A national House of Traditional Leaders and provincial Houses of Traditional Leaders have been established in terms of Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1993.  The role of Traditional leaders at provincial and national level in the National House of Traditional Leaders and the Provincial Houses of Traditional Leaders has not yet been clearly defined in South Africa. The National and Provincial Houses of Traditional Leaders experience various problems that hamper their functioning.  The purpose of this paper is to discuss the significant role of the National House of Traditional Leaders and the Provincial Houses of Traditional Leaders as Constitutional institutions at national and provincial levels and to make proposals regarding their future role and functioning. It can be expected of Constitutional institutions to function properly and effectively.  That is, however, not the case with the National House and the various provincial Houses of Traditional Leaders. In the rural areas are the poorest of the poor.  This is a result not only of the former apartheid policy but also of a lack of interest by former governments to invest in rural areas.  Attention and investment were focused mostly on the development of urban areas.  People in rural areas had no voice.  It should be ensured that their comments on legislation are for example taken seriously and are not discarded as a mere formality. The 1996 Constitution gives them this voice, but for the intended institutions to function properly, they must be effective. In this article a brief overview of the recognition of traditional institutions in the 1993 and 1996 Constitutions is given, whereafter the National House and Provinical Houses of Traditional Leaders are discussed with regard to their composition, role and the problems they experience in order to make recommendations with regard to their problems and future role.


Ophthalmologists use the optic disc to cup ratio as one of the factors to diagnose glaucoma. The region of interest (ROI) for glaucoma in fundus images is the area that locates optic disc and cup in the center. Therefore, ROI detection is used as a preprocessing step for automatic detection of optic disc and cup areas. This paper proposes an automated method to detect ROI using deep learning. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are used to classify ROI and non-ROI images. The structure of our CNNs is composed of two convolutional layers, two Max Pooling layers, two fully connected layers, and one output layer. We train two CNNs using fundus images from the MESSIDOR dataset, a public dataset containing 1,200 fundus images. In addition, we estimate blood vessels from the images and use the images embedded with the blood vessels to train two other CNNs. The proposed method moves a window in the horizontal and vertical directions in each fundus image, estimates a probability of each window using the CNNs, and selects the window with the highest probability as ROI. The experimental results are promising. The best-performing CNN from the first CNN group shows over 0.99 accuracy for the MESSIDOR dataset and over 0.93 accuracy for five other public fundus image datasets. The best CNN from the second CNN group shows more robust results: over 0.99 accuracy for the MESSIDOR dataset and over 0.97 accuracy for the five other image datasets.


Microscopic swimmers, e.g., chemotactic bacteria and cells, are capable of directed motion by exerting a force on their environment. For asymmetric microswimmers, e.g., bacteria, spermatozoa and many artificial active colloidal particles, a torque is also present leading to circular motion (in two dimensions) and to helicoidal motion (in three dimensions) with a well-defined chirality. Here, we demonstrate with numerical simulations in two dimensions how the chirality of circular motion couples to chiral features present in the microswimmer environment. Levogyre and dextrogyre microswimmers as small as 50 nm can be separated and selectively trapped in chiral flowers of ellipses. Patterned microchannels can be used as funnels to rectify the microswimmer motion, as sorters to separate microswimmers based on their linear and angular velocities, and as sieves to trap microswimmers with specific parameters. We also demonstrate that these results can be extended to helicoidal motion in three dimensions.


Study Design: A retrospective case-control study Objective: Short fusion using pedicle screws (PSs) with an attempt to attain maximum correction of the main thoracic curve was conducted for patients with a Lenke type 1 curve, to prevent postoperative left shoulder elevation. The outcomes were compared with those of conventional surgery. Summary of Background Data: Excessive correction of the main thoracic curve by PSs causes problematic left shoulder elevation even in a Lenke type 1 curve. Methods: Thirty-eight patients (3 male, 35 female, mean age 16.2 years, mean follow-up 24 mo) with Lenke type 1 curve underwent posterior corrective surgery using PSs. The upper instrumented vertebra was 1 level below the end vertebra in 14 patients (short, S group), and it was at the end vertebra in 24 patients (conventional, C group). There was no difference in the preoperative Cobb angle (51.8 vs. 58.0) or curve flexibility (49.7 vs. 46.1) between the 2 groups. Radiographic results, perioperative data, and scoliosis research society 22 scores were compared between the 2 groups. Results: The postoperative Cobb angle of the main curve after surgery was 13.2±5.7 degrees in the S group and 10.6±7.3 degrees in the C group (not significant). The clavicle angle was −2.1±2.8 degrees versus −2.7±2.6 degrees before surgery (not significant), and 0.8±2.3 versus 3.8±2.4 after surgery (P<0.05). The number of fused vertebrae, mean surgical time, and estimated blood loss were significantly lower in the S group than in the C group. The scoliosis research society 22 score at follow-up was not different between the 2 groups. Conclusions: The short fusion strategy for a Lenke type 1 curve can produce equivalent correction of the main curve and clinical outcomes to conventional fusion strategy with less surgical time and blood loss, while maintaining better shoulder balance.


As our world "shrinks" and globalization increases, companies are changing strategies and operational procedures, which are dependent on leaders to deploy and implement. As companies evolve from domestic companies towards international, multinational and global companies, developing future global leaders becomes an essential component for successfully carrying out corporate global strategies. Because of this, there is an increasing need for global leaders; yet, they are not prepared, causing a significant shortage of global leaders, which is a critical issue for human resource departments. Thus, global leadership development (GLD) programs are urgently needed to address the gap between global leadership needs and the capacity shortage, and should be a major focus of HR's talent management. Even though GLD significantly impacts company performance, current GLD programs offered by practitioners are deficient and there is disjointed research on the topic by scholars. However, there is a growing consensus around global leadership attributes (personality, values, cultural background and corporate work experience) used for the recruiting and succession planning talent management functions, global leadership competencies (engagement in personal transformation, knowledge, networking skills, social judgment skills, self awareness, and self regulation) used for the career development talent management function, and learning and development methods (expatriate assignment, global teams, experiential learning, coaching, intercultural training, assessment and reflection) used for the learning and development talent management function. The research findings indicate several implications for practitioners to address when building a global leadership development program. First, personality traits and global leadership competencies are primarily idiosyncratic to job function, but not to company type. Second, while leadership competencies are the same for domestic and global leaders, certain competencies are more critical for global leaders and the proficiency level typically increases. Third, the list of competencies must be manageable, clearly defined and comprehensive. And fourth, the learning and development method and corresponding budget prioritization is very dependent on the global leadership competency to be developed. Degree Type Dissertation Graduate Group Education First Advisor Jonathan A. Supovitz


This paper presents the research of general model and building dynamic equations of two flexible links manipulator motion in the horizontal plane. Dynamic modeling is considered with adding factors which are payload, elastic friction, mass and initial moment of rotors. So it is closed to reality. Dynamic equations are derived through finite element method based on Lagrange approach. Dynamic behaviors of the system with payload were simulated like a specific example. The results can be used to building the control system which increases accuracy position of manipulators under influence of elastic displacements of links.


Pericentromeric heterochromatin formation is mediated by repressive histone H3 lysine 9 methylation (H3K9Me) and its recognition by HP1 proteins. Intriguingly, in many organisms, RNAi is coupled to this process through poorly understood mechanisms. In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the H3-K9 methyltransferase Clr4 and the heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) ortholog Swi6 are critical for RNAi, whereas RNAi stimulates H3K9Me. In addition to the endoribonuclease Dcr1, RNAi in S. pombe requires two interacting protein complexes, the RITS complex, which contains an Argonaute subunit, and the RDRC complex, which contains an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase subunit. We previously identified Ers1 (essential for RNAi-dependent silencing) as an orphan protein that genetically acts in the RNAi pathway. Using recombinant proteins, we show here that Ers1 directly and specifically interacts with HP1/Swi6. Two-hybrid assays indicate that Ers1 also directly interacts with several RNAi factors. Consistent with these interactions, Ers1 associates in vivo with the RITS complex, the RDRC complex, and Dcr1, and it promotes interactions between these factors. Ers1, like Swi6, is also required for RNAi complexes to associate with pericentromeric noncoding RNAs. Overexpression of Ers1 results in a dominant-negative phenotype that can be specifically suppressed by increasing levels of the RDRC subunit Hrr1 or of Dcr1, further supporting a functional role for Ers1 in promoting the assembly of the RNAi machinery. Through the interactions described here, Ers1 may promote RNAi by tethering the corresponding enzyme complexes to HP1-coated chromatin, thereby placing them in proximity to the nascent noncoding RNA substrate.


Modifying the rate of absorption has been proposed as a therapeutic principle of specific relevance to diabetes. To demonstrate clearly the metabolic benefits that might result from reducing the rate of nutrient delivery, nine healthy volunteers took 50 g glucose in 700 ml water on two occasions: over 5-10 min (bolus) and at a constant rate over 3.5 h (sipping). Despite similar 4-h blood glucose areas, large reductions were seen in serum insulin (54 +/- 10%, P less than 0.001) and C-peptide (47 +/- 12%, P less than 0.01) areas after sipping, together with lower gastric inhibitory polypeptide and enteroglucagon levels and urinary catecholamine output. There was also prolonged suppression of plasma glucagon, growth hormone, and free-fatty acid (FFA) levels after sipping, whereas these levels rose 3-4 h after the glucose bolus. An intravenous glucose tolerance test at 4 h demonstrated a 48 +/- 10% (P less than 0.01) more rapid decline in blood glucose (Kg) after sipping than after the bolus. Furthermore, FFA and total branched-chain amino acid levels as additional markers of insulin action were lower over this period despite similar absolute levels of insulin and C-peptide. These findings indicate that prolonging the rate of glucose absorption enhances insulin economy and glucose disposal.


