This thesis is focussed on the variation in fishing patterns realised by commercial fishers in Australia's Northern Prawn Fishery (NPF). An analytical framework is developed for use as a tool to help fishery managers understand commercial fishers' decision making and the subsequent fleet dynamics in commercial fisheries and their implications for fishery management. The thesis provides a framework based on Markovian theory that permits a description of the spatial and temporal allocation of fishing effort, and allows for the simulation of fleet movement in response to fishery management policy changes. The relocation of fishing effort between fishing grounds, over time, defines the spatial and temporal dynamics of fleet movement. Data on fishing locations of individual vessels are used to obtain a spatial and temporal series of transition probabilities, which are then used for describing and forecasting commercial fishing behaviour. These transition probabilities represent the likelihood of effort allocation to selected fishing grounds, over any two consecutive time periods. The ordinary Markov model relies solely on the historical transitions for the entire fleet across particular fishing grounds during a selected fishing period. However, since the transitions made by fishers are the outcome of economic behaviour and decision making in fishing, the variation in transition probabilities and the fishing patterns realised by commercial fishers are explained in the thesis using the multinomial logit (MNL) approach. To capture fishers' response to fishery policy, the ordinary Markov model is enhanced using estimates from the MNL model. This enriched Markov model, referred to as the MNL Markov, requires data on policy variables and characteristics of fishers and fishing grounds. Although not primarily policyoriented, the effects of shortening the fishing season and closing selected fishing grounds are illustrated by inspecting the marginal effects of policy variables from the MNL Markov and evaluating the limiting distribution of transition probabilities in the ordinary Markov model. The results obtained in the thesis suggest that there is scope for fishery managers to use such models to forecast changes in commercial fishing patterns in the NPF that result from management changes such as shortening the fishing season and closing selected fishing grounds.


Merchant (2001) proposes that preposition stranding under sluicing is allowed only
in those languages that also allow P-stranding in regular wh- questions. Spanish and
Brazilian Portuguese (BP) seem to falsify this generalization, as both are non-Pstranding
languages that allow P-stranding under sluicing. Our claim is that, despite
initial appearances, Spanish and BP do not constitute counterexamples to
Merchant's generalization. We propose that there are two sources of sluicing in
Romance: wh-movement plus IP-deletion (Merchant 2001), and clefting plus IP
deletion (Merchant 1998), the latter being the underlying source for P-stranding
sluicing. The apparent P-stranding effect follows from the fact that, as opposed to
regular interrogatives, clefts in BP and Spanish do not involve P-stranding at all. We
reinforce this conclusion by showing that, in those cases where a cleft base is
independently banned, P-stranding under sluicing becomes impossible too.


Mughal era in Sub-continent appeared as a landmark of Mughal dynasty. The royal taste which they produced expresses a thoughtful level of imagination and skill. In Lahore Fort syncretism of dissimilar architectural elements provide dynamic aesthetical experience. Forcefulness of architectural design is achieved not only by employing technical expertise but also artistic implementations of patterns equally in construction as well as surface decorations. Ideal play of geometry and symmetry appears in the form of arches. Systematic use of dissimilar arches constructed in diverse phases and eras unfold the unity and harmony that is very skillfully and consciously applied to all the structures of the Lahore Fort complex which was constructed by various rulers at different times. Mughal architecture is measured as visual art like painting and sculpture, because it evolves a strong sense of aesthetics and craftsmanship. . This investigation focuses how diverse designs of arches employed in the complex show syncretism where Mughal builders very consciously attempted resolution and blending of different and opposing principles to bring harmony. Mughal builders planed buildings using an artistic course by which they maneuvered art elements to create an amalgamated and pleasing artistic account.


Abstract Background The heritability of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is only partially explained by variants in 17 previously VTE-associated genes. Objective This article screens for additional rare variants in the 17 genes and investigates the relative contributions of pro- and anticoagulant genes to VTE. Patients and Methods Ninety-six VTE patients from the population-based Malmö Thrombophilia Study were analysed using an AmpliSeq strategy and Ion Torrent sequencing and the variant data were compared with data from public databases. Results A total of 102 non-synonymous and 76 synonymous variants were identified. Forty-six non-synonymous variants were present in the human gene mutation database. Anticoagulant and procoagulant genes showed 14 and 22 rare non-synonymous variants, respectively. Individual patients showed varying numbers of risk factors; 13 patients had non-synonymous mutations in SERPINC1, PROC and PROS1 genes and 42 had factor V Leiden or prothrombin mutations generating a total of 47 patients with at least one of these risk factors. Ten common VTE-associated variants showed low level enrichments and no correlation to the other risk factors. The enrichment of previously identified risk factors was similar to previous studies. Determination of the nsyn/syn ratio (number of non-synonymous variants per non-synonymous site, nsyn, to the number of synonymous variants per synonymous site, syn) showed, as expected in patients, an increase of non-synonymous relative to synonymous anticoagulant variants compared with controls (nsyn/syn, 0.95 vs. 0.68). In contrast, non-synonymous procoagulant variants (nsyn/syn, 0.31 vs. 0.63) showed a decrease. We suggest that the deficit of non-synonymous variants in procoagulant genes is a novel mechanism contributing to VTE.


Wireless Delay Tolerant Networks (DTNs) are intermittently connected mobile wireless networks. Some well-known assumptions of traditional networks are no longer true in DTNs, which makes routing in DTNs a challenging problem. We observe that mobile nodes in realistic wireless DTNs may always have some mobility pattern information which can be used to estimate one node's ability to deliver a specific message. This estimation can greatly enhance the routing performance in DTNs. Furthermore, we adopt an alternative way to generate redundancy using erasure coding. With a fixed overhead, the erasure coding can generate a large number of message-blocks instead of a few replications, and therefore it allows the transmission of only a portion of message to a relay. This can greatly increase the routing diversity when combined with estimation-based approaches. We have conducted extensive simulations to evaluate the performance of our scheme. The results demonstrate that our scheme outperforms previously proposed schemes.


The development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) -based technologies for the construction industry, though not as advanced as in some areas, is progressing. The degree of automation in construction is anticipated to eventually lead to humanoid robots and autonomous back loaders or cranes operating at construction sites. The prospect of a highly automated construction industry is a medium-term future prospect. Hence it is imperative to proactively understand the regulatory gaps, to support policy interventions to mitigate potential risks. Regulation of futuristic technologies like AI is challenging in sectors where there is a lack of adequate tacit and applied knowledge. AI regulation is complicated by the massiveness of the construction industry, characterized by a broad spectrum of actors and activities. We propose a framework to understand the AI inclusion in the construction industry and identification of risks and regulatory gaps by considering the diverse stakeholders and their risk perception.


Objectives: Social support for abused women may reduce the impact of abuse on mental
health, yet few studies have addressed this issue. We wish to determine associations between
intimate partner violence (IPV) and mental health outcomes and to assess the protective role
of abuse disclosure and support on mental health among abused women.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 1152 women, ages 18–65, recruited from
family practice clinics from 1997 through 1999. They were screened for IPV during a brief inclinic
interview, and physical and mental health status was assessed in a follow-up interview.
Results: IPV, defined as sexual, physical, or psychological abuse, was associated with poor
perceived mental and physical health, substance abuse, symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder
(PTSD), current depression, anxiety, and suicide ideation/actions. Among women experiencing
IPV and controlling for IPV frequency, higher social support scores were associated
with a significantly reduced risk of poor perceived mental health (adjusted relative risk
[aRR] 0.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.3, 0.6) and physical health (aRR 0.6, 95% CI 0.5, 0.8),
anxiety (aRR 0.3, 95% CI 0.2, 0.4), current depression (aRR 0.6, 95% CI 0.5, 0.8), PTSD symptoms
(aRR 0.5, 95% CI 0.4, 0.8), and suicide attempts (aRR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4, 0.9).
Conclusions: Healthcare providers can be instrumental in identifying IPV and helping
women develop skills, resources, and support networks to address IPV. Physicians, family,
or friends may provide needed social support.


