Title of dissertation: MATHEMATICAL MODELS AND SIMULATIONS OF PHOTOTAXIS AND CANCER IMMUNE INTERACTIONS Amanda Rae Galante Doctor of Philosophy, 2012 Dissertation directed by: Doron Levy Department of Mathematics and Center for Scientific Computation and Mathematical Modeling The macroscopic dynamics created by complex systems of microscopic cells can be better understood using mathematical modeling. In this dissertation, we study the dynamics of two different biological systems: phototaxis exhibited by cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. and cancer immune interactions as affected by the protein B7-H1. Synechocystis sp., a common unicellular freshwater cyanobacterium, has been used as a model organism to study phototaxis, i.e. motion in the direction of a light source. This microorganism displays a number of additional characteristics such as delayed motion, surface dependence, and a quasi-random motion, where cells move in a seemingly disordered fashion instead of in the direction of the light source. These unexplained motions are thought to be modulated by local interactions between cells. In this work, we formulate a model of local interactions between phototactic cells in order to study the structure of their quasi-random motion. We present a stochastic dynamic particle system modeling interacting phototactic cells. We extend our model of local interactions to include global forcing due to light. We also add an activation process of cells as they become affected by the presence of light. We study the parameter space of our model by deriving a system of ordinary differential equations that describe the dynamics of the system in one dimension. The simulations of our model are consistent with experimentally observed phototactic motion. The second part of this dissertation focuses on the surface protein B7-H1. This protein, also called PD-L1 and CD274, is found on carcinomas of the lung, ovary, colon and melanomas but not on most normal tissues. B7-H1 has been experimentally determined to be an anti-apoptotic receptor on cancer cells, where B7-H1-positive cancer cells have been shown to be immune resistant, and in vitro experiments and mouse models have shown that B7-H1-negative tumor cells are significantly more susceptible to being repressed by the immune system. We derive a mathematical model for studying the interaction between cytotoxic T cells and tumor cells as affected by B7-H1. By integrating experimental data into the model, we isolate the parameters that control the dynamics and obtain insights on the mechanisms that control apoptosis. MATHEMATICAL MODELS AND SIMULATIONS OF PHOTOTAXIS AND CANCER IMMUNE INTERACTIONS


Abstract. Oxidation flow reactors (OFRs) using low-pressure Hg lamp emission at 185 and 254 nm produce OH radicals efficiently and are widely used in atmospheric chemistry and other fields. However, knowledge of detailed OFR chemistry is limited, allowing speculation in the literature about whether some non-OH reactants, including several not relevant for tropospheric chemistry, may play an important role in these OFRs. These non-OH reactants are UV radiation, O(1D), O(3P), and O3. In this study, we investigate the relative importance of other reactants to OH for the fate of reactant species in OFR under a wide range of conditions via box modeling. The relative importance of non-OH species is less sensitive to UV light intensity than to water vapor mixing ratio (H2O) and external OH reactivity (OHRext), as both non-OH reactants and OH scale roughly proportionally to UV intensity. We show that for field studies in forested regions and also the urban area of Los Angeles, reactants of atmospheric interest are predominantly consumed by OH. We find that O(1D), O(3P), and O3 have relative contributions to volatile organic compound (VOC) consumption that are similar or lower than in the troposphere. The impact of O atoms can be neglected under most conditions in both OFR and troposphere. We define "riskier OFR conditions" as those with either low H2O (  200 s−1 in OFR254). We strongly suggest avoiding such conditions as the importance of non-OH reactants can be substantial for the most sensitive species, although OH may still dominate under some riskier conditions, depending on the species present. Photolysis at non-tropospheric wavelengths (185 and 254 nm) may play a significant (> 20 %) role in the degradation of some aromatics, as well as some oxidation intermediates, under riskier reactor conditions, if the quantum yields are high. Under riskier conditions, some biogenics can have substantial destructions by O3, similarly to the troposphere. Working under low O2 (volume mixing ratio of 0.002) with the OFR185 mode allows OH to completely dominate over O3 reactions even for the biogenic species most reactive with O3. Non-tropospheric VOC photolysis may have been a problem in some laboratory and source studies, but can be avoided or lessened in future studies by diluting source emissions and working at lower precursor concentrations in laboratory studies and by humidification. Photolysis of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) samples is estimated to be significant (> 20 %) under the upper limit assumption of unity quantum yield at medium (1 × 1013 and 1.5 × 1015 photons cm−2 s−1 at 185 and 254 nm, respectively) or higher UV flux settings. The need for quantum yield measurements of both VOC and SOA photolysis is highlighted in this study. The results of this study allow improved OFR operation and experimental design and also inform the design of future reactors.


We demonstrate silicon heterojunction solar cells with microscale effectively transparent front contacts (ETCs) that redirect incoming light to the active area of the solar cell. Replacing standard contact electrodes by ETCs leads to an enhancement in short circuit current density of 2.2 mA cm−2 through mitigation of 6% shading losses and improved antireflection layers. ETCs enable low loss lateral carrier transport, with cells achieving an 80.7% fill factor. Furthermore, dense spacing of the contact lines allows for a reduced indium tin oxide thickness and use of non-conductive, optically optimized antireflection coatings such as silicon nitride. We investigated the performance of ETCs under varying light incidence angles, and for angles parallel to the ETC lines find that there is no difference in photocurrent density with respect to bare indium tin oxide layers. For angles perpendicular to the ETC lines, we find that the external quantum efficiency (EQE) always outperforms cells with flat contact grids.


The social complexity hypothesis asserts that animals living in large social groups should display enhanced cognitive abilities along predictable dimensions. To test this concept, we compared highly social pinyon jays, Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus, with relatively nonsocial western scrub-jays, Aphelocoma californica, on two complex cognitive tasks relevant to the ability to track and assess social relationships. Pinyon jays learned to track multiple dyadic relationships more rapidly and more accurately than scrub-jays and appeared to display a more robust and accurate mechanism of transitive inference. These results provide a clear demonstration of the association between social complexity and cognition in animals.


We propose a new type of nanodevice, capable of both path-selectivity and anisotropic lasing, that is based on loss-compensation and amplification by a localized plasmon polariton. The nanodevice is a Y-shaped plasmonic nanostructure embedded in an anisotropic host medium with gain. The anisotropy leads to path selectivity, an effect which is more pronounced once gain is included. Such a device is potentially realizable via bottom-up techniques. The path-selectivity may be coupled with activation of a rotation of the anisotropic host medium for inducing a light-guiding switching functionality.


Objective: It is investigated to which extent measures of nonlinearity derived from surrogate data analysis are capable to quantify the changes of epileptic activity related to varying vigilance levels. Methods: Surface and intracranial EEG from foramen ovale (FO-)electrodes was recorded from a patient with temporal lobe epilepsy under presurgical evaluation over one night. Different measures of nonlinearity were estimated for non-overlapping 30-s segments for selected channels from surface and intracranial EEG. Additionally spectral measures were calculated. Sleep stages were scored according to Rechtschaffen/Kales and epileptic transients were counted and classified by visual inspection. Results: In the intracranial recordings stronger nonlinearity was found ipsilateral to the epileptogenic focus, more pronounced in NREM sleep, weaker in REM sleep. The dynamics within the NREM episodes varied with the different nonlinearity measures. Some nonlinearity measures showed variations with the sleep cycle also in the intracranial recordings contralateral to the epileptic focus and in the surface EEG. It is shown that the nonlinearity is correlated with short-term fluctuations of the delta power. The higher frequency of occurrence of clinical relevant epileptic spikes in the first NREM episode was not clearly reflected in the nonlinearity measures. Conclusions: It was confirmed that epileptic activity renders the EEG nonlinear. However, it was shown that the sleep dynamics itself also effects the nonlinearity measures. Therefore, at the present stage it is not possible to establish a unique connection between the studied nonlinearity measures and specific types of epileptic activity in sleep EEG recordings.


Our community-based participatory research partnership engaged in a multistep process to refine a culturally congruent intervention that builds on existing community strengths to promote sexual health among immigrant Latino men who have sex with men (MSM). The steps were the following: (1) increase Latino MSM participation in the existing partnership, (2) establish an Intervention Team, (3) review the existing sexual health literature, (4) explore needs and priorities of Latino MSM, (5) narrow priorities based on what is important and changeable, (6) blend health behavior theory with Latino MSM's lived experiences, (7) design an intervention conceptual model, (8) develop training modules and (9) resource materials, and (10) pretest and (11) revise the intervention. The developed intervention contains four modules to train Latino MSM to serve as lay health advisors known as Navegantes. These modules synthesize locally collected data with other local and national data; blend health behavior theory, the lived experiences, and cultural values of immigrant Latino MSM; and harness the informal social support Latino MSM provide one another. This community-level intervention is designed to meet the expressed sexual health priorities of Latino MSM. It frames disease prevention within sexual health promotion.


