Objectives: The acceptance and use of long-acting depot antipsychotics has been shown to be influenced by the attitudes of patients and clinicians. Depot treatment rates are low across countries and especially patients with first-episode psychosis are rarely treated with depot medication. The aim of this article was to review the literature on patients' and clinicians' attitudes towards long-acting depot antipsychotics in subjects with first-episode psychosis. Methods: A systematic search of Medline, Embase, PsycINF and Google Scholar was conducted. Studies were included if they reported original data describing patients' and clinicians' attitudes towards long-acting depot antipsychotic in subjects with first-episode psychosis. Results: Six studies out of a total of 503 articles met the inclusion criteria. Four studies conveyed a negative and two a positive opinion of clinicians toward depot medication. No systematic study directly addressed the attitude of patients with first-episode psychosis. Psychiatrists frequently presume that patients with first-episode psychosis would not accept depot medication and that depots are mostly eligible for chronic patients. Conclusions: Full information of all patients especially those with first episode psychosis in a therapeutic relationship that includes shared decision-making processes could reduce the negative image and stigmatization attached to depots.


In an ad-hoc collaborative sharing environment, attribute-based access control provides a promising approach in defining authorization over shared resources based on userspsila properties/attributes rather than their identities. While the userpsilas attributes are always asserted by different authorities in the form of credentials, these authorities may not be accepted by the resource owner with the same degree of trust. In this paper, we present a trust-aware role-based authorization framework, called RAMARS_TM, to address both the access control and the trust management issues in such environment. Central to our approach is the dynamic role assignment based on a userpsilas attributes, and trust management, as a special constraint, is in place to make trust decisions on a userpsilas attributes. Required components and functions are identified and specified in our trust and access management policies. An architecture of prototype system implementation is also discussed.


The bacterial pathogen Salmonella typhimurium triggers host cell signaling pathways that lead to cytoskeletal and nuclear responses required for pathogenesis. Here, the role of the small guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-binding protein CDC42Hs in these responses was examined. Expression of a dominant interfering mutant of CDC42 (CDC42HsN17) prevented S. typhimurium-induced cytoskeletal reorganization and subsequent macropinocytosis and bacterial internalization into host cells. Cells expressing constitutively active CDC42 (CDC42HsV12) internalized an S. typhimurium mutant unable to trigger host cell responses. Furthermore, expression of CDC42HsN17 prevented S. typhimurium-induced JNK kinase activation. These results indicate that CDC42 is required for bacterial invasion and induction of nuclear responses in host cells.


A large area (1600 mum times 800 mum) high-brightness light-emitting diode (HB LED) employing rearranged metal pads and multipassivation layers is presented. To enlarge the active layer with a smaller mesa area and improve package productivity using large bonding pads, two electrodes were used to fabricate the LED; a primary electrode was in contact with the n, p-GaN as a conventional LED, and the second electrode was connected to the primary electrode with a passivation layer having photodielectric resin interposed between them. The LED was directly bonded to the metal-core printed circuit board without wire bonding or epoxy molding. The resultant HB LED has a low forward voltage ( ~3.2 V at 350 mA) due to the optimized n, p-contact scheme, and an optical power of 75 mW with no encapsulation.


Interplay between Identification and Optimization in Run-to-run Schemes B. Srinivasan, D. Bonvin ´ Institut d'Automatique, Ecole Polytechnique F´d´rale de Lausanne, ee CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. Optimization of batch processes has received increasing attention since its provides an unified framework to improve productivity without violating constraints on safety, selectivity, reproducability, etc. Due to uncertainties (disturbances and modeling errors) that are invariably present at the industrial level, the optimal profiles have to be adjusted during implementation. The advantage of batch processes is that they are typically repeated, and this fact has been exploited in run-to-run schemes to adapt the optimal profile of the current batch based on measurements from the previous batches.One of the run-to-run schemes that has been studied widely for the adaptation of optimal profiles, and also used for on-line optimization and model-predictive control, is the following indirect approach: 1. Identify the parameters of a given model structure using measurements from the previous batches. Typically, a least-squares minimization problem is solved. 2. A numerical optimization of the refined model provides the updated optimal profile for the current batch. Such a scheme, however, has three main drawbacks: 1. There is no guarantee that the profile that is optimal for the previous batches is persistently exciting so as to uncover the model parameters that have to be identified. This problem becomes more acute as the number of parameters to be identified increases. 2. There is no synergy between the identification and optimization problems. The parameters that minimize the state evolution errors may be quite poor in predicting the cost and constraints of the optimization problem. This issue is more important in the case of large model mismatch, where the model is a reduced version of the actual plant. 3. No guarantee for convergence can be provided for this iterative scheme. The first drawback is fundamental to all model-based schemes and cannot be readily resolved. The contributions of this paper address the second and third problems: • An identification problem is proposed where the ob jective is a better prediction of the optimization cost rather than the entire state evolution. For this, from every measurement, a model of the system is used to predict the final cost. The parameters of the model are so identified as to minimize the variance of these predicitons. • Different ways in which the identification and optimization can be interlaced are analyzed. Inner-outer optimization schemes that can ensure convergence of the iterative scheme are discussed. The results will be illustrated in simulation on a semi-batch reactor example. 1


Polarity phenomena have been known to linguists since Klima's seminal work on English negation. In this monograph Giannakidou presents a novel theory of polarity which avoids the empirical and conceptual problems of previous approaches by introducing a notion wider than negation and downward entailment: (non)veridicality. The leading idea is that the various polarity phenomena observed in language are manifestations of the dependency of certain expessions, i.e. polarity items, to the (non)veridicality of the context of appearence. Dependencies to negation or downward entailment emerge as subcases of nonveridicality.The (non)veridical dependency may be positive (licensing), or negative (anti-licensing), and arises from the sensitivity semantics of polarity items. The book is also concerned with the syntactic mapping of the sensitivity dependency. It is argued that licensing does not necessarily correspond to a requirement that the licensee be in the scope of the licenser. In some cases, for instance for the interpretation of negative concord, the reverse is required: that the licensee takes the licenser in its scope. The theory is applied to an extended set of old and new data concerning affective, free-choice dependencies, and mood choice in relative clauses. The primary focus is on Greek, but data from Dutch, English, and to a lesser extend Romance and Slavic, are also considered.


Abstract Urbanization is progressing rapidly in many Asian cities. The process of urbanization has modified the land use from natural environment into built environment. It alters not only the surface energy balance of the urban canopy, but also brings about a great quantity of anthropogenic sources of waste heat through air-conditioning, cars, etc. In addition, the effect of urbanization on urban wind environment is likewise significant. Thus, the primary precondition is to understand how the urban environment affects the physical and climatic pattern in and around the city resulting from urban encroachments. Commonly, wind-tunnel measurements and observational campaigns enable us to understand the physical processes that take place with the morphology of urban areas. This understanding is then used to represent these processes within numerical models of different urban scales. The ever-increasing computational power together with highresolution computational fluid dynamic models has now become a useful tool to gain significant insight into detailed processes occurring within the urban context. This chapter gives an overview of the latest simulation studies for mesoscale and microscale climates, and also the assessment tools used in urban climate research. Various assessment tools are introduced and classified according to corresponding modelling scales. Next, the chapter addresses recent achievements in urban climate research for urban thermal environment studies. Examples of numerical results obtained by researchers of Japan are presented.


A b s t r a c t Polythiophene is a standout amongst the most valuable sorts of the conducting polymers that hold numerous odd physical and electrical lands for instance dissolvability, electrical conductivity and develop the ecologically and thermally stable materials. Distinctive assembling techniques have been advanced for conducting polymer nanostructures and near them, template method is a facile and encouraging method. Nanostructured polythiophene was prepared by soft-template method in the vicinity of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as an anionic surfactant, triethanolamine (TEA) as a co-surfactant and ammonium persulfate (APS) as an oxidant in aqueous medium. Moreover, the chemical structure of fabricated nanostructured polythiophene was investigated by fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The morphology and particle size of the product was studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). Furthermore, dispersion state of nanostructured polythiophene in organic solvents was studied after being dried. The results indicate that nano-product has a favorable fiber-like-structure with a diameter in the range of 85–100 nm.


