According to the recent studies, it is expected that the global energy requirement will increase from 14 TW to 30 TW by the year 2050. Currently, fossil fuels are the major energy source utilized for the fulfillment of the energy requirement. Due to the excessive utilization of fossil fuels, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is increasing day by day and hence there is a pressing need to develop technologies to produce carbon free renewable fuels. The liberated CO2 can be re-energized into CO via ferrite based thermochemical looping process using concentrated solar energy. The CO produced via solar thermochemical CO2-splitting can be combined with H2 derived from ferrite based solar thermochemical water-splitting process to produce solar syngas which can be further processed to liquid fuels such as Methanol, Diesel, and Kerosene via the Fischer-Tropsch process. The current research trends in solar thermochemical community are focused towards high and constant levels of solar fuel production in multiple cycles and it is believed that non-volatile mixed metal oxides such as undoped and doped ceria will significantly improve the production of solar fuels. Ceria based redox cycle comprises of two steps. First step belongs to solar endothermic reduction of ceria at higher temperatures releasing O2. The second step corresponds to the non-solar exothermic re-oxidation of the reduced ceria at lower temperatures by H2O, CO2, or a mixture of the two producing H2, CO or syngas. In this investigation, Zr and Hf doped ceria based redox nanoparticles (various doping combinations) were synthesized using a co-precipitation method. The respective metal precursors were dissolved in water. Upon complete dissolution, excess ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) was added drop-wise to the mixture under vigorous stirring to precipitate the mixed-metal hydroxides (final pH = ∼9). The obtained precipitates were filtered, washed with water until free from anion impurities and oven dried at 100 °C for 8–10 h. Subsequently calcination was performed at different temperatures in air. The calcined powders were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, BET surface area analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The compositional purity of the derived Zr/Hf doped ceria was identified using powder XRD and the obtained results indicate phase pure composition of the derived materials (based on the stoichiometry selected during synthesis). The derived Zr/Hf doped ceria also possess high specific surface area (SSA) and porosity which is confirmed by BET analysis. The SEM and TEM analysis indicate formation of Zr/Hf doped ceria nanoparticles in the range of 10 to 50 nm. Synthesized Zr/Hf doped ceria nanoparticles were further tested for thermochemical CO2-splitting by using a high-temperature thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). Multiple thermal reduction and oxidation (by CO2) cycles were performed at various operating conditions by using TGA while the O2 and CO was quantified by gas chromatography. Results obtained indicate that the derived Zr/Hf doped ceria is capable of producing higher amounts of solar CO as compared to previously investigated undoped and doped ceria materials. Also, the Zr/Hf doped ceria was examined in 20 thermochemical cycles towards successive thermal reduction and CO2 splitting reactions and the obtained findings indicate stable redox reactivity and thermal stability.


Drawing on careful observations and interviews conducted in two old-age institutions in Stellenbosch, this article critically considers the perception that these institutions fulfil a normal social function. Rather, I show how the very institutions designed to care for the elderly end up producing a discourse that renders old age pathological. The institutions' mediation of the relationship between society and the ageing person is not natural, but instead contributes to an understanding of ageing as social pathology.


This article seeks to resolve the debate over the use of a statutory method for approving international agreements in place of the supermajority process required by the Constitution's Treaty Clause. These "congressional-executive agreements," which require only simple majorities in Congress and presidential signature, have become the instrument of choice for entry into some of the nation's most significant international obligations, such as the WTO and NAFTA. Some, such as Bruce Ackerman and David Golove argue that statutes and treaties are interchangeable because a "constitutional moment" occurred at the end of World War II (in which "We the People" non-textually amended the Constitution to allow this alternate process). Their critics, such as Laurence Tribe, suggest that the text and structure of the Constitution forbids the use of a statutory method to enter into significant international agreements. Standard foreign relations law doctrine, by contrast, consistently has defended interchangeability, but with little success at explaining how interchangeability is consistent with the constitutional text and structure. This Article provides a constitutional justification for the congressional-executive agreement, one consistent with the text, structure, and history of the Constitution. It shows a clear dividing line that demarcates the situations in which treaties must be the sole instrument of national policy, and those that can be dealt with by the congressional-executive agreement. This Article articulates a theory of treaties that explains the record of practice by the political branches, rather than making normative claims derived simply from different theories of constitutional interpretation. Practice suggests that complete interchangeability ought to be rejected because it creates severe distortions in the American public lawmaking system. Allowing statutes to completely replace treaties eliminates the restrictions upon Congress's enumerated powers and undermines the separation of powers in foreign affairs. Nonetheless, congressional-executive agreements still have a legitimate place in the constitutional conduct of foreign policy, because their use preserves Congress's constitutional powers over matters such as international commerce. Treaties still retain a vital role by allowing the nation to enter into agreements that regulate matters outside of Congress's enumerated powers. Congressional-executive agreements allow the political branches to maintain a separation between treatymaking and lawmaking at a time when the distinction between international and domestic is rapidly disappearing.


We present a non-equilibrium theory in a system with heat and radiative fluxes. The obtained expression for the entropy production is applied to a simple one-dimensional climate model based on the first law of thermodynamics. In the model, the dissipative fluxes are assumed to be independent variables, following the criteria of the Extended Irreversible Thermodynamics (BIT) that enlarges, in reference to the classical expression, the applicability of a macroscopic thermodynamic theory for systems far from equilibrium. We analyze the second differential of the classical and the generalized entropy as a criteria of stability of the steady states. Finally, the extreme state is obtained using variational techniques and observing that the system is close to the maximum dissipation rate.


Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) is one of the most commonly employed techniques for controlled radical polymerization. ATRP has great potential for the development of new materials due to the ability to control molecular weight and polymer architecture. To fully utilize the potential of ATRP as polymerization technique, the mechanism and the dynamics of the ATRP equilibrium must be well understood. In this thesis, various aspects of the ATRP process are explored through both laboratory experiments and computer modeling. Solvent effects, the limit of control and the use of iron as the mediator have been investigated. It was shown for copper mediated ATRP that the redox properties of the mediator and the polymerization properties were significantly affected by the solvent. As expected, the apparent rate constant (kpapp) increased with increasing activity of the mediator, but an upper limit was reached, where after kpapp was practically independent of the mediator potential. The degree of control deteriorated as the limit was approached. In the simulations, which were based on the thermodynamic properties of the ATRP equilibrium, the same trend of increasing kpapp with increasing mediator activity was seen and a maximum was also reached. The simulation results could be used to describe the limit of control. The maximum equilibrium constant for controlled ATRP was correlated to the propagation rate constant, which enables the design of controlled ATRP systems. Using iron compounds instead of copper compounds as mediators in ATRP is attractive from environmental aspects. Two systems with iron were investigated. Firstly, iron/EDTA was investigated as mediator as its redox properties are within a suitable range for controlled ATRP. The polymerization of styrene was heterogeneous, where the rate limiting step is the adsorption of the dormant species to the mediator surface. The polymerizations were not controlled and it is possible that they had some cationic character. In the second iron system, the intention was to investigate how different ligands affect the properties of an ATRP system with iron. Due to competitive coordination of the solvent, DMF, the redox and polymerization properties were not significantly affected by the ligands. The differences between normal and reverse ATRP of MMA, such as the degree of control, were the result of different FeIII speciation in the two systems.


In this paper, we propose Li-Tect, an algorithm to detect the shape of an object located in an indoor environment using low cost optical elements through sensing the environment's light. The algorithm analyzes, relying on the predictability of optical propagation paths, how much light is expected to propagate in the absence of obstructions caused by the presence of an object. Then, based on the received light when the object is in the room, the algorithm infers the shape of the object. In addition, the algorithm considers the reflected paths from surfaces in order to determine the object's estimated shape. We study five different scenarios characterized by different levels of complexity, room sizes, and a range of reflection nodes. The algorithm is also tested in a real prototype where several experiments are carried out in two scenarios to demonstrate the capabilities of Li-Tect in 2-D and 3-D monitoring and shape detection cases. Finally, the results show that the shape and the detection of objects in the scenarios can be easily acquired with high accuracy, even if the number of transceivers is reduced.


The importance of technology and electronics in our daily life is constantly increasing. At the same time portability and energy efficiency are currently some of the hottest topics. This creates a huge need for power converters in a compact form factor and with high efficiency, which can supply these electronic devices. This calls for new technologies in order to miniaturize the power electronics of today. One way to do this is by increasing the switching frequency dramatically and develop very high frequency switch mode power supplies. If these converters can be designed to operate efficiently, a huge size, weight and cost reduction can be achieved due to the smaller energy storing elements needed at these frequencies. The research presented in this thesis focuses on exactly this. First various technologies for miniaturization of power supplies are studied, e.g. piezo electric transformers, wide band gap semiconductors and integrated power supplies. Afterwards a wide range of topologies suited for operation at very high frequencies is investigated and the most promising ones are tested experimentally. Through a comparison of these topologies the class DE inverter is found to be superior to the other alternatives, at least for converters with hundreds of volts as input and a few tens of watts output power. A class DE inverter does however require a high side gate drive, which have never been presented before for these frequencies and voltages. This thesis presents the worlds first high side gate drive capable of operating at these frequencies and voltage levels. With this gate drive the worlds first class DE inverter operating at very high frequencies with more than 100 V input is also developed and presented. These achievements are considered huge breakthroughs in the development of technologies for very high frequency switch mode power supplies. At these highly elevated frequencies normal bulky magnetics with heavy cores consisting of rare earth materials, can be replaced by air core inductors embedded in the printed circuit board. This is investigated thoroughly and both spirals, solenoids and toroids are considered, both for use as inductors and transformers. Two control methods are also investigated, namely burst mode control and outphasing. It is shown that a very flat efficiency curve can be achieved with burst mode. A 89.5% efficient converter is implemented and the efficiency only drops 5% at 10% load. This is some of the highest efficiencies presented for converters operating at these frequencies. Burst mode control does however have two major drawbacks, iii/xv introductions of low frequency harmonics and decreased control bandwidth. Outphasing is therefore investigated as an alternative, which does not introduce these drawbacks. In the last chapter the conducted and radiated electromagnetic interference from two prototypes are investigated, one running with constant output and one with burst mode control implemented. By the end of the thesis it is shown, that a size reduction of 70%, weight reduction of 81%, cost reduction of 56% and efficiency gain of 4.5%-points can be achieved with a very high frequency class DE converter, compared to a commercial product.


