Sports have taken on tremendous importance in the world in which we live. Their social significance - economic, political, and personal - both nationally and internationally is unprecedented. What may not be so immediately obvious is the sociological nature of sports. Sport offers one of the most visible public arenas for understanding the role that 'immortality' plays in individual action, group dynamics, and with audiences and the media. Following a brief introduction to the sociology of sport, Leonard explores these dimensions of the sporting world through the idea of the 'post-self' - how individuals regard themselves and want to be remembered by the public. From the individual psyche to the global arena of sports, this book features vivid examples and quotations from star athletes, coaches, and the media, offering poignant insights into the sporting world and about individuals and society.


Neurodegenerative disorders are progressive conditions that worsen over time and results in death of neurons. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent example of one such age-related disease, which is characterized by movement disorder (ataxia) and/or cognitive disability (dementia). Pathologically, PD is characterized by a toxic accumulation of α-synuclein protein in the midbrain leading to degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons. The etiology of PD is intricate, and the cause is attributed to genetic mutations and environmental factors like insecticides or heavy metals. Moreover, treatment options are limited and often aimed at treating the symptoms rather than the actual disease progression. Using the nematode model of Caenorhabditis elegans, I examined the effect of Alaskan bog blueberry (Vaccinium uliginosum) on a-synuclein overexpression and how such indigenous natural treatment can modulate key molecular targets like sirtuins, which are proteins involved in regulating cellular processes including aging, death and their resistance to stress. The impact of extrinsic factors like dietary fat on PD pathology has been sparsely explored and the molecular basis of such changes is not known. Through my thesis research, I also further investigated the influence of fat metabolism on key hallmarks of PD: a-synuclein overexpression and dopaminergic degeneration in the nematode model. Finally, I studied the interaction of dietary fat (normal, low and high fat) and Alaskan blueberry supplementation on metal induced neurotoxicity model of Mus musculus. Our results highlight the beneficial properties of Alaskan blueberries in combating proteotoxic stress and inflammation in both animal models. They also reiterate the benefit of low fat diet, on its own or in combination with supplementation in improving several PD-like molecular features and how consuming high fat can mask such health promoting outcomes. The current thesis work therefore, provides a foundation for further


Software process improvement is often mentioned in today?s software marketplace. To be able to do process improvement, the organisation must have a process to improve from. These processes are commonly deviated from, and the PDU/PAY organisation at Ericsson AB has experienced that this happens too often within their organisation. The aim of this master thesis was to investigate why such deviations occur and how they could be prevented at PDU/PAY. A survey including a qualitative and a quantitative part was conducted at PDU/PAY to investigate this issue. The result was that processes were often deviated from due to lack of: management commitment, user involvement, synchronisation between processes, change management, anchoring of processes, and communication of processes. In addition to the conducted studies, an improvement proposal is given to the PDU/PAY organisation. This includes one organisational part and one part that is directly related to the actual work with processes. The proposal is intended to give PDU/PAY an essence of how to improve their work with their organisational processes.


Databases and systems to manage data are so common that they are rarely a topic of conversation or contemplation; they are simply a part of the underlying infrastructure of business, government, other institutions, and more broadly, our everyday lives. From using a bank machine, calling a friend on a cell phone, or booking travel to checking a stock quote, conducting a Google search, or buying a book from Amazon, most people in the developed (and increasingly the developing) world encounter databases countless times a day. Prior to computers, of course, there were technologies for information storage and tools to aid retrieval. But the advent and growing memory and processing capabilities of digital computers, coupled with many important developments in software, have rapidly accelerated possibilities for the collection of data, models for structuring data, and modes of accessing data. In the era of the World Wide Web, databases have truly become ubiquitous—opening countless possibilities, as well as further extending security and privacy concerns (that initially grew alongside the US government's use of vast computer databases in the 1960s). Although a small number historical studies address some aspects of database history, including historian Martin Campbell-Kelly's insightful examination of the emergence of the database management systems (DBMSs) segment of the software industry, far more research is needed. This special issue of the Annals on the history of DBMSs does much to expand our understanding of this pervasive technology. Historian Thomas Haigh, in this issue's opening article, begins by examining the prehistory of DBMSs in administrative data processing in the 1950s, covering such topics as user group Share's 9PAC and Surge. He then offers analysis on System Development Corporation's conception of the database, discusses several pioneering products, and provides an overview of the critical work of Codasyl's Data Base Task Force. Next, Tim Bergin collaborates with Haigh on an article exploring the early history of DBMSs, focusing on user experiences and the evolution of DBMS packages in the 1970s. Among the key early DBMS packages analyzed are IBM's Information Management System (IMS) and Data Language/1 (DL/1), Cincom's Total, Cullinane's Integrated Database Management System (IDMS), and Software AG's Adabas. The issue is rounded out by a series of interesting and important pioneer accounts by early figures in database and DBMS fields: Charles Bachman, Robert Brueck, Judith Kruntorad, William McGee, John Norris Maguire, Thomas Nies, Robert Patrick, and Orrin Stevens Jr. The list is a virtual who's who in the early development of these path-breaking software technologies. Codirectors of the Software Industry Special Interest Group at the Computer History Museum (CHM; http:// www.computerhistory.org), Burton Grad and Luanne Johnson have been putting together workshops on software history, bringing together leading pioneers and professional historians, for more than a decade. These important events have yielded fresh insights and, equally important, scores of new data (session transcripts, oral histories conducted by professional historians, etc.) for future historical analysis. This special issue is an outgrowth of one of their pioneer workshops on DBMSs and is guest edited by Grad and former Annals EIC Tim Bergin. While this issue represents a major leap forward in advancing understanding and resources for the history of databases and DBMS, these articles will hopefully spur continuing historical analysis. Fortunately, databases and DBMSs are now among the better-documented topics in software history, in terms of publicly available archival material. In addition to the resources created by the CHM's Software Industry SIG (http://www. computerhistory.org/groups/sisig/) and other important resources at CHM, there is an excellent career oral history with Charles Bachman (conducted by Thomas Haigh) on the ACM History Committee site (http://history. acm.org/) as well as substantial archival resources (including The Charles W. Bachman Papers, Gordon Everest Monographs of Database Development, and the ACM Records) and oral histories at the Charles Babbage Institute (http://www.cbi.umn.edu).


We introduce Deep Adaptive Design (DAD), a method for amortizing the cost of adaptive Bayesian experimental design that allows experiments to be run in real-time. Traditional sequential Bayesian optimal experimental design approaches require substantial computation at each stage of the experiment. This makes them unsuitable for most real-world applications, where decisions must typically be made quickly. DAD addresses this restriction by learning an amortized design network upfront and then using this to rapidly run (multiple) adaptive experiments at deployment time. This network represents a design policy which takes as input the data from previous steps, and outputs the next design using a single forward pass; these design decisions can be made in milliseconds during the live experiment. To train the network, we introduce contrastive information bounds that are suitable objectives for the sequential setting, and propose a customized network architecture that exploits key symmetries. We demonstrate that DAD successfully amortizes the process of experimental design, outperforming alternative strategies on a number of problems.


Recent advances in sensors technology have led to design and development of variety of geosensor networks and their applications in many disciplines. Such networks consist of a set of sensors laying on different locations and sensing various real world phenomena for environmental monitoring, object surveillance, tracking and controlling applications. A fundamental issue in a geosensor network optimization is estimation of its spatial coverage. The existence of various obstacles in the sensing environment and its complexity result in several holes in the environment. These holes should be detected and minimized in the optimization process. Different approaches have been proposed in the literatures to resolve these problems. A considerable number of current approaches use Voronoi diagram and Delaunay triangulation to identify the holes in the network and deploy an optimal arrangement for the sensors. These structures are more compatible with the spatial distribution of sensors in the environment. This paper presents a survey of the existing solutions for geosensor network optimization that use Voronoi diagram and Delaunay triangulation in their approach.


Most Ontario universities were established by Christian denominations; a Christian ethos was assumed and pervasive, and students were required to take courses designed to teach and inculcate religion. This insightful and comprehensive study demonstrates how, as Ontario society became secularized and pluralistic, so too did universities. Today, religion is again studies in university classrooms but as "religious studies," a relatively new field that reflects the religiously pluralistic nature of Ontario and the world-wide explosion of knowledge. This authoritative volume will be of interest to students of religion in and outside academic circles, to adminstratots of academic institutions and granting agencies and to persons wanting to know more about the social and cultural changes that have transformed Ontario and Canadian society.


Digitization of cable TV systems has permitted not only higher quality (HD) programming, but a proliferation of channel space, sparking a second wave of cable programming network entry since the late 1990s. Finer and finer segmentation of cable networks toward niche audiences, including racial and ethnic minorities, has thus been permitted. Yet, descriptive data indicate that average cost per thousand CPM advertising rates of basic cable networks remain far below those of the "broad appeal" programming on the major broadcast networks and the supply of programming orient toward racial and ethnic audiences (eg, BET), appears to be low. In this paper, we attempt to understand the limitations of cable television networks in more finely segmenting toward niche audiences, especially toward racial and ethnic audience groups. Our primary approach is by means of an empirical study of the determinants of cable TV network advertising rates, the source of about 2/3 of total revenues of basic cable networks on average. Using a database of 78 basic cable TV networks operating in 2010, primarily supplied by A C. Nielsen, preliminary results indicate that cost per thousand (CPM) advertising rates increase, at a decreasing rate, as the network's household reach increases, but that the size of network ratings have no significant effect. The cable "reach handicap" is thus a significant damper on advertising revenues of basic cable networks, but there is no evidence that the small size of audiences, per se, reduces CPM rates. Viewer age has a significant effect in most models, but other demographic factors, including % black and % Hispanic, and audience homogeneity, have no measurable effect on ad rates (contrary to previous research in radio and TV which find lower ad rates for blacks and Hispanics). Finally, we investigate determinants of the distribution of blacks and Hispanics among 84 basic cable networks, and find that while content elements are an important factor, much of the variation can be explained by production values, as indicated by network production costs, a factor that attracts audiences without any regard to racial or ethnic origin.


