This paper introduces a Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS)-enabled Optical Burst Switched (OBS) network architecture featuring end-to-end QoS-aware burst transport services. The proposed GMPLS/OBS architecture guarantees specific burst loss probability requirements, independently of the offered network load. This is achieved through the configuration of burst Label Switched Paths (LSPs) over the network which are set-up at the GMPLS control plane level only, while it is the OBS node controller the responsible for eventually committing data plane resources upon burst arrival. In such a way, statistical multiplexing feature is preserved and, at the same time, the end-user QoS demands are met by tightly dimensioning the LSPs. A Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model is devised to provide the optimal burst LSPs dimensioning according to the offered network load and QoS requirements. Moreover, GMPLS-driven capacity reconfigurations are dynamically triggered whenever unfavorable network conditions are detected. The performance of the proposed architecture is extensively assessed on several network scenarios. Future work on the topic is finally outlined.


Information retrieval (IR) is essential in search engines and dialogue systems as well as natural language processing tasks such as open-domain question answering. IR serve an important function in the biomedical domain, where content and sources of scientific knowledge may evolve rapidly. Although neural retrievers have surpassed traditional IR approaches such as TF-IDF and BM25 in standard open-domain question answering tasks, they are still found lacking in the biomedical domain. In this paper, we seek to improve information retrieval (IR) using neural retrievers (NR) in the biomedical domain, and achieve this goal using a three-pronged approach. First, to tackle the relative lack of data in the biomedical domain, we propose a template-based question generation method that can be leveraged to train neural retriever models. Second, we develop two novel pre-training tasks that are closely aligned to the downstream task of information retrieval. Third, we introduce the ``Poly-DPR'' model which encodes each context into multiple context vectors. Extensive experiments and analysis on the BioASQ challenge suggest that our proposed method leads to large gains over existing neural approaches and beats BM25 in the small-corpus setting. We show that BM25 and our method can complement each other, and a simple hybrid model leads to further gains in the large corpus setting.


Introduction Recent WHO guidelines for resource-limited settings recommend tenofovir in first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) yet there are suggestions that patients receiving nevirapine with tenofovir have worse outcomes than those receiving efavirenz. We sought to compare outcomes among those taking nevirapine vs. efavirenz with tenofovir and lamivudine. Methods We analyzed data on ART naïve, non-pregnant patients, ≥18 years old without tuberculosis co-infection, initiating tenofovir with lamivudine and either nevirapine or efavirenz between April 1, 2010 and July 31, 2011 (when South Africa's public-sector use of tenofovir began) at Themba Lethu Clinic in South Africa. We measured virologic suppression (viral load <400 copies/ml), virologic failure (2 consecutive viral loads >1000 copies/ml), and attrition (death/loss to follow-up) all at 12 months after ART initiation. Modified Poisson regression with robust error estimation was used to estimate risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for predictors of each outcome. Results 2,254 patients were prescribed efavirenz, 131 nevirapine. Patients were followed a median (range) of 12.0 (0.1–12.0) person-months. 62.2% were female and median (IQR) age was 37.7 years (31.5–44.1). Patients prescribed efavirenz had similar initiating CD4 counts (median 132 for both regimens) but were somewhat more likely to be WHO Stage III or IV (39.6% vs. 33.6%) than those prescribed nevirapine. No difference in attrition was found (aRR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.49–1.41). Among patients with ≥1 viral load within 1 year on ART, those prescribed nevirapine were as likely to reach virologic suppression (aRR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.88–1.07) but more likely to experience virologic failure (aRR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.02–3.31) than those prescribed efavirenz. Conclusions Our results support the notion that, among patients prescribed tenofovir and lamivudine, virologic failure is more common among those taking nevirapine than among those taking efavirenz. Longer-term follow up and larger studies will be needed to confirm this finding.


This research activity studied how the uncertainties are concerned and interrelated through the multi-model approach, since it seems to be the bigger challenge of ocean and weather forecasting. Moreover, we tried to reduce model error throughout the superensemble approach. In order to provide this aim, we created different dataset and by means of proper algorithms we obtained the superensamble estimate. We studied the sensitivity of this algorithm in function of its characteristics parameters. Clearly, it is not possible to evaluate a reasonable estimation of the error neglecting the importance of the grid size of ocean model, for the large amount of all the sub grid-phenomena embedded in space discretizations that can be only roughly parametrized instead of an explicit evaluation. For this reason we also developed a high resolution model, in order to calculate for the first time the impact of grid resolution on model error.


Deep} reinforcement learning has recently seen huge success across multiple areas in the robotics domain. Owing to the limitations of gathering real-world data, i.e., sample inefficiency and the cost of collecting it, simulation environments are utilized for training the different agents. This not only aids in providing a potentially infinite data source, but also alleviates safety concerns with real robots. Nonetheless, the gap between the simulated and real worlds degrades the performance of the policies once the models are transferred into real robots. Multiple research efforts are therefore now being directed towards closing this sim-toreal gap and accomplish more efficient policy transfer. Recent years have seen the emergence of multiple methods applicable to different domains, but there is a lack, to the best of our knowledge, of a comprehensive review summarizing and putting into context the different methods. In this survey paper, we cover the fundamental background behind sim-to-real transfer in deep reinforcement learning and overview the main methods being utilized at the moment: domain randomization, domain adaptation, imitation learning, meta-learning and knowledge distillation. We categorize some of the most relevant recent works, and outline the main application scenarios. Finally, we discuss the main opportunities and challenges of the different approaches and point to the most promising directions.


For the study of those bee diseases with which no specific organisms have so far been identified, it is important to be able to eliminate bees dying of old age, and this cannot be done with certainty by observing outward symptoms. However, the age of bees, which normally work almost incessantly for about six weeks and then die, may be determined with some accuracy from a study of the brain-cells. With advancing age the cytoplasm of these cells undergoes gradual reduction peripherally, until in senescence only a vestige is left surrounding the nucleus. The condition of the head-glands, including a pair of œsophageal glands which do not appear to have been previously recorded, gives some indication of age in normal healthy bees.


Hdi (gwaɗ-a xdi 'language of Hdi' or simply xdi 'in Hdi') is a Central Chadic language spoken in the Far North Province of Cameroon, the main town where the language is spoken being Tourou right on the border between Cameroon and Nigeria. The estimates of the number of speakers of Hdi range between 10,000 and 29,000 (www.ethnologue.com).

The dictionary is primarily based on fieldwork by Zygmunt Frajzyngier that started in 1991 and furthermore incorporates data from Paul Eguchi's Materiaux pour servir a l'etude de la langue hide: Vocabulaire (1971).

The book consists of four parts. The first part is a grammatical sketch the purpose of which is to present, in an abbreviated form of about 50 pages, the main formal coding means and functions encoded in the grammatical system of the language. The second part is the Hdi-English-French dictionary, which contains the respective lexical items followed by the indicators of their categoriality, translation into English, translation into French, and examples of their use. Some of the nominal and verbal entries include an explanation of customs, ceremonies, and practices in which a given activity, as represented by a verb, or a given entity, as represented by a noun, plays a role.

The third and fourth parts comprise an English-Hdi-French as well as a French-Hdi-English index. The inclusion of both French and English in the indexes is justified by the fact that some speakers of Hdi live in Nigeria, where English is one of the main languages, while the majority of Hdi speakers live in Cameroon, where French is one of the official languages. Thus, it is hoped that the dictionary might assist Hdi speakers in the acquisition of English and French.

The dictionary can be used in conjunction with the Lexus database (http://lux17.mpi.nl/lex/lexus/index.html), where all the entries and examples from the present dictionary are accompanied by sound recordings, and certain entries pertaining to flora and house implements are illustrated by photographs.


