Abstract Laboratory experiments conducted with larvae and adults of the northern or southern masked chafer beetle (Scarabaeidae: Cyclocephala lurida or C. borealis) tested hypotheses that beetle larvae construct meniscate, backfilled burrows and that they are distinct from backfilled burrows constructed by marine organisms. Beetle larvae were placed in narrow enclosures with laminated moist, fine-to-medium-grained sand and allowed to burrow for several weeks. Beetle larvae did not create open burrow systems but instead excavated single open cells approximately twice their body width and roughly equal to their body length. Burrowing was accomplished by scraping sediment with the head and mandibles, consolidating excavated sediment into a ball, rotating 180° with the ball to the back of the cell, and packing the ball onto the posterior end of the cell. The beetle larvae produced vertical-to-horizontal traces that were straight to tortuous and composed of discrete packets of meniscate backfill. Adult chafer beetles moved through the media using a sand-swimming motion, that is, by passing sand around their bodies with the legs. Traces produced by adults are characterized by straighter axes and mixed passive and active fill resulting from sediment collapse and sediment transported backward. When vertical, adult burrows contain chevron-shaped fill. Traces produced by these beetles are similar to adhesive meniscate burrows found in many ancient continental deposits as old as the Permian and can be assigned to Naktodemasis isp. We propose that Naktodemasis with this kind of burrow morphology were soil-dwelling insect larvae that used burrowing mechanisms similar to chafer beetle larvae. These experiments demonstrate that this kind of burrow morphology is terrestrial in origin, suggesting that previous interpretations that the burrows are subaqueous in origin need to be reevaluated.


Using a novel panel dataset of 65 countries for the period 1973-2000, this paper attempts to reconcile the conflicting evidence provided by the current literature on the effects of different tax categories on long-term economic growth. The effects of both top and average, personal and corporate income tax rates as well as the level of tax progressivity on growth are tested while controlling for other possible determinants of growth. The empirical results provide evidence for the distortionary effects of personal income taxes and tax progressivity on long run economic growth, but no robust evidence for any linear effect of corporate tax rates on long term economic growth is found. There is however, evidence for a non-linear effect of corporate taxation on economic performance. The sample splitting estimations also yield thresholds above which progressivity becomes harmful for growth but below which there is no significant effect. The thresholds associated with the respective decades seem to follow the average degree of progressivity rather closely and could be indicative of international tax competition. __________________________________________________________


This paper discusses the possibility of forming coatings when two different dielectrics are evaporated simultaneously, with the thickness and refractive index constant along the radial coordinate. An analysis is given of the thickness and refractive-index distribution of the coating formed when two film-forming materials are simultaneously evaporated from sources lying at identical distances from the substrate's axis of rotation.


Steady-state fluorescence (SSF) technique in conjunction with UV-visible (UVV) technique and atomic force microscope (AFM) was used for studying film formation from TiO2 covered nanosized polystyrene (PS) latex particles (320 nm). The effects of film thickness and TiO2 content on the film formation and structure properties of PS/TiO2 composites were studied. For this purpose, two different sets of PS films with thicknesses of 5 and 20 µmwere prepared frompyrene-(P-) labeled PS particles and covered with various layers of TiO2 using dip-coating method. These films were then annealed at elevated temperatures above glass transition temperature (Tg) of PS in the range of 100-280°C. Fluorescence emission intensity, Ip from P and transmitted light intensity, Itr were measured after each annealing step to monitor the stages of film formation. The results showed that film formation from PS latexes occurs on the top surface of PS/TiO2 composites and thus developed independent of TiO2 content for both film sets. But the surface morphology of the films was found to vary with both TiO2 content and film thickness. After removal of PS, thin films provide a quite ordered porous structure while thick films showed nonporous structure.


This study investigated labour-market orientations of students at a Swedish University with a dual/diverse focus on vocational/academic objectives. The aim was to investigate whether and how levels of students' labour-market orientation vary with social background, change during the study period, and are related to approaches to studying and achievements. The design was a multiple panel time-series study. Labour-market orientation was studied on the basis of locally designed questionnaires. Approaches to studying were analysed deductively in accordance with dimensions previously found by Study Process Questionnaires and inductively using a principal component analysis. Results suggest that labour-market orientations co-varied to a higher degree with the study programme than with social background. Contrary to what was hypothesized, being labour-market oriented was only moderately related to surface-oriented approaches to studying. It is suggested that future research should pay more attention to disciplinary traditions and local teacher and programme cultures in understanding developmental paths in labour-market orientation.


The aim of this paper is to investigate the influence and extent of past climatic changes on South American biota. To this end, we establish phylogeographical hypotheses for a monophyletic group of four cactophilic species of Drosophila (the Drosophila serido haplogroup) found in xeromorphic vegetation in Brazil. The effects of Quaternary palaeoclimatic oscillations on the demographic fluctuations of our biological model and its sister group Drosophila antonietae are investigated.


MONDAY NIGHT Late Night in the Library The Subjectivity of Experience The Soul and the Mind Descartes' Conceivability Argument Lois Lane, Clark Kent, and Superman Arnauld's Objection to Descartes' Argument Hume's Elusive Self Souls and the Problem of Mental-Physical Causation TUESDAY NIGHT Computers and Cognition Consciousness versus Cognition Ignoring Subjectivity What Is It Like to Be a Bat? The Need for a New Framework Mary and the Knowledge Argument against Physicalism Spectrum Inversion Zombies and the Conceivability Argument against Physicalism WEDNESDAY NIGHT The Structure of the Anti-Physicalist Arguments: The Epistemic Step and the Metaphysical Step Questioning the Epistemic Step Afterimages and Mary's Shortcuts to Phenomenal Knowledge The Importance of Deduction Psycho-Physical Laws Hooking Up to the Physical The Objectivity Condition on the Physical Deduction and Translation The Ability Hypothesis The Connection between Abilities and Information Representationalism and the Transparency of Experience THURSDAY NIGHT Questioning the Metaphysical Step Superheroes and the Many Disguises of Physical Facts Disguise Depends on Ignorance The Cognitive Isolation of Phenomenal Concepts Martian Mary and the Phenomenal Concept Strategy Do Phenomenal Concepts Require Experience? The Dilemma for the Phenomenal Concept Strategy Descartes Returns, with Zombies FRIDAY NIGHT Clarifying Property Dualism Why Souls Are No Help The Causal Inefficacy of Nonphysical Qualia Assessing the Costs of Epiphenomenalism The Paradox of Phenomenal Judgment The Attractions of Monism SATURDAY PANPSYCHISM Phenomenal Properties as the Ground of Physical Dispositions Panprotopsychism The Combination Problem The Problem of Mental-Physical Causation Redux The Significance of Ignorance Defining the Physical Subjective Physicalism Necessitation without Deduction The Sun Rises


Tolstoy writes in a letter to his friend A. A. Fet that what he as written in War and Peace, "especially in the epilogue," is also said by Schopenhauer in The World as Will and Representation. Tolstoy adds, however, that Schopenhauer approaches "it from the other side." Schopenhauer does indeed say much the same thing as Tolstoy says in his epilogue and elsewhere about history and the will. Each of these authors argues that history is not progressing and that it is not governed by the actions of individual political or military leaders alone, but by the infinitely many actions of the multitude of people. What underlies this critique of history in each case is a quietist outlook on life, a perspective from which one must abandon the assertion of the will and accept life as it is given. Tolstoy's quietism, however, is a happy quietism; he wants his reader to joyfully embrace life for all that it has to offer. Schopenhauer's is an unhappy quietism; he wants his reader to accept life in the face of all that it is not. Thus, Tolstoy and Schopenhauer approach quietism, and consequently their critiques of history and the will, from different "sides." These sides—to borrow Wittgenstein's way of speaking—are the sides of the happy and the unhappy. To approach quietism from one side rather than another is no small matter. In Tolstoy's case in particular, it made all the difference in the world.


This paper comprises an attempt to create information visualizations for the Public Library of Veria city, Greece based on library data. Specifically, it is a formative study about the use of a visualization tool for analysing library data. The goal of this study is to make suggestions for the presentation of the public library's data in order to be more accessible and understandable by the users and the librarians. The data were provided by the Library and the data types that were used were selected after a thorough consultation with the library staff. Consideration was given to the availability of data. The study employed information visualization techniques to create the visual displays of the data. Visualizations were created using the Tableau Public software in an effort to provide a quantitative, analytical, and evidence-based view of how libraries could manage their data. The study also aimed to gather any additional potential uses of visualizations that can be exploited by the libraries in the future. The current research was conducted in a single public library, thus further research in different, expanded settings and contexts is suggested.