A widely held viewpoint in optics, namely, that dynamic magnetic effects are extremely weak at optical frequencies, is re-examined. Nonlinear charge motion induced by the optical magnetic field in dielectric systems is analyzed, is predicted to be resonantly enhanced, and is observed experimentally in CCl4, C6H6, and H2O at the fundamental input frequency. Excellent agreement is obtained with a classical magnetic harmonic oscillator model, which shows that the maximum dynamic magnetic dipole (MD) moment at optical frequencies is one half the electric dipole (ED) moment. As a consequence, magnetic dipole radiation generated by the optical magnetic field with an intensity one fourth that of ED radiation, as well as unanticipated nonlinear optical effects such as magnetic white-light generation, can arise in homogeneous transparent dielectrics. The mechanism of MD formation is confirmed experimentally to be second order in the input field, and the strength of the radiation is accounted for as a first-order contribution to the vector potential. Predictions are made of optical magnetic resonance, negative permeability, self-induced magnetic birefringence, and optically induced Faraday rotation.


The relevance of languages and multilingual communication for social policy and solidarity in the context of the nation state has generally been recognized. However, in the context of Europeanization this factor has been underestimated and neglected in scientific research. This paper argues that languages and multilingual communication are relevant for the design of Social Europe. In order to support this hypothesis the paper relies on an analytical tool, the so-called floral figuration model proposed in De Swaan [1]. This model allows us to isolate social and linguistic actors and track down complex patterns of linguistic and communicative exclusion in Europe's system of multi-level governance. These patterns also refer to international or global English, or its technically adapted Brussels variety "Euro-English" and appear in a case study on the Netherlands.


In 1990, the Southwest Florida Water Management District completed a district-wide water supply needs and sources planning analysis. The SWFWMD needs and sources analysis identifies water needs projected from 1995 to 2020 and sources of water to meet those needs. This analysis forms the basis for long-term regional water supply planning for the west-central Florida area. The SWFWMD's water supply needs and sources study required inter-governmental coordination on many levels. This coordination included three multi-county regional water supply authorities, county planning and utility departments, and each municipal and private utility. One of the most significant parts of this investigation is the projection of water demands for every category of water use. Specific projection methodologies were developed for indentification of public supply and agricultural demands. Demands of uses other than public supply and agriculture were projected based on regional water use trends on a case by case basis. The methodology used for identification of potential fresh ground-water withdrawal locations is based on a screening system using overlays showing the present condition of the resource. The most suitable locations for proposed ground-water development were selected based on having good quality water in areas that are not already seriously impacted by existing withdrawals and are close to demand centers or distribution networks. The methodology for estimating costs of implementing the proposed water supply options is based on a cost estimating model.


CloudDrops is a pervasive awareness platform that integrates virtual information from the Web more closely with the contextually rich physical spaces in which we live and work. CloudDrops consists of many interactive stamp-sized displays, each showing a tiny bit of digital information. The large number of displays and their small size allows the user to flexibly instrument, orchestrate and reconfigure her personal information environment. We show different form factors for stamp-sized displays, provide a device concept and a first implementation. We propose lightweight visualizations and interaction techniques that are tailored to the tiny device form factor. Moreover, we contribute techniques for associating these small displays with content that the user wants to stay aware of, including Web pages, contacts, and places. To demonstrate the capabilities of the platform, we present several application examples. A user study provides first insights into how CloudDrops enable users to create a personalized information environment by distributing stamp-sized displays over the entire architectural space.


Throwing is a whole body movement that requires the transfer of energy via the trunk from the lower extremity to the upper extremity. Ineffective transfer of energy is thought to cause abnormal stresses on the joints of the throwing arm, that lead to injury. The purpose of this study was to compare trunk kinematics during throwing and trunk flexibility between softball position players with and without a history of shoulder/elbow pain. Trunk rotation kinematics at three time points during throwing and trunk rotation flexibility measured with three clinical tests were compared between groups. Results revealed that limited trunk flexibility measured using the half kneeling rotation test with the bar in back was associated with a history of shoulder/elbow pain. Trunk rotation kinematics was not different between groups. The clinical test may be used by clinicians to identify softball players who may be at increased risk for developing shoulder/elbow pain.


The present study was carried out to evaluate the moderating properties of oregano (Origanum vulgare) (ORG) extract on the toxic effects of organophosphate pesticide, diazinon on growth and some metabolism associated components of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. In non-diazinon-exposed fish, the triiodothyronine (T3) levels in serum and body weight index (BWI %) and specific growth rate (SGR) values were higher in fish supplemented with 2, 6 and 10 g ORG/kg diet compared to control (nonORG-supplemented fish) and fish fed 14 g ORG/kg diet after 60 days feeding trial (P<0.05). Furthermore, the serum thyroxine (T4) levels increased in fish fed 6 and 10 g ORG/kg diet compared to control and those supplemented with 2 and 14 g ORG/kg diet (P<0.05). Fish supplemented with 14 g/kg ORG diet showed the lowest BWI %, SGR and serum thyroid hormones (P<0.05). The lowest FCR values were observed in fish supplemented with 6 and 10 g ORG/kg diet (P<0.05). In diazinon exposed fish, thyroid hormones, BWI % and SGR significantly declined during 60 days exposure to diazinon in control and ORG-supplemented fish (P<0.05). However, these parameters were found to be higher in fish supplemented with 6 and 10 g ORG/kg diet compared to other exposed fish (P<0.05). FCR values significantly increased in control and fish supplemented with 2, 6 and 14 g ORG/kg diet after exposure (P<0.05). The levels of cortisol significantly elevated during exposure to diazinon in control and fish supplemented with 2 and 14 g ORG/kg diet (P<0.05). The glucose levels significantly increased in fish fed 6 and 10 g ORG/kg diet (P<0.5). During exposure period, diazinon induced ranges of histological lesions in liver, which the severity of theses lesions was lower in ORG-supplemented fish (P<0.05). In conclusion, ORG at optimum dietary levels (6-10 g/kg diet) could moderate the growth suppressing effects, stress and tissue lesions induced by diazinon. In addition, ORG at high dietary levels had toxic effects on


This paper explores the judicial origins of alien land restrictions in the United States. Alien land restrictions originated in judge-made law, and until the later part of the nineteenth century continued to be dominated by the common law. Legislators and framers of Constitutions in the early American republic left to judges the task of enumeration of rights to accompany the status of "citizen". The gap in our understanding of this process is widened by the failure thus far to explore the importance of judicial decisions that restricted fee simple ownership of land to citizens. As a source of law, state and federal courts in the United States adopted an English common-law rule, seemingly oblivious to the incongruity of applying a rule by which a monarch governed subjects to the political context of the newly formed United States. Among other restrictions, the common law rule required that real property held by an alien automatically escheated to the state upon his death, even if his or her heirs were American citizens. Courts frequently enforced escheat of land following an alien's death, sometimes decades later, and often to the detriment of citizens who claimed title to the property. Judges continued to protect the common-law doctrine in the face of attempts to construct alternative landholding mechanisms, becoming stalwart protectors of their presumed ideal that all landholders should be citizens. This study of judicial enforcement of the common law of alien land rights leads to both general and specific observations about the nature and effect of judicial method in the nineteenth century. Among the general observations, I argue that these cases provide important evidence of the controversial paradigm of the "relative autonomy of law". Judges in this period were largely unconcerned that forfeitures could result in a chaotic market economy for land, especially in periods in which large percentages of the inhabitants were foreign-born. I suggest that the tenacity of a taught legal tradition helps to explain the staying power of legal doctrine in the face of social forces we might expect to lead to change; namely, that the underlying doctrine withstood social forces that tended toward rationalization of property law in other contexts.


We propose a general taxonomy of the political economy challenges to wind power development and integration, highlighting the implications in terms of actors, interests, and risks. Applying this framework to three functions in China.s electricity sector.planning and project approval, generator cost recovery, and balancing area coordination.we find evidence of challenges common across countries with significant wind investments, despite institutional and industry characteristics that are unique to China.We argue that resolving these political economy challenges is as important to facilitating the role of wind and other renewable energies in a low carbon energy transition as providing dedicated technical and policy support. China is no exception.


Neural Networks (NN) can be trained to perform tasks such as image and handwriting recognition, credit card application approval and the prediction of stock market trends.

During the learning process, the outputs of a supervised NN come to approximate the target values given the inputs in the training set. This ability may be good in itself, but often the more important purpose for a NN is to generalise i.e. to have the outputs of the NN approximate target values given inputs that are not in the training set.

This project examines the impact a selection of key features has on the generalisation ability of NNs. This is achieved through a critical analysis of the following aspects; inputs to the network, selection of training data, size of training data, prior knowledge and the smoothness of the function.

Techniques devised to measure the effects these factors have on generalisation are implemented. The results of testing are discussed in detail and are used to form the basis of further work, directed at continuing to refine the processes involved during the training and testing of NNs.


