The phenomenon of contradiction has been highlighted in recent decades by both postmodern art and deconstructionist philosophy. Deconstructionists seem most interested in contradictions generated by language and hence pervading all human life; they expose contradictions and proclaim their inevitable and devastating impact on human beings' epistemological efforts. Postmodern art, though sometimes expressing radical scepticism, seems less predictable and more versatile in its use of contradictions. This paper attempts to offer a structuralist study of contradiction in discourse in the context of fictional narratives. Three contemporary novels—The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro, Life of Pi by Yann Martel and House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski—have been selected for the study. The paper focuses on the uses of contradictions and, in particular, their contribution to the works' meaning and the process of interpretation. It appears that contradictions in fiction perform various meaningful tasks and, with rare exceptions, do not preclude the possibility of a consistent reading of the text. The second section of the paper brings into consideration deconstructionists' and Jacques Derrida's views on contradiction. While the uses of contradictions in postmodern fiction might supply an argument with which to oppose the epistemic scepticism advocated by deconstructionists, Derrida's original treatment of contradictions, related to his critique of logocentrism inscribed in language, might be impervious to this kind of argument. Indeed, Derrida's critique of language might partly undermine structuralist studies of contradictions; one should, however, remember that this critique rests ultimately on Derrida's own uncertain metaphysical assumptions.


MOS (mean opinion score) subjective quality studies are used to evaluate many signal processing methods. Since laboratory quality studies are time consuming and expensive, researchers often run small studies with less statistical significance or use objective measures which only approximate human perception. We propose a cost-effective and convenient measure called crowdMOS, obtained by having internet users participate in a MOS-like listening study. Workers listen and rate sentences at their leisure, using their own hardware, in an environment of their choice. Since these individuals cannot be supervised, we propose methods for detecting and discarding inaccurate scores. To automate crowdMOS testing, we offer a set of freely distributable, open-source tools for Amazon Mechanical Turk, a platform designed to facilitate crowdsourcing. These tools implement the MOS testing methodology described in this paper, providing researchers with a user-friendly means of performing subjective quality evaluations without the overhead associated with laboratory studies. Finally, we demonstrate the use of crowdMOS using data from the Blizzard text-to-speech competition, showing that it delivers accurate and repeatable results.


Clinical information systems for Ambulatory Care are predominantly paper-based. This paper represents a preliminary overview (work-in-progress) of the electronic Point of Care (ePOC) Personal Digital Assistant Project - a mobile e-Health research and development project and the intrinsic considerations which arise when designing alternative electronic patient data management systems tailored to Ambulatory Care. Its purpose is to address issues which allow technological enablement of electronic patient data management in the delivery of home-based medical care. We present the methodological considerations for document management within this e-Health setting and proposed rollout of an electronic Point-Of-Care (ePOC) system. While the replacement of more traditional paper-based patient data management using Personal Digital Assistants as a collection platform is technically straightforward, it is imperative the organizational realignment of an electronic document management system requires careful study and deployment in order to maximize success.


We report the petrology, whole-rock geochemistry, zircon LA-ICP-MS U–Pb chronology and zircon Hf isotopic data of Daxigou granitoids (western part of the Kuluketage Block, NW China) to evaluate their likely petrogenesis and tectonic setting. Zircons from syenogranite can be divided into two groups: 1) those that display oscillatory zoning and high Th/U ratios (average = 1.38), implying their magmatic origin and 2) those that exhibit weak zoning and extremely high U and Pb contents but low Th/U ratios (average = 0.35), resembling zircons that experienced hydrothermal alteration. The zircon LA-ICP-MS U–Pb dating of the two groups of zircons yielded weighted mean ages of 1830 ± 12 Ma (MSWD = 0.78) and 1798 ± 21 Ma (MSWD = 1.6) respectively. The Daxigou granitoids belong mostly to normal-K and sodium-rich metaluminous calc-alkaline type, systematically enriched in LREE and large ion lithophile elements (LILE, e.g., K, Ba and Rb), but significantly depleted in high field strength elements (HFSE, e.g., Ti, P, Nb, Ta and U). Their eHf(t) values and two-stage Hf model ages range from –7.16 to –5.03 and 2.69 to 2.76 Ga, respectively. Taken together, it is suggested that Daxigou granitoids are of I-type affinity and that they were derived by partial melting of a Neoarchaean TTG (e.g., Tuoge Complex) rocks in a continental-arc environment. These new data, combined with previous regional geological studies, demonstrate that a series of Palaeoproterozoic (c. 2.0–1.8 Ga) tectono-magmatic events occurred in Kuluketage Block during the assembly of Columbia.


The present work evaluates a few established empirical equations that calculate the hydraulic conductivity ( K ) of aquifer materials using grain size parameters. Loose sand samples (N = 51) of unconsolidated fluvial deposits, obtained from various aquifer zones in boreholes (N = 4), were used for the purpose. Grain size analyses of the samples were carried out through dry sieving, and different particle size parameters were determined from the size grading curves. The K values were estimated using the empirical equations. The applicability of the methods were assessed by estimating the K of fine to very coarse sand. To appraise the suitability of the methods, the K values were compared with those estimated through conducting pumping tests in the tube wells. The Breyer, Hazen, Terzaghi, and United States Bureau of Reclamation methods maintain consistency in estimating the K values of the fluvial sand with respect to the grain sizes. The Kozeny-Carman method yields moderately underestimated values of K for medium-coarse to very coarse sand. Slitcher and Terzaghi methods often underestimate the K values. While the Alyamani and Sen (A&S) method calculates the K within range for sand populations with U c U c > 5.


Pd-rich PGM (platinum-group minerals) have been found in sulphide-bearing dunites and harzburgites from the Inazumi-yama ultramafic complex in southwestern Japan. In the dunite, potarite (PdHg0.85–0.88) is the most abundant PGM but other associated PGM include stibiopalladinite (Pd5Sb2) and rare sperrylite (PtAs2) and Pd-rich alloys. A Pd telluride has been found in the harzburgite. The PGM are enclosed usually by pentlandite-heazlewoodite composite grains and, rarely, by altered chrome-spinel. These minerals are characteristic of an ultramafic assemblage but they are accompanied by ubiquitous galena and minor sphalerite not usually associated with these ultramafic assemblages. The ultramafic part of this complex has been thermally metamorphosed (olivine-talc zone) within the contact aureole of an adjacent granite. The PGM, sulphides and altered spinel are all intergrown with antigorite and/or chlorite, indicating a metamorphic overprint on the primary igneous mineralogy. The Pd/Pt ratios of 9 suggest a process of hydrothermal concentration for the Pd and it is proposed that the Pd has been remobilized and reconcentrated by hydrothermal solutions derived from the granitic magma which reacted with the Pd concentrated in the primary magmatic sulphides. Mercury may have been leached from surrounding sediments by the hydrothermal solutions. It is possible that potarite and the other PGM formed at temperatures of up to 6508C and are likely to be found in other thermally metamorphosed ultramafic rocks showing a depleted character (spinel Cr/[Cr+Al]>0.7), common in orogenic belts.


The majority of the global population is affected by repair or replacement of craniofacial structures caused by tooth decay or loss as well as major craniofacial defects, necessitating complex tissue augmentation or regeneration procedures. As a result of exciting developments and the increasing number of novel biomaterials and different clinical applications, it is extremely important to understand these biomaterials and their design. This publication integrates the application of biomaterials science and describes the recent advances, the role of cutting-edge biomaterials in engineering oral tissues, surface modification technologies, the emerging field of nanomaterials and clinical translation showing future directions in oral and craniomaxillofacial health care. Researchers active in dental, medical and biomaterials sciences, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, dentists, tissue engineers as well as materials scientists will find valuable information on the latest progress and novel approaches as will all those who are looking for better solutions to the problems associated with facial deformities.


Fourier-Motzkin elimination is a projection algorithm for solving finite linear programs. We extend Fourier-Motzkin elimination to semi-infinite linear programs, which are linear programs with finitely many variables and infinitely many constraints. Applying projection leads to new characterizations of important properties for primal-dual pairs of semi-infinite programs such as zero duality gap, feasibility, boundedness, and solvability. Extending the Fourier-Motzkin elimination procedure to semi-infinite linear programs yields a new classification of variables that is used to determine the existence of duality gaps. In particular, the existence of what the authors term dirty variables can lead to duality gaps. Our approach has interesting applications in finite-dimensional convex optimization. For example, sufficient conditions for a zero duality gap, such as the Slater constraint qualification, are reduced to guaranteeing that there are no dirty variables. This leads to completely new proofs of such sufficient conditions for zero duality.


Numerical models are the primary predictive tools for understanding the dynamic behaviour of the Antarctic ice sheet. However, a key boundary parameter, sub-glacial heat flow, remains poorly constrained. We show that variations in abundance and distribution of heat-producing elements within the Antarctic continental crust result in greater and more variable regional sub-glacial heat flows than currently assumed in ice modelling studies. Such elevated heat flows would have a fundamental effect on ice sheet behaviour and highlight that geological controls on heat flow must be considered to obtain more accurate and refined predictions of ice mass balance and sea-level change. Supplementary materials: Heat flow and heat production definitions, heat production data, and details of the 2D model of the gross geometry of the continental lithosphere for a section through Prydz Bay are available at www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18690.