Polymer composite materials, particularly glass reinforced plastics (GRP), are increasingly being used in the offshore industry and their behaviour in fire is studied using mathematical and numerical modelling. A generalised finite element method is developed to analyse the thermally induced response of a widely used GRP, consisting of polyester resin and glass fibre reinforcement. GRP panels, pipes and joins subject to hydrocarbon fires (i.e. high temperatures) are studied. One- and two-dimensional mathematical models are developed to study the fire performance of: (i) single-skinned GRP panels, (ii) twin-skinned GRP-Vermiculux sandwich panels, and (iii) thin and thick GRP joins (step panels). The models involve thermochemical decomposition of the material (pyrolysis) and include: (i) transient heat conduction, (ii) gas mass movement and internal heat convection of pyrolysis gases, (iii) mass loss and Arrhenius rate decomposition of the resin material into gases and char, and (iv) endothermicity of pyrolysis. The effect of imperfect bonding on heat transfer in sandwich panels and the accumulation of pyrolysis gases and internal pressurisation in thick step panels are also included. The models may be used with any combination of steady or time-dependent boundary conditions including temperature, radiation, chemical reactions, mass diffusion and free and forced convections. Various positions of panels, i.e. vertical, horizontal and inclined are studied. The material is assumed homogeneous and orthotropic with respect to thermal and transport properties which may vary with temperature, pore pressure and moisture. The finite element models use weighted residual approach with linear elements for one- dimensional and quadrilateral elements for two-dimensional. Non-linear terms and coefficients are evaluated explicitly using an iterative-updating method and nodal temperatures and pore pressures implicitly using Crank-Nicolson solution. The classical finite difference time stepping algorithm is used where an efficient solution is achieved using variable time step. Numerical results are presented in the form of temperature versus time, temperature versus distance, pore pressure versus distance, mass loss versus distance and moisture versus distance and compared with experimental data where available. It is shown that the decomposition of the material, endothermicity of pyrolysis and the movement of pyrolysis gases make substantial contributions towards the cooling behaviour and delaying the bum-through. The effect of gas mass movement and surface chemical reactions across the boundary layer adjacent to the fire-exposed surface is very important in introducing a theoretical boundary condition. An investigation into the effect of inclusion the variable thermal properties reveals considerable improvement in thermal predictions. Sandwich panels consisting of GRP/Vermiculux/GRP offer good thermal insulation. Thermal contact resistance at an imperfect bonding is important where an average difference of 12% can be found between the thermal responses of sandwich panels with perfect and imperfect bonding. For thin GRP step panels, a one-dimensional solution is found adequate to predict the fire resistance behaviour of the material. For thick GRP step panels, the effect of internal pressurisation coupled with temperature on the thermal response is considerable.


Studies demonstrate that elite athletes are able to extract kinematic information of observed domain-specific actions to predict their future course. Little is known, however, on the perceptuo-motor processes and neural correlates of the athletes' ability to predict fooling actions. Combining psychophysics and transcranial magnetic stimulation, we explored the impact of motor and perceptual expertise on the ability to predict the fate of observed actual or fake soccer penalty kicks. We manipulated the congruence between the model's body kinematics and the subsequent ball trajectory and investigated the prediction performance and cortico-spinal reactivity of expert kickers, goalkeepers, and novices. Kickers and goalkeepers outperformed novices by anticipating the actual kick direction from the model's initial body movements. However, kickers were more often fooled than goalkeepers and novices in cases of incongruent actions. Congruent and incongruent actions engendered a comparable facilitation of kickers' lower limb motor representation, but their neurophysiological response was correlated with their greater susceptibility to be fooled. Moreover, when compared with actual actions, motor facilitation for incongruent actions was lower among goalkeepers and higher among novices. Thus, responding to fooling actions requires updation of simulative motor representations of others' actions and is facilitated by visual rather than by motor expertise.


A hallmark of aging-related organ deterioration is a dysregulated immune response characterized by pathologic leukocyte infiltration of affected tissues. Mechanisms and genes involved are as yet unknown. To identify genes associated with aging-related renal infiltration, we analyzed kidneys from aged mice (≥20 strains) for infiltrating leukocytes followed by Haplotype Association Mapping (HAM) analysis. Immunohistochemistry revealed CD45+ cell clusters (predominantly T and B cells) in perivascular areas coinciding with PNAd+ high endothelial venules and podoplanin+ lymph vessels indicative of tertiary lymphoid organs. Cumulative cluster size increased with age (analyzed at 6, 12 and 20 months). Based on the presence or absence of clusters in male and female mice at 20 months, HAM analysis revealed significant associations with loci on Chr1, Chr2, Chr8 and Chr14 in male mice, and with loci on Chr4, Chr7, Chr13 and Chr14 in female mice. Wisp2 (Chr2) showed the strongest association (P = 5.00×10−137) in male mice; Ctnnbip1 (P = 6.42×10−267) and Tnfrsf8 (P = 5.42×10−245) (both on Chr4) showed the strongest association in female mice. Both Wisp2 and Ctnnbip1 are part of the Wnt-signaling pathway and the encoded proteins were expressed within the tertiary lymphoid organs. In conclusion, this study revealed differential lymphocytic infiltration and tertiary lymphoid organ formation in aged mouse kidneys across different inbred mouse strains. HAM analysis identified candidate genes involved in the Wnt-signaling pathway that may be causally linked to tertiary lymphoid organ formation.


The responses to inhalation of 35% carbon dioxide (CO2) as a stressor were compared in female irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients and healthy controls to assess potential differences in cardiovascular, neuroendocrine and behavioural responses to stress. A total of 22 women (12 patients with ROME II defined diarrhoea-predominant IBS and 10 aged-matched controls) were challenged with a single vital capacity breath of 35% CO2 (with 65% oxygen). Beat-to-beat blood pressure and heart rate were recorded prior to, during and after the inhalation. Serum cortisol concentration and behavioural ratings were measured pre- and post-inhalation. A typical pattern of responses to CO2 was observed, characterised by a reduction in heart rate and increases in serum cortisol and anxiogenic symptoms; however, these responses did not differ between groups. Both groups also demonstrated an increase in systolic blood pressure; however, this response was significantly enhanced in IBS patients compared to healthy controls (P < 0.05). These findings demonstrate that females with diarrhoea-predominant IBS have an exaggerated pressor response to 35% CO2 stress challenge, suggesting a more stress-responsive sympathetic nervous system.


Risk attitudes are important for human decision making, especially in scenarios where huge wins or losses are possible, as exemplified by planetary rover navigation, oilspill response, and business applications. Decision-theoretic planners therefore need to take risk aspects into account to serve their users better. However, most existing decision-theoretic planners use simplistic planning objectives that are risk-neutral. The thesis research is the first comprehensive study of how to incorporate risk attitudes into decision-theoretic planners and solve large-scale planning problems represented as Markov decision process models. The thesis consists of three parts.
The first part of the thesis work studies risk-sensitive planning in case where exponential utility functions are used to model risk attitudes. I show that existing decision-theoretic planners can be transformed to take risk attitudes into account. Moreover, different versions of the transformation are needed if the transition probabilities are implicitly given, namely, temporally extended probabilities and probabilities given in a factored form.
The second part of the thesis work studies risk-sensitive planning in case where general nonlinear utility functions are used to model risk attitudes. I show that a state-augmentation approach can be used to reduce a risk-sensitive planning problem to a risk-neutral planning problem with an augmented state space. I further use a functional interpretation of value functions and approximation methods to solve the planning problems efficiently with value iteration. I also show an exact method for solving risk-sensitive planning problems where one-switch utility functions are used to model risk attitudes.
The third part of the thesis work studies risk sensitive planning in case where arbitrary rewards are used. I propose a spectrum of conditions that can be used to constrain the utility function and the planning problem so that the optimal expected utilities exist and are finite. I prove that the existence and finiteness properties hold for stationary plans, where the action to perform in each state does not change over time, under different sets of conditions.


In this article I present some implications for a concept of transitional justice through the comparison of two approaches: retributive vs. restorative theories. Notwithstanding their profound differences in perspective, both models are grounded upon a strong notion of the public sphere. Accordingly, after showing why neither of the two approaches exhausts the problems of transitional justice, I will demonstrate how a 'complete' justification requires a certain view of public reason based upon rights as truth-constraints of the public sphere.


This study answers the call made by the Swedish government, the Swedish Sports Confederation (RF) and Swedish local authorities for research on success factors in Swedish club sport. By using RFs success concept and sport scholars critique in reverse as points of departure for our study we selected two "successful" sports clubs for a study of the constitution of good sport environments. Our theoretical starting point was that an organisation's collective fundamental values contribute to shaping both its goals and its practice - and in extension to its potential to constitute a good sport environment. The results, which are based on eight qualitative interviews with key individuals, show how the clubs work with society-related dilemmas and sport-specific problems. By analysing elements in the club environments which have promoted this work we have been able to get an insight into the values on which these environments rest and their importance for building good sport environments.


Biodiesel can be produced from either vegetable oil or animal fats through transesterfication process. Problem that usually appears in transesterification process is long reaction time because oil and alcohol are not mutually dissolved. The addition of co-solvent can help mixing the reactants. In this study chicken fat was used as feedstock for biodiesel production through transesterification reaction. The reaction of chicken fat using diethyl ether as co-solvent, NaOH as catalyst, and methanol as reactant at a ratio molar of methanol/ oil 6 : 1. V ariables studied were temperature, reaction time, ratio of co-solvent to methanol, and the amount of catalyst on biodiesel characteristics. Products were analyzed by gas chromatography to obtain the composition of biodiesel. The biodiesel properties like methyl-ester content, density, and viscosity was evaluated and was found to compare well with Indonesian Standard (SNI). The results of this work showed that the use of chicken fat is very suitable as low cost feedstock for biodiesel production. The best result was obtained in a ratio of co-solvent/ methanol 0,5 : 1 (v/v), a temperature of 35 o C, 20 minutes of reaction time, and 0,8 % (w/w) of catalyst amount.


BACKGROUND/AIMS
Fibrinogen-like protein 2 (fgl2), has recently been identified as a new member of the fibrinogen-like family of proteins. In this study we assayed plasma levels of fgl2 in patients with biopsy proven non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and examined their association with clinical, biochemical and histological phenotypes.

METHODOLOGY
Levels of plasma fgl2 were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and compared between the study groups. Moreover, concentrations of fgl2 were assessed in relation to the general characteristics of the study participants and the results of the liver biopsy.