Tiny self-propelled swimmers capable of autonomous navigation through complex environments provide appealing opportunities for localization, pick-up and delivery of microscopic and nanoscopic objects. Inspired by motile cells and bacteria, man-made microswimmers have been created and their motion in homogeneous environments has been studied. As a first step towards more realistic conditions under which such microswimmers will be employed, here we study, experimentally and with numerical simulations, their behavior in patterned surroundings that present complex spatial features where frequent encounters with obstacles become important. To study the microswimmers as a function of their swimming behavior, we develop a novel species of microswimmers whose active motion is due to the local demixing of a critical binary liquid mixture and can be easily tuned by illumination. We show that, when microswimmers are confined to a single pore whose diameter is comparable with their swimming length, the probability of finding them at the confinement walls significantly increases compared to Brownian particles. Furthermore, in the presence of an array of periodically arranged obstacles, microswimmers can steer even perpendicularly to an applied force. Since such behavior is very sensitive to the details of their specific swimming style, it can be employed to develop advanced sorting, classification and dialysis techniques.


Five out of the nine isolated bacteria species screened earlier, demonstrated high protease production on Skim Milk Agar and were also to Benzene Toulene Xylene Ethylbenzene (BTEX). Among these, isolate 115b was found to produce the highest protease production. Besides being stable in 25% (v/v) benzene and toluene, protease from isolate 115b was found to be activated by n-dodecane and n-tetradecane by 1.7 and 2.5 folds respectively. Isolate 115b was identified as Bacillus pumilus 115b via biochemical tests and 16S rDNA sequencing analysis.

The gene encoding protease of Bacillus pumilus 115b was amplified via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using consensus primers based on the sequences of alkaline serine protease genes from related species. The complete nucleotide sequence of the protease from Bacillus pumilus 115b was determined. Sequence analysis showed an open reading frame (ORF) of 1149 that encoded a polypeptide of 383 amino acid residues and the calculated protein molecular mass of 39,448 Da. The ORF also encoded a single peptide consisting of 29 residues and a propeptide of 79 residues. The mature protein comprised 275 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 27,846 Da. Homology searches revealed that the amino acid residues from B. pumilus 115b protease shared a high homology (90%) with the alkaline serine protease from B. pumilus TYO-67 and B. pumilus UN-31-C-42.

The gene coding for an organic solvent tolerant 115b protease gene was cloned into pQE-30 UA expression vector. The recombinant plasmid was then transformed into E. coli M15[pREP4]. The organic solvent tolerant 115b protease gene was successfully expressed by induction with IPTG and was detected by SDS-PAGE analysis with a molecular weight of around 35 kDa. The expression of recombinant E. coli M15[pREP4] was optimized by inducing it with 1.0 mM of IPTG at 4 hour of induction time.


The nitrogen supply can be a yield-limiting factor in organic farming, especially when reduced tillage is applied. An organic field experiment was conducted from 2007 to 2013 to analyse the potential of the nitrogen supply through the efficient use of green manure crops in different tillage systems. Three farming systems were compared: a stubble cleaner system (SC) and a plough system (PL), both in a cereal-based crop rotation, and another plough system in a crop rotation that included alfalfa grass ley (PLALF). In the fifth year of the experiment, the experimental design was extended into a split plot design, and seven green manure treatments ( Lolium perenne , Phacelia tanacetifolia , Sinapis alba , a mixture of Sinapis alba and Trifolium resupinatum , Trifolium resupinatum , Vicia sativa , and bare fallow as the control) were integrated into each of the three systems. The effects of the three systems and the green manure treatments on N mineralization, the soil microbial biomass and the yield of the main crops of oats and field beans in the sixth and seventh years of the experiment were analysed. The results showed that the choice of green manure species was of minor importance in the PLALF system. This system generally success- fully supplied N to the oats with oat yields from 3.6 to 5.1 t per ha. Vicia sativa was the most promising green manure crop in the SC and PL systems, with the N min values and oat yields (4.0 and 4.6 t per ha) being similar to those in the PLALF system. In the subsequent year, the PLALF system again was more successful in most of the N min assessments than the PL and SC systems, which often had rather similar results. In addition, a main crop of field beans was able to compensate for the differences in the N min content, and the yields were similar in all three systems (3.1 to 3.7 t per ha). The microbial biomass in the top soil was significantly increased in the reduced tillage system compared to the plough systems. In conclusion, reduced tillage in organic farming can promote soil microorganisms and be competitive if the nitrogen supply is improved through the efficient use of green manure or an adequate leguminous main crop.


Investors are bombarded by a variety of investment strategies from a growing and increasingly complex financial industry, each claiming to improve returns and reduce risk. Amid the clamor, academic research has sifted through the vast landscape and found four intuitive investment strategies that, when applied effectively, have delivered positive long-term returns with low correlation to each other and traditional markets. The four "styles"— value, momentum, carry, and defensive—have uniquely held up across a multitude of asset classes, markets, and time periods using very liquid securities and form the core foundation for explaining the cross-section of returns in most asset classes. We discuss the intuition and evidence for these four pervasive styles and detail how to implement a strategy that can access these style premia to improve the risk and returns of traditional portfolios.


We present a set of new methods for efficient and precise registration of any X-Ray modality (fluoroscopy, portal imaging or regular X-Ray imaging) to a CT data set. These methods require neither feature extraction nor 2D or 3D segmentation. Our main contribution is to directly perform the computations on the gradient vector volume of the CT data, which has several advantages. It can increase the precision of the registration as it assesses mainly the alignment of intensity edges in both CT and X-Ray images. By using only significant areas of the gradient vector volume, the amount of information needed in each registration step can be reduced up to a factor of 10. This both speeds up the registration process and allows for using the CT data with full precision, e.g. 5123 voxels. We introduce a Volume Gradient Rendering (VGR) as well as a Volume Gradient Correlation (VGC) method, where the latter one can be used directly for computing the image similarity without DBR generation.


Aesopian language (or Aesopian speech) is an important component of Soviet language culture, a cultureof expression under surveillance and censorhip that invented various modes of the circumlocution and euphemization of politically sensitive topics. In this chapter, I am illustrating some of the innumerable ways of organizing communcation under the sign of (sometimes imagined) prosecution. I am describing various practices of Aesopian circumlocution and summarizing theoretical work in Soviet literary history that addressed this peculiar phenomenon in Russian and Soviet literary tradition. I am also discussing the aesthetics and politics of Aesopian language and its role as a means of expressing political dissent as this was seen by its practitioners inside the USSR and by the theorists who worked with the matters of language and power in the West.


Abstract.
 Classifications of European populations were produced based on 59 gene frequencies and 10 cranial measurements, but recorded for different population samples. A map-quadrat approach circumvented the problem of noncorrespondence of sampling localities. Clustering by standard numerical taxonomic procedures shows that these data are represented poorly as hierarchic classifications, but are associated with geographic regions. The agreement between classifications based on gene frequencies and those based on cranial variables is substantial (88%). Ordinations show genetic and morphometric continuity among these populations, although there is good regional separation on the whole. The relationships between phenetics, geography and language affiliation were examined by quadratic assignment methods. Both gene frequency and craniometric distances show significant correlations with geographic distances. The expected significant correlation between geographic distances and language affiliation is demonstrated. The gene frequency distances also show significant correlations with language distances. None of the partial correlations are significant. These analyses demonstrate a significant association of phenetics with language and geography, despite the lack of clear cut taxonomic structure in quadratted population data. For gene frequencies, these associations are more pronounced than for cranial measurements.


Based upon the nearly unanimous recommendation of its Death Penalty Study Commission, New Jersey seems poised to become the first state in the modern era to legislatively abolish capital punishment and substitute life without parole. Hailed nationally and internationally as thoughtful and fair, the Commission's final report consistently distorts the evidence, displays an anti-retributive bias, and worst of all, ignores basic well-established perspectives framing the great debate, avoiding at all costs the question of justice. Unbalanced and biased, the Commission does not even consider any alternative to abolition or standing pat. This essay directly engages the Report on its findings re: Deterrence, Retribution, Costs, Evolving Standards of Decency, Disproportionality, Irreversible Mistake, and Life without Parole with restitution to the victims' families. In sum, a commitment to justice and better informed public debate compels this counter-report.


Recent microscopy techniques allow imaging temporal 3D stacks of developing organs or embryos with a cellular level of resolution and with a sufficient acquisition frequency to accurately track cell lineages. Imaging multiple organs or embryos in different experimental conditions may help decipher the impact of genetic backgrounds and environmental inputs on the developmental program. For this, we need to precisely compare distinct individuals and to compute population statistics. The first step of this procedure is to develop methods to register individuals. From a previous work of cell segmentation from microscopy images, we here demonstrate how to extract the symmetry plane of embryos at early stages, and how to use this information as a geometrical constraint to both register these embryos and obtain a cell-to-cell mapping.


Growth rates in rocky intertidal snails can vary considerably across wave exposure gra- dients, and have both plastic and genetic bases. However, little is known regarding whether genetic and environmental influences on variation in growth act in the same (cogradient) or in an opposing (countergradient) direction. Determining how genetic and environmental influences on growth covary with one another may improve our understanding of how habitat-specific variation in growth emerges. This study utilized laboratory flumes to examine the effects of high and low water velocities on the growth of intertidal snails Littorina obtusata from a wave-exposed and a sheltered shore. Both flow velocity and source population significantly influenced all measures of growth (shell length, shell thickness, shell mass and tissue mass). Snails from both populations exhibited greater growth in low versus high flow velocity. In addition, snails from the wave-exposed population grew more than snails from the sheltered population regardless of flow treatment. This result yielded a pattern of countergradient variation in growth and suggests that genetic differentiation between the 2 popula- tions was responsible for the more rapid growth of wave-exposed snails. This greater growth poten- tial of wave-exposed snails was particularly evident when they were raised in an environment con- ducive to rapid growth (i.e. low flow velocity). Most examples of countergradient variation in the growth of intertidal gastropods have involved temperature effects on latitudinally separated popula- tions. This study provides evidence that countergradient variation in growth can occur on localized spatial scales in response to environmental cues other than temperature. On rocky intertidal shores, countergradient variation in growth may reflect selection for fast-growing genotypes to offset limita- tions on foraging time imposed by increased hydrodynamic stress on wave-exposed shores.


