Wavelength and angular dependence of reflectances and depolarization in the 9–11-μm region are reported for four standard targets: flowers of sulfur, flame-sprayed aluminum, 20-grit sandblasted aluminum, and 400-grit silicon carbide sandpaper. Measurements are presented and compared using a cw CO2 grating-tunable laser in a laboratory backscatter apparatus, an integrating sphere, and a coherent pulsed TEA-CO2 lidar system operating in the 9–11-μm region. Reflectance theory related to the use of hard targets to calibrate lidar atmospheric backscatter data is discussed.


Recently, increasing attention has been given to the ecological significance of DDT-type compounds. This growing concern is generally attributed to their stability and their subsequent persistence in the environment. Owing to the large number of such compounds and because of the difficulties of their isolation, it is important to have fundamental information dealing with methods and possibilities for their identification.


Biologically inspired computational models replicate the hierarchical visual processing in the human ventral stream. One such recent model, Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) has achieved state of the art performance on automatic visual recognition tasks. The CNN architecture contains successive layers of convolution and pooling, and resembles the simple and complex cell hierarchy as proposed by Hubel and Wiesel. This makes it a candidate model to test against the human brain. In this study we look at 1) where in the brain different layers of the CNN account for brain responses, and 2) how the CNN network compares against existing and widely used hierarchical vision models such as Bag-of-Words (BoW) and HMAX. fMRI brain activity of 20 subjects obtained while viewing a short video clip was analyzed voxel-wise using a distance-based variation partitioning method. Variation partitioning was done on successive CNN layers to determine the unique contribution of each layers in explaining fMRI brain activity. We observe that each of the 7 different layers of CNN accounts for brain activity consistently across subjects in areas known to be involved in visual processing. In addition, we find a relation between the visual processing hierarchy in the brain and the 7 CNN layers: visual areas such as V1, V2 and V3 are sensitive to lower layers of the CNN while areas such as LO, TO and PPA are sensitive to higher layers. The comparison of CNN with HMAX and BoW furthermore shows that while all three models explain brain activity in early visual areas, the CNN additionally explains brain activity deeper in the brain. Overall, our results suggest that Convolutional Neural Networks provide a suitable computational basis for visual processing in the brain, allowing to decode feed-forward representations in the visual brain. Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2015.


This article investigates the effects of different degrees of contextual granularity on language model performance. It presents a new language model that combines clustering and half-contextualization, a novel representation of contexts. Half-contextualization is based on the half-context hypothesis that states that the distributional characteristics of a word or bigram are best represented by treating its context distribution to the left and right separately and that only directionally relevant distributional information should be used. Clustering is achieved using a new clustering algorithm for class-based language models that compares favorably to the exchange algorithm. When interpolated with a Kneser-Ney model, half-context models are shown to have better perplexity than commonly used interpolated n-gram models and traditional class-based approaches. A novel, fine-grained, context-specific analysis highlights those contexts in which the model performs well and those which are better treated by existing non-class-based models.


September 11, 2011 marked the tenth anniversary of the most horrific attacks in the United States. In the decade after the September 11, 2001 attacks (9/11), matters of race and religion maintained an awkwardly prominent role in American culture, with the media arguably fueling perceptions. This interdisciplinary Article's thesis is that media elites, most of which are large corporations, threaten American democracy with xenophobic influence in an age of unmediated communication. Thus, the frequent imagery of "us" versus "them" has exasperated religious tensions between Judeo-Christian faith groups and religious minorities. In the wake of the United States Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, corporate media entities are now able to control the news and the newsmaker, with free speech that has become very costly. Indeed, empirical studies and research show that media has misused its trusted status as the proverbial "fourth branch of government," because of capitalism and consumerism. Moreover, in an effort to increase ratings and associated advertising dollars, media has reinforced stereotypes by marketing and essentially selling fear as part of the War on Terror. The authors seek to prove their thesis by emphasizing the historical significance of the First Amendment's individual protections, examining deregulation and the media's profit-making interests, and criticizing the Citizens United decision as creating an inherent conflict of interest for media corporations, considering their proven interest in "selling" news for pecuniary gain.


Speakers learn detailed generalizations about the morphophonology of their language and extend them to nonce words. We propose a theory of this morphophonological knowledge that partitions the lexicon into uniform and productive sublexicons. Each sublexicon has its own phonotactic grammar, which the speaker uses as an inference mechanism to determine the relative productivity of each sublexicon. We report the results of an experiment on the generalization of mid vowel deletion (''yer'' deletion) in Russian, showing that speakers encode source-oriented generalizations about the shapes of words that can undergo vowel deletion, as well as product-oriented generalizations about words that result from vowel deletion. An implementation of our model learns the patterns of deletion and captures both source-oriented and product-oriented generalizations.


The perfect aspect has not received extensive attention in the study of varieties of English, but its interpretation as aspect or secondary tense is debated by grammarians of (Standard) English. This paper examines the semantics of the perfect in ICE corpora of three varieties, Great Britain, East Africa and Hong Kong. The major division between non-continuative and continuative perfects is supported, with evidence that the core sense is temporal, rather than aspectual. The perfect carries an additional sense of relevance between the event and the time of speaking. Elaborations of the core sense specify the kind of relevance, either as recent past, resultative or in specific registers. Some extensions of the perfect involve more typical aspectual meanings, which profile the period in which an event occurs. The paper concludes that the study of new varieties has much to contribute to the resolution of grammatical questions normally considered independent of varieties of English.


The practices and processes by which various forms of signs are generated, for example, the cartographical procedure by which maps are drawn, more generally, the diagrammatic ones by which networks of relationships are iconically represented, are themselves performances (maps are always both the result of mappings and the impetus for re-mappings). Literary texts provide us with unique resources for exploring, among other matters, the performative dimensions of these complex procedures, turning them into stages on which subjectivity is played out. Looking at texts by John Banville (The Sea), Carole Shields (Larry's Party) and Michael Ondaatje (In the Skin of a Lion), I will argue that diagrammatic figurations in narrative texts involve not only performance and performativity but also strongly enhance the complex interaction between narrativity and visuality as they transform the text into a stage on which textual activity is performed, 1) as a dramatic dialogue between writer, text and reader and 2) in the dramatic and visual positionings of agents within the text itself. Three kinds of textual performance of subjectivity can be discerned in the diagrammatic figurations in these three novels: on the diegetic level, as the subjectivity performed by the characters and, especially, the narrators as instances of performativity that is established and maintained in relation to both author and reader; on the level of the author, whose subjectivity is textually performed as self-expression; finally, on the level of reception, as the subjectivity of the reader is itself established performatively in the act of reading.


Background: Growing data suggest that DNA damage repair and detoxification pathways play crucial roles in radiation-induced toxicities. To determine whether common functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in candidate genes from these pathways can be used as predictors of radiation pneumonitis (RP), we conducted a prospective study to evaluate the associations between functional SNPs and risk of RP. Methods: We recruited a total of 149 lung cancer patients who had received intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). GSTP1 and XRCC1 were genotyped using the SurPlexTM-xTAG method in all patients. RP events were prospectively scored using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), version 4.0. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to determine the cumulative probability of RP of grade ≥ 2. Cox proportional hazard regression was performed to identify clinical variables and SNPs associated with risk of RP grade ≥ 2, using univariate and multivariate analysis, respectively. Results: With a median follow-up of 9 months, the incidence of RP of grade ≥ 2 was 38.3%. A predicting role in RP was observed for the GSTP1 SNP (adjusted hazard ratio 3.543; 95% CI 1.770-7.092; adjusted P< 0.001 for the Ile/Val and Val/Val genotypes versus Ile/Ile genotype). Whereas, we found that patients with XRCC1 399Arg/Gln and Gln/Gln genotypes had a lower risk of RP compares with those carrying Arg/Arg genotype (adjusted HR 0.653; 95% CI 0.342-1.245), but with no statistical significance observed (adjusted P = 0.195). Conclusions: Our results suggested a novel association between GSTP1 SNP 105Ile/Val and risk of RP development, which suggests the potential use of this genetic polymorphism as a predictor of RP. In addition, genetic polymorphisms of XRCC1 399Arg/Gln may also be associated with RP.


The results of the PLATON project in the area of HD multimedia production and delivery will provide the community with the integrated service that will promote the research outcome, support the educational scenarios and ease the knowledge sharing. It will also open the possibility to promote locally the content produced in other countries and host/deliver it for better end-user experience. In the paper we present the principles and conceptual design of country-wide service for interactive delivery of HD television within the PIONIER network. The concept covers five functional components which we are describing: media production, digital media repositories, live virtual channels creation and management, scalable content delivery, interactive application-on-demand provisioning (AoD).


Context: Managing technical debt (TD) associated with potential security breaches found during design can lead to catching vulnerabilities (i.e., exploitable weaknesses) earlier in the software lifecycle; thus, anticipating TD principal and interest that can have decidedly negative impacts on businesses. Goal: To establish an approach to help assess TD associated with security weaknesses by leveraging the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) and its scoring mechanism, the Common Weakness Scoring System (CWSS). Method: We present a position study with a five-step approach employing the Quamoco quality model to operationalize the scoring of architectural CWEs. Results: We use static analysis to detect design level CWEs, calculate their CWSS scores, and provide a relative ranking of weaknesses that help practitioners identify the highest risks in an organization with a potential to impact TD. Conclusion: CWSS is a community agreed upon method that should be leveraged to help inform the ranking of security related TD items.