RESULTS
Levels of fgl2 were significantly higher in patients with definite non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) (788±190pg/mL, p<0.001) and borderline NASH (710 ± 140pg/mL, p<0.001) compared with controls (515±174pg/mL). No significant differences were found in patients with simple steatosis (649 ± 162pg/mL) as compared with controls. There were no associations between the plasma fgl2 levels with the fibrosis stage and steatosis grade.

CONCLUSIONS
Although subject to future confirmation, our data suggest that fgl2 levels are elevated in the more severe forms of NAFLD.


Hardware/software codesign seeks to integrate system level, hardware, and software design. Ideally, we would like tools that allow rapid evaluation of design decisions and a full exploration of the design space. Available tools are often too slow and concentrate on the low level cosimulation of hardware and software parts, after the design has been partitioned. We are attempting to remedy these problems with Tosca (Tools for System Codesign Automation), a hardware/software codesign environment. Targeted at single chip implementations consisting of a CPU core cell and dedicated hardware, Tosca performs a high level cosimulation for what-if analyses before hardware/software cosynthesis. After cosynthesis, Tosca generates simulatable software to be run on a retargetable instruction level model of the CPU. The software and hardware bound parts are then cosimulated using a commercial VHDL simulator. The performance of the low level cosimulation strategy and the high level simulator is remarkable. Low level cosimulation performance is about that of dedicated CPU software emulators-7200 pseudo assembly instructions per second. High level cosimulation is three times faster than the low level cosimulation. Both simulators allow functional debugging by interfacing to a commercial waveform visualizer (Mentor Graphics SimView). Engineers have used Tosca to redesign a commercial link controller.


Abstract Objectives: Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are at twice the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, compared to women from the general population. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the first-degree relatives (fathers) of patients suffering from PCOS. Design: This was a case control study. Setting and subjects: The study was conducted on 34 fathers of women with PCOS who presented at gynaecological clinics in Shiraz, Iran (as the case group), and 34 fathers of healthy women (as the control group). Outcomes measures: Metabolic syndrome was determined according to Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) and International Diabetes Federation (IDF) indices. A blood sample was obtained to assay serum insulin, blood sugar, testosterone and lipoproteins. The data were analysed using independent t-test, Fisher's exact test and the chi-square test. Results: According to the ATP III index, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 29.35% in the fathers of the PCOS patients and 8.8% in the fathers of women in the control group (p-value < 0.05). According to the IDF index, this rate was 17.41 in the fathers of patients with PCOS (p-value < 0.05). According to the quantitative insulin sensitivity check and homeostasis model insulin resistance indices, the prevalence of insulin resistance, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and hypercholesterolaemia was higher in the fathers of patients with PCOS than in the control group, but the difference was not significant (p-value > 0.05). Conclusion: The fathers of the women with PCOS were at a higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes.


The family of terminological representation systems has its roots in the representation system kl-one. Since the development of kl-one more than a dozen similar representation systems have been developed by various research groups. These systems vary along a number of dimensions. In this paper, we present the results of an empirical analysis of six such systems. Surprisingly, the systems turned out to be quite diverse, leading to problems when transporting knowledge bases from one system to another. Additionally, the runtime performance between diierent systems and knowledge bases varied more than we expected. Finally, our empirical runtime performance results give an idea of what runtime performance to expect from such representation systems. These ndings complement previously reported analytical results about the computational complexity of reasoning in such systems.


Flooding is the most severe hazard in Malaysia, a country experiencing a wet equatorial climate with heavy seasonal monsoon rains. In the past, nature took care of itself as vast expanses of forests and wetlands soaked up rainfall excess and delayed the flow of water into rivers. Indigenous peoples are also well adapted to seasonal floods, as their lifestyles and livelihood on floodplains have evolved over centuries as adaptations to floods. Officially, Malaysian flood management is based on structural and technological measures to "control" floods. This is, however, only partly successful, as non-structural measures are under-employed. Moreover, the application of high-tech solutions can only be effective if the public/victims understand it, cooperate and respond effectively to them. Often, sophisticated (imported) engineering structures and flood control systems are alien to the public, who are only accustomed to traditional systems. Costly structural schemes give rise to a false sense of security and may in fact be more costly to victims. Frequent failures of structural schemes often lead to a lack of confidence on the part of victims. Flood hazard in the country is also dominated by a top-down approach, with little input from locals/victims who have vast knowledge of floods and proven traditional coping mechanisms. Thus, there is a need to integrate the official flood management program with traditional systems to save lives and maximise flood-loss reduction. There is also a need for Malaysia to integrate the concept of sustainable development into its development policies towards flood hazard reduction.


*Corresponding Author: Khaled M. Chahrour firstname.lastname@example.com firstname.lastname@example.com Abstract By applying dual anodization procedures of aluminum (Al) thin film over silicon substrate under controlled anodizing process conditions, a thin anodic alumina (AAO) pattern with hexagonal honeycomb-like arrangement nanopores and highly-regular aligned arrays was created. Anodizing DC voltage was thought to have an effect on pore size dimensions. With anodizing DC voltage, the pore diameter (30 110nm) showed a linear change. The rate of vertical growth of the nanopores was found to be proportional to the anodizing voltage. To achieve open-through pore nanostructure and ensure homogeneous electrochemical deposition of various nanostructures onto AAO pattern, a bottommost barrier layer of the AAO pattern was detached during dropping the DC voltage in the final period of the anodization process, followed by a pore widening wet treatment for numerous minutes at ambient temperature atmosphere. The features of the AAO pattern were inspected by using the field emission scanning microscope (FESEM) linked with an electron dispersive xray spectrometer (EDX) for chemical elements investigation.


The marine macroflora introduced into Lebanon was studied through an analysis of historical data and field studies carried out since 1991. A total of 29 introduced species have been listed: 3 Chromobionta , 13 Rhodobionta , 12 Chlorobionta and 1 Streptobionta . Among them, Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla, Spatoglossum variabile and Womersleyella setacea are recorded for the first time from Lebanon. Among them, Asparagopsis taxiformis, C. taxifolia var. distichophylla, Cladophora patentiramea , Codium arabicum, Codium parvulum, Galaxaura rugosa, Halophila stipulacea, Hypnea cornuta, Laurencia cf. chondrioides, Lophocladia lallemandii, Stypopodium schimperi , Ulva lactuca and Womersleyella setacea are potentially invasive species, and several of them already occupy extensive stretches of the Lebanese coast. The distribution of species on the Levantine coast, their dynamics and the current status of their populations are discussed.


With a rapidly growing population and urbanization, most modern slums (favelas) also proliferated in Brazil since the 1950s when many people left rural areas of Brazil and moved into the cities. Rio de Janeiro is one of those cities having a vast amount of favelas with poor living conditions. One of the main problems of electricity supply in favelas is illegal electricity use, called 'Gato' in Portuguese. Recent unexpected severe drought, economic crisis, and rapidly increased electricity price in Brazil affected the reliable supply of affordable electricity in favelas.

Considering abundant solar radiation of the country and the government's willingness trying to shift the framework of energy supply from hydropower to renewable energy, this study analyzes the solar PV potentials to ensure a reliable supply of affordable electricity in favelas in Rio de Janeiro.

Literature reviews regarding solar PV development in Brazil, energy policy analysis in Brazil and electricity issues in favelas are revised. As a case study, the chosen favela 'Babilonia' is presented. The survey analysis about electricity consumption situation with social dimension targeting residences in Babilonia is implemented. Lastly, through economic analyses with cost-benefit calculation such as Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Net Present Value (NPV), Discounted Cash Flow, Payback period, Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) and Weighted-Average Cost of Capital (WACC) models, this study develops the possible financing alternatives to implement a solar PV project with different scenario analyses in the current solar PV market and solar energy policy of Brazil.

The results of this study can be used as an aid to comprehend the electricity supply issue of the most vulnerable class in Brazil and the solar PV as a solution.


2013 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of Martin Luther King's 'Letter from Birmingham City Jail'. Written during the height of the struggle for African-American civil rights in the United States, the document (an essay written in the form of an open letter) represents a powerful philosophical and theological treatise about social justice and the nature of social and political change. The letter addresses a number of important themes that remain relevant today for community and political activists concerned with social justice. The article briefly highlights three key issues and their significance in terms of a political understanding of social and political change. First, the nature of a so-called civil society; second, the role of the 'outsider' as political agitator; and third, the significance and necessity of tension in promoting social justice.


The emergence of the internet is a new medium of information storage and delivery represents a revolution, which will have a lasting impact on the electronic publication and delivery of information system in the twenty-first century. The developments in information technology have brought e-journals as a boon to research community, which are becoming a major source for scholarly communication. As e-journal is a journal available online or offline containing research papers, review articles, scholarly communications. In the electronic environment teaching, learning and research are being supported by e-journals which are emerging as new powerful tool. E-journals have an impact not only on libraries but on authors and publishers too. The present study aims to find out the use of electronicjournals by post graduate students and research scholars in the Faculty of Science University of Delhi and Jamia Millia Islamia University. A well-structured questionnaire was administered to collect the primary data from respondents. The main aim of this paper is to investigate the awareness, satisfaction level of users and suitable recommendations to improve facilities and services related to the use of e-journals.


Rebalancing growth toward domestic demand has emerged as a key postcrisis challenge for sustaining developing Asia's rapid growth in the medium and long term. The central objective of this paper is to explore the role of fiscal policy in the region's rebalancing process. What matters most for rebalancing are specific fiscal measures tailored to each country's unique circumstances. In this context, the paper examines the potential contribution of fiscal policy to rebalancing growth in the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines, and Singapore. As expected, the nature of fiscal measures that can promote rebalancing differs substantially across the four countries and depends on the nature of the rebalancing process in each country.


