Leptin is known to selectively suppress neural and behavioral responses to sweet-tasting compounds. However, the molecular basis for the effect of leptin on sweet taste is not known. Here, we report that leptin suppresses sweet taste via leptin receptors (Ob-Rb) and KATP channels expressed selectively in sweet-sensitive taste cells. Ob-Rb was more often expressed in taste cells that expressed T1R3 (a sweet receptor component) than in those that expressed glutamate-aspartate transporter (a marker for Type I taste cells) or GAD67 (a marker for Type III taste cells). Systemically administered leptin suppressed taste cell responses to sweet but not to bitter or sour compounds. This effect was blocked by a leptin antagonist and was absent in leptin receptor–deficient db/db mice and mice with diet-induced obesity. Blocking the KATP channel subunit sulfonylurea receptor 1, which was frequently coexpressed with Ob-Rb in T1R3-expressing taste cells, eliminated the effect of leptin on sweet taste. In contrast, activating the KATP channel with diazoxide mimicked the sweet-suppressing effect of leptin. These results indicate that leptin acts via Ob-Rb and KATP channels that are present in T1R3-expressing taste cells to selectively suppress their responses to sweet compounds.


Significance Sensory systems are extremely complex, with diverse neurons and connections. However, this does not necessarily imply that the computations performed by these systems are also as complex. Here we examine the impact of processing in the ear and subcortical pathway on neural responses to natural sounds in the auditory cortex. We find that this can be described more consistently using simple spectral models. This suggests that there may be an underlying simplicity to the signal transformation from ear to cortex that is hidden among the detail. This hidden simplicity may be a feature of other sensory systems too. Sounds are processed by the ear and central auditory pathway. These processing steps are biologically complex, and many aspects of the transformation from sound waveforms to cortical response remain unclear. To understand this transformation, we combined models of the auditory periphery with various encoding models to predict auditory cortical responses to natural sounds. The cochlear models ranged from detailed biophysical simulations of the cochlea and auditory nerve to simple spectrogram-like approximations of the information processing in these structures. For three different stimulus sets, we tested the capacity of these models to predict the time course of single-unit neural responses recorded in ferret primary auditory cortex. We found that simple models based on a log-spaced spectrogram with approximately logarithmic compression perform similarly to the best-performing biophysically detailed models of the auditory periphery, and more consistently well over diverse natural and synthetic sounds. Furthermore, we demonstrated that including approximations of the three categories of auditory nerve fiber in these simple models can substantially improve prediction, particularly when combined with a network encoding model. Our findings imply that the properties of the auditory periphery and central pathway may together result in a simpler than expected functional transformation from ear to cortex. Thus, much of the detailed biological complexity seen in the auditory periphery does not appear to be important for understanding the cortical representation of sound.


How can a road safety practitioner find out when, what and in what way students in formal education settings need to know about Traffic Safety Education? While education research supports the notion that teachers are best placed to deliver Traffic Safety Education in schools, many areas of the community and the road safety sector work within formal education settings to deliver road safety messages. How can a consistent vision and source of Traffic Safety Education principles be provided to all practitioners in this area? How can a consistent and correct set of messages for road safety be fostered for all practitioners? When are prevention and intervention programs most appropriate and, more importantly, in what forms? This paper brings together current research knowledge and educational understandings about key traffic safety education approaches to support practitioners to deliver road safety programs in an efficient and effective manner.


Autophagy, a multistep lysosomal degradation pathway that supports nutrient recycling and metabolic adaptation, has been implicated as a process that regulates cancer. Although autophagy induction may limit the development of tumors, evidence in mouse models demonstrates that autophagy inhibition can limit the growth of established tumors and improve response to cancer therapeutics. Certain cancer genotypes may be especially prone to autophagy inhibition. Different strategies for autophagy modulation may be needed depending on the cancer context. Here, we review new advances in the molecular control of autophagy, the role of selective autophagy in cancer, and the role of autophagy within the tumor microenvironment and tumor immunity. We also highlight clinical efforts to repurpose lysosomal inhibitors, such as hydroxychloroquine, as anticancer agents that block autophagy, as well as the development of more potent and specific autophagy inhibitors for cancer treatment, and review future directions for autophagy research.Significance: Autophagy plays a complex role in cancer, but autophagy inhibition may be an effective therapeutic strategy in advanced cancer. A deeper understanding of autophagy within the tumor microenvironment has enabled the development of novel inhibitors and clinical trial strategies. Challenges and opportunities remain to identify patients most likely to benefit from this approach.


GPS relative positioning provides precision of the order of 1 part per million (ppm) within relatively short periods of time. Considering this level of precision, together with the fact that the cost of GPS receivers is continuing come down, it is now apparent that most of the future geodetic surveys will be performed by GPS, It is therefore important to establish geodetic control networks which are suitable for geodetic GPS activities. The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), which is the National Geodetic Surveying organization in Brazil, has proposed a high accuracy Brazilian GPS network, which has characteristics of an Active Control System (ACS). Such a system provides the users with the capability to perform relative positioning using only one receiver. An investigation of the methodology, algorithms and analysis, related to the IBGE network, has been carried out during this research. An initial investigation to assess the level of accuracy which can be obtained by a static user of the IBGE network equipped with only one receiver and observing within different scenarios, has shown relative precision in the range of 0.2 to 0.1 ppm.

GPS positioning requires a global coordinate reference frame. The integration of a GPS network into such a global frame requires stations already connected to the global reference frame to be observed simultaneously with the new network stations. The processing is then carried out involving the network stations together with those already connected to the global reference frame. The reeent1y created International GPS Geodynamics Service (IGS) provides the capability for such easy integration. GPS data and ephemerides generated from the IGS Epoch '92 Campaign have been used in the processing carried out to integrate the Brazilian GPS network into the IERS Terrestrial Reference Frame 1993 (ITRF93). This data processing involved very large network, and the GPS processing software had to be expanded in order to provide higher accuracies. The results demonstrated repeatability of the order of 20 mm, for baseline lengths of up to 8200 km.

The expansion of the software mentioned above provided capability of processing very large or even global GPS networks. It allowed the investigation of several aspects related to global GPS, namely, free adjustment, the application of loose constraints to the parameters and the use of internal constraints in the covariance- matrix. The use of GPS to realize a global reference frame has also been tested. In order to investigate all these aspects, an inter-continental network involving the Brazilian and IGS stations was used. Results have shown a level of agreement after the transformation between the free network reference frame and the ITRF93 coordinates of the order of 6.4 mm.


Water supply and wastewater flow problems have resulted in an increasing concern with urban water demand. This report is an assessment of various water conservation measures aimed at reducing residential water usage. Demand reduction alternatives are examined and those applicable to residential areas are identified. Structural means such as water meters, recycle systems, water saving devices and flow reduction devices are examined. System and household leakage reduction as well as water use restrictions are among the operational methods investigated. Social and economic methods of public education, building code modifications, horticultural changes, and pricing policy are also studied. The literature is reviewed to determine the water savings that each conservation method can accomplish. The amount of water savings and the return flow implications for each method are investigated. Estimates of the combined impact of several methods used together in a common program are postulated. An assessment, based on this available data, found that water demand reductions of as much as 35 to 40% are possible through implementation of a combination of water conservation methods without incurring undue hardship on most water users. It is concluded that demand reduction techniques could successfully be incorporated in a water utility's management program.


We advance the literature on political budget cycles by testing separately for cycles in expenditures for elections in the legislative and the executive. Using municipal data, we can separately identify these cycles and account for general year effects. For the executive branch, we show that it is important whether the incumbent re-runs. To account for the potential endogeneity associated with this decision, we apply a unique instrumental variables approach based on age and pension eligibility rules. We find sizable and significant effects in expenditures before council elections and before joint elections when the incumbent re-runs.


All the talk, all the new laws, all the seminars on learning to live with each other's differences - and still the workplace remains a hostile environment for too many people. Many organizations are still in the grip of racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression, even after the Civil Rights Act, the Women's Movement, countless workshops, support groups, and organizational initiatives. Is it possible to truly eliminate discrimination? Why do some companies persist in their efforts to challenge the status quo? The answer: the promise that diversity can create powerful options for a highly productive, synergistic workplace. Forward-thinking executives and managers know that their workforces will only grow more diverse. The sooner the organization fosters an environment where individuals and teams learn to work well together, the faster it achieves a competitive edge in an increasingly challenging marketplace. The Promise of Diversity is a contemporary, future-focused business anthology that represents the views of over 40 leaders, researchers, and practitioners who are actively working to address issues of oppression and diversity in organizations. Their enlightening essays cover such topics as throwing away the "melting pot" idea and regarding diversity as a strength, optimizing the value of individual difference through an organizational systems approach, developing cross-gender partnerships, the white male's current position at the intersection of race and gender, sexual orientation as a workforce diversity issue, and the problems faced by white women and women of color. Here are the hopes, fears, and dreams of leading change agents regarding the promise (and perils) of truediversityin the workplace. Representing each author's voice, style, and point of view, this collection of insightful articles is itself a living example of diversity and is destined to become a classic reference in its field.