The French names for inhabitants like Paris --> Parisien 'Parisian' or Toulouse --> Toulousain , are mainly formed by derivation and exhibit high variability due to the wide range of suffixes used for detoponymic adjectives and their various bases. The derivational stem is formed by morphological processes like epenthesis, allomorphy, or suppletion, and the selection of a suffix is related to the formal shape of the stem. It is impossible to predict the selection of any particular suffix, but one can nevertheless restrict the selection to some of them to the exclusion of others. When forming French ethnonyms, speakers first construct a possible derivational stem and in a second step select a probable suffix in order to derive ethnonyms with a harmonic structure. The concrete construction principles are discussed in the second part of this paper.


Although fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) may increase risk of diabetes and exert negative cardiac inotropy, it is unknown whether plasma concentrations of FABP4 are associated with incidence of sudden cardiac death (SCD). We prospectively analyzed data on 4,560 participants of the Cardiovascular Health Study. FABP4 was measured at baseline using ELISA, and SCD events were adjudicated through review of medical records. We used Cox proportional hazards to estimate effect measures. During a median followup of 11.8 years, 146 SCD cases occurred. In a multivariable model adjusting for demographic, lifestyle, and metabolic factors, relative risk of SCD associated with each higher standard deviation (SD) of plasma FABP4 was 1.15 (95% CI: 0.95–1.38), P = 0.15. In a secondary analysis stratified by prevalent diabetes status, FABP4 was associated with higher risk of SCD in nondiabetic participants, (RR per SD higher FABP4: 1.33 (95% CI: 1.07–1.65), P = 0.009) but not in diabetic participants (RR per SD higher FABP4: 0.88 (95% CI: 0.62–1.27), P = 0.50), P for diabetes-FABP4 interaction 0.049. In summary, a single measure of plasma FABP4 obtained later in life was not associated with the risk of SCD in older adults overall. Confirmation of our post-hoc results in nondiabetic people in other studies is warranted.


Background
Patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (nsclc) experience great pain and stress. Our study aimed to explore the effect of early palliative care on quality of life in patients with nsclc.

Methods
A total of 150 patients were randomly divided into two groups: control group with conventional care and study group with early palliative care. The quality of life (qol) rating scale and self-rating scale of life quality (sslq) were used to analyze the patients' quality of life. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-D/A (hads-d/a) and Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (phq-9) were used to analyze the patients' mood. Pulmonary function indexes of peak expiratory flow (pef), functional residual capacity (frc), and trachea-esophageal fistula 25% (tef 25%) were analyzed using the lung function detector.

Results
The qol and sslq scales scores of patients receiving early palliative care were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05). Moreover, the questionnaire results of the hads-d/a and phq-9 were better in patients receiving palliative care than in the control group (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). In addition, analytical results of pulmonary function showed that the levels of pef, frc, and tef 25% in patients assigned to early palliative care were remarkably higher than those in the control group (p < 0.01 or p < 0.001).

Conclusions
These data demonstrate that early palliative care improves life quality, mood, and pulmonary function of nsclc patients, indicating that early palliative care could be used as a clinically meaningful and feasible care model for patients with metastatic nsclc.


Providing efficient access from optical fibers to on-chip photonic systems is a key challenge for integrated optics. In general, current solutions allow either narrowband out-of-plane-coupling to a large number of devices or broadband edge-coupling to a limited number of devices. Here we present a hybrid approach using 3D direct laser writing, merging the advantages of both concepts and enabling broadband and low-loss coupling to waveguide devices from the top. In the telecom wavelength regime, we demonstrate a coupling loss of less than −1.8 dB between 1480 nm and 1620 nm. In the wavelength range between 730 nm and 1700 nm, we achieve coupling efficiency well above −8 dB which is sufficient for a range of broadband applications spanning more than an octave. The 3D couplers allow relaxed mechanical alignment with respect to optical fibers, with −1 dB alignment tolerance of about 5 µm in x- and y-directions and −1 dB alignment tolerance in the z-direction of 34 µm. Using automatized alignment, many such couplers can be connected to integrated photonic circuits for rapid prototyping and hybrid integration.


We combined conventional dietary sampling (2002) with stable isotope analysis of nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) in feathers of Leach's storm-petrels Oceanodroma leucorhoa (2001 and 2002) to investigate temporal, sex- and age-related variation in diet and trophic position, at Baccalieu Island, Newfoundland, Canada. Nestlings are fed mainly fish and crustaceans (ca. 90 and 9% by mass, respectively) toward the end of chick-rearing. The bulk of the fish were vertically migrating myctophids, associated with the offshore environment. Crustaceans were mainly parasitic hyperiid amphipods Hyperia galba, commonly found nearshore in association with scyphozoan jellyfish hosts.
δ15N values in summer-grown feathers were similar between years, but differed between age-classes in 2001 when chicks occupied slightly higher trophic level (3.2 vs. 3.1). δ13C values in summer-grown feathers were lower for chicks than adults. Predictions from a 3-source dual-isotope linear mixing model indicated that adults consumed 47% glacier lanternfish Benthosema glaciale, 5% capelin Mallotus
villosis and 49% H. galba in 2001, while in 2002 respective values were 87, 6 and 7%. Model output for chicks was not biologically meaningful, possibly due to the lipid-rich (and δ13C depleted) stomach oil fed to chicks by adults. For adults, no sex differences were found in values of either isotope during summer. δ15N values were significantly higher in feathers grown during summer than
during mid-moult, suggesting increased consumption of crustaceans in winter. δ13C values in adult primaries were relatively enriched, consistent with movement of post-breeding birds toward tropical waters. Combining conventional and chemical analyses has provided some of the first insights into the year-round ecology of the smallest and most abundant seabird breeding in eastern North America.


The fourth science run of the LIGO and GEO 600 gravitational-wave detectors, carried out in early 2005, collected data with significantly lower noise than previous science runs. We report on a search for short-duration gravitational-wave bursts with arbitrary waveform in the 64-1600 Hz frequency range appearing in all three LIGO interferometers. Signal consistency tests, data quality cuts, and auxiliary-channel vetoes are applied to reduce the rate of spurious triggers. No gravitational-wave signals are detected in 15.5 days of live observation time; we set a frequentist upper limit of 0.15 per day (at 90% confidence level) on the rate of bursts with large enough amplitudes to be detected reliably. The amplitude sensitivity of the search, characterized using Monte Carlo simulations, is several times better than that of previous searches. We also provide rough estimates of the distances at which representative supernova and binary black hole merger signals could be detected with 50% efficiency by this analysis.


Background: Decompensated liver cirrhosis may increase procalcitonin (PCT) levels in patients without bacterial infection. Previous studies have not provided conclusive results about the difference in serum PCT levels caused by specific liver decompensation and bacterial infection. Objective: To examine the role of PCT in assisting the diagnosis of bacterial infection in decompensated liver cirrhosis patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study on decompensated liver cirrhosis patients who were outpatients and admitted to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, was conducted between December 2015 until May 2016. Procalcitonin levels were examined and bacterial infection was identified using standard criteria for each type of infection suspected. Analysis was performed to determine the difference in PCT levels between patients with and without bacterial infection, and to obtain the cutoff point of PCT for . bacterial infection diagnosis using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: There were 38 patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis, 16 (42.1%) with bacterial infection, and 22 (57.9%) without bacterial infection. Patients with bacterial infection (3.607±0.643 ng/ml) had significantly higher PCT levels than those without bacterial infection (0.738±1.185 ng/ml). The level of PCT for bacterial infection in decompensated liver cirrhosis had an area under the ROC curve of 0.933 (CI 0.853-1.014). The cutoff point of PCT for bacterial infection diagnosis in decompensated liver cirrhosis patients was 2.79 ng/ml, with a sensitivity of 87.5% and specificity of 86.4%. Conclusion: The PCT levels of decompensated liver cirrhosis patients with bacterial infection were higher than those of patients without bacterial infection. The cutoff point of PCT for bacterial infection diagnosis in decompensated liver cirrhosis patients was 2.79 ng/ml.


This last decade experienced a sudden increase of interest in the control of thermo-acoustic instabilities, in particular through the use of fuel modulation techniques. The primary goal of this research was to design, construct and characterize a high bandwidth proportional fuel injection system, which could be used to study the effect of specific levels of fuel modulation on the combustion process and the reduction of thermo-acoustic instabilities. A fuel injection system, incorporating the use of a closed loop piston and check valve, was designed to modulate the primary fuel supply of an atmospheric liquid-fueled swirl stabilized combustor operating at a mean volumetric fuel flow rate of 0.4 GPH. The ability of the fuel injection system to modulate the fuel was examined by measuring the fuel line pressure and the flow rate produced during operation. The authority of this modulation over the combustion process was investigated by examining the effect of fuel modulation on the combustor pressure and the heat release of the flame. Sinusoidal operation of the fuel injection system demonstrated: a bandwidth greater that 800 Hz, significant open loop authority (averaging 12 dB) with regards to the combustor pressure, significant open loop authority (averaging 33 dB) with regards to the unsteady heat release rate and an approximate 8 dB reduction of the combustor pressure oscillation present at 100 Hz, using a phase shift controller. It is possible to scale the closed loop piston and check valve configuration used to create the fuel injection system discussed in this work to realistic combustor operating conditions for further active combustion control studies.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the methodological procedures and some sociodemographic and medical care characteristics of the population studied in a research project on perinatal health developed in the Ribeirão Preto county, SP, in 1994, in order to make historical comparisons with the indicators of mother-child health of a similar study conducted 15 years before in the same municipality.