This thesis looked at traffic crashes in the emirate of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to establish the current situation in road safety and ways of improving it. A global overview of road safety literature revealed that standards of road safety vary widely by region. Key indicators like fatality rate and risk (Jacobs et al, 2000) were found to be higher in most neighbouring Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC) countries (10-25 fatalities/100,000 pop., 3-5 fatalities/10,000 motor vehicles) than in the best-performing Western countries (6 fatalities/100,000 pop., 1 fatality/10,000 motor vehicles).
Interventions and countermeasures to tackle specific road safety issues were reviewed from international studies. Countermeasures were chosen with consideration for the local situation in Dubai within the categories of Human, Environmental and Vehicle factors. Examples of selected measures include offending driver punishment (Human), Electronic Stability Control (Vehicle) and central barriers (Environment). These measures were mostly studied in different environments to those in Dubai so the aspect of knowledge transfer between areas of different cultural and environmental conditions was discussed.
Data from real world injury crashes (as collected by Dubai Police and the Roads & Transport Authority) over twelve years (1995 2006) were subject to macroanalysis in SPSS to identify the main issues over the past decade. 18,142 crashes involving 30,942 casualties and 48,960 vehicles were analysed at the outset. The following issues were among the main concerns:
- High proportion of fatal crashes out of all injury crashes (13.5% compared to 1.4% in the UK);
- Most fatal crashes involved a single vehicle hitting a pedestrian;
- Most injury crashes involved a single vehicle;
- Inconsiderate driving was the most common crash cause cited by the police.
Countermeasures found in the literature to counteract these problems were then suggested for application and the estimated savings from applying them were calculated. Savings were quantified as either reductions in casualties or injury crashes. Furthermore, cost savings for the calculated reductions were estimated using existing UK crash costs due to the scarcity of UAE crash cost estimates. Calculation of the estimated improvement in safety if these countermeasures were applied retrospectively meant a reduction of 4,634 injury crashes and 1,555 casualties over the 12-year period with an estimated cost saving of approximately £368 million or 2.7 billion Dirhams.
To refine this method more detailed data on crashes were required and collected from the dedicated crash investigation team files in Dubai Police for 2006 and part of 2007. This new dataset (300 crashes) was put into a purpose-built database with over 140 fields and subject to microanalysis to more accurately match the problems and interventions. Six interventions were matched to individual cases in the database where they would have positively altered the outcome. This process was verified by independent crash experts and investigators. The benefits from these six countermeasures were then weighted to calculate the benefits for the whole crash population over a year. Examples of specific interventions included guardrails along the roadside; grade-separated crossing facilities for pedestrians; Electronic Stability Control and speed cameras. The estimated total reduction in crashes was 2,412 annually with calculated savings of £40 million or 280 million Dirhams.
This was the first time this geographical area was studied in such depth and detail to allow the calculation of benefits from interventions matched to known road safety issues. Various limitations were encountered such as the unavailability of GIS basemaps and the continuously changing infrastructure and population of Dubai. Numerous areas of further work were identified. Such work areas include hospital studies for collecting injury data to compare with police data; changing vehicle standards so that they are better suited to local crash types; the calculation of crash and injury costs based on local figures; vehicle fleet analysis for comparing different vehicle segments and exposure; and improved data collection and storage methods.


Despite its explosive growth in North America, relatively little research has been conducted on the gambling implications of fantasy sports. The current study examines whether financial information (i.e. entry fee and payout) in an advertisement promoting a fantasy football service influences perceptions about opponents' perceived skill level and expected outcomes. This study also examines the impact of perceived opponents' skill and perceived winning expectations on the desire to participate in the advertised fantasy sports service. Findings indicated that entry fee and reward information significantly increased the participants' expectation of opponent quality, but that this expectation did not result in decreases in the subjects' self-reported probability of winning the league. Additionally, subjects indicated that they were most likely to join a league in which the expected opponents' skill level was nearly equal to their own. In the presence of an advertised monetary reward, however, perceived winning probability also became an important factor in participation decisions. The former result suggests that participants in fantasy sports, especially in free-to-play leagues, are purchasing an experiential product with a value that increases in outcome uncertainty, while the latter implies that participants are motivated both by the overall experience, and by financial gains when they are available.


Water availability for a range of human uses will increasingly be affected by climate change, especially in the arid and semiarid tropics. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the infrastructure sufficiency in meeting water demand under climate-induced socio-hydrological transition in the Capibaribe River basin (CRB). The basin has experienced spatial and sectoral (agriculture-to-urban) reconfiguration of water demands. Human settlements that were once dispersed, relying on intermittent sources of surface water, are now larger and more spatially concentrated, which increases water-scarcity effects. Based on the application of linked hydrologic and water-resources models using precipitation and temperature projections of the IPCC SRES (Special Report: Emissions Scenarios) A1B scenario, a reduction in rainfall of 26.0% translated to streamflow reduction of 60.0%. We used simulations from four members of the HadCM3 (UK Met Office Hadley Centre) perturbed physics ensemble, in which a single model structure is used and perturbations are introduced to the physical parameterization schemes in the model (Chou et al., 2012). We considered that the change of the water availability in the basin in the future scenarios must drive the water management and the development of adaptation strategies that will manage the water demand. Several adaptive responses are considered, including water-loss reductions, wastewater collection and reuse, and rainwater collection cisterns, which together have potential to reduce future water demand by 23.0%. This study demonstrates the vulnerabilities of the infrastructure system during socio-hydrological transition in response to hydroclimatic and demand variabilities in the CRB and also indicates the differential spatial impacts and vulnerability of multiple uses of water to changes over time. The simulations showed that the measures proposed and the water from interbasin transfer project of the Sao Francisco River had a positive impact over the water supply in the basin, mainly for human use. Industry and irrigation will suffer impact unless other measures are implemented for demand control.


ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to accurately examine the functional volume (RI-vol) of the hepatic segments on single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (CT) fusion imaging by technetium-99m galactosyl human serum albumin scintigraphy and compare it with the RI-vol and morphological volume obtained on computed tomography (CT-vol). MethodsIn 60 patients with various liver background statuses who had undergone hepatectomy, the RI-vol and CT-vol were examined in each sector using imaging analysis. The values from a control group (n=91) were used as reference data. ResultsThe mean RI-vol and CT-vol of the right liver were 64±10 and 63±6%, respectively, whereas the values for the left liver were 36±10 and 37±6%, respectively. Compared with the control group, the ratios in each hemiliver were similar. The mean RI-vol and CT-vol for each sector were also similar, and significant positive correlations were identified between the two volumes (P<0.01). In four patients with hepatic tumors involving the main hepatic vessels or the bile duct and in 10 patients who had undergone portal vein embolization, the actual RI-vol in the injured sector was significantly decreased compared with CT-vol (P<0.05). There were marked changes in functional volume in segment 6+7 and segment 2+3 after portal vein embolization (P<0.05). ConclusionVolumetric measurement using single photon emission computed tomography/CT imaging with technetium-99m galactosyl human serum albumin scintigraphy is useful for evaluating the functional volume in separated livers and offers a good reflection of the background liver status.


Background: While economic insecurity adversely affects the well-being of sex workers, few studies examine economic interventions in this community. Extant interventions employ microfinance approaches and are limited in scope, scale, and sustainability. Critiques of microfinance initiatives highlight their inability to achieve economic and gender empowerment. Moreover, microfinance interventions among sex workers often fail to address structural causes of economic disempowerment, and do not increase economic agency. This dissertation examines an alternative economic intervention: the Usha Multi-purpose Cooperative Society (Usha), a bank operated by a sex workerâ??s union in Kolkata, India. Examining the organizational structure, culture, and operations of the bank I explore the manner in which Usha addresses the critiques aimed at microfinance initiatives, and the manner in which it cultivates economic and political agency in the sex work community. Methods: Utilizing a mixed-methods case study design, I conducted 80 semi-structured interviews with Usha members (n=60) and staff (n=20), participant observation and document analysis. Additionally, I conducted quantitative analyses of the bankâ??s administrative database (N=14,382). Modified grounded theory and regression models were utilized to analyze the qualitative and quantitative data, respectively. Results: Usha facilitates empowerment through two intersecting operational approaches: its interventions operate at the individual and community levels, while targeting logistical as well as political outcomes. Specifically, Usha offers individual logistical financial support to sex workers through savings and loans programs which reverse predatory practices used by other microfinance initiatives. Community-level logistical financial support is provided by investing in businesses and social programs which benefit the sex worker community. Usha fosters individual sex worker political agency by supporting professional identity, independent decision-making, and sex worker leadership. Community-level political agency is developed by undermining the influence of financially coercive community power-brokers such as madams and pimps, providing labor protections, and facilitating access to civil society institutions. Conclusion: Usha challenges neoliberal approaches that attribute poverty to individual shortcomings, and resists the neocolonial framing of sex workers as victims. These results advance our understanding of how microfinance interventions can support social movements and effect structural change. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Social Welfare This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/1146 First Advisor Toorjo Ghose


Three desirable properties of a four-antenna spacetime block code are full rate, full diversity, and single-symbol decodability. Previously reported space-time codes that achieve all three properties do so at the expense of the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR). A fourth desirable property of a space-time block code is that its PAPR be the same as that of the underlying quadrature-amplitude modulation alphabet. In this letter we introduce space-time codes for three and four transmit antennas that achieve all four properties; these codes use a diversity technique based on constellation stretching. Numerical results for quasistatic Rayleigh-fading channels show that, despite their low PAPR, the proposed codes are comparable in SNR performance to the best-performing single-symbol decodable space-time codes for three and four transmit antennas.


In this report, we take a new look at international collaboration patterns focussing on the Australasian region. More than other regions in the world, Australasia has always been outward looking and its research community has sought to connect itself with international partners. This is, no doubt, in part due to the geographical location of the continent but other factors play a role including the heavy development of Australasia's research base in the last few years and the importance and power of that research base as an economic driver for the region. More recently, a coherent focus has been taken across the region to international engagement. We have used Digital Science's Dimensions database together with a filter of high-quality journals provided by the Nature Index journal list to explore the national and international collaboration landscape in Australia and New Zealand.