Background: The ability to question global structures and analyze one's own positionality in relation to economic, political, and social forces is essential for college graduates. Although study abroad programs claim to develop students into global citizens, most studies do not critically examine student learning about global inequalities. Purpose: This study analyzed the process of critical consciousness raising about economic inequalities through experiential and emotional learning. Methodology/Approach: It employed ethnographic observations, in-depth interviews, and written journals of 27 U.S. college students who participated in a Ghana study abroad program in years 2016–2018. Data were analyzed using an inductive thematic approach. Findings/Conclusions: Witnessing and being emotionally affected by unjust global realities allowed students to question their actions and assumptions. Even though they seemed to have become more self-aware of their privilege and positionality, few of them questioned the global structures underlying economic injustice. Despite the limited analysis, they demonstrated inspiration to learn and do more. Implications: Moving beyond education's traditional focus on students' cognitive domain is crucial for critical consciousness raising about social injustice and global interconnections of oppression. Higher education should ensure a critical analysis of economic inequalities both abroad and in their own country.


Publication in peer–reviewed journals is essential for scientific progress including: (1) advancement of knowledge, (2) societal benefits including scientifically–based decision–making, (3) evaluation of researcher productivity, and (4) obtaining and retaining a research or faculty position and facilitating future scientific contributions. As science becomes increasingly complex so do the results necessary for publication, which frequently necessitates collaboration among scientists from multiple and diverse fields. Nevertheless, collaborative publication always includes the possibility of misunderstandings and differences of opinion. Here we first review the published literature on authorship determination for scientific publications in ecology, evolution, organismal biology and natural resource management, including consideration of what constitutes authorship, consideration of author contributions, author order in a byline, and power relationships, after which we provide several examples of realistic authorship conflict scenarios for purposes of pedagogy and discussion with colleagues and students.


Cancer as a life crisis: preliminary markers for the pastorate The diagnosis of cancer is embedded in the negative social dis- course of a death sentence. It therefore creates an existential crisis in the lives of its victims. This article will explore the pas- toral implications of a cancer diagnosis. Whereas the medical path becomes clear upon the diagnosis of a particular type of cancer, the pastoral path may not immediately be evident. By viewing cancer phenomologically and in the light of the most common medical treatment, the article will try to establish what key issues (changes) would be brought upon persons affected by cancer. Eight key issues are taken into consideration: the change of short and long-term goals, the exposure to new re- lationships, feelings of rejection, an identity crisis, a radicalisa- tion of communication, a new perspective on time, death-anx- iety and faith issues. In the light of these anticipated key issues, six focus areas are identified as preliminary markers for the pastoral process. The problem of theodicy, suffering, the re- lationship between sin and illness, ethical issues of a medical nature, end of life counselling and eschatological perspectives are taken into consideration as areas that would be of great value in the pastorate to persons affected by cancer.


We investigate the problem of learning the structure of a Markov network from data. It is shown that the structure of such networks can be described in terms of constraints which enables the use of existing solver technology with optimization capabilities to compute optimal networks starting from initial scores computed from the data. To achieve efficient encodings, we develop a novel characterization of Markov network structure using a balancing condition on the separators between cliques forming the network. The resulting translations into propositional satisfiability and its extensions such as maximum satisfiability, satisfiability modulo theories, and answer set programming, enable us to prove optimal certain networks which have been previously found by stochastic search.


Germany - Two Demographically Different States? The paper is an attempt of an answer how belonging to different political, economical and cultural structures has influenced diverse population processes and structures and their spatial diversity. As an example to the research of these phenomena there was chosen Germany that until 1990 were two separated socio-political and economical formations (the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and the Federal Republic of Germany FRG). This state, with a population number about 82 millions presently, as it turns out - besides passage of time - is characterized all the time by some diversity of procreation behaviors, population processes and structures in the Eastern (Ost) and the Western part (West) of Germany. It is claimed, the structures are going to some similarities, but the 15 years period (1990-2005) was too short to level all stated demographical differences and trends (1).


This working paper presents the findings of copy test research on consumer perceptions of heart-health claims in print advertisements for a fictitious cooking oil low in saturated fat, and a vegetable oil spread containing no trans fatty acids. FDA regulations currently ban potentially useful heart-health claims in labeling for many such products, and this restriction also appears to have discouraged similar claims in advertising. One deception-based motivation for the ban would be that the heart-health claims might mislead consumers to believe that the products are healthy in all respects, when in fact they are high in total fat and calories, and their regular use could cause weight gain and associated heart problems unless the products are substituted for less healthy alternatives. Our research tested this deception hypothesis and found no support for it. Adding an explicit heart-health claim to a nutrient content claim (such as "low in saturated fat" or "no trans fats") did not change consumer perceptions of the caloric content of the tested products or otherwise distort perceptions of the products' overall healthiness. These conclusions not withstanding, our results also suggest that respondents as a whole, including those who did not see a nutrient content claim or a heart-health claim, underestimate the caloric content of cooking oils. Further, respondents did not appear to understand the significant impact that relatively small daily increases in caloric intake can have on long-term weight gain. Our findings emphasize the need for increased consumer education concerning the caloric content of cooking oils, and the implications of even modest changes in caloric intake, from whatever source, on weight gain and heart health.


For Giovanni Battista Piranesi one of the 'more important' things that the moderns invented is printing – and with it the reproducibility of drawings and architectural images. Etching offers a medium to record and divulge the knowledge of ancient and modern architecture, which will last, he argues, longer than the subjects of its representations. Etching opens also a new space for architectural creation, for a project of space that, while it remains untouched by use, change and life, will continue to communicate its ideas across time. Images produced by lines are the space in which Piranesi operates as an architect, and what speaks to us today through the medium of etching are not only his archaeological surveys and reconstructions, and his views of ancient and modern Rome, but also – most crucially – the spaces of his invention.
Piranesi's lines – meticulously drawn, precisely incised, lightly traced, nervously moving, smudged or erased – physically construct a space on the copper plate and then on paper. Lines of representation, they stand for something other than themselves - the shapes, contours and textures of an object and the effects of light - or are the record of a gesture, a passion, an emotion. But they also are, in and on the image that they produce: "material lines", they have a physical presence, and possess specific spatial connotations that are linked to their medium.
Piranesi's more creative works exploit to the full the possibility of the "material line" of the etching: no longer a tool of representation, here the line becomes a tool of design. In the Capricci and in the Carceri the agility of his dynamic line blurs disciplinary and material divisions, questioning not only the validity of established and by then obsolete architectural languages, but the very nature of the "architectural", producing unusual combinations of organic and inorganic, alive and dead, ephemeral and lasting, flesh and stone. The lines, always precise, always intentional, always part of a disegno (project) are used to blur distinctions between the properly and the improperly architectural, shifting the emphasis from a language of forms to the performance of architecture's materials in a seamless space. Material, the line becomes also a critical instrument that questions and experiments on itself while operating as critical incisive instrument on the architectural.


Successful daylighting design is a complex task which requires the designer to consider numerous design elements and their effects on multiple performance criteria. Facades, in particular, include many variables which may dramatically impact daylighting performance. Genetic algorithms (GAs) are optimization methods which are suitable for searching large solution spaces, such as those presented by design problems. This article presents a GA-based tool which facilitates the exploration of facade designs generated based on illuminance and/or glare objectives. The method allows the user to input an original 3d massing model and performance goals. The overall building form remains the same while facade elements may change. Ten parameters are considered, including materials and geometry of apertures and shading devices. A simple building data model is used to automatically generate a 3d model of each solution. Results from single- and multi-objective case studies are presented to demonstrate a successful goal-driven design exploration process.


Objectives: I) to assess the level of blood pressure among patient with hypertension II) to evaluate the effectiveness of abdominal breathing exercise among patient with hypertension and III) to find out the association of level of blood pressure with selected demographic variables.Method: Experimental research design. Sample size was 30 in control and 30 samples in control group Results: the study findings revealed that Wilcoxon test value for systolic blood pressure was -4.344 and the Wilcoxon test value of Mean Arterial Pressure was -4.685 and the 'p' value was 0.000**. It was highly significant at p<0.001** level. It implies that abdominal breathing exercise was effective for reducing blood pressure level among people in experimental group. There is significant difference between pre-test and post-test assessment of blood pressure. Conclusion: Abdominal breathing exercise is effective in maintaining normal blood pressure.


The purpose of this research was to observe vanillin retention and color changes during storage of concentrated vanilla extract at the low temperature (10°C), room temperature (30°C), and high temperature (55°C) for 49 days. The methodology of this research consisted of vanilla curing process, vanilla extraction, evaporation of vanilla extract, formulation of concentrated vanilla extract, and measuring the vanillin retention and color change.The best products of c oncentrated vanilla extract were made with formula containing 10 ml vanilla extract, 10 ml high fructose syrup (HFS) 55% and 3 ml of carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC) solution 1% and that made with f ormula containing 10 ml vanilla extract, 1 5 ml glucose syrup 75°Brix and 3 ml of CMC solution 1%. The vanillin retention of both formulas had a trend to de s creas e . The pattern of vanillin retention and color change during storage of both formulas followed lin ear equations.The t emperature and period of storage significantly affected the color of concentrated vanilla extract. Both formulas did not show any differences in vanillin retention and color during storage at refrigerator and room temperature.