We assessed in mice whether broad CD8+ T cell responses capable of efficient recognition of multiple HIV‐1 clades could be induced using current single‐clade vaccine constructs that were or will be used in clinical trials in Europe and Africa. We found that single‐clade A, B and C vaccines applied alone induced only limited cross‐clade reactivity and that the epitope hierarchy varied according to the immunizing clade. However, combining single‐clade HIV‐1 vaccines into multi‐clade formulations resulted in multiple forms of in vivo immune interference such as original antigenic sin and antagonism, which dampened or even abrogated induction of responses to epitope variants and reduced the breadth of induced T cell responses. Simultaneous administration of individual clade‐specific vaccines into anatomically separated sites on the body alleviated antagonism and increased the number of detectable epitope responses. Although cross‐reactivity of murine CD8+ T cells does not directly translate to humans, the molecular interactions involved in triggering T cell responses are the same in mouse and man. Thus, these results have important ramifications for the design of both prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines against HIV‐1 and other highly variable pathogens.


Energy consumption has become a major research topic from both environmental and economical perspectives. The telecommunications industry is currently responsible for 0.7% of the total global carbon emissions, a figure which is increasing at rapid rate. By 2020, it is desired that CO2 emissions can be reduced by 50%. Thus, reducing the energy consumption in order to lower carbon emissions and operational expenses has become a major design constraint for future communication systems. Therefore, in this thesis energy efficient resource allocation methods have been studied taking the Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard as an example. Firstly, a theoretical analysis, that shows how improvements in energy efficiency can directly be related with improvements in fairness, is provided using a Shannon theory analysis. The traditional uplink power control challenge is re-evaluated and investigated from the view point of interference mitigation rather than power minimization. Thus, a low complexity distributed resource allocation scheme for reducing the uplink co-channel interference (CCI) is presented. Improvements in energy efficiency are obtained by controlling the level of CCI affecting vulnerable mobile stations (MSs). This is done with a combined scheduler and a two layer power allocation scheme, which is based on non-cooperative game theory. Simulation results show that the proposed low complexity method provides similar performance in terms of fairness and energy efficiency when compared to a centralized signal interference noise ratio balancing scheme. Apart from using interference management techniques, by using efficiently the spare resources in the system such as bandwidth and available infrastructure, the energy expenditure in wireless networks can also be reduced. For example, during low network load periods spare resource blocks (RBs) can be allocated to mobile users for transmission in the uplink. Thereby, the user rate demands are split among its allocated RBs in order to transmit in each of them by using a simpler and more energy efficient modulation scheme. In addition, virtual Multiple-input Multiple-output (MIMO) coalitions can be formed by allowing single antenna MSs and available relay stations to cooperate between each other to obtain power savings by implementing the concepts of spatial multiplexing and spatial diversity. Resource block allocation and virtual MIMO coalition formation are modeled by a game theoretic approach derived from two different concepts of stable marriage with incomplete lists (SMI) and the college admission framework (CAF) respectively. These distributed approaches focus on optimizing the overall consumed power of the single antenna devices rather than on the transmitted power. Moreover, it is shown that when overall power consumption is optimized the energy efficiency of the users experiencing good propagation conditions in the uplink is not always improved by transmitting in more than one RB or by forming a virtual MIMO link. Finally, it is shown that the proposed distributed schemes achieve a similar performance in bits per Joule when compared to much more complex centralized resource allocation methods. Declaration of originality I hereby declare that the research recorded in this thesis and the thesis itself was composed and originated entirely by myself in the School of Engineering at The University of Edinburgh. Rodrigo Alberto Vaca Ramirez


Atmospheric total suspended particulate concentrations and metallic element concentrations were measured at three locations, characteristic of urban, suburban and rural sites. The sampling period was from July 2000 to August 2000. The results indicated that the urban sampling site had the highest total suspended particulate concentrations (average 108.61µ1m³), followed by the suburban site (average 60.11µ1m³) and the rural site (average 53.31µ1m³). The average PM2.5 concentrations (24.11µ1m³) were higher than the PM2.5-10 concentrations (12.81µ1m³) at the urban site. The average distributed ratios for PM2.5/PM2.5-10 were about 1.29, 1.53, 0.12, 1.12 and 2.31 for Pb, Zn, Fe, Ni and Cr, respectively. The average total suspended particulate mass ratios for daytime and nighttime were about 1.72. As for the elements Cu, Pb, Zn, Fe, Ni and Cr, these ratios were about 0.63, 0.97, 0.54, 1.66, 0.53 and 1.12, respectively. The total suspended particulate daytime concentrations of Pb and Zn were positively correlated (R = 0.925) at the urban sampling site. The elements Ni and Cr were positively correlated both during the daytime (R = 0.648) and the nighttime (R = 0.511), revealing that they came from the same emission source during daytime and nighttime, at the urban sampling site.


The Ctenophora are a marine phylum of gelatinous swimmers and crawlers, with a minimal fossilization potential. To date only two acceptable fossil specimens are known, both from the Devonian Hunsruck Slate. Here we re-describe the single specimen of Fasciculus vesanus from the Phyllopod bed of the Burgess Shale (Middle Cambrian). The globose body bore two sets of comb-rows: one elongate and estimated to total ca. 16, the other shorter and totalling ca. 64, so giving a total of ca. 80. Internally there were at least two and possibly four prominent organs, each consisting of an elongate series of lobes. Xanioascus canadensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is recorded from a horizon low in the Stephen Formation, from the Glossopleura zone. It is more similar to extant ctenophores than F. vesanus, but the comb-rows total ca. 24. These converge on the aboral pole, where there is evidence for the polar fields. The comb-rows stop short of the oral area, which is poorly defined. Internally prominent ovoid bodies are sometimes present, but their significance is uncertain. Ctenorhabdotus capulus gen. nov., sp. nov. occurs in the Bathyuriscus-Elrathina zone of the Stephen Formation. It is best known from the Raymond Quarry of the Burgess Shale, but also occurs in the underlying strata, including the Phyllopod bed. The comb-rows appear to have totalled 24, and converged towards the aboral pole, adjacent to which they amalgamate as groups of three rows each. In the fossils the comb-rows then join eight strands, possibly representing the meridional canals, that meet as a ring. In addition, in each group of three comb-rows the central row appears to have been conspicuously shorter than those flanking it. The aboral pole also bore a prominent capsule, presumably housing the statocyst. The oral area, which lacks the comb-rows, bore a voluminous mouth, apparently surrounded by a folded margin with possible musculature. These Cambrian ctenophores differ from the Devonian and Recent taxa in a number of ways. They have a larger number of comb-rows and apparently an absence of tentacles. In addition, structures found in the Cambrian ctenophores, such as the lobed organs of F. vesanus and the ovoid bodies of X. canadensis lack obvious counterparts in living species. The wider affinities of the ctenophores remain mysterious, but they probably evolved very early in the metazoan radiations, perhaps from an animal with an anterio-posterior axis and a ciliated surface.


Purpose. This study evaluated factors affecting reading performance in a sample (N = 544) of older adults (mean age 72.8 years, range 58 to 102) with good high-contrast acuity (≥20/32). Methods. Using the Pepper Reading Test, the relationship between reading rate and several vision measures was assessed. Results. Mean corrected reading rate fell substantially over the age range tested despite the fact that these individuals all had good acuity. However, multiple regression analysis indicated that when other measures were taken into account (most notably, low-contrast vision, motor ability, and attentional field integrity), age was not a significant independent predictor of corrected reading rate. Conclusion. Reading is an important skill, and ways of enhancing reading performance should be explored. Good high-contrast acuity does not assure that older individuals can read satisfactorily.


The IT capital of India, Bengaluru in 21st century has seen an unprecedented increase in vehicular noise caused by exponential increase in the number of vehicles. With the steady rise of vehicular traffic in the city, policemen manning the traffic are being exposed to all kinds of health hazards. Noise not only affects hearing but also trigger the body's stress response. The objectives were to measure noise levels at major traffic junctions in Bengaluru city and the association between noise levels and stress in traffic policemen. The study included 60 traffic policemen deputed at different junctions of Bengaluru. Informed consent was taken and ethical clearance was obtained. Road traffic noise was measured using sound level meter. Stress questionnaire which consisted of questions like sleep deprivation, tension, headache etc was administered to which the subjects responded on five- point likert scale. The stress levels thus obtained was correlated with noise levels using Pearson Correlation coefficient. Road traffic noise ranged from 71.2 to 91dB. There was a significant positive correlation between stress and noise level (r = +0.578, p =0.00). Present study showed there is a significant positive correlation between noise levels & stress. Higher the noise level more is the stress in traffic policemen. Hence some preventive modalities should be undertaken to prevent psycophysiological problems in long run because of job related stress in traffic policemen.


The reduced ability of central axons to regenerate after injury is significantly influenced by the presence of several molecules that inhibit axonal growth. Nogo‐A is one of the most studied and most potent of the myelin‐associated growth inhibitory molecules. Its neutralization, as well as interference with its signalling, allows for enhanced axonal sprouting and growth following injury. Using differentiated rat organotypic hippocampal slice cultures treated for 5 days with either of two different function‐blocking anti‐Nogo‐A antibodies, we show an increase in CA3 fibre regeneration after lesion. In intact slices, 5 days of anti‐Nogo‐A antibody treatment led to increased sprouting of intact CA3 fibres that are positive for neurofilament 68. A transcriptomic approach confirmed the occurrence of a growth response on the molecular level upon Nogo‐A neutralization in intact cultures. Our results demonstrate that Nogo‐A neutralization for 5 days is sufficient for the induction of growth in mature CNS tissue without the prerequisite of an injury. Nogo‐A may therefore act as a tonic growth suppressor/stabilizer in the adult intact hippocampus.