MATERIAL AND METHOD
All the hospital births that occurred in Ribeirão Preto from June 1978 to May 1979 were studied by interviewing the mothers and obtaining data about maternal and paternal habits, social situation of the family, medical care during pregnancy and delivery, duration of pregnancy, and anthropometric and mortality data about the newborn children. A new study was conducted in 1994 using the same methodology to collect data about a sample of 1/3 of the births that had occurred in the municipality in that year (all the hospital births observed during a period of 4 months), and also about the mortality of this group up to one year after the termination of birth data collection. The interviews were held after delivery and infant weight and length were measured immediately after birth. Infant mortality was evaluated by surveying the data referring to all deaths of infants born during the year of the study and up to 1 year after its termination. The data were obtained from the Municipal Health Secretariat to which copies of all death certificates emitted in the registry offices of the county are sent obligatorily.

RESULTS
An investigation was made into 3,663 births, 3,579 of which were singletons; of these, 2,846 were from the municipality. Comparison with the data obtained in the previous study showed an increase in the frequency of some indicators such as adolescent mothers, prematurity, low birth weight and cesarian section; on the other hand, there was a 50% decrease in the mortality rate and its components.


Abstract. A humerus and two radii of juvenile dwarf hippopotamuses are redescribed. The subfossil bones from the collection of the Museum fur Naturkunde Berlin were erroneously assigned to the horned crocodile Voay robustus (Grandidier & Vaillant, 1872) by Bickelmann & Klein (2009). All three limb bones presented here belong to immature animals. The epiphyses are not fused, except the proximal extremity of the right radius; and the radius and ulna are also unfused. The two radii are from individuals of different size, whereas the left radius and the humerus are from animals of similar size. Morphologically, the limb bones cannot be identified to species level. A tentative assignment to Hippopotamus madagascariensis is discussed based on the knowledge of the geographic origin on the island. doi: 10.1002/mmng.201000003


From the 1950s through the 1980s, both the government of Sweden and various non-governmental agencies in that country stood at the forefront of the international campaign against apartheid. To a considerable extent, representatives of the Church of Sweden Mission were involved in this struggle. Among them was Gunnar Helander (1915-2006), a missionary in Natal and on the Witwatersrand from 1938 until 1956. After he returned permanently to Sweden, his role escalated and became known internationally, especially due to his prominence in the leadership of the International Defence and Aid Fund. Between 1949 and 1986 Helander wrote seven novels set in South Africa. In these works one can trace the unfolding of his position on apartheid, which evolved from mild criticism of race relations in South Africa to advocacy of international subversion of the P.W. Botha regime.


This paper explores the current debate about water management policies and the factors affecting their formulation and implementation in the arid and semi-arid zones of the Near East and North African Region (NENAR). In this context, relevant and significant experiences of other countries in the world facing similar challenges are also considered (Sachdeva, 2009). The literature pertaining to water management policies is examined to better understand the processes and the experiences of water management reform in these countries and the variables affecting them. Review of different water management policies should provide insights into the parameters and scope of research into improving water use efficiency in agriculture and the effect of water price on farmers' viability. This review will allow both an identification of, and an investigation into, the challenges faced by policymakers in framing water policies linked to water scarcity and water use efficiency in irrigation (Laamrani and Salih, 2010).


Post-tensioning is suitable, reliable and durable method of strengthening existing engineering structures, especially bridges. The high efficiency of post-tensioning can be seen in many applications throughout the world. In this paper the method is extended by a structural system of substituted cable ducts, which allows for significantly widening application of prestressing so it's convenient mostly for application on beam bridges or slab bridges (built in years 1920 – 1960). The method of substituted cable ducts is based on theoretical knowledge and technical procedures, which were made possible through the development in prestressing systems, particularly the development of prestressing tendons (monostrands) and encased anchorages, as well as progress in drilling technology. This technique is highly recommended due to minimization of interventions into the constructions, unseen method of cable arrangement and hence the absence of impact on appearance, which is appreciated not only in case of valuable historical structures but also in general. It is possible to summarise that posttensioning by monostrands in substituted cable ducts is a highly effective method of strengthening existing bridges in order to increase their load capacities in terms of current traffic load and to extend their service life.


Understanding how faults initiate and fault architecture evolves is central to predicting bulk fault zone properties such as fault zone permeability and mechanical strength. The study of faults at the Earth's surface and at near-surface levels is significant for the development of high level nuclear waste repositories, and CO2 sequestration facilities. Additionally, with growing concern over water resources, understanding the impact faults have on contaminant transport between the unsaturated and saturated zone has become increasingly important. The proposal of a high-level nuclear waste repository in the tuffs of Yucca Mountain, Nevada has stimulated interest into research on the characterisation of brittle deformation in non-welded to densely welded tuffs and the nature of fluid flow in these faults and fractures.
The majority of research on the initiation and development of faults has focussed on shear faults in overall compressional stress regimes. Dilational structures have been examined in compressional settings e.g. overlapping faults generating extensional oversteps, or in normal faults cutting mechanical layered stratigraphy. Previous work has shown the affect mechanical stratigraphy has on fault dip angle; competent layers have steeply dipping segments and less competent layers have shallowly dipping segments. Displacement is accommodated by shear failure of the shallow segments and hybrid failure of the steeply dipping segments. As the fault walls of the shear failure segment slip past each other the walls of the hybrid failure segment are displaced horizontally as well as vertically thus forming dilation structures such as pull-aparts or extensional bends. Work on truly extensional faults has been at the kilometre scale of fissure swarms in rift systems where the focus is on fault geometry and direction of fault propagation.
This study examines dilational faults with offsets of centimetres to 10's of meters within moderately and densely welded ignimbrite units on the caldera island of Gran Canaria, Spain. Through the investigation of fault populations within different ignimbrite units I have examined how the fault architecture changes with accumulated displacement, identified the factors controlling fault core evolution and using these observations developed a new model for the initiation and growth of dilational faults in ignimbrites.
The faults in this study do not have a linear correlation of increasing fault core thickness with displacement. Fault core width varies along fault dip and the largest offset faults have the narrowest fault cores. Furthermore, the damage zone joint frequency shows a limited increase with increasing displacement and faults and joints are sub-parallel. From these observations I have developed a new model for fault initiation and evolution in which the petrophysical properties of the host rock are the primary control on fault architecture. Faults initiate on existing sub-parallel joints and grow by the incorporation of material from joint surfaces and joint bound slabs. The growth of the fault depends on the joint spacing and the competency of the host rock. In densely welded ignimbrites, joint spacing is controlled by sub-layers within the ignimbrite unit which are formed by flattening and stretching of fiamme. In moderately welded ignimbrites, fiamme and lithic inclusions in the ash matrix act as sites of joint initiation; the greater the abundance of such flaws the higher the joint frequency. Whether fault growth is promoted or inhibited depends to some extent on the competency of the material. Faults cutting ash-rich friable units have narrow fault cores regardless of displacement. This suggests that the material is easily abraded in the fault core inhibiting fracturing of the host rock and incorporation of new material. Hence host rock fabric and composition have an important influence on fault architecture in these ignimbrite units. The other influence on fault evolution is the tensile stress regime in which faulting occurs. The faults in this study form by hybrid failure and so have both vertical and horizontal displacements. The dilation of existing joints causes slip on the joints and allows material to fall into the joint forming a fault core. This work identifies distinct differences between the mechanism of dilational fault initiation and resultant fault architecture compared to that of shear faults.
The observations made in this study indicate that the host rock petrophysical properties, stress regime at time of faulting (tensile or compressive) and confining pressure are primary influences on fault architecture and not displacement; contradicting the widely accepted fault thickness-displacement scaling relationship. I suggest that the architecture of dilational faults can be predicted by examining the host rock properties and using the data from this study have developed a framework that illustrates how ignimbrite host rock properties may affect deformation structures. Such frameworks for individual lithologies may be more useful in predicting fault zone properties as opposed to global scaling relationships. The results of this study have implications for conceptual models of fluid flow based on fault architectures predicted using the thickness-displacement relationship.


Shock advertising is a tactic of choice for some organizations despite its disputed efficacy and dubious ethicality. Through a focused biblical analysis, this paper identifies numerous examples of divinely-initiated shocking communication, which in light of Imago Dei might lead people to believe that they also have considerable liberty to use shock. Closer examination of biblical cases, however, suggests that organizations should only create shocking ads for very compelling reasons.


This paper investigates the impact of referee behaviour on the quality and efficiency of peer review. We focused on the importance of reciprocity motives in ensuring cooperation between all involved parties. We modelled peer review as a process based on knowledge asymmetries and subject to evaluation bias. We built various simulation scenarios in which we tested different interaction conditions and author and referee behaviour. We found that reciprocity cannot always have per se a positive effect on the quality of peer review, as it may tend to increase evaluation bias. It can have a positive effect only when reciprocity motives are inspired by disinterested standards of fairness.


Conscious experiences are mysterious and subjective in nature. Recent studies in the field of consciousness suggest that conscious experiences can help in better understanding of feelings, emotions of oneself and others and thus improve the rate of development and quality of life. It may also enhance the emotional and cognitive abilities. Cognitive abilities are related to mental skills and brain based functions which play a vital role in growth and development and are needed to carry out any task from the simplest to the most complex. These have more to do with the mechanisms of how we learn, remember, problem-solve, and pay attention, rather than with any factual knowledge. The present study examines the relationship between conscious experience and cognitive abilities. Consciousness quotient and general mental ability of participants (N=270) were assessed. Pearson's correlation was used to identify the relationship between conscious experience and cognitive ability. The study also determined the influence of conscious experience in prediction of cognitive abilities using linear regression analysis. The relationship of cognitive ability with different dimensions of the consciousness experience (viz. physical, emotional, self, social-relational, mental, spiritual and inner growth) are discussed.


