How accurate are survey-based measures of social media use, in particular about political topics? We answer this question by linking original survey data collected during the U.S. 2016 election campaign with respondents' observed social media activity. We use supervised machine learning to classify whether these Twitter and Facebook account data are content related to politics. We then benchmark our survey measures on frequency of posting about politics and the number of political figures followed. We find that, on average, our self-reported survey measures tend to correlate with observed social media activity. At the same time, we also find a worrying amount of individual-level discrepancy and problems related to extreme outliers. Our recommendations are twofold. The first is for survey questions about social media use to provide respondents with options covering a wider range of activity, especially in the long tail. The second is for survey questions to include specific content and anchors defining what it means for a post to be "about politics."


Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) from Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) and toxic shock-like syndrome (TSLS) are rare entities that have yet to be described in a burn patient. We report the case of a patient with 72% total body surface area burn that simultaneously developed GBS NF and TSLS. Aggressive measures were required for complete recovery. J Med Cases. 2018;9(1):26-28 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jmc2910w


[1] High-resolution down-core analyses of the solid phase content of total barium (Batot) and total organic carbon (TOC) back to 25 kyr B.P. were performed on a gravity core from the upper continental slope off Cape Yubi (Morocco). The observed discrepancy between the two potential paleoproductivity proxies, Batot and TOC, initiated supplementary examinations of the pore water, the geochemistry of the clay fraction, X-ray diffraction analyses, and the application of a sequential Ba extraction method of selected samples. Additionally, we analyzed down-core samples of the planktonic foraminifera Turborotalita quinqueloba and Globorotalia inflata for their Ba/Ca ratios. These analyses, which were performed for the first time on these species, were used to reconstruct past oceanic Ba concentrations. We suggest that in the study area, which is characterized by high accumulation rates, the preserved TOC content is a valuable proxy for past primary productivity, whereas the solid phase Batot contents appear to be affected by other mechanisms and factors. Peaks of total barium content in the clay fraction and of Ba/Ca ratios in the planktonic foraminifera shells found during the Younger Dryas and the Heinrich 1 event are likely to result from increased meltwater influx into the northern North Atlantic. We suggest that Ba-enriched meltwater was transmitted by the eastern boundary current system from higher latitudes to the region of the Canary Islands. Total barium contents of the clay fraction (Batot,clay) and Ba/Ca in planktonic foraminifera shells seem to be reliable proxies for this discharge of meltwater.


In this paper a technique to compute the 3-axis toolpath for a thin-wall component is presented aiming at maximizing the engagement conditions, keeping the geometry in tolerance. The toolpath generation is based on the static deflection of the component, predicted by coupling a mechanistic model of the cutting forces with a FE model of the workpiece, including, at each machining step, material removal mechanism. The algorithm follows the milling cycle in the reverse order: starts from the finished part, computes the maximum allowable radial depth of cut, and, adding material accordingly, generates the toolpath until the stock is built. The proposed technique has been experimentally validated, proving its effectiveness.


TRPS1 mRNA is more highly expressed in androgen-dependent lymph node carcinoma of prostatefast growing colony (LNCaP-FGC) compared with androgen-independent lymph node carcinoma of prostate-lymph node original (LNCaP-LNO) prostate cancer cell lines. Furthermore, TRPS1 mRNA expression is down-regulated by androgens in LNCaP-FGC cells, a process mediated by the androgen receptor (AR). Here, we present TRPS1 protein expression in human prostate cancer material derived from a panel of six androgen-dependent and eight androgen-independent human prostate cancer xenografts. TRPS1 protein is expressed in all androgen-dependent xenografts, which also express AR and prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Androgen withdrawal by castration resulted in an increase in TRPS1 protein in two androgen-dependent xenografts, indicating relieved repression by action of AR. TRPS1 protein is expressed in four androgen-independent xenografts and is low or absent in the other four androgen-independent xenografts. Androgen withdrawal by castration demonstrates that TRPS1 protein levels remain the same in 1 androgen-independent xenograft, most likely due to the lack of AR expression. These data show that TRPS1 protein expression is regulated by androgens via the AR in human prostate cancer xenografts. Analysis of TRPS1 mRNA expression in normal and tumour tissue of the prostate and 18 other human tissues, showed that TRPS1 had the highest mRNA expression levels in normal and tumour tissues of breast. In addition, high TRPS1 mRNA and protein expression levels were observed in four out of five human breast cancer cell lines. In conclusion, TRPS1 protein expression is down-regulated by androgens in human prostate cancer, and analysis of TRPS1 mRNA expression levels in several human tissues showed that the highest levels were observed in normal and tumour breast tissue. Endocrine-Related Cancer (2004) 11 815–822


Popular images of prohibition include rum-runners trying to elude revenuers, all of whom tend to be male. When women are thought of, it is often as Carry Nation-type fanatics, wielding hatchets in saloons, smashing liquor bottles and furniture. There were women fanatic about enforcing prohibition, but there were also women who circumvented the Eighteenth Amendment. Along the U.S.-Mexico border women fit into both of these categories. The border area was especially fertile for pro- and anti-prohibition activities because Mexico had no limitations on alcohol consumption or production. Prohibition supporters saw the lack of restrictions in Mexico as a threat to U.S. enforcement, while others saw opportunities to avoid prohibition, or to illegally profit from it. Women were involved in these activities as members of organizations, and as individuals, on both sides of the border. Some of these women acted with a specific socially approved goal in mind, such as morality, while others pursued individual gain, and some were simply struggling to survive. This diversity of women's responses to prohibition along the U.S.-Mexico border is discussed here.


Effective tactile sensing for artificial platforms remains an open issue in robotics. This study investigates the performance of a soft biologically-inspired artificial fingertip in active exploration tasks. The fingertip sensor replicates the mechanisms within human skin and offers a robust solution that can be used both for tactile sensing and gripping/manipulating objects. The softness of the optical sensor's contact surface also allows safer interactions with objects. High-level tactile features such as edges are extrapolated from the sensor's output and the information is used to generate a tactile image. The work presented in this paper aims to investigate and evaluate this artificial fingertip for 2D shape reconstruction. The sensor was mounted on a robot arm to allow autonomous exploration of different objects. The sensor and a number of human participants were then tested for their abilities to track the raised perimeters of different planar objects and compared. By observing the technique and accuracy of the human subjects, simple but effective parameters were determined in order to evaluate the artificial system's performance. The results prove the capability of the sensor in such active exploration tasks, with a comparable performance to the human subjects despite it using tactile data alone whereas the human participants were also able to use proprioceptive cues.


Objective Adolescents in southern African high schools are a key population for HIV prevention interventions. We report on the prevalence of HIV, HSV-2 and pregnancy as indicators of high-risk sexual behaviour among high school students in rural KwaZulu-Natal. Design Bio-behavioural cross-sectional survey. Methods Students completed a self-administered structured, standardised demographic and sexual behavioural questionnaire. Dried blood spot specimens were collected for HIV and HSV-2 testing. Urine specimens were used for pregnancy testing in female students. Results A total of 2675 (1423 females, 1252 males) consenting students were enrolled from 14 high schools between September and November 2010. The median age of students was 16 years (IQR 15–18). HIV prevalence was 1.4% (95% CI 0.9 to 1.9) in males and 6.4% (95% CI 4.6 to 8.3) in females (p<0.001). HSV-2 prevalence was 2.6% (95% CI 1.6 to 3.7) in males and 10.7% (95% CI 8.8 to 12.6) in females (p<0.001). Pregnancy prevalence was 3.6% (95% CI 2.6 to 4.5). Risk factors for prevalent HIV infection in female students included being over 18 years of age (adjusted OR (aOR)=2.67, 95% CI 1.67 to 4.27; p<0.001), prevalent HSV-2 infection (aOR=4.35, 95% CI 2.61 to 7.24; p<0.001), previous pregnancy (aOR=1.66, 95% CI 1.10 to 2.51; p=0.016) and experience of two or more deaths in the household in the previous year (aOR=1.97, 95% CI 1.13 to 3.44; p=0.016). Conclusions The high prevalence of HIV, HSV-2 and pregnancy underscore the need for school-based sexual and reproductive health services, and provide further impetus for the inclusion of adolescents in behavioural and biomedical trials with HIV incidence endpoints.


This paper presents a methodology for generating formally proven equivalence theorems between decompiled x86-64 machine code and big step semantics. These proofs are built on top of two additional contributions. First, a robust and tested formal x86-64 machine model containing small step semantics for 1625 instructions. Second, a decompilation-into-logic methodology supporting both x86-64 assembly and machine code at large scale. This work enables black-box binary verification, i.e., formal verification of a binary where source code is unavailable. As such, it can be applied to safety-critical systems that consist of legacy components, or components whose source code is unavailable due to proprietary reasons. The methodology minimizes the trusted code base by leveraging machine-learned semantics to build a formal machine model. We apply the methodology to several case studies, including binaries that heavily rely on the SSE2 floating-point instruction set, and binaries that are obtained by compiling code that is obtained by inlining assembly into C code.


Automatic speech recognition is now playing an important role in volume control and adjustment of modern smart speakers. According to the recognition results by using the advanced deep neural network technology, this paper proposes an efficient processing system for automatic volume control (AVC) and limiter. The theoretical analyses, subjective and objective testing results show that the proposed processing system can offer a significant improvement for speech recognition performance during audio playback and improvement for audio playback performance in smart speakers. Driven by input data and audio contents, the proposed AVC is able to adaptively learn and track an effective signal level at the speed corresponding to the width of transient sound; the adaptation is frozen in the case of silence and noise periods. The proposed limiter measures the peaks and can guarantee that no peak will go over the predetermined peak threshold so as to avoid clipping and harmonic distortions.