Behavioural change by households is increasingly anticipated to make an important contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gasses and other emissions. Global studies have shown that housing, mobility, food, and, with increasing income, manufactured products are important sectors to target from a consumption perspective (Hertwich and Peters, 2009). As a result, monitoring of the environmental impacts of consumption at the household level is necessary to evaluate current performance and to support the understanding of how initiatives for change can be implemented. In Europe food is at the core of the discussion of sustainable consumption being responsible for 20-30% of the overall environmental externalities of household consumption (Tukker et al., 2010). Existing sustainability assessment tools vary in scope and methodological approach but are commonly characterised by a production orientation (Ness et al., 2007; Singh et al., 2009). Well established examples are life cycle assessment, material flow analysis and environmentally extended input-output models. In contrast, consumption-based emission accounting is a recent development with the objective to juxtapose consumption and production emissions in order to demonstrate the effects of emissions associated with international trade, especially for GHG (e.g., Kerkhof et al., 2009; Kastner et al., 2011). Thus the environmental literature has yet to propose a tool to measure environmentally sustainable food and non-food consumption at the household level, surprising as this may appear at the first instance. Against this background we develop an indicator of sustainable household food consumption the Environmentally Sensitive Shopper Index (ESSI). Our index is based on revealed consumer preferences and uses supermarket data. The main concept behind the construction of the indicator is that food consumption spans over many different individual products but that its environmental impact is limited to a number of key "dirty" categories (Kramer et al., 1999; Kim and Neff, 2009). Hence, there is no need for an exhaustive view of total food consumption as long as we observe expenditures for these key items. Yet, our index does not impose an upper limit on the number of categories included and ideally would include all products in the supermarket. A second concept is that sustainable consumption is an ethical practice of consuming differently to reduce environmental impact (Evans, 2011). To formalize these concepts in micro economic terms, imagine a retailer with J food categories including C clean categories, and D dirty categories (C+D ≤ J). We define a category as "dirty" if its consumption is relatively carbon intensive, and "clean" otherwise. In each category, this consumer makes two consecutive choices: whether to purchase a product within a specific food category jI J and the amount to spend on food in category j. Next, food consumption has to be related to environmental damage. We explore two approaches. First, we assume that sustainability is linear with expenditures by category: consuming more of a "dirty" good means more environmental damage; while consuming more of a "clean" good means less environmental impact. Our second approach allows for non-proportionality between sustainability and food consumption: a consumer is considered more sustainable whenever her levels of consumption are above a threshold for "clean" categories, or below a threshold for "dirty" categories. These thresholds are defined as consuming more than the mode of the observed expenditure shares for the "clean" categories and less than the mode for "dirty" foods. Consequently, the thresholds define sustainability in relative terms as determined by the most frequently observed consumption behaviour (the mode) in the data. We compare different options for the aggregation of the food categories for both the linear and the binary environmental damage approach: averages, arithmetic mean and geometric means. We illustrate the ESSI with a pilot application for food purchases in the UK focusing on carbon emissions. The selection of "clean" and "dirty" food product categories was based on Defra's (2010) 'Food 2030' and Sustain's (2007) 'Eat Well and Save the Planet' reports, which include a set of consumer-oriented guidelines on more sustainable food consumption. While these reports differ in details the consensus is that more sustainable consumption means: eating less meat, particularly red meat, and more FV selecting local and seasonal products; drink tap rather than bottled water; and reduce car travel for the purpose of food shopping. The pilot application uses supermarket scanner data for food purchases in Tesco supermarkets. The pilot is based on the weekly expenditures of Tesco's 16.5 millions UK cardholders over the period June 2009-May 2011. The application is illustrated with examples of how the ESSI can be used to identify environmentally critical periods during the calendar year.


Background:Nursing research, particularly related to physiological development, often depends on the collection of time series data. The state space approach to time series analysis has great potential to answer exploratory questions relevant to physiological development but has not been used extensively in nursing. Objectives:The aim of the study was to introduce the state space approach to time series analysis and demonstrate potential applicability to neonatal monitoring and physiology. Methods:We present a set of univariate state space models; each one describing a process that generates a variable of interest over time. Each model is presented algebraically and a realization of the process is presented graphically from simulated data. This is followed by a discussion of how the model has been or may be used in two nursing projects on neonatal physiological development. Results:The defining feature of the state space approach is the decomposition of the series into components that are functions of time; specifically, slowly varying level, faster varying periodic, and irregular components. State space models potentially simulate developmental processes where a phenomenon emerges and disappears before stabilizing, where the periodic component may become more regular with time, or where the developmental trajectory of a phenomenon is irregular. Discussion:The ultimate contribution of this approach to nursing science will require close collaboration and cross-disciplinary education between nurses and statisticians.


In the light of current tendencies where the fear of foreigners is increasing in seemingly stably democratic societies. This paper aims to revive the presence of the body as a central condition and experience for human interaction. The body as an inevitable source for conscious/unconscious responses to others helps to understand how various forms of violence such as xenophobia and hate crimes come into expression. The purpose of this contribution is to theoretically explore and empirically exemplify the relationship between historical consciousness and moral consciousness as an educational concern by turning to the writings of Ewa Ziarek and her notion of ethics of dissensus. Through the concept of ethics of dissensus she brings a fresh dimension into the discussion of how the relationship between historical and moral consciousness can be understood. She does this by providing concepts and understandings of how (history) education can be approached without overlooking the complicated presence of difference between the past-present-future, between two subjects and between the inner and the outer life.  Accordingly, Ziarek's reasoning suggests the need to leave the simplified playing field of 'either-or' and engage in the communicative negotiation that constitutes the fragile middle-ground between two extreme poles in history education.


A ubiquitous observation in crowded cell membranes is that molecular transport does not follow Fickian diffusion but exhibits subdiffusion. The microscopic origin of such a behaviour is not understood and highly debated. Here we discuss the spatio-temporal dynamics for two models of subdiffusion: fractional Brownian motion and hindered motion due to immobile obstacles. We show that the different microscopic mechanisms can be distinguished using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) by systematic variation of the confocal detection area. We provide a theoretical framework for space-resolved FCS by generalising FCS theory beyond the common assumption of spatially Gaussian transport. We derive a master formula for the FCS autocorrelation function, from which it is evident that the beam waist of an FCS experiment is a similarly important parameter as the wavenumber of scattering experiments. These results lead to scaling properties of the FCS correlation for both models, which are tested by in silico experiments. Further, our scaling prediction is compatible with the FCS half-value times reported by Wawrezinieck et al. [Biophys. J., 2005, 89, 4029] for in vivo experiments on a transmembrane protein.


In 2017, the term "fake news" was so popular that it received the "Word of the Year" honor from the American Dialect Society. Since then, its popularity may have abated some, but its use persists. Most obviously, anti-press speakers weaponize the term fake news to undermine journalists and the press as an institution. Perhaps more surprisingly, however, the term is also in regular rotation among many who would seem to support a free and independent press, including scholars, teachers, and journalists themselves.

The continued and often-uncritical use of fake news should worry us. As thinkers across disciplines have recognized for centuries, the names we use matter. Names shape the very way we understand things. And this is especially true when it comes to the press.

Although conventional wisdom is that press power and freedom spring primarily from the First Amendment, in reality, the doctrine is that the press has no greater rights than any other speaker. Press power and freedom are derived in large part from customs and norms. And those customs and norms draw sustenance from the positive language of the courts, other institutions, and the public about how the press serves the democratic functions of truthful educator, trusted proxy, and fair watchdog.

Press power is, in great part, rhetorical power.

This rhetorical power is especially fragile in our networked information sphere. As we are coming to understand, when labels or narratives are decontextualized and amplified, we begin to internalize and adopt them, sometimes regardless of their accuracy or how savvy we believe ourselves to be. Moreover, what is blunt and vitriolic generally scales further and faster than what is nuanced or measured. As a label, fake news is arguably becoming so entrenched and normalized that it might ease the way for other terms that rhetorically marry the press to falsity, bias, and laziness—like "pink slime journalism"—to slip into our everyday discourse.

If protecting the press was the only goal of curbing anti-press rhetoric that would be enough. But there is another reason to do it. How we talk about the press plays into how we tackle one the biggest challenges of our networked age—stemming information pollution. Fundamental to this effort is separating accurate information from false, trusted sources from manipulated ones, and journalism from propaganda and marketing. If we use labels that conflate these categories, we make a daunting task harder. For these reasons, it is increasingly important that we take care in how we talk about the press.


Landslides cause serious damage to infrastructure and property in many cities of Turkey, as well as the loss of life. Samsun is one of the cities where landslides are most frequently seen in Turkey. Most of the landslides occurred throughout the province, especially within the Atakum, Canik and İlkadım districts, have been described as natural disaster. In this study, the aim was to produce landslide susceptibility maps for one of these highly sensitive districts, Canik. For this purpose, the parameters of slope, aspect, altitude, topographic wetness index, profile and plan curvature, lithology, distance to drainage network and roads have been used in the landslide susceptibility analysis. Bayesian Probability (BP) and frequency ratio (FR) models have been used in the study. The areas in the produced susceptibility maps have been classified into five groups as "very low, low, moderate, high and very high susceptible". The verification and control results revealed that the landslide susceptibility map generated using the BP model is more accurate than the FR model. At the same time, the very high and high susceptible areas in the landslide susceptibility map produced by BP model were compatible with the control landslides with a rate of 83.5%. These results indicated that the landslide susceptibility map generated using the BP model can be used for land use planning and landslide risk reduction studies.


Abstract War in the Democratic Republic of Congo has increasingly been explained as a means to get access to natural resources and as a strategy to get control over informal trading networks linking the DRC with global markets. In most of these accounts, the complexity of war economies is underestimated. One element that is often missing is that systems of economic exploitation, which have been developed by armed groups during the Congolese war, tend to persist in the post-conflict context and seem to be hardly affected by the peace process. Based on an evaluation of the case of the Congolese National Army's (FARDC) non-integrated 85th Brigade, a former Mayi-Mayi militia now operating under the banner of the FARDC and deeply involved in the exploitation of cassiterite in Walikale (North Kivu), this paper illustrates how mechanisms of exploitation that have been instituted during the war can largely survive in peacetime conditions. In purely economic terms, this case would suggest a departure from patterns of profit accumulation in war conditions towards profiteering under the seeming order of the DRC's reestablished state institutions. The same case also suggests though that in the present situation of no-war-no-peace, a negotiated, mutual accommodation of economic and political interests linked with security provision can be found. This accommodation explains the "success" of this exploitation structure yet at the same time disincentivizes the national government to undertake serious attempts to dislodge this brigade from the Walikale territory. Eventually, these pockets of parallel economic and political control, which are still being observed in many parts of eastern DRC, undermine the DRC's reconstruction process, as it prevents the expansion of a formalized peace economy. The first part of this paper analyses the role of natural resources in North Kivu's economy. The second part describes the structure and functioning of artisanal mining in the Walikale territory. The third part explores Walikale's "war economy" and the role played by the 85th Brigade of the FARDC. The final parts aim at illustrating local processes of negotiating peace in return for extortion.


