Much has been written about the current trend toward privatization of public enterprises. Selling Public Enterprises is the first book, however, to use economic logic to develop a quantitative approach to making divestiture decisions. Using the standard tools of applied microeconomics, the authors propose a method of valuing state-owned firms both before and after divestiture by the government. Their valuation method offers significant advantages over those commonly in use (such as book value of assets) and can provide governments with a reliable means of evaluating the costs and benefits of reforming state-owned enterprise policies and procedures. Selling Public Enterprises focuses on the pivotal questions of whether the enterprise should be sold, to whom should it be sold, and at what price. It identifies the social value of the enterprise under continued government operation, the social value under private operation, and the private value under private operation as being critical in determining the answers to these questions. In each case "social value" indicates the economic promise of such a venture to both households and firms of the country involved. The authors take up such topics as shadow pricing, the basic framework of welfare aggregation, the valuation of public income, private income and investment income, base flows and stocks, and the effect of sale prices on public and private values. They discuss the possibility of synergies and strategic behavior and present both a valuation algorithm and a sensitivity analysis. In the concluding chapters they address distributional realities and describe various dimensions of divestiture policy such as lifting constraints on enterprise behavior, improving the net benefit of divestiture, and coping with political constraints.


Denise Levertov, American poet and activist, died in December 1997 at the age of 74. This book contains some twenty previously uncollected interviews conducted between the early 1960s and the middle of the 1990s. They are focused primarily on her work as a poet but also on her social and political concerns. She was forty years old and already recognized as an important poet at the time of the first of these interviews. She was past seventy and an icon of American culture at the time of the most recent. Levertov was born in England of a Welsh mother and a Russian-born Anglican priest who had converted from Judaism. She first made her mark as a poet in the late 1950s. Her poetry was recognized as distinctive and indeed brilliant. The earliest interviews are focused on her poetic craft and on her youth in England, her education, her marriage to an American, and her postwar move to New York. In 1955 she became a U.S. citizen, and in the 1960s and 1970s she and her husband Mitchell Goldman were among the most visible and vocal opponents of the Viet-nam War. After the war, she retained her interest in social and political issues and continued over the years to write deeply moving poetry about her life and about contemporary events. The interviews in which Levertov discusses her craft constitute an important document on American poetry in the second half of the twentieth century. She talks of her legendary friendship with her mentor William Carlos Williams and her association with the Black Mountain Poets. As she discusses her craft in great detail, she gives special attention to diction, line lengths, versification, and choice of subject matter. Students of American culture and readers of American poetry will be delighted by this collection of the personal views of one of the century's best poets. Jewel Spears Brooker , a professor of English at Eckerd College, is the author of Mastery and Escape: T. S. Eliot and the Dialectic of Modernism, coauthor of Reading The Waste Land': Modernism and the Limits of Interpretation, and editor of Approaches to Teaching Eliot's Poetry and Plays.


Fifty years ago one of the greatest breakthroughs in computer programming and in the history of computers happened – the appearance of FORTRAN, the first higher-order programming language. From that time until now hundreds of programming languages were invented, different programming paradigms were defined, all with the main goal to make computer programming easier and closer to as many people as possible. Many battles were fought among scientists as well as among developers around concepts of programming, programming languages and paradigms. It can be said that programming paradigms and programming languages were very often a trigger for many changes and improvements in computer science as well as in computer industry. Definitely, computer programming is one of the cornerstones of computer science. Today there are many tools that give a help in the process of programming, but there is still a programming tasks that can be solved only manually. Therefore, programming is still one of the most creative parts of interaction with computers. Programmers should chose programming language in accordance to task they have to solve, but very often, they chose it in accordance to their personal preferences, their beliefs and many other subjective reasons. Nevertheless, the market of programming languages can be merciless to languages as history was merciless to some people, even whole nations. Programming languages and developers get born, live and die leaving more or less tracks and successors, and not always the best survives. The history of programming languages is closely connected to the history of computers and computer science itself. Every single thing from one of them has its reflexions onto the other. This paper gives a short overview of last fifty years of computer programming and computer programming languages, but also gives many ideas that influenced other aspects of computer science. Particularly, programming paradigms are described, their intentions and goals, as well as the most of the significant languages of all paradigms.


We model the decisions of a multiproduct firm that faces a fixed "menu" cost: once it is paid, the firm can adjust the price of all its products. We characterize analytically the steady state firm's decisions in terms of the structural parameters: the variability of the flexible prices, the curvature of the profit function, the size of the menu cost, and the number of products sold. We provide expressions for the steady state frequency of adjustment, the hazard rate of price adjustments, and the size distribution of price changes, all in terms of the structural parameters. We study analytically the impulse response of aggregate prices and output to a monetary shock. The size of the output response and its duration both increase with the number of products; they more than double as the number of products goes from 1 to 10, quickly converging to the response of Taylor's staggered price model.


Background— Right ventricular failure from increased pulmonary vascular loading is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, yet its modulation by disease remains poorly understood. We tested the hypotheses that, unlike the systemic circulation, pulmonary vascular resistance (RPA) and compliance (CPA) are consistently and inversely related regardless of age, pulmonary hypertension, or interstitial fibrosis and that this relation may be changed by elevated pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, augmenting right ventricular pulsatile load. Methods and Results— Several large clinical databases with right heart/pulmonary catheterization data were analyzed to determine the RPA-CPA relationship with pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary fibrosis, patient age, and varying pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. Patients with suspected or documented pulmonary hypertension (n=1009) and normal pulmonary capillary wedge pressure displayed a consistent RPA-CPA hyperbolic (inverse) dependence, CPA=0.564/(0.047+RPA), with a near-constant resistance-compliance product (0.48±0.17 seconds). In the same patients, the systemic resistance-compliance product was highly variable. Severe pulmonary fibrosis (n=89) did not change the RPA-CPA relation. Increasing patient age led to a very small but statistically significant change in the relation. However, elevation of the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (n=8142) had a larger impact, significantly lowering CPA for any RPA and negatively correlating with the resistance-compliance product (P<0.0001). Conclusions— Pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary fibrosis do not significantly change the hyperbolic dependence between RPA and CPA, and patient age has only minimal effects. This fixed relationship helps explain the difficulty of reducing total right ventricular afterload by therapies that have a modest impact on mean RPA. Higher pulmonary capillary wedge pressure appears to enhance net right ventricular afterload by elevating pulsatile, relative to resistive, load and may contribute to right ventricular dysfunction.


To ignore the strategies and structures through which stories are told, this thesis contends, is to neglect a vital dimension of their politics. Narratology provides productive analytical tools to illuminate the complex and varied mechanics of narrative form, yet it also bears the traces of its structuralist origins. Its value is therefore contingent upon its continuing reformulation as an expansive, pluralist and contextualized critical discipline. Participating in this expansion, this
thesis evidences the pertinence and vitality of some narratological models and the limitations of others. It opens up alternative critical possibilities by drawing upon insights within contemporary critical theory, from poststructuralist philosophy to transcultural feminism to
sociolinguistics. Above all, my interventions proceed from close readings of innovative fiction by women writers hitherto all but unrepresented in, and therefore potentially subversive of, existing models: Nicole Brossard, Daphne Marlatt, Hiromi Goto, Ali Smith, Jackie Kay, Erna Brodber, Dionne Brand, Aritha van Herk.

The first chapter formulates an in-between critical space where feminist and postmodernist theories of narrative intersect. It re-examines metafiction through the lens of auto(bio)graphical practice and feminist poststructuralist theories of self, and introduces the notions of folds and
echoes to describe specific structural innovations. Chapter Two examines unconventional uses of second-person address and reconsiders existing narratological approaches in their light, focusing on the `push and pull of narrative' that the `you' form enacts. Chapter Three addresses the insufficient attention paid to multiply narrated novels, theorizing them as `narrative communities' and introducing terms to describe different internal relations between narrators, relations that can often be read as determinedly 'democratic'. The final chapter contests the
hegemony of temporal models of narrativity by formulating a 'spatial poetics' that accounts both for how spatial structures can be agents of narrative change and for the complexity of textual constructions of space, which frequently exceed static definitions of 'setting'.

Running throughout is a reconception of narrative as located not with the figure of the narrator, but in relations of intersubjectivity. The narratological criticism formulated here works towards a situated ethics of reading responsive to the politics of writing: it is engaged, relational, and ever in process.


This paper presents an approach to perform Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) in underwater environments using a Mechanically Scanned Imaging Sonar (MSIS) not relying on the existence of features in the environment. The proposal has to deal with the particularities of the MSIS in order to obtain range scans while correcting the motion induced distortions. The SLAM algorithm manages the relative poses between the gathered scans, thus making it possible to correct the whole Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) trajectories involved in the loop closures. Additionally, the loop closures can be delayed if needed. The experiments are based on real data obtained by an AUV endowed with an MSIS, a Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) and a Motion Reference Unit (MRU). Also, GPS data is available as a ground truth. The results show the quality of our approach by comparing it to GPS and to other previously existing algorithms.


We present a novel collection of news articles originating from fake and real news media sources for the analysis and prediction of news virality. Unlike existing fake news datasets which either contain claims, or news article headline and body, in this collection each article is supported with a Facebook engagement count which we consider as an indicator of the article virality. In addition we also provide the article description and thumbnail image with which the article was shared on Facebook. These images were automatically annotated with object tags and color attributes. Using cloud based vision analysis tools, thumbnail images were also analyzed for faces and detected faces were annotated with facial attributes. We empirically investigate the use of this collection on an example task of article virality prediction.


