The Schiff bases (E)-3-{[(2-amino-5-nitrophenyl)imino]methyl}phenol and (E)-3-{[(2-amino-5-nitrophenyl)imino]methyl}benzene-1,2-diol were synthesised from 2,3-dihydroxy-benzaldehyde, salicylaldehyde and 4-nitro-o-phenylenediamine. These ligands were characterised by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV-Visible, CHN analysis, and HNMR. Ni(II) and Cu(ІІ) cation-exchange montmorillonite (MMT) clay was prepared by the interactions of NiCl2, CuCl2 and MMT clay in an aqueous medium. FTIR and EDX were used to characterise the metal cation-exchange in MMT. Schiff base Cu(II) and Ni(ІІ) complexes intercalated montmorillonite were prepared by the interaction of Schiff base ligands and Cu(II) and Ni(ІІ) cation-exchange MMT. Several characterisation techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to characterise the modified MMT. SEM results showed that the resulting hybrid had layered structures. The XRD results indicate that the Nickel(II) Schiff base complex-MMT was partially exfoliated.


We explore how to manage a portfolio of passwords. We review why mandating exclusively strong passwords with no re-use gives users an impossible task as portfolio size grows. We find that approaches justified by loss-minimization alone, and those that ignore important attack vectors (e.g., vectors exploiting re-use), are amenable to analysis but unrealistic. In contrast, we propose, model and analyze portfolio management under a realistic attack suite, with an objective function costing both loss and user effort. Our findings directly challenge accepted wisdom and conventional advice. We find, for example, that a portfolio strategy ruling out weak passwords or password re-use is sub-optimal. We give an optimal solution for how to group accounts for re-use, and model-based principles for portfolio management.


Abstract. The chemical mechanism leading to SOA formation and ageing is expected to be a multigenerational process, i.e. a successive formation of organic compounds with higher oxidation degree and lower vapor pressure. This process is here investigated with the explicit oxidation model GECKO-A (Generator of Explicit Chemistry and Kinetics of Organics in the Atmosphere). Gas phase oxidation schemes are generated for the C 8 –C 24 series of n -alkanes. Simulations are conducted to explore the time evolution of organic compounds and the behavior of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation for various preexisting organic aerosol concentration ( C OA ). As expected, simulation results show that (i) SOA yield increases with the carbon chain length of the parent hydrocarbon, (ii) SOA yield decreases with decreasing C OA , (iii) SOA production rates increase with increasing C OA and (iv) the number of oxidation steps (i.e. generations) needed to describe SOA formation and evolution grows when C OA decreases. The simulated oxidative trajectories are examined in a two dimensional space defined by the mean carbon oxidation state and the volatility. Most SOA contributors are not oxidized enough to be categorized as highly oxygenated organic aerosols (OOA) but reduced enough to be categorized as hydrocarbon like organic aerosols (HOA), suggesting that OOA may underestimate SOA. Results show that the model is unable to produce highly oxygenated aerosols (OOA) with large yields. The limitations of the model are discussed.


Matched filtering is described as a spatial filtering operation. A technique for producing a matched filter, wherein the filter transfer function is modulated onto a spatial carrier and the resulting function is hard-clipped allowing a filter construction of completely opaque and transparent lines, is given. The effect of this nonlinearity on the S/N is shown to be small. The effects of extraneous frequencies in the filter is shown to be negligible if the spatial carrier is sufficiently high. Experimental results are presented showing the detectability of the signal in the presence of various levels of additive noise.


This book presents the first unified conceptual and statistical framework for understanding the evolution of reproductive strategies. Using the concept of the opportunity for sexual selection, the authors illustrate how and why sexual selection, though restricted to one sex and opposed in the other, is one of the strongest and fastest of all evolutionary forces. They offer a statistical framework for studying mating system evolution and apply it to patterns of alternative mating strategies. In doing so, they provide a method for quantifying how the strength of sexual selection is affected by the ecological and life history processes that influence females' spatial and temporal clustering and reproductive schedules. Directly challenging verbal evolutionary models that attempt to explain reproductive behavior without quantitative reference to evolutionary genetics, this book establishes a more solid theoretical foundation for the field. Among the weaknesses the authors find in the existing data is the apparent ubiquity of condition-dependent mating tactics. They identify factors likely to contribute to the evolution of alternative mating strategies--which they argue are more common than generally believed--and illustrate how to measure the strength of selection acting on them. Lastly, they offer predictions on the covariation of mating systems and strategies, consider the underlying developmental biology behind male polyphenism, and propose directions for future research. Informed by genetics, this is a comprehensive and rigorous new approach to explaining mating systems and strategies that will influence a wide swath of evolutionary biology.


Abstract Background: Working memory deficits are considered endophenotypes for schizophrenia. Therefore, they are present in ill subjects prior to the onset of the disorder, during the evolution of the disorder as well as in healthy relatives. Aims: The purpose of this study was to examine the working memory of first episode schizophrenia patients (FEP) and their healthy siblings. In addition, we examined the relationship between the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP), the global functioning, symptoms, and cognitive function in first episode patients. Methods: 49 first episode inpatients, 25 healthy siblings and 41 healthy volunteers were recruited. Patients were diagnosed using the SCID for DSM-IV disorders, assessed with the PANSS and Global Assessment of Functioning scale (GAF). DUP was calculated by means of multiple-source interviews, with patients and relatives. The Rey Auditory Verbal Test (RAVT), the Paired Associates Learning Test (PAL), the Spatial Span Test (SSP) and the Spatial Working Memory Test (SWM) from the CANTAB were administrated to all subjects. Results: Patients had an average duration of untreated psychosis of 303.10 days. The overall performance of first episode schizophrenia patients was significantly lower compared to healthy individuals on all cognitive tasks, with the exception of the errors on the SSP. Healthy siblings had intermediate scores; they performed similar to controls on some tasks (RAVLT - retroactive inference, delayed recall, recognition, PAL first trial score and on the number of completed stages), and lower on others (RAVLT - immediate memory, total learning, proactive inference, PAL total errors and the stages completed on the first trial). Discussion and conclusions: A significant correlation between the DUP and the PANSS general symptoms scores and low general function could be established. However, there were no significant correlations between DUP and cognitive tasks. Keywords: working memory, first episode of schizophrenia, siblings, CANTAB INTRODUCTION The cognitive dimension of schizophrenia remained obscured by the disorder's positive, negative and disorganized dimensions. Cognitive disorders in schizophrenia are being reconsidered: they have been thought to be present years before the onset of the frank disease, endurable, progressive, and less responsive to treatment (Eastvold et al., 2007). There is growing awareness that neurocognitive impairments are core features of schizophrenia (Gur et al., 2007) that are independent of clinical symptoms and linked to functional outcomes (Gonzalez-Blanch et al., 2007). Furthermore, they are considered intermediate phenotypes or cognitive endophenotypes (Gottesman & Gould, 2003) that are identifiable and measurable by laboratory based methods. Although they are expressed as subtle signs, they represent a characteristic of the disorder and are biochemical, neuroanatomical, and neuropsychological endophenotypes (Bratti & Bilder, 2006). The features of endophenotypes include: signs or symptom clusters that are considered vulnerability markers associated with the illness. They are heritable with familial co-segregation and are present in unaffected relatives. They are independent of the evolution of the disease and to positive or negative symptoms. In addition, they are stable over time and relate directly to the functional outcome (Cornblatt et al., 2007) and are less influenced by treatment (Gottesman & Gould, 2003). Neurocognitive endophenotypes include: attention deficits (Cornblatt & Malhotra, 2001), working memory impairments (Cannon et al., 2000, Tuulia- Henriksson et al., 2003), antisaccadic eye movements (Ettinger et al., 2006), neurological soft signs, P50 prepulse inhibition (Hong et al., 2007). A great amount of research has been dedicated to the various neurocognitive deficits in chronic schizophrenia. But these may be considerably biased by the effects of medication and sub stimulation (Bratti & Bilder, 2006). …


A method for testing the interconnections of ordinary static RAMs with a processor that has a boundary-scan register and an IEEE 1149.1 test-access port is described. The method uses an enhanced boundary-scan-register design that manipulates the test-access-port controller states to meet the static RAM's timing constraints. The implementation is more economical than a boundary-scan register that strictly conforms to IEEE 1149.1. Test operation is more efficient, requiring a third of the number of scan operations. A test-pattern set and a method for detecting and diagnosing the interconnection faults on RAMs are also described. The test-pattern set can be enhanced as necessary to increase coverage and diagnosing ability and to handle any RAM configuration. The implementation of the proposed boundary-scan register is independent of the test algorithm used. It is believed that the methodology is extendable to RAMs that use an access protocol different from the one described, for example dynamic RAMs and synchronous RAMs.<<ETX>>


Linguists normally assume print to be the only written mode and therefore describe only the Standard varieties of the minority higher classes, thereby mistaking those varieties for languages. But recently linguists in many countries began studying handwritten, Late Modern documents, particularly letters. Focusing on English letters 1800–1834, which the majority lower classes wrote in "non-Standard", this paper examines the schemes of ideas, theories, ideologies and terminologies which linguists developed to analyse printed language, and argues that those concepts are biased towards the Standards, autonomous and in part untrue. It proposes a sociolinguistic concept – literacy – and illustrates one type of problem a new scheme must describe objectively, by discussing how class and schooling affect the use of Anglo-Saxon and Latinate words.


In this chapter, the harmonic calculations and suppression methods in 4D arrays are explored. First, the fundamentals of the 4D arrays including the switching strategies and metaheuristic approach to suppression of sidebands are provided, and further, the har- monic reduction strategies using optimizers are discussed. Finally, a novel noniterative algorithmic way to suppress the harmonic radiations is introduced and exemplified by an illustrative example.