A numerical algorithm to solve the spectral problem for arbitrary self-adjoint extensions of 1D regular Schroedinger operators is presented. It is shown that the set of all self-adjoint extensions of 1D regular Schroedinger operators is in one-to-one correspondence with the group of unitary operators on the finite dimensional Hilbert space of boundary data, and they are characterized by a generalized class of boundary conditions that include the well-known Dirichlet, Neumann, Robin, (quasi-)periodic boundary conditions, etc. The numerical algorithm is based on a nonlocal boundary extension of the finite element method and their convergence is proved. An appropriate basis of boundary functions must be introduced to deal with arbitrary boundary conditions and the conditioning of its computation is analyzed. Some significant numerical experiments are also discussed as well as the comparison with some standard algorithms. In particular it is shown that appropriate perturbations of standard boundary conditions for the free particle leads to the theoretically predicted result of very large absolute values of the negative groundlevels of the system as well as the localization of the corresponding eigenvectors at the boundary (edge states).


The article reveals the structure and peculiarities of digital economy of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) states. Different scale of economies and level of maturity of institutions of national economic systems and differences in the pace and priorities of reforms in the sphere of information and communication technologies (ICT) are highlighted as peculiarities. Based on assessment of the ICT sphere development in the EAEU countries, the conclusion was drawn that the integration association states have a reasonably developed digital economy and have formed a positive trend of its development at a level higher than the world average. It is established that the need for bridging the digital divide of the EAEU states dictates the priority of coordinated efforts, since only the integration interaction as a whole can provide synergy for the entire association in comparison with the implementation of national digitalization Programs and Strategies, and Digital Single Market maximizes the national potentials of the EAEU countries in the sphere of ICT.


Inquiry based science education has been identified in the literature as a methodology suitable for the development of content knowledge and skills in science. Over the past number of years, inquiry teaching and learning has been endorsed as an appropriate method for learning science in various reports and now has a place in many national curricula. However, research has shown that there are many challenges faced by teachers who are attempting to implement inquiry instruction in their classrooms. A particular challenge faced by pre-service teachers is that, in spite of the content of initial teacher education programmes, novice teachers frequently teach as they were taught themselves in the classroom. During initial teacher education, pre-service teachers need to be prepared in such a way that they are confident and competent with inquiry instruction This study focusses on the determination of European and Irish pre-service teachers' understanding and views of inquiry practices, and of assessment in inquiry practices, and how these change following participation in inquiry workshops. This study determined that the greater the pre-service teachers' understanding of inquiry, the more they would consider inquiry as their main teaching method in future. Prior experience with inquiry has an impact on pre-service teachers' understanding and views towards inquiry. European pre-service science teachers' inquiry assessment practices and their confidence with carrying these out in the classroom have also been investigated. Confidence had a major impact on the practices of the pre-service teachers.
These findings were then used to design a chemistry laboratory module for pre-service teachers to support them in the development of their knowledge of and views towards inquiry. The laboratory based chemistry module was developed and implemented with a group of pre-service teachers. Evaluation of the impact of the module shows that participants' inquiry skills were successfully developed and there is a movement towards teaching through inquiry practices. Key aspects of the module are highlighted to inform other such programmes.


I would like to congratulate the International Law Students Association for hosting this panel to discuss issues that arise in the new age of globalized sports, and to thank the other panelists for their informative presentations. We share a common perspective--that the value of sport to society is unlimited in that it inspires us and brings us together on a level playing field. The organization I represent, Special Olympics, is an international NGO representing nearly 4 million athletes in 170 countries. I have several booklets if you are interested in seeing what we do. We face many of the same legal challenges as other organizations. We operate under a protocol with the International Olympic Committee. Our World Games events face many of the hurdles that may be discussed today regarding the use of images and intellectual property rights, and commercial issues involving event sponsorship. We struggle with anti-doping issues, particularly as many of our athlete population use medication for therapeutic purposes. My focus today, however, will perhaps be different from the other panelists, in that the issue I will address is how sports can play a role in advancing certain rights addressed in international instruments such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which is designed to promote human dignity and foster nondiscriminatory, inclusive societies. My organization, Special Olympics, strives to create a better world by fostering acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. When viewed through the lens of disability rights, sports becomes an avenue for social justice and the simple joy that recreation and interaction with other people can bring. You have and will hear me today using the term "disability." What is it? Disability is any physical or mental condition that limits a person's movements, senses, or activity. The term is used to refer to attributes that are severe enough to interfere with or prevent normal day-to-day activities. This would include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. Disability is a universal condition crossing all socioeconomic boundaries, races, religions, and creeds. The World Bank reports that 600 million people, or 10% of the world's population, have a disability. Up to 80% of these people live in developing nations. Disability is a cause and consequence of poverty, In developing countries, 98% of disabled children live in poverty and do not receive an education. These rates are even higher for girls. In much of the world, stigma, discrimination, and exclusion from employment and from society are the consequences of the negative assumptions about persons with disabilities. Perhaps you have never considered the role of sports in promoting inclusion, and in eradicating poverty, but this concept, and legal instruments such as the CRPD, can bring fundamental change to the way in which governments--and ultimately communities and families--view and treat people with intellectual and physical disabilities. The best way for me to illustrate at the micro level how sport can be used to address the rights of persons with disabilities--and be used as a tool for eradicating stigma, bringing together communities and liberating the human spirit--is to introduce you to Aaron. Here is a picture of Aaron. I'd like you to pass it around. As you can see from the photo, Aaron is tethered to his home by a rope. His parents used this method to restrict his movements for seven years at the time of this photo was taken, and they did this because he was born with intellectual disabilities. Aaron comes from Mangulu village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Kalumo in the Ntchisi district of Malawi in Africa. Aaron was born into a family of five children; he is the first-born and the only child with an intellectual disability in his family. …


Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) is a recurrent and widespread problem in the Gulf of Maine (GOM) caused by the dinoflagellate Alexandrium fundyense. Blooms have been the subject of more than a decade of investigation through the ECOHAB-GOM and GOMTOX research programs. Multiple large-scale field surveys have provided data that were combined with mooring observations, satellite-tracked drifters, and numerical model simulations to document the complex dynamics of A. fundyense blooms within this region. A conceptual model of A. fundyense bloom dynamics and PSP toxicity in the region is summarized here, highlighting key physiological, behavioral, and environmental or oceanographic factors underlying blooms. A numerical model has also been developed and evaluated against cruise observations and other data. The status of those modeling efforts is discussed, including recent efforts to provide seasonal forecasts of A. fundyense bloom magnitude, and near-real time hindcasts and forecasts of use to resource managers.


Abstract Towns are tourist destinations because of their material heritage, cultural events as well as a wide range of other attractions. A special role in contemporary tourism development is played by historic towns that offer tourists not only heritage but also combine their genius loci with contemporary human needs. Sandomierz is one of the oldest Polish towns with its origins going back to the early Piast period. The thousand years of its history is visible in a well-preserved urban-architectural complex which has successfully survived both world wars in the 20th c. Today's image of 'tourist' Sandomierz is connected with the TV serial of Ojciec Mateusz. The story, set in Sandomierz, has become a tourist attraction as well as an important means of promotion and creating an image of the town as a pleasant and hospitable place. The role of the serial as a factor for tourism development in terms of tourism infrastructure and volume of tourists dates from 2008. Sandomierz offers much else that has created favourable conditions for the development of new forms of tourism.


Abstract: Microtubule‐associated protein‐2 (MAP‐2) functions to maintain neuronal morphology by promoting the assembly of microtubules. MAP‐2c is an alternately spliced form of MAP‐2, containing the first 151 amino acids of high‐molecular‐weight (HMW) MAP‐2 joined to the last 321 amino acids, eliminating 1,352 amino acids specific to HMW MAP‐2. A polyclonal antibody generated to the splice site of human MAP‐2c was used to determine its cellular localization. The MAP‐2c antiserum was depleted of any HMW MAP‐2 reactivity by absorption with HMW MAP‐2 fusion protein. Western blot analysis of human fetal spinal cord homogenates demonstrated that the antibody is specific for human MAP‐2c. MAP‐2c immunoreactivity was found in the perinuclear cytoplasm and processes of anterior motor neurons and large processes of the posterior column in sections from 22–24‐week human fetal spinal cord. Double‐label confocal microscopy was performed using the MAP‐2c polyclonal antibody and either a HMW MAP‐2 or a neurofilament protein (highly phosphorylated 160‐ and 200‐kDa protein) monoclonal antibody to identify these processes as dendrites or axons, respectively. HMW MAP‐2 and MAP‐2c colocalized in cell bodies and dendrites of anterior motor neurons, demonstrating for the first time the presence of native MAP‐2c within dendrites. In addition, immunoelectron microscopy showed MAP‐2c associated with microtubules in dendrites of motor neurons. MAP‐2c and the neurofilament proteins were found in axons of the dorsal and ventral roots. The presence of MAP‐2c within axons and dendrites suggests that MAP‐2c contributes to neuronal plasticity during human fetal development.


Evidence notes are rapid reviews of published secondary clinical and cost-effectiveness evidence on health technologies under consideration by decision makers within NHSScotland. They are intended to provide information quickly to support time-sensitive decisions. Information is available to the topic referrer within a 6-month period and the process of peer review and final publication of the associated advice is usually complete within 6–12 months. Evidence notes are not comprehensive systematic reviews. They are based on the best evidence that Healthcare Improvement Scotland could identify and retrieve within the time available. The reports are subject to peer review. Evidence notes do not make recommendations for NHSScotland, however the Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG) produces an Advice Statement to accompany all evidence reviews.