Aim To compare detection rates of drusen and subretinal fluid by Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (FD OCT) and orange pigment by fundus autofluorescence (FAF) with ophthalmoscopy in indeterminate choroidal melanocytic lesions. Methods In a consecutive case series of 38 patients with indeterminate choroidal melanocytic lesion that would have been categorised as a small tumour according to the size-based nomenclature used in the Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study, each eye was submitted to ophthalmoscopic examination, FD OCT and FAF. The presence of drusen, subretinal fluid and orange pigment was recorded for each lesion by a single observer at the time of initial ophthalmoscopic evaluation and on fundus photographs. FD OCT and autofluorescence images were reviewed in all cases in a masked fashion. Results The ophthalmoscopic examination revealed drusen in 42%, subretinal fluid in 53% and orange pigment in 50% of patients. FD-OCT detected drusen in 45% and subretinal fluid in 58% of cases, and FAF detected orange pigment in 58% of cases. Based on the McNemar test, none of the differences were statistically significant at the 0.05 level. Conclusions FD OCT and FAF complement clinical examination by verifying and documenting retinal and RPE changes associated with indeterminate choroidal melanocytic lesions. The detection rates by FD OCT and FAF of important qualitative prognostic factors appear to be equivalent to ophthalmoscopy by a trained observer. Once validated in a larger number of patients, FD OCT and FAF findings can be incorporated into diagnostic algorithms.


American border literature has a long history of using the concept of Mexico as a space where national anxieties may be projected and alleviated.  Since the mid-nineteenth century, the sedimentation of this Mexican conceptual space has formed layers of simulacra that are produced and consumed according to the supply and demand of an increasingly globalized economy.  Katherine Anne Porter's treatment of her Mexican conceptual space breaks from that of her predecessors in its honesty, complexity, and puzzling ambiguity.  This article examines the psychological utility of foreign Otherness, the historical precedents behind the Mexican conceptual simulacra, and the consequences of Porter's attempt to escape the cycle of production and consumption to which American portrayals of Mexico traditionally succumb.  Porter and her characters in "Flowering Judas," "Maria Concepcion," "That Tree," "The Martyr," and "Hacienda" attain a status of both consumer and consumed. Her attempt to save the Mexican conceptual space from the global market of simulacra can be viewed as a maternal quest, both futile and honorable, that perpetuates Mexican Otherness while simultaneously exploring the possibilities of its liberation.  In this respect, Porter's short fiction set in Mexico marks a turning point for America's relationship with its southern neighbor as a whole.


This investigation was carried out at the request of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and comprises an outline of historical developments and theoretical principles, together with a discussion of expedients for making the most effective use of existing diaphragms actuated by the hydrostatic pressure form an essential element of a great variety instruments for aeronautic and other technical purposes. The various physical data needed as a foundation for rational methods of diaphragm design have not, however, been available hitherto except in the most fragmentary form.


A presumptive diagnosis of hyperadrenocorticism in dogs can be made from clinical signs, physical examination, routine laboratory tests, and diagnostic imaging findings, but the diagnosis must be confirmed by use of pituitary-adrenal function tests. Screening tests designed to diagnose hyperadrenocorticism include the corticotropin (adrenocorticotropic hormone; ACTH) stimulation test, low-dose dexamethasone suppression test, and the urinary cortisol:creatinine ratio. None of these screening tests are perfect, and all are capable of giving false-negative and false-positive test results. Because of the limitation of these diagnostic tests, screening for hyperadrenocorticism must be reserved for dogs in which the disease is strongly suspected on the basis of historical and clinical findings. Once a diagnosis has been confirmed, the next step in the workup is to use one or more tests and procedures to distinguish pituitary-dependent from adrenal-dependent hyperadrenocorticism. Endocrine tests in this category include the high-dose dexamethasone suppression test and endogenous plasma ACTH measurements. Imaging techniques such as abdominal radiography, ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging can also be extremely helpful in determining the cause.


Aim: It is assumed that reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation cause cell membrane damage and play a role in oncogenesis. Carnitine and acyl esters, which play a role in intracellular short-, medium-, and long-chain fatty acid metabolism, are one of the defense mechanisms against free radical toxicity. It is thought that the protective effects of carnitine are related with its role in lipid metabolism. In our study, we analyzed the relation between malondialdehyde (MDA) and free carnitine, and C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C8, C10, C12, C14:1, C14, C16:1, C16, C18:1, C18, C20:4 carnitine levels in glial tumors [glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) (n = 29), high-grade astrocytoma (n = 8) and low-grade astrocytoma (n = 8)] to determine whether there is a relation between carnitine-acyl carnitines and lipid peroxidation in carcinogenesis. Materials and Methods: The present study examined the free carnitine and C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C8, C10, C12, C14:1, C14, C16:1, C16, C18:1, C18, C20:4 levels of glial tumors in tandem mass spectrometry. We measured MDA levels using HPLC system. Results: There was a significant correlation between MDA and C20:4 carnitine levels in GBM. C20:4 carnitine levels increased with increasing MDA levels (p = 0.000, r = 0.916), but no significant correlation was found in the other groups. Conclusions: In conclusion, measurement of only carnitine-MDA relation did not reflect any significant correlation. Detailed studies, including measurement of parameters showing antioxidant status and tumor cellular metabolism, are necessary.


Statistical models of the amino acid composition of the proteins within a fold family are widely used in science and engineering. Existing techniques for learning probabilistic graphical models from multiple sequence alignments either make strong assumptions about the conditional indepen-dencies within the model (e.g., HMMs), or else use sub-optimal algorithms to learn the structure and parameters of the model. We introduce an approach to learning the topological structure and parameters of an undirected probabilistic graphical model. The learning algorithm uses block-L 1 regularization and solves a convex optimization problem, thus guaranteeing a globally optimal solution at convergence. The resulting model encodes both the position-specific conservation statistics and the correlated mutation statistics between sequential and long-range pairs of residues. Our model is generative, allowing for the design of new proteins that have corresponding statistical properties to those seen in nature. We apply our approach to two widely studied protein families: the WW and the PDZ folds. We demonstrate that our model is able to capture interactions that are important in folding and allostery. Our results additionally indicate that while the network of interactions within a protein is sparse, it is richer than previously believed.


BACKGROUND: Ventriculoperitoneal shunting is one of the most commonly performed neurosurgical procedures. Typically, for insertion of the peritoneal catheter, a mini-laparotomy technique is used. Although generally safe, it can be cosmetically undesirable and time consuming. Complications include malpositioning, bowel injury, and delayed hernias. Laparoscopic techniques have been advocated to address these issues, but have been slow to gain traction with neurosurgeons. OBJECTIVE: To describe our experience with single port optical access laparoscopy for placement of ventriculoperitoneal shunts. Our technique simplifies adoption of a laparoscopic technique for neurosurgeons looking to incorporate its benefits. METHODS: All ventriculoperitoneal shunts placed by the senior author since April 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Surgical and perioperative complications, length of postoperative stay, and need for revisions were analyzed. RESULTS: Fifty-six patients were included in the study. There were no cases of peritoneal catheter misplacement. One intraoperative complication occurred early in the series, in which there was an injury to the gallbladder necessitating cholecystectomy. There were 7 cases followed by shunt revision inclusive of the abdomen. In 3 cases, pseudocysts were noted. CONCLUSION: Single port optical access laparoscopy is a fast and minimally invasive technique that allows direct visualization of the layers of the abdominal wall as they are traversed and visualization of the peritoneal catheter during placement. It uses a small cosmetic incision and obviates the need for postoperative abdominal radiographic studies. The procedure has a modest learning curve, but can be safely used without the assistance of an assist surgeon after the skills are acquired.


Broader governance challenges driving water insecurity globally are well documented in the literature, however the power-laden relationships and emotions that shape water access at the household and community levels are yet to be fully investigated, especially in the context of water consolidation projects. In this article, we examine the role of emotions in mediating access to water and in the production of resource struggles among marginalized communities, existing outside of conventional regulatory frameworks. We bring together two relational approaches – the hydro-social cycle and emotional political ecology – to examine water insecurity and how it manifests in the historically disadvantaged Latinx community of East Porterville, California; an unincorporated community faced with seven years of prolonged drought and widespread dry wells. Findings from qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with residents and local experts and participant observation revealed that the emotions of fear, suffering, embarrassment, shame, and compassion facilitated the reproduction of water insecurity in certain households while engendering access in others. Social hierarchy and horizontal relationships mattered, particularly in how emotions were mobilized and contested and the effects they produced for households. Furthermore, this article shows that water struggles and solutions are emotional processes with political and livelihood implications and thus require attention beyond engineering solutions.


The reactivity of polyaromatics involved in various radical reactions is studied. The reactions under study are hydrogen abstractions by a methyl radical and additions to double bonds both intra- and intermolecular. The chemical reactivity of the involved molecules is described through different properties, which are calculated within the density functional theory (DFT) framework. The softness reactivity index is tested on its usefulness and reliability to provide information about the reactivity of the global molecule or about chemical selectivity. The applicability of the hard and soft acids and bases (HSAB) principle for bimolecular radical reactions is illustrated by comparing the results of the softness-matching criterion with kinetic and thermodynamic data. For large polyaromatic molecules several magnetic indices, in particular, magnetic susceptibilities, chemical shifts, and nucleus independent chemical shifts (NICS), are computed to quantify the aromatic character of the involved species. The app...


