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Commonly known as "Kissing Spines" (KS), the pathological mechanisms underlying impingement and overriding of spinous processes (ORSPs) in horses are poorly understood. Thoroughbreds, Warmbloods, and stock-type breeds, including Paint Horses and Quarter Horses are at increased risk for developing clinical signs of KS. A total of 155 stock-type and Warmblood horses presented at collaborating veterinary clinics and hospitals were examined using a strict clinical and radiographical phenotyping scheme to grade each horse from 0 for unaffected controls to 4 for severe KS. Following genotyping with the Illumina Equine SNP70 array (Illumina, Inc.) a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) using 61,229 filtered individual Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) was performed to the KS grade phenotype. Two significantly associated SNPs (BIEC2-668062 and BIEC2-668013) on chromosome 25 defined a ~1.4 Gb candidate region containing approximately 17 coding genes (EquCab3) and 195 ENSEMBL annotated variants. Investigation of the best associated SNP (BIEC2-668062) on chr25 demonstrates a significant correlation with an increase in one KS grade, on average, per A allele in this population. A significant effect of breed group, age, height or sex was not observed in this population. These preliminary results demonstrate the potential for KS diagnosis and preventative measures for WB/ST individuals supported by increased genetic risk for more severe KS grade. We propose further research including other affected breeds and evaluating causative variants, as well as the effect of BIEC2-668062 in these populations.

Deficits in inhibitory control are common with advancing age and may underlie declines in other complex cognitive functions. The inhibitory P300 event-related potential (ERP) generally decreases in amplitude with age, reflecting deficits in inhibitory performance evaluation and adaptation, with possible generators including precentral and inferior frontal gyri and midcingulate and parietal cortex. Exposure to early-life stress (ELS) is also associated with deficits in inhibitory control, smaller P300 amplitudes, and dysfunction in regions associated with P300 generation. Although biopsychosocial effects of ELS are evident in older adulthood, the influence of ELS on neural processes in later life is unknown. In the current study, 13 young adults and 21 healthy older adults completed a high-accuracy go/no-go task and the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (JVQ), an indicator of ELS. Regression analyses revealed significant central-parietal models, with smaller P300 amplitudes predicted by both older age and greater exposure to ELS. Age group*ELS interactions moderated P300 prediction at central and centro-parietal electrodes, such that older age predicted smaller P300 amplitudes only in those with lower to moderate ELS. Amplitudes did not significantly differ by age in those with higher ELS. Post-hoc within-age group correlations showed that greater ELS was associated with smaller P300 amplitudes in young adults. However, greater ELS was modestly associated with larger central amplitudes in older adults, potentially suggestive of anterior age-related compensatory recruitment to maintain high task performance. These findings suggest long-lasting neural implications of ELS that interact with normative neuro-cognitive aging processes, such that ELS may be an important risk factor for age-related cognitive decline.

Alterations in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including omega-3 and omega-6, have been implicated in the pathophysiology of psychotic disorders, but little is known about their associations with neuropsychological functioning. The present study includes 46 recent-onset psychosis patients who participated in a larger (n = 50) double blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial comparing 16 weeks of treatment with either risperidone + fish oil (FO) (EPA 740 mg and DHA 400 mg daily) or risperidone + placebo and completed neuropsychological assessments at the baseline timepoint. We investigated the relationship between baseline omega-3 (i.e., eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA; docosapentaenoic acid, DPA and docosahexaenoic acid, DHA) and omega-6 (i.e., arachidonic acid, AA) PUFA with baseline MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores. Twenty-five patients had neuropsychological data available at 16 weeks following participation in the clinical trial, which included 12 patients assigned to risperidone + FO and 13 patients assigned to risperidone + placebo. At baseline both higher DHA and EPA correlated significantly with better social cognition after controlling for functioning on other neuropsychological domains, total BPRS score, AA level and substance use. Also, at baseline higher AA correlated significantly with hostility/uncooperativeness after controlling for DHA + EPA + DPA, overall neuropsychological functioning and substance use. Patients treated with risperidone + FO demonstrated a significant longitudinal increase in social cognition that was significantly higher at 16 weeks compared to patients treated with risperidone + placebo. DHA also correlated significantly with social cognition at the 16-week timepoint. This study provides novel evidence for a differential role of omega-3 vs. omega-6 PUFA in neuropsychological deficits and symptoms in recent-onset psychosis and its treatment.

We present a theory that predicts the phase behavior of hard spheres (HS) mixed with non-adsorbing supramolecular polymers in a common solvent. It combines Generalized Free Volume Theory with a mean-field model for equilibrium polymers in solution extended with scaling theory to incorporate excluded volume effects in a good solvent. The system displays similar phase stability as conventional HS-polymer mixtures, although there is a small preference for gas–liquid coexistence with respect to fluid–crystal equilibrium in the case of a HS-supramolecular polymer mixture. Phase transitions can be induced by external stimuli such as temperature or light due to the stimuli-responsive nature of the supramolecular polymer size.

An investigation is performed to determine the dynamic flow phenomena that dampen a fan blade’s oscillation amplitude using numerical fluid structure interaction (FSI) simulations. Both a mesh-based and meshless numerical model are used to perform the FSI simulation and are compared according to their accuracy, robustness and computational cost. The meshless FSI simulation is performed by coupling the Finite Pointset Method (FPM) with a simplified 1D beam model. Experimental results from a separate investigation are used to validate the two numerical models. This paper shows that both numerical models are suitable for modelling the aerodynamic damping of an axial fan used in an air cooled condenser fan unit. The observed flow effects include the formation and shedding of leading edge vortices, downwash, tip vortices and the added mass effect. Leading edge vortices are a major damping contributor and are found to mainly depend on the blade’s effective angle of attack. The mesh-based and meshless FSI simulations are able to predict the experimentally determined tip displacement within an accuracy of 13% for 5 out of 6 simulations.

