A number of significant changes are ahead for the Canadian Journal of Surgery (CJS). These changes involve sponsorship, the financial model of support and editorial leadership. With respect to sponsoring societies, the Canadian Orthopedic Association has ceased its financial support for CJS. As a result, the Canadian Association of General Surgeons (CAGS) is now the journal's main sponsoring society. Discussion between the CAGS executive committee and the director and publisher of Canadian Medical Association publications has reconfirmed a steadfast, continuing support for CJS by CAGS. Unfortunately, the loss of COA sponsorship has substantially reduced revenue for the journal.

The financial model of support for CJS requires renewed scrutiny. Since 2008, display advertising revenue has decreased remarkably, and this challenge is not unique to CJS in this era of financial austerity. To help address this loss of revenue, costs for printing and distribution of the journal will be eliminated as CJS transitions during the forthcoming year to a digital format for members of sponsoring societies. This transition may be attractive to reduce costs; however, caution must be maintained to ensure that it does not make the journal less attractive to display advertisers. To support the journal's processing costs, publication charges for accepted manuscripts will need to be implemented. Authors will become responsible for identifying a budget for processing fees when their original research is accepted for publication in CJS, which is already a common practice for other journals. While new partnership models with industry can and will be sought, it is clear that these types of financial models are no longer sustainable in the long term.

Finally, editorial leadership for the journal is due for change. My second term as coeditor in chief concludes at the end of this year. As I assume a new role as President of CAGS, the association will make recommendations to the journal's publisher for a successor to join Dr. Ed Harvey as coeditor in chief. In addition, as the journal matches the needs of its readers with the expertise of the associate editors who make up the editorial board, a review of the board's membership is imminent.

During the transition ahead, it is highly desirable that CJS maintain a continuous record of publishing and indexing to preserve its name and identity, as well as important measurements of quality. Preserving these factors is far more desirable than initiating a new Canadian surgery journal and the associated disadvantages of the significant amount of time required to establish an editorial board and review policies, call for papers, establish a peer review process, and design and edit a new journal. The CJS will maintain its commitment to publish manuscripts that have already been accepted and to continue processing manuscripts that have been submitted for peer review.

As CJS nears the end of its 55th year, it continues to fulfill a vital link for communication among Canadian surgeons, surgical trainees and policy-makers. Original articles identify surgical innovation that appeals to specialists in both community and referral surgical centres alike. The journal's content during the past decade has addressed the topics of resource allocation, professionalism, quality and safety, history of Canadian surgery, international surgery, online health information, operating room design and other issues that are vital to surgical trainees. These themes weave together a fabric that unites all surgical subspecialties in Canada. For this reason, Canadian surgeons require and deserve this country's only indexed surgical journal. What other international journal would be appropriate to serve as a voice for key issues that affect surgery in Canada? The CJS deserves our undivided support "to contribute to the effective continuing medical education of Canadian surgical specialists, using innovative techniques when feasible, and to provide surgeons with an effective vehicle for the dissemination of observations in the areas of clinical and basic science research."


This Article examines the problem of regulating a transatlantic exchange and argues that the recently adopted Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) - the new EU directive that provides a regulatory structure for European markets to operate in and among the various EU member states - offers an appropriate model for allowing exchanges and alternative trading systems in the United States and European Union to conduct business in both jurisdictions. Consideration of the MiFID as a model for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is not merely an academic exercise. The MiFID's potential to increase the competitiveness of European exchanges compels the SEC to incorporate some of the MiFID's best features in the way it regulates the operation of exchanges and other trading centers in the United States. To this end, this Article sets forth and examines three changes in how the SEC regulates exchanges: the separation of self-regulatory responsibilities from exchange operations, the redefinition of best execution in the trade-through rule to permit exchanges to compete on a variety of services - not only price - and the opening of the US market to foreign financial services providers, which includes allowing foreign exchanges to place trading screens in the United States. Each of these changes will move the US markets closer to the European markets and make it easier for US and European markets to combine and share services across the Atlantic. To put in place the type of regime envisioned in this Article, the SEC will have to reconsider some of its long-held views about the role and obligations of exchanges in our securities markets. While the SEC has announced in recent months that it intends to adopt the basic principles of mutual recognition in limited areas, the SEC's current proposals do not go far enough to resolve the regulatory differences that exist between the US and European markets or to ensure that there would be adequate coordination of regulation and enforcement between US and EU authorities. Consequently, much still can be learned from following the more ambitious blueprint for the regulation of US and foreign exchanges laid out by the MiFID.


We isolated a transposon (Tn4291) that carries the resistance gene(s) for methicillin in a secondary insertion site on the penicillinase plasmid pI524. Transposition of Tn4291 into pI524 occurred during the transduction of the tetracycline resistance plasmid pSN1 from a methicillin-resistant donor into a recipient that carried the mec allele in the primary site on the chromosome. Insertion of Tn4291 caused extensive rearrangement of pI524 and resulted in the formation of a 27.9-kilobase-pair plasmid (pIT103) which coded for resistance to methicillin and cadmium, but not penicillin. Although resistance to methicillin and cadmium were always linked, Tn4291 was stably maintained only in the presence of a chromosomal mec allele, while in its absence the plasmid was unstable and transposition to the primary site occurred. Subsequently, a 20.1-kilobase-pair plasmid, pIT203, was formed which retained cadmium resistance and regained the ability to express beta-lactamase activity.


We present a computationally efficient approach to calculating the reduced density of states and dynamic gain in quantum well laser diodes. The valence subband dispersion is calculated along the high-symmetry <100> and <110> axes using the k.p method. The valence subband isoenergy contours are represented by a first order Fourier expansion, which is used to calculate the reduced density of states, so that each photon is allowed to interact with electrons and holes over a finite range of energies. The influence of carrier dynamics upon the gain relies upon the usual relaxation approximation for carrier-carrier interactions. A different approach is adopted for carrier-phonon, interactions due to the carrier kinetic energy threshold for phonon emission, which is needed to realistically represent spectral hole burning and carrier heating effects.


Advances in wireless sensor network (WSN) technology have enabled small and low-cost sensors with the capability of sensing various types of physical and environmental conditions, data processing, and wireless communication. In the WSN, the sensor nodes have a limited transmission range and their processing and storage capabilities as well as their energy resources are limited. A triple umpiring system has already been proved for its better performance in WSNs. The clustering technique is effective in prolonging the lifetime of the WSN. In this study, we have modified the ad-hoc on demand distance vector routing by incorporating signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) based dynamic clustering. The proposed scheme, which is an efficient and secure routing protocol for wireless sensor networks through SNR-based dynamic clustering (ESRPSDC) mechanisms, can partition the nodes into clusters and select the cluster head (CH) among the nodes based on the energy, and non CH nodes join with a specific CH based on the SNR values. Error recovery has been implemented during the inter-cluster routing in order to avoid end-to-end error recovery. Security has been achieved by isolating the malicious nodes using sink-based routing pattern analysis. Extensive investigation studies using a global mobile simulator have shown that this hybrid ESRP significantly improves the energy efficiency and packet reception rate as compared with the SNR unaware routing algorithms such as the low energy aware adaptive clustering hierarchy and power efficient gathering in sensor information systems.


In Reply. —Dr Reeves' letter is a classic example of the "we're the good guys, they're the bad guys" type of thinking that is characteristic of ethnocentric perception. That is just the issue addressed by my brief editorial. I am no apologist for the political or military excesses of the Soviet bureaucracy. However, a rational objectivity toward the East-West impasse requires that we not whitewash inappropriate actions on our own side. Our country, too, has employed chemical warfare in Southeast Asia (some of our Vietnam veterans are suffering now from the effects of those toxins), and we have not been above supporting right-wing totalitarian regimes that are purging thousands of their own citizens in Central and South America. Moreover, we do not consider it a sign of dishonor that some of our most distinguished statesmen have presided over our own secret service agencies; such men do not thereby become objects


Drought is a key factor affecting forest ecosystem processes at different spatio-temporal scales. For accurately modeling tree functioning – and thus for producing reliable simulations of forest dynamics – the consideration of the variability in the timing and extent of drought effects on tree growth is essential, particularly in strongly seasonal climates such as in the Mediterranean area. Yet, most dynamic vegetation models (DVMs) do not include this intra-annual variability of drought effects on tree growth. We present a novel approach for linking tree-ring data to drought simulations in DVMs. A modified forward model of tree-ring width (VS-Lite) was used to estimate seasonaland site-specific growth responses to drought of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), which were subsequently implemented in the DVM ForClim. Ring-width data from sixteen sites along a moisture gradient from Central Spain to the Swiss Alps, including the dry inner Alpine valleys, were used to calibrate the forward ring-width model, and inventory data from managed Scots pine stands were used to evaluate ForClim performance. The modified VS-Lite accurately estimated the year-to-year variability in ring-width indices and produced realistic intra-annual growth responses to soil drought, showing a stronger relationship between growth and drought in spring than in the other seasons and thus capturing the strategy of Scots pine to cope with drought. The ForClim version including seasonal variability in growth responses to drought showed improved predictions of stand basal area and stem number, indicating the need to consider intra-annual differences in climate–growth relationships in DVMs when simulating forest dynamics. Forward modeling of ring-width growth may be a powerful tool to calibrate growth functions in DVMs that aim to simulate forest properties in across multiple environments at large spatial scales.


This thesis is focused on the synthesis of three different shapes of goldnanoparticles; the gold nanosphere, the gold nanorod and the gold nanocube. Thesewill be synthesized using wet chemistry methods and characterized using UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. The results will be used to drawsome conclusions as to what factors influence the growth of gold nanoparticles.