Self-affirmation shows promise as a technique for promoting more open-minded responding to health-risk information. However, studies to date have largely ignored a prevalent type of health information: experiential or narrative information. The aims of this research programme were therefore to (1) examine whether self-affirmation would promote more open-minded responding to narrative information and (2) test individual differences in systematic processing as a potential moderator.
Chapter 2, Study 1 (N = 52) found that self-affirmation encouraged less derogation and counter-arguing in response to a narrative leaflet detailing the risks of alcohol consumption. Low systematic processors reported consuming significantly less alcohol at follow-up, despite initially reporting lower risk perceptions. In Study 2 (N = 67), self-affirmation produced mixed effects on outcomes. Moderation analyses showed that those low in systematic processing reported lower personal relevance and negative affect following the message, and evidence of less engagement with the narrative (lower reported attention to the narrative and less perspective taking), when self-affirmed.
In the study reported in Chapter 3 (N = 142), after viewing a narrative video outlining the risks of alcohol consumption, self-affirmed participants reported consuming significantly less alcohol at follow-up. Self-affirmed participants also engaged in more open-minded responding (e.g., evidence of more message acceptance) to the health information, which was mediated by narrative engagement. Systematic processing did not moderate any effects.
In Chapter 4, Study 1 (N = 157) a graphic narrative about the benefits of exercise was no more effective in changing outcomes than a non-narrative version of the same information. In Study 2 (N =71), the few effects of self-affirmation were typically moderated by systematic processing.
Chapter 5 (N = 197) examined the impact of self-affirmation on a real health campaign that uses narrative formats to present information: Dry January. Again systematic processing typically moderated the effects of self-affirmation.
On balance, the research programme provides some evidence that self-affirmation can promote more open-minded responding to narrative information. However, those low in systematic processing tended to show less persuasion when self-affirmed.


OBJECTIVE To determine whether infrared thermographic images obtained the morning after overnight heat abatement could be used as the basis for diagnostic algorithms to predict subsequent heat stress events in feedlot cattle exposed to high ambient temperatures. ANIMALS 60 crossbred beef heifers (mean ± SD body weight, 385.8 ± 20.3 kg). PROCEDURES Calves were housed in groups of 20 in 3 pens without any shade. During the 6 am and 3 pm hours on each of 10 days during a 14-day period when the daily ambient temperature was forecasted to be > 29.4°C, an investigator walked outside each pen and obtained profile digital thermal images of and assigned panting scores to calves near the periphery of the pen. Relationships between infrared thermographic data and panting scores were evaluated with artificial learning models. RESULTS Afternoon panting score was positively associated with morning but not afternoon thermographic data (body surface temperature). Evaluation of multiple artificial learning models indicated that morning body surface temperature was not an accurate predictor of an afternoon heat stress event, and thermographic data were of little predictive benefit, compared with morning and forecasted weather conditions. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated infrared thermography was an objective method to monitor beef calves for heat stress in research settings. However, thermographic data obtained in the morning did not accurately predict which calves would develop heat stress later in the day. The use of infrared thermography as a diagnostic tool for monitoring heat stress in feedlot cattle requires further investigation.


The one-sector Solow-Ramsey model is the most popular model of long-run economic growth. This paper argues that a two-sector approach, which distinguishes the durable goods sector from the rest of the economy, provides a far better picture of the long-run behavior of the U.S. economy. Real durable goods output has consistently grown faster than the rest of the economy. Because most investment spending is on durable goods, the one-sector model's hypothesis of balanced growth, so that the real aggregates for consumption, investment, output, and the capital stock all grow at the same rate in the long run, is rejected by U.S. data. In addition, to model these aggregates as currently constructed in the U.S. National Accounts, a two-sector approach is required. Implications for empirical macroeconomics are explored.


The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is an advanced technique that supports decision makers in structuring complex decisions, quantifying intangible factors, and evaluating choices in multiobjective decision situations. It is a comprehensive and rational decision-making framework that provides a powerful methodology for determining relative worth among a set of elements. AHP is especially suitable for complex decisions that involve the comparison of decision elements which are difficult to quantify. The AHP, and its more recent version the Analytic Network Process (ANP), were developed by Dr. Thomas Saaty and have been applied in a wide variety of decision situations in organizations worldwide. AHP is particularly applicable in managing software complexity, and in Quality Function Deployment (QFD), as presented in Chapter 11 of the book Design for Trustworthy Software.This short cut illustrates the application of AHP in prioritizing complex design issues. It also shows how AHP and its supporting software, Expert Choice (EC), can handle much higher levels of complexities accurately and expeditiously than the prioritization matrices introduced in Chapter 7 of Design for Trustworthy Software. In addition to solutions facilitated by EC, this short cut also illustrates two known approximations to AHP solutions using manual calculations. Manual calculations can be used to solve relatively less complex problems. They are presented in this short cut to illustrate the first principles and the steps involved in AHP.This short cut is a reproduction of Chapter 8 of the book Design for Trustworthy Software and introduces AHP with a simple example. It can be used either as a methodology in trustworthy software design process or as a standalone introductory presentation on AHP.This short cut should be of interest to software and quality professionals. In particular, it would be of value to the CMMI, Six Sigma, and DFSS communities worldwide, especially those who have acquired or plan to acquire Green Belt, Black Belt, Master Black Belt, or similar competencies in various quality management disciplines. It should also be a useful resource for students and academicians of various programs at senior undergraduate and graduate levels, and for those preparing for ASQ's Certified Software Quality Engineer (CSQE) examination.What This Short Cut Covers 3Introduction 4Prioritization, Complexity, and the Analytic Hierarchy Process 4Multiobjective Decision-Making and AHP 5Case Study 1 Solution Using Expert Choice 12Approximations to AHP with Manual Calculations 22Conclusion 33Key Points 33Additional Resources 34Internet Exercises 34Review Questions 34Discussion Questions and Projects 35Problems 36Endnotes 45What's in the Book Design for Trustworthy Software 47About the Authors 52The Design for Trustworthy Software Digital Short Cut Compilation 53


Combination of antiangiogenic treatment and immune checkpoint inhibition improves antitumor immunity. Antitumor attack on two fronts The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors and other immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer is continuing to expand as these drugs demonstrate effectiveness in progressively more cancer types and therapeutic contexts. At the same time, the drugs are not perfect, and not all patients respond to them, so a key subject of research in this field is determining optimal ways to combine immune checkpoint therapies with other cancer treatments. Schmittnaegel et al. and Allen et al. focused their studies on the combination of antiangiogenic treatments with checkpoint inhibitors. The authors demonstrated how inhibition of tumor angiogenesis can facilitate the access of cytotoxic T cells to tumors, while the checkpoint inhibitors protect these T cells from exhaustion, enhancing their antitumor effects. Pathological angiogenesis is a hallmark of cancer and a therapeutic target. Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and angiopoietin-2 (ANGPT2; also known as ANG2) are proangiogenic cytokines that sustain tumor angiogenesis and limit antitumor immunity. We show that combined ANGPT2 and VEGFA blockade by a bispecific antibody (A2V) provided superior therapeutic benefits, as compared to the single agents, in both genetically engineered and transplant tumor models, including metastatic breast cancer (MMTV-PyMT), pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (RIP1-Tag2), and melanoma. Mechanistically, A2V promoted vascular regression, tumor necrosis, and antigen presentation by intratumoral phagocytes. A2V also normalized the remaining blood vessels and facilitated the extravasation and perivascular accumulation of activated, interferon-γ (IFNγ)–expressing CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Whereas the antitumoral activity of A2V was, at least partly, CTL-dependent, perivascular T cells concurrently up-regulated the expression of the immune checkpoint ligand programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in tumor endothelial cells. IFNγ neutralization blunted this adaptive response, and PD-1 blockade improved tumor control by A2V in different cancer models. These findings position immune cells as key effectors of antiangiogenic therapy and support the rationale for cotargeting angiogenesis and immune checkpoints in cancer therapy.


Cell biology is in transition from reductionism to a more integrated science. Large-scale analysis of genome structure, gene expression, and metabolites are new technologies available for studying cardiac metabolism in diseases known to modify cardiac function. These technologies have several limitations and this review aims both to assess and take a critical look at some important results obtained in genomics restricted to molecular genetics, transcriptomics and metabolomics of cardiac metabolism in pathophysiological processes known to alter myocardial function. Therefore, our goal was to delineate new signalling pathways and new areas of research from the vast amount of data already published on genomics as applied to cardiac metabolism in diseases such as coronary heart disease, heart failure, and ischaemic reperfusion.


OF DISSERTATION PRECLINICAL AND CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE LIPOPHILIC CAMPTOTHECIN ANALOGUE AR-67 AR-67 is a lipophilic third generation camptothecin analogue, currently under early stage clinical trials. It acts by targeting Topoisomerase 1 (Top1), a nuclear enzyme essential for DNA replication and transcription and is present in two forms, the pharmacologically active lipophilic lactone and the charged carboxylate. In oncology patients participating in a phase I clinical trial, AR-67 lactone was the predominant species in plasma. Similarly to other camptothecins, the identified dose-limiting toxicities for AR-67 were neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and fatigue. In addition, in vitro metabolism studies indicated AR-67 lactone as a substrate for CYP3A4/5 as well as the UGT1A7 and UGT1A8 enzymes localizing in the liver and the gut. Numerous studies have demonstrated the over-expression of transporters in certain tumor types. Here, the effect of interactions between AR-67 and efflux or uptake transporters on the antitumor efficacy of AR-67 in vitro was studied. We showed that BCRP and MDR1 overexpression confers resistance to AR-67. Moreover, we demonstrated the therapeutic superiority of protracted dosing over more intense dosing regimens of AR-67 using xenografts models. Our studies indicated the schedule-dependent expression of Top1 and the preferential partitioning of AR-67 in the tumor tissue. We reason that these are factors that need to be taken into consideration when designing dosing schedules aiming to maximize efficacy. As most cytotoxic drugs, AR-67 has a narrow therapeutic window. Thus, it is essential to identify the variables influencing exposure to this camptothecin analogue. A thorough compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis was performed on the patient data obtained in a phase 1 clinical trial on AR-67. Moreover, sources of intersubject variability associated with obtaining pharmacokinetic parameter estimates were identified and a population covariate pharmacokinetic model was developed. In conclusion, the drug development of AR-67 is a work in process. Findings presented above provide an insight on the factors contributing to its efficacy and toxicity when given to cancer patients.