Abstract. Automatic subdivision of landscapes into terrain units remains a challenge. Slope units are terrain units bounded by drainage and divide lines, but their use in hydrological and geomorphological studies is limited because of the lack of reliable software for their automatic delineation. We present the r.slopeunits software for the automatic delineation of slope units, given a digital elevation model and a few input parameters. We further propose an approach for the selection of optimal parameters controlling the terrain subdivision for landslide susceptibility modeling. We tested the software and the optimization approach in central Italy, where terrain, landslide, and geo-environmental information was available. The software was capable of capturing the variability of the landscape and partitioning the study area into slope units suited for landslide susceptibility modeling and zonation. We expect r.slopeunits to be used in different physiographical settings for the production of reliable and reproducible landslide susceptibility zonations.


During the preliminary stages of the 2016 presidential election, many prospective candidates took an active role in the Super PACs that would eventually support them after they became candidates. The regulatory system in place provides clear restrictions on Super PACs' abilities to coordinate with candidates; however, what is less clear is whether such regulations restrict the behavior of individuals during pre-candidacy, known under Federal Election Commission (FEC) regulations as the "testing-the-waters" phase. This Note gives an overview of the laws and regulations governing Super PACs, as well as the regulations and FEC guidance concerning when an individual becomes a candidate. This Note then examines the lawfulness of non-candidate coordination with Super PACs through an analysis of FEC Advisory Opinion 2015-09. Lastly, this Note advocates for further regulation and proposes several new regulations that should be adopted by the FEC to restrict this type of pre-candidacy conduct.


Simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT)-enabled cognitive networks (CRNs) is recognized as one of most promising techniques to improve spectrum efficiency and prolong operation lifetime in 5G and beyond. However, existing methods focus on the centralized algorithm and the power allocation under perfect channel state information (CSI). The analytical solution and the impact of the power splitting (PS) on the optimal power allocation strategy are not addressed. In addition, the influence of the PS factor on the feasible region of transit power is rarely analyzed. In this paper, we propose a joint power allocation and PS algorithm under perfect CSI and imperfect CSI, respectively, for multiuser SWIPT-enabled CRNs scenarios. The power minimization of resource allocation problem is formulated as a multivariate nonconvex optimization which is hard to obtain the closed-form solution. Hence, we propose a suboptimal algorithm to alternatively optimize the power allocation and PS coefficient under the cases of the low-harvested energy region and the high-harvested energy region, respectively. Moreover, a closed-form distributed power allocation and PS expressions are derived by the Lagrangian approach. Simulation results confirm the proposed method with good robustness and high energy efficiency.


ABSTRACT Daily oral tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)-emtricitabine (FTC) is a safe and effective intervention for HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP). We evaluated the performance of a qualitative assay that detects 20 antiretroviral (ARV) drugs (multidrug assay) in assessing recent PrEP exposure (detection limit, 2 to 20 ng/ml). Samples were obtained from 216 Black men who have sex with men (208 HIV-uninfected men and 8 seroconverters) who were enrolled in a study in the United States evaluating the acceptability of TDF-FTC PrEP (165 of the uninfected men and 5 of the seroconverters accepted PrEP). Samples from 163 of the 165 HIV-uninfected men who accepted PrEP and samples from all 8 seroconverters were also tested for tenofovir (TFV) and FTC using a quantitative assay (detection limit for both drugs, 0.31 ng/ml). HIV drug resistance was assessed in seroconverter samples. The multidrug assay detected TFV and/or FTC in 3 (1.4%) of the 208 uninfected men at enrollment, 84 (40.4%) of the 208 uninfected men at the last study visit, and 1 (12.5%) of the 8 seroconverters. No other ARV drugs were detected. The quantitative assay confirmed all positive results from the multidrug assay and detected TFV and/or FTC in 9 additional samples (TFV range, 0.65 to 16.5 ng/ml; FTC range, 0.33 to 14.6 ng/ml). Resistance mutations were detected in 4 of the 8 seroconverter samples. The multidrug assay had 100% sensitivity and specificity for detecting TFV and FTC at drug concentrations consistent with daily PrEP use. The quantitative assay detected TFV and FTC at lower levels, which also might have provided protection against HIV infection.


PREMISE OF THE STUDY
The Western Indian Ocean Region (WIOR) is a biodiversity hotspot providing an ideal setting for exploring the origins of insular biodiversity and dynamics of island colonization. We aimed to investigate the origins of the WIOR Psychotrieae alliance (Rubiaceae) with typically small, probably mainly bird-dispersed drupes, and the timing and direction or sequence of its colonization events in the region.

METHODS
We used the program BEAST to estimate divergence times and Lagrange for biogeographic reconstruction.

KEY RESULTS
The alliance has reached the WIOR at least 14 times via dispersals from Africa along with Asia and the Pacific mostly during the last 10 My, with at least one back-colonization to Africa. We inferred the earliest dispersal to Madagascar from the Pacific or Asia in the Miocene and numerous out-of-Madagascar dispersals to the nearby archipelagos but no dispersal out of those archipelagos. Gynochthodes with multiple fruits reached Madagascar twice from the Pacific possibly via ocean drifting. Psychotria with dry fruits (schizocarps) colonized Madagascar from the Pacific or Asia before reaching the Comoros from Madagascar possibly via wind dispersal.

CONCLUSIONS
This study reinforces the pivotal role of dispersal in shaping the WIOR biodiversity and as the critical initiating step in the generation of endemic biodiversity on its islands. The WIOR alliance shows strong Asian and Pacific affinities despite the proximity of the region to Africa. Madagascar has served as a stepping-stone for subsequent dispersal to the rest of the region. The Afro-Malagasy-Seychelles genus Craterispermum and the Malagasy Puffia may represent relictual lineages.


In this paper, in order to study the impact of offshoring on sectoral and economywide rates of unemployment, we construct a two sector general equilibrium model in which labor is mobile across the two sectors, and unemployment is caused by search frictions. We find that, contrary to general perception, wage increases and sectoral unemployment decreases due to offshoring. This result can be understood to arise from the productivity enhancing (cost reducing) effect of offshoring. If the search cost is identical in the two sectors, or even if the search cost is higher in the sector which experiences offshoring, the economywide rate of unemployment decreases. We also find multiple equilibrium outcomes in the extent of offshoring and therefore, in the unemployment rate. Furthermore, a firm can increase its domestic employment through offshoring. Also, such a firm's domestic employment can be higher than a firm that chooses to remain fully domestic. When we modify the model to disallow intersectoral labor mobility, the negative relative price effect on the sector in which firms offshore some of their activity becomes stronger. In such a case, it is possible for this effect to offset the positive productivity effect, and result in a rise in unemployment in that sector. In the other sector, offshoring has a much stronger unemployment reducing effect in the absence of intersectoral labor mobility than in the presence of it. Finally, allowing for an endogenous number of varieties provides an additional indirect channel, through which sectoral unemployment goes down due to the entry of new firms brought about by offshoring.


Fluid transport networks are important in many natural settings and engineering applications, from animal cardiovascular and respiratory systems to plant vasculature to plumbing networks and chemical plants. Understanding how network topology, connectivity, internal boundaries and other geometrical aspects affect the global flow state is a challenging problem that depends on complex fluid properties characterized by different length and time scales. The study of flow in micro-scale networks focuses on low Reynolds numbers where small volumes of fluids move at slow speeds. The flow physics at these scales is governed by the Stokes equation, which is linear. This linearity property allows for relatively simple theoretical and computational solutions that greatly aid in the understanding, modeling and designing of micro-scale networks. At larger scales and faster flow rates, macrofluidic networks are also important but the flow physics is quite different. The underlying Navier-Stokes equation is nonlinear, theoretical results are few, simulations are challenging, and the mapping between geometry and desired flow objectives are all much more complex. The phenomenology for such high-Reynolds-number or inertially-dominated flows is well documented and well-studied: Flows are retarded in thin boundary layers near solid surfaces; such flows are sensitive to geometry and tend to separate from surfaces; and vortices, wakes, jets and unsteadiness abound. The counter-intuitive nature of inertial flows is exemplified by the breakdown of reversibility. This dissertation explores two general ways of how rectified flows emerge in macrofluidic networks as a consequence of irreversibility and unsteady effects: When branches or channels of a network have asymmetric internal geometry and the second when a network contains loops.