The smallholder tea sub-sector in Kenya is considered the largest and one of the most successful smallholder schemes in the world. However, tea productivity in this sub-sector has been persistently low when compared with the estate sub-sector. Despite the smallholders planting high yielding clonal teas, the national average yield in the sub-sector was only 2,075 kg made tea/hectare (mt/ha) compared to 3,954 kg mt/ha in the estate sub-sector in 1998. This study investigated some of the factors contributing to low tea productivity in the sub-sector. Cross sectional data gathered in Kirinyaga, Nyambene, Nandi and Nyamira Districts in 1999 were used.
It was hypothesized that the extend of rationality in allocation of resources in the smallholder tea enterprise is relatively low. Hence, smallholder tea productivity has remained relatively lower than in the estate sub-sector, high yielding clones and useful agronomic recommendations extended in the smallholder sub-sector notwithstanding. To determine \"the extend of economic rationality\", \"A Test of Economic Rationality Model\" was used whereby, the index of economic rationality, ρ is the product moment coefficient of correlation between log (total variable costs-excluding labour costs) and log (labour-in mandays) for each tea district and region. The results showed that the product moment coefficient of correlation, ρ was:- 0.647 in Kirinyaga District, 0.651 in Nyambene District, 0.793 in Nandi District, 0.743 in Nyamira District, 0.595 in East Rift Valley Region, 0.752 in West Rift Valley Region and 0.674 for all farms surveyed. It was noted that the lowest value of ρ was 0.595 in East Rift Valley Region. It means that at least 59 percent of the variance in the logs of both inputs is due to the variation in the systematic profit-maximizing component of these inputs. The balance of 41 percent is the maximum that could be occasioned not only by poor technology and/or knowledge gaps but also by errors in the model and noise in the universe. The null hypothesis was rejected in favour of the alternative hypothesis. The conclusion is that smallholder tea farmers in Kenya seem to be quite price efficient in tea production. Journal of Agriculture, Science and Technology Vol.3(1) 2001: 10-21


We have previously demonstrated a pulsed direct detection IPDA lidar to measure range and the column concentration of atmospheric CO2. The lidar measures the atmospheric backscatter profiles and samples the shape of the 1,572.33 nm CO2 absorption line. We participated in the ASCENDS science flights on the NASA DC-8 aircraft during August 2011 and report here lidar measurements made on four flights over a variety of surface and cloud conditions near the US. These included over a stratus cloud deck over the Pacific Ocean, to a dry lake bed surrounded by mountains in Nevada, to a desert area with a coal-fired power plant, and from the Rocky Mountains to Iowa, with segments with both cumulus and cirrus clouds. Most flights were to altitudes >12 km and had 5–6 altitude steps. Analyses show the retrievals of lidar range, CO2 column absorption, and CO2 mixing ratio worked well when measuring over topography with rapidly changing height and reflectivity, through thin clouds, between cumulus clouds, and to stratus cloud tops. The retrievals shows the decrease in column CO2 due to growing vegetation when flying over Iowa cropland as well as a sudden increase in CO2 concentration near a coal-fired power plant. For regions where the CO2 concentration was relatively constant, the measured CO2 absorption lineshape (averaged for 50 s) matched the predicted shapes to better than 1% RMS error. For 10 s averaging, the scatter in the retrievals was typically 2–3 ppm and was limited by the received signal photon count. Retrievals were made using atmospheric parameters from both an atmospheric model and from in situ temperature and pressure from the aircraft. The retrievals had no free parameters and did not use empirical adjustments, and >70% of the measurements passed screening and were used in analysis. The differences between the lidar-measured retrievals and in situ measured average CO2 column concentrations were 6 km.


Abstract.
 The 1BL.1RS chromosomal translocation in wheat is the result of replacement of the short arm of chromosome 1B of wheat by the short arm of chromosome 1R of rye, which had been widely used as a parental line in worldwide wheat breeding, resulting in a high percentage of wheat cultivars containing this translocation. A fast and reliable approach to identify this translocation is highly desirable in modern wheat breeding. This study compared reversed-phase ultra-performance liquid chromatography (RP-UPLC), acidic polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (A-PAGE), liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), allelic-specific PCR, and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) approaches to identify the 1BL.1RS translocation in 76 bread wheat cultivars. Two gliadin bands in the Gli-B1 region of A-PAGE separation were confirmed by LC-MS/MS to be omega secalins from the 1BL.1RS translocation, and they can be used as reliable protein markers for identifying the translocation. A few specific minor peaks eluted at 12–13 min on the RP-UPLC patterns can readily differentiate the 1BL.1RS translocation. Of the 76 wheat cultivars tested, 40 were identified as carrying the 1BL.1RS translocation by RP-UPLC, which was consistent with the results of A-PAGE, HPLC, and PCR. Compared with other established methods, RP-UPLC showed a clear advantage in fast identification of the 1BL.1RS translocation with higher reliability and lower costs, and it is therefore ideal for large-scale screening of the 1BL.1RS translocation in wheat breeding.


The "glass ceiling" is a term coined in the early 1980's to describe the invisible barrier with which women came in contact when working up the corporate ladder. This form of discrimination has been depicted as a "barrier so subtle that it is transparent, yet so strong that it prevents women and minorities from moving up in the management hierarchy" (Morrison & Glinow, 1990). The glass ceiling has been evident in both position and pay within organizations (Frieze et al., 1990). Though it appears to still exist, the nature of the glass ceiling has changed. This article focuses on the influence of gender-based stereotypes, the illusion of equality, and the characteristics of successful women in the business world. Relevant statistics are presented which provide evidence most females are now given mere "token" positions in companies with only the appearance of power and prestige rather than being blatantly excluded from such positions, as was the case mere decades ago. Biased Perceptions Toward Women Stereotypes based on gender have historically placed women in a nurturing, submissive role while men are seen as the dominant, more aggressive gender (Levinson, 1994). According to Bardwick & Douvan (1976), assertive behavior is considered more valuable because of its characteristics of objectivity, impartiality, and orientation toward problem solving. Stereotypical views of males suggest they are more suited to managerial positions than females because of their leadership styles (Frieze et al., 1990). Men appear to be more directive or autocratic while women opt for a more participative style (Eagly & Johnson, 1990). Further stereotypical views of the difference between men and women are observed from a psychoanalytical perspective in a recent article in the American Psychologist by the eminent industrial consultant Harry Levinson. According to Levinson, "The male orientation is described as penetration and thrust versus the female orientation of enveloping and surrounding. The whole psychology of management is that of aggressive attack and dominance...to be on top or on the bottom - helpless, dependent and victimized" (Levinson, 1994). Sexual discrimination often keeps women out of management positions. Cultural stereotypes suggest males are intellectually superior to women, are more emotionally stable, and are more achievement-oriented and assertive than women. Successful managers are thought to possess masculine traits. Stereotypical thinking in organizations not only influences the recruitment and selection of women to particular positions, it also affects career development and performance evaluation (Billing & Alvesson, 1989). Societal norms and beliefs in relation to women often inhibit females from entering managerial positions in corporations. Terborg (1977) asserted the existence of a 'male managerial model', that women should not or cannot be successful in management, which perpetuates societal norms. Terborg (1977) also felt women often are discouraged or pressured by vocational counselors and family members not to seek nontraditional occupations, such as management positions. Goodale & Hall (1976) found high school students of both sexes who had similar aspirations for college and career choice were not encouraged equally by their families. Male students reported their parents displayed significantly more pressure and interest in their career goals than did the parents of female students. Women who were denied entry into medical school received different advice from counselors than men. Men were encouraged to reapply to more schools or to consider a doctoral program in a related field. Women, on the other hand, were warned of the hardship which would accompany a decision to pursue a medical degree and were advised to change their career goals to pursue a more traditional sex-role profession such as nursing (Weisman et al., 1976). In recent years, 78 percent of students enrolled in professional schools in the U. …


Title of Dissertation: DEVELOPMENT OF A MOUSE MODEL FOR THE t(10;11) (p13; q14) CHROMSOMAL TRANSLOCATION ASSOCIATED WITH ACUTE LEUKEMIA IN HUMANS David L. Caudell, DVM, PhD, 2008 Directed By: Professor Siba K, Samal, Department of Veterinary Medical Science and, Peter D. Aplan, MD, Genetics Branch, Center for Caner Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health Acute leukemia is associated with a wide spectrum of gross chromosomal rearrangements. These acquired mutations include balanced and unbalanced chromosomal translocations. The analysis of chromosomal translocations has provided much insight into understanding the biology of hematologic malignancies, leading to improved diagnosis and classification, as well as identification of novel therapeutic targets. The rare but recurring chromosomal translocation [t(10;11)(p13;q21)] results in a CALM-AF10 fusion that occurs in patients with both acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). CALMAF10 transgenic mice developed AML with lymphoid features and had Hoxa gene cluster upregulation. In this model, mice developed leukemia after a long latency period with incomplete penetrance. These findings suggest that additional genetic events are needed to complement CALM-AF10 mediated leukemic transformation. Retroviral insertional mutagenesis was used to identify complementary genetic events that might collaborate with CALM-AF10 during leukemic transformation. A cohort of CALM-AF10 mice was infected with the Mol4070LTR retrovirus; by 5.5 months of age, 50% of the transgenic mice developed AML, a clear acceleration of disease onset compared to either wild type littermates injected with the retrovirus or CALMAF10 mice not injected with the retrovirus. The tumors assayed by Southern blotting for viral integration showed clonal to oligoclonal expansion. Ligation-mediated PCR and sequence analysis of DNA derived from leukemic cells was used to identify potential collaborating genes at the retroviral insertion sites including Evi1, Nf1, kRas, Zeb2, and Mnl. Identification of these genes as a potential collaborating gene with CALM-AF10 supports the emerging paradigm in leukemia biology that predicts that most, if not all leukemic cells must undergo at least two collaborative events to produce a fully transformed cell. One of these events typically leads to impaired differentiation and enhanced renewal of stem cells, whereas the second event leads to increased proliferation and/or decreased apoptosis. It has been shown here that retroviral infection accelerates the onset of acute leukemia, and identified genes that potentially collaborate with the CALM-AF10 fusion gene in the leukemic transformation process. This transgenic murine model serves as a model system for studying leukemogenesis similar to that observed in humans with leukemia. DEVELOPMENT OF A MOUSE MODEL FOR THE t(10;11) (p13; q14) CHROMSOMAL TRANSLOCATION ASSOCIATED WITH ACUTE LEUKEMIA IN HUMANS