This study addresses tension and its consequent hurdles to the collaborative nature of value co-creation. Substantial research has focused on the benefits of value co-creation but much less so on its dark side. While some tension is inevitable, escalated tension can harm anticipated value and business relationships. The overlaps and disparities of formal and informal communication networks of two large construction projects are examined along with the tensions arising. To increase the breadth and depth of the empirical investigation, the presented network case study draws on survey data analyzed with Social Network Analysis as well as 45 in-depth managerial interviews. Structural, emotional and behavioural tensions are identified. The study suggests that tension triggered by one or a few actors can destabilize the network by creating unsustainable communication structures. Social Balance Theory is applied to study how unsustainable communication structures seek balance at a network level. We identify network patterns that can signal the presence of tension and structural imbalance in value co-creation, categorize several types of tension, and provide managerial implications.

Anecdotal reports suggest using vibrating platforms may improve performance and promote healing in competitive horses. This study tested the hypothesis that physiological parameters are altered with vibration therapy. Detailed musculoskeletal examinations were performed on six Arabian horses (average age = 22 years) by two equine veterinarians specializing in sports medicine to score any lameness (before and after limb flexion) or limited range of joint motion. Stride lengths were also determined at the walk and trot. Age, gender, lameness scores, and stride lengths were used to stratify and pair-match horses on one of two treatments – vibration therapy (VT) or sham control (CO). Horses were re-evaluated (by the same blinded veterinarian) acutely, after one initial 30-minute treatment, and again after 3 weeks, with treatments repeated daily (5 days per week). VT horses stood on a platform vibrating at 50 Hz for 30 minutes, and CO horses stood on an adjacent platform that was not turned on for 30 minutes. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED in SAS with horse, treatment, test, and day differences. Findings suggest no differences from pre- to post-treatment between VT and CO groups in any parameters measured (P > .05). Qualitative behavior observations suggested that all VT horses stood calmly and appeared more relaxed throughout the treatment period, while CO horses were comparatively restless. It could be questioned whether this observed change warrants VT treatment given few other measured differences but it could explain the growing belief in the horse industry that the treatment is beneficial.

Background Externalizing behaviors are negative behaviors expressed outwardly, including rule breaking, aggression, and risk taking; internalizing behaviors are expressed inwardly, including depression, withdrawal, and anxiety. Such behavior can cause problems in early life and predict difficulties across the lifespan. There is evidence for a relationship between executive function and both externalizing and internalizing. However, although these behaviors occur along a spectrum, there is little neuroimaging research on this relationship in typically developing youth. Methods We assessed 41 youth (10–19 years of age) using the Multi-Source Interference Task during functional magnetic resonance imaging and related the findings to self-reported externalizing and internalizing scores as measured by the Youth Self-Report. We performed a general linear model using FSL software; externalizing, internalizing, age, and sex were included in the model. Results Compared to the control condition, the more difficult Multi-Source Interference Task interference condition was associated with greater engagement of the frontoparietal cognitive control system and decreased engagement of regions in the default mode network, based on a cluster threshold of Z > 3.1 ( p = .01). When we examined regions uniquely associated with either internalizing or externalizing, we found that within the same group of subjects, higher externalizing behavior was associated with hyperactivity in the parietal lobe; in contrast, higher internalizing behavior was associated with increased activation in the medial prefrontal cortex. Conclusions These findings suggest that externalizing and internalizing may be associated with altered, but different, patterns of activation during cognitive control. This has implications for our understanding of the relationship between cognitive control and behavioral problems in youth.

Membrane deformation is a common phenomenon in pressurized membrane processes. It alters the transport and structural characteristics of membranes and hence can lead to a lower than estimated process performance. Therefore, it is essential to accurately characterize the membrane under representative operating conditions. This will allow for both an understanding of the underlying mechanisms for the change of membrane performance, and an optimization of the design and operation of pressure- and osmotically driven membrane processes. A novel membrane characterization method is proposed, validated and tested in this study. Using the osmotic-resistance filtration model, the membrane's water and solute permeability (A and B), as well as its structural parameter S, can be accurately determined using the method. The method is named the integrated two-stage (ITS) ABS method, as the membrane can be fully characterized at any given pressure using a single continuous test that is divided into two stages; each stage uses a different feed or draw concentration. A, B and S are calculated from the experimentally determined water and solute fluxes by performing a least-squares non-linear regression. The proposed method is robust, simple and offers more accurate predictions of the membrane's transport and structural properties than the currently most widely used reverse osmosis–forward osmosis (RO–FO) characterization method. Nanyang Technological University This research was supported by the Start-up Grant (SUG #002195- 00001) for Q.She from Nanyang Technological University.

Improved understanding of the water balance in the Blue Nile is of critical importance because of increasingly frequent hydroclimatic extremes under a changing climate. The intercomparison and evaluation of multiple land surface models (LSMs) associated with different meteorological forcing and precipitation datasets can offer a moderate range of water budget variable estimates. In this context, two LSMs, Noah version 3.3 (Noah3.3) and Catchment LSM version Fortuna 2.5 (CLSMF2.5) coupled with the Hydrological Modeling and Analysis Platform (HyMAP) river routing scheme are used to produce hydrological estimates over the region. The two LSMs were forced with different combinations of two reanalysis-based meteorological datasets from the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications datasets (i.e., MERRA-Land and MERRA-2) and three observation-based precipitation datasets, generating a total of 16 experiments. Modeled evapotranspiration (ET), streamflow, and terrestrial water storage estimates were evaluated against the Atmosphere-Land Exchange Inverse (ALEXI) ET, in-situ streamflow observations, and NASA Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) products, respectively. Results show that CLSMF2.5 provided better representation of the water budget variables than Noah3.3 in terms of Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient when considering all meteorological forcing datasets and precipitation datasets. The model experiments forced with observation-based products, the Climate Hazards group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) and the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-Satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA), outperform those run with MERRA-Land and MERRA-2 precipitation. The results presented in this paper would suggest that the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) Land Data Assimilation System incorporate CLSMF2.5 and HyMAP routing scheme to better represent the water balance in this region.

We present the first measurement of the Michel parameters η ‾ and ξκ in the radiative leptonic decay of the τ lepton using 703 fb-1 of data collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB e + e − collider. The Michel parameters are measured by an unbinned maximum likelihood fit to the kinematic information of e + e − → τ + τ − → ( π + π 0 ν ‾ ) ( l − ν ν ‾ γ ) ( l = e or μ ) . The preliminary values of the measured Michel parameters are η ‾ = − 2.0 ± 1.5 ± 0.8 and ξ κ = 0.6 ± 0.4 ± 0.2 , where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic.