We describe a system for acquiring reflectance fields of objects without moving parts and without a massively parallel hardware setup. Our system consists of a set of planar mirrors which serve to multiply a single camera and a single projector into a multitude of virtual counterparts. Using this arrangement, we can acquire reflectance fields with an average angular sampling rate of about 120+ view/light pairs per surface point. The mirror system allows for freely programmable illumination with full directional coverage. We employ this setup to realize a 3D acquisition system that employs structured illumination to capture the unknown object geometry, in addition to dense reflectance sampling. On the software side, we combine state-of-the-art 3D reconstruction algorithms with a reflectance sharing technique based on non-negative matrix factorization in order to reconstruct a joint model of geometry and reflectance. We demonstrate for a number of test scenes that the kaleidoscopic approach can acquire complex reflectance properties faithfully. The main limitation is that the multiplexing approach limits the attainable spatial resolution, trading it off for improved directional coverage.


ABSTRACT The main purpose of this study is to identify the predictive power of the following variables for physical and relational aggression level of children: cartoon preferences of children, parental attitudes and teacher–student relationship. Study group consisted of 300 preschool children their mothers and 18 preschool teachers. The results showed a negative correlation between relational aggression and children's cartoon preferences and teacher–student relationship. There was a positive correlation between physical aggression and authoritarian attitude and a negative correlation between children's cartoon preferences and their democratic attitudes. Regression analysis showed that 28% of children's relationally and 18% of their physically aggressive behaviours were predicted by the variables examined in the study. Stepwise regression analysis indicated children's cartoon preferences predicted 15% of physically and 25% of relationally aggressive behaviours. Mother's democratic attitude was found to be the second powerful variable (3%) and then came the teacher–student relationship (1%).


The special issue 6/2014 of the Meteorologische Zeitschrift is dedicated to contributions from the German Priority Program SPP 1276 "MetStröm". Information about this program was already provided in the editorial by Klein et al. (2014) prefacing the nine papers published in the first special issue on a variety of topics investigated within MetStröm earlier this year. In this issue, a second set of six papers is presented with four of them focusing on research activities around the benchmark experiments in the "Rotating Annulus", which were performed at the Brandenburg Technical University at Cottbus. These are the contributions by Borchert et al. (2014): Finite volume models with implicit subgrid-scale parameterisations for the heated rotating annulus, by Hoff et al. (2014): Empirical singular vectors of baroclinic flows deduced from experimental data of a differentially heated rotating annulus, by von Larcher and Dörnbrack (2014): Numerical simulations of baroclinic driven flows in a thermally driven annulus using the immersed boundary method and by Vincze et al. (2014): Benchmark in a rotating annulus: a comparative experimental and numerical study of baroclinic wave dynamics. The paper by Queck et al. (2014): TurbEFA: an interdisciplinary effort to investigate the turbulent flow across a forest clearing is related to the field experiment on turbulence within a forest canopy. Finally, the article by Dietze et al. (2014): Controlling entrainment in the smoke cloud using level set-based front tracking is concerned with the subtopic "Two-Phase Flows/Convection", which is one of the three sub-topics in MetStröm as mentioned in Klein et al. (2014). The last papers of this MetStröm series will appear as part of the next regular issue of Meteorologische Zeitschrift and will contain topics on semi-convection, turbulence effects in clouds, tropical cyclones and subgrid scale modelling.


A harmonic balance technique for the analysis of two-dimensional linear (small-disturbance) and nonlinear unsteady flows in multistage turbomachines is presented. The present method uses a mixed time-domain/frequency-domain approach that allows one to compute the unsteady aerodynamic response of multistage machines to both blade vibration (the flutter problem) and wake interaction (the forced response problem). In general, the flowfield may have multiple excitation frequencies that are not integer multiples of each other, so that the unsteady flow is (sometimes) aperiodic in time. Using our approach, we model each blade row using a computational grid spanning a single blade passage. In each blade row, we store several subtime level solutions. For flows that are periodic in time, these subtime levels span a single time period. For aperiodic flows, the temporal period spanned by these subtime level solutions is sufficiently long to sample the relevant discrete frequencies contained in the aperiodic flow. In both cases, these subtime level solutions are related to each other through the time-derivative terms in the Euler or Navier-Stokes equations and boundary conditions; complex periodicity conditions connect the subtime levels within a blade passage, and interrow boundary conditions connect the solutions among blade rows. The resulting discretized equations, which are mathematically steady because time derivatives have been replaced by a pseudospectral operator in which the excitation frequencies appear as parameters, can be solved very efficiently using multigrid acceleration techniques. In this paper, we apply the technique to both flutter and wake-interaction problems and illustrate the influence of neighboring blade rows on the unsteady aerodynamic response of a blade row.


The arterial tourniquet is commonly used for upper- and lower-limb surgery to optimise operating conditions. The tourniquet reduces bleeding, improves visualisation, and expedites surgical procedures.

However, a number of complications, both localised and systemic, relate to tourniquet use. Although rare, these can be devastating, and may contribute to prolonged hospitalisation, and cause permanent loss of function, or damage to the limb.

In order to minimise possible complications, it is important to understand the physiological effects of tourniquet use, and to follow recommended safety practices pertaining to their use.

Complications of tourniquet use are due to mechanical compression of underlying structures, as well as ischaemia, and reperfusion effects. These result in localised, as well as systemic, complications.


IS B N 9 78 -1 -8 90 95 196 -2 The end of the twentieth century saw an explosive intrusion of intellectual property law into everyday life. Expansive copyright laws have been used to attack new forms of sharing and remixing facilitated by the Internet. International laws extending the patent rights of pharmaceutical companies have threatened the lives of millions of people around the world living with HIV/AIDS. For decades, governments have tightened the grip of intellectual property law at the bidding of information industries. Recently, a multitude of groups around the world have emerged to challenge this wave of enclosure with a new counterpolitics of "access to knowledge" or "A2K." They include software programmers who take to the streets to attack software patents, AIDS activists who fight for generic medicines in poor countries, subsistence farmers who defend their right to food security and seeds, and college students who have created a new "free culture" movement to defend the digital commons. In this volume, Gaëlle Krikorian and Amy Kapczynski have created the first anthology of the A2K movement, mapping this emerging field of activism as a series of historical moments, strategies, and concepts. Intellectual property law has become not only a site of new forms of transnational activism, but also a locus for profound new debates and struggles over politics, economics, and freedom. This collection vividly brings these debates into view and makes the terms of intellectual property law legible in their political implications around the world.


Stabilized or Chebyshev explicit methods have been widely used in the past to solve stiff ordinary differential equations. Making use of special properties of Chebyshev-like polynomials, these methods have favorable stability properties compared to standard explicit methods while remaining explicit. A new class of such methods, called ROCK, introduced in [Numer. Math., 90, 1-18, 2001] has recently been extended to stiff stochastic differential equations under the name S-ROCK [C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, 345(10), 2007 and Commun. Math. Sci, 6(4), 2008]. In this paper we discuss the extension of the S-ROCK methods to systems with discrete noise and propose a new class of methods for such problems, the τ -ROCK methods. One motivation for such methods is the simulation of multi-scale or stiff chemical kinetic systems and such systems are the focus of this paper, but our new methods could potentially be interesting for other stiff systems with discrete noise. Two versions of the τ -ROCK methods are discussed and their stability behavior is analyzed on a test problem. Compared to the τ -leaping method, a significant speed-up can be achieved for some stiff kinetic systems. The behavior of the proposed methods are tested on several numerical experiments. Mathematics subject classification: 60G55; 65C30; 80A30


This dissertation investigates how institutional environments and firm resources influence firm scope. Building on strategy and international business literatures, I propose that institutional environments influence firm scope through the impacts on both the development of internal resources and the availability of external resources. In Chapter 2, I disaggregate the concept of institutional distance into different dimensions from an institutional perspective and empirically test the validity of the multi-dimensional approach in the sample of U.S. and Chinese firms by exploring the effects of distance on the foreign expansion strategies. The results also show that Chinese firms do have different strategic choices from U.S. firms when they invest abroad. In Chapter 3, I focus on government and international diversification in emerging economies. Compared with partially privatized enterprises (PPEs) and fully privatized enterprises (FPEs), state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are less likely to go abroad as a result of their risk-averse nature. In addition, different types of government corporations rely on different types of resources when they invest abroad: while SOEs reply on external resources such as debts, PPEs rely on internal resources such as intangible assets. An empirical investigation of the FDI activities of Chinese listed firms in high-tech industries between 1991 and 2007 supports the arguments. Finally, in Chapter 4, I focus on firm capability and related product diversification in emerging economies. I propose that seemingly related diversification, a type of diversification focusing on the relatedness of technologies but not of markets, will harm firm performance in emerging economies. Moreover, the lack of implementation capability also makes it difficult for firms to benefit from related diversification. I test these ideas on a population of Chinese firms listed on Hong Kong Stock Exchange from 1993 to 2006. Together, this dissertation shows the choice of firm scope in emerging economies is different from that in developed countries due to the uniqueness of resources and institutional environments. Theoretically, it integrates the resource-based view of firm, resource dependence theory and institutional theory to explain the role of resources and institutional environments in determining firm scope. Empirically, it provides largesample quantitative evidence in an emerging economy. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Managerial Science and Applied Economics First Advisor Mauro Guillen


Riboswitches are regions of untranslated messenger RNA that switch their conformations when they bind specific metabolites to regulate the expression of proteins involved in the biosynthesis of the bound metabolites. For example, in bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes, the production of the essential cofactor thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) is tightly regulated by TPP-binding riboswitches. Thore et al. determined the structure of the eukaryotic Arabidopsis thaliana TPP riboswitch bound to TPP at 2.9 angstrom resolution. The structure shows how the bound "off" conformation, which suppresses expression of a gene involved in TPP biosynthesis, is stabilized. TPP riboswitches are attractive targets for antimicrobial drugs, and the structure rationalizes the mechanism of resistance to the antibiotic pyrithiamine. S. Thore, M. Leibundgut, N. Ban, Structure of the eukaryotic thiamine pyrophosphate riboswitch with its regulatory ligand. Science 312, 1208-1211 (2006). [Abstract] [Full Text]