In recent years, scientists and researchers worldwide have focused on the following key question: does the diagnosis of irreversible destruction of both forests and their biodiversity actually mask a wide range of patterns? Beyond Tropical Deforestation examines this issue, drawing on the results of fieldwork and theoretical studies from disciplines spanning the natural and social sciences. Its 36 chapters are organized into three main parts: measuring and understanding deforestation and forest dynamics; forest dynamics as a complex societal process; and research, management and development perspectives. Each of these attempts to answer fundamental questions such as: what is deforestation and how do we measure it? What changes result from deforestation and how do human societies manage these changes? What research is needed to address such complex issues?The interdisciplinary approach of Beyond Tropical Deforestation makes it a valuable source of ideas and data for natural and social scientists. Examples from Latin America, Asia and Africa illustrate the different dimensions and perceptions o f deforestation and underline the importance of opening the mind to the complex issues involved.This book will be of assistance to scientists, managers, development agencies and concerned individuals. It explores the many and varied aspects of deforestation; a process whose consequences and effects are not always as negative as perceived.


Background Inaccurate suspicions of infidelity among married couples can affect trust and intimacy in a relationship. We sought to establish the prevalence, accuracy and correlates of infidelity suspicions among married couples. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 545 couples. We contacted a proportion to size simple random sample of fishermen on each beach as our index participants and asked them to enrol with their spouses. The consenting couples were separated into different private rooms for simultaneous gender-matched interviews. In addition to socio-economic and behavioural data, we collected information on extra-marital sex partners and infidelity suspicions among spouses. We used descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression for analysis. Results A quarter (27.2%) of the women and 16.9% of the men suspected their spouses of infidelity but only 6.2% of the women and 32.1% of the men reported extra-marital relationship. Overall, 43.2% of the women and 6.5% of the men accurately suspected their spouses with sensitivity of 36.6% and 17.6% respectively. Correlates of women accurately suspecting their spouses were: men being mobile (OR, 0.58; 95% CI: 0.39–0.85), couple being in polygamous marriage (OR, 0.48; 95% CI: 0.25–0.90), taking longer time during sexual intercourse (OR, 0.97; 95% CI: 0.95–0.99), men's higher score on male dominance sex roles (for all our scales, higher score better) (OR, 1.08; 95% CI: 1.03–1.13) and higher score on domestic violence scale (OR, 1.27; 95% CI: 1.12–1.44). Conversely, correlates of men accurately suspecting their spouses of infidelity were: women being denied preferred sex position (OR, 0.50; 95% CI: 0.26–0.98), couple being in polygamous marriage (OR, 2.51; 95% CI: 1.01–6.23) and higher score on domestic violence - higher e scale (OR, 1.33; 95% CI: 1.15–1.54). Conclusion High rates of inaccurate infidelity suspicions in this community may be detrimental to marital relationships. Couples need to consider correlates that aid accurate suspicion before bring up the issue for discussion.


A new test for the detection of linear trends of arbitrary length in normally distributed time series is developed. With this test it is possible to detect and estimate gradual changes of the mean value in a candidate series compared with a homogeneous reference series. The test is intended for studies of artificial relative trends in climatological time series, e.g. an increasing urban heat island effect. The basic structure of the new test is similar to that of a widely used test for abrupt changes, the standard normal homogeneity test. The test for abrupt changes is found to remain unaltered after an important generalization.


Abstract. On Taku Glacier, Alaska a combination of field observations of snow water equivalent (SWE) from snowpits and probing in the vicinity of the transient snowline (TSL) are used to quantify the mass balance gradient. The balance gradient derived from the TSL and SWE measured in snowpits at 1000 m from 1998–2010 ranges from 2.6–3.8 mm m−1. Probing transects from 950 m–1100 m directly measure SWE and yield a slightly higher balance gradient of 3.3–3.8 mm m−1. The TSL on Taku Glacier is identified in MODIS and Landsat 4 and 7 Thematic Mapper images for 31 dates during the 2004–2010 period to assess the consistency of its rate of rise and reliability in assessing ablation for mass balance assessment. For example, in 2010, the TSL was 750 m on 28 July, 800 m on 5 August, 875 m on 14 August, 925 m on 30 August, and 975 m on 20 September. The mean observed probing balance gradient was 3.3 mm m−1, combined with the TSL rise of 3.7 m day−1 yields an ablation rate of 12.2 mm day−1 from mid-July to mid-Sept, 2010. The TSL rise in the region from 750–1100 m on Taku Glacier during eleven periods each covering more than 14 days during the ablation season indicates a mean TSL rise of 3.7 m day−1, the rate of rise is relatively consistent ranging from 3.1 to 4.4 m day−1. This rate is useful for ascertaining the final ELA if images or observations are not available near the end of the ablation season. The mean ablation from 750–1100 m during the July–September period determined from the TSL rise and the observed balance gradient is 11–13 mm day−1 on Taku Glacier during the 2004–2010 period. The potential for providing an estimate of bn from TSL observations late in the melt season from satellite images combined with the frequent availability of such images provides a means for efficient mass balance assessment in many years and on many glaciers.


Environmental changes together with other stressors, such as habitat destruction, may cause widespread extinctions, decrease in biodiversity and disrupt natural communities, resulting in novel species assemblages. South America has a large diversity of freshwater fishes with complex evolutionary histories, mainly due to the presence of a wide variety of aquatic environments. Argentina has experienced an increase in rainfall in the last five decades leading to important climatic and hydrological changes. These changes caused the displacement of the isohyets towards the west. This study reports changes in the composition of freshwater fishes in northeast Argentina during the last five decades, and investigated a causal relationship between the variation in fish assemblages and climate change. The changes in the distribution and composition of fish communities between 1962 and 2010 were analyzed in 22 stations. These stations were agrouped in relation to the ichthyogeographic provinces: Great Rivers province (GRp) and Pampean province (Pp). The correlation between rainfall in relation to the number total species from each of the studied provinces showed a significant positive correlation in Pp and not correlation in GRp. The annual mean river discharge and the number of total species from each ecoregion showed a significant positive correlation in GRp, and not correlation in Pp. The results of this study strongly suggest that the rainfall variations and river discharges observed in northeast Argentina induced changes in the composition of fish assemblages that lead to the redistribution of fish species among ichthyogeographic provinces.


The inherent characteristics of the nuclear terrorist threat require adequate global security standards for all fissile nuclear material. Combating the threat of nuclear terrorism therefore demands a coordinated global response within the existing nuclear security architecture. In lieu of a formalized treaty, which could take years or decades to become effective, there must be a timely directed effort to secure nuclear material. While no institution is perfectly seated to preside over this effort, the International Atomic Energy Agency, with its expansive reach and decades of experience, is well suited to lead the charge. The Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism—a multinational collaborative effort founded by the United States and Russia—can act as a diplomatic vehicle to promote greater cooperation between the world's largest nuclear powers. As a stabilizing force in an increasingly destabilized world, global cooperation to ensure nuclear security and prevent nuclear terrorism is urgently needed.


Do governments increase public employment in election years? This paper answers this question by using data from Sweden and Finland, two countries that are similar in many respects but in which local elections are held at different points in time. These facts make it possible for us to separate an election effect from other time effects. Our results indicate that there is a statistically significant election year effect in local public employment, a production factor that is highly visible in the welfare services provided by the local governments in the Scandinavian countries. The effect also seems to be economically significant; the municipalities employ 0.6 more full-time employees per 1,000 capita in election years than in other years (which correspond to an increase by approximately 1 percent).


Positive affect focused therapies could increase subjective happiness and life satisfaction for patients with eating disorders (EDs), illnesses known to significantly impact quality of life. This longitudinal pilot study aimed to develop and implement a five session 'Positivity Group' using positive psychology interventions (PPIs) in an adolescent ED inpatient service. Eight female inpatients aged 11–18 years attended the group and subjective happiness and life satisfaction were assessed before, after and at 6-month follow-up. Patients provided feedback on acceptability and feasibility was assessed via patient engagement, facilitator and team feedback and the data support the feasibility and acceptability of the group. A possible benefit was derived from the group, with 75% of patients reporting meaningful improvement in subjective happiness and 87.5% in life satisfaction. Involving the wider team and supporting homework were identified as considerations for future replication alongside the assessment of implementation, acceptability, feasibility and effectiveness in other clinical contexts.


BACKGROUND
There is a growing trend of inactivity among children, which may not only result in poorer physical health but also poorer cognitive health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between aerobic fitness and proactive and reactive cognitive control using a continuous performance task (CPT).

METHODS
Forty-eight 9- to 10-year-old children (n = 24 higher fit [HF] and n = 24 lower fit [LF]) performed an AX-CPT requiring them to respond to target cue-probe pairs (AX) or nontarget pairs (AY, BX, BY) under 2 different trial duration conditions, which modulated working memory demands.

RESULTS
Across trials and conditions, HF children had greater accuracy than LF children. For target trials, the long duration resulted in lower accuracy than the short duration. For nontarget trials, an interaction of duration and trial was observed, indicating that the long duration resulted in decreased BX and BY accuracy relative to the short duration. AY trials had greater accuracy during the long duration compared with the short duration.

CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that fitness may modulate cognitive control strategies during tasks requiring context updating and maintenance, key components of working memory and further support aerobic fitness as a marker of cognitive and brain health in children.


