As travel demand grows in many cities around the world, overcrowding in public transport systems has become a major issue and has many negative effects for both users and operators. Measures to address on-board congestion span from large-scale strategic investments (e.g. increasing infrastructure capacity), through tactical planning (e.g. stopping pattern) to real-time operational measures (e.g. information provision, gate and escalator control). Thus there is a need to evaluate the impact of these measures prior to their implementation. To this end, this study aims at capturing the effective capacity utilization of the train, by considering passengers' distribution among individual train cars into an agent-based simulation model. The developed model is validated and applied to a case study for the Stockholm metro network. The findings suggest that an increase in peak hour demand leads to a more even passenger distribution among individual train cars, which partially counteracts the increased disutility caused by the higher passenger volumes. Interestingly, the closure of the most popular entrance point at one of the stations leads to lower train crowding unevenness at the downstream stops and consequently reduces passengers' experienced discomfort. We find that the user cost is significantly underestimated when passenger distribution among cars is not accounted for.


Immune dysregulation in terms of hypergammaglobulinaemia and hypogammaglobulinaemia was part of definition of immunodeficiency that characterized AIDS. This results in either raised level of total plasma/serum protein or low level of plasma/serum protein depending on which component of immune dysregulation predominates. This study examined the level of total serum proteins and globulins in HIV infected Nigerians. 64 patients with HIV infection and 10 apparently healthy subjects were recruited from 3 hospitals in Lagos Metropolis. They were examined for the presence of TB and malaria. Serum total protein, albumin and creatinine levels were determined using commercially available kits while the globulin level was computed. Level of immunodeficiency was also determined by CD4+ cell count, using the FACS count method. Data obtained from the patients were compared with values obtained from 10 healthy controls; using appropriate statistical tests on EPI-INFO V 6.0. Results showed that hypergammaglobulinaemia is the major immune dysregulation found with globulin level of 7.4g/d1 as compared with 2.9g/d1 in healthy control though it was not statistically significant. Total serum protein was also higher in HIV infected patients than the controls. The serum globulin was found to correlate negatively with CD4 cell count (r = -0.28, P = 0.0067). Serum creatinine appears not to differ significantly between control and infected patients although the creatinine levels has a positive correlation to plasma globulin levels (r = 0.45, p = 0.001). In conclusion hypergammaglobulinaemia was found to be common in HIV infected Nigerians. This was associated with raised level of plasma creatinine. KEY WORDS: Serum proteins, Creatinine, Albumin, Globulin and HIV Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences Vol.3(2) 2004: 69-72


A scientific review of bovine tuberculosis in Great Britain has concluded that the development of a cattle vaccine holds the best prospect for long-term disease control. Recent reports of successful DNA vaccination against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in small animal models have raised the possibility of using a similar strategy to produce vaccines against Mycobacterium bovis infection in cattle. To test this possibility, BALB/c mice were immunized with DNA encoding the M. bovis antigen MPB83. The mice responded to vaccination with a mixed IgG1/IgG2a response to the antigen and were protected from intravenous challenge with virulent M. bovis to a similar extent as those vaccinated with bacille Calmette-Guérin. The immunogenicity of the DNA vaccine in cattle was tested, after having established that DNA encoding MPB83 was immunogenic and elicited protective immunity in mice. In these studies, vaccinated animals had strong proliferative responses to MPB83.


With the description of Brachypsectra vivafosile n. sp., from the Cabo Rojo desert area of Hispaniola, the beetle family Brachypsectridae now contains 4 described species. The family was originally known from the Dominican Republic by Miocene amber fossils of larvae. Genitalia are illustrated for the first time for the family. Relationships of the family within the Elateroidea are briefly discussed.


Wetlands all over the world have been lost or are threatened in spite of various international agreements and national policies. This is caused by: (1) the public nature of many wetlands products and services; (2) user externalities imposed on other stakeholders; and (3) policy intervention failures that are due to a lack of consistency among government policies in different areas (economics, environment, nature protection, physical planning, etc.). All three causes are related to information failures which in turn can be linked to the complexity and 'invisibility' of spatial relationships among groundwater, surface water and wetland vegetation. Integrated wetland research combining social and natural sciences can help in part to solve the information failure to achieve the required consistency across various government policies. An integrated wetland research framework suggests that a combination of economic valuation, integrated modelling, stakeholder analysis, and multi-criteria evaluation can provide complementary insights into sustainable and welfare-optimising wetland management and policy. Subsequently, each of the various components of such integrated wetland research is reviewed and related to wetland management policy.


The purpose of the study is to explore how social media can be used as a forum to discuss politics and also how young people use critical reflection to evaluate the information available on social media. To achieve the purpose, a qualitative research is used. The empirical data is collected through semi-structured interviews with six high school students who voted in the Swedish parliamentary elections in/of 2014. The empirical data were then analyzed based on previous research on social media, and the school's mission to foster individuals who think critically. The analysis is also based on the theory of deliberative democracy model. The study shows that social media can be used as a platform for political discussions but it is in a large extent characterized by mudslinging between the sides for and against the various political elements. The survey also shows that the interviewed students do not understand the implications of source criticism. Instead they use critical thinking to determine what is a good or a bad source. The study shows that the deliberative democracy model cannot be applied to social media in its present form, but should be seen as an ideal image of how a deliberative democracy should work.


This paper presents a detailed study of DC grid operation using a range of user-defined offline and real-time HVDC converter models which were rigorously validated against offline and real-time benchmarks. Provided that these models are destined for use in real-time hardware in the loop simulation and a wide range of offline system studies, this paper assesses their suitability for studying complex DC grids that consist of multiple voltage source converters which differ in their control range and fault ride-through capabilities. Detailed quantitative studies show that the offline and real-time DC grid models produce well matched results and provide efficient approaches to investigate DC grid operation during normal condition and AC and DC faults.


LST8, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene encoding a 34-kD WD-repeat protein, was identified by mutations that caused defects in sorting Gap1p to the plasma membrane. Here, we report that the Gap1p sorting defect in the lst8-1 mutant results from derepression of Rtg1/3p activity and the subsequent accumulation of high levels of intracellular amino acids, which signal Gap1p sorting to the vacuole. To identify the essential function of Lst8p, we isolated lst8 mutants that are temperature-sensitive for growth. These mutants show hypersensitivity to rapamycin and derepressed Gln3p activity like cells with compromised TOR pathway activity. Like tor2 mutants, lst8 mutants also have cell wall integrity defects. Confirming a role for Lst8p in the TOR pathway, we find that Lst8p associates with both Tor1p and Tor2p and is a peripheral membrane protein that localizes to endosomal or Golgi membranes and cofractionates with Tor1p. Further, we show that a sublethal concentration of rapamycin mimics the Gap1p sorting defect of an lst8 mutant. Finally, the different effects of lst8 alleles on the activation of either the Rtg1/3p or Gln3p transcription factors reveal that these two pathways constitute distinct, genetically separable outputs of the Tor–Lst8 regulatory complex.


We explore how finite integration time or temporal binning can affect the analysis of exoplanet phase-curves. We provide analytical formulae to account for this effect or, if neglected, to estimate the potential biases in the retrieved parameters. As expected, due to their smoother variations over longer time-scales, phase-curves can be binned more heavily than transits without causing severe biases. In the simplest case of a sinusoidal phase-curve with period P, the integration time Δt reduces its amplitude by the scaling factor sinc(πΔt/P), without altering its phase or shape. We also provide formulae to predict reasonable parameter error bars from phase-curve observations. Our findings are tested with both synthetic and real datasets, including unmodelled astrophysical signals and/or instrumental systematic effects. Tests with the Spitzer data show that binning can affect best-fit parameters beyond predictions, due to the correction of high-frequency correlated noise. Finally, we summarize key guidelines for speeding up the analysis of exoplanet phase-curves without introducing significant biases in the retrieved parameters.


We analyze the environmental dependence of galaxy morphology and colour with two-point clustering statistics, using data from the Galaxy Zoo, the largest sample of visually classified morphologies yet compiled, extracted from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We present two-point correlation functions of spiral and early-type galaxies, and we quantify the correlation between morphology and environment with marked correlation functions. These yield clear and precise environmental trends across a wide range of scales, analogous to similar measurements with galaxy colours, indicating that the Galaxy Zoo classifications themselves are very precise. We measure morphology marked correlation functions at fixed colour and find that they are relatively weak, with the only residual correlation being that of red galaxies at small scales, indicating a morphology gradient within haloes for red galaxies. At fixed morphology, we find that the environmental dependence of colour remains strong, and these correlations remain for fixed morphology and luminosity. An implication of this is that much of the morphology–density relation is due to the relation between colour and density. Our results also have implications for galaxy evolution: the morphological transformation of galaxies is usually accompanied by a colour transformation, but not necessarily vice versa. A spiral galaxy may move onto the red sequence of the colour-magnitude diagram without quickly becoming an early-type. We analyze the significant population of red spiral galaxies, and present evidence that they tend to be located in moderately dense environments and are often satellite galaxies in the outskirts of haloes. Finally, we combine our results to argue that central and satellite galaxies tend to follow different evolutionary paths.


