'experts' from international organizations and Western countries came to CEE countries to enable them to become EU members, to advise them on policy issues and to help them improve their situation. Despite the spread of such experts and the costs involved, little is known until now about the substance of their advice, nor of the extent to which such advice has an effect, that is, is implemented. Although offstage sometimes the most horrible but also positive stories are heard it is not yet systematically investigated what is done by these 'experts' and what effect they brought about. In the literature much is known about how they should behave, (see f.i. Ieva Lazareviciute, How to Be a Better Policy Advisor? Manual for trainers, Nispacee, 2003), but the question remains whether this is reflected in practice.This paper addresses this issue. It starts by summarizing the literature about the desired substance of advice. This provides the yardstick for the second part of paper in which we first investigate the advisory process from the experts' point of view and second, the process as seen from the point of view of recipients. The empirical part is based on a number of interviews in which such advisors were the respondents. If possible we will also present the outcomes of a research among policy makers being the recipients of such advice. Subsequently, the empirical results will be compared to the yardstick in order to judge the advisors role in CEE countries.


The thesis argues that two ways in which we can consider empathy?s role in ethics are fundamentally flawed because they fail to take into account the myriad ways in which empathy can be affected and influenced by our motivations. I apply what I call ?the motivation objection? to these two views. This has three aspects: (1) reliability: because empathy can be affected and influenced by our motivations, empathizing does not always lead to the right results; (2) function: because it can be affected and influenced by our motivations, empathy is not sufficient for various functions; (3) circularity: because it can be affected and influenced by our motivations, empathy cannot be used to define or explain certain aspects of morality in a non-circular way. The two ways of considering empathy?s role in ethics are what I call constitutive views, according to which empathy in some way constitutes, or is the foundation for, morality, and instrumental views, according to which empathy is of instrumental value in morality. I apply the motivation objection to three constitutive views, two historical and one contemporary, each of which is a sentimentalist theory of morality with empathy (or sympathy, in the case of the historical theories) at its heart. These are the sentimentalist moral theories of David Hume, Adam Smith and Michael Slote. I then apply the motivation objection to instrumental views of empathy?s role in ethics, before defending one particular instrumental view, according to which empathy can play a positive role in morality when integrated with virtue, and the virtue of compassion in particular.


Primary empires were the product of internal development and self-sustaining through the exploitation of their own resources, but there were also historically a large number of "shadow empires." These were imperial polities that were the products of secondary empire formation, which came into existence as a response to the formation of primary empires elsewhere and could not exist except in interaction with them. One unusual subset of these were "empires of nostalgia" that claimed an imperial tradition and the outward trappings of an extinct empire, but did not themselves meet the basic requirements of an imperial state such as direct control of territory, true centralized rule, or significant urban centers. The most famous European example was the Carolingian Empire established by Charlemagne and its long lived successor, the Holy Roman Empire, which survived as an institution for a thousand years. The Islamic State's proclamation of itself as a reborn caliphate is now a contemporary example built on nostalgia in the Islamic world for a long-dead empire that still exerts a strong cultural attraction upon many Muslims. The Islamic State justifies its actions and ideologies by attempting to ground them in a lost golden age that they propose to restore.


In recent years, the lightweight requirement has become crucial in aerospace and automobile application. Mg alloys provide an excellent alternative to conventional structural metals and alloys as it has the highest specific strength. Mg-alloy AZ91 (Mg-9Al-0.8Zn-0.2Mn) is the most favored alloy, being used in approximately 90% of all magnesium cast products. It has good castability, excellent room temperature (RT) mechanical properties and has low cost compared to other Mg-alloys. However, above 120°C its mechanical properties deteriorate because of the low softening temperature of same s-Mg17Al12 which provides it better RT mechanical properties. The present study is an attempt to improve the creep strength of AZ91 through the addition of alloying elements which form thermally stable intermetallics and pins the s-Mg17Al12. The effects of individual and combined additions of Sb and Sr on the microstructure and creep properties of squeeze-cast Mg-AZ91 alloy have been investigated. For comparison, the same has also been studied on the as-cast AZ91 alloy without any addition. The results indicate that individual and combined addition of Sr and Sb refine the grain size, s-Mg17Al12 phase, and it affects the dynamic precipitation of s-Mg17Al12 during creep. All the alloys have been creep tested at a temperature of 175°C and a stress level of 70 MPa. The lowest steady state creep rate is obtained in the AZ91 alloy pertaining combined addition of both Sb and Sr owing to the presence of relatively lower amount of s-Mg17Al12 phase and high melting point intermetallics Mg3Sb2 and Al4Sr phase.