As organizations prepare for the arrival of Generation-Y HR practitioners as the next generation of strategic business partners in our 21 st century workplaces, questions ignite about Generation-Y's values and aspirations, and how we can engage them in our workplaces. At the forefront of organizational initiatives is mentorship which has resurged as a leading employee development tool. The purpose of this paper is to: examine the benefits of mentorship and the challenges and opportunities of Generation-Y engagement in the workplace; present results from a study on mentoring needs and expectations of Generation-Y HR practitioners; and; present a mentorship model built on collaboration and an action research framework. Surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews with 452 participants generated robust data on the needs and expectations of Generation-Y in the formative years of their careers. Results are presented in the following thematic areas: competency profile of effective mentors, framework for mentor-protege working relationships, anticipated outcomes of mentoring, approaches to learning and development, e-mentoring, and proteges' contributions to mentoring relationships. Findings reveal that mentoring is vital to development of the competencies for senior HR accountabilities and for understanding how HR fulfils strategic mandate. To achieve this mandate a five-phase mentoring model is proposed with an emphasis on sparking synergy between Generation-Y's personal values and organizational objectives. The need for mentorship programs with a strategic orientation is timely as HR continues to assert its leadership presence at the boardroom table and prepares the next generation of HR practitioners under whose leadership global communities will thrive.


Abstract. With the focus on the Southern Ocean circulation, results of assimilation of multi-mission-altimeter data and the GRACE/GOCE gravity data into the finite element ocean model (FEOM) are investigated. We use the geodetic method to obtain the dynamical ocean topography (DOT). This method combines the multi-mission-altimeter sea surface height and the GRACE/GOCE gravity field. Using the profile approach, the spectral consistency of both fields is achieved by filtering the sea surface height and the geoid. By combining the GRACE and GOCE data, a considerably shorter filter length can be used, which results in more DOT details. We show that this increase in resolution of measured DOT carries onto the results of data assimilation for the surface data. By assimilating only absolute dynamical topography data using the ensemble Kalman filter, we were able to improve modeled fields. Results are closer to observations which were not used for assimilation and lie outside the area covered by altimetry in the Southern Ocean (e.g. temperature of surface drifters or deep temperatures in the Weddell Sea area at 800 m depth derived from Argo composite.)


Aims Severe ocular inflammation is a blinding ophthalmological emergency. This study evaluates the efficacy and patient tolerance of a validated regime of pulsed intravenous cyclophosphamide and methylprednisolone ('PICM protocol') for these patients. Methods 26 patients with severe inflammatory eye disease (43 eyes: 22 uveitis, 21 scleritis/sclerokeratitis; median age 52 years (IQR 40.25–62.25)) presenting to a regional tertiary referral centre were recruited over a 10-year period (January 2002–December 2011) into the PICM protocol, comprising intravenous cyclophosphamide 15 mg/kg, intravenous methylprednisolone 10 mg/kg, maximum nine pulses over 20 weeks supplemented with low-dose continuous oral prednisolone. Data were captured pretreatment and at 6 and 12 months follow-up. Primary outcome measures were control of inflammation according to standard criteria and reduction in systemic glucocorticoid to ≤10 mg prednisolone/day. Results A median of six pulses (IQR 5–6) were administered over a median of 3 months (IQR 2.25–4). In the scleritis/sclerokeratitis group, 15/21(71%) achieved success or partial success at 6 and 12 months versus 9/22 (41%) for the same time points in the uveitis group (χ2=4.058, p=0.044). Two patients had adverse events requiring treatment withdrawal. Conclusions This PICM protocol is a well-tolerated regimen for managing severe ocular inflammation and appears particularly useful in patients with scleritis/sclerokeratitis.


Surviving the winter is a special challenge for herbivorous aquatic inverte- brates in the alpine region due to the long period of ice cover and cessation of primary production. Since there can still be open water under the ice in lakes and ponds, aqua- tic invertebrates can be active if they have enough stored resources. Daphnids usually survive the difficult winter period by producing and depositing resting eggs (ephippia) at the end of the summer. Some daphnids in alpine lakes and ponds, however, have a mixed strategy by both producing ephippia and living active in the water during the winter. We ask why these two strategies coexist stably: Do individuals both produce ephippia and stay active during the winter or do they only have resources for one of the strategies? We studied this phenomenon by sampling of Daphnia umbra twice per month from June to September and monthly the rest of the year in an alpine pond at Finse, Norway, 1207 m a. s. l. The species reproduced parthenogenetically in August and early September, with sexual reproduction of ephippia starting in late August. Highest ephippia densities were found in October, with about 10 % females carrying such eggs. The remaining females did not carry eggs but stored large reserves of lipids. During the winter, population size decreased, as did accumulated lipids. In spring, very few winter-active daphnids had survived until the ice melted and active winter survival seemed not to be a successful strategy during the year of study. Accumulating lipid reserves is assumed to be a special adaptation to postpone reproduction until spring which is unusual in daphnids. It is in contrast to their food dependent reproduction tak- ing place during the summer, and it appears paradoxal that those specially adapted active winter survivors almost disappeared just before ice break-up. Most likely due to year to year variation in the conditions under the ice, the relative success of the two strategies varies. Parasitism, predators and available volume of open water under the ice might be the main factors. Ephippia producing females seem to have less lipids than those without ephippia, indicating that the two strategies compete for the animals resources and that the former might have problems with surviving the winter as active animals.


This thesis explores the effects of operating parameters on the location and shape of lifted
flames in a Low Swirl Burner (LSB). In addition, it details the development and analysis of
a CH PLIF imaging system for visualizing flames in lean combustion systems. The LSB is
studied at atmospheric pressure using LDV and CH PLIF. CH* chemiluminescence is used
for high pressure flame imaging.
A four-level model of the fluorescing CH system is developed to predict the signal intensity
in hydrocarbon flames. Results from imaging an atmospheric pressure laminar flame are used
to validate the behavior of the signal intensity as predicted by the model. The results show
that the fluorescence signal is greatly reduced at high pressure due to the decreased number
of CH molecules and the increased collisional quenching rate. This restricts the use of this
technique to increasingly narrow equivalence ratio ranges at high pressures. The limitation
is somewhat alleviated by increasing the preheat temperature of the reactant mixture. The
signal levels from high hydrogen-content syngas mixtures doped with methane are found to
be high enough to make CH PLIF a feasible diagnostic to study such flames. Finally, the
model predicts that signal levels are unlikely to be significantly affected by the presence of
strain in the flow field, as long as the flames are not close to extinction.
The results from the LSB flame investigation reveal that combustor provides reasonably
robust flame stabilization at low and moderate values of combustor pressure and reference
velocities. However, at very high velocities and pressures, the balance between the reactant
velocity and the turbulent flame speed shifts in favor of the former resulting in the flame
moving downstream. The extent of this movement is small, but indicates a tendency towards
blow off at higher pressures and velocities that may be encountered in real world gas turbine
applications. There is an increased tendency of relatively fuel-rich flames to behave like
attached flames at high pressure. These results raise interesting questions about turbulent
combustion at high pressure as well as provide usable data to gas turbine combustor designers
by highlighting potential problems.


This article examines the cultural politics of bastardy in the films of Tunisian filmmaker Nouri Bouzid at a time when questions of national and cultural identity have come to the fore in Tunisia in the wake of the Revolution of Freedom and Dignity. Nouri Bouzid is the doyen of Tunisian cinema. Not only was he involved in every major postcolonial film, whether as a screenwriter, a scriptwriter, or even as an actor, but he single-handedly directed more than half a dozen films, each of which enjoyed wide national and international acclaim. His debut film, Man of Ashes, dramatizes the trauma of child molestation and the collapse of filial relations as well as the emergence of a new generation of men who seek to recast filial and familial relations beyond blood ties and familial limitations. This same cinematic pursuit is further developed in his later films with striking consistency and perseverance. At a time when the postrevolutionary public sphere is saturated with heated debates around Tunisian national identity, propelled by fantasies of purity and virile filiation, Bouzid's bastard characters serve, the author argues, not only to warp and reclaim the political playing field for revolutionary purposes but also to remind Tunisians of the disturbing legacy of bastardy (instituted by a long history of colonial rape from the Romans to the French) to which they had been and continue to be heirs, and with which they have to reckon. Studying the rhetoric of bastardy in Bouzid's cinema leaves us in the end with the touching yet unsparing conclusion that for Bouzid there are no Tunisians until they have assumed their bastardy.