ABSTRACTThis paper focuses on the nanostructural and pyrolysis characteristics of particulate matter (PM) emitted from a diesel engine fueled by three diesel/polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers (PODEn) blends. PM was collected using a metal filter from the exhaust manifold. The collected PM samples were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). SEM and TEM analysis showed that PM generated by the 20%-PODEn blend was looser and had a smaller average diameter than that emitted when a lower proportion of PODEn was used. Additionally, fringe length was reduced, and separation distance and tortuosity were increased, when the 20%-PODEn blend was used instead of the other blends. These changes improved the oxidation reactivity of the PM. TGA demonstrated that the PM pyrolysis process was divided into low temperature (characterized by moisture and volatile components) and high temperature (the combustion of solid carbon) stages. When the blending ratio was increased, the moisture and volatile components of the PM showed no obvious change, but the ignition temperature and activation energy were reduced. Additionally, the pyrolysis performance was enhanced; the maximum weight loss rate was higher; the combustion and burnout characteristic indices were higher; and the combustion efficiency of the PM was improved. These results show that the use of diesel blended with oxygenated fuel (PODEn) affects the nanostructure and pyrolysis of PM, and this PM is easier to oxidize and advantageous for diesel particulate filter regeneration.


Although previous research has found interteaching to be an effective form of instruction, all of the currently published data have been collected in courses that have allowed for a minimum of 48 hours between class sessions. In the current study, we examined the effectiveness of interteaching compared to traditional lecture during a six week summer session of a behavior modification course. Two non-concurrent sections of the behavior modification course were taught during which the instructor alternated between interteaching and traditional lecture. These courses were counterbalanced, such that when material from one section was covered using an interteaching approach, the same material in the other section was presented using a traditional lecture. Unlike previous studies, students did not score higher on exams following interteaching sessions. Nevertheless, students did indicate that they found interteaching to be beneficial. Interpretations of these results, the social validity responses, practical implications, and recommendations for additional research are discussed.


This paper presents a delta-sigma pulse-width digitizer (ΔΣ-PWD) architecture designed for a super-regenerative receiver (SR-RX) operated at the 400-MHz Medical Implantable Communications Service (MICS) band. The ΔΣ-PWD employs the operation principle of a ΔΣ modulator to convert the pulse-width (PW) value into digital domain and achieve fine resolution, which allows the SR-RX to support the 2-ASK/4-ASK modulations. It can be considered as the PW domain counterpart of a conventional ΔΣ modulator. The proposed architecture is capable of suppressing the PW quantization error over the direct-sampling-type PW detector by 23 dB. A linear model for the ΔΣ-PWD is devised in this paper for system analysis and design optimization. Fabricated in a 0.18-μm CMOS process, the whole receiver draws 700 μA from a 1.3-V supply, while the ΔΣ-PWD consumes only 100 μA. When operated on the 4-ASK modulation signal with 312-kbps data rate, the receiver achieves an energy efficiency of 2.9 nj/bit and -76-dBm sensitivity.


Amplified climate warming in the Arctic may cause thaw‐remobilization of its large soil organic carbon (SOC) pool. Here we assess the remobilization and preservation of old SOC by the watershed‐integrated radiocarbon signature of molecular SOC markers released from northernmost Scandinavia. The radiocarbon analyses revealed a remarkable fractionation for identical vascular plant markers (∼420‰ or ∼6000 14C years) upon settling from surface water to the underlying sediments. From this, we infer fluvial export of two SOC pools; a young surface peat component, and an old deep mineral soil component. The young pool exists as an easily degradable humic suspension, while the old pool is matrix protected from degradation and ballasted for preferential settling. The two soil types with highest OC in Arctic permafrost evidently exhibit different susceptibilities to degradation. Hence, a significant part of the thaw‐released OC may simply be fluvially relocated to sediments instead of being emitted to the atmosphere.


Recently secure device pairing has had significant attention from a wide community of academic as wellas industrial researchers and a plethora of schemes and protocols have been proposed, which use various forms of out-of-band exchange to form an association between two unassociated devices. These protocolsand schemes have different strengths and weaknesses - often in hardware requirements, strength againstvarious attacks or usability in particular scenarios. From ordinary user's point of view, the problem then becomes which to choose or which is the best possible scheme in a particular scenario. We advocate that in a world of modern heterogeneous devices and requirements, there is a need for mechanisms that allowautomated selection of the best protocols without requiring the user to have an in-depth knowledge of the minutiae of the underlying technologies. Towards this, the main argument forming the basis of this research work is that the integration of a discovery mechanism and several pairing schemes into a single system is more efficient from a usability point of view as well as security point of view in terms of dynamic choice of pairing schemes. In pursuit of this, we have proposed a generic system for secure device pairing by demonstration of physical proximity. The contributions presented in this paper include the design and prototype implementation of the proposed framework along with a novel Co-Location protocol.


We have studied the electronic structure of liquid water using x-ray absorption spectroscopy at the oxygen K edge. Since the x-ray absorption process takes less than a femtosecond, it allows probing of the molecular orbital structure of frozen, local geometries of water molecules at a timescale that has not previously been accessible. Our results indicate that the electronic structure of liquid water is significantly different from that of the solid and gaseous forms, resulting in a pronounced pre-edge feature below the main absorption edge in the spectrum. Theoretical calculations of these spectra suggest that this feature originates from specific configurations of water, for which the H-bond is broken on the H-donating site of the water molecule. This study provides a fingerprint for identifying broken donating H-bonds in the liquid and shows that an unsaturated H-bonding environment exists for a dominating fraction of the water molecules.


The alteration of magmatic plagioclase and pyroxene phenocrysts in tephra adjacent to the conduit of a fissure fumarole from the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, Katmai, Alaska, was studied by electron microprobe and transmission electron microscopy. In slightly altered tephra, plagioclase compositions >An, are not observed, the more calcic portions of the phenocrysts having been replaced by amorphous silica. With increasing proximity to the fumarole conduit, progressively more sodic parts of the phenocrysts have disappeared. Adjacent to the fumarole, plagioclase >Anoo has been removed because of the increased solubility of albitic feldspar in chloride-rich solutions as a function of increasing temperature. On a submicrometer scale, a zonal sequence of replacement phases has developed at the interface between unaltered and altered feldspar. A thin leached surface layer (<500 A), depleted in Al, Na, and Ca, but highly enriched in Si and Cl, is always present. In altered phenocrysts away from the vent, a zone =5000 A of amorphous Al-bearing silica is present, locally containing secondary Al-rich smectite crystals. Closer to the fumarole, smectite is absent, and the zone of impure amorphous silica is much thinner. Extensive alteration of pyroxene phenocrysts only occurs close to the fumarole conduit, where replacement develops along fractures and parallel to (100). A narrow leached zone (200-300 A), depleted in Mg and Ca, is present at the alteration interface, and halloysite is present locally as a secondary precipitate. The alteration of both plagioclase and pyroxene occurred when the fumarole system had cooled significantly (<300 "C) and was dominated by Si-rich, Cl-bearing aqueous fluids with pH < 2.5.


Inspecting the morphology of chromosomes in different species has been a classical tool for evolutionary biologists. DNA probes ranging in size from whole chromosomes to a few hundred base pairs can be seen under the microscope and assigned to unique regions of the genomes of different species. They have different resolutions and, in analogy, delineate entire continents, countries or even villages, streets and houses of the genome. Here we describe recent insights into the mode and tempo of mammalian chromosomes evolution using molecular cytogenetic approaches.

Keywords:

comparative chromosome painting;
chromosomal rearrangements;
mammalian karyotype evolution


BACKGROUND
A number of authors have described, with disparate results, the prevalence of people with intellectual disability and their characteristics, in a range of offender cohorts defined by service use. These have included high security, a range of criminal justice services and community services. There is a need for research comparing cohorts of offenders with intellectual disabilities across different settings. AIM AND HYPOTHESIS: To conduct such a comparison and test the hypothesis that severity of characteristics measured will be highest in highest levels of residential security.

METHOD
A clinical-record-based comparison a offenders with intellectual disability in high security (n = 73), medium/low security (n = 70), and a community service (n = 69).

RESULTS
Groups were similar in age and tested IQ levels. Early psychiatric service contact had been more likely in the lower security groups. In line with the hypothesis, more complex presentations, in particular comorbid personality disorder, was more likely in the highest security group. Both fatal and non-fatal interpersonal violence convictions were significantly related to group, with more in the high security group sustaining a conviction both at the index offence and prior to that. Over 50% of all groups had at least one conviction for a sexual offence. A regression model accounting for 78% of the variance was made up largely of disposal variables (Mental Health Act status and probation) and indications of antisocial traits (criminal damage, lifetime conviction for murder and ICD-10 personality disorder classification).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE
The authors show that context of sampling affects most relationships between intellectual disability (ID) and offending when the methods for measuring ID are held constant. The results also present several questions on the relationship between risk, services available in an area and referral to higher security.


# Medical errors and medical culture {#article-title-2}

A junior doctor fails to read an electrocardiogram that has been ordered and the patient dies, undiagnosed and in pain, from a myocardial infarction. We asked a professor of medical ethics, an expert in medical errors, and two clinicians to comment on the ethical implications of covering up the mistake.

# An error of omission {#article-title-3}

The patient, an elderly lady, was blind and deaf without speech. She had been brought in as an emergency case, clutching her abdomen and moaning. She had been like that for a couple of hours and had also vomited a few times. On examination she had some epigastric tenderness, her heart and lungs were normal, and her blood pressure was slightly low. Routine investigations were ordered; a drip was set up; and the team moved on.