A high-resolution dynamic dust source has been developed in the NASA Unified-Weather Research and Forecasting (NU-WRF) model to improve the existing coarse static dust source. In the new dust source map, topographic depression is in 1-km resolution and surface bareness is derived using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The new dust source better resolves the complex topographic distribution over the Western United States where its magnitude is higher than the existing, coarser resolution static source. A case study is conducted with an extreme dust storm that occurred in Phoenix, Arizona in 02-03 UTC July 6, 2011. The NU-WRF model with the new high-resolution dynamic dust source is able to successfully capture the dust storm, which was not achieved with the old source identification. However the case study also reveals several challenges in reproducing the time evolution of the short-lived, extreme dust storm events.

RainyDay is a Python-based platform that couples rainfall remote sensing data with Stochastic Storm Transposition (SST) for modeling rainfall-driven hazards such as floods and landslides. SST effectively lengthens the extreme rainfall record through temporal resampling and spatial transposition of observed storms from the surrounding region to create many extreme rainfall scenarios. Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) curves are often used for hazard modeling but require long records to describe the distribution of rainfall depth and duration and do not provide information regarding rainfall space-time structure, limiting their usefulness to small scales. In contrast, RainyDay can be used for many hazard applications with 12 decades of data, and output rainfall scenarios incorporate detailed space-time structure from remote sensing. Thanks to global satellite coverage, RainyDay can be used in inaccessible areas and developing countries lacking ground measurements, though results are impacted by remote sensing errors. RainyDay can be useful for hazard modeling under nonstationary conditions. We introduce RainyDay, a software tool for assessment of rainfall-driven hazards.RainyDay couples rainfall remote sensing with stochastic storm transposition (SST).SST explicitly considers multi-scale hazard impacts of rainfall space-time structure.SST offers advantages potential advantages for nonstationary flood hazard modeling.Limitations exist in complex terrain and due to biases in remote sensing data.

Desalination is still a rather energy intensive process, and is also associated with the discharge of highly saline and chemically contaminated brine; both these factors detract from the sustainability of the desalination process. Fortunately, both these issues can be addressed by developing zero-liquid discharge (ZLD) processes that can be powered by low-grade (LG) heat sources. The objective of the current work is to improve upon the world's first commercial forward osmosis ZLD system (developed by OASYS Water) by employing mainly LG heat. In the original system, the principal energy cost was associated with the regeneration of the thermo-responsive ammonia‑carbon dioxide draw solution, which was performed in a distillation column (DC). In this paper, a novel flow process is developed in which the same volatile draw solution is regenerated using a combined vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) and distillation column (DC) system. The numerical results indicate that the standard DC draw solute regeneration system (DSR) outperforms the newly proposed VMD-DC DSR system when latent heat is available. However, when only sensible heat is available, the novel VMD-DC DSR system can reduce the overall energy consumption by more than 15% to 20% at source temperatures of 90 °C and 85 °C, respectively. Although these energy savings are substantial and allow for the efficient integration of various renewable and waste heat sources, the VMD-DC system still faces several drawbacks, such as high cooling loads and the regeneration of a more diluted draw solution. These difficulties originate from the non-selectivity of the VMD process and its difficult heat integration. The numerical results presented here show the huge potential of membrane-based DSR systems for the recovery of volatile draw solutes. Nevertheless, the proposed DSR system will benefit from further optimisation via inclusion of more selective (e.g. pervaporation) or better heat integrated (e.g. multi-stage VMD) membrane processes to improve its technical and economical performance.

Back pain in hunter/jumper equine athletes can affect performance and welfare. The study's objective was to compare the pressure placed on a horse's back during the phases of takeoff, flight, and landing at various jump heights. We hypothesized that there would be greater forces exerted with increased jump height and during the landing phase. A Pliance-s mat collected pressure data from 5 horses and 3 riders at the canter and over obstacles of set heights (0.84 m and 1m) and was synchronized with video to analyze average mean or peak pressures from the whole, front, and back of the mat. Pressures during the phases were normalized to the canter baseline to control for differences between horse-rider combinations. Statistics included a repeated measures ANOVA with Sidak's multiple comparisons tests (significant at P

Summary An operational streamflow forecasting testbed was implemented during the Intense Observing Period (IOP) of the Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment (IPHEx-IOP) in May–June 2014 to characterize flood predictability in complex terrain. Specifically, hydrological forecasts were issued daily for 12 headwater catchments in the Southern Appalachians using the Duke Coupled surface–groundwater Hydrology Model (DCHM) forced by hourly atmospheric fields and QPFs (Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts) produced by the NASA-Unified Weather Research and Forecasting (NU-WRF) model. Previous day hindcasts forced by radar-based QPEs (Quantitative Precipitation Estimates) were used to provide initial conditions for present day forecasts. This manuscript first describes the operational testbed framework and workflow during the IPHEx-IOP including a synthesis of results. Second, various data assimilation approaches are explored a posteriori (post-IOP) to improve operational (flash) flood forecasting. Although all flood events during the IOP were predicted by the IPHEx operational testbed with lead times of up to 6 h, significant errors of over- and, or under-prediction were identified that could be traced back to the QPFs and subgrid-scale variability of radar QPEs. To improve operational flood prediction, three data-merging strategies were pursued post-IOP: (1) the spatial patterns of QPFs were improved through assimilation of satellite-based microwave radiances into NU-WRF; (2) QPEs were improved by merging raingauge observations with ground-based radar observations using bias-correction methods to produce streamflow hindcasts and associated uncertainty envelope capturing the streamflow observations, and (3) river discharge observations were assimilated into the DCHM to improve streamflow forecasts using the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF), the fixed-lag Ensemble Kalman Smoother (EnKS), and the Asynchronous EnKF (i.e. AEnKF) methods. Both flood hindcasts and forecasts were significantly improved by assimilating discharge observations into the DCHM. Specifically, Nash–Sutcliff Efficiency (NSE) values as high as 0.98, 0.71 and 0.99 at 15-min time-scales were attained for three headwater catchments in the inner mountain region demonstrating that the assimilation of discharge observations at the basin’s outlet can reduce the errors and uncertainties in soil moisture at very small scales. Success in operational flood forecasting at lead times of 6, 9, 12 and 15 h was also achieved through discharge assimilation with NSEs of 0.87, 0.78, 0.72 and 0.51, respectively. Analysis of experiments using various data assimilation system configurations indicates that the optimal assimilation time window depends both on basin properties and storm-specific space–time–structure of rainfall, and therefore adaptive, context-aware configurations of the data assimilation system are recommended to address the challenges of flood prediction in headwater basins.