The development of the PP legal regime in Romania has started in 2006, with the adoption of EGO no. 34/2006 on the awarding of public procurement contracts and on concessions of public works and services, which brought, under the umbrella of a single framework, various dimensions of public procurement, regulated until then by a number of disparate pieces of legislation (electronic procurement, Utilities, military contracts, etc.). Between 1989 and 2006, several subsequent public procurement laws had been enacted – in 1993, in 1999, and in 2001, each of them followed by a host of governmental decisions complementing the framework law. For example, the 1993 law was followed by separate governmental decisions regulating transparency and publicity rules, conditions for granting the internal preference in public procurement, the quantification of contract value, etc. The paper examines the context and the applicable rules to public procurement contracts below the EU thresholds and List B services in Romania. Since the legal regime applicable to below thresholds contracts is relatively similar, the paper assesses the implications of this extension of EU rules to almost all PP contracts, irrespective of thresholds, from a legal and policy standpoint. The paper is based on the analysis of legal regulations, relevant national case law as well as interviews conducted with representatives of the National Authority for Regulating and Monitoring Public Procurement (hereafter NARMPP), the National Council for Solving Legal Disputes (first instance review body in PP matters, hereafter the Council), and contracting authorities.


Whilst conducting research into the effects that wellbeing has on the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal students while at university, a number of major themes emerged that were worthy of much further research than I could carry out at the time. Each one of these themes was as complex as the next and gave a picture of what a student's university experience was like. One such theme which deserves particular attention is that of identity. The notion of identity and skin colour were constantly discussed within interviews and featured as one of the major barriers to wellbeing and that of a good university experience. Conversations with participants centred on their own identity or lack of, and that of finding acceptance and a sense of belonging within the context of a university environment.


The present study was undertaken to study the effects of cultural conditions, auxins and phloroglucinol on in vitro rhizogenesis in wild pear. Higher mean rooting percentage (28.78%) was obtained in solid medium, as compared to liquid medium (6.80%), irrespective of the growth regulator concentrations used. The rooting response was better with lower concentrations (0.125 and 0.25 mg l-1) of NAA than IBA. At higher growth regulator concentrations (0.5-2.0 mg l-1) though the rooting response was poor, yet significantly higher rooting was observed with IBA as compared to NAA. A combination of NAA and IBA resulted in significant improvement of rooting percentages over NAA or IBA alone. However, this improvement in rooting response was only at lower concentrations (0.125 and 0.25 mg l-1) of auxin combination (NAA+IBA). The highest rooting (81.47%) was obtained on solid medium with NAA and IBA at 0.25 mg l-1 each followed by NAA and IBA 0.125 mg l-1 each (78.24%). 2,4-D failed to induce rooting. A higher number of roots (2.53) was obtained on solid medium, than on liquid medium (1.48). NAA resulted in higher number of roots per shoot than IBA, but at lower concentrations viz. 0.125-0.25 mg l-1. The highest number of roots per microshoot (7.20) was obtained on liquid medium supplemented with NAA (0.25 mg l-1). It was on a par with NAA + IBA (0.25 mg l-1 each) and IBA 0.25 mg l-1. However, the latter treatments resulted in low rooting percentages and very poor root length. The root length in solid medium (1.18 cm) was significantly more than that on liquid medium. During the in vitro root induction some microshoots died of shoot-tip necrosis (STN). The STN percentages were significantly reduced on liquid medium in comparison to solid medium. Raising the Ca levels to 3 mM (T1) significantly reduced the STN (2.60%). However, a further increase in Ca levels to 6 and 9 mM considerably increased the STN. The boron supplementations (200, 500 and1000 microM) reduced the STN to zero per cent and no symptoms of boron toxicity was observed even at 1000 microM. Rooting behaviour of the wild pear was significantly affected by the media phase and phloroglucinol. PG had a stimulatory effect on the rooting response of wild pear and the roots obtained on solid medium supplemented with PG were better than those on liquid medium. The highest ex vitro survival percentage of the wild pear plantlets (52.03 %) was observed on sand + soil (3:1 v/v) followed by 33.77 % on sand + soil (2:1 v/v) and 10.50% on perlite.


The present studies were carried out in an attempt to resolve the controversy about the Na+ dependence of beta-adrenergic relaxation in smooth muscle. Previous studies on isolated smooth muscle cells from the toad stomach had suggested that at least some of the actions of beta-adrenergic agents, including a stimulatory effect on 45Ca efflux, were dependent on the presence of a normal transmembrane Na+ gradient. Studies by other investigators using tissues derived from mammalian sources had suggested that the relaxing effect of beta-adrenergic agents was Na+ independent. Uncertainty remained as to whether these discrepancies reflected differences between cells and tissues or differences between species. Thus, in the present studies, we utilized both tissues and cells from the same source, the stomach muscle of the toad Bufo marinus, and assessed the Na+ dependence of beta-adrenergic relaxation. We found that elimination of a normal Na+ gradient abolished beta-adrenergic relaxation of isolated cells. In tissues, however, similar manipulations had no effect on relaxation. The reasons for this discrepancy are unclear but do not appear to be attributable to changes in smooth muscle function following enzymatic dispersion. Rather they may be attributable to unique properties of tissues, such as the presence of pacemaker cells, nerves, and so on. Thus the controversy concerning the mechanism of beta-adrenergic relaxation may reflect inherent differences between tissues and cells.


DNA on mica can be imaged in the atomic force microscope (AFM) in water or in some buffers if the sample has first been dehydrated thoroughly with propanol or by baking in vacuum and if the sample is imaged with a tip that has been deposited in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Without adequate dehydration or with an unmodified tip, the DNA is scraped off the substrate by AFM-imaging in aqueous solutions. The measured heights and widths of DNA are larger in aqueous solutions than in propanol. The measured lengths of DNA molecules are the same in propanol and in aqueous solutions and correspond to the base spacing for B-DNA, the hydrated form of DNA; when the DNA is again imaged in propanol after buffer, however, it shortens to the length expected for dehydrated A-DNA. Other results include the imaging of E. coli RNA polymerase bound to DNA in a propanol-water mixture and the observation that washing samples in the AFM is an effective way of disaggregating salt-DNA complexes. The ability to image DNA in aqueous solutions has potential applications for observing processes involving DNA in the AFM.


The coronavirus disease 2019 has been defined as COVID-19 in February 2020 by the World Health Organization. It rapidly resulted in an epidemic throughout China and spread over the world causing a pandemic. Anesthetic procedures such as tracheal intubation, non-invasive ventilation, tracheotomy, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, manual balloon-mask ventilation before the intubation, and bronchoscopy in operating rooms are aerosol-generating medical procedures. In the field of anesthesiology, infection control includes protection of anesthesia workers and the patients from infection, and the prevention of contamination of all anesthesia devices, especially the anesthesia machine. In maxillofacial surgery, anesthesia management has some unique characteristics because the procedures in maxillofacial surgery are aerosol-forming, resulting in the resulting in the aerosols dispersing into the environment. It is considered that the global effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 infection will continue for longer. Thus, the anesthesiologist working in the oral and maxillofacial surgery operating rooms should closely follow the current guidelines regarding the pandemic and take the necessary precautions to protect patients and staff from the risk of infection. Clinicians should provide their anesthesia precautions and management program during COVİD-19 pandemic for general anesthesia settings in oral and maxillofacial surgery.


This paper examines the contribution of three aggregate mining sectors of the South African economy to output and ~ployment over the 1970-97 period. The fmding of a declining importance of mining in output and employment creation must be sectorally differentiated. Gold and Uranium Mining is the chief source of these declines, while evidence for Coal and Diamond and Other Mining is more modulated. We find strong redistribution of output from equity to labour over the course of the 1990s for Gold and Uranium Mining. In mining labour markets, we present developments in employment trends, in real labour cost, and in labour productivity. We examine links between these dimensions in an explanation of changing employment trends. We conclude with a VECM estimation of a labour requirements equation to corroborate our fmdings. JELQ30


The present study investigated transient receptor potential vanilloid type 4 (TRPV4) ion channels in pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) isolated from rats with high-fat and alcohol diet (HFA)-induced chronic pancreatitis. TRPV4 is a calcium-permeable nonselective ion channel responsive to osmotic changes, alcohol metabolites arachidonic acid, anandamide, their derivatives, and injury-related lipid mediators. Male Lewis rats were fed HFA for 6-8 wk before isolation and primary culture of PSCs. Control PSCs were harvested from rats fed standard chow. Immunoreactivity for cytoskeletal protein activation product α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β subunit (PDGFR-β) characterized the cells as PSCs. TRPV4 expression increased in PSCs of HFA-fed rats and control cultures after alcohol treatment (50 mM). Cell responses to activation of inducible TRPV4 were assessed with live cell calcium imaging. Threefold increased and sustained intracellular calcium mobilization responses occurred in 70% of pancreatic stellate cells from HFA-fed rats in response to TRPV4 activators arachidonic acid, lipid second messenger, phorbol ester 4 α-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate (4αPDD), and 50% hypoosmotic media compared with relatively unresponsive PSCs from control rats. Activation responses were attenuated by nonselective TRPV channel blocker ruthenium red. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α, 1 ng/ml, 16 h) increased responses to 4αPDD in control PSCs. These findings implicate TRPV4-mediated calcium responses inducible after HFA exposure and inflammation in reactive responses of activated PSCs that impair pancreatic function, such as responsiveness to cytokines and the deposition of collagen fibrosis that precipitates ductal blockage and pain.