Despite the vast growth of web 2.0., academic research has not kept pace with the development of advertising techniques for user-generated content. The present study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first to investigate the effects of brand placement techniques in user-generated content. Using a 2x2 full-factorial between-subjects design with self-produced videos posted on a major social media platform (YouTube), we investigate the effects of prominence (how conspicuously the brand is used or mentioned), celebrity endorser expertise (celebrity expert versus amateur) and their interaction on brand recognition and purchase intention of brands that appear in the video. While the prominence of one brand was manipulated, we also tested the effects on both the manipulated brand and the other brands that subtly appeared in the video. We further study the moderating role of video liking on these relationships using associative network theory and the Persuasion Knowledge Model. The results indicate a strong positive effect of brand placement prominence on brand recognition of both the manipulated brand and a subtly placed complementary brand (a brand that is explicitly used together with the manipulated brand). A prominent endorsement by a celebrity expert enhances the purchase intention of the focal brand compared to a subtle endorsement. This effect is stronger for viewers who strongly liked the video than for viewers who liked the video less. Although our study is limited to only one platform and content type, our results are of importance to practitioners who are interested in integrating their brands in online content. The study aims to advance both the theoretical and practical knowledge of brand placement effects by studying the effects of different placement characteristics and brands in a user-generated content setting.


Cloud computing continues to gain in popularity, with more and more applications being deployed into public and private clouds. Deploying an application in the cloud allows application owners to provision computing resources on-demand, and scale quickly to meet demand. An Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) cloud provides low-level resources, in the form of virtual machines (VMs), to clients on a pay-per-use basis. The cloud provider (owner) can reduce costs by lowering power consumption. As a typical server can consume 50% or more of its peak power consumption when idle, this can be accomplished by consolidating client VMs onto as few hosts (servers) as possible. This, however, can lead to resource contention, and degraded VM performance. As such, VM placements must be dynamically adapted to meet changing workload demands. We refer to this process as dynamic management. Clients should also take advantage of the cloud environment by scaling their applications up and down (adding and removing VMs) to match current workload demands. This thesis proposes a number of contributions to the field of dynamic cloud management. First, we propose a method of dynamically switching between management strategies at runtime in order to achieve more than one management goal. In order to increase the scalability of dynamic management algorithms, we introduce a distributed version of our management algorithm. We then consider deploying applications which consist of multiple VMs, and automatically scale their deployment to match their workload. We present an integrated management algorithm which handles both dynamic management and application scaling. When dealing with multi-VM applications, the placement of communicating VMs within the data centre topology should be taken into account. To address this consideration, we propose a topology-aware version of our dynamic management algorithm. Finally, we describe a simulation tool, DCSim, which we have developed to help evaluate dynamic management algorithms and techniques.


Contentious politics helps individuals and groups with limited political voice to place their ideas and interests on the political agenda. Contentious politics were long thought to occur when politically marginalized group had no other means to advance their political agenda. The June 2013 social mobilization in Brazil caught most political observers by surprise, especially given the creation of a large, wide-spread participatory architecture (national conferences, councils, participatory budgeting). The innovative institutions emerging in Brazil created a policy environment in which millions of citizens have regular access to state policymaking bodies. How does the institutionalization of a broader network of participatory institutions make it easier for citizens to engage in contentious politics? In what ways does this institutionalization make it more difficult for some citizens to engage in contentious politics? In what ways has the vast network of participatory institutions been largely irrelevant to how citizens use contentious politics? This article explore how the institutionalization of an extensive participatory democracy system in Brazil alters the incentive structures that encourage citizens to engage in contentious collective action


The classic! This new edition of Paul Carrell's eastern front study picks up where Hitler Moves East left off. Beginning with the battle of Kursk in July 1943, Carell traverses the vast expanse of the Russian War, from the siege of Leningrad and the fierce battles of the norther front, to the fourth battle of Kharkov, and the evacuation of the Crimea, a withdrawal forbidden by Hitler. The book ends in June of 1944 when the Soviet Armies reach the East Prussian frontier. Hundreds of photographs, situation and campaign maps, complete index, and comprehensive bibliography, add to this impressive account. This edition includes a new preface by the author.


We describe the optimal design and the fabrication of a 2 $\times$ 2 port optical device based on the thin film filter (TFF), and also propose a 4-channel OADM module using these devices. The optical performance of the proposed OADM module is evaluated theoretically and experimentally, and is compared to that of typical OADM modules using 1 $\times$ 2 port optical devices for 4, 8, 16 and 32 drop channels in optical transmission systems. Since the 2 $\times$ 2 port optical device accomplishes the function of wavelength multiplexing and demultiplexing simultaneously in the proposed OADM module, the insertion loss of through channels can be improved by 1.2 dB compare to that of typical OADM modules using 1 $\times$ 2 port optical devices. In addition, both the size and the price of the module can be reduced to 40~50%.


The 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake caused significant liquefaction in the Kanto district. Many houses, roads, and lifelines were damaged due to liquefaction. Serious liquefaction damages occurred in the artificial filled land in the Hinode area of Itako City. We investigated house damage caused by liquefaction and conducted a borehole survey in the Hinode area. The results show that liquefaction occurred in the sand layer in man-made strata caused by a sand pomp system. It was revealed that the differences in house damages in the Hinode area was relate to the thickness and grain size distribution of the dredged sand layer in the man-made strata. The examination of grainsize analysis of the stratum with the possibility of liquefaction is a higher precision technique for evaluating the risk of liquefaction.


Priority for discoveries is awarded to those who are first to publish. If a scholar writes claiming to have discovered something or originated a theory that has been earlier published, or presented in public by another who got their first, then the peer review process, professional and public disapproval is relied upon to identify and correct the self-serving irregularity. Thereafter, the pretender to the throne of discovery is expected to retract and apologise. If there is evidence that such a counterfeit originator had prior knowledge of their supposedly independent discovery being first discovered by another, the professional repercussions are likely to be catastrophic. This article is about the devastating Big Data facilitated 2014 discovery that the world's most celebrated and studied natural scientist Charles Darwin, and his lesser known associate Alfred Russel Wallace, more likely than not committed the world's greatest science fraud by apparently plagiarising the entire theory of natural selection from a book written by Patrick Matthew and then claiming to have had no prior-knowledge of it.


The vaccinia virus (VACV) A27 protein and its homologs, which are found in a large number of members of the genus Orthopoxvirus (OPXV), are targets of viral neutralization by host antibodies. We have mapped six binding sites (epitopes #1A: aa 32–39, #1B: aa 28–33, #1C: aa 26–31, #1D: 28–34, #4: aa 9–14, and #5: aa 68–71) of A27 specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) using peptide arrays. MAbs recognizing epitopes #1A–D and #4 neutralized VACV Elstree in a complement dependent way (50% plaque-reduction: 12.5–200 µg/mL). Fusion of VACV at low pH was blocked through inhibition of epitope #1A. To determine the sequence variability of the six antigenic sites, 391 sequences of A27 protein homologs available were compared. Epitopes #4 and #5 were conserved among most of the OPXVs, while the sequential epitope complex #1A–D was more variable and, therefore, responsible for species-specific epitope characteristics. The accurate and reliable mapping of defined epitopes on immuno-protective proteins such as the A27 of VACV enables phylogenetic studies and insights into OPXV evolution as well as to pave the way to the development of safer vaccines and chemical or biological antivirals.


Challenging the sceptical view that consumers would not buy apparel and accessories without feeling the fabric and testing for size and look, online fashion sales is growing fast. Yet, the myriad of recent business model developments in the sector depicts a disorderly environment lacking frameworks and typologies to facilitate understanding and explain different business propositions. This document reports the findings of a sectoral exploratory study that was developed in the fashion retail sector. The main objective of the project was to provide the parent project NEMODE with a perspective of new business model developments and improvements that emerged in the fashion retail sector through developments in the digital economy. The report points out example cases showing business model innovations in the sector, the core functionalities the models implement and key digital technologies and platforms enabling the core functionalities of the business models. The project was an exploratory investigation that was developed in a short period of time (3 months). Thus, an exploratory approach involving environmental scanning was the investigation method used to identify business model innovations in the sector. The environmental scanning comprised searches on the internet, literature review of academic journals, business reports and press articles, and visits to fashion retailers in the UK. The study focused upon business models in the fashion retail sector which are using digital technologies to implement conceptual models based upon personal subscription, mass customisation, social merchandising and collaborative consumption concepts and functionalities. The main findings of the study show a widespread adoption of customer-oriented and social networking concepts and practices across different business models in the sector, which now faces a more complex scenario of relationships to manage. The study also shows that many fashion retailers are using digital technologies to "dematerialize" fitting or dressing rooms in form of "virtual fitting rooms" or "interactive mirrors" in order to create optimum value/cost outcomes. On the other hand, the "materialization" of customised designs through 3D printers is liberating people from constraints of time, space, actor and constellation. It is also possible to notice different degrees of technological mobilisations (i.e. different technological densities) created by different fashion retailers and these densities seem to be gradually shaping new "time-space-actor-constellations" models in the fashion retail sector where digital technologies play a vital role.