We present a novel approach to mixed reality setup and configuration that is rapid, interactive, live, and
video-based. Where the operator is directly involved in a responsive modelling process and can specify,
define and semantically label the reconstruction. By using commonly available hardware and making
minimal demands on the operator's skill, our approach makes mixed reality more accessible for wider
application.
Some tasks vital to a mixed reality system are either too time consuming or too complex to be
carried out whilst the system is active. 3-dimensional scene modelling, specification and registration are
such tasks, commonly performed by skilled operators in an off-line initialisation phase prior to system
activation. In this thesis we propose a new on-line interactive method, where a creative video-based
modelling process is performed during the run-time phase of operation.
Using primitive shape-based modelling techniques, traditionally applied to still photographic image
reconstruction, we demonstrate how extrinsic camera calibration, scene reconstruction, specification and
registration can be effectively achieved whilst a mixed reality system is active. The two steps required to
realise manual on-line video-based modelling are described in this thesis. The first step shows how such
modelling techniques can be applied to live video. The second step shows how freely moving cameras
can be used to support the modelling processes by combining tracking techniques into a single application.
To estimate the potential reconstruction accuracy for both steps a series of tests are performed.
Underlying our video-based modelling approach, we present two new algorithms for translating
2-dimensional user interactions into well specified 3-dimensional geometric models, as well as a new
approach to combined modelling and tracking that utilises both markers and appearance based tracking
techniques in a single solution. Finally, we present a new algorithm for estimating tracking error in
real-time, which we use to aid our modelling processes and support our accuracy testing.


The study of quantum systems evolving from initial states to distinguishable, orthogonal final states is important for information processing applications such as quantum computing and quantum metrology. However, for most unitary evolutions and initial states the system does not evolve to an orthogonal quantum state. Here, we ask what proportion of quantum states evolves to nearly orthogonal systems as a function of the dimensionality of the Hilbert space of the system, and numerically study the evolution of quantum states in low-dimensional Hilbert spaces. We find that, as well as the speed of dynamical evolution, the level of maximum distinguishability depends critically on the Hamiltonian of the system.


Much of the criticism on William Shakespeare's Macbeth has focused on the question of agency in the play: What drives Macbeth to commit regicide to gain the throne? Is Macbeth in control of his own actions? The play does not seem to give a clear answer to this question, and there is no critical consensus. I will examine filmic interpretations made by directors regarding the question of agency in their adaptations of the play. The film I will be focusing on is Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood (1957), and I will be using Rupert Goold's Macbeth (2010) for comparison. Drawing on auteur theory and branching out into cultural semiotics, I will analyze the different ways in which directors manipulate and go beyond Shakespeare's text to support their interpretation. Literary theory and the application of a New Historicist lens will allow me to determine how the directors' choices reflect the culture in which the films were produced.


In recent years the technological evolution of terrestrial, aerial and satellite surveying, has considerably increased the measurement accuracy and, consequently, the quality of the derived information. At the same time, the smaller and smaller limitations on data storage devices, in terms of capacity and cost, has allowed the storage and the elaboration of a bigger number of instrumental observations. A significant example is the terrain height surveyed by LIDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging) technology where several height measurements for each square meter of land can be obtained. The availability of such a large quantity of observations is an essential requisite for an in-depth knowledge of the phenomena under study. But, at the same time, the most common Geographical Information Systems (GISs) show latency in visualizing and analyzing these kind of data. This problem becomes more evident in case of Internet GIS. These systems are based on the very frequent flow of geographical information over the internet and, for this reason, the band-width of the network and the size of the data to be transmitted are two fundamental factors to be considered in order to guarantee the actual usability of these technologies. In this paper we focus our attention on digital terrain models (DTM's) and we briefly analyse the problems about the definition of the minimal necessary information to store and transmit DTM's over network, with a fixed tolerance, starting from a huge number of observations. Then we propose an innovative compression approach for sparse observations by means of multi-resolution spline functions approximation. The method is able to provide metrical accuracy at least comparable to that provided by the most common deterministic interpolation algorithms (inverse distance weighting, local polynomial, radial basis functions). At the same time it dramatically reduces the number of information required for storing or for transmitting and rebuilding a digital terrain model dataset. A brief description of the method is presented and comparisons about the accuracy and data-store compression obtained with respect to other interpolators are shown.


Preface Biographies Contributors Chapter 1 - Overview of Nanoscience in the Environment M. Baalousha and J.R. Lead 1.1 Introduction 1.2 History 1.3 Definitions 1.4 Investment and International Efforts 1.5 Development: Four Anticipated Generations 1.6 Applications of Nanotechnology 1.7 Potential Benefits of Nanotechnology 1.8 Potential Adverse Effects of Nanomaterials 1.9 Classification 1.10 Sources of Nanomaterials in the Environment 1.11 Properties of Nanomaterials 1.12 Nanomaterial Structure-Toxicity Relationship 1.13 Environmental Fate and Behaviour of Nanomaterials 1.14 Potential for Human Exposure 1.15 Detection and Characterization of Nanomaterials 1.16 Issues to be Addressed 1.17 Conclusion 1.18 References Chapter 2 - Nanomaterials: Properties, Preparation and Applications Paul Christian 2.1 Overview 2.2 Introduction 2.3 Nanoparticle Architecture 2.4 Particle Properties 2.5 Nanoparticle Preparation 2.6 Applications of Nanoparticles and Nanotechnology 2.7 Implication for Environmental Issues 2.8 Conclusions 2.9 References Chapter 3 - Size/Shape-Property Relationships of Non-Carbonaceous Inorganic Nanoparticles and Their Environmental Implications Deborah M. Aruguete, Juan Liu and Michael F. Hochella, Jr 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Inorganic Nanoparticle Anatomy 3.3 Redox Chemistry of Nanoparticles 3.4 Size Effects in Nanoparticle Sorption Processes 3.5 Nanoparticle Fate: Dissolution and Solid State Cation Movement 3.6 Effect of Nanoparticle Aggregation on Physical and Chemical Properties 3.7 Environmental Implications: General Discussion, Recommendations and Outlook 3.8 References Chapter 4 - Natural Colloids and Nanoparticles in Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments M. Baalousha, J.R. Lead and F.v.d. Kammer and Th. Hofmann 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Definition 4.3 Major Types of Environmental Colloids 4.4 Intrinsic Properties of Environmental Colloidal Particles 4.5 Interaction Forces Between Colloidal Particles 4.6 Fate and Behaviour of Colloids in Aquatic Systems 4.7 Fate and Behaviour of Colloids and Nanoparticles in Porous Media 4.8 Conclusion 4.9 References Chapter 5 - Atmospheric Nanoparticles Aurelie Charron and Roy M. Harrison 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Sources of Atmospheric Nanoparticles 5.3 Chemical Composition of Atmospheric Nanoparticles 5.4 Fate and Behaviour of Atmospheric Nanoparticles 5.5 Atmospheric Concentrations 5.6 Measurement Methods for Atmospheric Nanoparticles 5.7 Conclusions 5.8 References Chapter 6 - Analysis and Characterization of Manufactured Nanoparticles in Aquatic Environments Martin Hassellov and Ralf Kaegi 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Nanoparticle Analysis and Characterization Methods 6.3 Analytical Test Strategy in NP Exposure Assessment 6.4 Conclusions 6.5 Acknowledgements 6.6 References 7. Ecotoxicology of Manufactured Nanoparticles Simon C. Apte, Nicola J. Rogers and Graeme E. Batley 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Physico-Chemical Transformation of Nanoparticles 7.3 Mechanisms of Nanoparticle Toxicity in the Environment 7.4 Development of Valid/Realistic Toxicity Testing Protocols 7.5 Review of Ecotoxicity Studies 7.6 General Conclusions and Future Directions 7.7 References 8. Exposure to Nanoparticles Robert J. Aitken, Karen S. Galea, C. Lang Tran and John W. Cherrie 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Physical Characteristics and Properties of Nanoparticles 8.3 Nanoparticle Exposure 8.4 Control of Exposure 8.5 Discussion 8.6 References 9. Human Toxicology and Effects of Nanoparticles Vicki Stone, Martin Clift and Helinor Johnston 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Ultrafine Particle Toxicology 9.3 Engineered Nanoparticles 9.4 Relating Physico-Chemical Properties to Toxicity Structure: Activity Relationships 9.5 Suggestions for Future Study Designs 9.6 Conclusions 9.7 Abbreviations 9.8 References 10. Risk Assessment of Manufactured Nanomaterials Sophie A. Rocks, Simon J. Pollard, Robert A. Dorey, Paul T. C. Harrison, Len S. Levy, Richard D. Handy, John F. Garrod and Richard Owen 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Risk Assessment Process 10.3 Nanomaterials - Issues for Risk Assessment 10.4 Assembling Evidence for Safety and Intervention 10.5 International Case Studies 10.6 Data Gaps in Risk Assessment of Nanomaterials 10.7 Summary 10.8 References


Further improvements in aero-engine efficiencies require accurate prediction of flow physics and incurred loss. Currently, the computational requirements for capturing these are not known leading to inconsistent loss predictions even for scale-resolving simulations depending on the chosen convergence criteria. This work investigates two aspects of loss generation using high-fidelity simulation. In the first case study, we look at the effect of resolution on capturing entropy generation rate by simulating a Taylor-Green vortex canonical flow. The second case study focuses on the effect of resolution on flow physics and loss generation and uses a compressor cascade subjected to freestream turbulence. The results show that both resolving local entropy generation rate and capturing the inception and growth of instabilities are critical to accuracy of loss prediction. In particular, the interaction of free-stream turbulence at the leading-edge and development of instabilities in the laminar region of the boundary layer are critical to capturing loss.