Background: The gluteal lift ("Brazilian butt lift") has improved significantly in technique and in outcomes. Some postulate that fat embolism occurs because of damage to veins superficial to the gluteus muscles and that fat must be injected intramuscularly to achieve satisfactory aesthetic results. The purpose of this article is to present data where gluteal lift is performed under local anesthesia, address safety concerns, and clarify these speculations. Methods: All patients underwent gluteal lift under local anesthesia using oral medications and tumescent infiltration. Fat was harvested by closed-system liposuction, separated by gravity, injected using a peristaltic pump and reticulating basket cannulas. Results: Thirty-two female patients with an average age of 38.6 years and a body mass index of 24.8 kg/m2 underwent 47 gluteal lift operations under local anesthesia over 52 months. The average volume of injected fat was 359 ml per buttock. There were no deaths or complications. Conclusions: Recent concerns regarding buttock injections have been raised due to death from fat embolism. Despite numerous theories on the mechanism of entry, the fact that venous injury occurs with the introduction of boluses of fat in enough quantities to cause mechanical disruption of the cardiopulmonary circuit is not in dispute. The authors believe this cannot occur in the awake patient without the surgeon being acutely aware of a misguided cannula. These data suggest that buttock fat grafting under local anesthesia is a safe and effective procedure with an excellent safety profile and durable results. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.


Abstract Faces provide a platform for non-verbal communication through emotional expression and eye gaze. Fearful facial expressions are salient indicators of potential threat within the environment, which automatically capture observers' attention. However, the degree to which fearful facial expressions facilitate attention to others' gaze is unresolved. Given that fearful gaze indicates the location of potential threat, it was hypothesized that fearful gaze facilitates location processing. To test this hypothesis, a gaze cueing study with fearful and neutral faces assessing target localization was conducted. The task consisted of leftward, rightward, and forward/straight gaze trials. The inclusion of forward gaze trials allowed for the isolation of orienting and disengagement components of gaze-directed attention. The results suggest that both neutral and fearful gaze modulates attention through orienting and disengagement components. Fearful gaze, however, resulted in quicker orienting than neutral gaze. Thus, fearful faces enhance gaze cueing of spatial location through facilitated orienting.


We rigorously establish that, in the long-wave regime characterized by the assumptions of long wavelength and small amplitude, bidirectional solutions of the improved Boussinesq equation tend to associated solutions of two uncoupled Camassa-Holm equations. We give a precise estimate for approximation errors in terms of two small positive parameters measuring the effects of nonlinearity and dispersion. Our results demonstrate that, in the present regime, any solution of the improved Boussinesq equation is split into two waves propagating in opposite directions independently, each of which is governed by the Camassa-Holm equation. We observe that the approximation error for the decoupled problem considered in the present study is greater than the approximation error for the unidirectional problem characterized by a single Camassa-Holm equation. We also consider lower order approximations and we state similar error estimates for both the Benjamin-Bona-Mahony approximation and the Korteweg-de Vries approximation.


The application of multifocal techniques to the visual evoked cortical potential permits objective electrophysiological mapping of the visual field.
The multifocal visual evoked cortical potential (mfVECP) presents several technical challenges. Signals are small, are influenced by a number of sources of noise and waveforms vary both across the visual field and between subjects due to the complex geometry of the visual cortex. Together these factors hamper the ability to distinguish between a mfVECP response from the healthy visual pathway, and a response that is reduced or absent and is therefore representative of pathology.
This thesis presents a series of methodological investigations with the aim of maximising the information available in the recorded electrophysiological response, thereby improving the performance of the mfVECP.
A novel method of calculating the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of mfVECP waveform responses is introduced. A noise estimate unrelated to the response of the visual cortex to the visual stimulus is created. This is achieved by cross-correlating m-sequences which are created when the orthogonal set of m-sequences are created but are not used to control a stimulus region, with the physiological record. This metric is compared to the approach of defining noise within a delayed time window and shows good correlation. ROC analysis indicates a small improvement in the ability to distinguish between physiological waveform responses and noise. Defining the signal window as 45-250ms is recommended.
Signal quality is improved by post-acquisition bandwidth filtering. A wide range of bandwidths are compared and the greatest gains are seen with a bandpass of 3 to 20Hz applied after cross-correlation.
Responses evoked when stimulation is delivered using a cathode ray tube (CRT) and a liquid crystal display (LCD) projector system are compared. The mode of stimulus delivery affects the waveshape of responses. A significantly higher SNR is seen in waveforms is shown in waveforms evoked by an m=16 bit m-sequence delivered by a CRT monitor. Differences for shorter m-sequences were not statistically significant.
The area of the visual field which can usefully be tested is investigated by increasing the field of view of stimulation from 20° to 40° of radius in 10° increments. A field of view of 30° of radius is shown to provide stimulation of as much of the visual field as possible without losing signal quality.
Stimulation rates of 12.5 to 75Hz are compared. Slowing the stimulation rate produced increases waveform amplitudes, latencies and SNR values. The best performance was achieved with 25Hz stimulation. It is shown that a six-minute recording stimulated at 25Hz is superior to an eight-minute, 75Hz acquisition.
An electrophysiology system capable of providing multifocal stimulation, synchronising with the acquisition of data from a large number of electrodes and performing cross-correlation has been created. This is a powerful system which permits the interrogation of the dipoles evoked within the complex geometry of the visual cortex from a very large number of orientations, which will improve detection ability.
The system has been used to compare the performance of 16 monopolar recording channels in detecting responses to stimulation throughout the visual field. A selection of four electrodes which maximise the available information throughout the visual field has been made. It is shown that a several combinations of four electrodes provide good responses throughout the visual field, but that it is important to have them distributed on either hemisphere and above and below Oz.
A series of investigations have indicated methods of maximising the available information in mfVECP recordings and progress the technique towards becoming a robust clinical tool. A powerful multichannel multifocal electrophysiology system has been created, with the ability to simultaneously acquire data from a very large number of bipolar recording channels and thereby detect many small dipole responses to stimulation of many small areas of the visual field. This will be an invaluable tool in future investigations.
Performance has been shown to improve when the presence or absence of a waveform is determined by a novel SNR metric, when data is filtered post-acquisition through a 3-20Hz bandpass after cross-correlation and when a CRT is used to deliver the stimulus. The field of view of stimulation can usefully be extended to a radius of 30° when a 60-region dartboard pattern is employed. Performance can be enhanced at the same time as acquisition time is reduced by 25%, by the use of a 25Hz rate of stimulation instead of the frequently employed rate of 75Hz.


An examination has been made of the influence of pump noise within a procedure for targeting laser dynamics. Specific attention is given to targeting Q-switched class B lasers to stable and unstable periodic orbits by means of a choice of the relative phase of the modulation and the instant of laser switch-on. When the phase space of a loss-modulated class B laser includes an unstable period-one orbit and two stable (antiphased) period-two orbits, noise causes a separatrix crossing, which results in switching between the two period-two orbits over a wide range of relative phases. It is shown here that in the regular targeting case pump noise is less important than intensity noise. However, pump noise is found to be of paramount importance in the case in which two possible targeting phases of the modulation are nearly degenerate. In this case of heteroclinic tangency pump noise induces additional crossings, which act transversally to the separatrix already at the initial stage of transients. By means of highest- (Nth-) passage-time distributions, trends in the relative impact of intensity and pump noises during the turn-on process are demonstrated.


Precise regulation of gene expression is required for embryonic stem cell (ESC) differentiation. Transcription factor (TF) networks coordinate the balance of pluripotency and differentiation in response to extracellular and intracellular signals. Chromatin factors work alongside TFs to achieve timely regulation of gene expression for differentiation process. Our previous studies showed that a member of the Sin3a corepressor complex, Arid4b, is critical for proper mouse ESC differentiation into mesoderm and endoderm. We found elevated histone 3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27Ac) in a subset of genomic loci in meso/endoderm directed arid4bΔ cells, coincident with their derepression. We reasoned that Sin3a complex may be required for the suppression of these genes during differentiation. To identify TFs that might cooperate with Arid4b for this function, we found consensus TF binding sequences enriched in H3K27Ac elevated regions in arid4bΔ cells. Of these candidate TFs, we validated expression of Bach1, Ddit3, Prrx2, Znf354c and Tfap2c in mESCs. We then demonstrated a physical interaction between Arid4b and Tfap2c in mESCs using endogenous coimmunoprecipitation and proximity ligation assay experiments. Our results point to a role of Arid4b in the Sin3a complex in repression of a subset of Tfap2c-regulated genes during meso/endoderm differentiation.


Using Ajax, you can build Web applications with the sophistication and usability of traditional desktop applications and you can do it using standards and open source software. Now, for the first time, there's an easy, example-driven guide to Ajax for every Web and open source developer, regardless of experience.