Introduction: Functional status assessment in patients suffering with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the essential component and Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is a valid tool for it. The amount of physical activity possible in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) predicts exacerbations, hospital admissions, and mortality. Therefore, guidelines advocate the need to entitle improved physical activity status as a major target of treatment in such patients. Objective: To determine the correlation of sit to stand test with 6-minute walk test in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Methodology: An analytical cross-sectional study was done in Chest Medicine department, Jinnah hospital, Karachi during 2015-16. A total of 100 patients with mildto-severe COPD were included in this study. The STST and 6MW Test was performed and compared with each other and with COPD Assessment Test (CAT). Results: Overall 100 patients were recruited for the study with mild-tosevere chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The mean age of the patients was 60.50 ± 7.03 years. On applying the Correlation coefficient test, a moderate positive correlation was found between Sit to stand test and 6-minute walk test distance (r=0.71, p=0.0005). Mild positive correlation was also found in these patients between the Sit to stand test and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Assessment Test score (STST and CAT r=0.46, p=0.011). Similarly, moderate positive correlation was found between 6-minute walk test distance and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Assessment Test score (r=0.58, p=0.001). Conclusion: It is concluded that in COPD patients, the functional capacity can be assessed through STST instead of 6 MW Test having the same results.


Syncope is defined as a transient loss of consciousness and postural tone, characterized by rapid onset, short duration, and spontaneous recovery. Stellate ganglion block (SGB) is a nerve block method that is used for treatment of neuropathic pain in the head, neck and upper extremities, especially trigeminal neuralgia, postherpetic neuralgia and complex regional pain syndrome. SGB can modulate and stabilize the sympathetic nervous system, which prevents it from overexcitation and improves symptoms of syncope. The authors report a patient who was treated for pain and edema of both upper extremities with SGB, then showed improvement in recurrent syncope followed by chest pain and overall quality of life.


The research involves the analysis and design of a new band of horn antennas,
namely Frequency Selective Horns (FSHs). Folding a Frequency Selective Surface
(FSS) into a shape of a cone makes a FSH. The stimulus behind this research
emanates from an idea to use the FSH as a microwave camera for medical
diagnostic purposes. FSHs with dipole geometries have been modelled using
existing software. A quasi-static approximation models the dipole elements with a
dielectric backing as dielectrically loaded cylindrical conducting elements. [Continues.]


While many in Australia have faced significant cost due to the global pandemic, most of us have experienced just a small taste of some of the challenges and hardships that a majority of the rest of the world regularly face. The inability to buy all you want at the shops, oftenchanging government restrictions and fears of an overrun health system are not uncommon for individuals in lowand middle-income countries. Yet, many of us in high-income countries are experiencing them for the first time.


This thesis considers the representation of the Shannon Scheme hydro-electric power station from 1924 to 1932, during the first Cumann na nGaedheal Government of the Irish Free State. The station was constructed by the German company Siemens and was the first large-scale building project carried out in the new state, starting in 1925. The
semi-state Electricity Supply Board was formed by the Government to run the power station in 1927 and it began generating power in 1929, forming the basis for rural electrification after the Second World War.


PURPOSE
This study was conducted as part of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2001 Presidential Initiative to assess the administrative burden of payer documentation requirements and their impact on oncology practice.

METHODS
The study consisted of a physician questionnaire and an activity log. Site visits were conducted to support survey data. Analysis included 2,493 questionnaires and 1,115 activity logs; data were also collected from site visits to 10 oncology practices.

RESULTS
Increased documentation was the greatest concern among respondents, greater even than the stress of dealing with death and dying. More than 97% of survey respondents reported an increase in documentation (averaging 1.4 h/d) and 77% reported an increase in work hours because of documentation in the past 5 years. As a result, more than 40% of respondents reported decreases in key aspects of patient care and decreases in teaching (48%) and research (39%). Site visit data demonstrate similar trends.

