The connectors of two worlds: Chano Pozo, Dizzy Gillespie, and the continuity of myth through Afro-Cuban jazz

Explains how Afro-Cuban culture influenced African-American jazzmen and led to the formation of Afro-Cuban or Latin jazz in 1947 by Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo. Explores the musical connections between the physical plane of Cuba and the United States, and the esoteric spiritual world of the orishas and myths coming to life in sacred and secular music forms

The use of a new viscous process in constitutive models of polymers

YesIn constitutive models of polymers, there has been a long history of the use of strain-rate dependent viscous processes, such as the Eyring and Argon models. These are combined with elastic elements to generate viscoplastic models that exhibit typical phenomena such as rate dependent yield, creep and stress relaxation. The Eyring process is one of the most frequently used such mechanisms. It has two significant drawbacks: it implies a temperature dependence of mechanical behaviour that is in an opposite sense to that observed; and it predicts a strain rate dependence of yield stress that is less complex than that observed, leading to the requirement for two or more Eyring processes. In recent years, new ideas for amorphous polymers have been developed that lead to an alternative plastic mechanism that addresses these concerns. In this paper a constitutive model that incorporates this mechanism is developed, and its effectiveness in modelling macroscopic mechanical behaviour of polymers is explored with respect to published data

Modelling of polymer clay nanocomposites for a multiscale approach.

YesThe mechanical property enhancement of polymer reinforced with nano-thin clay platelets (of high aspect ratio) is associated with a high polymer-filler interfacial area per unit volume. The ideal case of fully separated (exfoliated) platelets is generally difficult to achieve in practice: a typical nanocomposite also contains multilayer stacks of intercalated platelets. Here we use numerical modelling to investigate how the platelet properties affect the overall mechanical properties. The configuration of platelets is modelled using a statistical interpretation of the Representative Volume Element (RVE) approach, in which an ensemble of "sample" heterogeneous material is generated (with periodic boundary conditions). A simple Monte Carlo algorithm is used to place non-intersecting platelets in the RVE according to a specified set of statistical distributions. The effective stiffness of the platelet-matrix system is determined by measuring the stress (using standard Finite Element analysis) produced as a result of applying a small deformation to the boundaries, and averaging over the entire statistical ensemble. In this work we determine the way in which the platelet properties (curvature, filling fraction, stiffness, aspect ratio) and the number of layers in the stack affect the overall stiffness enhancement of the nanocomposite. Thus, we bridge the gap between behaviour on the macroscopic scale with that on the scale of the nano-reinforcement, forming part of a multi-scale modelling framework

International Management: Strategic Opportunities and Cultural Challenges

As the economies of many countries become more interrelated, international managers are facing huge challenges and unique opportunities associated with their roles. Now in its fifth edition, Sweeney and McFarlin\u27s International Management embodies a balanced and integrated approach to the subject, emphasizing the strategic opportunities available to firms on a global playing field, as well as exploring the challenges of managing an international workforce. Integrating theory and practice across all chapter topics, this book helps students to learn, grasp, and apply the underlying principles of successful international management: Understanding the broad context of international business, including the critical trends impacting international management, the legal and political forces driving international business, and the ethical and cultural dilemmas that can arise Mastering the essential elements of effective interaction in the international arena, from cross-cultural understanding and communication to cross-border negotiation Recognizing and taking advantage of strategic opportunities, such as entering and operating in foreign markets Building and leading effective international teams, including personal and behavioral motivation, as well as taking an international perspective on the hiring, training, and development of employees These principles are emphasized in the text with current examples and practical applications, establishing a foundation for students to apply their understanding in the current global business environment. With a companion website featuring an instructor’s manual, presentation slides, and a test bank, International Management Fifth Edition is a superb resource for instructors and students of international management

Prediction Of Pest Pressure on Corn Root Nodes – The POPP-Corn model

A model for the corn rootworm Diabrotica spp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) combined with a temporally-explicit model for development of corn roots across the soil profile was developed to link pest ecology, root damage and yield loss. Development of the POPP-Corn model focused on simulating root damage from rootworm feeding in accordance with empirical observations in the field to allow the virtual testing of efficacy from management interventions in the future. Here we present the model and demonstrate its applicability for simulating root damage by comparison between observed and simulated pest population development and root damage (assessed according to the node injury scale from 0 to 3) for field studies from the literature conducted in Urbana, Illinois (US) between 1991 and 2014. The model simulated the first appearance of larvae and adults to within a week of that observed in 88 and 71% of all years, respectively, and in all cases to within two weeks of the first sightings recorded for central Illinois. Furthermore, in 73% of all years simulated root damage differed by less than 0.5 node injury scale points compared to the observations made in the field between 2005 and 2014 even though accurate information for initial pest pressure (i.e., number of eggs in the soil) was not measured at the sites or available from nearby locations. This is, to our knowledge, the first time that pest ecology, root damage and yield loss have been successfully interlinked to produce a virtual field. There are potential applications in investigating efficacy of different pest control measures and strategies

A knowledge-based approach to designing control strategies for agricultural pests

Chemical control of insect pests remains vital to agricultural productivity, but limited mechanistic understanding of the interactions between crop, pest and chemical control agent have restricted our capacity to respond to challenges such as the emergence of resistance and demands for tighter environmental regulation. Formulating effective control strategies that integrate chemical and non-chemical management for soil-dwelling pests is particularly problematic owing to the complexity of the soil-root-pest system and the variability that occurs between sites and between seasons. Here, we present a new concept, termed COMPASS, that integrates ecological knowledge on pest development and behaviour together with crop physiology and mechanistic understanding of chemical distribution and toxic action within the rhizosphere. The concept is tested using a two-dimensional systems model (COMPASS-Rootworm) that simulates root damage in maize from the corn rootworm Diabrotica spp. We evaluate COMPASS-Rootworm using 119 field trials that investigated the efficacy of insecticidal products and placement strategies at four sites in the USA over a period of ten years. Simulated root damage is consistent with measurements for 109 field trials. Moreover, we disentangle factors influencing root damage and pest control, including pest pressure, weather, insecticide distribution, and temporality between the emergence of crop roots and pests. The model can inform integrated pest management, optimize pest control strategies to reduce environmental burdens from pesticides, and improve the efficiency of insecticide development

DNA vaccination for prostate cancer, from preclinical to clinical trials - where we stand?

Development of various vaccines for prostate cancer (PCa) is becoming an active research area. PCa vaccines are perceived to have less toxicity compared with the available cytotoxic agents. While various immune-based strategies can elicit anti-tumour responses, DNA vaccines present increased efficacy, inducing both humoural and cellular immunity. This immune activation has been proven effective in animal models and initial clinical trials are encouraging. However, to validate the role of DNA vaccination in currently available PCa management paradigms, strong clinical evidence is still lacking. This article provides an overview of the basic principles of DNA vaccines and aims to provide a summary of preclinical and clinical trials outlining the benefits of this immunotherapy in the management of PCa