J.M. Bumstead. The Peoples of Canada: A Pre-Confederation History. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 2004. xvi + 512 pp. $35.95 paper. J.M. Bumstead. The Peoples of Canada: A Post-Confederation History. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 2004. xvi + 625 pp. $34.95 paper. Margaret Conrad and Alvin Finkel. Canada: A National History. Toronto: Pearson Education Canada, 2003. xxiii + 549 pp. $63.95 paper. Margaret Conrad and Alvin Finkel. Foundations: Readings in Post-Confederation Canadian History. Toronto: Pearson Longman, 2004. xi + 506 pp. $50.95 paper. Margaret Conrad and Alvin Finkel. Nation and Society: Readings in Post-Confederation Canadian History. Toronto: Pearson Longman, 2004. xi + 516 pp. $48.95 paper. Kenneth G. Pryke and Walter C. Soderlund, eds. Profiles of Canada. Toronto: Canadian Scholars' Press, 2003. 3rd edition. xxi + 525 pp. $37.95 paper. Thomas Thorner with Thor Frohn-Nielsen, eds. "A Few Acres of Snow": Documents in Pre-Confederation Canadian History, 2nd ed. Peterborough, Ont.: Broadview Press, 2003. 451 pp. $29.95 paper. Thomas Thorner with Thor Frohn-Nielsen, eds. "A Country Nourished on Self-Doubt": Documents on Post-Confederation Canadian History, 2nd ed. Peterborough, Ont.: Broadview Press, 2003. 584 pp. $29.95 paper. Whenever I receive a new history textbook, I conduct an unscientific but enlightening test. I flip to the index and check for the following subjects: Indians, women, African-Americans, French empire, Spanish empire, and so on. First, I see if the textbooks cover these topics at all. Then, I look at the actual entries and examine how they are discussed. For instance, do Indians disappear by the twentieth century? Are they only portrayed as violent stereotypes? Are women only featured in those little boxes outside the text? I practice this exercise because years of teaching at large and small public universities have taught me some interesting lessons about how students read textbooks and what textbooks teach students about how to read history. Students, after reading many volumes of uninteresting textbooks in high school, have become adept consumers of these works. They have learned to skim the text for facts, memorize the timelines, and glance at the boxes for bonus or essay questions. If the material appears familiar, then they skip it in search of something new. Additionally, students implicitly pick up lessons from how authors physically structure the text. If there are no Indians in the last part of the textbook, then they must have died off. If women only appear in text boxes, then the authors must have been forced to include them when they are not really relevant. Additionally, some students enter a university with the idea that history is just stories. Therefore, if a textbook's narrative is too linear and chronological, the analysis can be lost. This brief exercise helps me visualize the textbooks as my students might. I have also learned that most faculty evaluate textbooks on the wrong criteria. Many assess the textbook on the fame of the author(s) and their monographs rather than whether they connect with how students read history. The longer one teaches and writes, the less connection one has to how an undergraduate reads the books assigned to them. As stated above, textbooks socialize students to read history in a certain way. Faculty members need to be aware of their audience when choosing textbooks, especially for a class on a subject such as Canadian history. Canadian history presents some special problems when teaching it to an audience in the United States. Though most students know very little about Canada and its history, they assume they do know something about it. Unlike a Middle East or an Asian history course, where students consider the subject exotic and different, they may deem Canada safe and familiar (and therefore, easy.) The trick is to make Canadian history exotic or just simply hard to understand--this will make them pay attention. …


Roots and stems of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plants store photoassimilate as starch. Partitioning of fixed carbon between starch in vegetative storage tissues and seed is likely to impact cotton development and yield. The enzyme ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (ADPGp) plays a rate-limiting role in starch production, and its temporal and spatial expression plays a critical role in determining patterns of starch deposition in plants. The objective of this study was to identify, sequence, and analyze a cotton ADPGp (small subunit) gene involved in starch production in stems and roots. A genomic sequence with extensive similarity to an mRNA encoding the small subunit of ADPGp that is expressed in starchy stems was identified and sequenced. The gene was composed of nine exons and eight introns. The introns were bound by typical splice sites. The open reading frame (ORF) encoded a peptide of 518 amino acids with many catalytic and regulatory features common to plant ADPGp. This gene was abundantly expressed in starchy roots and in leaves. Expression of this gene was low in developing fiber. In-silico analysis of the promoter sequence identified regulatory motifs associated with light response and expression in the seed. Motifs associated with response to abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid, giberellic acid, and methyl-jasmonate were also identified.


This bachelor assignment was commissioned by the VR-lab of the University of Twente. Studies are being done considering the use of a distance collaboration table; a table at which, at different locations, can be collaborated. A student has worked on this before and the goal was to improve on that work and upgrade it to current time. The main focus was on the design, hardware and software. These three things all have to be improved upon, while keeping the usability of the table in mind.
An analysis was done in which the main focus was the old design and the associated prototype. Immersion was found to be essential to the table. Immersion means, in this case, that the user of the table will not be able to notice the difference between a physical present user or a user at a different location.
The old prototype works by filming the user, removing the background from the image and projecting that on a transparent screen. The surface of the tabel was also filmed and projected, enabling users to share physical content.
After the analysis was done, a list of requirements was made. The most important requirements are that the table must offer place for at least two and maximum six users, that the content on the table surface must be visible to all users and that users must be visualised in the environment of the table at another location.
When the requirements were set, several ideas were conceived. In the end these ideas were not achievable or were too similar to the old prototype. After that, a study of different table shapes was executed. The requirements for the table were that the viewing angle on the projection screens should be lower than 90 degrees. Also, the table should not get too big. A triangular table seemed the best option to go with. Using this triangular shape, a concept was made. In this concept, two people could sit on every side. The projection screens can be removed in order to enable local collaboration at the table. The projection of the table surface is replaced by a touchscreen with which users can share different sorts of files.
In the concept development all the different aspects of the table were elaborated upon. The users will be visualised at another table by using a transparent projection screen which will appear out of the table. By filming the user with a Kinect 2 camera, the background can be removed. The users will then be able to be projected at another table, within that environment. The touchscreen will be made by hanging a projector above the table. A kinect will be used to transform the table surface into a touchscreen.
In order to test the functions of the table, a functional prototype was made. The touchscreen and person projection were to be tested. The prototype was ccompletely made out of wood. The table surface has a canvas strained around it to get a nice looking and tight surface.
The projection on the table surface looks goed, the chosen method of transforming the does not really work like it was hope dit woul, but that could be because only one kinect was used. The person projection on the transparent screen is well viewable under certain angles, but other angles not so much.


In the past decade technology has been pacing at an unprecedented rate. One must keep up with the technological advancement if they were to lead a good life. Due to lack of access to the technology by availability or affordability, or lack of understanding of fundamentals, many are not able to use the technology to their advantage. This is leaving a gap known as digital divide. With the decade of automation ahead of us, those people must be retrained into some skilled jobs. New methods must be devised to effectively train people with fast and effective manner. Visual learning is one of the useful ways to achieve that. Leveraging infographics, visual learning and motion video, many platforms have individuals creating lot of informational videos. This study aims at finding out the effectiveness of a video infographics learning unit at teaching a computer science topics. To achieve the goal in this study the focus is on developing a process to make educational videos and a system to deliver the content and get feedback. An evaluation study is done and the results show that video infographics improve comprehension of a computer science topic and the factors they depend upon. Prudhvee Krishna Nalluri Improve basic Computer Science competences using Video Infographics 1 Chapter


A major challenge of query language design is the combination of expressivity with effective static analyses such as query containment. In the setting of XML, documents are seen as finite trees, whose structure may additionally be constrained by type constraints such as those described by an XML schema. We consider the problem of query containment in the presence of type constraints for a class of regular path queries extended with counting and interleaving operators. The counting operator restricts the number of occurrences of children nodes satisfying a given logical property. The interleaving operator provides a succinct notation for describing the absence of order between nodes satisfying a logical property. We provide a logic-based framework supporting these operators, which can be used to solve common query reasoning problems such as satisfiability and containment of queries in exponential time.


Honeycrisp' is a new apple (Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill. var. domestica (Borkh.) Mansf.) cultivar that has been planted extensively in North America, but the storage dis- orders soggy breakdown and soft scald have resulted in major fruit losses. The effects of harvest date and storage temperature on fruit quality and susceptibility of fruit to these disorders have been investigated in Michigan, New York, and Maine. Internal ethylene concentrations were variable over a wide range of harvest dates, and a rapid increase in autocatalytic ethylene production was not always apparent. The starch pattern index, soluble solids content, titratable acidity and firmness also appear to have limited use as harvest indices. Development of soggy breakdown and soft scald is associated with later harvest dates and storage of fruit at temperatures of 0 to 0.5 °C compared with higher storage temperatures. It is recommended that 'Honeycrisp' be stored at 3 °C, although storage disorders still can occur at this temperature if fruit are harvested late. In addition, greasiness development may be worse at higher storage temperatures.


