Introduction: Pairing gospel and culture The theme of the next conference on world mission and evangelism -- "Called to One Hope: The Gospel in Diverse Cultures" -- must be viewed as an ecumenical theme, therefore the contribution of the Orthodox theology and praxis of mission is more than desirable, it is indispensable. The Orthodox understanding is highly meaningful for several reasons: a) The Orthodox make a connection between revelation of God and gospel, because it is the same Logos of God who spoke through the prophets in the Old Testament and manifests in the person of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. During his ministry Jesus Christ created the circle of his Apostles by teaching with power the Truth, and the church community around the Apostles at Pentecost by sending upon them the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Truth. Proclamation of the gospel and teaching the apostolic doctrine are not two unconnected realities. During the liturgy, after proclaiming the presence of Christ ("Christ is in our midst!"), the worshipping community makes the Confession: "You are the Christ, the son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16). Therefore, the Orthodox cannot conceive of a debate about gospel and culture unless the content of the gospel, the Lex credendi, is recognized through those who have the Spirit to discern it: the saints. b) This integrity to Christ is expressed in the Tradition, a critical principle for assuming the human culture. The Tradition is the gospel retained through the reception of the confessing community, which carries both the memory of the history of salvation in the New Testament times, and anticipates the kingdom of God. For the Orthodox, the Tradition was a way to protect publicly the mystery of God revealed in the scriptures, against "another gospel." This Tradition means both fidelity and continuity, a continuity -- Lex orandi -- without breaking into pieces the given content of the gospel. The Orthodox will not accept a merely exegetical view about received Tradition. It is not a matter of hermeneutical search or discovery by an untaught and undisciplined community. c) Culture cannot take the place of "another gospel," or "confession." The cultures represent the anointed feet of the gospel, like the Apostles to Christ. In the peregrination of the gospel in various places and times, the culture represents the Kosmos with open arms receiving the descent of the Holy Spirit (the icon of Pentecost). The culture itself has to be converted and baptized in order not to reject the gospel but to assume it. Contextual theology (which cannot be taken as "opinion polls") has to handle the gospel and culture syntax, pairing them in a sacramental way, not in a syncretistic pattern. In preparing for the next conference on world mission and evangelism, the churches need greater clarity on issues concerned with typologies of the relation between gospel, Tradition and culture. Especially those issues that are hindrances in the mutual understanding and credibility of each church in mission and common witness must be adequately addressed. The Orthodox cannot afford to dismiss these differences and conflictual issues by referring to them as "cultural," or "contextual" questions. The purpose of this essay is to address the issues from an Orthodox perspective. I seek to illustrate my discussion by referring to the recent experience of the Orthodox churches in eastern Europe. It is impossible to make a completely adequate presentation of what a new movement for mission means today within Orthodox churches in eastern Europe. There is sufficient evidence from materials and surveys to indicate that new development is taking place, especially in the field of religious instruction and theological education in public schools and universities. Faculties of theology are being reintegrated into public universities, with women having access to theological formation. …


Machine learning (ML) has been recognised as a powerful method for modelling building energy consumption. The capability of ML to provide a fast and accurate prediction of energy loads makes it an ideal tool for decision-making tasks related to sustainable design and retrofit planning. However, the accuracy of these ML models is much dependant on the selection of the right hyper-parameters for specific building dataset. This paper proposes a method for optimising ML model for forecasting both heating and cooling loads. The technique employs multi-objective optimisation with evolutionary algorithms to search the space of possible parameters. The proposed approach not only tune one model to precisely predict building energy loads but also accelerates the process of model optimisation. The study utilises a simulated building energy data generated in EnergyPlus to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method, and compares the outcomes with the regular ML tuning procedure (i.e. grid search). The optimised model provides a reliable tool for building designers and engineers to explore a large space of the available building materials and technologies.


Platooning employs a set of technologies to manage how a group of vehicles operates, including radar, GPS and Inter-Vehicular Communication (IVC). It uses broadcasted information such as acceleration, position and velocity to operate vehicle members of the platoon. Cooperation among vehicles allows platoons to reduce fuel consumption and risks associated with driver mistakes. In spite of these benefits, the use of IVC to control vehicles exposes a relevant attack surface that can be exploited by malicious actors. In this paper we study the impact of vulnerabilities associated with the Sybil attack (through falsification of multiple identities) and message falsification in vehicular platooning. Simulation results show that this attack may impact the longitudinal control and compromise the entire platoon control.


Cytokinesis involves abscission of the intracellular bridge between two daughter cells, thus completing mitosis. Membrane traffic is at the heart of mammalian cytokinesis. Rab11-FIP3 (also referred to as FIP3) in complex with Rab11 plays a key role in the delivery and targeting of recycling endosomes to the furrow; this is essential for completion of cytokinesis. FIP3 undergoes spatial and temporal dynamics during mitosis. During metaphase and early anaphase, FIP3 is largely cytosolic, with some localised to endosomal membrane structures. During late anaphase, following furrow initiation, FIP3 localises to the centrosome. At late cytokinesis, FIP3 relocates to the cleavage furrow and midbody. On separation of the daughter cells, FIP3 returns to the centrosome. The regulatory mechanisms governing the dynamics of FIP3 during mitosis are unknown. This work aims to determine if FIP3 can be phosphorylated by the cell-cycle kinases which regulate mitosis, and whether this has an impact on the spatial and temporal dynamics of FIP3.

In vitro phosphorylation assays show that FIP3 can be phosphorylated by cyclin B-CDK1, Plk1, Aurora A and weakly by Aurora B. A proteomic approach revealed that, within the limits of our experimental approach, only cyclin B-CDK1 phosphorylated FIP3 significantly, at serine 102. Interestingly, proteomic analysis of FIP3 immunoprecipitated from metaphase cells has identified serine 102, 281, 348 and 451 as sites of potential phosphorylation. Data from this and a collaborating lab offers the hypothesis that FIP3 is phosphorylated during the early stages of the cell-cycle, and that dephosphorylation of FIP3 is the trigger for the association of FIP3 with membranes. A phospho-specific antibody to serine 102 (pS102) detects CDK1 phosphorylated FIP3. Serine 102 is phosphorylated in metaphase and becomes dephosphorylated as the cell progresses through to telophase. Further analysis reveals that cytosolic levels of pS102 peak in metaphase and decrease towards telophase to negligible levels. pS102 is absent in the membrane fraction. This work suggests that FIP3 may be directly phosphorylated by CDK1, at serine 102, in early mitosis. Kinase inhibition studies show that inhibition of CDK1, by the inhibitor BMI-1026, results in a mis-localisation of GFP-FIP3 in HeLa cells. This could also be interpreted as a delay in cytokinesis, since CDK1 inhibition resulted in more cells in telophase displaying GFP-FIP3 in a localisation characteristic of an earlier stage of telophase, compared to the controls.

The role of phosphorylation at serines 102, 281, 348 and 451 of FIP3 was investigated by creating phospho-null and phospho-mimetic mutants in the context of GFP-FIP3. It would appear that when mutated singly, the potential phospho-sites of serines 102, 281, 348 and 451 (phospho-mimetic mutant only for serine 451) have no significant effect on the localisation of FIP3 during mitosis, nor do they affect cytokinesis. A phospho-null mutation of serine 451 resulted in poor expression of the protein and an unhealthy population of cells.

In summary, the spatial and temporal dynamics of FIP3 may be regulated by phosphorylation. We hypothesise that during prometaphase and metaphase FIP3 is phosphorylated, preventing its association with endosomes. FIP3 is dephosphorylated in late anaphase, allowing it to associate with endosomes and subsequently traffic to the furrow and midbody. We suggest that CDK1 phosphorylates FIP3 in the early stages of mitosis, at serine 102. In conclusion, membrane traffic is central to mammalian cytokinesis and data from this thesis suggests that it may be regulated by the cell-cycle kinases.


The current trends of travel and tourism are subjected to complex behavior systems. New segments of travelers, related to tourist destinations by bonds of identity, origin and familiarity, are positioned in the travel and tourism market, as a result of the migratory mobility. The cuban migration towards the developed countries, mostly the United States and other tourist outbound markets, becomes one of the social phenomena of greater impact for the touristic development in the Island. If in the last decade the diaspora settled, in greater or smaller scale, in the developed countries, which at the same time constitute the main tourist outbound markets; from now on, they are able to integrate a segment of travelers, who are in the position to make greater expenses in your country of origin. The cuban´s diapora will constitute in the next years the main outbound market for Cuba; and at the same time, the greater source of tourist income for the destination, since it does not incur in important expenses with the international operators. This segment will demand new domestic products when visiting its country of origin, and undoubtedly will become the main tourist market, generating important income.


Cotton is the second largest crop of Pakistan in terms of area after wheat and is being suffered by multiple shocks over the time due to conventional agricultural management practices, climate change, and market failures. Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) was introduced by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) in 2010, as an innovative cleaner production alternative to conventional farming that aimed at increasing the efficiency of natural resources, resilience, and productivity of agricultural production system, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The adverse effects of climate change on cotton production at the farm and regional level can be minimized by using CSA practices and technologies. The present study investigated the financial performance and explored the impact of CSA through sustainable water use management on cotton production in Lower Bari Doab Canal (LBDC) irrigation system of Punjab, Pakistan by using Cobb-Douglas production function. The adopters of CSA in cotton cultivation were identified by conducting six focus group discussions. Data were collected through well-structured questionnaire from 133 adopters of CSA and 65 conventional cotton growers for the cropping season 2016–2017. It was found that water-smart (raising crops on bed, laser land levelling, conjunctive use of water and drainage management), energy-smart (minimum tillage), carbon-smart (less use of chemicals) and knowledge-smart (crop rotation and improved varieties i.e., tolerant to drought, flood and heat/cold stresses) practices and technologies of CSA were adopted by the cotton farmers in the study area. Most of the farmers were of the view that they are adopting CSA practices and technologies due to the limited supply of canal water, climate change, drought-prone, massive groundwater extraction, rapidly declining groundwater table and increasing soil salinity over the time. Results revealed that uniform germination, higher yield and financial returns, the concentration of inputs and increase in resource use efficiency are the main advantages of CSA. The econometric analysis showed that implementation of CSA practices and technologies as judicious use of water and fertilizer, groundwater quality, access to extension services, and appropriate method and time of picking have a significant impact on the gross value of cotton product (GVP). The findings of the study would be helpful for policy makers to formulate policies that can minimize farmer's financial burden to adopt CSA technologies and implement for scaling out in Punjab and beyond.