Supply circuits that harvest energy from surrounding ambient or dedicated sources have drawn much interest recently for providing a possibility of energy-autonomy to the wireless sensing devices. The objective of this thesis is to optimize the power transfer efficiency of the RF/microwave energy transducers in WSN/RFID applications. For this purpose, analysis on the power utilization of the wireless devices at different working states has been done, which implies a space of improving the power transfer efficiency by employing a novel design concept in the RF/microwave energy transducers.
In order to observe a deep insight of the charge-pump based energy transducer, an analytical derivation has been implemented based on a compact I/V model for MOSFET
working in strong inversion and subthreshold regions. The derivation provides a mathematical direction for the impact of the power consumption of the wireless device on the
input impedance of the charge-pump rectifier, which acts as a core element in the energy transducer. With expressing the input impedance of the rectifier into a shunt connection
of a resistor and a capacitor, as the load current consumption reduces the shunt resistance increases dramatically while the shunt capacitance holds a relatively constant value. This work proposes a methodology of employing an adaptively adjusted matching network between the rectifier and the antenna in order to optimize the power transfer efficiency according to the instant power consumption of the wireless devices on different working
states.
For read-only wireless devices with no embedded batteries, like RFID transponders, a tiny storage capacitor of pico-farad which can be charged-up to a certain voltage in microseconds is usually employed as a DC supplier. During the communication between reader and transponder, the reader radiates RF power continuously to supply the transponder.
Extra power supply is required to adjust the matching network electrically for optimal power transfer, which raises a new challenge to the batteryless devices. A solution is proposed in this work that an auxiliary rectifier with a smaller constant load current
consumption is employed to supply the feedback control circuitries.
Besides, the abovementioned methodology is also applied in charging-up procedure of a wireless device which employs a supercapacitor as its charge storage. The charging-up
procedure is extended to hours due to the huge volume of the capacitive storage, and the charging speed becomes a critical issue. During the charging-up, the output voltage of the recti- fier increases exponentially, while the charging current reduces exponentially.
The input impedance derived for steady-state is not precisely applicable yet theoretically directive in this situation. A novel application of adaptively tunable matching network in transient process is implemented to accelerate the charging process of the wireless devices.


Smart Homes (SH) have emerged as a realistically viable solution capable of providing technology-driven assistive living for the elderly and disabled. Nevertheless, it still remains a challenge to provide situation-aware assistance for those in need in their Activity of Daily Living (ADL). This paper introduces a systematic approach to providing situation-aware ADL assistances in a smart home environment. The approach makes use of semantic technologies for sensor data modeling, fusion and management, thus creating machine understandable and processable situational data. It exploits intelligent agents for interpreting and reasoning semantic situational (meta)data to enhance situation-aware decision support. We analyze the nature and issues of SH-based healthcare for cognitively deficient inhabitants. We discuss the ways in which semantic technologies enhance situation comprehension. We describe a cognitive agent for realizing high-level cognitive capabilities such as prediction and explanation. We outline the implementation of a prototype assistive system and illustrate the proposed approach through simulated and real-time ADL assistance scenarios in the context of situation aware assistive living.


The paper proposes an agent system for distributed generation setup identifying role and requirements of each agent. Genetic algorithms, due to their applicability for optimization solutions of nonlinear and stochastic scenarios, can find place in development of agents for distributed control. Advantages and special features of genetic algorithms for optimization are discussed, identifying some input and output variables. Requirement of compensator as an agent/sub-agent is also proposed. Finally the use case model is proposed showing assigned role of each agent. Each use case has been elaborated with its purpose, data handling, stimuli and responses. A lay out of the sub-systems of each of the proposed main agents has also been included.


In the wake of the recent financial crisis, Congress has sought to regulate the proprietary trading activities of Wall Street banks. The Volcker Rule, passed into law as section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Act, bans proprietary trading for deposit-taking banks and bank holding companies with deposit-taking subsidiaries or affiliates. It nevertheless allows these institutions to continue to trade on behalf of customers, a category of transactions necessary for the healthy functioning of both the US and global financial systems. The rule proposes that regulators devise rules to distinguish between permissible, often client-facing, trades and impermissible proprietary trades. The rules themselves rely on definitions and metrics to form bright-line distinctions. The thesis of this paper is that such a system is doomed to failure. The paper analyzes the regulation of banking entities under the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 in order to demonstrate the successful separation of proprietary trading from deposit-taking institutions' Fed window access through a structure-based regulatory regime that separated investment banks from commercial banks. The paper acknowledges arguments that a return to a regime of discrete structures for banking entities is infeasible given the rise of modern financial institutions after the passage of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999, and gives this as a reason that the Volcker Rule instead focuses on transactions rather than institutional structure. The paper concludes with the proposition of an alternative regulatory plan which would sidestep the problem-laden task of attempting to distinguish proprietary from non-proprietary trading on a bright-line basis and instead would focus on regulating all sales and trading activities together on a structural level. It would cleave trading operations from the banking entities' structures and force them into separate subsidiary entities with capitalization, ownership and other characteristics engineered to isolate traders from the moral hazard of Fed discount window access and to shackle the continuance of their client-serving operations to the risks they take in their proprietary books.


There is more than one curriculum present in many schools in higher education. The hidden curriculum is the one that shapes the character and other intangible qualities of students. It is much more difficult to evaluate the hidden curriculum because its lessons result from the students' unforeseen experiences during the formal educational process. A student's dental home is their dental school and it should include all aspects of their dental education. The relationship between a student and their dental school should be comprehensive, accessible, and mutually supportive. Everyone has a role to play in making the emotional climate of our health education institutions more respectful and nurturing. Many different stakeholders are starting to demand that environments change to be more responsive to the needs of the patients they serve as well as healthy places for people to work and learn. Public Health Statement: As a profession, dentistry is entrusted with the responsibility for upholding the highest quality of care for the public. This quality care begins with a quality education. Dental school administrators, looking to improve the quality of their educational institutions, need to ensure that graduates will enter into the dental workforce with comparable quality standards. With the growing awareness of the importance of good oral health, well-educated, high-quality, health care professionals will be necessary to serve the public's needs. This research aims to discover dental students' perceptions of dental academia, as well as the quality of their experience in dental education through each of the four years of dental school. It specifically aims to identify areas of personal change as a result of the hidden curriculum over the course of four years.


Victimization is a significant part of the incarceration experience. In this study, we assessed the effects of victimization while incarcerated and pre-existing conditions on prisoners' distress. Data are drawn from surveys administered to 208 men recently released from prison. Using path analysis, we examined the direct effects of victimization and the direct and indirect effects, via victimization, of preprison characteristics and other control variables on distress (symptoms of post-traumatic stress [PTS] and depression). Findings reveal that victimization in prison significantly predicts the occurrence of PTS symptoms and depressive symptoms. Previous trauma, self-control, and race also have direct effects, and previous trauma and race have indirect effects on PTS and depressive symptoms.


This Article provides an overview and critical analysis of sunset provisions in the tax code, and through examination of the political pressures that led to their striking transformation, also reveals disturbing points of vulnerability in the legislative process. It concludes that, contrary to one of the primary justifications for the enactment of sunset provisions - that these provisions reduce the influence exerted on lawmakers by interest groups - sunsets may instead further politicize the legislative process and, due to their mechanics, increase the likelihood of inefficient social outcomes. The history of sunset provisions in tax legislation also illuminates the complex, multidirectional, and often dramatic interaction between the budgetary process and other political ends. Additionally, it suggests that, when budgetary and tax legislative processes intersect, budgetary concerns supplant debate over and achievement of traditional tax policy goals. First, this Article explores how sunset provisions in recent tax legislation serve to avoid checks on legislative behavior in the budget process and, post-enactment, further affect the budget process in myriad ways. Next, it demonstrates that the continual termination of certain tax benefits and burdens creates opportunities for politicians to extract votes and campaign contributions from those parties who are affected by the threatened provision. And, because lobbying on behalf of legislation requires significant resources, sunset provisions reward well-connected and well-resourced players, an advantage which increases across time, in the competition for the extension of sunsetted legislation. Accordingly, the availability of sunset provisions may shape tax legislation to benefit only those groups that have the concentration of interests sufficient to motivate such long-term rent extraction. Finally, through analysis of the "kill the code" proposals advocating the sunset of the entire tax code and of the fallout from the use of sunsets in recent tax acts, this Article revisits the democratic rationales for sunsets. Concluding that the inherent attributes of these provisions do not impart legislative flexibility or ensure efficient, restrained lawmaking - and that they instead lend themselves to all the aforementioned pathologies - this Article casts doubt upon the legitimacy of sunset provisions as legislative tools.