Natural killer (NK) cells eliminate infected and tumorigenic cells through delivery of granzymes via perforin pores or by activation of caspases via death receptors. In order to understand how NK cells combine different cell death mechanisms, it is important to quantify target cell responses on a single cell level. However, currently existing reporters do not allow the measurement of several protease activities inside the same cell. Here, we present a strategy for the comparison of two different proteases at a time inside individual target cells upon engagement by NK cells. We developed single-fluorescent protein reporters containing the RIEAD or the VGPD cleavage site for the measurement of granzyme B activity. We show that these two granzyme B reporters can be applied in combination with caspase-8 or caspase-3 reporters. While we did not find that caspase-8 was activated by granzyme B, our method revealed that caspase-3 activity follows granzyme B activity with a delay of about 6 min. Finally, we illustrate the comparison of several different reporters for granzyme A, M, K, and H. The approach presented here is a valuable means for the investigation of the temporal evolution of cell death mediated by cytotoxic lymphocytes.


To cope with the complexity of large object-oriented software systems, developers organize classes into subsystems using the concepts of module or package. Such modular structure helps software systems to evolve when facing new requirements. The organization of classes into packages and/or subsystems represents the software modularization. the software modularization usually follows interrelationships between classes. Ideally, packages should to be loosely coupled and cohesive to a certain extent. However, Studies show that as software evolves to meet requirements and environment changes, the software modularization gradually drifts and looses quality. As a consequence, the software modularization must be maintained. It is thus important to understand, to assess and to optimize the organization of packages and their relationships. Our claim is that the maintenance of large and complex software modularizations needs approaches that help in: (1) understanding package shapes and relationships; (2) assessing the quality of a modularization, as well as the quality of a single package within a given modularization; (3) optimizing the quality of an existing modulariza- tion. In this thesis, we concentrate on three research fields: software visualizations, metrics and algorithms. At first, we define two visualizations that help maintainers: (1) to understand packages structure, usage and relationships; (2) to spot patterns; and (3) to identify misplaced classes and structural anomalies. In addition to visual- izations, we define a suite of metrics that help in assessing the package design quality (i.e., package cohesion and coupling). We also define metrics that assess the quality of a collection of inter-dependent packages from different view points, such as the degree of package coupling and cycles. Finally, we define a search-based algorithm that automatically reduces package coupling and cycles only by moving classes over existing packages. Our optimization approach takes explicitly into account the origi- nal class organization and package structure. It also allows maintainers to control the optimization process by specifying: (1) the maximal number of classes that may change their packages; (2) the classes that are candidate for moving and the classes that should not; (3) the packages that are candidate for restructuring and the packages that should not; and (4) the maximal number of classes that a given package can entail. The approaches presented in this thesis have been applied to real large object- oriented software systems. The results we obtained demonstrate the usefulness of our visualizations and metrics; and the effectiveness of our optimization algorithm.


Objectives: To propose an optimal gestational weight gain (GWG) guideline for Chinese women with twin pregnancy and to assess the neonatal and maternal outcomes based on the proposed guideline. Methods: Records of women who delivered dichorionic diamniotic twins after 24 weeks of gestation at Tuen Mun Hospital between 2012 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. They were classified according to their pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) as underweight/normal weight or overweight/obese. An optimal GWG was proposed for each group by deriving the interquartile range of GWG in women who delivered twins with a birthweight of ≥2500 g at 3742 weeks of gestation. Women were categorised as having GWG below, between, or above the proposed standard. Maternal characteristics and neonatal and maternal outcomes of the three GWG categories were compared. Results: A total of 171 women were identified. Of them, 25 were underweight, 100 normal weight, 18 overweight, and 28 obese, according to the Asian BMI classification. Only 48 of 171 women delivered twins with a mean birthweight of ≥2500 g at 37-42 weeks of gestation. Respectively in underweight/normal weight and overweight/obese women with twin pregnancy, a GWG of 15.15 to 23.90 kg (0.41-0.65 kg per week) and 13.10 to 17.30 kg (0.35-0.47 kg per week) was proposed. In underweight/normal weight women, those with GWG below the standard had significantly increased odds of spontaneous preterm labour, one or both twins with a birthweight of <1500 g, one or both twins with a birthweight of <2500 g, delivery at ≤34 weeks, and any twin requiring neonatal intensive care unit admission. Conclusion: In underweight/normal weight Chinese women with twin pregnancy, those with a GWG below 15.15 kg had increased risks of giving birth to low or very low birthweight babies, spontaneous preterm labour, and delivery at ≤34 weeks.


We study how the visual catchiness (saliency) of relevant information impacts user engagement metrics such as focused attention and emotion (affect). Participants completed tasks in one of two conditions, where the task-relevant information either appeared salient or non-salient. Our analysis provides insights into relationships between saliency, focused attention, and affect. Participants reported more distraction in the non-salient condition, and non-salient information was slower to find than salient. Lack-of-saliency led to a negative impact on affect, while saliency maintained positive affect, suggesting its helpfulness. Participants reported that it was easier to focus in the salient condition, although there was no significant improvement in the focused attention scale rating. Finally, this study suggests user interest in the topic is a good predictor of focused attention, which in turn is a good predictor of positive affect. These results suggest that enhancing saliency of user-interested topics seems a good strategy for boosting user engagement.


A simple technique for determining the topological charge of supercontinuum optical vortices is presented. The spatial dispersion inherent to generating broadband vortices with a single forked grating is compensated with a double-pass arrangement from a single spatial light modulator. The vortex charge is determined by inspecting the diffraction pattern through a triangular aperture. It is shown that the topological charge is constant, and can be consistently measured, across a wide range of colors.


Abstract The current interest in functionalized calixarenes with phosphorylated pendant arms resides in their coordination ability towards f elements and capability towards actinide/rare earth separation. Uranyl cation forms 1:1 and 1:2 (M:L) complexes with a tetra-phosphinoylated p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene, B4bL4: UO2(NO3)2(B4bL4)n· xH2O (n = 1, x = 2, 1; n = 2, x = 6, 2). Spectroscopic data point to the inner coordination sphere of 1 containing one monodentate nitrate anion, one water molecule and the four phosphinoylated arms bound to UO22+ while in 2, uranyl is only coordinated to calixarene ligands. In both cases the U(VI) ion is 8-coordinate. Uranyl complexes display enhanced metal-centred luminescence due to energy transfer from the calixarene ligands; the luminescence decays are bi-exponential with associated lifetimes in the ranges 220 μs <τs <250 μs and 630 μs <τL < 640 μs, pointing to the presence of two species with differently coordinated calixarene, as substantiated by a XPS study of U(4f5/2,7/2), O(1s) and P(2p) levels on solid state samples. The extraction study of UO22+ cation and trivalent rare-earth (Y, La, Eu) ions from acidic nitrate media by B4bL4 in chloroform shows the uranyl cation being much more extracted than rare earths.


Objective To investigate the association of living in foster care (FC) with substance use and subjective well-being in a sample of secondary school students (11–16 years) in Wales in 2015/16, and to examine whether these associations are attenuated by the perceived quality of interpersonal relationships. Design Cross-sectional, population-based health behaviour and lifestyle questionnaire. Setting and participants Wales, UK; young people who took part in the 2015/16 School Health Research Network (SHRN) questionnaire (n=32 479). Primary outcome Health behaviours among young people in FC were compared with those from private households. Results The prevalence of all adverse outcomes was higher among young people in FC. Those in FC were significantly more likely to report mephedrone use (OR=9.24, 95% CI 5.60 to 15.34), multiple substance misuse behaviours (OR=3.72, 95% CI 2.30 to 6.00), poorer relationships with peers (RR=1.88, 95% CI 1.23 to 2.88) and teachers (RR=1.83, 95% CI 1.31 to 2.56), having experienced bullying (OR=1.80, 95% CI 1.38 to 2.35), dating violence (OR=1.66, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.43) and poor well-being (RR=1.72, 95% CI 1.20 to 2.46). The association between FC and substance use remained significant, though was attenuated after accounting for relationship variables. The association between FC and subjective well-being became non-significant after adjustment for relationship variables. Conclusions Young people living in FC experience significantly worse outcomes than young people not in care, likely due to a range of care and precare factors, which impact adversely on subsequent social relationships. The analyses are consistent with the hypothesis that the associations of FC with substance use and life satisfaction are partially explained by poorer quality social relationships. Large scale, longitudinal studies are required to investigate the relationship between being in care and health, educational and social outcomes. Mental health interventions and interventions to reduce substance use and improve well-being in FC should include a focus on supporting healthy social relationships.


This study investigates the terminology used when addressing "Female genital mutilation" in English and Arabic and, the impact of each term. Large number of young girls in the Middle East, Asia and Africa go through female genital mutilation, which is known as 'FGM'. According to a United Nations Children's Fund report (UNICEF 2005a), 91% of girls in Egypt and 88% of girls in Sudan experience this procedure annually. Arabic language practitioners' lexes for FGM include the words ( ﺧﺘﺎ ن ) (khetan) which means "circumcision", ( ط ﮭﺎ رة ) (tahara), which means "purification", ( ﻗﻄﻊ ) (Kat'e) which means "cutting", ( ﺗﺸﻮﯾﺔ ) (tashweeh) which means "corruption - damaging" and the term ( اﻟﺒﺘﺮ ) (batr) which means "mutilation". This study will focus on the translation of FGM from English to Arabic over twenty years from 1996 until 2016 in the United Nations documents.