On the next round the patient was still in severe pain. Nothing new had turned up. Her serum haemoglobin concentration, blood biochemistry, and chest and abdominal radiographs were normal. We hesitated about whether to provide pain relief. Antispasmodic drugs had been ineffective. An ultrasound scan ruled out problems with the patient's gallbladder. Endoscopy took another day to organise and produced negative results. The patient's pain and sickness continued. On the fifth day she died: the causes undiagnosed, her suffering unrelieved.

As house officer on the ward I had to prepare a case summary. Fishing in the pack of x ray films for the reports I caught the long strip of an electrocardiogram. It bore the date of admission. I had asked a nurse to do it as part of the routine work up but had not remembered to check the results. The textbook signs of an extensive acute myocardial infarction were plain even to my untrained eye.

I took the tracing to the senior consultant's office. He cast a glance over it then stared …

Correspondence to: S Fazel


ABSTRACT The Aurukun archives held at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies were initially developed in accordance with a 'before it is too late' model. In response to national controversy over proposed bauxite mining on Wik land, the Institute reorientated its documentation strategy towards collaborating with the Aurukun community. Wik people were not so much the subjects of the archive, but collaborators in its production. The outcome was an extensive multimedia archive which underpinned the Wik native title claim in 1993. Since then the collaborative relationship between the Institute and the Wik people has lapsed. Intermittent attempts to repatriate parts of the Aurukun archives were not successful in the long term. While revising controls over key Aurukun record groups, current Institute staff became aware of the extent and some of the strengths of the Aurukun archives. The staff have been attempting to revive the community's awareness of their archives and their interest in them. Although the community's interests presently have a different focus, revived collaboration between the Institute and the Aurukun community could result in some form of distributed custody and control of the Aurukun archives which may be of value to Wik society.


Protein trafficking in the endosomal system involves the recognition of specific signals within the cytoplasmic domains (CDs) of transmembrane proteins by clathrin adaptors. One such signal is the phosphoserine acidic cluster (PSAC), the prototype of which is in the endoprotease Furin. How PSACs are recognized by clathrin adaptors has been controversial. We reported previously that HIV-1 Vpu, which modulates cellular immunoreceptors, contains a PSAC that binds to the µ subunits of clathrin adaptor protein (AP) complexes. Here, we show that the CD of Furin binds the µ subunits of AP-1 and AP-2 in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. Moreover, we identify a PSAC in a cytoplasmic loop of the cellular transmembrane Serinc3, an inhibitor of the infectivity of retroviruses. The two serines within the PSAC of Serinc3 are phosphorylated by casein kinase II and mediate interaction with the µ subunits in vitro. The sites of these serines vary among mammals in a manner consistent with host-pathogen conflict, yet the Serinc3-PSAC seems dispensible for anti-HIV activity and for counteraction by HIV-1 Nef. The CDs of Vpu, Furin, and the PSAC-containing loop of Serinc3 each bind the μ subunit of AP-2 (µ2) with similar affinities, but they appear to utilize different basic regions on µ2. The Serinc3 loop requires a region previously reported to bind the acidic plasma membrane lipid phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate. These data suggest that the PSACs within different proteins recognize different basic regions on the µ surface, providing the potential to inhibit the activity of viral proteins without necessarily affecting cellular protein trafficking.


Despite the wide recognition of Mg2+ deficiency in several soil types, there
has been little documentation of the relationship between Mg2+ concentration in the
soil solution and plant growth, yield responses or the kinetics of development of
deficiency symptoms in crops. Most of the literature deals with forest species, with
only a handful of crops being characterized. Even in the latter case, these papers
address very severe cases of Mg2+ deficiency. Meanwhile, in many crops, visual
symptoms of Mg2+ deficiency are either virtually absent, or become obvious only at
later stages of plant development. One of these species is broad bean (Vicia faba L).
In this study, broad beans were used as a case study to characterize the development
of Mg2+ deficiency symptoms in plants and make a comparative evaluation of the
suitability of various physiological characteristics as prospective tools for early
diagnosis of Mg2+ deficiency. The ultimate goal of this study was to suggest an
efficient screening tool for early diagnosis of Mg2+ deficiency in crop species and to
explain cellular mechanisms underlying observed changes at the whole-plant level. In a series of glasshouse experiments, growth characteristics were measured at
regular intervals (on a monthly basis) from plants grown in a wide range of Mg 2+
concentrations (from 1 to 200 ppm) in soil solution. Those data were then correlated
with plant yield responses, pigment composition and nutrient content in leaves as well
as with visual deficiency symptoms. At the age of 4 weeks, no visual symptoms of
deficiency were evident even for plants grown at 1 ppm (severe Mg2+ deficiency).
Shoot growth characteristics were very similar for a wide range of treatments,
although a pronounced difference in plant yield was observed at the end of the
experiment. It appears that neither plant biomass nor leaf area is a good indicator for
diagnosis of Mg2+ deficiency in broad beans. Although pigment analysis revealed
some difference between treatments, at no age was it possible to distinguish between
moderately Mg2+ deficient (10 or 20 ppm) and sufficient (50 to 80 ppm) treatments.
Leaf elemental analysis for Mg2+ content remained the most sensitive and accurate
indicator of Mg2+ deficiency in broad beans. However, its suitability for screening
purposes is jeopardised by hight cost of analysis and a significant amount of time
involved.
In a search for rapid screening tools for Mg2+ deficiency in crops at early
stages of plant ontogeny, kinetics of leaf photosynthetic responses and changes in
electrophysiological characteristics of broad bean leaves were studied. No apparent
correlation between plant age, Mg2+ supply level and leaf stomatal conductance (gs)
and transpiration rate (E) were found. A significant difference in CO2 assimilation
became obvious only at week 8. Chlorophyll fluorescence analysis was more suitable
for screening purposes, with significant (P=0.05) difference in the maximum quantum
efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm ratio) between Mg2+-deficient and sufficient plants as early
as 2 weeks after seedling emergence. However, even in this case, only "extreme"
Mg2+ treatments were differentiated. The most sensitive potential screening tool was measurement of light-induced
changes in the leaf surface electric potential (an integrated change in membrane
potential of hundred of cells on the leaf surface). A significant difference in the
magnitude of leaf electrical responses to light, measured by means of the surface
potential technique, was found between optimal (Mg50) and deficient leaves as early
as 2 weeks after the beginning of the experiment. Not only severe (Mg 1), but also
moderately deficient (Mg10) leaves showed a significantly lower magnitude of
response. At the age of 4 weeks, it became possible to "rank" all treatments according
to their predicted bean yield. Therefore, it appears that leaf electric measurements warrants testing as a potential screening tool for Mg 2+ deficiency, at least in broad
bean plants. To establish a causal link between light-induced electrical events in bean
leaves and membrane-transport processes at the plasma membrane of bean mesophyll
cells, a series of experiments were conducted using a non-invasive ion selective
microelectrode (MIFE) technique. Netfluxes of Fr, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ were
measured from leaves, grown at various Mg 2+ levels, and light-induced kinetics of
flux changes were characterised with high (5 sec) temporal resolution. To my
knowledge, this is the first report on net Mg2+ flux measurements from higher plants
in physiological literature.
Based on the stoichiometry of ion flux changes and results of pharmacological
experiments, it was suggested that at least two mechanisms are involved in Mg 2+
uptake across the plasma membrane of bean mesophyll cells. One of them is a nonselective
cation channel (NSCC), also permeable to K + and Ca2+. The other
mechanism, operating at concentrations below 30 iiM, was suggested to be H+7Mg2+
exchanger. Experiments performed on leaves grown at different levels of Mg2+
availability (from deficient to excessive) showed that Mg 2+ availability has a
significant impact on the activity of plasma membrane transporters for Ca 2+, K+ and
H+. Among other findings, our data suggests that Mg 2+ availability during plant
growth may significantly affect light-induced Ca 2+ flux "signatures" and thus regulate
(directly or indirectly) signal transduction between light photoreceptors and plasma
membrane effectors (ion channels). A possible causal link between light-induced
changes in fluxes of other ions (Fr, K+, and Mg2+) and whole-plant responses to Mg2+
deficiency is discussed.


Technological advances in mechanical circulatory support have enabled more patients with end-stage heart failure to benefit from Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVAD). Indications for LVAD implantation have evolved to include patients who are deemed unsuitable for cardiac transplantation, otherwise known as destination therapy. This case report describes such patient with multi-organ failure who underwent LVAD insertion after nine days of extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation, intra-aortic balloon pump and maximal inotropic support. Strategies for perioperative management, as well as intra-operative monitoring and interventions are discussed.


Embedding Ethics questions why ethics have been divorced from scientific expertise. Invoking different disciplinary practices from biological, archaeological, cultural, and linguistic anthropology, contributors show how ethics should be resituated at the heart of, rather than exterior to, scientific activity. Positioning the researcher as a negotiator of significant truths rather than an adjudicator of a priori precepts enables contributors to relocate ethics in new sets of social and scientific relationships triggered by recent globalization processes--from new forms of intellectual and cultural ownership to accountability in governance, and the very ways in which people are studied. Case studies from ethnographic research, museum display, archaeological fieldwork and professional monitoring illustrate both best practice and potential pitfalls.