ML-based motion planning is a promising approach to produce agents that exhibit complex behaviors, and automatically adapt to novel environments. In the context of autonomous driving, it is common to treat all available training data equally. However, this approach produces agents that do not perform robustly in safety-critical settings, an issue that cannot be addressed by simply adding more data to the training set - we show that an agent trained using only a 10% subset of the data performs just as well as an agent trained on the entire dataset. We present a method to predict the inherent difficulty of a driving situation given data collected from a fleet of autonomous vehicles deployed on public roads. We then demonstrate that this difficulty score can be used in a zero-shot transfer to generate curricula for an imitation-learning based planning agent. Compared to training on the entire unbiased training dataset, we show that prioritizing difficult driving scenarios both reduces collisions by 15% and increases route adherence by 14% in closed-loop evaluation, all while using only 10% of the training data.


Abstract. The objective of the BRAHMATWINN research component described in this chapter is to develop integrated indicators with relevance to Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and climate change for the Upper Danube and the Upper Brahmaputra River Basins (UDRB and UBRB), and to foster the integration process amongst the different research activities of the project. Such integrated indicators aim at providing stakeholders, NGOs and GOs with an overview of the present state and trends of the river basins water resources, and at quantifying the impacts of possible scenarios and responses to driving forces, as well as pressures from likely climate change. In the process the relevant indicators have been identified by research partners to model and monitor issues relevant for IWRM in the case study areas. The selected indicators have been validated with the information gathered through the NetSyMoD approach (Giupponi et al., 2008) in workshops with local actors. In this way a strong link between the main issues affecting the basins as perceived by local actors and the BRAHMATWINN activities has been created, thus fostering integration between research outcomes and local needs.


In his Studies in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (1967, p.168), Nobel Prize laureate Friedrich A. von Hayek explains that "from the first establishment of (trade) which served reciprocal but not common purposes, a process has been going on for millennia which, by making rules of conduct independent of the particular purposes of those concerned, made it possible to extend these rules to ever wider circles of undetermined persons and eventually might make possible a universal peaceful order of the world."Today, we can denominate this the process of globalization, understanding as such the process that arises spontaneously in the market and acts by developing a progressive international division of labour, eliminating restrictions on individual liberties, reducing transportation and communication costs, and increasingly integrating the individuals that compose the "great society."The purpose of the present essay is to attempt to deepen in this Hayekian thesis and approximate an explanation of why the said process could lead to world peace. To be consistent with Hayek's works, we must conduct a multidisciplinary analysis of the process under consideration; analysis which must necessarily include a historical reference, an economic study, a legal approach, and finally the consideration of its cultural implications.


Create applications that are more responsive to user needs IronPython should be an important part of your developer's toolbox and this book will quickly get you up and running with this powerful language. John Paul Mueller clearly shows how IronPython can help you create better desktop or web-based applications in less time and with fewer errors. Throughout the pages, you'll find techniques for extending IronPython and making it a more robust language. In addition, you'll follow advanced steps such as building an IronPython extension that directly accesses the Win32 API. And you'll enhance your skill set as you introduce IronPython into other environments such as Linux and Mac OS X. Professional IronPython: Demonstrates how to build applications that every developer needs to know when starting a new language Explains how to create Windows Forms applications, interact with COM objects, and work at the command line Uncovers how to work with XML, the Dynamic Language Runtime, and other .NET languages Shows how you can use IronPython to improve your testing process for just about any language Discusses techniques for using IronPython with the Python Standard Library Wrox Professional guides are planned and written by working programmers to meet the real-world needs of programmers, developers, and IT professionals. Focused and relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert education in new technologies, all designed to help programmers do a better job. wrox.com Programmer Forums Join our Programmer to Programmer forums to ask and answer programming questions about this book, join discussions on the hottest topics in the industry, and connect with fellow programmers from around the world. Code Downloads Take advantage of free code samples from this book, as well as code samples from hundreds of other books, all ready to use. Read More Find articles, ebooks, sample chapters, and tables of contents for hundreds of books, and more reference resources on programming topics that matter to you. Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.


BACKGROUND
The roles of soluble epoxide hydrolase and lipid mediators in inflammatory and neuropathic pain could be relevant in laminitis pain management.

OBJECTIVES
To determine soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) activity in the digital laminae, sEH inhibitor potency in vitro, and efficacy of a sEH inhibitor as an adjunct analgesic therapy in chronic laminitic horses.

STUDY DESIGN
In vitro experiments and clinical case series.

METHODS
sEH activity was measured in digital laminae from euthanised healthy and laminitic horses (n = 5-6/group). Potency of 7 synthetic sEH inhibitors was determined in vitro using equine liver cytosol. One of them (t-TUCB; 0.1 mg/kg bwt i.v. every 24 h) was selected based on potency and stability, and used as adjunct therapy in 10 horses with severe chronic laminitis (Obel grades 2, one horse; 3-4, nine horses). Daily assessments of forelimb lifts, pain scores, physiologic and laboratory examinations were performed before (baseline) and during t-TUCB treatment. Data are presented as mean ± s.d. and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS
sEH activity in the digital laminae from laminitic horses (0.9±0.6 nmol/min/mg; 95% CI 0.16-1.55 nmol/min/mg) was significantly greater (P = 0.01) than in healthy horses (0.17±0.09 nmol/min/mg; CI 0.07-0.26 nmol/min/mg). t-TUCB as an adjunct analgesic up to 10 days (4.3±3 days) in laminitic horses was associated with significant reduction in forelimb lifts (36±22%; 95% CI 9-64%) and in pain scores (18±23%; 95% CI 2-35%) compared with baseline (P = 0.04). One horse developed gas colic and another corneal vascularisation in a blind eye during treatment. No other significant changes were observed.

MAIN LIMITATIONS
Absence of control group and evaluator blinding in case series.

CONCLUSIONS
sEH activity is significantly higher in the digital laminae of actively laminitic compared with healthy horses, and use of a potent inhibitor of equine sEH as adjunct analgesic therapy appears to decrease signs of pathologic pain in laminitic horses.


This book uses the methodology of artificial intelligence to investigate the phenomena of visual motion perception: how the visual system constructs descriptions of the environment in terms of objects, their three-dimensional shape, and their motion through space, on the basis of the changing image that reaches the eye. The author has analyzed the computations performed in the course of visual motion analysis. Workable schemes able to perform certain tasks performed by the visual system have been constructed and used as vehicles for investigating the problems faced by the visual system and its methods for solving them.Two major problems are treated: first, the correspondence problem, which concerns the identification of image elements that represent the same object at different times, thereby maintaining the perceptual identity of the object in motion or in change. The second problem is the three-dimensional interpretation of the changing image once a correspondence has been established.The author's computational approach to visual theory makes the work unique, and it should be of interest to psychologists working in visual perception and readers interested in cognitive studies in general, as well as computer scientists interested in machine vision, theoretical neurophysiologists, and philosophers of science.


Background Knowledge about the social and economical determinants of prescription is relevant in healthcare systems like the Swedish one, which is based on the principle of equity, and which aims to allocate resources on the basis of need and not on criteria that are based on social constructs. We therefore investigated the association between patient and healthcare practice (HCP) characteristics on the one hand, and adherence to guidelines for statin prescription on the other, with a focus on social and economic conditions. Methods The study included all patients in the Skåne region of Sweden who received a statin prescription between July 2005 and December 2005; 15 581 patients in 139 privately administered HCPs and 24 593 patients in 142 publicly administered HCPs. Socio-economic status was established using data from Longitudinal Multilevel Analysis in Skåne, and a stratified multilevel regression analysis was performed. Results The proportion of patients receiving recommended statins was lower among privately administered HCPs than among publicly administered HCPs (65% vs 80%). Among men (but not women), low income (PRprivateHCP=1.04 (1.01 to 1.09) and PRpublicHCP=1.02 (0.99 to 1.07)) and cohabitation (PRprivateHCP=1.04 (1.04 to 1.08) and PRpublicHCP=1.03 (1.01 to 1.07)) were associated with a higher adherence to guidelines. Conclusion The physician's decision to prescribe a recommended statin is conditioned by the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of the patient. Beyond individual characteristics, the contextual circumstances of the HCP were also associated with adherence to guidelines. An increased understanding of the connection between the patient's socio-economic status and the decisions made by the physician might be of relevance when planning interventions aimed at promoting efficient and evidence-based prescription.