Blanchard reexamines the behavior of inflation and unemployment and reaches four conclusions: (1) Low unemployment still pushes inflation up; high unemployment pushes it down. Put another way, the US Phillips curve is alive. (2) Inflation expectations, however, have become steadily more anchored, leading to a relation between the unemployment rate and the level of inflation rather than the change in inflation. In this sense, the relation resembles more the Phillips curve of the 1960s than the accelerationist Phillips curve of the later period. (3) The slope of the Phillips curve, i.e., the effect of the unemployment rate on inflation given expected inflation, has substantially declined. But the decline dates back to the 1980s rather than to the crisis. There is no evidence of a further decline during the crisis. (4) The standard error of the residual in the relation is large, especially in comparison to the low level of inflation. Each of the last three conclusions presents challenges for the conduct of monetary policy. Wisdom gained from the experience of the 1960s and later will be needed.


Bacteria often possess multiple siderophore-based iron uptake systems for scavenging this vital resource from their environment. However, some siderophores seem redundant, because they have limited iron-binding efficiency and are seldom expressed under iron limitation. Here, we investigate the conundrum of why selection does not eliminate this apparent redundancy. We focus on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium that can produce two siderophores—the highly efficient but metabolically expensive pyoverdine, and the inefficient but metabolically cheap pyochelin. We found that the bacteria possess molecular mechanisms to phenotypically switch from mainly producing pyoverdine under severe iron limitation to mainly producing pyochelin when iron is only moderately limited. We further show that strains exclusively producing pyochelin grew significantly better than strains exclusively producing pyoverdine under moderate iron limitation, whereas the inverse was seen under severe iron limitation. This suggests that pyochelin is not redundant, but that switching between siderophore strategies might be beneficial to trade off efficiencies versus costs of siderophores. Indeed, simulations parameterized from our data confirmed that strains retaining the capacity to switch between siderophores significantly outcompeted strains defective for one or the other siderophore under fluctuating iron availabilities. Finally, we discuss how siderophore switching can be viewed as a form of collective decision-making, whereby a coordinated shift in behaviour at the group level emerges as a result of positive and negative feedback loops operating among individuals at the local scale.


This work presents a full and unified investigation of the phenomenon of non-concatenative nominal morphology in Libyan Arabic (LA), with special reference to the formation of the broken plural (BP). The analysis provides a morphophonological account of morphologically derived words in LA. It is based on two main ideas: the first is specifying the input for the derivational morphological process which represents the underlying structure of the derived word; the second is to account for the phonological constraints which interact with each other on the underlying structure in order to determine the optimal output for the derived word.

In contrast to previous studies which fail to recognize derivational morphological processes and consequently cannot identify the nature of the input of the derived word, this thesis identifies the input as the starting point to justify the resulting derived output.

This thesis argues that the nature of the input in non-concatenative morphology must be accounted for first. The morphological process starts when elements of the input which are carried over to the output are identified, and the specified derivational morphemes are supplied. These together form the underlying structure of any derived word. The underlying structure of the derived word in this thesis is considered to be the string of root consonants and any morphological component associated with the input, plus the derivational morphemes of the intended morphological process. As a consequence of identifying the nature of the input, the template which has been associated with Arabic language, is revealed in this thesis that it is not a primitive but rather it is an artefact of the phonology operating on morphological products. Thus, phonology has no role in the underlying structure, but comes into play to repair any ill-formed surfaced structure. The types of constraints which operate on the outputs are phonological constraints concerning markedness and faithfulness constraints. The function of markedness constraints is to maintain the well-formedness of the output, while the function of faithfulness constraints is to preserve the morphological identity of the components of the underlying structure.


Adware represents a possible threat to the security and privacy of computer users. Traditional signature-based and heuristic-based methods have not been proven to be successful at detecting this type of software. This paper presents an adware detection approach based on the application of data mining on disassembled code. The main contributions of the paper is a large publicly available adware data set, an accurate adware detection algorithm, and an extensive empirical evaluation of several candidate machine learning techniques that can be used in conjunction with the algorithm. We have extracted sequences of opcodes from adware and benign software and we have then applied feature selection, using different configurations, to obtain 63 data sets. Six data mining algorithms have been evaluated on these data sets in order to find an efficient and accurate detector. Our experimental results show that the proposed approach can be used to accurately detect both novel and known adware instances even though the binary difference between adware and legitimate software is usually small.


The biliary excretion of total bilirubin and bile acids, and the fate of tracer doses of radioactive sulphated and non-sulphated bile acids, were studied in patients with percutaneous transhepatic bile drainage. Non-sulphated bile acids were excreted in bile early after biliary decompression, and the serum total 3 alpha-hydroxy bile acid concentrations fell rapidly to normal. Biliary bilirubin excretion was both less than and delayed compared with that of bile acids, and the serum bilirubin concentration fell more slowly. The serum disappearance of [3H]chenodeoxycholate-3-sulphate was slower than that of [14C]glycocholate in all patients with bile drainage, the difference being more marked in the jaundiced patients. The radioactive sulphated bile acids were recovered predominantly in the urine of the jaundiced patients. In contrast [14C]glycocholate was excreted almost exclusively in bile. In an anicteric patient, radioactive sulphated bile acid disappeared from the serum more quickly, and biliary recovery exceeded that in the urine. The studies demonstrate the differences in handling of total bilirubin, and sulphated and non-sulphated bile acids in man after the relief of bile duct obstruction. The biliary excretion of radioactive labelled sulphated bile acids is low for at least 1 week after biliary drainage, but later becomes the predominant route for excretion in the anicteric patient.


The purpose of this paper is to highlight the curiously circular course followed by mainstream macroeconomic thinking in recent times. Having broken from classical orthodoxy in the late 1930s via Keynes's General Theory, over the last three or four decades the mainstream conventional wisdom, regressing rather than progressing, has now come to embrace a conception of the working of the macroeconomy which is again of a classical, essentially pre-Keynesian, character. At the core of the analysis presented in the typical contemporary macro textbook is the (neo)classical model of the labour market, which represents employment as determined (given conditions of productivity) by the terms of labour supply. While it is allowed that changes in aggregate demand may temporarily affect output and employment, the contention is that in due course employment will automatically return to its 'natural' (full employment) level. Unemployment is therefore identified as a merely frictional or voluntary phenomenon: involuntary unemployment - in other words persisting demand-deficient unemployment - is entirely absent from the picture. Variations in aggregate demand are understood to have a lasting impact only on the price level, not on output and employment. This in effect amounts to a return to a Pigouvian conception such as targeted by Keynes in the General Theory. We take the view that this reversion to ideas which should by now be obsolete reflects not the discovery of logical or empirical deficiencies in the Keynes analysis, but results rather from doctrinaire blindness and failure of scholarship on account of which essential features of the Keynes theory have been overlooked or misrepresented. There is an urgent need for a critical appraisal of the current conventional macroeconomic wisdom.


Sex and Eroticism in Mesopotamian Literature is a new contribution to current debates about sex and eroticism. It gives an insight into Mesopotamian attitudes to sexuality by examining the oldest preserved written evidence on the subject - the Sumero-Akkadian cuneiform sources - which were written between the 21st and the 5th centuries B.C. Using these long-neglected and often astonishing data, Gwendolyn Leick is able to anlayse Mesopotamian views of prostitution, love magic and deviant sexual behaviour as well as more general issues of sexuality and gender. This fascinating book sheds light on the sexual culture of one of the earliest literate civilisations.


Previous studies of clinical settings show that patients exhibit an orientation towards an institutional restriction against them proposing treatment solutions for their medical condition. In this paper we demonstrate how that restriction is relaxed in a particular clinical setting, that of audiology. Focusing on video-recorded interactions in a Danish audiology clinic, we show how patients freely offer suggestions for their own treatment, even in cases where a treatment solution has already been provided by the audiologist. We further illustrate how audiologists respond to patients' treatment proposals with concessions, through which the audiologist manages to accept the patient's treatment proposal as a possibility, while withholding any professional endorsement of the proposed treatment. Furthermore, we show how patients in response to such concessions from the audiologist pursue a stronger professional ratification of their treatment solution. The lifting of the restriction on patients proposing their own treatments thus brings into relief two other institutional restrictions within the audiology clinic: (a) a restriction on audiologists rejecting patients' treatment suggestions outright, and (b) a restriction on patients' straightforward acceptance of treatments that are not fully endorsed by the audiologist.