In this paper, we present a high-precision visual control method for mobile manipulators called mobile camera-space manipulation (MCSM). Development of MCSM was inspired by the unique challenges presented in conducting unmanned planetary exploration using rovers. In order to increase the efficacy of such missions, the amount of human interaction must be minimized due to the large time delay and high cost of transmissions between Earth and other planets. Using MCSM, the rover can maneuver itself into position, engage a target rock, and perform any of a variety of manipulation tasks all with one round-trip transmission of instruction. MCSM also achieves a high level of precision in positioning the onboard manipulator relative to its target. Experimental results are presented in which a rover positions a tool mounted in its manipulator to within 1 mm of the desired target feature on a rock. MCSM makes efficient use of all of the system's degrees of freedom (DOF), which reduces the required number of actuators for the manipulator. This reduction in manipulator DOFs decreases overall system weight, power consumption, and complexity while increasing reliability. MCSM does not rely on a calibrated camera system. Its excellent positioning precision is robust to model errors and uncertainties in measurements, a great strength for systems operating in harsh environments.


Abstract In this paper I explain the most important principle of research I followed in achieving my study on the life of Muhammad. The literary genre of hadith which did not come into being before the end of the seventh century AC must not be considered as a reliable source for the study of Muhammad's biography, since it reflects the theological and social developments of that subsequent epoch. Therefore research on the historical Muhammad has to be based on the koran. The text of the koran embodies the evidence of a prophetic experience which lasted for more than two decades. The different meanings of rasūl and nabī are the starting-point of the exposition of the method underlying my biography of Muhammad. Some of the major consequences of this difference are analyzed, and I try to show its momentousness for understanding the historical prophet.


The practice of selling multiple products or services under nonlinear pricing has a long history in the business community. Consumers may face demand uncertainty when choosing a service plan, and preferences for multiple products or services may be inter-dependent. To examine a demand system with these features, we construct a two-stage discrete/continuous choice model for service bundle demand under three-part tariffs, allowing for interactive utility and preference correlations. Implementing a piecewise maximization approach to the consumer utility maximization problem, which is non-differentiable under three-part tariffs, we estimate the model via simulated method of moments. We then apply our model to data from a major wireless service provider in China. Finally, our counterfactual analysis simulates outcomes under three-part tariffs with interchangeable units. Compared to existing tariffs, the proposed ones contain fewer instruments without a significant loss of revenue. We also illustrate the implications of incorporating ex-post usage shocks in model estimates, elasticities and counterfactual outcomes.


Purpose
Entrepreneurship education has moved from an elitist view focussing on a start-up and picking-the-winners philosophy towards a broader enterprising behaviour approach; recognising entrepreneurship as an activity of relevance for everybody. The purpose of this paper is to extend this development and identify how university entrepreneurial ecosystems can be expanded to support communities that are under-represented in entrepreneurship.

Design/methodology/approach
Based on an integrative literature review (Torraco, 2005), this paper draws together and synthesises literature from the field of entrepreneurship, higher education studies and under-represented communities in an integrated fashion, leading to the development of a new conceptual model.

Findings
This paper challenges the traditional role of universities in supporting entrepreneurship as focussing mainly on economic growth and new venture creation, and identifies how universities are also positioned to provide greater civic support to entrepreneurial learning amongst under-represented communities. Through a critical analysis of the literature, the conceptual model proposed identifies six key considerations in the expansion of university entrepreneurial ecosystems for under-represented communities.

Practical implications
There are currently 96.6m people at risk of poverty and social exclusion in the EU (OECD, 2017) and an estimated 43.1m Americans (US Census Bureau, 2017). This paper explores how university entrepreneurial ecosystems can be expanded to support minority and disadvantaged communities who are under-represented in terms of entrepreneurial activity.

Originality/value
Given that there is little research regarding how universities might activate inclusive entrepreneurship initiatives amongst under-represented communities, this paper expands existing knowledge as it identifies the key considerations encompassing university-led community collaborative enterprise support.


The Energy Modeling Forum 28 (EMF28) study systematically explores the energy system transition required to meet the European goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80% by 2050. The 80% scenario is compared to a reference case that aims to achieve a 40% GHG reduction target. The paper investigates mitigation strategies beyond 2020 and the interplay between different decarbonization options. The models present different technology pathways for the decarbonization of Europe, but a common finding across the scenarios and models is the prominent role of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. In particular, wind power and bioenergy increase considerably beyond current deployment levels. Up to 2030, the transformation strategies are similar across all models and for both levels of emission reduction. However, mitigation becomes more challenging after 2040. With some exceptions, our analysis agrees with the main findings of the "Energy Roadmap 2050" presented by the European Commission.


The objective of this study is trying to develop a comprehensive model referring to previous research of Hwang and Griffith's model of intention to participate in Collaborative Consumption (CC). The study applied exploratory research design which implements previous researches regarding online collaborative consumption focusing on a study by Hwang and Griffith. Hwang and Griffith's model of intention to participate in Collaborative Consumption (CC) is unique in that it recognizes both attitudes and sympathy as the primary predictors of the intention to use the CC platform. The model is also relevant to CC as it encompasses different values, which are utilitarian, hedonic and symbolic. This Study results in a comprehensive model which incorporating several variables from previous studies, such as online initial trusts and perceived behavioral control. We conclude that by trying to put Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) will enrich the global-scale model from the higher point of view besides the cognitive perception itself. Moreover, this conceptual model is developed as a suggestion for future research as well as the implementation of more sophisticated statistical analysis method should be included.
Keywords: digital business; startup; user intention; online market; collaborative consumption


One hundred eighty-four cemented primary total articular replacement arthroplasty (TARA) resurfacing total hip procedures were performed by a single surgeon from 1981 to 1985. One hundred seventy-four hips had a mean follow-up period of eight years (range, 3.5-10.4 years). Osteoarthrosis was the predominant diagnosis (79%). Failure was defined as a hip needing additional surgery because of an implant failure and occurred in 13.2% of the patients. No statistically significant difference was found between preoperative etiology, patient gender, or the side of the hip involved between the revised and unrevised patients. The revised group was seven years younger at the time of TARA implantation than the group that was not revised (55.7 versus 65.3 years), with significance to the p < 0.01 level. Survival analysis demonstrated an 87.1% chance of survival at seven years, decreasing to 84.5% at ten years. The cemented TARA hip replacement has a better intermediate-to long-term success than other resurfacing designs reported using cemented fixation. However, this does not compare favorably with the longevity of cemented Charnley total hip replacements reported at similar intervals.


The adoption of the Balanced Scorecard philosophy of measure, monitor and manage by The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has resulted in SickKids' staff understanding, appreciating and ultimately being able to accept the enhanced transparency and accountability around performance, at both the system and hospital levels. The leadership of the organization observed these differences after initial SickKids scorecard update meetings, realizing this was not a flavour of the month but a totally new way of operating in a quest to achieve SickKids' vision and mission. Almost immediately, the internal culture began to shift as staff better understood how their roles actively contribute to the organization's ability to execute on its strategy. Based on 2010 staff engagement results, 70% of staff "see a direct link between personal work objectives and SickKids' strategy," while 60% were familiar with the newly released strategic plan, unprecedented results based on current benchmarks. This article provides an overview of the SickKids strategy management system, outlining both best practices and the journey from its launch to induction into the Balanced Scorecard Hall of Fame. Performance, at all levels across the enterprise, has shown measureable improvement with the introduction of the comprehensive strategy management system.


The effects of maintenance treatment on social adjustment are examined in depressed outpatients randomly assigned to eight months of amitriptyline hydrochloride, a placebo, or no pill, with or without psychotherapy, using a 2 × 3 factorial design. Results for the 106 patients who completed the trial show a significant main effect for psychotherapy apparent only after six to eight months' treatment. Psychotherapy improved overall adjustment, work performance, and communication, and reduced friction and anxious rumination. There was no effect on the patients' social adjustment for amitriptyline and there were no drug/psychotherapy interactions. The results support the value of weekly maintenance psychotherapy in recovering depressives. Since amitriptyline has been shown to reduce relapse and prevent symptom return, and psychotherapy was shown to enhance adjustment, there is evidence for combined treatments.


Risk society today means world risk society. Its essential features are man-made risks, which have no social, space or time limits. World risk society identifies three main global risks: transnational terrorism, financial hazards and environmental risks. Environmental issues in this framework cannot be seen as problems in the environment of society, but they have to be considered as inner world problems of society itself. The interpretational framework of world risk society can be subdivided into three levels: first, global threats cause global commonalities; the contours of a world public are emerging. Secondly, the perception of global self-hazards releases a politically tailored impulse for the revitalisation of national policy as well as for the training and design of cooperative international institutions. Thirdly, the delimitation of the political has to be researched: the perceived needs of world risk society give way to a world civil society. Henceforth, in world risk society environmental hazards can be interpreted as a driving force for cosmopolitanism, global environmental risks and their practical and discursive treatment create transnational communities.