We report a rare case of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-associated gastric carcinoma that presented as an elevated lesion and was treated by complete en-bloc resection using endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). A 60-year-old manwas diagnosed with an early gastric cancer when he underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) for epigastralgia. He was referred to our hospital 2 weeks later. Endoscopic examination revealed a whitish elevated lesion of 25mm in diameter, which was suspected to be an elevated-type adenoma or mucosal cancer, in the anterior wall of the middle section of the bodyof the stomach. The margin of the lesionwas clear after the application of indigo carmine with acetic acid (●" Fig.1). Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) showed multiple rounded, hypoechoic lesions in the third layer with a slightly low-echoic mass in the first layer (●" Fig.2), suggestive of infiltrated lymphoid follicles or submucosal invasion. We performed ESD as the diagnostic treatment. Histologic examination showed diffuse-type adenocarcinoma forming submucosal nodules within the lymphoid stroma beneath mucosal intestinal-type adenocarcinoma. This was in line with the EUS imaging. In situ hybridization revealed strong nuclear expression of EBV-encoded RNA in the epithelial cells but not in the reactive lymphoid cells (●" Fig.3). The depth of submucosal invasion was 3000μm, but the lateral and vertical margins were clear. EBV-associated gastric carcinoma makes up 4%–10% of all gastric cancers [1,2]. It often appears as depressed or ulcerated Fig.3 Histologic appearances of the lesion. a Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain showing a diffuse-type adenocarcinoma forming submucosal nodules within the lymphoid stroma associated with intestinal-type adenocarcinoma in the mucosa. The depth of submucosal invasion was 3000μm, but the lateral and vertical margins were clear (magnification ×4). b In situ hybridization for EBVencoded RNA showing strong nuclear positivity in the epithelial cells but not in the reactive lymphoid cells. Inset: High-power view. Fig.2 Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) image showing multiple rounded, hypoechoic lesions in the third layer, with a slightly low-echoic mass in the first layer.


Where were you, Ms. French, when we started to learn? Ms. French, our 11th-grade chemistry teacher, taught us the secret code for unlocking the art of note taking. After over a decade in school, we finally had a teacher give us a lesson on how to actually take notes from a science textbook. She explained that there's a different method of studying for each class and subject and that we should figure out what method works best for each class. For a science textbook, the most important thing is to read for facts and look at all diagrams. But a science textbook is nothing like an English book, she said, therefore we shouldn't read it the same way, which led to a surprising revelation: We really didn't know how to study. We had spent years in school "studying," but without the code, we had been wasting a lot of time. Our notes weren't helping us when we went back to study because either we were missing information or had not written them in the best format--color, which helps differentiate ideas and keeps the notes from blending all together. Also, we learned not to copy word for word. Transcribing a textbook doesn't help. In fact, it hurts because it doesn't lead to comprehension. Notes in someone else's words never stick the way notes in your own words do. In one 50-minute class, Ms. French showed us that we took notes in the completely wrong way and had been doing so ever since middle school. We follow Ms. French's advice every time we take notes for a science class and are adapting it for our other classes. Note taking isn't instinctive, not in the least. But it is vital that we learn to do it so well and deeply that it becomes instinctive. This means students must be taught how to take notes, how to study, and how to be prepared. Otherwise, we can't succeed. Learning to take notes is time well-spent, but has somehow been overlooked in efforts to cover more curriculum. Note taking is actually more efficient for everyone--students, teachers, and frustrated families trying to help. We could never figure out why we didn't do well when we knew we had studied hard. Now that we know the code, we still study hard, but have better outcomes and time left over to do other things we like to do. Ms. French, you rock! We looked back at our years of schooling to realize that no teacher had taught us how to study for a specific subject. In elementary school, studying was very limited. Our parents held our hands and guided us so we didn't really learn any skills. They just told us what to do. By middle school, teachers and parents assumed we had the skills to deal with preparing for tests by ourselves. We went from having a bike with training wheels to a motorcycle on the highway, with nothing in between. This was overwhelming to say the least. We ended up stumbling through middle school trying to figure out how to study, which we never really figured out. In high school, studying became essential, teachers didn't treat us like babies anymore and expected us to be able to function, but we still didn't have a clue. Scary realization The realization that we didn't know how to study was very scary. Ask any student--that first high school test was horrifying when it became apparent that we hadn't studied well enough. But was it really the right kind of studying? My first high school test was for U.S. history, says Kayla. I was shocked at how unprepared I was. Afterwards, when I got a C on my test, all I could say to my mom was, "But, but, I swear I studied." It wasn't enough, and I spent all year trying to figure out how to actually do well in the class. …


Studying electrolysis processes in drinking water disinfection it was found that chlorate and perchlorate can be formed at high extent on several electrode materials. Formation potential differs by orders of magnitude comparing mixed oxide (MIO), Pt and boron doped diamond (BDD) anodes. Highest concentrations were found using the doped diamond electrodes. Extended studies showed that chlorate and perchlorate may be formed also in other processes of so-called Advanced Oxidation . Therefore, the authors propose both components as new inorganic assessment criterions in environmentally-oriented water treatment.


This 2002 book expands our understanding of the distinctive policy analysis produced between 1919 and 1950 by economists and other social scientists for four major international organizations: the League of Nations, the International Labor Organization, the Bank for International Settlements, and the United Nations. These practitioners included some of the twentieth century's eminent economists, including Cassel, Haberler, Kalecki, Meade, Morgenstern, Nurkse, Ohlin, Tinbergen, and Viner. Irving Fisher and John Maynard Keynes also influenced the work of these organizations. Topics covered include: the relationship between economics and policy analysis in international organizations; business cycle research; the role and conduct of monetary policy; public investment; trade policy; social and labor economics; international finance; the coordination problem in international macroeconomic policy; full employment economics; and the rich-country-poor-country debate. Normative agendas underlying international political economy are made explicit, and lessons are distilled for today's debates on international economic integration.


Internet is a main factor in a flood of information. There is great concerning about reliability of information from the Internet. Financial statements are opened annually and anybody can obtain them from the Internet. A company manipulates its accounting data in order to look like financially stable. An institutional or individual investor considers the company has a good state in finance part or in business activity from its financial reports. That makes investors failed due to faulty information. Therefore, personal, companies or even countries can become a very dangerous state by usage of incorrect information. To modify accounting data as false is an antisocial action. In forensic accounting, an investigation is conducted to find evidence relevant to accounting scandals that involve making money for use in secret, embezzling company funds, or evading taxes on purpose [1]. But most existing techniques are used for evidence discovery rather than fraud prevention. Fraud prevention in accounting part means to pre-detect frauds by analyzing financial statements. It helps information reliability from the Internet. In this paper, an algorithm is suggested for the detection of financial fraud via financial statements analysis and the test results using this algorithm will be presented.


Reaction of [cis-Ru(2,2'-bpy)2(O3SCF3)2] (1) with 9-methylguanine (9-MeG) affords the cis-[Ru(2,2'-bpy)2(9-MeG)2]2+ complex (2) in good yield. Two bases bind to the metal center via the N7 atoms. X-ray structure analysis of 2(SO3CF3)2 (monoclinic, P2(1)/n, a = 12.5159(6) A, b = 20.0904(13) A, c = 17.1202(9) A, beta = 98.981(6) degrees, V = 4252.1(4) A(3), Z = 4) reveals that the two bases are in a head-to-tail (HT) orientation with base-base dihedral angle of 60.4 degrees. NMR studies confirm that the complex is stable in water for hours, and no evidence for guanine substitution by solvent molecules was found.


Low oxygen limited the rise of animals Oxygen levels in Earth's early atmosphere had an important influence on the evolution of complex life. Planavsky et al. analyzed the isotopic signature of chromium in sedimentary rocks from across the globe—a proxy for past oxygen levels. Oxygen levels in the mid-Proterozoic (1.6 billion to 900 million years ago) were very low: less than 0.1% of the modern atmosphere. These low levels were probably below the minimum oxygen requirements for the earliest animals, delaying their emergence and diversification. Science, this issue p. 635 Oxygen levels in Earth's early atmosphere were often less than 1% of modern levels. The oxygenation of Earth's surface fundamentally altered global biogeochemical cycles and ultimately paved the way for the rise of metazoans at the end of the Proterozoic. However, current estimates for atmospheric oxygen (O2) levels during the billion years leading up to this time vary widely. On the basis of chromium (Cr) isotope data from a suite of Proterozoic sediments from China, Australia, and North America, interpreted in the context of data from similar depositional environments from Phanerozoic time, we find evidence for inhibited oxidation of Cr at Earth's surface in the mid-Proterozoic (1.8 to 0.8 billion years ago). These data suggest that atmospheric O2 levels were at most 0.1% of present atmospheric levels. Direct evidence for such low O2 concentrations in the Proterozoic helps explain the late emergence and diversification of metazoans.


CONTEXT
The application of infrared thermography to assess the effects of athletic training is increasing. It is not known if changes in skin temperature (Tsk) as assessed by infrared thermography are affected by the training load or the muscle soreness experienced by the athlete.

PURPOSE
To describe the variations in Tsk in body areas affected by running training and examine any relationships with subjective ratings of muscle soreness. The secondary aim was to assess the feasibility of using infrared thermography for assessing training load in 2 junior male middle-distance athletes.

METHODS
Data were collected over a 42-d observational period with Tsk of the quadriceps, knees, shins, lateral hamstrings, biceps femoris, and Achilles tendons, and the subjective ratings of muscle soreness were taken each morning prior to any training. All training load was quantified through heart rate, running speed, and distance covered. Changes in Tsk outside the typical error were identified. Relationships between Tsk and subjective ratings of muscle soreness were also examined.

RESULTS
Over the 42-d observational period, mean Tsk of the regions of interest was reported outside the typical error on day 31 and day 22 for athletes 1 and 2, respectively. These changes in Tsk did not follow trends similar to those of to training loadings. No significant relationships were observed between Tsk of any regions of interest and muscle soreness.