[RuLCl(p-cymene)] (L = N-arylsulfonylphenylenediamine) complexes (2a–d) were synthesized from the reaction between [Ru(p-cymene)Cl2]2 and ligand. Additionally, SBA-15–[RuLCl(p-cymene)] derived catalysts (3a–d) were successfully immobilized onto mesoporous silica (SBA-15) by an easily accessible approach. The structural elucidations of 2a–d and 3a–d were carried out with various methods such as 1H NMR, 13C NMR and infrared spectroscopies, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis, nitrogen adsorption–desorption and scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. The Ru(II) complexes and materials were found to be highly active and selective catalysts for the transfer hydrogenation (TH) reaction of aldehydes and ketones. The influence of various 1,2-phenylenediamines on the reactivity of the catalysts (complexes or materials) was studied and the catalysts (2d and 3d) with a 4,5-dichlorophenylenediamine substituent showed the best activity (the maximum turnover frequencies are 2916 and 2154 h−1 for TH of 4-fluoroacetophenone, and 6000 and 4956 h−1 for TH of 4-chlorobenzaldehyde).


The liquid-liquid interface is investigated by microscopic and thermodynamic means to image and measure interfacial properties when the system undergoes a two-dimensional (2D) phase transition of a Gibbs monolayer by varying the sample temperature. An in-house Brewster angle microscope (BAM) is constructed to visualize the interface during this transition while a quasi-elastic light scattering technique is used to determine the interfacial tension. These results complement x-ray investigations of the same systems.
Evidence of interfacial micro-separated structure, microphases, comes from observations across a hexane-water interface with the inclusion of a long-chain fluorinated alcohol surfactant into the bulk hexane. Microphases take the form of spatially modulated structure to the density of the surfactant as it spans laterally across the interface. The surfactant monolayer exhibits microphase morphology over a range of a couple degrees as the temperature of the system is scanned through the 2D gas-solid phase transition. Microphase structure was observed for heating and cooling the hexane-water system and structural comparisons are given when the temperature step and quench depth of the cooling process is varied. A complete sequence of morphological structure was observed from 2D gas to cluster to labyrinthine stripe to a 2D solid mosaic pattern. Two characteristic length scales emerge giving rise to speculation of an elastic contribution to the standard repulsive and attractive competitive forces stabilizing the microphase.
The benefit of BAM to laterally image very thin films across the surface of an interface on the micrometer length scale nicely complements x-ray reflectivity methods that average structural data transverse to the liquid interface on a molecular scale. To properly analyze x-ray reflectivity data, the interface is required to be laterally homogeneous. BAM can sufficiently characterize the interface for this purpose as is done for a Langmuir monolayer of a lipid-protein mixture that was later investigated by x-ray reflectivity. The same service is provided to an extractant in dodecane/water system. For this system, BAM additionally clarified the type of transition the extractant monolayer undergoes as a function of temperature.


While PKI applications differ in how they use keys, all applications share one assumption: users have keypairs. In previous work, we established that desktop keystores are not safe places to store private keys, because the TCB is too large. These keystores are also immobile, difficult to use, and make it impossible for relying parties to make reasonable trust judgments. Since we would like to use desktops as PKI clients and cannot realistically expect to redesign the entire desktop, this paper presents a sys-tem that works within the confines of modern desktops to shrink the TCB needed for PKI applications. Our system (called Secure Hardware Enhanced MyProxy (SHEMP)) shrinks the TCB in space and allows the TCB's size to vary over time and over various application sensitivity levels, thus making desktops usable for PKI.


Whilst clinical reasoning skills are deemed essential in health care professions, undergraduate nursing students often struggle to develop these requisite skills. Teaching nursing students the skills to engage clinical reasoning requires a strategic and systematic approach by educators to make these tacit processes explicit. This paper reports on the design phase of an innovative curriculum re-design for the purpose of enhancing clinical reasoning skills in nursing students through simulation-based learning. Many approaches to simulation-based learning focus on the post-simulation debrief as the forum for engaging students in clinical reasoning. In contrast, this curriculum re-design brought together two existing models of clinical reasoning in order to align the simulation scenario and the post-simulation debrief with a clinical reasoning framework. These models were the Clinical Reasoning Cycle (Levett-Jones & Hoffman, 2013; Levett-Jones, Hoffman, Dempsey, et al., 2010), and Debriefing for Meaningful Learning© (Dreifuerst, 2012; 2015). An analysis of the two models revealed the differences in the processes advocated by both works. We argue however that the synergies created by bringing together the two models represented a pedagogically sound approach to simulation design, assisted facilitators to engage students in clinical reasoning through simulation, and reinforced the cognitive and metacognitive processes of clinical reasoning for student nurses.


Deep neural networks achieve remarkable performances on a wide range of tasks with the aid of large-scale labeled datasets. Yet these datasets are time-consuming and labor-exhaustive to obtain on realistic tasks. To mitigate the requirement for labeled data, self-training is widely used in semi-supervised learning by iteratively assigning pseudo labels to unlabeled samples. Despite its popularity, self-training is well-believed to be unreliable and often leads to training instability. Our experimental studies further reveal that the bias in semi-supervised learning arises from both the problem itself and the inappropriate training with potentially incorrect pseudo labels, which accumulates the error in the iterative self-training process. To reduce the above bias, we propose Debiased Self-Training (DST). First, the generation and utilization of pseudo labels are decoupled by two parameter-independent classifier heads to avoid direct error accumulation. Second, we estimate the worst case of self-training bias, where the pseudo labeling function is accurate on labeled samples, yet makes as many mistakes as possible on unlabeled samples. We then adversarially optimize the representations to improve the quality of pseudo labels by avoiding the worst case. Extensive experiments justify that DST achieves an average improvement of 6.3% against state-of-the-art methods on standard semi-supervised learning benchmark datasets and 18.9%$ against FixMatch on 13 diverse tasks. Furthermore, DST can be seamlessly adapted to other self-training methods and help stabilize their training and balance performance across classes in both cases of training from scratch and finetuning from pre-trained models.


Background. Subcortical capsular stroke has a poor prognosis, and it is not yet fully understood how and under what circumstances reach training contributes to motor recovery. Objective. This study was performed to investigate changes in neuronal circuits and motor recovery in a chronic capsular stroke model in the presence or absence of reach training. Method. We generated photothrombotic capsular lesions in 42 Sprague-Dawley rats and evaluated motor recovery with or without daily training in a single-pellet reaching task (SPRT). We used 2-deoxy-2-[18F]-fluoro-D-glucose-microPET (positron emission tomography) to assess remodeling of neuronal circuits. Results. SPRT training was selectively beneficial only for the group with incomplete capsular destruction (P < .05), suggesting the relevance of plasticity in the remaining capsular fibers for motor recovery. Groups that did not receive SPRT training showed no motor recovery at all. The microPET analysis demonstrated that motor recovery was correlated with a reduction in cortical diaschisis in ipsilesional motor and sensory cortices and in the contralesional sensory cortex (Pearson's correlation, P < .05). We also observed training-dependent subcortical activation in the contralesional red nucleus, the internal capsule, and the ventral hippocampus (P < .0025; false discovery rate q < 0.05). The groups without reach training did not show the same degree of reduction in diaschisis or activation of the red nucleus. Conclusions. Our results suggest that motor recovery and remodeling of neuronal circuits after capsular stroke depend on the magnitude of the capsular lesion and on the presence or absence of reach training. Task-specific training is strongly indicated only when there is incomplete destruction of the capsular fibers.


The study of international business has become increasingly important in recent years. So important that the American Assembly of the Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) has called for the internationalisation of business curricula. In 1992 and beyond, successful business people will treat the entire world as their domain. No one country can operate in an economic vacuum. Any economic measures taken by one country can affect the global economy. This book is designed to challenge the reader to develop a global perspective of international business. Globalisation is by no means a new concept, but there are many new factors that have contributed to its recently accelerated growth. Among them, the new technologies in communication and transport that have resulted in major expansions of international trade and investment. In the future, the world market will become predominant. There are bound to be big changes in the world economy. For instance the changes in Eastern Europe and the European Community during the 1990s. With a strong knowledge base in international business, future managers will be better prepared for the new world market. This book introduces its readers to the exciting and rewarding field of international management and international corporations. It is written in contemporary, easy-to-understand language, avoiding abstract terminology; and is organised into five sections, each of which includes a number of chapters that cover a subject involving activities that cross national boundaries.