Suspension system of vehicle is very important because it has an effect on ride comfort and safety. And the leaf spring is one of the major parts of commercial vehicle. By that reason it has to be designed to operate under severe condition to ensure enough endurance. But the traditional method for fatigue design needs repeated fatigue tests for each design according to its geometry, material, and operating condition. This means that a lot of time and money is needed for those tests. Thus, in this paper, a fatigue design method for leaf spring based on numerical analysis is proposed. At first, stress analysis is performed to get the stress under operation load or rig tests. And fatigue analysis is performed to get the fatigue life and to ensure the safety of leaf spring. Through this study, design parameters that play vital role in fatigue life of the leaf spring can be found out.


Abstract Missionary work by Pentecostal Finnish Roma (Kaale)1 started among the Roma in Estonia during the 1980s. These mission activities, carried out by both Finns and local Roma, intensified over the next two decades and continue today. The article looks into a specific case of how converted (Pentecostal and Baptist) and non-converted (Russian Orthodox, Lutheran, Catholic) Roma women in Estonia conceptualise the practice of fortune telling. For this purpose, the role of fortune telling as a traditional Roma skill and occupation is discussed as a part of the conceptualisation, together with the possible efficacy of fortune telling and its relation to beliefs in magic that also shape the women's attitudes towards it. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, the article argues that although fortune telling is considered satanic by born-again believers and is therefore abandoned, its condemnation is not straightforward in less controlled narration situations, thus posing an extra challenge for Roma women in the conversion process.


Human beings increase their productivity by specializing their resources and exchanging their products. The organization of exchange is costly, however, because specialized activities need coordination and incentives have to be aligned. This work first describes how these exchanges are organized in an institutional environment. It then focuses on the dual effect of this environment- as with any other specialized resource, institutions may be used for expropriation purposes. They enjoy specialization advantages in safeguarding exchange but they also make possible new forms of opportunism, causing new costs of exchange. Three perverse tendencies are identified:In the legal field, there is a surplus of mandatory rules and, at the same time, a deficit in default rules. Second, courts' activity is biased against the quasi-judicial role of the parties and the market. Third, Market enforcement is based on reputational assets that are badly exposed to opportunism.


Stream Restorat Approaches, Anal Geophysical Mon Copyright 2011 b 10.1029/2010GM Ecological research demonstrates that the most diverse, ecologically valuable river habitats are those associated with dynamically migrating, flooding river channels. Thus, allowing the river channel to "heal itself" through setting aside a channel migration zone, or erodible corridor, is the most sustainable strategy for ecological restoration. The width and extent of channel can be set from historical channel migration and model predictions of future migration. However, the approach is not universally applicable because not all rivers have sufficient stream power and sediment load to reestablish channel complexity on a time scale of decades to years, and many are restricted by levees and infrastructure on floodplains that preclude allowing the river a wide corridor. A bivariate plot of stream power/sediment load (y axis) and degree of encroachment (urban, agricultural, etc.) (x axis) is proposed as a framework for evaluating the suitability of various restoration approaches. Erodible corridors are most appropriate where both the potential for channel dynamics and available space are high. In highly modified, urban channels, runoff patterns are altered, and bottomlands are usually encroached by development, making a wide corridor infeasible. There, restoration projects can still feature deliberately installed components such as riparian trees and trails with the social benefits of public education and providing recreation to underserved families. Intermediate approaches include partial restoration of flow and sediment load below dams and "anticipatory management": sites of bank erosion are anticipated, and infrastructure is set back in advance of floods, to prevent "emergency" dumping of concrete rubble down eroding banks during high water.


This thesis presents work which is concerned with the run-time
evolution of component-based software systems. In particular, the
main result of the research presented here is a framework which is
used to model and control the architecture of a software system. This
framework allows the run-time manipulation of the components which
make up a software system. The framework makes the architecture of
software systems visible, and allows interaction with it, using a
reflective meta-object protocol.

The motivating objectives of this work are providing a framework to
support architectural flexibility, higher-level intervention, safe
changes, and architectural visibility in software systems.

The framework's behaviour and structure was motivated by a set of
case-studies which have been used to guide its development and
enhancement. The framework was developed iteratively, using each
case-study in turn to evaluate its capabilities and to prompt the
direction of development.

A detailed set of evaluation criteria are developed, and the framework
is evaluated with respect to these. The framework was found to meet
each of the four objectives fully, with the exception of the aim to
allow only safe changes which is only partly satisfied. Ways in which
the framework can be improved in order to more fully satisfy its
objectives are suggested, as are other extensions to its behaviour.


Questions about the scientific merits of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) and the search for consistent, effective teaching methods for OMT persist in the discourse of the osteopathic medical curriculum. Although grounded on scientific principles, the philosophy of osteopathic medicine in the words of Andrew Taylor Still, William G. Sutherland, and other prominent osteopathic medical scholars advances concepts in metaphoric language that may seem obscure and dated to many of today's students. Evidence in the literature of osteopathic medicine supports the congruence of phenomenology with the philosophy and methods used to teach OMT. Phenomenology offers an alternative paradigm to address questions of scientific merit and could provide a consistent language to a rigorous, scientific approach to communication for OMT pedagogy. The authors propose a solution for the tactical adaptation of a communication strategy based on an interpretation of osteopathic medical methodology and phenomenology.


In order for young people to achieve their potential as empowered and engaged economic citizens, they must have access to safe and appropriate financial services and quality financial, social, and livelihoods education. The Child and Youth Finance Movement is uniting government authorities, financial service providers, academics, and youth serving organizations from across the world to advance financial inclusion and economic citizenship education at the global, regional, and national level. This article explains the central components of the child and youth finance movement, examines the evidence base for the movement's Theory of Change and explores how various partners and stakeholders in the movement are working to create an ecosystem for the next generation of economic citizens.


Martensite morphology such as connectivity or dispersivity in ferrite (F)/martensite (M) dual-phase (DP) steels was investigated from topological viewpoint to reveal the effect of the martensite morphology on the mechanical properties. Topological analysis permits evaluation of the microstructural connectivity and dispersivity by measuring the number of handles, independent bodies and genus, etc. The topological analysis was performed on three-dimensional (3D) reconstructed images of the microstructure with different connectivity, dispersivity, volume fraction and hardness of martensite in DP steels that were prepared by changing the intercritical annealing temperature. The connectivity and the volume fraction of martensite increased while the dispersivity and hardness of it decreased with increasing annealing temperature. The effect of connectivity and dispersivity as well as volume fraction and hardness, in particular, on work hardening behavior was individually evaluated at a given strain.


Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has emerged as a relevant signaling molecule in physiology, taking its seat as a bona fide gasotransmitter akin to nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO). After being merely regarded as a toxic poisonous molecule, it is now recognized that mammalian cells are equipped with sophisticated enzymatic systems for H2S production and breakdown. The signaling role of H2S is mainly related to its ability to modify different protein targets, particularly by promoting persulfidation of protein cysteine residues and by interacting with metal centers, mostly hemes. H2S has been shown to regulate a myriad of cellular processes with multiple physiological consequences. As such, dysfunctional H2S metabolism is increasingly implicated in different pathologies, from cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases to cancer. As a highly diffusible reactive species, the intra- and extracellular levels of H2S have to be kept under tight control and, accordingly, regulation of H2S metabolism occurs at different levels. Interestingly, even though H2S, NO, and CO have similar modes of action and parallel regulatory targets or precisely because of that, there is increasing evidence of a crosstalk between the three gasotransmitters. Herein are reviewed the biochemistry, metabolism, and signaling function of hydrogen sulfide, as well as its interplay with the other gasotransmitters, NO and CO.


The book has been written by an international group of very active researchers and scholars who have a passion for the study of Chinese mathematics education. It aims to provide readers with a comprehensive and updated picture of the teaching and learning of mathematics involving Chinese students from various perspectives, including the ways in which Chinese students learn mathematics in classrooms, schools and homes, the influence of the cultural and social environment on Chinese students' mathematics learning, and the strengths and weaknesses of the ways in which Chinese learn mathematics. Furthermore, based on the relevant research findings, the book explores the implications for mathematics education and offers sound suggestions for reform and improvement. This book is a must for anyone who is interested in the teaching and learning of mathematics concerning Chinese learners


This study intended to assess the role of Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) in crop value chain development with the aim of identifying agribusiness and Value Chain activities in ECX; identifying development intervention and its underlying impact and associated chain problems of ECX; identifying major value chain enterprises operating under ECX; and map the generic value chain for some selected commodities. ECX is Ethiopia's latest attempt to enhance the performance of agricultural markets. Conceived as a meeting point for buyers and sellers of grains and coffee, the ECX seeks to organize efficient and transparent market operations. Before the establishment of ECX, agricultural markets in Ethiopia had been characterized by high costs and high risks of transaction forcing much of Ethiopia in to global isolation. With only one third of output reaching the market, only buyers and sellers tended to trade only with those they knew, to avoid the risk of being cheated. ECX developed a new method of exchange; a marketing system that coordinates better, links faster, and protects of both side of the trade. ECX is a modern trading system based on standard crop contracts, establishes standard parameters for commodity grades, transaction, size, payment and delivery, and trading order matching, while at the same time, preserving the origins and types of crops as distinct unlike the previous. Quality certification is also another important issue in value chain in ECX which is based on a modification of the previous quality grading system, with a new crop classification based on classes, types and grades of the commodity. The role of the ECX has been to specifically address the ways suppliers and exporters transact, with more efficient and transparent ways of trading as the main outcome. Despite the engagements of ECX have positive impact on the existing marketing system and for the development of agricultural value chains in Ethiopia, through creating a more reliable way to connect buyers and sellers in an efficient way to discover market prices, a way to level the playing platform by providing market information to all, there are still problems which are faced by all actors in value chain as infrastructural problems, legality problem, exploitation of farmers at the farm gate, marketing imperfections, systematic rigidity and traceability issue. In this regard, the study suggest ECX to develop strategies benefiting smallholder farmers in particular, facilitating financial and other logistics, promoting traceability in trading system for the private traders, creating regulatory platform for controlling the illegal traders operating in the system and capacitating the cooperative unions in the value chain.