This paper investigates a methodology and corresponding graph modeling of process planning for cylindrical machined parts with tolerancing. Methods and techniques for representing possible process plans, reducing the complexity and eliminating over-toleranced plans are developed. The method first maps each feature of a part into feasible finishing processes that are capable to achieve the specified tolerances associated with the feature. All possible process plans are then developed by expanding preceding processes of each finishing process. The expanded processes form a graph, or a forest, with processes as nodes and process sequence as links. Processes with same specifications can be further merged and pruned to reduce the complexity of the graph. Tolerance stack-up of each possible plan for simplified results is also further computed by tolerance chart such that over-toleranced plans are eliminated. As there are often many feasible plans for machining a part, the qualified plan that satisfies design specifications is achieved by traversal through the graph imposing tolerance chart. An example is also demonstrated to illustrate the approach and the model. The merit of this method is to employ a unified graph model for representing and reasoning.


This paper presents a system for billing users for their TCP traffic. This is achieved by postponing the establishment of connections while the user is contacted, verifying in a secure way that they are prepared to pay. By presenting the user with cost and price information, the system can be used for cost recovery and to encourage efficient use of network resources. The system requires no changes to existing protocols or applications and can be used to recover costs between cooperating sites. Statistics collected from a four day trace of traffic between the University of California, Berkeley and the rest of the Internet demonstrate that such a billing system is practical and introduces acceptable latency. An implementation based on the BayBridge prototype router is described. Our study also indicates that pricing schemes may be used to control network congestion either by rescheduling time-insensitive traffic to a less expensive time of the day, or by smoothing packet transfers to reduce traffic peaks.


INTRODUCTION
Assessing needs before developing continuing medical education/continuing professional development (CME/CPD) programs is a crucial step in the education process. A previous systematic literature review described a lack of objective evaluation for learning needs assessments in primary care physicians. This scoping review updates the literature on uses of objective evaluations to assess physicians' unperceived learning needs in CME/CPD. Identifying and understanding these approaches can inform the development of educational programs that are relevant to clinical practice and patient care. The study objectives were to (1) scope the literature since the last systematic review published in 1999; (2) conduct a comprehensive search for studies and reports that explore innovative tools and approaches to identify physicians' unperceived learning needs; (3) summarize, compare, and classify the identified approaches; and (4) map any gaps in the literature to identify future areas of research.

METHODS
A scoping review was used to "map" the literature on current knowledge regarding approaches to unperceived needs assessment using conceptual frameworks for planning and assessing CME/CPD activities.

RESULTS
Two prominent gaps were identified: (1) performance-based assessment strategies are highly recommended in nonresearch articles yet have low levels of implementation in published studies and (2) analysis of secondary data through patient input or environmental scanning is emphasized in grey literature implementation strategies more so than in peer-reviewed theoretical and research articles.

DISCUSSION
Future evaluations should continue to incorporate multiple strategies and focus on making unperceived needs assessments actionable by describing strategies for resource management.


Emerging applications such as deep neural network demand high off-chip memory bandwidth. However, under stringent physical constraints of chip packages and system boards, it becomes very expensive to further increase the bandwidth of off-chip memory. Besides, transferring data across the memory hierarchy constitutes a large fraction of total energy consumption of systems, and the fraction has steadily increased with the stagnant technology scaling and poor data reuse characteristics of such emerging applications. To cost-effectively increase the bandwidth and energy efficiency, researchers began to reconsider the past processing-in-memory (PIM) architectures and advance them further, especially exploiting recent integration technologies such as 2.5D/3D stacking. Albeit the recent advances, no major memory manufacturer has developed even a proof-of-concept silicon yet, not to mention a product. This is because the past PIM architectures often require changes in host processors and/or application code which memory manufacturers cannot easily govern. In this paper, elegantly tackling the aforementioned challenges, we propose an innovative yet practical PIM architecture. To demonstrate its practicality and effectiveness at the system level, we implement it with a 20nm DRAM technology, integrate it with an unmodified commercial processor, develop the necessary software stack, and run existing applications without changing their source code. Our evaluation at the system level shows that our PIM improves the performance of memory-bound neural network kernels and applications by 11.2× and 3.5×, respectively. Atop the performance improvement, PIM also reduces the energy per bit transfer by 3.5×, and the overall energy efficiency of the system running the applications by 3.2×.


Bisch, KL, Bosch, TA, Carbuhn, A, Stanforth, PR, Oliver, JM, Bach, CW, and Dengel, DR. Positional body composition of female division I collegiate volleyball players. J Strength Cond Res 34(11): 3055-3061, 2020-The primary study objective was to measure positional differences in total and regional body composition among female NCAA Division I collegiate volleyball players using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The secondary objective was to examine normative age curves for fat and lean mass (LM) variables. Ninety female volleyball players from 5 universities received a DXA scan. Athletes were categorized by position: middle blocker (MB = 31), outside hitter (OH = 32), setter (ST = 9), and Libero (LB = 18). Height, body mass, total and regional fat mass (FM), LM, bone mineral density (BMD), and abdominal visceral adipose tissue were measured by DXA. Body mass distribution ratios were calculated. The secondary age analysis included a subset of 153 DXA scans (n = 83, ages 18-21 years). Front row players (i.e., MB and OH) had significantly greater total and regional LM and BMD measures (p < 0.05, all), compared with non-front row players (i.e., LB and ST). Differences in total LM (p < 0.001) were significantly influenced by height. Front row players had consistently lower mass distribution ratios compared with non-front row players (p < 0.05, all). Lean mass index (LMI, p = 0.752) and FM index (FMI, p = 0.392) were not significantly different across ages. Back row players have greater relative upper body mass, whereas mass in front row players is more evenly distributed between the upper and lower body. Bone mineral density differences may be influenced by repeated impact of jumping during the attacking and blocking actions of front row players. Minimal changes in LMI and fluctuations in FMI can be expected across an athlete's career.


A low-grade inflammatory response ('metaflammation') has been found to be associated with certain chronic diseases. Proposed inducers of this have been aspects of the modern lifestyle, including newly introduced foods. Plasma TAG, and the inflammatory cytokines C-reactive protein (CRP), TNF-α and IL-6 were compared in a randomised, cross-over trial using ten healthy subjects before and after eating 100 g of kangaroo, or a 'new' form of hybridised beef (wagyu) separated by about 1 week. Postprandial levels for 1 and 2 h of TAG, IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly higher after eating wagyu compared with kangaroo (P = 0·002 for TAG at 1 h, P < 0·001 at 2 h; P < 0·001 for IL-6 and TNF-α at 1 and 2 h). CRP was significantly higher 1 h postprandially after wagyu (P = 0·011) and non-significantly higher 2 h postprandially (P = 0·090). We conclude that the metaflammatory reaction to ingestion of a 'new' form of hybridised beef (wagyu) is indicative of a low-grade, systemic, immune reaction when compared with lean game meat (kangaroo). Further studies using isoenergetic intake and isolating fatty acid components of meats are proposed.


Abstract : The U.S. Department of State concluded in 2014 that Russia is in violation of its obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, raising doubts about the treatys durability and questions about how the United States should respond. At the moment, U.S. policy remains committed to the treatyand seeks to encourage Russia to return to compliance by eliminating prohibited systems. The process of attempting to revive the treaty could take several years. Russia could continue denying that it violated the treaty or simply refuse to comply with it, in which case U.S. policy would have to adjust. In the meantime, the U.S. Army can start a rigorous operational analysis of the potential military value that conventional land-based theater ballistic missiles (TBMs) could add to the U.S. portfolio of strike capabilities. In particular, the U.S. Army should analyze the potential military value of TBMs in the Pacific and whether they might plausibly help the U.S. offset Chinas military modernization.


Probabilistic Computation Tree Logic (PCTL) is the established temporal logic for probabilistic verification of discrete-time Markov chains. Probabilistic model checking is a technique that verifies or refutes whether a property specified in this logic holds in a Markov chain. But Markov chains are often infinite or too large for this technique to apply. A standard solution to this problem is to convert the Markov chain to an abstract model and to model check that abstract model. The problem this thesis therefore studies is whether or when such finite abstractions of Markov chains for model checking PCTL exist. This thesis makes the following contributions. We identify a sizeable fragment of PCTL for which 3-valued Markov chains can serve as finite abstractions; this fragment is maximal for those abstractions and subsumes many practically relevant specifications including, e.g., reachability. We also develop game-theoretic foundations for the semantics of PCTL over Markov chains by capturing the standard PCTL semantics via a two-player games. These games, finally, inspire a notion of p-automata, which accept entire Markov chains. We show that p-automata subsume PCTL and Markov chains; that their languages of Markov chains have pleasant closure properties; and that the complexity of deciding acceptance matches that of probabilistic model checking for p-automata representing PCTL formulae. In addition, we offer a simulation between p-automata that under-approximates language containment. These results then allow us to show that p-automata comprise a solution to the problem studied in this thesis.


The report is part of the research project 'TAILSAFE'. The project is supported by the european union. Basics of design and investigation procedures are presented within the report. Furthermore possible applications of design and investigation procedures are evaluated concerning to a smooth work during all using phases of a tailings facility, that is the planning and execution. Finally recomendations are given to optimise the handling with significant standards.


BACKGROUND
No factor has thus far been identified to predict the efficacy of bevacizumab therapy for colorectal cancer. We here therefore studied PTEN, VEGF, HER2 and p53 by immunohistochemistry as possible prognostic and predictive factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 34 retrospectively collected tumor samples were evaluated, all from patients receiving bevacizumab-based regimens. VEGF-A, PTEN, HER2, p53 were assessed and data was compared with clinicopathologic characteristics of patients and the bevacizumab response rate.