Background: We present our experience over a 10-year period of staged radiosurgery for large arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) including patient outcomes and methods. Methods: From July 2000 to December 2010, 80 patients with AVMs were treated with gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) at our institution; of these patients, 5 were treated for large AVMs with staged GKS (volumes >20 cm3). The mean interval between treatments was 10 months (range 7–16). The mean dose for the margin used was 18.0 Gy (range 16–20). The mean volume treated was 37.2 cm3 (range 22–50). The mean total follow-up was 76.5 months (range 42–120). Results: Two patients had complete obliteration of the AVM nidus. One patient had 95% obliteration (31 months after radiosurgery), one had 90% obliteration (38 months after radiosurgery), and one had less than 50% obliteration at 53 months with a 16-month interval between staged treatments. Conclusions: Staged radiosurgery is an effective and safe method for the treatment of large AVMs. We report achieving higher marginal doses with staging in planned intervals of 6–9 months between staged treatments. It appears that the longer the wait between treatments, the less likely it is that complete obliteration will be achieved.


Over the past 3 decades, the status of sea turtles and the need for their protection to aid population recovery have increasingly captured the interest of government agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the general public worldwide. This interest has been matched by increased research attention, focusing on a wide variety of topics relating to sea turtle biology and ecology, together with the interrelations of sea turtles with the physical and natural environments. Although sea turtles have been better studied than most other marine fauna, management actions and their evaluation are often hindered by the lack of data on turtle biology, human–turtle interactions, turtle population status and threats. In an effort to inform effective sea turtle conservation a list of priority research questions was assembled based on the opinions of 35 sea turtle researchers from 13 nations working in fields related to turtle biology and/or conservation. The combined experience of the contributing researchers spanned the globe as well as many relevant disciplines involved in conservation research. An initial list of more than 200 questions gathered from respondents was condensed into 20 metaquestions and classified under 5 categories: reproductive biology, biogeography, population ecology, threats and conservation strategies.


Potato plants can accumulate a high amount of cadmium (Cd) in the tuber when grown in soils rich in Cd. The molecular mechanisms governing Cd accumulation in the potato plant are poorly understood. Here we performed an RNA-sequencing experiment to identify genes differentially expressed in the leaf and root of potato during early stages of Cd exposure. Results did not identify any significant transcriptional response in leaves under 1 or 5 mg kg−1 Cd after 72 h. However, in the roots we did identify 2,846 genes that were significantly differentially expressed after 72 h between plants grown in 5 mg kg−1 Cd and controls. These included genes involved in photosynthesis and autophagy being up-regulated, and genes involved in intracellular transport being down-regulated. This study is the first report on the transcriptome-wide response of potato to Cd stress, providing insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in the response.


Using hermeneutic as a method and approach in systematic interpretation of Al-Qur'an had begun during contemporary period. The reality and fulfillment of the academic standard had pushed contemporary Muslim scholars used the method. Asghar Ali Engineer was one of the Muslim scholars who supported hermeneutic in the study of Qur'anic exegesis on feminism. This article examined the impacts on how feminism in Engineer's hermeneutic exegesis of the Qur'an played significant role in the Qur'anic exegesis studies. He was placed at the same position with other contemporary Muslim scholars. His popularity as a Muslim feminist had been well-known mainly on his interpretation of the Qur'an about feminism. According to Engineer, the interpretation of the Qur'an had to consider three concepts, "the freedom of Al-Qur'an," "the spirit of the Qur'an against Patriarchy," and "the classified Qur'anic verses and sociological normative." Engineer offered three sources when interpreting al- Qur'an; namely, text, context, and perspective. The Engineer interpreted Qur'anic verses about gender at QS. An-Nisa: 1; 3, and 34 by applying these concept, method and sources


International large-scale assessments (ILSAs) play a major role in the evaluation of educational systems. These projects are characterized by the standardized assessment of student achievement and the collection of contextual data by means of curriculum, student, teacher, school, and home questionnaires. Together, the resulting high-quality data on student achievement and contextual factors provide great opportunities for more theory-oriented educational effectiveness research, particularly in international contexts. To ensure the validity of analyses based on these data, particularly relating to measurement invariance across (sub)populations, efforts must be made to evaluate response behaviour across (sub)populations of interest. A lack of measurement invariance characterized by these differences in response behaviour, is called differential item functioning (DIF). This thesis presents five studies that contribute to research in the field of education by deploying ILSA data in research areas where the availability of standardized data from multiple countries offers new research opportunities. Topics addressed are: computer and information literacy, parental involvement and reading literacy, and language demand in testing mathematics. Also, in each chapter methods for identifying and handling potential DIF in the framework of item response theory are explored. The studies in this thesis show how DIF analyses can be insightful by benefiting from the synergy between a methodological focus on validity and a focus on more substantive research questions. More than simply a task to tick off before the "real" questions are investigated, DIF analyses can lead to insights into effects underlying test results. Throughout the studies in this thesis it is therefore shown how, in studies with a substantive interest in comparing groups, the study of validity on both test and questionnaire items should be integrated into the methodology. Though no clear-cut one-method-fits-all strategy is presented here, the thesis shows that there are many ways to approach the issue.


Background
Little is known about the effect of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on gut microbiota and the relationship between alteration of gut microbiota and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) progression. We performed a comparative study of gut microbiota composition between CHC patients and healthy individuals.

Methods
Fecal samples from 166 CHC patients were compared with those from 23 healthy individuals; the gut microbiota community was analyzed using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. CHC patients were diagnosed with persistently normal serum alanine aminotransferase without evidence of liver cirrhosis (LC) (PNALT, n = 18), chronic hepatitis (CH, n = 84), LC (n = 40), and hepatocellular carcinoma in LC (n = 24).

Results
Compared with healthy individuals, bacterial diversity was lower in persons with HCV infection, with a decrease in the order Clostridiales and an increase in Streptococcus and Lactobacillus. Microbiota dysbiosis already appeared in the PNALT stage with the transient increase in Bacteroides and Enterobacteriaceae. Predicted metagenomics of microbial communities showed an increase in the urease gene mainly encoded by viridans streptococci during CHC progression, consistent with a significantly higher fecal pH in CH and LC patients than in healthy individuals or those in the PNALT stage.

Conclusions
HCV infection is associated with gut dysbiosis, even in patients with mild liver disease. Additionally, overgrowth of viridans streptococci can account for hyperammonemia in CH and LC. Further studies would help to propose a novel treatment strategy because the gut microbiome can be therapeutically altered, potentially reducing the complications of chronic liver disease.


In this paper, we demonstrate that disproportionate gains are possible through a simple devise for injecting inexactness or approximation into the hardware architecture of a computing system with a general purpose template including a complete memory hierarchy. The focus of the study is on energy savings possible through this approach in the context of large and challenging applications. We choose two such from different ends of the computing spectrum-the IGCM model for weather and climate modeling which embodies significant features of a high-performance computing workload, and the ubiquitous PageRank algorithm used in Internet search. In both cases, we are able to show in the affirmative that an inexact system outperforms its exact counterpart in terms of its efficiency quantified through the relative metric of operations per virtual Joule (OPVJ)-a relative metric that is not tied to particular hardware technology. As one example, the IGCM application can be used to achieve savings through inexactness of (almost) a factor of 3 in energy without compromising the quality of the forecast, quantified through the forecast error metric, in a noticeable manner. As another example finding, we show that in the case of PageRank, an inexact system is able to outperform its exact counterpart by close to a factor of 1.5 using the OPVJ metric.


Discrimination discovery and prevention/removal are increasingly important tasks in data mining. Discrimination discovery aims to unveil discriminatory practices on the protected attribute (e.g., gender) by analyzing the dataset of historical decision records, and discrimination prevention aims to remove discrimination by modifying the biased data before conducting predictive analysis. In this paper, we show that the key to discrimination discovery and prevention is to find the meaningful partitions that can be used to provide quantitative evidences for the judgment of discrimination. With the support of the causal graph, we present a graphical condition for identifying a meaningful partition. Based on that, we develop a simple criterion for the claim of non-discrimination, and propose discrimination removal algorithms which accurately remove discrimination while retaining good data utility. Experiments using real datasets show the effectiveness of our approaches.