In the atmosphere, cloud droplets can remain in a supercooled liquid phase at temperatures as low as -40 °C. Above this temperature, cloud droplets freeze via heterogeneous ice nucleation whereby a rare and poorly understood subset of atmospheric particles catalyze the ice phase transition. As the phase state of clouds is critical in determining their radiative properties and lifetime, deficiencies in our understanding of heterogeneous ice nucleation poses a large uncertainty on our efforts to predict human induced global climate change. Experimental challenges in properly simulating particle-induced freezing processes under atmospherically relevant conditions have largely contributed to the absence of a well-established model and parameterizations that accurately predict heterogeneous ice nucleation. Conversely, the sparsity of reliable measurement techniques available struggle to be interpreted by a single consistent theoretical or empirical framework, which results in layers of uncertainty when attempting to extrapolate useful information regarding ice nucleation for use in atmospheric cloud models. In this dissertation a new framework for describing heterogeneous ice nucleation is developed. Starting from classical nucleation theory, the surface of an ice nucleating particle is treated as a continuum of heterogeneous ice nucleating activity and a particle specific distribution of this activity g is derived. It is hypothesized that an individual particle species exhibits a critical surface area. Above this critical area the ice nucleating activity of a particle species can be described by one g distribution, 𝑔, while below it 𝑔 expresses itself expresses externally resulting in particle to particle variability in ice nucleating activity. The framework is supported by cold plate droplet freezing measurements for dust and biological particles in which the total surface area of particle material available is varied. Freezing spectra above a certain surface area are shown to be successfully fitted with 𝑔 while a process of random sampling from 𝑔 can predict the freezing behavior below the identified critical surface area threshold. The framework is then extended to account for droplets composed of multiple particle species and successfully applied to predict the freezing spectra of a mixed proxy for an atmospheric dust-biological particle system. The contact freezing mode of ice nucleation, whereby a particle induces freezing upon collision with a droplet, is thought to be more efficient than particle initiated immersion freezing from within the droplet bulk. However, it has been a decades' long challenge to accurately measure this ice nucleation mode, since it necessitates reliably measuring the rate at which particles hit a droplet surface combined with direct determination of freezing onset. In an effort to remedy this longstanding deficiency a temperature controlled chilled aerosol optical tweezers capable of stably isolating water droplets in air at subzero temperatures has been designed and implemented. The new temperature controlled system retains the powerful capabilities of traditional aerosol optical tweezers: retrieval of a cavity enhanced Raman spectrum which could be used to accurately determine the size and refractive index of a trapped droplet. With these capabilities, it is estimated that the design can achieve ice supersaturation conditions at the droplet surface. It was also found that a KCl aqueous droplet simultaneously cooling and evaporating exhibited a significantly higher measured refractive index at its surface than when it was held at a steady state temperature. This implies the potential of a "salting out" process. Sensitivity of the cavity enhanced Raman spectrum as well as the visual image of a trapped droplet to dust particle collisions is shown, an important step in measuring collision frequencies of dust particles with a trapped droplet. These results may pave the way for future experiments of the exceptionally poorly understood contact freezing mode of ice nucleation.


Effective and accurate localization method in three-dimensional indoor environments is a key requirement for indoor navigation and lifelong robotic assistance. So far, Monte Carlo Localization (MCL) has given one of the promising solutions for the indoor localization methods. Previous work of MCL has been mostly limited to 2D motion estimation in a planar map, and a few 3D MCL approaches have been recently proposed. However, their localization accuracy and efficiency still remain at an unsatisfactory level (a few hundreds millimetre error at up to a few FPS) or is not fully verified with the precise ground truth. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to improve an accuracy and efficiency of 6DOF motion estimation in 3D MCL for indoor localization. Firstly, a terrestrial laser scanner is used for creating a precise 3D mesh model as an environment map, and a professional-level depth camera is installed as an outer sensor. GPU scene simulation is also introduced to upgrade the speed of prediction phase in MCL. Moreover, for further improvement, GPGPU programming is implemented to realize further speed up of the likelihood estimation phase, and anisotropic particle propagation is introduced into MCL based on the observations from an inertia sensor. Improvements in the localization accuracy and efficiency are verified by the comparison with a previous MCL method. As a result, it was confirmed that GPGPUbased algorithm was effective in increasing the computational efficiency to 10-50 FPS when the number of particles remain below a few hundreds. On the other hand, inertia sensor-based algorithm reduced the localization error to a median of 47mm even with less number of particles. The results showed that our proposed 3D MCL method outperforms the previous one in accuracy and efficiency.


Many pre-service teachers lack deep understanding of assessment concepts and have low selfefficacy for using assessments but pre-service on-campus programs have been shown to support their assessment literacy development. Likewise, individualized tutoring has helped pre-service candidates improve instructional practice and peer debriefing has been found to help push their thinking. However, questions remain regarding the usefulness of these techniques to develop candidates' assessment literacy. The primary aim of this exploratory qualitative study was to describe pre-service teachers' perceptions of assessment literacy and the process of their assessment literacy development during a literacy assessment class containing an individualized tutoring component. Five teacher candidates in a literacy assessment and instruction course at a large urban university in the US engaged in individual semi-structured interviews and submitted written reflections and artifacts which were analyzed following the constant comparative and content analysis methods. Findings were that individualized tutoring allowed participants to apply the assessment techniques they were learning in class to determine their suitability with the diverse urban learners. Likewise, peer debriefing enabled them to share knowledge and ideas, offer mutual support and engage in collaborative problem solving to improve their tutoring. These findings support the conclusion that individualized tutoring and peer debriefing within a graduate class can be effective tools for deepening candidates' reflection, connecting theory to practice, and providing feedback on instructional technique to support their assessment literacy development.


Sirenians (sea cows: manatees and dugongs) have been primary consumers in tropical and subtropical shallow-water marine ecosystems for more than 50 m.y. Though fossils of the earliest sirenians have been recovered from the Caribbean, sirenians are thought to have originated in the Tethys-Mediterranean region, which underwent significant climate change over the course of the Cenozoic. Application of stable isotope analysis can provide new insight into how diet and habitat preferences were affected by climate change and how these ecological changes correlate with diversity patterns for this region. Tooth enamel was sampled from 57 specimens of sirenians from the Tethys-Mediterranean and adjacent seas spanning the Eocene to Pliocene. Enamel δ13C values across this time interval were consistently high and indicative of diets composed mostly of marine seagrasses. In contrast, enamel δ18O values showed significant change over time and across the region. Sirenians from southern sites (i.e., Egypt, Libya) had significantly higher mean δ18O values than specimens from most European locations, suggesting variation in salinity within the Tethys-Mediterranean. The range in enamel δ18O values increased from the Paleogene through the Neogene, but enamel δ13C values remained steady, indicating that changes in environmental conditions did not necessarily coincide with major changes in dietary preferences. Declines in sirenian taxonomic diversity in the late Miocene were likely due to the rapid climate and oceanographic changes during the latter half of the Cenozoic and their impacts on available dietary resources. Elevated δ13C and δ18O values in Mediterranean sirenians during the Messinian salinity crisis corroborate the hypothesis of ecophenotypic dwarfing in these animals.


Background Outcomes in well-resourced, intensive care units (ICUs) in Kenya are thought to be comparable to those in high-income countries (HICs) but risk-adjusted mortality data is unavailable. We undertook an evaluation of the Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi ICU to analyze patient clinical-demographic characteristics, compare the performance of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA), delta-SOFA at 48 hours and Mortality Prediction Model-III (MPM-III) mortality prediction systems, and identify factors associated with increased risk of mortality. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted of adult patients admitted to the ICU between January 2015 and September 2017. SOFA and MPM-III scores were determined at admission and SOFA repeated at 48 hours. Results Approximately 33% of patients did not meet ICU admission criteria. Mortality among the population of critically ill patients in the ICU was 31.7%, most of whom were male (61.4%) with a median age of 53.4 years. High adjusted odds of mortality were found among critically ill patients with leukemia (aOR 6.32, p<0.01), tuberculosis (aOR 3.96, p<0.01), post-cardiac arrest (aOR 3.57, p<0.01), admissions from the step-down unit (aOR 3.13, p<0.001), acute kidney injury (aOR 2.97, p<0.001) and metastatic cancer (aOR 2.45, p = 0.04). The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve of admission SOFA was 0.77 (95% CI, 0.73–0.81), MPM-III 0.74 (95% CI, 0.69–0.79), delta-SOFA 0.69 (95% CI, 0.63–0.75) and 48-hour SOFA 0.83 (95% CI, 0.79–0.87). The difference between SOFA at 48 hours and admission SOFA, MPM-III and delta-SOFA was statistically significant (chi2 = 17.1, 24.2 and 26.5 respectively; p<0.001). Admission SOFA, MPM-III and 48-hour SOFA were well calibrated (p >0.05) while delta-SOFA was borderline (p = 0.05). Conclusion Mortality among the critically ill was higher than expected in this well-resourced ICU. 48-hour SOFA performed better than admission SOFA, MPM-III and delta-SOFA in our cohort. While a large proportion of patients did not meet admission criteria but were boarded in the ICU, critically ill patients stepped-up from the step-down unit were unlikely to survive. Patients admitted following a cardiac arrest, and those with advanced disease such as leukemia, stage-4 HIV and metastatic cancer, had particularly poor outcomes. Policies for fair allocation of beds, protocol-driven admission criteria and appropriate case selection could contribute to lowering the risk of mortality among the critically ill to a level on par with HICs.


Airports are spaces where mobility is experienced in a number of ways. Often described as a non-place (Auge 1995) where anonymous individuals circulate, the airport also operates as a site of national security where all passengers must be identified. International airports in New Zealand, as gateways to an island nation, offer a compelling site for analysing the ways in which movement across the border is regulated. Media representations of passenger movement through Wellington International Airport and Auckland International Airport produce particular conceptions of citizenship and national identity. This paper will discuss how media discourses surrounding Wellington and Auckland airports position passengers in particular ways in relation to the nation, focusing on the representation of passenger movements which interpellate both New Zealand citizens and foreigners alike.