New anionic porous organic frameworks with phosphate groups (PA-POFs) are synthesized through Yamamoto coupling reactions. These materials have excellent adsorption properties towards CO2 compared to other porous organic frameworks. In addition, the materials have high adsorption capacity and exceptional adsorption kinetics towards bisphenol A (BPA) in water, a wide-spread organic pollutant and a known endocrine disruptor. The maximum adsorption capacity of BPA at equilibrium is found to be as high as 3366 mg g−1 according to the Langmuir adsorption model, which is more than 10 times greater than those of peer materials. The polymer also rapidly removes various other organic micropollutants with more than 90% removal efficiencies. In addition, the PA-POF material can be regenerated at least five times by mild washing using methanol without significant loss in removal efficiency.


As of October 1, 2007, 25 North American medical institutions and one European islet transplant center reported detailed information to the Registry on 315 allograft recipients, of which 285 were islet alone (IA) and 30 were islet after kidney (IAK). Of the 114 IA recipients expected at 4 years after their last infusion, 12% were insulin independent, 16% were insulin dependent with detectable C-peptide, 40% had no detectable C-peptide, and 32% had missing C-peptide data or were lost to follow-up. Of the IA recipients, 72% achieved insulin independence at least once over 3 years and multiple infusions. Factors associated with achievement of insulin independence included islet size >1.0 expressed as IEQs per islet number [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.5, p = 0.06], additional infusions given (HR = 1.5, p = 0.01), lower pretransplant HbA1c (HR = 1.2 each %-age unit, p = 0.02), donor given insulin (HR = 2, p = 0.003), daclizumab given at any infusion (HR = 1.9, p = 0.06), and shorter cold storage time (HR = 1.04, p = 0.03), mutually adjusted in a multivariate model. Severe hypoglycemia prevalence was reduced from 78–83% preinfusion to less than 5% throughout the first year post-last infusion, and to 18% adjusted for missing data at 3 years post-last infusion. In Year 1 post-first infusion for IA recipients, 53% experienced a Grade 3–5 or serious adverse event (AE) and 35% experienced a severe AE related to either an infusion procedure or immunosuppression. In Year 1 post-first infusion, 33% of IA subjects and 35% of IAK subjects had an AE related to the infusion procedure, while 35% of IA subjects and only 27% of IAK subjects had an AE related to the immunosuppression therapy. Five deaths were reported, of which two were classified as probably related to the infusion procedure or immunosuppression, and 10 cases of neoplasm, of which two were classified as probably related to the procedure or immunosuppression. Islet transplantation continues to show short-term benefits of insulin independence, normal or near normal HbA1c levels, and sustained marked decrease in hypoglycemic episodes.


As an, aid to jet pump design and performance analysis, a theoretical investigation on turbulent confined jet mixing
in a non-uniform axisymmetric duct typically used in jet pumps and ejectors has been undertaken. A so-called Prandtl-Kolmogorov two-equation turbulence model, with turbulent kinetic energy k and turbulent energy dissipation rate E as the two parameters, is incorporated into the time-mean Navier-Stokes equations to form a complete set of partial differential equations which describes the turbulent flow mathematically. The equations are solved numerically via a primitive pressure-velocity finitedifference procedure using a digital computer. The timemean static pressure, velocities, turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation rate are predicted directly throughout the whole flow field.
To validate the computer model, predicted time-mean static pressure and velocity as well as turbulent shear stress for flow in a uniform bore mixing tube are compared with the published results. The method is then extended to predict flows in conical diffusers and typical jet pumps. The predictions are also compared with the available experimental data.
A laser Doppler anemometer is used to measure the mean and fluctuating velocities of water jet mixing in a uniform perspex mixing tube with a centrally located nozzle. The measured data which enable turbulent kinetic energy to be evaluated, are compared with the computer predictions to further consolidate the theoretical model.
Finally, the computer model is used to predict the performance of a proposed jet pump and to investigate the
influence of various geometrical parameters on jet pump
performance. The capability of the computer model as a useful design tool is also demonstrated via an optimization
procedure to give the optimum geometry for a given design specification.


Between 1945 and 1995 the British trade union movement experienced a series of "highs and lows"; membership grew and declined, and there were associated shifts in unions` bargaining power vis a vis employers and in the influence exercised over Governments. These changes in unions` fortunes will be discussed by reference to three distinct periods:

- 1946 to 1969: Relative Stability;
- 1969 to 1979: Radical Growth and Strikes;
- 1979 to 1995: Radical Decline and Re-Organization.

Three themes will be explored in each period:

- Changes in Unions` Job Territories;
- Key Changes in the British Unions` Context;
- Unions` Organizational and Internal reforms.

Throughout all three periods, but not examined in any detail, unions continued to meet their individual members` "bread and butter" interests by:

- supporting members in disciplinary hearings;
- processing members` grievances;
- protecting members against discrimination;
- providing, legal aid and representation at Industrial Tribunals;
- offering a wide range of Educational Services via the individual union and the TUC;
- providing a range of friendly benefits.

In addition most unions sought to exercise political influence over such issues as labour legislation and economic policy through affiliation to the TUC and in many, but not all cases, affiliation to the Labour Party.


Existing paradigms in corporate law do not adequately conceptualize today's corporations. Corporate assets have become increasingly intangible, and operational structures have been materially altered in the last two decades by information technology. This article argues in favor of "asset sensitive" governance. Asset sensitivity embodies three important additions to prior corporate law scholarship. First, using developmental psychology theory as its starting point, asset sensitive governance focuses on corporate development using a corporation in a social context as the smallest unit of analysis. Second, because corporations rely on intangible assets that are fragile and relational, asset sensitivity mandates shifting fiduciary duties of good faith and care toward developing and preserving corporate assets: ongoing officer and director oversight is needed, not simply oversight of extraordinary transactions. Third, asset sensitive governance considers change across time—in stakeholders, in the economic environment, and in corporate learning.


p8 (NUPR1 (nuclear protein-1), Com1 (candidate of metastasis-1)) is a protein related to the high mobility group of transcriptional regulators. It is a key player in the cellular stress response and is involved in metastasis. p8 was first identified as a gene induced in pancreatitis but has been since found overexpressed in several cancers and pathological conditions. Despite its small size and apparently simple structure, p8 functions in several biochemical and genetic pathways, and its expression is crucial for in vivo metastasis in mice, for cytokine induction of metalloproteases, and for stress-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Understanding p8 functions will provide new opportunities for developing more effective therapeutic approaches to cancer and cardiovascular diseases.


The purpose of this study was to determine if NCAA Division I and III men's basketball programs were in compliance with recommended pre- and post-activity stretching protocols. Questionnaires were sent to 500 NCAA Division I and Division III programs in the United States. Seventy-six coaches (75 males & 1 female) participated in the study. Chi-Square analysis (χ2(3,n=69) = 42.29, p≤0.001) indicated a greater combined percentage of static/pnf/ballistic stretches (10.14%, n=7) and combination of stretches (57.97%, n=40) than expected as compared to dynamic stretches (31.89%, n=22). Participants were asked during what period (pre- or post-activity) stretching should be emphasized. The results were significantly different from expected (χ2(4,n=76) = 129.28, p≤0.001), with a greater percentage of pre-activity stretches (26.31%, n=20) and both pre- and post-activity of stretches (60.52%, n=46) being reported as compared to post-activity stretches (13.15%, n=10). Some results seemed to be in conflict with curren...


This study aims at exploring the omission/expression of subjects in L2 Spanish and L2 Greek. The distribution of subjects is examined in the context of the Interface Hypothesis (IH), which locates the difficulty of acquisition at the syntax-pragmatics interface (Sorace & Filiaci 2006; Tsimpli & Sorace 2006) and the language combination examined is a case in point as both languages share the null subject property and yet the IH predicts delay in L2 acquisition. We also examine the predictions of Lozano's (2016) Pragmatic Principles Violation Hypothesis. We designed two multiple-choice tasks, one in Spanish and one in Greek, testing subjects in various pragmatic contexts. The tasks were administered to L2 intermediate and advanced learners and native speakers of Spanish and Greek. The results obtained indicate that the L2 learners were able to select the felicitous type of subjects in the appropriate contexts, although they did not always achieve native-like patterns. An asymmetry arose between L2 Greek and L2 Spanish, as L2 Greek was native-like, an asymmetry that failed to be predicted by any of the hypotheses entertained. Even though the involvement of the interface levels might have affected L2 performance, the syntax-pragmatics interface was not consistently having a detrimental effect on the results. Furthermore, our results with the control group indicated that the subject distribution in adult Greek is more nuanced than reported in the literature, especially in unambiguous referent-shift contexts.


High-performance Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) are increasingly deployed in many real-world applications e.g., cloud prediction APIs. Recent advances in model functionality stealing attacks via black-box access (i.e., inputs in, predictions out) threaten the business model of such applications, which require a lot of time, money, and effort to develop. Existing defenses take a passive role against stealing attacks, such as by truncating predicted information. We find such passive defenses ineffective against DNN stealing attacks. In this paper, we propose the first defense which actively perturbs predictions targeted at poisoning the training objective of the attacker. We find our defense effective across a wide range of challenging datasets and DNN model stealing attacks, and additionally outperforms existing defenses. Our defense is the first that can withstand highly accurate model stealing attacks for tens of thousands of queries, amplifying the attacker's error rate up to a factor of 85$\times$ with minimal impact on the utility for benign users.