We use administrative data on a sample of births between 1978 and 1985 to investigate the short-, medium-, and long-term consequences of poor infant health. Our findings offer several advances to the existing literature on the effects of early infant health on subsequent health, education, and labor force attachment. First, we use a large sample of both siblings and twins, second, we use a variety of measures of infant health, and finally, we track children through their schooling years and into the labor force. Our findings suggest that poor infant health predicts both mortality within one year, and mortality up to age 17. We also find that infant health is a strong predictor of educational and labor force outcomes. In particular, infant health is found to predict both high school completion and welfare takeup and length.


Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of visual impairment in the working-age population in developed countries and thus is one of the major ocular health problems worldwide. Diabetes seems to have paradoxical effects on the microvasculature in different tissues. The concentration of glucose in the cellular microenvironment determines the cells ability to proliferate, as well as its permeability, and react to different cytokines. The main cause of visual loss in diabetic eye disease is caused by an increase in microvascular endothelial permeability which leads to vessel leakage and fluid build-up, diabetic macular oedema (DMO). Endothelial cell permeability is influenced by multiple factors which have not been fully elucidated, particularly in human models. In addition, the gene and protein expression between retinal and choroidal endothelial cells, even in humans, has been shown to be affected differently by diabetes. Current treatments for DMO include steroid such as dexamethasone (DEX) and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs (e.g. ranibizumab, Novartis). These target reducing vascular leakage in the macula once it has occurred, but do not attempt to treat the underlying pathology and evidence suggests treatment does not result in a completely dry macula in most cases. The ideal treatment for DMO should improve vision and improve morphological changes in the macula. With the introduction of microperimetry, we are able to determine macular sensitivity and to correlate it with a precise location of oedema. The aim of this project was to investigate, in vitro, the role of hyperglycaemia in the pathogenesis of DR through effects on the proliferation, vascular permeability and/or alteration in adhesion molecule expression of the human ocular micro-vascular endothelial cells (EC). This was supplemented with clinical studies on pharmacological treatments for DMO.

The main conclusions made were that high glucose increased retinal EC (REC) permeability in vitro and that this increase was likely caused by a decrease in selective tight junction protein expression. The levels of the angiogenic stimulator VEGF-A in the REC were not altered by high glucose, despite increased expression of the related gene hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1a levels. DEX both reduced permeability and restored tight junction expression and a combination of DEX and ranibizumab reduced REC permeability more than either agent alone in vitro. Fixation stability is dependent on foveal cone function. Eyes with good visual acuity normally have excellent fixation stability. However, eyes with poor visual acuity may have reduced fixation. Clinically, this study has shown that DMO eyes with good fixation stability related to good central cone function, normally demonstrate good visual acuity. Where fixation stability is impaired, VA may be reduced. VA changes following treatment of DMO correlated better with fixation stability parameters than with morphological changes on OCT. Fixation stability may, therefore, be a new important parameter in quantifying and predict the functional impact of DMO, and may be, other macular disorders.


Central angiotensin II (Ang II) linked free radical (FR) production scavenges nitric oxide (NO) enabling an increased central sympathetic neural outflow (SNA). The pathophysiological increase in Ang II linked FR production is recognized as a major mechanism involved in neurogenic hypertension. During exercise, there is a physiological increase in Ang II and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) in direct relation to increasing exercise intensity. We tested the hypothesis that the exercise induced increase in Ang II linked FR production and MSNA activity during exercise is located within the brain. Six healthy subjects performed three randomly ordered trials of 70 ° upright back‐supported dynamic leg cycling after ingestion of two different lipid soluble Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors ((ACEi) Perindopril (PER) ‐ highly lipid soluble; Captopril (CAP) non‐lipid soluble)) and/or placebo (PL). Repeated measurements of whole venous blood, MSNA, and mean arterial pressures (MAP) were obtained at rest and during steady‐state heavy intensity exercise at heart rates (HR) of 120 bpm (e120). Peripheral venous superoxide concentrations as measured by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy were not significantly altered at rest (P≥0.4) and during E120 by the ACE inhibitors (P≥0.07). Likewise, baseline MSNA (PL, 25 ± 1.5 bust/min; CAP, 21 ± 0.7 bust/min; PER, 25 ± 0.7 bust/min) and MAP (PL, 86 ± 2.8 mmHg vs. CAP, 84 ± 2.6 mmHg; PER, 84 ± 0.7 mmHg) were unchanged at rest (P≥0.1; P≥0.8 respectively). However, during E120 central acting PER attenuated the increases in MSNA and MAP. Increasing only 15±6% for MAP and 24±8% for MSNA when compared to PL (26 ± 6% MAP; 57±16% MSNA; P<0.05) and CAP (26±4%MAP; 69±13%MSNA P<0.05). From these data we conclude that centrally acting PER attenuated the central increase in the exercise induced Ang II linked free radical production resulting in an increased central/peripheral NO activity induced reduction in MSNA during heavy intensity exercise.


As users struggle to navigate the wealth of on-line information now available, the need for automated question answering systems becomes more urgent. We need systems that allow a user to ask a question in everyday language and receive an answer quickly and succinctly, with sufficient context to validate the answer. Current search engines can return ranked lists of documents, but they do not deliver answers to the user. Question answering systems address this problem. Recent successes have been reported in a series of question-answering evaluations that started in 1999 as part of the Text Retrieval Conference (TREC). The best systems are now able to answer more than two thirds of factual questions in this evaluation.


We study how the scope of negative externalities from market activity affects the willingness of market actors to exhibit social responsibility. Using the laboratory experimental paradigm introduced by Bartling et al. (Q J Econ 130(1):219–266, 2015), we compare the voluntary internalization of negative social impacts by market actors in cases where the negative externality is diffused among many subjects or is concentrated on a single subject. We (1) replicate earlier results demonstrating substantial degrees of market social responsibility and (2) find that the willingness of market actors to act pro-socially is only slightly affected by whether the impacts are concentrated or diffused.


Current pulses induced by pulsed laser radiation at a metal target were studied at radiation intensities below thresholds for laser ablation. Measurements were made in air in weak dc fields where ionization by electron impact does not occur. Current pulses as a function of radiation intensity were recorded. Experimental conditions allowed a distinction between charged particles injected into the gap from the target electrode and those created in the gas medium. With the intensity growth, the increase in the number of target-injected charge carriers stops and gas-created particles make a large contribution to the total current. Modelled current pulses correspond to those recorded in the experiment. Furthermore, the modelling verifies that the space charge of negative ions controls the current of target-injected charge carriers.


After a decade of analyzing environmental influences on substance use and its consequences among youth in the United States, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Bridging the Gap program has begun studying the effect of environmental factors on youth physical activity, diet, and weight outcomes. Much of this research has focused on access to food, as reflected by availability and price. Program researchers have documented disparities in access to healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity; healthier food outlets and opportunities for physical activity are relatively less available in communities with lower income and larger proportions of racial/ethnic minority populations. They also have found that healthier environments are associated with more fruit and vegetable consumption, more physical activity, lower body mass index, and reduced likelihood of obesity among youth.


The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) through its reporting framework for nation states has prompted increasing interest on the measuring and monitoring of child well-being. The domains and indicators included in the repertoire of country measures of child well-being have mostly been constructed and monitored by adults, usually social scientists and government officials. This study explored children's own understandings of children's well-being. Sixteen focus groups were conducted with 200 children between the ages of 9 and 16 years. The study identified protection and safety, basic needs, community resources and psychosocial issues as the key domains of well-being. The study further highlighted the importance of perceiving well-being as an integrated whole consisting of closely interacting components rather than as a discrete multidimensional phenomenon.


We employ a novel platform for the realization of tunable photonic crystal (PC) circuits together with a Wannier basis modeling and optimization scheme in order to design a broad-band waveguide crossing. The superior performance characteristics of our design include a high bandwidth (2% of the center frequency) as well as low values for crosstalk (-40 dB) and reflection (-30 dB). In addition, we demonstrate the robustness of the device performance against fabrication disorder. Our novel design paradigm will enable efficient and ultracompact PC-based device designs with complex functionalities.


The aim of this work was to determine whether the filters used in microirrigation systems can remove potentially emitter-clogging particles. The particle size and volume distributions of different effluents and their filtrates were established, and the efficiency of the removal of these particles and total suspended solids by screen, disc and sand filters determined. In most of the effluents and filtrates, the number of particles with a diameter > 20 micro m was minimal. By analysing the particle volume distribution it was found that particles larger than the disc and screen filter pores appeared in the filtrates. However, the sand filter was able to retain particles larger than the pore size. The filtration efficiency depended more on the type of effluent than on the filter. It was also found that the particle size distribution followed a potential law. Analysis of the beta exponents showed that the filters did not significantly modify the particle size distribution of the effluents.