Classical therapy protocols have many limitations due to the molecular characteristics of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), and pharmaceutical/biomedical engineers and scientists seek to improve them. There is a continual market need for improved drug delivery systems (DDSs). The use of smart drug delivery systems (SDDSs) capable of the controlled release of drugs at specific locations/times is a very exciting area of research pursued by researchers in academia and industry. The main purpose of SDDSs is to improve the pharmacological activities of the APIs administered. The formulations, approaches and technologies that enable the introduction and movement of pharmaceutical substances in the body and enhance their efficacy and safety are of key importance in SDDSs. The use of polymer-based DDSs will be discussed and an overview of the chemical structures of those polymers will offer an understanding of the mechanisms of drug release, stimuli essential for the drug release and the uses and applications of light responsive polymers. The main aim of the research project is the synthesis of biocompatible light responsive polymers for drug delivery. The first chapter of results in this thesis will illustrate the preparation and characterisation of photoswitchable bioconjugates composed of the hydrophilic natural linear polysaccharide hyaluronic acid (HA) with the hydrophobic 2-diazo-1,2-napthoquinone (DNQ) conjugated to the backbone of the HA. These bioconjugates might offer enhanced therapeutic effects via improving the solubility of poorly water soluble drugs (e.g. doxorubicin, Cabozantinib, Nintedanib, Curcumin, Paclitaxel), pharmacokinetics, clearance, and potential to target cancer stem cells that overexpress cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44). Moreover, the HA-DNQ bioconjugates may assemble into micelle-like structures because of their inherently surfactant-like properties. Interestingly, the HA-DNA bioconjugates are photoresponsive because the DNQ can undergo a UV-induced Wolff rearrangement reaction rendering it hydrophilic, and therefore the micelle-like structures are potentially able to undergo triggered disassembly in response to the application of light. The loading and controlled release of dyes from the HA-DNQ micelle-like structures was studied using various dyes as model drugs. The second chapter of results in this thesis involves the synthesis and characterisation of photocleavable cross-linkers to prepare photoactive polyethyleneglycol (PEG)-based hydrogels with varying quantities of photolabile crosslinkers; their properties were compared to non-photoactive PEG-based hydrogels with equivalent quantities of non-photolabile crosslinkers. In addition, photocleavable PEG derivatives (PEG-ONB-PEG) were also generated. The last chapter of results in this thesis deals with a new compound that was synthesised in Dr John Hardy's lab by other members of the team (a PhD student Mark Ashton and an MSc student Alex Davey). The results from this chapter include light-sensitive changes to the PEG-hemin conjugates, optionally with a clinically relevant anti-inflammatory drug (dexamethasone 21-phosphate disodium). Keywords Smart drug delivery systems; Drug delivery vehicles; Cancer; Polymer based drug delivery; Photodynamic therapy; Polymeric micelles; Hydrogel with low-molecule-weight; and Light responsive polymer.


One of the implications of the baby boomer and aging population is that family caregiving is gradually increasing thus the current push in caregiver research and policy. The Caregiver Advise, Record and Enable (CARE) Act provides some support to family caregivers and was introduced by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) to assist those caregivers with the transition of care through discharge planning from hospitals to long-term care facilities. The CARE Act requires hospitals to (1) Record the name of the family caregiver on the medical record (2) Inform the family caregivers when the patient is to be discharged and (3) Provide the family caregiver with education and instruction of the medical tasks he or she will need to perform for the patient post-discharge. As of April 2016, the Act has been passed and implemented in 32 states where each individual state has different regulatory capacities, structures and resources. The scope of this comparative essay is to evaluate the implementation of the Act while looking at the importance of policy design, state regulation, stakeholder involvement and overall limitations as it varies from state to state given their capacities. This policy initiative relates to public health as it applies to population health and takes into account the emerging fields of healthcare and public health. The public health significance forecasts the concern that the aging population needs sufficient care and this legislation's progress is dependent on public health principles of monitoring, regulation and promotion by the states. The effectiveness of the implementation of this Act directly ensures that the aging population is provided care that is specifically designed for each individual Data sources include bills published through individual state legislatures, stakeholder and state resources, in addition to publications pertaining to research related topics.


Using data on non-Hispanics from the 2005 Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), this article examines the within-religion association between religious participation and wages for mainline Protestants, conservative Protestants, and Catholics, the three major religious groups in the United States. While previous studies have examined this relationship for women only and using ordinary least squares (OLS), this article further analyzes gender differences and differences along the wage distribution using a quantile regression (QR) approach. The results indicate that high participation in religious services is associated with lower wages among mainline Protestant women and men, and among Catholic men. Among Catholic women, those who are not participating in religious activities earn higher wages relative to those who participate on a weekly basis. Furthermore, this advantage is more pronounced at high wages, as the QR estimates show. These results suggest the importance of defining religious participation in a manner that allows the detection of nonlinear effects. In addition, the findings speak to the importance of religion in the lives of individuals and may benefit policies dealing with male-female wage differentials.


This paper provides decision-makers with a framework for prioritising different economic, social and environmental goals and analysing the options available to achieve them. To this end, it develops three stylised COVID-19 recovery pathways ("Rebound", "Decoupling" and "Wider well-being") that differ in the extent to which they encompass greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions and the integration of mitigation and wider well-being outcomes or, broadly equivalently, SDGs. A number of real-world examples of COVID-19 recovery measures in the surface transport and residential sectors were identified, and the paper maps these measures onto these three stylised pathways. The paper finds a wide divergence in the environmental and social impacts of COVID-19 recovery measures developed to date, with several countries putting in place measures that correspond to all three pathways. The nature and pace of economic recovery in different countries and in aggregate will have important implications for existing, updated and new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, and the paper also highlights the possible impact of the COVID-19 recovery measures being put in place on NDCs– including on the ambition of both current and future NDCs. The paper concludes that it will be important for governments to improve their understanding of the impact of their recovery measures across multiple policy dimensions (economic, social, environmental) as well as across different time periods (short and long-term) and spatial scales.


The conventional view is that the Patent Office examines patent applications before issuance to assure compliance with the statutory criteria of patentability. Ex post invalidation in district court litigation or Patent Office cancellation proceedings then reviews the Patent Office's work to correct errors that result from the Patent Office's shortcomings, bias, or "rational ignorance" that limits resources spent on examination because of the irrelevance of most patents. Scholars, the Federal Circuit, and the Supreme Court have all endorsed this conventional view. However, it is wrong—or at least overly simplistic. The American patent system is only partially a system of ex ante patent examination. In other respects, it functions as a registration system where significant aspects of patentability determinations are left entirely to ex post patent invalidation in litigation and administrative proceedings. Even if the Patent Office was allocated greater resources and its examiners performed their assigned tasks perfectly, full evaluation of patentability would be impossible due to structural features of examination that exclude certain categories of prior art, prevent evaluation of the full extent of the patent owner's exclusive rights, and allow only a snapshot evaluation of a patentability question that changes over time. Given that parts of the patentability evaluation are structurally impossible in examination, the role of ex post invalidation is more nuanced than traditionally described. In some instances, it performs a review function to correct errors in the Patent Office's examination. In other instances, however, it serves an examination function to provide a first-instance evaluation of the aspects of patentability which are structurally unsuited for ex ante examination. Yet, the design of the patent system does not reflect the structural limits of examination or varied roles of ex post invalidation. A proper understanding of patent examination and invalidation sheds light on current debates over the presumption of validity, administrative patent cancellation, and the role of ex ante examination. This article is available in American University Law Review: https://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/aulr/vol69/ iss4/3 1095 THE COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP OF PATENT EXAMINATION AND INVALIDATION


The Mishna in Tractate Gittin discusses land qualities, in a context where land is used to settle monetary obligations. The law is that land of different qualities must be used to pay claimants in different situations; in particular, claimants pursuant to a tort case have the right to have their claim paid with land of the best quality. Creditors have the right to be paid with land of medium quality, while women who are owed money as part of a ketuba (marriage contract) claim may have to be satisfied with land of the lowest quality. However, the total value of the land received by each claimant is just the amount they are owed - it is independent of the quality of the land that is used to pay them. This being the case, the purpose of the legislation is unclear. In this paper, I explore the possibility that the law is designed to minimize the total amount of transactions costs.


This casebook emphasizes current doctrine and its historical evolution in exploring the four basic foundations of federal administrative law: separation of powers, statutorily- and constitutionally-required procedures for agency adjudication and rulemaking, scope of judicial review of agency action, and the availability and timing of judicial review. The book concentrates on federal rather than state administrative law in order to provide the fundamental knowledge and concepts necessary to understand the subject, on the belief that an understanding of federal law can be translated into other settings. The book also maintains the straightforward organization and don't-hide-the-ball presentation that has characterized the book since its inception. The Seventh Edition contains five new principal cases, eight major new note cases, ten shorter new note cases, and updated treatments of all major topics. It also includes a revised Chapter I that includes an extended treatment of statutory interpretation to accommodate the increasing inclusion of Administrative Law in the first-year curriculum.


High-quality Monte Carlo image synthesis requires the ability to importance sample realistic BRDF models. However, analytic sampling algorithms exist only for the Phong model and its derivatives such as Lafortune and Blinn-Phong. This paper demonstrates an importance sampling technique for a wide range of BRDFs, including complex analytic models such as Cook-Torrance and measured materials, which are being increasingly used for realistic image synthesis. Our approach is based on a compact factored representation of the BRDF that is optimized for sampling. We show that our algorithm consistently offers better efficiency than alternatives that involve fitting and sampling a Lafortune or Blinn-Phong lobe, and is more compact than sampling strategies based on tabulating the full BRDF. We are able to efficiently create images involving multiple measured and analytic BRDFs, under both complex direct lighting and global illumination.


We address the construction of price indexes for consumer vehicles using data collected from a national sample of dealerships. The dataset contains highly disaggregate data on actual sales prices and quantities, along with information on customer cash rebates, financing terms, and much more. Using these data, we are able to capture the actual cash and financing incentives taken by consumers, and we demonstrate that their inclusion in measures of consumer vehicle prices is important. We also document other features of retail vehicle markets that interact and overlap with price measurement issues. In particular, we construct vehicle price indexes under different assumptions about what constitutes a "new" product in moving from one model year to the next. For the period that we study (1999 to 2003), a period during which incentives became more widespread and new model introductions rose, our preferred price index drops faster than the CPI for new vehicles.