Rare earth‐doped glasses find applications in numerous photonic devices including color displays, infrared solid‐state lasers, and indicators, among many. In this chapter, we will present and discuss several luminescent glasses doped with rare earth ions in their trivalent form (RE3+) with general background and technological perspectives. Initially, we begin with a short introduction of RE3+ electronic energy‐level structure in solids followed by the discussion of structural feature of glass lasers. While the lasing properties are mainly governed by the solubility of the ions and phonon interactions, the issue of ion interactions in solid hosts will be addressed since they hardly depend on the type of materials. Spectroscopic properties of Nd3+‐doped phosphate glasses are discussed in the framework of Judd‐Ofelt theory. Rare earth‐doped optical amplifiers are tackled from a technological point of view, as well as luminescent solar concentrators for enhancement of solar efficiency.


Sandwich composites offer unique lightweight and high bending stiffness advantages for a wide variety of engineered structures. Traditional foam core sandwich constructions exhibit low transverse stiffness and catastrophic compression failure of the core, besides being inaccessible in terms of space. In this study, two configurations including a hollow truss/Z-pin core comprising a three-dimensional (3-D) open network of titanium pins and a foam core reinforced with a 3-D arrangement of titanium pins have been considered in conjunction with traditional foam core sandwich composites. These innovative core designs have the potential to enhance the impact damage resistance, and provide damage containment mechanisms and space/core accessibility advantages. The top and bottom facesheets in all three types of sandwich constructions are made from 16 layers of E-glass/epoxy prepregs stacked in crossly orientation. The low-velocity impact response of the composites is studied at five energy levels, ranging from 11 to 40 J, with an intention of investigating the damage initiation, damage propagation, and failure mechanisms. The influence of spacing the Z-pins in a foam core has also been studied at the same five energy levels. Detailed microscopic inspection has been conducted to determine the impact failure characteristics of the three types of sandwich composites. For the energy levels considered, the results demonstrate that by reinforcing the foam cells with Z-pins, low-velocity impact damage is contained effectively and is limited to the localized dimensions of the core and facesheet that lie within a pain cluster dimension.


Carbon monoxide is a simple molecule present in many astrophysical environments, and collisional excitation rate coefficients due to the dominant collision partners are necessary to accurately predict spectral line intensities and extract astrophysical parameters. We report new quantum scattering calculations for rotational deexcitation transitions of CO induced by H using the three-dimensional potential energy surface (PES) of Song et al. State-to-state cross sections for collision energies from 10−5 to 15,000 cm−1 and rate coefficients for temperatures ranging from 1 to 3000 K are obtained for CO (v = 0, j) deexcitation from j = 1 – 45 ?> to all lower j′ levels, where j is the rotational quantum number. Close-coupling and coupled-states calculations were performed in full-dimension for j = 1 – 5 ?> , 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45 while scaling approaches were used to estimate rate coefficients for all other intermediate rotational states. The current rate coefficients are compared with previous scattering results using earlier PESs. Astrophysical applications of the current results are briefly discussed.


Upgrading of the Management Review on the Basis of the EFQM Excellence Model Suppliers in the automotive industry can use for strategical planning a number of different approaches and tools, which can upgrade the quality management systems (ISO 9001, ISO/TS 14696) to achieve the breakthrough power to meet needs in order to achieve a significant role in the automotive supplying chain. One of the very popular and positively accepted tools to achieve continually improving is implementing of the principles of excellence, according to the EFQM model. On the basis of case studies is in the article analysed and represented a useful value of the implementation of the quality management system audits and management review according to ISO/TS and their positive impact on the development of key indicators of the company TPV d.d. from Novo mesto, which is mounted as a development supplier in the automotive industry. With the implementation of self assessment according to the model of excellence EFQM we demonstrate the added value of the take up of the principles of excellence, according to the present system auditing according to ISO standards and the implementation of management review according to ISO/TS requirements. We upgraded in the existing management system performing of management review as manager's tool, which came directly from the requirements of standard ISO/TS, on to the level of the fundamental principles of excellence by EFQM model and mark it as one of the more effective managers tools with which you can still effectively introduces the leadership of the continuous improvements and strategically manages the company.


In this paper we demonstrate that societal psychology makes a unique contribution to the study of change through its focus on the 'contextual politics' of change, examining the different interests at stake within any social context. Societal psychology explores the contexts which promote or inhibit social and societal change and can be seen as a bridge between social and political psychology. It focuses on how the context shapes the ways in which societal change is understood, supported or resisted. To understand the intellectual rationale of societal psychology, and how it aims to foster societal change, we first consider the history of the discipline. Second, we consider what is meant by 'context', as understanding the environment of change is the hallmark of societal psychology. Third, we lay out three distinct features of a societal psychological approach to
change: the politics of change; interventions and planned change; emergent change processes. Finally, the paper examines possible future developments of societal psychology and its role in understanding and creating societal change, alongside its place within the wider canon of social and political psychology. The article is available in full, free of charge, via the published item link referred to above.


Twenty five years ago, the 'voice' of the child emerged within a key piece of legislation (UNREC, 1999) alongside moves to re-position the child as social actor by the 'new' Sociology of Childhood. Adopting a methodological framework, Actor-Network Theory, that allows for the inclusion of non-human actants and can also capture the process of becoming an ADHD child, this thesis looks at how far the child's voice has been translated into the practice of the professionals who are mobilised in relation to the diagnosis of Childhood Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a condition which is claimed to be one of the most common mental disorders among children in Great Britain (Green et al, 2004).
Drawing on the analysis of qualitative interviews with twenty-two professionals working with childhood ADHD in one geographical area, as well as thirteen documents, I argue that the inclusion of 'the child's voice' is not routine in professional practice in the case of ADHD diagnosis processes because what the child says and how they say it is highly entwined with that process of diagnosis and response. As the child becomes identified as problematic, the child's utterances are treated as vocalisations rather than voice. This is further compounded by the referral route to, and assessment by, CAMHS or Paediatrics, the child enters one of two different assemblages with different possibilities for status, actorship and voice. The diagnosis and interventions added further layers to the presence and positioning of the child's voice.
I argue that if, and how, the child's voice emerges in an assemblage depends upon a number of factors, including the positioning of the child, professional values, organisational practices, and the artefacts present. Artefacts, such as questionnaires or medication, extend opportunities for voice for some children, while muting others. Therefore, the findings also highlight a number of complexities of voice, particularly when the decisions are not of the child's making. The child's voice emerges as a controversial topic, part of the performance of the network appears to be to translate the vocalisations of the child into more adult controlled and legitimated speech or silences. I conclude that controversies and complexities need to be more openly discussed to create the conditions under which it is possible for the child's voice to be translated from policy into professional practice.


The "supercharged IPO", a new and increasingly popular financial transaction, has fundamentally changed the nature of IPOs for many companies. Traditionally, an IPO was a tax nonevent for the company and the owners, meaning it created no tax liability for either. Through creative and questionable tax planning, companies have found a way to do better than this by effectively generating a negative tax liability for the company and its owners. These transactions have received substantial attention from practicing lawyers, investment bankers, journalists, and even briefly caught the attention of Congress. Yet these transactions have attracted surprisingly little scrutiny from scholars, and the attention they have received has failed to consider the different types of supercharged IPOs, resulting in misguided analyses and conclusions regarding these transactions. This Article examines the costs and benefits of the different types of supercharged IPOs to show that some of these transactions have greater tax benefits than scholars have realized. It places a particular emphasis on the Up-C, a structure with the greatest tax benefits, which scholars have overlooked even though it is by far the most common, and increasingly popular, form of supercharged IPO. A closer examination of the Up-C, separate from other supercharged IPOs, reveals that this structure produces tax benefits that are not justified by the regulations that supposedly allow them. An important part of a supercharged IPO is a separate agreement that requires the public company to pay pre-IPO owners for the tax assets created in the IPO. These payments for tax assets have been described as "bizarre" and "underhanded". This Article examines payments for tax assets within the larger landscape of financial transactions, showing that the way these payments are made in supercharged IPOs deviates from similar private transactions. This Article proposes ways that payments for tax assets could be modified so that they are more in line with similar financial transactions.