From 1564 to 1565, Clusius (1526-1609) travelled to the Iberican Peninsula as the tutor of the young heir of the Fuggers. This journey, which lasted nearly a year, took the two men to the most important cities in the Peninsula. If strolling through the Portuguese countryside demonstrated the peculiarities of the local flora to the botanist, the decreed visit to Lisbon offered many surprising experiences. The encounter with the work recently arrived from the Orient —Coloquios dos Simples e Drogas he Cousas Medicinais da India, by Garcia de Orta (Goa, 1563)— awakened his interest. The present article weaves together considerations on the multiple impacts that the botanist's voyage to Portugal caused in European science of the time.


We use the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education Survey (DLHE) to estimate the socio-economic gradient in access to unpaid internships among English and Welsh graduates six months after completing their first degree, and the return to this internship experience 3 years later in terms of salary, occupation, contract type and career satisfaction. We show a significant salary penalty at 3.5 years after graduation compared with those going straight into paid work or further study, but also that graduates from higher socio-economic status have an advantage in accessing internships while being significantly insulated from their negative effects.


Monte Carlo tree search has brought significant improvements to the level of computer players in games such as Go, but so far it has not been used very extensively in games of strongly imperfect information with a dynamic board and an emphasis on risk management and decision making under uncertainty. In this paper we explore its application to the game of Kriegspiel (invisible chess), providing three Monte Carlo methods of increasing strength for playing the game with little specific knowledge. We compare these Monte Carlo agents to the strongest known minimax-based Kriegspiel player, obtaining significantly better results with a considerably simpler logic and less domain-specific knowledge.


Multiple kernel learning (MKL) optimally combines the multiple channels of each sample to improve classification performance. However, existing MKL algorithms cannot effectively handle the situation where some channels are missing, which is common in practical applications. This paper proposes an absent MKL (AMKL) algorithm to address this issue. Different from existing approaches where missing channels are firstly imputed and then a standard MKL algorithm is deployed on the imputed data, our algorithm directly classifies each sample with its observed channels. In specific, we define a margin for each sample in its own relevant space, which corresponds to the observed channels of that sample. The proposed AMKL algorithm then maximizes the minimum of all sample-based margins, and this leads to a difficult optimization problem. We show that this problem can be reformulated as a convex one by applying the representer theorem. This makes it readily be solved via existing convex optimization packages. Extensive experiments are conducted on five MKL benchmark data sets to compare the proposed algorithm with existing imputation-based methods. As observed, our algorithm achieves superior performance and the improvement is more significant with the increasing missing ratio.


We elucidate the tradeoffs between transparency and confidentiality in the context of financial regulation. The structure of information in financial contexts creates incentives with a pervasive effect on financial institutions and their relationships. This includes supervisory institutions, which must balance the opposing forces of confidentiality and transparency that arise from their examination and disclosure duties. Prudential supervision can expose confidential information to examiners who have a duty to protect it. Disclosure policies work to reduce information asymmetries, empowering investors and fostering market discipline. The resulting confidentiality/transparency dichotomy tends to push supervisory information policies to one extreme or the other. We argue that there are important intermediate cases in which limited information sharing would be welfare-improving, and that this can be achieved with careful use of new techniques from the fields of secure computation and statistical data privacy. We provide a broad overview of these new technologies. We also describe three specific usage scenarios where such beneficial solutions might be implemented.


The Universal Declaration of Human Rights , The European Convention on Human rights and the Kenyan constitution guarantees the media under their provisions, the freedom of expression and opinion. However, the media can do both good and damage in terms of the information, images ideas and speech which it relays to the public if it is left unchecked; hence the need for censorship. Censorship is the control of speech, information and images that are going to be viewed by the public and it is usually exercised by the government or governing bodies.However, the media has been made an avenue for political influence whereby the government uses its power in the appointment of media controlling houses which then serve to create a form of political influence on the content of the media. The view that censorship should not be left to the government alone is one that could lead us out of this silent form of dictatorship because a free press leads to modern democracy. If the government is given too much power to control information then it is prone to abuse that power. This research paper examines the government's excesses in censoring the media; and, while recognizing that media regulation and censorship is necessary in this modern era, it explores other approaches to censorship that do not necessarily lead to media oppression.


Abstract An energy stable conservative method is developed for the Cahn–Hilliard (CH) equation with the degenerate mobility. The CH equation is discretized in space with the mass conserving symmetric interior penalty discontinuous Galerkin (SIPG) method. The resulting semi-discrete nonlinear system of ordinary differential equations are solved in time by the unconditionally energy stable average vector field (AVF) method. We prove that the AVF method preserves the energy decreasing property of the fully discretized CH equation. Numerical results for the quartic double-well and the logarithmic potential functions with constant and degenerate mobility confirm the theoretical convergence rates, accuracy and the performance of the proposed approach.


Abstract. During the second phase (2003–2006) of the Mediterranean ocean Forecasting System Project (MFS) named Toward Environmental Predictions (MFSTEP) one of the three major aims was the development of numerical forecasting systems. In this context a generic Biogeochemical Flux Model (BFM) was developed and coupled with hydrodynamic models already operating at basin scale as well as in regional areas. In the Eastern Mediterranean basin the BFM was coupled with the Aegean Levantine Eddy Resolving MOdel (ALERMO). The BFM is a generic highly complex model based on ERSEM and although a detailed description of the model and its components is beyond the scope of this work, a short overview of the main processes, laying emphasis on the parameter values used is presented. In addition the performance of the model is evaluated with some preliminary results being qualitatively compared against field observations. The model in its present form is rather promising and reproduces all important major features although there are some slight inefficiencies mostly related to primary and bacterial productivity rates.


The purpose of this paper is to analyse urban transformation as a tourism resource. Tourism is undeniably a powerful motor for urban transformation but in return, urban transformation can represent a resource for actors related to tourism. More precisely this paper focuses on one major transformation of modern cities: gentrification.,The central hypothesis of this paper is that gentrification accompanies tourism, but that gentrification itself may also become an object of the tourist gaze. The paper focuses on local guides and small touristic entrepreneurs in order to identify the tensions that might arise. The presentation of two guided tours – "Subculture Brixton Nightlife Tour" and "Where Brooklyn At?" – will enable us to explore how the gentrification of Brixton (London) and Brooklyn (New York) may be used as a tourism resource for local private entrepreneurs.,Results presented here are based on ethnographic methods such as observation as well as content analysis and semi-directive interviews. Mobilising the historical concept of "slumming", this paper proposes an extended conceptual framework, "neo-slumming", to analyse evolving tourism practices in modern cities, practices that are considered here as tourism's new frontiers.,However, as tourism transforms cities, the process itself is now of interest to tourists and thus becomes a resource for sector businesses (Naef, 2018). Yet studies about the touristification of urban transformation are still quite rare. This analysis aims to fill this gap by looking at the way a process, such as some spectacular, rapid or radical transformation of the urban fabric, can become a touristic resource associated with specific narratives and representations. In this context, the tourist gaze (Urry, 2002) is directed on a resource characterised by its ongoing change.


Robotic process automation (RPA) is one of the most emerging technology areas of the last decade. As the name implies, RPA is an approach to automate repetitive tasks in business operations. Many solutions are avail-able on the market by multiple vendors. Through the implementation of those RPA solutions, companies can achieve higher performance levels and lead a differentiating competitive edge. One of the first fields which have benefited from RPA is Supply Chain. This paper presents a solution for the task selection problem issue of RPA applied to the Supply Chain. A case study is also presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the designed solution.


Objectives: The purposes of this study are to describe the epidemiology of pericardial and tunica vaginalis testis mesothelioma and assess the role of asbestos exposure for these rare diseases. Methods: Based on incident pericardial and tunica vaginalis testis mesothelioma cases collected from the Italian national mesothelioma registry (ReNaM) in the period 1993–2015, incidence rates, survival median period and prognostic factors have been evaluated. A case–control study has been performed to analyze the association with asbestos exposure (occupational and non-occupational) for these diseases. Results: Between 1993 and 2015, 58 pericardial (20 women and 38 men) and 80 tunica vaginalis testis mesothelioma cases have been registered with a mean annual standardized (world standard population as reference) incidence rates of 0.049 (per million) in men and 0.023 in women for the pericardial site, and 0.095 for tunica vaginalis testis mesothelioma. Occupational exposure to asbestos was significantly associated with the risk of the diseases [odds ratio (OR) 3.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.85–7.31 and OR 3.42, 95% CI 1.93–6.04 in pericardial and tunica vaginalis testis mesothelioma, respectively]. The median survival was 2.5 months for pericardial and 33.0 months for tunica vaginalis testis mesotheliomas. Age was the main predictive factor for survival for both anatomical sites. Conclusions: For the first time in an analytical study, asbestos exposure was associated with pericardial and tunica vaginalis testis mesothelioma risk, supporting the causal role of asbestos for all anatomical sites. The extreme rarity of the diseases, the poor survival and the prognostic role of age have been confirmed based on population and nationwide mesothelioma registry data.