CONCLUSION
It is critical to find ways to decrease physician burden without decreasing the ability to prevent fraud and abuse. Reforms include provisions in a recently passed bill in the United States House of Representatives to streamline Medicare regulation and increase physician education. To address oncology-specific concerns, changes also should be made to supervision requirements for residents and fellows and evaluation and management documentation for oncology follow-up visits.


BACKGROUND
Three-dimensional (3D) printing has revolutionized training, education, and device testing. Understanding the design and physical properties of 3D-printed models is important.

OBJECTIVE
To systematically review the design, physical properties, accuracy, and experimental outcomes of 3D-printed vascular models used in neurointervention.

METHODS
We conducted a systematic review of the literature between January 1, 2000 and September 30, 2018. Public/Publisher MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, Compendex, Cochrane, and Inspec databases were searched using Medical Subject Heading terms for design and physical attributes of 3D-printed models for neurointervention. Information on design and physical properties like compliance, lubricity, flow system, accuracy, and outcome measures were collected.

RESULTS
A total of 23 articles were included. Nine studies described 3D-printed models for stroke intervention. Tango Plus (Stratasys) was the most common material used to develop these models. Four studies described a population-representative geometry model. All other studies reported patient-specific vascular geometry. Eight studies reported complete reconstruction of the circle of Willis, anterior, and posterior circulation. Four studies reported a model with extracranial vasculature. One prototype study reported compliance and lubricity. Reported circulation systems included manual flushing, programmable pistons, peristaltic, and pulsatile pumps. Outcomes included thrombolysis in cerebral infarction, post-thrombectomy flow restoration, surgical performance, and qualitative feedback.

CONCLUSION
Variations exist in the material, design, and extent of reconstruction of vasculature of 3D-printed models. There is a need for objective characterization of 3D-printed vascular models. We propose the development of population representative 3D-printed models for skill improvement or device testing.


BACKGROUND: Oral corticosteroids used in short courses for acute asthma are regarded as safe, although the frequent use of these drugs may result in patients suffering from systemic side effects. It has become common practice for patients to increase their own inhaled corticosteroid intake when their asthma goes out of control, but it has never been established whether a high dose of inhaled corticosteroid can be as effective as a short course of oral corticosteroid in the treatment of acute exacerbations. METHODS: A multicentre, randomised, double blind, double dummy, parallel group study was undertaken to determine whether the introduction of a high dose of inhaled fluticasone propionate (2 mg daily) is as effective as a short reducing course of oral prednisolone (starting at 40 mg/day and reducing by 5 mg every other day) in the treatment of acute exacerbations of asthma not considered severe enough for admission to hospital but requiring treatment with oral corticosteroid. RESULTS: Four hundred and thirteen adult asthmatic subjects who presented to their general practitioner with an acute exacerbation of asthma were recruited in 47 general practices in the United Kingdom. Treatment failures, defined as a reduction in peak expiratory flow (PEF) to below 60% of the patient's best/predicted value on two consecutive occasions or persistent symptoms with no improvement on three consecutive days, occurred in 23% of patients who received oral prednisolone and 27% who received inhaled fluticasone propionate (difference in percentage of treatment failures 4.3, 95% CI -4.1 to 12.8, p = 0.31). In each group 48% were classified as treatment successes, defined as a 10% or greater increase in percentage best/predicted morning PEF. Both treatments were equally well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence of a significant difference in efficacy between a reducing dose course of oral prednisolone and high dose inhaled fluticasone propionate in mild exacerbations of asthma which do not require admission to hospital.