Introduction: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) usually is the early stage of dementia which is defined as decreasing in mental abilities such cognition, memory, and speech not too severe to interfere daily activities. MCI diagnosis is rather hard and usually assumed as normal consequences of aging. Diagnosis is usually performed through a combination of extensive testing and eliminations of other possible causes. "Seizures" or neuronal hyperexitability in the temporal lobe, transiently impair cognition and steadily damage hippocampal circuitry, leading to progressive memory loss.
Objective: The objective of this study was demonstrated that EEG pattern abnormalities in the left temporal in healthy subjects, are an early sign of progressive cognitive impairment.
Material and methods: This was an clinical and neurophysiology observational study in healthy adults patients with EEG pattern characterized by slow activity in left temporal region. This study lasted three years in total, being divided into two phases: recruitment (for an entire year) and follow-up after 1 year. Admission criteria were checked. The follow-up consisted of neuropsychological assessment with Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and MRI scan. Our analysis was based on pooled of patients from neurophysiology department in Italy from February 2010 to July 2013. The EEG activity was recorded continuously from 19 electrodes positioned according to the 10–20 International system.
Results: One hundred forty patients were recruited and one hundred thirty completed the 24-month study. Of the ten patients who did not complete the study. In case group we had 60 subjects, 15 males and 45 females with sharp slow-wave in left temporal region on EEG. In control group we had 70 subjects, 30 males and 40 females with normal EEG. 57 patients (Case) and 33 patients (Controls) showed a mild cognitive impairment (MMSE ≥ 23 adjusted for age and education). 49 patients (Case) and 21 patients (Controls) with deep lacunar infarcts or subcortical white matter alterations on MRI scan. Analysis performed according to methods proposed by Koch showed that pattern EEG of slow waves significantly correlated with both variables MCI (P<0.0001) and vascular alterations (P<0.0001).
Discussion: In our sample, pattern EEG was predictive for vascular abnormalities and MCI more than 50% after a few years.
Conclusion: In summary, typical geographic alterations in left temporal region are "indicators" or "markers" of early cognitive impairment and may be used as prevention strategies. EEG may be considered a useful tool for early diagnosis of MCI. Further translational exploration of these issues in animals and/or humans studies over the coming years will determine new therapeutic approaches directed at selectively suppressing aberrant network excitability in the temporal lobe.


This study investigates pest management practices among lowland farmers on growing leafy and fruit vegetables, particularly focusing on the pesticide usage in controlling pest. In Malaysia, vegetable productions in lowland areas are to some extent really important as in the highland areas due to the wide marketing channel, from local till traded across border. Yet, the ignorance of vegetables safety regarding the appropriate of pesticide usage by farmers was undeniable, as the market demands only products with good extrinsic quality. Thus a survey was conducted among of 85 of lowland vegetable farmers to get information on their pest management practices in farms. Result showed that the pesticide application by farmers on vegetables crops still indicated a calendar spraying practices. In most cases, farmers tend to harvest the vegetable products shortly after a few days of last pesticide spraying. In order to enhance the food safety control starting from the primary production, extensive monitoring of the current pesticide usage by farmers in vegetable productions is vital to provide an updated data on the food safety risk regarding to the pesticide residues. Therefore, the thrust of this paper was to get a better understanding on the level of safe pesticide usage among vegetables farmers especially in areas of growing vegetables productions.


The data used in this study was obtained at the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center (SANC) preschool in Milwaukee, WI. The purpose of this study is to qualitatively and quantitatively examine how effective nature center preschools are as a teaching tool for early childhood environmental education. This study is significant for generating new knowledge of the ecological concepts young children do and don't understand, as well as to the future application of designing curriculum and implementing early childhood environmental education programs in the United States. Children are unhealthy, spending less time outside, and are environmentally illiterate (Louv, 2008; Roberts & Foehr, 2008; Driessnack, 2009; Louv, 2009; Coyle, 2005). Exposing children to nature, and implementing environmental education in early childhood programs can solve the growing concerns of today's youth and develop in an increase in understanding of ecological concepts. The research questions include: 1) Is there a change in knowledge of ecological concepts over a year period? 2) What improvements could nature center preschools make to increase learning of ecological concepts? The research questions were examined by coding interviews completed by children who attend the SANC preschool, summing the frequencies, and interpreting the frequencies using statistical analysis. The statistical analysis of the frequencies of indicators expressed during the fall and spring provides evidence that seven out of the thirteen indicators had a significant increase in expression therefore an increase in knowledge. An improvement that nature center preschools can make is to increase time spent on teaching concepts related to earth systems. Early childhood environmental education provides opportunities for children to develop skills to be environmentally literate, improve physical and mental health, and be exposed to nature.


New Edition of Best Selling Official Cert Guide: Updated Content, New Exercises, and Expanded Coverage -- PLUS includes CCNA Network Simulator Lite Edition with 21 free CCNA Network Simulator Labs The new edition of bestselling CCNA 640-802 Cert Library, Updated Third Edition by Wendell Odom is a comprehensive review and practice package for the latest CCNA exams. The two books contained in this package, CCENT/CCNA ICND1 640-822 Official Cert Guide, Third Edition, and CCNA ICND2 640-816 Official Cert Guide, Third Edition, present complete reviews and a more challenging and realistic preparation experience. The books have been refreshed to provide updated coverage of critical exam topics such as IP addressing, subnetting, TCP/IP and OSI networking models,VLSM, route summarization, and IP access control lists. Learn, prepare, and practice for exam success Master all CCNA 640-802 exam topics with the official study guides Assess your knowledge with chapter-opening quizzes Review key concepts with exam preparation tasks Practice with realistic exam questions on the DVDsLearn from 60 minutes of video mentoringApply concepts within Networking Simulator lab exercises Best-selling author and expert instructor Wendell Odom shares preparation hints and test-taking tips, helping you identify areas of weakness and improve both your conceptual knowledge and hands-on skills. The books present you with an organized test preparation routine through the use of proven series elements and techniques. Do I Know This Already? quizzes open each chapter and enable you to decide how much time you need to spend on each section. The master tables of exam topics makes referencing easy. Chapter-ending Exam Preparation Tasks help you drill on key concepts you must know thoroughly. A final preparation chapter guides you through tools and resources to help you craft your final study plan. Special troubleshooting sections help you master the complex scenarios you will face on the exam. The companion DVDs contains the powerful Pearson IT Certification Practice Test engine, complete with hundreds of well-reviewed, exam-realistic questions. The assessment engine offers you a wealth of customization options and reporting features, laying out a complete assessment of your knowledge to help you focus your study where it is needed most. This new edition also includes a free copy of the CCNA Network Simulator Lite edition complete with meaningful lab exercises, which help you hone your hands-on skills with the Cisco user interface for routers and switches. The DVDs also contain more than 60 minutes of personal video mentoring from the author focused on subnetting. Well-regarded for its level of detail, assessment features, and challenging review questions and exercises, these official study guides help you master the concepts and techniques that will enable you to succeed on the exam the first time. CCNA 640-802 Cert Library, Updated Third Edition, is part of a recommended learning path from Cisco that includes simulation and hands-on training from authorized Cisco Learning Partners and self-study products from Cisco Press. To find out more about instructor-led training, e-learning, and hands-on instruction offered by authorized Cisco Learning Partners worldwide, please visit: www.cisco.com/go/authorizedtraining. Wendell Odom, CCIE No. 1624, is the most respected author of Cisco networking books in the world. His past titles include books on the entry-level Cisco certifications (CCENT and CCNA), the more advanced CCNP, and the industry-renowned CCIE. His books are known for their technical depth and accuracy. Wendell has worked as a network engineer, consultant, instructor, course developer, and book author, and he has produced videos, software, and blogs related to Cisco certifications. His website with links to various study tools and resources is at www.certskills.com. These official study guides help you master all the topics on the CCNA exams, including: TCP/IP and OSI networking models Operating Cisco routers and LAN switches Ethernet switch configuration and troubleshooting Virtual LANs and Spanning Tree Protocol Wireless LANs IP addressing and subnetting Routing protocols Router configuration and troubleshooting Static and connected routes VLSM and route summarization IP access control lists OSPF and EIGRP configuration WAN configuration and troubleshooting Frame Relay Network Security and VPNs NAT IPv6 Troubleshooting Includes CCENT/CCNA ICND1 640-822 Official Cert Guide, Third Edition and CCNA ICND2 640-816 Official Cert Guide, Third Edition Free CCNA Network Simulator Labs: ICND1 1. Configuring IP Addresses I 2. Configuring IP Addresses II 3. Connected Routes 4. Static Routes I 5. Static Routes II 6. Subnet Zero I 7. Loopback Interfaces 8. Subnetting and Addressing I Configuration Scenario 9. Static Routing I Configuration Scenario Free CCNA Network Simulator Labs: ICND2 1. EIGRP Serial Configuration I 2. EIGRP Serial Configuration II 3. EIGRP Serial Configuration III 4. EIGRP Frame Relay Configuration I 5. EIGRP Frame Relay Configuration II 6. EIGRP Route Tuning I 7. EIGRP Route Tuning II 8. EIGRP Neighbors II 9. EIGRP Neighbors III 10. EIGRP Serial Configuration Scenario 11. EIGRP Configuration Scenario 12. EIGRP Metric Manipulation Configuration Scenario Companion DVDs The DVDs contain two ICND1 practice exams, two ICND2 practice exams, two free, full CCNA practice exams, CCNA Network Simulator, Lite Edition, and 60 minutes of video training. Includes Exclusive Offer for 70% Off Premium Edition eBook and Practice Tests Pearson IT Certification Practice Test minimum system requirements: Windows XP (SP3), Windows Vista (SP2), or Windows 7; Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0 Client; Microsoft SQL Server Compact 4.0; Pentium class 1GHz processor (or equivalent); 512 MB RAM; 650 MB disc space plus 50 MB for each downloaded practice exam This volume is part of the Official Cert Guide Series from Cisco Press. Books in this series provide officially developed exam preparation materials that offer assessment, review, and practice to help Cisco Career Certification candidates identify weaknesses, concentrate their study efforts, and enhance their confidence as exam day nears.