The paper presents partial results from an ongoing research on communication in the medical setting. 1 The aim of the paper is to show how the institutional context can affect argumentation by focusing on the activity type of medical consultations. In order to achieve this goal, the paper is structured in four sections. The first one offers a description of the institutional dimension of the medical consultation set within the cultural domain of the Italian National Health Service. In the second section, this description is completed by outlining also the interpersonal dimension of the context. The third section presents partial results obtained through the analysis of a collection of medical consultations. The analysis was conducted by selecting the argumentative extracts from the consultations and by describing the argument schemes used both by doctors and patients. The analysis shows that the persuasive strength of argument schemes varies depending on the way they are used in the different institutional contexts. In particular, the specific features of the institutional contexts constrain the effectiveness of the argument scheme by 'commanding' context-specific premises, or endoxa. Therefore, those who have a better knowledge of the context will be able to use the various argument schemes more successfully because they will be able to refer to the most 'context-relevant' premises. A development of the research should include more data in the analysis and also foresee the possibility for a comparison with data collected in different cultural contexts.


A combined experimental and theoretical investigation of photoinduced Z/E isomerizations is presented. Unsubstituted Hemithioindigo is selected as a representative minimal model to unravel the reaction mechanism in the presence of heteroatoms on an atomic level. Time-resolved spectroscopy reveals multiexponential reaction dynamics on the few picoseconds time scale, which are interpreted by quantum chemical calculations at the CASSCF/CASPT2 level of theory. Detailed insight into the processes governing the ultrafast decay from the first excited state, mediated by a number of conical intersections, is provided. Charge separation and charge balance recovery on the reaction pathway play the leading role and are controlled by the electron-donating or -withdrawing character of the heteroatoms. The electronic and geometric structures of the individual minimum energy conical intersections governing the reaction are rationalized, and an extended energetically low lying conical intersection seam is extracted. Comparison to the experimental results permits linking the observed time constants to molecular intermediates and pathways. An explanation is provided for the pronounced differences of Z → E and the E → Z photoreactions upon excitation to the first excited singlet state.


Community Wireless Networks (CWNs) have recently emerged as a top priority for many communities world-wide to access the information highway and bridge the digital divide. There are many factors that contribute to the development and the sustainability of a successful CWN. These factors include traditional technical network parameters in addition to several social and economic parameters. This paper proposes a two-graph model for describing CWNs. The proposed graph model uses well established graph concepts to depict the key factors needed to be addressed when analyzing and designing CWN. We show how the two graphs; the social network graph and the wireless network graph are used to model CWN factors. We also show how the proposed model was used in a case study to support the Omaha Wireless project. We argue that having such a quantitative model represents a significant step towards better understanding of CWN and advancing this timely research area.


It is well known the relevance given to the study of heat transfer in polymer foams,
as one of the main applications is as lightweight thermal insulating elements. Alongside
some of the possible strategies for improving the thermal insulating characteristics of
polymer foams, there is also a tremendous interest in further extending the applications of
these materials, mainly focusing on improving their poor mechanical properties.
Although there is a great deal of interest in preparing and studying polypropylene
foams, largely due to their good balance of properties and reduced cost, there is still lack
of information regarding their mechanical and thermal conduction characterizations. With
that in mind, this chapter considers the preparation, structure and properties of different
polypropylene and polypropylene-based nanocomposite foams, focusing on the
importance of the foam's cellular structure and microstructure characteristics and/or
filler's orientation and dispersion in the mechanical and mainly thermal conduction
properties, with the main objective of developing new multifunctional thermal insulating
lightweight materials for diverse applications.
A great deal of importance is given to some of the different strategies used towards
the development of rigid polypropylene-based foams to be used as structural elements
with improved thermal insulation characteristics. Particularly, we have focused on
reducing the value of thermal conductivity via cellular structure control, as it is known to
strongly depend on cellular structure characteristics such as cell size, cell density and cell
anisotropy. First of all we have addressed the importance of the foaming process and
foaming parameters in establishing a certain cellular structure, and secondly in the possibilities of adding high aspect ratio nano-sized fillers, that act as cell nucleating sites,
promoting the formation of finer closed-cell foams.


Energy is the only universal currency. One of its many forms must be transformed into another in order for stars to shine, planets to rotate, living things to grow, and civilizations to evolve. Recognition of this universality was one of the great achievements of nineteenth-century science, yet even today there is little literature that tries to view the world broadly through the prism of energy.In this highly original book, ecologist Vaclav Smil takes the principle of universality seriously, presenting a comprehensive and integrated survey of all the forms of energy that shape our world, from the sun to the human body, from bread to microchips. Written in a scientifically sophisticated yet accessible style, Energies consists of eighty-two short essays organized under six headings: Sun and Earth, Plants and Animals, People and Food, Preindustrial Societies, Fossil-Fueled Civilization, and Motion and Information. Each essay explains the science of the energy form as well as its implications for the functioning of the universe, life, or human society. Cross-links and summary diagrams allow easy comparisons among the various levels and flows of energy.


This article describes a case of femoral stem displacement during closed reduction of a redislocated bipolar hemiarthroplasty of the hip in a 72-year-old woman who had undergone bipolar hemiarthroplasty using a polished, tapered cemented femoral stem. The polished, tapered cemented femoral stem is vulnerable to displacement when exposed to traction forces. Six days after bipolar hemiarthroplasty, the patient experienced her first dislocation, and immediate reduction of the dislocated hip was easily achieved. However, on the ninth postoperative day, redislocation occurred, and this time, reduction was not achieved. Subsequent radiographs revealed an unreduced state with posterosuperior dislocation of the hip and dissociation of the femoral stem at the cement-stem interface with proximal migration. Open reduction was then performed, and it was noted that the bipolar prosthesis had dislocated posterosuperiorly, the neck of the femoral stem was incarcerated between the short external rotators, and the femoral stem had migrated proximally by approximately 8 cm. The femoral stem was repositioned by freeing it from the short external rotators and gently tapping it into the cement mantle. Our surgical solution is questionable, because the stability of the stem is likely to be inadequate. According to the established study, no difference in stuffiness was observed before extraction and after reinsertion, which supports the surgical solution we chose. Pre-reduction analysis should be conducted to determine the cause and status of a dislocation, and open reduction should be performed if closed reduction fails when treating dislocated bipolar hemiarthroplasty patients.


Computer-based group idea generation is used in a variety of organizational settings to generate ideas that are helpful in attaining a goal. In such situations, the characteristics of the interaction may impact on the group processes, and accordingly on group performance. This paper reports on a study investigating the impacts of synchronicity, parallelism and identification on ideation performance. The results show that both parallelism and synchronicity are important for ideation performance, but that the levels of these affordances have no impacts when it comes to generation of low quality ideas. However, as the quality criteria are sharpened, the importance of the affordances increases. The results thus show that high degrees of parallelism and synchronicity are important for generation of high-quality ideas in computer-mediated group work. The results also point to the importance of adopting rigorous measures when investigating group ideation performance. Implications for research and practice are discussed.


In particulate materials, such as emulsions and granular media, a "jammed" system results if particles are packed together so that all particles are touching their neighbours, provided the density is sufficiently high. This paper studies through experiment, theory and simulation, the forces that particles exert upon one another in such a jammed state. Confocal microscopy of a compressed polydisperse emulsion provides a direct 3D measurement of the dispersed phase morphology within the bulk of the sample. This allows the determination of the probability distribution of interdroplet forces, P(f) where f is the magnitude of the force, from local droplet deformations. In parallel, the simplest form of the Boltzmann equation for the probability of force distributions predicts P(f) to be of the form e(-f/p), where p is proportional to the mean force f for large forces. This result is in good agreement with experimental and simulated data.


Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is a clonal myeloproliferative disorder arising in a haemopoietic stem cell (HSC) as a result of the reciprocal translocation between the long arms of chromosomes 9 and 22 (t9;22), leading to the formation of the fusion oncogene BCR-ABL. BCR-ABL has constitutive tyrosine kinase (TK) activity which drives, at least during the chronic phase (CP) of the disease, myeloid progenitor cells expansion through terminally differentiated cells and is necessary for the transformed phenotype. The introduction at the end of the last century of BCR-ABL TK inhibitors (TKI) has dramatically changed the management of newly diagnosed CP CML patients as the vast majority achieve deep molecular responses while enjoying good quality of life when treated with TKI. However about 20% of patients still show various degree of resistance to all currently available TKI while in those achieving deep responses, there is compelling evidence of persistent minimal residual disease demanding lifelong treatment which has obvious implications in terms of compliance, adverse events and costs.
It is now known that the main reason for disease persistence in CML patients treated with TKI lies in the insensitivity of the most primitive CML leukaemia stem cell (LSC). More recent evidence has demonstrated that, in contrast to more mature leukaemic progenitor cells, CML LSC are not addicted to BCR-ABL kinase activity but rather rely on other stem cell intrinsic pathways for their survival. The main focus in the CML field is therefore to identify these pathways while also trying to exploit them therapeutically to achieve CML LSC eradication and as a result disease cure.
Growth factor (GF) signals are known to provide survival cues to CML stem and progenitor cells (SPC) and potentially support their survival even in the presence of TKI. Moreover CML SPC are also known to produce higher levels of some GFs via an autocrine loop and support their survival and proliferation through this mechanism. In this thesis, the characterisation of the autocrine GF production by CML SPC was extended while also investigating the role of several GFs and downstream signals in survival, proliferation and self-renewal of CML SPC. Whenever possible, the consequences of therapeutic targeting of these signals on CML SPC survival and proliferation were also assessed in vitro.
In particular the role of the intracellular janus kinase (JAK) 2, which relays several myeloid GF signals, such as those from interleukin (IL)-3 and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), in CML SPC survival and proliferation was investigated mainly because higher levels of autocrine expression of GM-CSF by CML SPC relative to normal were demonstrated, while autocrine IL-3 production by CML SPC had already been shown. Moreover the cognate receptor of both GM-CSF and IL-3 (CSF2RB) was also shown to be expressed at higher levels in CML SPC relative to their normal counterparts, further supporting investigations on the role of JAK2 in CML SPC biology. Indeed targeting JAK2 with small molecule inhibitors in CML SPC in vitro, particularly in the presence of maximal BCR-ABL TK inhibition, resulted in increased apoptosis, reduced proliferation and colony output of CML SPC. The JAK2 inhibitor plus TKI combination treatment, compared to either single agent, further reduced survival of the more primitive quiescent LSCs in vitro, while also reducing engraftment of primary CML CD34+ cells in vivo in immunocompromised hosts. Although a degree of toxicity to normal haemopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) was observed, this was not as great as seen in CML SPC, thus suggesting that a therapeutic window for using JAK2 inhibitors in CML patients might be present when a carefully selected concentration of these compounds is chosen.
Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α was another GF shown to be produced in an autocrine fashion at higher levels by CML SPC relative to normal HSPC. Moreover its levels of production by CML SPC were not modulated by BCR-ABL TK activity. Using a small molecule TNF-α inhibitor and exogenous TNF-α, it was shown that autocrine TNF-α acts as a survival and proliferative signal in CML SPC. Moreover its role became even more important in the presence of TKI, as combining TNF-α inhibition with TKI led to high levels of apoptosis in CML CD34+ cells, including the more primitive quiescent population, while also causing increased apoptosis in a population enriched for CML LSCs based on its surface marker expression (CD34+ CD38-).
Finally given the known importance of quiescence and self-renewal pathways in CML LSC persistence following TKI treatment, the role of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and novel neurotransmitter mediated pathways in CML LSC quiescence and self-renewal was investigated based on the findings of a genome and epigenome-wide screen of primary CML LSCs and normal HSCs carried out in our laboratory. Using in vitro assays the putative role of the neuromediators norepinephrine and acethylcoline in CML LSC self-renewal was demonstrated. Moreover the role of TGF-β1 in inducing primary CML LSC quiescence mainly by modulating the AKT pathway was also demonstrated.
Overall the work presented in this thesis has furthered our understanding of the role of both autocrine and paracrine known and novel regulators of haemopoiesis in several aspects of CML SPC biology such as their survival, proliferation and self-renewal. Furthermore the efficacy in eradicating CML SPC of therapeutic strategies targeting some of these GF signals has been explored in vitro, thus providing evidence supporting their subsequent testing in in vivo assays and in due course in clinical studies. It is hoped therefore that the work presented will contribute to devise novel therapeutic strategies to eradicate CML LSC and in turn lead to a cure for CML patients.


The Puccinia monoica complex is an enigmatic group of rust fungi. They are flower mimics, and they greatly reduce host reproduction and survival. These fungi are relatively common, attacking approximately 960 species in 11 genera of crucifers as well as at least five genera of grasses. In modern taxonomic treatments the Puccinia monoica complex is treated as four species that are differentiated by the number of spore states in their life cycles. However, other systematic treatments have divided the group into species or forms based on host association. Within the species based on spore state there is morphological variation, but it has not been readily assignable to either host species or geographic area. We used DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis to determine whether there are cryptic species in this group that are not evident when only morphology is used. We sequenced the nuclear rDNA region containing the internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 + 5.8S gene + ITS-2) of isolates from different hosts. Our results indicate that there are cryptic species in the Puccinia monoica complex, and that species in this group cannot be identified strictly by life cycle stage.


I mean, admittedly, it's not a haven for the brothers. You know, strictly the Caucasian persuasion in the 'Dale. --Mr. Trick, "Faith, Hope & Trick" (1) MR. TRICK'S ASIDE MIGHT BE A COMMENT NOT JUST ON BUFFY THE VAMPIRE Slayer's Sunnydale but on fantasy worlds in general; they are widely thought of as almost exclusively of the "Caucasian persuasion," lacking racial diversity in characters, themes, and structures and being exclusively concerned with white, Western culture. Indeed some works, such as J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, and film adaptations of it directed by Peter Jackson, have been accused of outright racism (Chism, "Race"). Charges of racism, and defenses against them, form a significant part of the scholarly literature and public discussions of representations of race in fantasy worlds (e.g., Rearick; Kirkland). A common perception is that most fantasy, like its sister genre science fiction, rarely addresses issues of racism and that minority readers are often not interested in it because it generally pays lip-service at best to such questions (Westfahl 72). Popular fantasy, however, often generates its narrative trajectory from encounters between different cultures and species. Further, its worlds are commonly populated by different, often mutually suspicious or inimical species such as elves, dwarves, humans, and goblins. Such generic features strongly suggest that an investigation of representations of racial and cultural difference might be illuminating. Issues surrounding racial and cultural difference are highly significant for contemporary society with its increasingly mobile global population, and one broad theoretical concept which is garnering increasing attention in international social, educational, and cultural studies is "cosmopolitanism." Cosmopolitanism is broadly a set of sociological theories which are concerned with overcoming national prejudices, recognizing the mutual interdependence of global humanity, and advocating world citizenship, justice, and democracy (Fine). While the concept has only relatively recently been articulated as a whole, many of its elements have been espoused in fantasy literature for many years, an argument this article will make with reference to Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. While many fantasy works rely on European cultural references and are lacking in multicultural human societies, such features are not synonymous with racism, and do not necessarily indicate a lack of concern with diversity. A small amount of recent work reveals ways sf and fantasy can reflect changing ideologies of race and ethnicity (Chappell; Thrall; Young). A significant body of scholarly literature examines representations of race in sf, while relatively little addresses fantasy narratives, as Elisabeth Anne Leonard noted over a decade ago. Tolkien's work, though, has been a locus for discussions, and indeed debates, about race and racism in the fantasy genre since it was first published (Rearick). By exploring connections between Tolkien's work and contemporary concepts of cosmopolitanism, this article seeks to add a new dimension to this ongoing discussion. Although a degree of defense is perhaps inherent in its argument, it is not primarily concerned with taking a side but rather with demonstrating how fantasy concepts of difference and diversity resonate with those of the real world. This article argues that The Lord of the Rings is ultimately a cosmopolitan work because it provides a model of society in which common ground and a united purpose not only allow diversity, but require it. Jane Chance argues that "Tolkien demonstrates that he dislikes most of all [...] segregation of the Other, and isolation of those who are different, whether by race, nationality, culture, class, age, or gender" (172). There are, moreover, as Sandra Straubhaar has argued, elements of multiculturalism and hybridity in The Lord of the Rings, along with racialized taxonomies of human worth--the "High" Gondorians and the "Middle" Rohirrim, for example (102-04). …


Abstract
Marketing can be depicted as commercial, cause-related or social depending on the locus of benefit, the objective / outcomes desired and the focus of exchange. Social marketing has been described as the application of marketing technologies designed to influence the voluntary behavior of a target audience to improve personal and societal welfare (Andreasen, 1995). Increasingly sport organizations have been engaging in social marketing which has a unique set of objectives and outcomes. To date, few studies have appeared in which the use of social marketing strategies were examined in sport. As a result, the purpose of this paper is to identify the distinct differences between social marketing, cause-related marketing and commercial marketing. Through development of a multi-tiered marketing framework, analysis of each approach will be undertaken to illuminate the use of each strategy in sport to achieve both economic and non-economic marketing related objectives.


Suppose two treatments are being compared in a clinical trial with a fixed number of subjects. Half the subjects receive treatment 1, while the other half receive treatment 2. Measurements of some relevant response variable are made on each subject at equally spaced time points. This thesis proposes a procedure for testing at each time point the null hypothesis H 0 of no treatment differences, while controlling the overall probability of type I error. Chapter 1 describes alternative methods for estimating the unknown parameters of models generating short series of measurements. Maximum likelihood estimation, and modified variance based estimation, are considered in 1.1 and 1.2 respectively. A 4 parameter model is described in 1.3. This allows for increasing or decreasing variances of measurements within subjects. In 1.4, maximum likelihood estimation is used in fitting the 4 parameter model to two data sets. In Chapter 2, attention focuses on sequential testing, with data arising from the 4 parameter model. The possibility of using stopping rules based on posterior probabilities, rather than sequentially adjusted P values, is considered briefly in 2.1. Two methods for determining appropriate nominal significance levels for successive tests, when the model for data is assumed known, are described in 2.2. An algorithm for integrating quickly a special case of the multivariate normal density, in high dimensions, presented in 2.3, facilitates implementation of the two methods. In 2.4, test procedures based on the methods of 2.2 are described, in which model parameters are (re-) estimated at each time point, as data accumulate. Test statistics and z-values are adjusted for each test, according to the updated parameter estimates. Simulations show that these procedures give overall significance levels close to those required. One of the two procedures is preferred on the basis of power to detect deviations from H 0 .