The aim of this article is to draw attention to the use of mental mathematics--to promote its use, and to pose several questions connected with it. Unfortunately, the psychological problems associated with the reception of teaching materials, the teaching materials themselves, and the concrete instructional methodology used in their presentation are frequently studied independently of one another. Yet, what working teachers often need in order to solve problems that they encounter is precisely a comprehensive analysis of the details and specifics of one or another methodological approach. Researching on the use of mental mathematics is going to take us at the intersection of several important fields currently being studied by mathematics educators, including problem solving, classroom management, and the problems of mathematical communication (Karp, 2004). This article presents the results of certain observations and analyzes them. Mental mathematics is often mentioned in connection with elementary and middle school (Beishuizen & Anghileri, 1998; Hope & Sherill, 1987; Reys, Reys & Hope, 1993; Sowder, 1990). Mental calculations are often welcomed, in this context, as a means of encouraging and stimulating students to develop their own computational strategies, as a counterweight to the memorized "paper and pencil algorithm." Stressing the importance of such self-developed procedures, Sowder, following Plunkett (1979), lists their main positive characteristics. She notes that they are variable, flexible, active, holistic, and constructive. Most important of all, probably, is the fact that they "require understanding all along" (Sowder, 1990, p.20). The student who multiplies 35 by 4 without using paper or a calculator indeed possesses a much better number sense than the student who mindlessly computes the product using the paper and pencil technique. As Sowder rightly notes, "One topic that cannot be replaced by the calculator is the development of understanding of what numbers are" (p.20). Mental calculations stimulate the development of such an understanding and therefore remain important in an age when the use of technology is pervasive. Much of what is taught in high school can also be effortlessly accomplished using a calculator (just a slightly more expensive calculator than the one needed to solve elementary school problems). However, discussions of what is essential in the traditional curriculum, and which parts of it will persist into the age of technology, rarely touch on the role of mental mathematics. One of the very few publications devoted to mental mathematics in high school (Rubenstein, 2001) tellingly contains three question marks in its title: mental mathematics beyond the middle school level appears as something quite unexpected. The author of the article, however, lists a number of reasons to show why mental mathematics is useful at high school level as well. As Rubenstein argues, mental mathematics * is useful for workers, consumers, and citizens; * facilitates learning many structural topics; * allows students to become less calculator-dependant; * is rewarding because students are challenged by the problems and feel proud of their accomplishments. (pp. 442-443) It is evident that the use of mental mathematics problems can be analyzed from different viewpoints--in terms of purely methodological as well as social-pedagogical frameworks. The following crucial questions deserve further attention: * Which problems can be used as mental mathematics problems in high school? How can these problems be useful in class? What guidelines must teachers use in selecting (or constructing) mental mathematics problems? * What forms of lesson organization permit teachers to make use of mental mathematics? * How does the use of mental mathematics problems develop the students' communication skills? What peculiarities of students' mathematical language emerge during work on mental mathematics problems? …


I and other scholars have long pointed to the deterrence virtue of the class action to justify its existence even when it was doubtful that it furthered its other purposes, such as compensation or litigation efficiency. In recent years, critics have argued that class actions may not offer even this virtue. Some argue that the entire theory of general deterrence is misguided for class actions and others argue that, whatever the theory, there is no empirical proof that class actions do what the theory says. In this article, I take up these critiques. I find that the theory of deterrence remains just as strong today as it was when it was introduced 50 years ago by the "classical" law and economics movement. Moreover, although there is not a great deal of empirical evidence to support the theory for class actions, there is some, it is uncontroverted, and it is consistent with reams and reams of empirical evidence in favor of deterrence for individual lawsuits. I conclude that the conventional view that the class action can be justified by the deterrence rationale alone remains sound.


One of the limitations of most virtual reality (VR) systems is that users cannot physically walk through large virtual environments. Many solutions have been proposed to this problem, including locomotion devices such as the Virtusphere. Such devices allow the user to employ moderately natural walking motions without physically moving through space, but may actually be difficult to use at first due to a lack of interaction fidelity. We designed and evaluated a visual aid that shows a virtual representation of the sphere to the user during an acclimation phase, reasoning that this would help users understand the forces they were feeling, plan their movements, and better control their movements. In a user study, we evaluated participants' walking performance both during and after an acclimation phase. Half of the participants used the visual aid during acclimation, while the other half had no visual aid. After acclimation, all participants performed more complex walking assessment tasks without any visual aid. The results demonstrate that use of the visual aid during acclimation was effective for improving task performance and decreasing perceived difficulty in the assessment tasks.


The idea of automatic programming using the genetic programming paradigm is a concept that has been explored in the work of Koza and several works since. Most problems attempted using genetic programming are finite in size, meaning that the problem involved evolving a function that operates over a finite domain, or evolving a routine that will only run for a finite amount of time. For problems with a finite domain, the internal representation of each individual is typically a finite automaton that is unable to store an unbounded amount of data. This thesis will address the problem of applying genetic programming to problems that have a "discrete unbounded domain", meaning the problem involves evolving a function that operates over an unbounded domain with discrete quantities. For problems with an discrete unbounded domain, the range of possible behaviors achievable by the evolved functions increases with more versatile internal memory schemes for each of the individuals. The specific problem that I will address in this thesis is the problem of evolving a real-time deciding program for a fixed language of strings. I will discuss two paradigms that I will use to attempt this problem. Each of the paradigms will allow each individual to store an unbounded amount of data, using an internal memory scheme with at least the capabilities of a Turing tape. As each character of an input string is being processed in real time, the individual will be able to imitate a single step of a Turing machine. While the real-time restriction will certainly limit the languages for which a decider may be evolved, the fact that the evolved deciding programs run in real-time yields possible applications for these paradigms in the discovery of new algorithms. The first paradigm that I will explore will take a naive approach that will ultimately prove to be unsuccessful. The second paradigm that I will explore will take a more careful approach that will have a much greater success, and will provide insight into the design of genetic programming paradigms for problems over a discrete unbounded domain.


The metal bioaccumulation capability and effective ness of eight aquatic macrophytes Eicchornia crassipes (water hyacinth), Pistia stratiotes (water lettuce), Lemna major (duckweed), Ipomoea aquatica (kang kong), H.verticillata, Nymphaeae spp . (water lilies), Nelumbo nucifera (lotus), Nymphoides indica were investigated for the removal of three heavy metals Fe(II), Cd(II) and Cu (II). These plan ts were grown at 2.0 mg/L concentrations of metals in laboratory experiment. Within a span o f 6 days, the plants were capable of removing about 65- 95% of the selected heavy metals. The sorption process was very rapid for copper removal. Highest removal was observed on 6 th day of experiment in all macrophytes. It was observed that macrophyte Nymphoides indica as the most efficient for the removal of selected heavy metals followed by Nelumbo nucifera (lotus), and Nymphaeae spp . (water lilies) . The trend of the sorption is Fe (II) > Cd (II) > Cu (II). Results from analysis confirmed the accumulation of different me tals within the plant and a corresponding decrease of metals in the water. Plants have accumu lated heavy metals in its body without the production of any toxicity or reduction in growth. Selected plants shown a wide range of tolerance to all of the selected metals and therefo re can be used for large scale removal of heavy metals from waste water


On the basis of iconographical studies and musical experiments, this paper aims to give an organological description of the necked plucked musical instruments that can be observed in Western medieval sources before the diffusion of the arabo-andalousian lute in 13th-century Europe. Underlining common traits with lutes represented in greek and roman iconography allows to draw an organological filiation between ancient and romanic lutes. Furthermore, the observation of the geographic distribution of the representations of lutes in the Early Middle Ages gives reason to reflect on the cultural relationships between the Carolingian and Byzantine empires in so far as they both could have encourage the diffusion of these not well-known instruments. Theses lutes also give information about their ties with the fiddles during the introduction of the bow and about its route to Europe.


Luminescent solar concentrators would allow for high concentration if losses by reabsorption and escape could be minimized. We introduce a phosphor with close-to-optimal luminescent properties and hardly any reabsorption. A problem for use in a luminescent concentrator is the large scattering of this material; we discuss possible solutions for this. Furthermore, the use of broad-band cholesteric filters to prevent escape of luminescent radiation from this phosphor is investigated both experimentally and using simulations. Simulations are also used to predict the ultimate performance of luminescent concentrators.


Abstract The recently published 'Research Agenda for General Practice/Family Medicine and Primary Health Care in Europe' summarizes the evidence relating to the core competencies and characteristics of the Wonca Europe definition of GP/FM, and highlights related needs and implications for future research and policy. The European Journal of General Practice publishes a series of articles based on this document. In a first article, background, objectives, and methodology were discussed. In three subsequent, articles the results for the six core competencies of the European Definition of GP/FM were presented. This article formulates the common aims for further research and appropriate research methodologies, based on the missing evidence and research gaps identified form the comprehensive literature review. In addition, implications of this research agenda for general practitioners/family doctors, researchers, research organizations, patients and policy makers are presented. The concept of six core competencies should be abandoned in favour of a model with four dimensions, including clinical, person related, community oriented and management aspects. Future research and policy should consider more the involvement and rights of patients; more attention should be given to how new treatments or technologies are effectively translated into routine patient care, in particular primary care. There is a need for a European ethics board. The promotion of GP/FM research demands a good infrastructure in each country, including access to literature and databases, appropriate funding and training possibilities.