In the wake of the 2000 presidential election, there will be debate about whether a nationwide popular vote should be substituted for the electoral college mechanism for choosing the President. That debate may be stifled because of the widespread assumption that constitutional amendment is the only way to effect this change. But, in fact, a constitutional amendment may not be necessary. State legislatures have "plenary" power in establishing the manner of appointment of electors. There would seem to be no obstacle to a state legislature's providing beforehand that its electoral college delegation would be that pledged to the winner of the nationwide popular vote. If states with just 270 electoral votes adopted such an approach, the popular vote winner would perforce win the presidency. At the present time, a mere eleven states control 270 electoral votes. Even fewer might suffice. Adoption by the swing state of Wisconsin with eleven electoral votes, or by Missouri and Minnesota with a total of 21 across the political divide, would tilt the system decidedly toward popular election. Deprived of the ability single mindedly to pursue an electoral college strategy, candidates would be even less likely than they have been historically to secure an electoral college win without winning the popular vote. The politics are tricky, but if some states took the lead, others might follow and opposition to an amendment might melt away. The article draws on the history of the Seventeenth Amendment to assess the possibilities.


In this chapter, I analyze the role of multilingual slang within mixed-mode groups through the example of the German-Namibian diaspora. Unlike digital single-mode groups, which only exist in computer-mediated communication (CMC), mixed-mode groups are involved in both CMC and face-to-face communication (FTF). This chapter focuses on the latter type of groups and addresses the question as to how contact-induced vernacular items are resemiotized from FTF to public and from spoken to written mode within these groups. It is hypothesized that the usage of multilingual slang in FTF mode and its corresponding group cohesion contribute to the frequency of slang within CMC. Furthermore, this study compares a mixed-mode group with a digital single-mode group to investigate the effects that the missing social contact within the latter group has on the tendency of its members to use multilingual slang in CMC. The German-Namibian diaspora and their language practices are particularly well suited to address this topic as they draw on multiple linguistic resources in their FTF and CMC networks with Afrikaans, German, and English being the main sources. The resulting, multilingual practices are highly in-group specific. The study includes a mixed-methods approach combining traditional FTF participant observation and modern correlation analysis of CMC data. The aim of this study is not only to shed light on the role of multilingual speech within mixed-mode groups, but also to contribute to the understanding of the complex dynamics that occur within diasporic settings. While recognizing the need for multiparadigmaticity in sociological and linguistic theory, this study stresses the importance of holistic approaches to analyze and understand language in social contexts.


The main purpose of this thesis focuses on the investigation of the frequency domain analysis and design approaches for nonlinear damping systems. With the development of modern mechanical and civil engineering structures, the vibration control has become a more and more important problem for the structural system protection. As typical energy dissipation equipments for the structural vibration control purpose, damping devices have been designed and fitted in many modern structural systems. Traditional frequency domain design methods for linear damping devices have been widely studied by engineers and applied in engineering practice, where the system output frequency response is equal to the input spectrum multiplied by the system frequency response function.

Recently, nonlinear damping devices have received more and more attentions and been applied in practical engineering systems to overcome the limitations of linear damping devices in the system vibration control. The analysis and design of nonlinear systems, however, are far more complicated than the design of linear systems. The frequency domain design methods for linear systems cannot easily be extended to the nonlinear cases. Traditional frequency domain analysis and design methods for nonlinear systems involve complicated computations, and are, consequently, difficult to be applied in practice. Therefore, more effective frequency domain analysis and design approaches should be developed to facilitate the design of nonlinear damping devices and to satisfy the demand for better vibration performance in practical engineering structural systems. Motivated by this requirement, several new frequency domain analysis and design approaches have been proposed for the analysis of the performance and the design of the characteristic parameters of nonlinear viscous damping devices. The main contributions of the research work can be summarized as follows.
(1) Based on the Ritz-Galerkin method, a new method for the evaluation of the transmissibility of nonlinear SDOF viscously damped vibration systems under general harmonic excitations is derived. The effects of damping characteristic parameters on the system transmissibility are investigated. The results reveal that properly designed nonlinear fluid viscous dampers can produce more ideal vibration control over a wide frequency range.

(2) The Output Frequency Response Function (OFRF) is a concept recently proposed at Sheffield for the analysis and design of nonlinear systems in the frequency domain. Based on the OFRF, a frequency domain analysis and design approach has been developed to study the impact of additional nonlinear viscous damping devices on the vibration isolation behaviours of MDOF viscously damped vibration systems, and to design the characteristic parameters of additional damping devices for a desired system vibration performance.

(3) Based on the OFRF, a new concept called Vibration Power Loss Factor (VPLF) is proposed to evaluate the effects of additional fluid viscous dampers on the vibration control of structural systems subjected to general loading excitations. A novel VPLF and OFRF based approach is then proposed for the design of additional fluid viscous dampers to achieve a desired vibration performance when the structural systems are subject to general loading excitations. The advantages of using different types of additional fluid viscous dampers in structural systems for the vibration control purpose are also investigated.

(4) Using the Finite Element (FE) model analyses, the effectiveness of the application of the proposed OFRF and VPLF based frequency domain design approaches in the design of additional fluid viscous dampers for the vibration control in more complicated structural systems has been verified.

The frequency domain analysis and design approaches proposed in this thesis provide a significant basis and important guidelines for the analysis and design of a wide class of nonlinear viscously damped engineering structural systems. The results reveal the advantages of additional nonlinear viscous damping devices in the system vibration control and have considerable significance for the design of the damping characteristic parameters to achieve a desired system vibration performance.


In 2010, University of Wollongong (UOW) released an award-winning program focussing on the first year experience for students transitioning from high school to the university environment. Part of the transition is the expectation that they will be independent learners, able to find their own resources to complete assignments and that these resources will be from scholarly publications. This can be challenging, as they often have high confidence in their ability to assimilate into tertiary studies based on skills acquired at school. At university however, students are told not to rely solely on the 'Net, but to find quality journal articles that will support their argument in response to their assignment question. Librarians have an important role to play in cutting attrition rates by allaying student fears and assisting students to feel comfortable in an academic environment. At UOW recognition that incoming students need assistance in the first few weeks at the university led to the creation of an online program to acclimatise them to the culture expected at UOW, especially the importance of their Subject Outline, how to use the Library's search interface effectively to retrieve academic resources to support their argument and how to avoid plagiarism by using citing and referencing skills. The program is designed as an online learning tool around specified outcomes and students' knowledge is tested by completion of an online quiz. It is compulsory for all new undergraduate students to do the quiz and successful completion is noted on their academic transcript. A certificate is also available to be added to the student's portfolio. Students and academics have been complimentary of the program in its first year of operation. Disciplines Arts and Humanities | Social and Behavioral Sciences Publication Details Cooper, L. 2011, Enhancing the Student Experience for Transitioning Students, CCA-Educause Australasia 2011. The Game has changed, CCA-Educause Australasia, Sydney, 4-6 April 2011. This conference paper is available at Research Online: http://ro.uow.edu.au/asdpapers/251 Enhancing the Student Experience for Transitioning Students


Acceptable physical properties are an integral part of root-media quality. However, there is no one growing medium that works best in all situations because root-media physical properties are not constant, but rather can be affected by the grower. Understanding the root environment under production conditions requires an understanding of the dynamic nature of air : water : solid ratio in the medium. The objective of this review is to consider key aspects of root-medium physical properties, which include bulk density and particle size, container capacity, media settling, water absorption, rewettability, moisture release characteristics, and water loss due to evaporation from the root-medium surface.


Attention to processes has increased, as thousands of organizations have adopted processfocused practices, including TQM and ISO 9000. Proponents of such programs stress the promise of improved efficiency and profitability. But research has not consistently borne out these prospects. Moreover, the expectation of universal benefits is not consistent with research highlighting the important role of firm-specific capabilities in sustaining competitive advantage. In this paper, we use longitudinal panel data for firms in the auto supplier industry to study two new issues. First, we find that, with the majority of firms within an industry adopting process management practices, late adopters no longer gain financial benefits from these practices. Second, we explore how firm technological capabilities moderate the performance advantages of process management. We find that firms that are very narrowlyor broadlyoriented have fewer opportunities for complementary interactions that arise from process management practices and thus benefit less than those with limited breadth in technologically related activities.


Traceability has become increasingly important in Taiwan. The global food supply chain today has evolved into a tangled web as companies seek to enhance their capabilities to fulfill customers' needs. Food traceability system (FTS) can reduce information asymmetry in chain restaurants' food safety issues. This study used focus group to explore the information requirements of chain restaurants food safety system. The selection of four participants was divided in two groups i.e. external traceability and internal traceability group. External traceability captured and shared critical food ingredients of etraceability with upstream and downstream chain partners. Additionally, FTS timely provides backward trace of ingredients information to supplier's supplier and forward ingredients information to customer's customer. Internal traceability refers to the raw materials or products of each batch in the food chain. The promotion of technology development and application of the value to establish their own external and internal traceability considerations include the origins of food including the practices related to food labeling, food hygiene, food additives and pesticide residues, as well as guidelines for the management of traceability. Through FTS movements can be traced one step backwards and one step forward at any point in the supply chain governmental import and export inspection and certification systems for foods.