Australian Public Hospitals are continually engaged in various process improvement activities to improve patient care and to improve hospital efficiency as the demand for service intensifies. As a consequence there are many initiatives within the health sector focusing on gaining insight into the underlying health processes which are assessed for compliance with specified Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Process Mining is classified as a Business Intelligence (BI) tool. The aim of process mining activities is to gain insight into the underlying process or processes. The fundamental element needed for process mining is a historical event log of a process. Generally, these event logs are easily sourced from Process Aware Information Systems (PAIS). Simulation is widely used by hospitals as a tool to study the complex hospital setting and for prediction. Generally, simulation models are constructed by 'hand'. This paper presents a novel way of deriving event logs for health data in the absence of PAIS. The constructed event log is then used as an input for process mining activities taking advantage of existing process mining algorithms aiding the discovery of knowledge of the underlying processes which leads to Health Intelligence (HI). One such output of process mining activity, presented in this paper, is the discovery of process model for simulation using the derived event log as an input for process mining by constructing start-to-end patient journey. The study was undertaken using data from Flinders Medical Centre to gain insight into patient journeys from the point of admission to the Emergency Department (ED) until the patient is discharged from the hospital.


A four-step statistical-dynamical approach is applied for real time forecasting of the Bay of Bengal cyclonic storm "RASHMI" of October 2008 which made landfall near Khepupara (Bangladesh) around 2200 UTC of 26 October 2008. The four-step approach consists of (a) Analysis of Genesis Potential Parameter (GPP), (b) Track prediction, (c) Intensity Prediction by Statistical Cyclone Intensity Prediction (SCIP) model and (d) Prediction of decaying intensity after the landfall. The results show that the analysis of Genesis Potential Parameter (GPP) at early stages of development strongly indicated that the cyclone "RASHMI" had enough potential to reach its cyclone stage.  The 48 hours landfall forecast position error based on 0000 UTC on 25 October shows that the error varies from around 10 km to 95 km and landfall time error varies from 12 hours early to 23 hours delay by different numerical models (NWP). The consensus forecast (ensemble) based on these NWP models shows that landfall forecast position error is around 10 km and landfall time error is around 2 hours delay. The updated 24 hours forecast based on 0000 UTC of 26 October shows improvement in the forecast. The model predicted landfall position error varies from around 10 km to 55 km with landfall time 6 hours early to 3 hours delay. The Multiple Model Ensemble (MME) forecast shows that the landfall forecast position is close to observed landfall point and the landfall time is early by 2 hours. The JMA (Japan Meteorological Agency) and ensemble forecasts are found to be consistent both in terms of 24-hourly forecasts position, landfall point and landfall time. The 12–hourly intensity prediction up to 24 hours forecasts based on 0000 UTC on 26 October show that the model (SCIP) could pick up the intensification of the cyclone. The model forecasts till the landfall point show that there is an underestimation of intensity by 2 knots and 8 knots at 12 hour and 24 hour forecasts respectively. The 6-hourly decaying intensity forecast after the landfall shows an overestimation of 6 knots and 10 knots at 6-hour and 12-hour forecasts respectively. The approach provided useful guidance to the forecasters for real time forecasting of the cyclone.


We present the first interferometric observation of a zebra-pattern radio burst with simultaneous high spectral (≈1 MHz) and high time (20 ms) resolution. The Frequency-Agile Solar Radiotelescope Subsystem Testbed (FST) and the Owens Valley Solar Array (OVSA) were used in parallel to observe the X1.5 flare on 2006 December 14. By using OVSA to calibrate the FST, the source position of the zebra pattern can be located on the solar disk. With the help of multi-wavelength observations and a nonlinear force-free field extrapolation, the zebra source is explored in relation to the magnetic field configuration. New constraints are placed on the source size and position as a function of frequency and time. We conclude that the zebra burst is consistent with a double-plasma resonance model in which the radio emission occurs in resonance layers where the upper-hybrid frequency is harmonically related to the electron cyclotron frequency in a coronal magnetic loop.


Abstract The surface chemistry of water on zinc oxides is an important topic in catalysis and photocatalysis. Interaction of D2O with anisotropic ZnO(101‾ 0) surfaces was studied by IR reflection absorption spectroscopy using s‐ and p‐polarized light incident along different directions. Interpretation of the experimental data is aided using isotopologues and DFT calculations. The presence of numerous species is revealed: intact monomers, a mixed 2D D2O/OD adlayer, an anisotropic bilayer, and H‐bonded 3D structures. The isolated water monomers are identified unambiguously at low temperatures. The thermally induced diffusion of water monomers occurs at elevated temperatures, forming dimers that undergo autocatalytic dissociation via proton transfer. Polarization‐ and azimuth‐resolved IR data provide information on the orientation and strength of H‐bonds within the 2D and 3D structures. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations reveal strong anharmonic couplings within the H‐bond network.


Abstract Objective Preservation of residual low-frequency hearing has become a priority in cochlear implantation. The purpose of this study was to compare rates of hearing preservation and effects on performance of loss of low-frequency acoustic hearing with two different length electrodes. Study design Retrospective chart review. Setting Tertiary Care Hospital. Patients Twelve patients were implanted with the CI422 a slim-straight electrode; the second group consisted of 10 patients implanted with the Hybrid-L, a shorter hearing preservation electrode. Main outcome measure Audiometric thresholds and speech perception measures. Results At 1 year, 3/10 (30%) patients with the Hybrid-L and 7/12 (58%) patients with the CI422 lost residual acoustic hearing resulting in a profound hearing loss in the implanted ear. In comparing these patients in particular, mean CNC words in the implanted ear were 72% in the CI422 electrode group and 15% in the Hybrid-L electrode group at 1 year (P = 0.03). While hearing preservation rates with the Hybrid-L tended to be better, among recipients who lost residual hearing, speech perception was better in those with the longer CI422 electrode. Conclusions With emphasis on preservation of residual hearing, patients need to be counseled regarding possible outcomes and options should loss of residual hearing occur following implantation. While shorter electrodes may have better rates of hearing preservation, the patients with the longer straight electrode in our study had significantly better speech understanding following the loss of residual hearing.


The sun finds a diamond in the rough, which is the organo-metal halide perovskite. Thanks to exceptional optoelectronic characteristics, solar cells employing perovskite demonstrated first a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.7% in the middle of 2012, which rose steeply to an amazing 16% at the end of 2013. Perovskite-based photovoltaics have several advantages over conventional semiconductor p-n junction devices because high efficiency can be achieved from sub-micrometer-thick very cheap perovskite layers that can be formed by solution processing at temperatures below 150°C, rendering the perovskite solar cell versatile in its application. If photo- and thermal stability as well as tolerance to humidity can be achieved, commercial application on the large scale appear to be feasible.


This is the first comprehensive and systematic analytical study of the major philosophical concepts of classical yoga. The book consists of a series of detailed discussions of the key concepts used by Pata-jali in his Yoga-Sutra to describe and explain the enigma of human existence and to point a way beyond the perpetual motion of the wheel of becoming. Feuerstein's study differs from previous ones in that it seeks to free Pata-jali's aphoristic statements from the accretions of later interpretations; instead, the author places the Sutra in its original context and sees it as the source of the whole edifice of classical yoga and not just as a summary of previous developments. This book will be of interest to comparative reliogionists, Indologists, and practitioners of yoga who wish to deepen their understanding of its philosophical basis.


Environmental protection and sustainability fits in nicely with the Islamic finance agenda that seeks to enhance the general welfare of society. Protection of the planet and the environment, climate management and adaptation, as organizational goals are clearly in conformity with the goals of the Shariah as well as with the SDGs. This paper takes the argument further and seeks to demonstrate how Islamic finance can significantly contribute to the global search for climate finance solutions. Islamic social funds can potentially play a significant role in absorbing the incremental costs with clean technologies where subsidies are not forthcoming to absorb the same. For zakat funds to be used for the purpose, an additional condition need to be met, i.e. the beneficiaries must be poor. The institution of waqf, along with zakat and Sadaqa, can certainly play a role in coping with humanitarian crises resulting from climate change. Awqaf like foundations may directly engage in provision of goods and services related to mitigation and adaptation. Awqaf may also be dedicated to research and development and towards increasing consumer awareness and stronger support of action to mitigate climate change. Similar to SRI Funds, the Islamic Green Funds and similar to Green Bonds, the Islamic Green Sukuk can contribute significantly to the agenda of climate change.


This paper presents a novel local motion estimation algorithm for omnidirectional images. The algorithm captures correlation between two spherical images of a scene, taken from arbitrary viewpoints, with the objective to reduce the encoding rate of these images. It first performs a multiresolution decomposition of the spherical images, in order to improve the consistency of the motion estimation, with a limited computational complexity. Then, it determines pairs of similar solid angles and matches blocks of the two omnidirectional images, directly in the spherical domain. This approach allows a simple motion estimation implementation, that avoids potential discrepancies induced while unfolding omnidirectional images to implement a classical motion estimation on images. The proposed algorithm is shown to provide a quite efficient image prediction, and the prediction error is almost exclusively composed of high frequency noise.