© 2015 Elsevier Inc. The purpose of this study is to better understand how the quality of a Business Intelligence (BI) system improves the diagnostic and interactive dimensions of management control systems (MCS), thereby enhancing performance measurement capabilities, which in turn are positively associated with competitive advantage. Integrating theory from performance measurement, organizational learning and the knowledge-based view of the firm, a theoretical model is developed that considers three concepts of BI quality (infrastructure integration, functionality, and self-service) and the roles they play in enhancing diagnostic and interactive performance measurement capabilities. Data collected via survey from 324 CEOs and CFOs provides support for the theorized effects of BI quality on performance measurement capabilities. These capabilities in turn are positively associated with competitive advantage.

To assess growing season conditions where ground based observations are limited or unavailable, food security and agricultural drought monitoring analysts rely on publicly available remotely sensed rainfall and vegetation greenness. There are also remotely sensed soil moisture observations from missions like the European Space Agency (ESA) Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP), however these time series are still too short to conduct studies that demonstrate the utility of these data for operational applications, or to provide historical context for extreme wet or dry events. To promote the use of remotely sensed soil moisture in agricultural drought and food security monitoring, we use East Africa as a case study to evaluate the quality of a 30+ year time series of merged active-passive microwave soil moisture from the ESA Climate Change Initiative (CCI-SM). Compared to the Normalized Difference Vegetation index (NDVI) and modeled soil moisture products, we found substantial spatial and temporal gaps in the early part of the CCI-SM record, with adequate data coverage beginning in 1992. From this point forward, growing season CCI-SM anomalies were well correlated (R0.5) with modeled, seasonal soil moisture, and in some regions, NDVI. We use correlation analysis and qualitative comparisons at seasonal time scales to show that remotely sensed soil moisture can add information to a convergence of evidence framework that traditionally relies on rainfall and NDVI in moderately vegetated regions.

Conventional zero-liquid discharge (ZLD) processes alleviate environmental concerns associated with brine discharge, but are not widely applied, due to their high cost and significant energy consumption. However, new and promising ZLD technologies, such as those integrated with osmotically assisted reverse osmosis (OARO), may be technically and economically more favourable than existing technologies. In this study, a numerical comparison between an FO and an OARO integrated ZLD process is performed, in which a thermo-responsive draw solution is utilised for both. The findings from the parametric and techno-economic analysis indicate that OARO mitigates several shortcomings of FO, making it more energy efficient (energy savings of ≈10.8%), less susceptible to internal concentration polarisation and more economical (cost savings of ≈15.5%). Furthermore, a key advantage of OARO is that it operates with lower draw solute concentrations allowing for the draw solute to be regenerated at temperatures 12 °C lower than with FO operation. This means that low-grade waste heat (LGWH), which is essentially ‘free energy’, is more easily utilised as an energy source. In comparison to other hydraulic pressure-driven ZLD technologies, such as low-salt-rejection RO (LSRRO), the electrical energy consumption of OARO can be significantly offset when powered by LGWH and using a thermo-responsive draw solute. The specific electrical energy consumption can be as low as 3.47 kWh/m3 when concentrating a saline stream from 0.6 M to 4 M using 4 membrane stages. At the same time, a 4-stage LSRRO system would consume approximately 48% more electricity to achieve the same concentration factor. Furthermore, OARO processes operating with a thermo-responsive draw solution can outperform those using non-responsive draw solutes (i.e. NaCl). Brine concentrations of up to 245 g/kg can be achieved using technically feasible operating pressures and draw solute concentrations, while the number of required membrane stages is almost halved from 6 to 4.

The Korea Land Data Assimilation System (KLDAS) has been established for agricultural drought (i.e. soil moisture deficit) monitoring in South Korea, running the Noah-MP land surface model within the NASA Land Information System (LIS) framework with the added value of local precipitation forcing dataset and soil texture maps. KLDAS soil moisture is benchmarked against three global products: the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS), the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) Land Data Assimilation System (FLDAS), and the European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative (ESA CCI) satellite product. The evaluation is performed using in situ measurements for 2013–2015 and one month standardized precipitation index (SPI-1) for 1982–2016, focusing on four major river basins in South Korea. The KLDAS outperforms all benchmark products in capturing soil moisture states and variability at a basin scale. Compared to GLDAS and FLDAS products, the EAS CCI product is not feasible for long term agricultural monitoring due to lower data quality for early periods (1979–1991) of soil moisture estimates. KLDAS shows that the most recent 2015 drought event leads to highest drought areas in the Han and Geum River basins in the past 35 years. This work supports KLDAS as an effective agricultural drought monitoring system to provide continuous regional high-resolution soil moisture estimates in South Korea.

Compatibility to the semiconductor industry makes silicon thin-film devices attractive for thermoelectric applications. Silicon has a competitive thermoelectric power factor but a large thermal conductivity, which results in an overall small thermoelectric figure of merit, ZT. By patterning arrays of nano-sized holes with spacing less than the average phonon mean free path into the Si thin films, their thermal conductivity can be greatly suppressed, whereas their electronic properties are less affected. We fabricated and measured the electronic and thermal transport properties of such holey Si devices from 300 K to 650 K. Heat diffusion imaging, a hybrid approach that combines thermoreflectance imaging and the heat spreader method was used for the in-plane thermal conductivity measurement and gives a value of 6.00 ± 1.83 W/mK at room temperature. The power factor times temperature is about 0.52 ± 0.04 W/mK at 300 K and 1.10 ± 0.09 W/mK at 650 K. Therefore, ZT of the holey Si device is approximately 0.09 at room temperature and is at least 0.29 at 650 K. Further improvement is possible by optimizing the feature sizes and using surface doping.