This study was carried on 40 male albino rats to evaluate the toxic effects of lead on minerals and immunological factors. The rats were divided into four equal groups. Group I kept as control group, group II was fed 1.0% turmeric powder for 11week, group III was injected (i.p) with 8 mg/kg b.wt lead acetate trihydrate, (from 3rd to11th week), given 4 days a week, rats in group IV were fed turmeric 1% before and along with lead at the same previous dose. Blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis at the end of experiment. The results revealed that a significant increase in serum Ca, Ph, Cu, Fe, uric acid and creatinine levels following lead toxicity. Meanwhile, serum Zn and IgG levels and AST enzymatic activities were significantly decreased. On the other hand, serum IgM and ALT levels were nonsignificantly decreased in lead group. Combined treatment of lead exposed animals with turmeric powder had improved immunity without any protective effect against lead toxicity on mineral and kidney functions. The results indicate that administration of lead acetate caused alterations in minerals, immunological factors, liver and kidney functions and turmeric powder fails to normalize these factors.


TAXONOMY AND HISTORY
Hemileia vastatrix Berk. and Broome (Basidiomycota, Pucciniales) was described in 1869 in eastern Africa and Ceylon as the agent of coffee leaf rust and has spread to all coffee cultivation areas worldwide. Major disease outbreaks in Asia, Africa and America caused and continue to cause severe yield losses, making this the most important disease of Arabica coffee, a cash crop for many tropical and sub-tropical countries.

LIFE CYCLE AND DISEASE SYMPTOMS
Hemileia vastatrix is a hemicyclic fungus with the urediniosporic life cycle as its most important (if not only) source of inoculum. Chlorotic spots are the first macroscopic symptoms, preceding the differentiation of suprastomatal, bouquet-shaped, orange-coloured uredinia. The disease can cause yield losses of up to 35% and have a polyetic epidemiological impact on subsequent years.

DISEASE CONTROL
Although the use of fungicides is one of the preferred immediate control measures, the use of resistant cultivars is considered to be the most effective and durable disease control strategy. The discovery of 'Híbrido de Timor' provided sources of resistance that have been used in several breeding programmes and that have been proven to be effective and durable, as some have been in use for more than 30 years.

GENETIC DIVERSITY AND MOLECULAR PATHOGENICITY
Although exhibiting limited genetic polymorphism, the very large genome of H. vastatrix (c. 797 Mbp) conceals great pathological diversity, with more than 50 physiological races. Gene expression studies have revealed a very precocious activation of signalling pathways and production of putative effectors, suggesting that the plant-fungus dialogue starts as early as at the germ tube stage, and have provided clues for the identification of avr genes.


textabstract
Good governance is not a new concept Ambrogio Lorenzetti made his frescoes on
good and bad governance already in the years 1338-1340
They can be viewed in the
Palazzo Publicco on one of the most beautiful squares of the world, the Piazza del
Campo in Siena, Italy
I assume many of you have been there
Good governance is
represented by a king on his throne surrounded by many virtues
Bad governance is
represented by the devil, and justice has been bound
The fresco depicting the conse
-
quences of good governance shows an orderly and happy life
People pay taxes, and
many people are engaged in productive and cultural activities
The city state of Siena
itself served as model for this condition of good governance, and Siena can be rec
-
ognized on the fresco
The frescoes on the consequences of bad governance are less
well remained
But the overwhelming image is one of death and destruction
Houses
are burning, nobody is working on the land
Lorenzetti's frescoes were innovative in
his time, especially for painting a humanistic and not religious topic (Korsten, 2010)


With the recent rise of HTTPS adoption on the Web, attackers have begun "HTTPSifying" phishing websites. HTTPSifying a phishing website has the advantage of making the website appear legitimate and evading conventional detection methods that leverage URLs or web contents in the network. Further, adopting HTTPS could also contribute to generating intrinsic footprints and provide defenders with a great opportunity to monitor and detect websites, including phishing sites, as they would need to obtain a public-key certificate issued for the preparation of the websites. The potential benefits of certificate-based detection include (1) the comprehensive monitoring of all HTTPSified websites by using certificates immediately after their issuance, even if the attacker utilizes dynamic DNS (DDNS) or hosting services; this could be overlooked with the conventional domain-registration-based approaches; and (2) to detect phishing websites before they are published on the Internet. Accordingly, we address the following research question: How can we make use of the footprints of TLS certificates to defend against phishing attacks? For this, we collected a large set of TLS certificates corresponding to phishing websites from Certificate Transparency (CT) logs and extensively analyzed these TLS certificates. We demonstrated that a template of common names, which are equivalent to the fully qualified domain names, obtained through the clustering analysis of the certificates can be used for the following promising applications: (1) The discovery of previously unknown phishing websites with low false positives and (2) understanding the infrastructure used to generate the phishing websites. We use our findings on the abuse of free certificate authorities (CAs) for operating HTTPSified phishing websites to discuss possible solutions against such abuse and provide a recommendation to the CAs.


When we first conceived of the idea of the Critical Discussions about Social Inclusion Forum the word critical was at the forefront in our minds. We wanted to create an opportunity to critically reflect on the ways in which the most recent social inclusion agenda might be understood and acted upon while being attentive to the ways in which "doing" social inclusion might inadvertently reproduce or manifest other forms of social exclusion. We also wanted to discuss what doing social inclusion might mean for our work as academic language and learning educators, as discipline lecturers, as policy makers and policy enactors, and most importantly, for our students.


Solving any design problem involves planning and strategizing, where intermediate processes are identified and then sequenced. This is an abstract skill that designers learn over time and then use across similar problems. However, this transfer of strategies in design has not been effectively modeled or leveraged within computational agents. This note presents an approach to represent design strategies using a probabilistic model. The model provides a mechanism to generate new designs based on certain design strategies while solving configuration design task in a sequential manner. This work also demonstrates that this probabilistic representation can be used to transfer strategies from human designers to computational design agents in a way that is general and useful. This transfer-driven approach opens up the possibility of identifying high-performing behavior in human designers and using it to guide computational design agents. Finally, a quintessential behavior of transfer learning is illustrated by agents as transferring design strategies across different problems led to an improvement in agent performance. The work presented in this study leverages the Cognitively Inspired Simulated Annealing Teams (CISAT) framework, an agent-based model that has been shown to mimic human problem-solving in configuration design problems.


Numerous theoretical approaches to farmland leasing contract choice have been developed with little consistent empirical support, particularly for the Corn Belt. A unique theoretical approach to explaining farmers' lease preferences is presented, using a combination of transaction cost economics and property rights theory. Results demonstrate that both transactional and certain producer characteristics are important motivators of contract choice.


Knowledge of diversity of the desmid genus Euastrum (Desmidiales, Zygnemaphycae) in the state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil was, up to now, considered extremely poor, including that of its geographical distribution in the area. Floristic survey of the genus in the state of São Paulo is based on 450 sample units collected during the period 1963-2001, that are deposited at the Herbário Científico do Estado "Maria Eneyda P. Kauffmann Fidalgo" (SP) of the Instituto de Botânica. Euastrum specimens were identified from 32 localities. Thirty-six species, 23 varieties that are not the typical of their respective species, and 7 taxonomic formae that also are not the typical of their respective varieties were identified, totaling 48 taxa for the state. Twenty-six out of the 48 taxa were presently cited for the first time for the state of São Paulo and 5 most probably are new species. Simultaneously, 114 taxa that were cited in the specialized literature and form an inaccurate list of the Euastrum representatives for the state were evaluated. Such an evaluation resulted in a list of taxa that were excluded due to the fact that they do not have information enough for their taxonomic identification confirmation, and in the maintenance of 23 other taxa. Taxonomic identifications were based, whenever possible, on various sized populations and on the classical metric and morphological characteristics of the cell, aiming at best identifying all intraand interpopulation variability. For each taxon identified the following information was provided: complete bibliographical reference to the paper containing its original description and/or diagnosis, detailed morphological description, measures that are of interest for their taxonomical identification, list of samples in which the taxon was found, geographical distribution in the state of São Paulo, taxonomical comments, and illustrations. Every synonym cited in the São Paulo state specialized literature and in the case it exists, also the basyonym was provided. Euastrum denticulatum (Kirchn.) Gay var. rectangulare West & West, E. denticulatum (Kirchn.) Gay var. quadrifarium Krieg., and E. ansatum Ehr. ex Ralfs var. ansatum f. ansatum were the species that showed the broadest geographical distribution in the state; and E. minus (W. West) Krieg., E. intermedium Cleve var. longicolle Borge, and Euastrum sp. 3 were the ones of rarest occurrence. Euastrum ansatum Ehr. ex Ralfs and E. sibiricum Boldt showed a very high degree of intraand inter-population polymorphism which, however, did not affect its taxonomic identification. Identifications of Euastrum sp. 1, Euastrum sp. 2, Euastrum, sp. 3, Euastrum sp. 4, and Euastrum sp. 5 are still conditional, but they may result in taxonomical novelties pending on the analysis of a greater number of individual specimens to assure the stability, at population level, of the characteristics presently considered diagnostic. Finally, especial emphasis was given to the importance of examining populations during the process of taxonomic identification of Euastrum species and infra-specific categories due to the frequent polymorphism and, as a consequence, to the identification of which morphological features are the most stable and trustful for the definition and delimitation of species and infraspecific categories of that genus. Key-words: taxonomy, floristic survey, Zygnemaphyceae, desmids, Brazil.


