This Non-uniform Filter Banks (NUFBs) are used in several applications such as audio and image signal processing, biomedical signal processing, hearing aid instruments because of their flexibility in partitioning subbands and better performance [1] [2] [3] . Based upon the frequency spacing between bands, filter banks are broadly classified into two categories i.e. uniform band and non-uniform band filter bank. Most of the surveys focus on uniform frequency bandwidth in which incoming signals are split with same sampling rate [4] [5] [6] . But in few applications having different incoming data rates and different quality of service non-uniform filter bank is required. For example, to approximate the critical bands sensed by the human ear, non-uniform designs of filter bank using all pass frequency transformation shows better performance than uniform one [7] . Although few methods already have been reported in the literature using constrained or unconstrained optimization techniques, still efficient solutions to the direct design of non-uniform filter banks have yet to be developed [8] . This nonlinear arrangement of frequency bands is necessary when the signal energy exhibits bandwidth dependent distribution. The basic structure of uniform filter bank is shown in Figure 1 , where the input signal   x n is decomposed by M analysis filters   H z and then outputs are decimated by a factor of M to obtain M sub-band signals. In the synthesis section, the decimated signals are up-sampled by same factor M before passing through the synthesis bank   F z and finally sub-band signals are added together to reconstruct the original signal. The theory and design procedure of Perfect Reconstruction Filter Bank (PRFBs) have been extensively studied in the formerly reported literature [4] [5] [6] . Among them Cosine Modulated Filter Bank (CMFB) is an efficient technique, where all filters of analysis and synthesis bank are obtained by simply cosine modulation of a single prototype filter.

This Non-uniform Filter Banks (NUFBs) are used in several applications such as audio and image signal processing, biomedical signal processing, hearing aid instruments because of their flexibility in partitioning subbands and better performance.

Most of the surveys focus on uniform frequency bandwidth in which incoming signals are split with same sampling rate.

For example, to approximate the critical bands sensed by the human ear, non-uniform designs of filter bank using all pass frequency transformation shows better performance than uniform one.

Although few methods already have been reported in the literature using constrained or unconstrained optimization techniques, still efficient solutions to the direct design of non-uniform filter banks have yet to be developed.

The theory and design procedure of Perfect Reconstruction Filter Bank (PRFBs) have been extensively studied in the formerly reported literature.


Predictive models based on degree-day (DD) accumulations are used to predict a variety of biological events, including plant flowering, insect oviposition, egg hatch, and adult insect emergence, and they are often used in IPM programmes (Davis & Pedigo, 1991; Borchert et al., 2004; Broatch et al., 2006) . The Contapré model is a DD-based model developed in Europe for predicting emergence of adult swede midge (Bouma, 1996) . The average daily soil temperature at 5-cm soil depth and a lower threshold value of 7.2 ° C for development are used to determine when adults will be flying. The model was tested under irrigated field conditions in Germany and was shown to be accurate within 2-3 days (Koch & Gemmar, 2002) .

Predictive models based on degree-day (DD) accumulations are used to predict a variety of biological events, including plant flowering, insect oviposition, egg hatch, and adult insect emergence, and they are often used in IPM programmes.

The Contapré model is a DD-based model developed in Europe for predicting emergence of adult swede midge.

The model was tested under irrigated field conditions in Germany and was shown to be accurate within 2-3 days.


In southern Ontario, overwintered swede midges apparently emerge in 2-3 peaks (early June, mid-late June, mid July), with some emergence continuing until mid-August (Goodfellow, 2005; Hallett et al., 2007) . Emergence of the overwintered generation from June to August has been observed in Norway (Rygg & Braekke, 1980) . Prolonged emergence and the likely presence of multiple emergence phenotypes has complicated efforts to determine the number of generations occurring per year in this region, but also makes it difficult to target control measures at the emerging overwintered population.

In southern Ontario, overwintered swede midges apparently emerge in 2-3 peaks (early June, mid-late June, mid July), with some emergence continuing until mid-August.

Emergence of the overwintered generation from June to August has been observed in Norway.


In this paper, we show that it is possible to obtain the Hirota forms of integrable ultra-discrete equations without making use of the ultradiscretization of their corresponding discrete equations. Our method is based on the recently introduced concept of singularity analysis for ultra-discrete equation [8, 9] . More precisely, we show how one can use the singularity pattern of a given equation to introduce a change of variable that leads to the Hirota form. This paper is organised as follows. In Section 1, we introduce our method by applying it to several cases of ultra-discrete Painlevé equations. In Section 2, we consider the ultra-discretization of the KdV and Sine-Gordon equations. Section 3 is devoted to the conclusion. For simplicity, we refer to the process of finding the Hirota form of an equation as bilinearization even in cases where the Hirota form may be multilinear in several dependent variables and their iterates. Furthermore, throughout the article, we use the term differentiable to mean that the function of interest is differentiable in the initial values.

Our method is based on the recently introduced concept of singularity analysis for ultra-discrete equation.

This paper is organised as follows.

Section 3 is devoted to the conclusion.


There exist several notions of integrability for differential or difference equations. One of the most important ones defines integrability by the nonlocal linearisation through an associated system of linear equations called a Lax pair. This definition involves the existence of conserved quantities, Hamiltonian form, solvability through inverse scattering, the presence of multisoliton solutions... Non-linear equations integrable in the way described above are well known to possess many other properties, which allow explicit information about their solution space to be revealed. A crucial property possessed by these equations is the ability to be transformed to a multi-linear form called the Hirota form [7] .

A crucial property possessed by these equations is the ability to be transformed to a multi-linear form called the Hirota form.


For a complex system (e.g., defense systems, transport vehicles, or oil-platforms), the system support service supply chain is a common and challenging business in global industries today. One of the main drivers in this support service is systems' reliability, since the support service revolves around preventing and responding to unanticipated product malfunctions by the service supply chain. Thus the customers (i.e., the systems' owner such as governments or enterprises) have developed an interest in coordinating an after-sales supply chain in order to sustain systems' availability to optimize the support service cost and to enhance competitive capabilities or synergies in economical/social field. Generally, fulfilling the increasing support service demands enables the service supply chains to generate higher profit margins than systems' sales and to constitute a significant part of the industrial economy [1] .

Generally, fulfilling the increasing support service demands enables the service supply chains to generate higher profit margins than systems' sales and to constitute a significant part of the industrial economy.


Since the system support services are often provided and consumed by two different organizations (i.e., the customer and the service provider), the issue of contracting between them becomes important. In practice, the service supply chain for system support service is categorized into a resource-based contract (RBC) and a performance-based contract (PBC). The RBC is a traditional systems' support strategy by amounting resources such as spare parts, labors, and consumable resources in contract duration. By contrast, the PBC contains a service level agreement with respect to a system performance output (e.g., the system availability) at the consumer site and concentrates on performance results rather than on material results as huge-crowd strategy traditionally done. The strategy is often referred to as "performance-based logistics" (PBL) in defense industry or "power by hour" logistics (PBH) in commercial airlines [2] .

The strategy is often referred to as "performance-based logistics" (PBL) in defense industry or "power by hour" logistics (PBH) in commercial airlines.


Moisture content, high volume and non-uniform materials, are the factors which limit the usage of biomass materials, especially manures and farmyard compost from urban waste. Normally due to low density, the transport of these manures is difficult and expensive. Compression and pelleting are the methods to reduce transportation costs, increase economic efficiency and management for distribution of these materials in farms (Adapa et al., 2003) .

Compression and pelleting are the methods to reduce transportation costs, increase economic efficiency and management for distribution of these materials in farms.


There are two ways to convert organic manures to platform. The instrument platform which are used for this goal are extruders and die rollers. Extruders have a cylinder and the raw material drives into the cylinder by a screw. The materials will be compacted by pressure of the screw and friction between the wall and screw and then the compacted materials will be exited out of the die by the screw pressure in the shape of narrow cylindrical shapes. These materials will be cut by a knife, at different lengths and even to various forms of rod, bullet, tape or a continuous spiral (Keshvari Sarani, 2011) .

These materials will be cut by a knife, at different lengths and even to various forms of rod, bullet, tape or a continuous spiral.


Visco-plastic fluid behavior is characterized by the existence of a critical shear stress. Many non-Newtonian materials have a critical yield stress which they do not flow below this level and they are sometimes called visco-plastic materials (Bird et al., 1983) . They behave like solids when the applied shear stress is less than the yield stress; once it exceeds the yield stress, it will flow just like a fluid. For shear stress greater than yield stress, the internal structure collapses completely, allowing shearing movement to occur (Zisis and Mitsoulis, 2002) .

Many non-Newtonian materials have a critical yield stress which they do not flow below this level and they are sometimes called visco-plastic materials.

For shear stress greater than yield stress, the internal structure collapses completely, allowing shearing movement to occur.


In another study in 2005, Karmakar in Agricultural Engineering and Biological Research, University of Saskatchewan used a shear vane to evaluate the dynamic soil parameters. He had built himself a device that could be used to study the viscosity and yield stress of the soil. In the device built by Karmakar, the blades move by gears and chains driven by an electromotor. The blades were immersed into the soil inside the container. Then during the rotation of the blade inside the soil, the exerted force by soil was registered and sent to data logger for analysis (Karmakar, 2005) .

Then during the rotation of the blade inside the soil, the exerted force by soil was registered and sent to data logger for analysis.


Rotational viscometers are important for characterization of non-Newtonian fluid behavior. Viscometers are available in two types, namely; the controlled shear rate instruments and controlled stress instruments. Various devices have been designed for measurement of rheological properties, especially viscosity measurements of liquid, semi liquid and pasty materials that may have different working principles. The methods based on fundamental viscometers are divided into two major categories of tube and spin (Ghanbarzadeh, 2009) .