This thesis applies work based learning concepts to understanding Shakespeare's professional development and the relationship between his work roles and works. The purposes of this are to enhance understanding about Shakespeare, develop the argument for work based learning as a field of studies and investigate the relevance of the approach to historical and contemporary creative practitioners. To meet these objectives the following research question was formulated: as a creative artist, practising in an evolving occupational area in a period itself fraught with social change and questions about the nature of work, social status and the performing arts, what was the relationship between Shakespeare's work roles and the production of his works. What was the nature of his work based learning? In construing Shakespeare's career in this way the thesis explores previously researched issues in original and illuminating ways. In applying work based learning thinking to Role Theory methodology new instrumentation for collecting and analysing data has been invented; the Time Chart, Map of Role Sets and a three-dimensional analytical framework. This has been necessary to analyse work based learning holistically, acknowledging the importance of the social, historical and cultural context. Shakespeare's career is analysed against key work based learning questions providing new understanding of the work role of sharer and principal playwright. The thesis concludes that the methodology is of value because it can mediate between individual learning and an organisational environment that is specifically contextualised. A major conclusion is that understanding Shakespeare's work based learning as exemplary, through planned and opportunistic projects, in collaboration with his professional peers and supported by socially sophisticated patronage networks were fundamental to his unique success. The considerable implications for further research as a major means of identifying and analysing the work based learning of historical and contemporary creative artists are given.


The diffusion of deprivation indices and their application in a wide variety of contexts raises a number of conceptual and methodological issues, particularly in relation to the analysis of change over time. We seek to address these issues by developing an aggregate-level theoretical approach which can guide the construction of a statistical model for enumeration districts in Ireland using five waves of census data (1991, 1996, 2002, 2006, 2011). We use a powerful and flexible family of statistical models—multiple-group mean and covariance structural equation modelling—to obtain comparable estimates of affluence and deprivation for each wave of data. The scores for the three component dimensions—referred to as demographic vitality, social class composition, and labour market situation—are mapped using GIS techniques, together with an overall measure of affluence and deprivation. Using the maps and other results we provide an original discussion of the sociospatial impacts of the economic boom in Ireland between 1996 and 2006, and the subsequent downturn. We highlight the importance of population flows and housing-market dynamics in understanding the nature of each phase and when evaluating the sustainability of economic growth.


This study explores the integration of the arts into the teaching of science nonfiction texts during literacy instruction. Sixty-one elementary students (15 second graders, 25 third graders, and 21 fifth graders) attending schools of differing socio-economic levels participated in this study. The study examined the effects of arts-integration on student content knowledge, engagement level, and attitudes toward learning regarding science nonfiction texts. Throughout the eight-week study, students experienced both the traditional no-arts control condition and the experimental arts-integration condition in two-week segments for different science topics. Both conditions employed literacy strategies to teach comprehension of science nonfiction texts. The resulting pretests, posttests, and distal posttests, attitude surveys, and teacher observations indicated that students learned and retained content knowledge taught through both ways of teaching. The fifth-grade students evidenced greater learning during the experimental condition with very large effect sizes. Students' overall attitudes and engagement were better when the arts were incorporated into daily instruction. The excitement for learning and academic abilities of the participants throughout the study supports the idea that different ways of creative teaching positively impact the way students learn in the classroom. Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions Volume 2, Number 2, Pages 74-99. The Journal's Website: http://scholarworks.uni.edu/journal-stem-arts/


Radical environmentalism and its progeny, eco-terrorism, is a modern phenomenon. It is a movement far removed from the elite conservationists of the late 1800s and the mainstream environmental groups that emerged later. Drawn from the same pool of concerned individuals who comprise memberships in groups like Greenpeace, the Sierra Club, and the Wilderness Society, disaffected environmentalists have turned from political lobbying to direct action in the form of widespread property destruction and other types of crime and terror. Here, the author exposes the activities of radical groups determined to make their mark in the movement to protect the earth and its creatures from those they view as predators. He covers the major groups as well as less well-known ones and provides a careful portrait of who they are, what they do, and how to address them. The growth, from the 1980s through the present day, of organizations involved in eco-terror is noticeable and significant. Such groups have caused millions of dollars worth of damage throughout the country. The FBI estimates that the ALF/ELF have committed more than 600 criminal acts in the United States since 1996, resulting in damages in excess of $43 million. Tactics include pulling up survey stakes, tree-spiking, arson, and other methods. Most groups will claim responsibility for their actions, just as other types of terrorist groups will take responsibility for theirs. Eco-Terrorism takes an objective look at the most radical groups and their terrorist activities in the United States, including case examples and analysis of the methods and rhetoric the groups employ. It uncovers the losses both to individuals and the community as a result of these methods, and it describes the ideologies, motivations, history, and activities of the political movements that have been labeled environmental terrorism.


The authors use individual observations from a panel of families during the period of the peso crisis in Mexico to investigate whether and how labor market shocks, as proxied by changes in the gender- and age-specific unemployment rates in the metropolitan area of the household, affect the intertemporal time allocation of adult members and children. Their findings suggest that significant added-worker effects are in operation, especially for adult females of poorer households and in some cases children. The same shocks also increase significantly the probability that children do not continue school in the next year. The paper also presents evidence suggesting differential treatment based on the sex of children within families.


Active networks-networks you can add programs to or customize to particular applications-are probably most familiar as Web proxy caches and firewalls. In their more sophisticated form, however, they have become customized infrastructures that let designers program control planes-the control software and network hardware used to manipulate the transport system's behavior. Programming mechanisms such as open signaling are becoming more widespread, for example. But research in active networks has taken a step beyond even these sophisticated infrastructures. Working systems now let designers modify packet-switching infrastructures on the fly using either a switch-like model, which mixes active packets with other packets, or in a capsule model, which regards all packets as programs. In surveying working systems and experimental results, the authors have found that first-generation systems have opted to use modern programming language technologies such as Caml and Java to provide usability and safety, and cryptographic techniques to provide security. The systems differ in the degree of flexibility and performance they offer. Many differences stem from the use of a particular security model. The paper discusses a general architecture for active networks.


The standard Correspondence Testing Experiment (CTE) does not identify whether employer prejudice, as opposed to statistical discrimination, drives discriminatory behaviour when hiring. This article proposes a new methodology using geographic variation to explore the link between employer attitudes towards ethnic minorities and the ethnic difference in callbacks for a job interview. Using already existing Swedish data we find that a randomly selected employer is more likely to discriminate against a minority job applicant in regions where the average employer has more negative attitudes.


Most avalanche accidents are the results of an avalanche triggered by the victim, or a member of the victim's party. Many of these accidents are the result of uncertainty regarding the stability of the snowpack. Spatial variability of snow stability is a significant cause of this uncertainty. There has been significant previous work on the spatial variability of snow stability at multiple spatial scales, but most of these studies have focused on measures of fracture initiation. This study investigates the spatial variability of Extended Column Test (ECT) results (an index of fracture propagation). We measured the spatial variability of ECT results in 23 grids across southwest Montana over the course of two winters. These slopes were all topographically uniform, wind sheltered clearings, with snowpacks relatively undisturbed by skiers or snowmobiles. Twenty eight ECTs were spaced across each grid in a standardized layout with a 30 m x 30 m extent. Our results are consistent with previous work, with some grids showing high levels of variability as well as other grids with relatively homogenous results. We found no consistent spatial pattern to our test results. We tested slopes with a variety of weak layers (surface hoar, depth hoar, new snow, and near surface facets), slab characteristics (slab hardness, slab depth), and snow depths and found no correlations with ECT results. We found a relationship between the forecasted regional avalanche danger and the percent of ECTs showing propagation in a grid. As the regional danger increases the percent of ECTs propagating in a grid does as well. ECT results are most variable under moderate danger. When the regional avalanche danger is either considerable or low, results are likely to be more consistent. The key practical implication of our results is that ECTs, like all other stability tests, should be interpreted with an appropriate level of caution and in consideration of all other relevant variables. The spatial variability of this test has the potential to be high on some slopes, while on other slopes test results will be entirely in agreement.


BACKGROUND
Neonatal seizures are the most common clinical manifestation of Central Nervous System (CNS) dysfunction and are associated with various neurological sequelae. There are currently no evidence-based guidelines for the management of neonatal seizures and currently used drugs such as phenobarbital, and phenytoin have limited efficacy and potential toxicities. Newer second line anticonvulsant, levetiracetam, has been used in refractory neonatal seizures despite limited data and off-label use.

OBJECTIVE
In this review, we will discuss various pharmacological properties of levetiracetam when used in neonatal population.

METHODS
A PubMed search for MEDLINE was undertaken to look for studies using the terms "Levetiracetam", AND "Neonates" as key words from year 1995 to January 2017. Relevant articles were selected and information was extracted about pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and clinical uses of levetiracetam in neonates.

RESULTS
Levetiracetam is an active, water-soluble S-enantiomer of racemic pyrrolidine acetamide which exerts its antiepileptic action by binding to the synaptic vesicle protein within the brain. Metabolism of levetiracetam does not include the CYP P450 system and it is mainly eliminated through kidneys after rapid absorption. Also, no significant interactions with other drugs have been identified. Unlike other commonly used antiepileptic drugs, levetiracetam is not bound to plasma proteins, thereby, reducing the chances of toxicity and severe, life threatening side effects have not been reported. In fact, it has been shown to prevent neuro-degeneration after hypoxia/ischemia in rodent models of epilepsy.