AbstractThe separation of craniopagus conjoined twins is a very rare and complex challenge. As with many rare challenges, it presents initially as a deceptively simple problem requiring only the most basic clinical techniques. As in many reconstructive problems, this paradigm mandates that the neurosurgical team performs the separation with the plastic surgeons providing closure at the end of the separation. Historically, these approaches have included, as with the separation of many other types of conjoined twins, the use of tissue expansion before separation followed by separation surgery. In the best hands, at the most capable medical centers, the mortality reported in the literature for the past 50 years is greater than 50%. Craniofacial surgery frequently demands a coordinated effort between plastic surgery and neurosurgery and many other specializations; separating craniopagus twins takes this coordination to a stratospheric level. It is, however, this coordination that is of paramount importance. Success clearly requires an understanding of the complex interrelationship between the "separation" and the "reconstruction" and that decisions made for 1 aspect of the surgery will have a profound impact on another aspect of the surgery. The impact can be disastrous or, if planned well, can be advantageous.We were contacted to evaluate craniopagus conjoined male infant twins for separation. Radiographic studies suggested that the brains were separate, and their medical team suggested that they were "fit for separation." We reviewed the literature and reviewed our colleagues' experiences with similar cases around the world. It became clear that whether separation had been unsuccessful or successful, a variety of issues accompanied surgery as follows: (1) massive intraoperative hemorrhage, (2) cerebral edema, (3) venous infarcts, (4) swelling of flaps, and (5) dehiscence of repairs with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, meningitis, or brain exposure. Although the initial plan was to separate the twins in the same fashion as in previous cases (ie, single-stage separation surgery preceded by tissue expansion of the scalp), it was clear that this approach increases cerebral venous pressure during the separation component of surgery and therefore set up a cascade of events favoring failure rather than success. Wishing to favor success, we elected to design an open-ended multistaged separation to improve venous collateral circulation. We believe that this would improve venous drainage, prevent increased venous pressure, diminish cerebral edema, and favor the integrity of the dura and flap repair that would in turn lessen the risk of CSF leak. The stages would also allow the twins to recover from each stage before progressing to the next stage while continuing to receive nutritional support and physical therapy. Four major stages for 9 ½ months led to their successful separation. There has been no CSF leak or meningitis. To our knowledge, this technique has since been applied to 2 other sets of craniopagus with similar outcomes.A review of the pertinent literature, our rationale, and methodology are discussed in this article.


This book critically examines sociopolitical constructions of risk related to sexual offending behaviour by and among children and young people and charts the rise of harmful sexual or exploitative behaviour among peers, drawing on a range of theoretical frameworks and primary research. Discussion of these behaviours is exhibited against a backdrop of the premature cultural sexualisation of contemporary childhood, which challenges traditional conceptions of childhood, victimhood and gendered sexual identities more broadly. The book examines the complexities of peer-based sexual behaviours in a range of settings, including within organisational contexts such as schools and care homes, within families and peer-based relationships, as well as online contexts, including sexting and cyberbullying. It draws out the myriad legal, practical and policy challenges of negotiating the boundaries between normal/experimental, risky/problematic and harmful sexual behaviour, and in particular the demarcation between coercion and consent, for professionals as well as children and young people themselves.


The chapter relies on the notion of dependency marking as a framework for a reinterpretation of data on syntactic development in Hebrew from early childhood to adulthood. Following a short outline of how grammatical dependencies are realized in Hebrew, I explore the emergence of dependencies in both simple (single-clause) and complex (clause-combining) syntax. In each case, concern is with the transition from isolated, to non-dependent, to partially dependent, and eventually to fully dependent combinations as markers of functional dependency, in the sense of integration of how events are represented verbally both within and across clause boundaries.


Ever since Dick Bruna first created Miffy in 1955, she has endeared herself to generations of young children. She is now one of the best-loved children's characters of all time. In this charming new addition to her story, Miffy takes inspiration from a visit to an art gallery and decides to become an artist herself. Looking at the colour and shapes of the world around her she discovers what fun it can be to make pictures of the things she sees. By bedtime, her walls are full of all her wonderful artworks. The perfect gift for a budding artist, this is a charming book from one of the master illustrators of our time.


This paper explores the returns to grain producers and processors of expending efforts to determine hedge ratios. We use cash and futures prices from Barchart.com and multi-location cash prices from the Daily Grain Review to determine if location-specific hedge ratios are superior to hedge ratios estimated for a central location then used for hedging at the specific location. We find that the price-risk management capabilities of single location hedge ratios computed the Barchart data perform well in hedging grains at other locations. This suggests that producers and processors should not invest heavily in determining precise hedge ratios that apply to a particular location. In other words, "good enough" hedge ratios are in fact good enough.


Better knowledge of the habits and preferences of patients helps one understand why and how patients might need or want to access health services online and offline. Such knowledge provides a basis for designing systems for providing complementary health information. This article discusses how patients' conceptualizations of their health‐information‐related preferences, motivations, and needs are linked to the perceived role of medical records as an informational artifact. We identified seven subject positions: (P1) Hypothetically positive to e‐health services generally, (P2) Positive to reading medical records due to implications, (P3) Positive to all Internet use including medical records online, (P4) Distrustful and wants to be in control of health treatment, (P5) Worried about health, (P6) Wants communication with health care professionals, and (P7) Do not understand their medical record. These subject positions can explain the worry and enthusiasm documented in earlier literature. The diversity of subject positions implies that health care information services should be planned with different subject positions in mind rather than a simple demographic group. Special attention needs to be given to finding flexible solutions that address the opportunities and worries of the identified subject positions.


A relativization of formal language theory is studied in this dissertation. Specifically, we examine possible relativizations of the four language classes of the Chomsky hierarchy. Definitions are given for oracle finite automata, oracle pushdown automata, oracle linear bounded automata, and oracle Turing machines.
The relativized regular languages are characterized via results derived from AFL (abstract families of languages) theory. We then use this characterization to help us derive a relativization of the Chomsky-Schutzenberger theorem for relativized context free languages.
We examine relativized recursively enumerable (r.e.) languages by studying oracle Turing machines and also by suggesting a definition for an oracle phrase structure grammar. We demonstrate two different types of equivalences between these two models. The context sensitive languages are relativized in the same manner as are the r.e. languages, although there are difficulties in proving the respective results for the context sensitive case. Several unresolved questions remain in this case.


Commercially important crops such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) have an extensive history of data collection, relating phenotype to genetic information. The catalogue of gene symbols for wheat (http://www.shigen.nig.ac.jp/wheat/komugi/genes/symbo lClassList.jsp, edited by R.A. McIntosh), provides a well- (meaning manually) curated assessment of the genetic studies carried out to map traits of interest to genetic maps. These traits are assigned symbols, and an example of an entry is: Pre-harvest sprouting QTL: Several QTL for falling number and alpha-amylase activity, two indicators for pre-harvest sprouting resistance, were identified in {0169}. The most significant were associated with Xglk699-2A and Xsfr4(NBS)-2A, Xglk80-3A and Xpsr1054-3A, Xpsr1194-5A and Xpsr918-5A, Xpsr644-5A and Xpsr945-5A, Xpsr8(Cxp3)-6A and Xpsr563-6A, and Xpsr350-7B and Xbzh232(Tha)-7B {0169}. Typically, a trait such as pre-harvest sprouting will have several synonyms, such as sprouting index (QSi.crc-5D), dormancy (Q.SD1), or pre-harvest sprouting (Qphs.ocs- 3A.2), which need to be captured for an effective analysis of published information. In order to crossreference genome sequence information to trait/phenotype studies, the available information in wheat is now cross-referenced to detailed consensus molecular genetic maps (http://ccg.murdoch.edu.au/cmap/ccg-live/cgibin/ cmap/viewer) in the CMap software utilized by GRAMENE (http://www.gramene.org/). In this presentation, the experience of developing trait ontologies for wheat, using the information established for rice, will be discussed in the context of relating the CMap-based information that locates published QTL for traits to the genome sequence of wheat. The sequence of a complex genome such as wheat has been challenging to develop, but several new technologies are now converging to establish draft sequence-level definitions of the gene-space.


This paper reviews the impact of solid-state technology on the design and implementation of analog computers. Eight figures show the effects of transistors and medium-scale integrated circuits in the various phases of computer development. Basically, the use of integrated circuits is divided into two areas: logic and linear. Logic, or digital, circuits have been used for the control and address selection in the analog computer. Contrary to the author's claim that electromechanical devices used in the 1958 vintage machines were reliable with proper maintenance, transistor control logic was introduced specifically to improve the reliability and speed of the analog computer. (I do not believe that anyone who had to maintain stepping switches would disagree with me.) The introduction of patchable logic combined with the transistor control logic was a big step forward in increasing flexibility for the computer operator. As integrated circuits became practical from the viewpoint of cost per function, the control and patchable logic changed over to integrated circuits with additional features and flexibility.


This paper is a blueprint for the development of a fully domain-independent single agent and multiagent heuristic search system. The paper gives a graph-theoretic representation of search problems based on conceptual graphs, and outlines two different learning systems. One, all "informed learner" makes use of the the graph-theoretic definition of a search probleln or game in playing and adapting to a game in the given environment. The other a "blind learner" is not given access to the rules of a domain, but nmst discover and then exploit the underlying mathematical structure of a given domain. These learning agents are based on generalizing the understanding obtained with the Morph chess system to all games involving the interactions of abstract Inathelnatical relations. Blind learner can be viewed as a type of neural network that makes explicit use of fuzzy graphisomorphism to exploit at a "recta-level" analogous states of the net itself. Publically available software has been developed for supporting research in blind learning and informed learning in the context of general problem-solving. The paper is based on studying the graph-theoretic structure of large open problems in machine learning research and giving a reasoned, unifying, framework for working toward their solution. In a field seeking comprehensive theories and general testbeds we hope that providing such a framework and software for exploration is an important contribution. The ultimate success of the framework awaits filrther investigation.