A planar dielectric film waveguide with a substrate of a nearly-free-electron metal has an ordinary diffraction grating etched on its surface. The reflection of a light beam incident on the grating from the cover is investigated as a function of the angle of incidence. A perturbation procedure is used for the determination of the resulting absorption spectra. The angular location and the depth of the antiresonance in the angular response of the reflection coefficient are used to obtain estimates of the average thickness of the dielectric film and the relative amplitude of the grating.


Multiple risk markers for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease act in a synergistic way through inflammatory pathways. This article discusses some of the key inflammatory biochemical risk markers for cardiovascular disease; in particular, the role of three basic cell types affected by these risk markers (endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and immune cells), the crucial role of inflammatory mediators, nitric oxide balance in cardiovascular pathology, and the use of nutrients to circumvent several of these inflammatory pathways. Most risk markers for cardiovascular disease have a pro-inflammatory component, which stimulates the release of a number of active molecules such as inflammatory mediators, reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide, and peroxynitrite from endothelial, vascular smooth muscle, and immune cells in response to injury. Nitric oxide plays a pivotal role in preventing the progression of atherosclerosis through its ability to induce vasodilation, suppress vascular smooth muscle proliferation, and reduce vascular lesion formation. Nutrients such as arginine, antioxidants (vitamins C and E, lipoic acid, glutathione), and enzyme cofactors (vitamins B2 and B3, folate, and tetrahydrobiopterin) help to elevate nitric oxide levels and may play an important role in the management of cardiovascular disease. Other dietary components such as DHA/EPA from fish oil, tocotrienols, vitamins B6 and B12, and quercetin contribute further to mitigating the inflammatory process.


Positive criminology is an innovative perspective that underlies existing theories and models emphasizing the positive forces that influence and assist individuals at risk and offenders in their recovery process. The theories and models included in positive criminology (e.g., peacemaking criminology, social acceptance, crime desistance, restorative justice) are not new; its novelty lies in their inclusion in a unique and distinct conceptualization. This has led to a shift in discourse and research in criminology, which goes beyond focusing on risk and criminogenic factors while focusing on the positive factors and strengths that help individuals to rehabilitate and successfully integrate into the community.
 Studies and practices developed over the past decade have confirmed and reinforced the assumptions of the positive criminology perspective. Despite its specific limitations, positive criminology provides a promising platform for further developments and innovations in research in theory (e.g., positive victimology, spiritual criminology) and in practice (e.g., restorative justice, problem-solving courts, community policing).


Rates of violence in South Africa are disturbingly high, constituting one of the most significant public mental health challenges in South Africa. Township (high) schools are especially prone to violence due to several factors, thereby influencing the learners' experience thereof. This article, based on a specific case study, focuses on exploring adolescent learners' unique experiences of school violence in a township high school, which may assist in understanding the phenomenon, and informing school prevention and/or intervention programmes/strategies for this and similar contexts. Conclusions drawn from the study are that school violence is a multifaceted phenomenon with unique contextual characteristics and, based on these findings, it is recommended that a holistic and an integrated approach be taken when dealing with violence in these and similar schools.


This article describes the adaptation of a non-spatial model of pastureland dynamics, including vegetation life cycle, livestock management and nitrogen cycle, for use in a spatially explicit and modular modelling platform (k.LAB) dedicated to make data and models more interoperable. The aim is to deliver an existing, locally successful monolithic model, into a more modular, transparent and accessible approach to potential end users, regional managers, farmers and other stakeholders. This allows better usability and adaptability of the model beyond its originally intended geographical scope (the Cantabrian Region in the North of Spain). The original model, named Puerto, is developed in the R language and includes 1,491 lines of code divided into 13 script files and linked to 19 input tables. The spatiotemporal rewrite is structured around a set of 10 namespaces called PaL (Pasture and Livestock), which includes 198 interoperable but independent models. The end user chooses the spatial and temporal context of the analysis through an intuitive web-based user interface called k.Explorer. Each model can be called individually or in conjunction with the others, by querying any PaL-related concepts in a search bar. A scientific workflow is built as a response, which is run to produce result datasets and a report with information on the data sources and modelling processes used, delivering results with full transparency. We argue that this work demonstrates key steps needed to create more Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR) models. This is particularly essential in environments as complex as agricultural systems, where multidisciplinary knowledge needs to be integrated across diverse spatial and temporal scales in order to understand complex and changing problems.


Purpose: The paper examines the effectiveness of internal control systems, explores the exposure of Spanish banks to the dangers of default as a result of internal control systems and establishes a relationship between internal controls and credit risk. Design/Methodology/Approach: Quantitative research approach is used to test hypotheses on the relationship between internal controls and credit risk among listed banks in Spain. Data from Bankscope and company websites from 2004-2013 were used. Generalized Least Squares (random effect) econometric estimation technique was used for the model. Findings: We find that internal control systems are in place but their effectiveness cannot be guaranteed. This exposes Spanish listed banks to serious default situations. There is significant effect of internal controls on credit risk especially the control environment, risk management, control activities and monitoring. The non-disclosure of material internal control weakness is a contributory factor to the ineffective internal control systems. There is however a perceived board ineffectiveness which does not augur well for effective internal control systems. Board characteristics for Spanish banks confirm the agency theory. Research Limitations and Implications: Data unavailability for certain years, variables and many inactive banks did not permit a larger sample size than expected. The use of quantitative variables lacks flexibility. Practical Implications: Bank management will find the work useful to ensure strict enforcement of internal control mechanisms and see it as both credit risk and operational risk issues. Central bank should hurry to compel banks to disclose material internal control weakness as provided in the reviewed COSO framework. Social Implications: Ineffective internal controls lead to credit risks, bank closure and loss of investments. Society suffers a lot from such losses and contagion. Disclosure of material internal control weakness is a social responsibility of banks. Originality/Value: The authors are yet to come across the use of purely quantitative variables to model the effect of elements of internal controls on credit risk. This study opens and adds a new dimension of internal controls not only to be seen as operational risk issue but also credit risk.


Today mobile devices and their application marketplaces drive the entire economy of the mobile landscape. For instance, Android platforms alone have produced staggering revenues exceeding 9 billion USD, which unfortunately attracts cybercriminals with malware now hitting the Android markets at an alarmingly rising pace. To better understand this slew of threats, we present CopperDroid, an automatic VMI-based dynamic analysis system to reconstruct the behavior of Android malware. Based on the key observation that all interesting behaviors are eventually expressed through system calls, CopperDroid presents a novel unified analysis able to capture both low-level OSspecific and high-level Android-specific behaviors. To this end, CopperDroid presents an automatic system call-centric analysis that faithfully reconstructs events of interests, including IPC and RPC interactions and complex Android objects, to describe the behavior of Android malware regardless of whether it is initiated from Java or native code execution. CopperDroid's analysis generates detailed behavioral profiles that abstract a large stream of low-level— sometimes uninteresting—events into concise high-level semantics, which are well-suited to provide effective insights. We carried out an extensive evaluation to assess the capabilities and performance of CopperDroid on more than 2,900 Android malware samples. Our experiments show that CopperDroid faithfully describes OSand Android-specific behaviors and, through the use of a simple yet effective app stimulation technique, successfully triggers and discloses additional behaviors on more than 60% (on average) of the analyzed malware samples, qualitatively improving code coverage of dynamic-based analyses.


Vegetation phenology manifests the rhythm of annual plant life activities. It has been extensively studied in natural ecosystems. However, major knowledge gaps still exist in understanding the impacts of urbanization on vegetation phenology. This study addresses two questions to fill the knowledge gaps: (1) How does vegetation phenology vary spatially and temporally along a rural-to-urban transect in Shanghai, China, over the past three decades? (2) How do landscape composition and configuration affect those variations of vegetation phenology? To answer these questions, 30 m × 30 m mean vegetation phenology metrics, including the start of growing season (SOS), end of growing season (EOS), and length of growing season (LOS), were derived for urban vegetation using dense stacks of enhanced vegetation index (EVI) time series from images collected by Landsat 5–8 satellites from 1984 to 2015. Landscape pattern metrics were calculated using high spatial resolution aerial photos. We then used Pearson correlation analysis to quantify the associations between phenology patterns and landscape metrics. We found that vegetation in urban centers experienced advances of SOS for 5–10 days and delays of EOS for 5–11 days compared with those located in the surrounding rural areas. Additionally, we observed strong positive correlations between landscape composition (percentage of landscape area) of developed land and LOS of urban vegetation. We also found that the landscape configuration of local land cover types, especially patch density and edge density, was significantly correlated with the spatial patterns of vegetation phenology. These results demonstrate that vegetation phenology in the urban area is significantly different from its rural surroundings. These findings have implications for urban environmental management, ranging from biodiversity protection to public health risk reduction.


Nowadays, Social Media Platforms, (SMP) are increasingly central in mediating subjects' interaction and communication. The flow of information that occurs in these platforms is governed by legal and technological norms. The technological normativity coupled with the syntactical structure of social media influence the way users share personal information in different contexts thus exerting a relevant role in both the management of human relationships and the construction of personal identity.This article analyzes the two sided-normativity that characterize a social media platform (WhatsApp) through the Nissenbaum's [2004] framework of "Contextual Integrity", which consider the integrity of information as strictly bound to context, wherein the flow of information is governed by two kinds of norms – norms of appropriateness and norms of distribution.Furthermore, we deployed an "affordance" approach to investigate the range of possible actions WhatsApp's socio-technical practices leave up to people. I suggest that the flow of information in WhatsApp does not always respect the two norms Nissenbaum foresees as the central tenet of her theory.I demonstrate how the "socio-technical practices" embedded in these platforms constrain users' ability to exert control over their information thus breaking the contextual integrity considered as a fundamental condition to preserve privacy.