This review focuses on current research attempts to develop nano-enhanced polymeric desalination membranes. The novel contribution made by this work as compared to many recent reviews on membrane enhancement is that a critical review is made of the effect that the morphological, optical and magnetic properties of the applied nanomaterials have on the efficiency of desalination membranes. The focus on nanomaterials in this review is on both applying new chemical compositions at various concentrations, and also on altering the nanomaterials' morphology and other properties to reach the optimal membrane efficiency for desalination applications. The synthesis route has a major role of tuning the physical and chemical properties of the nanomaterials, and hence, the membrane morphological parameters can be altered, all of which are summarised in this review. The review surveys different types of nanomaterials used for membrane fabrication, such as single elements, metal oxides and nanotubes. Furthermore, mixed oxide composites and polymer/nanomaterial combinations are also considered for membrane enhancement. A wide application range is investigated for modified membranes in pressure and osmotically driven membrane processes for desalination, including reverse osmosis, forward osmosis, osmotically assisted reverse osmosis and pressure assisted forward osmosis.

Building on the capabilities’ hierarchy concept, a model of the effect of organizational learning on hotel performance is proposed and tested in this study. Data was collected from 240 managers in the hotel industry of United Kingdom and Pakistan via survey. The results revealed strong direct inter-relation between different level of capabilities and an indirect relation between organizational learning and performance through these capabilities. This paper makes theoretical contributions to management as well as hospitality and tourism research by generating an integrative and unifying framework for an organizational learning performance relationship, clarifying capabilities inter-relationships and empirically revealing the exact way these capabilities enhance performance. Also, it has practical implications for hotel managers’ understanding on the development and use of capabilities as a hierarchy in enhancing their hotel performance.

With support from NASA's Modeling and Analysis Program, we have recently developed the NASA Unified-Weather Research and Forecasting model (NU-WRF). NU-WRF is an observation-driven integrated modeling system that represents aerosol, cloud, precipitation and land processes at satellite-resolved scales. "Satellite-resolved" scales (roughly 1-25?km), bridge the continuum between local (microscale), regional (mesoscale) and global (synoptic) processes. NU-WRF is a superset of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Advanced Research WRF (ARW) dynamical core model, achieved by fully integrating the GSFC Land Information System (LIS, already coupled to WRF), the WRF/Chem enabled version of the GOddard Chemistry Aerosols Radiation Transport (GOCART) model, the Goddard Satellite Data Simulation Unit (G-SDSU), and custom boundary/initial condition preprocessors into a single software release, with source code available by agreement with NASA/GSFC. Full coupling between aerosol, cloud, precipitation and land processes is critical for predicting local and regional water and energy cycles. NU-WRF is an observation-driven integrated land-atmosphere modeling system.The software is a NASA-oriented superset of the standard NCAR WRF software.Enhancements include a satellite simulator package, coupling and physics options.Maintained at NASA/GSFC in an SVN repository, software is available by agreement.Supports coupling studies for land, atmosphere, aerosols, clouds and precipitation.

This study reports the incidence, risk factors, and functional outcomes of the largest reported series of patients treated arthroscopically for patella clunk syndrome (PCS). All patients treated arthroscopically for PCS were identified. Patients were matched with controls by sex and date of surgery. Follow-up was conducted using SF-12 and WOMAC questionnaires. Operative notes and preoperative and postoperative radiographs were reviewed. Seventy-five knees in 68 patients were treated arthroscopically for PCS. Average follow-up was 4.2 years. Functional scores demonstrated no statistical difference. PCS patients had a significantly more valgus preoperative alignment, greater change in posterior femoral offset and smaller patellar component size. PCS is a relatively common complication following TKA. Arthroscopy yields functional results comparable to controls. Radiographic and technical factors are associated with PCS.

A recent study has revealed a marked growth in global mergers and acquisitions between firms from developed and developing countries. Unlike previous merger waves, however, companies in emerging markets are playing an increasingly important role. This highlights the need for greater scrutiny of more, and diverse, aspects of mergers. In particular, the size difference between firms involved in mergers and its impact on merger outcomes are of interest. This paper examines whether the involvement of differing numbers of employees (either from the acquiring firm or from the acquired firm) may influence merger success. Drawing on previous work in understanding organizational culture and merger dynamics, we conduct a laboratory experiment that not only confirms the presence of learning and conflict in organizational cultures in mergers but also presents new findings in relation to the relative size of the firms involved.

Convection is the primary transport process in the Earth's atmosphere. About two-thirds of the Earth's rainfall and severe floods derive from convection. In addition, two-thirds of the global rain falls in the tropics, while the associated latent heat release accounts for three-fourths of the total heat energy for the Earth's atmosphere. Cloud-resolving models (CRMs) have been used to improve our understanding of cloud and precipitation processes and phenomena from micro-scale to cloud-scale and mesoscale as well as their interactions with radiation and surface processes. CRMs use sophisticated and realistic representations of cloud microphysical processes and can reasonably well resolve the time evolution, structure, and life cycles of clouds and cloud systems. CRMs also allow for explicit interaction between clouds, outgoing longwave (cooling) and incoming solar (heating) radiation, and ocean and land surface processes. Observations are required to initialize CRMs and to validate their results. The Goddard Cumulus Ensemble model (GCE) has been developed and improved at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center over the past three decades. It is amulti-dimensional non-hydrostatic CRM that can simulate clouds and cloud systems in different environments. Early improvements and testing were presented in Tao and Simpson (1993) and Tao et al. (2003a). A review on the application of the GCE to the understanding of precipitation processes can be found in Simpson and Tao (1993) and Tao (2003). In this paper, recent model improvements (microphysics, radiation and land surface processes) are described along with their impact and performance on cloud and precipitation events in different geographic locations via comparisons with observations. In addition, recent advanced applications of the GCE are presented that include understanding the physical processes responsible for diurnal variation, examining the impact of aerosols (cloud condensation nuclei or CCN and ice nuclei or IN) on precipitation processes, utilizing a satellite simulator to improve the microphysics, providing better simulations for satellite-derived latent heating retrieval, and coupling with a general circulation model to improve the representation of precipitation processes.