Background The hip abductors and adductors play an important role in the stability of the hip and knee joints and knee injury risk. Menstrual cycle is associated with hormones fluctuations that may affect functions of muscles and ligaments and increase the knee risk injury. However, their effect on the abductors and adductors performance is still unknown, which may be a step in developing conditioning programs to reduce injury risk. Objectives This study aimed to examine the effect of hormones variation during menstrual cycle on abductor and adductor muscles performance in sedentary college students. Patients and methods Twenty-four college students completed the study protocol. Their age and BMI ranged from 19 to 25 years and 25–29.9 kg/m2, respectively. Levels of estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone were measured. Biodex system 3-isokinetic dynamometer was used to measure isokinetic parameters of hip abductor and adductor muscles including peak torque, maximum work, total work, average power, work repetition number, work fatigue percentage, angle of peak torque, acceleration time, and deceleration time. Measurements were taken during early follicular (1–3 days) and mid-luteal phases (21–23 days), which were detected using basal body temperature method. Results There were significant increases in estradiol (P=0.0001), progesterone (P=0.002), peak torque of hip abductors (P=0.03) and adductors (P=0.04), maximum work of hip abductors (P=0.01), total work of hip abductors (P=0.01) and adductors (P=0.02), and average power of hip abductors (P=0.0.01) and adductors (P=0.02) during the mid-luteal phase compared with the early follicular phase. Conclusions Abductor and adductor muscles strength changes with the surging levels of estradiol and progesterone during normal menstrual cycle that need to be considered in strengthening exercises for sedentary college students to avoid injury risk.


Concerns over sustainability in the built environment have resulted in continuous efforts to improve the performance of window system or glazed facade and hence indoor comfort and building energy conservation. An innovative facade system where parallel transparent/translucent plastic slats are sandwiched between glass panes to form a Parallel Slat Transparent Insulation Material (PS-TIM) is proposed as a strategy to effectively reduce heat transfer between the panes of a double glazed window, while maintaining access to daylight. A holistic investigation of the window system with PS- TIMs is conducted in terms of thermal and optical properties, as well as detailed daylight and energy performance predictions of applying PS-TIMs in buildings. Firstly, an experimental investigation is undertaken in a large climate chamber, and the measurement results were used to validate a two-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model. Secondly, the validated 2D CFD model is used to solve the dynamic thermal properties of different configurations of PS-TIMs under various environmental conditions. The optical properties (i.e. Bidirectional Scattering Distribution Function (BSDF)) of PS-TIMs are obtained via a ray-tracing technique based on the structures' geometries and the material optical characteristics of the interstitial structure. The detailed annual daylight performance in different climates and building orientations are predicted using RADIANCE. Finally, the optical and thermal properties obtained from the previous fundamental models are applied in EnergyPlus to predict the energy performance (i.e. heating, cooling and lighting energy consumption) of applying PS-TIMs in buildings in different climates. The investigation results provide a better understanding of the benefits of PS-TIM in terms of energy saving and daylight comfort improvement, as well as offer some tentative suggestions as to how architects and engineers might apply PS-TIM to window system or glazed facade.


Abstract. The first long-term aerosol sampling and chemical characterization results from measurements at the Cape Verde Atmospheric Observatory (CVAO) on the island of Sao Vicente are presented and are discussed with respect to air mass origin and seasonal trends. In total 671 samples were collected using a high-volume PM10 sampler on quartz fiber filters from January 2007 to December 2011. The samples were analyzed for their aerosol chemical composition, including their ionic and organic constituents. Back trajectory analyses showed that the aerosol at CVAO was strongly influenced by emissions from Europe and Africa, with the latter often responsible for high mineral dust loading. Sea salt and mineral dust dominated the aerosol mass and made up in total about 80% of the aerosol mass. The 5-year PM10 mean was 47.1 p 55.5 μg m−2, while the mineral dust and sea salt means were 27.9 p 48.7 and 11.1 p 5.5 μg m−2, respectively. Non-sea-salt (nss) sulfate made up 62% of the total sulfate and originated from both long-range transport from Africa or Europe and marine sources. Strong seasonal variation was observed for the aerosol components. While nitrate showed no clear seasonal variation with an annual mean of 1.1 p 0.6 μg m−3, the aerosol mass, OC (organic carbon) and EC (elemental carbon), showed strong winter maxima due to strong influence of African air mass inflow. Additionally during summer, elevated concentrations of OM were observed originating from marine emissions. A summer maximum was observed for non-sea-salt sulfate and was connected to periods when air mass inflow was predominantly of marine origin, indicating that marine biogenic emissions were a significant source. Ammonium showed a distinct maximum in spring and coincided with ocean surface water chlorophyll a concentrations. Good correlations were also observed between nss-sulfate and oxalate during the summer and winter seasons, indicating a likely photochemical in-cloud processing of the marine and anthropogenic precursors of these species. High temporal variability was observed in both chloride and bromide depletion, differing significantly within the seasons, air mass history and Saharan dust concentration. Chloride (bromide) depletion varied from 8.8 p 8.5% (62 p 42%) in Saharan-dust-dominated air mass to 30 \textpm 12% (87 p 11%) in polluted Europe air masses. During summer, bromide depletion often reached 100% in marine as well as in polluted continental samples. In addition to the influence of the aerosol acidic components, photochemistry was one of the main drivers of halogenide depletion during the summer; while during dust events, displacement reaction with nitric acid was found to be the dominant mechanism. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis identified three major aerosol sources: sea salt, aged sea salt and long-range transport. The ionic budget was dominated by the first two of these factors, while the long-range transport factor could only account for about 14% of the total observed ionic mass.


Models of the world can take many shapes. In this paper, we will discuss how groups of autonomous robots learn languages that can be used as a means for modeling the environment. The robots have already learned simple languages for communication of task instructions. These languages are adaptable under changing situations; i.e. once the robots learn a language, they are able to learn new concepts and update old concepts. In this prior work, reinforcement ]earning using a human instructor provides the motivation for communication. In current work, the world wiU be the motivation for learning languages. Since the languages are grounded in the world, they can be used to talk about the world; in effect, the language is the means the robots use to model the world. This paper will explore the issues of learning to communicate solely through environment motivation. Additionally, we will discuss the possible uses of these languages for interacting with the world.


Abstract Based on experimental impacts of hailstone and rain droplets on clayey sediment, distinct differences between their imprints are shown. The key difference that unequivocally differentiates these impact structures is that raindrop imprints are always part of a sphere, even after different degrees of compaction, whereas hailstone imprints never have such a shape, forming a more or less regular funnel, terminated by a "nipple-like" structure that usually retains the original shape of the hailstone. We show and discuss the reasons why hailstone imprints have never been reported in the sedimentary record, albeit their fossilization potential seems to be much higher than that of raindrop imprints, which are commonly reported from various types of sedimentary rocks of widely differing ages. Inferred hailstone imprints are illustrated from the fossil record for the first time, from the Neoproterozoic–Cambrian transition of western Africa. The origin of paleohailstones required specific dynamic conditions of the atmosphere similar to those of the Recent atmosphere. Present-day hailstorms are generally restricted to specific geographic regions, e.g., mid-latitude, along mountain ranges, and they are largely absent from circum-polar and circum-equatorial areas. Correspondingly, hailstone impact structures preserved in the sedimentary record may possess interpretational value, regarding fundamental questions concerning the dynamics of the paleoatmosphere and perhaps paleogeography of ancient continents.


Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare malignancy with few experimental models. This study used the human surgical specimen to establish MPM patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models and primary cell lines to provide a study platform for MPM in vitro and in vivo, and conducted histopathological analysis. Our study used the experimental peritoneal cancer index (ePCI) score to evaluate gross pathology, and the results showed that the ePCI score of the female and male nude mice were 8.80 ± 1.75 and 9.20 ± 1.81 (P=0.6219), respectively. The Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining of animal models showed that the tumor was epithelioid mesothelioma and invaded multiple organs. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining showed that Calretinin, Cytokeratin 5/6, WT-1 and Ki-67 were all positive. The Swiss-Giemsa and Immunofluorescence (IF) staining of primary cell lines were also consistent with the pathological characteristics of mesothelioma. We also performed the whole-exome sequencing (WES) to identify the mutant genes between models and the patient. And the results showed that 21 mutant genes were shared between the two groups, and the genes related to tumorigenesis and development including BAP1, NF2, MTBP, NECTIN2, CDC23, LRPPRC, TRIM25, and DHRS2. In conclusion, the PDX models and primary cell lines of MPM were successfully established with the epithelioid mesothelioma identity confirmed by histopathological evidence. Moreover, our study has also illustrated the shared genomic profile between models and the patient.


This paper describes an experimental work conducted in order to evaluate the annual performance of a modified single sloped basin type solar still. The modified still consists of a multiple number of blackened porous jute cloth absorbers, which are being floated on the basin water with the help of thermo-col insulations. Higher absorber surface temperatures are rapidly reached in this design, resulting in a quicker start-up and faster evaporation rates. Cooler basin water results in lower base heat losses. Highest distillate output was recorded in the month of May with 52% efficiency, whereas the lowest was obtained in the month of December with 34% efficiency. The modified still gave the maximum gain of 74.6% more output in the month of January and the minimum gain of 35.5% in the month of August, when compared with the conventional still. An average 7.6% of the total output was obtained as nocturnal yield. The productivity initially increases marginally with the wind velocity, but at higher wind velocities it decreases rapidly. Extra base insulation improves the performance.


Interleukin-17 (IL-17) has been shown to participate in the development of Lyme arthritis in experimental mice. For example, neutralization of IL-17 with antibodies inhibits induction of arthritis in Borrelia-primed and -infected C57BL/6 wild-type mice. We hypothesized that mice lacking IL-17 would fail to develop Borrelia-induced arthritis. IL-17-deficient and wild-type C57BL/6 mice were primed with heat-inactivated Borrelia and then infected with viable spirochetes 3 weeks later. No swelling or major histopathological changes of the hind paws were detected in IL-17-deficient or wild-type mice that were primed with Borrelia or infected with viable spirochetes. By contrast, IL-17-deficient and wild-type mice that were primed and subsequently infected with heterologous Borrelia developed severe swelling and histopathological changes of the hind paws. In addition, Borrelia-primed and -infected IL-17-deficient mice exhibited elevated gamma-interferon (IFN-γ) levels in sera and increased frequencies of IFN-γ-expressing lymphocytes in popliteal lymph nodes compared to Borrelia-primed and -infected wild-type mice. These results demonstrate that IL-17 is not required for development of severe pathology in response to infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, but may contribute to disease through an interaction with IFN-γ.