Part I of this Note examines the case law that addresses the issue of U.S. bank home office liability. Part II analyzes U.S. monetary policy provisions that affect deposits held in foreign branches of U.S. banks and the conditions under which a U.S. bank may become a guarantor. Part III argues that the case law holding the U.S. bank home office liable implies a guaranty term into the deposit account contract and frustrates efforts to regulate U.S. monetary policy. This Note concludes that unless appropriate arragements are made between the foreign depositor and the U.S. bank home office, the home office should not be liable for the return of deposits held in its foreign branches. HOLDING U.S. BANK HOME OFFICES LIABLE FOR DEPOSITS IN THEIR FOREIGN BRANCHES


The identification of modifiable risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) and therapies for their management has led to the development of many national and international guidelines. However, despite the general acceptance and use of such guidelines, CHD, the principal manifestation of cardiovascular disease (CVD), remains the leading cause of mortality worldwide, with dyslipidaemia one of the most important modifiable risk factors. Many patients remain unidentified and untreated or, if receiving treatment, do not reach guideline targets. All guidelines recommend screening strategies for identifying at-risk patients and assessment. Lifestyle changes are the basis of any treatment strategy, with patients often requiring behavioural counselling. Those unable to achieve or maintain adequate risk reduction on lifestyle changes alone, and high-risk patients, also require pharmaco-therapy. Reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) remains an important goal of pharmaco-therapy, although some patients, particularly those with diabetes, may need to reduce triglycerides and increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Statins are the first-choice agents for LDL-C reduction. However, optimal dosage is important. Many patients fail to adhere to therapy, and primary care physicians are best placed to instigate adherence-enhancing strategies, which may ultimately reduce mortality and morbidity. This clinical review highlights the problems in current CHD risk management and summarises the updated evidence base within clinical recommendations to effectively manage at-risk patients.


A recent methodology, developed by our group, has enabled a dramatic improvement in the emissive nature of the excited species, formed during the chemiexcitation of dioxetanes under physiological conditions. This approach has resulted in the discovery of distinct phenoxy-dioxetane luminophores that produce a chemiluminescence signal via a direct-mode of emission. Here, we show a significant pKa effect of our new phenoxy-dioxetanes on their chemiexcitation and on their ability to serve as chemiluminescent turn-ON probes for biological applications. Using an appropriate phenoxy-dioxetane probe with a direct-mode of emission, we were able to image β-galactosidase activity, in cancer cells and in tumor-bearing mice. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example to demonstrate in vitro and in vivo endogenous enzymatic chemiluminescence images obtained by a single-component phenoxy-dioxetane probe. We anticipate that our strategy, for the design and synthesis of such distinct luminophores, will assist in providing new effective turn-ON probes for non-invasive intravital chemiluminescence imaging techniques.

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The convenience and affordability of single-use plastic products makes them an attractive option for consumers. The toxic constituents of these traditional plastics, however, are known to cause a variety of health issues in thousands of species. These environmental hazards, along with the issue of white plastic and microplastic pollution, causes increased interest in biodegradable alternatives to petroleum-based hydrocarbons. In this research, a novel bioplastic inclusive of bamboo tannins and chitosan is selected from more than 60 trial formula variations based on resulting strength, fatigue, and transparency attributes. The biodegradability of the finalized bioplastic is compared to that of conventional polyethylene, in addition to investigating its solubility and water absorbance. Biodegradation rates of the bio-based plastic exceeded that of the petroleum-based formula, as determined with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIRATR) analysis. The behavior of the experimental product in water deviated from the initial hypothesis, with substantial weight increase of approximately 193% after 60 minutes. A cost analysis displayed a difference of $0.0016 between the two products, with the natural additives of the experimental being more expensive. This research displays the potential of a legitimate, fully biodegradable plastic alternative to current marketplace bioplastics.


Impurities arise in the production of molecular pharmaceutical and fine chemical products and are often addressed by crystallisation. However, impurities are not always adequately removed by crystallisations and in some cases impurities are to a certain extent incorporated within crystal particles. The present work aims to develop approaches to mapping the distribution of impurities within crystal particles for samples of multiple particles by controlled stepwise dissolution in conjunction with analysis by HPLC and sizing of the crystals. 2-Nitro-4-trifluoromethylacetanilide (1) was selected as the compound for study while 4-methyl-2-nitroacetanilide (2), 4-chloro-2-nitroacetanilide (3) and N-(2-nitro-4-trifluoromethylphenyl)pivalamide (4) were selected as the added impurities. The degree of incorporation of additives 2, 3 and 4 into crystals of compound 1 grown from solutions containing up to 10% of the additive was determined, using 50% aqueous ethanol and toluene as solvents. The stepwise dissolution of samples of crystals of compound 1 in hexane, in which compound 1 has low solubility, containing 2-(2-ethylhexyloxy)ethanol to inhibit flocculation, showed reasonably even dissolution of all crystal particles. Analysis of the resulting solutions by HPLC gave composition data which could be assigned to averaged dissolution regions of the crystals, generating distributions of the level of each additive throughout the crystal particle, these being found to be relatively even for additive 2 and 3, and uneven for additive 4.


Counting and enumeration of local topological structures, such as triangles, is an important task for analyzing large real‐life networks. For instance, triangle count in a network is used to compute transitivity—an important property for understanding graph evolution over time. Triangles are also used for various other tasks completed for real‐life networks, including community discovery, link prediction, and spam filtering. The task of triangle counting, though simple, has gained wide attention in recent years from the data mining community. This is due to the fact that most of the existing algorithms for counting triangles do not scale well to very large networks with millions (or even billions) of vertices. To circumvent this limitation, researchers proposed triangle counting methods that approximate the count or run on distributed clusters. In this paper, we discuss the existing methods of triangle counting, ranging from sequential to parallel, single‐machine to distributed, exact to approximate, and off‐line to streaming. We also present experimental results of performance comparison among a set of approximate triangle counting methods built under a unified implementation framework. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of future works in this direction. WIREs Data Mining Knowl Discov 2018, 8:e1226. doi: 10.1002/widm.1226


We establish a broad generalization of Whitney's broken circuit theorem on the chromatic polynomial of a graph to sums of type $\sum_{A\subseteq S} f(A)$ where $S$ is a finite set and $f$ is a mapping from the power set of $S$ into an abelian group. We give applications to the domination polynomial and the subgraph component polynomial of a graph, the chromatic polynomial of a hypergraph, the characteristic polynomial and Crapo's beta invariant of a matroid, and the principle of inclusion-exclusion. Thus, we discover several known and new results in a concise and unified way. As further applications of our main result, we derive a new generalization of the maximums-minimums identity and of a theorem due to Blass and Sagan on the M\"obius function of a finite lattice, which generalizes Rota's crosscut theorem. For the classical M\"obius function, both Euler's totient function and its Dirichlet inverse, and the reciprocal of the Riemann zeta function we obtain new expansions involving the greatest common divisor resp. least common multiple. We finally establish an even broader generalization of Whitney's broken circuit theorem in the context of convex geometries (antimatroids).


This paper reinterprets the ? -core (Chander and Tulkens (1995, 1997)) and justifies it as well as its prediction that the efficient coalition structure is stable in terms of the coalition formation theory. It is assumed that coalitions can freely merge or break apart, are farsighted (that is, it is the final and not the immediate payoffs that matter to the coalitions) and a coalition may deviate if and only if it stands to gain from it. It is then shown that subsequent to a deviation by a coalition, the nonmembers will have incentives to break apart into singletons, as is assumed in the definition of the ? - characteristic function, and that the grand coalition is the only stable coalition structure.


Abstract: Through the use of novel imaging techniques, we have observed direct steroid receptor binding to a tandem array of a hormone‐responsive promoter in living cells. We found that the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) exchanges rapidly with regulatory elements in the continued presence of ligand. We have also reconstituted a GR‐dependent nucleoprotein transition with chromatin assembled on promoter DNA, and we discovered that GR is actively displaced from the chromatin template during the chromatin remodeling process. Using high‐intensity UV laser crosslinking, we have observed highly periodic interactions of GR with promoter chromatin. These periodic binding events are dependent on GR‐directed hSWI/SNF remodeling of the template and require the presence of ATP. Both the in vitro and in vivo results are consistent with a dynamic model ("hit‐and‐run") in which GR first binds to chromatin after ligand activation, recruits a remodeling activity, and is simultaneously lost from the template. We also find that receptor mobility in the nucleoplasm is strongly enhanced by molecular chaperones. These observations indicate that multiple mechanisms are involved in transient receptor interactions with nucleoplasmic targets.