Underwater imagery processing is in high demand, but the unrestricted environment makes it difficult to develop methods for analyzing it. Not only is obtaining a dataset for a single species difficult, but there are reported 33 970 fish species [1], which makes it hard to cover all bases for fish recognition. This thesis presents 20 deep neural networks trained for fish (salmon) recognition and provides a comparison and discussion of each model and classifier combination with their respective parameter tunings. A version of SSD Inception V2 achieves 84.64% mAP on the unique fish dataset, with 3.75 FPS, and achieves state-of-the-art accuracy for salmon recognition. Additionally, a version of Faster R-CNN ResNet 152 achieves 83.78%, at 3.76 FPS, and a version of Faster R-CNN Inception V2 achieves 83.62%, at 2.57 FPS. The thesis, in addition to proposing a solution for recognizing fish, serves as a guide for selecting a deep neural network, and finetuning its parameters. The unique dataset in this thesis consists of 20 069 labels of salmon obtained from highresolution videos from fish farms. Some research use an openly available, but very imbalanced dataset with 27 370 labeled images [2], and using this dataset for recognizing either salmon, cod, sea trout, or mackerel for instance, would result in failure due to the large difference in fish shape. The thesis proposes a solution for discarding video sequences where no fish is present. The proposed solution reduces storage size, reduces time spent creating datasets from the videos, and makes it easier to analyze the data. The thesis also proposes a solution for obtaining statistics of number of fish in rivers over time, which can drastically improve the current methods used by Statistics Norway in terms of accuracy and effectiveness.


One of the prominent characteristics of the nineteenth century was the increasing importance of women in the literary world. The efforts of publishers to satisfy the demands of a growing reading public and to stimulate adult education allowed many ladies to indulge their literary ambitions. The Strickland sisters, of Reydon Hall, Suffolk, all began their literary careers by writing children's books and contributing to annuals and periodicals, especially journals for women. two of them proceeded to pursue careers as historical biographers, and two more, after emigrating to Canada, wrote significant books on their pioneer experiences and natural history. A literary history of the family is therefore concerned with four facets of nineteenth-century literary taste: children's literature, journals for ladies, historical biography by women, and literature of the New World. This study of the family begins with a biographical chapter which includes references to hitherto unused manuscript letters. Chapter two is a survey of early and miscellaneous books and contributions to periodicals. the significance of Lives of the Queens of England as part of a feminist dialogue and as a book which appealed particularly to female readers is explored in chapter three. Other reasons for the work's popularity are considered in chapter four, and an appraisal of the Stricklands' biographical method and the quality of their judgement follows in chapter five. The variety of the family's literary production becomes apparent in s survey of the books written in Canada, but there contain Old World ties and a feminine perspective, in addition to indicating directions for Canadian literature.


We consider a free-space optical (FSO) channel model affected by misalignment fading (pointing error) effects. Assuming intensity modulation/direct detection (IM/DD) with on-off keying (OOK), new closed form expressions for the bit-error rate (BER) and the outage probability are presented. Furthermore, four optimization models are formulated and solved taking into account various metrics such as the beamwidth, the electrical signal-to-noise ratio, the normalized jitter, the BER, and the outage probability. The results obtained can be a useful outcome for FSO system designers in order to limit pointing error effects and achieve, thus, an optimum performance.


This research is a quasi-experimental study investigating the effect of different types of teacher written corrective feedback (WCF) on Iranian EFL learners' writing accuracy focusing on two functions of English articles (the first mention and anaphoric reference) and simple past tense (regular and irregular). Ninety-four Iranian learners of English were assigned to three experimental groups of direct feedback group (n=24), indirect feedback group (n=24), direct+indirect feedback group (n=24), and one control group (n=22). The participating groups' homogeneity was checked by their performance on the proficiency test and the pre-test. During six treatment sessions, each of the three groups received its associated feedback. The papers with attached comments were returned to the participants. On two occasions (pre-test and post-test), the participants completed a picture description task. The results of one-way ANOVA revealed a statistically significant difference in the performance of the three groups. Furthermore, Scheffe post-hoc analysis indicated that the direct group outperformed direct+indirect group, and direct+indirect group outperformed the indirect group.


The thesis proposes a delay asymmetry correction (DAC) model to enhance the IEEE 1588 synchronization protocol. The purpose of this work is to mitigate the effects of unpredictable packet delay variations (PDV), which cause asymmetric link delays on timing packets, in order to improve the synchronization accuracy of the slave clock with respect to the master clock. This is done by computing the time difference between the master and the slave clock asymmetric communication link delays. The NS-2 results indicate that the proposed solution achieves high synchronization accuracy of the slave clock in the presence of various bi-directional traffic loads, network congestions, and temporary network outage. Furthermore, the solution also improves the slave accuracy when there is a routing path change due to the failure in the network. However, the proposed solution does not perform well when it is incorporated with the AOCM model.