Compaction of chromosomes in the eukaryotic cell is due to interactions between DNA and proteins and interactions between proteins. These two types of interaction form a dynamic structure, known as "chromatin". The condensation of chromatin must be carefully regulated, since the structure is an obstacle for factors that need access to the DNA. An extensive range of components, one group of which is the ATP-dependent chromatin remodel-ling complexes, controls the accessibility of DNA. These complexes have been studied in a variety of eukaryotic systems, and their functions in major events in the cell, such as replication, DNA-repair and transcription have been established, as have their roles in the assembly and maintenance of chromatin. All of the complexes contain a highly conserved ATPase, which belongs to the SWI2/SNF2 family of proteins, one group of which is known as the ISWI proteins. There are two forms of ISWI in human, known as "SNF2h" and "SNF2l".We have identified a human SNF2h-assembly, B-WICH, that consists of SNF2h, William's syndrome transcription factor (WSTF), nuclear myosin (NM1), and a number of additional nuclear proteins including the Myb-binding protein 1a (Myb bp1a), SF3b155/SAP155, the RNA helicase II/Guα, the proto-oncogene Dek, and the Cockayne Syndrome protein B (CSB). The 45S rRNA, 5S rRNA and 7SL RNA are all parts of the B-WICH assembly. The formation of B-WICH depends on active transcription, and is implicated in the regulation of both RNA transcription by both pol I and pol III. The B-WICH provides a link between RNA and the chromatin structure.


Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established surgical therapy for medically refractory tremor disorders including essential tremor (ET) and is currently under investigation for use in a variety of other neurologic and psychiatric disorders. There is growing evidence that the anti‐tremor effects of DBS for ET are directly related to modulation of the dentatorubrothalamic tract (DRT), a white matter pathway that connects the cerebellum, red nucleus, and ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus. Emerging white matter targets for DBS, like the DRT, will require improved three‐dimensional (3D) reference maps of deep brain anatomy and structural connectivity for accurate electrode targeting. High‐resolution diffusion MRI of postmortem brain specimens can provide detailed volumetric images of important deep brain nuclei and 3D reconstructions of white matter pathways with probabilistic tractography techniques. We present a high spatial and angular resolution diffusion MRI template of the postmortem human brainstem and thalamus with 3D reconstructions of the nuclei and white matter tracts involved in ET circuitry. We demonstrate registration of these data to in vivo, clinical images from patients receiving DBS therapy, and correlate electrode proximity to tractography of the DRT with improvement of ET symptoms. Hum Brain Mapp 36:3167–3178, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


As wearables get more complex and closer to the skin, so do the requirements for the packaging and the placement of the electrical components. The advent of 3D-printers and flexible printing materials provide means of building fabric-like structures. We tested a flexible material without moving micro- or meso-structures, as the material itself would be fabric-like. Tests were conducted according to SFS-EN ISO 13934-1, suggesting directions for using printable materials. In the end, we created a corselet and a corset, along with a connector suited for attaching various materials together.


The efficient resource circulation of rare metals is one of the most important economic and political issues in an industrialized society. Rare and noble metals in e-wastes should be collected separately, treated by advanced processes, and then supplied as raw materials for high technology material production. In Japan, the home appliance recycling law was established in 2001 for recovery of base metals (Fe, Al, Cu, etc.), plastics and flons, subject to large electrical appliances such as TV's, air conditioners, washing machines and refrigerators. After a long-term discussion, the recycling law of small household electrical appliances has been legislated in 2013 for the recovery of rare or noble metals in cellular phones, digital cameras, PC's, printers, DVD players, game consoles, etc. On the other hand, there are many sorts of industrial wastes containing rare metals. Typical waste categories are classified as (1) effluents from plating plants or wastewater treatment industries, (2) e-wastes from electronic substrates, household appliances, and many kinds of batteries, (3) automobiles, tools and structural materials and (4) wastes from incinerators, melting furnaces and power stations. However, a small amount of rare metals in these industrial wastes has not been extracted intentionally, but usually disposed at landfill sites. The new concept of "rare metal recovery complex" (RMRC) is now derived in order to collect the wastes containing rare metals and give them mechanical, physical and chemical treatments in a systematic complex plant. We refer to this infrastructure in Japan as "urban mining", which enables the minimum use of energy and reagents required for the crushing/shredding, separation and purification processes of rare metals. The present paper introduces the recent progress of rare metal recycling in Japan in the context of RMRC.


We investigated the polarization-mode dispersion (PMD) tolerance for 40Gb/s non-return to zero (NRZ), duobinary NRZ, return to zero (RZ), carrier-suppressed RZ (CS-RZ), and duobinary-carrier-suppressed RZ (DCS-RZ) modulation formats with a forward error correction (FEC) coding. The power penalty has been calculated as a measure of the system performance due to PMD. After comparison of the PMD tolerance of various modulation formats, our results suggest that RZ signals have the best tolerance against the effect of first-order PMD only. The duobinary NRZ modulation format is most resilient to PMD when both first- and second-order PMD are considered. However, the duobinary NRZ modulation format is the most sensitive to the incident angle of the input signal to a fiber axis in the presence of first- and second-order PMD, leading to incident angle-dependent power penalty. The coding gain by FEC can cope with the power penalties induced by first- and second-order PMD up to a DGD value of 16ps.


ACR Open Rheumatology Vol. 3, No. 6, June 2021, pp 403 © 2021 The Authors. ACR Open Rheumatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Rheumatology. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.


Through ethnographic research amongst farmers in the North York Moors, and through broader historical and political analysis, I examine the importance and role of values in hard work and beneficent change in negotiated interactions between policy-makers, farmers and conservationists. Within the context of a shift in agricultural support away from production to environmental protection, and within the context of a local conservation initiative to protect a population of freshwater pearl mussels in the River Esk, I show the importance of these values for the construction of farmers' personhoods and their symbolic relations and means of expression through the landscape. I show how those values are persistent and pervasive, yet at the same time mutable and open to interpretation. In particular, I examine alternative conceptions of beneficent change through recourse to the words fettle and improvement. Fettling places value in long-term, steady and incremental change, whereas improvement places value in changes more closely associated with productivist ideals such as expansion and profit. I suggest that it is the mutability of farming values that gives rise to their persistence as they come to be used and reinterpreted according to the changing contexts of their application and the differing interests of a range of groups and individuals. By showing that farmers are able to uphold and express their values differently I argue that it is not so straightforward to predict farmers' responses to changing political exigencies or local conservation initiatives on the basis of homogenous values or the categorisation of farmers into defined "types". Through a rhetoric-culture approach I argue that changes in farming values through time do not merely reflect changing political interests and farmers' subsequent accommodation of them. Rather, it reflects the continued negotiation of those values between farmers and others in the play of agents and patients in the construction of personhood and the formulation of arguments. I argue that the persistence of fettling interpretations of a value in beneficent change reflects the agentive actions of farmers as it remains a useful argumentative strategy with which they can make indictments against new policy impositions and, moreover, it remains functional in guiding their practices in ways suitable to the environment in which they farm.


Modern three-dimensional (3-D) photon dose calculation algorithms need to be fast and accurate if they are to be practical for treatment optimization. Refinements to a previously proposed finite-size pencil beam (FSPB) method are presented in order to fulfill these needs. Specifically, a fast Fourier transform (FFT) convolution technique is used to speed calculation of the FSPB; the fluence spectrum is modeled, and the effects of finite source size, a Gaussian x-ray source intensity profile and partial transmission through a multileaf collimator (MLC) leaf are approximated. The use of FFT techniques in the calculation of small diverging fields involves approximations that are investigated for a 6 MV beam and shown to introduce errors that vary with energy but do not exceed 0.7% on the central axis. Dose distributions calculated by FSPB superposition are in excellent agreement with those calculated by full field FFT convolution. Two key advances over the original implementation of the FSPB model are demonstrated: the fast calculation of the FSPB facilitates development, and the incorporation of realistic beam parameters enables accurate modeling of clinical beams.


Background: During cardiopulmonary resuscitation, family members are usually pushed out of the resuscitation room. However, growing literature implies that family presence during resuscitation could be beneficial. Some health organizations worldwide such as American Heart Association and the Resuscitation Council in the UK supports family-witnessed resuscitation (FWR) and urge hospitals to develop policies to ease this process. The opinions on FWR vary widely among various cultures, and some hospitals are not applying such polices yet. This is the first study which explores the Saudi family members' opinion for family witness resuscitation in adult critical care setting. Objectives: To investigate whether patient's next of kin would like to have been present in the resuscitation room during attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) of their relative and their experience or knowledge of what is involved in CPR. Subjects and Methods: A retrospective, descriptive telephone survey of families of patients who had admitted in critical cares areas from January 2016 to June 2016. A family presence survey was developed to determine the desires, beliefs, and concerns about FWR. Results: Out of the 235 respondents, 143 (60.9%) wanted to be present in the room of their loved one just before death while CPR was going on. One hundred and eighty-two (77.4%) of the respondents believed that the family members should be with their loved one before death. More than half, i.e., 141 (60.0%) of the respondents believed that their presence might have eased the suffering of the deceased. One hundred and fifty-seven (66.8%) of the family members thought that their presence with the deceased in their last moments could have helped their sorrows and sadness. Conclusion: Most relatives of patients requiring CPR would like to be offered the possibility of being in the resuscitation room; this could have several benefits, so this study suggests that institutions should consider establishing programs of witnessed cardiopulmonary resuscitation for family members.


This is the only career series designed expressly to turn passions into paychecks! These inspiring books let career explorers look at the job market through the unique lens of their own interests. Each book reveals dozens of ways to pursue a passion and make a living--including the training and education needed to polish hobbies and interests into satisfying careers.