Aim/Purpose The objective of this study is to understand how video lectures of the same length and content as the current face-to-face lectures can be designed and implemented to have a positive effect on student performance, particularly when there is a campus shutdown. Background In a number of South African universities protests by the students are on the increase. Often, they lead to the cancellation of academic activities such as faceto-face classes and examinations. Methodology A quasi-experimental design was used on two video lectures to (1) compare the performance of the students who did not watch the video lectures and those who watched the video lectures, (2) compare the performance of each student who watched the video lectures on the test topics covered in the videos and the test topics not covered in the videos, and (3) determine the factors that influence the effectiveness of the video lectures. Contribution This study contributes to the literature by investigating the effectiveness of video lectures in improving student performance, the factors associated to the effectiveness of such lectures, and the complexity or simplicity of the two video lectures used, and by providing possible solutions to the challenges identified in relation to designing video lectures. Findings In terms of student performance, there is no significant advantage arising from watching the video lectures for the students who watch the video lectures, as compared to those who did not watch the video lectures. It is also found that the student performance on the topics with video lectures is significantly associated to the students' commitment, prior performance, the quality of the content, and the design of the videos. Recommendations for Practitioners This study recommends how the accounting video lectures can be designed and highlights the environments in which the video lectures of the same length and content as the face-to-face lectures should not be used. Accounting Video Lectures 208 Recommendation for Researchers Researchers should replicate this study by using short length videos of better quality and appropriate length, which incorporate current issues, games, are interactive, and so forth. Impact on Society This study examines the use of educational video lectures in order to minimise the impact of disruptions at university level. Future Research Future studies may use randomly selecting treatment and control groups. They may consider a nationwide research or using qualitative interviews in examining the use of educational video lectures.


There is currently a widespread societal expectation for businesses to respect and support human rights. The apparent simplicity of this expectation contrasts sharply against the difficulty of specifying with precision the boundaries of corporate social responsibilities (CSR). This Article argues that the basis of these difficulties is the uncertainty regarding the responsibility of a business for the actions of third parties. In contrast, the responsibility for abuses caused by a corporation's own actions is less controversial and is grounded in tort laws. As made apparent by numerous CSR front-page stories, responsibility may also arise from a company's culpable omission to monitor and influence its business partners. This Article draws attention to the importance of better understanding the inherent tensions affecting positive obligations to act. The analysis herein reviews existing CSR literature and its reliance on the concept of 'complicity,' and draws on various bodies of law—particularly the law of negligence and international human rights law (IHRL)—to enrich discussions with the authoritative reasoning of courts that have dealt previously with similar issues. (Less)


The manufacturing industry applies approaches in early development stages, i.e. product design, that heavily relies on computer support. The concept of Knowledge Based Engineering systems could represent this approach. However an ongoing trend in manufacturing industry to increase the service contents in their offerings is commonly captured beneath the umbrella term Product-Service Systems (PSS). The paper discusses conceptual examples for changes in product design caused by this increased PSS focus. The examples given are brief descriptions of different demonstrators developed in research projects focusing on PSS and product development in early phases. Examples include a discussion how companies shift from single company to becoming inter-organizational partners, how intangible knowledge, and information in the design process can be made tangible and how companies and engineers shift focus from knowledge transfer to sharing experiences.


Missense mutations in the uromodulin (UMOD) gene cause autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease (ADTKD), one of the most common monogenic kidney diseases. The unknown impact of the allelic and gene dosage effects and fate of mutant uromodulin leaves open the gap between postulated gain-of-function mutations, end-organ damage and disease progression in ADTKD. Based on two prevalent missense UMOD mutations with divergent disease progression, we generated UmodC171Y and UmodR186S knock-in mice that showed strong allelic and gene dosage effects on uromodulin aggregates and activation of ER stress and unfolded protein and immune responses, leading to variable kidney damage. Deletion of the wild-type Umod allele in heterozygous UmodR186S mice increased the formation of uromodulin aggregates and ER stress. Studies in kidney tubular cells confirmed differences in uromodulin aggregates, with activation of mutation-specific quality control and clearance mechanisms. Enhancement of autophagy by starvation and mTORC1 inhibition decreased uromodulin aggregates. These studies substantiate the role of toxic aggregates as driving progression of ADTKD-UMOD, relevant for therapeutic strategies to improve clearance of mutant uromodulin.


The MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Earth Observing System Terra satellite, launched into orbit on 18 December 1999, will have a "first light" 15th anniversary on 24 February 2015. For nearly 15 years the MODIS instrument has provided radiances in all spectral bands. Though some detectors have fallen below SNR thresholds, the vast majority of spectral bands continue to provide high quality L1B measurements for use in L2 science algorithms supporting global climate research. Radiometric accuracy of the Terra MODIS thermal emissive bands (TEBs) in the C6 L1B product has been assessed using various approaches over the nearly 15 year Terra MODIS data record, including comparisons with instruments on the ground, in aircraft under-flights, and on other satellites. All of these approaches contribute to the understanding of the Terra MODIS radiometric L1B performance. Early in the lifetime of Terra, ground-based measurements and NASA ER-2 aircraft under-flights revealed that TEBs in the infrared window ("window" bands) are well calibrated and performing within accuracy specifications. The ER-2 under-flights also suggested that many atmospheric bands may be performing outside of specification, especially LWIR CO2 sensitive bands that are subject to optical crosstalk, although analysis uncertainties are larger for atmospheric bands. Beginning in 2007, MetOp-A IASI observations were used to evaluate Terra MODIS TEB performance through Simultaneous Nadir Overpass (SNO) comparisons. These inter-satellite comparisons largely affirm the early aircraft and ground-based evaluations, showing that all Terra MODIS window bands have small biases, minimal trending, and minor detector and mirror side striping over the 2007-2013 timeframe. Most atmospheric bands are performing satisfactorily near to specification; however, biases, striping and trending are large and significantly out of specification in the water vapor sensitive band 27 and ozone sensitive band 30 while the CO2 sensitive band 36 bias significantly exceeds specification. The investigation has found that an effective spectral shift significantly reduces biases and scene temperature dependence (but not trends) in most atmospheric bands, bringing them closer to, if not within, specification.


An extended version of the dual constraint model of motor end-plate morphogenesis is presented that includes activity dependent and independent competition. It is supported by a wide range of recent neurophysiological evidence that indicates a strong relationship between synaptic efficacy and survival. The computational model is justified at the molecular level and its predictions match the developmental and regenerative behaviour of real synapses.


Abstract Coadaptation between bacterial hosts and plasmids frequently results in adaptive changes restricted exclusively to host genome leaving plasmids unchanged. To better understand this remarkable stability, we transformed naïve Escherichia coli cells with a plasmid carrying an antibiotic-resistance gene and forced them to adapt in a turbidostat environment. We then drew population samples at regular intervals and subjected them to duplex sequencing—a technique specifically designed for identification of low-frequency mutations. Variants at ten sites implicated in plasmid copy number control emerged almost immediately, tracked consistently across the experiment's time points, and faded below detectable frequencies toward the end. This variation crash coincided with the emergence of mutations on the host chromosome. Mathematical modeling of trajectories for adaptive changes affecting plasmid copy number showed that such mutations cannot readily fix or even reach appreciable frequencies. We conclude that there is a strong selection against alterations of copy number even if it can provide a degree of growth advantage. This incentive is likely rooted in the complex interplay between mutated and wild-type plasmids constrained within a single cell and underscores the importance of understanding of intracellular plasmid variability.


Ornithological Observations accepts papers containing faunistic information about birds. This includes descriptions of distribution, behaviour, breeding, foraging, food, movement, measurements, habitat and plumage. It will also consider for publication a variety of oth relevant ornithological material: reports of projects and conferences, annotated checklists for a site or region, specialist other interesting or relevant material. Editor: Arnold van der Westhuizen AFRICAN BLACK OYSTERCATCHER HAEMATOPUS MOQUINI


Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of an Adaptive Learning Technology (ALT), as compared to traditional teaching methods, in an undergraduate management information course. The effectiveness is based on Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning Competencies

Background: Previous studies have investigated factors involved with ALT. From one study, students enjoyed how to use new technology and believed it improves learning. However, the literature lacks studies showing gains in understanding and remembering as defined by Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning Competencies.

Methodology: Correlations between ALT usage and test/course grades were performed. McGraw-Hill's Connect LearnSmart® was used as the ALT. The ALT was optional for extra credit in the class. Correlations were performed between LearnSmart® scores and tests. Then, since usage was bimodal (students who took the initiative to fully complete LearnSmart® and those who did not do LearnSmart®), an independent-samples t-test was performed between these two distinct groups.
Sampling was from an Information Technology course at a major university. The data collection methods composed of recording LearnSmart® scores and test scores.

Contribution: This study aims to provide empirical evidence of ALT outcomes in learning, to show if ALT enhance learning over traditional teaching methods. If not, the value of using ALT is provided.

Findings: Results showed no relationships between ALT usage and test/course grades. No differences between the two groups (those who completed ALT and those that did not do the ALT) were found with each of the four tests and final course grades. Since the ALT group did the LearnSmart® as an option, the tool appears to be a preference for learning style and provides user satisfaction. This is consistent with prior studies.

Recommendations for Practitioners: Practitioners should use ALT for convenience, preferences, and students' satisfaction. The use of both traditional teaching methods and newer technology teaching methods might be most effective because they provide flexibility for the best method that satisfies the student. Editors and developers of publishers need to consider student preferences in learning.

Recommendation for Researchers: Opinions and perceptions by subjects may be misleading. In future research, empirical evidence needs to be provided to validate opinions and perceptions. Research needs to focus more on students' characteristics such as learning style, learning preferences, and initiative.

Impact on Society: This research suggests that an ALT is efficient for the learning process rather than effective for outcomes and enhanced learning. Students can learn just as well without an ALT. Decisions to use an ALT should be based on convenience and student preferences.