In recent decades, there has been a marked increase in the informalization of employment in developing countries. The risk and insecurity associated with a growing number of informal sector jobs have important consequences in inducing or maintaining vulnerability. This paper explores the incidence of high indebtedness or financial stress among urban, low-income households in Ecuador and demonstrates its interconnectedness with the quality of employment. The implications are non-trivial in the sense that high debt service burden, as with the lack of credit access, can undermine investment and maintain low productivity and earnings. It can also lead to higher probability of loan default and to increase in interest rates or termination of credit line. There are also longer term welfare consequences in terms of households' ability to cope with future shocks such as illness. The analysis is based on a 2002 sample of men and women in urban, poor households in Ecuador. By means of tobit and regression analyses, the paper demonstrates that labor market informalization has led to higher incidence of indebtedness. Moreover, there are differentiated patterns of debt servicing among women and men in urban, poor households. The results provide a more nuanced yet illuminating picture of the interconnectedness of employment, financial stress and vulnerability. We argue that informalization of employment has consequences in other dimensions of vulnerability of households such as high debt servicing, and therefore requires rethinking of current economic and social policies in order to effectively reduce poverty. Maria Floro American University Department of Economics email@example.com Is there a Link between Quality of Employment and Indebtedness? The Case of Urban Low-income Households in Ecuador.


This work presents an approach to model daily life contexts from web-collected audio data. Being available in vast quantities from many different sources, audio data from the web provides heterogeneous training data to construct recognition systems. Crowd-sourced textual descriptions (tags) related to individual sound samples were used in a configurable recognition system to model 23 sound context categories. We analysed our approach using different outlier filtering techniques with dedicated recordings of all 23 categories and in a study with 230 hours of full-day recordings of 10 participants using smart phones. Depending on the outlier technique, our system achieved recognition accuracies between 51% and 80%.


Summary In parts of India, honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies experience long periods of food dearth. Beekeepers traditionally feed sugar syrup during such times. Experiments showed that feeding colonies in dearth periods with a syrup made from an extract of the flowers of mahua (Bassia latifolia), which provides both sugar and protein, was a better alternative, resulting in increased honey and propolis production, increased brood production and multiplication of colonies, and increased larval weight, protein and fructose content, compared to feeding with sucrose syrup.


Recent theoretical work indicates that the neutrino radiation in core-collapse supernovae may be susceptible to flavor instabilities that set in far behind the shock, grow extremely rapidly, and have the potential to profoundly affect supernova dynamics and composition. Here we analyze the nonlinear collective oscillations that are prefigured by these instabilities. We demonstrate that a zero-crossing in $n_{\nu_e} - n_{\bar{\nu}_e}$ as a function of propagation angle is not sufficient to generate instability. Our analysis accounts for this fact and allows us to formulate complementary criteria. Using Fornax simulation data, we show that fast collective oscillations qualitatively depend on how forward-peaked the neutrino angular distributions are.


What Are You Looking At? by Will Gompertz - a wonderfully lively and accessible history of Modern Art by the BBC Arts Editor. "An essential primer not only for art lovers but for art loathers too". (Express). What is modern art? Why do we either love it or loathe it? And why is it worth so much damn money? Join Will Gompertz on a dazzling tour that will change the way you look at modern art forever. From Monet's water lilies to Van Gogh's sunflowers, from Warhol's soup cans to Hirst's pickled shark, hear the stories behind the masterpieces, meet the artists as they really were, and discover the real point of modern art. You will learn: not all conceptual art is bollocks; Picasso is king (but Cezanne is better); Pollock is no drip; Dali painted with his moustache; a urinal changed the course of art, why your 5-year-old really couldn't do it. Refreshing, irreverent and always straightforward, What Are You Looking At? cuts through the pretentious art speak and asks all the basic questions that you were too afraid to ask. Your next gallery trip is going to be a little less intimidating and a lot more interesting. "Robert Hughes' The Shock of the New redone a la Bill Bryson". (Telegraph). This book is essential reading for sceptics, art lovers, and the millions of us who visit art galleries every year - and are confused. It will also be enjoyed by readers of The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich and is a perfect primer to the subject for the student or beginner. Will Gompertz is the BBC Arts Editor and probably the world's first art history stand-up comedian. He was a Director at the Tate Gallery for 7 years. He has a particular interest in modern art and has written about the arts for The Times and the Guardian for over 20 years. In 2009, he wrote and performed a sell-out one-man comedy show about modern art at the Edinburgh Festival. He was recently voted one of the world's top 50 creative thinkers by New York's Creativity Magazine.


This paper investigates how product market competition influences the wages paid to workers and the distribution of talent across industries. We develop a model where firms facing different competitive conditions bid for workers. The model predicts that wages are increasing in talent, decreasing in competition, and the interaction between talent and competition is positive. In addition, the most talented workers will be concentrated in competitive industries and talent dispersion rises with competition. We use linked employee–employer data to test these predictions.


Extraordinary optical absorption (EOA) can be obtained by plasmonic surface structuring. However, studies that compare the performance of these plasmonic devices with similar structured dielectric devices are rarely found in the literature. In this work we show different methods to enhance the EOA by optimizing the geometry of the surface structuring for both plasmonic and dielectric devices, and the optimized performances are compared. Two different problem types with periodic structures are considered. The first case shows that strips of silicon on a surface can increase the absorption in an underlying silicon layer for certain optical wavelengths compared to metal strips. It is then demonstrated that by topology optimization it is possible to generate nonintuitive surface designs that perform even better than the simple strip designs for both silicon and metals. These results indicate that in general it is important to compare the absorption performance of plasmonic devices with similarly structured dielectric devices in order to find the best possible solution.


Transitioning patients from one unit to another is a nursing function that occurs daily. When done effectively, it streamlines continuity of care, decreases anxiety, ensures patients and families maintain confidence in care providers, and avoids readmissions to the intensive care unit (ICU). This article describes a transition plan for transferring patients from the ICU to the general pediatric unit developed by an inpatient, non-critical care cardiology/neuro logical unit to facilitate a smooth and informational transition from the ICU to the non-critical unit. Subse quently, this program incorporated the development of educational materials and a program that provides patients and families with clear information on what to expect, the differences between the two units, and the services available by their healthcare team on the unit to which they are transferred. By establishing a process and a liaison to guide and educate patients and families on what to expect during transition, fears and anxieties are decreased or eliminated, while the promotion of healing and successful outcomes for discharge home becomes the focus.


The availability of CaCO3 and ³He content results for core TT 13-72 from 4.3 km depth in the equatorial Pacific [Marcantonio et al., 1996] allows the magnitude of the excess (i.e., over ambient) CaCO3 dissolution at the onset of marine glacial stages 10, 8, and 6 to be estimated. These three events are remarkably similar; during each an integrated loss of about 28 g CaCO3 per cm² occurred. While the magnitude of this loss is consistent with that expected from the interglacial to glacial pH shifts reconstructed based on boron isotope measurements on benthic foraminifera [Sanyal et al., 1995], measurements at a number of other locations and water depths will be required before this approach can be used to evaluate the global toll of these dissolution events.


Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation has received considerable attention owing to its key role in the overall water splitting. In this work, several reduced titania@layered double hydroxide (CoAl–LDH, CoCr–LDH, and CoFe–LDH) hybrid photoanodes were fabricated via electrochemical deposition of LDH on the reduced titania, and their PEC properties for water oxidation were studied systematically. The reduced titania@CoCr–LDH photoanode shows a much improved PEC performance compared with pristine reduced titania, with a photocurrent density enhancement of 43% (from 0.65 mA cm−2 to 0.93 mA cm−2) and an onset potential decrease of 21% (from 0.23 V to 0.18 V vs. the RHE). This improvement is also successfully demonstrated in the reduced titania@CoAl–LDH and reduced titania@CoFe–LDH system. The photoconversion efficiency of reduced titania is significantly enhanced after the incorporation of LDH (0.42–0.51% at ∼0.46 V vs. the RHE). Both the experimental studies and DFT calculations confirm a synergistic effect between the reduced titania and LDH. The results show that a good match of the band structure facilitates the fast electron–hole separation and the migration of holes from reduced titania to LDH, followed by the LDH catalyzed water oxidation. The CoCr–LDH has the highest driving force for oxygen evolution among these LDHs, accounting for the optimal PEC performance of the reduced titania@CoCr–LDH photoanode.


On the basis of the high fat content of nuts, they are traditionally considered as foods that provide a high amount of energy. However, epidemiologic and clinical observations do not indicate an association between nut intake and increased BMI. There is a notorious variability in macronutrient composition among nuts, although they have some consistent patterns. Nuts contain all major macronutrients: protein, carbohydrate, and fat. The total protein content is relatively high, which makes them a good source of plant protein (especially for vegetarians). Although nuts contain low amounts of some essential amino acids, this is not a nutritional concern due to the complement of protein. In addition, nuts have a low lysine:arginine ratio, which is inversely associated with the risk of developing hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis. Carbohydrates are the second highest macronutrient in nuts in terms of total calories provided. The fat fraction is characterized by a high amount of unsaturated fatty acids and a low content of saturated fatty acids. In conclusion, the high content in unsaturated fatty acids, the low lysine:arginine ratio, and the presence of other bioactive molecules (such as fibre, phytosterols, vitamin and other antioxidants, and minerals) make the addition of nuts to healthy diets a useful tool for the prevention of cardiovascular heart diseases.


The Convertible Podium is a central control station for rich media in next-generation classrooms. It integrates flexible control systems for multimedia software and hardware, and is designed for use in classrooms with multiple screens, multiple media sources and multiple distribution channels. The built-in custom electronics and unique convertible podium frame allows intuitive conversion between use modes (either manual or automatic). The at-a-touch sound and light control system gives control over the classroom environment. Presentations can be pre-authored for effective performance, and quickly altered on the fly. The counter-weighted and motorized conversion system allows one person to change modes simply by lifting the top of the Podium to the correct position for each mode.The Podium is lightweight, mobile, and wireless, and features an onboard 21" LCD display, document cameras and other capture devices, tangible controls for hardware and software, and also possesses embedded RFID sensing for automatic data retrieval and file management. It is designed to ease the tasks involved in authoring and presenting in a rich media classroom, as well as supporting remote telepresence and integration with other mobile devices.