A virus, strain 583, was isolated from carpione Salmo trutta carpio fry exhibiting high mortality. The virus was not neutralized by rabbit antisera against the fish rhabdoviruses viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV), infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus, eel rhabdovirus European X, spring viraemia of carp virus or pike fry rhabdovirus, or against the birnavirus infectious pancreatic necrosis virus. The virus replicated in several flsh cell lines incubated at 20 to 25'C and grew optimally in the bluegill fry (BF-2) and fathead minnow (FHI\I) cell lines. Electron microscopy of infected BF-2 cell cultures revealed the presence of typical rhabdov~rus particles, and immunofluorescent staining was observed using various polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against Egtved vlrus, the causative agent of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia. The staining by a MAb against the nucleoprotein (N) of VHSV was particularly strong, a MAb against the glycoprotein (G) gave a moderate reaction, whereas a second MAb against the G protein and MAbs against the matrix proteins, M, and M2, of VHSV did not react. Fluorescence titres using 3 rabbit antisera against whole Egtved virus varied between negative and moderately positive. Western blotting using polyclonal and monoclonal sera confirmed that both the N and G proteins of the carpione virus shared some epitopes with those of VHSV, but the M, and M2 proteins did not. SDS-PAGE showed the structural proteins of the carpione virus produced a pattern typical of members of the Lyssavirus genus of the Rhabdoviridae and the molecular weights were very similar to those of VHSV, except for the M2 protein which was somewhat smaller. Infection trials showed the carpione virus induced high mortalities in carpione fry but not in rambow trout Oncorhynchus mykjss fry. The carpione virus was clearly distinguishable from Egtved virus despite limited serological cross reaction. Since it was also easily distinguishable by immunofluorescence from the other fish rhabdoviruses included in the present study as well as in studies published elsewhere, it is concluded that the virus is a previously undescribed one. It is proposed that the virus be given the preliminary designation 'carpione rhabdovirus' K E Y WORDS: Rhabdovirus . Carpione Sa ln~o trutta carpjo . Flsh vlrus


Network-on-Chip (NoC) is a general purpose on-chip communication concept that offers high throughput, which is the basic requirement to deal with complexity of modern systems. Arbiter is used in NoC Router when number of input port are request for same output port. In this paper we are  design Matrix Arbiter  for NoC architecture.  When  all input port are request for same output port  in this situation matrix arbiter first  form a matrix 5*5 After that matrix arbiter assign the Priority to all input request  and generate the grant signal. In this paper we are analyze  the Area, power.


Drastic changes in Dutch agriculture have made agricultural entrepreneurship increasingly complex. But are farmers dealing with this complexity, and if so, how? This study, entitled "The mystery of entrepreneurship", attempts to answer these questions. The aim of the research is to provide insight into the actual state of the art of Dutch agricultural entrepreneurship. This will clarify for policy makers how, and if, agricultural entrepreneurs are dealing with the radical changes in agriculture that are facing them. Answers to these questions will indicate how agricultural entrepreneurship can be stimulated. The final stage of the research will consider how to translate the results into agricultural education. The research will be focussed on the personal characteristics of entrepreneurs, on the different strategies they use to deal with the radical changes in agriculture, on their use of the knowledge infrastructure and, consequently, their use of social networks and on innovativeness. In addition, managerial tasks of entrepreneurs will be studied as well as the extent to which different farmers are oriented towards products, processes, system, chain and society, because this gives an impression of the stage of development of the farms. A survey of 1500 agricultural entrepreneurs, supplemented by more detailed qualitative information gathered from 45 farms by means of structural interviewing, comprise the material for answering our questions about entrepreneurship. Some preliminary results are presented here to illustrate how a farm feature, such as a way of farming, an environmental factor such as region and a personal feature such as age, can affect entrepreneurship.


Proteins of the major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC class I) are best known for their central role in the immune response. However, accumulating evidence shows that MHC class I proteins also have nonimmune roles in the healthy nervous system. MHC class I is expressed by developing and adult neurons, and is required for the proper establishment, function and modification of synaptic connections. The newly discovered, critical functions of MHC class I in the healthy nervous system suggest that MHC class I could directly link the immune response to changes in brain structure and function in diverse neurological disorders.

Key Concepts:

MHC class I is expressed by developing and mature neurons in the healthy nervous system.

Endogenous MHC class I limits neurite outgrowth, limits synapse density and promotes synapse elimination in multiple brain regions.

MHC class I limits synaptic transmission mediated by NMDA-type glutamate receptors in the hippocampus, regulates NMDAR-dependent synaptic plasticity, and is required for normal NMDAR-dependent learning and memory.

The receptors and signalling pathways that mediate MHC class I's effects on neurons remain largely unknown.

Disruption of the nonimmune functions of MHC class I may be an unexpected contributor to diverse neurological disorders.

Keywords:

major histocompatibility complex class I;
synaptic plasticity;
synapse elimination;
axon remodelling;
synapse density;
synaptic transmission, NMDA receptor;
PirB


Never has something cried out for a cookbook quite as much as Cisco's Internetwork Operating System (IOS). IOS is powerful and flexible, but also confusing and daunting. Most tasks can be accomplished in several different ways. And you don't want to spend precious time figuring out which way is best when you're trying to solve a problem quickly. That's what this cookbook is for. Fortunately, most router configuration tasks can be broken down into several more or less independent steps: you configure an interface, you configure a routing protocol, you set up backup links, you implement packet filters and other access control mechanisms. What you really need is a set of recipes that show you how to perform the most common tasks, so you can quickly come up with a good configuration for your site. And you need to know that these solutions work: you don't want to find yourself implementing a backup link at 2 A.M. because your main link is down and the backup link you set up when you installed the router wasn't quite right.Thoroughly revised and expanded, Cisco IOS Cookbook, 2nd Edition, adds sections on MPLS, Security, IPv6, and IP Mobility, and presents solutions to the most common configuration problems, including:Configuring interfaces of many types, from serial to ATM and Frame RelayConfiguring all of the common IP routing protocols (RIP, EIGRP, OSPF, and BGP)Configuring authenticationConfiguring other services, including DHCP and NTPSetting up backup links, and using HSRP to configure backup routersManaging the router, including SNMP and other solutionsUsing access lists to control the traffic through the routerIf you work with Cisco routers, you need a book like this to help you solve problems quickly and effectively. Even if you're experienced, the solutions and extensive explanations will give you new ideas and insights into router configuration. And if you're not experienced--if you've just been given responsibility for managing a network with Cisco routers--this book could be a job-saver.


We describe an algorithm that combines lexical information (from WordNet 1.7) with Web directories (from the Open Directory Project) to associate word senses with such directories. Such associations can be used as rich characterizations to acquire sense-tagged corpora automatically, cluster topically related senses, and detect sense specializations. The algorithm is evaluated for the 29 nouns (147 senses) used in the Senseval 2 competition, obtaining 148 (word sense, Web directory) associations covering 88 of the domain-specific word senses in the test data with 86 accuracy. The richness of Web directories as sense characterizations is evaluated in a supervised word sense disambiguation task using the Senseval 2 test suite. The results indicate that, when the directory/word sense association is correct, the samples automatically acquired from the Web directories are nearly as valid for training as the original Senseval 2 training instances. The results support our hypothesis that Web directories are a rich source of lexical information: cleaner, more reliable, and more structured than the full Web as a corpus.


This paper reports the results of a project to estimate and test the stability properties of conventional equations relating real imports and exports of goods and services for the G-7 countries to their incomes and relative prices. We begin by estimating cointegration vectors and the error-correction formulations. We then test the stability of these equations using Chow and Kalman-Filter tests. The evidence suggests three findings. First, conventional trade equations and elasticities are stable enough, in most cases, to perform adequately in forecasting and policy simulations. Equations for German trade, as well as equations for French and Italian exports, are an exception. Second, income elasticities of U.S. trade have not been shifting in a direction that will tend to ease the trend toward deterioration in the U.S. trade position. The income-elasticity gap for Japan found in earlier studies was not confirmed in this analysis. Finally, the price channel is weak, if not wholly ineffective, in the case of continental European countries.


The aim of this study was to test whether resistance of clones of Theobroma cacao (cocoa) varied between isolates of Moniliophthora (formerly Crinipellis ) perniciosa , the cause of witches' broom disease. Developing buds of vegetatively propagated T. cacao grown in greenhouses in the UK were inoculated with 16 000 spores of M. perniciosa per meristem in water, under conditions where water condensed on the inoculated shoot for at least 12 h after inoculation. The proportion of successful inoculations varied between clones and was inversely correlated with time to symptom production or broom formation. A specific interaction was demonstrated among three single-spore isolates of M. perniciosa and the clone Scavina 6 (SCA 6) and a variety of susceptible clones. Isolates Castenhal-I and APC3 were equally likely to infect SCA 6 and the other clones, but isolate Gran Couva A9 never infected SCA 6, although it was as virulent on the other clones. The interaction was maintained when the wetness period was extended to 70 h. Offspring of SCA 6 × Amelonado matings were all susceptible to both Castenhal-I and GC-A5, with no evidence of greater variability in susceptibility to GC-A5 than Castanhal-I. This suggests recessive inheritance of a single homozygous factor conferring resistance to GC-A5, from SCA 6. The progenies were slightly more susceptible to Castanhal-I than GC-A5. The implications for managing the disease are discussed.