Bioinformatics can be considered as a new field of study and it promises a vast exploration area (Carzaniga., Rosenblum., Wolf ., 2001). In order to expedite the maturity in this area, a proper and supportive portal where all researchers could gather and cooperate in conducting their research need to be established. One of the features in a portal that can assist Bioinformatics researchers in performing their work is the ability of the portal to notify. Notification system is a combination of software and hardware to provide a method of distributing message(s) to a set of recipients. The notification messages could assist the recipients in many ways, from time saving and cost saving till life saving. Notification system can be developed with numerous functions depending on the needs and one of the most beneficial functions in research area is notification on the next most relevant knowledge to be read. This type of notification could lessen the researchers' time in finding the correct thus enhancing their research efficiency. Another type of notification that could assist researchers is the events reminder. Busy and hectic researchers could forget their pack schedule and put total focus on their research while the reminder prompts them when it is time through Windows' pop up, email and SMS as the means of delivering the messages. Whilst the knowledge management system (KMS) provides a sturdy basic for the Bioinformatics portal as a whole, the agent technology support the operation of the notification system. Agent technology offers great capabilities in ensuring the recipients is notified accordingly through its autonomous, learning and cooperative characteristics. The objective of this project is to build a notification system for Bioinformatics community of practice (CoP). Researchers in this community could utilize this system to make their research process more efficient.


The Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") recently closed its investigation of Google, following a thorough analysis of numerous aspects of Google's business conduct. The Proposed Consent Order into which the FTC and Google tentatively entered has garnered significant attention from the antitrust and intellectual property communities for a number of reasons. One important reason is that the Proposed Consent Order places serious limits upon Google's ability to seek injunctive relief for its patents that are considered "standard-essential" and that are subject to fair, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory ("FRAND") commitments. This limitation reflects the emerging tendency of competition agencies to consider the threat or pursuit of injunctive relief a serious competitive concern when the patent at issue is standard essential and the patent holder previously agreed to license that patent on FRAND terms. Indeed, the issue of whether, and if so, under what circumstances, standard essential patent ("SEP") holders should be allowed to seek, and courts should grant, injunctive relief in cases involving FRAND bargaining has been the topic of considerable debate amongst intellectual property and antitrust scholars, as well. With the closing of its Google investigation, the FTC has joined the United States Department of Justice ("DOJ") in issuing official statements indicating that owners of SEPs who have agreed to bargain on FRAND terms may be subject to investigations and penalties simply for seeking an injunction against a member of the standard setting organization ("SSO"). This new approach portends a significant shift in the way FRAND negotiations are conducted and in the outcomes they produce. The goal of this Essay is to raise some concerns regarding this issue, and, in particular, to focus upon the potential consumer welfare effects of essentially removing the possibility of injunctive relief for FRAND-encumbered SEPs. Part I of this Essay describes SSOs and FRAND bargaining, highlighting the potential competitive benefits and pitfalls — most notably, patent holdup — associated with them. Part II articulates the developing approaches the FTC and DOJ have taken toward the possibility of injunctive relief for SEP holders subject to FRAND commitments, noting both how these approaches have evolved over the last few years and the most recent official decisions by each agency. Part III then analyzes the desirability of these approaches; it examines the limited available evidence regarding the extent of patent holdup in FRAND negotiations, how the agencies' latest approach seemingly departs from the traditional patent law approach to remedies, and how the unintended consequences of disallowing injunctive relief in these cases may negatively affect consumer welfare. Part IV concludes.


Beginning in the tenth century, Chaco Canyon emerged as an important center whose influence shaped subsequent cultural developments throughout the Four Corners area of the American Southwest. Archaeologists investigating the prehistory of Chaco Canyon have long been impressed by its massive architecture, evidence of widespread trading activities, and ancient roadways that extended across the region. Research on Chaco Canyon today is focused on what the remains indicate about the social, political, and ideological organization of the Chacoan people. Communities with great houses located some distance away are of particular interest, because determining how and why peripheral areas became associated with the central canyon provides insight into the evolution of the Chacoan tradition. This volume brings together twelve chapters by archaeologists who suggest that the relationship between Chaco Canyon and outlying communities was not only complex but highly variable. Their new research reveals that the most distant groups may have simply appropriated Chacoan symbolism for influencing local social and political relationships, whereas many of the nearest communities appear to have interacted closely with the central canyon--perhaps even living there on a seasonal basis. The multifaceted approach taken by these authors provides different and refreshing perspectives on Chaco. Their contributions offer new insight into what a Chacoan community is and shed light on the nature of interactions among prehistoric communities.

"The multifaceted approach . . . provides different and sometimes refreshing perspectives on Chaco. Their contributions offer new insight into what a Chacoan community is, and they shed new light on the nature of interactions among prehistoric communities."

—Traditional Dwellings & Settlements Review


The risk associated with any climate change impact reflects intensity of natural hazard and level of human vulnerability. Previous work has shown that a wet-bulb temperature of 35°C can be considered an upper limit on human survivability. On the basis of an ensemble of high-resolution climate change simulations, we project that extremes of wet-bulb temperature in South Asia are likely to approach and, in a few locations, exceed this critical threshold by the late 21st century under the business-as-usual scenario of future greenhouse gas emissions. The most intense hazard from extreme future heat waves is concentrated around densely populated agricultural regions of the Ganges and Indus river basins. Climate change, without mitigation, presents a serious and unique risk in South Asia, a region inhabited by about one-fifth of the global human population, due to an unprecedented combination of severe natural hazard and acute vulnerability.


ABSTRACT Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) has negative impacts on affected preadolescent children; however, little is known about parents' experiences of parenting a preadolescent child with OCD, and limited provision exists to help parents to support their children. This study aimed to explore parents' experiences of parenting a preadolescent child with OCD using semi-structured, qualitative interviews to inform the development of such provision. Twenty-two parents (15 mothers; 7 fathers) of 16 children (7- to 14-years-old) who had experienced OCD were interviewed. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to generate two overarching themes: (1) challenge and frustration, and (2) helplessness, and five themes: (1) the journey to understanding and coming to terms with OCD, (2) the battle for support, (3) navigating how to respond to OCD, (4) OCD is in control, and (5) the emotional turmoil of parenting a preadolescent child with OCD. The need for clear, accessible, and scalable support for parents of preadolescent children with OCD was identified.


We give a uniform algebraic framework for computing hybrid spectral transforms in an eecient manner. Based on properties of the Kronecker product, we derive a set of recursive equations, which leads naturally to an algorithm for computing such transforms eeciently. As a result, many applications of transforms like the Walsh transform and the Reed-Muller transform, which were previously impossible because of memory constraints, have now become feasible. The same set of recursive equations also gives a new way of explaining hybrid transform diagrams, an eecient data-structure for integer valued boolean functions.


The present study was carried out at First Grade Colleges such as Arts, Commerce and Science discipline first Grade Colleges affiliated to Tumkur University. These studies aim to examine the purpose of use, types of services, level of satisfaction, problem faced while accessing, training/ orientation program and preferred external storage medium for storing information resources downloaded via N-LIST Services. For this purpose the researchers prepared a well structured questionnaire and interview schedule as a tool for data collection and same was analyzed and presented with useful percentage analysis and suitable table for presentation of data. The article summarizes the results highlighting the major findings, suggestions and conclusion.


This paper aims to study the extent of integration among developed and emerging stock markets in the onset of globalization through the formulation of a unified conceptual framework that synthesizes the stock valuation model and the convergence hypothesis. Market integration manifests in the convergence of stock valuation ratios of markets in the long run, where valuation ratios are reflective of stock fundamentals driven by common global factors across markets. The spectrum of transition dynamics of markets towards integration is explored with variants of valuation ratios and different notions of convergence. Results reveal the time-varying nature of the global stock market integration process that is characterized by heterogeneous transition experience of markets at both the total market and disaggregated industrial sector levels. JEL classification: F36, G12, G15


Garage waste is a major source of environmental pollution since it contains heavy metals. These heavy metals end up being swept by rain water into rivers. When the water is used for drinking or irrigation the heavy metals end up in animal and human tissues causing adverse health effects. In soil, heavy metals exist in different forms which influence their mobility and bioavailability. These forms include those soluble in water, those exchangeable with other metal ions, the reducible forms (carbonate and oxides), and the oxidisable forms (organic and residual).The water soluble and the exchangeable forms are the most mobile and bioavailable while the oxidisable forms are the least mobile. In Machakos town Kenya, there are many garages situated next to each other and at close intervals. The waste from these garages is swept by rain water to the recipient katothyani stream which is only 50 metres away. Water from this stream is used for irrigation and drinking hence posing as health risk to the community. The objective of the present study was to determine forms of Pb, Zn and Cd in garage soils of Machakos town and levels in the nearby Katothyani stream water and kales by Atomic absorption spectrometry. Nine composite soil samples each made of three replicates from depth intervals of 0-15, 15-30 and 30-60 cm of Kaunda, Industrial area and Mwangi sites were collected by stratified random sampling and extracted sequentially to determine forms. Forms of Pb and Zn were mainly oxides and organic type. The water soluble and exchangeable fractions were associated with the garage soils at relatively low concentrations with Pb and Zn in these forms contributing less than 5% and 2.6% respectively of the total of each metal extracted. Total heavy metal concentrations (ppm) in soils ranged between 1.61±0.02 to 69.19±0.14 for Pb, 1.61±0.02 to 11.51±0.01 for Zn and Cd was below detection limit. The mobility factors of lead in the top soil profiles ranged between 4.20% and 10.69% while those of zinc were between 9.20 % and 15.71%. Levels of the metals in Katothyani stream obtained by random sampling and irrigated kales obtained purposively were also determined. In kales the highest mean concentrations of Pb, Cd and Zn were: 0.03±0.04, 0.01±0.01 and 1.62±0.02 ppm respectively. The mean Pb concentrations for water samples ranged between 0.01±0.01 and 0.14±0.04 ppm while Zn mean concentrations were between 0.00±0.01 and 0.92±0.01 ppm with Cd being below detection limit. ANOVA, SNK test showed significant differences in mean concentrations of Pb and Zn in Industrial area and Mwangi sites with respect to depth. This meant that activities at garage sites caused change in concentrations with depth. In Kaunda garage, the mean concentrations for lead were not significantly different while the mean concentrations for zinc were significantly different for the three soil profiles fractionated (p˂0.05, Anova,SNK test). Pearson product moment correlation of water soluble and exchangeable fractions with the total metals showed negative correlation. This indicates that high concentration of heavy metals in garage soils does not necessarily infer their mobility and therefore their bioavailability. The stream and garage soils are slightly contaminated with respect to lead while the kales contained all metals within tolerable levels. Due to variation of mean concentrations of Pb and Zn with depth, as an evidence of surface pollution, there is not only need to relocate garages from the town centre but also to plant indigenous plant species on affected soils to mop up the bioavailable heavy metal forms.