Pristomerus species of Madagascar are revised. We report 15 species, of which 12 are newly described: P. guinness sp. nov., P. hansoni sp. nov., P. kelikely sp. nov., P. keyka sp. nov., P. moramora sp. nov., P. melissa sp. nov., P. patator sp. nov., P. ranomafana sp. nov., P. roberti sp. nov., P. vahaza sp. nov., P. veloma sp. nov. and P. yago sp. nov. Pristomerus albescens (Morley) and P. cunctator Tosquinet are newly recorded from Madagascar and new host and/or distribution records are provided for this species. A dichotomous key to all species is provided. The zoogeographical relation of the Malagasy fauna of Pristomerus with respect to mainland Africa is discussed: only three of the 15 species are reported to occur outside of Madagascar, suggesting a high level of endemism in Madagascar which was not unexpected.


Effects of Education on Pressure Ulcer Prevention in Developmentally Disabled Individuals by Jasneth James MS, Walden University, 2014 BS, Augusta University, 2010 Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice Walden University November 2016 Abstract Pressure ulcers were a continuing concern among the nonverbal developmentally disabled population of a state institution. The lengthy use of wheelchairs, the inability to body shift, and physical and mental impairment were attributes of the target population that have been cited in the literature as contributing to pressure ulcer. The purpose of this quasiexperimental pretest/posttest project was to evaluate the effectiveness of an education intervention for direct care staff on the prevention treatment, and eradication of pressure ulcers among patients with developmental disabilities. Orem's self-care deficit theory, particularly the emphasis on the need for nursing staff to perform self-care activities for persons who are unable to manage the activities themselves, was the theoretical basis of the project. The Iowa model of evidence-based practice provided the evidence translation direction for the project. All licensed practical nurses and healthcare technicians employed by the institution were invited to participate in the education. Participants completed a pretest on pressure ulcer prevention and management knowledge before the education was presented, and after the educational component of the project concluded. StatisticalPressure ulcers were a continuing concern among the nonverbal developmentally disabled population of a state institution. The lengthy use of wheelchairs, the inability to body shift, and physical and mental impairment were attributes of the target population that have been cited in the literature as contributing to pressure ulcer. The purpose of this quasiexperimental pretest/posttest project was to evaluate the effectiveness of an education intervention for direct care staff on the prevention treatment, and eradication of pressure ulcers among patients with developmental disabilities. Orem's self-care deficit theory, particularly the emphasis on the need for nursing staff to perform self-care activities for persons who are unable to manage the activities themselves, was the theoretical basis of the project. The Iowa model of evidence-based practice provided the evidence translation direction for the project. All licensed practical nurses and healthcare technicians employed by the institution were invited to participate in the education. Participants completed a pretest on pressure ulcer prevention and management knowledge before the education was presented, and after the educational component of the project concluded. Statistical significance of the differences in pretest to posttest scores was not calculated because the sample size was small (n = 37); however, all participants achieved 100% correct answers on the posttest up from a 50% mean score among licensed practical nurses and a mean score of 30% among health care technicians. Social change was evaluated within the institution by a decrease in new pressure ulcer cases to zero in the week following the education, and a commitment from the director of nursing to provide pressure ulcer education to all new direct care employees and refresher courses for continuing employees. Effects of Education on Pressure Ulcer Prevention in Developmentally Disabled Individuals by Jasneth James MS, Walden University, 2014 BS, Augusta University, 2009 Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice Walden University November 2016


Measurement and analysis of real traffic is important to gain knowledge about the characteristics of the traffic. Without measurement, it is impossible to build realistic traffic models. It is recent that data traffic was found to have self-similar properties. In this thesis work traffic captured on the network at SICS and on the Supernet, is shown to have this fractal-like behaviour. The traffic is also examined with respect to which protocols and packet sizes are present and in what proportions. In the SICS trace most packets are small, TCP is shown to be the predominant transport protocol and NNTP the most common application. In contrast to this, large UDP packets sent between not well-known ports dominates the Supernet traffic. Finally, characteristics of the client side of the WWW traffic are examined more closely. In order to extract useful information from the packet trace, web browsers use of TCP and HTTP is investigated including new features in HTTP/1.1 such as persistent connections and pipelining. Empirical probability distributions are derived describing session lengths, time between user clicks and the amount of data transferred due to a single user click.


The main focus of this thesis is to research what the Irish and British public knew and understood about the Anglo-Zulu War through three famous and popular newspapers- The London Times, the Irish Times and the Illustrated London News. This is a topic that needs research, and the purpose of the thesis is to help add to the abundant literature covering other features of the war. To study the whole war in this thesis would be impossible, so three incidents will be researched- the battles of Isandlwana and Ntombe River and the death of Louis Bonaparte, the Prince Imperial. The reasons for this selection are arguably the most controversial of the war and it will be of great importance to see how these incidents were handled in contemporary newspapers. The main question that will arise is how these events were reported and how they were perceived by the public? The method of attempting this is to give short summaries of the incidents along with contemporary and modern critique, and see how they related to the themes and questions raised in the newspapers. To understand what was being written on the Zulu War in the papers may illustrate an important aspect of British and Irish society and their perceptions of war during the age of Imperialism. It will be great importance to note contrasts that emerge from the British and Irish papers, to really give a sense of how some social classes in Ireland viewed themselves within the empire and did the early British defeats reignite passion for their parent nation? All of these points are of importance to the success of the thesis to coincide with the public perceptions that were created by newspapers that may have been also been altered for the benefit of political, cultural and social idealism within the British Empire?


In mathematics, it's very easy to find the maximum point or minimum point of a function or a set of functions, but it's difficult to find a set of function simultaneously in the real world due to the different kinds of mathematical relationships between objective functions. So the multi objective optimization algorithm has the ability to deal with a many objectives instead of one objective, because of the difficulties in the classical methods of multi objectives optimization, the evolutionary algorithm (EA) is effective to eliminate these difficulties, in order to apply the evolutionary algorithms to improve the multi-objective optimization algorithm, the multi - objective evolutionary algorithm based on decomposition is one of the algorithms that solve  multi objective optimization problems. This paper aims to enhance the e-mail spam filtering by using multi - objective evolutionary algorithm for classifying the e-mail messages to spam or non-spam in high accuracy. The first step in the proposal is applying normalization. The second step is applying feature selection which is implemented to choose the best features. Finally, implement multi - objective evolutionary algorithm based on decomposition. The evaluation of the performance of model by using testing databases from the spam database. The model depended accuracy as a criterion to evaluate model performance. The experimental results showed that the proposed system provides good accuracy in the experiment 1 (91%), very good accuracy in the experiment 2 (92%) and excellent accuracy in the experience 3 (98%).


Online social networks continue to witness a tremendous growth both in terms of the number of registered users and their mutual interactions. In this paper, we focus on online signed social networks where positive interactions among the users signify friendship or approval, whereas negative interactions indicate antagonism or disapproval. We introduce a novel problem which we call the link label prediction problem: Given the information about signs of certain links in a social network, we want to learn the nature of relationships that exist among the users by predicting the sign, positive or negative, of the remaining links. We propose a matrix factorization based technique MF-LiSP that exhibits strong generalization guarantees. We also investigate the applicability of logistic regression [8] in this setting. Our experiments on Wiki-Vote, Epinions and Slashdot data sets strongly corroborate the efficacy of these approaches.


Timber in different forms contributes as first and secondary ignited material to the initiation and spreading of fires in industrial buildings. The aim of this work is to investigate experimentally the fire behavior of wooden surfaces treated or not with flame retardants in a 1.57 m 3 fire enclosure linked to the FTIR analyzer in well ventilated conditions (75kg/h) that are usually encountered in industrial activities when large metal doors, ramps, ventilation openings, etc are open in order to serve the process of production. In order to simulate the "worst reasonable cases" of fire scenarios, wooden cribs have been constructed with complex geometry and configuration, and various quantities (grams) of ethanol were used as ignition sources. Seven (7) wooden crib fires were investigated using untreated pine wooden cribs or those treated at different percentages (%) of the total surface area with a water-based, flame retardant intumescent, suitable for internal surfaces. In most fully treated (100% F.R.) cases, even in a halftreated (50% F.R.) case, lower or almost equal to unity emissions were measured compared with the bare samples. This can be explained, in such cases, due to the fact that during the intumescent action there was either 'no ignition' of the samples (100% F.R.-treated cases), or a considerable ignition delay (50% F.R.treated case). Excessive HCN and NOx occurred in 60% of untreated cases due to the considerable involvement of the flame retardant paint in flaming combustion, since it contains N in its chemical composition. It is proposed that the application of intumescent flame retardants on wooden surfaces located close to ignition sources in the most probable areas for a fire to break out, could be a safe and effective approach in reducing fire losses in industries.


In the present era of information technology the system of education has undergone a lot of changes. Open and Distance Learning (ODL) around the world is perhaps the most important evidence to it. Despite the fact, ODL has not been popular in Bangladesh for a variety of reasons, though currently a few academics are either thinking about studying or studying on Open and Distant modes. This paper, considering Levis' (2002) opinion about the necessity of e-learning, Goodson's (2000) principles of teacher professionalism, Nordkvelle's (2006) view on the challenge of ODL-organization, Boshier's (1971) Education Participation Scale (EPS), and Houle's (1961) philosophy of six classic needs of a practicing professional, tries to find out the role of ODL in the professional development of higher education teachers in Bangladesh on the basis of a study. The related survey involves a sample of more than 100 teachers from a number of ten private and public universities in Dhaka. It is expected that ODL might play a significant role in the professional development of tertiary level teachers in the country. The paper also explores the possible advantages teachers may enjoy and difficulties they may face in pursuit of these modes of education. The Ministry of Education can play a great role in alleviating the problems with and barriers to ODL. However, the academic heavyweights also have some responsibilities in this regard.