RESULTS
In this study, the median age of the 34 metastatic colorectal cancer patients was 55.5 (24-75), twelve (35.3%) being women and 22 (64.7%) men. PTEN, VEGF, HER2, p53 expressions were compared with bevacizumab response and other chacteristics of disease. Statistical significant differences were not found between bevacizumab response rates and different expression levels of VEGF, PTEN, HER2 and p53 (respectively p=0.256, p=0.832, p=0.189, p=0.131). However, a survival difference was noted in the VEGF expression negative group (median OS:55 months; 95%CI, 22-88 months) (p=0.01). There was no statistically significant OS difference in other groups (PTEN p=0.6, HER2 p=0.189, p53 p=0.13).

CONCLUSIONS
We did not find any predictive factor for BV therapy in our study. VEGF negative expression could be an important prognostic factor in metastatic colorectal carcinoma.


GPUs represent one of the most sophisticated and versatile parallel computing architectures that have recently entered in the HEP field. GooFit is an open source tool interfacing ROOT/RooFit to the CUDA platform that allows to manipulate probability density functions and perform fitting tasks. The computing capabilities of GPUs with respect to traditional CPU cores have been explored with a high-statistics pseudo-experiment method implemented in GooFit with the purpose of estimating the local statistical significance of an already known signal. The striking performance obtained by using GooFit on GPUs has been discussed in the previous edition (XII) of this conference. This method has been extended to situations when, dealing with an unexpected new signal, a global significance must be estimated. The LEE is taken into account by means of a scanning/clustering technique in order to consider, within the same background only fluctuation and anywhere in the relevant mass spectrum, any fluctuating peaking behaviour with respect to the background model. The presented results clearly indicate that the systematic uncertainty associated to the method is negligible and that the p-value estimation is not affected by the clustering configuration. A comparison with the evaluation of the global significance provided by the method of trial factors is also provided.


The writing-up of this PhD has examined experimental films I made between 2004 and 2010, in all five 16mm films: Stages Of Mourning, (17min, 2004), Taking My Skin, (35min, 2006), Blind Light (21min, 2007), Fall In Frame (19min, 2009), Phantom Rhapsody (19min, 2010). As I have been making films that have been exhibited and funded in the public field since 1990, the films included here constitute
just less than half of my total films to date. The commentary is divided into three sections, each of which analyses the films from a particular perspective. In each
section the five films are considered in turn, in chronological order. The rationale for having three different perspectives to analyse each film is that this provides a means of acknowledging and preserving a sense of the alterity of artists' film, where readings are understood more as interpretations than as explanations. The choice of focus in each section summarises key considerations that have been relevant to my filmmaking practice over this time period, if not since the start of my filmmaking in 1990. In addition to providing contextual international film artists from both avantgarde and feminist film, I also reference theorists from philosophy to film and feminist studies who have been instrumental in the rationale for the films.

The first section explores the films from the point of view of cinematic space, examining factors such as camera frame, angle, lens and edit as well as qualities of lighting, and durational qualities where for example a slowing of time might expand an idea of the space. Cinematic space is as much expressed through sound, so where relevant this is also discussed. The second section focuses on qualities of texture through both image and sound. In particular, as all the films were shot and printed onto 16mm, the question of the haptic in relation to the films is discussed, as is the
low-budget hand-made texture of image and sound that is the materiality of the unpolished. Vivian Sobchack (The Address of the Eye: A Phenomenology of Film Experience, 1992), Sobchack (Inscribing Ethical Space: Ten Propositions on Death, Representation and Documentary, 1984) Laura U. Marks (The Skin of the Film: Intercultural Cinema, Embodiment, and the Senses, 2000) and Tom Gunning (The Cinema of Attraction: Early Film, Its Spectator and the Avant-Garde, 2006) are key texts I refer to. The third section focuses on issues of gender, in particular the female body, the female and lesbian gaze, and queer sexuality. Where the first two sections focus more on the structure and language or form of the films, this section focuses on social and philosophical questions of gender difference as points of critique or protest in the films. Luce Irigaray (Speculum Of The Other Woman, 1985 and This Sex Which Is not One, 1985) and Laura Mulvey ('Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema', 1975) are key texts that inform the writing.


Abstract This study aimed to determine the magnitude of correlation between the repeated curve sprint test (RCST), the running-based anaerobic sprint test (RAST) and the Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT) in elite male futsal players to determine whether the field test can be a futsal-specific alternative assessment tool compared to the other tests. Fifteen trained futsal players (20±3 yrs) performed the RCST, RAST and WAnT in a crossover design over three weeks. Peak power (PP), average power (AP) and the fatigue index (FI) were obtained from the tests. Finger-prick blood-lactate measurements were performed before and after the tests, and heart rate loading was recorded. To assess the magnitude and direction of the relationship between variables the Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) was calculated. In respect of AP, there was a significant correlation between the RCST and both the WAnT (r=0.63, p=0.012) and the RAST (r=0.67, p=0.006). In respect of PP, the RCST only correlated with the RAST (r=0.71, p=0.003). In respect of the FI, the RCST did not correlate with either the RAST or the WAnT (p>0.05). Post-test heart rate values in the RCST correlated with those in both the WAnT (r=0.88, p=0.001) and the RAST (r=0.77, p=0.001). Also, post-test blood-lactate levels in the RCST correlated with those in both the RAST (r=0.58, p=0.025) and the WAnT (r=0.54, p=0.039). In conclusion, the RCST can be a valid and practical field test for measuring anaerobic fitness in competitive futsal players.

https://jhk.termedia.pl/pdf-158705-84966?filename=The Repeated Curve Sprint.pdf


Argon micro-plasmas a few centimetres long are generated at low gas pressure (6 mbar) in hollow-core photonic crystal fibres with 100 µm core diameter, using microwave excitation (2.45 GHz) based on a surfatron, with no damage to the host structure. Electromagnetic simulations assist the design of the surfatron cavity, finding optimal conditions for discharge ignition and maintenance. The plasma characterization reveals an electron density in the range 8 × 1014–1015 cm−3 (estimated from a semi-empirical analysis of the power coupled to the plasma, along the axial-direction) and a gas temperature of 1100–1300 K at the centre of the fibre (measured by optical emission spectroscopy diagnostics), thus showing an impressive ionization degree of ∼10−2 for power densities of ∼0.1 MW cm−3. The micro-plasma dynamics is investigated using a self-consistent one-dimensional (radial) fluid model, describing the charged particle and the electron energy transport, the electromagnetic excitation and the gas heating. Model results are used to confirm the diagnostics, revealing an extreme plasma confinement and a steep temperature gradient that give rise to the main operation features of this novel compact UV source.


In a degrading landscape, does the episodic nature of erosion affect observed erosion rates in a systematic way, and can one account for the effects? We present a null hypothesis for surface change rate variations based on minimal assumptions about the processes of topographic evolution. Variance in erosion along with censorship of topographic change distributions combine to act as a first-order control on time-scale dependence of erosion rates. In general, censorship is ubiquitous, and as a result, time-scale dependence of rates is likely to apply to almost every system. In detail, this occurs because at short time scales, surface changes can be censored from field measurements that become inherently incorporated by natural surface evolution at longer time scales. Additionally, the granularity of systems implies minimum time scales below which specific rate measurements have no physical interpretation. Finally, we show the existence of a crossover time scale at which the short-term rate dependence of a process gives way to the long-term rate that is no longer subject to censoring. We demonstrate these points by applying the proposed framework to a growing seepage channel network in Florida, United States. Using a dendrogeomorphic approach in concert with cosmogenic radionuclide methods, we estimate denudation rates averaged over annual to multimillennial time scales. Exposure of hundreds of tree roots combined with tree ages supplies surface change rates along approximately one third of the valley bottom within the studied area. Erosion rates are distributed approximately between 1  mm/yr and 10  mm/yr. This erosion exhibits variance that depends linearly on time scale and is interpreted to represent a process well modeled as normal diffusion. As a result, the erosion rates show an inverse-square dependence on time scale. We used the 10Be contents from nine quartz sand samples to estimate long-term erosion rates and then coupled them with existing estimates of long-term erosion. These estimates of erosion are of the order of 0.01 mm/yr to 0.1 mm/yr and correspond to time scales of roughly 105 yr. Based on theory derived from censored measurements of rate distributions, the short-term rates can be used to infer expected long-term rates. In this case, distributions of measured and expected long-term rates do not overlap, and an explicit test of a null hypothesis is not necessary. We interpret the large-magnitude, short-time-scale rates as a product of recent influences on the ravines, and we discuss how this framework could be applied in other settings.


In production of medicinal plants, seed germination is very important problem. The treated seeds (control, hydro priming and ZnSO4) of Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) were evaluated at germination and seedling growth for tolerance to salt (NaCl and Na2SO4) conditions at the same water potentials of 0.0, -0.3, -0.6, - 0.9 and -1.2MPa. Electrical conductivity (EC) values of the NaCl solutions were 0.0, 6.5, 12.7, 18.4 and 23.5 dSm -1 , respectively. The objective of the study was to determine factors responsible for germination and early seedling growth due to salt toxicity or osmotic effect and to optimize the best priming treatment for these stress conditions. Results revealed that germination delayed in both solutions, having variable germination with different priming treatments. Germination, shoot and weight, root and shoot length were higher but mean germination time and abnormal germination percentage were lower in NaCl than Na2SO4 at the same water potential. The root / shoot weight and R/S length increased with increase in osmotic potential in both NaCl and Na2SO4 solutions. NaCl had less inhibitor effect on seedling growth than the germination. It was concluded that inhibition of germination at the same water potential of NaCl and Na2SO4 resulted from salt toxicity rather than osmotic effect. Hydro priming increased germination and seedling growth under salt stress. This protocol has practical importance and could be recommended to farmers to achieve higher germination and uniform emergence under field conditions. Keywords—Priming, Germination, Nacl, ZnSo4, Na2So4.