Many of the fundamental ideas of the classical Prague School have guided or inspired much of the interdisciplinary post World War II research in linguistics, literary theory, semiotics, folklore and the arts. The Prague School promoted a humanistic and functional Leitmotiv of language as an open, flexible, adaptable, and abstract system of systems used by human beings to communicate. This hommage to the Prague School presents papers in five areas of research: - Prague School phonology and its theoretical and methodological implications, The Prague School and functional discourse analysis, The Prague School and aspects of literary criticism, The sociological and ethnographical concerns of the Prague School, The Prague School's semiotic approach to the arts."


We have measured the pressures of decrepitation of vesicles in synthetic glasses of feldspar compositions (NaAlSi3O8-KAlSi3O8). Vesicles frlled with Xe do not decrepitate at internal pressures of 160 MPa, indicating that the unflawed surface of the vesicle wall has an intrinsic strength >80 MPa. Vesicles containing CO, escaped decrepitation and displayed ductile deformation when the Q was reached at the maximum P of 200 MPa (indicating an intrinsic strength higher than 100 MPa). Vesicles containing HrO showed dramatically reduced strength, decrepitating at internal pressures on the order of l-5 MPa. The HrO-filled vesicles leaked slowly over periods of several weeks or months. The relative stability ofthe inclusions is strongly dependent on the quench rate, urith rapidly quenched inclusions showing greater stability over long periods of time. Microscopic examination revealed the presence of radial microfractures in the walls of HrO-filled vesicles. We account for the microfracturing with reference to recent studies of chemical-gradient stress. Our observations may account for a variety of phenomena, which occur wherever hydrous vesicular glasses are formed, including explosive decompression of vesicular glassy rock in near-surface volcanic environments, $pontaneous decrepitation of vesicular basaltic glass dredged from the seafloor ("popping rocks"), and rapid loss ofHrO from synthetic vesicular glasses produced in laboratory experiments investigating fluid-melt phase equilibria.


1. Invertebrates from at least three major groups (crustaceans, gastropods and insects) have distributions that are restricted to within a few hundred metres of the coast, but unlike coastal plants there has been little discussion and no tests of the mechanisms that might control such distributions. 2. Coastally restricted landhoppers, Austrotroides maritimus Friend, were transported inland of their natural distribution and established in enclosures at a site in far southern Tasmania. Salt (dry and in solution) was added to these enclosures to test the hypothesis that this species is confined to the coast by a requirement for salt. 3. Over 5 months, A. maritimus persisted and reproduced in the dry salt treatment, but numbers remained low or declined in the other treatments. 4. The addition of salt in solution did not produce the increase in numbers seen in the dry salt treatment. There was no evidence that non-coastal species declined under the salt treatments. 5. The restriction of A. maritimus to the coast is explained in terms of its dependence on a supply of ions from salt spray, rather than a resistance to conditions which other more competitive species cannot tolerate. 6. This conclusion is qualified by the possibility that there may be occasional salt-concentrating events in the coastal zone which raise the salt concentration above the tolerance levels of non-coastal species. 7. Coastal landhoppers, in Tasmania at least, are not plesiomorphic members of their genera, so their distributions appear to be secondary, rather than representing an early stage in land colonization.


The  development  of  'security  policy'  is  never  straightforward. From the  perspective  of the  desk of a practitioner, what is and is not security may seem clear, and even objective. But 'security policy' is rarely clear – look at the differences of opinion in Europe over whether to act in response to the uprising in Libya – and the consequences always hard to foresee. Indeed, when we consider the ideas and practices of other nations and cultures, and indeed,  of  Europe's  own  ideas  and  practices  in  the  past,  it  is  clear  that  security  means  different things to different peoples in different places and in different times. This Policy Brief seeks to showcase three ideas of security, as a means of understanding how we shape our security policies today.


Terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems are connected via multiple biophysical and ecological processes. Identifying and quantifying links among ecosystems is necessary for the uptake of integrated conservation actions across realms. Such actions are particularly important for species using habitats in more than one realm during their daily or life cycle. We reviewed information on the habitats of 2,408 species of European conservation concern and found that 30% of the species use habitats in multiple realms. Transportation and service corridors, which fragment species habitats, were identified as the most important threat impacting ∼70% of the species. We examined information on 1,567 European Union (EU) conservation projects funded over the past 25 years, to assess the adequacy of efforts toward the conservation of "multi‐realm" species at a continental scale. We discovered that less than a third of multi‐realm species benefited from projects that included conservation actions across multiple realms. To achieve the EU's conservation target of halting biodiversity loss by 2020 and effectively protect multi‐realm species, integrated conservation efforts across realms should be reinforced by: (1) recognizing the need for integrated management at a policy level, (2) revising conservation funding priorities across realms, and (3) implementing integrated land‐freshwater‐sea conservation planning and management.


Objective: To use a systematic review to determine which all are the contributing factors that play role in success rate of orthodontic mini-implants. Materials and methods: Different databases were searched without limitations up to July 2015. Additionally, the bibliographies of the finally selected articles were hand searched to identify any relevant publications that were not identified earlier. In vitro and in vivo articles were included. Both human and animal studies were included. Thirty five articles were initially selected, finally 28 articles were included in the study. Conclusion: This review article conclude that success of orthodontic mini-implants depends on multiple factors which can be broadly classified under four headingsmechanical factors, biologic factors, placement technique, microbial factors. Mechanical factors included diameter of mini-implants, surface characteristics, load and its relation with implants, microgrooves, miniscrew versus manipulates, biologic factors included Inter-radicular space, skeletal growth pattern, placement site, racial factors, root proximity, placement techniques such as self-tapping and self-drilling placement, laser therapy, reinstalled mini-implants, pre drilling diameter play a vital role in success of implants. Microbial factors such as microbial floral changes after implant placement and inflammation surrounding the implants also have an important role in success and failure of implant.


Background: Reasons for the increased incidence of cesarean delivery among women with inflammatory bowel disease remain unclear. We assessed cesarean delivery incidence and factors influencing mode of delivery in women with inflammatory bowel disease. Methods: We performed a 10-year retrospective cohort study of nulliparous women who delivered a singleton infant at our institution. We compared the risk of each mode of delivery in women with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis with women without inflammatory bowel disease. We assessed mode of delivery indications for patients with inflammatory bowel disease and whether cesarean deliveries were planned. Results: The overall incidence of cesarean delivery among women with Crohn's disease (24/59; 40.7%) was similar to that among women without inflammatory bowel disease (7868/21,805; 36.1%) (risk ratio 1.1 [95% confidence interval, 0.83, 1.5]; P = 0.46), but was increased in the subgroups with active and inactive perianal disease (risk ratio 2.3; P < 0.01). Women with ulcerative colitis had a 1.8-fold increased relative risk of cesarean delivery (41/65; 63.1%) (95% confidence interval, 1.5, 2.1; P < 0.01), with highest incidence in patients with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. Forty-nine percent of ulcerative colitis and 66.7% of Crohn's disease cesarean deliveries were unplanned, with only 1 unplanned delivery performed for active inflammatory bowel disease. Most unplanned deliveries were for arrest of descent/dilation and nonreassuring fetal heart tracings. Seventy-five percent of planned cesarean deliveries were for inflammatory bowel disease–related indications. Conclusions: Women with ulcerative colitis and perianal Crohn's disease have an increased incidence of cesarean delivery. At least half of cesarean deliveries are unplanned.


ŠPOKAS, L. and D. STEPONAVIČIUS, 2014. Evaluating the effectiveness of pinolene based pod sealant for reducing shattering losses in several cultivars of rape (Brassica napus l.). Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 20: 310-320 The research was carried out in 2007–2009 at the Experimental Station of the Lithuanian University of Agriculture. The objective of the research – to find out the effect of climatic factors and pinolene based pod sealant on dynamics of seed moisture content and shattering losses in several cultivars of winter rape (Brassica napus L.). The pod sealant sprayed within two weeks prior to rape harvesting was found to have no effect on dynamics of seed moisture content within pods. With progression of pod maturation and reduction in moisture content up to 15–18% inside of them, the pod sealant did not substantially reduce shatter loss either. Meanwhile, controlled plots and plots treated with pod sealant showed no substantial difference in total shatter losses. Under weather conditions favourable for maturation of winter rape pods, after seed moisture content achieved 8–12%, pod sealant was found to substantially reduce shatter loss. In case of delayed rape harvesting, shatter loss increased substantially more rapidly in the cultivar non-treated with pod sealant when compared to the treated one. The action of pod sealant is also influenced by the properties characteristic to rape varieties. Moreover, abundant precipitation and strong winds (exceeding 12 m s-1) increase shattering losses by approximately 15 kg ha-1 per day. In Lithuania, harvesting of winter rape should be started at their seed moisture content below 15%. Under favourable weather conditions, rape harvesting should take no more than five days. Under production conditions, using grain combine harvesters to directly harvest matured spring rape, the effect of pod-sealant on shatter loss from harvesting was not substantial.