Is the shift in regime identification from the Chinese government to the Taiwanese government a universal phenomenon among Chinese students in Taiwan? This article examines and finds evidence of Chinese students' political attitudes by conducting a two-wave survey based on the political socialisation approach. The results indicated that the regime identification of Chinese students on a scale of –10 to 10 was, on average, 0.68 higher four months after their arrival in Taiwan than when they first arrived. The regression model developed in this study accounted for 34.37 per cent of the variance in the degree of shift in students' regime identification. Seven of the eight formulated hypotheses were also supported.


This study investigates heritage speakers' knowledge of plural formation in their colloquial varieties of Arabic, which use both concatenative and non-concatentative modes of derivation. In the concatenative derivation, a plural suffix attaches to the singular stem (muhandis 'engineer-sg.' → muhandis-iin 'engineer-pl'); in the non-concatenative, the relation between the singular (gamal 'camel') and the plural (gimaal 'camels') typically involves vocalic and prosodic alternations with the main shared similarity between the two forms being the consonantal root (e.g., g-m-l). In linguistic approaches, non-concatenative patterns have been captured in different ways, though the earliest and most recognizable approach involves the mapping of a consonantal root onto a plural template. We investigated heritage speakers' knowledge of the root and pattern system in two independent experiments. In Experiment 1, oral narratives were elicited from 20 heritage speakers and 20 native speakers of Egyptian and Palestinian Arabic. In Experiment 2, another group of 24 heritage speakers and 24 native speakers of the same dialects completed an oral picture-description task. The results of the two experiments show that heritage speakers' knowledge of the root and pattern system of Arabic is not target-like. Yet, they have a good grasp of the root and template as basic units of word formation in their heritage Arabic dialects. We discuss implications for debates about the acquisition of the root and pattern system of Arabic morphology.


The concluding volume of a prestigious documentary edition; This, the sixteenth and final volume of The Papers of Henry Laurens, covers the last ten years of the statesman's life. During this period, Henry Laurens spent a hectic twenty-two months as a peace commissioner traveling between Paris and London, conferring with British ministers and his colleagues on the peace commission. At the same time, Laurens was coping with the grief of losing his eldest son, John Laurens, in battle, family conflicts over a proposed marriage between his elder daughter and a French fortune hunter, and his own poor health. This mixture of public and private concerns continued throughout his stay in Europe, as the commissioners attempted to negotiate a final peace treaty and a trade agreement with former allies and foes. In January 1785, Laurens returned to South Carolina, where he devoted the remainder of his life to personal affairs. Despite encouragement to return to public service, Laurens remained a private citizen with an active interest in the progress of his state, In his later years he recommended an end to the importation of slaves and diversification of the economy. Laurens died on December 8, 1792, at the age of sixty-eight.


The Indian gas market is expected to be one of the fastest growing in the world over the next two decades. This paper analyses this market, highlighting the current challenges. It first looks at the industry structure, presents the main players from industry as well as government, and gives an overview of the regulatory framework. The issue of pricing remaining crucial for both upstream and downstream development, the paper looks at both supply - domestic production and LNG imports - and demand.


With Arctic summer sea ice potentially disappearing halfway through this century, the surface albedo and insulating effects of Arctic sea ice will decrease considerably. The ongoing Arctic sea ice retreat also affects the strength of the Planck, lapse rate, cloud, and surface albedo feedbacks together with changes in the heat exchange between the ocean and the atmosphere, but their combined effect on climate sensitivity has not been quantified. This study presents an estimate of all Arctic sea ice related climate feedbacks combined. We use a new method to keep Arctic sea ice at its present-day (PD) distribution under a changing climate in a 50-yr CO2 doubling simulation, using a fully coupled global climate model (EC-Earth, version 2.3). We nudge the Arctic Ocean to the (monthly dependent) year 2000 mean temperature and minimum salinity fields on a mask representing PD sea ice cover. We are able to preserve about 95% of the PD mean March and 77% of the September PD Arctic sea ice extent by applying this method. Using simulations with and without nudging, we estimate the climate response associated with Arctic sea ice changes. The Arctic sea ice feedback globally equals 0.28 ± 0.15 W m−2 K−1. The total sea ice feedback thus amplifies the climate response for a doubling of CO2, in line with earlier findings. Our estimate of the Arctic sea ice feedback agrees reasonably well with earlier CMIP5 global climate feedback estimates and shows that the Arctic sea ice exerts a considerable effect on the Arctic and global climate sensitivity.


Climate models predict Antarctic precipitation to increase during the 21st century, but their present day Antarctic precipitation differs. A model-independent climatology of the Antarctic precipitation characteristics, such as snowfall rates and frequency, is needed to assess the models, but it is not yet available. Satellite observations of precipitation by active sensors has been possible in the polar regions since the launch of CloudSat in 2006. Here, we use two CloudSat products to generate the first multi-year, model-independent climatology of Antarctic precipitation. The first product is used to determine the frequency and the phase of precipitation, while the second product is used to assess the snowfall rate. The mean snowfall rate from August 2006 to April 2011 is 171 mm year −1 over the Antarctic ice sheet, north of 82° S. While uncertainties on individual precipitation retrievals from CloudSat data are potentially large, the mean uncertainty should be much smaller, but cannot be easily estimated. There are no in situ measurements of Antarctic precipitation to directly assess the new climatology. However, distributions of both precipitation occurrences and rates generally agree with the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ERA-Interim data set, the production of which is constrained by various in situ and satellite observations, but does not use any data from CloudSat. The new data set thus offers unprecedented capability to quantitatively assess Antarctic precipitation statistics and rates in climate models.


Abstract The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) has made a remarkable recovery throughout its range during the last half-century. In Texas, USA, current inland alligator population and harvest management strategies rely on generalized and often site-specific habitat and population data generated from coastal populations, because it is assumed that habitat and demographic similarities exist between inland and coastal populations. These assumptions have not been verified, however, and no studies have specifically examined inland alligator habitat use in Texas. We quantified alligator habitat use in East Texas during 2003–2004 to address this information gap and to facilitate development of regionally specific management strategies. Although habitat was variable among study areas, alligators used habitats with >50% open water, substantial floating vegetation, and emergent vegetation close (<12 m) to dry ground and cover. Adults used habitats further from dry ground and cover, in open water (75–85%), with less floating vegetation (6–22%) than did subadults, which used habitats that were closer to dry ground and cover, with less open water (52–68%), and more floating vegetation (8–40%). Although habitat use mirrored coastal patterns, we estimated alligator densities to be 3–5 times lower than reported in coastal Texas, likely a result of inland habitat deviations from optimal coastal alligator habitat, particularly in the preponderance of open water and floating vegetation. Our findings that 1) inland habitats varied among sites and did not exactly match assumed optimal coastal habitats, 2) alligators used these inland habitats slightly differently than coastal areas, and 3) inland alligator densities were lower than coastal populations, all highlight the need for regionally specific management approaches. Because alligator populations are influenced by habitat quality and availability, any deviations from assumed optimal habitat may magnify harvest impacts upon inland populations.


With the advancement in the field of morphing and adaptive structures, there has been a tremendous increase in the application of such systems in the civil and aerospace engineering, especially wherever space constraint and variable operational environment demand frequent changes in system configuration. The control of stiffness and hence dynamic response of such deployable structures can be achieved through smart material based actuation mechanisms such as shape memory alloys (SMA), and piezoelectric active fiber composites. Selection of appropriate smart material hinges on the requirements of the speed of actuation, actuator bandwidth, and force requirement. In this work, we study the vibration modes of a bi-morph SMA reinforced composite with controlled current input. The composite consists of two layers of SMA reinforcements with 0° and 90° orientation angles placed orthogonally in alternate plies. The temperatures of these layers are raised through Joule heating, first individually, and then followed by combined actuation, where the current supply is controlled using a programmable DC supply. As the material properties of SMA are temperature dependent, we observe thermal contraction and a resulting increase in laminate stiffness. The change of compliance at multiple step-input current contributes to variation in the natural frequency which is recorded using a 3D laser doppler vibrometer (LDV). This study gives us a deep insight into the application of SMA-based bimorph composites for active damping and vibration control subject to varying temperatures.


Abstract Objective Adopting a socio‐ecological perspective, we used data extracted from clinical casefiles to investigate factors associated with externalising and internalising problems in a large, representative sample of children with a diagnosis of dyslexia. Method This study is a secondary analysis of data collected by the Dyslexia‐SPELD Foundation in Western Australia. Casefiles for school‐aged children who had received a dyslexia diagnosis in 2014 and 2015 were identified (n = 1,235), and a subset of casefiles were randomly selected for data extraction (n = 454). Of the sample, 58% (n = 262) were male, 42% (n = 192) were female. Ages ranged between 6 and 17-years (M = 12.32, SD = 3.07). Casefiles include results from assessments of literacy‐related achievement, as well as parent‐reported information on behavioural and socio‐emotional development. Results After controlling for child age, gender, and reading ability, it was found that low self‐esteem, difficulties in emotion regulation, and social skills difficulties were all associated with externalising problems. Additionally, low self‐esteem, difficulties in emotion regulation, and bullying victimisation were all associated with internalising problems. Peer relationship difficulties were indirectly associated with both externalising and internalising problems through associations with low self‐esteem and difficulties in emotion regulation. Conclusion Self‐esteem, bullying victimisation, emotion regulation, social skills, and peer problems are salient correlates of externalising and internalising problems in children with a diagnosis of dyslexia. Implications for intervention are discussed, both universal school‐based mental health promotion programs, as well as more targeted programs for children with dyslexia.