This study aims to present a new idea to expand the perception area of each cell in cellular automaton (CA) using a recursive algorithm known as Recursive Estimation of Neighbors. An intelligent cellular process defined by the algorithm makes it possible to introduce an extra radius of the perception area, in addition to the radius of the CA neighborhood. A basic CA rule is extrapolated into rules with larger radii, which form a sequence indexed by the extra radius containing the basic CA as the first term of the sequence. The patterns formed in some typical sequences of extrapolated ECA and Life-like CA rules are presented. Contrasting pattern activities contained in homogeneous and heterogeneous CAs are discussed by applying mean field analysis. Some symmetrical arrangements of composites of cells with different radii are used in order to discuss the heterogeneous CA. The new perspective presented here offers several possible applications for CA.


This Thesis engages with the work of James Boyd White. White's principal books, which cannot be placed easily into conventional categories, give particular attention to an activity that we humans do all the time: constituting and reconstituting ourselves and our relations with others when we use, and in using transform, our language. Attending to this activity, which I call 'transformative constitutionalism', opens up a line of inquiry into the kinds of selves and relations that we do, and could, and should constitute. This inquiry lends itself to talking about justice as being concerned with constituting appropriate selves and relations. White's own inquiry, which resists monophonic speech and advocates polyphonic speech, has gone down this particular path. This Thesis seeks to make sense of his travel and to provide a resource for tuning in to it. At one level, this Thesis can be read as a response to an invitation in White's course book The Legal Imagination. Here White offers this 'thesis': 'that the activities which make up the professional life of the lawyer and judge constitute an enterprise of the imagination, an enterprise whose central performance is the claim of meaning against the odds: the translation of the imagination into reality by the power of language.' White invites 'examination and response' from his reader. This Thesis takes up White's invitation. Following White's encouragement, I speak out of an awareness of several sorts of material, including the literature of the law, literary criticism, my intellectual activity outside the law, and my ordinary experience of life. Doing so offers a way of defining what he calls 'intellectual integration', the concern of which is wholeness of thought and experience. For White, intellectual integration can serve as a model for social integration. It is pertinent to note that the phrase 'transformative constitutionalism' has been drawn from post-apartheid legal commentary. There is a sense in which this Thesis is continuous with my work as an academic economist. Several strands of White's work seek to resist economic imperialism, strands that I bring together and extend. In doing so, an argument is made for reimagining 'the economic' to facilitate a re-imagining of 'the legal'. Attempts have been made to find mechanisms for the maintenance of justice which would dispense with the need for human attention. It cannot be done.


A typical transient heat transfer experiment for an impingement cooling configuration requires usually a temperature step in the flow. A moving isotherm of the liquid crystal surface coating is then monitored using a video camera. However, for small impingement configurations, when only a small number of holes is used, the massflow rates are relatively low, leading to very small plenum velocities. Therefore, a step change in the power settings does not cause a temperature step in the mainstream flow. Many researchers approximated the real hot gas temperature evolution by a number of ideal temperature steps (Duhamel's superposition principle). However, thermocouple acquisition measurements are influenced by the size of the thermocouple due to thermal inertia and therefore direct evaluation of the heat transfer coefficient with these data may be in error. This paper suggests that the hot gas temperature which drives the transient experiment and is measured in the plenum can be corrected according to the time constant of the thermocouples. Several experiments were carried out in order to evaluate the time response of fine thermocouples with exposed junction. For the impingement configuration, a single row of five inline impingement holes is used at in a narrow passage configuration over a range of Reynolds numbers (15000-55000). The liquid crystal signal is evaluated with three different hot gas temperature approaches: (1) Perfect temperature step, (2) Duhamel's principle in the acquired temperature data and (3) Correction of hot gas temperature for thermal inertia prior to Duhamel's principle. The experimental data are analyzed by means of various post-processing procedures and aim to clarify and quantify the effect of thermocouple thermal inertia on the final results.


Current Polar law developments indicate that both the Arctic and the Antarctica will continue to be the focus of growing scientific, international, political, media and public discourse for the foreseeable future. The regulation of resources and associated issues form one of the key areas of Polar law and will thus continue to constitute the crux of legal, geopolitical, socio-economic, and environmental developments. An overview of Polar law questions and topical developments was provided in the pioneering 2010 Polar Law Textbook and in the 2013 Polar Law Textbook II both of which covered a number of topics relevant to the Polar resources debate. Building on this work, this new volume focuses on topical issues of law and resource development in the Polar Regions and covers topics of current and emergent resource-related issues mainly from a legal and political perspective.


It is unknown how providing prospective living donors with information about APOL1, including the benefits and drawbacks of testing, influences their desire for testing. In this study, we surveyed 102 participants with self‐reported African ancestry and positive family history of kidney disease, recruited from our nephrology waiting room. We assessed views on APOL1 testing before and after presentation of a set of potential benefits and drawbacks of testing and quantified the self‐reported level of influence individual benefits and drawbacks had on participants' desire for testing in the proposed context of living donation. The majority of participants (92%) were aware of organ donation and more than half (56%) had considered living donation. And though we found no significant change in response following presentation of the potential benefits and the drawbacks of APOL1 testing by study end significance, across all participants, "becoming aware of the potential risk of kidney disease among your immediate family" was the benefit with the highest mean influence (3.3±1.4), while the drawback with the highest mean influence (2.9±1.5) was "some transplant centers may not allow you to donate to a loved one". This study provides insights into the priorities of prospective living donors and suggests concern for how the information affects family members may strongly influence desires for testing. It also highlights the need for greater community engagement to gain a deeper understanding of the priorities that influence decision making on APOL1 testing.


We can randomize the allocation of an entire program...We can randomize different components of a program...We can design our evaluation to precisely test a theoretical concept that economists have worried about for years or to test a contentious policy question. In other words, we can tailor the evaluation to answer exactly the question we need to have answered. – Rachel Glennerster and Kudzai Takavarasha, Running Randomized Evaluations: A Practical Guide.


Interfacial integration of a shape-engineered electrode with a strongly bonded current collector is the key for minimizing both ionic and electronic resistance and then developing high-power supercapacitors. Herein, we demonstrated the construction of high-power micro-supercapacitors (VG-MSCs) based on high-density unidirectional arrays of vertically aligned graphene (VG) nanosheets, derived from a thermally decomposed SiC substrate. The as-grown VG arrays showed a standing basal plane orientation grown on a (0001̅) SiC substrate, tailored thickness (3.5-28 μm), high-density structurally ordering alignment of graphene consisting of 1-5 layers, vertically oriented edges, open intersheet channels, high electrical conductivity (192 S cm-1), and strong bonding of the VG edges to the SiC substrate. As a result, the demonstrated VG-MSCs displayed a high areal capacitance of ∼7.3 mF cm-2 and a fast frequency response with a short time constant of 9 ms. Furthermore, VG-MSCs in both an aqueous polymer gel electrolyte and nonaqueous ionic liquid of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate operated well at high scan rates of up to 200 V s-1. More importantly, VG-MSCs offered a high power density of ∼15 W cm-3 in gel electrolyte and ∼61 W cm-3 in ionic liquid. Therefore, this strategy of producing high-density unidirectional VG nanosheets directly bonded on a SiC current collector demonstrated the feasibility of manufacturing high-power compact supercapacitors.


Generally, regional integration is when a group of countries get together and develop a formal agreement (by way of treaties) regarding how they will conduct trade with each other. Ernst Haas, perhaps the most prominent integration scholar of the time, defined integration as follows:
[T]he process whereby political actors in several distinct national settings are persuaded to shift their loyalties, expectations and political activities toward a new centre, whose institutions possess or demand jurisdiction over pre-existing national states. The end result of a process of political integration is a new political community, superimposed over the pre-existing ones.


Passive control devices are often used to protect slender and flexible structures from
dynamic actions, including earthquakes, wind and waves. The Nonlinear Energy Sink (NES)
has recently received increasing attention from researchers because of its capability to passively and irreversibly absorb a significant amount of energy from the primary system over a wide range of frequencies. In this paper, the application of two NESs acting in orthogonal directions is considered to mitigate the response of a multi degree of freedom structure. Parameters for each NES are obtained by considering a single degree of freedom structure, whose mass and
frequency are designed based on the fundamental mode of the original structure along the direction of action of the device, and applying the empirical expressions proposed in Oliva et al. (2017). Compared to standard Monte Carlo simulations, the use of these expressions requires a significant lower computational effort, making their implementation suitable for practical
engineering purposes. A numerical application on a three-dimensional building is presented
to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The NESs performance is analysed varying the direction of the ground motion, showing the potential of this passive control system in civil engineering applications. Results are reported in terms of statistics of the structural response, determined by Monte Carlo simulation, and analysis of the energy dissipated by the control devices.


We present the Cyclic Zipper Method, a procedure to construct lower bounds for Van der Waerden numbers. Using this method we improved seven lower bounds. For natural numbers $r$, $k$ and $n$ a Van der Waerden certificate $W(r,k,n)$ is a partition of $\{1, \ldots, n\}$ into $r$ subsets, such that none of them contains an arithmetic progression of length $k$ (or larger). Van der Waerden showed that given $r$ and $k$, a smallest $n$ exists - the Van der Waerden number $W(r,k)$ - for which no certificate $W(r,k,n)$ exists. In this paper we investigate Van der Waerden certificates which have certain symmetrical and repetitive properties. Surprisingly, it shows that many Van der Waerden certificates, which must avoid repetitions in terms of arithmetic progressions, reveal strong regularities with respect to several other criteria. The Cyclic Zipper Method exploits these regularities. To illustrate these regularities, two techniques are introduced to visualize certificates.