It has been demonstrated that the level of delta protein kinase C is inversely correlated to the responsiveness of murine erythroleukemia cells to chemical induction to terminal erythroid differentiation. In these cells, deltaPKC is largely present in a membrane associated form, and thus in a constitutively active state, a condition which characterizes the undifferentiated phenotype. Accordingly, commitment to cell differentiation has been shown to be preceded by down regulation of deltaPKC, a process significantly accelerated and induced to almost completion by the differentiation enhancing factor (DEF) in a dose dependent manner. The present results provide a better understanding of the role of deltaPKC in characterizing the undifferentiated MEL cell phenotype and suggest a relationship between the acceleration in the rate of differentiation induced by DEF and the down regulation of this kinase form.


Invasive species, and the ensuing homogenization of the world's biota, form a global problem with consequences ranging from the decline and extirpation of native species to threats to human health. The magnitude of this issue demands a thorough understanding of the invasion process, which consists of three main stages: initial dispersal, establishment of self-sustaining populations, and spread. To assess the relative distribution of research effort among these stages, we conducted a literature review using 873 articles published in 23 major journals over the past 10 years. Of the 873 papers, only 96 (11.0%) studied initial dispersal, and only half of these (6.2% of the total) were empirical. As the first stage in a contingent process, we argue that initial dispersal is the best stage during which to direct management efforts. In addition, initial dispersal has direct relevance for fundamental ecological questions regarding community assembly and metacommunity dynamics. In so far that answering these questions and preventing invasion are goals of ecologists, the disparity in research effort noted here suggests that ecologists need to expand their efforts to include more research on initial dispersal.


This investigation uses electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) to study the development of microtexture with increasing deformation in an AlMgSi alloy having an initial grain size of about 150 µm subjected to high pressure torsion (HPT) up to a total of 5 turns. An homogeneous microstructure was achieved throughout the disc sample at high strains with the formation of ultra-fine grains. Observations based on orientation distribution function (ODF) calculation reveals the presence of the torsion texture components often reported in the literature for f.c.c. materials. In particular, the C {001}<110> component was found to be dominant. Furthermore, no significant change in the texture sharpness was observed by increasing the strain.


Dynamic analysis of frames involves very rigorous method which always requires software programming to take care of cumbersome calculations that are always involved. An easy manual method has been developed here to take care of these rigorous calculations that always require software programming. This method was used to analyze a three storey plane rectangular rigid frame. The condensed matrix gotten from this method was compared with that of Chopra and the result shows high similarity. Eigen value, eigenvector, shear force and base overturning moment of the three storey frame were also determined in the analysis. The results showed that plane rectangular rigid frames can easily be analyzed with this method which is less cumbersome and easy to apply. However this method cannot easily handle more than ten storey frames because of large matrix calculations involved.


The generation of ATP through oxidative phosphorylation is an essential metabolic function for Mycobaterium tuberculosis (Mtb), regardless of the growth environment. The type II NADH dehydrogenase (Ndh-2) is the conduit for electrons into the pathway, and is absent in the mammalian genome, thus making it a potential drug target. Herein, we report the identification of two types of small molecules as selective inhibitors for Ndh-2 through a multicomponent high-throughput screen. Both compounds block ATP synthesis, lead to effects consistent with loss of NADH turnover, and importantly, exert bactericidal activity against Mtb. Extensive medicinal chemistry optimization afforded the best analogue with an MIC of 90 nm against Mtb. Moreover, the two scaffolds have differential inhibitory activities against the two homologous Ndh-2 enzymes in Mtb, which will allow precise control over Ndh-2 function in Mtb to facilitate the assessment of this anti-TB drug target.


The potential use of kapok fiber for pulping and papermaking has been investigated. The kapok fibers were cooked using the optimal dosage of sodium hydroxide determined from the experiments. Then, the pulp was refined with two passes using a disc refiner and mixed with commercial hardwood pulp and/or softwood pulp at different blend ratios to make papers. It was found that addition of the kapok pulp to the mixed pulps improved the tensile and burst strengths of the sheets but decreased the tear resistance and elongation. Water repellency of the sheets prepared from the kapok pulp mixed with the commercial pulps was also improved. These results indicate that kapok fiber can be a quality pulp source for papermaking, especially for packaging paper requiring strength and water repellency.


This chapter addresses Article 37 of the ICDR Rules. The extent to which arbitral proceedings are, or should be, confidential is a topic of recurring debate within the international arbitration community. Article 37—with its focus on imposing a duty of confidentiality on the arbitrators and the institution—represents an innovation by the ICDR that has since been partially adopted by some other institutions. The 2014 revisions to the ICDR Rules added a new provision to this rule that makes clear that issues of confidentiality are otherwise left to the agreement of the parties and any procedural order entered by the tribunal. The revision serves as a reminder to counsel and the tribunal that confidentiality concerns may best be addressed by way of a carefully tailored order within the proceeding itself.


Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) have become mainstays of clinical cardiology practice for high-risk patients supported by persuasive clinical trial data. Yet, areas of certainty are offset by considerable uncertainty about the criteria for implantation and for reimbursement. This article reviews selected elements of the clinical trial data and reconciles, when possible, guideline recommendations with the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) national coverage determination (NCD).

Medical practice guidelines represent the cumulative effort of patients, clinicians, scientists, and statisticians striving to guide patient care on the basis of the best clinical trial science available.1–6 Expert consensus dates back centuries, but the modern era of clinical guidelines is founded on the concept of evidence-based medicine, introduced in the 1980s. Having its origin in the discipline of clinical epidemiology and public health, evidence-based medicine incorporates both best science and best clinical practice. The most commonly used definition by Sackett et al7 states, "Evidence-based medicine is the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients." Guidelines rank the strength of evidence by class: Class I represents the highest recommendation, Class II requires further physician consideration, and Class III discourages the use of the therapy considered. A complementary grading system considers the relative benefit versus risk as a statement of certainty of treatment effect from A, indicating strongest certainty, to C, indicating lowest certainty.8 Guidelines provide the practicing physician an exhaustive summary of the available literature, including areas of conflict and differences in study protocols and patient cohorts. Without such guidelines, physician and hospital performance metrics would be adrift, and payers would have no objective footprint to assess reasonable standards of care.

Although medical practice guidelines are an important tool for physicians faced with clinical …


The Neogene Basins of Turkey contain as much as 9 billion tons of lignite-rank coal (Şengiller, 2001; Tuncah et al., 2002). The Miocene Soma Basin, a rift basin trending NE-SW (approximately 20 kilometers by 5 kilometers) in the Aegean Extensional Province (EAP) of Western Turkey, is estimated to contain. at the least one billion tons of lignite and about half of this reserve is present at depths greater than 600 m (Turkish Coal Enterprises, 2006). Miocene marlJlimestone units and Pliocene clastics and volcanic tuffs overlie the Miocene coals of the Soma basin. There are several coal seams in the basin but the most economical and thus target seam is known as KM2 with an average thickness of about 20 meter across the basin. In the Soma Basin, Turkish Coal Enterprises (00) has mined this KM2 seam by open cut coal mining and underground mining for several decades in the Northern and Central part of the basin, respectively. Recently, coal exploration activities have been extended to the Southern part of the basin by means of exploratory drillings.
In order to aid fast and economical coal exploration activities of the Turkish Coal Enterprises (TKt), a colloborative work has been started for development of an integrated seismic method for coal exploration. The aim is to develop a practical seismic method for TKI to apply in its exploration activities in other lignite coal basins of Turkey. The information gathered from tens of coal exploration borehole! already drilled in the study area will be used to calibrate the horizons to be mapped b) surface seismic and WVSP methods (Tselentis and Paraskevopoulos, 2002). Surface seismic data will be collected on roughly East-West and North-South oriented lines Furthermore, at the intersect of these lines borehole WVSP data will be collected. The seismic source for both surface and borehole WVSP seismic will be a mini-vibrator and the data will be collected contamporanously. The seismic study will be conductec between May and July 2010. Soon after, the seismic data processing work will be initiated.


It is frequently argued that the existence of Private Military Security Companies (PMSC) is a proof of weakened state authority, and indeed strategies involving the hiring of PMSCs contribute to a change of the world order. Still, some decision-makers view such companies as a very useful and necessary extension of foreign policy. This article investigates the role of PMSCs by analysing the contract awarded to Military Professional Resources Incorporated (MPRI) to train the Bosnian military in 1995. Even though the case investigated is well known, it is actually partly misrepresented in current scholarly writings. The subsequent analysis will shed new light on the MPRI contract with the Bosnian Federation Government by illustrating that the situation in Bosnia in 1992-95 had become the new battleground for a tug of war between America and Iran, and the hiring of MPRI to train the Bosnian military must be seen in that context. Drawing on personal interviews and previously classified telegrams between the US State Department and some of its embassies around the globe, it will be illustrated that the practice of using PMSCs gives world leaders a possibility to seem disconnected from specific regions when they, in fact, are deeply involved. Apparently, some world leaders regard private military firms as valuable tools, and while it is at times held that PMSCs undermine state authority, it is clear that they can strengthen states considerably. In the case investigated here, the US government would not have been able to thwart Iranian influence in Europe had it not been for the services of MPRI. In short, companies allow decision-makers to operate in the twilight space of world politics where they can participate in the reproduction of present global political and social power structures.