CONCLUSIONS
Although Tsk changed outside the typical error throughout the 42-d observational period, these changes were not reflective of training load quantified through cardiovascular strain or subjective ratings of muscle soreness.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the optimized rehabilitation program in the treatment of post-stroke hemiplegia at the recovery stage.

METHODS
Based on the randomized controlled principle, 60 patients were randomized into an rehabilita tion + massage group (group A) and an rehabilitation + acupuncture group (group B), 30 cases in each one. Bobath sport therapy and functional training were adopted in the two groups. In the group A, the massage therapy was added. The rolling method and palm-rubbing method were used on the affected side, the pressing, kneading and plucking methods were applied to Jianliao (LI 15), Jianzhen (SI 9), Quchi (LI 11), Huantiao (GB 30), Weizhong (BL 40), Chengshan (BL 57), Zusanli (ST 36) and the other acu points; and the nipping method was adopted at the twelve Jing-well points. In the group B, acupuncture was applied to Baihui (BL 20), Jianliao (LI 15), Quchi (LI 11), Shousanli (LI 10), Huantiao (GB 30), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Jiexi (ST 41) and the other acupoints. The treatment was given once a day, 5 treatments a week in the two groups. The efficacy was evaluated in 3 weeks. Fugl-Meyer scale, Barthel index (BI) score, modified Rankin scale and stroke-specific quality of life (SS-QOL) were used to assess the limb motor function, the activity of daily life (ADL), independent activity of life and the quality of life of the patients in the two groups before and after treatment. Based on the total cost and benefit, the health economics evaluation was conducted in the patients of the two groups.

RESULTS
The treatments all improved the limb motor function (group A: 26.00 (22) vs 37.00 (33); group B: 30.50 (21) vs 39.50 (36)), the independent activity of life, ADL (group A: 43.50 +/- 22.25 vs 57.50 +/- 22.25; group B: 52.83 +/- 16.59 vs 66.67 +/- 12.82) and the quality of life (group A: 122.23 +/- 30.00 vs 145.50 +/- 28.14; group B: 132.43 +/- 23.87 vs 151.47 +/- 22.37) in the patients of the two groups. The differences in all the indices were significant statistically before and after treatment in the two groups (all P<0.05). Above indices after treatment were not different obviously between the two groups (all P>0.05). In terms of health economics, the expense was decreased by RMB 688.48 while BI was increased by every 5 score in group A in comparison with the group B.

CONCLUSION
Both the rehabilitation and massage therapy and the rehabilitation and acupuncture therapy improve the limb motor function and the quality of life in the patients of post-stroke hemiplegia. The therapeutic efficacies are similar between the two therapeutic programs. The program of rehabilitation and massage is more economical in the aspects of ADL improvement, being advantageous at simple operation and low cost.


AIM--To look for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in a series of gastric cancers of common and rare histological types. METHODS--Formalin sections from 19 cases of gastric carcinomas of different types were studied using in situ hybridisation with fluorescein conjugated EBER oligonucleotides and the avidin-biotin complex immunoperoxidase technique, using the monoclonal antibody Dako-EBV CS 1-4. RESULTS--The only positive tumour was a lymphoepithelioma-like gastric carcinoma. The remaining 18 cases, which included 11 consecutive cases of usual adenocarcinomas, three early gastric cancers, two adenosquamous carcinomas, and a case each of signet ring carcinoma and neuroepithelioma, were all negative. However, scattered EBV positive cells were seen in the normal gastric or duodenal mucosa bordering the tumours in seven out of 11 cases. CONCLUSIONS--Lymphoepithelioma-like gastric carcinoma seems to be the main, if not the only, EBV positive gastric cancer. The presence of EBV positive normal gastric and duodenal cells suggests that these cells may act as a reservoir for the virus in some people--a possibility that deserves wider investigation.


Suppression of plant diseases due to the action of endophytic microorganisms has been demonstrated in several pathosystems. Experiments under controlled conditions involving endophytic bacteria isolated from leaves and branches of Coffea arabica L and Coffea robusta L were conducted with the objective of evaluating the inhibition of germination of Hemileia vastatrix Berk. & Br., race II, urediniospores and the control of coffee leaf rust development in tests with leaf discs, detached leaves, and on potted seedling of cv. Mundo Novo. The endophytic bacterial isolates tested proved to be effective in inhibiting urediniospore germination and/or rust development, with values above 50%, although the results obtained in urediniospore germination tests were inferior to the treatment with fungicide propiconazole. Endophytic isolates TG4-Ia, TF2-IIc, TF9-Ia, TG11-IIa, and TF7-IIa, demonstrated better coffee leaf rust control in leaf discs, detached leaves, and coffee plant tests. The endophytic isolates TG4-Ia and TF9-Ia were identified as Bacillus lentimorbus Dutky and Bacillus cereus Frank. & Frank., respectively. Some endophytic bacterial isolates were effective in controlling the coffee leaf rust, although some increased the severity of the disease. Even though a relatively small number of endophytic bacteria were tested, promising results were obtained regarding the efficiency of coffee leaf rust biocontrol. These selected agents appears to be an alternative for future replacement of chemical fungicide.


The epidermal characteristics of the first seeding l eaves of thirty species of grasses common to the mixed Prairie Association of West central Kansas were studied. The thirty species represent seventeen genera and six tribes of the Gramineae. Seed was gathered in the Hays, Kansas area and the seedlings grown in the Fort Hays Kansas State College greenhouse under optimum conditions. Slides of both abaxial (lower) and adaxial (upper) leaf surfaces were made from preserved specimens by the peel method which utilizes acetone and cellulose acetate film. These slides were compared with stained mounts of the abaxial epidermis. Photomicrography of both leaf surfaces were taken and these supplemented with line drawing of certain diagnostic epidermal elements. The differing cell types occurring as part of the epidermis were studied and recorded. Silica bodies, cork cells, macro-hairs, micro-hairs, prickle hairs, papillae, stomata, and certain undifferentiated cells were studied. The form or shape of these epidermal elements was emphasized rather than the number or distribution. The form of the silica bodies and bicellular microhairs were found to be most useful in distinguishing or characterizing species and other taxa. In this survey of a number of grasses of several genera and tribes, the form and arrangement of the epidermal elements were found to be more diagnostic than distribution or frequency.


The log-rank conjecture is one of the fundamental open problems in communication complexity. It speculates that the deterministic communication complexity of any two-party function is equal to the log of the rank of its associated matrix, up to polynomial factors. Despite much research, we still know very little about this conjecture. Recently, there has been renewed interest in this conjecture and its relations to other fundamental problems in complexity theory. This survey describes some of the recent progress, and hints at potential directions for future research.


The valley of Kashmir is famous for its marvellous landscape which attracts tourists from all along the globe. The landscaping of this heavenly abode predominantly involves alien ornamental plants. The present study puts on record the alien ornamental flora of Srinagar Kashmir, and thus, is a first compilation of alien ornamental flora of the region. The study enlists the occurrence of 271 exotic ornamental species distributed in 187 genera, belonging to 85 families, therefore piling up the total number of alien plant species in the Kashmir Himalayas to 704. The taxonomic composition analysis of alien ornamental flora of the region revealed that dicots are represented by 223 species (82%) belonging to 151 genera and 65 families while as monocots comprised of 39 species (15%) dispersed in 28 genera and 13 families. Gymnosperms are represented by 9 species (3%), 8 genera and 7 families. Asteraceae (11.07%), Rosaceae (9.59%), Oleaceae (4.79%) are the largest families of exotic ornamental plants introduced into the Kashmir Himalayas. Out of 85 families, 42 are represented by a single genus and single species. The highest number of alien ornamental species have come from the continent Asia (31%) followed by Europe (30%) and North America (20%). The study reports the occurrence of 133 alien ornamental species for the first time from Kashmir Himalayas. Our analysis of alien species establishment and invasion is not in consonance with Williamson's tens rule and proposes that human assisted species selection, introduction and establishment change the entire dimensions of tens rule to maximum values in invasion biology. (Nature and Science 2010;8(3):79-95). (ISSN: 1545-0740).