A long-term low nitrogen to phosphorus (N:P) ratio in the Tampa Bay, Florida, estuary system suggests that nitrogen is more limiting than phosphorus. However, south Florida suffered from a drought around 2007, and the reduction in runoff flowing into the bay affected local ecosystem dynamics. This study presents a remote sensing study to retrieve spatiotemporal patterns of total nitrogen (TN) concentrations in Tampa Bay under drought impacts through the integration of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images and a genetic programming (GP) model. Research findings show that the drought impact on TN in Tampa Bay is both a seasonal and yearly phenomenon. Without the presence of ocean water intrusion, the whole bay would show a relatively uniform TN distribution during the drought period until the flow input from rivers returned to normal. Based on yearly comparisons, temperature could be the limiting factor on the plankton growth in Tampa Bay. To further substantiate the credibility of a nutrient estimation algorithm, a k-means clustering analysis was conducted to demonstrate sea-bay-land interactions among ebbs, tides, and river discharges. The seasonal cluster distribution in 2007 is generally consistent with the conventional segments division of Tampa Bay.


France is exposed to various types of natural phenomena such as floods, earthquake, storms, landslides, forest fires, avalanches, to which can be added volcanic eruption and cyclones in overseas departments and territories... Because the natural events can have important human and economic consequences, prevention of natural hazards is a major concern in France. Recent events (floods in the South of France or in Europe, earthquakes in Morocco or Japan, cyclone in the United States...) show that, when a natural hazard occurs, hazardous industrial plants are always at risk. Such facilities can potentially cause severe damage to the population and the environment. There is a need to consider these so-called "natech" disasters, and to establish mitigation strategies. To this end, INERIS, in support with the French Ministry for Ecology, conducted several studies for better integrating food risk as a parameter of industrial activity (regulation risk analysis, post-event investigations, expert judgement...). An example of application is to take into account flood risks in the safety report and the emergency plan of dangerous industrial facilities. The suggested methodology is based on a risk analysis of technical systems and devices prone to flooding in an industrial facility, and potential sources of major accidents. Flood risk must be considered as an external source of aggression and as a threat to the operability of safety barriers. The aim is to identify the possible scenarios of accidents and to highlight measurements of prevention, protection and intervention (already existing or to be considered). This communication will introduce the following features: regulatory framework (land-use planning and industrial activity); lessons learned from past floods affect-ing hazardous industrial facilities; technical prescriptions to conduct safety-related activities in hazardous plants, including management of emergencies.


a lot of research both in formal methods and in control theory communities in recent years. The following paper by Althoff et al. reports a major milestone in this quest. Since formal verification techniques have high computational costs, they need to be applied with a scalpel rather than with a hammer. The authors show great prudence in choosing their target. The design of charge-pump phase-locked loops is representative of both the technical challenges involved in the verification of hybrid systems, and of potential benefits of formal analysis. While the design has clearly specified requirements for stability and settling OvEr ThE PaST few decades, computers have transformed from specialpurpose and standalone numbercrunching processors to networked devices interacting with the physical world. Realizing the full potential of such cyber-physical systems requires that advances in processing and communication technology are matched by advances in tools for designing such systems in a costeffective manner. Indeed, none of us would be willing to drive an autonomous car, or use a pacemaker that can be remotely programmed by our physician, if we are not guaranteed safety under all conceivable conditions. The current practice in system design relies primarily on simulation that ensures the system works as intended only on a few scenarios selected by the design team. Formal verification, on the other hand, promises to catch bugs in corner cases by exploring the space of all possible executions of the system. The verification problem is inherently computationally intractable, and yet researchers have made steady progress in developing methodology, algorithms, and tools for the verification of hardware and software systems. In particular, model checking— a technique for symbolically exploring the space of all reachable states of a system model—is considered a success story for theory in practice, due its adoption in checking correctness of multiprocessor designs and device driver code. In these applications, the model is purely discrete. To analyze a cyber-physical system such as a pacemaker, we need to consider the discrete software controller interacting with the physical world, which is typically modeled by differential equations. Developing effective symbolic verification technology for such mixed discrete-analog models—also called hybrid systems—has proved to be a challenging problem, attracting time, the discrete switching in the model implies that classical controltheoretic methods cannot ensure these analytically. The variations in initial conditions and parameter choices make it an ideal target for symbolic methods. Symbolic computation of reachable states of a hybrid system requires choosing a representation for sets of system states so the result of applying a single simulation step can be computed efficiently over this representation. Moreover, the complexity of the representation should grow manageably with the number of simulation steps. The technical strength of the paper is in the finely crafted combination of techniques the authors use to implement this symbolic computation. A key novelty of their method involves over-approximating the result of each simulation step by computing bounds on the range of switching times. This new method is critical in maintaining the simplicity of the symbolic representation across simulation steps, and allows the search to progress deep enough to establish stability. The experimental results reported in the following paper are truly significant since the authors demonstrate their method of symbolic simulation is competitive with the industrystandard simulation tools in terms of computational requirements. This demonstration of cost-effectiveness is hopefully the key to convince commercial vendors such as Mathworks to invest seriously to explore the transition of verification technology for hybrid systems to industrial practice.


We describe a conceptual model, the wetland continuum, which allows wetland managers, scientists, and ecologists to consider simultaneously the influence of climate and hydrologic setting on wetland biological communities. Although multidimensional, the wetland continuum is most easily represented as a two-dimensional gradient, with ground water and atmospheric water constituting the horizontal and vertical axes, respectively. By locating the position of a wetland on both axes of the continuum, the potential biological expression of the wetland can be predicted at any point in time. The model provides a framework useful in the organization and interpretation of biological data from wetlands by incorporating the dynamic changes these systems undergo as a result of normal climatic variation rather than placing them into static categories common to many wetland classification systems. While we developed this model from the literature available for depressional wetlands in the prairie pothole region of North America, we believe the concept has application to wetlands in many other geographic locations.


The development and testing of drift reduction technologies DRTs have come to the fore- front of application research in the past few years in the United States. DRTs can be spray nozzles, sprayer modifications, spray delivery assistance, spray property modifiers adjuvants, and/or landscape modifica- tions. A protocol for testing DRTs in high speed wind tunnels has been previously reported and was expanded to test spray nozzles. This manuscript reports on the initial implementation of the DRT program for conducting DRT evaluations of three spray nozzles under high speed conditions i.e.,45-65 m/s 100- 140 mph, which are relevant to the aerial application of crop production and protection materials. The spray nozzles were evaluated in the USDA-Agriculture Research Service High Speed Wind Tunnel facility. The droplet size of each of the nozzles with different airspeeds, spray pressures, and orientation was measured with a Sympatec Helos laser diffraction instrument. The droplet size spectra for each test were input in a spray dispersion model AGDISP, which calculates the downwind drift expected from a typical aerial application scenario. As compared to the reference nozzle, the three spray nozzles reduced spray drift by 70-84 % as compared to the reference nozzle. The nozzles generated spray droplets with volume median diameters 60-80 µm larger than the reference nozzle. One of the aerial application industry's best management practices BMPs is to not spray directly on the downwind edge of a field. The spray swath near this edge is moved upwind i.e., offset by 1/2 to 1 swath width. When this BMP was combined with the drift reductions from the spray nozzles, the amount of drift reduction was slightly increased; however, application efficiencies increased to 93-96 %. These results demonstrate the possibility of combining multiple drift reduction techniques and technologies to greatly reduce spray drift.


In this paper the Goos–Hanchen beam displacement at total internal reflection is reviewed. The basic theory of the beam shift is discussed from a classical approach, and measurement of the shift is discussed. Other experimental results are outlined. The theory of finite beam shift at total internal reflection is summarized. An application to nonlocal media is discussed. Finally, recent developments are outlined with implication for beam shifts in spatially dispersive media.


Guilds are social scientists' favoured historical example of institutions generating a 'social capital' of trust that benefited entire economies. This article considers this view in the light of empirical findings for early modern Europe. It draws the distinction between a 'particularized' trust in persons of known attributes and a 'generalized' trust that applies even to strangers. This is paralleled by the distinction between a 'differential' trust in institutions that enforce the rights of certain groups and a 'uniform' trust in impartial institutions that enforce the rights of all. Guilds had the potential to generate the particularized and differential trust to solve market failures relating to product quality, training, and innovation, although the empirical findings suggest that they often failed to fulfil this potential. Guilds also had the potential to abuse their trust, and the empirical findings show that they indeed manipulated their social capital of shared norms, common information, mutual sanctions, and collective political action to benefit their members at others' expense, blocking the spread of generalized and uniform trust. Counter to the assumptions of social capital theory, the example of pre-industrial guilds suggests that the particularized and differential trust fostered by associative institutions do not favour but hinder the generalized and uniform trust fostered by impartial institutions.