Sintering of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) is increasingly being used as a driving mechanism for joining in the microelectronics industry. We therefore performed molecular dynamics simulations based on the embedded atom method (EAM) to study pressureless sintering kinetics of two Ag NPs in the size range of (4 to 20 nm), and sintering of three and four Ag NPs of 4 nm diameter. We found that the sintering process passed through three main stages. The first was the neck formation followed by a rapid increase of the neck radius at 50K for 20 nm particles and at 10K for smaller NPs. The second was characterized by a gradual linear increase of the neck radius to particle radius ratio as the temperature of the sintered structure was increased to the surface premelting point. Different than previous sintering studies, a twin boundary was formed during the second stage that relaxed the sintered structure and decreased the average potential energy (PE). The third stage of sintering was a rapid shrinkage during surface premelting of the sintered structure. Based on pore geometry, densification occurred during the first stage for three 4 nm particles and during the second stage for four 4 nm particles. Sintering rates obtained by our simulation were higher than those obtained by theoretical models generally used for predicting sintering rates of microparticles. [doi:10.2320/matertrans.MD201225]


Genetic studies have revealed an essential role for cytosine DNA methylation in mammalian development. However, its spatiotemporal distribution in the developing embryo remains obscure. Here, we profiled the methylome landscapes of 12 mouse tissues/organs at 8 developmental stages spanning from early embryogenesis to birth. Indepth analysis of these spatiotemporal epigenome maps systematically delineated ~2 million methylation variant regions and uncovered widespread methylation dynamics at nearly one-half million tissue-specific enhancers, whose human counterparts were enriched for variants involved in genetic diseases. Strikingly, these predicted regulatory elements predominantly lose CG methylation during fetal development, whereas the trend is reversed after birth. Accumulation of non-CG methylation within gene bodies of key developmental transcription factors coincided with their transcriptional repression during later stages of fetal development. These spatiotemporal epigenomic maps provide a valuable resource for studying gene regulation during mammalian tissue/organ progression and for pinpointing regulatory elements involved in human developmental diseases.


Due to stricter emissions legislation and increasing fuel prices vehicle efficiency must be improved. A trend that has been seen in recent years is increased engine power for heavy vehicles. Different exhaust gas after-treatment systems have also been introduced to be able to meet the emission demands. Though, these implementations do not only affect the engine power and the emission levels, they also tend to increase the cooling demand. Therefore, the cooling performance for vehicles has to be increased. At the same time the cooling installation in the front of the vehicle accounts for a substantial part of the total aerodynamic resistance of the vehicle. To reduce the fuel consumption the grill in the front could be covered and the cooling module could be relocated elsewhere. This would decrease the aerodynamic resistance; but a more frequent fan operation would most likely be needed to achieve the same cooling performance in different driving conditions.This paper presents a comparative study of front-mounted and rear-mounted cooling package installations, using three different configurations for the rear installation on a rigid truck. For each case the cooling performance, fan demand and aerodynamic resistance were compared for different operating conditions at both lower and higher vehicle speeds and engine loads. The study was based on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), where the simulations were performed in zero and five-degree yaw conditions, with and without a trailer added behind the truck.It was seen that a relocation of the cooling module has a potential for fuel savings at higher vehicle speeds, due to the reduction in power to overcome the aerodynamic resistance. At lower vehicle speeds the cooling performance was increased since a lower system restriction was observed for the rear-mounted configurations. Results also showed that both the cooling performance and the aerodynamic drag was affected by the yawed air condition and when adding a trailer behind the truck. The mass airflow was increased when the air was directed towards the air intake, while it was decreased when the air intake was positioned at the leeward side of the vehicle. When the trailer was added behind the vehicle less air entered the cooling module at a higher vehicle speed. But for the critical cooling situation the trailer did not affect the amount of air entering the cooling module.Copyright © 2012 by ASME


Global aquaculture production is growing rapidly, however, the industry is facing great challenges such as high mortality rates during early life stages. The lack of a fully mature immune system makes larvae highly sensitive to infectious diseases. One of the most common pathogenic bacteria in larviculture is Vibrio anguillarum causing worldwide severe economic losses. Due to the development of antibiotic resistances, the establishment of alternative methods to prevent and control diseases, ensure efficient growth and reach maximal survival rates is mandatory to optimize aquaculture productivity. A promising solution might be the early activation of the immature immune system of fish larvae by administration of immunostimulants as nutritional supplements. In our study we assessed the potential immunomodulatory effect of poly-s-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) larvae. PHB is a bacterial energy storage compound which may have a potential application as an immunostimulant in fish culture. In our experiment we used rotifers as live carriers to feed PHB-accumulating bacteria (Alcaligenes eutrophus) to first-feeding European sea bass larvae over a period of 14 days. To estimate the immediate impact of PHB, larval mortality rates were monitored daily during the course of the experiment. In order to assess the disease resistance of the larvae, survival rates after bath challenge with Vibrio anguillarum after 3 and 14 days of PHB treatment and 7 days post PHB treatment were monitored. Furthermore, we determined gene expression profiles for immune genes as well as metabolism- and stress-related genes. Results will be discussed in respect to the use of PHB in fish hatcheries and its effect on the immune system of first feeding sea bass.


With the current rapid growth in multimedia technology, there is an imminent need for efficient techniques to search and query large image databases. Because of their unique and peculiar needs, image databases cannot be treated in a similar fashion to other types of digital libraries. The contextual dependencies present in images, and the complex nature of two-dimensional image data make the representation issues more difficult for image databases. An invariant representation of an image is still an open research issue. For these reasons, it is difficult to find a universal content-based retrieval technique. Current approaches based on shape, texture, and color for indexing image databases have met with limited success. Further, these techniques have not been adequately tested in the presence of noise and distortions. A given application domain offers stronger constraints for improving the retrieval performance. Fingerprint databases are characterized by their large size as well as noisy and distorted query images. Distortions are very common in fingerprint images due to elasticity of the skin. In this paper, a method of indexing large fingerprint image databases is presented. The approach integrates a number of domain-specific high-level features such as pattern class and ridge density at higher levels of the search. At the lowest level, it incorporates elastic structural feature-based matching for indexing the database. With a multilevel indexing approach, we have been able to reduce the search space. The search engine has also been implemented on Splash 2-a field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based array processor to obtain near-ASIC level speed of matching. Our approach has been tested on a locally collected test data and on NIST-9, a large fingerprint database available in the public domain.


Emerging research suggests that much pediatric affliction has origins in the vulnerable phase of fetal development. Prenatal factors including deficiency of various nutrients and exposure to assorted toxicants are major etiological determinants of myriad obstetrical complications, pediatric chronic diseases, and perhaps some genetic mutations. With recent recognition that modifiable environmental determinants, rather than genetic predestination, are the etiological source of most chronic illness, modification of environmental factors prior to conception offers the possibility of precluding various mental and physical health conditions. Environmental and lifestyle modification through informed patient choice is possible but evidence confirms that, with little to no training in clinical nutrition, toxicology, or environmental exposures, most clinicians are ill-equipped to counsel patients about this important area. With the totality of available scientific evidence that now exists on the potential to modify disease-causing gestational determinants, failure to take necessary precautionary action may render members of the medical community collectively and individually culpable for preventable illness in children. We advocate for environmental health education of maternity health professionals and the widespread adoption and implementation of preconception care. This will necessitate the translation of emerging knowledge from recent research literature, to health professionals, to reproductive-aged women, and to society at large.


This thesis investigates Innovation Creativity Environments (ICEs) located within the London School of Economics by looking at events taking place within these specific spaces. ICEs are gaining popularity within organisations and academic institutions as places to foster creativity for decision-making. Much has been written about these types of spaces in organisational and business contexts, but academic research is virtually non-existent. This research sets out to document two main objectives. The first objective is to describe and narrate what actually happens in Innovation Creativity Environments before, during and after the event taking into account crew facilitation and participant perspectives. The empirical focus of the thesis is on a series events mounted annually in these environments on "Project Dreams and Reality," with the aim to support MSc students in the Institute of Social Psychology, LSE to prepare for their dissertations and future careers. The thesis provides, as its first objective, an in-depth narration of in the documents what actually happened within ICEs. The second objective is to understand how these environments function and provide Group Decision Authoring and Communication Support (GDACS) that facilitate creative decision-making. Through interviews, observations and participation the research identifies two main pathways in which play supports the decision-making processes with ICE. First, play enables participants establish a background-of-safety, a concept coined by Sandler and Sandler (1978), is a psychoanalytical cognitive model that identifies safety as a feeling quality within the ego and motored by the ego, which is usually taken for granted. The ego tries to maximize safety experience, rather than avoid anxiety, allowing students to risk being creative. Secondly, play nurtures the decision-hedgehog (Humphreys and Jones 2006) which positions decision-making through the construction of narratives making the rhizome that constitutes the body of the hedgehog with the fundamental aim of enriching contextual knowledge and creativity for decision-making within Innovative Creativity Environments.


Feature specifications are important composite parts in the new generation of geometrical product specifications and verification (GPS). According to the theories of specification model of shaft parts, this paper presents a method to generation of specification model of concentricity. Firstly, the mathematical model of concentricity is established in terms of nominal geometrical features of product for the parts the functional requirement are satisfied. Secondly, the simulation points of the model are generated by using the methods of axial stratification and circumferential multi-angles. The concentricity specification model could be generated after these operations of association and collection. Finally, an example is applied to illustrate the new method. The experiment results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.