The methods based on fundamental viscometers are divided into two major categories of tube and spin.


The results showed that the mean independent effect of moisture content on the torque of the torque was achieved in 35% moisture content, with 40% and 45% treatments were significantly different at 5% level indicated. The results showed an increase of 35% to 40% moisture content, torque of 2.164 N.m to 1.390 N.m was decreased. Torque changes in moisture content of 40% and 45% were not significantly different (Fig. 4) . The influence of moisture content on the yield stress of cow manure showed that the yield stress is reduced with increasing moisture content (Fig. 5) . This phenomenon could be come out of existence of water between manure particles and the friction between solid particles attributed to manure. With increasing of moisture content, the water molecules move more freely and this phenomenon may lead to reduce solidsolid friction of manure particles. However, the yield stress increased at 45% moisture content. This phenomenon may be due to increasing adhesion in the manure particle by increasing of moisture content. The results of this section were almost consistent with Karmakar results (Karmakar and Kushwaha, 2007) . The results showed that the maximum shear stress was obtained at 35% moisture content. The shear stress at 35% moisture content was significantly different at 5% level, with the results of 40% and 45% moisture content. The shear stress decreased from 4.44 kPa to 2.89 kPa with increasing of moisture content from 35% to 40%. The changes of shear stress were not significantly different at 40% and 45% moisture contents (Fig. 6 ). The highest maximum torque (2.46 N.m) was obtained at 35% moisture content and a rotational speed of 0.1 rpm, while the lowest maximum torque (1.24 N.m) was at 40% moisture content and rotational speed 0.1 rpm (Fig. 7) . The interaction between rotational speed and moisture content showed that maximum shear stress (4.96 kPa) at 35% moisture content and a rotation speed of 0.1 rpm was obtained and the lowest shear stress (2.58 kPa) at moisture content of 40% and the rotation speed of 0.1 rpm was obtained (Fig. 8) . Results comparing the effect of treatments showed that the highest yield stress (5.34 kPa) at 35% moisture content and a rotation speed of 0.1 rpm was obtained and the lowest yield stress (2.77 kPa) at moisture content of 40 % and the rotation speed of 0.1 rpm was obtained (Fig. 9) .

The results of this section were almost consistent with Karmakar results.


From practical point of view, there nonetheless is that the yield stress (σ 0 ) engineering nature that may affect the process and give technical computing. Thus, various methods have developed to calculate the yield stress. The shear vane method is the most common methods for determining the shear strength and yield stress in the laboratory for plastic materials and powders because of its ease and simplicity. This assumption is that the mass of material within the container, is measurable at all levels within a torsion strength and resistance against the rotation of the blades on a specified length and diameter (Amiri, 2012) .

This assumption is that the mass of material within the container, is measurable at all levels within a torsion strength and resistance against the rotation of the blades on a specified length and diameter.


Among countries for which data were available in our study, the global prevalence of Hr-TB among new cases was 7.4% (95% CI 6.5%-8.4%) and among previously treated cases was 11.4% (95% CI 9.4%-13.4%). The wide variability in the prevalence of Hr-TB and MDR-TB between countries within the same region highlights the important, yet poorly understood, role of setting-specific factors on the emergence and spread of rifampicin and isoniazid resistance. Potential associations with HIV could not be explored, as these data were not available. The prevalence of Hr-TB in our study is higher than the global estimate of the prevalence of rifampicin resistance, which includes MDR-TB [1] . Given the lower and narrower confidence bounds around the prevalence estimate for Hr-TB, a history of previous treatment may be less important when screening for potential Hr-TB as opposed to rifampicin-resistant TB.

The prevalence of Hr-TB in our study is higher than the global estimate of the prevalence of rifampicin resistance, which includes MDR-TB.


In generally, the NIR spectrum from the samples will refer to the combinations chemicals bonds. The spectral data of the samples can be calculated for determining the chemical properties so that the quality attributes can be determined further [7] . Although, NIR techniques are able to classify the [12] . In our work, the ensemble classification will contain the calibration models trained from the data with different harvesting year, and harvesting period for the fruit collection on such year. In the experiments, the performance of the proposed ensemble classification and the traditional method, single classification, is evaluated in term of the varied environments by different datasets.

The spectral data of the samples can be calculated for determining the chemical properties so that the quality attributes can be determined further.

Although, NIR techniques are able to classify the.


The mango fruit is a large, fleshy drupe. The fruit has rich aromatic flavor. It has well mixture of sourness and sweetness those are considered as good taste. It contains carbohydrate (starch and sugar), organic acid, lipid, pigment, and volatiles. In addition, sucrose, glucose, and fructose are the principal carbohydrates presented in ripe mango fruits. All these substances can be an indicator of the quality of mango fruit [13] [14] . Typically, such qualities are influenced from the pre-and post-harvest processes. For example, the effect of water shortage can be seen from the total soluble solids-toacidity ratio, or firmness measurements [15] . However, when the non-destructive quality measurement is necessity, grading mango fruit by expert workers in the green stage is generally selected. In which such grading might not guarantee the quality in term of the flavor.

The fruit has rich aromatic flavor.

All these substances can be an indicator of the quality of mango fruit.

For example, the effect of water shortage can be seen from the total soluble solids-toacidity ratio, or firmness measurements.


Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), from the Brassicaceae family, grows in about 42.2 million/ha in 53 countries all over the 6 continents, yielding an average of 1451 kg ha -1 . Although Asia alone itself owns 59.1% of the cultivated areas, it produces only 48.6% of the whole production. Canola (Brassica napus L.) has a high adaptability under the different environmental conditions especially under the drought, salinity and temperature stresses (Yadava & Singh, 2004) .

Canola (Brassica napus L.) has a high adaptability under the different environmental conditions especially under the drought, salinity and temperature stresses.


Given con£icts of interest between yuccas and moths, individual yuccas would increase their ¢tness by defecting against yucca moths. Opportunities for defection exist because of the asynchrony between pollination and seed consumption. Individual yuccas can increase their shortterm ¢tness by accepting the pollination services of yucca moths and subsequently facilitating the mortality of yucca-moth eggs and larvae. The opportunity for yuccas to defect stands in contrast to the limited opportunities for ¢gs to defect against ¢g wasps (Addicott et al. 1990) . A ¢g that decreases ¢g-wasp survival in the developing syconium would produce more seeds, thereby increasing its female reproductive success. However, it would simultaneously decrease its male reproductive success, because the adult female ¢g wasps emerging from a syconium are the vectors of pollen for that syconium.

The opportunity for yuccas to defect stands in contrast to the limited opportunities for ¢gs to defect against ¢g wasps.


Current-mode circuits have wider bandwidth, larger linearity, higher slew-rate, and wider dynamic range than voltage-mode circuits, thus they have received considerable attention [1] . A number of applications, such as filters, oscillators, analog-digital converter, and analogue signal processing blocks based on current conveyors have been proposed [2] [3] [4] . Recently, current-mode circuits are well used in communication circuits and wireless optical systems due to their larger dynamic range and wider bandwidth [5] [6] .

Current-mode circuits have wider bandwidth, larger linearity, higher slew-rate, and wider dynamic range than voltage-mode circuits, thus they have received considerable attention.

A number of applications, such as filters, oscillators, analog-digital converter, and analogue signal processing blocks based on current conveyors have been proposed.

Recently, current-mode circuits are well used in communication circuits and wireless optical systems due to their larger dynamic range and wider bandwidth.


We have already studied pheromone trap catch results depending on the phases of the Moon (NOWINSZKY et al. 2010) . In this work we publish the distributions of the pheromone trap catch of the target species for each moon phase. We also investigated, using new data, the cause of differences experienced at different moon phases in our present study.

We have already studied pheromone trap catch results depending on the phases of the Moon.


In computation process of ant colony algorithm, transfer of ant colony is guided by the strength of information amount left on to the paths and the distance between cities. Path of ant colony movement is always close to the most informative path. Research of ant colony and ant colony algorithm show that paths of the strongest amount of information are closer to the optimal paths whether real ant colony or artificial ant colony system under normal circumstances (Duan et al., 2006) . However, it still exists that the most informative path is not the optimal path required, in the artificial ant colony system, this phenomenon often exists. Due to the artificial ant colony systems, the initial amount of information on the path is the same; the information obtained by ant colony on the first path is the distance information between the cities, for this time ant colony algorithm is equivalent to greedy algorithm. Information left for the first cycle of ants on the path does not necessarily reflect the most excellent direction of the path, especially when less number of individuals in the ant colony or more calculated path combination, there is no reason to ensure that the first path ant colony created guided ant colony to the global optimal path. After the first iteration, information left by ant colony group because of a positive feedback made this path not optimal path and may enhance path which may be very far from the optimal path, thereby to prevent ants from finding better global optimal path.

Research of ant colony and ant colony algorithm show that paths of the strongest amount of information are closer to the optimal paths whether real ant colony or artificial ant colony system under normal circumstances.


As input FPTaylor takes a text file describing floating-point computations, and prints out the computed floating-point error bounds as output. Figure 2 demonstrates an example FPTaylor input file. Each input file contains several sections which define variables, constraints (in Fig. 2 constraints are not used and commented out), and expressions. FPTaylor analyses all expressions in an input file. All operations are assumed to be over real numbers. Floating-point arithmetic is modeled with rounding operators and with initial types of variables. The operator rnd64= in the example means that the rounding operator rnd64 is applied to all operations, variables, and constants on the right hand side (this notation is borrowed from Gappa [15] ). See the FPTaylor user manual distributed with the tool for all usage details.