Future Research: In this study, students had the option to do an ALT. They showed initiative. For future research, initiative needs to be removed. Random assignments to do an ALT or not need to be studied to further confirm the findings of this study. Also, a future study needs to use the same subject's outcomes for both an ALT and traditional teaching methods.


Objective To evaluate brain adaptation following concussion. Do youth with a history of previous or acute concussion require more ball throws to land on or near a target, when wearing prism glasses (bend light to the left by 15˚), than youth with none? Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Alberta, Canada. Participants Ice hockey players: 21 with acute concussion [(17 males), mean age 13.8 (95% CI: 13.4, 14.2), median number of days since concussion 4 (range 2–11)], 40 reporting previous concussion(s) [(33 males), mean age 13.4 (95% CI: 13.1, 13.7), median number of days since last concussion 620 (range 90–1560)], and 40 with no concussion history [(36 males), mean age 12.9 (95% CI: 12.5, 13.2)]. Independent variable Lifetime concussion history (yes/no) or acute concussion (<10 days).
Dependent variable
 Number of throws for brain adaptation. Main results A significant concussion effect was identified across groups [F(2,98)=26.17, p<0.001]. Post-hoc analyses showed a difference in the number of throws in players with no concussion history versus players reporting previous concussions [−4.700 (95% CI: −8.44, −0.96)] and acute concussions [−13.440 (95% CI: −17.89, −8.99)], as well as between previous history versus acute concussion groups [−8.740 (95% CI: −13.19, −4.29)]. Conclusions Concussion history and acute concussion appears to negatively impact brain plasticity in youth. They do not adapt as well as individuals with no concussion history. Our results support the use of a prism adaptation paradigm for identifying/quantifying short and long-term neurologic impairments in youth following concussion. Competing interests None.


In this Master thesis work two types of ventilation system, mixed system and displacement system at the factory premises of Volvo Cars Body Components (VCBC) are investigated. A computer simulation technique was implemented to study the behavior of air movement and temperature distribution inside the factory for the two systems. The commercial CFD program Flovent is used for simulation purpose. Model verification was carried out with the measurements made. Results showed quite good agreement between these two values. The current model has then been used to predict the temperature distributions and air flow movement for different climate scenarios. Energy calculations were also made in order to find out the energy used by two systems annually. The results from the simulations showed that the displacement system gave better performance in every case in thermal comfort aspect, whereas in the energy aspect it was found that the displacement system used more energy annually compared to mixed system.


Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is widely used in indoor positioning systems for object tracking and localization. However, there are several challenges that are yet to be addressed especially in 3-D space. When objects are cluttered densely, an arrangement synonymous to that of heaps of haphazardly arranged files in an office, locating and retrieving a file manually from the heap becomes a laborious task. In this paper, we address the challenge of localization and retrieval of objects in cluttered environments using passive RFID tags, by developing a novel indoor path loss translational model that considers the signal properties across the clutter. The proposed InPLaCE RFID system estimates the position of the object within a clutter by employing a robust translation model that accounts for the properties of the clutter and helps compensate for estimation errors over existing path loss models. Our experiments over different cluttered environments show that the proposed translational model improves the localization accuracy of objects over existing path loss models.


Microsoft employs 90,000 people and its products affect millions of users around the world every day. Developing the next version of Windows or Office is easy for Microsoft, but the company has struggled when it comes to more radical innovation. Intense competition from Google, Apple, and others threatens a business model that has delivered tremendous success over 25 years. This case highlights the strategic challenges facing Microsoft and provides insights into the organizational, leadership, and operational issues that must be addressed in order to define a successful innovation strategy at one of the world's most well-known companies.


The Hazard Elimination Program (HEP) is the section of the Safety Management System that focuses on road improvements and includes analytical tools for identification of safety problems and their remedies. This research project reviews the results of the past research for Indiana and other states and develops guidelines that present a set of tools for hazard elimination through road improvements. It also includes developing regression models for predicting crash frequencies at all-way and two-way stop-controlled intersections. Negative binomial regression was used to develop separate models for two-way and all-way stop controlled intersections. These models predict typical frequency of all crashes, property damage only crashes, and injury/fatal crashes at unsignalized intersections. In addition, improved criteria have been proposed for screening the Indiana road network for high-crash locations. The proposed criteria incorporate the level of uncertainty present in the process and consider severity of crashes. The primary outcome of the project is the "Guidelines for Highway Safety Improvements in Indiana," which comprises the second volume. Within this volume, the research results are compiled with other components selected after critical analysis of the present state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice safety management methods. The Guidelines are ready to use by safety engineers and may also serve as a textbook for inexperienced users. The Guidelines include all required equations, tables with required default values, and calculation forms that organize the HEP process. The calculation forms can be used as an interface design for a computerized version. All major computational steps are illustrated with examples and a comprehensive example is included to demonstrate the entire HEP process.


Sensorimotor cortex mediates the formation of adaptation memory. Individuals differ in the rate at which they acquire, retain, and generalize adaptation. We present a mechanistic explanation of the neurochemical and computational causes of this variation in humans. Neuroimaging identified structural, functional and neurochemical covariates of a computational parameter that determines memory persistence. To establish causality, we increased sensorimotor cortex excitability during adaptation, using transcranial direct current stimulation. As predicted, this increased retention. Inter-individual variance in the stimulation-induced E:I increase predicted the computational change, which predicted the memory gain. These relations did not hold, and memory was unchanged, with stimulation applied before adaptation. This cognitive state dependent effect was modulated by the BDNF val66met genetic polymorphism. Memory was enhanced by stimulation in Val/Val carriers only, implicating a mechanistic role for activity-dependent BDNF secretion. Sensorimotor cortex E:I causally determines the time constant of memory persistence, explaining phenotypic variation in adaptation decay.


The Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON) has been considered as one of the most promising candidates for the nextgeneration optical access solutions. In EPON, which is also referred as the Time-Division-Multiplexed PON, upstream fibre is shared among multiple users in a timely manner. Therefore, bandwidth allocation is a challenging and critical issue which needs to be addressed efficiently in order to provide diverse Quality of Service (QoS) guarantee for different Class of Services (CoSs). The Interleaved Polling with Adaptive Cycle Time (IPACT) [1] is a classic Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation (DBA) algorithm proposed for the TDM-PON (EPON). It has also regarded as the performance comparison benchmark by the most existing EPON-DBA algorithms. This paper includes the full implementation of the IPACT using OPNET Modeler [5] and reflects the strong aspects of it as a traditional EPON DBA which allocates bandwidth by taking into account the exact need of each Optical Network Unit (ONU) in every cycle.


What would you do if you could really achieve all that you desire? This revealing look at the science of success will show you how to do just that! This formula for abundant living is actually based in the principles of quantum physics, and you can actually tap in to these powerful forces to make your dreams come true. Sandra Anne Taylor, international speaker, counselor, and corporate consultant, has been teaching these principles and techniques around the world with amazing results. Quantum Success is filled with eye-opening information and dynamic strategies that put the real keys to wealth and abundance at your fingertips. Don't wait a moment longer to unlock that Universal door. By understanding the science of attraction and manifestation, you can take a quantum leap into a life of unparalleled prosperity and happiness.


Interest in the political relevance of the emotions is growing rapidly. In light of this, Hannah Arendt's claim that the emotions are apolitical has come under renewed fire. But many critics have misunderstood her views on the relationship between individuals, emotions and the political. This paper addresses this issue by reconstructing the conceptual framework through which Arendt understands the emotions. Arendt often describes the heart – where the emotions reside – as a place of darkness. I begin by tracing this metaphor through her work to demonstrate that it is meant to convey the inherently uncertain nature of emotions rather than a devaluation of them. I proceed to challenge the notion that Arendt adopts the Enlightenment dichotomy between reason and emotion. In fact, she rejects both as a basis for politics. However, she does identify some constructive roles for the emotions. I argue that fear is intrinsically connected to courage – the principal political virtue – in Arendt's philosophy. In light of my discussion, I then reinterpret the role of compassion and pity in On Revolution, concluding that Arendt's insights can help us avoid the potential pitfalls of the contemporary project to recuperate the emotions in politics.


Visual literacy is a critical skill that enables individuals to navigate the world of visual media. While research shows multiple benefits of introducing visual literacy early in life, there is a scarcity of visual literacy programs for young children. In an effort to advance development of visual literacy programs for children, we explored techniques for engaging young children in visual literacy instruction using artworks. Our paper reports preliminary study findings and recommendations and outlines directions for future work.


'In Richard Fortey's capable hands the humble grey trilobite has been transformed into the E.T. of the Lower Palaeozoic - a remarkable and fascinating book.' SIMON WINCHESTER Richard Fortey is one of Britain's leading popular scientists. Life: An Unauthorised Biography, was short-listed for the Rhone Poulenc prize and has been reprinted five times. In all he writes, Fortey displays extraordinary range, delight and descriptive gifts which make complicated scientific facts and concepts not only easy to understand but a delight to absorb. Trilobite! is an unashamedly trilobito-centric view of the world unravelling the history of the exotic, crustacean-like animals which dominated the seas for three hundred million years. These arthropods witnessed continents move, mountain chains elevated and eroded; they survived ice ages and volcanic eruptions, evolving and adapting exquisitely to their environment. They watched through their crystal eyes whilst life evolved. Their own evolution calibrated geological time itself. Structured like a detective story, this is a light, but highly informative account of the wonders of scientific discovery and an engaging, quirky and fascinating introduction to evolution.