What does it mean to belong? How are twenty-first-century diasporic subjects fashioning identities and communities that bind them together? Aspiring to Home examines these questions with a focus on immigrants from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Advancing a theory of locality to explain the means through which immigrants of varying regional, religious, and linguistic backgrounds experience what it means to belong, Bakirathi Mani shows how ethnicity is produced through the relationship between domestic racial formations and global movements of class and capital. Aspiring to Home focuses on popular cultural works created by first- and second-generation South Asians from 1999-2009, including those by author Jhumpa Lahiri and filmmaker Mira Nair, as well as public events such as the Miss India U.S.A. pageant and the Broadway musical Bombay Dreams. Analyzing these diverse productions through an interdisciplinary framework, Mani weaves literary readings with ethnography to unravel the constraints of form and genre that shape how we read diasporic popular culture.


It is possible to construct a surprisingly inexpensive and simple thermal radiometer from office supplies. Although the detector was designed to evaluate thermal energy hazards to an individual located in a harsh environment, undoubtedly other applications will surface. The radiometer features a nearly flat wavelength response and a wide field-of-view, is very insensitive to both acoustic energy and radio-frequency energy, is not prone to damage, and distinguishes between radiated thermal energy and thermal energy transferred by direct contact with hot materials. It is particularly noteworthy that the detector has functioned as a direct hazard monitor for optical radiation emitted by certain flash sources.


This paper reports on a novel approach of using magnetic shape memory (MSM) alloys as smart materials in mechanical sensing. The presented concept enables the measurement of tensile strain. The underlying sensor mechanism is based on the reorientation of the martensite variants of the tetragonal unit cell of the MSM alloy (MSMA) which can be induced by either a magnetic field or a mechanical stress. In the novel concept, a magnetic bias field exerts a restoring force opposing the externally applied mechanical stress. The magnetic stray field at the rim of an MSMA sample, measured using a conventional Hall sensor, is used as the sensor signal. The operating principle was experimentally verified using a custom-made tensile test setup. A linear dependence of the magnetic flux density of the stray field on the mechanical strain was observed.


The nuclear materials safeguards system of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna consists of two parts: the verification of the material flow and inventory data reported by the operator of a nuclear plant; the establishment of a material balance at the end of an inventory period with the help of the operator's reported data, which means that the book inventory (initial physical inventory plus receipts minus shipments) is compared with the ending physical inventory. By definition it is necessary that the plant operator maintains a complete measurement system for all nuclear materials processed in the plant.

In this paper, we consider an alternative inspection scheme which is based on material accountability too, but which does not make use of the data reported by the operator. Contrary to the IAEA safeguards system, the material balance in this system is closed only with the help of the data observed by the inspection team itself. Such a system could be important in situations where there is no reason for a plant operator to maintain a complicated measurement system, or where, for some reason, the records are not available.

It is clear that if the inspection team cannot measure the data of all material batches processed in the plant under consideration (e.g. if the inspection budget or time is limited), then some prior information about the average material contents of the different batches as well as the batch-to-batch variation have to be used. Therefore, a Bayesian approach seems to be natural for the treatment of problems of this kind. On the other hand, this prior information will not be very detailed, and so we will use the principles of credibility theory where only the first two moments of the prior distribution have to be known.

In this paper, we first consider only one class of material, and then R different classes (inputs, outputs, etc.) with the problem of material balance closure. Finally we discuss the problem of optimization of a given inspection effort.

As the batch-to-batch variation of the true material contents within one class normally is much larger than the measurement variance, we will neglect the measurement errors here; they could easily be taken into account, if necessary.


The paper proposes a new, conservative fully-discrete scheme for the
numerical solution of the regularised shallow water Boussinesq system of
equations in the cases of periodic and reflective boundary conditions. The
particular system is one of a class of equations derived recently and can be
used in practical simulations to describe the propagation of weakly nonlinear
and weakly dispersive long water waves, such as tsunamis. Studies of
small-amplitude long waves usually require long-time simulations in order to
investigate scenarios such as the overtaking collision of two solitary waves or
the propagation of transoceanic tsunamis. For long-time simulations of
non-dissipative waves such as solitary waves, the preservation of the total
energy by the numerical method can be crucial in the quality of the
approximation. The new conservative fully-discrete method consists of a
Galerkin finite element method for spatial semidiscretisation and an explicit
relaxation Runge--Kutta scheme for integration in time. The Galerkin method is
expressed and implemented in the framework of mixed finite element methods. The
paper provides an extended experimental study of the accuracy and convergence
properties of the new numerical method. The experiments reveal a new
convergence pattern compared to standard Galerkin methods.


This book explores the virtues Shakespeare made of the cultural necessities of servants and service. Although all of Shakespeare's plays feature servants as characters, and many of these characters play prominent roles, surprisingly little attention has been paid to them or to the concept of service. "A Place in the Story" is the first book-length overview of the uses Shakespeare makes of servant-characters and the early modern concept of service. Service was not only a fact of life in Shakespeare's era, but also a complex ideology. The book discusses service both as an ideal and an insult, examines how servants function in the plays, and explores the language of service. Other topics include loyalty, advice, messengers, conflict, disobedience, and violence. Servants were an intrinsic part of early modern life and Shakespeare found servant-characters and the concept of service useful in many different ways. Linda Anderson teaches at Virginia Polytechnic University.


In order to implement visible light communications (VLC) through indoor lighting, a set of challenges arise due to conflicting requirements from the two missions. In this paper we examine one of these challenges: how to communicate when the lights are "off." We investigate VLC with limits on transmit power, which we define to be low enough so that users will accept that the lights are in their "off" state. We argue that these limits vary based on levels of natural illumination already present in the environment. Our analysis shows that we can meet the limits while providing robust data coverage by using VLC devices of low complexity. The result is an important step toward ensuring acceptance and adoption of VLC technology.


The role of science, technology, and engineering in solving Africa's most challenging economic problems—from telecommunications to agriculture to infectious diseases—is no longer in question. However, some leading international organizations undermine the role of innovation in development. The time has come for the scientific community to advance a new generation of international organizations that expressly promote scientific cooperation—agencies that can help foster technological cooperation for Africa's economic transformation.


This study analyzed specialist smalland medium-sized agricultural export firms in Egypt in order to identify perceived opportunities and barriers regarding present and future export activities. The results indicate that these firms have to deal with stiff foreign competition in terms of price and quality criteria, while lacking relevant knowledge and information on how to deal with these challenges. The firms that perceived most future opportunities from exports were identified as using e.g. digital information sources and were able to source products from exportcommitted domestic farmers.


Our paper examines variation in individual job opportunities of Swiss men and women of two birth cohorts and the factors accounting for this variation. Differences in job opportunities and the structure of these have seldom been a topic of empirical research, mostly due to difficult and complex measurement issues. This paper contributes to this open field of research, first, by applying a measure for time-dependent individual job opportunities and, second, by analysing the extent to which individual job opportunities depend on supply- and demand-side factors.
The analyses are based on two data sets. The Swiss Job Monitor provides annual occupation-level information on the number of advertised jobs, helping us to construct indicators for individual job opportunities and the overall labor demand. The Swiss Life History Study provides monthly individual-level information on occupational careers of two birth cohorts. We link the two data sets, transform the data into person-years and apply linear regression analysis. The results show that similar factors determine individual job opportunities of men and women. They depend on the overall economic situation, the occupational growth rate as well as on age, human capital, and occupational credentials. However, the respective weight of these factors differs for men and women. Demand-side factors play a more important role for men's job opportunities. Supply-side factors – and occupational credentials in particular – seem to be more important for women.


Upon introducing aesthetic judgment in his Critique of Judgment , Kant proceeds to focus almost exclusively on elucidating positive aesthetic judgment.  In the face of the conspicuous absence of negative judgment, scholars debate whether it is possible at all in Kant?s aesthetics. In the field of environmental aesthetics, an analogous issue exists.  Environmental philosophers adhering to a positive aesthetics of nature position claim that, for the most part, only positive aesthetic evaluations are appropriate for ?virgin? nature.  After examining whether negative judgments are possible in Kant, I apply the results to the positive aesthetics of nature position and argue that not only are negative judgments of nature possible, but that a Kantian analysis threatens the viability of the positive aesthetics position.  Alternatively, acceptance of positive aesthetics requires an abandonment of Kantian aesthetic theory.


Islamophobic hate crime continues to be a significant social problem throughout the United Kingdom. It is now well established that hate crimes can cause heightened levels of anger, fear and anxiety amongst those who are directly targeted. However, it has largely been assumed that such incidents have negative emotional and social impacts on other members of the victim's community. Using a large scale survey, this chapter will provide the first quantitative examination of the indirect (community) impacts of hate crimes on members of UK Muslim communities. The study found that simply knowing a victim of an Islamophobic hate crime can have emotional and behavioural effects that are comparable with those who have experienced direct forms of victimisation. This indirect experience was found to increase other group members' perceptions of threat and their feelings of anger and anxiety. In addition, they were more likely to report avoidant and security-related behavioural intentions and hold negative attitudes towards the Government and certain criminal justice agencies. However, not all impacts were intrinsically negative to community wellbeing. Indirect victimisation was also found to have a mobilising effect on Muslim communities, with many individuals likely to experience enhanced ties to their community and a strengthening of their Muslim identity.