In the first few weeks of December 2008, Bernard L. Madoff confessed to running what he described as, "basically, a giant Ponzi scheme." (1) In reality, what Madoff described in such modest terms was a scheme of massive proportions, what has been referred to as "America's largest financial fraud ever." (2) The exact scope of the Madoff scheme is still unraveling; however, it is estimated that thousands of investors lost somewhere between twenty and sixty-five billion dollars. (3) Madoff purported to invest the savings of some four thousand clients, and these investors spanned across forty-eight of the fifty states, (4) as well as throughout Europe, Latin America, and Asia. (5) But it all was a sham, perhaps from the very beginning. In part, what makes the Madoff affair so notable is that Bernie Madoff and his family members were well-known and respected in the securities industry. Many members of the Madoff family held securities licenses, were considered experts in the field, and worked alongside Bernie in his brokerage business. Despite their involvement and expertise in the business, to date none of the family members other than Bernie Madoff have been held liable for participating in the scam. Indeed, the current regulatory framework insulates them from private civil liability. On July 30, 2009, however, Senator Arlen Specter, on behalf of himself and cosponsors Edward Kaufman, John Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, introduced S. 1551, the Liability for Aiding and Abetting Securities Violations Act of 2009, which would reinstate a private cause of action against those alleged to have aided and abetted securities fraud violations under section 20 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. (6) This Comment discusses how the Madoff family represents a class of potential defendants who remain shielded from private civil liability because investors are unable to bring causes of action against those who aid and abet securities fraud, and proposes that Senator Specter's bill is the appropriate mechanism to restore the right of private litigants to sue aiders and abettors. Part I of this Comment discusses the Madoff Affair, including Madoff's massive Ponzi scheme and how the scam went undetected by regulators for nearly half a century. Also discussed in Part I is how the brokerage firm that Bernie Madoff began in 1960 was a family business, the role that the Madoff family played in its operation, and the inability of investors to seek retribution from alleged secondary actors like the Madoff family. Part II outlines the history of the private cause of action under section 10(b) of the Securities Act and SEC Rule 10b-5. Specifically, Part II examines the implication of the private cause of action for aiding and abetting securities fraud, and the significant case law and legislation that have impacted the right of private litigants to pursue secondary actors. Finally, Part III discusses the ability of Senator Specter's bill to reinstate the private right of action for aiding and abetting liability. This Comment concludes that there is a need to restore the private right because the current enforcement mechanisms by the Securities and Exchange Commission are insufficient. I. THE MADOFF FAMILY AFFAIR: A PARADIGM FOR THE NEED TO REINSTATE THE PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION FOR AIDING AND ABETTING SECURITIES FRAUD A. The Madoff Ponzi Scheme: "America's Largest Financial Fraud" Madoff got his start in the securities industry after graduating from Hofstra University in Long Island, in 1960. (7) He began his brokerage business, Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities (BMIS), on Wall Street in Downtown Manhattan, and later moved his entire operation to Midtown, where he occupied the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth floors of the Lipstick Building. (8) Many of Madoff's early customers were referrals from an accounting firm, Alpern & Heller, owned and operated by Sol Alpern, Bernie Madoff's father-in-law. …


Endometriosis is a chronic, painful disease characterized by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity. Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), an endogenous fatty acid amide, has anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. PEA lacks free radical scavenging activity, unlike polydatin (PLD), a natural precursor of resveratrol. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of orally administered co-micronized PEA/polydatin [m(PEA/PLD)] in an autologous rat model of surgically induced endometriosis. Endometriosis was induced in female Wistar albino rats by auto-transplantation of uterine squares (implants) into the intestinal mesentery and peritoneal cavity. Rats were distributed into one control group and one treatment group (10 animals each): m(PEA/PLD) 10 mg/kg/day. At 28 days after surgery the relative volume of the endometrioma was determined. Endometrial-like tissue was confirmed by histology: Masson trichrome and toluidine blue were used to detect fibrosis and mast cells, respectively. The treated group displayed a smaller cyst diameter, with improved fibrosis score and mast cell number decrease. m(PEA/PLD) administration decreased angiogenesis (vascular endothelial growth factor), nerve growth factor, intercellular adhesion molecule, matrix metalloproteinase 9 expression, and lymphocyte accumulation. m(PEA/PLD) treatment also reduced peroxynitrite formation, (poly-ADP)ribose polymerase activation, IkBα phosphorylation and nuclear facor-kB traslocation in the nucleus. Our results suggested that m(PEA/PLD) may be of use to inhibit development of endometriotic lesions in rats.


Transactional Memory (TM) provides programmers with a high-level and composable concurrency control abstraction. The correct execution of client programs using TM is directly dependent on the correctness of the TM algorithms. In return for the simpler programming model, designing a correct TM algorithm is an art. This dissertation presents techniques to prove the correctness or incorrectness of TM algorithms. In particular, it contributes to the specification, safety criterion, testing and verification of TM algorithms.We introduce a language for architecture-independent specification of synchronization algorithms. An algorithm specification captures two abstract properties of the algorithm namely the type of the used synchronization objects and the pairs of method calls that should preserve their program order in the relaxed execution.We introduce the markability correctness condition as the conjunction of intuitive invariants: write-observation and read-preservation. We prove the equivalence of markability and opacity correctness conditions. Decomposition of the correctness condition supports modular and scalable verification.We identify two pitfalls that lead to violation of opacity: the write-skew and write-exposure anomalies. We present a tool called Samand that automatically finds traces of such bug patterns. Using Samand, we show that the DSTM and McRT algorithms suffer from the write-skew and write-exposure anomalies respectively.We present a sound program logic called synchronization object logic (SOL) that supports reasoning about the execution order and linearization orders of method calls. It provides inference rules that axiomatize the properties and the interdependence of these orders and also the properties of common synchronization object types. We present the derivation of markability in SOL as a sound syntactic proof technique for opacity. We use SOL to prove the markability and hence opacity of the TL2 algorithm in PVS.


According to Einstein's general relativity theory, a precise (atomic) clock runs faster at a position with higher gravitational potential than a clock at a position with lower potential. Here, we provide a direct clock comparison using a fixed hydrogen clock and a portable hydrogen clock for geopotential determination based on the two-way satellite time and frequency transfer (TWSTFT) technique. After synchronizing the two hydrogen clocks at positions at the same height, the clocks were compared for a height difference of 22 m over a period of 14 days using the TWSTFT technique. Interpretation of the observed time elapse implies a height difference of 175 m +/59 m, which matches the frequency stability of our instruments. This study and relevant experiments provide a way of determining the geopotential using ultrahigh precise clocks based on the TWSTFT technique in the near future. Article history: Received 22 February 2018


Fibre-FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) has not been used in filamentous fungi before to the authors' knowledge. In this study, this technique was applied to a filamentous ascomycete, Cochliobolus heterostrophus, to visualize the organization of the rRNA gene clusters (rDNA). Using protoplasts embedded in agarose, DNA fibres were released from interphase nuclei and extended on a glass slide. Four kinds of probes (0.5-9.0 kb in size) that correspond to specific regions in the repeat unit of rDNA were hybridized singly or in combination to the DNA fibres, and the hybridization was detected with fluorescein- and/or rhodamine-conjugated antibodies after one round of signal amplification. The alternating arrangement of 18S and 28S rRNA genes as well as the tandem repetitive nature of the repeat units were clearly visualized by this single- or two-colour fibre-FISH. With a probe targeting the 5.8S or 18S rRNA gene, a region spanning over 800 kb could be visualized in a single fibre, allowing estimation of both the copy number of the repeat unit in rDNA and the stretching degree of the DNA fibre. It was shown that C. heterostrophus has more than 90 copies of the repeat unit in its rDNA and the stretching degree was similar to the value based on the Watson-Crick model. Visualization of individual genes on an extended DNA fibre was accomplished in filamentous fungi by this study.


This article discusses methodological problems related to operationalizing substantive definitions of democracy. The article argues that index-constructors need to be particularly conscious of measurement level issues. If not, their indexes may face severe reliability and validity problems, which in turn may bias empirical analyses utilizing the indexes. The article focuses particularly on the "effective democracy" measure developed by Ronald Inglehart and Christian Welzel. The measure has been used by Inglehart and Welzel in several studies, particularly for empirically testing hypotheses deduced from their version of modernization theory. These tests have generated very strong results in favor of the theory. The article is sympathetic to Inglehart and Welzel's goal of capturing "substantive" rather than "formal" democracy, but is critical of the specific measure proposed.The measure has several unfortunate theoretical and distributional properties; the empirical scores generated by the measure are often highly misleading. Empirical analysis suggests the index is biased, and that rich, Western countries are particularly favored. Utilization of the measure in statistical analysis may therefore lead to false inferences.


Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal database, named iAMF (www.amfungi.aurobindo.du.ac.in) is first digital database on
biodiversity and phylogeny of these beneficial fungi in India. It provides access to data on 161 species of arbuscular
mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) along with comprehensive information on their GPS location of reported occurrence, taxonomy,
molecular sequence, phylogeny and bibliography. The database is based on primary data collected by authors through
ongoing surveys (year 2009-2017) and secondary data from earlier studies (2008–2016). Data is carefully curated to verify
that it corresponds to the reference publication and a valid species name is used. Apart from being ecological meta-analysis
data source, it would have significant application in selection of non-indigenous AMF inoculum in agriculture, reforestation,
horticultural and land reclamation practices.


In its revised sixth edition,The Principalship continues to emphasize school culture, standards, and building community, while also providing a moral basis for leadership as a means of navigating contextual issues and constraints that principals routinely face. Studying The Principalship, future principals will explore in-depth the array of decisions that they will be confronted with and how those decisions will affect students, teachers, and school policy. Extensively updated, the new edition emphasizes diversity as a part of community building; the importance of instructional and shared leadership; and the building of communities of practice, while the book's trademark concentration on reflective practice is maintained throughout the text. The sixth edition also contains a new "Some Reflections" feature that appears in most chapters and that offers students a chance for further critical thinking and enriched class discussions.