The spectral data of many plant pigments available in the literature are limited in their range and resolution. The objective of this project was to obtain improved spectral data that are representative of in vivo absorption characteristics for a selection of pigments relevant to leaf reflectance modeling. Absorption spectra of anthocyanins, betacyanins, betaxanthins, chlorophyll a and b, and carotenoids were obtained between 300 and 800 nm at 1-nm intervals. These pigments were extracted from plant material and separated using column and thin layer chromatography. The two methods showed consistent results for all pigments except the chlorophylls which could not be fully separated using simple column chromatography. The anthocyanin and betacyanin spectra were very similar but anthocyanin displayed greater absorption in the UV range.

Neurodevelopmental models of schizophrenia suggest that cognitive deficits may be observed during childhood and adolescence, long before the onset of psychotic symptoms. Elucidating the trajectory of normal cognitive development during childhood and adolescence may therefore provide a basis for identifying specific abnormalities related to the development of schizophrenia. The MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB), which was designed for use in clinical trials targeting cognitive deficits most common in schizophrenia, may provide a mechanism to understand this trajectory. To date, however, there is no performance data for the MCCB in healthy children and adolescents. The present study sought to establish performance data for the MCCB in healthy children, adolescents, and young adults.The MCCB was administered to a community sample of 190 healthy subjects between the ages of 8 and 23years. All MCCB domain scores were converted to T-scores using sample means and standard deviations and were compared for significant performance differences between sex and age strata.Analyses revealed age effects following quadratic trends in all MCCB domains, which is consistent with research showing a leveling off of childhood cognitive improvement upon approaching late adolescence. Sex effects after controlling for age only presented for one MCCB domain, with males exhibiting well-known spatial reasoning advantages.Utilizing this performance data may aid future research seeking to elucidate specific deficits that may be predictive of later development of SZ.

There is now considerable evidence that white matter abnormalities play a role in the neurobiology of autism. Little research has been directed, however, at understanding (a)typical white matter development in autism and how this relates to neurocognitive impairments observed in the disorder. In this study we used probabilistic tractography to identify the cingulum bundle in 21 adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and 21 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. We investigated group differences in the relationships between age and fractional anisotropy, a putative measure of white matter integrity, within the cingulum bundle. Moreover, in a preliminary investigation, we examined the relationship between cingulum fractional anisotropy and executive functioning using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). The ASD participants demonstrated significantly lower fractional anisotropy within the cingulum bundle compared to the typically developing volunteers. There was a significant group-by-age interaction such that the ASD group did not show the typical age-associated increases in fractional anisotropy observed among healthy individuals. Moreover, lower fractional anisotropy within the cingulum bundle was associated with worse BRIEF behavioral regulation index scores in the ASD group. The current findings implicate a dysregulation in cingulum bundle white matter development occurring in late adolescence and early adulthood in autism spectrum disorder, and suggest that greater disturbances in this trajectory are associated with executive dysfunction in ASD.

The study sheds light on why certain financial institutions exposed themselves, and the financial system as a whole, to excessive risk. The study examines the human side of the crisis and its relationship to certain organizational and sector-wide practices dominant at the time. The study draws on pre-existing insights from the field of crisis management, and use structuration theory to explore the inter-relationships between the micro- and macro-factors that contributed to the crisis. Structuration theory allows exploration of how the irresistible force of human agency and the immovable object of situational imperatives together provide an understanding of how and why the crisis occurred. The study argues that the crisis was largely due to failures in the implementation of certain risk management processes. The research findings challenge the notion that greater regulatory prescription and capital requirements are required, or that simple solutions such as caps on bonus payments will prove effective. Rather, implementing enhancements in the risk management and governance practices of financial institutions and their regulators is necessary, together with facilitating mechanisms that support cultural change.

The causal agents of cassava brown streak disease have recently been identified as Cassava brown streak virus (CBSV) and Ugandan cassava brown streak virus (UCBSV). Primers have been developed for rapid detection of these viruses by reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP). Performance of the RT-LAMP assays compared favourably with published RT-PCR and real-time RT-PCR methods. Furthermore, amplification by RT-LAMP is completed in 40 min and does not require thermal cycling equipment. Modification of the RT-LAMP reactions to use labelled primers allowed rapid detection of amplification products using lateral flow devices containing antibodies specific to the incorporated labels, avoiding the need for fluorescence detection or gel electrophoresis.

Several satellite-based snow products are assimilated, both separately and jointly, into the Noah land surface model for improving snow prediction in Alaska. These include the standard and interpreted versions of snow cover fraction (SCF) data from the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the snow depth (SD) estimates from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System (AMSR-E). The satellite-based SD estimates are adjusted against in situ observations via statistical interpolation to reduce the potentially large biases, prior to being assimilated using an ensemble Kalman filter. A customized, rule-based direct insertion approach is developed to assimilate the two SCF datasets. Our results indicate that considerable overall improvement on snow prediction can be achieved via assimilating the bias-adjusted satellite SD estimates; however, the improvement does not always translate into improvements in streamflow prediction. Assimilating the standard MODIS SCF is found to have little impact on snow and streamflow predictions, while assimilating the interpreted SCF estimates, which have reduced cloud coverage and improved snow mapping accuracy, has resulted in the most consistent improvements on snow and streamflow predictions across the study domain.

In this paper, we examine the implications for understanding the practices of researching business networks that result from the ontological paradigm choices that researchers make. This is not an esoteric theoretical problem; without understanding these choices and their implications for research practice, much of our knowledge of many business-to-business marketing problems may suffer from superficiality and rely on overly descriptive accounts and narratives. Based on three common building blocks in understanding social systems (individuals, social practices and processes, and social structures), we examine the implications of adopting two different research traditions, namely: critical realism and constructivism. Drawing on data from an in-depth investigation of a construction project undertaken in the UK, we apply these research traditions to a managerial phenomenon, specifically the practice of novation in temporary organisational networks. In so doing we examine what we may realistically learn from each approach and ask what are the implications for the practice of research.