The treatment of diabetes has focused on either replacing insulin or increasing sensitivity to it. Noting that plasma concentrations of human neutrophil α-defensins (HNPs) activate Akt, a component of the insulin signaling pathway, and that severe bacterial infections (which are associated with increased plasma HNPs) are often accompanied by hypoglycemia, Liu et al. investigated the role of HNPs in regulating hepatic glucose production. Intravenous administration of HNP-1 decreased blood glucose concentration in both wild-type mice and Zucker diabetic fatty rats [ZDF rats, a model of type II (insulin-resistant) diabetes]. Under conditions in which hyperinsulinemia was maintained in ZDF rats by means of the continuous infusion of insulin, HNP-1 increased the rate of glucose infusion required to maintain euglycemia. Radioisotopic analysis indicated that this depended on a decrease in glucose production, rather than an increase in uptake by skeletal muscle. HNP-1 inhibited pharmacologically stimulated gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis in isolated mouse hepatocytes and also inhibited the pharmacologically stimulated increase in mRNAs encoding the gluconeogenic enzymes glucose-6-phosphatase and phosphoenoylpyruvate carboxyl kinase (PEPCK) and activation of a gene reporter under the control of the PEPCK promoter. Like insulin, HNP-1 and -2 stimulated phosphorylation of Akt and FoxO1 in hepatoma cells and primary mouse hepatocytes. Whereas insulin stimulated the phosphorylation of IRS1 but not that of c-Src, HNP-1 stimulated the phosphorylation of c-Src but not that of IRS-1. Furthermore, c-Src activation was required for the effects of HNP-1 on glucose-6-phosphatase mRNA expression and gluconeogenesis but not for those of insulin. Thus, the authors conclude that HNP-1 can inhibit hepatic glucose production through a pathway distinct from that mediated by insulin, a finding that may have implications for the treatment of diabetes. H.-Y. Liu, Q. F. Collins, F. Moukdar, D. Zhuo, J. Han, T. Hong, S. Collins, W. Cao, Suppression of hepatic glucose production by human neutrophil α-defensins through a signaling pathway distinct from insulin. J. Biol. Chem. 283, 12056-12063 (2008). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Abstract We utilize new radiocarbon dates and detailed sedimentological logging of the Abu Dhabi sabkha to produce the first well-constrained, internally consistent rates for late Holocene carbonate-ramp sediment accumulation and progradation for the southern shore of the Persian Gulf. These data are applied to test the hypothesis that, in low-angle carbonate ramp systems, ramp geometry is the primary control on sedimentation and progradation rates and, therefore, estimates acquired from other depositional environments cannot be applied to low-angle carbonate ramp systems. Average calculated progradation rates of 0.75 m/yr are higher than progradation rates proposed for other late Holocene and Recent carbonate settings; a relationship that is explained by the lack of accommodation space in the low-angle laterally extensive ramp system. In the sedimentary record, such relatively high progradation rates would produce laterally extensive lithologically uniform units with little or no evidence of progradational features and would appear to be largely contemporaneous across their extent. The total average sediment accumulation rate of 0.029 cm/yr is lower than those proposed from most other late Holocene to Recent shallow-water carbonate depositional environments; again, a relationship interpreted to result from the limited accommodation space of low-angle carbonate ramp systems. Calculated sediment accumulation rates show little variation over the past ~ 1,400 years, yet the calculated progradation rates exhibit a sharp decline from a maximum of 1.03 m/yr before 677–946 cal BP to 0.70 m/yr afterwards. This is interpreted to reflect a rise in relative sea level or distal steepening of the ramp system. Applying the progradation rates proposed in this paper, the lagoon system in the study area would be completely infilled in less than 4,000 years. Calculated sediment accumulation rates for syndepositional and early postdepositional interstitial displacive evaporite formation are higher than those for carbonate and microbial mat intervals. Continued precipitation of evaporite minerals during burial would result in a further increase in their relative contribution to the sediment pile. Conversely, compaction, particularly of microbial-mat intervals, will result in a decrease in apparent sediment accumulation rates for non-evaporite intervals. These processes need to be considered when modeling the basin evolution of mixed evaporite–carbonate sequences in the stratigraphic record. During calculation of sedimentation rates it is important to consider both a correction for compaction and a correction for evaporite formation.


This paper draws on previously unpublished data of a short-term prisoner resettlement initiative (Step-On) in two large prisons in the north of England in the United Kingdom (UK). A quasi-experimental design was used to compare a sample of 192 prisoners who underwent enhanced resettlement assistance with a matched sample of offenders who did not. The purpose was to examine whether the enhanced resettlement support across five 'resettlement pathways' led to lower levels of recidivism following release from prison. The analysis found that the experimental group with enhanced resettlement support was significantly less likely to reoffend compared with the matched control group, however, this positive effect only held during the ninety day post-release support period, after which there was no significant difference between groups. In addition to delayed re-offending, other benefits of the project saw a reduced severity of offence for those who did re-offend. These findings have policy and practice implications for the resourcing of resettlement provision in the UK and other jurisdictions.


The purpose of this study was to determine the impact and utilization of a STEM enrichment program (hereafter referred to as The Program). The Program consisted of two parts. First an educator resource center provided free educational materials throughout The Program's home state. The second part of The Program was a network of education specialists who provided professional development for teachers and modeled lessons in classrooms with students. The problem addressed by this study was a lack of knowledge regarding the impact of The Program on key stakeholders. The Program's director requested a utilization-focused Program evaluation to answer thirteen questions. His questions covered Program impact for five areas: overall impact on teachers, overall impact on students, overall impact of materials, overall impact of Program personnel, and overall impact on STEM education. A mixed-methods case study was designed to gather data. Quantitative data included Program archival data regarding the number of contacts for various groups of stakeholders and a survey distributed to teachers who had used The Program's services on at least one occasion. Qualitative data included written comments gathered from the teacher surveys, seven teacher focus groups, and four Program personnel interviews. Data found an overall positive Program impact in all areas. Both quantitative and qualitative data showed favorable perceptions by teachers and Program personnel. It is now known if data from this case study can be generalized to other STEM enrichment programs. Future research might include if The Program's model could be used to generate new STEM enrichment programs.


This dissertation consists in two parts. In the first part (Chapter 1-3) we study the notion of cooperative game theory and its applications to network engineering problems. The tools of cooperative game theory are shown to be advantageous for obtaining high-performance and good results in terms of fairness, and stability. In particular, the first part describes a theoretical framework for the design and analysis of resource allocation algorithms for wireless networks using OFDMA technology in uplink transmission. The resource allocation issue is modeled as a cooperative game in which every user terminal is assigned to a set of subcarriers, and them chooses its transmit power so as to achieve its demanded data rate exactly. The power distribution is obtained by a dynamic learning algorithm based upon Markov modeling. Simulation results show that the average number of operations of the proposed iterative algorithm are much lower than K . N, where N and K are the number of allocated subcarriers and of mobile terminals.
The second part (Chapter 4-6) deals with the information theoretic issues around multi hop communication where some nodes act as intermediate relays. We present the advantages and limitations of different relaying strategies. We first review point-to-point communication assisted by one relay, and derive the upper bounds on the capacity of memoryless AWGN relay channel. We bound the capacity region of the channel using, the max-flow min-cut (cutset) theorem and find achievable rate regions for the amplify and forward, decode and forward, and compress and forward protocols. Then, we aim at studying the capacity of AWGN channels assisted by multiple parallel relay channels. We are interested in two cooperation models involving point-to-point and multiple access (multiple transmitters and single receiver). We derive the capacities of AWGN channels for different relaying techniques. In addition, we study a reliable network wherein some relays perform decode and forward strategy and others relays as compress and forward. We show that the improvement of the overall data rate strongly depends on the combination of relay' positions and relaying strategy. Also, we will show that a multiple parallel relayed communication achieves its maximum capacity by either only one relay or all relays together. Adding a new relay/transmitter does not necessarily expand outer capacity region, and can even degrade the capacity of the network.


The idea of the "project" crosses generic, disciplinary and cultural frontiers. At a time when writers and artists are increasingly describing their practices as "projects", remarkably little critical attention has been paid to the actual idea of the "project". This collection of essays responds to an urgent need by suggesting a framework for evaluating the notion of the project in the light of various modernist and postmodernist cultural practices, drawn mainly but not exclusively from the French-speaking domain. The overview offered by this volume promises to makes an original and thought-provoking contribution to contemporary literary, artistic and cultural criticism. Johnnie Gratton is the holder of the 1776 Chair of French at Trinity College Dublin. He is the author of Expressivism: The Vicissitudes of a Theory in the Writing of Proust and Barthes (Legenda, 2000), and has written widely on modern French fiction and autobiography. Michael Sheringham is Marshal Foch Professor of French Literature, University of Oxford. He has worked extensively on Surrealism, modern fiction, poetry, and autobiography and related genres. His publications include French Autobiotraphy: Devices and Desires (OUP 1993) and Parisian Fields (ed, Raktion Books, 1996).


Participatory Action Research (PAR) approaches and methods have seen an explosion of recent interest in the social and environmental sciences. PAR involves collaborative research, education and action which is oriented towards social change, representing a major epistemological challenge to mainstream research traditions. It has recently been the subject of heated critique and debate and rapid theoretical and methodological development.

This book captures these developments, exploring the justification, theorisation, practice and implications of PAR. It offers a critical introduction to understanding and working with PAR in different social, spatial and institutional contexts. The authors engage with PAR's radical potential, while maintaining a critical awareness of its challenges and dangers. The book is divided into three parts. The first part explores the intellectual, ethical and pragmatic contexts of PAR; the development and diversity of approaches to PAR; recent poststructuralist perspectives on PAR as a form of power; the ethic of participation; and issues of safety and well-being. Part two is a critical exploration of the politics, places and practices of PAR. Contributors draw on diverse research experiences with differently situated groups and issues including environmentally sustainable practices, family livelihoods, sexual health, gendered experiences of employment, and specific communities such as people with disabilities, migrant groups, and young people. The principles, dilemmas and strategies associated with participatory approaches and methods including diagramming, cartographies, art, theatre, photovoice, video and geographical information systems are also discussed. Part three reflects on how effective PAR is, including the analysis of its products and processes, participatory learning, representation and dissemination, institutional benefits and challenges, and working between research, action, activism and change.

The authors find that a spatial perspective and an attention to scale offer helpful means of negotiating the potentials and paradoxes of PAR. This approach responds to critiques of PAR by highlighting how the spatial politics of practising participation can be mobilised to create more effective and just research processes and outcomes. The book adds significant weight to the recent critical reappraisal of PAR, suggesting why, when, where and how we might take forward PAR's commitment to enabling collaborative social transformation. It will be particularly useful to researchers and students of Human Geography, Development Studies and Sociology.


The open science (OS) movement has advocated for increased transparency in certain aspects of research. Communication is taking its first steps toward OS as some journals have adopted OS guidelines codified by another discipline. We find this pursuit troubling as OS prioritizes openness while insufficiently addressing essential ethical principles: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. Some recommended open science practices increase the potential for harm for marginalized participants, communities, and researchers. We elaborate how OS can serve a marginalizing force within academia and the research community, as it overlooks the needs of marginalized scholars and excludes some forms of scholarship. We challenge the current instantiation of OS and propose a divergent agenda for the future of Communication research centered on ethical, inclusive research practices.