Rather than relying on chance delivery of larvae to experimental field substrata, we developed a field caging method to expose lab-reared crab megalopae to natural cues that could affect timing of molting to the first crab stage. Uca pugnax megalopae were placed in plastic mesh cages containing freshly collected sediments from a marsh occupied by U. pugnax, or similar sediments that had been combusted to remove organic material. Cages of each sediment type were placed at identical tidal elevations in a Spartina alterniflora marsh for 1 or 3 d of exposure to natural seawater. Significantly more megalopae molted in cages containing fresh than combusted marsh sediments (90% vs 32%. ANOVA F,,,= 53.95, p < 0.001) after a 3 d penod of exposure. Three days after the 1 d exposure period. nearly all megalopae from cages of both sediment types had molted. Furthermore, all sibling megalopae remaining In the lab during the field experiment fa~led to molt. High rates of molting of megalopae caged in the marsh w ~ t h natural and combusted sediments ind~cate that chemical substances both in the water overlying the marsh and associated with marsh sediments stimulated molting of megalopae.


The article traces the way admissibility jurisprudence following Daubert has come to emphasize the importance of strict judicial gatekeeping; making it more difficult for plaintiffs to succeed in tort and product liability litigation. This exclusionary ethos appears to have been shaped by a range of values and interests which appear closely aligned to the perspectives promoted by corporate-sponsored proponents of tort and evidence reform. The effects of the exclusionary ethos are explored through an example of judicial gatekeeping in recent mobile telephone litigation and a review of judicial surveys of post-Daubert attitudes toward expert evidence. The role of corporate-sponsored amicus briefs in the influential Supreme Court Kumho Tire Co. Ltd. v Carmichael appeal, extra-legal mobilization by conservative think tanks in litigation around electric and magnetic fields (EMF), and a qualitative citation analysis of federal court judgments, are then used in a preliminary attempt to trace the influence of corporate lobbying and social problem rhetorics on judicial attitudes and practice.


Hypoxia, regions of low oxygen, occurs in a range of biological environments, and is involved in human diseases, most notably solid tumours. Exploiting the physiological differences arising from low oxygen conditions provides an opportunity for development of targeted therapies, through the use of bioreductive prodrugs, which are selectively activated in hypoxia. Herein, we describe an improved method for synthesising the most widely used bioreductive group, 2-nitroimidazole. The improved method is applied to an efficient synthesis of the anti-cancer drug Evofosfamide (TH-302), which is currently in Phase III clinical trials for treatment of a range of cancers.


Among the birds and the eggs from the Netherlands received by 's Rijks Museum van Natuurlijke Historie in 1930 there are some ones of special interest, which I mention in the following lines: Daption capense (Linnaeus). Some days ago I received from Mr. J. J. TER PELKWIJK at the Hague the imperfect skull of a petrel, that has been found by Mr. S. BAKKER at the Hague between half August and half September 1930 on the shore of Hoek van Holland north of the Noorderpier. Comparing the skull with skeletons in our collection, I found that it belongs to the Cape Petrel, Daption capense (L.). This is the second time that this species is recorded from the Netherlands, for in the beginning of last century a specimen of the Cape Petrel has been found dead near Sloterdijk in the neighbourhood of Amsterdam, which is described and figured in the 4th volume of NOZEMAN en SEPP, Nederlandsche Vogelen, 1809, p. 369, pi. 188, under the name of Procellaria puffinus, B. Linn. I did not include this species in my list of the birds of the Netherlands (Notes Leyden Mus. XXX, 1908—'09, p. 129), nor in my Ornithologia Neerlandica (Vol. I, 1922, p. 28), but now I think there is no longer reason to exclude it from the list. Not only from our country the Cape Petrel has been recorded, but also three times from the British Islands and at least twice as much from France. Puffinus puffinus (Brunnich). Our museum received from Mr. A. W. LACOURT at Leiden a specimen of the Manx Shearwater, picked up dead in bad condition on the shore near Katwijk 27 September 1929. The specimen was preserved in formaline; it is a female (alae 220 mm.). Skinning was impossible, only the


The ability to quantify soil–plant–atmosphere water, heat, and gaseous exchange is important for understanding the linkages between terrestrial ecosystems and Earth's climate. We combined a one‐dimensional vertical soil water flow and heat transport algorithm with a soil CO2 production and transport algorithm to study water, heat, and CO2 exchange for vegetated areas in cold climates that are subject to seasonal snow accumulation and soil water freeze–thaw. The model was applied to a semiarid high‐elevation mixed‐grass rangeland near Laramie, WY. Calibration was achieved by optimizing seven parameters describing plant growth respiration, soil profile CO2 production due to roots and microbes, and the depth distribution of roots and microbes using global parameter optimization. Modeling efficiency (ME) for the calibration and validation periods was high for soil temperature (ME = 0.93–0.96) and variable for soil water content (ME = −0.93 to 0.74), soil CO2 concentration (ME = 0.01–0.59), ecosystem respiration (Reco, ME = −0.71 to 0.59), and snow height (ME = 0.09). The calculated annual C budget for 2 yr yielded a gross primary production (GPP) of 92 to 107, an Reco of 183 to 188, and a net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of −81 to −90 g C m−2 yr−1. The NEE values, suggesting that the site served as a significant C source, were deemed unrealistic considering the fact that precipitation for the site was about average for both years. Sensitivity analysis was used to explore the impact of N‐limitation and soil–plant‐respiration parameters on GPP, Reco, and NEE.


This article brings together published ethnographic evidence from North America, Melanesia, Australia, and Africa to define a type of "relationship"—usually, but not exclusively, of kinship and affinity—which allows joking, teasing, and even insult and bullying in societies where respectful address is otherwise important. These practices are specific to certain peoples, but widespread and strikingly similar enough to merit close attention as a general human phenomenon. They also resemble practices in our own societies in instances where people escape from excessive formality into play. They are not, however, reducible to social psychological motivation. The relationships designated as "joking relations" are often between particular kin, affines, and marriageable categories in prescriptive marriage systems. Seen in this way, they also pattern with formalized avoidance—for example, between a man and his mother-in-law, and with the broader system of exchange and hierarchy, even approaching the drama and contest of the agonistic gift exchange of the potlatch kind. Indeed, there are ceremonial, aesthetic, and religious aspects to joking relations. The ethnography, and their authors' first interpretations, suggest that joking relations are systematically designated within social and kinship systems, where they define occasions and expressive forms for displaying particular dimensions of who one is.


Background: The global burden of heart failure (HF) is affecting at least 26 million people worldwide, and its incidence and prevalence are increasing. Management of patients suffering from HF requires a multidisciplinary management tool which is based on evidence-based practices. A clinical pathway (CP) has emerged as an essential strategy for knowledge transition, which helps in promoting effective health care in all disciplines of health care. The Objectives of the Study: The objectives of the study are to assess the effectiveness of a structured HF CP on nurses' knowledge and patient care outcomes in the Cardiology Department, AIIMS, New Delhi. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted among 71 nurses working in the cardiac care unit (CCU) and cardiology (CT3) ward and 60 admitted acute decompensated HF patients. The study had three phases: preimplementation phase, implementation phase, and postimplementation phase. The implementation of the structured HF CP was made through an education session for nurses. Results: The nurses' knowledge and the patients' outcomes were assessed and compared before and after implementation of the CP. The knowledge score of the nurses had improved statistically significantly from 11.38 ± 2.9 to 16.85 ± 2.4 (P < 0.0001), after the implementation of the structured HF CP. With regard to patient outcomes, the postimplementation group had significant improvement when compared with the preimplementation group in terms of administration of beta-blockers (P = 0.028) and vaccination (P = 0.037). There was a clinically significant reduction in the length of intensive care unit stay, length of hospital stays, in-hospital mortality, and 30-day readmission and mortality in the postimplementation group than that in the preimplementation group.Conclusion: The implementation of the structured HF CP has improved the knowledge of the nurses working in CCU and CT3 ward and has also enhanced the outcomes of patients admitted in the Cardiology Department, AIIMS, New Delhi.


Testosterone treatment stimulates red blood cell production and alters iron homeostasis. Thus, we investigated whether the 'hematological module' of the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) used by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) can be used to indicate misuse of testosterone. Nineteen eugonadal men received intramuscular injections of either 250 mg Sustanon®, a blend of four testosterone esters, or placebo on Day 0 and 21 in a randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind design. Urine samples and blood samples for the assessment of steroidal and hematological biomarkers of the ABP were collected twice pre-treatment, at least 5 days apart, and on days 1, 3, 5, 10 and 14 post-injections. The steroidal profile was flagged suspicious in all Sustanon®-treated subjects, while the hematological profile was flagged suspicious in 6 out of 9 subjects. When considering both sensitivity and specificity, RET% appeared as the best marker of the hematological module for implying testosterone ester misuse. Atypical blood passport samples were used to select time points for further isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) analysis of testosterone and its metabolites in simultaneously collected urine. The RET% and OFF-Score could, in addition to the T/E ratio, help identify suspicious samples for more targeted IRMS testing. The present results demonstrate that unexpected fluctuations in RET% can be indicative of testosterone doping if samples are collected 3-10 days after injection. From an anti-doping perspective, the hematological and steroidal modules of the ABP should complement each other when planning targeted follow-up testing and substantiating likely misuse of testosterone.