Marketing as a discipline in general, and industrial marketing in particular, has drawn upon a number of different theoretical perspectives from domains as diverse as organisational theory, systems analysis, economics, psychology, sociology and anthropology to further our understanding. However, to build this understanding and increase the relevance of marketing research, we need to be aware of the ontological assumptions and stances that such theoretical perspectives use. The purpose of this special issue is therefore to offer a platform for the exploration, comparison, application, and consideration of ontological choice and its implications in industrial marketing research. To achieve this we review early industrial marketing scholarship in this first section. In the second section, we identify the larger ebbs and flows that mark the development and advancement of industrial marketing research. In the final section, we provide an overview of the papers in this special issue in the form of a thematic exploration of theoretical developments in industrial marketing management research.

Silver scurf caused by Helminthosporium solani and dry rot caused by Fusarium spp. are tuber diseases of economic importance in potato-growing areas worldwide. Recently, the two pathogens have developed resistance to thiabendazole (TBZ), a post-harvest fungicide commonly used for their control. Therefore, alternative disease control strategies are needed. The present study assessed the efficacy of the biopesticides Bio-Save 10LP (Pseudomonas syringae-strain ESC-10; Ps10) and Bio-Save 11LP (P. syringae-strain ESC-11; Ps11) against silver scurf and dry rot. Approximately 30 isolates representing the genus Fusarium were obtained from symptomatic potato specimens with dry rot from New Brunswick (NB), Nova Scotia (NS), Prince Edward Island (PE) and Alberta (AB), Canada. Species isolated were Fusarium sambucinum, Fusarium tumidum, Fusarium coeruleum, Fusarium culmorum, and Fusarium avenaceum. H. solani isolated from AB, NB and PE was included in the study as the causal agent of silver scurf. The efficacy of P. syringae against F. sambucinum and H. solani was tested in vitro. Ps10 and Ps11 inhibited the growth of H. solani up to 68% (NB isolate) and 73% (PE isolate), respectively and the inhibition was more or less comparable with that of TBZ. F. sambucinum was not significantly inhibited by Ps10; however Ps11 significantly inhibited AB, PE and NB isolates by 43%, 28% and 54%, respectively. Conversely, TBZ inhibited AB, PE and NB isolates of Fusarium spp. in vitro by 86%, 88% and 100%, respectively. TBZ in combination with either Ps10 or Ps11 did not always reduce the growth of H. solani or Fusarium spp. in vitro compared to that of TBZ alone. Storage trials conducted in NB and PE assessed the efficacy of P. syringae against H. solani or Fusarium spp. in vivo and confirmed that the application of P. syringae or TBZ alone or in combination significantly reduced the incidence and/or severity of silver scurf and Fusarium dry rot. Ps11 alone or in combination with TBZ was significantly more effective than Ps10 in controlling silver scurf disease severity. The reduction in disease severity of dry rot and silver scurf in storage due to Ps10, Ps11, or TBZ or their combinations was consistently comparable. Results indicate that the use of P. syringae (strains ESC-11 or ESC-10) as a post-harvest treatment can contribute to the management of both silver scurf and Fusarium dry rot in potato storages.

The present generation of general circulation models (GCM) use parameterized cumulus schemes and run at hydrostatic grid resolutions. To improve the representation of cloud-scale moist processes and land-atmosphere interactions, a global, Multi-scale Modeling Framework (MMF) coupled to the Land Information System (LIS) has been developed at NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center. The MMF-LIS has three components, a finite-volume (fv) GCM (Goddard Earth Observing System Ver. 4, GEOS-4), a 2D cloud-resolving model (Goddard Cumulus Ensemble, GCE), and the LIS, representing the large-scale atmospheric circulation, cloud processes, and land surface processes, respectively. The non-hydrostatic GCE model replaces the single-column cumulus parameterization of fvGCM. The model grid is composed of an array of fvGCM gridcells each with a series of embedded GCE models. A horizontal coupling strategy, GCE @? fvGCM @? Coupler @? LIS, offered significant computational efficiency, with the scalability and I/O capabilities of LIS permitting land-atmosphere interactions at cloud-scale. Global simulations of 2007-2008 and comparisons to observations and reanalysis products were conducted. Using two different versions of the same land surface model but the same initial conditions, divergence in regional, synoptic-scale surface pressure patterns emerged within two weeks. The sensitivity of large-scale circulations to land surface model physics revealed significant functional value to using a scalable, multi-model land surface modeling system in global weather and climate prediction.

Purpose of the paper and literature addressed The purpose of this paper is to examine how one of the most cited theories in sociology, structuration theory, might help inform our understanding of time in business networks. Structuration theory deals with the creation and maintenance of ideas and structures as well as with change and continuity processes. It defines a social system as any set of practices, patterns of interaction and social relationships that are relatively enduring. Research method This is a conceptual paper. Main contribution This paper outlines improved theoretical and methodological bases in industrial marketing research, which specifically takes into consideration time. This new understanding draws upon Giddens structuration theory, and more recent critiques of his work.

Soil organisms have been recommended as bio-indicators of soil quality due to their sensitivity to anthropogenic influences and their high degree of site-specificity. The objectives of this study were to determine if the relationship between the soil Collembola, Folsomia candida, and forest soil could be extended to other soils and, if not, to determine the relationship between its life parameters and soils from the different phases of an agricultural rotation sequence. A comparison of growth, reproduction and survival of 1 day old neonates and 10 day old juveniles subjected to a series of different soils (composted manure, pasture soil, forest soil, sand alone, and sand supplemented with yeast) established that the association between F. candida and forest soil quality cannot be automatically transferred to soils from other ecosystems. The test also showed that neonate (1 d) individuals were more sensitive to the different soil treatments than 10 d old juveniles and should be used in future tests. On this basis, neonate F. candida individuals were used to determine if the species could be employed to characterize the agricultural soils from the different phases of an organic or conventional rotation sequence. Results demonstrated that changes in body growth and reproduction constituted suitable criteria to characterize the soil quality of these different phases. The research required to develop these results as a standard bio-indicator test of agricultural soil quality is discussed.