In stating that ether is not a security, the SEC has suggested that the 'decentralization' of a blockchain system may have legal consequences. This paper examines the common ways 'decentralization' is used in blockchain discourse, arguing that it is generally used to suggest that the systems are resilient and lack concentrated power centers. The paper critically examines the claims of 'decentralization,' providing examples of actions by core developers and miners within crypto systems that undermine claims of decentralization. Finally, the paper's core contribution is to examine the consequences of uncritically applying the term 'decentralized' to blockchain systems and making legal judgments based on it. The paper argues that in suggesting that blockchain systems lack sites of centralized power, the term "decentralized" in effect functions as a liability shield for those operating the systems (developers and miners), creating what I call a "Veil of Decentralization" and giving a core benefit of organizational law to participants in these systems without accompanying obligations. Further, misunderstanding the power dynamics within blockchain systems can lead to faulty risk assessments, in that we may view the tokens of these systems as less malleable than they actually are. This errant risk assessment affects direct uses of the tokens as well as any financial products that use them as infrastructure, and may affect our understanding of them as commodities or money.


When the end of a freshly cut nerve is drawn into a tube by means of a hydraulic device that serves as a holder and as an electrode, monophasic positive records of action potentials are recorded. A trailing positive phase develops, with time, after the cut. After-potentials can also be recorded by this method.


This paper examines the impact of gender gaps in human capital on economic growth in developing countries. Based on data from the World Bank for the 1990-2010 period and a sample of seventy-eight developing economies, we find that the growth rate of GDP per capita is dependent on gross capital formation, the changes in both male and female life expectancy, the change in the gap between male and female life expectancy, the change in the proportion of the population having access to improved sanitation services, population growth, and the GDP per capita in 2000. It is observed that the estimated coefficient of one explanatory variable, namely, the change in female life expectancy, does not have the expected positive sign, possibly due to the collinearity between this variable and the change in male life expectancy as well as gross capital formation. Statistical results of such empirical examination will assist governments in developing countries identify areas that need to be improved upon reduce gender gaps in human capital—specifically those that address female life expectancy—in order to foster economic growth.


Cast high-manganese Hadfield steel is commonly used for machine components operating under dynamic load conditions. Their high fracture toughness and abrasive wear resistance is the result of an austenitic structure, which while being ductile at the same time tends to surface harden under the effect of cold work. Absence of dynamic loads (e.g. in the case of sand abrasion) causes rapid and premature wear of parts. In order to improve the abrasive wear resistance of cast high-manganese steel for operation under the conditions free from dynamic loads, primary titanium carbides are produced in this cast steel during melting process to obtain in castings, after melt solidification, the microstructure consisting of an austenitic matrix and primary carbides uniformly distributed therein. After heat treatment, the microhardness of the austenitic matrix of such cast steel is up to 580 μHV20 and the resulting carbides may reach even 4000 μHV20. The impact strength of this cast steel varies from 57 to 129 and it decreases with titanium content. Compared to common cast Hadfield steel, the abrasive wear resistance determined in Miller test is at least twice as high for the 0.4% Ti alloy and continues growing with titanium content.


In the modern connected world, pervasive computing has become reality. Thanks to the ubiquity of mobile computing devices and emerging cloud-based services, the users permanently stay connected to their data. This introduces a slew of new security challenges, including the problem of multi-device key management and single-sign-on architectures. One solution to this problem is the utilization of secure side-channels for authentication, including the visual channel as vicinity proof. However, existing approaches often assume confidentiality of the visual channel, or provide only insufficient means of mitigating a man-in-the-middle attack. In this work, we introduce \emph{QR-Auth}, a two-step, 2D barcode based authentication scheme for mobile devices which aims specifically at key management and key sharing across devices in a pervasive environment. It requires minimal user interaction and therefore provides better usability than most existing schemes, without compromising its security. We show how our approach fits in existing authorization delegation and one-time-password generation schemes, and that it is resilient to man-in-the-middle attacks.


Abstract Recent increased interest from regulators and the public has led more organizations to consider the environmental impact and safety considerations of tritium handling. Examples include the significance of the tritium isotope separation system on ITER licensing, remediation of ground water from power utilities and government facilities and concerns of high tritium concentrations within operational CANDU reactors. GE Healthcare, formerly Amersham plc, has been producing tritium-labelled chemicals since the late 1940s. GE's manufacturing site located near Cardiff, UK has installed a tritium waste treatment and enrichment facility to radically reduce tritium discharges to the environment. This facility employs a continuous processing plant that recovers tritium from a complex mixture of tritiated organic and aqueous waste compounds. Two isotope separation techniques are used to achieve a final pure tritium product, which is used in the manufacturing of labelled compounds. Building upon this experience, together with Special Separations Applications Inc. (SSAI), GE has developed a large-scale diffusion-based isotope separation process as an alternative to conventional cryogenic distillation. Having a tritium inventory an order of magnitude lower than conventional cryogenic distillation, this process is attractive for heavy water detritiation, applicable to single and multi-unit CANDU reactors and research reactors as well as fusion applications. Additionally, the new process has advantages of being cryogen-free, less complex, simple to operate and having improved conventional and radiological safety.


ABSTRACT Large wood is often transported by rivers into reservoirs during heavy rainfall events. When a critical section like a spillway is blocked and discharge capacity reduced, an uncontrolled increase of the reservoir water level may occur. This study aims to statistically analyse the importance of repetitions for the accuracy of experimental campaigns when studying blocking probabilities at ogee crested spillways equipped with piers. Systematic and reliable estimations based on physical models are critical for developing preventive measures against large wood blockage. Two statistical methods have been described and applied to calculate confidence intervals. A minimum number of repetitions for a maximum acceptable error is recommended for blocking probabilities. The minimum number of experimental repetitions has been statistically justified in accordance with a reasonable use of resources for experimental campaigns. In addition, a maximum acceptable level of error is proposed as a common metric of accuracy in large wood studies.


Family forestry is characterized by heterogeneity in ownership structure, owners' objectives, and management practices. Differences among forest landowners by age and occupation have been regularly documented, but other social dimensions, such as race and gender, have received considerably less attention. We conducted exploratory research on racial and gender differences among forest landowners in two Alabama counties via a mail survey in order to identify promising areas for future research and forestry outreach. We found that gender and race influence land holding practices, management objectives, access to information and technical support. African American and female forest landowners tend to be less involved in forest management but would like more information. Understanding how forest landowners from different social backgrounds use, value, and manage forest is crucial for developing appropriate programs to encourage landowners from all segments of society to manage their forests for private and public benefits, and further research is warranted.


The past decade has seen considerable advances in the application of principles from projective geometry to problems in image analysis and computer vision. In this paper, we review a subset of this work, and leverage these results for the purpose of forensic analysis. Specifically, we review three techniques for making metric measurements on planar surfaces from a single image. The resulting techniques should prove useful in forensic settings where real-world measurements are required.


Backdoors are a powerful tool to obtain efficient algorithms for hard problems. Recently, two new notions of backdoors to planning were introduced. However, for one of the new notions (i.e., variable-deletion) only hardness results are known so far. In this work we improve the situation by defining a new type of variable-deletion backdoors based on the extended causal graph of a planning instance. For this notion of backdoors several fixed-parameter tractable algorithms are identified. Furthermore, we explore the capabilities of polynomial time preprocessing, i.e., we check whether there exists a polynomial kernel. Our results also show the close connection between planning and verification problems such as Vector Addition System with States (VASS).


Cosmic acceleration is explained quantitatively, as an apparent effect due to gravitational energy differences that arise in the decoupling of bound systems from the global expansion of the universe. "Dark energy" is a misidentification of those aspects of gravitational energy which by virtue of the equivalence principle cannot be localised, namely gradients in the energy due to the expansion of space and spatial curvature variations in an inhomogeneous universe. A new scheme for cosmological averaging is proposed which solves the Sandage-de Vaucouleurs paradox. Concordance parameters fit supernovae luminosity distances, the angular scale of the sound horizon in the CMB anisotropies, and the effective comoving baryon acoustic oscillation scale seen in galaxy clustering statistics. Key observational anomalies are potentially resolved, and unique predictions made, including a quantifiable variance in the Hubble flow below the scale of apparent homogeneity.


The estimation of a system's infinity norm using one set of measured input and output data is investigated. It is known that, if the data set is noise free, this problem can be solved using convex optimization. In the presence of noise, convergence of this estimate to the true infinity norm of the system is no longer guaranteed. In this paper, a convex noise set is defined in the time domain using decorrelation between the noise and the system input. For infinite data length, we prove that the estimate of the infinity norm converges to its true value. A simulation example shows the behavior for finite data length. In addition, the method is used to test closed- loop stability in the context of data-driven controller tuning. A sufficient condition for stability in terms of an infinity norm is introduced. The effectiveness of the proposed stability test is illustrated via a simulation example.