Rural transit demand forecasting is a tool that aids planners and analysts in the allocation of scarce resources for typically underserved populations. As the number of privately owned automobiles has increased over the last several decades, provision of public transportation has decreased, lessening non-drivers ability to participate in the workforce, take advantage of social service programs, and to receive adequate medical care. Using Washington as the case study, three models were developed based on the characteristics of usage for several transportation systems currently in place in four Washington counties. Peer analysis was used to create models with varying levels of complexity and data requirements to predict ridership on county-wide public transportation systems. Of the three models, the Disaggregated Transit Demand (DTD) model estimation techniques are the most refined and flexible. This model provides a significant starting point for developing accurate equations for predicting transit need and demand for underserved areas around the state.


This paper has been written to systematize theoretical and practical knowledge in the analysis, planning, defining and implementing the development strategies of public relations in cultural institutions, namely in the cultural centers for children and youth. The first part of the paper examines the phenomenon of the need to build successful public relations in the field of culture as well as designing special communication strategies in cultural institutions for children and youth. Definitions of public relations in culture and the importance of communication skills with different target groups in children's cultural centers are emphasized in terms of internal and external public relations. For successful positioning in the public and creation of a long-term reputation, cultural institutions must have communications strategies in order to create wider (national and international) support for their programmes. Strategic planning of public relations in the nonprofit sector and culture leads to the development of specific communication strategies for each target group, whose significance is discussed in the second part of the paper. For cultural institutions for children, the important target segment are the children themselves as a target group with very specific characteristics, and therefore it is necessary to develop specific communication strategies for them, which, in addition to entertainment and attractiveness, should also have a pedagogical dimension. A public relations manager in a cultural and/or educational area differs from a PR manager in other areas because animation activities are aimed at children and youth. Educational public relations and animation activities aim to create a new audience and arouse interest in a specific work of art and activities of an institution, but also fulfill a higher purpose: they encourage development of cultural needs and gaining of cultural habits.


Incorporating Work Integrated Learning (WIL) into business curriculum has now become a popular way of improving university graduates' employability. This study provides empirical evidence of the effect of an WIL program designed and implemented through a project on students' self-efficacy within an accounting information systems course in an Australian business school. Data from a questionnaire survey and qualitative feedback from students and employers indicates that this WIL project has contributed to better workplace understanding, improved pedagogical effectiveness and overall improvement in the generic graduate attributes and skills. Lack of basic accounting and information systems' foundational knowledge and inadequate communication skills of some students, resource-intensiveness of the initiative and project administration are some of the challenges observed. Employers, though have perceived benefits, suggested better preparation and training of students, more time at the workplace and better support and resources from the university administration. In addition, inadequate business understanding and limited ability of some students to apply and interpret the knowledge and skills to a given complex real context, and insufficient administrative and academic support are some of the challenges that need to be addressed to make this program sustainable and effective.


ISSN 2463-2872 (Print) ISSN 2463-2880 (Online) Abstract This paper quantifies the effect of inoculation and lime on lucerne growth and nitrogen fixation over the establishment and following season. The field experiment at Ashley Dene, in Canterbury, had an initial soil pH of 5.2 and moderate exchangeable aluminium content (4.2 mg/kg). The 15N natural abundance (δ15N) method was used to quantify nitrogen fixation. The pH of the top-soil was increased to ca. 5.5 and the Al content was decreased to 2.0 and 1.3 mg/kg soil by the application of 1 and 2 t lime/ha, respectively. In Year 0 the dry matter yield increased from 3 to 4 t DM/ha with the addition of 2 t lime/ha. The nitrogen content of lucerne plants was 2.2% (w/w), and was unaffected by inoculant or lime in Year 0. Similarly, the δ15N was 0.81‰ and unaffected by inoculant or lime. In Year 1, the N percentage of inoculated lucerne plants was 4.2% (w/w) compared with 3.6% in uninoculated plants. The δ15N value was 0.81‰ in uninoculated plants compared with -0.23‰ in inoculated lucerne plants. The inoculated lucerne yielded 7.8 t DM/ha compared with 2.4 t DM/ha when uninoculated. The calculated proportion of legume N derived from atmospheric N2 (%Ndfa) estimated that 70% of the nitrogen content in the inoculated lucerne shoots was derived from nitrogen-fixation in Year 1. There was no effect of lime on lucerne DM, or δ15N values in Year 1. This suggests lucerne rhizobia tolerated moderate levels of Al in acidic soils. The application of lime and inoculant are therefore recommended for lucerne, particularly in areas where there is no history of lucerne. The available soil N was sufficient to meet crop demand in the establishing year. Lucerne was then reliant on biological nitrogen fixation for yield in Year 1 which suggests lucerne preferentially used soil available N in Year 0, before commencing N fixation.


Strategic asset allocation is arguably one of the most important, yet least advanced, aspects of investing. The authors present a new approach to strategic asset allocation that leverages the idea that long-term investment returns derive from multiple distinct sources that they call "return-generating factors." Their approach addresses four key shortcomings of traditional approaches: First, their multi-factor model helps better understand the important sources of return in today's complex investment universe, generating a substantial increase in estimation precision across asset classes and providing investors with a new way to think about portfolio diversification. Second, their robust portfolio optimization methodology seeks to explicitly account for the uncertainties inherent in the estimates of expected returns, delivering well-diversified portfolios with superior risk?return characteristics. Third, the factor-based risk analytics better capture the true characteristics of asset returns, such as fat tails and increased correlations at times of crises, allowing the authors to more-accurately model the downside risks of portfolios. Finally, the factor-based simulation technique accounts for the impact of different economic conditions (e.g., low interest rates) on future portfolio returns, resulting in more-precise, forward-looking projections.


"¿ Our criticisms, from age to age, reflect the things that the age demands―. The application of T. S. Eliot's dictum to this collection suggests a demand for rather stodgy fare. This volume consists of a series of disparate essays, on the broad theme of the connection between psychiatry and literature; and in particular between "¿ madness― and authorship. It gets offto a bad start with a contribution by Thomas Szasz, the originator of †̃¿ ConventionalWestern Psychiatry' the good commercial guys wearing pale hats and the bad institutional guys wearing dark ones. The bullets duly whistle past and through the dummies stuffed with false antitheses, but no real blood is drawn and our hero, I fear, will live to make many more †̃¿ B' movies. There follow several studies of individual authors: Holderlin, Ezra Pound, Hayden Carruth, Hilda Doolittle and Mary Kempe. In so far as they bring out some obscure authors for occasional inspection, these essays are valu able, but they are written in the solemn Eng. Lit. style, as if Academe was breathing in the vast thick pants of expiring PhD theses. There is the occasional stimulus of disagree ment. The essay on Pound quotes one of his beautiful and allusive translations of oriental lyrics—The Jewel Stairs' Grievance. It is condensed and impressionistic. The critic concludes, from the fact that †̃¿ it refuses to advertise its meaning', that †̃¿ it is a poem of and for a paranoiac mind'. Well really! This clumsy Malleus Poetorum would strike down a whole bookshelf of poets, including our own genial Will Shakespeare himself.


Abstract The tables on the following pages are exerpts from the newly launched Raw Materials Data, the database on ownership and production in the world's mineral industries. Raw Materials Data is compiled by the Raw Materials Group and is the only database of its kind covering more than 7 000 mining, refining and exploration companies active in more than 30 minerals. Readers of Raw Materials Report will regularly get exclusive excerpts from Raw Materials Data. For a sample diskette of Raw Materials Data please contact Mr Andreas Tegen.


Mid-dermal elastolysis (MDE) is a rare, acquired, idiopathic disorder of elastic tissue, characterised clinically by macules and plaques with superficial fine wrinkling and histologically by focal loss of elastic tissue in the reticular dermis. Herein we present a 26-year-old female patient with eruptive MDE and briefly review the current literature. Except for stressful life events recently, no causative factor could be elicited from personal history. A trial of topical medications was ineffective both in reducing the unsightly appearance and in halting MDE progression. Awareness of the condition and reporting of successful therapeutic experiences might enable appropriate management of affected patients.


This thesis discusses contradictory foreground-background relationships within my MPhil portfolio of compositions. Part I elaborates a constellation of concepts. Foreground organization is considered as "character," the treatment of musical material as if it is a living subject, while background organization is approached as "ground," a frame which mediates and is mediated by character. The contradiction
between these levels is examined as a directed, multileveled syntax. The discussions are contextualized with examples from nineteenth- and late twentieth-century music as well as from philosophy, cultural theory, and non-musical art-forms. Part II discusses how specific techniques have actualized these concepts, focusing upon issues of behavior, shape, and stratification. In the conclusion, I analyze how an aesthetic of contradiction redefines relationships between sound and meaning.


This paper addresses the important question of how to design a video teleconferencing setup to increase the experience of spatial and social presence. Traditional video teleconferencing setups are lacking in presenting the nonverbal behaviors that humans express in face-to-face communication, which results in decrease in presence-experience. In order to address this issue, we first present a conceptual framework of presence for video teleconferencing. We introduce a modern presence concept called real virtuality and propose a new way of achieving this based on body or artifact actions to increase the feeling of presence, and we named this concept presence through actions. Using this new concept, we present the design of a novel action-augmented real virtuality prototype that considers the challenges related to the design of an action prototype, action embodiment, and face representation. Our action prototype is a telepresence mechatronic robot (TEBoT), and action embodiment is through a head-mounted display (HMD). The face representation solves the problem of face occlusion introduced by the HMD. The novel combination of HMD, TEBoT, and face representation algorithm has been tested in a real video teleconferencing scenario for its ability to solve the challenges related to spatial and social presence. We have performed a user study where the invited participants were requested to experience our novel setup and to compare it with a traditional video teleconferencing setup. The results show that the action capabilities not only increase the feeling of spatial presence but also increase the feeling of social presence of a remote person among local collaborators.