Resumen Una de las alternativas terapeuticas para el manejo de la espasticidad en la paralisis cerebral es el uso de la toxina botulinica (TBA), la que mediante una denervacion temporal permite reducir el tono muscular facilitando la movilidad voluntaria. A pesar de que existe abundante literatura medica, en su mayoria evidencia tipo ii , que apoye el uso de la TBA en el nivel de «actividad» de la Clasificacion Internacional del Funcionamiento, de la Discapacidad y de la Salud, existe escasa evidencia cientifica que demuestre la influencia que esta terapia tiene en el nivel de «participacion», lo que es el proposito de este estudio. Materiales y metodos Ensayo clinico controlado aleatorio, simple ciego, con control a las 4 semanas, a los 3 meses y a los 6 meses. Treinta y seis ninos con hemiplejia o diplejia espastica entre 3 – 10 anos fueron asignados aleatoriamente con enmascaramiento en dos grupos: 1) grupo experimental: TBA tipo A mas terapia integral y 2) grupo control: solo terapia integral. La medida de resultado principal fueron los items de autocuidado, movilidad y transferencias del instrumento Wee Functional Independence Measure. Como medida de resultado secundaria se utilizo Gross Motor Function Measure-88. Resultados El puntaje integrado de autocuidado, movilidad y transferencias aumento entre el momento basal y los 6 meses un 25% en el grupo control y un 15,1% en el grupo con TBA, respectivamente, no existiendo diferencias significativas en ambos grupos (p>0,3). El puntaje de Gross Motor Function Measure-88 en ambos grupos registro aumento, sin embargo, las pruebas no parametricas indicaron que la distribucion de los ninos fue similar en ambos grupos durante el seguimiento, no existiendo diferencias estadisticamente significativas (U de Mann Whitney; p>0,10). Conclusion No se observan en este estudio diferencias significativas en cuanto a independencia funcional y en funcion motora gruesa en ambos grupos.

A new multi-layer canopy resistance model of bi-directional NH3 exchange is presented. This new model, which is based on the Multi-Layer BioChemical deposition (MLBC) model [Wu, Y., Brashers, B., Finkelstein, P.L., Pleim, J.E., 2003a. A multiplayer biochemical dry deposition model. I. Model formulation. J. Geophys. Res. 108, D1; Wu, Y., Brashers, B., Finkelstein, P.L., Pleim, J.E., 2003b. A multiplayer biochemical dry deposition model. II. Model evaluation. J. Geophys. Res. 108, D1], incorporates a parameterization for the ammonia stomatal compensation point that is theoretically derived to consider the effects of leaf temperature and apoplastic concentrations of NH4+ and H+. The new ammonia stomatal compensation point scheme accounts for the effects of deposition, emission and leaf temperature on the dynamics of apoplast [NH4+] and [H+]. The new model is evaluated against bidirectional NH3 fluxes measured over fertilized soybean. The general patterns of observed deposition and emission are successfully reproduced when the ammonia stomatal compensation point is included. Driven by the effects of deposition, emission and leaf temperature, modeled apoplastic [NH4+] and [H+] display significant diurnal variation when the buffer effect of the underlying metabolic processes generating or consuming NH4+ were ignored. Model predictive capability is improved slightly by incorporating the feedback into a dynamic stomatal compensation point. A simple implementation of the feedback mechanism in the current model provides opportunities for improvement. While the stomatal flux is shown to be an important process in the regulation of canopy-scale fluxes, it appears that exchange with leaf surface water and soil may also be important.

The sensitivity of the ChemetriQ^(R) method toward various contaminants was evaluated. Offering high resolution mapping without edge exclusion, the method based on surface work function lateral non-uniformities, i.e. the so called surface potential difference imaging (SPDI), appears to be very sensitive to traces of metals on Si wafers with native oxide. Using intentional contamination protocols and comparative methods such as total-reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF), different dynamics have been seen element to element. As an example, the signal for Fe and Cu contamination on Si is very strong, offering the capability to detect levels in the 10^1^0at/cm^2 range, while it is in the 10^1^2at/cm^2 range for Al. This does not obviously agree with work function differences between Si and the metals; and the exact reason for signal variations must be further investigated. Practical results show that the method can be applied indifferently to CZ wafer front side or backside, whatever the polish finish; can be applied to silicon on insulator (SOI) wafers; and can be very useful for the control of wafer edge contamination left after deposition and further bevel and edge etch steps.

The Land Information System (LIS) was developed at NASA to perform global land surface simulations at a resolution of 1-km or finer in real time. Such unprecedented scales and intensity pose many computational challenges. In this article, we demonstrate some of our approaches in high-performance computing with a Linux cluster to meet these challenges and reach our performance goals. These approaches include job partition and a job management system for parallel processing on the cluster, high-performance parallel input/output based on GrADS-DODS (GDS) servers, dynamic load-balancing and distributed data storage techniques, and highly scalable data replication with peer-to-peer (P2P) technology. These techniques work coherently to provide a high-performance land surface modeling system featuring fault tolerance, optimal resource utilization, and high scalability. Examples are given with LIS's high-resolution modeling of surface runoff during 2003 to illustrate LIS's capability to enable new scientific explorations.

The Land Information System (LIS) is an established land surface modeling framework that integrates various community land surface models, ground measurements, satellite-based observations, high performance computing and data management tools. The use of advanced software engineering principles in LIS allows interoperability of individual system components and thus enables assessment and prediction of hydrologic conditions at various spatial and temporal scales. In this work, we describe a sequential data assimilation extension of LIS that incorporates multiple observational sources, land surface models and assimilation algorithms. These capabilities are demonstrated here in a suite of experiments that use the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) and assimilation through direct insertion. In a soil moisture experiment, we discuss the impact of differences in modeling approaches on assimilation performance. Provided careful choice of model error parameters, we find that two entirely different hydrological modeling approaches offer comparable assimilation results. In a snow assimilation experiment, we investigate the relative merits of assimilating different types of observations (snow cover area and snow water equivalent). The experiments show that data assimilation enhancements in LIS are uniquely suited to compare the assimilation of various data types into different land surface models within a single framework. The high performance infrastructure provides adequate support for efficient data assimilation integrations of high computational granularity.