Background : Enteric fever is endemic in developing countries and frequently complicates with ileal perforation. Surgical intervention for the perforation is the usual treatment but attendant rate of postoperative complications high. It is unclear what the spec- trum of enteric fever perforations is in rural hospital practice in Kenya, where the diagnosis most often in intraoperative. Objective : To describe the surgical experience of typhoid perforations at a rural district hospital in Kenya. Patient and Methods : This was a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent laparotomies for peritonitis at the Kapenguria District Hospital in Kenya between April 2007 and October 2009. Data abstracted from patient files included demographics, presenting symptom, duration of symptoms, investigations (Widal and/or stool culture), operative management, complications, length of stay, and death. Widal test was indicative when titer was 1:160 for "O" antigen or above. Antimesenteric longitudinal perforation was assumed to be a complication of enteric fever. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 16.0.The results are presented in frequency tables, bar charts and pie charts. Results : Of the 50 files retrieved with diagnosis of peritonitis, 21(42%) were found at operation to have had ileal perforations. Of these 15(71.5%) had resection and primary anastomosis, 2(9.5%) had refreshening and anastomosis (simple anastomosis) and 4 (19%) had ileostomy. Male to female ratio was 4:1, majority were aged 6-15 years (38.1%). Wound infection was 8(38.1%), enterocutaneous fistulae were 7(33.3%), while 7(33.3%) required second laparotomy and 4(19%) were referred due to complications which could not be managed at this level. Mortality was 3(14.3%) and average length of stay was 17days. Conclusion : Morbidity and mortality arising from typhoid ileal perforation is high in this environment making it a major challenge in a resource poor environment. Prevention by use of protocols is highly recommended


This paper derives a dynamic version of the international CAPM. The exchange-rate risk factors and intertemporal hedging factors are derived endogenously in a model that builds upon Campbell (1993). We provide a theoretical foundation for empirical risk factors often used in international asset pricing, including dividend yields, forward premia and, especially, exchange-rate indices. The model nests the standard CAPM, the international CAPM and the dynamic CAPM. Empirically, the model performs quite well in explaining average foreign-exchange and stock market returns in the US, Japan, Germany and the UK, and exchange-risk and intertemporal hedging factors play some role in pricing these assets. However, while derived in a theoretically sound fashion, these new factors are proportional to covariances with the world market portfolio. Hence, for practical purpose, the model does not perform better than the standard CAPM model. We apply the model to explain returns on portfolios of high book-to-market stocks across countries, and  ̄nd that the exchange rate and intertemporal hedging factors do not help to predict these returns. Hence, they cannot account for the two-factor model proposed in Fama and French (1998). JEL Classi ̄cation Numbers: G12, G15


BACKGROUND. When the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus emerged in the United States, epidemiologic and clinical information about severe and fatal cases was limited. We report the first 47 fatal cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza in New York City. METHODS. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducted enhanced surveillance for hospitalizations and deaths associated with 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus. We collected basic demographic and clinical information for all patients who died and compared abstracted data from medical records for a sample of hospitalized patients who died and hospitalized patients who survived. RESULTS. From 24 April through 1 July 2009, 47 confirmed fatal cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza were reported to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Most decedents (60%) were ages 18-49 years, and only 4% were aged 65 years. Many (79%) had underlying risk conditions for severe seasonal influenza, and 58% were obese according to their body mass index. Thirteen (28%) had evidence of invasive bacterial coinfection. Approximately 50% of the decedents had developed acute respiratory distress syndrome. Among all hospitalized patients, decedents had presented for hospitalization later (median, 3 vs 2 days after illness onset; P < .05) and received oseltamivir later (median, 6.5 vs 3 days; P < .01) than surviving patients. Hospitalized patients who died were less likely to have received oseltamivir within 2 days of hospitalization than hospitalized patients who survived (61% vs 96%; P < .01). CONCLUSIONS. With community-wide transmission of 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus, timely medical care and antiviral therapy should be considered for patients with severe influenza-like illness or with underlying risk conditions for complications from influenza.


This study presents a review of the instrumental seismicity of the Norcia-Amatrice area (central Italy) where a still on-going seismic sequence started on August 24th 2016 with a Mw6.0 earthquake. The review is based on the analysis of the seismic catalogs 1981-2016, the CMT (Centroid Moment Tensor) solutions and the TDMT (Time Domain Moment Tensor) solutions, dividing the area into three regions based on the main seismic sequences preceding the Amatrice 2016 mainshock. The seismicity of this region is characterized by different types of activity: single events, minor sequences and swarms with hypocenters within the upper 15 km of the crust. Small-magnitude seismic sequences on March 2007 with maximum Mw3.9, and one earthquake on March 2012, Mw37, not followed by significant seismicity, affected the area east of the Norcia, close to the Mw 5.4 aftershock of the Amatrice 2016 sequence. In the central area, near Accumoli, and in the southern sector close to Amatrice, minor seismic sequences occurred on February 2014 Ml3.5 and on November 2013 Mw3.7 respectively. We integrated hypocentral locations and fault plane solutions to give a first look at the main features of the instrumental seismicity compared to the present seismic sequence in order to relate the seismicity patterns to seismogenic structures of this area of the central Italy.


This article examines the domestic and regional impact of a punitive media law introduced in Fiji in June. Decree No. 29 of 2010, the Media Industry Development Decree, is the first of its kind in the South Pacific. It brings to an end the tradition of media self-regulation, one of the hallmarks of a free media. All Fiji governments since independence have tried to introduce tougher media laws. The Bainimarama government, which took power in a coup in December 2006, has succeeded where others failed. Its media decree prescribes hefty fines and jail terms for journalists who fall foul of the law. Given the precedent in Fiji, it is unlikely that a future government will move to change this law, which could become a permanent fixture in the country. This article looks at the impact of the law in Fiji and raises the possibility of copycat laws in other island countries where governments distrust media. The article also questions the applicability of conventional journalistic approaches, which place a premium on conflict as a news element, in politically fragile island countries.


Background: CUB domain-containing protein 1 (CDCP1) is a cell surface receptor regulating key signalling pathways in malignant cells. CDCP1 has been proposed as a molecular target to abrogate oncogenic signalling pathways and specifically deliver anti-cancer agents to tumors. However, the development of CDCP1-targeting agents has been questioned by its frequent proteolytic processing which was thought to result in shedding of the CDCP1 extracellular domain limiting its targetability. In this study, we investigated the relevance of targeting CDCP1 in the context of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and assess the impact of CDCP1 proteolysis on the effectiveness of CDCP1 targeting agents. Methods: The involvement of CDCP1 in PDAC progression was assessed by association analysis in several PDAC cohorts and the proteolytic processing of CDCP1 was evaluated in PDAC cell lines and patient-derived cells. The consequences of CDCP1 proteolysis on its targetability in PDAC cells was assessed using immunoprecipitation, immunostaining and biochemical assays. The involvement of CDCP1 in PDAC progression was examined by loss-of-function in vitro and in vivo experiments employing PDAC cells expressing intact or cleaved CDCP1. Finally, we generated antibody-based imaging and therapeutic agents targeting CDCP1 to demonstrate the feasibility of targeting this receptor for detection and treatment of PDAC tumors. Results: High CDCP1 expression in PDAC is significantly associated with poorer patient survival. In PDAC cells proteolysis of CDCP1 does not always result in the shedding of CDCP1-extracellular domain which can interact with membrane-bound CDCP1 allowing signal transduction between the different CDCP1-fragments. Targeting CDCP1 impairs PDAC cell functions and PDAC tumor growth independently of CDCP1 cleavage status. A CDCP1-targeting antibody is highly effective at delivering imaging radionuclides and cytotoxins to PDAC cells allowing specific detection of tumors by PET/CT imaging and superior anti-tumor effects compared to gemcitabine in in vivo models. Conclusion: Independent of its cleavage status, CDCP1 exerts oncogenic functions in PDAC and has significant potential to be targeted for improved radiological staging and treatment of this cancer. Its elevated expression by most PDAC tumors and lack of expression by normal pancreas and other major organs, suggest that targeting CDCP1 could benefit a significant proportion of PDAC patients. These data support the further development of CDCP1-targeting agents as personalizable tools for effective imaging and treatment of PDAC.


The ability to design biological structures such as DNA or proteins would have considerable medical and industrial impact. Doing so presents a challenging black-box optimization problem characterized by the large-batch, low round setting due to the need for labor-intensive wet lab evaluations. In response, we propose using reinforcement learning (RL) based on proximal-policy optimization (PPO) for biological sequence design. RL provides a flexible framework for optimization generative sequence models to achieve specific criteria, such as diversity among the high-quality sequences discovered. We propose a model-based variant of PPO, DyNA-PPO, to improve sample efficiency, where the policy for a new round is trained offline using a simulator fit on functional measurements from prior rounds. To accommodate the growing number of observations across rounds, the simulator model is automatically selected at each round from a pool of diverse models of varying capacity. On the tasks of designing DNA transcription factor binding sites, designing antimicrobial proteins, and optimizing the energy of Ising models based on protein structure, we find that DyNA-PPO performs significantly better than existing methods in settings in which modeling is feasible, while still not performing worse in situations in which a reliable model cannot be learned.


lFour isomeric, unsaturated nitriles were hydrogenated, separately and as mixtures, over a Pd/alumina catalyst in a three-phase system at various pressures and temperatures. The nitriles were allylcyanide, cis- and trans-crotonitrile and methacrylonitrile and all have the general formula C4H5N. By varying hydrogenation conditions (temperatures, hydrogen pressure and substrate concentrations) activation energies and reaction orders were determined. Allylcyanide had the lowest activation energy because of the stability of its structure (non-conjugated) compared to the other substrates (conjugated). Reaction orders were -1, 0.5 and 1 for allylcyanide, crotonitrile and methacrylonitrile respectively. These findings indicate a difference in the strength of adsorption of each reactant, where allylcyanide is strongly adsorbed to the catalyst surface and methacrylonitrile weakly adsorbed. Isomerisation, which usually accompanies double bond hydrogenation in alkenes, was not observed. This lack of isomerisation may be due to the presence of more than one unsaturated group and the lack of an appropriate acid/base site on the support.
A range of different solvents were used to identify solvent effects for every isomer. A full kinetic analysis involving activation energies and reaction orders was undertaken for IPA and 1-propanol. An effect on reaction orders was observed and was believed to be related to competitive adsorption by the solvent. The activity of the system was sensitive to solvent and reactant. No single solvent parameter could be shown to trend with the variations observed. Variation of conversion in different solvents was related to substrate structure.
Competitive hydrogenation revealed subtle differences between the isomers. Allylcyanide did not show a significant change in reactivity when reacting in the presence of other isomers possibly because of it being more strongly adsorbed or because it adsorbed on corner or edge sites. Both crotonitrile and methacrylonitrile had their reactivity reduced in the presence of allylcyanide and when competing against each other. The behaviour was in keeping with the understanding developed for alkene hydrogenation over palladium.