The binding of integrin αLβ2 to its ligand intercellular adhesion molecule-1 is required for immune responses and leukocyte trafficking. Small molecule antagonists of αLβ2 are under intense investigation as potential anti-inflammatory drugs. We describe for the first time a small molecule integrin agonist. A previously described α/β I allosteric inhibitor, compound 4, functions as an agonist of αLβ2 in Ca2+ and Mg2+and as an antagonist in Mn2+. We have characterized the mechanism of activation and its competitive and noncompetitive inhibition by different compounds. Although it stimulates ligand binding, compound 4 nonetheless inhibits lymphocyte transendothelial migration. Agonism by compound 4 results in accumulation of αLβ2 in the uropod, extreme uropod elongation, and defective de-adhesion. Small molecule integrin agonists open up novel therapeutic possibilities.


Wave-structure interactions play an important role on the design and maintenance of coastal and offshore constructions. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is a convenient tool for analyzing wave-structure interactions in costal and offshore engineering. The potential model and the viscous model are traditional mathematical models for wave-structure interactions, which have disadvantages in computational robustness, when they are applied individually. Therefore, recently, more and more multi-model methods are used for coupling the viscous model and the potential model together. So far, in the existing multi-model methods, the surface-piercing structure only exists in the viscous domain so that the viscous domain should be large enough. In order to improve the computational efficiency, some multi-model methods are developed, where the structure is considered in both viscous domain and Euler domain.

Firstly, by function-decomposition method, an Euler-viscous hybrid model is proposed. Comparing with the other function-decomposition hybrid models, a surface-piercing structure exists in both a large Euler domain and a small viscous domain. By this, the reflection, diffraction, and radiation waves from the structure can be considered in both two computational domains. Therefore, the computational efficiency can be enhanced remarkably. To couple the Euler model and the viscous model, complementary RANS equations are deduced, with complementary turbulence models. Corresponding boundary conditions are also developed for coupling. A relaxed scheme is proposed for damping the viscous effects and keeping free surface consistent. For wave interactions with moving structures, the transition of total forces acting on the structure from the viscous domain to the Euler domain is used to guarantee the same motion of structures in two domains.

Secondly, the function-decomposition Euler-viscous hybrid model is extended by domain-decomposition method. Then, function-decomposition method and domain-decomposition method are coupled together. The wave generation and propagation is solved in a potential domain. By this, the computational efficiency for wave-structure interactions in a large real wave tank can be improved.

Computational robustness of Euler-viscous hybrid model for surface-piercing wave-structure interactions are studied by some cases. It is found that the size of the viscous domain, the length of transition zone, and mesh resolution can affect computational precision. Computational efficiency is mainly affected by the size of the viscous domain. For extended Euler-viscous hybrid model, the distance before reaching the inlet boundary of the Euler domain plays a crucial role on computational accuracy and efficiency. Validations are done by comparing numerical results based on hybrid models, conventional RANS model and experimental results. It is shown that hybrid models own the same computational accuracy as the conventional RANS model. Furthermore, the computational accuracy can be improved remarkably. In some cases, more than 85% CPU time can be saved.

The hybrid models are applied to simulate wave interactions with a structure subjected to seabed effects. By comparing with numerical simulations based on the conventional RANS model, it is indicated that hybrid models can be also used on complex computational domain. Some properties of wave interactions with a floating structure subjected to a submerged structure are found by numerical simulations.


According to the free-will defence, the exercise of free will by creatures is of such value that God is willing to allow the existence of evil which comes from the misuse of free will. A well-known objection holds that the exercise of free will is compatible with determinism and thus, if God exists, God could have predetermined exactly how the will would be exercised; God could even have predetermined that free will would be exercised sinlessly. Thus, it is held, the free-will defence cannot be used as a partial account of why God should have allowed evil to exist. I investigate this objection using Kripke's apparatus for treating modalities and natural kinds to explore the nature of the incompatibilism required by the free-will defence. I show why the objection fails even if the standard arguments for compatibilism are acceptable. This is because the modality involved in the incompatibilism needed by the free-will defence differs from the modality involved in the compatibilism that is supported by standard compatibilist arguments. Finally, an argument is sketched for a variety of incompatibilism of the kind needed by the free-will defence.


This doctorate thesis focuses on sparse regression, a statistical modeling tool for selecting valuable predictors in underdetermined linear models. By imposing different constraints on the structure of the variable vector in the regression problem, one obtains estimates which have sparse supports, i.e., where only a few of the elements in the response variable have non-zero values. The thesis collects six papers which, to a varying extent, deals with the applications, implementations, modifications, translations, and other analysis of such problems. Sparse regression is often used to approximate additive models with intricate, non-linear, non-smooth or otherwise problematic functions, by creating an underdetermined model consisting of candidate values for these functions, and linear response variables which selects among the candidates. Sparse regression is therefore a widely used tool in applications such as, e.g., image processing, audio processing, seismological and biomedical modeling, but is also frequently used for data mining applications such as, e.g., social network analytics, recommender systems, and other behavioral applications. Sparse regression is a subgroup of regularized regression problems, where a fitting term, often the sum of squared model residuals, is accompanied by a regularization term, which grows as the fit term shrinks, thereby trading off model fit for a sought sparsity pattern. Typically, the regression problems are formulated as convex optimization programs, a discipline in optimization where first-order conditions are sufficient for optimality, a local optima is also the global optima, and where numerical methods are abundant, approachable, and often very efficient. The main focus of this thesis is structured sparsity; where the linear predictors are clustered into groups, and sparsity is assumed to be correspondingly group-wise in the response variable. The first three papers in the thesis, A-C, concerns group-sparse regression for temporal identification and spatial localization, of different features in audio signal processing. In Paper A, we derive a model for audio signals recorded on an array of microphones, arbitrarily placed in a three-dimensional space. In a two-step group-sparse modeling procedure, we first identify and separate the recorded audio sources, and then localize their origins in space. In Paper B, we examine the multi-pitch model for tonal audio signals, such as, e.g., musical tones, tonal speech, or mechanical sounds from combustion engines. It typically models the signal-of-interest using a group of spectral lines, located at some integer multiple of a fundamental frequency. In this paper, we replace the regularizers used in previous works by a group-wise total variation function, promoting a smooth spectral envelope. The proposed combination of regularizers thereby avoids the common suboctave error, where the fundamental frequency is incorrectly classified using half of the fundamental frequency. In Paper C, we analyze the performance of group-sparse regression for classification by chroma, also known as pitch class, e.g., the musical note C, independent of the octave. The last three papers, D-F, are less application-specific than the first three; attempting to develop the methodology of sparse regression more independently of the application. Specifically, these papers look at model order selection in group-sparse regression, which is implicitly controlled by choosing a hyperparameter, prioritizing between the regularizer and the fitting term in the optimization problem. In Papers D and E, we examine a metric from array processing, termed the covariance fitting criterion, which is seemingly hyperparameter-free, and has been shown to yield sparse estimates for underdetermined linear systems. In the paper, we propose a generalization of the covariance fitting criterion for group-sparsity, and show how it relates to the group-sparse regression problem. In Paper F, we derive a novel method for hyperparameter-selection in sparse and group-sparse regression problems. By analyzing how the noise propagates into the parameter estimates, and the corresponding decision rules for sparsity, we propose selecting it as a quantile from the distribution of the maximum noise component, which we sample from using the Monte Carlo method. (Less)


Over the past twenty years there has been much controversy and public anxiety over issues relating to environmental and health-related hazards. Many of these issues result from the modem state's enthusiasm for ever-increasing economic growth and strong support for the wealth-creating potential of new technologies. Yet some sections of society are concerned about science's potential for harm as well as its potential for good. The problem for governments is-to work out how science can achieve the objective of developing wealthcreating technologies, and at the same time solve the problems for people and the environment that such technologies cause. The UK Government's use of scientific advice in many recent environmental and health-related issues raises serious questions about its success in striking the right balance between harnessing science for its benefits, and protecting the public from its potential harm. The aims of this Thesis are to examine the role of science in policy-making in Britain and to evaluate how governments go about handling uncertain scientific knowledge in an age of public risk aversion and anxiety about the effects of technology on human health and the environment. The debate on this issue reveals a split between those who accept science in the service of government the sound science approach; and those who would take a more precautionary stance, which entails that where there may be potential problems with a technology, a wider form of assessment than that carried out under the sound science approach should be carried out to ensure it is safe the precautionary approach. The theoretical basis for this Thesis will be organized around these two approaches to environmental policy-making: sound science and precautionary methodology. The Thesis constructs a theoretical framework for these respective approaches. Research was carried out into four case studies, focusing on the way in which successive British Governments have used the advice of expert bodies to formulate policies on (1) organophosphates (OPs) in sheep dip; (2) the commercialization of GM crops; (3) the BSE crisis during the period 1985 1998; and (4) the MMR vaccine policy. I then analyze the case studies to see if there is a fit between them and my theoretical approaches. My conclusion is that, despite the Government's formal commitment to the precautionary approach, and some signs of adhering to a precautionary approach in some areas, sound science is still deeply embedded in the UK's statutory science advice system.


Reaction of the aminoazirine 1 with malonimides of type 7 in 2-propanol at room temperature leads to the 1,4-diazepine derivatives of type 9 (Scheme 3). The structure of 6,6-diethyl-3-dimethylamino-2,2-dimethyl-1,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-[1,4]diazepin-5,7-dione (9a) has been proved by single crystal X-ray analysis (Chapter 4). Reduction of the 7-membered heterocycle 9a with sodium borohydride yields the perhydro-[1,4]diazepin-5,7-dione 10, while 9a in ethanol at 60° undergoes a ring contraction to the 4H-imidazole derivative 11a (Scheme 4): Mechanisms of these two reactions are discussed in comparison with previously reported reactions (Chapter 5).