A geometric optics model for evaluating end separation and transverse offset losses at a graded-index (GRIN) rod lens to lens coupler is extended to the case of angular tilt misalignment loss. Two different fiber–lens combinations are examined, and the model is verified by comparison to experimental measurements, which show close agreement to the theoretical predictions. In addition, invariance of the angular tilt loss to differing optical launch and receive conditions is shown, and a possible explanation for this phenomenon is provided. Finally, the theoretical model is used to predict fiber–lens combinations which minimize possible angular tilt losses.


ABSTRACT Christian theologians have grappled for centuries with the fact that they are not Jews, yet embedded in Jewish history. Situated in the context of a Jewish-centric State that has been welcomed by a majority of evangelicals worldwide as fulfilment of biblical prophecy (and supported by their financial, spiritual, and political investment), Palestinian evangelicals are an anomaly. While they share an evangelical commitment, they have a complex and difficult relationship with the Israeli state. This paper argues that the population of Palestinian evangelicals is most productively explored through a combined interdisciplinary approach of Theology and Anthropology: it reveals the historical theologies that have shaped Palestinian evangelical engagement with the Israeli state and their global faith family. The article argues that theologically engaged Anthropology can aid in uncovering the power relationships within a transnational religious movement.


Abstract Analysis of shoreline variability and shoreline erosion-accretion trends is fundamental to a broad range of investigations undertaken by coastal scientists, coastal engineers, and coastal managers. Though strictly defined as the intersection of water and land surfaces, for practical purposes, the dynamic nature of this boundary and its dependence on the temporal and spatial scale at which it is being considered results in the use of a range of shoreline indicators. These proxies are generally one of two types: either a feature that is visibly discernible in coastal imagery (e.g., high-water line [HWL]) or the intersection of a tidal datum with the coastal profile (e.g., mean high water [MHW]). Recently, a third category of shoreline indicator has begun to be reported in the literature, based on the application of image-processing techniques to extract proxy shoreline features from digital coastal images that are not necessarily visible to the human eye. Potential data sources for shoreline investigation include historical photographs, coastal maps and charts, aerial photography, beach surveys, in situ geographic positioning system shorelines, and a range of digital elevation or image data derived from remote sensing platforms. The identification of a "shoreline" involves two stages: the first requires the selection and definition of a shoreline indicator feature, and the second is the detection of the chosen shoreline feature within the available data source. To date, the most common shoreline detection technique has been subjective visual interpretation. Recent photogrammetry, topographic data collection, and digital image-processing techniques now make it possible for the coastal investigator to use objective shoreline detection methods. The remaining challenge is to improve the quantitative and process-based understanding of these shoreline indicator features and their spatial relationship relative to the physical land–water boundary.


INTRODUCTION
Curcumin, a polyphenol derived from the herb Curcuma longa, has number of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-carcinogenic activities. Its anti-inflammatory property was here studied alone and in combination with clarithromycin in a mouse model of acute inflammation.

METHODOLOGY
A total of 80 mice divided into four groups were used. Mice receiving curcumin and/or clarithromycin were fed orally with curcumin (150 mg/kg/day) for 15 days prior to infection, whereas clarithromycin was administered orally (30 mg/kg/day) 12 hours post infection. Simultaneously, the control group receiving only infection but no treatment was also set up. Bacterial load estimation, histopathological examination and analysis of inflammatory parameters was performed on various days for all groups.

RESULTS
Intranasal inoculation of bacteria resulted in significant increase in neutrophil infiltration along with increased production of various inflammatory mediators (malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase, nitric oxide, TNFα) in lung tissue. Clarithromycin treatment significantly decreased the bacterial load and other inflammatory components in infected mice, but animals receiving curcumin alone or in combination with clarithromycin showed a much more significant (p < 0.05) reduction in neutrophil influx along with reduced levels of various inflammatory parameters. Though treatment with curcumin did not reduce the bacterial load, in combination with clarithromycin, both bacterial proliferation and lung tissue damage were checked.

CONCLUSIONS
Though clarithromycin, because of its associated side effects, may not be the preferred treatment, it can be used in conjunction with curcumin. The latter as an adjunct therapy will help to down regulate the exaggerated state of immune response during acute lung infection.


The Corinthian Aryballos, a perfume vessel, is the subject of this book and the author examines the place of the vessel within the cultural system of ties between East and West. Through an exhaustive artistic analysis of the vessel and all its characteristics, the author attempts to prove that the Aryballos can serve as a measure of the period between the 8th and 6th centuries BC. Corinth during this period was a dominant centre of ceramic production, more so than other important centres such as Crete or Cyprus.


Many predict that by the end of this century water will dominate world natural resources politics as oil does today. Access to water is widely regarded as a basic human right, and was declared so by the United Nations in 1992. And yet the water crisis grows: although the total volume of water on the planet may be sufficient for our needs, much of it is misallocated, wasted, or polluted, and the poorest of the poor live in arid areas where water is scarce. The coming decade will require new perspectives on water resources and reconsideration of the principles of water governance and policy. Water, Place, and Equity argues that fairness in the allocation of water will be a cornerstone to a more equitable ands secure future for humankind. With analyses and case studies, it demonstrates that considerations of equity are more important in formulating and evaluating water policy than the more commonly invoked notions of efficiency and markets. The case studies through which the book explores issues of water equity range from cost and benefit disparities that result from Southern California's storm water runoff policies to the privatization of water in Bolivia. In a final chapter, Water, Place, and Equity considers broader concerns--the impact of global climate change on water resources and better ways to incorporate equity into future water policy. Contributors: Thomas Clay Arnold, Madeline Baer, Amy Below, David Feldman, Paul W. Hirt, Helen Ingram, Sheldon Kamieniecki, Maria Carmen Lemos, Stephen P. Mumme, Richard Warren Perry, Ismael Vaccaro, John M. Whiteley, Margaret Wilder


Essays that illuminate one of the most renowned and influential works of nineteenth-century literature Acclaimed as a work of genius when first published in 1895, The Time Machine represents a revolution in storytelling. H. G. Wells's first - and greatest - novel has been recognized worldwide as a founding text of the science fiction genre and one of the most seminal narratives of the last hundred years. This collection of essays offers a series of original, penetrating, and wide-ranging perspectives on Wells's masterpiece by an international group of major Wells and science fiction scholars. The authors explore such textual topics as the narrative techniques and mythological undertones of the novel as well as its contribution to modern ideas of time and evolution and its focusing of the intellectual cross currents of the late nineteenth century. This insightful volume demonstrates that Wells's novel is both a visionary story and an unstoppable idea.


Abstract. During the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Solid Precipitation Intercomparison Experiment (SPICE), automated measurements of snow water equivalent (SWE) were made at the Sodankyla (Finland), Weissfluhjoch (Switzerland) and Caribou Creek (Canada) SPICE sites during the northern hemispheric winters of 2013/14 and 2014/15. Supplementary intercomparison measurements were made at Fortress Mountain (Kananaskis, Canada) during the 2013/14 winter. The objectives of this analysis are to compare automated SWE measurements with a reference, comment on their performance and, where possible, to make recommendations on how to best use the instruments and interpret their measurements. Sodankyla, Caribou Creek and Fortress Mountain hosted a Campbell Scientific CS725 passive gamma radiation SWE sensor. Sodankyla and Weissfluhjoch hosted a Sommer Messtechnik SSG1000 snow scale. The CS725 operating principle is based on measuring the attenuation of soil emitted gamma radiation by the snowpack and relating the attenuation to SWE. The SSG1000 measures the mass of the overlying snowpack directly by using a weighing platform and load cell. Manual SWE measurements were obtained at the intercomparison sites on a bi-weekly basis over the accumulation–ablation periods using bulk density samplers. These manual measurements are considered to be the reference for the intercomparison. Results from Sodankyla and Caribou Creek showed that the CS725 generally overestimates SWE as compared to manual measurements by roughly 30–35 % with correlations (r2) as high as 0.99 for Sodankyla and 0.90 for Caribou Creek. The RMSE varied from 30 to 43 mm water equivalent (mm w.e.) and from 18 to 25 mm w.e. at Sodankyla and Caribou Creek, which had respective SWE maximums of approximately 200 and 120 mm w.e. The correlation at Fortress Mountain was 0.94 (RMSE of 48 mm w.e. with a maximum SWE of approximately 650 mm w.e.) with no systematic overestimation. The SSG1000 snow scale, having a different measurement principle, agreed quite closely with the manual measurements at Sodankyla and Weissfluhjoch throughout the periods when data were available (r2 as high as 0.99 and RMSE from 8 to 24 mm w.e. at Sodankyla and from 56 to 59 mm w.e. at Weissfluhjoch, where maximum SWE was approximately 850 mm w.e.). When the SSG1000 was compared to the CS725 at Sodankyla, the agreement was linear until the start of ablation when the positive bias in the CS725 increases substantially relative to the SSG1000. Since both Caribou Creek and Sodankyla have sandy soil, water from the snowpack readily infiltrates into the soil during melt, even if the soil is frozen. However, the CS725 does not differentiate this water from the unmelted snow. This issue can be identified, at least during the late spring ablation period, with soil moisture and temperature observations like those measured at Caribou Creek. With a less permeable soil and surface runoff, the increase in the instrument bias during ablation is not as significant, as shown by the Fortress Mountain intercomparison.


. This paper looks at Method Lookup and discusses the Emer-ald approach to making Method Lookup more efficient by precomputing method lookup as early as possible — even moving it back into the compilation phase, if possible, thus eliminating method lookup entirely for many simple procedure calls.