One of the main challenges arising from noise and vibration problems is how to identify the areas of a device, machine or structure that produce signi cant acoustic excitation. Measurement methods relying on sound intensity are widely used for the localization and quanti cation of noise sources although they are often limited by the measurement environment. In contrast, the use of a microphone in combination with three orthogonal particle velocity sensors enables the direct acquisition of 3D dimensional sound intensity without the traditional frequency constrains of pressure-based solutions. Furthermore, stationary sound elds can be characterized e ciently by means of manual scanning techniques. In this paper, a expanded scanning method is used in combination with a 3D tracking system based on a stereo camera. Acoustic variations throughout space can be then determined by combining the signals acquired with the tracking information of the probe. An overview of the measurement methodology is given along with the evaluation of several practical examples.


Gout was the subject of nearly 30 abstracts and the first plenary session in more than 20 years at the recent American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2004 annual meeting held in San Antonio, Texas. The prevalence of gout, the most common form of arthritis in men older than 40, is increasing worldwide. Interest was strong also for a session on a new treatment for rheumatoid arthritis patients who respond inadequately to anti-TNF therapy.


The paper examines the impact of ICT on students learning experiences and opportunities offered by virtual learning environment as an integral part of traditional learning environment in the experimental course "Integration of information literacy skills into ESP programme" at Mykolas Romeris University (Lithuania). The experiment aimed at developing students' information literacy and social skills as the means for enhancement of learning with a particular attention towards foreign language competencies. The integrated information literacy course into ESP (English for specific purposes) syllabus addressed students' needs of information literacy skills striving for better performance and efficiency in academic studies. The focal points of the research presented in the paper are: a) students' attitudes towards the learning environment offered by software Moodle; b) information literacy knowledge and skills developed within and with the assistance of Moodle; c) enhancement of social communication and collaboration; d) the impact of information literacy course on ESP competencies in a complex learning environment.


In the near future Self-supply will continue to be relevant as complementary supply and as a step to achieve universal access to water as conventional water delivery services will struggle to maintain and extend their coverage and level of service. The service delivery model provided through WASH Self-supply should be improved and better managed through comprehensive approaches which include stimulation of demand, linkages to productive uses, strengthening of the supply side to provide quality services and support to government and service support organisations to take on their roles. To further develop understanding of impacts and effectiveness of approaches for improving Self-supply reliable technical and financial support is needed for implementation, monitoring and evaluation, as well as for sharing of experiences and learning.


ABSTRACT In the 1920s, a large influx of immigrants from Czechoslovakia came to Canada in search of industrial work and available land for agriculture. Interwar ethnic associations were predominantly led by individuals of Slovak origin. Czechoslovakia maintained contact with its nationals in Canada through its diplomatic officials. Their consular offices promoted loyalty to Czechoslovakia's policies in the hopes that Slovaks and Czechs would adopt their home government's pro-"Czechoslovak" ideology, and eventually defend their homeland in the event of a war. The Czechoslovak Consulate General in Montreal oversaw all diplomatic activity between Prague and its nationals in Canada. With Slovakia's declaration of independence and Germany's occupation of the Czech lands in March 1939, the Czechoslovak Consulate General in Montreal used its local diplomatic discretion in an attempt to unite Slovaks and Czechs as a "Czechoslovak" national community. However, although nationalist Slovaks supported Canada's war effort, they opposed the Czechoslovak Consulate General's pro-Czechoslovak agenda. Czechoslovak diplomats lobbied the Canadian government for political recognition of the Edvard Beneš-led Czechoslovak government-in-exile in London to legitimize their efforts to re-establish a postwar Czechoslovak Republic. After British recognition, Canada became the last Dominion to recognize the London government-in-exile.


This paper outlines the planned research into the use of an ePortfolio Environment to support the development of reflection in pre-service teachers. Reflection is a key skill for teachers to possess as they continue to learn into the future. It is a doctoral research project that involves the implementation of sections of the eLearning Lifecycle model (Phillips, Kennedy, & McNaught, 2011) within a PebblePad platform. The proposed environment will include examples, activities and interactions as part of an Enculturation Teaching Model (Tishman, Jay, & Perkins, 1993). The impetus for the activities will be the sections of the Framework for Teacher Reflection (Colton & Sparks-Langer, 1993). The implementation aims to develop a teaching environment that can be used in a variety of platforms to develop reflective abilities in pre-service teachers that will be used for continued professional development.


We propose a new mechanism for the generation of zonal flows in magnetically confined plasmas, complementing previous theories based on a modulational instability. We derive a new conservation law that operates in the regime of weakly nonlinear dynamics, and show that it serves to focus the inverse cascade of turbulent drift wave energy into zonal flows. This mechanism continues to operate in the absence of the separation of dynamical scales typically assumed in instability calculations.


Particle electrical mobility classification has made important contributions in atmospheric and climate science, public health and welfare policy, and nanotechnology. The measurement of the particle size distribution is integral to characterization of the sub-micrometer aerosol particle population. The differential mobility analyzer (DMA) has been the primary instrument for such measurements. Aerosol particles are transmitted through the DMA on the condition that their migration time across an electrode separation distance is approximately equal to the advective transport time from the inlet to the outlet; these two travel times are induced by an electric field between the electrodes and an orthogonal particle-free carrier gas flow. However, scientific interest has increasingly shifted toward both the nanometer-scale particle size distribution and the miniaturization of instruments. The classical DMA suffers from severe resolution degradation and diffusional losses of nanometer-scale particles, as well as being ill-suited for lightweight, low-power applications. It is relatively recently that miniaturization of DMAs for portable applications has appeared in the scientific literature. Additionally, an abundance of efforts on DMA design have yielded instruments that can probe the nanometer-scale particle size regime, though their use is restricted to the laboratory as they require powerful pumps and operate at near-turbulent flow conditions. The opposed migration aerosol classifier (OMAC) is a novel concept for particle electrical mobility classification introduced about a decade ago. In contrast to the DMA, the OMAC transmits particles on the condition that their migration velocity in an electric field is approximately equal to the advective transport velocity by a particle-free flow; the migration velocity is induced by an electric field between two porous electrodes, through which a particle-free cross-flow moves in an anti-parallel direction to the electric field. Because of this flow field arrangement, the length scale over which diffusion must act to affect resolution is the entire electrode separation distance in the OMAC, whereas in the DMA it is smaller by about a factor of the sample-to-carrier gas flow rate ratio. As a result, resolution degradation due to diffusion occurs at a lower operating voltage in the OMAC compared to the DMA. Not only does this suggest a larger dynamic range for the OMAC, but also the capability to classify nanometer-scale particles with greater resolution and lower operating voltages and flow rates. Motivated by the theoretical advantages of an OMAC compared to a DMA, this thesis details the design and characterization of OMAC classifiers to verify the performance of realized OMACs. The capabilities of prototype radial geometry OMACs were first investigated. They demonstrated sub-20 nm particle diameter classification at high resolution using modest flow rates, making them amenable to non-laboratory applications. Additionally, the delayed resolution degradation of OMACs was validated by the maintenance of resolution at operating voltages below those at which a DMA would have experienced severely degraded resolution. Various applications were then carried out to validate the use of OMACs in both nanometer-scale and sub-micrometer particle size regimes. The first OMAC application was in the field of biomolecule analysis, in which the radial OMAC was operated as an ion mobility spectrometer coupled to a mass spectrometer to resolve conformations of sub-2 nm biomolecules. The resolving power of the radial OMAC was high enough to differentiate peptide stereoisomers and populations of thermally-induced biomolecule conformations. In the aerosol measurement field, aerosol particle size distributions are typically obtained by passing the sample through an ionization source to impart charges on the sample particles, before mobility separation and detection. The detected signal must be inverted, using detector efficiencies, classifier transfer functions, and charge distributions, to obtain the true particle size distribution. While detector efficiencies and classifier transfer functions are typically well-quantified for the specific instruments used in the measurement, the charge distribution is almost never calculated for the specific measurement conditions. This is due both to the computational expense of, as well as the present impracticability of obtaining all the information needed for carrying out such calculations. Aerosol scientists typically use one parameterization of the charge distribution, regardless of the measurement conditions. Thus, the charge distribution represents the greatest source of bias in particle size distribution measurements. Having demonstrated high resolution of sub-2 nm ions, the radial OMAC was then used to obtain mobility distributions of gas ions formed in a bipolar aerosol charger. These ion mobility distributions were then used to quantify the particle size distribution bias due to the use of the common charge distribution parameterization. In atmospheric nucleation field, the radial OMAC was deployed as part of an airborne particle detection payload over a large cattle feedlot. Again, the radial OMAC demonstrated the ability to obtain nanometer-scale particle size distributions, that, when paired with a concurrently-deployed DMA, allowed for the measurement of ambient particle size distributions over the entire sub-micrometer size range. A spatially-dense set of such particle size distributions allowed for the calculation of particle growth rates from a clear nucleation event from cattle feedlot emissions. Finally, OMACs were evaluated for their performance at low-flow rate operation to obtain sub-micron particle size distribution for deployment as portable exposure monitors, distributed network area monitors, and unmanned aerial vehicle instrumentation. The radial OMAC showed high fidelity to a reference instrument in reported ambient particle size distributions for nearly 48 hours of unattended operation. A planar geometry OMAC prototype was designed and characterized as well, indicating design and construction issues that caused deviations from ideal behavior. The planer OMAC qualitatively agreed with a reference instrument in reported ambient particle size distributions for about 12 hours of unattended operation. Both radial and planar OMACs were more compact, lower in weight, and less demanding in power consumption than a classical DMA, showing high potential for further miniaturized instrumentation development.