Results are presented here from an experimental investigation on tube side condensation characteristics that took place in four tested tubes — 1EHT-1, 1EHT-2, 4LB and a smooth tube. The equivalent outer diameter of the tubes was 9.52 mm and the inner diameter was 8.32 mm. Condensation tests were conducted using refrigerant R410A at a saturation temperature of 318K, over a mass flow range of 150–450 kgm−2s−1, with inlet and outlet vapor quality of 0.8 and 0.2, respectively. Pressure drop data of the four tested tubes were collected to evaluate five identified prediction correlations based on the separated flow model and the homogeneous flow model. For 1EHT-2 and the smooth tube, all the listed correlations manage to present predictions with the Mean Absolute Relative Deviation (MARD) less than 30%, while they underestimate the frictional pressure drop of the 4LB tube with MARD exceeding 40% averagely. Regarding the experimental data, it is found that the Muller-Steinhagen and Heck correlation presents the most accurate and stable prediction for the 4 tested tubes. The listed homogeneous flow correlations can provide acceptable predictions with MARD ranging from 25% to 40% under a few conditions, but their average predictive accuracies are inferior to that of the separated flow correlations. Consequently, the separated flow approach performs better than the homogeneous flow model in the prediction of frictional pressure drop for our experimental data.


This study examined the relative contribution of environmental variation and the seasonal demands of pup rearing on the foraging behaviour of female Antarctic fur seals Arctocephalus gazella at Bird Island, South Georgia (54°S, 38°W), during 3 austral summers (1994 to 1996). Time-depth recorders measured the diving behaviour of 72 individuals during a total of 385 foraging trips totalling 1964 d at sea. The frequencies of krill, fish and squid in the diet were estimated from prey items contained in scats. In 1996, a year of high krill abundance, females made shorter foraging trips, fewer dives and spent more time ashore than in 1994 when krill was scarce. Females fed exclusively on krill in 1996, and frequent shallow daytime diving indicated that krill were close to the surface during the day. In 1994 and 1995 deeper and longer-duration daytime dives were associated with a higher proportion of fish and squid in the diet. Foraging trip duration, ashore duration and dive frequency increased through the course of the 1995 and 1996 lactation seasons. Females, therefore, appeared to match pup demands by increasing both time feeding at sea and energy delivery to the pup on land. However, the importance of sea surface temperature and duration of night in multiple regression models suggested that physical factors were also important in explaining the seasonal pattern of fur seal foraging behaviour.


Background: Treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in the Programmatic Management of Drug-resistant TB program involves a standard regimen with a 6-month intensive phase and an 18-month continuation phase. However, the local drug resistance patterns in high MDR regions such as Mumbai may not be adequately reflected in the design of the regimen for that particular area. Setting: The study was carried out at a private Tertiary Level Hospital in Mumbai in a mycobacteriology laboratory equipped to perform the second-line drug susceptibility testing (DST). Objective: We attempted to analyze the impact of prescribing the standardized Category IV regimen to all patients receiving a DST at our mycobacteriology laboratory. Materials and Methods: All samples confirmed to be MDR-TB and tested for the second-line drugs at Hinduja Hospital's Mycobacteriology Laboratory in the year 2012 were analyzed. Results: A total of 1539 samples were analyzed. Of these, 464 (30.14%) were MDR-TB, 867 (56.33%) were MDR with fluoroquinolone resistance, and 198 (12.8%) were extensively drug-resistant TB. The average number of susceptible drugs per sample was 3.07 ± 1.29 (assuming 100% cycloserine susceptibility). Taking 4 effective drugs to be the cut or an effective regimen, the number of patients receiving 4 or more effective drugs from the standardized directly observed treatment, short-course plus regimen would be 516 (33.5%) while 66.5% of cases would receive 3 or less effective drugs. Conclusion: Our study shows that a high proportion of patients will have resistance to a number of the first- and second-line drugs. Local epidemiology must be factored in to avoid amplification of resistance.


Our understanding of the roles played by zinc in the physiological and pathological functioning of the brain is rapidly expanding. The increased availability of genetically modified animal models, selective zinc-sensitive fluorescent probes, and novel chelators is producing a remarkable body of exciting new data that clearly establishes this metal ion as a key modulator of intracellular and intercellular neuronal signaling. In this Mini-Symposium, we will review and discuss the most recent findings that link zinc to synaptic function as well as the injurious effects of zinc dyshomeostasis within the context of neuronal death associated with major human neurological disorders, including stroke, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's disease.


This article compares two alternatives to the standard movement-anddeletion approach to clausal ellipsis, which postulates deletion of TP after the remnants of ellipsis are (sometimes exceptionally) A-moved into the left periphery of the clause. One alternative is the in-situ approach, which denies the involvement of movement in the derivation of clausal ellipsis; it claims that clausal ellipsis can apply to any run-of-the-mill syntactic structure and simply deletes the familiar/given information from the propositional domain of the clause. Another alternative is the selective spell-out approach; it denies the involvement of deletion and states that the remnants undergo regular A-movement into the specifiers of specific semantically relevant functional projections (CP, FocusP, NegP, etc), which are subsequently selected for spell-out. This article argues that the selective spell-out approach is superior to the two deletion approaches.


This paper reports a study of public order policing during a major 'anti-capitalist' riot. Officers were observed in the control room at New Scotland Yard throughout the event, and the two senior commanders were interviewed. The analysis demonstrates both the importance and the complexity of accountability concerns in determining police decisions. Officers are simultaneously accountable to multiple audiences who place different and sometimes contradictory demands upon them. Moreover officers in different positions may be subject to different accountability concerns. These lead to different action preferences that can create intra-organizational conflict. For instance, senior commanders were reluctant to use tactics that the general public and other external audiences might view as escalating the conflict or endangering the safety of protestors. In contrast, junior officers were less concerned with external audiences and supported these tactics as necessary to protect police safety. The theoretical significance of these findings is framed in terms of the SIDE model. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


What kind of comparative advantage does the United Nations hold in the field of security compared to other actors such as states and regional organizations? What kind of asset does the United Nations have in terms of normative as well as operational capacities that states and regional arrangements lack? What asset does the United Nations possess to effectively deal with security issues? These are some of the questions addressed in this book. Obviously, the ability of the United Nations to ease conflicts depends upon the support of Member States. Therefore it is imperative to know what states expect from the world body. As a result, this book also explores the following questions: What is the vision of the Member States and specifically of the major powers? What kind of vision do states have for the United Nations in the field of security? How can the United Nations minimize the volatility and even reluctance of Member States support in the field of security? How is it possible to organize and secure a real and effective partnership between the United Nations and Member States regarding conflict prevention and conflict management? At a time when security issues are changing and becoming increasingly complex to address, this will prove to be very useful for students and practitioners of international affairs.


Shakespeare is now enjoying perhaps his most glorious - certainly his most popular - filmic incarnation. Indeed, the Bard has been splashed across the big screen to great effect in recent adaptations of Hamlet, Henry V, Othello, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, Richard II, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and of course in the hugely successful Shakespeare in Love. Unlike previous studies of Shakespeare's cinematic history, Shakespeare in the Movies proceeds chronologically, in the order that plays were written, allowing the reader to trace the development of Shakespeare as an author-and an auteur-and to see how the changing cultural climate of the Elizabethans flowered into film centuries later. Prolific film writer Douglas Brode provides historical background, production details, contemporary critical reactions, and his own incisive analysis, covering everything from the acting of Marlon Brando, Laurence Olivier, Richard Burton, and Gwyneth Paltrow, to the direction of Orson Welles, Kenneth Branagh, and others. Brode also considers the many films which, though not strict adaptations, contain significant Shakespearean content, such as West Side Story and Kurosawa's Ran and Throne of Blood. Nor does Brode ignore the ignoble treatment the master has sometimes received. We learn, for instance, that the 1929 version of The Taming of the Shrew (which featured the eyebrow-raising writing credit: "By William Shakespeare, with additional dialogue by Sam Taylor"), opens not so trippingly on the tongue-PETRUCHIO: "Howdy Kate." KATE: "Katherine to you, mug." For anyone wishing to cast a backward glance over the poet's film career and to better understand his current big-screen popularity, Shakespeare in the Movies is a delightful and definitive guide.