Hot spring waters flowing from Porkchop Geyser, Norris Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, USA. enter a shallow wetland basin and precipitate opal-A silica particulate. Particulate formation by chemical (rather than biochemical) and colloidal mechanisms is suggested by floc- and shard-like particle morphologies comprising opal-A silica nanospheres and microspheres of colloidal dimensions and precipitation from waters with opaque milky-blue colouration, indicative of aqueous silica-sol conditions. Sediment accumulates in the wetland at a rate of ca. 20-25 mm/year, is unconsolidated, and massive to diffusely bedded to laminated. Post depositional features include soft sediment deformation and scouring, and in drying conditions, relatively deep desiccation. Establishment of geochemically dominated wetland sedimentation is favoured where alkali-chloride hot spring fluids of circum neutral to basic pH and high silica concentration discharge to and cool (to < ca. 35 °C) within topographic depressions that receive only small volumes of non-hot spring water. Local wetland vegetation, which is composed of hydrophytes, halophytes, and alkali-tolerant species more typical of coastal wetlands, colonizes the soft wetland substrate and may be relatively quickly buried by rapid sediment accumulation. Prior to the evolution of the diatom silica-sink, geothermal wetlands containing geochemically precipitated silica sediments may have been much more common and widespread. Rhizoliths, chert nodules with organic cores, scour fabrics, soft sediment deformation, desiccation cracks, and massive to diffuse bedding preserved in Palaeozoic geothermal environments may all be evidence of ancient unconsolidated geochemical sediments and geothermal wetland conditions.


Real-time, responsive optimization of traffic flow serves to address important practical problems: reducing drivers' wasted time and improving city-wide efficiency, as well as reducing gas emissions and improving air quality. Much of the current research in traffic-light optimization relies on extending the capabilities of basic traffic lights to either communicate with each other or communicate with vehicles. However, before such capabilities become ubiquitous, opportunities exist to improve traffic lights by being more responsive to current traffic situations within the existing, deployed, infrastructure. In this paper, we use micro-auctions as the organizing principle with which to incorporate local induction loop information, no other outside sources of information are assumed. At every time step in which a phase change is permitted, each light conducts a decentralized, weighted, micro-auction to determine which phase is instantiated next. We test the lights on real-world data collected over a period of several weeks around the Mountain View, California area. In our simulations, the auction mechanisms based only on local sensor data surpass longer-term planning approaches that rely on widely placed sensors and communications.


South African universities are under pressure to alter their institutional cultures and policies in order to provide compensation for the neglect of black academic staff and students during our apartheid past. This redress is interpreted by pressure groups and policymakers to entail giving priority to rectification goals within existing universities. What is ignored is the question of whether the first-order functions of every South African university – which are research and teaching – will be compromised. Elevating a second-order function like redress above what have historically been the defining features of a university for more than a thousand years, has probable destructive consequences overlooked by academic and administrative insiders and policymakers. But when viewed historically, educational compensation is a recent phenomenon, arising within the last century. Because of the large scale involved in the South African case, these pressures on local universities are an extreme version of what is locally called 'a concern with redress or social justice'. As such, these institutions are being pushed into a major historical experiment. Most important, it is a process without the needed research backing. So this lack of precedence and research must be accorded much greater recognition within South African universities themselves than is evident so far. If our institutions are facing an existential crisis, it must be acknowledged openly. If such an outcome remains an afterthought, recognised only once it is here, then the damage in many spheres of our national life will be extremely high.


This article discusses two legal issues that relate to the conflict between the interest of protecting habitats and species under the Habitats and Birds Directives, versus the interest of promoting the use of innovative water-related renewable energy, with regard to the quota in the Renewable Energy Directive. These legal issues are: first, the possible conflict between the protection rules of the Habitats and Birds Directive on the one hand and the Renewable Energy Directive on the other hand, and second, the lack of integration between the Renewable Energy Directive and the derogation clauses of the Habitats and Birds Directives. Tidal stream energy is used as a case study to show the practical relevance of the legal issues for the large-scale deployment of innovative water-related renewable energy techniques. The final sections discuss solutions to the legal issues. These are first, the application of adaptive management in combination with mitigation or phased deployment, in order to deal with uncertainty, and second, the introduction of detailed renewable energy plans per Member State in order to increase integration between the Habitats and Birds Directives and the Renewable Energy Directive. The final sections also discuss the applicability of the findings of this article to other innovative water-related renewable energy sources such as wave energy and salinity gradient energy (blue energy).


Age effects in baseball are estimated in this paper using a nonlinear fixed-effects regression. The sample consists of all players who have played 10 or more "full-time" years in the major leagues between 1921 and 2004. Quadratic improvement is assumed up to a peak-performance age, which is estimated, and then quadratic decline after that, where the two quadratics need not be the same. Each player has his own constant term. The results show that aging effects are larger for pitchers than for batters and larger for baseball than for track and field, running, and swimming events and for chess. There is some evidence that decline rates in baseball have decreased slightly in the more recent period, but they are still generally larger than those for the other events. There are 18 batters out of the sample of 441 whose performances in the second half of their careers noticeably exceed what the model predicts they should have been. All but 3 of these players played from 1990 on. The estimates from the fixed-effects regressions can also be used to rank players. This ranking differs from the ranking using lifetime averages because it adjusts for the different ages at which players played. It is in effect an age-adjusted ranking.


Conservation programmes increasingly involve the translocation of animals to reinforce failing populations or establish new ones. To help guide translocation programmes of swift foxes (Vulpes velox) or other imperilled species, we aimed to discern factors affecting translocation success among reintroduced swift foxes in Canada. Post‐release movements characterized three stages. In the initial acclimation phase, foxes moved erratically and quickly distanced themselves from release sites. During the establishment phase, distances from the release site did not change significantly but daily movements were more wide‐ranging than those of concurrently tracked, resident swift foxes. In the final settlement phase, movements of translocated foxes reflected those of resident individuals. Radio‐telemetry showed that survival and reproductive success were highest for swift foxes with small dispersal distances, suggesting that measures should be taken to acclimatize animals to release sites. Since females had lower survival rates than males, translocations should also use a greater proportion of females to establish balanced sex ratios in the population. Translocated juveniles dispersed less far but survived and reproduced as well as translocated adults, suggesting that juveniles can be used to establish translocated foxes in small, protected areas, while minimizing demographic effects on source populations. The fact that survival rates and litter sizes of translocated foxes were similar to those of resident animals indicates that translocation can be an effective reintroduction tool for this endangered species, and possibly other foxes.


While there is significant interest in knowledge management as it applies to legal environments, there are very few books specifically focused on this topic. In Effective Knowledge Management for Law Firms, Matthew Parsons expertly fills this gap by drawing on his work with a leading commercial law firm, Mallesons Stephen Jaques. He examines how law firms can implement a knowledge strategy to support their business strategy, rather than getting beguiled by fad and technology. Parsons first outlines the terrain, including what knowledge management means, the business and economics of law firms, and how lawyers work as knowledge workers. Then he introduces a methodology for creating and implementing law firm knowledge strategy, which brings together for the first time the interrelated aspects of recruiting, training, research, document production, information management and digital knowledge strategy. Parsons goes beyond theories to provide detailed, practical help for the analysis, implementation, and measurement of performance-increasing initiatives. This book will be an invaluable resource for all those involved with the management and leadership of law firms and knowledge management initiatives.


Biography of one of the greatest of modern playwrights, Arthur Miller (1915-2005). This is the long-awaited biography of one of the twentieth century's greatest playwrights whose postwar decade of work earned him international critical and popular acclaim. Arthur Miller was a prominent figure in American literature and cinema for over sixty years, writing a wide variety of plays - including The Crucible, A View from the Bridge, All My Sons, and Death of a Salesman - which are still performed, studied and lauded throughout the world. Born in 1915 to moderately affluent Jewish-American parents, Miller wrote during a fascinating time in American history. The Great Depression was a period of deprivation for many that left an indelible mark on the national psyche, and, like many, Miller found hope for the beleaguered common man in Communism. The Second World War elevated the common man to war hero, but when the Cold War subsequently began, the ugly elements of American conservatism freely persecuted writers and artists who had embraced Communism. Miller was among them. His refusal to give evidence against others to the notorious House Un-American Activities Committee in 1956 gave him a heroic role to play. In that same year, Arthur Miller momentously married the young actress Marilyn Monroe, a marriage that remains famous to this day. Christopher Bigsby's gripping, meticulously researched biography, based on boxes of papers made available to him before Miller's death, offers new insights into their marriage, and sheds new light on how their relationship informed Miller's subsequent great plays. After his death in 2005, many respected actors, directors and producers paid tribute to Miller, calling him 'the last great practitioner of the American stage'. Christopher Bigsby's supremely authoritative biography does full justice to Miller's life and art.


In this paper, we consider optimum channel/frequency allocation problem in wireless networks by reducing total network interference signal powers, which is an NP-complete problem. Its optimum solution for general wireless networks for even 2-channel case is not known. Turning the channel/frequency allocation problem into a maxCut graph partitioning problem, we i) propose a spectral clustering based channel allocation algorithm, called SpecPure, and ii) propose and analyze a novel NonGreedy Asynchronous Interference Reduction Algorithm for Wireless Networks, called N-GAIR, and iii) extend the results in [1] to the case where the number of channels is arbitrary. By simulating various CDMA based ad-hoc networks, we examine various scenarios to compare the performances of the proposed algorithms with the reference algorithm. We draw various conclusions for different network scenarios. For example, the results show that the SpecPure algorithm performs well for "symmetric" base locations scenarios, while the N-GAIR performs best for random base locations scenarios. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms, which can be adopted by any cellular, cognitive, ad-hoc or mesh type radio networks.