Charter schools affiliated with the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) are emblematic of the No Excuses approach to public education. These schools feature a long school day, an extended school year, selective teacher hiring, strict behavior norms and a focus on traditional reading and math skills. We use applicant lotteries to evaluate the impact of KIPP Academy Lynn, a KIPP charter school that is mostly Hispanic and has a high concentration of limited English proficiency (LEP) and special-need students, groups that charter critics have argued are typically under-served. The results show overall gains of 0.35 standard deviations in math and 0.12 standard deviations in reading for each year spent at KIPP Lynn. LEP students, special education students, and those with low baseline scores benefit more from time spent at KIPP than do other students, with reading gains coming almost entirely from the LEP group.


ABSTRACT In this paper, we focus on the stochastic (chaotic) attributes of the US dollar-based exchange rates for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) using a long-run monthly dataset covering 1812M01-2017M12, 1814M01-2017M12, 1822M07-2017M12, 1948M08-2017M12, and 1844M01-2017M12, respectively. For our purpose, we consider the Lyapunov exponents, robust to nonlinear and stochastic systems, in both full – samples and in rolling windows. For comparative purposes, we also evaluate a long-run dataset of a developed currency market, namely British pound over the period of 1791M01-2017M12. Our empirical findings detect chaotic behavior only episodically for all countries before the dissolution of the Bretton Woods system, with the exception of the Russian ruble. Overall, our findings suggest that the establishment of the free floating exchange rate system have altered the path of exchange rates removing chaotic dynamics from the phenomenon, and hence, the need for policymakers to intervene in the currency markets for the most important emerging market bloc, should be carefully examined.


In August 1997, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) adopted a strategy of closing a single direction of freeway over an entire weekend for constructing the overlay on a 5.5-mi (8.85-km) section of I-405. Work was performed over two weekends. Data were collected from field measurements, records, and surveys to assess construction quality, construction costs, and user impacts. Results were compared to historical data from WSDOT and from a National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) synthesis study. Overlay surface smoothness, density, and gradation quality were good, and no difference in consistency was found between night and day paving. Public response from motorists was decidedly positive, while business perceptions were mixed. Traffic simulations indicated that the total closure was preferable to single lane closures over multiple nights. A decision checklist was developed for use in making the closure strategy decision.


Robot hands have been utilized in bilateral teleoperation as mechanical interfaces. As mechanisms of robot hands, wire mechanisms and rod mechanisms have been developed. Wire mechanisms have a flexibility of allocation of actuators and the fingertips of the robot hand. The demerit of wire mechanisms is that they do not transmit position and force accurately. On the other hand, rod mechanisms are useful for transmitting position and force accurately. The disadvantage of rod mechanisms is that they restrict allocation of actuators and the fingertips of the robot hand. Therefore, the flexible actuator has been developed for having merits of both wire mechanisms and rod mechanisms. In the flexible actuator, the thrust wire transmits position and force from actuators to the fingertips of the robot hand. This paper verifies position and force transfer characteristics of the thrust wire. Moreover, as one of the application of the flexible actuator, the experimental results of a bilateral teleoperation system with the flexible actuator is shown. It is confirmed that the flexible actuator has the merits of both wire mechanisms and rod mechanisms when the flexible actuator is applied to the bilateral teleoperation system.


This collection presents 14 essays by renowned scholars on Deaf people, Deafhood, Deaf histories, and Deaf identity, but from different points of view on the Deaf/Disability compass. Editors Susan Burch and Alison Kafer have divided these works around three themes. The first, Identities and Locations, explores Deaf identity in different contexts. Topics range from a history of activism shaped by the ableism of Deaf elites in the United States from 18801920, to a discussion of the roles that economics, location, race, and culture play in the experiences of a Deaf woman from northern Nigeria now living in Washington, D.C. Alliances and Activism showcases activism organized across differences. Studies include a feminist analysis of how deaf and hearing women working together share responsibility, and an examination of how intra-cultural variations in New York City and Quebec affect deaf-focus HIV/AIDS programs. The third theme, Boundaries and Overlaps, explicitly addresses the relationships between Deaf Studies and Disability Studies. Interviews with scholars from both disciplines help define these relationships. Another contributor calls for hearing/not-deaf people with disabilities to support their Deaf peers in gaining langue access to the United Nations. "Deaf and Disability Studies: Interdisciplinary Perspectives" reveals that different questions often lead to contrary conclusions among their authors, who still recognize that they all have a stake in this partnership."


Abstract The 3.5 Ga Bon Accord Ni deposit occurs within the lowest serpentinized mafic-ultramafic lavas of the Barberton Greenstone Belt (South Africa). Though now completely mined out, it comprised a suite of rare Ni-rich minerals that led to its interpretation as either an extraterrestrial body or as an oxidized fragment of Fe-Ni alloy originating from the terrestrial core. In this study, we draw on detailed petrographic observation and mineral chemical data, as well as previous work, to re-evaluate these ideas. The balance of evidence, from thin section (<1 mm) to regional (~10s of km) scales, appears to support an alternative origin for Bon Accord, possibly as an oxidized Ni-sulfide deposit formed in association with ocean floor komatiite eruptions.


A novel consistent max-covering method is proposed for human pose estimation. We focus on problems in which a rough foreground estimation is available. Pose estimation is formulated as a jigsaw puzzle problem in which the body part tiles maximally cover the foreground region, match local image features, and satisfy body plan and color constraints. This method explicitly imposes a global shape constraint on the body part assembly. It anchors multiple body parts simultaneously and introduces hyperedges in the part relation graph, which is essential for detecting complex poses. Using multiple cues in pose estimation, our method is resistant to cluttered foregrounds. We propose an efficient linear method to solve the consistent max-covering problem. A two-stage relaxation finds the solution in polynomial time. Our experiments on a variety of images and videos show that the proposed method is more robust than previous locally constrained methods.


Till now education pattern in Pesantren Daruttauhid Malang relatively tight in the effort punishing some of santri Daruttauhid till now. This education pattern done to reach adulthood of santri as according to the norm. position of Nursemaid covers way of nursemaid to give order and also ta'dib in giving attention to its(the protege. From education applying and construction, there are still some of santri having aggresive and brave characteristic, like often impinges the discipline in maisonette Pesantren. Thereby that applying of education pattern is not always has positive impact expected in forming position of chlid. This research done by using qualitative approach with case study planning. Data collecting technique is done by through: Observation and in-depth interview and documentation. After done by inspection of its(the keabsaha, data is analysed by the way (1) reduction of data, (2) presentation of data and (3), conclusion withdrawal. Based on research done, hence result got is: (1) That perception santri to applying of the education pattern in Pesantren has positive effect for santri. This phenomenon seems to be at
perception expression santri mostly has adulthood in education applying response of Pesantren. On the other side applying of education pattern of like treatment of penalization physical or hairless simply unable to have effectiveness for some of santri in changing its(the behavior. This thing seems to be in part santri doing collision repeatedlyly. (2) Impact of very having immeasurable education pattern, some of something increasingly fluent reads and memorizes Al qur'an and can communicate with language arab as well as there are santri which has not so maximum in changing its the behavior during involving in Pesantren.


One-dimensional (1D) modelling is critical for turbomachinery unsteady performance prediction and system response assessment of internal combustion engines. This paper uses a novel 1D modelling (TURBODYNA) and proposes two additional features for the application to a twin-entry turbocharger turbine. Compared to single-entry turbines, twin-entry turbines enhance turbocharger transient response and reduce engine exhaust valve overlap periods. However, out-of-phase high frequency pulsating pressure waves lead to an unsteady mixing process from the two flows and pose great challenges to traditional 1D modelling. The present work resolves the mixing problem by directly solving mass, momentum and energy conservation equations during the mixing process instead of applying constant pressure assumption at the limb-rotor joint.
 Comparisons of TURBODYNA and an experimentally validated CFD suggest that TURBODYNA can not only provide a very good agreement on turbine performance, but also accurately capture unsteady features due to flow field inertial and pressure wave propagation. Levels of accuracy achieved by TURBODYNA have proved superior to traditional 1D modelling on turbine performance and the generality of the current 1D modelling has been explored by extending the application to another turbine featuring distinct characteristics.