Abstract Lameness in cattle is a health and welfare concern; however, limited information is available on risk factors and the relationship between lameness and common diseases like bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Therefore, the objectives of this study were to: 1) identify prevalence of lameness in feedlot cattle and related risk factors of cattle diagnosed as lame; and 2) determine associations between BRD occurrence and lameness. Feedlot cattle health records were available from 28 feedlots for 10 yr. The data set consisted of 663,838 cattle records, with 13.9% (92,156) diagnosed with a disease, including 32.3%, 46.0%, and 22.0% with lameness, BRD, and other diagnoses, respectively. Lameness was classified into four categories: foot rot (FR), joint infections (JI), lame with no visible swelling (LNVS), and injuries (INJ), with a prevalence of 74.5%, 16.1%, 6.1%, and 3.1%, respectively. Lameness was compared across cattle types (arrival date and weight) as well as age classification (calf vs. yearling), gender (steer vs. heifer), and season of placement in the feedlot (spring, summer, fall, and winter). Within the disease-diagnosed population, lameness represented 28.5% of treated fall-placed calves, 38.5% of winter-placed calves, and 40.8% of treated yearlings. Foot rot was the most common diagnosis with 74.5% of all lameness diagnoses, with winter- and fall-placed calves more likely to be diagnosed with FR compared to yearlings (OR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.10–1.30 and OR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.38–1.55, respectively). Joint infections were the second most common diagnosis (16.1%). Compared to yearlings, fall-placed calves had a higher odds (OR: 3.64, 95% CI: 3.12–4.24) for JI. Injuries and LNVS were the least common but again fall-placed calves had higher odds of this diagnosis compared to yearlings (OR: 2.26, 95% CI: 1.70–2.99 and OR: 9.10, 95% CI: 6.26–13.2, respectively). Gender was significantly different for JI as steers were less likely affected compared to heifers (OR: 0.687, 95% CI: 0.545–0.867), and more likely affected by LNVS (OR: 2.46, 95% CI: 1.57–3.84). Of all lameness-associated deaths, JI accounted for almost 50%. Finally, cattle diagnosed with BRD were subsequently more likely to be diagnosed with INJ, JI, or LNVS (P < 0.001 for all comparisons). In conclusion, animal type and gender were associated with type of lameness diagnoses, allowing feedlots to allocate resources to groups at highest risk and focus on early intervention strategies.


The purpose of this study was to examine the interactions between in-service chemistry teachers' science teaching orientations and other components of their pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). Two experienced chemistry teachers participated in this study. Data were collected through interviews, classroom observations, and field notes as the participants taught the mixtures unit. The results indicated that the participants held solid foundation purposes, in which students use science to be successful in their exams or next classes, along with everyday coping and correct explanations purposes. When participants' correct explanations and solid foundation purposes interacted together with the same PCK component, solid foundation appeared to be the reason for their correct explanations purpose. The teaching strategies that teachers preferred to use interacted with their solid foundation and correct explanations purposes, and the participants altered curricula only if they believed it would lead students to achieve better scores on examinations. Participants' beliefs about science teaching and learning indicated aspects of teacher-focused beliefs that prevent teachers from focusing on students' prerequisite knowledge, learning difficulties, and misconceptions. These beliefs interacted with all the sub-components of knowledge of instructional strategies. In addition, there was an interaction between knowledge of curricula and beliefs about science teaching and learning for participants that were more knowledgeable about the curriculum. Moreover, what the teachers assessed was related to their correct explanations and everyday coping beliefs, while the way they assessed was related to their solid foundation beliefs. Last, none of the participants emphasised the aspects of the nature of science during their instruction.


Importance Community-based studies have linked psychotic experiences (PEs) with increased risks of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs). However, it is not known if these associations vary across the life course or if mental disorders contribute to these associations. Objective To examine the temporal association between PEs and subsequent STBs across the life span as well as the influence of mental disorders (antecedent to the STBs) on these associations. Design, Setting, and Participants A total of 33 370 adult respondents across 19 countries from the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys were assessed for PEs, STBs (ie, ideation, plans, and attempts), and 21 DSM-IV mental disorders. Discrete-time survival analysis was used to investigate the associations of PEs with subsequent onset of STBs. Main Outcomes and Measures Prevalence and frequency of STBs with PEs, and odds ratios and 95% CIs. Results Of 33 370 included participants, among those with PEs (n = 2488), the lifetime prevalence (SE) of suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts was 28.5% (1.3), 10.8% (0.7), and 10.2% (0.7), respectively. Respondents with 1 or more PEs had 2-fold increased odds of subsequent STBs after adjusting for antecedent or intervening mental disorders (suicidal ideation: odds ratio, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.8-2.6; suicide plans: odds ratio, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.7-2.6; and suicide attempts: odds ratio, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.5-2.5). There were significant dose-response relationships of number of PE types with subsequent STBs that persisted after adjustment for mental disorders. Although PEs were significant predictors of subsequent STB onset across all life stages, associations were strongest in individuals 12 years and younger. After adjustment for antecedent mental disorders, the overall population attributable risk proportions for lifetime suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts associated with temporally prior PEs were 5.3%, 5.7%, and 4.8%, respectively. Conclusions and Relevance Psychotic experiences are associated with elevated odds of subsequent STBs across the life course that cannot be explained by antecedent mental disorders. These results highlight the importance of including information about PEs in screening instruments designed to predict STBs.


Abstract Two streams of theory and practice on gender equity have begun to elide. The first is work conducted to change social norms, particularly using theory that emerged from studies in social psychology. The second is work done on gender norms, emerging historically from feminist scholars working to counter gender inequality. As these two streams of work intersect, conceptual clarity is needed to understand differences and similarities between these two traditions. Increased clarity will improve efforts to address harmful norms and practices. In this article, we review similarities and differences between social and gender norms, reviewing the history of the concepts and identifying key tension points of contrast. We identified six areas of comparison that might be helpful for practitioners working for the promotion of global health as they make sense of social and gender norms. We then offer a definition of gender norms for practitioners and researchers working at the intersection between these two theories. Our definition draws from the two different streams of thought of how norms influence people's actions, acknowledging the double nature of gender norms: beliefs nested in people's minds and embedded in institutions that profoundly affect health‐related behaviours and shape differential access to health services.


This new edition of The Law of Trusts provides comprehensive and up to date coverage of both the general principles and the application of trust law in specific areas of legal practice. The book has been fully revised and updated to take into account recent legislation and case law from key trust jurisdictions, and to include new material on the rule in Hastings-Bass; different applications of the constructive trust; trustees' liability for breach of trust; the taxation of trusts and estate planning; trusts of pension schemes and financial regulation. It also contains expanded material on areas that have recently grown in importance, such as the emergence of shams and retention of control of trust assets by the settlor; and the growing use of Special Purpose Vehicles in offshore commercial dealings. The book is helpfully split into two parts along these lines: Part One considers the general principles involved and includes coverage of: all aspects of express private trusts; the duties and powers of trustees; the variation of trusts; trusts implied by law; and breach of trusts. Part Two puts the general principles to work by covering key practice areas including: insolvency; private client trusts; international trusts; pension funds; financial transactions; commercial transactions; and trusts of land. This is a substantial work written by expert academics who also have experience of practice, supported by contributions from key specialists.


Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have the potential to be one of the cleanest and most efficient energy technologies for direct conversion of chemical fuels to electricity. Economically competitive SOFC systems appear poised for commercialization, but widespread market penetration will require continuous innovation of materials and fabrication processes to enhance system lifetime and reduce cost. One early technical opportunity is minimization of resistance to the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the cathode, which contributes the most to performance degradation and efficiency loss in the existing SOFCs, especially at temperatures <700 °C. Detailed study over the past 15 years has revealed the positive impact of catalyst infiltration on SOFC cathode performance, both in power density and durability metrics. However, realizable performance improvements rely upon strongly-coupled relationships in materials and morphology between the infiltrate and the backbone, and therefore efficacious systems cannot be simply generated with a set of simple heuristics. This article reviews recent progress in enhancing SOFC cathode performance by surface modification through a solution-based infiltration process, focusing on two backbone architectures – inherently functional and skeletal – infiltrated using wet-chemistry processes. An efficient cathode consists of a porous mixed-conducting backbone and an active coating catalyst; the porous backbone provides excellent ionic and electronic conductivity, while the infiltrated surface coating possesses high catalytic activity and stability. As available, performance comparisons are emphasized and reaction schematics for specific infiltrate/backbone systems are summarized. While significant progress has been achieved in enhancing surface catalytic activity and durability, the detailed mechanisms of performance enhancement are insufficiently understood to obtain critical insights and a scientific basis for rational design of more efficient catalysts and novel electrode architectures. Recent progress in characterization of surfaces and interfaces is briefly discussed with challenges and perspectives in surface modification of SOFC electrodes. Surface modification through infiltration is expected to play an increasingly important role in current and next-generation commercial SOFC development, and this review illustrates the sophisticated technical considerations required to inform judicious selection of an infiltrate for a given SOFC system.