A parent's incarceration significantly influences his or her children. Most incarcerated persons have little contact with their children, leading to negative consequences for the children. When incarcerated parents are freed, they often have a hard time reuniting the family, partly because they lack effective parenting skills. Parent training is frequently used to address the needs of parents and children who are at risk for family problems or for poor developmental outcomes. In a correctional setting, curriculum specifically designed for incarcerated persons can enhance parent training by addressing the unique needs of inmates. Several sets of curriculum materials for this purpose were reviewed, including literature-based and counseling approaches. Studies suggest that parent training is effective with incarcerated populations; thus best practice requires that institutions integrate parent training into their programs, using a variety of curriculum materials. Parent training should include information about children's needs throughout their developmental years. The goals of correctional parent training should encompass crime prevention for inmates and their children and the prevention of poor developmental outcomes for children. Future correctional parent training might include after-care components linking community corrections programs to facility-based programs during incarceration. (Contains 30 references.) (KC) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ********************************************************************************


This paper addresses one of the most dynamic and useful areas of American Indian law. I situate my arguments between two competing and intractable theories dominating the field – the consent theory, which limits tribal jurisdiction to those who expressly consent to tribal governance; and the territory theory, which expands tribal jurisdiction to anyone in Indian country. The consent theory unnecessarily undercuts tribal authority on Indian lands, assuming without evidence that nonconsenters will not receive a fair shake in tribal forums. Meanwhile, the territory theory unnecessarily exposes nonconsenters to Indian authority on non-Indian owned land, where tribal power is weakest and least justified.I propose a simpler solution that unites the two theories and brings realism to the discussion. Where activities occur on Indian lands, tribal jurisdiction should be presumed subject to a simple fairness test any court could conduct, but that is currently (and ironically) barred by the Supreme Court. The reality is that tribal governments are already successfully exercising this power, but the common law is lax in its recognition of tribal governance, generating unpredictability and confusion.


Metal oxide photocatalysts are widely studied for applications in solar driven environmental remediation, antimicrobial activity, hydrogen production and CO2 reduction to fuels. Common requirements for each technology include absorption of visible light, reduced charge carrier recombination and the ability to activate the initial molecule be it a pollutant, water or CO2. The leading photocatalyst is some form of TiO2. A significant amount of work has been undertaken to modifying TiO2 to induce visible light absorption. The structure and composition of the catalyst should facilitate separation of electrons and holes and having active sites on the catalyst is important to promote the initial adsorption and activation of molecules of interest. In this paper we present a first principles density functional theory (DFT) study of the modification of rutile TiO2 (110) with nanoclusters of the alkaline earth metal oxides (MgO, Ca, BaO) and we focus on the effect of surface modification on the key catalyst properties. The modification of rutile TiO2 with CaO and BaO induces a predicted red shift in light absorption. In all cases, photoexcited electrons and holes localise on oxygen in the nanocluster and surface Ti sites, thus enhancing charge separation. The presence of these non-bulk alkaline earth oxide nanoclusters provides highly active sites for water and CO2 adsorption. On MgO-rutile, water adsorbs molecularly and overcomes a barrier of only 0.36 eV for dissociation whereby hydroxyls are stabilised. On CaO- and BaO-modified rutile water adsorbs dissociatively. We attribute this to the high lying O 2p states in the alkaline earth oxide modifiers which are available to interact with water, as well as the non-bulk like geometry around the active site. Upon adsorption of CO2 the preferred binding mode is as a tridentate carbonate-like species, as characterised by geometry and vibrational modes. The carbonate is bound by up to 4 eV. Thus these heterostructures can be interesting for CO2 capture, helping alleviate the problem of CO2 emissions.


The autonomic influences on some organ systems in the possum
(Trichosurus vulpecula) have been studied. The work has also included
aspects of possible mechanisms for the modulation of autonomic function
by endogenous prostaglandins and lipids.
Noradrenaline has been identified by pharmacological methods. The
chemical method used was not sensitive enough to identify noradrenaline
positively in the splenic tissue and in the venous effluent of the
electrically stimulated spleen. Support for noradrenaline being the
neurotransmitter at sympathetic nerve endings comes from indirect evidence.
Phenoxybenzamine blocks the effect of sympathetic nerve stimulation in
the hind limb vascular bed. Phentolamine blocks the contracture of the
nictitating membrane when the preganglionic nerve is stimulated and it
also blocks part of the effect induced by sympathetic nerve stimulation
of the possum gut. Propranolol blocks a component of the reflex changes
in heart rate induced by a variety of methods.
Less direct support for noradrenaline being the adrenergic transmitter
is supplied from the findings that adrenoceptors exist in a number of
isolated tissues. Application of exogenous noradrenaline produces
contracture of the nictitating membrane, an increased rate and force of
beating of the isolated heart, a decreased blood flow in the skeletal
muscle and skin of the hind limb and a reduced amplitude and tone of the
spontaneously active isolated gut. The identity of the adrenoceptors
has been determined by using specific pharmacological blocking agents.
The receptors in the nictitating membrane and the skin are α-adrenoceptors
because they are blocked by phenoxybenzamine or phentolamine. The
receptors in the heart are β-receptors because they are blocked by
propranolol. Both α- and β-adrenoceptors exist in skeletal muscle vessels, because both α- and β-antagonists are necessary to block the effects of
intra-arterial adrenaline. The possum gut reacts to catecholamines in
a qualitatively similar way to the guinea pig and rabbit guts. A mixed
α and β block, produced by the simultaneous use of phentolamine and
propranolol, is necessary to inhibit the response from adrenaline,
noradrenaline and isoprenaline on the possum gut.
In the hind limb vascular bed maximal decrease in blood flow is
achieved by sympathetic stimulation at frequencies of 15-20 Hz. At
frequencies 40-100 Hz there is'a reduced response which indicates an
inhibitory mechanism acting rapidly to prevent excessive sympathetic
outflow at higher frequencies. Compared with the cat and dog there is
a relatively small amount of noradrenaline released when the sympathetic
splenic nerves of the possum are electrically stimulated. This may be
due to the modulating influence of a large plasma concentration of
prostaglandin F 2a . Prostaglandin E2 which is released when the splenic
nerve is stimulated may also be a component for reducing noradrenaline
overflow.
As well as prostaglandins in the possum plasma there is also an
unstable phospholipid with vasoconstrictor properties, but its function
is unknown. 14 C arachidonate studies indicate that there may be some
biosynthetic relationship between arachidonic acid, prostaglandins and
the unknown phospholipid.
There is indirect support for the role of acetylcholine as a
transmitter substance in the possum. Atropine blocks the effects of
exogenous acetylcholine on the isolated heart and the isolated intestine,
and also blocks a component of the reflex changes in heart rate induced
by different methods. Acetylcholine appears to be the transmitter at the superior cervical ganglion. The ganglion is stimulated by close
arterial injection of acetylcholine and nicotine and these effects and those
of preganglionic stimulation are blocked by hexamethonium.
There are no sympathetic cholinergic vasodilator fibres to the possum
hind limb. However, the hind limb vascular bed dilates under the
influence of intra-arterial acetylcholine and the response is blocked by
atropine. It appears therefore that the muscarine receptors in the hind
limb are not innervated. They are about 1/5 as sensitive to acetylcholine
as comparable tissue in the cat.
Possible mechanisms are discussed for the "playing dead" reaction
and for the relatively poor noradrenaline overflow when sympathetic
nerves are stimulated.