CONCLUSION
Levetiracetam has been emerging as a potential therapeutic option for refractory neonatal convulsions owing to its non-hepatic elimination, linear pharmacokinetics, low protein binding and better safety profile.


Profound transformations in the South since the 1960s have led many observers to sound the region's death knell. Distinctive and exceptional no longer, they say, the region has been disappearing, vanishing, shrinking, and converging with mainstream America for decades, a victim of relentless incorporation into mass society. In a brief but stark Time magazine essay published in 1990, Hodding Carter III, a former Mississippi newspaper editor transplanted to Washington, D.C., went even further, voicing the judgment that the South was dead: "The South as South, a living, ever regenerating mythic land of distinctive personality, is no more. At most it is an artifact lovingly preserved in the museums of culture and the shops of tourist commerce precisely because it is so hard to find in the vital centers of the regions daily life ... the South is dead.... What is lurching into existence in the South is purely and contemporaneously mainstream American, for better and for worse." (1) Historian James Cobb reminds us, however, that epitaphs for the region are nothing new: Dixie's demise has been announced since at least the late nineteenth century. Still, those of us who came of age before the civil rights revolution, and those of us who study and teach the South, cannot help being astonished at how different the region is (and, for some, viscerally feels) since, say, 1960. This is not to say that the region is indistinguishable from America--if for no other reason, because its tragic, painful past continues uniquely to evoke commentary, reflection, and condemnation--or that it has solved all of its racial problems. But the South of the 1950s and 1960s--the Jim Crow, culturally insular, economically impoverished, politically retrograde South--is dead. (2) Epitaphs for that South are indeed in order. But what, if anything, does all this imply about southern identity, about being a southerner? If the very thing that gives southern identity gravity and salience--a South distinct and genuinely set apart from the rest of the country--is itself disappearing, or, even, no more, are southerners as a group with a distinct, self-declared identity also disappearing, themselves a dying breed? The answer to this question is not at all obvious. On the one hand, social identity expressed in terms of membership in a distinct group--identity of the sort signified by statements such as "Yes, I am a southerner"--no doubt best flourishes when the distinctive culture with which one identifies is, in Hodding Carter III's words, a "living" reality. On the other hand, identification with the South could, for some, mean little more than the happenstance of residence ("I live in the South, so of course I am a southerner") and thus be little affected by the presumed dissolution of a southern exceptionalism as much moral as cognitive. Of much greater cultural significance is that even in the absence of marked regional distinctiveness, some southerners may continue to identify with the region due to their self-proclaimed membership in what political scientist Benedict Anderson called, in a discussion of nationalism, an "imagined community," by which he means a "fraternity" of "comradeship" in which members "will never know most of their fellow-members, meet them, or even hear of them, yet in the minds of each fives the image of their communion." Southerners of this sort practice what we might call "symbolic southernness." (3) Largely ancestral, honorific, and selectively enacted rather than rooted in the routines of daily life or the attributions of nonsoutherners, "symbolic southernness" need not rest on an actually existing distinctive South. Indeed, symbolic southerners are able to proclaim their heritage and differentiate themselves from the mass of Americans by grounding their sense of who they are in a mythic place existing mainly in cultural memory--the South as an imagined community--rather than in a "real" space. Southern exceptionalism may be waning, then, but what about southern identity? …


Dispersion relations describe the frequency-dependent nature of elastic waves propagating in structures. Experimental determination of dispersion relations of structural components, such as the floor of a building, can be a tedious task, due to material inhomogeneity, complex boundary conditions, and the physical dimensions of the structure under test.
 In this work, data-driven modeling techniques are utilized to reconstruct dispersion relations over a predetermined frequency range. The feasibility of this approach is demonstrated on a one-dimensional beam where an exact solution of the dispersion relations is attainable. Frequency response functions of the beam are obtained numerically over the frequency range of 0–50kHz. Data-driven dynamical model, constructed by the vector fitting approach, is then deployed to develop a state-space model based on the simulated frequency response functions at 16 locations along the beam. This model is then utilized to construct dispersion relations of the structure through a series of numerical simulations. The techniques discussed in this paper are especially beneficial to such scenarios where it is neither possible to find analytical solutions to wave equations, nor it is feasible to measure dispersion curves experimentally. In the present work, actual experimental data is left for future work, but the complete framework is presented here.


We perform multidimensional radiation hydrodynamics simulations to study the impact of radiation forces on atmospheres composed of dust and gas. Our setup closely follows that of Krumholz & Thompson, assuming that dust and gas are well-coupled and that the radiation field is characterized by blackbodies with temperatures ≳ 80 K, as might be found in ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs). In agreement with previous work, we find that Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities develop in radiation supported atmospheres, leading to inhomogeneities that limit momentum exchange between radiation and dusty gas, and eventually providing a near balance of the radiation and gravitational forces. However, the evolution of the velocity and spatial distributions of the gas differs significantly from previous work, which utilized a less accurate flux-limited diffusion (FLD) method. Our variable Eddington tensor simulations show continuous net acceleration of the gas and never reach a steady state. In contrast, our FLD results show little net acceleration of the gas and settle into a quasi-steady, turbulent state with low velocity dispersion. The discrepancies result primarily from the inability of FLD to properly model the variation of the radiation field around structures that are less than a few optical depths across. We consider the effect of varying the optical depth and study the differences between two-dimensional and three-dimensional runs. We conclude that radiation feedback remains a plausible mechanism for driving high-Mach number turbulence in ULIRGs with sufficiently high optical depths. We discuss implications for observed systems and galactic-scale numerical simulations of feedback.


The Education Resilience Approaches (ERA) program is developing frameworks and tools to understand the role and impact of education in conflict- and violence-affected contexts. This guide is for researchers, evaluators, and planners supporting education policy and program development in contexts of gender-related violence. It outlines a conceptual framework to support the collection, interpretation, and use of gender- and resilience-related information. In addition, it also includes how-to advice to think through crucial issues, which may arise when assessing areas of protection for people in all levels of an education system who experience gender-related violence, as well as to promote improved educational outcome. This guide is divided into two parts, plus an initial chapter on general aspects of gender and resilience in situations of conflict and violence. Together, the parts present, respectively, core guidance on gender-related risks and assets, and the ways that schools, communities, and education systems can respond to protect education actors from gender-related violence, as well as contribute to mitigating the sources of such violence. Each chapter has a list of core principles related to its focus, along with recommended resources. In Part 1, chapters 2 and 3 provide a broad framework and specific multi-level examples of gender-related risks and assets. Most importantly, it presents a list of essential principles, tools, and resources for researchers, evaluators, and program designers as they conduct their own specific gender, violence, and education assessments. Part 2 is focused on institutional issues. Chapter 4 discusses the ways that positive interactions between schools and communities can prevent gender-based violence and foster gender equity. Chapter 5 considers the education policies, programs, institutions, and services that address the sources of gender-related risks and craft solutions for positive education outcomes. Examples of institutional practices illustrate how a transformative resilience framework and gender principles can be operationalized within the policies, programs, and budgets of education systems.


We analyze retail central bank digital currency (CBDC) in a two-tier monetary system with bank deposit market power and externalities from liquidity transformation. Resource costs of liquidity provision determine the optimal monetary architecture and modified Friedman (1969) rules the optimal monetary policy. Optimal interest rates on reserves and CBDC differ. A calibration for the U.S. suggests a weak case for CBDC in the baseline but a much clearer case when too-big-to-fail banks, tax distortions or instrument restrictions are present. Depending on central bank choices CBDC raises U.S. bank funding costs by up to 1.5 percent of GDP. JEL codes: E42, E43, E51, E52, G21, G28


Abstract. Mixing of Asian mineral dust with anthropogenic pollutants allows pollutants (e.g. sulfate and nitrate) to be transported over longer distances (e.g. to the northern Pacific, even to North America) along with dust particles. This mixing therefore affects the atmospheric and oceanic environment at local, regional and even continental scales. In this study, we used a three-dimensional regional chemical transport model (Nested Air Quality Predicting Modeling System, NAQPMS) to examine the degree of mixing between Asian mineral dust and anthropogenic pollutants in a super-duststorm event during 19–22 March 2010. Influences of the mixing processes on regional atmospheric environmental and oceanic biogeochemical cycles were also investigated. A comparison with measurements showed that the model reproduced well the trajectory of long-range dust transport, the vertical dust profile, and the chemical evolution of dust particles. We found that along-path mixing processes during the long-range transport of Asian dust led to increasingly polluted particles. As a result, ~60% of the sulfate and 70–95% of the nitrate in the downwind regions was derived from active mixing processes of minerals with pollutants sourced from the North China Plain and enhanced by transport over South China. This mixing had a significant impact on the regional-scale atmospheric composition and oceanic biogeochemical cycle. Surface HNO3, SO2 and O3 were decreased by up to 90%, 40% and 30%, respectively, due to the heterogeneous reactions on dust particles. Fe solubility rose from ~0.5% in the Gobi region to ~3–5% in the northwestern Pacific, resulting from oxidization of SO2 on dust particles. Total Fe(II) deposition in the ocean region of East Asia reached 327 tons during the 4-day dust event, and created a calculated primary productivity of ~520 mgC m−2 d−1 in the Kuril Islands, which can support almost 100% of the observed mean marine primary productivity in spring in this region (526 mgC m−2 d−1).