Since independence, the Kenyan government has developed strategies and
promotion programs aimed at promoting the micro and small enterprise sector.
Entrepreneurship training has been cited as one of the most important of these. The purpose
of this study was to examine the components of the entrepreneurship training program and
their impact on performance of entrepreneurs. The conceptual framework takes the form of a
structural equation model where entrepreneurial behaviour is seen as a product of the
training program. The research method was mainly explanatory though elements of
descriptive and exploratory strategies were incorporated. A survey targeting 68
beneficiaries was done. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistical tools. Pearson's
correlation matrix was used to show the relationship' between the dependent and the
independent variables. Entrepreneurship training was found to have had a substantial
impact on performance of entrepreneurs. However, constant monitoring was found
necessary to make the skills learnt be translated into more practical work. Equally
important is financial assistance as it is due to lack of necessary capital that most
training beneficiaries are not practicing their learned kills in business.


Mobile devices are increasingly accepted as suitable media for multimedia-rich applications. Software firms have started promoting programming platforms and tools tailored to satisfy the requirements of mobile device users, developers, and resource constraints. This article reviews the main characteristics, relative merits, and shortcomings of the most popular development platform options - specifically, Java ME, .NET Compact Framework, Flash Lite, and Android. It evaluates and compares these options according to various quantitative and qualitative criteria. It aims to serve as a reference point and guide for developers and practitioners in choosing a mobile platform for development on information appliances.


Supercontinents are usually interpreted to be single and rigid continental plates. How and when Pangea became a rigid supercontinent is disputed, and age estimations vary from ~330 to ~240 Ma. The Gondwana‐Laurussia collision formed the Variscan‐Alleghanian belt, the most prominent witness of Pangea's amalgamation. In Iberia, this orogen draws an "S" shape featured by the Cantabrian Orocline and the Central Iberian curve. The curvature of Central Iberia is particularly evident in Galicia‐Trás‐os‐Montes and in a change of trend that it draws in the Aragonese Branch of the Iberian Range. Recent research showed that both curvatures are not coeval and that the Central Iberian curve had to form prior to ca. 318 Ma (i.e., not a secondary orocline). We report paleomagnetic and structural results from Paleozoic rocks in the Santa Cruz syncline (Aragonese Branch of the Iberian Range) that indicate two main vertical axis rotations events: (1) a Cenozoic (Alpine) clockwise rotation of >20° and (2) a late Carboniferous counterclockwise rotation of ~70°. Once the Cenozoic rotation is restored, the change in structural trend that allegedly evidences the outer arc of the Central Iberian curve disappears. Whereas the Cenozoic rotation is incompatible with a Central Iberian curve, the late Carboniferous rotation is fully compatible with the Cantabrian Orocline, enlarging the area affected by its counterclockwise rotations and the existence of a nonrigid Pangea until, at least, ~295 Ma.


Ryan's essay analyzes the coordination of the innocence argument and sentimentality in Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen's The Exonerated (2003), a documentary play based on interviews with people sentenced to die for crimes they did not commit. The play's composition, performance, and reception reveal the challenges of creating art that is aimed at social reform and confirm the difficulty in assessing the political function or, in Fredric Jameson's sense, the political unconscious of American literature. As a celebrated example of political theater, The Exonerated also provides a forum for thinking through the contemporary terms and framework of conversations about state killing. Ryan argues that the play stimulates reform and elicits sympathy by substituting a false rhetoric of universal vulnerability for a more accurate assessment of imprisonment and judicial murder. The attempt to make the play accessible, emotional, and persuasive also sets real limits on how audience members are asked think about personal and social responsibility. Some of these efforts include a focus on the wrongly convicted instead of the guilty, a balance of white and black interviewees in the face of a racially unbalanced justice system, a rendering of pain as uplifting for audiences, and an encouragement of personal and financial solutions rather than structural and political ones.


Background Aberrant myelination may contribute or even precede neurodegeneration. White matter (WM) abnormalities have been widely reported in Huntington's disease (HD), and are detectable in the pre-manifest stage, prior to symptom onset, using diffusion-weighted (DW) MRI. However, standard DW MRI metrics (e.g. fractional anisotropy (FA)) are non-specific indices of underlying biological changes. Quantitative magnetization transfer (qMT) imaging is a more sensitive measure of myelin content in white matter, as indexed by the macromolecular proton fraction (MPF). MPF is lower in early-stage HD and is related to WM abnormalities measured with DW MRI (Bourbon-Teles et al, 2017). Aims To assess whether myelin breakdown can be detected in pre-manifest HD gene carriers using qMT and DW MRI. Methods/techniques MRI was performed on a Siemens PRISMA 3T MRI Scanner at Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC). Eight pre-HD participants (Disease burden score; 229–299), and eight matched controls were recruited and scanned. A 3D MT-weighted fast spoiled gradient recalled-echo (SPGR) sequence was used to obtain qMT data for estimation of myelin. DW MRI was acquired and manual tractography of the cortico-spinal tract (CST), corpus callosum (CC), anterior thalamic radiation (ATR) and SMA-putamen was performed in Explore-DTI v 4.8.3. Results/outcome We will present a group-wise comparison between MPF and FA, radial and axial diffusivity (RD and AD) across all WM tracts, in line with the methods of (Bourbon-Teles et al, 2017). Planned analysis to assess group differences in diffusion metrics will be used to infer microstructural differences in WM properties including myelin content, white matter integrity and axonal damage in pre-manifest participants. Conclusions This is the first study to apply qMT MRI to measure myelin content in a pre-manifest cohort. Reduced myelination in this cohort could help inform the development of new drug treatments that aim to tackle HD in the earliest stages. Further analysis will combine this with volumetric data, to probe the early relationship between myelination and grey matter atrophy.


The history of attitudes research can be organized into three main sections covering attitude definition and measurement, attitude-behavior relationships, and attitude change. First, an evaluation of the history of attitude measurement reveals three relatively distinct phases: an early phase in which the classic direct self-report procedures were developed, a middle phase focused on "indirect" assessment devices, and a modern phase in which various measures designed to capture people's automatic or "implicit" attitudes have flourished. Second, the history of attitude-behavior correspondence can be organized also around three broad themes: an early period in which the presumed close association between attitudes and behaviors was largely an article of faith; a middle period in which some researchers concluded that little, if any, relationship existed between measures of attitudes and overt behaviors; and a more recent period in which the resolution of prior issues stimulated an explosion of research focused on identifying the moderators and psychological mechanisms responsible for attitude-behavior correspondence. Finally, the history of research and ideas regarding attitude change and persuasion can be organized around several prominent theories focused on distinct single processes, dual processes, or multiple processes, each of which are still used by contemporary attitudes researchers.


What is the maximum number of edges of the d-dimensional hypercube, denoted by S(d,k), that can be sliced by k hyperplanes? This question on combinatorial properties of Euclidean geometry arising from linear separability considerations in the theory of Perceptrons has become an issue on its own. We use computational and combinatorial methods to obtain new bounds for S(d,k), d ≤ 8. These strengthen earlier results on hypercube cut numbers.


The behavior of the UO(2)(2+) uranyl ion at the water/NiO(100) interface was investigated for the first time using Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamic simulations with the spin polarized DFT + U extension. A water/NiO(100) interface model was first optimized on a defect-free five layers slab thickness, proposed as a reliable surface model, with an explicit treatment of the solvent. Water molecules are adsorbed with a well-defined structure in a thickness of about 4 Å above the surface. The first layer, adsorbed on nickel atoms, remains mainly in molecular form but can partly dissociate at 293 K. Considering low acidic conditions, a bidentate uranyl ion complex was characterized on two surface oxygen species (arising from water molecules adsorption on nickel atoms) with d(U-O(adsorption))=2.39 Å. This complex is stable at 293 K due to iono-covalent bonds with an estimated charge transfer of 0.58 electron from the surface to the uranyl ion.


Molybdenum (Mo) isotopes in ancient sediments are promising recorders of global ocean paleoredox conditions. Organic-rich black shales can be used to reconstruct ancient ocean Mo isotope compositions if these sediments record the isotopic composition of contemporaneous seawater. Comparison of δ 98/95 Mo in two Devonian shale sequences of similar age, the New York Oatka Creek and Geneseo Formations, reveals that this assumption cannot be applied to all organic-rich shales. Although both sequences contain laminated intervals, elevated organic carbon, and enrichments of redox-sensitive metals, the mean δ 98/95 Mo differs systematically between the formations by ~0.59‰. Independent paleoredox indicators reveal that portions of the Oatka Creek Formation were deposited under pervasively euxinic (anoxic and sulfidic) conditions, whereas conditions during deposition of the Geneseo Formation were intermittently euxinic to suboxic (oxygen deficient but not sulfidic in the water column). We infer that reconstruction of ancient ocean δ 98/95 Mo from organic-rich shales requires independent verification of persistent local euxinia. With these considerations in mind, our data point to δ 98/95 Mo in the Devonian oceans ~0.6‰ lighter than in today9s oceans, consistent with expanded anoxia.


A tree-structured multiplicative gamma process (TMGP) is developed, for inferring the depth of a tree-based factor-analysis model. This new model is coupled with the nested Chinese restaurant process, to nonparametrically infer the depth and width (structure) of the tree. In addition to developing the model, theoretical properties of the TMGP are addressed, and a novel MCMC sampler is developed. The structure of the inferred tree is used to learn relationships between high-dimensional data, and the model is also applied to compressive sensing and interpolation of incomplete images.