A hallmark of recent higher education policy in developed economies is the move towards quasi-markets involving greater student choice and provider competition, underpinned by cost-sharing policies. This paper examines the idealizations and illusions of student choice and marketization in higher education policy in England, although the overall conclusions have relevance for other countries whose higher education systems are shaped by neoliberal thinking. First, it charts the evolution of the student-choice rationale through an analysis of government commissioned reports, white papers, and legislation, focusing on policy rhetoric and the purported benefits of increasing student choice and provider competition. Second, the paper tests the predictions advanced by the student-choice rationale—increased and wider access, improved institutional quality, and greater provider responsiveness to the labour market—and finds them largely not met. Finally, the paper explores how conceptual deficiencies in the student-choice model explain why the idealization of student choice has largely proved illusionary. Government officials have narrowly conceptualized students as rational calculators primarily weighing the economic costs and benefits of higher education and the relative quality of institutions and programs. There is little awareness that student choices are shaped by several other factors as well and that these vary considerably by social background. The paper concludes that students' choices are socially constrained and stratified, reproducing and legitimating social inequality.


The development of advanced robotic systems is challenging as expertise from multiple domains needs to be integrated conceptually and technically. Model-driven engineering promises an efficient and flexible approach for developing robotics applications that copes with this challenge. Domain-specific modeling allows to describe robotics concerns with concepts and notations closer to the respective problem domain. This raises the level of abstraction and results in models that are easier to understand and validate. Furthermore, model-driven engineering allows to increase the level of automation, e.g. through code generation, and to bridge the gap between modeling and implementation. The anticipated results are improved efficiency and quality of the robotics systems engineering process. Within this contribution, we survey the available literature on domain-specific modeling and languages that target core robotics concerns. In total 137 publications were identified that comply with a set of defined criteria, which we consider essential for contributions in this field. With the presented survey, we provide an overview on the state-of-the-art of domain-specific modeling approaches in robotics. The surveyed publications are investigated from the perspective of users and developers of model-based approaches in robotics along a set of quantitative and qualitative research questions. The presented quantitative analysis clearly indicates the rising popularity of applying domain-specific modeling approaches to robotics in the academic community. Beyond this statistical analysis, we map the selected publications to a defined set of robotics subdomains and typical development phases in robotic systems engineering as reference for potential users. Furthermore, we analyze these contributions from a language engineering viewpoint and discuss aspects such as the methods and tools used for their implementation as well as their documentation status, platform integration, typical use cases and the evaluation strategies used for validation of the proposed approaches. Finally, we conclude with recommendations for discussion in the model-driven engineering and robotics community based on the insights gained in this survey.


In the present study, determination of Nevirapine in pure and tablet form by stability indicating RP-HPLC method was developed. The drug was resolved using a mobile phase of buffer (pH 2.5) and methanol in the ratios of 50:50 on a Thermo BDS Hypersil C18 column in isocratic mode. The retention time of nevirapine was 8.583 min. The % RSD was less than 2 in intraday, inter-day precision and in each parameter of robustness. The Lower limit of Detection and the limit of quantitation were found to be 0.2563μg/ml and 0.7767μg/ml respectively which indicates that the method is sensitive. The percentage of average recoveries was obtained in the range of 98 to 102%. Further forced degradation studies of Nevirapine were carried out under acidic, alkaline and hydrolytic conditions as per SIAM (Stability Indicating Assay Methods). The drug is more stable in the acidic and basic medium than the hydrogen peroxide medium. The developed method is simple, new, accurate, precise, robust, sensitive and reproducible and can be utilized for routine laboratory analysis of pure and tablet dosage form.


ABSTRACT Naturally established lowbush blueberry clones in four fields were evaluated for the incidence of leaf and flower blight, proportion of mummy berries, and yield reductions caused by Monilinia vacciniicorymbosi. The relationship between the phenology of flower and leaf bud development and susceptibility also was examined. Three fields were examined over one crop year and one field was studied in two subsequent crop years. The incidence of stems with blight was correlated to incidence of leaf blight in all fields and to incidence of flower blight in one field. Incidence of leaf and flower blight and the proportion of mummy berries produced were not correlated. Lowbush blueberry clones with higher incidence levels of leaf blight had reduced fruit set and lower berry weights. For healthy stems, leaf-to-fruit ratios had no effect on berry weight in most fields. In contrast, blighted stems with higher leaf-to-fruit ratios had higher berry weights in three fields. Stems with slowerdeveloping leaf and flower buds had less leaf and flower blight, respectively, than stems with faster bud development. Some blueberry clones may avoid infection by delaying production of susceptible tissue until after ascospore release by M. vaccinii-corymbosi.


OBJECTIVE To determine the impact of participation in a multidisciplinary diabetes team on pediatric residents' perceptions of team members' roles. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Pediatric residents were assigned to a traditional diabetes clinical rotation (n = 34) or to an ambulatory multidiscipl inary diabetes team within their continuity clinic (n = 21). The residents and a smallsample of practicing pediatricians (n = 46) completed a Likert-type instrument at the completion of the 18-mo study. RESULTS Multidisciplinary diabetes team residents were significantly more positive about the roles for endocrinological evaluation in monitoring compliance, for the nurse educator/certified diabetes educator in assisting with sick-day management and school behavioral problems, and for the dietitian in helping with cholesterol problems. They were significantly more like practicing pediatricians in their perceptions of pediatric roles in teaching sick-day management, implementing weight reduction, assisting with conflict resolution about diabetes, screening for microvascular complications, and developing behavioral strategies for metabolic control than residents in the traditional rotation. The groups did not differ in their beliefs about patient empowerment. CONCLUSIONS Multidisciplinary diabetes team participation may be useful in modifying specific role perceptions of pediatric residents about diabetes care. It does not appear to alter perceptions favoring greater patient empowerment.


In the mid- to late-1980s, the discourse of transitional justice was shaped above all by the experience of countries in Latin America, where military forces continued to exercise autonomous power even after ceding formal authority to democratically elected governments. In this setting, while human rights professionals agreed that fledgling democracies should undertake prosecutions in accordance with their international legal obligations, they were divided over the question of whether further development of international obligations in respect of punishment was desirable. Nor was it clear what, precisely, international law already required. Writing in the early 1990s, the author of this essay concluded that States parties to certain international treaties were in general required to prosecute specific crimes. More generally, she argued, wholesale impunity for atrocious crimes was generally incompatible with States' responsibility to ensure that individuals subject to their power enjoyed fundamental rights. But these duties, she wrote, should not be interpreted to require action incompatible with a nascent democracy's political or legal capacity. In this essay, the author describes how her views have evolved in the past 15 years. Noting that international legal norms against impunity have grown increasingly strong and arguing that this trend has itself proved a powerful antidote to impunity, the author nonetheless affirms 'the central importance of promoting the broad participation of victims and other citizens in the process of designing as well as implementing programmes of transitional justice' and addresses the inherent tension between these values and norms.


Two new species of tarantulas from Mexico are described and illustrated: Bonnetina tenuiverpis and Bonnetina juxtantricola, from the states of Mexico and Guerrero, respectively. Male palpal bulbs, tibial apophyses and spermatheca are among the most taxonomically informative characters. Male bulb microstructure is revealed from scanning electron microscopy; both new and homologous structures to other Theraphosinae genera are identified and described. Nomenclatural changes for male tibial apophyses are also proposed. The holotype male and allotype female of one of the species are molecularly characterized and matched from CO1 partial sequence. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BBDBBEDE-6983-4F5C-B34C-4622DF494C84


We argue that banks operating in a local market possess better information about the local housing market than do nonlocal banks. Possessing this information may influence their willingness to grant loans to house buyers and the specifics of the loan terms, which in turn may affect house prices because credit facilitation makes the housing market more efficient. Using a panel data set covering a period from 1993 to 2007 and involving 274 municipalities in Sweden, we establish a positive causal influence of local bank presence on local house prices. There are significant spatial and spillover effects, that is, banks in a municipality affect the housing markets in neighbouring municipalities, although to a lesser extent than in their own municipality. Similar results are obtained through a gravity model. The results are robust over time and municipality size.


Organic fertilizer can be viewed to diminish the negative effect of saltiness on the plant. Foliar application of yeast (4 g l) and algae (4 ml l) extracts on Hillawi offshoots, watered with salt or freshwater examined. The outcomes demonstrated that yeast extracts improved both the hormone levels and the date palm biochemical reactions. Salinity reduced all examined growth parameters (leaf area, plant height, and leaves number). Likewise, chlorophyll content in leaves decreased. Organic fertilizers improved date palm growth. Yeast application increased chlorophyll content, organic solutes, and substances growth included indole-3-acetic acid, zeatin, and gibberellin. However, the yeast extracts increased amino acids and ascorbic acid. The organic fertilizer lowered the accumulation of sodium in the leaf. It increased uptake of potassium, bringing about a higher K/Na ratio. Improving plant development under saltiness conditions was identified with an enhancement in the content of amino acids and carbohydrate content. The use of yeast extract could induce the recovery of the plant exposed to salinity. Organic fertilizers (yeast and seaweed extracts), which are economically and environmentally friendly, can be recommended to farmers for alleviating salinity.