ABSTRACTKathmandu Valley is one of the largest and most polluted metropolitan regions in the Himalayan foothills. Rapidly expanding urban sprawl and a growing fleet of vehicles, and industrial facilities such as brick factories across the valley have led to conditions where ambient concentrations of key gaseous air pollutants are expected to exceed Nepal's National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. In order to understand the spatial variation of the trace gases in the Kathmandu Valley, passive samples of SO2, NOx, NO2, NH3, and O3 were collected simultaneously from fifteen locations between March and May 2013. A follow-up study during two separate campaigns in 2014 sampled these gases, except ammonia, one site at a time from thirteen urban, suburban and rural stationary sites. In 2013, urban sites were observed to have higher weekly averaged NO2 and SO2 (22.4 ± 8.1 μg m–3 and 14.5 ± 11.1 μg m–3, respectively) than sub-urban sites (9.2 ± 3.9 μg m–3 and 7.6 ± 2.8 μg m–3, respectively). Regions located within 3 km of brick factories had higher SO2 concentrations (22.3 ± 14.7 μg m–3) than distant sites (5.8 ± 1.1 μg m–3). Higher O3 (108.5 ± 31.4 μg m–3) was observed in rural locations compared to urban sites (87.1 ± 9.2 μg m–3), emphasizing the importance of meteorological factors and precursor species for ozone production and titration. Parallel to previous studies, these results suggest that ground-level O3, as its levels frequently exceeded guidelines throughout the sampling periods, is an important concern throughout the valley. NH3 near polluted rivers and SO2 around brick factories are also important pollutants that need more intensive monitoring, primarily due to their importance in particulate matter formation chemistry.


The latent semantic indexing (LSI) method was applied for the retrieval of similar samples (those samples with a similar composition) in a dataset of groundwater samples. The LSI procedure was based on two steps: (i) reduction of the data dimensionality by principal component analysis (PCA) and (ii) calculation of a similarity between selected samples (queries) and other samples. The similarity measures were expressed as the cosine similarity, the Euclidean and Manhattan distances. Five queries were chosen so as to represent different sampling localities. The original data space of 14 variables measured in 95 samples of groundwater was reduced to the three-dimensional space of the three largest principal components which explained nearly 80% of the total variance. The five most proximity samples to each query were evaluated. The LSI outputs were compared with the retrievals in the orthogonal system of all variables transformed by PCA and in the system of standardized original variables. Most of these retrievals did not agree with the LSI ones, most likely because both systems contained the interfering data noise which was not preliminary removed by the dimensionality reduction. Therefore the LSI approach based on the noise filtration was considered to be a promising strategy for information retrieval in real hydrochemical data.


Scheduling precedence constrained task graphs, with or without duplication, is one of the most challenging NP-complete problems in parallel and distributed computing systems. Duplication heuristics are more effective, in general, for fine grain task graphs and for networks with high communication latencies. However, most of the available duplication algorithms are designed under the assumption of unbounded availability of fully connected processors, and lie in a high complexity range. Low complexity optimal duplication algorithms work under restricted cost and/or shape parameters for the task graphs. Further, the required number of processors grows in proportion to the task-graph size significantly. An improved duplication strategy is proposed that works for arbitrary task graphs, with a limited number of interconnection-constrained processors. Unlike most other algorithms that replicate all possible parents/ancestors of a given task, the proposed algorithm tends to avoid redundant duplications and duplicates the nodes selectively, only if it helps in improving the performance. This results in lower duplications and also lower time and space complexity. Simulation results are presented for clique and an interconnection-constrained network topology with random and regular benchmark task graph suites, representing a variety of parallel numerical applications. Performance, in terms of normalized schedule length and efficiency, is compared with some of the well-known and recently proposed algorithms. The suggested algorithm turns out to be most efficient, as it generates better or comparable schedules with remarkably less processor consumption.


Knowledge of the diets of tropical fish larvae is limited to only a few taxa. Here, we describe the diets of 591 individuals from 50 families of tropical larval shorefishes collected off the Northwest Shelf of Australia (21° 49' S, 114° 14' E), effectively doubling the number of families for which there is dietary data available. The diversity of prey items eaten differed significantly among families. The majority of fish larvae ate copepods but there were some interesting exceptions. Chaetodontids ate only chaetognaths, acanthurids and nemipterids ate appendicularians, and tetra- odontids ate predominately non-copepod prey (44% decapod larvae, 20% bivalves and 15% pro- tists). Within the fish families that specialised on copepod prey there were marked differences in the types of copepod prey, with a clear preference shown for calanoid copepods, particularly small calanoids such as Bestiolina similis and Temora spp. Copepod communities in the area are food- limited and we suggest that the ability of some larval fishes to feed on components of the microbial food web may be an important determinant of their success.


Socioeconomic inequality continues to be a major concern both internationally and within Canada. Educational outcomes for children are one of the key areas affected by this reality. Schools are considered institutions responsible for promoting the social mobility of children. However, due to increasing social, political, and economic disparities among families, schools have redesigned themselves to ensure this idea persists. This paper examines how parental inconsistencies, lack of supportive home environments, and financial burdens associated with low socioeconomic status families have a negative influence on children's educational outcomes. It investigates why schools have become concerned with implementing programs to help alleviate the effects of socioeconomic inequalities on children and their families. A discussion of the various strategies schools have put in place to integrate struggling children, families, and communities is included. Issues arise in regard to how these programs will be funded, who is responsible for these children within schools, and recommendations going forward. School boards need to be allocated more funding and support from macro level institutions such as the government and health boards if they hope to find a solution.


SOMMARIO: 1. Ironia 2.0: la vignetta in tempo di pandemia - 2. Satira vs liberta religiosa? - 3. Gioia e umorismo virtu anche cristiane - 4. Nota conclusiva.
Smiling and laughing during pandemic time
ABSTRACT: Are smiling and laughing ethically acceptable in times of Covid-Crisis? The paper tries to suggest an answer by taking into account a selection of comic strips posted on the WEB during the pandemic. The issue is addressed through two major points of view: the balance between the freedom of religion and the freedom of expression and the (possible) expressions of humor in the religious - particularly in the Catholic - tradition.


Abstract. A reliable and up-to-date ship emission inventory is essential for atmospheric scientists quantifying the impact of shipping and for policy makers implementing regulations and incentives for emission reduction. The emission modelling in this study takes into account ship type and size dependent input data for 15 ship types and 7 size categories. Global port arrival and departure data for more than 32 000 merchant ships are used to establish operational profiles for the ship segments. The modelled total fuel consumption amounts to 217 Mt in 2004 of which 11 Mt is consumed in in-port operations. This is in agreement with international sales statistics. The modelled fuel consumption is applied to develop global emission inventories for CO2, NO2, SO2, CO, CH4, VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds), N2O, BC (Black Carbon) and OC (Organic Carbon). The global emissions from ships at sea and in ports are distributed geographically, applying extended geographical data sets covering about 2 million global ship observations and global port data for 32 000 ships. In addition to inventories for the world fleet, inventories are produced separately for the three dominating ship types, using ship type specific emission modelling and traffic distributions. A global Chemical Transport Model (CTM) was used to calculate the environmental impacts of the emissions. We find that ship emissions is a dominant contributor over much of the world oceans to surface concentrations of NO2 and SO2. The contribution is also large over some coastal zones. For surface ozone the contribution is high over the oceans but clearly also of importance over Western North America (contribution 15–25%) and Western Europe (5–15%). The contribution to tropospheric column ozone is up to 5–6%. The overall impact of ship emissions on global methane lifetime is large due to the high NOx emissions. With regard to acidification we find that ships contribute 11% to nitrate wet deposition and 4.5% to sulphur wet deposition globally. In certain coastal regions the contributions may be in the range 15–50%. In general we find that ship emissions have a large impact on acidic deposition and surface ozone in Western North America, Scandinavia, Western Europe, western North Africa and Malaysia/Indonesia. For most of these regions container traffic, the largest emitter by ship type, has the largest impact. This is the case especially for the Pacific and the related container trade routes between Asia and North America. However, the contributions from bulk ships and tank vessels are also significant in the above mentioned impact regions. Though the total ship impact at low latitudes is lower, the tank vessels have a quite large contribution at low latitudes and near the Gulf of Mexico and Middle East. The bulk ships are characterized by large impact in Oceania compared to other ship types. In Scandinavia and north-Western Europe, one of the major ship impact regions, the three largest ship types have rather small relative contributions. The impact in this region is probably dominated by smaller ships operating closer to the coast. For emissions in ports impacts on NO2 and SO2 seem to be of significance. For most ports the contribution to the two components is in the range 0.5–5%, for a few ports it exceeds 10%. The approach presented provides an improvement in characterizing fleet operational patterns, and thereby ship emissions and impacts. Furthermore, the study shows where emission reductions can be applied to most effectively minimize the impacts by different ship types.


this paper presents a novel scheme which is capable of reducing the error rate and improves the transmission performance in the asynchronous cooperative MIMO systems. A case study of image transmission is applied to prove the efficient of scheme. The linear dispersion structure is employed to accommodate the cooperative wireless communication network in the dynamic topology of structure, as well as to achieve higher throughput than conventional space–time codes based on orthogonal designs. The LDPC encoder without girth-4 and the STBC encoder with guard intervals are respectively introduced. The experiment results show that the combined coder of LDPC-STBC with guard intervals can be the good error correcting coders and BER performance in the asynchronous cooperative communication. In the case study of image transmission, the results show that in the transmission process, the image quality which is obtained by applied combined scheme is much better than it which is not applied the scheme in the asynchronous cooperative MIMO systems. Keywords—Cooperative MIMO, image transmission, linear dispersion codes, Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC)