Age-related decline may not be as pronounced in complex activities as it is in basic cognitive processes, but ability deterioration with age is difficult to deny. However, studies disagree on whether age is kinder to more able people than it is to their less able peers. In this article, we investigated the "age is kinder to the more able" hypothesis by using a chess database that contains activity records for both beginners and world-class players. The descriptive data suggested that the skill function across age captures the 3 phases as described in Simonton's model of career trajectories: initial rise to the peak of performance, postpeak decline, and eventual stabilization of decline. We therefore modeled the data with a linear mixed-effect model using the cubic function that captures 3 phases. The results show that age may be kind to the more able in a subtler manner than has previously been assumed. After reaching the peak at around 38 years, the more able players deteriorated more quickly. Their decline, however, started to slow down at around 52 years, earlier than for less able players (57 years). Both the decline and its stabilization were significantly influenced by activity. The more players engaged in playing tournaments, the less they declined and the earlier they started to stabilize. The best experts may not be immune to aging, but their previously acquired expertise and current activity enable them to maintain high levels of skill even at an advanced age.


Due to the recent destructive pressures on the Caspian environment, an effect on phytoplankton communities is expected in different aspects such as cell size and form. This paper aims to survey the size and form in the dominant phytoplankton species in the years of 1996, 2001, 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2012 in the Iranian coast of the Caspian Sea. Results of current study showed that the dominant species and along with it their sizes and forms remained quite similar in the fall of different years, but the greatest shift in size and form were observed during spring, summer and winter. It is suggested that these changes reflect an ecological disturbance and instability in the Caspian environment.


This research aims to obtain the best quality of the red dragon fruit ( Hylocereus polyrhizus ) jelly which added of carrageenan and arabic gum. This study is held experimentally by using CRD (Complete Randomized Design) of five treatments and replications. There are five types of jelly are researched, those are KG1 (carrageenan and arabic gum ratio10,5% : 0,5%), KG2 (carrageenan and arabic gum ratio 10,0% : 1,0%), KG3 (carrageenan and arabic gum ratio 9,5% : 1,5%), KG4 (carrageenan and arabic gum ratio 9,0% : 2,0%) and KG5 (carrageenan and arabic gum ratio  8,5% : 2,5%). Data were analized by ANOVA and DNMRT at the level of 5%. The result showed that there is no significant influence (P>0,05) of ratio carrageenan and arabic gum in water, ash, sugar reduction, color, and flavor but significant is influence (P>0,05) in pH, texture, taste, and overall assessment. The best jelly KG1 with a water 30,48%, ash 2,5%, pH 5,3, sugar reduction 22,70%. Organoleptic scores of KG1 are 1,29 (color), 1,74 (taste), 2,95 (flavour), 2,52 (texture) and comprehersive score (1,98). Keywords : jelly, dragon fruit, carrageenan, arabic gum


To become firmly established, the Pan-American Games depended on the efforts of particular individuals. With Avery Brundage's attention to the Pan-American Games as the center of this analysis, this study documented the main events leading up to the inauguration of the Pan-American Games as well as their development and significance to Latin American countries in the mid-twentieth century. The research material was mainly drawn from primary sources, most importantly, those found in the Avery Brundage Collection at Western University. The study demonstrated that Brundage saw in the Pan-American Games not only a challenge, but an opportunity to promote the Modern Olympic Movement's rules and ideals throughout Latin America. A crucial finding from this investigation is how Brundage articulated the foundation of the Pan-American Games by clouding his actions and attitudes from imperialist connotations. He skillfully managed to build a trustful and solid networking with Latin American sport leaders, agreeing with the idea of creating a new and autonomous institution, the Pan-American Sports Organization (PASO). However, gradually, Brundage put forward the interests of the IOC, or to be more accurate, his view of sports, the Olympic Movement, and its purposes. In sum, two arguments related to the purpose and function of the Pan-American Games in its formative years stood out from data analysis: the diplomatic role of the Games towards enhancing Inter-American relationships; and the idealistic view later implicated in the event aimed at fostering the 'high ideals' of the Modern Olympic Movement.


The spatial distribution of marine fishes can change for many reasons, including density-dependent distributional shifts. Previous studies show mixed support for either the proportional-density model (PDM; no relationship between abundance and area occupied, supported by ideal-free distribution theory) or the basin model (BM; positive abundance–area relationship, supported by density-dependent habitat selection theory). The BM implies that fishes move towards preferred habitat as the population declines. We estimate the average relationship using bottom trawl data for 92 fish species from six marine regions, to determine whether the BM or PDM provides a better description for sea-bottom-associated fishes. We fit a spatio-temporal model and estimate changes in effective area occupied and abundance, and combine results to estimate the average abundance–area relationship as well as variability among taxa and regions. The average relationship is weak but significant (0.6% increase in area for a 10% increase in abundance), whereas only a small proportion of species–region combinations show a negative relationship (i.e. shrinking area when abundance increases). Approximately one-third of combinations (34.6%) are predicted to increase in area more than 1% for every 10% increase in abundance. We therefore infer that population density generally changes faster than effective area occupied during abundance changes. Gadiformes have the strongest estimated relationship (average 1.0% area increase for every 10% abundance increase) followed by Pleuronectiformes and Scorpaeniformes, and the Eastern Bering Sea shows a strong relationship between abundance and area occupied relative to other regions. We conclude that the BM explains a small but important portion of spatial dynamics for sea-bottom-associated fishes, and that many individual populations merit cautious management during population declines, because a compressed range may increase the efficiency of harvest.


Federal restructuring of the nation state has become almost common agenda
 after April 2006 revolution in Nepal. Political parties, ethnic communities, development
 planners have started to move towards federal direction in their understandings. Expectation
 revolution of people is ahead of other issues such as institutional framework and working
 processes. Identification of extractable natural resources meant for the livelihood of local
 people becomes the basic requirement to meet these expectations. Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali
 three broad watershed level ecosystem-mapping especially forest ecosystem and agroecosystem
 reveal a basic inventory for the livelihood support of the people. Modernizing agriculture,
 followed by Non Timber Forest Products processing is a viable venture in Koshi, followed by
 tourism and horticulture in the Gandaki watershed. Likewise, Karnali watershed reveals the
 possibility of organic farming, horticulture and rare medicinal plants for the livelihood
 support. Niche specific biodiversity resources inventorization at village level will add the
 self-sufficiency relieving the pressure on the central governments.


Purpose: The purpose is to design a novelty automatic diagnostic method for osteoporosis screening by using the potential capability of convolutional neural network (CNN) in feature representation and extraction, which can be incorporated into the procedure of routine CT diagnostic in physical examination thereby improving the osteoporosis diagnosis and reducing the patient burden. Methods: The proposed convolutional neural network-based method mainly comprises two functional modules to perform automatic detection of bone condition by analyzing the diagnostic CT image. The first functional module aims to locate and segment the ROI of diagnostic CT image, called Mark-Segmentation-Network (MS-Net). The second functional module is used to determine the category of bone condition by the features of ROI, called Bone-Conditions-Classification-Network (BCC-Net). The trained MS-Net can get the mark image of inputted original CT image, thereby obtain the segmentation image. The trained BCC-Net can obtain the probability value of normal bone mass, low bone mass, and osteoporosis by inputting the segmentation image. On the basis of network results, the radiologists can provide preliminary qualitative diagnosis results of bone condition. Results: The proposed MS-Net has an excellent segmentation precision on the shape preservation of different lumbar vertebra. The numerical indicators of segmentation results are greater than 0.998. The proposed BCC-Net was evaluated with 3,024 clinical images and achieved an accuracy of 76.65% and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.9167. Conclusions: This study proposed a novel two-step method for automatic detection of bone conditions via diagnostic CT images and it has great potential in clinical applications for osteoporosis screening. The method can potentially reduce the manual burden to radiologists and diagnostic cost to patients.


We report a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor detecting nucleocapsid antibodies specific against the novel coronavirus 2019 (SARS-CoV-2) in undiluted human serum. When exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the immune system responds by expressing antibodies at levels that can be detected and monitored to identify the patient population immunized against SARD-CoV-2 and support efforts to deploy a vaccine strategically. A SPR sensor coated with a peptide monolayer and functionalized with SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid recombinant protein detected anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the nanomolar range. This bioassay was performed on a portable SPR instrument in undiluted human serum and results were collected within 15 minutes of sample/sensor contact. This strategy paves the way to point-of-care and label-free rapid testing for antibodies.


Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of different doses of 17&bgr;‐estradiol for the treatment of vasomotor and vulvovaginal symptoms. Design: This was a randomized, double‐blind, multicenter, parallel‐group study. One hundred forty‐five subjects, including naturally postmenopausal women aged 40‐60 (who had not experienced menses for at least 12 months), women who had undergone hysterectomy, and women aged 25‐60 who had undergone bilateral oophorectomy with or without hysterectomy were studied. Either placebo or 17&bgr;‐estradiol (1 mg or 0.5 mg) was given orally every day for 12 weeks, and vasomotor symptoms and vaginal epithelial cytology were evaluated. Results: There were significant differences between placebo and the active treatments in the percentage change from baseline in the number of hot flushes (all hot flushes, 1 mg vs. placebo, p < 0.001; 0.5 mg vs. placebo, p = 0.007), with a more substantial proportion of subjects responding in the 1‐mg group (mean change in mean number of hot flushes of 83.2%). Both doses were also more effective than placebo in increasing the proportion of mature vaginal cells (end‐of‐treatment mean values of 0%, 78.5%, and 21.5% for parabasal, intermediate, and superficial cells, respectively, in the 1‐mg group; mean values of 0.3%, 80.8%, and 18.9% in the 0.5‐mg group; and mean values of 15.2%, 74.7%, and 10.2% in the placebo group). The proportion of subjects reporting no vaginal dryness was greatest in the 1‐mg group (mean percentage of days without dryness of 86.1% at weeks 9‐12). Conclusions: For the relief of vasomotor and vulvovaginal symptoms, 17&bgr;‐estradiol 1 mg is effective and has an excellent safety profile. (Menopause 2000;7:310‐317. © 2000, The North American Menopause Society.)