Full details of two versions of the total synthesis of epoxyquinols A, B, and C and epoxytwinol A (RKB-3564D) are described. In the first-generation synthesis, the HfCl(4)-mediated diastereoselective Diels-Alder reaction of furan with Corey's chiral auxiliary has been developed. In the second-generation synthesis, a chromatography-free preparation of an iodolactone, by using acryloyl chloride as the dienophile in the Diels-Alder reaction of furan, and the lipase-mediated kinetic resolution of a cyclohexenol derivative have been developed. This second-generation synthesis is suitable for large-scale preparation. A biomimetic cascade reaction involving oxidation, 6pi-electrocyclization, and then Diels-Alder dimerization is the key reaction in the formation of the complex heptacyclic structure of epoxyquinols A, B, and C. Epoxytwinol A is synthesized by the cascade reaction composed of oxidation, 6pi-electrocyclization, and formal [4 + 4] cycloaddition reactions. A 2H-pyran, generated by oxidation/6pi-electrocyclization, acts as a good diene, reacting with several dienophiles to afford polycyclic compounds in one step. An azapentacyclic compound is synthesized by a similar cascade reaction composed of the four successive steps: oxidation, imine formation, 6pi-azaelectrocyclization, and Diels-Alder dimerization.


"LaChapelle Heaven to Hell" is the long-awaited third volume in an exhilarating trilogy that began with "LaChapelle Land" (1996) and continued with the infamous "Hotel LaChapelle" (1999). Packed with astonishing, color-saturated, and provocative images, those titles both became instant collector's items and have since gone through multiple printings. Featuring almost twice as many images as its predecessors, "LaChapelle Heaven to Hell" is an explosive compilation of new work by the visionary photographer. Since the publication of "Hotel LaChapelle", the strength of LaChapelle's work lies in its ability to focus the lens of celebrity and fashion toward more pressing issues of societal concern. LaChapelle's images - of the most famous faces on the planet, and marginalized figures like transsexual Amanda Lepore or the cast of his critically acclaimed social documentary Rize - call into question our relationship with gender, glamour, and status. Using his trademark baroque excess, LaChapelle inverts the consumption he appears to celebrate, pointing instead to apocalyptic consequences for humanity itself. While referencing and acknowledging diverse sources such as the Renaissance, art history, cinema, The Bible, pornography, and the new globalized pop culture, LaChapelle has fashioned a deeply personal and epoch-defining visual language that holds up a mirror to our times. Sumptuously packaged in the trilogy's boxed hardcover format, "LaChapelle Heaven to Hell" is a must-have for anyone interested in contemporary photography. It is also keenly priced, especially for those who have coveted TASCHEN's limited edition, "LaChapelle, Artists & Prostitutes".


"The International Service for National Agricultural Research¾on its own from 2002 until 2003, and as a division of the International Food Policy Research Institute thereafter has studied 124 public–private partnerships in agriculture in nine Latin American countries through its initiative on public–private partnerships for Agro-Industrial Research in Latin America...This paper examines...seven cases of public–private partnership building in which private- sector companies, producer associations, and research organizations engage in collaboration for the purpose of developing innovations in agricultural production and value chains. The paper considers different points of entry to partnership building, emulating best practices. The paper describes (a) how common interests among multiple stakeholders have been identified; (b) how partners have been motivated to participate in partnerships; (c) how the roles of different brokers within or outside the partnerships have fostered partnership development; and (d) how the contributions of partners have been negotiated to ensure that partnership arrangements are in alignment with the interests of the partners, their capacities, and the prevailing technological and market opportunities. The paper targets policymakers and administrators in agricultural development, and collaborators in research and innovation projects who are interested in issues of how best to build partnerships among public and private agents." from Authors' Abstract


Abstract The interstellar medium (ISM) in galaxies is multiphase and cloudy, with stars forming in the very dense, cold gas found in Giant Molecular Clouds (GMCs). Simulating the evolution of an entire galaxy, however, is a computational problem which covers many orders of magnitude, so many simulations cannot reach densities high enough or temperatures low enough to resolve this multiphase nature. Therefore, the formation of GMCs is not captured and the resulting gas distribution is smooth, contrary to observations. We investigate how star formation (SF) proceeds in simulated galaxies when we obtain parsec-scale resolution and more successfully capture the multiphase ISM. Both major mergers and the accretion of cold gas via filaments are dominant contributors to a galaxy's total stellar budget and we examine SF at high resolution in both of these contexts.


Background and Objective: Nitric oxide (NO) is a widespread signaling molecule which is known to influence varied biological processes. However, an uncontrolled high level of NO accelerates tissue destruction. The pathogenesis of periodontal disease is also affected by smoking which alters the inflammatory response. The present study was thus performed to assess the effect of nonsurgical periodontal treatment on salivary and serum NO levels in smokers and nonsmokers with chronic periodontitis. Materials and Methods: Forty patients with chronic periodontitis, including 20 nonsmokers and equal number of smokers participated in the present study. Probing depth, clinical attachment level, plaque index, gingival index were assessed, serum and saliva samples were obtained from the patients at baseline and after Phase I therapy at 6 weeks to estimate NO by Griess colorimetric reaction. Results: Smokers showed higher serum and saliva NO levels 30.3 ± 3.28 and 50.4 ± 4.07 μM as compared to nonsmokers 20.05 ± 2.42 μM and 37.5 ± 2.95 μM, respectively, at baseline. After Phase I therapy, both the groups exhibited significant improvement in clinical parameters and reduction in serum and saliva NO levels; however, reduction was higher in nonsmokers. Conclusion: More destructive expression of periodontal disease in smokers causes an increase in the concentrations of NO and less reduction after Phase I therapy as compared to nonsmokers with chronic periodontitis. Hence, NO levels in saliva and serum could be used as indicators of periodontal inflammatory condition.


Abstract We develop a method for calculating the persistence landscapes of affine fractals using the parameters of the corresponding transformations. Given an iterated function system of affine transformations that satisfies a certain compatibility condition, we prove that there exists an affine transformation acting on the space of persistence landscapes, which intertwines the action of the iterated function system. This latter affine transformation is a strict contraction and its unique fixed point is the persistence landscape of the affine fractal. We present several examples of the theory as well as confirm the main results through simulations.


Background: Measurement of airway resistance by interrupter technique (Rint) is feasible in preschool children unable to undertake spirometry. Though normative data have been established in healthy 2-10 year old children the value of Rint for children with chronic illness has not been established. Premature infants surviving with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are reported to have abnormal lung function in childhood. We therefore aimed to determine the sensitivity of MicroRint (Micro Medical Ltd, Rochester, UK), a portable device, to identify differences in Rint in preschool children with BPD compared to preterm controls and its feasibility in an outpatient setting.
Method: Rint was measured by a single investigator using a standard technique in 76 eligible children between 2-5 yrs old attending outpatients. The mean of at least 6 acceptable values of Rint with consistent shape of pressure waveform (Pmo(t)) was taken. Children with respiratory illness within 1 month, congenital anomaly and cardiac defects were excluded.
Results: Rint was measured successfully in 10/28 (36%) 2-3 yr, 13/20 (65%) 3-4 yr and 23/28 (82%) 4-5 yr old children (n=76, 26 BPD and 20 Controls). There was no difference in Rint between BPD and preterm control children (n=46, median 1.36 v 1.22 kPa/l.s, p=0.64)
Conclusions: Although measuring Rint is feasible in preschool children in an ambulatory set-up, Rint is not increased in preschool children with BPD compared to preterm controls.


Background: Psychiatric co morbidities like anxiety, depression and somatization are often associated with chronic diseases such as Type2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and Hypertension (HTN). Illness-associated depression and anxiety impairs quality of life and results in higher health care utilization and costs. However, co morbid mental disorders are often under-recognized and not always effectively treated. The objectives of our study were to determine prevalence of common mental disorders (anxiety, depression and somatization) amongst diagnosed patients of T2DM and HTN and to identify the determinants associated with these common mental disorders among patients with T2DM and HTN Methodology: A cross sectional study was carried out at the outpatient services of the Community Heath Department of St. Stephen's Hospital, located in an urban slum of East Delhi. Study participants were adults diagnosed with T2DM, HTN or both. They were interviewed using Patient Health QuestionnaireSomatic, Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms (PHQ-SADS). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Association between variables were studied by using logistic regression Result: Among 101 study participants, 51.5% had only Hypertension, 25.7% had only type 2 DM and 22.8% had both. Prevalence of anxiety and depression were found to be 56.43% (45.6% mild, 45.6% moderate, 8.8% severe) and 79.2% (46.2% mild, 43.7% moderate, 10.1% severe) respectively Conclusion: Prevalence of common mental disorders was very high among the study population. There is a need for increased awareness and treatment of these conditions.


The paper analyzes the use of credit default swaps (CDS) for regulatory capital relief and its consequences for systemic risk. Equity capital acts as a buffer against losses, and reduces incentives for excessive risk taking. Basel capital regulation states that banks can lower capital requirements using CDS. When the cost of capital is too steep, CDS allows banks to invest in good projects, which would have been by-passed otherwise. However, CDS can also be used for regulatory arbitrage to lower capital requirements resulting in excessive risk taking. Furthermore, the bank and the CDS seller (insurer) prefer high correlation in their returns and jointly shift the risk to the regulator. CDS can be traded at a price higher than its fair value reflecting the value of capital relief. I also analyze how the correlation between the insurer and the bank can be determined endogenously through the volume of CDS the insurer sells, and how CDS can help banks expand balance sheets and fuel asset price bubbles.