Patent reform increasingly focuses on discovery. Discovery is perceived as disproportionately expensive and burdensome in patent cases. Excessive discovery is said to fuel so-called "patent trolls" and impose an unhealthy tax on innovation and competition. These supposedly exceptional problems have led to exceptional patent-only reform proposals, such as delaying most discovery for over a year and reversing the 75-year old allocation of discovery costs. Treating patent litigation as exceptional has a siloing effect. Patent reform debates ignore parallel debates over general civil litigation reform that raise the same arguments about disproportionately expensive and burdensome discovery and propose their own set of reforms. This Article links patent reform to civil litigation reform, arguing that patent discovery is not exceptional in its costs, supposed effects, or causes. Instead, patent discovery is representative of a subset of discovery-intensive civil cases. The main problem with discovery in patent cases is not abusive tactics of "patent trolls" or inherent technical complexity but rather complex and open-ended remedial doctrines. Doctrinal complexity is not unique to patent litigation. Pinpointing the source of patent discovery problems also suggests a solution – delaying costly and burdensome remedial discovery until after liability is established. This solution need not be limited to patent cases. Greater use of staged litigation – litigating and resolving some potentially case-dispositive issues before any discovery or other litigation occurs on more discovery-intensive issues – is a potentially valuable tool for reforming general civil litigation. Notably, staged litigation preserves the plaintiff's access to information and right to a jury trial, overcoming objections to other efforts to reduce civil litigation costs, like Twombly/Iqbal plausibility pleading.


The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the feasibility of using waste drivers to explain waste in a design and engineering setting. Waste drivers are defined as the mechanisms that have the capacity to create waste, under certain conditions. The waste can occur in design and engineering, and as a consequence of design and engineering. Waste include, e.g. reduced build ability and usability, with increased costs, time, and quality. The distinctiveness of the engineering process has been central when attempting to identify the waste drivers. The complexity associated with waste in design and engineering may indicate that the conventional manufacturing wastes do not suffice in the context of identifying waste in design and engineering. Based on researched literature and a case study, a list of waste drivers was identified. This paper should contribute to the understanding of design and engineering processes. Thus, potentially making design and engineering processes more predictable.


The Gerede is the longest and most problematic water transmission tunnel in Turkey, at 31.6 km long with an overburden of 600 m. The tunnel will transmit water from the Ulusu river to the Camlidere reservoir. High-pressure water ingress and collapses have resulted in many delays. Although construction began in 2012, and was intended to be completed in 2014, completion is now estimated to be in 2019. The tunnel passes through permeable Tertiary sedimentary and volcano-sedimentary rocks, and Jurassic–Cretaceous limestone. Water ingress has occurred on 45 occasions along the 26 km excavated. The initial total discharge was 1.7 m3 s−1 and decreased to 0.5 m3 s−1 over time. The recharge conditions, tectonic structure, progress of the excavation and sealing by grouting affect the quantity, locations and temporal changes of the inflow of water. The major faults and formation contacts are the most problematic sites to be considered. With the many delays in the tunnel, the driving plan and tunnel boring machine (TBM) were changed while the construction continued. The tunnel shows that hydrogeological conditions, in particular, should be taken into consideration when choosing the TBM and driving course. However, the problems we encountered provided valuable experience for future projects.


'Building Initiative' is both the name adopted by a collaborative group of architects, urbanists and artists, and also the term they use to describe the 'mode of agency' chosen to inform and realise citizen-led urban regeneration in Belfast [1]. The necessity and forms of this praxis evolved in response to the city's spatial, social and policy environment, and the inability of conventional mechanisms of architectural practice to engage adequately with this context. Building Initiative explored and pursued specific modes of agency, which it termed 'initiatives', within a variety of sectors including architectural, planning, educational, academic and media, and at a range of scales from local to international. This created the opportunity to work with a diversity of partner organisations and to develop a correspondingly wide range of strategies. We will look briefly at the context of Belfast and Building Initiative's response to it, focusing specifically on the methods of working that were developed, before concentrating on one project to illustrate these methodologies and processes in application.


A method for fabricating microlens arrays that uses the contraction effect of UV-curable photopolymers is presented. Lenses with diameters ranging from 0.2 to 2 mm that were made under different conditions are optically evaluated. The optimum conditions for producing low f-number lenses are discussed.


Recently the practice of border adjustment in international trade has attracted much interest in the context of climate change. The risk of carbon leakage, the competitive disadvantage of industries in countries introducing a cap on emissions and the desire to induce large greenhouse gases emitting countries to join international climate change mitigation actions are the main reasons for considering import restrictions on products with high carbon footprint originating from uncapped nations. The aim of this paper is to examine current proposals on emissions-related border adjustments measures - tabled in the EU and the US - using the WTO legal framework on border adjustment and detect possible legal flaws which could lead to conflict with WTO law in the future. Special scrutiny is given to the proposals on the requirement for importers to submit emission allowances at the border and allowance rebates on exportation. The key questions are whether regulatory distinction between products based on their carbon content is permissible under the national treatment obligation of Article III of the GATT and whether an emission allowance requirement can qualify as an indirect tax acceptable for adjustment. The test on WTO compliance presented in this paper shows that proposals to include reports in national cap-and-trade systems and suggestions on emissions allowance rebates on exports are vulnerable to WTO challenge. The weaknesses of an emission allowance requirement for importers lie in the peculiarities of an emission allowance requirement as a quasi-tax linked to non-incorporated Processes and Procuction Methods (PPMs), in the criteria chosen for import coverage or exclusions and in the implementation details. Proposals on allowance rebates contradict environmental objectives and risk getting in conflict with WTO rules on subsidies.


In Making Manslaughter, Susanne Pohl-Zucker analyses the production and application of legal categories and procedures aimed at the resolution of homicides committed during heated disputes. Parallel studies explore distinct legal practices in Wurttemberg and Zurich between 1376 and 1700.


OF DISSERTATION Genetic and functional analysis of host genes involved in pathogenic and symbiotic legume-microbe interactions Legumes form symbiotic and pathogenic interactions with microbes. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the legume-microbe interactions would help us to improve crop production in a sustainable manner. This thesis covers two independent research projects. The first project was to study the role of alternative splicing in RCT1mediated disease resistance. RCT1 is a TIR-NBS-LRR-type plant resistance (R) gene in Medicago truncatula that confers broad-spectrum resistance to Colletotrichum trifolii, a fungal pathogen that causes anthracnose disease in Medicago. RCT1 undergoes alternative splicing at both coding and 3'-untranslated regions, thereby producing multiple transcript variants in its expression profile. Alternative splicing of RCT1 in the coding region results from the retention of intron 4. The transcript with retention of intron 4 is predicted to encode a truncated protein lacking the C-terminal domain of the fulllength protein. We showed that the RCT1 function requires the combined presence of the regular and alternative transcripts. This study, in addition to the reports on the tobacco N and Arabidopsis RPS4 genes, adds another significant example showing the involvement of alternative splicing in R gene-mediated plant immunity. The second project was to study the symbiotic specificity in the soybean-rhizobial interaction. It is well known that legume plants can make their own nitrogen fertilizer by forming a root nodule symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria, called rhizobia. One remarkable property of this symbiosis is its high level of specificity, which occurs at both interand intra-species levels and takes place at multiple phases of the interaction, ranging from initial bacterial infection and nodulation to late nodule development associated with nitrogen fixation. In this study, we performed fine mapping of the Rj4 gene that controls nodulation specificity in soybean. The Rj4 allele prevents the host plant from nodulation with many strains of Bradyrhizobium elkanii, which are frequently present in soils of the southeastern USA. Since B. elkanii strains are poor symbiotic partners of soybean, cultivars containing an Rj4 allele are considered favorable. We have delimited the Rj4 locus within a 47-kb genomic region on soybean chromosome 1 and identified the candidate genes. We are in the process to validate the candidate genes.


Objective. To examine the relative and combined impact of depressive and chronic physical conditions on functional status and health-care use in the general population. Method. Canadian, representative, population-based cross-sectional survey (n=130880). Major depressive disorder (MDD) in the past 12 months was assessed by structured interview, and physical disorders, activity reduction, role impairment and work absence by self-report. The relative impact of MDD and six common chronic physical illnesses (asthma, arthritis, back problems, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart disease and diabetes) was estimated using multivariate regression, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and overall chronic physical illness burden. Results. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, alcohol dependence and chronic physical illness burden, the presence of co-morbid MDD was associated with significantly greater (approximately double the) likelihood of health-care utilization and increased functional disability and work absence compared to the presence of a chronic physical illness without co-morbid MDD. This impact of MDD was seen across each of the six chronic physical illnesses examined in this study, with the strongest associations seen for work absence. Conclusions. These observations confirm prior findings of a strong association at the population level between major depression and health-care use and role impairment among persons with chronic physical disorders. They also point to the significant impact of co-morbid major depression on health-care seeking, disability and work absence in persons with chronic physical illness, underscoring the need for greater efforts to design and test the impact of detection and treatment programs for such individuals.