This dissertation examines the accessing of finance by entrepreneurs in the Beijing area of China using a bespoke survey of 452 entrepreneurs which was gathered by the researcher. Human capital theory along with theories of finance such as the pecking order theory, and agency theory provide the theoretical contextualisation of the research. Within human capital theory, innovation is the key variable which is investigated. Innovations in: (i) products, (ii) processes, (iii) work practices or workforce organisation, (iv) supply and supplier relations, (v) markets and marketing, (vi) administration and office systems, and (vii) product distribution are investigated which allows a comprehensive study which is more faithful to Schumpeter's earlier writings.

Chapter 1 provides an overview of the research. Chapters 2 will provide the theories of entrepreneurship. The companion chapter 3 will provide a review of the theories of finance and empirical studies of access to finance by small businesses. Chapter 4 completes the triumvirate and overviews credit rationing and constraints. Chapter 5 details the methodology used in the rest of the dissertation and the data set which was gathered by the researcher.

The empirical contribution of the dissertation is presented in chapters 6 to 8. In each of the three empirical chapters the key focus of attention is upon seeing whether innovators fair worse, and are disadvantaged in comparison to their non-innovating counterparts. This analysis includes bivariate analysis and then multivariate regression techniques which allow innovation to be investigated in models which simultaneously controls for the characteristics of the businesses and the entrepreneurs.

Chapter 6 investigates the use of sources of finance at the start-up stage of the businesses. Chapter 7 investigates the applications for external finance, whether or not the finance was successfully accessed, and also the levels of awareness of sources of finance. Chapter 8 investigates the amount of external finance sought, the amount of external finance received and the ratio of sought to received external finance.

Chapter 9 concludes the dissertation on the access to finance in Beijing. In this chapter a summary of the dissertation findings will be presented. Additionally, the chapter will provide a series of discussions on the implications of the empirical results for theory, practitioners, government, policy and the entrepreneurial and small business community in Beijing, China, and beyond.


Fusarium crown and root rot of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is the disease caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. radicis-lycopersici (FORL). The most effective way to control this disease is to plant resistant varieties. Markers tightly linked to Fusarium crown and root rot could be used in breeding programs to introgress crown rot resistance into new varieties. In this study, we converted the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker UBC#116, linked to the Fusarium crown and root rot resistance gene (Frl), into a co-dominant sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker. A fragment of about 480 bp, linked to the Frl gene, was polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified with the use of the UBC#116 primers, cloned and sequenced. A pair of primers were designed and PCR amplification was performed to develop a new SCAR marker for the Frl gene. The new marker was applied for the analysis of 96 tomato genotypes. The RAPD marker UBC#116 was also used and it revealed that the markers were equivalent to each other. However, the development of the new co-dominant SCAR marker has made marker-assisted selection (MAS) more practical, rapid and efficient. Key words: Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersicum (FORL), marker-assisted selection (MAS), Solanum lycopersicum, breeding.


Between all patients attended in the Emergency Department (ED), 14.3% have an infectious disease diagnosis. Blood cultures (BC) are obtained in 14.6% of patients and have a profitability of 20%, whereas 1% are considered as contaminated and 1-3% of positive cultures correspond to discharge patients ("hidden bacteraemia"). The highest number of confirmed bacteraemias comes from the samples of patients with urinary tract infections, followed by community-acquired pneumonia. The suspicion and detection of bacteraemia have an important diagnostic and prognostic significance and could modify some important making-decisions (admission, BC request, administration of appropriate and early antimicrobial, etc). Therefore, finding a predictive model of bacteraemia useful and applicable in ED has become the objective of many authors that combine different clinical, epidemiological and analytical variables, including infection and inflammatory response biomarkers (IIRBM), as they significantly increase the predictive power of such models. The aim of this review is to highlight the evidence showed in recent published articles, to clarify existing controversies, and to compare the accuracy of the most important IIRBM to predict bacteremia in patients attended due to infection in the ED. Finally, to generate different recommendations that could help to define the role of IIRBM in improving the indication to obtaining BC, as well as in immediate decision-making in diagnosis and treatment (early and adequate antibiotic treatment, complementary tests, other microbiological samples, hemodynamic support measures, need for admission, etc.).


BACKGROUND
 In December 1984, a construction engineer who lived in Boyertown, PA, triggered radiation monitors while entering the Limerick nuclear power plant near Philadelphia. He had not been contaminated by radioactive materials at the plant; therefore, his home in nearby Berks County was tested. The concentration of radon gas there was 2,700 pCi/L of air, a level much higher than had ever been measured in a residence in the United States. In January, the engineer, his wife, and their two small children were advised to leave the home immediately. The family had been exposed to radiation levels more than 50 times the annual occupational limit for uranium miners. Radon levels in an adjacent house were low but were extremely high in other nearby houses. This region of the country, known as the Reading Prong, which encompasses parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, has geologic deposits of low-grade uranium ore.
 Radon gas, a relatively common natural indoor air pollutant is a radioactive decay product of uranium. Radon and its decay products have been shown to increase the risk of lung cancer in underground miners. More recently, radon has been recognized to be widespread in homes in the United States. An estimated 13,000 lung cancer deaths per year may be attributed to residential exposure to radon gas. In this statement the hazards of exposure to radon and its decay products, known as radon progeny or radon daughters, are reviewed.
 NATURE AND SOURCES OF RADON
 Radon is a colorless, odorless, inert radioactive gas.


The GaAs1-xNx alloy semiconductor has been grown on GaAs (001), (111)A and (011) substrates by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy. High resolution X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering were employed to examine the effective N content and the growth rate, as a function of the substrate-surface orientation. The growth rate, which was assessed though the clear Pendellösung fringes, and the N content were found to change dramatically with the substrate-surface orientations. The N content was determined in the order (111)A > (001) > (011). While, the growth rate is in the order, (001) > (011) > (111)A. The effect of substrate-surface orientation on the N incorporation found in the present study is interpreted in terms of the difference in the growth rate on each surface orientation and the number of dangling bonds with which the N atoms can be trapped on the growing surface. Our results show that controlled nitrogen incorporating for GaAsN is successfully achieved and can be applied to the fabrication of some novel structures such as a spontaneous N content modulated structure, which is applicable to high performance long wavelength laser diodes.


The Optech Titan is the world's first multispectral airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) sensor, a revolutionary sensor that includes three active imaging channels of different wavelengths for day or night mapping of complex environments. Multispectral imagery and monochromatic LIDAR have long existed as independent technologies and both systems have developed workflows to perform land cover classification. This project was undertaken to analyze the performance of Optech Titan's three active imaging channels and LIDAR attributes in land cover classification. By processing selective parameters through the multispectral image land cover classification process, we can determine the accuracy performance of individual channels and attributes in land cover classification. The outcome of this process will measure the effectiveness of combining LIDAR attributes with multispectral imagery for land cover classification. The test site was a 600m x 600m residential neighbourhood in Oshawa, Ontario captured at point-spacing of 0.5 meter.

Multispectral imagery had an overall accuracy result of 77%. The most accurate land cover classification result from our testing was 77.5%. This was produced as a special index scenario by using the three intensities along with the nDSM. It is apparent from the results that the intensity-attribute provides the most useful information in land cover classification. The highest monochromatic LIDAR accuracy result of 70% came from Channel 2 (NIR - 1024 mm). Channel 2's accuracy is only 7% lower than multispectral imagery result. Channel 1 and 3 had less-favorable results at 59.5% and 58% respectively. Individual land cover classification tests on Z-attribute and N-attribute produced unfavorable results of 37% and 47.5% respectively.


Apart from using our eyes to see and our ears to hear, we regularly and effortlessly perform a number of complex perceptual operations that cannot be explained in terms of the five senses taken individually. Such operations include, for example, perceiving that the same object is white and sweet, noticing the difference between white and sweet, or knowing that one's senses are active. Observing that lower animals must be able to perform such operations, and being unprepared to ascribe any share in rationality to them, Aristotle explained such operations with reference to a higher-order perceptual capacity which unites and monitors the five senses. This capacity is known as the 'common sense' or sensus communis. Unfortunately, Aristotle provides only scattered and opaque references to this capacity. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that the exact nature and functions of this capacity have been a matter of perennial controversy. Pavel Gregoric offers an extensive and compelling treatment of the Aristotelian conception of the common sense, which has become part and parcel of Western psychological theories from antiquity through to the Middle Ages, and well into the early modern period. Aristotle on the Common Sense begins with an introduction to Aristotle's theory of perception and sets up a conceptual framework for the interpretation of textual evidence. In addition to analysing those passages which make explicit mention of the common sense, and drawing out the implications for Aristotlenulls terminology, Gregoric provides a detailed examination of each function of this Aristotelian faculty.