The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the usage patterns with the system of online optional asynchronous exercises to support the learning of Forensic Medicine and Medical Ethics at the University of Brasilia. The subjects were 38 students taking this course during the second term of 2005. The system offered text content and images that could be accessed anonymously. To solve the "true-or-false" exercises, some with images, students had to self-identify by means of a password, which allowed tracking. The results showed that 32 students (84%) performed exercises online, with an average of 183 responses per student among those who joined. Slightly more than half (52%) of the exercises were solved in the last 24 hours before the course test; 62.3% of the exercises were solved between 7 PM and 1 AM. In conclusion, students used a voluntary system to concentrate their efforts just before course tests, which reduces the system's efficiency, suggesting that techniques to motivate regular use of systems like this one should be implemented.


Abstract The potential for tropical cyclogenesis in a given ocean basin during its active season has been represented by genesis potential indices, empirically determined functions of large-scale environmental variables which influence tropical cyclone (TC) genesis. Here we examine the ability of some of today's atmospheric climate models, forced with historical observedSSTover a multidecadal hindcast period, to reproduce observed values and patterns of one such genesis potential index (GP), as well as whether the GP in a given model is a good predictor of the number of TCs generated by that model. The effect of the horizontal resolution of a climate model on its GP is explored. The five analysed models are capable of reproducing the observed seasonal phasing of GP in a given region, but most of them them have a higher GP than observed. Each model has its own unique relationship between climatological GP and climatological TC number; a larger climatological GP in one model compared to others does not imply that that model has a larger climatological number of TCs. The differences among the models in the climatology of TC number thus appear to be related primarily to differences in the dynamics of the simulated storms themselves, rather than to differences in the simulated large-scale environment for genesis. The correlation of interannual anomalies in GP and number of TCs in a given basin also differs significantly from one model to the next. Experiments using the ECHAM5 model at different horizontal resolutions indicate that as resolution increases, model GP also tends to increase. Most of this increase is realized between T42 and T63.


The dollar's dominance in global finance and its cross-border political power confer on the United States control over directing, gating, and influencing capital flows.

These holds derive from the U.S.'s overwhelming metrics, in any sector of the economy, but also from its far-reaching jurisdiction over the dollar's financial infrastructures.

By threating disconnection from capital markets, and imposing large fines on third parties, U.S. a ave achieved full compliance with these measures. Yet, the use of these measures, and the uncertainty over access to dollar liquidity, have the potential of endangering the smooth functioning of capital markets that at a some point in time will turn to sub-optimal supply of liquidity, or an outright dollar shortage. This situation epitomizes the tipping point, or the "Triffin Moment", which predicts that new national sources of liquidity should enter the market to repair the discontinuity of the payment system, and the obstruction of capital flows. So far, the Euro and the Chinese RMB, the most appropriate candidates for delivering alternative liquidity sources, are still in a "dangling mode", a situation only favouring the dollar dominance by default.

With expanding volumes in financial markets, and increasing geo-political tensions, emergency situations call for strong political will to endow and equip the euro and RMB to bring about the Triffin Moment.


Europe Offto Space Despite Earthly Woes Even as the U.S. space program finds its horizons narrowed by budget cuts, the European Space Agency (ESA) appears determined to defy economic gravity, launching an ambitious space exploration program amid a deepening sovereign debt crisis. While an under performing economy has damped U.S. space aspirations, most members of the ESA remain committed to forging ahead with plans to explore the universe, including projects on the Columbus space laboratory and missions to explore dark matter. Launched in 2008, the Columbus laboratory has served as a platform for research into material science, physics, human physiology, and biology, in addition to Earth observation, according to Thomas Reiter, the ESA's director of human spaceflight and operations, who views space exploration as an innovation driver. Now, he said, Europe needs to "maximize the use of knowledge gained through aerospace research by developing new technologies for the benefit of people here on Earth." And with its new space missions, he added, the bloc will create incentives for its scientists and engineers to acquire still greater expertise in space science and technology that will benefit later generations. Among Europe ' s most ambitious new space exploration plans is its planned mission to explore Jupiter and its icy moons in search of liquid water that could shelter life. In May, the ESA approved the billion-euro JUICE (JUpiter ICy moon Explorer) space probe. It is the agency's next "large class" mission planned under its Cosmic Vision program, which runs from 2015 to 2025. The 5-ton satellite will be one of the largest ever to explore outer planets. It will also be the first solar-powered spacecraftto journey to Jupiter; JUICE will use massive solar panels to capture enough energy to keep its instruments running. Slated to launch in 2022, the spacecraftwill require eight years to reach the Jovian system. Once there, it will spend at least three years probing Jupiter and then use the planet's gravity to initiate a series of close fly-bys around Callisto and Europa before finally putting itself into a settled orbit around Ganymede. All three moons are suspected of having oceans of water below their icy surfaces. But Ganymede, the solar system's biggest moon, is believed to be the only one in the system with its own magnetic field, which could offer protection against Jupiter's powerful radiation belts, making it more likely that life might survive there. The data that JUICE will send back about the varied environments of Jupiter and its icy moons will benefit many areas of science, according to Frederic Pont, a physics professor at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. He views the JUICE mission as "highly significant for astrophysics and planetary science," to cite just two fields likely to be affected by the mission. He considers the subsurface oceans of Ganymede and Europa to be "the most exciting frontier" in the solar system "now that Mars has turned out to be almost entirely barren." The JUICE satellite was originally intended to fly in tandem with a NASA orbiter designed to explore Europa. The U.S. space administration, however, had to back out of the proposed double mission due to budget cuts, meaning the agency would not have enough money for a Europa orbiter until 2020 at the earliest. It has since agreed to make a $100 million contribution to the ESA's Jovian program. The Cosmic Vision plan also includes two "medium class" missions: Euclid, which is intended to explore the hidden side of the universe-dark energy and dark matter-by putting a telescope in space, and the Solar Orbiter. In June, the Euclid mission reached another milestone: the agency's science program committee gave final approval to move into full preparations for a planned 2020 launch. …


Striking parallels upsurge between events happening in white cube galleries and the emergent black-box theatre of 1960s Europe. This essay seeks to unveil an understanding of those parallels according to a renewal of spatial design beyond mere architectural precepts, breaching away from perspective and proposing instead a bodily space or 'bodied spatiality': a "phenomenal space, governed by the body and its spatial concerns, a non-Cartesian field of habitation which undermines the stance of objectivity and in which the categories of subject and object gives way to a relationship of mutual implication" (Garner 1994:4). This essay strives to articulate the continuing anticipatory position of scenography with respect to the constitution of a bodily space paradigmatically substantiated in the black-box environment. More importantly, the work intends to inquire philosophically into such a spatio-corporeal dimension of phenomenon as one that disentangles normative conceptions of 'perception and the constitution of meaning, objects and their appearances, subjectivity and otherness, presence and absence, body and world' (Garner 1994:3). In particular, it will argue that bodily spaces compel the sensory and cognitive renovation of the body into the formation of an environmental organism: a 'scenographic body' where space and body cannot be apprehended and conceived separately but as an orgasmic entity that propels unsettled, oblique, affects and an ethics of desire.

This essay considers historical and conceptual frameworks part of a contextual research in which I have engaged with the re-appraisal of twentieth century's scenography beyond theatre, within broader fields of spatial design such as visual arts and architecture. However, here I will focus on the intersection of scenography and visual arts to demonstrate a part of the contextual research that underlines on-going practical research I am conducting and will present at the end of the essay.


Air purification in Chinese contexts over the last half century has been generative for a way of being human, what the author calls "filtered life." This is a materially, aesthetically, and even humorously mediated form of dwelling. In it, people confront ethics and anxieties under conditions of aerosolized ruination. This article sheds special light on links between gender binaries and filtered life. It traces how, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists, marketers, and many others residing in urban China interacted with air filters in ways textured by the male state. Notably chronicled here is a critique of ecological ruin emergent in homes of the People's Republic of China (PRC), one mutating from ire toward husbands for smoking cigarettes in the home to more recent indictments of men despoiling the environment.