Flow regime and turbulence characteristics in a hypolimnion of Lake Ontario are determined using time series current measurements from a vertical string of moored current meters and a bottom mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP). The diffusion and turbulent structures of the water column are parameterised in terms of horizontal exchange coefficients for momentum ( Kx and Ky ) during these deployments. The analysis suggests that the structure of the turbulent fluctuations is isotropic. The kinetic energy and horizontal exchange coefficients decrease with depth. The mean flow at all moorings appears to be strongly correlated with the zonal surface wind stress. Fifteen to twenty metres above the bottom, the flow is marked by an increase in kinetic energy, turbulence intensities, and eddy viscosity coefficients. Strong episodic wind impulse decreases horizontal exchange coefficients through the water column but probably enhances the vertical mixing due to increase in current shear. It is suggested that the associated current-induced sediment resuspension may contribute to the establishment and maintenance of a Nepheloid layer in Lake Ontario.


IMPORTANCE
The incidence of hearing loss has risen in past years. Attendance at music festivals and concerts may contribute to this increasing problem.

OBJECTIVE
To assess the effectiveness of earplugs in preventing temporary hearing loss immediately following music exposure.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
A randomized, single-blind clinical trial was conducted on September 5, 2015, at an outdoor music festival in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Normal-hearing adult volunteers were recruited via social media. An exclusion criterion was the participants' intention to wear earplugs. Of the 86 volunteers assessed, 51 were included in the study. All analyses were performed on an intention-to-treat basis.

INTERVENTIONS
Participants were randomly assigned to a group using earplugs or an unprotected group during a 4½-hour festival visit.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The primary study outcome was a temporary threshold shift (TTS) on the audiogram, primarily for frequencies at 3 and 4 kHz. Secondary study outcomes included distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) measurements and claims of tinnitus using a questionnaire and tinnitus matching experiments.

RESULTS
Of 51 participants included, 25 were randomized to the earplug group and 26 to the unprotected group. Nine in each group (36% and 35%, respectively) were men, and the mean (SD) ages were 27.3 (5.6) years in the earplug group and 27.0 (6.2) years in the unprotected group. Baseline demographics were similar in both groups. The time-averaged, equivalent A-weighted sound pressure level experienced was 100 dBA during the festival. A TTS over frequencies at 3 and 4 kHz after exposure was seen in 4 of 50 ears (8%) in the earplug group compared with 22 of 52 ears (42%) in the unprotected group (P < .001). The relative risk for a TTS after exposure was 5.3 (95% CI, 2.0-14.3) for the unprotected group vs the earplug group. The number needed to treat with earplugs for preventing 1 TTS was 2.9. The DPOAE amplitudes decreased significantly more over the frequencies 2 to 8 kHz in the unprotected group: the mean (SD) decrease in magnitude was 0.6 (2.8) dB in the earplug group vs 2.2 (1.9) dB in the unprotected group (P = .04). Newly induced tinnitus following sound exposure occurred in 3 of the 25 participants (12%) in the earplug group vs 10 of 25 (40%) in the unprotected group (difference, 28%; 95% CI, 3.6%-49.0%; P = .02).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Earplug use is effective in preventing temporary hearing loss after loud music exposure. The present randomized clinical trial adds proof to the scarce evidence and knowledge on this topic, which is a growing global problem.

TRIAL REGISTRATION
trialregister.nl Identifier: NTR5401.


The study presents the direct flux and current vector control of an induction motor (IM) drive, which is a relatively newer and promising control strategy, through the use of model predictive control (MPC) techniques. The results highlight that the fast flux control nature of direct flux control strategy is further enhanced by MPC. Predictive control is applied in two of its variants, namely the finite control set and modulated MPC, and the advantages and limitations of the two are underlined. This work also highlights, through experimental results, the importance of prioritising the flux part of the cost function which is particularly significant in the case of an IM drive. The performance of the MPC-based approach is compared with the proportional-integral controller, which also prioritises the flux control loop, under various operating regions of the drive such as in the flux-weakening regime. Simulations show the performance expected with different control strategies which is then verified through experiments.


Eye gaze as a nonmanual component of sign languages has not yet been investigated in much detail. The idea that eye gaze may function as an agreement marker was brought forward by Bahan (1996) and Neidle et al. (2000), who argued that eye gaze is an independent agreement marker occurring with all three verb types (plain verbs, spatial verbs, and agreeing verbs) in American Sign Language (ASL). Thompson et al. (2006) conducted an eye-tracking experiment to investigate the interdependency between eye gaze and ASL verb agreement in depth. Their results indicate that eye gaze in ASL functions as an agreement marker only when accompanying manual agreement, marking the object in agreeing verbs and the locative argument in spatial verbs. They conclude that eye gaze is part of an agreement circumfix. Subsequently, I conducted an eye-tracking experiment to investigate the correlation of eye gaze and manual agreement for verbs in German Sign Language (DGS). The results differ from Thompson et al.'s, since eye gaze with agreeing verbs in the DGS data did not occur as systematically as in ASL. Nevertheless, an analysis of verb duration and the spreading of a correlating eye gaze suggests that there is a dependency relation between eye gaze and manual agreement.


ABSTRACT Organizations usually have difficulty adjusting to technology-enabled changes. Recent research has examined the interaction between technology and the key job outcomes of employees. But this research stream has done so using a linear lens even though this interplay has been recognized to be dynamic and complex. We challenge here this linearity assumption. We theorized that enterprise system (ES) use influences post-implementation job scope, and the change from pre- to post-implementation job scope perceptions will have a complex effect on job outcomes that are best captured by a polynomial model. Drawing on the anchoring-and-adjustment perspective in decision-making research, our polynomial model highlights the dynamic nature of employee reactions to changes in job scope brought about by an ES implementation that cannot be captured by traditional linear models. We found support for our model using data collected in a longitudinal field study from 2,794 employees at a telecommunications firm over a period of 12 months. Our findings highlight the key role an ES implementation can have in changing the nature of jobs and how those changes can, in turn, drive job performance and job satisfaction. This research also extends classical job characteristics research by arguing for a more complex relationship between the scope and outcomes of technology-supported jobs.


This book extends research in consumption economics by identifying similarities and differences in consumption patterns in a large number of countries, both developed and less developed. Its approach is to carefully analyze a large body of data from a highly diverse group of countries to determine the extent to which a simple economic framework can be used to understand and explain consumer behavior. It uses data from more than 40 countries which range from the most affluent to the poorest in the world. The book pays particular attention to the consumption of food and to new simulation techniques applied to systems of demand equations.


Workfare programs aim to reduce poverty by providing low-wage work to those who need it. They are often turned to in a crisis when there is no time for a rigorous evaluation. This paper offers som e simple analytic tools for a rapid ex-ante appraisal of an existin g workfare program. For pedagogic purposes, the two programs studied are stylized versions of a range of actual programs found i n practice. One is for a middle-inco me country, the other a low-income country. The cost of a $1 gain to the poor is about $2.50 in both cases, though the same gain in current earnings would cost 50 percent to 100 percent more. The rapid appraisal also suggests how desig n changes might enhance the benefits to the poor.


It is important to consider within-gender differences in needs and interests as between-gender differences. Family, tribe, class and age differences commonly override gender similarities. Men and women respond differently to climate change and variability. Within genders, other characteristics such as class, race, caste, culture, wealth, age and ethnicity influence responses and affect the impact of climate variability and change on livelihoods. Women's responses include coping in the short term, diversifying in the medium term and planning for the long term. In the short term this may heighten their vulnerability but in the long term their responses may help them gain more influence and power. The knowledge and insights that women could contribute to decisions on adapting to and mitigating climate variability and change are often neglected. This renders forest-dependent societies less adaptive. Women face many obstacles in making their voices heard and participating in making decisions on forest issues. Women are more likely to bring about policies and practices that address women's needs and priorities by advocating for women's interests and taking part in on-going policy processes than by focusing on gender equity in elected bodies or representation. Devising policies and processes to speed these changes in different situations will be complex and needs to draw on the needs, interests and knowledge of both men and women


This article argues that what we now call public diplomacy emerged in the mid- to late 1930s in the case of Japan. It questions the notion that public diplomacy is new in contrast to 'traditional' diplomacy. It also questions the conventional understanding of Japan's diplomatic isolationism of the 1930s. The article argues that as a result of greater mass political participation, the idea of 'international public opinion' emerged as a new norm in inter-war international politics. States increasingly regarded news and cultural activities as crucial resources of their soft power for winning this international public opinion. Responding to technological developments in communications, they developed a more systematic approach to propaganda in order to utilize these resources in mainstream foreign policy. Even in the age of the socalled rise of nationalism and diplomatic isolationism, Japan could neither afford not to respond to other states' actions nor to ignore international public opinion. In the diplomatic crises of the 1930s, Japan began to coordinate news and cultural propaganda activities, and integrated them into a broader propaganda scheme. Here we see the origin of what is now called public diplomacy. This modern and internationalist thinking then prepared the institutional base for wartime propaganda.


Developing learning methods which do not discriminate subgroups in the population is the central goal of algorithmic fairness. One way to reach this goal is to learn a data representation that is expressive enough to describe the data and fair enough to remove the possibility to discriminate subgroups when a model is learned leveraging on the learned representation. This problem is even more challenging when our data are graphs, which nowadays are ubiquitous and allow to model entities and relationships between them. In this work we measure fairness according to demographic parity, requiring the probability of the possible model decisions to be independent of the sensitive information. We investigate how to impose this constraint in the different layers of a deep graph neural network through the use of two different regularizers. The first one is based on a simple convex relaxation, and the second one inspired by a Wasserstein distance formulation of demographic parity. We present experiments on a real world dataset, showing the effectiveness of our proposal.