The restorative justice movement challenges conventional approaches to sentencing and punishment by involving the victim, community, and perpetrator in sentencing. The movement is characterized by an emphasis on the restoration of relationships, healing and rehabilitation. Like the restorative justice movement, Islamic law embraces a conception of justice that involves healing relationships. Shari'ah, the religious law of Islam, is based on Islamic teachings on justice and divine revelation. IN classical Shari'ah jurisprudence, crimes are divided into several categories, which do not easily correspond to the categories defined in modern Western law. One of these categories, the crimes of qisas, is distinctive in that it gives the victim and his/her family final decision making power in punishment for physical wounding and murder. Although the victim(s) may choose retaliation in kind, payment, or forgiveness, emphasis is placed on the latter. This paper explores whether (1) qisas is a form of restorative justice (2) whether restorative justice adherents should examine the qisas processes for inspiration or methodology. This paper begins by discussing the ideology behind the restorative justice movement and then proceeds to describe the classical Islamic law of qisas. Subsequently, examples of modern codes incorporating the law of qisas are provided. One of these exemplars highlighted within the text, particularly demonstrative of the abovementioned amalgamation, is northern Nigeria. The article concludes by emphasizing that, irrespective of the option for retaliation in kind, enough similarities and goals in the approaches of classical qisas jurisprudence, as exemplified in the modern codes of northern Nigeria, restorative justice scholars should examine qisas. There is also a calling for further field research on the processes of qisas in modern Shari'ah-based criminal jurisprudence.


Inclusivism and exclusivism: A study of two trends The identity of the church can be either inclusivist or exclusivist. Van Ruler's theocratic theology views the church as being an inclusive community in service of God's kingdom. It is the vehicle God uses to introduce his kingdom into the world. According to Van Ruler, however, the church also shows a unique character based on its relationship with Jesus Christ. Although the church can take many forms, Van Ruler's opinion is that the Christian Church could be advised by Old Testament Israel in this regard. This study shows that both inclusivist and exclusivist trends are present in the Old as well as the New Testament. The New Testament inherited the debate between these two opposing stances from the time of the Second Temple. Returning from exile, Sadocitic priests propagated an exclusivist identity for the Judaeans. Their viewpoint was based on the programme of Ezekiel 40–48, as is illustrated in the literature of Ezra–Nehemiah, the Priestly Writing, Chronicles and Jubilees. On the other hand, indeed there was an inclusivist approach as well, as is depicted in the books of Jonah, Ruth, Trito-Isaiah and even Numbers and Joshua. The conclusion drawn from the study is that both exclusivist and inclusivist trends are present in the Bible. Although the church does not have any other option in the present postmodern world but to be primarily an inclusive community, it should also show some form of exclusivism.


The degraded linear dunefield of north west Ngamiland, Botswana occurs in a seismically active area, lying to the northwest of the Okavango graben, widely considered to be the tail end of the East African Rift system. To assess the effects of neotectonism on the dunes, an area was selected for examination close to the Gumare fault, which bounds the graben on the northwest side. Digital SRTM data were converted to light shaded representation of the topography. It was found that dune forms only occur along the margin of the rift and on both sides of incising valleys, graded to the graben floor. A selection of long profiles showed dune crests standing some 25 m above the straats at the edge of the rift. The relative relief pinches out away from the fault, towards interfluves that do not depict dune morphology. Landsat satellite imagery shows linear features continuous across the flat interfluves, inviting the incorrect inference from the vegetation that the linear dune forms occur there. A model is proposed that an original linear dune field formed under arid conditions, was entirely flattened under wetter conditions, crest material being washed into the straats, thus obliterating the original dune morphology. Upon rifting and stream incision, these forms are being replicated, an example of equifinality. Replication is suggested to be by the action of infiltrating water, controlled by the groundwater gradients. These observations suggest that the active dunefield significantly predates the tectonic processes. With the additional time required for degradation and replication it would suggest that the dunes are of considerable antiquity. It has already been recognised that the dunefield has a complex history of construction and destruction, to which must now be added a process of base level-controlled replication.


KCC2 is a neuron-specific K+-Cl− cotransporter essential for establishing the Cl− gradient required for hyperpolarizing inhibition. KCC2 is highly localized to excitatory synapses where it regulates spine morphogenesis and AMPA receptor confinement. Aberrant KCC2 function contributes to numerous human neurological disorders including epilepsy and neuropathic pain. Using unbiased functional proteomics, we identified the KCC2-interactome in the mouse brain to determine KCC2-protein interactions that regulate KCC2 function. Our analysis revealed that KCC2 interacts with a diverse set of proteins, and its most predominant interactors play important roles in postsynaptic receptor recycling. The most abundant KCC2 interactor is a neuronal endocytic regulatory protein termed PACSIN1 (SYNDAPIN1). We verified the PACSIN1-KCC2 interaction biochemically and demonstrated that shRNA knockdown of PACSIN1 in hippocampal neurons significantly increases KCC2 expression and hyperpolarizes the reversal potential for Cl−. Overall, our global native-KCC2 interactome and subsequent characterization revealed PACSIN1 as a novel and potent negative regulator of KCC2.


Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) comprises a poorlyunderstood group of chronic, childhood onset, autoimmune diseaseswith variable clinical presentations, outcomes and therapeuticresponses. Current laboratory tests are unable to flag those patientsat a higher risk of disease spread to multiple joints, who could benefitform earlier therapy to prevent joint damage. This study was focusedon profiling the synovial fluid (SF) proteome associated with diseaseextension from oligo- to polyarticular status by a difference gelelectrophoresis (DIGE) approach.Methods: To construct a discriminant model, SF samples from 55 JIApatients were analysed: 30 oligo-, 8 extended oligo- and 17polyarticular disease. Initial SF samples from each patient werelabeled with Cy dyes and subjected to protein separation by 2-DE. Theability to distinguish patients at risk of disease extension by a selectgroup of proteins was illustrated by multivariate analysis methods.Proteins over expressed with a two-fold difference between patientsubgroups were identified by MALDI-TOF. Specific antibodies wereused to validate putative biomarker expression in synovial fluid bywestern immunoblotting and in synovial membrane (SM) byimmunohistochemistry.Results: Samespots software analysis of SF gel scans was used tohighlight joint-specific proteins which were differentially expressedacross disease classifications. Hierarchical clustering based on theexpression levels of a previously selected set of 40 proteins matchedacross the three clinical subgroups segregates the extended oligoarticularpatients. Proteolytic fragments of apolipoprotein AII, complementcomponent C3c and vitamin D binding protein were identified(P<0.05) amongst the discriminatory proteins. Apolipoprotein AIIand vitamin D binding protein were expressed at significantly higherlevels in the polyarticular patients, P¼0.046 and P¼0.019 respectively,both with a perivascular distribution in the SM.Conclusions: Synovial fluid proteome profiles have been used to flagJIA patients at risk of disease spread. The panel of identified proteinsmay play a role in spread of joint inflammation. With further validation,these putative prognostic biomarkers could improve the clinicalmanagement of patients


In any given society laws made with the intention of regulating the planning of complex systems such as cities of regions must be "open" laws. This means first of all that any particular society applies them in accordance to its, own goals regardless of the nature, and likewise that these laws correspond to the inherently "open" nature of the planning process. It is in this second area, of course, where the legal systems and applied systems analysis meet. From a legal point of view the question is whether and to what extent applied systems analysis is available as an instrument for implementing the intention of any given law.

In the following I should like to focus on: the problems involved in integrated urban planning; the present legal solution in the FRG; and new solutions under consideration on the legislative and administrative levels and their potentials for innovation.


Abstract Pinnacle Point (PP) near Mossel Bay in the Western Cape Province, South Africa, is known for a series of archaeological caves with important archaeological finds. Extensive excavations and studies in two of them (PP13B and PP5-6) have documented alternating periods of anthropogenic-dominated and geogenic-dominated sedimentation. A variety of caves do not bear evidence of anthropogenic remains. We have studied in detail the remnant deposits of three of them, Staircase Cave, Crevice Cave, and PP29, which have been formed under the same geologic and sedimentary conditions with those with anthropogenic contributions. Their remains are small and patchy but have extensive speleothem formations (as do most caves at PP) that were isotopically analyzed for paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental reconstruction. These caves also offer the opportunity to understand the purely geogenic signature of the PP locality and thus offer a geogenic baseline for the anthropogenic caves. Archaeologists normally focus only on sites with strong anthropogenic signals, but by building cave life histories we "raise the bar" (Goldberg 2008, p. 30) on our contextual knowledge.