Industrial wireless sensor networks (IWSNs) are used to acquire sensor data that need real-time processing, therefore they require predictable behavior and real-time guarantees. To be cost effective, IWSNs are also expected to be low cost and low power. In this context, Bluetooth low energy (BLE) is a promising technology, as it allows implementing low-cost industrial networks. As BLE is a short-range technology, a multihop mesh network is needed to cover a large area. Nevertheless, the recently published Bluetooth mesh networking specifications do not provide support for real-time communications over multihop mesh networks. To overcome this limitation, this paper proposes the multihop real-time BLE (MRT-BLE) protocol, a real-time protocol developed on top of BLE, that allows for bounded packet delays over mesh networks. MRT-BLE also provides priority support. This paper describes in detail the MRT-BLE protocol and how to implement it on commercial-off-the-shelf devices. Two kinds of performance evaluation for the MRT-BLE protocol are provided. The first one is a worst case end-to-end delay analysis, while the second one is based on the experimental results obtained through measurements on a real testbed.


In this study, results are presented of an extensive experimental program to investigate the strain rate dependent mechanical properties of various Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steel grades. A split Hopkinson tensile bar setup was used for the high strain rate experiments and microstructural observation techniques such as LOM, SEM and EBSD revealed the mechanisms governing the observed behavior. With elevated testing temperatures and interrupted tensile experiments the material behavior and the austenite to martensite transformation is investigated. In dynamic conditions, the strain rate has limited influence on the material properties. Yet an important increase is noticed when comparing static to dynamic conditions. The differences in strength, elongation and energy absorption levels observed between the investigated materials can be attributed to their chemical composition. Adiabatic heating during high strain rate deformation tends to slow down the strain induced martensitic deformation. The elongation of the ferritic and austenite constituents is found to be strain rate dependent and the strain induced martensitic transformation occurs gradually in the material.


The vast majority of assessment instruments developed to assess children facing special healthcare challenges were constructed to assess children within a limited age range or children who face specific conditions or impairments. In contrast, the interRAI Pediatric Home Care (PEDS HC) Assessment Form was specifically designed to assess the long-term community-based service and support needs of children and youth aged from four to 20 years who face a wide range of chronic physical or behavioral health challenges. Initial research indicates that PEDS HC items exhibit good predictive validity–-explaining significant proportions of the variance in parents' perceptions of needs, case managers' service authorizations, and Medicaid program expenditures for long-term community-based services and supports. In addition, PEDS HC items have been used to construct scales that summarize the strengths and needs of children facing special healthcare challenges. Versions of the PEDS HC are now being used in Medicaid programs in three states in the United States.


The lower Fredericksburg Cretaceous of central Texas contains two shallow-marine sandstone deposits of similar shape but of contrasting lithology, genesis, and porosity trend. The lower sandstone (Paluxy) is part of the initial clastic phase of the lower Fredericksburg depositional cycle and is composed predominantly of quartz sand and clay. It occurs as a tongue which projects southward from the main body of the Paluxy Formation. The tongue was deposited by longshore currents, modified shoreward b}' wave swash and tidal action, in a coastal near-shore marine environment. The trend of I he tongue is controlled by the position of the shoreline and by the configuration of the sea floor. The upper sandstone (VVhitestone Member of the Walnut Formation) is the terminal jjhase of the lower l''redericksburg cycle and is composed entirely of carbonate grains. The VVhitestone is an elongate, mound-shaped body of calcarenite trending northwest. It was deposited in an agitated, offshore, shallowmarine environment by northwest-southvyest-trending marine currents which were modified locally by surge channels normal to this trend. The trend of the mound is controlled by linear shoal areas.


The aim of the study was to explore choking in sport and examine specifically, the moderating influence of physiological stress. Through a pragmatic mixed-methods approach, 40 novice golfers completed a low intensity (LI; 90% gas exchange threshold) and high intensity (HI; 100% V˙O2 max) exercise task, followed by a golf putting task under high (HP) and low pressure (LP). Performance scores were investigated using a two-way (2 x 2) Pressure by Intensity repeated measures ANOVA, and the difference between LP and HP performance scores of each participant (after LI and HI) was calculated to identify individuals who choked. Five participants experienced choking and completed individual semi-structured interviews which explored the event and the perceived moderating role of physiological stress. The study found the influence of physiological stress on choking in sport was insignificant, yet has provided further insights into its antecedents, mechanisms, consequences and other potential moderators.


IEEE 802.11p is an amendment to the IEEE 802.11 standard for Wireless Access in Vehicular Environments (WAVE). Lower layer wireless transmission formats and protocols are defined for both vehicle-to-infrastructure and vehicle-to-vehicle communication links to support cooperative intelligent transport systems. The medium access control (MAC) layer uses carrier sensing as a means for detecting the busy state of the radio channel before transmitting. In heavily loaded vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs), the channel access delay, when attempting to access the channel, unpredictably increases when it is sensed as busy. The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) defines safety-related messages. These messages require a dependable behavior of the communication link. In this context, dependable behavior translates to the reliable delivery of data packets within a specified deadline regardless of changes in traffic density. Unfortunately, the WAVE amendment does not fulfill the requirements for such dependable behavior. This contribution reports on performance evaluations by simulation studies of the WAVE MAC and the decentralized congestion control (DCC) mechanism specified by the ETSI in addition to the existing enhanced distributed channel access. The simulation scenario under study is a two-VANET-merging highway situation. The MAC protocol has to adapt to variable traffic densities in this scenario. The performance is evaluated in terms of coverage range and MAC-to-MAC delay reliability and DCC state stability. Furthermore, a novel performance indicator is defined, evaluated, and discussed, which the authors of this work have named data novelty. Finally, a multistate-active DCC mechanism is proposed, which achieves a dependable behavior.


Previous studies have revealed that decoding of facial expressions is a specific component of face comprehension and that semantic information might be processed separately from the basic stage of face perception. In order to explore event-related potentials (ERPs) related to recognition of facial expressions and the effect of the semantic content of the stimulus, we analyzed 20 normal subjects. Faces with three prototypical emotional expressions (fear, happiness, and sadness) and with three morphed expressions were presented in random order. The neutral stimuli represented the control condition. Whereas ERP profiles were similar with respect to an early negative ERP (N170), differences in peak amplitude were observed later between incongruous (morphed) expressions and congruous (prototypical) ones. In fact, the results demonstrated that the emotional morphed faces elicited a negative peak at about 360 ms, mainly distributed over the posterior site. The electrophysiological activity observed may represent a specific cognitive process underlying decoding of facial expressions in case of semantic anomaly detection. The evidence is in favor of the similarity of this negative deflection with the N400 ERP effect elicited in linguistic tasks. A domain-specific semantic module is proposed to explain these results.


: There has been considerable work done in recent years exploring the value of urban green space for health and wellbeing. Urban green spaces provide environmental benefits through their effects on negating urban heat, offsetting greenhouse gas emissions, and attenuating storm water. They also have direct health benefits by providing urban residents spaces for physical activity and social interaction, and allowing psychological restoration to take place. Consequently, there is a real need to understand the mechanisms by which these benefits accrue. Previously, much of the focus has been on the characteristics of the urban green space that are likely to influence its use, such as its accessibility, quality, facilities, attractiveness, and security. This assumes a causal relationship, when in reality the relationship is more complex and multifactorial. It is more likely that it is the functionality of the green space, be it for exercise or sociocultural activities, rather than its character, which translates to the reported benefits. Challenges exist, such as competing urban planning priorities, economic considerations, and market forces. There is thus a need for urban planning to match the health benefits sought with the needs of the community and the functionality that the urban green space will serve.


Abundant research has shown that macrobenthic species are able to increase sediment erodibility through bioturbation. So far, however, this has been at the level of individual species. Consequently, we lack understanding on how such species effects act on the level of bioturbator communities. We assessed the isolated and combined effects of three behaviorally contrasting macrobenthic species, i.e., Corophium volutator, Hediste diversicolor, and Limecola balthica, at varying densities on the critical bed shear stress for sediment resuspension (τcr). Overall, the effect of a single species on sediment erodibility could be described by a power function, indicating a relatively large effect of small bioturbator densities which diminishes toward higher individual density. In contrast to previous studies, our results could not be generalized between species using total metabolic rate, indicating that metabolic rate may be only suitable to integrate bioturbation effects within and between closely related species; highly contrasting species require consideration of species-specific bioturbation strategies. Experiments at the benthic community level revealed that the ability of a benthic community to reduce τcr is mainly determined by the species that has the largest individual effect in reducing τcr, as opposed to the species that is dominant in terms of metabolic rate. Hence, to predict and accurately model the net effect of bioturbator communities on the evolution of tidal flats and estuaries, identification of the key bioturbating species with largest effects on τcr and their spatial distribution is imperative. Metabolic laws may be used to describe their actual activity.