Collecting accurate and reliable nutritional data from adolescent populations is challenging, with current methods providing significant under-reporting. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the accuracy of a combined dietary data collection method (self-reported weighed food diary, supplemented with a 24-h recall) when compared to researcher observed energy intake in male adolescent soccer players. Twelve Academy players from an English Football League club participated in the study. Players attended a 12 h period in the laboratory (08:00 h–20:00 h), during which food and drink items were available and were consumed ad libitum. Food was also provided to consume at home between 20:00 h and 08:00 h the following morning under free-living conditions. To calculate the participant reported energy intake, food and drink items were weighed and recorded in a food diary by each participant, which was supplemented with information provided through a 24-h recall interview the following morning. Linear regression, limits of agreement (LOA) and typical error (coefficient of variation; CV) were used to quantify agreement between observer and participant reported 24-h energy intake. Difference between methods was assessed using a paired samples t-test. Participants systematically under-reported energy intake in comparison to that observed (p < 0.01) but the magnitude of this bias was small and consistent (mean bias = −88 kcal·day−1, 95% CI for bias = −146 to −29 kcal·day−1). For random error, the 95% LOA between methods ranged between −1.11 to 0.37 MJ·day−1 (−256 to 88 kcal·day−1). The standard error of the estimate was low, with a typical error between measurements of 3.1%. These data suggest that the combined dietary data collection method could be used interchangeably with the gold standard observed food intake technique in the population studied providing that appropriate adjustment is made for the systematic under-reporting common to such methods.


In 2009, to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the People's Republic of China, the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies convened a major conference to discuss the health and longevity of China's ruling system and to consider a fundamental question: After three decades of internal strife and turmoil, followed by an era of reform, entrepreneurialism, and internationalization, is the PRC here for the dynastic long haul? Bringing together scholars and students of China from around the world, the gathering witnessed an energetic exchange of views on four interrelated themes: polities, social transformations, wealth and well-being, and culture, belief, and practice. Edited and expanded from the original conference papers, the wide-ranging essays in this bilingual volume remain true to the conference's aim: to promote open discussion of the past, present, and future of the People's Republic of China.


Whether factors not under a hospital's control affect readmissions remains intensely debated in the context of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Hospital Readmission Reduction Program. This study aimed to evaluate the potential effects of poverty, race, and hospital volume on excess readmissions, with >3000 hospitals participating in "Hospital Compare." Correlations between excess readmission ratios for five eligible outcomes (including hip and knee arthroplasty) were assessed with the three area and hospital-level factors: poverty, race (percent of black population), and hospital volume (number of discharges). Correlation coefficients of the ratios with race were approximately r = 0.2, consistently larger than those with poverty (r = 0-0.1), and those with volume were r = 0 to -0.5. Hip and knee arthroplasty had unique findings: null correlation with poverty (r ≈ 0), largest variability, and strong monotonicity with volume (r ≈ -0.5). The percent of Hispanic population showed negligible correlations in secondary analysis. Penalty assessment and hospital profiling should consider areas with high percentages of black population and a small volume of hospitals and providers of hip and knee surgery. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 27(4):286-294, 2018).


Background: Hibernation involves periods of severely depressed metabolism (torpor) and decreases in body temperature (Tb). Small arctic mammals (<5kg), in which Tb generally drop drastically, display leukopenia during hibernation. This raised the question of whether the decreased leukocyte counts in mammalian hibernators is due to torpor per se or is secondary to low Tb. The present study examined immune cell counts in brown bears (Ursus arctos), where torpor is only associated with shallow decreases in Tb. The results were compared across hibernator species for which immune and Tb data were available. Methods and Results: The white blood cell counts were determined by flow cytometry in 13 bears captured in the field both during summer and winter over 2 years time. Tb dropped from 39.6±0.8 to 33.5±1.1°C during hibernation. Blood neutrophils and monocytes were lower during hibernation than during the active period (47%, p= 0.001; 43%, p=0.039, respectively), whereas no change in lymphocyte counts was detected (p=0.599). Further, combining our data and those from 10 studies on 9 hibernating species suggested that the decline in Tb explained the decrease in innate immune cells (R2=0.83, p<0.0001). Conclusions: Bears have fewer innate immune cells in circulation during hibernation, which may represent a suppressed innate immune system. Across species comparison suggests that, both in small and large hibernators, Tb is the main driver of immune function regulation during winter dormancy. The lack of a difference in lymphocyte counts in this context requires further investigations.


Asylum policies in Britain and in the countries of its EU partners are failing to cope with the demands made upon them. With migration pressures mounting and opportunities for legal immigration to many EU states restricted, larger numbers of potential migrants are turning to alternative means of entry and access, namely irregular migration and asylum channels. The responses of states to these challenges have been to adopt more restrictive policies and practices that have considerably changed the balance between immigration control and refugee protection. While states have the right to control entry and enforce their borders, the restrictive measures that have come to dominate policy-making and recent immigration enforcement initiatives in Britain and its European partners do not sufficiently discriminate between asylum seekers and other kinds of migrants, thereby failing to safeguard the right of refugees to seek protection. Current British proposals to move asylum seekers to 'safe areas' in regions of origin fail to understand the burdens, pressures and priorities of countries in the regions, fail to ensure effective protection for those in need, and are unlikely to deliver the UK policy objective of substantially reducing the numbers of illegal entries to Britain. What is needed is an approach that reduces the number of individuals seeking protection in Europe while maintaining the European tradition of providing asylum to those in genuine need. The 'missing link' in asylum policy that would respond both to the concerns of states and to the protection needs of refugees is more comprehensive engagement in regions of refugee origin. It is in this way that western asylum countries, including the UK, may best address the challenge of providing international protection to victims of persecution and respond to their own concerns about asylum.


In Europe today, the most heated identity politics revolve around matters of sexuality and religion. In the context of "integration" debates that occur in different forms in various countries, sexuality has gained a new form of normativity, and new sexual sensitivities have replaced former ones. So far, scholarly discussions deal with these sensitivities in a deconstructivist and critical manner, denaturalizing discourses on culture, identity, and religion. However, these debates do not consider the experiences of people implicated in these debates, and their often emotional and political engagement in matters where sexuality and religion intersect. Joan Scott's coinage of the term "sexularism" denotes a particular form of embodiment that is part of secularism in Europe today. Rather than studying the discourse of secularism, this article focuses on the practice of secularization; how do people fashion their daily lives concerning sexuality, religion and its intimate intersection?


To Feed a Nation takes the reader on a journey over the centuries, describing the slow and arduous development of Australian food technology and science from before European settlement to the latter half of the twentieth century.

The first part of the book gives a fascinating glimpse into Aboriginal food and culture, outlines the primitive state of European food technology at the time of the First Fleet, and shows how the colonists tried to transfer to Australia the village technologies they knew in England.

The second part describes how, for most of the nineteenth century, technology preceded science – the processing and storage of food relied on methods which, by trial and error, had been shown to work – and food science was slow to emerge.

The final part of the book highlights the twentieth century watershed — how a growing understanding of the nature of food, the principles of nutrition, and the role of micro-organisms, was able to propel food technology to where it is today.

The publication of To Feed a Nation has been sponsored by the Food Technology Association of Victoria.


We studied the embryology of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal by light microscopy in order to reveal specific embryological features of the genus, and compared the results with embryological data on other members of the family Solanaceae. The key embryological characters of W. somnifera include dicotyledonous-type anther wall formation, simultaneous cytokinesis in pollen mother cells, binucleate tapetal cells, 2-celled mature pollen, anatropous, tenuinucellate and unitegmic ovules, polygonum-type embryo sac formation, the presence of an endothelium, and cellular endosperm formation. We give the first report of the dicotyledonous mode of anther wall formation (previously described as basic type) for the species. Comparative study suggests that anther wall formation, number of nuclei in tapetal cells, number of cells in mature pollen, mode of embryo sac formation and endosperm development are the most variable embryological features in Solanaceae. Some of these embryological features of W. somnifera should be of value for comparative study of related species and their phylogenetic relationships within the family.


Abstract. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government has declared the increased use of alternative energy a strategic goal and has invested in identifying and developing various sources of such energy. This study aimed at assessing the viability of establishing wind farms offshore the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, UAE and to identify favourable sites for such farms using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) procedures and algorithms. Based on previous studies and on local requirements, a set of suitability criteria was developed including ocean currents, reserved areas, seabed topography, and wind speed. GIS layers were created and a weighted overlay GIS model based on the above mentioned criteria was built to identify suitable sites for hosting a new offshore wind energy farm. Results showed that most of Abu Dhabi offshore areas were unsuitable, largely due to the presence of restricted zones (marine protected areas, oil extraction platforms and oil pipelines in particular). However, some suitable sites could be identified, especially around Delma Island and North of Jabal Barakah in the Western Region. The environmental impact of potential wind farm locations and associated cables on the marine ecology was examined to ensure minimal disturbance to marine life. Further research is needed to specify wind mills characteristics that suit the study area especially with the presence of heavy traffic due to many oil production and shipping activities in the Arabian Gulf most of the year.