The operator rnd64= in the example means that the rounding operator rnd64 is applied to all operations, variables, and constants on the right hand side (this notation is borrowed from Gappa).


The research was conducted in Nupe land in central Nigeria. The Nupe people live along the valleys of the Niger and Kaduna rivers in central Nigeria, and in the adjacent savannah. The study was conducted in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State, which was selected due to the largest concentration of rice farmers along river Niger in all the areas of Nupeland. The Area has a total land area of 2743 km 2 and a population of about 110,852 [24] . The climate is characterized by rainy and dry seasons. The rainy season begins from early April and ends in October and the dry season continues from the end of November to March [24] . Descriptive quantitative research design was used in this study and the population of study was Nupe and Yoruba farmers in Bissan, Sakpefu and Lade in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State. To generate a sampling frame, the researchers conducted house listing from three villages, namely Bissan (50 households), Sakpefu (100 households), Lade (50 households) villages to obtain a total of 200 households. After that, 100 farmers were selected out of 200 households by a simple random sampling using the drawing from the hat method. The simple random sampling gives equal chance to every household to be selected. A structured questionnaire covering ownership, and decision making on selected productive resources such as agricultural land (pieces, plots), large livestock (cattle), small livestock (goats, pigs, sheep), chicken, ducks, turkeys, pigeons and farm equipment (non-mechanized) was used to collect data in February 2013. Trained enumerators who understand Nupe language were used for the face-to-face interviews survey under close supervision by one of the researchers. Ownership, gender of owners, decision makers and gender of decision makers were measured on nominal level with a score of one for female and two for male. Culture as the moderating variable was measured as a categorical variable with labels as Nupe = 1 and Yoruba = 2. Data were collected after explaining the objective of the research to respondents and their consent was sought, with the assurance of confidentiality and no form of deception on the benefits of the research to the respondents. Data were analyzed as a reference group and no individual identifiers were included in the data or the results. Ethics approval was granted by the committee of the environmental policy laboratory of Kinki University Japan. Data were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages and Chi-square test statistics based on the fact that the variables are categorical. Gender and ownership as well as decision making were cross-tabulated and then layered with culture as a third variable.

The Area has a total land area of 2743 km 2 and a population of about 110,852.

The rainy season begins from early April and ends in October and the dry season continues from the end of November to March.


GOx-immobilized PPD polymer film was formed on a CoPc-BDD electrode via electropolymerization. At the GOx/PPDCoPc-BDD electrode, CV for glucose showed a sigmoidal curve without any additional electron mediator in the electrolyte solution, indicating that the glucose oxidation at the GOx and the electrocatalytic oxidation of H 2 O 2 , which is a product of glucose oxidation, at the CoPc were successful at the electrolyte/electrode interface. Since the GOx/PPD-CoPc-BDD electrode exhibited significantly small background current, the S/B ratio was found to be larger at the GOx/PPD-CoPc-BDD electrode than at the GOx/PPD-Pt electrode. This result is consistent with our previous result that H 2 O 2 can be detected electrochemically on the CoPc-BDD electrode with the lowest limit of detection level based on the small background current [14] . This study showed that this feature of the CoPc-BDD electrode can be maintained even after further modification with GOx. Therefore, sensitive enzyme electrodes, involved with H 2 O 2 /O 2 redox mediation, having low limit of detection should be able to be fabricated with a similar method using a CoPc-BDD electrode. For application of this electrode to a glucose sensor, amperometric studies using a solution containing glucose and other possible interferents which exist in human blood should be investigated in the future study.

This result is consistent with our previous result that H 2 O 2 can be detected electrochemically on the CoPc-BDD electrode with the lowest limit of detection level based on the small background current.


In a combinatorial auction, a set of items are allocated to a group of selfish individuals. Each player has different preferences for different subsets of the items and this is expressed via a valuation set function. A multi-unit auction can be considered as an important special case, where there are multiple copies of a single good. Hence the valuations of the players are not set functions, but depend only on the number of copies received. Multi-unit auctions have been extensively studied since the seminal work by Vickrey [24] . As already mentioned, all-pay auctions have received a lot of attention for the case of a single item, as they model all-pay contests and procurements via contests.

Multi-unit auctions have been extensively studied since the seminal work by Vickrey.


However, recent technological advances in radiation treatment (e.g. three dimensional conformal radiotherapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy, image guided-radiotherapy, etc.) have progressively changed the practice in esophageal cancer. However, for the lymph node target volume of EC, there is no agreed and detailed guideline. It was said that the relative risk of nodal metastases at a specific nodal location depended on the site of the primary tumor. Some studies reported that the T stage, length of tumor and histological differentiation influence the pattern of lymph node metastases in thoracic ESCC (Huang et al., 2010) . These factors should be considered comprehensively to design the CTV for RT of thoracic ESCC.

Some studies reported that the T stage, length of tumor and histological differentiation influence the pattern of lymph node metastases in thoracic ESCC.


Study site-Long Lake is a dimictic, oligo-to mesotrophic lake located in northwestern Minnesota (latitude 47Њ17ЈN, longitude 95Њ17ЈW). The lake has a single basin, is 2.4 km long, and has a surface area of 66.5 ha and a volume of 7.63 ϫ 10 6 m 3 . The basin is symmetrical, relatively deep (maximum depth ϭ 24 m, mean depth ϭ 13 m), and has a small littoral zone (ϳ15% of lake surface area) (Schmid 1965) . Its depth and simple morphometry make it ideal for acoustic analysis, and because interactions in the pelagic zone dominate the ecology of the lake, an understanding of the spatial distribution and abundance of Daphnia is especially relevant.

The basin is symmetrical, relatively deep (maximum depth ϭ 24 m, mean depth ϭ 13 m), and has a small littoral zone (ϳ15% of lake surface area).


The inverse source problems in waves arise in many scientific and industrial areas such as antenna design and synthesis, biomedical imaging, and photo-acoustic tomography [7] . For instance, in medical imaging, such as magnetoencephalography (MEG), the imaging modality is a non-invasive neurophysiological technique that measures the electric or magnetic fields generated by neuronal activity of the brain [4, 27, 47] . The spatial distributions of the measured fields are analyzed to localize the sources of the activity within the brain to provide information about both the structure and function of the brain. The inverse source problems are also considered as a basic mathematical tool for solving many imaging problems including reflection tomography, diffusion-based optical tomography, lidar imaging for chemical and biological threat detection, and fluorescence microscopy [31] .

The inverse source problems in waves arise in many scientific and industrial areas such as antenna design and synthesis, biomedical imaging, and photo-acoustic tomography.

For instance, in medical imaging, such as magnetoencephalography (MEG), the imaging modality is a non-invasive neurophysiological technique that measures the electric or magnetic fields generated by neuronal activity of the brain.

The inverse source problems are also considered as a basic mathematical tool for solving many imaging problems including reflection tomography, diffusion-based optical tomography, lidar imaging for chemical and biological threat detection, and fluorescence microscopy.


Number of potent inhibitors have been developed and approved as drugs for the treatment of HIV infection; there has been a continuous interest for the search of new drugs. Saquinavir was the first protease inhibitor approved by FDA. It has been in clinical use since 1995 [6] . A review related to the current development on HIV-1 Protease Inhibitors focuses in the first part on the general features of the HIV-1 PR as well as its structure and functions. While in the second part, the review was targeted to characteristic and activity of drug resistant of the nine FDA approval inhibitors [7] . Ligands having high potency against HIV may be properly developed using quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) procedures.

It has been in clinical use since 1995.

While in the second part, the review was targeted to characteristic and activity of drug resistant of the nine FDA approval inhibitors.


The latter layers of DNN architectures are instead fully connected layers that require inputs of fixed size. This constraint on input size propagates down the convolutional layers, effectively fixing the DNN architecture's expected input image size (sizes around 225 × 225 are common [9, 10] ). In this respect, the convolutional layers of DNN architectures can be seen as very large fully connected layers that have been constrained to have a weights matrix that is structured and highly sparse, effectively regularizing the architecture.

This constraint on input size propagates down the convolutional layers, effectively fixing the DNN architecture's expected input image size (sizes around 225 × 225 are common).


The observed increase in soil pH could be due to proton (H + ) transfer from soil to the organic materials which is mainly governed by initial soil pH and the nature of organic materials (Marschner & Noble, 2000) . The differences among organic amendments could be due to the release of base cations especially Ca and Mg which resulted in acid neutralization during microbial decarboxylation (Tang & Yu, 1999) . In the present study the neutralizing effect of P.M was due to the presence of substantial quantity (2.49%) of calcium which resulted in significant improvement in soil pH. Thus, organic manures acted as an amendment to acid soils which might have improved the N mineralization.

The observed increase in soil pH could be due to proton (H + ) transfer from soil to the organic materials which is mainly governed by initial soil pH and the nature of organic materials.

The differences among organic amendments could be due to the release of base cations especially Ca and Mg which resulted in acid neutralization during microbial decarboxylation.