Anxiety disorders are the most common diagnoses for mental disorders. This
study aims to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on reducing
rumination, dysfunctional attitude and negative automatic thoughts in patients stricken with generalized
anxiety.
Materials & Methods: This quasi-experimental study is done with pretest-posttest module with control
group. The statistical population consisted of approximately 100 patients with generalized anxiety who
referred to Avaye Omid Psychological Clinic in Rasht in the first six months of 2016 and were selected
using available sampling method. Then, 30 patients stricken with the generalized anxiety were selected
and randomly divided into two groups as control and experimental groups. Eight sessions of
mindfulness-based cognitive therapy were done on the experimental group, and the control group was
waiting for treatment. The examinees in two above groups were studied in two stages of pretest and
posttest using of rumination, dysfunctional attitude, and negative automatic thoughts questionnaires.
The multivariate of covariance was used in the analysis of the results.
Results: The covariance analysis showed that the mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on reducing
rumination: (F=68/981, P=0/0001), dysfunctional attitude: (F=18/033, P=0/0001) and negative
automatic thoughts (attitudes): (F=145/744, P=0/0001) & (frequency): (F=68/524, P=0/0001) was
effective on female patients with generalized anxiety in the experimental group
Conclusion: It seems that psychological interventions have a significant impact on reducing anxiety.
Therefore, it is recommended to use this treatment method along with other effective methods of
psychotherapy and medication use


A critical stage of the combined steered arc and unbalanced magnetron process is the metal ion pre-treatment which improves the adhesion of the TiN coating. In this study, Conversion Electron Mossbauer Spectroscopy (CEMS) has been used to investigate surface interactions in a commercial Arc Bond Sputtering (ABS) coating system. A novel application of the Liljequist theory of CEMS has been used to determine ion etch rates for deposited natural iron on stainless steel substrates, for various Ti ion pre¬treatment processes. The approach has estimated an etch rate of 60 nm min.'1 for samples positioned without substrate rotation at a cathode-sample distance of 250 mm. This has been calculated to correspond to a bias current density of 6.68 Amps m-2. Similar experiments involving modes of rotation yield an average etch rate of approximately 40 nm min.-1 To detect small quantities of iron containing phases formed during a pre-treatment process it has been necessary to enrich substrates with the Mossbauer isotope, 57Fe to achieve greater surface sensitivity. The enrichment used the technique of the deposition of an estimated 25 nm of 57Fe on polished mild steel substrates followed by annealing to generate an 57Fe diffusion profile into the near surface region. A diffusion model has been used to predict the 57Fe depth profile due to the adopted annealing process parameters. Verification of the estimated thickness of the deposited 57Fe overlayer and the diffusion profile has been provided by SIMS and SNMS. Using the 57Fe enriched mild steel samples, CEMS has investigated the formation of iron- titanium phases after a typical industrial ten minute pre-treatment process using substrate rotation, at a substrate bias voltage of -1200 V. Significant phase formation of both crystalline Fe[x]Ti[1-x] and amorphous Fe[x]Ti[1-x] have been identified. The formation of the crystalline phase has been confirmed by XRD. Using a model of the 57Fe isomer shift dependence of x, in amorphous alloys yielded x=0.31 +/-0.08 for Fe[x]Ti[1-x] Further experiments using an estimated 25 nm of 57Fe deposited on mild steel without annealing, showed the presence of magnetite and a small quantity of crystalline FeTi for a 25 s pre¬treatment process. After a 300 s pre-treatment time the oxide layer is removed and significant quantities of both crystalline and amorphous FeTi are formed. CEMS has also showed increased 57Fe removal at a 6 x 10-5 mbar Ar operating pressure within the coating chamber compared with a pre-treatment performed at a higher Ar pressure of 3 x 10-3 mbar, showing the greater effect of the Ti ion etching under these conditions. During the experiments performed at different Ar pressures, CEMS also identified iron carbonitride phases. Similar phases have also been identified in the early growth stages of a compound layer in a process performed using a modified Balzers coating system. CEMS has proved to be a powerful technique, enabling the investigation of surface interaction phenomena occurring in the near surface region of 57Fe enriched substrates treated by Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) processes. The information provided by the technique makes it strategically important in the future research of interface regions generated by PVD processes.


ABSTRACT With the advent of high-throughput DNA sequencing, it is now straightforward and inexpensive to generate high-density small nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) maps. Here we combined high-throughput sequencing with bulk segregant analysis to expedite mutation mapping. The general map location of a mutation can be identified by a single backcross to a strain enriched in SNPs compared to a standard wild-type strain. Bulk segregant analysis simultaneously increases the likelihood of determining the precise nature of the mutation. We present here a high-density SNP map between Neurospora crassa Mauriceville-1-c (FGSC2225) and OR74A (FGSC2489), the strains most typically used by Neurospora researchers to carry out mapping crosses. We further have demonstrated the utility of the Mauriceville sequence and our approach by mapping the mutation responsible for the only existing temperature-sensitive (ts) cell cycle mutation in Neurospora, nuclear division cycle-1 (ndc-1). The single T-to-C point mutation maps to the gene encoding ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), spe-1 (NCU01271), and changes a Phe to a Ser residue within a highly conserved motif next to the catalytic site of the enzyme. By growth on spermidine and complementation with a wild-type spe-1 gene, we showed that the defect in spe-1 is responsible for the ts ndc-1 mutation. Based on our results, we propose changing ndc-1 to spe-1ndc, which reflects that this mutation results in an ODC with a specific nuclear division defect.


Michael D. West is a biomedical entrepreneur and investigator whose aim has been to extend human longevity with biomedical interventions. His focus has ranged from the development of telomerase-based therapeutics to the application of human embryonic stem cells [5] in regenerative medicine [6]. Throughout his eventful career, West has pursued novel and sometimes provocative ideas in a fervent, self-publicizing manner. As of 2009, West advocated using human somatic cell nuclear transfer [7] techniques to derive human embryonic stem cells [5] for therapeutic practice. Through his testimonies before the US Senate, articles, and even controversies generated by his own research and claims, West has played an important role in shaping the public debate over human cloning [8] and embryonic stem cell research [9].


There is an increasing interest in the use of computer algorithms to identify combinations of parameters that optimize the energy performance of buildings. For such problems, the objective function can be multi-modal and needs to be approximated numerically using building energy simulation programs. As these programs contain iterative solution algorithms, they introduce discontinuities in the numerical approximation to the objective function. Metaheuristics often work well for such problems, but their convergence to a global optimum cannot be established formally. Moreover, different algorithms tend to be suited to particular classes of optimization problems.  To shed light on this issue, we compared the performance of two metaheuristics, the hybrid CMA-ES/HDE and the hybrid PSO/HJ, in minimising standard benchmark functions and real-world building energy optimization problems of varying complexity. From this, we find that the CMA-ES/HDE performs well on more complex objective functions, but that the PSO/HJ more consistently identifies the global minimum for simpler objective functions. Both identified similar values in the objective functions arising from energy simulations, but with different combinations of model parameters. This may suggest that the objective function is multi-modal. The algorithms also correctly identified some non-intuitive parameter combinations that were caused by a simplified control sequence of the building energy system that does not represent actual practice, further reinforcing their utility.


This report presents the results of a four-year study on techniques for revegetation of native sedges in created basins. Although often the dominant genus in shallow wetlands, sedges (Carex spp.) do not readily recolonize after restoration or creation of the water table. It is unlikely that sedges will naturally establish in created wetlands. The results of seed germination studies on five Carex species suggest the highest germination rates in fresh seeds - with one exception. Wet/cold storage also can prolong seed viability for at least two-and-a-half years. Dry storage is not recommended for wetland sedge seeds. Short-term wet/cold treatment after prolonged dry storage does not improve germination rates. Sensitive to deep water, rising water levels, and competition during the establishment year, seedlings grew well across a wide range of water depths in subsequent growing seasons. Both species outcompeted annual weeds within two to three growing seasons, but not Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass). The study recommends weed control during the establishment year to prevent the invasion of P. arundinacea. Wetland soil promotes seedling growth relative to other soils, but does not affect germination rates. Because of the potential for the introduction of undesirable weeds, the study does not recommend the use of donor wetland soil. Instead, study results suggest the potential for the use of organic top-dressings.


Abstract. Measurements of speciated atmospheric mercury were conducted at a remote mountain-top station (Waliguan (WLG) Baseline Observatory) at the edge of northeastern part of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, Western China. Mean concentrations of total gaseous mercury (TGM), particulate bound mercury (PBM), and gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM) during the whole sampling campaign were 1.98±0.98 ng m −3 , 19.4±18.1 pg m −3 , and 7.4±4.8 pg m −3 , respectively. Levels of speciated Hg at WLG were slightly higher than those reported from remote areas of North America and Europe. Both regional sources and long-rang transport played important roles in the distribution of atmospheric TGM and PBM at WLG, whereas GOM showed major links to the regional sources, likely as well as the in-situ productions via photochemical processes. Regional sources for speciated Hg were mostly located to the east of WLG, which is the most industrial and urbanized areas of Qinghai province. Potential source contribution function (PSCF) results showed that eastern Gansu, western Ningxia and Shanxi Province were likely the potential source regions of WLG, with good accordance with locations of urban areas and industrial centers. Moreover, we found that Northern India may be a significant source region for WLG during the sampling campaign, and this is the first published evidence suggesting long-range transport of atmospheric Hg from India to the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Seasonal and diurnal variations of TGM were in contrast to most of the previous studies in China, with relatively higher levels in warm seasons and night, respectively. The temporal trend of TGM also highlighted the impact of long-range transport on the distribution of TGM in ambient air at WLG.


Effective colloid-colloid interactions can be tailored through the addition of a complex cosolute. Here we investigate the case of a cosolute made by self-assembling patchy particles. Depending on the valence, these particles can form either polymer chains or branched structures. We numerically calculate the effective potential Veff between two colloids immersed in a suspension of reversible patchy particles, exploring a wide region of the cosolute phase diagram and the role of valence. In addition to well-known excluded volume and depletion effects, we find that, under appropriate conditions, Veff is completely attractive but shows an oscillatory character. In the case of polymerizing cosolute, this results from the fact that chains are efficiently confined by the colloids through the onset of local order. This argument is then generalized to the case of particles with higher valence, under the condition that they are still able to maintain a fully bonded organization upon confinement. The resulting effective potentials are relevant for understanding the behavior of complex mixtures in crowded environments, but may also be exploited for tuning colloidal self-assembly at preferred target distances in order to build desired superstructures.