In the 1580s Ruggero Giovannelli and Luca Marenzio published a series of madrigals drawn from the pastoral book Arcadia (1504) by the Neapolitan poet Jacopo Sannazaro. There was something unusual about this choice. The texts featured sdrucciolo lines, a verse type that was traditionally excluded from the Petrarchist canon and, consequently, from the repertory of the musical madrigal. In the dedication of his first book for four voices to Ferrante Penna, Giovannelli justified his decision to publish an entire collection of sdrucciolo as an homage to Sannazaro, to whom he referred as the pride of the kingdom of Naples. He clearly meant to capitalize on a distinctively southern sense of cultural identity that took pride in Sannazaro's poetic legacy. Why, in Rome in the 1580s, did it become so important, and potentially remunerative, to reaffirm the glory of a Neapolitan poet of the caliber and popularity of Sannazaro? Why did this celebratory act focus on such a specific aspect of his poetic output (namely the cultivation of sdrucciolo lines)? And above all, why did it take the form of a musical offering? By tracing the musical reception of Sannazaro's Arcadia in the 16th century, this article investigates the relationship between deviation from the norm and regional pride in the musical culture of the 1580s. Concomitantly, it aims at demonstrating that the study of the musical fortunes and misfortunes of Sannazaro's text has something distinctive to contribute to an understanding of the rhetoric of stylistic selection that surrounded the development of the Italian madrigal.


This study employs the bounds testing approach to cointegration to investigate the relationships between the prices of two strategic commodities: gold and oil and the financial variables (interest rate, exchange rate and stock price) of Japan – a major oil-consuming and gold-holding country. Our results suggest that the price of gold and stock, among others, can help form expectations of higher inflation over time. In the short run, only gold price impacts the interest rate in Japan. Overall the findings of this study could benefit both the Japanese monetary authority and investors who hold the Japanese yen in their portfolios. For instance, our findings imply that the optimal choice in a long term for those investors who buy the Japanese yen would be to include either gold or oil or both in their portfolios.


The Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect, 2013 (OIS-2013) is the fifth provincial study to examine the incidence of reported child maltreatment and the characteristics of children and families investigated by child welfare authorities in Ontario. This Information Sheet examines ethno-racial disproportionality and disparities in child welfare investigation and service decisions using the OIS-2013 data. Language: en


In the fall of 2004, four profiles of a total length of about 80 km and 24 recovered Ocean Bottom Seismometers (OBSs) were acquired along offshore southwestern Taiwan. These profiles were oriented in E-W and N-S directions to map the velocity structure of sediments by modeling the vertical component of OBS data. The thickness of sedimentary layers ranges from a few hundred meters to about 2 km, with the largest thickness being found beneath ridges. The most striking feature in the velocity models along E-W profiles is the relatively high velocity wedges, extending from the seafloor to about 2 km in depth; these could be interpreted as a series of westward upthrust faults. The feature of relatively high P-wave velocity could be considered a result of local shallowing of the base of the gas hydrate stability zone, caused by ascending flows of deep fluids passing through the fault zone. In the N-S profiles, a dome-like high velocity structure was observed and could be associated with the phenomenon of hydrate/gas phase boundary fluctuation. After erosion, the sub-seafloor temperature gradient redistributes and results in the hydrate/gas phase boundary moving downward. The results obtained in this study show that tectonic control is an important factor in determining bottom-simulating reflector (BSR) distributions offshore of southwestern Taiwan.


In this paper we describe a new tool to search for boomerang distinguishers. One limitation of the MILP model of Liu et al. is that it handles only one round for the middle part while Song et al. have shown that dependencies could affect much more rounds, for instance up to 6 rounds for SKINNY. Thus we describe a new approach to turn an MILP model to search for truncated characteristics into an MILP model to search for truncated boomerang characteristics automatically handling the middle rounds. We then show a new CP model to search for the best possible instantiations to identify good boomerang distinguishers. Finally we systematized the method initiated by Song et al. to precisely compute the probability of a boomerang. As a result, we found many new boomerang distinguishers up to 24 rounds in the TK3 model. In particular, we improved by a factor 230 the probability of the best known distinguisher against 18-round SKINNY-128/256.


Internet crime has become increasingly dependent on the underground economy: a loose federation of specialists selling capabilities, services, and resources explicitly tailored to the abuse ecosystem. Through these emerging markets, modern criminal entrepreneurs piece together dozens of a la carte components into entirely new criminal endeavors. From an abuse fighting perspective, criminal reliance on this black market introduces fragile dependencies that, if disrupted, undermine entire operations that as a composite appear intractable to protect against. However, without a clear framework for examining the costs and infrastructure behind Internet crime, it becomes impossible to evaluate the effectiveness of novel intervention strategies. In this paper, we survey a wealth of existing research in order to systematize the community's understanding of the underground economy. In the process, we develop a taxonomy of profit centers and support centers for reasoning about the flow of capital (and thus dependencies) within the black market. Profit centers represent activities that transfer money from victims and institutions into the underground. These activities range from selling products to unwitting customers (in the case of spamvertised products) to outright theft from victims (in case of financial fraud). Support centers provide critical resources that other miscreants request to streamline abuse. These include exploit kits, compromised credentials, and even human services (e.g., manual CAPTCHA solvers) that have no credible non-criminal applications. We use this framework to contextualize the latest intervention strategies and their effectiveness. In the end, we champion a drastic departure from solely focusing on protecting users and systems (tantamount to a fire fight) and argue security practitioners must also strategically focus on disrupting frail underground relationships that underpin the entire for-profit abuse ecosystem—including actors, infrastructure, and access to capital.


Abstract. The West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide (WAIS Divide, WD) ice core is a newly drilled, high-accumulation deep ice core that provides Antarctic climate records of the past ∼68 ka at unprecedented temporal resolution. The upper 2850 m (back to 31.2 ka BP) have been dated using annual-layer counting. Here we present a chronology for the deep part of the core (67.8–31.2 ka BP), which is based on stratigraphic matching to annual-layer-counted Greenland ice cores using globally well-mixed atmospheric methane. We calculate the WD gas age–ice age difference (Δage) using a combination of firn densification modeling, ice-flow modeling, and a data set of δ15N-N2, a proxy for past firn column thickness. The largest Δage at WD occurs during the Last Glacial Maximum, and is 525 ± 120 years. Internally consistent solutions can be found only when assuming little to no influence of impurity content on densification rates, contrary to a recently proposed hypothesis. We synchronize the WD chronology to a linearly scaled version of the layer-counted Greenland Ice Core Chronology (GICC05), which brings the age of Dansgaard–Oeschger (DO) events into agreement with the U/Th absolutely dated Hulu Cave speleothem record. The small Δage at WD provides valuable opportunities to investigate the timing of atmospheric greenhouse gas variations relative to Antarctic climate, as well as the interhemispheric phasing of the "bipolar seesaw".


Spatial multiplexing multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) communication systems have recently drawn significant attention as a means to achieve tremendous gains in wireless system capacity and link reliability. The optimal hard decision detection for MIMO wireless systems is the maximum likelihood (ML) detector. ML detection is attractive due to its superior performance (in terms of BER). However, direct implementation grows exponentially with the number of antennas and the modulation scheme, making its ASIC or FPGA implementation infeasible for all but low-density modulation schemes using a small number of antennas. Sphere decoding (SD) solves the ML detection problem in a computationally efficient manner. However, even with this complexity reduction, real-time implementation on a DSP processor is generally not feasible and high-performance parallel computing platforms such as FPGAs are increasingly being employed for this class of applications. The sphere detection problem affords many opportunities for algorithm and micro-architecture optimizations and tradeoffs. This paper provides an overview of techniques to simplify and minimize FPGA resource utilization of sphere detectors for high-performance low-latency systems.


The evolving merger of payments technology with technology underpinning investment markets' infrastructure can have a great impact on the mode of supply of financial services, notwithstanding technical, legal and regulatory restrictions. One-stop-shop multi-purpose and multi-asset platforms will be a key characteristic of post-COVID-19 finance bringing a radical transformation of the marketplace. Anticipated benefits range from a drastic reduction of intermediary rents and transaction costs to repatriation of investor control and alteration of today's narrow asset allocation strategies. To facilitate this transformation, we offer a model of decentralised finance that goes far beyond so-called "autonomous" finance. As the technical and regulatory challenges of increasing automation and integration in the supply of investment services will be considerable, a proactive approach is required to resolve these problems. Integrated decentralised platforms are the most promising route to: (a) counter the competitive threat of BigTech, (b) reform investment industry's narrow asset allocation practices whose fragility has been badly exposed by the pandemic, and, (c) spread equally the dividend of financial development.


European energy directives are becoming more demanding with regards to performance standards and technologies such as Photovoltaic (PV) are used to optimise these standards. Thanks to the energy focus, this technology is becoming more efficient and affordable. However, despite this favourable context, Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) technology is not exploited to the best of its potential. Architects often justify the lack of PV use in their designs by the poor aesthetics of existing PV solutions, which have been hindering the development of BIPV. The on-going doctoral research presented in this paper aims to develop new strategic approaches for the design of active facades. Its ambition is to propose a new prospective basis for facade composition strategies, integrating architectural, constructive and technological issues. The paper describes the five key phases of the proposed methodology applied to residential buildings and three case studies. The final outcome of the research will provide designers with a complete and robust qualitative and quantitative multi-criteria evaluation system. This catalogue of active facade solutions will play the role of design guidelines, allowing the selection of the most appropriate design strategy with PV technology for the facade.