Organic matter plays a prominent role in increasing the level of soil fertility and sustaining the productivity of soils. Simultaneously rising costs of chemical fertilizers has further focused attention on recycling of plant nutrients through organic materials. Thus, the potential of organic manure use either alone or in combination with chemical fertilizers in crop production has received world wide attention. The importance of organic manure as a source of humus and plant nutrients to improve the soil fertility and soil health has been well established (Larson & Clapp, 1984; Doran & Parkin, 1994; Sudha & Chandini, 2003) . In addition, the effect of different organic manures and its combinations on vegetable crops such as okra, tomato, onion etc., are widely studied (Masciandaro, Ceccanti, & Garcia, 1997; Buckerfield & Webster, 1998; Atiyeh et al., 2000; Bairwa, 2009; Islam et al., 2011; Kumar, Gowda, Shetty, & Karthik, 2011) . In recent times, reports on organic manure as a source of plant nutrients for field crops particularly as an alternative to chemical fertilizers in rice cultivation is also increasing (Banik et al., 2006; Siavoshi, Nasiri, & Laware, 2011) .

The importance of organic manure as a source of humus and plant nutrients to improve the soil fertility and soil health has been well established.

In addition, the effect of different organic manures and its combinations on vegetable crops such as okra, tomato, onion etc., are widely studied.

In recent times, reports on organic manure as a source of plant nutrients for field crops particularly as an alternative to chemical fertilizers in rice cultivation is also increasing.


Ever since its introduction in the 1960's modern agricultural technologies involving the use of high yielding varieties, chemical fertilizers and pesticides among others have increased the food grain production tremendously across the world. Chemical fertilizers have played a predominant role in green revolution and initially the results were impressive. But, in the subsequent years unfavorable effects such as decreasing productivity, huge neglected areas of poor soils and water resources, and environmental impact have emerged. In addition the readily available forms of nutrients in inorganic fertilizers have pushed the traditional important sources of nutrients especially organic manures of different origin into a decline (Nagarajah, 1988) . As agriculture became more settled, with a permanent land base, and as cultivation practices intensified, soil fertility became severely depleted. Ironically, this same period also marked the beginning of a massive global loss of soil organic carbon (SOC) associated with the rapid expansion of agriculture onto grassland and forest soils (Manna, Ghosh, & Acharya, 2003) .

In addition the readily available forms of nutrients in inorganic fertilizers have pushed the traditional important sources of nutrients especially organic manures of different origin into a decline.

Ironically, this same period also marked the beginning of a massive global loss of soil organic carbon (SOC) associated with the rapid expansion of agriculture onto grassland and forest soils.


An incubation study was conducted at Central Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, Andaman Islands, India to determine the nitrogen release pattern in a Typic Tropofluvents soil having pH 5.85 due to the addition of organic manures and inorganic fertilizers. Surface soil (0-30 cm) from cultivated land was collected, shade dried, processed and analyzed for the required soil fertility parameters following standard procedures (Jackson, 1973) . The same soil was used for incubation experiment. The soil was found to be medium in organic carbon (0.65), low in available nitrogen (275 kg ha -1 ), medium in phosphorus (16.1 kg ha -1 ) and low in potassium (146 kg ha C+Neem. The V.C and P.M combinations were included to study its potential to supply the crop with adequate N during its early growth stages. The neem treatment was incorporated to assess its nitrification inhibiting effect.

Surface soil (0-30 cm) from cultivated land was collected, shade dried, processed and analyzed for the required soil fertility parameters following standard procedures.


A second reason why preparing a port for possible future developments is important, is that the future is deeply uncertain [4, 5] . Since there are many actors with different objectives involved in the global logistic system, it is virtually impossible to predict how changes in any given component of the system will affect the system as a whole. An example of a disruptive change is the labor strike case on the western coast of the US in early 2015. As a result of the strike, the port of Long Beach was shut down for several days, causing a loss to the GDP of the Unites States of America of roughly 150 M dollar [6] . Another example is the recent drop in the global oil price, which has reduced transport cost significantly. When this low oil price is sustained for a long period (>5 years), it will likely influence trade flows between countries positively. Consequently, this would result in an increase in the volume of containers flows transported globally. Predicting when the oil price will return to its 2013 level is a highly challenging task. Other changes might include the opening and closing of certain maritime routes such as the Suez Canal and the Northern passage (i.e. the arctic route), changes in competition strategies of other ports, emergence of political tensions that hamper trade agreements between countries, etc. In short, there is a massive number of scenarios that can be generated to account for the uncertainties within the global logistic system.

A second reason why preparing a port for possible future developments is important, is that the future is deeply uncertain.

As a result of the strike, the port of Long Beach was shut down for several days, causing a loss to the GDP of the Unites States of America of roughly 150 M dollar.


In the past couple of decades, changes in the global container transport system have happened very rapidly. These changes have affected virtually all actors in the system, but the biggest impact has been on maritime ports. Ports have to be adaptive and resilient in responding to the changes in the global container shipping system. In today's globalized economy, ports need to ensure that they can function robustly, both as a transshipment node and as a gateway node for global trade flows. A failure to respond to changes in a timely manner often results in negative consequences for the port itself, as well as the economy of the region or country to which the port belongs. For example, the recent congestion at ports on the west coast of the US resulted in estimated damages for the economy of roughly 7 billion US dollar [1] .

For example, the recent congestion at ports on the west coast of the US resulted in estimated damages for the economy of roughly 7 billion US dollar.


The ongoing changes on both the seaside and the land size of seaports change the spatial flow of containers globally. The operation of the Trans-Siberian railways is an example of the importance of hinterland infrastructure on global container flows through ports [2] . A similar chained effect also takes place when global policies are imposed on ports. An example of this is the recent International Maritime Organization regulation that limits the use of sulfur in a ship's fuel in many ports in the world [3] . All of these components in the system, both physical and institutional, and the potential linked changes therein demonstrate that ports are part of a complex system. In such systems, observation on the components, and their interaction mechanisms can only be done partially, leading to a limited predictability of the behavior of the system when certain changes occur.

The operation of the Trans-Siberian railways is an example of the importance of hinterland infrastructure on global container flows through ports.

An example of this is the recent International Maritime Organization regulation that limits the use of sulfur in a ship's fuel in many ports in the world.


Despite the success in understanding the physics of the interaction of global and local thermal mismatch stresses in assemblies bonded at the ends, there still exists a strong incentive for the development of simple, practically useful, and physically meaningful stress models for particular systems, designs, and applications. Owing to the development of various renewable energy technologies during the last decade or so, thermoelectric materials and thermoelectric modules are receiving increased attention of the research and engineering communities [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] . The general views of typical TEMs are shown in Figs. 1 and 2 . Although the majority of the R&D work is being naturally focused on the thermoelectric properties of the TEM materials and modules (Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity), some investigators have pointed out the importance of the TEM shortand long-term mechanical robustness and have addressed and employed finite-element-analysis (FEA) to evaluate the mechanical behavior of the TEM materials and structures [24] [25] [26] .

Owing to the development of various renewable energy technologies during the last decade or so, thermoelectric materials and thermoelectric modules are receiving increased attention of the research and engineering communities.

Although the majority of the R&D work is being naturally focused on the thermoelectric properties of the TEM materials and modules (Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity, thermal conductivity), some investigators have pointed out the importance of the TEM shortand long-term mechanical robustness and have addressed and employed finite-element-analysis (FEA) to evaluate the mechanical behavior of the TEM materials and structures.


Another effect on the size of the individuals in GP is bloat. Bloat is a phenomenon whereby the size of individuals in a GP population increases dramatically over the duration of a run, largely due to redundant code [20] . The effect of bloat has also been noticed in our experiments where there are individuals with the same fitness but with different sizes due to code redundancy, which tends to evolve programs with higher energy consumption. Fortunately, "the archiving in SPEA2 is effectively elitist, and counteracts the emergence of bloat in GP, because a larger individual will only survive if it makes an improvement over the existing archive in at least one objective" [31] . This feature is very important in our experiments since it supports our goal to evolve small-sized programs, and programs with low energy consumption presumably.

Bloat is a phenomenon whereby the size of individuals in a GP population increases dramatically over the duration of a run, largely due to redundant code.

Fortunately, "the archiving in SPEA2 is effectively elitist, and counteracts the emergence of bloat in GP, because a larger individual will only survive if it makes an improvement over the existing archive in at least one objective".


Originated from a typically simple mechanical-based system, road vehicles have evolved into a complex interdisciplinary mechanical system that includes fluidic and electrical systems. Modern road vehicles are complex mechanical dynamic systems where multiple translational and rotational motions are coupled [4] . The ride dynamics of a vehicle is mostly dependent on the suspension systems installed. Unlike passenger cars, buses utilize different types of suspension systems because of their heavy load carrying capacities. Most buses have leaf springs and large shock absorbers as their secondary suspension system. Generally, leaf springs can be divided into conventional type multileaf springs and parabolic leaf springs. Parabolic leaf springs are widely used in buses as primary suspension system because of their simplicity in structure and less interleaf friction. A conventional multileaf spring has a constant thickness across its length, 2 Advances in Mechanical Engineering whereas a parabolic leaf spring has a tapered cantilever profile along its length [5] . Shock absorber is another important element where its damping force versus velocity characteristic affects the ride performance of a bus.

Modern road vehicles are complex mechanical dynamic systems where multiple translational and rotational motions are coupled.

A conventional multileaf spring has a constant thickness across its length, 2 Advances in Mechanical Engineering whereas a parabolic leaf spring has a tapered cantilever profile along its length.