BACKGROUND
Risk stratification of acute kidney injury (AKI) is important for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). The aim of this study was to determine whether clinical markers, such as the blood urea nitrogen/creatinine ratio (BUN/Cr) or BUN or creatinine values alone, stratify the risk of AKI for mortality.

METHODS AND RESULTS
In all, 371 consecutive ADHF patients were enrolled in the study. AKI was defined as serum creatinine ≥0.3 mg/dl or a 1.5-fold increase in serum creatinine levels within 48 h. During ADHF therapy, AKI occurred in 99 patients; 55 patients died during the 12-month follow-up period. Grouping patients according to AKI and a median BUN/Cr at admission of 22.1 (non-AKI+low BUN/Cr, non-AKI+high BUN/Cr, AKI+low BUN/Cr, and AKI+high BUN/Cr groups) revealed higher mortality in the AKI+high BUN/Cr group (log-rank test, P<0.001). Cox's proportional hazard analysis revealed an association between AKI+high BUN/Cr and mortality, whereas the association with AKI+low BUN/Cr did not reach statistical significance. When patients were grouped according to AKI and median BUN or creatinine values at admission, AKI was associated with mortality, regardless of BUN or creatinine.

CONCLUSIONS
The combination of AKI and elevated BUN/Cr, but not BUN or creatinine individually, is linked with an increased risk of mortality in ADHF patients, suggesting that the BUN/Cr is useful for risk stratification of AKI.


The present study was designed to elucidate whether demonstration of a peripheral bronchopleural fistula on CT correlated with the need for surgical management. We retrospectively identified 33 patients, 24 males and nine females, mean age 38 years, with clinical diagnosis of peripheral bronchopleural fistula and whose chest CT scans and medical charts were reviewed. Each chart was reviewed to identify the cause of the peripheral bronchopleural fistula and its treatment. Treatment decisions were categorized as surgical or conservative. Each chest CT was evaluated for the cause of peripheral bronchopleural fistula as follows: bulla(e), lung abscess/necrotizing pneumonia, neoplasms, peripheral bronchiectasis, and trauma. The peripheral bronchopleural fistula was classified as visible on CT if a distinct channel between the lung or a peripheral bronchus and the pleura was seen on the lung windows. We found that CT was useful in guiding surgery by identifying and localizing the cause of the peripheral bronchopleural fistula in the 55% (18/33) of patients who required surgery. The peripheral bronchopleural fistula or its probable cause was identified in 91% (30/33) as follows: bulla(e) (n = 12), lung abscess/necrotizing pneumonia (n = 11), peripheral bronchiectasis (n = 5), malignancy (n = 1), and posttraumatic pneumatocele (n = 1). The peripheral bronchopleural fistula was right-sided in 24, left-sided in nine, and was visible on CT in 36% (12/33). Among the patients with bullae, 58% (7/12) required surgery; however, the peripheral bronchopleural fistula was visible on CT in only 8% (1/12). Among the 21 patients without bulla(e), the peripheral bronchopleural fistula was visible on CT in 52% (11/21). When the fistula was visible in this subgroup, 73% (8/11) required surgery compared with 30% (3/10) in whom the fistula was not visible (p = NS; Fisher exact). In conclusion, CT was useful in guiding surgery by identifying and localizing the peripheral bronchopleural fistula or its probable cause. Peripheral bronchopleural fistulas caused by bulla(e) were less likely to be visible on CT (p < 0.05). Excluding patients with bulla(e), our data suggest a trend toward the need for surgical management for patients in whom the peripheral bronchopleural fistula was visible on CT.


Humidity-sensitive, demand-controlled ventilation systems have been in use for many years in regions with oceanic climates. Some attempts have been made to apply this technology in Poland, which has a continental climate. This article evaluates the performance and energy consumption of such a system when applied in an eight-floor, multiunit, residential building, i.e., the virtual reference building described by the National Energy Conservation Agency (NAPE), Poland. Simulations using the computer program CONTAM were performed for the whole heating season based upon the climate in Warsaw. Besides passive stack ventilation, that served as a reference, two ventilation systems were studied: one standard and one "hybrid" system with additional roof fans. This study confirmed that the application of humidity-sensitive, demand-controlled ventilation in multiunit residential buildings in a continental climate (Dfb) led to significant energy savings (up to 11.64 kWh/m2 of primary energy). However, the operation of the system on higher floors was found to be ineffective. Ensuring consistent operation of the system on all floors required supplementary fans. The introduction of a hybrid mode reduced carbon dioxide concentrations by approximately 32% in the units located in the upper part of the building. The energetic effect in such cases depends strongly on the electricity source. In the case of the national energy grid, savings of primary energy would be relatively low, i.e., 1.07 kWh/m2, but in the case of locally produced renewable energy, the energy savings would be equal to 5.18 kWh/m2.


The tactical level has become increasingly important in the conduct of contemporary complex military operations. Yet, the potential impact that this tactical level may have on domestic civil–military relations has been neglected. In this article, we focus on mechanisms by which low-level soldiers have acquired an increasing importance in tactical operations and we suggest that this may influence civil–military relations in the future. We argue that two phenomena deserve particular attention. These mechanisms are not new but they have had new effects by making it possible for soldiers to influence politics in sometimes unforeseen ways: the first is the strategic corporal and the second is the expansion of ancillary tasks. Our contribution lies at the interface between military sociology and security studies and seeks to show how the tactical level of warfare has become a fundamental context in which civil–military relations are enacted. Exploring these dynamics is fundamental to understanding under what conditions soldiers may interact with other actors in complex operations.


The low surface brightness (LSB) disk galaxies found in recent surveys (e.g.,\ Schombert et al. 1992, AJ, 103, 1107) tend to be blue and gas rich. These properties along with their low mean surface luminosity and H i densities imply an inefficient mode of star formation. The Hα images that we present of a sample of these galaxies show the weak star formation in these galaxies relative to high surface brightness, Hubble sequence spirals. Most LSB disks harbor only a handful of widely scattered H ii regions and generally have low total Hα fluxes. However, in some cases these scattered areas of star formation can be quite vigorous. For example, the giant LSB disk galaxy F568-6 contains a complex that is comparable in size, mass, and star formation rate to a luminous irregular galaxy, but contributes only about 5% of the galaxy's total blue luminosity (Bothun et al. 1990, ApJ, 360, 427). We present neutral hydrogen images of some of the largest known LSB galaxies. The gas in these galaxies is distributed in regularly rotating, giant, and also very low H i surface brightness disks. A preliminary analysis shows that if most of the gas is in atomic hydrogen, large parts of the disks have total surface densities below the threshold for star formation to set in.


The nature and magnitude of the growth in China-Africa economic relations in recent years is unprecedented and extraordinary. According to recent estimates, the value of China's trade with African nations grew from a mere 10 million USD in the 1980s to 55 billion USD in 2006, and to more than 100 billion USD by the end of 2009, at which time nearly 1,600 Chinese companies were doing business in Africa with a direct stock investment of about 7.8 billion USD. The accelerating impetus of China-Africa trade has overtaken some crucially important features of an effective trade regime, most notably a fully trustworthy dispute resolution system. It is the current and potential future efficacy of such a system that is taken up in this book with great understanding and skill. The author evaluates existing mechanisms of dispute resolution in all aspects of China-Africa economic relations in light of the parties' economic and cultural profiles and their evolving legal traditions, and goes on to propose a comprehensive institutional model of dispute resolution that takes full account of the economic needs and legal cultures of both China and the various African countries. Among the topics and issues that arise in the course of the presentation are the following: suitability of the WTO's dispute resolution mechanism for China-Africa trade relations; domestic, bilateral, regional, and multilateral law sources affecting China-Africa commerce; the role of intra-Africa bilateral investment treaties; competing interests that underpin international investment law; relevant legal, economic, and political challenges and cultural barriers; permissible scope of regional trade regimes; national treatment versus duty to compensate; and harmonization initiatives – model laws, incoterms, restatements. The author includes in-depth analysis of the how China-Africa economic relations fare in the varieties of dispute resolution methods available at the major arbitral European and American institutions – ICSID, AAA, ICC, LCIA, PCA – as well as under the rules of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) and the important arbitral fora in Cairo, Kuala Lumpur, and Lagos. Endorsing institutional arbitration as the most appropriate form of resolving trade, investment, and commercial disputes arising between China and African countries, this ground-breaking analysis outlines the obstacles and shortcomings of the available means of dispute settlement, both in international and domestic contexts, and offers deeply-informed recommendations for improvement of the existing system. Although the book will be welcomed by interested scholars and practitioners for its detailed discussion of how China-Africa trade relations are situated within the global trade regime, its most enduring value lies in its proposals for structuring a legal framework within which future disputes will be effectively resolved.


Data from the 2002 National Survey of America's Families show that 57 percent of disconnected welfare leavers face more than one barrier to work compared with 17 percent of working welfare leavers. 63 percent of disconnected welfare leavers report running out of money to buy food compared with 43 percent of working former recipients.


The estimation of the reliability function of the Weibull lifetime model is considered in the presence of uncertain prior information (not in the form of prior distribution) on the parameter of interest. This information is assumed to be available in some sort of a realistic conjecture. In this article, we focus on how to combine sample and non-sample information together in order to achieve improved estimation performance. Three classes of point estimatiors, namely, the unrestricted estimator, the shrinkage estimator and shrinkage preliminary test estimator (SPTE) are proposed. Their asymptotic biases and mean-squared errors are derived and compared. The relative dominance picture of the estimators is presented. Interestingly, the proposed SPTE dominates the unrestricted estimator in a range that is wider than that of the usual preliminary test estimator. A small-scale simulation experiment is used to examine the small sample properties of the proposed estimators. Our simulation investigations have provided strong evidence that corroborates with asymptotic theory. The suggested estimation methods are applied to a published data set to illustrate the performance of the estimators in a real-life situation.