Complex nature of environment effects on concrete structures has imposed an improvement of material characteristics, an adequate design, accurate execution and inspection, maintenance and prevention of deterioration risks. Large complexity of concrete elements deterioration processes, it is determined by the relation between adopted structural conceptions, exposing climatic conditions, concrete composition, quality of execution processes, but also due to synergetic action of destructive agents. When water freezes in a porous material, like cement stone, raise its volume about 9%, and can lead to concrete cleavage, when pores are saturated with water. Using deicers on concrete surface for melting of ice or snow, cause a thermal shock. Temperature difference between the surface and the core of concrete leads to interior stress and deformation state, capable to influence cracking of concrete layer from the surface of element. Prevention of damages and their amplification needs inspection, maintenance and overhauling of structures.


Background: The palliative care nursing workforce is depleted and faces increased demands due to an ageing population likely to be living longer with life-limiting conditions. Resilience is often suggested as necessary to enable nurses to tolerate rising levels of stress yet is often poorly defined and understood. Assumptions that resilience is the responsibility of individual nurses are challenged. Aim: To explore resilience from the perspective of hospice nurses; understand what individual, interpersonal and organisational factors influence resilience; develop strategies for enhancing resilience in hospice inpatient palliative care nursing; and to review and evaluate such strategies. Methods: Participatory Action Research (PAR) was used to identify the nature of adversity in inpatient palliative care nursing and develop strategies, designed by nurses themselves, to enhance resilience. Phase one involved semi-structured interviews with 7 registered nurses and phase two included twelve, monthly meetings of a Collaborative Inquiry Group, who engaged in a process of planning, acting and reflecting on the key issues identified in phase one. Findings: Resilience in inpatient palliative care nursing is preceded by the following adversities: being affected by certain patients, feeling kept in the dark, and when teamwork is sub-optimal. Resilience occurs when nurses make meaning from adverse experiences in ways that prepare them for future occurrences. Meaning making involves certain mindsets, team support and cohesion, and the ability to develop a coherent narrative about experiences. It is possible for nurses to innovate, generate and implement strategies to enhance resilience without relying on typically used interventions such as mindfulness, relaxation, CBT or other techniques that lay responsibility to tolerate inordinate stressors on the individual nurse. Conclusion: There are particular adversities encountered by the inpatient palliative care nursing workforce that influence resilience. Given the opportunity, nurses themselves can identify, develop and test strategies that may enhance resilience in their workplace.


Tipping in: School integration in gentrifying neighborhoods Jennifer Burns Stillman The purpose of this study is to examine the school choice process of Gentry Parents ---white, middle and upper-middle class, highly-educated parents living in gentrifying neighborhoods--to determine how, through the compounding effect of their many individual choices, a segregated urban school in a gentrifying neighborhood is able to transform into an integrated school, a process I call ―tipping in.‖ This study uses data from 52 formal interviews of Gentry Parents in three different gentrifying/gentrified neighborhoods in New York City, and data from dozens of informal interviews and observations of Gentry Parents on playgrounds, school tours, and in preschool cubby rooms. This study found that tipping in happens through the actions and reactions of different types of Gentry Parents: Innovator and Early Adopter Gentry Parents who are willing to be the first of their peer group to enroll their child in a segregated school, and Early Majority and Late Majority Gentry Parents who will only enroll their children in a school once their peers have gone in and done the hard work of changing the culture of the school to feel ―middle class.‖ After the Innovators, each subsequent wave of Gentry Parents will only enroll their children in a school if the prior wave keeps their children enrolled. This study suggests that Gentry Parents often take their children out of a school during the tipping in process, making retention of gentry children as important to tipping in as attracting them in the first place. Attracting gentry children appears to be difficult because Gentry Parents primarily prefer schools that are diverse and progressive, attributes not typically found in segregated urban schools. Retaining gentry children appears to be difficult primarily because Gentry Parent school expectations often do not match the reality of an integrating school, and principals are described as struggling to manage the culture gap that reportedly exists between Gentry Parents and non-Gentry Parents.


The nuclear properties of the low lying states of even isotopes of Ca, Ti, Cr, and Fe are calculated in the framework of the broken pair approximation. The broken pair approximation configuration space for an even number of identical valence nucleons includes all the seniority (v) two components while for nonidentical (even-even) valence nucleons, it contains all configurations with v(4 except v=-4 proton components and v=4 neutron components. The calculations have been carried out with a Ca core using two different sets of realistic interaction matrix elements: (i) the set reported by Kuo and Brown and its modified version due to McGrory; and (ii) a set of Tabakin interaction matrix elements which includes the second order Born term and core polarization effects. The effect of the truncation of the valence space has been examined in detail. The calculated energy spectra, quadrupole moments for the first 2+ states, and E2 transition rates, compare well with the corresponding shell model results (wherever available) as well as with the experiment. NUCLEAR STRUCTURE Shell model, number conserving shell model, broken pair approximation, energy spectra, E2 transition rates, quadrupole moment, Ca, Ti, Cr, and Fe even isotopes.


It is one of the paradoxes of our age that, while new information technologies have provided us with the ability to store, retrieve, manipulate and communicate more data, faster than ever before, at the same time many of our public institutions seem to be losing their memories. Many texts have been written about 'organizational learning', but few about organizational forgetting. The core contention of this paper is that the phenomenon of organizational amnesia deserves attention, from scholars and practitioners alike. My aim, therefore, is to set out the character, causes and likely consequences of institutional memory loss in the contemporary public sector.


In this work is proposed a partial image encryption method based on the synchronization of the cellular automaton rule 90. The security analysis proves that this cryptosystem is resistant to different tests and attacks such as the Chosen/Knownplain image attack and bit-replacement. This algorithm is a variant from another encryption algorithm named ESCA, in this case we modified the ESCA system to a partial encryption version reducing the latency time up to a 50%. This version has two changes a)it only encrypts the three most significant bits, and b) the bits of the secret key are rotated instead of calculating a key for each block of plaintext. These changes allow to reduce the latency time and according to the tests do not compromise the security. This proposal could be a feasible and secure option for real-time applications.


Even though transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are deemed to be novel photonic and optoelectronic 2D materials, the visible band gap being often limited to monolayer, hampers their potential in niche applications due to fabrication challenges. Uncontrollable defects and degraded functionalities at elevated temperature and under extreme environments further restrict their prospects. To address such limitations, the discovery of a new 2D material, α-PbO is reported. Micromechanical as well as sonochemical exfoliation of 2D atomic sheets of α-PbO are demonstrated and its optical behavior is investigated. Spectroscopic investigations indicate layer dependent band gaps. In particular, even multilayered PbO sheets exhibit visible band gap > 2 eV (direct) which is rare among semiconducting 2D materials. The emission lifetime of multilayer PbO atomic sheets is 7 ns (dim light) as compared to the monolayer which gives 2.5 ns lifetime and an intense light. Density functional theory calculations of layer dependent band structure of α-PbO matches well with experimental results. Experimental findings suggest that PbO atomic sheets exhibit hydrophobic nature, thermal robustness, microwave stability, anti-corrosive behaviour and acid resistance. This new low-cost, abundant and robust 2D material is expected to find many applications in the fields of electronics, optoelectronics, sensors, photocatalysis and energy storage.

publisher-specific, author manuscript: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#am


Lipid domains provide a framework for localised functionality of the cellular
membrane through transient coordination of certain lipids and membrane proteins into structurally distinct, stabilised heterogeneous membrane regions. Present experimental studies fall short of conclusively proving lipid
domain existence within the plasma membrane due to the lack of label-free, chemically sensitive nanoscale detection. Herein, I present my progress towards developing novel, label-free optical microscopy techniques to over-
come these limitations. Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) represent a simple model of cellular membranes and are well suited for the study of lipid domains. In this thesis,
I discuss the demonstration of a novel, label free method to directly assess GUV lamellarity: Quantitative differential interference contrast microscopy (qDIC). Under qDIC, a contrast image is produced which encodes the difference in optical phase (hence optical path length) after propagation through two adjacent points of the sample. I show that, with appropriate data analysis applied to qDIC contrast images, we are able to measure membrane lamellarity directly with sub-nm precision. I then demonstrate the application of this method to static synthetic membranes exhibiting lipid domains:
Planar Lipid Bilayer Patches (PLBPs). Sub-nm thickness differences (∼9A) attributable to coexisting lipid domains are resolved and quantified. Overall, these results demonstrate that label free qDIC is a rapid, non-perturbing,
sensitive and accurate method, providing an alternative to fluorescence microscopy, for quantitative studies of lipid domains in model membranes.
Furthermore, I discuss correlative qDIC and Coherent Anti-Stokes Ra-
man scattering microscopy (CARS) of PLBPs with lipid domains. CARS microscopy has emerged in the last decade as a powerful, chemically specific multi-photon imaging method which overcomes the sensitivity and speed limitations of spontaneous Raman scattering, and enables rapid
quantitative analysis of lipids label-free. I demonstrate application of broadband hyper-spectral CARS imaging over the CH 2,3 stretching vibrational resonances, combined with in-house developed phase-corrected Kramers
Kronig (PCKK) analysis, which allowed us to resolve and quantify the chemical components of lipid domains at the single bilayer level.
Stimulated Raman loss (SRL) microscopy is an alternative, chemically
specific, non-linear imaging modality recently implemented within our research group. In contrast to CARS microscopy, SRL rejects non-resonant background providing high contrast imaging of single lipid bilayers comparable to fluorescence imaging. I demonstrate early application of SRL at
the single bilayer level across the CH 2,3 stretch region.
During this project a number of notable achievements have been made.
A novel qDIC method has been developed and utilised. CARS microscopy has been applied to determine lipid liquid phase at both single frequency and hyper-spectral imaging modalities. SRL microscopy has then been applied, demonstrating superior contrast to that seen under CARS. These studies form the foundation for further chemically specific investigation.