The driving speed of the bus has a direct impact on the shock absorber piston velocity. As seen in Figure 8 , the rebound damping force is higher than compression because of the shock absorber inner valve and control disc settings. A higher piston speed leads to a greater rebound force generation. The damping coefficients for the front and rear shock absorber are shown in Tables 3 and 4 and 0.16, respectively, whereas the rebound and compression damping reduction factors for the rear shock absorber are 0.25 and 0.41, respectively. The damping coefficients are the primary inputs for the shock absorber. For the simulations, the vehicle speed is about 20 m/s. The damping coefficients of the medium range were chosen for the preliminary study. The compression forces of the shock absorbers exert less influence on the vehicle ride dynamics. A bus is a passenger vehicle that may be considered as a compound structure made up of many mechanical components subject to variable loadings. The ride dynamics of a bus rely on the stiffness of its suspension systems and overall mass. To analyze such dynamics, an FE approach modal analysis was performed to acquire the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the urban bus model. This approach provides the vibration behavior of the bus according to the stiffness of the suspension systems and body mass. Based on the FE modal analysis results, the first mode of baseline model is identified as the roll mode of the bus model as shown in Figure 9 A guideline for this simulation is the mode shapes with natural frequencies that range from 0.3 Hz to 28 Hz, which are associated with road profile excitation [22] . Based on (12), higher system stiffness leads to higher natural frequencies of the system. Based on the results obtained, the bus model bounce mode frequency is exorbitant and appears to be in the second mode. The first roll mode of the bus consists of a natural frequency of 2.37 Hz. The second and third modes, which are the bounce and pitch modes, consist of frequencies 2.85 and 4.99 Hz, respectively. The suspension wheel hop mode is at 9.77 Hz (rear) and 11.44 Hz (front).

Based on the FE modal analysis results, the first mode of baseline model is identified as the roll mode of the bus model as shown in Figure 9 A guideline for this simulation is the mode shapes with natural frequencies that range from 0.3 Hz to 28 Hz, which are associated with road profile excitation.


To classify the modification on the suspension parameters, the increase of leaf springs stiffness is called "Iteration 1, " whereas the reduction of leaf spring stiffness is called "Iteration 2". Iteration 3 is the utilization of high speed damping, whereas Iteration 4 is the utilization of low speed damping. The original bus suspension is tagged as the baseline. A modal analysis is performed against the changes of Table 8 . Compared with Iteration 1, the frequency of the bus roll mode is reduced when the spring stiffness is reduced. Nevertheless, the second mode, the bus bounce mode, is shifted from a pure bounce mode to a mixed mode combining the roll and bounce modes. The mixed mode is detrimental to the ride dynamics of the bus because a higher acceleration is exerted on the vehicle body. The gap of the frequencies between the first and second modes is too small where the resonance can happen simultaneously. The first mode of Iteration 2 is the roll mode, and the second mode is the mixed mode. The natural frequency of the pitch mode is reduced for both Iterations 1 and 2. When comparing the rear suspension wheel hop mode of Iteration 1 to the baseline model, the natural frequency is shifted from 9.77 Hz to 9.70 Hz. This shift implies that the reduction in the stiffness of a system exhibits a reduction in natural frequency [23] . On the contrary, in Iteration 2, an increase in the parabolic leaf spring vertical stiffness produces an increase in natural frequency from 9.77 Hz to 9.82 Hz. Although the variation in the natural frequency is exorbitant, the influence on ride performance noticeably varies. The front suspension wheel hop mode for both Iterations 1 and 2 does not undergo significant changes in natural frequency when the vertical stiffness of the parabolic leaf spring is altered. By contrast, a slight change occurs in the rear suspension wheel hop mode.

This shift implies that the reduction in the stiffness of a system exhibits a reduction in natural frequency.


Thus we examine the equivalence relation on skew diagrams D 1 , D 2 defined by D 1 ∼ D 2 if and only if s D1 = s D2 . It transpires in Corollary 7.1 below that this skew-equivalence restricts to the subclass of skew diagrams known as ribbons or border strips or rim hooks. Among this subclass, skew-equivalence was characterized completely in recent work of Billera, Thomas and the third author [2] . In this work, a key role was played by an operation on two ribbons α, β called their composition α • β.

Among this subclass, skew-equivalence was characterized completely in recent work of Billera, Thomas and the third author.


The term chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) describes a condition that affects the venous systems of the lower limbs. It results from the obstruction or reflux of blood flow in the veins due to abnormalities of the venous wall and valves [1] . Because of the abnormalities, venous blood flow is bidirectional, resulting in inefficient venous outflow and high venous pressure [2] . Symptoms of CVI may include leg discomfort, heaviness, cramps, pains, oedema, and skin changes. The most serious consequence of CVI is venous ulcers. CVI causes considerable cost to society in terms of diagnosis, treatments, loss of working hours, and impairment of quality of life [1, 3] .

It results from the obstruction or reflux of blood flow in the veins due to abnormalities of the venous wall and valves.

Because of the abnormalities, venous blood flow is bidirectional, resulting in inefficient venous outflow and high venous pressure.

CVI causes considerable cost to society in terms of diagnosis, treatments, loss of working hours, and impairment of quality of life.


Sprouting occurs as a result of germination of wheat kernels following rainfall after maturity, reducing grain quality and value (Biddulph, Plummer, Setter, & Mares, 2008) . The chemical properties of the sprouted grain can be significantly changed, causing important alterations on the concentrations of starch, sugar, proteins and dry matter (Lorenz & Valvano, 1981) . In particular, the a-amylase enzyme is found in high concentrations in sprouted kernels, which affects baking quality and the premium paid for wheat (Singh, Jayas, Paliwal, & White, 2009) . The grinding process is also heavily influenced by sprouting, both in terms of grinding energy requirements and distribution of the particle size (Dziki & Laskowski, 2010) . Sprouted kernels are also more vulnerable to diseases and insect infestations (Singh et al., 2009) . Thus, it is very important to accurately measure the damage caused by sprouting so producers are paid fairly and the grains receive a proper destination.

Sprouting occurs as a result of germination of wheat kernels following rainfall after maturity, reducing grain quality and value.

The chemical properties of the sprouted grain can be significantly changed, causing important alterations on the concentrations of starch, sugar, proteins and dry matter.

In particular, the a-amylase enzyme is found in high concentrations in sprouted kernels, which affects baking quality and the premium paid for wheat.

The grinding process is also heavily influenced by sprouting, both in terms of grinding energy requirements and distribution of the particle size.

Sprouted kernels are also more vulnerable to diseases and insect infestations.


Various classes of dielectric materials have been developed for high-temperature capacitors, but each has its own limitations. Normally, ceramics can withstand high temperature and exhibit high ɛ r , but low breakdown strength (E b ) and large variation of dielectric properties versus temperature limit their applications. Glasses always possess high E b and relatively good thermal stability, but their low ɛ r impedes the increment in energy storage density. Although high E b and low loss of polymers are beneficial for capacitive performance, the maximum working temperature is significantly limited by their thermal stability such as glass transition temperatures (T g ) [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] . For example, the commercial state-of-the-art biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) polymer film capacitors have a working temperature <80°C [23] . Extensive studies have been carried out to modify dielectric materials to address their intrinsic shortcomings for high-temperature applications.

Although high E b and low loss of polymers are beneficial for capacitive performance, the maximum working temperature is significantly limited by their thermal stability such as glass transition temperatures (T g ).

For example, the commercial state-of-the-art biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) polymer film capacitors have a working temperature <80°C.


The application of Magnesium influenced grain weight per plant and protein yield per hectare. Although grain yield increased with the application of 1.25 kg Mg/ha, the increase was not significant probably because of the moderate levels of Mg in the soil. Soil analysis showed that the level of Mg in the soil was moderate and therefore spectacular responses were not obtained. Increasing the levels of both nutrients above 1.25kg/ha tended to reduce grain yield, implying that the nutrient may be reaching toxicity levels. Protein yield increased with Mg application because the nutrient is essential for protein synthesis (Mengel & Kirkby, 1987) . The positive and significant correlations between grain yield and some growth parameters indicate their contributions to yield. Leaf area index which is a measure of total ground cover reflects the photosynthetic machinery for capturing and conversion of solar energy into assimilates for eventual translocation to grain. Therefore, increase in LAI up to the optimum eventually increased grain yield. Similarly, high TDM also translated into high grain yield as more photosynthates were eventually translocated to the sink, and in this instance the grain. Plant height has been shown also to increase grain yield in some instances. Tall plants have more or larger leaves that may promote high photosynthetic activity, therefore more assimilates for grain filling.

Protein yield increased with Mg application because the nutrient is essential for protein synthesis.


Phylogenetic analyses.-The entire Cytb gene (GenBank EU188768-188791 and GU585640-GU585664) was sequenced for 49 specimens, and partial fragments of 404 bp (GenBank GU585665 and GU585666) were sequenced for 2 specimens (Appendix I). Partial COI gene sequences for 48 specimens (618 bp, GenBank GU585592-GU585639) were used for estimating genetic distances (Table 1 ) and for comparison with clades identified in Cytb gene sequence and AFLP data sets. Alignment of complete Cytb sequences, plus 2 from GenBank, was unequivocal and without internal stop codons, resulting in 42 unique haplotypes. Of 1,140 bp, 673 were invariant, 53 were autapomorphic, and 414 were parsimony informative. Including outgroups, 79 informative characters were at 1st codon positions, 21 at 2nd positions, and 314 at 3rd positions. Parsimony analyses generated a single most-parsimonious tree of 1,629 steps (consistency index 5 0.3966, retention index 5 0.8161). Maximum-likelihood analyses resulted in a single optimal tree (2lnL 5 7,846.79; Fig. 2) , and the minimum-evolution, least-evolved tree had a score of 1.26. Bayesian analyses, regardless of outgroup choice (3 different outgroup arrangements), resulted in statistically supported clades with identical content of individuals (Fig. 2) . No statistically supported conflicts were found between results from different analyses (Fig. 2) . The g1 statistic was 20.62 for the Cytb data set and 20.47 for COI, indicating significant phylogenetic signal (P , 0.01) in both data sets (Hillis and Huelsenbeck 1992) . However, we found an indication of transitional saturation above 19.5% and 19.0% of Kimura 2-parameter model distances in both Cytb and COI genes, respectively (Xia and Xie 2001) . All phylogenetic topologies revealed 7 strongly supported monophyletic clades (A-G; Fig. 2 ) with 10% (Cytb) and 12% (COI) divergence from each other (Table 1) .