A survey of the adaptive controllers deployed to address major inherent control issues in robotic teleoperation systems is carried out. The study in particular explores the application of adaptive controllers in dealing with master and slave model uncertainties, operator and environment force model uncertainties, unknown external disturbances, and communication delay. The reviewed literature is structured according to the objectives envisaged for the adaptive controllers. Meanwhile, some adaptive methods deployed in human-robot interaction, where robots collaborate with people and actively support them, and local robot control, where robot manipulators are controlled at the same location as the operator, are also considered in the review as they can be used in teleoperation with some minor adjustment. A comparison of the strengths, deficiencies, and requirement of methods in each category is carried out. The study indicates that the majority of the proposed methods either require additional hardware such as sensors, or assume an accurate model of the system under study. The possible future research directions are outlined based on the gaps identified in the survey.


Twenty patients with advanced hematological malignancies at high risk of relapse who had each received a bone marrow transplant from a matched sibling were registered between October 1996 and January 2000. Cyclosporine (CSP) was tapered on day 40 and stopped on day 50 in 10 patients without prior grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), relapse or active infection. These patients were eligible for early tapering of CSP. Although grade II/III acute GVHD was observed in three patients and chronic GVHD in eight patients after CSP tapering, no patients died of GVHD. Three patients died due to disease relapse and one patient died of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia while in remission. The probability of event-free survival at 2 years was 60%. These result indicate that early tapering and withdrawal of CSP is feasible and may provide a graft-versus-leukemia effect in patients with advanced leukemia.


The objective of this work was to determine the parameters for the guava osmotic dehydration process, to build the drying curves of the pretreated fruit through osmotic dehydration with and without vacuum and to evaluate the physical chemistry and microbiological characteristics of the products. At the end of the drying process it was verified that the pretreated guavas by osmosis under vacuum reduced the drying time decreasing the expenses with the process. A greater darkening was observed in the treated product with osmosis under vacuum in the osmosis processes and of the drying, while the texture didn't present difference among the two treatments. Another important fact was the absence of microbiological contamination of the two products at the end of the drying process, being the methodology effective in the prevention of the development if microbiological spoilage. It was conclued that is possible to obtain guava dehydrated as product of intermediate humidity, through osmotic pretreatment followed by drying process.


In this paper, the concept of Wavelet-domain Hidden Markov Trees (WHMT) is introduced to Automatic Speech Recognition. WHMT are a convenient means to model the structure of wavelet feature vectors, as wavelet coefficients can be interpreted as nodes in a binary tree. By the introduction of hidden states in each node, non-Gaussian statistics inherent in wavelet features can be modeled. At the same time, correlations between neighboring coefficients in the time-frequency plane are accommodated. Phoneme probabilities obtained using the WHMT and wavelet features are then combined at the state level with those obtained by Gaussian distributions in conjunction with MFCCs, and fed into conventional Hidden Markov Models. Preliminary experiments show the potential advantages of this novel approach.


Excessive pricing is one of the more difficult contraventions under the Competition Act (89 of 1998, as amended) to establish. This was once again evident in the Competition Tribunal decision The Competition Commission of South Africa and Sasol Chemical Industries Limited 48/CR/Aug 10 (5 June 2014) where the Tribunal found that Sasol Chemical Industries had contravened s8(a) by charging an excessive price in relation to purified propylene and polypropylene from 2004 to 2007.


The purpose of this paper is to assess the process for exhibition design and installation in a case study of an Illinois state-funded University Museum. The case study methodology focused on the administration of a self-administered interview questionnaire to professional staff using a review of contemporary research and current practices of select US museums within the region to provide a basis for recommendations and improvements centered around questionnaire results. This study views different aspects of the exhibit design and installation processes at this museum, including internal communication, museum hierarchy, budgetary restrictions, and volunteers. The analysis shows that the state-funded University Museum runs relatively efficiently with their current verbal design and installation processes. If adopted, recommendations may potentially further improvement in the efficiency of the exhibition process. Recommendations include: the use of RFP forms, the formalization of the design process by appointing a staff member with the authority to make final decisions on design, the use of available employees more like an assembly line process for exhibitions, and the informing of all staff as to the current state of the budget at all times. Mainly, staff interviews stress the importance of formal communication in meeting exhibition process objectives.


Background: Social media is increasingly used for health interactions. Whilst valuable information is being gathered on the motivators for using online resources within healthcare, there has been less propensity to take a step further back to understand the fundamental sources that fuel these behaviours. The aim of this study was to determine communication and language factors influencing social media for health interactions to provide recommendations for healthcare providers using social media among the general public.Methods: This was a quantitative survey (online and hard copy), and utilises Social Cognitive Theory as a framework wherein to explore individuals use of social media for health interaction. Members of the general public (n=400) participated in this survey, who were recruited from various organisations. The inclusion criteria were: members of the general public; aged 18-65 years; and self-reporting in general good health. An exclusion criterion was individuals who had been diagnosed with a chronic condition within six months prior to research participation. Data was analysed using SPSS (version 21). Ethical approval was obtained.Findings: This survey identified seven communication and language factors influencing the use of social media for health interactions as: widening access; supplementing information from a health professional; clarifying information from a health professional; trust; reliability; format of the content; and medical jargon, which were applied to the Social Cognitive Theory.Discussion: This survey concludes that it is important for healthcare providers to recognise and maximise the potential benefits of social media as an important tool for enhancing health literacy by ensuring that information is accurate, updated, sensitively worded, consistent and in a language that its users can navigate and interpret, to enhance self-efficacy and thus health outcomes among a wide range of the population. Eight recommendations were provided for healthcare providers using social media among the general public to enhance health outcomes.


Part 1. Introduction. A.J. Elliot, C.S. Dweck, Competence and Motivation: Competence as the Core of Achievement Motivation. Part 2. Central Constructs. R.J. Sternberg, Intelligence, Competence, and Expertise. O.C. Schultheiss, J.C. Brunstein, An Implicit Motive Perspective on Competence. A.J. Elliot, A Conceptual History of the Achievement Goal Construct. B. Weiner, Motivation from an Attributional Perspective and the Social Psychology of Perceived Competence. D.H. Schunk, F. Pajares, Competence Perceptions and Academic Functioning. J.S. Eccles, Subjective Task Value and the Eccles et al. Model of Achievement-Related Choices. C.S. Dweck, D.C. Molden, Self-Theories: Their Impact on Competence Motivation and Acquisition. M. Zeidner, G. Matthews, Evaluation Anxiety: Current Theory and Research. Part 3. Developmental Issues. M.K. Rothbart, J. Hwang, Temperament and the Development of Competence and Motivation. M. Lewis, M.W. Sullivan, The Development of Self-Conscious Emotions. R. Butler, Competence Assessment, Competence, and Motivation between Early and Middle Childhood. A. Wigfield, A.L. Wagner, Competence, Motivation, and Identity Development during Adolescence. J. Heckhausen, Competence and Motivation in Adulthood and Old Age: Making the Most of Changing Capacities and Resources. Part 4. Contextual Influences. E.M. Pomerantz, W.S. Grolnick, C.E. Price, The Role of Parents in How Children Approach Achievement: A Dynamic Process Perspective. K.R. Wentzel, Peer Relationships, Motivation, and Academic Performance at School. T. Urdan, J.C. Turner, Competence Motivation in the Classroom. J.L. Duda, Motivation in Sport: The Relevance of Competence and Achievement Goals. R. Kanfer, P.L. Ackerman, Work Competence: A Person-Oriented Perspective. R.M. Ryan, K.W. Brown, Legislating Competence: High-Stakes Testing Policies and Their Relations with Psychological Theories and Research. Part 5. Demographics and Culture. J.S. Hyde, A.M. Durik, Gender, Competence, and Motivation. S. Graham, C. Hudley, Race and Ethnicity in the Study of Motivation and Competence. J. Brooks-Gunn, M.R. Linver, R.C. Fauth, Children's Competence and Socioeconomic Status in the Family and Neighborhood. J. Aronson, C.M. Steele, Stereotypes and the Fragility of Academic Competence, Motivation, and Self-Concept. V.C. Plaut, H.R. Markus, The "Inside" Story: A Cultural-Historical Analysis of Being Smart and Motivated, American Style. C.Y. Chiu, Y.Y. Hong, Cultural Competence: Dynamic Processes. Part 6. Self-Regulatory Processes. B.J. Zimmerman, A. Kitsantas, The Hidden Dimension of Personal Competence: Self-Regulated Learning and Practice. C.S. Carver, M.F. Scheier, Engagement, Disengagement, Coping, and Catastrophe. F. Rhodewalt, K.D. Vohs, Defensive Strategies, Motivation, and the Self: A Self-Regulatory Process View. L. Wheeler, J. Suls, Social Comparison and Self-Evaluations of Competence. E.L. Deci, A.C. Moller, The Concept of Competence: A Starting Place for Understanding Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determined Extrinsic Motivation. M. Csikszentmihalyi, S. Abuhamdeh, J. Nakamura, Flow. M.A. Runco, Motivation, Competence, and Creativity. P.M. Gollwitzer, J.A. Bargh, Automaticity in Goal Pursuit. G. Oettingen, M. Hagenah, Fantasies and the Self-Regulation of Competence.