Climate simulations by 16 atmospheric general circulation models (AGCMs) are compared on an aqua-planet, a water-covered Earth with prescribed sea surface temperature varying only in latitude. The idealised configuration is designed to expose differences in the circulation simulated by different models. Basic features of the aqua-planet climate are characterised by comparison with Earth. The models display a wide range of behaviour. The balanced component of the tropospheric mean flow, and mid-latitude eddy covariances subject to budget constraints, vary relatively little among the models. In contrast, differences in damping in the dynamical core strongly influence transient eddy amplitudes. Historical uncertainty in modelled lower stratospheric temperatures persists in APE. Aspects of the circulation generated more directly by interactions between the resolved fluid dynamics and parameterized moist processes vary greatly. The tropical Hadley circulation forms either a single or double inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) at the equator, with large variations in mean precipitation. The equatorial wave spectrum shows a wide range of precipitation intensity and propagation characteristics. Kelvin mode-like eastward propagation with remarkably constant phase speed dominates in most models. Westward propagation, less dispersive than the equatorial Rossby modes, dominates in a few models or occurs within an eastward propagating envelope in others. The mean structure of the ITCZ is related to precipitation variability, consistent with previous studies. The aqua-planet global energy balance is unknown but the models produce a surprisingly large range of top of atmosphere global net flux, dominated by differences in shortwave reflection by clouds. A number of newly developed models, not optimised for Earth climate, contribute to this. Possible reasons for differences in the optimised models are discussed. The aqua-planet configuration is intended as one component of an experimental hierarchy used to evaluate AGCMs. This comparison does suggest that the range of model behaviour could be better understood and reduced in conjunction with Earth climate simulations. Controlled experimentation is required to explore individual model behaviour and investigate convergence of the aqua-planet climate with increasing resolution.


The pervasiveness of digital technology creates an imperative for mathematics teacher educators to prepare preservice teachers (PSTs) to select technology to support students' mathematical development. We report on research conducted on an assignment created for and implemented in secondary mathematics methods courses requiring PSTs to select and evaluate digital mathematics tools. We found that PSTs primarily focused on pedagogical fidelity (ease of use), did not consider mathematical fidelity (accuracy), and at times superficially attended to cognitive fidelity (how well the tool reflects students' mathematical thinking processes) operationalized as the CCSS for Mathematical Practice and Five Strands of Mathematical Proficiency. We discuss implications for implementing the assignment and suggestions for addressing PSTs' challenges with identifying the mathematical practices and five strands.


A major policy challenge posed by derivatives clearinghouses is that their collateral requirements can rise sharply in times of stress, reducing market liquidity and further exacerbating downturns. Smoothing sharp changes in collateral requirements - an approach known as through-the-cycle margining - however, has its own disadvantages, one of which is increased risk sharing among clearinghouse members when financial risk is high. This can give rise to undesirable side effects, including distorted incentives, which can reverse the conventional knowledge about collateral policy. In contrast to the existing literature, I show that through-the-cycle margining can increase as well as reduce trading in volatile markets. Due to increased risk sharing, clearinghouse members may prefer to overcollateralize transactions, leading to lower than socially optimal trading. This creates a challenge for policy-makers, since it may be challenging to push for lower collateral standards than deemed proper by the industry. For such cases, I propose an alternative policy tool - increasing default penalties - to align private and social incentives.


Using a tight-binding model, we study one-parameter charge pumping in a one-dimensional system of noninteracting electrons. An oscillating potential is applied at one site, while a static potential is applied in a different region. Using Floquet scattering theory, we calculate the current up to second order in the oscillation amplitude and exactly in the oscillation frequency. For low frequency, the charge pumped per cycle is proportional to the frequency and, therefore, vanishes in the adiabatic limit. If the static potential has a bound state, we find that such a state has a significant effect on the pumped charge if the oscillating potential can excite the bound state into the continuum states or vice versa. Finally, we use the equation of motion for the density matrix to numerically compute the pumped current for any value of the amplitude and frequency. The numerical results confirm the unusual effect of a bound state.


A series of two 100 gm. and two 50 gm. oral glucose tolerance tests were performed on each of ninety-six young, healthy, prison inmates under rigidly controlled experimental conditions. Mean blood glucose levels for fasting, one, two, and three hour-postchallenge determinations were compared between challenges. The interrelationships of these determinations were also compared between the two standard loading doses. Mean two-hour levels were 14 to 27 per cent higher after the larger challenge. With an appropriate conversion factor, the absolute difference in two-hour values could be equated. Thus, despite these unequal means, the diagnostic information obtained with either challenge at one and two hours does not differ. The fact that the one-hour determination was not related to loading dose size or obesity as expressed by the weight index [100 (weight)/height2] and was highly correlated with the Tolerance Index, suggests that it is the preferable screening test for diabetes. Studies in other populations are needed to confirm this, however. Although mean levels at three hours were the same, the distribution of tolerance responses for this determination differed for the two challenges. An excess of both relative hypoglycemic andhyperglycemic responses occurred with the larger loading dose. These contrasting distributions suggest that the 100 gm., three-hour determination may possess unique diagnostic power to ascertainearly chemical diabetes. Until adequate criteria of an abnormal three-hour response are established, however, this determination cannot be used as a screening test for diabetes. Physiologic variability for all specific determinations and the complete tolerance test were similar for both challenges. The fact that only a moderate degree of correlation was found between repeat tolerance responses greatly compromises the clinical values of a single glucose tolerance test.


Appraisal is a controversial topic. Policymakers have debated the goals served by the appraisal remedy, and legislatures have repeatedly revised appraisal statutes in an effort to meet those goals while minimizing the cost and potential abuse associated with appraisal litigation. Courts have struggled to determine the most appropriate valuation methodology and the extent to which that methodology should depend on case-specific factors. These difficulties are exacerbated by variation in the procedures by which mergers are negotiated and the potential for conflict-of-interest transactions.

Private ordering offers a market-based alternative to continued legislative or judicial efforts to refine the appraisal remedy. Through firm-specific appraisal waivers, issuers can limit or eliminate the scope of appraisal rights, thereby reducing the cost and uncertainty of appraisal ex ante. Private companies are making increasingly use of such appraisal waivers, an effort facilitated by a Delaware decision upholding the validity of an appraisal waiver in a private company shareholder agreement. Public companies have not followed the lead of private companies, however, presumably because of impracticality of using shareholder agreements in public companies and a concern that an appraisal waiver in a charter or bylaw would be invalid.

This Article considers both the normative and legal case for appraisal waivers. It argues that the modern role of appraisal rights – disciplining the merger negotiation process and policing potential conflicts of interest – warrants understanding appraisal as a structural component of corporate governance rather than a personal right of individual shareholders. Accordingly, it challenges legal analysis that distinguishes between contractual waivers and those in a corporation's governing documents. It nonetheless reasons that firm-specific freedom to limit or eliminate appraisal rights through waivers is normatively desirable in that it reduces the pressure on lawmakers to get the appraisal remedy "right," allows appraisal rights to vary in accordance with firm-specific factors and allows tailored appraisal rights that vary according to transactional features. It concludes that both public and private companies should have the power to adopt appraisal waivers.

The Article then considers the legal case for appraisal waivers and determines that their validity under current law is questionable at best based on both the scope of existing appraisal statutes and public policy considerations. In light of its conclusion that the availability of appraisal waivers is normatively desirable, the Argument advocates resolving this uncertainty through legislation. The Article proposes that corporation statutes explicitly authorize corporations to modify or eliminate appraisal rights, but that such waivers should only be permitted in corporate charters.

This paper was originally posted with the working title of "Appraisal Waivers."


The current study explores the influence nontraditional framing of beauty and ugliness has on college aged females' interpretation of beauty. Focus group sessions were used to assess this influence, during which the women were asked several questions within two open discussions of beauty. The television sitcom Ugly Betty, which features an alternative framing of beauty standards, was shown between each discussion and used to analyze the media's influence. The results show that the discussion and the new framing of beauty and ugliness in the clip influenced the women's interpretations by either creating new understandings or re-enforcing existing beliefs. The women also considered media images of beauty to have a third-person effect with younger audiences being more impacted. Social comparison was used slightly in explaining beauty definitions and standards for women.


To assess whether the southward deep water flow of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation can be monitored by measuring the deep western boundary current, the structure and transport of the time-averaged deep western boundary current at 26.5N are estimated from long current meter records deployed in a series of 7 mooring deployments over 11 years from March 1986 to June 1997 east of Abaco Island in the Bahamas. Time-averaged meridional velocities for each current meter record are combined into estimates of mean velocity at 3 to 10 depths at 10 mooring locations extending eastward from the continental slope out to an offshore distance of 580 km. The mean deep western boundary current below 1000 m depth exhibits a core of strong southward velocities above 15 cm s-1 at an offshore distance of about 55 km and extends out to an offshore distance of about 160 km with an estimated total southward transport of 34.6 Sv. We estimate the error in this time-averaged transport to be 3.7 Sv due to uncertainties in the mean velocities due to temporal variability and up to 4 Sv due to the choice of methods to integrate spatially the time-averaged velocities across the section. Offshore from 160 km out to at least 580 km, there is broad, slow northward flow that recirculates deep water northward. While the mooring array is not sufficient to accurately measure the northward recirculation, a simple spatial average of the time-averaged currents indicates a northward recirculation of about 13 Sv in this offshore region. Daily estimates of the deep western boundary current from two arrays with reasonably complete coverage of the deep western boundary current suggest that the instantaneous boundary current has a width of about 100 km, naturally narrower than the mean boundary current. Daily southward transports vary between 5 and 75 Sv but the array does not fully resolve the boundary current during offshore meander events that occur about 20% of the time. We conclude that it is problematic to monitor the net southward flow of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation with boundary current measurements at 26.5N because the narrow deep western boundary current transport has substantially larger transport than the net southward flow and the offshore northward recirculation is broad and diffuse so that accurate estimates of the recirculation would require an extensive array of moored instruments.