The g1 statistic was 20.62 for the Cytb data set and 20.47 for COI, indicating significant phylogenetic signal (P , 0.01) in both data sets.

However, we found an indication of transitional saturation above 19.5% and 19.0% of Kimura 2-parameter model distances in both Cytb and COI genes, respectively.


It is postulated that ARC could increase the clearance of many drugs. In case of continuous infusions of sedatives or vasopressors, the dose could easily be adjusted according to clinical response. However, the dose of antibiotics in this patient group is widely discussed in the literature, and no indicator of decreased effectiveness is available. In addition, under-dosing could potentially lead to therapy failure and the development of bacterial resistance [16] . It is still unknown if colistin dose adjustment is needed in the case of ARC. When used for killing bacteria, colistin's action is concentration-dependent rather than time-dependent [18] . However, ARC mostly influences the effectiveness of time-dependent renally cleared antibacterial drugs (e.g., beta-lactam antibiotics or vancomycin) [19] . In the literature, there is not a lot of data about ARC's role in colistin therapy. There is information about other lipopolypeptide antibacterial agents with concentration-dependent killing such as daptomycin, in which the pharmacokinetic ARC does not play an important role [5] . Nevertheless, patients with ARC have a lower incidence of AKI, and our study failed to prove a protective role of ARC in the case of colistin AKI.

In addition, under-dosing could potentially lead to therapy failure and the development of bacterial resistance.

When used for killing bacteria, colistin's action is concentration-dependent rather than time-dependent.

However, ARC mostly influences the effectiveness of time-dependent renally cleared antibacterial drugs (e.g., beta-lactam antibiotics or vancomycin).

There is information about other lipopolypeptide antibacterial agents with concentration-dependent killing such as daptomycin, in which the pharmacokinetic ARC does not play an important role.


Despite the enormous benefits for individuals and communities, urban agriculture is largely ignored in urban and regional planning [42, 43] . Instead of considering opportunities to preserve farmland or to integrate new production functions into urban environments, agricultural landscapes are often considered by land use planners as areas for future development [44] . Because planners and policymakers are not typically engaged in the production activities of agriculture, they often overlook problems and opportunities within the entire food system [45] . As a result, we see a growing disconnect between urban residents and the agricultural landscapes that sustain them [46] . Further exacerbating the problem is the globalized economy, which encourages the importation of food from distance sources [47] . While this approach has not threatened the availability of food for most communities in the United States (at least in terms of quantity), the increased consolidation of food systems activities, along with the concentration of agricultural land ownership, takes control away from local communities and threatens food security in the future. A community dependent on food resources from distant locations is vulnerable to any unforeseen disasters (natural or otherwise) or disruptions at different levels of the food systems chain from production through processing and transport to distribution centers.

Despite the enormous benefits for individuals and communities, urban agriculture is largely ignored in urban and regional planning.

Instead of considering opportunities to preserve farmland or to integrate new production functions into urban environments, agricultural landscapes are often considered by land use planners as areas for future development.

Because planners and policymakers are not typically engaged in the production activities of agriculture, they often overlook problems and opportunities within the entire food system.

As a result, we see a growing disconnect between urban residents and the agricultural landscapes that sustain them.

Further exacerbating the problem is the globalized economy, which encourages the importation of food from distance sources.


Urban agriculture offers unique research opportunities that require alternative methodological approaches. Participatory research can be very effective for gathering data, while at the same time engaging and informing the public. For example, local residents might become involved in the mapping and inventory of green spaces that could be used for food production [96] . The urban agriculture gardeners/farmers themselves could be involved in the data collection by documenting their activities, tracking their inputs and yields, inventorying the plants, and spatial mapping of the garden site [72] . Other studies have engaged residents or gardener/farmers in focus groups to determine factors most important for protecting and expanding urban agriculture [97] . Redwood suggests that participatory approaches for urban agriculture research should consider the following questions: [19] .

For example, local residents might become involved in the mapping and inventory of green spaces that could be used for food production.

The urban agriculture gardeners/farmers themselves could be involved in the data collection by documenting their activities, tracking their inputs and yields, inventorying the plants, and spatial mapping of the garden site.

Other studies have engaged residents or gardener/farmers in focus groups to determine factors most important for protecting and expanding urban agriculture.

Redwood suggests that participatory approaches for urban agriculture research should consider the following questions.


The most obvious benefits of urban agriculture are related to the production of foods in close proximity to the consumers. The availability of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other foods for urban residents should not be underestimated, particularly in communities and neighborhoods where grocery stores and markets have moved out, leaving a -food desert‖ [18] . In some cases, the food is consumed directly by the producer, improving the food security (access to healthy and culturally acceptable food) for the household [19] . In other cases, much of the food is sold through local markets, providing income for individual residents and economic vitality for the community [11, 20, 21] . Urban agriculture activities are broad and diverse and can include the cultivation of vegetables, medicinal plants, spices, mushrooms, fruit trees, and other productive plants, as well as the keeping of livestock for eggs, milk, meat, wool, or other products [22] . By using intensive production strategies and focusing on high value crops, the economic value of urban agriculture systems can be substantial. An urban farm in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for example, grosses more than $200,000 per acre (0.405 hectares) [23] .

The availability of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other foods for urban residents should not be underestimated, particularly in communities and neighborhoods where grocery stores and markets have moved out, leaving a -food desert‖.

In some cases, the food is consumed directly by the producer, improving the food security (access to healthy and culturally acceptable food) for the household.

In other cases, much of the food is sold through local markets, providing income for individual residents and economic vitality for the community.

Urban agriculture activities are broad and diverse and can include the cultivation of vegetables, medicinal plants, spices, mushrooms, fruit trees, and other productive plants, as well as the keeping of livestock for eggs, milk, meat, wool, or other products.

An urban farm in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for example, grosses more than $200,000 per acre (0.405 hectares).


In this paper we consider analog transmission of discrete-time continuous-amplitude sources over additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channels. From a theoretical perspective, it is well known that a digital system based on separation between source and channel coding is optimal [1] . Thus, in order to approach the theoretical limit specified by R c R(D) < C, where R c is the code rate, R(D) is the rate distortion function, and C is the channel capacity, in traditional communications systems the continuous source is first source encoded (e.g., using very powerful vector quantization) up to the desired rate/distortion pair. Then, capacity approaching channel codes such as turbo codes or LDPC codes are applied.

From a theoretical perspective, it is well known that a digital system based on separation between source and channel coding is optimal.


However, the majority of proposed algorithms were based on the notion of direct model inversion where the learning gain is obtained by Markov matrix inverse which represents the input-output map of the system [15] . However, this kind of ILC cannot be developed for general nonsquare (rectangular) MIMO systems that are systems in which the numbers of inputs and outputs are unequal. Indeed, a problem of the matrix inversion is encountered.

However, the majority of proposed algorithms were based on the notion of direct model inversion where the learning gain is obtained by Markov matrix inverse which represents the input-output map of the system.


In recent years, considerable attention has been paid to networked control systems where the communication between sensors, controllers, and actuators is often realized through a shared network medium [2] , [1] , [3] . Networked control systems possess many advantages over the traditional point-to-point control systems, such as low cost, reduced power requirements, easy installation, simple maintenance and high reliability. However, transmitting the observed data and control signals across the network inevitably results in some newly emerged problems including, but not limited to, random time-delay, packet loss, quantization and channel fading, which render the estimation and control for networked control systems significantly challenging [4] , [6] , [5] . In particular, the state estimation problem across a network has gained recurring research attention in the literature.

In recent years, considerable attention has been paid to networked control systems where the communication between sensors, controllers, and actuators is often realized through a shared network medium.

However, transmitting the observed data and control signals across the network inevitably results in some newly emerged problems including, but not limited to, random time-delay, packet loss, quantization and channel fading, which render the estimation and control for networked control systems significantly challenging.


Given on-going concerns regarding decreasing sport and physical activity rates in developed countries, the results of the present study raise interesting questions surrounding motivations for sport participation. For example, do males perceive participation in team sports (or sport in general) as a venue for displaying genetic quality? And, are motivations for participation in team sports (or sport in general) driven in part by sexual selection? It is perhaps pertinent at this point to indicate that these questions delve into more distal or ultimate explanations for sport participation favored by evolutionary psychologists. In contrast, a review of relevant sport literature highlights numerous proximal reasons identified by participants that include, for example, skill improvement/competition, social activities, general physical fitness enhancement, and other reasons such as simply having something to do (Gill, Gross, and Huddleston, 1983) . More specifically, decisions to participate in sport "occur in connection with general socialization processes in people's lives… [and] are influenced by the availability of opportunities, the existence of social support, the processes of identity formation, and the cultural context in which decisions are made" (Coakley and Donnelly, 2004, p. 110) . A greater understanding of participation motivation may be greatly enhanced by considering both proximal and distal approaches. Nonetheless, as it currently stands, motivations associated with sexual selection are not considered in the sport literature despite young male athletes being more sexually active than non-athletes (Faurie et al., 2004) .