Coherent electron cooling (CeC) offers the potential a very potent method of longitudinal phase-space cooling for high intensity bunched beam accelerators, such as at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) or at proposed electron-ion colliders such as eRHIC or LHeC. To develop a complete theoretical description of CeC requires a detailed model of the phase space dynamics of a
high-gain free-electron laser (FEL) in three dimensions. A three-dimensional model for the FEL instability is developed using the Maxwell-Vlasov formalism, and obtains a Green function for arbitrary initial phase space perturbations. This Green function assumes a transversely infinite electron beam with zero transverse velocity spread. The formalism developed for obtaining the Green function also provides a solution to the initial value problem of an FEL with a finite transverse beam, and this formalism is used to obtain optical guiding.
Using the resulting dispersion relation for the FEL process, I present a number of theorems and results concerning the roots of the dispersion relation, in particular that regardless of the specific functional form of the thermal background of the beam there is one and only one amplifying mode. A number of criterion and relations on that mode is also developed and presented.
Finally, I develop a theoretical description of the dynamics of Coherent Electron Cooling considering the case of a finite length electron bunch which paints the longer hadron bunch. This leads to a kinetic equation for the cooling of synchrotron oscillations in bunched beams.


The purpose of this thesis is to find the reason why attaining nativelike pronunciation is difficult in adult L2A. This thesis attempts to take a purely linguistic approach to find it by hypothising that the acquisition of segmental phonology is more than the physical matter of getting the articulators to move correctly and involves phonological rules and principles. The hypothesis was tested through the L2A of Korean stops, which was investigated in three parts; perception of stop segments in word-initial position, production of stop segments in word-initial position and production of stops involving phonological rules constrained by syntax (i.e. the tensification rule vs. the intervocalic voicing rule).Thirteen British English-speaking adults and fifteen Finnish-speaking adults participated in the experiment. The research subjects were divided into three different groups ('Inexperienced I', 'Inexperienced n' and 'Experienced') according to the length of exposure to Korean. The subjects in the group of 'Inexperienced ľ were exposed to Korean for one year in their native countries, and the subjects in the group of 'Inexperienced 11' for two years in their native countries. The subjects in the group of 'Experienced' attended a Korean language course for one academic year at least in Korea. Firstly, as for perception of stop segments in word-initial position, both English- and Finnish-speaking learners performed better in discerning geminates from non- geminate segment in general. Especially, the two language groups of learners were native-like in discerning a geminate (AA) from a non-geminate of which the segment is different from the ones in the geminate (B). On the contrary, the Korean stops distinguished by the feature [sg] alone have appeared the most difficult for the L2 learners of Korean to acquire. The English- and Finnish-Speaking learners showed a similar pattern of difficulties in discerning Korean stops regarding the feature [sg]; however, differences between the two language groups were also found in the perception of word-initial Korean stops, which were caused by the absence or presence of geminate in the learners' L1. On the other hand, no progress was made by English- and Finnish-speaking learners in the acquisition of Korean stops in accordance with the length of exposure to Korean. Secondly, the production of word-initial stop segments appeared more successful than the perception of them. The difficulty in producing word-initial stops seemed to be caused by Korean-particular phonological representations rather than controlling the degree of VOT values. As for the developmental aspect, English- and Finnish-speaking learners showed the improvement in the segmental production task according to the length of exposure to Korean unlike in the segmental perception task. Thirdly, the English- and Finnish-speaking I earners performed equally poorly on the tensification rule despite the differences in their L1's. One reason was that the learners in both language groups were not advanced enough to sense the interaction between the phonological rule and syntactic condition in the Korean grammar. Another reason was orthographic influence. Regardless of the two language groups' similarly poor results in performance on the tensification rule, it was presumed that only Finnish speakers would be able to acquire the Korean-specific rule with the supposition that positive L1 transfer might occur at the even advanced stages of learning. In the light of the findings, it was concluded that the hypothesis of this thesis was supported by results from the experiment. Observing that the L2 learners had far greater difficulty in their production of stops involved in the tensification rule constrained by syntax than in their production of word-initial stops, it is concluded that the difficulty of mastering L2 phonology is due to the complexity of phonological rules applying beyond the component of phonology or across phonological domains in the prosodie hierarchy, some of which provide a means for mapping the syntax to the phonology. Therefore, all the complex phonological rules and principles of a segment must be acquired for the target pronunciation.


Critical boyhood scholars have consistently problematized the moral panic directed at boys' educational achievements, for instance, by illustrating how the issue is intersected by power hierarchies such class and race, but have not been as attentive to the spatialized dimensions of this discourse. In the Swedish debate, boys in (post)industrial towns in rural regions—affected by decades of deindustrialization—are often pointed out as at risk of becoming unemployed societal liabilities. Documenting the lives, aspirations, and future trajectories of young and rural working-class boys, the television series The School Boys (Skolpojkarna) analyzed in this article reproduces this trope and connects anxieties regarding "redundant" masculinities with rural spaces. Using feminist and post-structural approaches to gender and space, I show how this media production, supplied for educational purposes, mediates normative understandings of young rural masculinity.


Purpose: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is consistently associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and highly prevalent in Indonesia. EBV-DNA load can be used for early diagnosis and may have prognostic value. In this study, EBV-DNA load was evaluated in minimal invasive nasopharyngeal (NP) brushings and whole blood for initial diagnosis and therapy assessment against the standard-of-care diagnosis by biopsy with EBV-RISH and standard EBV-IgA serology. Experimental Design: NP brushings and blood samples were collected from 289 consecutive ENT patients suspected of NPCs and 53 local healthy controls. EBV-DNA load was quantified by real-time PCR and serology by peptide-based EBV-IgA ELISA. Tissue biopsies were examined by routine histochemistry and by EBER RNA in situ hybridization. Results: Repeated NP brushing was well tolerated by patients and revealed high viral load in the 228 NPC cases at diagnosis than 61 non-NPC cancer cases and healthy controls (P < 0.001). The diagnostic value of EBV-DNA load in blood and EBV-IgA serology was inferior to the NP brush results. The level of EBV-DNA load in brushes of patients with NPC was not related to T, N, or M stage, whereas elevated EBV-DNA load in blood correlated with N and M stage. EBV-DNA levels in brushings and whole blood showed a significant reduction at 2 months after treatment (P = 0.001 and P = 0.005, respectively), which was not reflected in EBV-IgA serology. Conclusions: NP brush sampling combined with EBV-DNA load analysis is a minimal invasive and well-tolerated diagnostic procedure, suited for initial diagnosis and follow-up monitoring of NPCs. Clin Cancer Res; 19(8); 2175–86. ©2013 AACR.


(ABSTRACT) Linear thermoplastic polyesters are commonly used in high volume applications such as food containers, films and textile fibers. The physical and mechanical properties of these materials are well documented and are a function of chemical structure and morphology (e.g. semi-crystalline, amorphous, etc.). Polyesters, as are many organic polymers, are quite flammable. Polydimethylsiloxane homopolymer exhibits low mechanical strength and, even at high molecular weight, exists as a viscous fluid rubbery gum due to its low glass transition temperature of approximately-123°C. However, one of the many attractive properties of this polymer is its relatively low flammability and if properly designed, organic " sand-like " silicates are produced in oxidizing atmospheres at elevated temperatures (e.g. 500-700°C). This thesis discusses the synthesis and characterization of novel, high molecular weight cycloaliphatic and aromatic polyester/ poly(dimethylsiloxane) segmented copolymers. The cycloaliphatic copolymers were synthesized via a melt process using a high trans content 1,4 dimethylcyclohexanedicarboxylate, and 1,4 butanediol or cyclohexanedimethanol, while the partially aromatic systems were synthesized using dimethyl terephthalate and butanediol. Primary and secondary aminopropyl terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) oligomers of controlled molecular weight were endcapped with excess diester to form an amide linked diester terminated oligomer. The latter was then incorporated into the copolymer via melt transesterification to afford a multiphase segmented copolymer. Selected compositions showed enhanced ductility and hydrophobic surface modification. The polysiloxane segment was effeciently incorporated into the copolymers and was unaffected by the transesterification catalyst under typical reaction conditions. The homopolymers and copolymers were characterized by solution, thermal, and mechanical, and surface techniques. The segmented copolymers were demonstrated to be microphase separated as determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and transmission electron microscopy. The surface of the copolymers was enriched with the polysiloxane segment as evidenced by contact angle analysis. Thermal gravimetric analysis of the segmented copolymers containing identical amounts of PDMS, but varying in the primary or secondary nature of their amide linkages, exhibited quantitatively identical char yields and weight loss behavior. The segmented copolymers exhibited char yields in air superior to those of their respective homopolymers. Additionally, aromatic poly(tetramethyleneoxide) (PTMO) based polyether/polyester segmented copolymers were modified with poly(dimethylsiloxane). DMA revealed an apparent shift (higher T g) of the PTMO segment reflecting an increase in phase mixing with the " hard " polyester segment, possibly induced by the hydrophobic PDMS phase. i v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank Professor James E. McGrath for his friendship and guidance …


This article examines digital traces related to the use of self-tracking devices in the context of digitally mediated iTime. These devices enable the continual production, representation, interpretation, and negotiation of varied traces of physical activity, time use, and temporal coordination. We focus on temporalities, exploring how the "tendencies" of iTime are being differentially produced, encountered, interpreted, and acted on in daily life. In-depth interviews with 25 individuals between 18 and 24 years of age are used to examine the contexts of trace production and analysis as they take place within different configurations of ordinary practice. First, we examine whether continuously self-tracked data alters people's sense of the temporal possibilities of selftransformation. Second, we ask whether people's encounters with, and analytics of, their traces alter how their daily life is temporally sequenced, coordinated, and experienced. Third, we consider if and in what ways quantified and visualized self-tracked data change the temporal meaning and value of media-related practices for those undertaking them. We show how digital traces are produced within, and become concrete elements of, the temporalities of practices.