Hydroxyapatite (HA) and barium titanate (BT) powders were mixed and sintered to form hydroxyapatite – barium titanate (HABT) ceramics. These materials were then poled and their piezoelectric properties were measured. The microstructure of unpoled samples was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).The piezoelectric constants (d33 and d31) of the ceramics were found to be dependent on the proportion of BT in the ceramic In materials containing less than 70% BT, no piezoelectric effect was found. Above this value, the piezoelectric constant increased with the addition of BT up to a value of 108pCN-1 for pure BT. Values of d33 for ceramics containing more than 80% BT are above values previously shown to have a positive influence on bone growth in vivo. SEM analysis indicated that the grain size within the materials decreased as the proportion of BT in the material was reduced. Examination of the microstructure of the ceramics indicated the presence of electrical domains in the 100% BT and 95% BT ceramics. Domains were not visible below 95% BT. The reduction in grain size may influence the reduction in piezoelectric activity within the materials but cannot be considered to be the only cause.


Seven mares were infected with 20,000 Trichinella spiralis larvae; 2 of them were reinfected 22 wk later with the same amount of larvae. The course of infection in horses was assessed by serology (ELISA), biochemistry (aldolase activity), parasitology and histopathology. In each animal, infection was followed by a significant rise in specific antibody titers culminating at 5-10 wk post-infection (pi) and decreasing thereafter. Reinfection was followed by a slight rise in antibody levels. Aldolase activity increased during the first infection, but was not modified by reinfection. The parasite burden was maximum 20 wk pi (24-145 larvae/g according to localisation) and was very low at 52 wk pi (0.4-5 larvae/g). Compared to mares infected only once, the number of parasites in the reinfected animals was similar 28 wk pi but much lower 40 wk pi. Moreover, 6 wk post-reinfection, the larvae were surrounded by a large inflammatory granuloma which could have been caused by larvae from the reinfection batch. These experiments confirm the susceptibility of horses to Trichinella spiralis and the rapid disappearance of specific antibodies which prevents usual serological methods from being used in the diagnosis of infected animals. Reinfection could help the horse to eliminate the larvae more rapidly.


Additive Manufacturing has become sufficiently mature in which is absolutely necessary to make use of the benefits that it provides. In the past, engineering design was limited due to manufacturing constrains and design tools. Now a day, the scenario is completely different. By combining the benefits of design freedom from Additive Manufacturing and optimization driven design, we can open the gates of a whole new structural design method through a process that involves conceptual (topology) optimization, abstraction and application of design principles in geometry creation, detailed (shape) optimization and design validation. Together, this method offers the best practices to design incredibly light, strong and efficient structures, minimizing risks of manufacturing problems and at the same time exploiting the creativity and design freedom in a short period of time using efficient software tools. There are still challenges and questions that come into the application of this method, such as: new design principles taking into account manufacturing constrains from Additive Manufacturing.


A graduate program's (M.S. and Ph.D.) success in any university is measured by the success of their graduate students who are either competing with peers fro other universities or working in the industry. The well-rounded education of a successful graduate school student starts with the proper selection of a faculty advisor. Understanding and selecting the right research of interest are the next crucial steps to be considered. The selection of a thesis/dissertation follows. The factors to be considered in assisting topic selection include the background research, research topics supported in funded research, and deliverables of funded research. After the thesis/dissertation topic selection, a concrete strategy must be formulated in both master's and doctoral programs. It is important to know how the credit system works regarding research. Understanding the number of hours of effort needed to complete the thesis/dissertation by utilizing the credit-based approach is another significant factor. Graduate student must learn how to manage time wisely during the course of the study. An increase of the knowledge base through innovative efforts must also be developed by students. Lastly, learning how to work hard as a graduate student in a stressful environment while doing research is an excellent experience.Professors and student should work as a team to present a well-rounded graduate to the job market.


The microstructure and wear-resistance of the welding deposited metal of Fe-Ti-Nb-V-C and Fe-Cr-W-Mo-C alloy system (with American MG700 as example) are studyed by using SEM , TEM and MM200 wear testing machine. It is revealed that Ti and Nb promote the formation of dispersed MC type carbide granules, while the carbides of Cr and W or Mo tend to precipitate along grain boundary. The formation of MC carbide granules depletes the carbon content in the matrix, and then low carbon martensite matrix can be achieved. The hard and tough matrix and the granular carbides improve the wear-resistance of the deposited metal. But excessive Ti and Nb induce the formation of bigger granules with sharp corner and result too soft matrix, then the wear-resistance decrease. As to the Fe-Cr-W-Mo-C alloy system, network carbides and high carbon martensite matrix make the deposited metal very brittle. During wearing process, the propagating of microcrack in the matrix induces lots of scraps flake off, which decrease the wear-resistance of the deposited metal. The deposited metal of Fe-0.64Ti-1.18Nb-2.18V-1.43Cr-0.97C alloy system in current study achieve the best wear-resistance.


Background Generally, allergen immunotherapy must be administered for three to five years. Meanwhile, rush immunotherapy (RIT) shortens the required duration for the build-up phase, thereby improving the therapy's convenience compared with conventional immunotherapy (CIT). However, RIT is often performed with modified allergens. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the safety and utility of RIT with aqueous allergens. Methods Medical records of 98 patients sensitized with at least one inhalant allergen who had received subcutaneous immunotherapy for allergic rhinitis with or without asthma were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were classified into three groups: depot-RIT (n = 25), receiving RIT with depot allergen; aqueous-RIT (n = 48), receiving RIT with aqueous allergen; and aqueous-CIT (n = 25), receiving CIT with aqueous allergen. Patients who had received immunotherapy targeting only house dust mites were excluded. Results The proportions of patients presenting with a systemic reaction to depot-RIT, aqueous-RIT, or aqueous-CIT were 80.0%, 85.4%, and 48.0%, respectively (P = 0.002). The proportions of patients experiencing severe systemic reaction were 4.0%, 16.7%, and 8.0% in depot-RIT, aqueous-RIT and aqueous-CIT, respectively (P = 0.223). The proportions of depot-RIT and aqueous-RIT patients presenting with systemic reaction or severe systemic reaction did not differ significantly (P = 0.553 and P = 0.118, respectively). Significantly fewer depot-RIT (1.0 ± 0.2) and aqueous-RIT patients (2.0 ± 1.3) required outpatient clinical visits during the build-up phase, compared to those administered aqueous-CIT (13.6 ± 1.9; P < 0.001). Moreover, the build-up phase decreased to 17.4 ± 1.8 days in depot-RIT and 23.7 ± 10.9 days in aqueous-RIT, compared to 92.0 ± 12.5 days in aqueous-CIT (P < 0.001). Conclusion RIT with aqueous allergen reduced the build-up phase duration and frequency of hospital visits, with acceptable safety levels. RIT with aqueous allergen may, therefore, be suitable for broad application to patients with respiratory allergies.


Most squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (HNSCC) overexpress ERBB1/EGFR, but EGF receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies have yielded disappointing clinical results in treatment of this cancer. Here, we describe a novel interaction between EGFR and the ligand EphrinB1 (EFNB1), and we show that EFNB1 phosphorylation and downstream signaling persists in the presence of cetuximab. Mechanistically, cetuximab drives a shift in EGFR dimerization partners within the signaling complex, suggesting that targeted drugs may trigger partner rearrangements that allow persistent pathway activation. EFNB1 attenuation slowed tumor growth and increased survival in a murine model of HNSCC, suggesting a substantial contribution of EFNB1 signaling to HNSCC development. Together, our findings suggest that EFNB1 is part of the EGFR signaling complex and may mediate drug resistance in HNSCC as well as other solid tumors. Cancer Res; 73(18); 5787–97. 2013 AACR.


We report the discovery of three new cases of quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) acting as strong gravitational lenses on background emission line galaxies: SDSS J0827+5224 (z_(QSO) = 0.293, z_s = 0.412), SDSS J0919+2720 (z_(QSO) = 0.209, z_s = 0.558), SDSS J1005+4016 (z_(QSO) = 0.230, z_s = 0.441). The selection was carried out using a sample of 22,298 SDSS spectra displaying at least four emission lines at a redshift beyond that of the foreground QSO. The lensing nature is confirmed from Keck imaging and spectroscopy, as well as from HST/WFC3 imaging in the F475W and F814W filters. Two of the QSOs have face-on spiral host galaxies and the third is a QSO+galaxy pair. The velocity dispersion of the host galaxies, inferred from simple lens modeling, is between σ = 210 and 285 km s^(-1), making these host galaxies comparable in mass with the SLACS sample of early-type strong lenses.


Using equilibrium assumption the analysis of kinetics of enzyme/transport process has been developed. In the course of this process the enzyme can interact simultaneously with substrate S and effector E and as a result two products are generated: P1 (from substrate) and P2 (from effector) after catalytic effect of enzyme or transportation across the biological membrane. It has been demonstrated that the ratio (R = V0,1/V0,2) of initial rates of formation of reaction products P, (V0,1) and P2 (V0,2) represented in linearized form as a dependence on concentration of both substrate S0 and effector E0 allows to identify a specific mechanism of the present process. An algorithm of such identification has been developed.