In contrast, a review of relevant sport literature highlights numerous proximal reasons identified by participants that include, for example, skill improvement/competition, social activities, general physical fitness enhancement, and other reasons such as simply having something to do.

Nonetheless, as it currently stands, motivations associated with sexual selection are not considered in the sport literature despite young male athletes being more sexually active than non-athletes.


Alternatively, or perhaps concurrently, males may be better able to assert dominance in a team sport context because they can assume a high rank within the team as well as in competition with other teams. In others words, a female may be able to better assess a male's quality if he participates in a team sport through his relative rank on the team (i.e., is the focus male the captain of the team or a "benchwarmer"?). There is evidence that (a) females may use a mixed mating strategy when selecting a mate, (b) dominance reflects genetic quality, and (c) high quality males are less likely to invest in offspring (Havlicek, Roberts, and Flagr, 2005; Wayneforth, 1998) . If this is the case, females may prefer dominant males as short-term partners and prefer males that are more willing/able to invest in offspring as long-term mates. Team sport athletes were most desirable as long-term mates in our study but only marginally more desirable in a "date" social situation, providing some support for the hypothesis that females prefer team sport athletes because their behavior may better indicate their abilities in terms of parental investment.

There is evidence that (a) females may use a mixed mating strategy when selecting a mate, (b) dominance reflects genetic quality, and (c) high quality males are less likely to invest in offspring.


Sexual selection theory argues that males tend to compete amongst themselves for access to mates, and that females tend to be more selective of their mates than males (Andersson, 1994) . These sex differences are the result of the asymmetry in reproductive investment between the sexes. The production of male gametes is considered to be relatively cheap, and generally males in most non-human animals do not provide parental care. Female investment in reproduction, however, is generally costly because they produce large, energy rich gametes and often are the sole providers of parental care. Thus, females can increase Darwinian fitness by carefully selecting mates that provide good genes for their offspring or material benefits such as high quality parental care or resources that can be used to aid in raising offspring (Andersson, 1994; Trivers, 1972) .

Sexual selection theory argues that males tend to compete amongst themselves for access to mates, and that females tend to be more selective of their mates than males.

Thus, females can increase Darwinian fitness by carefully selecting mates that provide good genes for their offspring or material benefits such as high quality parental care or resources that can be used to aid in raising offspring.


There are a number of male traits other than sport participation that influence female mate choice. Both physical attractiveness and status are important factors that have been found to influence mate preferences (Bereczkei, Voros, Gal, and Bernath, 1997; Li et al., 2002; Rhodes, Chan, Zebrowitz, and Simmons, 2003; Rhodes, Simmons, and Peters, 2005) . Females tend to prefer physically attractive males, often for short term relationships, and males of high status, often for long-term relationships (Singh, 1995) . Both attractiveness and status are thus important factors with which to compare the relative effects of sport participation on female mate preferences.

Both physical attractiveness and status are important factors that have been found to influence mate preferences.

Females tend to prefer physically attractive males, often for short term relationships, and males of high status, often for long-term relationships.


Clinicians use images of past cases in comparison with current images to determine the diagnosis and potential treatment options of new patients. Images are also used in teaching and research [3, 4] . Thus, the goal of a clinician is often to solve a new problem by making use of previous similar cases/images together with contextual information, by reusing information and knowledge [5] .

Images are also used in teaching and research.

Thus, the goal of a clinician is often to solve a new problem by making use of previous similar cases/images together with contextual information, by reusing information and knowledge.


Recent attempts have been made to circumvent the use of psychological assessments and develop biomarker proxies [11, 14] . A challenge for the identification of peripheral tissue-based epigenetic biomarkers in the context of psychiatry is the generalizability of the identified peripheral epigenetic variation in the brain. We have hypothesized previously that circulating steroid hormones such as cortisol may mark peripheral tissue DNA on the epigenetic level while affecting behavior through central nervous system (CNS) specific actions [15] [16] [17] . In support of this hypothesis, the initial objective of this study was to evaluate if cortisol-associated DNA methylation levels in peripheral tissues (blood and saliva) are enriched among suicide-associated DNA methylation levels in the brain.

Recent attempts have been made to circumvent the use of psychological assessments and develop biomarker proxies.

We have hypothesized previously that circulating steroid hormones such as cortisol may mark peripheral tissue DNA on the epigenetic level while affecting behavior through central nervous system (CNS) specific actions.


The SKA2 protein is thought to interact with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis by chaperoning the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) from the cytoplasm to the nucleus upon cortisol binding [7] . Once in the nucleus, the GR can interact with genomic DNA and influence gene expression involved in negative feedback regulation of the HPA axis response. In two independent cohorts with high levels of childhood trauma, elevated SKA2 DNA methylation in peripheral blood before administration of the TRIER social stress test was significantly associated with a blunted post-test cortisol level, while SKA2 DNA methylation before the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was significantly associated with elevated post-test cortisol levels [8, 9] . These data support the interpretation that SKA2 DNA methylation state may be an important contributor to individual stress response.

The SKA2 protein is thought to interact with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis by chaperoning the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) from the cytoplasm to the nucleus upon cortisol binding.

In two independent cohorts with high levels of childhood trauma, elevated SKA2 DNA methylation in peripheral blood before administration of the TRIER social stress test was significantly associated with a blunted post-test cortisol level, while SKA2 DNA methylation before the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was significantly associated with elevated post-test cortisol levels.


In an attempt to identify at-risk individuals, we previously generated a suicide prediction model, which describes suicidal behavior as a function of both genotype and methylation at the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs7208505 in SKA2 which interacts with a state level metric of stress or trait level metric of anxiety to confer risk [4] . Notably, some studies demonstrate that state level stress can be influenced by trait level anxiety [10] . Model predictive accuracies vary between~70 and 85 % in various cohorts and are consistent with SKA2 gene expression-based prediction accuracies reported by other groups [8, 11] . The statistical interaction with stress is likely related to the physiological role SKA2 plays in mediating HPA axis activity. In this context, it is hypothesized that epigenetic variation of SKA2 may represent an underlying trait vulnerability of the HPA axis that must interact with a state of stress to elicit risk. In our previous work, we have identified significant interactions of SKA2 with various self-reported psychological scales to influence suicide risk. The scales vary by study cohort and include the Child Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Perceived Stress Scale, waking salivary cortisol levels, and various metrics of anxiety including self-reported binary estimates and those quantified by the Self-Report for Childhood Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) [4, 8, 9] . Furthermore, our work and others have noted an increased model efficacy in subgroups of individuals having experienced childhood trauma [8, 9, 12, 13] . It is possible that high values in the stress metrics represent a biological state that may be related to HPA axis function. Despite the possibility to assess these states using questionnaires, the use of self-reported scales has many drawbacks including a lack of standardization across studies, variability in psychometric properties, and variability in the subjective rating of stress levels. In the clinical context, the administration of questionnaires requires time and patient compliance.

In an attempt to identify at-risk individuals, we previously generated a suicide prediction model, which describes suicidal behavior as a function of both genotype and methylation at the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs7208505 in SKA2 which interacts with a state level metric of stress or trait level metric of anxiety to confer risk.

Notably, some studies demonstrate that state level stress can be influenced by trait level anxiety.

Model predictive accuracies vary between~70 and 85 % in various cohorts and are consistent with SKA2 gene expression-based prediction accuracies reported by other groups.

The scales vary by study cohort and include the Child Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), the Perceived Stress Scale, waking salivary cortisol levels, and various metrics of anxiety including self-reported binary estimates and those quantified by the Self-Report for Childhood Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED).

Furthermore, our work and others have noted an increased model efficacy in subgroups of individuals having experienced childhood trauma.


This work is the first part of an extensive research activity on water vapor absorption in the spectral range 1850-4000 cm À 1 with profile extended to account for line mixing in the Rosenkranz first order perturbation approximation [10] . A line list including line positions, intensities, self-broadening parameters, self-speed-dependence and -shifts as well as some line mixing parameters is presented and compared to spectroscopic databases, experimental values and calculations. This work is part of the corresponding author's Ph.D. thesis "Verbesserung der spektroskopischen Datenbasis von H 2 O für die Anwendung in bodengebundener Fernerkundung der Atmosphäre" to be submitted at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.

This work is the first part of an extensive research activity on water vapor absorption in the spectral range 1850-4000 cm À 1 with profile extended to account for line mixing in the Rosenkranz first order perturbation approximation.


The majority of proteins that are both important for Plasmodium transmission to mosquitoes and good targets for transmission-blocking vaccines are either localized to the parasite cell surface or secreted from the ookinete. Cell-surface proteins, such as P25/P28, mediate parasite-host interactions and may be essential components of signalling-pathways important for ookinete motility [15, 19, 21, 60] . Similarly, ookinete-secreted proteins and enzymes, such as chitinase, CTRP and WARP, modify the mosquito midgut environment to allow Plasmodium invasion and infection of the mosquito midgut [13, 14, 17, 18] . Neither PfPM VII nor PfPM X localized to the parasite cell surface or micronemes. IFA and immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated diffuse cytoplasmic localization of mAbs directed against PfPM VII and PfPM X. Previous studies showed that pepstatin A, an aspartic protease-specific inhibitor, ALLN and ALLM, two plasmepsin convertase inhibitors, interrupted Plasmodium transmission to mosquitoes [38] . The presence of antibodies directed against PfPM VII or PfPM X significantly reduced P. falciparum infection of Anopheles. However, relatively high concentrations of 1B4, 2B1 and 3G6 were required to achieve an effect. It is possible that the antibodies had low affinity, resulting in the low level of interruption of the transmission. It is also possible that these Plasmepsins were important, but not essential, for P. falciparum transmission to Anopheles mosquitoes, consistent with previous reports with a P. berghei Plasmepsin VII knockout mutant [61] . Equally, if not more likely is the possibility that loss of PfPM VII or PfPM X function in the presence of mAb was compensated for by the action of related proteases, such as Plasmepsin IX, which are similarly upregulated in sexual stage parasite forms [29] . The equivocal result seen in SMFAs using 6A9, directed against the PfPM X proenzyme domain, is expected if the proenzyme domain of PfPM X is cleaved and no longer associated with the activated catalytic domain in ookinetes. These data indicate that there is still much to learn about the role of plasmepsins in Plasmodium transmission to mosquitoes. Further work is needed to explore these interesting possibilities.