Conical transitions have wide applications in wind turbine foundation as well as oil and gas jacket type of structures. The junctions where tubular and cone meet experience a sharp stress rise from shell edge effects. Like all structures experiencing sharp stress rises, fatigue considerations are critical. In addition to fatigue, the existing offshore structural design standards also require ultimate limit state checks. It is known from the lower bound theorem of plasticity limit analysis that the junction local edge effects do not impact the global capacity. Designing for the local junction ultimate limit state contains wide variations among existing design standards. In this paper, the design practices from API RP-2A, NORSOK N-004, and ISO 19902:2020 draft are assessed. They are compared to the shell plastic yield criteria of Hodge and Ilyushin. In addition, this paper provides a semi-analytical plasticity solution to determine junction plastic deformations. The formulation is based on cylindrical shell equations coupled with deformation plasticity theory. It is found that the growth of the junction plasticity zone is limited, which is consistent with the anticipation from the lower bound limit analysis theorem. The observations made in this paper show that the local junction plasticity is a secondary issue compared to other design considerations. Its ultimate limit state design equation can afford to be more lenient if chooses for future standards' development.


This paper investigates empirically the relationship between household economies of scale and consumption in Uzbekistan. Particular attention is paid to the so-called "zero consumption problem" and Tobit estimator is utilized to deal with the problem. Using the household survey dataset made available recently, we test presence (or lack) of household economies of scale in seven different consumption categories (food, meals out, clothing, education, health, transportation and shelter). We find evidence of strong and positive household economies of scale in consumption of meals out, clothing, education, health, transportation and shelter, while consumption of food fails to indicate this pattern. We also estimate food Engel curve using non-parametric kernel estimates and fail to find the existence of household economies of scale through food consumption data.


ABSTRACT Background Suboccipital myofascial trigger points are common in tension-type headaches. Objectives Compare the influence of clinical experience on the accuracy and safety of dry needle placement on the C2 laminar arch using a cranial-medial and caudal-medial technique to target obliquus capitus inferior in unembalmed cadavers. Methods Three physical therapists inserted three 50 mm dry needles, per technique, individually toward the C2 laminar arch targeting the obliquus capitus inferior. Ultrasound video of each trial was recorded, and an investigator trained in ultrasound interpretation and blinded to experience level recorded needling accuracy. Results The novice, experienced and expert clinicians were accurate on 73.8%, 59.5% and 71.4% of caudal-medial trials, and 14.3%, 16.7% and 66.7% of cranial-medial trials, respectively, with each clinician striking the spinal cord at least once. The expert clinician was 10 times more likely to accurately reach the C2 laminar arch using the cranial-medial direction than the experienced and novice clinicians. Conclusion Increased clinical experience improved accuracy reaching the C2 laminar arch, with all investigators being more accurate with the caudal-medial technique. Greater experience did not eliminate risk as all investigators recorded at least one incident of striking the spinal cord. Fewer spinal cord strikes occurred with the cranial-medial than the caudal-medial technique.


Two new approaches are proposed for the multimodel synthesis of a two-degrees-of-freedom polynomial controller : the multimodel pole placement and the multiobjective optimisation. Using several models enables taking into account the parametric variations of the controlled system without introducing conservativeness, be they due to modelling mismatch or changes in the operating conditions. The resulting controller is robust with respect to stability and performances. Multimodel pole placement consists in specifying the closed-loop pole position corresponding to the whole set of models. It is shown that only an approximate pole placement is possible. The distances between the desired and the actual poles are weighted to penalize more the error on the poles which have the most effect on the stability and the performances, and minimized with the least-squares method. An iterative approach is proposed for improving the performances, and an interactive computer-aided design program is developed that enables the user finding easily which compromises are possible between performances and robustness. In multiobjective optimisation, one considers a set of performance criteria which should be made as close as possible to goal values, also for several models. This results in a minimax problem. Taking into account the H∞ norm of the sensitivity guarantees robust stability. Many different objectives can be included, such as limits on the time- and frequency-domain responses. The result is a compromise between all the specifications, which is often the purpose of the design. Depending on the optimisation method used, local minima may prevent from reaching the global optimum ; however, this method can significantly improve an existing solution. Both approaches are applied to the design of a controller for a sexible arm. This system exhibits poorly damped modes and large parametric variations. The specifications concern robust stability and performances. Multimodel pole placement is used to obtain a controller which satisfies all of them. Then multiobjective optimisation enables improving the whole set of performance criteria, or more specifically reducing the amplitude of the control signal.


New insight is provided into how runaway electrons are generated in gases. It is shown that the Townsend mechanism of electron multiplication works even for strong fields, when the ionization friction of electrons can be neglected. The non-local electron runaway criterion proposed in the work determines the critical voltage–pd relationship as a two-valued function universal for a given gas (p being the gas pressure, and d the electrode spacing). This relationship exhibits an additional upper branch as contrasted to the familiar Paschen's curves and divides the discharge gap into two regions: one where electrons multiply effectively, and the other which they leave without having enough time to multiply. Experiments on the production of electron beams with subnanosecond pulse duration and an amplitude of tens to hundreds of amperes at atmospheric pressure in various gases are addressed, and the creation of a nanosecond volume discharge with the high density of excitation power and without preionization of the gap by a supplementary source is discussed.


Problem statement: Quantum key distribution provides unconditional security guaranteed by the fundamental laws of quantum physics. Unfortunately, for real-life experimental set-ups, which mainly based on faint laser pulses, the occasional production of multi-photons and channel loss make it possible for sophisticated eavesdroppers to launch various subtle eavesdropping attacks including the Photon Number Splitting (PNS) attack. The decoy state protocols recently proposed to beat PNS attack and to improve dramatically distance and secure key generation rate of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). Approach: Objective of this study was experimental implementation of weak decoy + vacuum states QKD for increasing the performance of QKD system. To show conceptually how simple it was to apply the weak decoy + vacuum state idea to a commercial QKD system, we chosen ID-3000 commercial quantum key distribution system manufactured by id quantique. To implement the weak decoy + vacuum state protocol, we had to add some new optical and electronics components to id quantique and to attenuate each signal to the intensity of either signal state or weak decoy or vacuum state randomly. Results: In our implementation, the attenuation will be done by placing a VOA (variable optical attenuator) in Alice's side. Specifically, our QKD system required the polarizations of 2 pulses from the same signal to be orthogonal. Therefore the VOA must be polarization independent so as to attenuate the two pulses equally. The VOA utilized in experiment to attenuate signals dynamically was Intensity Modulator (IM). We had implemented weak + vacuum protocol on a modified commercial QKD system over a 25 km of telecom fibers with an unconditionally secure key rate of 6.2931×10-4 per pulse. Conclusion: By making simple modifications to a commercial quantum key distribution system, we could achieve much better performance with substantially higher key generation rate and longer distance than QKD system without decoy state.


This dissertation deals with the study of fear appeals, i.e. messages in which people are presented with fear-arousing health information, in order to convince them they should alter unhealthy habits and adopt healthy lifestyles. Fear appeals typically start with the presentation of the negative consequences of a certain behavior, followed by a recommendation in which a solution to the health risk is offered. The majority of empirical studies examining the effects of fear appeals on persuasion has found that more fear leads to more persuasion. Unfortunately, the accumulated empirical evidence in support for the positive effect of fear on persuasion has not provided an answer to one crucial question, which is how this effect comes about. Although over the years, various theoretical accounts have been given of the effects of fear appeals on persuasion (Chapter 1), the empirical evidence has not been particularly supportive of any of these theories.
In this dissertation, a stage model of fear appeals is introduced, which is the first model of fear appeals to offer explicit hypotheses with respect to the cognitive processes underlying fear-induced persuasion. The stage model proposes that individuals exposed to a fear appeal have to engage in two types of appraisal, namely (primary) appraisal of the threat outlined in the fear appeal, and (secondary) appraisal of coping strategies available for reducing or eliminating the threat. When an individual s vulnerability to a health risk is emphasized in a fear appeal, defense motivation is proposed to occur, which will have opposite effects on the processing of fear appeals (primary appraisal) and the processing of action recommendations (secondary appraisal). In the primary appraisal process, a negative bias is proposed to occur, involving motivated attempts to minimize the health threat by scrutinizing the arguments rather critically, searching for inconsistencies and logical errors, and generally downgrading the threat. In contrast, a positive bias is proposed to occur in the secondary appraisal process, involving motivated attempts to maximize an action recommendation by evaluating it less critically and generally judging the information as more valid. Thus, the stage model proposes that defense motivation will lead to a positive bias in the processing of the action recommendation, and consequently heighten the motivation to accept a solution to a particular threat, regardless of the quality of the arguments to support this recommendation.
Five experimental studies are reported that tested hypotheses derived from the stage model (Chapters 2-4). The studies varied the personal vulnerability to a health threat, the severity of this threat and the quality of the arguments in an action recommendation. The dependent variables included cognitive responses to the health threat (primary appraisal) and to the action recommendation (secondary appraisal), measures of negative affect, and measures of persuasion (attitudes, intentions, actions). The findings provide consistent support for the stage model s assumption that higher levels of vulnerability to a health risk will induce a negative bias in the processing of fear appeals, and a positive bias in the processing of recommendations. These findings reconcile some major inconsistencies that have been observed area of fear-induced persuasion, thus substantially increasing understanding of the persuasion-process.