This paper presents new experimental thermo-mechanical tests recently developed in order to understand the behaviour of fuel clads under anisothermal conditions. The experimental setups permitted material testing in complex conditions representative of real RIA loading (high strain and heating rates) coupling simultaneous mechanical and thermal loading. Mechanical properties are studied and compared to isothermal ones. Results showed a clear history effect at low strain rates, this effect seems to disappear at high strain rates due to rapid mechanical loading which limits heating before failure. 2D and 3D FEM are illustrated with applied thermo-mechanical loadings. These numerical simulations allowed us to evaluate the history effect during anisothermal tensile tests using a constitutive law identified on isothermal uniaxial tests.


This research has focused on the service failure and recovery of the Airline industry and the impact that has on customer satisfaction along with the task to identify optimal recovery strategies.

It has identified 22 Failure types that occurred during service failure and has expanded the understanding of the impact that several factors such as Severity of Failure, Failure type, Emotion and Justice have on Post Failure Satisfaction (PFS), on Satisfaction with Recovery (SWR), on Post Recovery Satisfaction (PRS) and Loyalty through the use of a suggested model (conceptual framework).

More specific it has found that the factors of Severity of Failure (exclusively for the airline industry) and Failure type have a negative effect on Post Failure Satisfaction (PFS), on Satisfaction with Recovery (SWR), on Post Recovery Satisfaction (PRS) and Loyalty. In addition, the factor of Emotion did not have a significant effect on Post Recovery Satisfaction (PRS) and Loyalty while the factor of Justice has.

It has also identified some recovery strategies that work more effectively after the occurrence of service failure. More particularly the strategies of providing (on behalf of the airline company) : (1) Opportunity to voice my view/feelings, (2) Correction of the problem, (3) Staff empowered to solve the problem, (4) Apology for the service failure), (5) Follow-Up in writing from airline manager, (6) Facilitation for making complain process easier, (7) Appropriate place to explain/handle the complaint, (8) Understanding staff and some others to a smaller extent, work more effectively with regards to the recovery process for the customer.

The research had a quantitative approach and was carried out with multivariate statistics (IBM's SPSS software package) such as Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and (OLS) Regression analysis. It suggested a model (conceptual framework) where several factors were tested with the above-mentioned statistics.

Further this research has also revealed some service quality models for the airline industry (both industry specific and non) that work better and more specific suggested the use of the Hierarchical model along with industry-based models. In addition, the usage of the SERVPEX and SERVPERF models cannot be totally rejected as there are arguments from both sides.

Overall this research has contributed to theory by demonstrating through a conceptual framework what general impact exist in the whole service failure and recovery process with regards to the factors of Severity of Failure, Failure type, Emotion and Justice. The findings provide a significant contribution to the literature.


ABSTRACT Although Neogene crocodylians were well documented from Indo-Pakistan, few fossils were known from Southeast Asia, precluding the understanding of their evolutionary and biogeographic history. Here, we describe crocodylians from the Neogene Irrawaddy Formation of central Myanmar and evaluate their taxonomic status. Tebingan, SE of Magway (lower Upper Miocene) yields Gavialis and Crocodylus that differ from the previously known species of each genus, and the Gwebin area, SW of Bagan (Upper Pliocene) produces Crocodylus cf. palaeindicus. Taking into account the materials without provenance data, Neogene crocodylians from Myanmar include at least three gavialids and two Crocodylus that are characterized by different craniomandibular and postcranial features. The body length estimates for the gavialines from Tebingan and an unknown locality in central Myanmar are 7.5 m and 8.6 m, respectively, which exceed the maximum size limit of extant Gavialis gangeticus. Together with the previously reported large taxa, gavialids repeatedly evolved large body sizes in the Neogene of Asia. Gavialis from the Miocene of Myanmar is one of the oldest records of the genus, and its unraised orbital rim suggests that the "telescoped" eyes derived later during the genus evolution. Crocodylus cf. palaeindicus from the Pliocene of Myanmar indicates the species range was extended from western India to Myanmar during the Neogene. The absence of Crocodylus siamensis in the Neogene of India and central Myanmar implies the species originated east of central Myanmar.


We modelled the effect of habitat composition and roads on the number and occurrence of moose ( L.) damage in Ostrobothnia and Lapland using a zero-inflated count model. Models were developed for 1 km, 25 km and 100 km landscapes consisting of equilateral rectangular grid cells. Count models predict the number of damage, i.e. the number of plantations and zero models the probability of a landscape being without damage for a given habitat composition. The number of moose damage in neighboring grid cells was a significant predictor in all models. The proportion of mature forest was the most frequent significant variable, and an increasing admixture of mature forests among plantations increased the number and occurrence of damage. The amount of all types of plantations was the second most common significant variable predicting increasing damage along with increasing amount of plantations. An increase in thinning forests as an admixture also increased damage in 1 km landscapes in both areas, whereas an increase in pine-dominated thinning forests in Lapland reduced the number of damage in 25 km landscapes. An increasing amount of inhabited areas in Ostrobothnia and the length of connecting roads in Lapland reduced the number of damage in 1 and 25 km landscapes. Differences in model variables between areas suggest that models of moose damage risk should be adjusted according to characteristics that are specific to the study area.Alces alces222222


The Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout was historically distributed throughout the Upper Yellowstone and Upper Snake River drainages, but now occupies only 42% of its original range because of habitat degradation and introduced salmonid species. Many of the current strongholds are located on public land in mountainous watersheds with low human disturbance. However, knowledge of life history characteristics of headwater populations is limited. Moreover, streams throughout the Rocky Mountains have already exhibited symptoms of climate change through alterations in thermal and hydrologic regimes, but it is unknown how these changes will affect fish populations. To address these needs, we implemented a mark-recapture study on five populations of trout from Spread Creek, Wyoming, and Shields River, Montana, to estimate annual growth, survival rates, and movement patterns, and document the effects of discharge, temperature, and food availability on summer growth patterns. Survival rates were high compared to survival rates of other Cutthroat Trout subspecies and large trout generally had lower survival rates than small trout. Downstream movements out of streams by tagged trout were substantial. Annual growth rates varied among streams and size classes, but were relatively low compared to populations of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout from large, low elevation streams. Trout grew more in length than weight in summer, suggesting an investment in structural growth rather than accumulation of reserve tissues. Temperature and discharge had strong effects on summer growth, but the effect of discharge was greater for growth in weight than in length, probably resulting from increased prey availability at high discharges. Temperature interacted with fish length such that small trout responded favorably to increased average daily temperatures near physiological optima and increased growing season length, whereas large trout responded negatively to warming temperatures. These estimates of key demographic parameters are useful in developing management and conservation strategies. Additionally, we documented that even under thermally suitable conditions, discharge can have significant effects on growth, making it important to consider multiple factors affected by climate change when devising climate adaptation strategies for coldwater fishes.


The c-ski proto-oncogene has been implicated in the control of cell growth and skeletal muscle differentiation. To determine its normal functions in vivo, we have disrupted the mouse c-ski gene. Our results show a novel role for ski in the morphogenesis of craniofacial structures and the central nervous system, and confirm its proposed function as a player in skeletal muscle development. Homozygous mutant mice show perinatal lethality resulting from exencephaly, a defect caused by failed closure of the cranial neural tube during neurulation. The timing of the neural tube defect in ski -/- embryos coincides with excessive apoptosis in the cranial neuroepithelium, as well as in the cranial mesenchyme. Homozygous ski mutants also exhibit a dramatic reduction in skeletal muscle mass, consistent with a defect in expansion of a myogenic precursor population. Nestin is an intermediate filament expressed in highly proliferative neuroepithelial stem cells and in myogenic precursors. Interestingly, we find decreased nestin expression in both the cranial neural tube and the somites of ski -/- embryos, compared with their normal littermates, but no reduction of nestin in the caudal neural tube. These results are consistent with a model in which ski activities are required for the successful expansion of a subset of precursors in the neuroepithelial or skeletal muscle lineages.