When Congress passed the Rules Enabling Act (REA), it deferred to the Supreme Court's institutional expertise to enact guidelines for judicial procedure. In the REA, Congress included a provision - now known as the supersession clause - that declared existing statutes in conflict with new rules to "be of no further force or effect." This Comment examines a divergence between 18 U.S.C. 3731 and Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 4(b)(1)(B) that implicates the supersession clause. Three circuits have adjudicated this conflict and reached different conclusions. The substance of the conflict concerns the timeliness of government appeals of district court decisions and orders in criminal cases. At present, Rule 4(b) permits a longer appellate time limit than 3731, but a 2007 Supreme Court case, Bowles v. Russell, may invalidate any limit longer than that in 3731. This Comment asserts that irrespective of Bowles, applying the supersession clause favors the primacy of Rule 4(b). Employing the supersession clause provides a blueprint for future rule-statute disputes concerning timeliness. In making these determinations, this Comment argues that courts should evaluate the rule versus the statute according to three metrics: the relative recency of enactment, the institutional competence of the respective authors to decide the issue, and the degree to which the rule affects substantive rights.


Comparison of Electrode Configurations on ZaP: Investigation of Heating Mechanisms in a Flow Z-Pinch Sean David Knecht Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Professor Uri Shumlak Aeronautics and Astronautics Professor Brian A. Nelson Electrical Engineering The ZaP Flow Z-Pinch is a basic plasma physics experiment that investigates the effect of sheared axial flows Z-pinch stability. Two modifications are made: 1) Installation of a perforated conducting wall to evaluate the effect on Z-pinch stability; 2) The 10 cm diameter inner electrode is replaced with a 16 cm diameter version to evaluate the effects of adiabatic compression. It is determined that the conducting wall has no effect on the stability of the pinch. Expected effects of the inner electrode modification are increased temperature and density due to increased adiabatic compression and an increase in stable period length. Pinch density profile evolution is measured with a four-chord HeNe interferometer and temperature and magnetic field profiles are calculated with a radial heat conduction analysis. Pinch equilibrium comparison between the 10 cm and 16 cm inner electrode configurations shows that the 16 cm electrode is subject to greater non-adiabatic processes, such as shocks. Greater influence of shocks is attributed to a blunter nosecone and increased current in the accelerator for the 16 cm inner electrode. Pinch temperature for the 16 cm inner electrode is less than the 10 cm electrode due to higher linear density in the pinch and the increased size of the pinch is a result of the non-adiabatic formation process.


1. Sustainable insect control requires effective management of the evolution of resistance to pesticides. Resistance management may ultimately depend on a range of diverse strategies. We explored how combining the use of a pathogen with an integrated pest management (IPM)-compatible pesticide, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), could affect the evolution of resistance.

2. We used fitness and laboratory selection experiments to explore whether the use of a nucleopolyhedrovirus could alter the rate of evolution of resistance to a Bt toxin. These results were incorporated into simulation modelling to investigate how pathogens could best be exploited in resistance management.

3. Simultaneous exposure to virus and Bt toxin (mixed sprays) reduced the fitness of Bt-resistant insects compared with treatments with toxin alone. Moreover, Bt resistance incurred additional fitness costs, in terms of egg fertility, in the presence of virus.

4. In a selection experiment with caged insects, spraying toxin-free refugia with virus slowed the evolution of resistance relative to unsprayed refugia, confirming the results of two fitness experiments that indicated that virus would increase the fitness costs of resistance. The impact of virus-mediated costs was explored further in simulation models.

5. Simulations showed that large virus-mediated fitness costs (a reduction in fecundity of 35%) with partially dominant inheritance could lead to effective resistance management with a Bt/virus rotation. Modest fitness costs could, however, markedly improve a rotation strategy with a pathogen that could replicate post-application.

6. Synthesis and applications. Mixed sprays of virus and resistance-prone pesticides such as Bt have the potential to slow the evolution of resistance within an integrated pest management context. However, the efficacy of mixed-spray strategies depends upon precise dosages and/or the presence of a spray-free refuge. In contrast, rotations of pesticides with pathogens that could replicate after application slow the evolution of resistance over a wider range of conditions and control insects cost-effectively. This efficacy is dependent on the co-occurrence of persistent pathogen and pesticide reducing the relative fitness of resistant individuals.


Asynchronous task-based programming models are gaining popularity to address programmability and performance challenges in high performance computing. One of the main attractions of these models and runtimes is their potential to automatically expose and exploit overlap of computation with communication. However, inefficient interactions between such programming models and the underlying messaging layer (in most cases, MPI) limit the achievable computation-communication overlap and negatively impact the performance of parallel programs. We propose to expose information about MPI internals to a task-based runtime system to make better scheduling decisions. In particular, we show how existing mechanisms used to profile MPI implementations can be used to share information between MPI and a task-based runtime. Further, an evaluation of the proposed method shows performance improvements of up to 30.7% for applications with collective communication.


The efflux transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) affects the pharmacokinetics of many drugs. Currently used methods for characterization of P-gp's functional activity in vivo involve the use of radiolabeled substrates, are costly, and are technically demanding. Our objective was to evaluate whether the FDA-approved near-infrared compound indocyanine green (ICG) can be used as a probe substrate of P-gp. We also characterized the interaction of ICG with another efflux transporter, the breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP). We evaluated ICG accumulation and transport in MDCK cells overexpressing P-gp or BCRP (MDCK-MDR1 and MDCK-BCRP, respectively) compared to control MDCK cells, in the presence or the absence of transporter inhibitors. In vivo imaging of ICG biodistribution in mice was conducted over 3.5 h using valspodar as the P-gp inhibitor. The EC50 values for ICG accumulation in control MDCK and MDCK-MDR1 cells were 9.0 × 10(-6) ± 5.7 × 10(-7) M and 1.5 × 10(-5) ± 1.1 × 10(-6) M, respectively. The efflux ratio for ICG in MDCK-MDR1 cells was 6.8-fold greater than in control cells. P-gp inhibition attenuated ICG efflux from MDR1-MDCK cells, and their effects in those cells were greater than in control MDCK cells. In contrast, BCRP level of expression or pharmacological inhibition did not significantly affect ICG cellular accumulation. In vivo imaging indicated enhanced cerebral ICG distribution with valspodar (brain - foot area under the concentration-time curves of 3.0 × 10(10), 5.6 × 10(10) and 3.7 × 10(10) h·[p/s/sr]/μW in valspodar-treated mice vs 9.0 × 10(9) and 5.3 × 10(9) h·[p/s/sr]/μW in controls). The findings from this pilot study suggest that near-infrared imaging using ICG as the probe substrate should be further characterized as a methodology for in vivo evaluation of P-gp activity.


Abstract

In general, modelling the climate change and its impacts within a hydrological unit brings out an understanding of the system and, its behaviour with various model constrains. The climate change and global warming studies are being under research and development phase, because of its complex and dynamic nature. The IPCC 5th Assessment Report on global warming states that in the 21st century, there may be an increase in temperature of the order of ~1.5°C. This transient climate may cause significant impacts or any discrepancies in the water availability of the hydrological unit. This may lead to severe impacts in countries with high population such as India, China, etc., The Remote sensing datasets play an essential role in modelling the climatic changes for a river basin at different spatial and temporal scales. This study aims to propose a conceptual framework for the above-defined problem with emphasising on remote sensing datasets. This framework involves five entities such as the data component, process component,  impact component,  feedback component and, uncertainty component. The framework flow begins with the data component entity that involves two significant inputs, such as the hydro-meteorological data and the land-hydrology data. The essential attributes of the hydro-meteorological data entities are the precipitation, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and solar radiation. These datasets may be obtained and analysed from empirical or statistical methods, in-situ based or satellite-based methods, respectively. These mathematical models on long-run historical climate data may provide knowledge on climate change detections or its trends. The meteorological data derived from the satellites may have a measurable bias with that of the in situ data. The satellite-based land-hydrology data component involves various attributes such as topography, soil, vegetation, water bodies, other land use / land cover, soil moisture, evapotranspiration. The process component involves complex land-hydrology processes that may be well established and modelled by customizable hydrological models. Here, we may emphasise the use of remote-sensing based model parameter values in the equations either directly or indirectly. Also, the land-atmospheric process component involves various complex processes that may take place in this zone. These processes may be well established and solved by customizable atmospheric weather models. The land components play a significant role in modelling the climate changes, because these land processes may trigger global warming by various anthropogenic agents. The main objective of this framework is to emphasise the climate change impacts using remote sensing. Hence, the impact component entity plays an essential role in this conceptual framework. The climate change impact within a river basin at various spatial and temporal scales are identified using different hydrological responses. The feedback entity is the most sensitive part of this framework, because it may alter the climate forcing either positive or negative. An uncertainty model component handles the uncertainty in the model framework. The highlight of this conceptual framework is to use the remote sensing datasets in climate change studies. The limitations on the correctness of the remote sensing data with the insitu data at every location is not feasible.