Cell-surface proteins, such as P25/P28, mediate parasite-host interactions and may be essential components of signalling-pathways important for ookinete motility.

Similarly, ookinete-secreted proteins and enzymes, such as chitinase, CTRP and WARP, modify the mosquito midgut environment to allow Plasmodium invasion and infection of the mosquito midgut.

IFA and immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated diffuse cytoplasmic localization of mAbs directed against PfPM VII and PfPM X. Previous studies showed that pepstatin A, an aspartic protease-specific inhibitor, ALLN and ALLM, two plasmepsin convertase inhibitors, interrupted Plasmodium transmission to mosquitoes.

It is also possible that these Plasmepsins were important, but not essential, for P. falciparum transmission to Anopheles mosquitoes, consistent with previous reports with a P. berghei Plasmepsin VII knockout mutant.

Equally, if not more likely is the possibility that loss of PfPM VII or PfPM X function in the presence of mAb was compensated for by the action of related proteases, such as Plasmepsin IX, which are similarly upregulated in sexual stage parasite forms.


There are known results for the existence of super simple designs, especially for existence of super simple 2 − (v, k, λ)BIBDs. When k = 4 the necessary conditions for super simple 2 − (v, k, λ)BIBDs are known to be sufficient for 2 ≤ λ ≤ 6 with few possible exceptions. These known results can be found in articles [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11] .

These known results can be found in articles.


The 21st century, as a technology-based information age, brings new job opportunities, besides the future jobs demand new qualifications from the laborers. In today's world, technology based tools have been commonly used in many professions such as science, arts, business and engineering, and even in agriculture (Lesh & Doerr, 2003) . Moreover, the major abilities and qualifications expected from the employees change from carrying out the routines to problem solving by understanding complex systems through constructing, describing, explaining, manipulating, and predicting (English, 2006) . That is to say, the employees are expected to have problem solving and analytical thinking abilities in addition to the conceptual tools communicating and externalizing them. Recently, this fact has been more generally voiced with the need for reform in the education of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) areas. Most of emerging jobs require competence, to some extent, in STEM and countries gradually feel the inadequacy of the existing education in STEM areas (Roehrig, Moore, Wang & Park, 2012) .

In today's world, technology based tools have been commonly used in many professions such as science, arts, business and engineering, and even in agriculture.

Moreover, the major abilities and qualifications expected from the employees change from carrying out the routines to problem solving by understanding complex systems through constructing, describing, explaining, manipulating, and predicting.

Most of emerging jobs require competence, to some extent, in STEM and countries gradually feel the inadequacy of the existing education in STEM areas.


Moreover, there are limited sources as good curricular examples of STEM integration that teachers can follow (Roehrig et al., 2012) . Mathematical modeling activities can also be considered as good curricular examples of STEM integration, and also they are more appropriate and easy to apply within the existing schooling structures. In this paper, we tried to put into words the coinciding goals of mathematical modeling in education and integrated STEM education. We mentioned the need for professional development of teachers that the knowledgebase of mathematical modeling introduced and we tried to reflect upon the integrated STEM education. Although we reported mathematical modeling literature as a bridge to STEM education, even a set of more problematic issues can be listed about the integration of STEM education. If we consider the integrated STEM education as a well-defined goal, there are several milestones on this ill-defined journey.

Moreover, there are limited sources as good curricular examples of STEM integration that teachers can follow.


Defensive indicators have not been studied as much as offensive indicators. Goals and shots conceded but also crosses and corners conceded are a mark of defensive quality but these data are in fact the flip side of goals scored, shots, corners and crosses of the opponent teams and do not bring new information when comparing successful and unsuccessful teams. The same could be said for ball possession because when a team possesses the ball, the opponent team cannot attack and it can be considered as a defensive mean. The number of times a team is caught offside may reflect the tactical defensive quality (Castellano et al. 2012) . As the main purpose with fouls is to prohibit the opponent team from playing their game, from gaining ground and shooting from favorable position in order to score goals, it is often used as a specific defensive indicator (Papahristodoulou 2008) .

The number of times a team is caught offside may reflect the tactical defensive quality.

As the main purpose with fouls is to prohibit the opponent team from playing their game, from gaining ground and shooting from favorable position in order to score goals, it is often used as a specific defensive indicator.


The trees were planted (2.5 m Â 3 m spacing) with 294 trees within each treatment plot. Within each treatment plot, there was a measurement plot containing 54 trees. This resulted in a border more than 12 m wide. The core study was set up in a three way, complete factorial, split plot design including fertilization, irrigation and five tree species. The treatments examined in this study included (1) control (CON) (neither irrigation nor fertilization), (2) irrigated (I), (3) fertilized (F) and (4) a combination of irrigation and fertilization (IF). Tree genotypes were randomly assigned to whole plots, which were then split into four subplots. The irrigation and fertilization treatments were then randomly assigned to the subplots. Irrigation was done by drip irrigation at a rate of 5 mm of water day À1 to meet evaporative demand [28] . A complete, balanced fertilizer (7-7-7) was applied weekly as liquid injected into irrigation lines. The sum of weekly applications equaled the target annual rate. Annual nitrogen (N) rates were ramped up to meet increasing demand based on growth rates. For cottonwood and sycamore 40, 80 and 120 kg N ha À1 year À1 was applied in years 1, 2 and 3, respectively. For sweetgum and pine the 40 kg N ha À1 year À1 rate applied in years 1 and 2 was increased to 80 in year 3. The fertilizer was applied through a drip irrigation system on both the irrigated and nonirrigated plots. On the non-irrigated plots, only enough water to apply the fertilizer and clear out the lines was used (0.7 mm of water day À1 ).

Irrigation was done by drip irrigation at a rate of 5 mm of water day À1 to meet evaporative demand.


An intensively managed study was installed in 2000 to examine the effects of resource (i.e., water and nutrients) availability on C and nutrient balance and to define the processes controlling tree growth response to resource availability for five tree genotypes [28] . As a component of that larger study, this manuscript tests the hypothesis that increasing resource (i.e., water and nutrients) availability will increase soil C contents across all genotypes and for each genotype individually. Another hypothesis tested is that site preparation will increase both total soil C and stabilized soil C contents.

An intensively managed study was installed in 2000 to examine the effects of resource (i.e., water and nutrients) availability on C and nutrient balance and to define the processes controlling tree growth response to resource availability for five tree genotypes.


The number of cancer survivors who have been diagnosed with cancer at any time in the past has increased over 400 % since the mid-1970s, reaching 14.5 million in 2014 [1] . During this period, cancer treatment has evolved as more effective therapies have been developed and the administration of those therapies has shifted to the outpatient setting [2] . The growing use of oral cancer agents represents another major change in cancer care delivery [3, 4] . Because oral cancer agents are self-administered outside of the health care setting, cancer survivors are responsible for adhering to sometimes complicated treatment regimens.

The number of cancer survivors who have been diagnosed with cancer at any time in the past has increased over 400 % since the mid-1970s, reaching 14.5 million in 2014.

During this period, cancer treatment has evolved as more effective therapies have been developed and the administration of those therapies has shifted to the outpatient setting.

The growing use of oral cancer agents represents another major change in cancer care delivery.


The second idea is that, in many important cases, it is natural to consider analogues of algebras of functions on a singular geometric space to be noncommutative algebras. In Section 2, we describe the construction of noncommutative algebras associated with the leaf space of a foliation due to Connes [14] . Actually, an arbitrary noncommutative algebra can be viewed in many cases as an algebra of functions on some virtual geometric space or, in other words, as a noncommutative space. For instance, a C * -algebra is the algebra of continuous functions on a virtual topological space, a von Neumann algebra is the algebra of essentially bounded measurable functions on a virtual measurable space and so on. Therefore, the theory of C * -algebras is a far-reaching generalization of the theory of topological spaces and is often called noncommutative topology. The theory of von Neumann algebras is a generalization of the classical measure and integration theory and so on. Such a geometric point of view turns out to be very useful in operator theory and is also well known for a long time.

In Section 2, we describe the construction of noncommutative algebras associated with the leaf space of a foliation due to Connes.


A number of recent investigations on boiling of nanofluids showed that such engineered fluids can effectively delay departure from nucleate boiling (DNB) with respect to pure fluids [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] . It was found that the DNB heat flux enhancement is closely related to nanoparticle deposition, which significantly roughens the heater surface by changing the initially smooth surface to one with peaks and valleys. Moreover the deposition of oxide nanoparticles like alumina and titania significantly enhances the affinity (or wettability) of the cooling liquid to the surface. These changes in the surface alter the boiling heat transfer characteristics, e.g., they increase the value of the critical heat flux.

A number of recent investigations on boiling of nanofluids showed that such engineered fluids can effectively delay departure from nucleate boiling (DNB) with respect to pure fluids.