Ventilation is essential if an adequate environment in buildings is to be provided. Natural ventilation is a sustainable method commonly used to achieve this. Natural ventilation can occur from random flow of air through unintentional (adventitious) openings, commonly referred to as infiltration, or can be facilitated through purpose-provided openings - commonly called controlled natural ventilation. Stringent national and international regulations have led to building structures becoming more and more air-tight so that ventilation is confined to airflow through intentionally provided openings only. These purpose-provided openings typically consist of one or a combination of basic components such as louvers, insect-screens or noise baffles. An extensive literature review indicated that the airflow performance of combinations of such components has neither been thoroughly determined nor fully understood, making it difficult to accurately predict their building performance. This investigation set out to answer some of these questions by employing experimental and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) parametric studies. For the experimental study, a test rig was designed and constructed in accordance with European Standard BS EN 13141-1: 2004. The text rig was designed with sufficient flexibility to enable individual components and combinations of various components to be investigated. Components tested ranged from ordinary slots fabricated from pine wood to commercial ventilators and mesh-screens as are commonly found in natural ventilation applications. The results of this investigation indicate that the overall airflow properties of a ventilator are influenced by the combination of constituent components, the manner in which the components are incorporated into a ventilator and also the direction of airflow through it. A CFD study utilising three-dimensional models of some of the components tested during the experimental phase, and employing the k - ? turbulence representation was facilitated by a commercial software package (FLOVENT). Comparisons between CFD results and experimental data were reasonable and acceptable. A new mathematical approach, based up on experimental results, to analyse the airflow properties of combinations of ventilator components is introduced in this thesis. The proposed equations enable relative assessments of the impacts of each component on the overall airflow performance of a ventilator to be made. Comparisons between results from the proposed equations and those obtained experimentally showed good agreement. Although more work could be done to understand the physical meaning of the equations proposed, the author believes that this investigation has set a foundation for a generic representation of ventilator airflow performance. As such, refinements to the proposed equations would inevitably result if further research into this task is undertaken.


We present optical properties and microstructure analyses of hydrogenated silicon suboxide layers containing silicon nanocrystals (nc-SiOx:H). This material is especially adapted for the use as intermediate reflecting layer (IRL) in micromorph silicon tandem cells due to its low refractive index and relatively high transverse conductivity. The nc-SiOx:H is deposited by very high frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition from a SiH4/CO2/H2/PH3 gas mixture. We show the influence of H2/SiH4 and CO2/SiH4 gas ratios on the layer properties as well as on the micromorph cell when the nc-SiOx:H is used as IRL. The lowest refractive index achieved in a working micromoph cell is 1.71 and the highest initial micromoph efficiency with such an IRL is 13.3 %.


We report on the successful fabrication of a working three-dimensional (3D) crystal operating at optical wavelength /spl lambda/. The minimum feature size of the 3D structure is 180 nm. The 3D crystal is free from defects over the entire 6-inch silicon wafer and has an absolute photonic bandgap (PBG) centered at /spl lambda//spl sim/1.6 /spl mu/m. Our data provides the first conclusive evidence for the existence of a complete 3D PBG in optical /spl lambda/. This development will pave the way to tinier, cheaper, more effective waveguides, optical switches and lasers.


PURPOSE
Oral drug development had been hindered by the bioavailability issue despite vast market popularity. Lipid excipients had shown to enhance bioavailability of a number of reformulated hydrophobic oral drugs, yet the underlying mechanisms of action by lipids are still unclear. One proposed mechanism is that lipid excipients could facilitate drug uptake by altering the activities of apical membrane intestinal efflux transporters. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of 1-monopalmitin, 1-monoolein and 1-monostearin on the efflux activity and protein expression of multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2) in vitro.

METHODS
The 24-hour non-cytotoxic ranges of these monoglycerides were first determined using MTS and LDH assays in Caco-2 cells. Then, both accumulation and bidirectional transport studies were conducted using 10 microM rhodamine 123 (Rh123) and 10 nM estradiol 17 beta-D-glucuronide (E(2)17betaG), respectively, to assess the functional activities of MRP2. 50 microM MK-571, a specific MRP1 and MRP2 inhibitor, was used as the positive control in both studies. Western blotting was followed to determine the effect of these monoglycerides on MRP2 protein expression.

RESULTS
Caco-2 cells were viable when treated with 1-monopalmitin, 1-monostearin and 1-monoolein at concentrations equal or less than 1000 microM, 1000 microM and 500 microM, respectively. Cells treated with 1-monoplamitin, 1-monostearin, 1-monoolein and MK571 resulted in significant increases in Rh123 accumulation and decreases in E(2)17BetaG efflux ratio compared to the control (medium treated only). MRP2 protein expressions in 1-monopalmitin and 1-monoolein treated cells were decreased by 19% and 35% compared to the control; however, there was no change of MRP2 protein expression in 1- monostearin treated cells.

CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggested that 1-monoolein, 1-monostearin and 1-monopalmitin could attenuate the activity of MRP2 and possibly other efflux transporters in Caco-2 cells. The reduction of efflux activity of MRP2 by 1-monoolein treatment could be partially accounted by the non-specific down-regulation of MRP2 protein expression.


This paper is about the corporation as criminal defendant. In common-law legal systems a fully constituted criminal offence normally requires proof of both the proscribed action (actus reus) and criminal intent (mens rea). However, it appears highly artificial to describe corporate mens rea with ordinary language terms such as "knowledge," "belief," "desire," or "intention." After a review of common-law and philosophical approaches to imputing criminal intent to the corporate defendant, this paper proposes a behavioral approach to attributing mens rea to corporations and concludes with a review of the (UK) Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act 2007 which, it is submitted, adopts just such an approach.


Germanwatch is convinced that the international mechanism for rainforest conservation and reduction of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere - REDDplus - will be only effective in the long-term if conservation activities in the developing countries are linked to measures that help erradicate poverty and support sustainable development. Kristin Gerber - Policy Officer REDDplus at Germanwatch - wrote an article on that issue for the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. The guiding question of the article is whether and to what extent REDDplus can contribute, alongside CO 2 reductions, to realising environmental-policy goals. The international negotiations as well as the implementation of measures in the repective countries will decide in the end, which overall impact REDDplus will have and if the circumstances for the particularly vulnerable population groups can be improved.


Preference reversals occur when different (but formally equivalent) elicitation methods reveal conflicting preferences over two alternatives. This paper shows that when people have fuzzy preferences i.e. when they choose in a probabilistic manner, their observed decisions can generate systematic preference reversals. A simple model of probabilistic choice and valuation can account for a higher incidence of standard (nonstandard) preference reversals for certainty (probability) equivalents and it can also rationalize the existence of strong reversals. An important methodological contribution of the paper is a new definition of a probabilistic certainty/probability equivalent of a risky lottery.


Selenium contamination of air, aquatic environments, soils and sediments is a serious environmental concern of increasing importance. Selenium has a paradoxical feature in bringing about health benefits under the prescribed level, but only a few fold increase in its concentration causes deleterious effects to flora and fauna, humans and the environment.
 This book Environmental Technologies to Treat Selenium Pollution: Principles and Engineering: presents the fundamentals of the biogeochemical selenium cycle and which imbalances in this cycle result in pollution.overviews chemical and biological technologies for successful treatment of selenium contaminated water, air, soils and sediments.explores the recovery of value-added products from selenium laden waste streams, including biofortication and selenium-based nanoparticles and quantum dots.
 This book may serve both as an advanced textbook for undergraduate and graduate students majoring in environmental sciences, technology or engineering as well as as a handbook for tertiary educators, researchers, professionals and policy makers who conduct research and practices in selenium related fields. It is essential reading for consulting companies when dealing with selenium related environmental (bio)technologies.
 ISBN: 9781789061048 (Paperback)
 ISBN: 9781789061055 (eBook)


Over the past five years, a novel variant of boron carbide has been developed, and commercialised, for use in lightweight armours, especially in Hard Armour Plates (HAPs) for body armour systems, and up-armouring kits for helmets. Both six-shot and three-shot HAPs have been developed for protection against a comprehensive suite of high velocity rifle rounds. Extensive ballistic testing has demonstrated that this new variant performs as well as conventionally processed, more-costly, hot-pressed grades. The new boron carbide variant utilises a combination of Viscous Plastic Processing (VPP) and Pressureless Sintering (PS) and is capable of producing complex, 3D shapes in thin sections down to ~2.5mm in thickness. This paper describes some of the processing technologies and material science that have been used to develop this unique material. Importantly, the effects of bulk density, thickness variations, and HAP construction, on the ballistic performance of the finished product, are detailed.


"This small book is written in a very clear and succinct manner - allowing for a great deal of content to be presented in a rather small space. It's a good resource of information for those trying to figure out (and survive) the academic work setting." - on the 1st edition, "Nursing and Health Care". Here is the revised and updated edition of this down-to-earth survival manual for those who are teaching for a brief time, for those who are new to teaching, and for those who need a quick refresher course. Brimming with practical pointers and dozens of timesaving tables and checklists, this precise volume delineates strategies you will need to make clinical assignments, select the right textbook, construct and analyze student tests, facilitate student learning of technology, prepare and present lectures and much more.


In recent years, there has been a demand to teach engineering in high schools, particularly using a challenge-based curriculum. Many of these programs have the dual goals of teaching students the engineering design process (EDP), and teaching to deepen their understanding and ability to apply science and math concepts. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, this study examines whether a high school design engineering program accomplishes each of the two goals. During the 2010–2011 school year, over 100 students enrolled in the same design engineering course in seven high schools. Evidence of learning and application of the EDP is accomplished by triangulating student interviews with pre-/post-tests of EDP-related questions and a survey of design engineering beliefs. To determine whether students could apply science and math concepts, we examined content test questions to see if students used science and math ideas to justify their engineering work, and triangulated these results with student interviews. The results are mixed, implying that although there is some learning, application is inconsistent.