A series of infiltration and tracer experiments was conducted in unsaturated sand and gravel deposits on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. A network of 112 porous cup lysimeters and 168 time domain reflectometry (TDR) probes was deployed at depths from 0.25 to 2.0 m below ground surface along the centerline of a 2-m by 10-m test plot. The test plot was irrigated at rates ranging from 7.9 to 37.0 cm h−1 through a sprinkler system. Transient and steady state water content distributions were monitored with the TDR probes and spatial properties of water content distributions were determined from the TDR data. The spatial variance of the water content tended to increase as the average water content increased. In addition, estimated horizontal correlation length scales for water content were significantly smaller than those estimated by previous investigators for saturated hydraulic conductivity. Under steady state flow conditions at each irrigation rate, a sodium chloride solution was released as a tracer at ground surface and tracked with both the lysimeter and TDR networks. Transect-averaged breakthrough curves at each monitoring depth were constructed both from solute concentrations measured in the water samples and flux concentrations inferred from the TDR measurements. Transport properties, including apparent solute velocities, dispersion coefficients, and total mass balances, were determined independently from both sets of breakthrough curves. The dispersion coefficients tended to increase with depth, reaching a constant value with the lysimeter data and appearing to increase continually with the TDR data. The variations with depth of the solute transport parameters, along with observations of water and solute mass balance and spatial distributions of water content, provide evidence of significant three-dimensional flow during the irrigation experiments. The TDR methods are shown to efficiently provide dense spatial and temporal data sets for both flow and solute transport in unsaturated sediments with minimal sediment and flow field disturbance. Combined implementation of lysimeters and TDR probes can enhance data interpretation particularly when three-dimensional flow conditions are anticipated.


We revise two relatively rare ensign wasp genera, whose species are restricted to Sub-Saharan Africa: Afrevania and Trissevania. Afrevania longipetiolata sp. nov., Trissevania heatherae sp. nov., T. hugoi sp. nov., T. mrimaensis sp. nov. and T. slideri sp. nov. are described, males and females of T. anemotis and Afrevania leroyi are redescribed, and an identification key for Trissevaniini is provided. We argue that Trissevania mrimaensis sp. nov. and T. heatherae sp. nov. populations are vulnerable, given their limited distributions and threats from mining activities in Kenya. We hypothesize that these taxa together comprise a monophyletic lineage, Trissevaniini, tr. nov., the members of which share the ability to fold their fore wings along two intersecting fold lines. Although wing folding of this type has been described for the hind wing of some insects four-plane wing folding of the fore wing has never been documented. The wing folding mechanism and the pattern of wing folds of Trissevaniini is shared only with some cockroach species (Blattodea). It is an interesting coincidence that all evaniids are predators of cockroach eggs. The major wing fold lines of Trissevaniini likely are not homologous to any known longitudinal anatomical structures on the wings of other Evaniidae. Members of the new tribe share the presence of a coupling mechanism between the fore wing and the mesosoma that is composed of a setal patch on the mesosoma and the retinaculum of the fore wing. While the setal patch is an evolutionary novelty, the retinaculum, which originally evolved to facilitate fore and hind wing coupling in Hymenoptera, exemplifies morphological exaptation. We also refine and clarify the Semantic Phenotype approach used in previous taxonomic revisions and explore the consequences of merging new with existing data. The way that semantic statements are formulated can evolve in parallel, alongside improvements to the ontologies themselves.


We use causal forests to evaluate the heterogeneous treatment effects (TEs) of repeated behavioral nudges towards household energy conservation. The average response is a monthly electricity reduction of 9 kilowatt-hours (kWh), but the full distribution of responses ranges from -30 to +10 kWh. Selective targeting of treatment using the forest raises social net benefits by 12-120 percent, depending on the year and welfare function. Pre-treatment consumption and home value are the strongest predictors of treatment effect. We find suggestive evidence of a "boomerang effect": households with lower consumption than similar neighbors are the ones with positive TE estimates.


The present study characterises the tree communities with respect to topographic and climatic variables and identifies the most important environmental correlate of species richness in the southern region of Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot, India. Digitally derived environmental variables in combination with tree species richness information were analysed using Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) to characterise the communities. Multiple regression technique based on stepwise backward elimination was used to identify the most important environment correlate of species richness. Canonical correspondence analysis results in six major tree communities along the first and second axes. Rainfall is the dominant environmental gradient influencing vegetation patterns on the first CCA axis while elevation showed the highest correlation with the second CCA axis. Backward elimination regression technique yielded rainfall as the most important environmental correlate of species richness. Results were in agreement with the observations in the Neotropics that rainier areas maintain high species diversity.


The purpose of this study was to investigate the vertical dependence of the basic density of Scots pine, Norway spruce, and birch stems, and how such dependence could be applied for determining the average stem wood density. The study material consisted of 38 Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), 39 Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) and 15 birch (Betula pendula and Betula pubescens) stands located on mineral soil sites in southern Finland. The stem material mainly represented thinning removal from stands at different stages of development. The linear mixed model technique, with both fixed and random effects, was used to estimate the model. According to the fixed part of the model, wood density was dependent on the vertical loca tion along the stem in all three tree species. Wood density in pine decreased from the butt to the top, and the gradient in wood density was steep at the butt but decreased in the upper part of the stem. The vertical dependence was similar in birch, but the density gradient was much smaller. For spruce the vertical dependence of the basic density was moderate. The model can be calibrated for a tree stem when one or more sample disks are measured at freely selected heights. Using treewise calibrated predictions of the vertical density dependence and measured stem diameters, almost unbiased estimates, and lower prediction errors than with traditional methods, were obtained for the average stem wood density. The advantages of the method were greater for pine with a strong vertical dependence in basic density, than for spruce and birch.


When confronted with an adaptive challenge, such as extreme temperature, closely related species frequently evolve similar phenotypes using the same genes. Although such repeated evolution is thought to be less likely in highly polygenic traits and distantly related species, this has not been tested at the genome scale. We performed a population genomic study of convergent local adaptation among two distantly related species, lodgepole pine and interior spruce. We identified a suite of 47 genes, enriched for duplicated genes, with variants associated with spatial variation in temperature or cold hardiness in both species, providing evidence of convergent local adaptation despite 140 million years of separate evolution. These results show that adaptation to climate can be genetically constrained, with certain key genes playing nonredundant roles.


 Abstract — Most of the earliest national industries in Wuhan are located along the Hanjiang River, and Qiaokou is considered to be a gathering place for Dahankou old industrial base. Zongguan Waterworks, Pacific Soap Factory, Fuxin Flour Factory, Nanyang Tobacco Factory and other hundred-year-old factories are located along Hanjiang River in Qiaokou District, especially the Gutian Industrial Zone, which was listed as one of 156 national restoration projects at the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China. After decades of development, Qiaokou has become the gathering place of the chemical industry and secondary industry, causing damage to the city and serious pollution, becoming a marginalized area forgotten by the central city. In recent years, with the accelerated pace of urban renewal, Qiaokou has been constantly reforming and innovating, and has begun drastic changes in the transformation of old cities and the development of new districts. These factories have been listed as key reconstruction projects, and a large number of industrial heritage with historical value and full urban memory have been relocated, demolished and reformed, with only a few factory buildings preserved. Through the methods of industrial archaeology, image analysis, typology and field investigation, this paper analyzes and summarizes the spatial characteristics of industrial heritage in Qiaokou District, explores urban renewal from the perspective of industrial heritage protection, and provides design strategies for the regeneration of urban industrial sites and industrial heritage.


We have developed a set of low-cost, wireless motion sensors that enable a large group of dancers to participate concurrently in a real-time, interactive musical performance. These sensors are either worn or held by participants and transmit a short RF pulse at the extremes of limb motion. The RF pulses are received by a base station and analyzed to detect rhythmic features and estimate the general activity level of the group. These data are then used to generate music that can either lead or follow the participants' actions, thereby tightening the feedback loop between music and dancer.


The paper looks at the development philosophy behind the establishment of the Lukzum Samdrupling, the first Tibetan refugee settlement in India and how it was received by the refugees. After reviewing Chinese development concepts in the 1950's and 1960's with an emphasis on Tibet, the paper explores the central concepts of Indian development philosophy at that time, such as cooperative, scientific farming and modern family planning, and how they were implemented in the design of Lukzum Samdrupling. Based on documents in the old settlement files the impact of various development schemes as well as resistance among the refugees are also highlighted with a special focus on the role of the foreign donor organization Swiss Technical Cooperation. In conclusion, the paper points out the irony in escaping from Tibet to avoid becoming objects of Chinese development philosophy only to become objects of a similar Indian development philosophy, and suggests that the planners conceived Lukzum Samdrupling as a model for rural development intended to show the benefits of modern life to people in the surrounding area and to bring development to an underdeveloped region of the country. (Less)