Partial exposure of single ventricular myocytes to membrane-permeant weak acids or bases, using a dual-microperfusion technique, generates large and stable intracellular pH (pHi) gradients. In this study, we have investigated the feasibility of using the technique to estimate junctional proton permeability. This was done by recording the pHi gradient developed across the junctional region of a pair of conjoined ventricular myocytes, isolated enzymically from a guinea pig heart when one of the cells was partially exposed to acetate or ammonium. We show that under HEPES-buffered conditions, the junctional discontinuity in the pHi profile can be used to derive an apparent proton permeability coefficient (PHapp). The mean PHapp obtained was 4.45 +/- 0.21.10(-4) cm/s (n=43) at an average junctional pHi of 7.04 +/- 0.02. In the presence of the junctional inhibitor alpha-glycyrrhetinic acid, exposure of the proximal cell to weak acid or base produced no pHi change in the distal cell, confirming that distal changes were normally caused by acid-base flux through connexons assembled into junctional channels. The validity of the dual-microperfusion method was tested further by using a diffusion-permeation-reaction model for intracellular protons, designed to highlight possible errors in the estimates of PHapp. Our technique for measuring PHapp provides a useful alternative to the previous, more invasive technique of locally loading acid through a cell-attached patch pipette. The technique may provide a simple method for investigating the factors regulating cell-to-cell proton transmission.


—A population of the dwarf bear-poppy (Arctomecon humilis Coville, Papaveraceae) at Red Bluff, Washington County, Utah, was monitored twice annually between 1987 and 2002. This is a narrowly endemic, gypsophilous species that has been formally listed as endangered since 1979. During the 16 years of observation, density of this species has fluctuated between 3 and 1336 individuals on the 0.07-ha monitoring plot. Moderate to large recruitments of seedlings occurred in 1992, 1995, and 2001. Seedling recruitments from a large, long-lived seed bank are triggered by abundant precipitation during the February–April period. At least 5.0 cm of rainfall is required during that interval to produce any seedlings. Seedlings experienced considerable mortality in the 1st few months of life in all observed cases. The average seedling initiated in the very large recruitment event of 1992 survived for only 2.6 years. Seedlings in that cohort that were alive 1 year after germination had an average longevity of 4.6 years. None of the seedlings that emerged in 1992 were still alive in October 2002. Mortality in this species was poorly correlated with fluctuations in precipitation or temperature. No epidemics of parasites or herbivores were observed. Mortality in the species appears to be caused by a variety of factors acting over a cohort's lifetime.


Conceptual blending is understood to be a process that serves a variety of cognitive purposes, including creativity, and has been highly influential in cognitive linguistics. In this line of thinking, human creativity is modeled as a blending process that takes different mental spaces as input and combines them into a new mental space, called a blend. According to this form of combinatorial creativity, a blend is constructed by taking the existing commonalities among the input mental spaces—known as the generic space—into account, and by projecting their structure in a selective way. Since input spaces for interesting blends are often initially incompatible, a generalisation step is needed before they can be blended. In this paper, we apply this idea to blend input spaces specified in the description logic EL and propose an upward refinement operator for generalising EL concepts. We show how the generalisation operator is translated to Answer Set Programming (ASP) in order to implement a search process that finds possible generalisations of input concepts. We exemplify our approach in the domain of computer icons.


This article will examine the previously under-researched area of the under-representation and experiences of elite level minority (male) coaches in (men's) professional football in Western Europe. More specifically, the article will draw on original interview data with 40 elite level minority coaches in England, France and the Netherlands and identify a series of key constraining factors which have limited the potential for and realization of opportunities for career progression across the transition from playing to coaching in the professional game. In doing so, the article will focus on three main themes identified by interviewees as the most prescient in explaining the ongoing under-representation of minority coaches in the sport: their limited access to and negative experiences of the high level coach education environment; the continued existence of racisms and stereotypes in the professional coaching workplace; and the over-reliance of professional clubs on networks rather than qualifications-based frameworks for coach recruitment. Finally, the article will contextualize these findings from within a critical race theory perspective and will draw clear linkages between patterns of minority coach under-representation, the enactment of processes and practices of institutional racism, and the underlying normative power of hegemonic Whiteness in the sport.


AppleScript is an English-like, easy-to-understand scripting language built into every Mac. AppleScript can automate hundreds of AppleScriptable applications, performing tasks both large and small, complex and simple. Learn AppleScript: The Comprehensive Guide to Scripting and Automation on Mac OS X, Third Edition has been completely updated for Mac OS X Snow Leopard. Its all here, with an emphasis on practical information that will help you solve any automation problemfrom the most mundane repetitive tasks to highly integrated workflows of complex systems. Friendly enough for beginners, detailed enough for advanced AppleScripters Includes major contributions from expert AppleScripters: Emmanuel Levy, Harald Monihart, Ian Piper, Shane Stanley, Barry Wainwright, Craig Williams, and foreword by AppleScript inventor, William Cook What youll learn See how AppleScript represents information as objectsincluding numbers, strings, lists, and records. Learn how to manipulate these objects using commands and operators, and how to store them in variables. Organize your code using handlers and script objects. Understand how applications describe their objects and commands in dictionaries and how to interpret that information when learning to script applications. Manipulate the Mac OS X file system. Automate iTunes, Mail, iCal, and other popular lifestyle applications in Mac OS X. Discover sophisticated text processing techniques using regular expressions. Script professional productivity applicationsApple iWork, Microsoft Office, FileMaker Pro, and Adobe InDesign. Harness the power of the Unix command line in Mac OS X. Create your own Cocoa applications with the new AppleScriptObjC bridge. Who is this book for? First-time scripters who want to automate tasks on their Macs; existing AppleScripters looking to develop proficient, professional, or guru-level knowledge and skills; professional Mac OS X developers wishing to understand this powerful and pervasive technology.


Introduction: Since the disability may be associated with functional impairments and the fact that exercise can reduce disability and maintain the function of individuals, so, we decided to conduct a study on the effects of resistance training on shoulder strength, pain and function in wheelchair users with impingement syndrome of shoulder. Methods: In this randomised clinical trial study, In this randomized controlled intervention study, 20 wheelchair users with spinal cord injury suffered from shoulder pain (the mean age (39/3±6/4)) were chosen and divided randomly into two groups: the control (age:37/5±5/81, height:82/25±4/20, weight:77/25±12/98) and experimental groups (age:42/1±8/11, height:84/95±4/7, weight:74/23±11/39). Before performing the training programs, the pretests of the level of muscle strength, pain and function were measured for both the control and experimental groups. The experimental group performed selected exercises for 8 weeks, 3 sessions a week, each session lasted 60 minutes. After performing the training course, post-tests were administered in similar circumstances in both groups. Data were analyzed by using covariance and dependent t-test. Results: The results showed that the experimental group had a significantly improvement in the strength of external shoulder rotator muscles (from 7/66±1/38 to 10/71±1/73), pain (from 52/48±7/96 to 30/31±5/24) and the shoulder function (from 55/49±6/66 to 72/88±6/52) (P≤0/05). Conclusions: This study showed that strength training has improved the strength, pain and shoulder function in wheelchair users, so participation in exercise training programs can be suggested for these persons.


Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (FHH) is a lifelong, benign autosomal dominant disease characterized by hypercalcemia, normal to increased parathyroid hormone level, and a relatively low renal calcium excretion. Inactivation of the calcium-sensing receptor in heterozygous patients results in FHH, while in homozygous patients as well as in compound heterozygous or dominant negative heterozygous patients, it may result in neonatal severe hyperparathyroidism (NSHPT). Parathyroid surgery is not indicated in FHH and does not lower plasma calcium unless total parathyroidectomy is performed, in which case hypocalcemia ensues. There is currently no definitive medical treatment available, although pamidronate can be used to stabilize these patients before parathyroidectomy. Some NSHPT patients are asymptomatic subsequently in their lives. In this paper, clinical characteristics of this relatively rare disorder are presented.