This thesis presents a general formalism for a Density Functional Theory description
of the magnetic state of a heterogeneous system, from its paramagnetic high-temperature state to the magnetically ordered ground state. The key ingredient is
the identification of localised magnetic moments as emergent electronic degrees of
freedom, and the evolution of their orientations under a classical spin Hamiltonian
dictated by the underlying electronic structure, computed using Multiple Scattering
Theory. The magnetic interactions are contained in the spin-spin correlation function,
derived in a linear response approach, and are fully anisotropic, as relativistic
effects are accounted for.
A range of applications is given. A Mn monolayer on the W(001) is shown
to favour a cycloidal spin spiral as ground state, with a well-defined rotational
sense due to unidirectional anisotropic interactions. The antiferromagnetism of Mn
monolayers on X(111), with X = Pd, Pt, Ag and Au, is analysed, and the triangular
Neel state is shown to possess a well-defined chirality pattern. Calculations for
bulk zinc{blende MnSb characterise the half-metallic state as being robust against magnetic disorder; this particular polymorph was discovered in epitaxial form by
experimentalists at the University of Warwick, and shows promise for spintronics
applications. Bulk Co in the hcp and fcc structure reveals the strong feedback between
the magnitude of the spin moment and the degree of magnetic order, through
the corresponding electronic structure. To conclude, an FeRh film embedded in V
is considered. The magnetisation profile corresponding to the imposed antiferromagnetic
order is computed self-consistently, and shows the stabilisation of the Fe
layers close to the interface with V by those in the interior of the film.


Summary.  Heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), typically occurring in the second week of heparin therapy, is an antibody‐mediated adverse drug reaction associated with increased thrombotic risk. The most important antigens are located on platelet factor 4 (PF4)/heparin complexes. All HIT is caused by platelet‐activating antibodies, but not all PF4/heparin‐reactive antibodies cause HIT. Thus, tests have high negative, but only moderate, positive predictive value. Cessation of heparin requires substitution with an alternative anticoagulant, but as these drugs have increased bleeding risk, they should be used in therapeutic doses only if HIT is considered very likely. Avoiding/postponing coumarin is crucial in minimizing microthrombotic complications. Recent studies of HIT immunobiology suggest that HIT mimics immunity against repetitive antigens, as they are relevant in microbial defense. Thus, understanding HIT may help unravel why host defenses can trigger autoimmunity.


Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a program to concatenate acoustic vowel segments that were selected with the moving window technique, a previously developed technique used to segment and select the least perturbed segment from a sustained vowel segment. The concatenated acoustic segments were compared with the nonconcatenated, short, individual acoustic segments for their ability to differentiate normal and pathological voices. The concatenation process sometimes created a clicking noise or beat, which was also analyzed to determine any confounding effects.Method: A program was developed to concatenate the moving window segments. Listeners with no previous rating experience were trained and, then, rated 20 normal and 20 pathological voice segments, both concatenated (2 s) and short (0.2 s) for a total of 80 segments. Listeners evaluated these segments on both the Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, and Strain scale (GRBAS; 8 listeners) and the Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (Kempster, Gerratt, Abbott, Barkmeier-Kraemer, & Hillman, 2009) scale (7 listeners). The sensitivity and specificity of these ratings were analyzed using a receiver-operating characteristic curve. To evaluate if there were increases in particular criteria due to the beat, differences between beat and nonbeat ratings were compared using a 2-tailed analysis of variance.Results: Concatenated segments had a higher sensitivity and specificity for distinguishing pathological and normal voices than short segments. Compared with nonbeat segments, the beat had statistically similar increases for all criteria across Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice and GRBAS scales, except pitch and loudness.Conclusions: The concatenated moving window method showed improved sensitivity and specificity for detecting voice disorders using auditory-perceptual analysis, compared with the short moving window segment. It is a helpful tool for perceptual analytic protocols, allowing for voice evaluation using standardized and automated voice-segmenting procedures.Supplemental Material S1. Introduction and tutorial for using the Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, and Strain (GRBAS) and Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V) scales and an explanation of how auditory-perceptual evaluation can aid in diagnosis and how various vocal fold pathologies can affect speech. Ehrlich, B., Lin, L., & Jiang, J. (2018). Concatenation of the moving window technique for auditory-perceptual analysis of voice quality. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_AJSLP-17-0103


This paper focuses on the optimization of initiating dimensions of groove bearing in association with desired design of vehicle's front structure which is made up of low carbon steels in the case of frontal collision. Axial bearing analysis is done numerically using nonlinear finite element code LS-DYNA. In this analysis, changes of two main parameters including measure of energy absorption of structure and maximum force of structure collision are being considered. Square structure profile is being chosen and the groves are placed on two opposite sides. Tests of collision simulation are performed for steel samples and then a mathematical equation is derived; next, the initiating dimensions are optimized using Genetic Algorithm. Desired case for design of this structure part is the one which provides maximum energy absorption measure and minimum collision force; in this paper, the most optimal case is an initiator with groove depth of 4.5 mm and radius of 10 mm.


. The Career Orientation Inventory model proposed by Edgar Schein is one of the most discussed methods for identifying individuals' career orientations. However, there are several gaps related to its implementation for developing countries using factor analysis and digital open access data. We conducted exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis for a sample of 116 employees of a contact center in Colombia to test whether there were significant differences among career anchors (CAs) and gender, educational attainment, or age. The results show: a different number of factors from those proposed by Schein; variances in security/stability and managerial competence CAs concerning gender and educational attainment; and lifestyle is not the dominating CA in women.


The infrared spectroscopic properties of selected defects in forsterite are investigated by first-principles calculations, starting from previously proposed OH-incorporation mechanisms. The considered defects include the fully protonated M1 vacancy, fully protonated Si vacancy (hydrogarnet defect), and protonated Si vacancy associated with Ti incorporation at the M1 site (''titanoclinohumite'' defect). Our findings establish that the previously proposed models for Mg and Ti defects are consistent with the observed infrared spectra. In contrast, a new model of Si defect is proposed, based on relative energies, vibrational frequencies, polarization properties and absorption coefficients. The theoretical results emphasize the critical role of the coupled vibration of OH groups in the relative intensities of OH stretching absorption bands. In contrast integrated absorption coefficients are less affected by coupling. The observed theoretical relation between the integrated absorption coefficient of OH defects and vibrational frequencies is consistent with recent experimental data.


In this work, the concurrent growth of InSe and In2O3 nanostructures, obtained by thermal evaporation of InSe powders on Au-covered Si substrates, has been investigated by scanning and transmission electron microscopy techniques. The vapour-solid and Au catalytic vapour-liquid-solid growth mechanisms, responsible of the simultaneous development of the two different types of nanostructures, i.e. InSe wires and In2O3 tulip-like structures respectively, are discussed in detail. The thermodynamic processes giving rise to the obtained morphologies and materials are explained.


ABSTRACT Autobiographies of childhood generally focus on narratives of nostalgia or trauma, depicting notions of lost innocence. This article posits that such a Global North perspective needs to be re-imagined when listening to the 'self-stories' of child soldiers from Colombia's indigenous Nasa community in the Cauca region. They described their experiences of conflict in a series of narrative workshops located around the Tree of Love, (el árbol del amor)—a place where hopes and dreams are shared, its strength and constancy representing the resilience of the Nasa people in the face of violence. These shared narratives are presented as 4 chapters, each depicting a season, characterised by a different form of epiphany, constituting 'liminal experiences connected to moments of … crisis' [Denzin, N. K. 2017. Interpretive Autoethnography, Sage Research Methods Online. London: Sage. Accessed June 4, 2020. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781506374697, 52]. The article is presented in narrative style, enabling the researchers to stay close to the young child soldiers' lives. Together these narrative extracts offer a mosaic of auto/biographical experiences that portray the journey from war child to child soldier to child survivor. The ability to resist re-recruitment in spaces that remain dangerous, where the cycle of violence is relentless, appears to be bolstered by an agency that comes from within, offering potential for post-traumatic growth.


This paper introduces a new concept of interacting with mobile devices while on the move. The concept is using a combination of interaction techniques, like AR, touch, tilting and rotating the mobile device. The validation is done using some basic scenarios in which the users interact with various services available on the street. The user interface elements are represented by AR anchored objects (still pictures) and floating objects that are giving visual cues to where services are available. The users are aided in their actions by freezing the user interface when the device is down tilted so that they could easily manipulate the objects.


This study analyzes current regulation with respect to the use of derivatives and leverage by mutual funds in the U.S. and Germany. After presenting a detailed overview of U.S. and German regulations, this study thoroughly compares the level of flexibility funds have in both countries. I find that funds in the U.S. and Germany face limits on direct leverage (amount of bank borrowing) of up to 33% and 10% of their net assets, respectively. Funds can extend these limits indirectly by using derivatives beyond their net assets (e.g., by selling credit default swaps protection with a notional amount equal to their net assets). Additionally, issuer-oriented rules in the U.S. and Germany account for issuer risk differently: U.S. funds have greater discretion to undervalue derivative exposure compared to German funds. All analyses of this study reveal that under existing derivative and leverage regulation, funds in both countries are able to increase risk by using derivatives up to the point at which it is possible for them to default solely due to investments in derivatives. The results of this study are highly relevant for the public and regulators.