This paper proposes a new current conveyorbased high-output impedance single-input three-output current mode filter with minimum configuration. It contains two dual output second generation current conveyors, one third generation dual output current conveyor, and four grounded resistors and capacitors. The circuit simultaneously provides low-pass, band-pass, and high-pass filtering outputs, without any passive component matching conditions and restrictions on input signals. Additionally, the proposed circuit offers following advantages: Minimum active and passive element count, high output and low input impedances, suitable for cascading identical currentmode sections, all passive elements are grounded (no virtual grounding), low natural frequency and Q-factor sensitivities. The influences of non-ideal current conveyors on the proposed circuit are researched in the last.


Experimental results presented here quantify how the thickness of turbidity currents affects the evolution of an aggrading subaqueous channel. Ten sediment-laden currents with identical initial conditions were released into a tank to determine how depositional flows interact with and modify a pre-existing channel form. Deposition was always greatest on the channel floor, systematically reducing channel depth and causing the ratio of initial current thickness to channel depth to increase with each flow. The ratio of longitudinal to lateral current velocity decreased exponentially with increasing relative current thickness. This change in lateral spreading demarcated regimes of channelized, quasi-channelized, and unconfined flow. Channelized currents have thicknesses that are less than 1.3 times local channel depth; unconfined currents are greater than five times channel depth; and quasi-channelized currents occur in between. The unconfined cases were consistent with prior experiments and theory defining the flow field for nonchannelized turbidity currents. Sedimentation patterns for even the thickest currents were influenced by subdued channel topography.


From the afternoon of May 19th to the early morning of June 2nd 2017, CAGE-WP6 at the Department of Geology Uit, the Arctic University of Norway, arranged a scientific cruise aimed at investigating sediment cores and porewater, and water masses, at the western Svalbard margin, Fram Strait, East Greenland Ridge, and Storfjorden Trough, visiting methane seep sites off Vestnesa Ridge, and in Storfjorden Trough on R/V "Helmer Hanssen". Investigated areas were (in order of visiting sites on the cruise): Prins Karls Forland (PKF) (overlap with 'leg 1' 17th to 19th of May – see Leg 1 report), southern Yermak Plateau, Vestnesa Ridge, East Greenland Ridge, Storfjorden Trough and Storfjorden.
The scientific sampling was done within the framework of several ongoing projects at the Department of Geology, University of Tromsø: "CAGE – Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate"-WP6: "Methane Release, Ocean Acidification and CO2". Planned surveys north of Svalbard was abandoned due to extensive sea ice cover and the East Greenland Ridge was surveyed instead. Sea ice over outer Vestnesa prevented surveys there and Storfjorden trough was also completely covered, but the sea ice broke up towards the end of the cruise and thus could be surveyed during the very last part of the cruise.
A total of 15 gravity cores (c. 60 m), and 20 CTD (conductivity-temperature-depth) casts were performed along the western Svalbard margin (Vestnesa and PKF and Yermak). Data were also collected at East Greenland Ridge and in Storfjorden Trough and Storfjorden, brine overflow was detected. The CTD casts and chirp- and multibeam lines from PKF May 17-19th are reported in the cruise report for Leg 1.
Chirp profiles and multibeam lines were acquired during transits and in surveys (mapping of East Greenland Ridge, moraine systems and basins in Storfjorden Trough, active and inactive pockmarks at Vestnesa Ridge and over and to find potential core sites.
The cruise may be known as: CAGE17_1_leg2


A planar broadband metamaterial absorber with high absorptivity working at terahertz frequencies was designed and fabricated in this work. Two nested back-to-back split-ring resonators (BSRRs) constitute a single resonator, which achieves three strong resonances, with two of them merged into a broadband peak. Cobalt silicide and parylene-C were innovatively applied as ground plane and dielectric spacer. The nested BSRR absorber experimentally realizes a bandwidth of 0.66 THz with the absorptivity above 0.8, and the highest absorptivity reaches 0.97. Taking the central frequency at 2.74 THz, the measured FWHM is 47% and the Q factor is 2.13.


Background Activity trackers are increasingly popular with both consumers and researchers for monitoring activity and for promoting positive behavior change. However, there is a lack of research investigating the performance of these devices in free-living contexts, for which findings are likely to vary from studies conducted in well-controlled laboratory settings. Objective The aim was to compare Fitbit One and Jawbone UP estimates of steps, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and sedentary behavior with data from the ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer in a free-living context. Methods Thirty-two participants were recruited using convenience sampling; 29 provided valid data for this study (female: 90%, 26/29; age: mean 39.6, SD 11.0 years). On two occasions for 7 days each, participants wore an ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer on their right hip and either a hip-worn Fitbit One (n=14) or wrist-worn Jawbone UP (n=15) activity tracker. Daily estimates of steps and very active minutes were derived from the Fitbit One (n=135 days) and steps, active time, and longest idle time from the Jawbone UP (n=154 days). Daily estimates of steps, MVPA, and longest sedentary bout were derived from the corresponding days of ActiGraph data. Correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman plots with examination of systematic bias were used to assess convergent validity and agreement between the devices and the ActiGraph. Cohen's kappa was used to assess the agreement between each device and the ActiGraph for classification of active versus inactive (≥10,000 steps per day and ≥30 min/day of MVPA) comparable with public health guidelines. Results Correlations with ActiGraph estimates of steps and MVPA ranged between .72 and .90 for Fitbit One and .56 and .75 for Jawbone UP. Compared with ActiGraph estimates, both devices overestimated daily steps by 8% (Fitbit One) and 14% (Jawbone UP). However, mean differences were larger for daily MVPA (Fitbit One: underestimated by 46%; Jawbone UP: overestimated by 50%). There was systematic bias across all outcomes for both devices. Correlations with ActiGraph data for longest idle time (Jawbone UP) ranged from .08 to .19. Agreement for classifying days as active or inactive using the ≥10,000 steps/day criterion was substantial (Fitbit One: κ=.68; Jawbone UP: κ=.52) and slight-fair using the criterion of ≥30 min/day of MVPA (Fitbit One: κ=.40; Jawbone UP: κ=.14). Conclusions There was moderate-strong agreement between the ActiGraph and both Fitbit One and Jawbone UP for the estimation of daily steps. However, due to modest accuracy and systematic bias, they are better suited for consumer-based self-monitoring (eg, for the public consumer or in behavior change interventions) rather than to evaluate research outcomes. The outcomes that relate to health-enhancing MVPA (eg, "very active minutes" for Fitbit One or "active time" for Jawbone UP) and sedentary behavior ("idle time" for Jawbone UP) should be used with caution by consumers and researchers alike.


Records of backscatter and vertical velocity obtained from moored Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP) enabled new insights into the dynamics of deep scattering layers (DSLs) and diel vertical migration (DVM) of mesopelagic biomass between these deep layers and the near-surface photic zone in the southern Norwegian Sea. The DSL exhibits characteristic vertical movement on inter-monthly time scales, which is associated with undulations of the main pycnocline between the warm Atlantic water and the underlying colder water masses. Timing of the DVM is closely linked to the day-night light cycle—decent from the photic zone just before sunrise and ascent immediately after sunset. Seasonal variations are also evident, with the highest DVM activity and lowest depth averaged mean volume backscatter strength (MVBS) during spring. This suggests that both oceanographic and optical conditions are driving the complex dynamics of pelagic and mesopelagic activity in this region. We hypothesize that the increased abundance of calanoid copepods in the near-surface layer during spring increases the motivation for vertical migration of pelagic and mesopelagic species, which therefore can explain the increased DVM activity during this season.


The digital image segmentation challenge has demanded the development of a plethora of methods and approaches. A quite simple approach, the thresholding, has still been intensively applied mainly for real-time vision applications. However, the threshold criteria often depend on entropic or statistical image features. This work searches a relationship between these features and subjective human threshold decisions. Then, an image thresholding model based on these subjective decisions and global statistical features was developed by training a Radial Basis Functions Network (RBFN). This work also compares the automatic thresholding methods to the human responses. Furthermore, the RBFN-modeled answers were compared to the automatic thresholding. The results show that entropic-based method was closer to RBFN-modeled thresholding than variance-based method. It was also found that another automatic method which combines global and local criteria presented higher correlation with human responses.


Chronic pain alters sensory responses and carries a strong emotional component. Persistent pain can heighten pain experiences, resulting in hyperalgesia and allodynia. Further, patients suffering from chronic pain are more prone to experience a range of affective disorders including depression, sleep dysregulation, panic disorders, anxiety abnormalities and stress-related disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Hence while pain serves a protective function to prevent additional physiological harm by driving behavioral and cognitive responses, chronic or persistent pain can lead to maladaptive nociceptive responses and exacerbate psychopathologies. Among brain regions, the amygdala is centrally situated to integrate the many descending and ascending signals to modulate the sensory and emotional components of pain. The amygdala is well studied for its role in fear and stress-related behavioral processes. The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), and in particular the lateral capsular subdivision of the CeA (CeLC), receives prominent ascending pain neurotransmission via the spinoparabrachioamygdaloid tract. In this pathway, peripheral nociceptive signals carried via primary sensory Aδand C-fibers terminate in the dorsal horn where second order neurons send projections via the spino-parabrachial pathway to the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPBn). Thus, the LPBn collects cutaneous (mechanical and thermal), deep (muscular and articular) and visceral nociceptive signals and relays the information in a highly organized manner principally to the CeLC for nociceptive processing. In pain, the CeA and the LPBn-CeLC projections have been shown to undergo plasticity in the forms of enhanced synaptic transmission and alterations in neurotransmitter and receptor expression. Accordingly, the neurocircuit intersections in the CeA can modulate the sensory and emotional responses to pain. Yet despite these associations, the mediators and mechanisms underlying the emotional consequences of pain are poorly understood. Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a neural and endocrine pleiotropic peptide important in the development and homeostatic regulation of many physiological systems. Recently, the expression of PACAP and its cognate PAC1 receptor has been shown to be upregulated in specific limbic regions by chronic stress. PACAP infusions into several limbic regions is anxiogenic, and altered blood PACAP levels and PAC1 receptor polymorphism have been associated with PTSD and other stress-related disorders. Here, we establish that CeLC PACAP originates from the LPBn as part of the spino-parabrachoamygdaloid pathway. Chronic pain enhanced PACAP expression along LPBn-CeLC projections, indicating it may be a component of painrelated plasticity. CeA PACAP signaling was sufficient to induce nociceptive hypersensitivity and anxiety-like behaviors. In a chronic neuropathic pain model, CeA PACAP signaling was found to contribute to heightened anxiety-like behaviors and nociceptive responses. Further, we characterized one prominent intracellular signaling mechanism through which CeA PACAP signaling influences these behaviors. In these experiments we provide evidence that CeA PACAP signaling plays an important role in the emotional components of pain and that alterations in CeA PACAP signaling are part of pain-related plasticity. This work establishes novel molecular mechanisms that underlie the emotional component of pain and may contribute to the development of chronic pain and associated affective disorders.