: In the design research workshop Mapping Invisibility, undocumented immigrants and other participants undertook collective mapping in Amsterdam. The aim was to investigate the day to day practices of undocumented immigrants and to look for ways to make parts of those practices visible and perceptible for others – precisely because much of the life of the undocumented is about invisibility. In the workshop (at least) two cartographers – an undocumented immigrant (guide) and a participant (guest) – walked the city together. The walk was tracked via a web application on a mobile phone with GPS and visualised in real time on a digital map that could be viewed by others on a website. The undocumented immigrant guided the participant to places which represented a certain emotion or feeling for them. On the map, as it evolved, particular places would light up, representing the feeling associated with them. Along the way, the conversation between guide and guest was recorded, and these audio recordings stored in a location-based archive that makes 'unheard' stories available to 'the public'. At the departure point of the original walk, using a mobile phone as a navigational device, at any time, invisible storylines can be downloaded as mp3s. The story remains audible as long as the listener stays on the same route.


We have used positron tomography (PET) to demonstrate that some parts of the motor system exhibit physiological adaptation during the repeated performance of a simple motor task, but others do not. In contrast to the primary sensori-motor cortex, the cerebellum exhibits a decrease in physiological activation (increases in regional blood flow during performance) with practice. A new application of factorial experimental design to PET activation studies was used to make these measurements in four normal males. This design allow ed adaptation to be examined by testing for an interaction between regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) increases brought about by a motor task and the number of trials (time). These findings are interpreted as the neurophysiological correlates of synaptic changes in the cerebellum associated with motor learning in man.


This paper analyses the governance of foreign mining investment in the Asia-Pacific region. After surveying relevant literature on regulatory regimes, the paper draws on the seminal work by Stern and Holder (1999) to evaluate the regulatory issues in China, India, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. Our analyses indicate six key regional challenges: regulatory overlap, regulatory capture and a lack of independence from government, lack of impartiality, lack of transparency, inadequate stakeholder engagement and access to regulator, and a lack of institutional capacity. These issues are more pronounced in some countries than in others. Finally, policy implications which may aide regional governments to improve governance infrastructure in their mining sectors are outlined.


Since the mid-1980s, the U.S. Department of Justice has increasingly used criminal charges as a means to affect regulatory policy. From the Wall Street prosecutions by Rudy Guiliani to the current indictments, convictions, and investigation of Enron executives, the seeming recent legal trend has been for federal prosecutors to interpret some business activity in areas either loosely regulated or where regulatory boundaries are fuzzy or sometimes non-existent as being criminal in nature. The authors attempt to determine whether the focus of prosecution on so-called white-collar crime has changed from the way it was conducted in the past. Their research finds that much of current white-collar prosecution reflects a different interpretation of what is considered criminal behavior in business activity and reflects an alternative path of government regulation of business. Key Words: white-collar crimes, regulation of business activity, trends in regulation 1 Introduction In a recent paper, Yandle and Morriss (2004) outline what they believe is a disturbing trend in government regulation: the growing tendency of federal agencies - especially the Environmental Protection Agency - to engage in what they call "the filing of lawsuits for the purpose of regulation" (p. 401). This activity, which Viscuzi (2002) and Yandle, Morriss, and Kosnik (2002) refer to as regulation by litigation, adds to the power that regulatory agencies already possess, allowing them not only to implement and enforce existing regulations but also to use the courts to impose new rules and agreements that do not exist either in the law or the regulation manuals. Those authors write that the results have been quite favorable to government agencies, and they cite the example of the EPA's recent settlement with U.S. truck manufacturers whom the agency sued to force them to redesign their engines to meet standards that were not on the books. From tobacco companies to electric utilities, the courtrooms have been a new staging ground for government agencies to force American businesses to change their policies - despite the fact that those policies are legal and fall within regulatory proscriptions. An obvious question here involves why the courts would permit this form of regulation through litigation to proceed, especially since the defendants were operating within the scope of the law, something that Yandle and Morriss do not address in their paper. While it is impossible to know what judges are thinking, the precedent of the courts deferring to the executive branch on matters of regulation and legal interpretation has long been established since the Great Depression, something with which we examine later in this paper. This deference toward the executive branch, we believe, is one reason that the courts permit such action by regulatory agencies. We demonstrate in this paper that this trend to use the courts, and particularly federal courts, to bring about changes in business policy is not limited to civil actions. Indeed, an additional trend has been underway in the federal justice system: the criminalization of many business practices that either are otherwise legal or, at worst, are in the "gray" area of the law and regulatory policy. Institutional incentives play a role in this phenomenon. The current legal climate in the United States strongly rewards U.S. attorneys who engage in regulatory criminalization, as well as the regulators who advocate the process. The most famous federal prosecutor to follow such a course is Rudolph Guiliani, who as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York during the 1980s rode the prosecutions of Michael Milken and other Wall Street traders and investment firms to fame and fortune in politics and beyond, even becoming Time Magazine's "Man of the Year" in 2001. There seems to be little or no down-side to following Guiliani's example, at least in terms of career and political benefits. …


The Sydney Opera House, with its vast cost overruns and its years of delay, is a glaring example of misbegotten notions of structural honesty. MIT's Kresge Auditorium was conceived for visual effect without regard for technological flaws that arose from the misapplied criteria of form-follows function and forced its closing for more than a year. And in the building of Boston's John Hancock Tower, structural imperatives, were literally thrown to the winds. These are just a few of the eases in which the role of technology in the design of a large scale building has been either neglected or confused. In this book Robert Mark shows how an understanding of the technology of historical architecture can illuminate, even help eliminate, such costly misconceptions. Mark focuses on three eras - ancient Rome, the era of structural experimentation in High Gothic architecture, and the time of the great Renaissance domes - that have had lasting impacts on architectural planning. He makes full use of sophisticated computer modeling to gain new insights into early design methods insights that allow him to reinterpret technological precedents that are often misunderstood in contemporary architecture. Mark's provocative findings provide a stronger technological focus for architectural history and a basis for more rational criticism of contemporary design. Robert Mark Professor of Architecture and Civil Engineering at Princeton University, is the author of "Experiments in Gothic Structure. "Much of the work covered in "Light, Wind, and Structure "served as the basis for the Nova/WGBH television program "The Mystery of the Master Builders." The book is included in the Sloan New Liberal Arts Series.


GISELLE, an aspiring ballerina, took Illinois Virtual High School (IVHS) courses during her junior year and the following summer in order to graduate early and spend what would have been her senior year touring the country with her ballet troupe. (1) Now, having graduated from her high school, she is taking IVHS Advanced Placement classes to improve her chances of getting into the college of her choice. Leslie missed all her courses in the second half of her sophomore year because she was pregnant. She was highly motivated to get her diploma but had a lot of courses to make up, a baby to care for, and no money for child care at night, when her school offered credit-recovery courses. In her junior and senior years, she took courses through the Michigan Virtual High School (MVHS) half time in addition to her regular courses. Thanks to the flexible scheduling of MVHS, she was able to do the coursework while caring for her baby and graduated on time, with honors. She is currently enrolled in a community college and plans to finish her college degree by taking courses part time. A quiet and slightly built youngster, Sidney was a social outcast among the tough, macho youths in his classes and was consistently bullied and harassed. Despite the inhospitable environment for learning, he managed to complete all the necessary courses for high school graduation except one English course, which was offered at his school at night. His mother, fearful of the youth gangs in the area, refused to let Sidney attend night school, so he enrolled in the English class through the Florida Virtual School (FLVS) and is completing the work from his home computer. He is scheduled to graduate with his class. IVHS, MVHS, and FLVS personnel confirm that these are not isolated success stories. Rather, they are typical of the reports coming out of these programs, as well from many of the other 19 statewide virtual schools around the U.S. (2) Students venture down the electronic paths of an online-learning cyberworld so that they may better negotiate the increasingly complex and demanding real-world terrain of contemporary life. Virtual schools--programs that offer regular school courses in distance-education formats--slipped onto the American education scene under the radar of most educators about a decade ago. Utah's Electronic High School, FLVS, and the Concord Consortium's Virtual High School began operations in the mid-1990s. Today, many people may still not be aware that virtual schooling is one of the fastest-growing areas in K-12 education. In its 2005 report, the National Center for Education Statistics found that, as of 2003, 36% of U.S. school districts had students participating in virtual courses for a total of more than 300,000 students. (3) And this number is projected to explode in the coming decade. Many students enroll in online programs to take advanced courses or to accelerate the pace of their study, as Giselle did; many others seek credit-recovery courses like those that allowed Leslie and Sidney to earn their high school diplomas. But there are a variety of other reasons as well. Students turn to virtual schools when their own school lacks the resources to offer the courses they want or need, or when physical handicaps or disciplinary problems prevent them from attending a face-to-face classroom, or simply because they want the flexibility--or sometimes the invisibility--that they feel virtual courses offer. Home-schooled students are also a growing part of the consumer base for virtual courses. So why, in light of their obvious popularity and value, do many policy makers, educators, and parents view virtual schools with suspicion that approaches alarm? Objections both political and philosophical surround the topic of virtual schools. Claims and counterclaims swirl around issues of funding, credit, certification, and even whether or not the whole idea of learning without the teacher and student being in the same room is socially desirable or morally acceptable. …