The targeted advertising is based on preference profiles inferred via relationships among individuals, their monitored responses to previous advertising and temporal activity over the Internet, which has raised critical privacy concerns. In this paper, we present a novel proposal for a Blockchain-based advertising platform that provides: a system for privacy preserving user profiling, privately requesting ads from the advertising system, the billing mechanisms for presented and clicked ads, the advertising system that uploads ads to the cloud according to profiling interests, various types of transactions to enable advertising operations in Blockchain-based network, and the method that allows a cloud system to privately compute the access policies for various resources (such as ads, mobile user profiles). Our main goal is to design a decentralized framework for targeted ads, which enables private delivery of ads to users whose behavioral profiles accurately match the presented ads, defined by the ad system. We implement a POC of our proposed framework i.e. a Bespoke Miner and experimentally evaluate various components of Blockchain-based in-app advertising system, implementing various critical components; such as, evaluating user profiles, implementing access policies, encryption and decryption of users' profiles. We observe that the processing delay for traversing policies of various tree sizes, the encryption/decryption time of user profiling with various key-sizes and user profiles of various interests evaluates to an acceptable amount of processing time as that of the currently implemented ad systems.


The primary objective of the research was to investigate the mailing practices and filing methods in a computer support or administrative environment involving the resulting abuse of paper. In applied research, an exploratory investigation focused on selected higher education institutions in Gauteng with a structured questionnaire as measuring instrument. In the analysis and interpretations of the findings, correlation and cross-tabulation on all sets of variables determined whether any meaningful associations could be found. The investigation indicated that the war against paper abuse is not over by any means. Perceptions regarding a paperless office and assumptions that technology could assist organisations to combat paper abuse were unfounded, mainly because of a lack of guidance, training interventions and control measures. Consequently, follow-up research is presently conducted whereby models will be designed and implemented concomitant with specified computer software features in order to counteract the abuse of paper and facilitate the effective use of information and communication technology interfaced work processes and procedures. This article focuses only on the electronic mail and filing components of the investigation.


The generation of an isolated attosecond pulse at 0.1 nm has been proposed in an ESASE scheme where an 800 nm, 5 fs FWHM carrier-envelop-phase stabilized laser is employed in the 10 GeV Pohang accelerator laboratory—x-ray free electron laser (PAL-XFEL). The radio-frequency (RF) phase effect has been studied on the current profile after the chicane and on the x-ray radiation power at 50 m along the undulator. This study leads to the tolerance in the RF phase. The results show that a single isolated attosecond radiation pulse could be produced inside the undulator; however, the RF phase should be controlled down to 0.05° in the linac section of the PAL-XFEL in order to satisfy the requirement for RF jitters suitable for pump–probe experiments.


Integrated decisionmaking is the foundational principle of sustainable development. Other principles, including the precautionary approach or principle, intergenerational equity, and public participation, all depend on integrated decisionmaking. Unsustainable development results from the fragmentation of decisionmaking into economic, security, environmental, and social categories. Thus, sustainable development requires that fragmentation in decisionmaking be eliminated - that environmental and social concerns be integrated into economic and security decisionmaking. This integration can and should be done in many ways. Decisionmaking processes can be integrated according to their objective, the resources they affect, the activities on which they are based, the place in which activities take place, and the time over which their effects will be felt. A variety of legal and policy tools can be integrated into the decisionmaking process. In addition, the actions of multiple decisionmakers can be integrated with each other. The foundational aspect of integrated decisionmaking has substantial practical consequences for the achievement of sustainable development, for it suggests that the achievement of sustainable development will depend to a great degree on the extent to which integrating legal and analytical tools can be devised and employed. The many forms of integrated decisionmaking suggest a set of important law and policy tools for achieving sustainable development - tools whose potential we have only begun to exploit.


Current research on coral reefs seeks to link the responses to anthropogenic stressors (such as global warming and ocean acidification [OA]) among differing functional levels of biological organization. While experimental studies have identified ex situ taxon-specific responses to OA and global warming, isolating and connecting these effects in situ at the community-level has proved difficult. The difficulties arise from the large number of naturally varying parameters affecting corals reefs, such as light intensity and seawater residence time that affect net community production and calcification. To control variation in seawater residence time and allow light intensity to vary naturally, experimental outer reef (17-m depth) benthic communities composed of calcified algae, corals, and reef pavement were constructed in large outdoor flumes in Mo'orea, French Polynesia. Net community production (P), net community calcification (G), the ratio of P/G (P/Gratio), and slope of P regressed on G (P/Gslope) were calculated for the communities, and concurrently for the constituent members under the same temperature, light, and flow conditions. P and G, for both the communities and constituent members, were correlated positively with light intensity, whereas P/Gratio and P/Gslope were unaffected by light intensity. P/Gratios and P/Gslopes exhibited values that were specific to each community member. These results suggest that the P/Gratio and P/Gslope may be unaffected by natural variability in light intensity and could serve as useful metrics to relate responses at the taxon and community level, which is an important step in assessing the effects of environmental changes on coral reefs.


[1] Smoke and pollutants from Canadian forest fires are sometimes transported over the United States at low altitudes behind advancing cold fronts. An unusual event occurred in July 2002 in which smoke from fires in Quebec was observed by satellite, lidar, and aircraft to arrive over the Washington, D.C., area at high altitudes. This elevated smoke plume subsequently mixed to the surface as it was entrained into the turbulent planetary boundary layer and had adverse effects on the surface air quality over the region. Trajectory and three-dimensional model calculations confirmed the origin of the smoke, its transport at high altitudes, and the mechanism for bringing the pollutants to the surface. Additionally, the modeled smoke optical properties agreed well with aircraft and remote sensing observations provided the smoke particles were allowed to age by coagulation in the model. These results have important implications for the long-range transport of pollutants and their subsequent entrainment to the surface, as well as the evolving optical properties of smoke from boreal forest fires.


Activation of the calcium-sensing receptor promotes its trafficking to the cell surface and enhances signaling. This Podcast features a conversation with the senior author of a Research Article published in the 22 November 2011 issue of Science Signaling. Gerda Breitwieser discusses her group's study of how signaling through the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) increases in response to increases in the concentration of extracellular calcium. They found that CaSRs were mobilized from an intracellular pool to the plasma membrane in response to activation by calcium or other agonists, thus enabling increased and sustained CaSR signaling. This mechanism might also regulate the signaling output of other receptors that are also constantly exposed to ligands.


This study aims to investigate the diet composition of semi-domesticated reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus tarandus ) in late summer in different kinds of grazing conditions in northernmost Finland. The composition of diet by reindeer was determined on the grounds of microhistological analysis of feces samples collected in early August in different seasonal grazing areas (winter or summer/year-round grazing areas) in three reindeer management districts. Although the proportion of different plant groups varied between the studied districts, the quantified group of ground lichens (which also contained small amounts of mushrooms) was the most abundant, varying from 33.0 to 46.4% in the analyzed samples. In general, there were significant differences in the proportions of lichen between districts, but not between grazing areas. The proportion of lichen in samples increased significantly when the amount of lichen pasture around a sample site increased. The proportion of dwarf shrubs and leaves in samples varied from 24.9 to 37.9% and differed significantly between districts, but not between grazing areas. In the same way, the proportion of graminoids varied between 20.9 and 36.2% and differed significantly between districts and also between grazing areas. Higher amounts of graminoids in feces were observed in summer/year-round grazing areas than in winter grazing areas. Finally, the proportion of bryophytes varied between 2.9 and 6.5% and was significantly different between districts, but not between grazing areas. An increase in old and mature coniferous forest around a sample site significantly increased the amounts of bryophytes in samples. The results indicate that reindeer adapt their summer diet composition according to the availability of food plants. The results also show that when reindeer are allowed to select their summer ranges freely, reindeer tend to use lichen pastures intensively also during summer, which causes a considerable reduction in lichens due to grazing and trampling. Therefore, a proper seasonal pasture rotation system to protect lichen pastures from grazing and trampling, from early spring to late autumn, is an essential part of sustainable pasture use in reindeer herding.


Maximum mean discrepancy (MMD), also called energy distance or N-distance in statistics and Hilbert-Schmidt independence criterion (HSIC), specifically distance covariance in statistics, are among the most popular and successful approaches to quantify the difference and independence of random variables, respectively. Thanks to their kernel-based foundations, MMD and HSIC are applicable on a wide variety of domains. Despite their tremendous success, quite little is known about when HSIC characterizes independence and when MMD with tensor product kernel can discriminate probability distributions. In this paper, we answer these questions by studying various notions of characteristic property of the tensor product kernel.


In two experiments, the empirical parsing of melodies was compared with predictions derived from four grouping preference rules of A Generative Theory of Tonal Music (F. Lerdahl & R. Jackendoff, 1983). In Experiment 1 (n = 123), listeners representing a wide range of musical training heard two familiar nursery-rhyme melodies and one unfamiliar tonal melody, each presented three times. During each repetition, listeners indicated the location of boundaries between units by pressing a key. Experiment 2 (n = 33) repeated Experiment 1 with different stimuli: one familiar and one unfamiliar nursery-rhyme melody, and one unfamiliar, tonal melody from the classical repertoire. In all melodies of both experiments, there was good within-subject consistency of boundary placement across the three repetitions (mean r = .54). Consistencies between Repetitions 2 and 3 were even higher (mean r = .63). Hence, Repetitions 2 and 3 were collapsed. After collapsing, there was high between-subjects similarity in boundary placement for each melody (mean r = .62), implying that all participants parsed the melodies in essentially the same (though not identical) manner. A role for musical training in parsing appeared only for the unfamiliar, classical melody of Experiment 2. The empirical parsing profiles were compared with the quantified predictions of Grouping Preference Rules 2a (the Rest aspect of Slur/Rest), 2b (Attack-point), 3a (Register change), and 3d (Length change). Based on correlational analyses, only Attack-point (mean r = .80) and Rest (mean r = .54) were necessary to explain the parsings of participants. Little role was seen for Register change (mean r = .14) or Length change (mean r = ‐.09). Solutions based on multiple regression further reduced the role for Register and Length change. Generally, results provided some support for aspects of A Generative Theory of Tonal Music, while implying that some alterations might be useful.