This paper explores the intellectual history of the state, or chartalist, approach to money, from the early developers (Georg Friedrich Knapp and A. Mitchell Innes) through Joseph Schumpeter, John Maynard Keynes, and Abba Lerner, and on to modern exponents Hyman Minsky, Charles Goodhart, and Geoffrey Ingham. This literature became the foundation for Modern Money Theory (MMT). In the MMT approach, the state (or any other authority able to impose an obligation) imposes a liability in the form of a generalized, social, legal unit of account — a money — used for measuring the obligation. This approach does not require the preexistence of markets; indeed, it almost certainly predates them. Once the authorities can levy such obligations, they can name what fulfills any obligation by denominating those things that can be delivered; in other words, by pricing them. MMT thus links obligatory payments like taxes to the money of account as well as the currency. This leads to a revised view of money and sovereign finance. The paper concludes with an analysis of the policy options available to a modern government that issues its own currency.


Abstract Providing explanations based on user reviews in recommender systems (RS) may increase users' perception of transparency or effectiveness. However, little is known about how these explanations should be presented to users, or which types of user interface components should be included in explanations, in order to increase both their comprehensibility and acceptance. To investigate such matters, we conducted two experiments and evaluated the differences in users' perception when providing information about their own profiles, in addition to a summarized view on the opinions of other customers about the recommended hotel. Additionally, we also aimed to test the effect of different display styles (bar chart and table) on the perception of review-based explanations for recommended hotels, as well as how useful users find different explanatory interface components. Our results suggest that the perception of an RS and its explanations given profile transparency and different presentation styles, may vary depending on individual differences on user characteristics, such as decision-making styles, social awareness, or visualization familiarity.


Predation is one of the most important drivers of natural selection. In consequence a huge variety of anti-predator defenses have evolved in prey species. Under unpredictable and temporally variable predation pressure, the evolution of phenotypically plastic defensive traits is favored. These "inducible defenses", range from changes in behavior, life history, physiology to morphology and can be found in almost all taxa from bacteria to vertebrates. An important group of model organisms in ecological, evolutionary and environmental research, water fleas of the genus Daphnia (Crustacea: Cladocera), are well known for their ability to respond to predators with an enormous variety of inducible morphological defenses. Here we report on the "twist", a body torsion, as a so far unrecognized inducible morphological defense in Daphnia, expressed by Daphnia barbata exposed to the predatory tadpole shrimp Triops cancriformis. This defense is realized by a twisted carapace with the helmet and the tail spine deviating from the body axis into opposing directions, resulting in a complete abolishment of bilateral symmetry. The twisted morphotype should considerably interfere with the feeding apparatus of the predator, contributing to the effectiveness of the array of defensive traits in D. barbata. As such this study does not only describe a completely novel inducible defense in the genus Daphnia but also presents the first report of a free living Bilateria to flexibly respond to predation risk by abandoning bilateral symmetry.


Previous studies of Non-Parametric Kernel Learning (NPKL) usually formulate the learning task as a Semi-Definite Programming (SDP) problem that is often solved by some general purpose SDP solvers. However, for N data examples, the time complexity of NPKL using a standard interior-point SDP solver could be as high as O ( N 6 . 5 ) , which prohibits NPKL methods applicable to real applications, even for data sets of moderate size. In this paper, we present a family of efficient NPKL algorithms, termed " SimpleNPKL ", which can learn non-parametric kernels from a large set of pairwise constraints efficiently. In particular, we propose two efficient SimpleNPKL algorithms. One is SimpleNPKL algorithm with linear loss, which enjoys a closed-form solution that can be efficiently computed by the Lanczos sparse eigen decomposition technique. Another one is SimpleNPKL algorithm with other loss functions (including square hinge loss, hinge loss, square loss) that can be re-formulated as a saddle-point optimization problem, which can be further re-solved by a fast iterative algorithm. In contrast to the previous NPKL approaches, our empirical results show that the proposed new technique, maintaining the same accuracy, is significantly more efficient and scalable. Finally, we also demonstrate that the proposed new technique is also applicable to speed up many kernel learning tasks, including colored maximum variance unfolding , minimum volume embedding , and structure preserving embedding .


Summary Commercially-reared nests of bumble bees are widely used for pollination of glasshouse crops such as tomatoes, and in recent years they have begun to be increasingly used outdoors for soft fruit crops which are either uncovered or in open-sided polytunnels. In the UK, approximately 15,000 Bombus terrestris nests per year are imported for use in this way. Here we examine pollen loads on commercial bumble bees returning to their nests, stationed next to soft fruit crops at three farms in Scotland, UK, to determine whether pollen-collecting bees are visiting the target crop. Only 12% of pollen was of Rubus type (most likely raspberry) and 15% was of Potentilla type (probably strawberry). The remaining 73% of pollen was from a range of non-target wildflowers, in declining importance: Brassicaceae (22%), Filipendula type (18%), Violaceae (11%), Trifolium type (6%) and Apiaceae (6%). It is unclear how this relates to the pollination service provided, since the bees may make nectar-collecting visits to the fruit crops. Nonetheless a substantial proportion of foraging by commercial bees is clearly not on the target crops. Means for improving the efficiency of fruit pollination, and possible ecological implications of use of wild flowers by commercial bumble bees are discussed.


Healthcare reforms often result in disappointing failures due to the misguided goals they pursue and the flawed means they employ. The paper proposes that effectiveness—defined as universal access to essential healthcare at a cost affordable to society—is a worthwhile and achievable objective. But to realize effectiveness, reformers need to discard their a priori preferences for markets or governments and instead select a range of policy tools targeting different problems. The paper will argue that a concerted use of regulatory, fiscal, informational and organizational tools shaping the behaviour of healthcare providers, insurers and users can achieve effective healthcare. The paper will highlight the use and misuse as well as non-use of these tools in China to shed light on tools' approach to health policy reforms. Lessons from China are highly relevant to developing countries around the world trying to reform their health sector.


We give an upper bound for the posterior probability of a measurable set A when the prior lies in a class of probability measures P. The bound is a rational function of two Choquet integrals. If P is weakly compact and is closed with respect to majorization, then the bound is sharp if and only if the upper prior probability is 2-alternating. The result is used to compute bounds for several sets of priors used in robust Bayesian inference. The result may be regarded as a characterization of 2-alternating Choquet capacities


The African Sahel experienced severe drying between the 1950s and the 1980s, with partial recovery since. We compare Sahel rainfall in the 20th century, pre‐industrial, and increased greenhouse gases (GHG) simulations produced for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The simulations forced by 20th century concentrations of aerosol and GHG reproduce (i) a global change in SST akin to that associated with Sahel drought and (ii) a correspondent drying of the Sahel. We conclude that late 20th century Sahel climate was significantly dryer than pre‐industrial, and at least 30% of the drying was externally forced. Comparison between 20th century runs and runs forced by GHG alone reveals the key role of reflective aerosols: they force a gradient in SST that excites robust drying in the northern edge of the Atlantic Inter‐Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and in the Sahel.


There has been very little research globally on the implementation of national policy interventions to address School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV). SRGBV describes physical, sexual and psychological acts of violence in and around schools, underpinned by unequal access to resources and power, and inequitable norms and stereotypes based on gender. A key intervention of governments around the world has been to develop Codes of Conduct for school communities, that set professional standards and hold staff and students accountable for SRGBV and other forms of misconduct. Yet there are few studies that look in depth at how these codes have been implemented in schools. In Ethiopia, a Code of Conduct on Prevention of SRGBV in Schools was introduced in 2014 and has been rolled out in all regions across Ethiopia. In addition, a Violence Reporting Tool (VRT) was developed to gather data on incidents of violence in schools. In 2017, the Ministry of Education (MoE) and UNICEF Ethiopia prioritised a study to look in depth at how the Code was understood and used at national, regional, district and in particular at school levels. The findings from the study will help to inform the MoE's review of the Code and the reporting tools, thus having potential to make an important contribution to improving the safety of girls and boys in and around schools in Ethiopia. The study will also help to build knowledge globally about the challenges and potential for Codes of Conduct, and related work to prevent and respond to violence in schools.