This study aimed to investigate if feeding patterns prior to and after artificial insemination (AI) affect the reproductive performances of ewes. Two breeds were used; the Barbarine (n = 133) and Queue Fine de l'Ouest (QFO; n = 129). For each breed, 2 experimental groups balanced for age and live weight were formed. For 75 days before AI, ewes in treatment High daily grazed for 6 hours and were supplemented with 0.6 kg of concentrate. For those in treatment Low-High, grazing was restricted to 3 hours only. From 21 days before insemination and the following 20 days, feeding pattern for Low-High ewes was switched to the High feeding regime. Changes in live weight and ovarian activity were monitored; conception rate and litter size were recorded. At the end of the restriction period and for both breeds, Low-High ewes reached lower live weights than High ewes (p < 0.05). Prior to AI and for both breeds, Low-High ewes weighed less than those in the High treatment group but no statistical differences were observed. At the end of the restriction period, more QFO ewes were cycling than for the Barbarine breed (75/129 vs. 55/133; p < 0.01). Further, less QFO ewes in the Low-High treatment were cycling than High ewes (30/65 vs. 45/64; p < 0.01). More QFO ewes conceived to AI than Barbarine counterparts (77/112 vs. 73/130; p < 0.05). For both breeds, higher proportions of ewes in the Low-High treatment groups conceived to AI but differences reached statistical significance only for Barbarine breed. Following a food-restriction period between weaning and mating, improved conception rates are achieved if the plane of nutrition is increased few weeks prior to and after AI in comparison to a continuous increase in live weight during the same period.


Background: Type 2 diabetes prevalence is strongly associated with the increase in obesity prevalence. Many of the current diabetic treatments cause further weight gain. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (liraglutide & exenatide) offer advantages of either keeping weight stable or even reducing weight while achieving good glycemic control. Objectives: To compare the glycemic effect of liraglutide versus exenatide over 26 and 52 weeks in uncontrolled type 2 diabetic patients.Methods: A retrospective observation study. Patients with type 2 diabetes who took liraglutide (1.8 mg subcutaneous [SC] once daily) or exenatide (10 mcg SC twice daily) for at least 1 year in addition to their anti-diabetic medications were eligible. For each patient, the following data were collected: HbA1C, fasting plasmaglucose, body weight, blood pressure, lipid profile, hypoglycemia episodes, kidney and liver function. Patient's medical records (both electronic and paper-based records) were used to collect required data. Data analyzed using descriptive & inferential analyses. The study was undertaken by ZJaspart of Masterin clinical pharmacy at Queen's University Belfast Results: 212 patients were included in the study (114 in exenatide group and 98 in liraglutide group). There were no significant differences in all of the patients' demographics and characteristics between the two groups (table1). Around 73% of included patients were female and half them were aged between 50–59 years. There was in significant difference in mean HbA1C change between both medications at either 26 or 52 weeks (p = 0.23 and 0.40, respectively) (Fig. 1). Patients achieved HbA1C ≤ 7% were significantly higher in the liraglutide group at week 26 (Fig. 2). Liraglutide reduced the mean fasting plasma glucose more than exenatide did at week 26 ( − 1.099 vs. − 0.122 mmol/L; p = 0.15) and week 52 ( − 1.150 vs. − 0.616 mmol/L; p = 0.52). Both medication sex habited weight losses at 26 and 52 weeks; liraglutide − 1.24, − 2.54 vs. exenatide − 1.63, − 3.7 kg, respectively (figure 3). Although both medications were associated with some benefits in term so flipidprofile and blood pressure at a certain point, neither of them were able to show a significant change from baseline. No patients in either groups reported any GI side effects or episodes of hypoglycemia. There was no statistically significant difference between two groups in regards of liver and kidney functions except serum creatinine elevation in heliraglutide group at 52 weeks (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Exenatide and liraglutide resulted in similar glycemic effects (HbA1C and FPG changes) in patients with type 2 diabetes who were sub-optimally controlled with other anti-diabetic therapy. Weight reduction effectiveness was confirmed for both medications with noreported side effects or hypoglycemic episodes during the treatment perid. Future large scale prospective studies are needed to confirm these results.


The choice of the right sedative regimen is one of the most important supportive therapies in the treatment of critically ill patients, given mounting evidence that sedation, especially when deep, is associated with worse outcomes including mortality (1-5). The new 2013 Pain Agitation and Delirium (PAD) guidelines from the Society of Critical Care Medicine therefore has specific recommendations with regards to use of sedation in the critically ill—(I) monitor patients for level of sedation; (II) consider an analgesia first approach; (III) if a sedative is required, then a non-benzodiazepine regimen (so propofol or dexmedetomidine) should be used; and (IV) patients should be managed with the lightest level of sedation and undergo daily spontaneous awakening trial (6). These recommendations have been made on the back on numerous important investigations in this last decade, which have brought to light the perils associated with sedation, but have also provided some insights on what best practices should be (2,3,5,7-12). The specific recommendations with regards to non-benzodiazepines choice of sedative medication have been appropriately based on robust randomized controlled trials of benzodiazepines versus either propofol (11) or dexmedetomidine (7,9,12) to determine causal associations, yet the outcomes of these sedatives needed to be studied when the population sample is generalized (without the exclusions enforced in randomized controlled trials) and in real world practices where numerous confounders exist and medications are often co-administered.


In a series of recent papers, Mark Roe and Lucian Bebchuk have developed further the concept of path dependence, combined it with concepts of evolution and used it to challenge the wide-spread view that the corporate governance systems of the major advanced economies are likely to converge towards the economically best system at a rapid pace. The present paper shares this skepticism, but adds several aspects which strengthen the point made by Roe and Bebchuk. The present paper argues that it is important for the topic under discussion to distinguish clearly between two arguments which can explain path dependence. One of them is based on the role of adjustment costs, and the other one uses concepts borrowed from evolutionary biology. Making this distinction is important because the two concepts of path dependence have different implications for the issue of rapid convergence to the best system. In addition, we introduce a formal concept of complementarity and demonstrate that national corporate governance systems are usefully regarded as – possibly consistent – systems of complementary elements. Complementarity is a reason for path dependence which supports the socio-biological argument. The dynamic properties of systems composed of complementary elements are such that a rapid convergence towards a universally best corporate governance systems is not likely to happen. We then proceed by showing for the case of corporate governance systems shaped by complementarity, that there even is the possibility of a convergence towards a common system which is economically inferior. And in the specific case of European integration, "inefficient convergence" of corporate governance systems is a possible future course of events.


Being an NFL coach is the ultimate high-pressure job. Every Sunday a coach makes split-second decisions that will not only decide the fate of a game, but also his team's season and, ultimately, his own job.Meet Mike Holmgren, Jon Gruden, John Fox, Andy Reid, and Mike Sherman -- top NFL head coaches whose careers rest on their ability to lead other men to win in the fiercely competitive world of professional football.In this extraordinary collaboration with their agent Bob LaMonte, each of these five coaches shares his leadership principles. LaMonte takes you behind the scenes, where you'll be a fly on the wall as these men reveal how to win beyond the X's and O's. You will see how these successful leaders communicate with different personalities, develop vision, build trust in their people, and win loyalty, as well as overcome adversity and adapt to change.Through their colorful and motivational anecdotes, you'll gain unprecedented insights into the minds of some of the best coaches today and valuable lessons on what it means to be a leader and a champion.


Short abstract
This session will consider the impact of an Arts Council initiative launched in the North West with a partnership of Universities, Regional Dance Agencies, Venues and Creatives alongside twelve graduates. Themes of employability, self motivation and the implications for teaching and learning Dance in HE are explored.

Outline
The presentation will engage the participants in a discussion which will consider the current employability agenda and exactly what makes a dance graduate employable. Twelve Degrees North Graduate Company was created in response to a number of consultancy reports which highlighted the need for the dance development opportunities that would encourage graduates to remain in the North West region (Siddal,2008).The commentary of some reports bore implications for nationwide HE provision in terms of the recognition of a hybrid diversity of dance(Hall,2007) and in Mapping Dance (Burns,2007) advocated an entrepreneurial approach in preparation for graduate employment. Burns suggested that an emphasis on self –management, career management and market placement was essential for employability within the dance world.
As educators we have to key questions to consider. Can we compare Conservatoire training to the more concentrated practice as research agenda found on a university Dance Programme? Within the North West Graduate company there are combinations of both which enables us to view the research from two defined perspectives. The first introduces the graduate voice and how graduates capture their journey as twelve very different individuals. How do graduates perceive their undergraduate experience and how do they apply this knowledge? Jo Rhodes (2008) from Arcane Dance, observed that graduates recognise the value of applied practice within their degree programmes but the reality of the real world experience was considerably different. How far can we measure our effectiveness in channelling this critical understanding?

The second perspective is a reflection from a project management and steering group position. How do we as HE educators within a partnership, continue to create a learning environment that is consistent in supporting emerging dance professionals?
There are many headlines which are critical to teaching and learning and how we strive to channel our pedagogy to maintain relevance and currency with the developing dance landscape. Can universities produce the employable graduate and could the essential ingredient to success be consideration of the determinants of self determined motivation? (SDT; Deci &Ryan, 1985, 200). Are employers willing to accept the graduate as a work in progress or are they favouring the finished article? In the Dance Training and Accreditation Report (Burns, 2008) observes that the profession is picking up the gaps in initial training. In order to meet the needs of portfolio dancers the HE sector must meet the challenge to furnish students with a broader skills base (Ibid).
Finally, we will discuss how HE is faced with the question of how we shape graduates to become employable and to what extent we can influence the process. How do we harness intrinsically motivated behaviours? What does the graduate tool kit look like? Does it include knowledge of the sector, communication strategies awareness of others? There will be discourse to consider motivational theories and how this is could be the essential ingredient to success.