This research aims to determine the completeness of the results of learning mathematics students VIII SMP Negeri B.Srikaton academic year 2017/2018 after applied model of cooperative learning type Student Facilitator and Explaining (SFaE). This type of research is experimental, with the design used is pre-test and post-test group design. The population in this study is all students of class VIII SMP Negeri B.Srikaton which amounted to 258 students. One class was taken randomly, that is class VIII.6 was 37 students as experiment class. The result of the research is the final score of the analysis using the t-test. The average score on mathematics learning outcomes is 81.57. Based on the results of data analysis with significant level α = 0.05 obtained tcount = 6.41 and ttable = 1.69 because tcount > ttable, then obtained the conclusion that the Application of Cooperative Learning Model Type Student Facilitator and Explaining (SFaE) on Student Learning Outcomes Mathematics Class VIII SMP Negeri B.Srikaton Lesson Year 2017/2018 completed significantly.
Keywords: Cooperative Learning Model Type Student Facilitator and Explaining (SFaE), Learning Outcomes.


Behaviors occurring in situations of domestic violence were collated from varied sources and analyzed in several ways, using a sort of backwards engineering of contexts. The many behaviors found in domestic violence (Table 1) suggested five common functional patterns which allow a better understanding of the context (Table 2): direct physical actions and threats against the woman; manipulating the context to control the woman's behavior; strategies to keep secrets within the relationships; strategies to monitor or find out about the woman and her activities and social contacts; and verbal constructions to threaten or to persuade the woman of the man's view for the world. In Table 3 we explored how the functional groupings from Table 2 might be used strategically by the men against the women, while Table 4 explored how these patterns of behaviors might start out innocuously but over time become more violent. Training women to recognize these functions rather than topographical behaviors could be useful for interventions. Finally, it was argued that the functional strategies of the men which appear in our analyses can only succeed if broader social and political contexts are in place. This means that to analyze the behaviors of domestic violence it is necessary to use broader contexts, such as those found in the political and feminist analyses— the analysis of domestic violence must involve more than just the two individuals behaving. Even what are considered "private" or "intimate" contingent relations within social relationships are only made possible by the patriarchal and capitalist bases of modernity. It is demonstrated how these can be included in behavioral analyses.


Excerpt] Women, including 25.1 million working mothers with children under age 18, are a major force in our economy. Over the years, many mothers have joined the labor force, and their role as economic providers for their families has increased. In 2015, 69.9 percent of mothers with children under age 18 were in the labor force, representing over a third (34.2 percent) of working women. Moreover, mother-only families made up nearly a quarter of families with children. While their role in the paid labor force has changed, mothers continue to carry a disproportionate share of the unpaid household and caregiving responsibilities. At the same time, they still face a lack of adequate workplace supports and encounter barriers that prevent them from achieving economic security for themselves and their families. This issue brief presents statistics and information on working mothers, highlighting their employment characteristics, the changing structure of families, the poverty status of working mothers and their families, mothers as sole or primary earners, and unpaid caregiving and household responsibilities. The final section of the issue brief highlights some policies and workplace supports for working parents and their families.


In a delicate event context during a period of health crisis, the satisfaction and attendance indicators at the end of the EPHJ trade show are encouraging. The exhibitors were present and the exhibition recorded 12,200 visitors. As the doors of the EPHJ trade fair – the largest international one for the high-precision sector and the largest in Switzerland for medical technology – close after four days of activity, the organizers draw a positive balance sheet for this edition. "We had to wait 27 months before we could finally get together," explains Alexandre Catton. "This is a long time for the companies we are promoting. Much too long because digital technology will never replace human contact. We have verified this during this week and the testimonies of the exhibitors, as well as the visitors, all point in the same direction!" These exhibitors knew, as did the organizers, that this edition of EPHJ would be smaller with slightly fewer visitors. However, the 12,000 visitor mark was passed, compared to 20,000 in a normal situation. "This is a first victory for EPHJ," says Alexandre Catton. "From now on, if the pandemic will leave us alone, we will concentrate on our 20th edition, which will be held in June 2022, to return to our traditional format." The 530 exhibitors present appreciated the high quality of the visitors who came to sign deals or with encouraging prospects of concluding them soon. In the current health context, it is worth noting that 25 % of the 530 exhibitors present came from abroad, representing 13 countries. The Swiss cantons most represented among the exhibitors were, in order, Neuchâtel (94), Jura (66), Bern (64), Geneva (55), Vaud (45) and Zürich (16). Another revealing statistic: while 90 % of exhibitors declared a watchmaking activity and 59 % a microtechnology activity, nearly 50 % of them now had a medtech activity. Proof of an increasingly strong medical diversification. It should also be remembered that the 2021 Exhibitors' Grand Prize was won by the company STS. Elected by its peers, STS was rewarded for its alternative solution to rhodium, which has become the most expensive metal in the world: an innovative alternative developed with white platinum that allows certain parts of the watch movement to be covered with the same properties and the same look as rhodium. After the closing of this 19th edition, the EPHJ trade show returns from 14 – 17 June 2022 at Geneva-Palexpo. https://ephj.ch So ur ce : P al ex po


We address the problem of detecting anomalies in images, specifically that of detecting regions characterized by structures that do not conform those of normal images. In the proposed approach we exploit convolutional sparse models to learn a dictionary of filters from a training set of normal images. These filters capture the structure of normal images and are leveraged to quantitatively assess whether regions of a test image are normal or anomalous. Each test image is at first encoded with respect to the learned dictionary, yielding sparse coefficient maps, and then analyzed by computing indicator vectors that assess the conformance of local image regions with the learned filters. Anomalies are then detected by identifying outliers in these indicators. Our experiments demonstrate that a convolutional sparse model provides better anomaly-detection performance than an equivalent method based on standard patch-based sparsity. Most importantly, our results highlight that monitoring the local group sparsity, namely the spread of nonzero coefficients across different maps, is essential for detecting anomalous regions.


SAFE Professor Michalis Haliassos was a member of the National Council for Research and Technology (ESET) established by the Government of Greece for the period 2010-2013. The council, consisting of eleven scientists from a range of disciplines, has now published their communique "National Strategic Framework for Research and Innovation 2014-2020". To promote the advancement of research, technology and innovation in Greece, the strategic plan proposed by the authors seeks to identify areas of existing research strength and excellence that can be further advanced to become engines for progress and growth in Greece, as well as flaws inherent to the present system. The authors stress the need to address current constraints to growth, which include the declining education system; the confusion and weaknesses of RD the discontinuities and inefficiencies of resource allocation and investment; the lack of adaptation to clearly-defined national priorities; and the inadequate opportunities and funding for high-quality research and development to flourish. They stress the need for prioritisation and efficient allocation; stability of the policy frame; predictability of planning; provision of opportunity; recognition of excellence; and responsiveness to current and future needs.


If boundaries protect us from threats, how should we think about the boundaries of states in a world where threats to human rights emanate from both outside the state and the state itself? Arguing that attitudes towards boundaries are premised on assumptions about the locus of threats to vital interests, Rahul Rao probes beneath two major normative orientations towards boundaries-cosmopolitanism and nationalism-which structure thinking on questions of public policy and identity. Insofar as the Third World is concerned, hegemonic versions of both orientations are underpinned by simplistic imageries of threat. In the cosmopolitan gaze, political and economic crises in the Third World are attributed mainly to factors internal to the Third World state with the international playing the role of heroic saviour. In Third World nationalist imagery, the international is portrayed as a realm of neo-imperialist predation from which the domestic has to be secured. Both images capture widely held intuitions about the sources of threats to human rights, but each by itself provides a resolutely partial inventory of these threats. By juxtaposing critical accounts of both discourses, Rao argues that protest sensibilities in the current conjuncture must be critical of hegemonic variants of both cosmopolitanism and nationalism. The second half of the book illustrates what such a critique might look like. Journeying through the writings of James Joyce, Rabindranath Tagore, Edward Said and Frantz Fanon, the activism of 'anti-globalisation' protesters, and the dilemmas of queer rights activists, Rao demonstrates that important currents of Third World protest have long battled against both the international and the domestic, in a manner that combines nationalist and cosmopolitan sensibilities.


ABSTRACT We have inserted two expression cassettes at tagged reference chromosomal sites by using recombinase-mediated cassette exchange in mammalian cells. The three sites of integration displayed either stable or silencing position effects that were dominant over the different enhancers present in the cassettes. These position effects were strongly dependent on the orientation of the construct within the locus, with one orientation being permissive for expression and the other being nonpermissive. Orientation-specific silencing, which was observed at two of the three site tested, was associated with hypermethylation but not with changes in chromatin structure, as judged by DNase I hypersensitivity assays. Using CRE recombinase, we were able to switch in vivo the orientation of the transgenes from the permissive to the nonpermissive orientation and vice versa. Switching from the permissive to the nonpermissive orientation led to silencing, but switching from the nonpermissive to the permissive orientation did not lead to reactivation of the transgene. Instead, transgene expression occurred dynamically by transcriptional oscillations, with 10 to 20% of the cells expressing at any given time. This result suggested that the cassette had been imprinted (epigenetically tagged) while it was in the nonpermissive orientation. Methylation analysis revealed that the methylation state of the inverted cassettes resembled that of silenced cassettes except that the enhancer had selectively lost some of its methylation. Sorting of the expressing and nonexpressing cell populations provided evidence that the transcriptional oscillations of the epigenetically tagged cassette are associated with changes in the methylation status of regulatory elements in the transgene. This suggests that transgene methylation is more dynamic than was previously assumed.