I examine the effects of free trade and the return of protectionism at the end of the nineteenth century in Brie, a small French region close to Paris. The study is based on the Industrial Statistics, an administrative source comprising data on all of the companies in the region, particularly items pertaining to the firms' economic situation. Careful analysis demonstrates the pertinence of this source without overlooking its limitations. Using Industrial Statistics, I identified factors promoting and hindering the growth of companies in the region and assessed the relative importance of international trade in the regional economy. I consider the diverse situations in each branch to determine the importance of international trade in export markets and foreign competition in a mainly free-trade context. In general, the global effects of free trade established in 1860 do not seem to be as negative as the return to protectionism in 1892 (the end of the period examined) would suggest. In addition, it is interesting that the competitive strategies observed were often very modern, similar to those observed today.


Two new neutral fac-[Re(CO)3(phen)L] compounds (1,2), with phen = 1,10-phenanthroline and L = O2C(CH2)5CH3 or O2C(CH2)4C≡CH, were synthetized in one-pot procedures from fac-[Re(CO)3(phen)Cl] and the corresponding carboxylic acids, and were fully characterized by IR and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, 1H- and 13C-NMR, mass spectrometry and X-ray crystallography. The compounds, which display orange luminescence, were used as probes for living cancer HeLa cell staining. Confocal microscopy revealed accumulation of both dyes in mitochondria. To investigate the mechanism of mitochondrial staining, a new non-emissive compound, fac-[Re(CO)3(phen)L], with L = O2C(CH2)3((C5H5)Fe(C5H4), i.e., containing a ferrocenyl moiety, was synthetized and characterized (3). 3 shows the same mitochondrial accumulation pattern as 1 and 2. Emission of 3 can only be possible when ferrocene-containing ligand dissociates from the metal center to produce a species containing the luminescent fac[Re(CO)3(phen)]+ core. The release of ligands from the Re center was verified in vitro through the conjugation with model proteins. These findings suggest that the mitochondria accumulation of compounds 1–3 is due to the formation of luminescent fac-[Re(CO)3(phen)]+ products, which react with cellular matrix molecules giving secondary products and are uptaken into the negatively charged mitochondrial membranes. Thus, reported compounds feature a rare dissociation-driven mechanism of action with great potential for biological applications.


Language has an important role to create a literary works. Literary works expresses a series of happening of human life, such as their social problems, struggles of life and conflicts. There are several forms of literary works such as short story, novel, drama and poetry. Poetry as one of literary works has beautiful and graceful characteristics. The form of song resembles to the poetry, but it still has a distance to go. The word of song could be more pleasing when the letter is set to the music. In addition, by understanding the lyrics of the songs, people may enjoy the music.This study was aimed to find out the types of idioms and the meaning of idioms found in "Dream Theatre" album entitled "Images and Words".
This study used descriptive research design. Besides, the objective approach was also used to describe the literary product as a self-sufficient object: which was analyzed and judged without necessarily studying the author's life. In this thesis, the object of the study was three songs of "Images and Words" album.
The result of data analysis shows that the idioms found in "Dream Theatre" songs were: lexemic idioms, phraseological idioms, verb phrase idioms, noun phrase idioms, adjective phrase idioms, verbal idioms, idioms with prepositions and idioms with key words from special categories: part of the body and color. The meanings of idioms are obtained from their contextual meanings.


Wireless sensor networks have received a lot of attention recently due to its wide applications. An accurate and synchronized clock time is crucial in many sensor network applications. Several clock synchronization schemes have been proposed for wireless sensor networks recently to address the resource constraints in such networks. However, most of these techniques assume benign environments, but cannot survive malicious attacks in hostile environments, especially when there are compromised nodes. As an exception, a recent work attempts to detect malicious attacks against clock synchronization, and aborts when an attack is detected. Though this approach can prevent incorrect clock synchronization due to attacks, it will lead to denial of clock synchronization in such situations. This paper adopts a model where all the sensor nodes synchronize their clocks to a common source, which is assumed to be well synchronized to the external clock. This paper seeks techniques to provide redundant ways for each node to synchronize its clock with the common source, so that it can tolerate partially missing or false synchronization information provided by compromised nodes. Two types of techniques are developed using this general method: level-based clock synchronization and diffusion-based clock synchronization. Targeted at static sensor networks, the level-based clock synchronization constructs a level hierarchy initially, and uses (or reuses) this level hierarchy for multiple rounds of clock synchronization. The diffusion-based clock synchronization attempts to synchronize all the clocks without relying on any structure assumptions and, thus, can be used for dynamic sensor networks. This paper further investigates how to use multiple clock sources for both approaches to increase the resilience against compromise of source nodes. The analysis in this paper indicates that both level-based and diffusion-based approaches can tolerate up to s colluding malicious source nodes and t colluding malicious nodes among the neighbors of each normal node, where s and t are two system parameters. This paper also presents the results of simulation studies performed to evaluate the proposed techniques. These results demonstrate that the level-based approach has less overhead and higher precision, but less coverage, than the diffusion-based approach.


This paper reports the phenomenon of acquired cross-tolerance to oxidative stress in plants and investigates the activity of specific Ca²+ transport systems mediating this phenomenon. Nicotiana benthamiana plants were infected with Potato virus X (PVX) and exposed to oxidative [either ultraviolet (UV-C) or H₂O₂] stress. Plant adaptive responses were assessed by the combined application of a range of electrophysiological (non-invasive microelectrode ion flux measurements), biochemical (Ca²+- and H+-ATPase activity), imaging (fluorescence lifetime imaging measurements of changes in intracellular Ca²+ concentrations), pharmacological and cytological transmission electrone microscopy techniques. Virus-infected plants had a better ability to control UV-induced elevations in cytosolic-free Ca²+ and prevent structural and functional damage of chloroplasts. Taken together, our results suggest a high degree of crosstalk between UV and pathogen-induced oxidative stresses, and highlight the crucial role of Ca²+ efflux systems in acquired resistance to oxidative stress in plants.


Results of treatment of 763 patients with different forms of cholecystitis were analyzed. It was revealed that complex ultrasonic examination with dopplerography identifies the form of acute cholecystitis, allows to, predict technical difficulties in cholecystectomy and define optimum method of surgery. Comparative assessment of time of surgeries, rate of conversion of surgical approach, number of intra- and postoperative complications, lethality demonstrated that early urgent surgeries in acute cholecystitis before formation of inflammatory paravesical infiltrate in patients without high anesthesiological risk were similar to ones in elective surgeries and surpassed results of delayed surgeries. Early urgent surgeries permit to decrease hospital stay of patients with acute cholecystitis and reduce cost of treatment.


Abstract. Although many educational practices are being modified to meet the needs of all learners within elementary schools, there is a paucity of research and resources that explore the essential knowledge base and application of response to intervention within secondary settings. The purpose of this investigation was to explore (a) how important high school principals perceived response to intervention practices to be within secondary settings, and (b) if such practices currently were available within their respective school. Although exploratory in nature, the results of a nationally distributed survey indicated that high school principals perceive response to intervention to be important within their schools, but would require significant and complex change. Recommendations for future research are discussed.


Purpose – The study aims to develop a portal helping victims in Violence against Women and Children (VAWC). This VAWC Portal, map the area where VAWC incident happen. The VAWC portal also have e-reporting feature that will help the Women and Children in reporting when they experience abuse.Method – The proponents used the Agile Methodology was adopted in the software development. It includes the following stages: Planning; Requirements; Analysis and Design; Testing; Evaluation; and Deployment Then, it also facilitated testing and evaluation, purposive sampling was used to select the respondents. Two sets of questionnaires were developed, one for the residents and another for the government official.Results – It revealed that Help2Juana has passed the users' evaluation, receiving high scores on User Satisfaction and Attribute of Usability in which Help2Juana web portal can be a tool in the campaign to end violence against women and their children.Conclusion – The system meets its objective to provide tool for the VAWC campaign. The high viability of using the Help2Juana web portal scores t from the participating government agencies and the women's community indicate their readiness to adopt and use the system in the said campaign. This positive attitude towards the project can make Help2Juana useful in getting insights for planning VAWC prevention programs and policies, by taking advantage of the empirical data that are provided by the statistical tools integrated into the system.Recommendations – It recommends that the LGU's and the Women's Community in Laguna consider employing the Help2Juana system in the near future, to test out its capabilities in facilitating and supporting anti-VAWC programs. Other features related to improving government procedures can be added in the process to improve the quality of response to VAWC incidents.Practical Implications – The Women and Children victim of abuses can easily seek help and report the VAWC incident without shame through the use of Help2Juana. The system can give assistance and awareness regarding to related abuses to women, children and government official especially to R.A. 9262.


Research paper published in compilation of winter School on seed production technology and quality control standards in fodder crops, IGFRI, Jhansi during Feb. 26 to March 18, 2009, (eds. R. K. Bhatt et. al.)


This research examined the concept of serendipity within the context of library and information science. Serendipity was defined as a happy accident in which an information seeker unexpectedly stumbled across relevant information. This research addressed the following questions: What information seeking strategies do experienced searchers employ in order to provide opportunities for the serendipitous discovery of information? The purpose of this research was to study the experiences and ideas of experienced information seekers in order to better understand and provide opportunities for serendipitous discoveries. To address this research question and purpose, I conducted qualitative interviews with five faculty members of the School of Information and Library Science at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and six public librarians. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed. The major findings of this study were that experienced searchers defined serendipity as an instance that is both unplanned and useful, and that the participants overwhelmingly did not attach a stigma to serendipity. The participants identified many sources of serendipity, including shelf-browsing and coworkers, made suggestions for improving serendipity in the physical library, particularly increasing displays and facing books out, and they also made suggestions for improving serendipity in information retrieval systems, particularly attaching some type of recommender system to the library catalog.