ARBITRATION has been used in commercial disputes since at least the 13th century. (1) George Washington included an arbitration provision in his will, (2) and arbitration remains the preferred choice for parties engaging in international transactions (3)--especially those involving foreign direct investment in another country. (4) Litigation in the home courts of the government who owes you money for a dam or power plant is an unattractive option. At home, some states have been hostile to arbitration while others have not. Congress reconciled those differences by adopting the New York approach in the Federal Arbitration Act ("FAA") of 1925. (5) The Supreme Court has interpreted the FAA broadly--Congress invoked the full preemptive power of the Commerce Clause, (6) stated a "national policy favoring arbitration," preempted inconsistent state laws, (7) and separated the arbitration clause from the surrounding contract for purposes of deciding who decides arbitrability. (8) When court dockets clogged in the 1970s, (9) Chief Justice Burger convened the Pound Conference in 1976 to explore "multi-door courthouse" solutions that offered litigation alternatives. (10) The modern Alternative Dispute Resolution movement grew quickly from Pound. ADR has been well-received generally, and even the criticisms of arbitration are confined to relatively few categories of claims. Indeed, "there is little opposition today to arbitration between sophisticated commercial parties." (11) Still, "litigating arbitration" has been a conspicuous part of the dockets of the United States and State Supreme Courts in recent years. (12) Since written agreements to arbitrate are enforceable "save upon such grounds as exist at law or in equity for the revocation of any contract," (13) litigants have sought to avoid arbitration by raising a variety of common law contract defenses, such as lack of assent, (14) lack of consideration, (15) administrative pre-emption, (16) unconscionability, (17) fraud and duress, (18) and material breach. (19) Beyond litigating arbitration, legislative efforts are pending in Congress and statehouses to expand or curtail the use of arbitration in specific contexts. (20) This article examines litigation trends associated with the rapid expansion of private arbitration as a dispute resolution mechanism. (21) In particular, this article evaluates the two most common legal measures associated with arbitration proceedings, the Motion to Compel Arbitration, which attempts to enforce arbitration agreements against unwilling participants, and the Motion to Vacate Arbitration Award, which attempts to void the result of a consummated arbitration. This article traces the procedure underlying these motions, discusses trends in case law with respect to each of these motions, and considers the future role of each of these motions in practice. I. DISPUTE RESOLUTION OPTIONS Parties have options in resolving disputes. (22) They range from ignoring a problem (many go away and some get worse) to legislative or constitutional attempts to alter the playing field. Absent agreement between the disputants, litigation is the default mechanism. For the party desiring to avoid litigation, there are a wide number of choices, even within the broad categories of dispute resolution alternatives. (23) Mediation comes in flavors ranging from facilitating open discussions to actively helping parties put deals together and evaluating issues. It may be instructive to take a wide-angled look at some of the dispute resolution options available to parties negotiating deals or picking up the pieces of one that may have gotten off track. Here is a graphical depiction of many dispute resolution options. [GRAPHIC 1 OMITTED] A. Pre-Dispute Actions Arbitration is the focus of this article. There are a host of arbitration providers, and many of these administering agencies have specialized rules for different kinds of disputes. …


integration in Asia during the recent decades. • Countries that are successful in attracting global investments are also highly vulnerable to natural hazards and related losses. This has opened up doors to an important, inescapable and hidden phenomenon of 'globalization of local risks'. • There is more chance now for the domestic risks (i.e. risks from natural hazards, internal security, political uncertainty, social insecurity) to become global. • Foreign direct investments (FDI) affected by local risks could multiply risks in magnitude and spill over into international markets with financial implications, affect the credibility of companies, and the credibility of the countries where investments are affected. • Understanding and addressing such globalization of local risks is even more important today as more countries in Asia are attracting foreign investments but are yet to fully improve their disaster risk reduction and climate change readiness. • In this context, important questions for the foreign investing entities are a) are the investments fully aware about the local risks, b) what measures have to be taken, including the criteria employed in conducting risk assessments, to mitigate the local risks from spilling over beyond the boundaries of countries where investments took place, and c) what it means for the risk assessments and risk communication? INTRODUCTION


IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) is the authority that publishes different standards in the fields of electrical and electronics engineering, to be used internationally. In the area of manufacturing, it has demanded a new standard to fulfil better solutions of dynamic requirements. The IEC 61499 redacted by IEC offers interoperability, portability, configurability and distributed control applications for manufacturing processes. However, this standard is not a replacement of IEC 61131-3, one of the most used standards in industry; instead, it is a complement of it. The basic software units of IEC 61499 are named Function Blocks (FBs), which can be described as blocks that encapsulate functionality. By combining FBs together, it is possible to solve complex problems. The objective of this project (in close cooperation with another project) is to develop a software environment in Java language. It follows the requirements of IEC 61499, and implement a Function Block designer and a runtime execution environment, as a part of an existing Wise-ShopFloor framework. The scope of this project covers:  FB algorithm editor: Each FB has one or more algorithms, which can be defined in the algorithm editor using IEC 61131-3 or Java.  FB serialization: Opening and saving the configuration of FBs in Java Class file is one of the tasks of this project. As soon as the configuration is saved, the Java code of FB can be generated. Java code is generated because compiled Java allows execution of FB. Saving in Java Class file permits portability, i.e. the saved configuration can be opened in any JVM system, and vice versa.  Case study: A simulation of an assembly station using an ABB IRB 140 robot is studied and implemented using the runtime simulator of the Java platform, in which some basic FBs have been also created in a library. This project also includes: (1) implementation of user interface and (2) FB serialization in XML. It is anticipated that the developed environment will be able to save and open FBs configurations either in XML or in Java Class, following the specification of IEC 61499. It will allow portability and reusability. Because of the portability, the so-designed FBs can be validated using another FB environment such as FBDK (Function Block Development Kit).


Gills and muscles of Tilapia fish from Naik lake of Nagpur city were estimated for heavy metals (Zinc, Lead, Nickel, Copper and Cadmium) using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Results showed higher concentrations of heavy metals in gills than in muscles of tilapia fish. Trends of heavy metal concentrations in gills and muscles of tilapia fish were found Zn > Pb> Ni> Cu >Cd. Highest lead and cadmium levels in muscles of the fish were 83±0.07 μg/g dw and 13±0.21 μg/g dw respectively. These levels were above the maximum permissible limits of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)/World Health Organisation (WHO). The results confirmed that tilapia fish from Naik lake are not safe for human consumption. Further, the health risks related to Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu and Cd were assessed based on target hazard quotients (THQ). The health risks from lead and cadmium were found to be the highest among all heavy metals in the study. THQ values of lead and cadmium were 4.0108, and 2.450, 0.818 and 2.57, 1.53 and 0.513 for person who eat tilapia fish from Naik lake five times, three times and once a week respectively. Maximum allowable daily consumption rate (CRlim) for lead and cadmium in tilapia fish from Naik Lake was 0.0015 kg/day and 0.0024 kg/day respectively. Highest allowable weekly (CRwm) and monthly (CRmm) consumption rates for lead and cadmium in tilapia fish from Naik Lake were 0.0105 kg/week , 0.0168 kg/week and 0.198 kg/month, 0.318 kg/month respectively. Above these values of highest allowable daily, weekly and monthly consumption rates for lead and cadmium are unsafe for inhabitant who eats tilapia fish from Naik lake. Health risk assessment of lead and cadmium in tilapia fish from Naik lake suggests that consumption of fish from Naik lake might be unsafe for humans. Regular assessment of heavy metals in fish in Naik lake must be conducted to assure food safety.


BACKGROUND
In 1992-1993, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of two 3-component acellular pertussis vaccines was started in 4 of Italy's 20 regions. During the trial, the children had been randomized to receive 3 doses of 1 of 2 acellular pertussis vaccines combined with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids (DT) or of a DT vaccine only, at 2, 4, and 6 months of age. Both diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccines, 1 manufactured by SmithKline Beecham (DTaP SB; Infanrix) and 1 manufactured by Chiron Biocine (DTaP CB; Triacelluvax), contain pertussis toxin (PT), filamentous hemagglutinin, and pertactin. The results of the first period of follow-up, which ended in 1994 (stage 1), showed that both vaccines had a protective efficacy of 84% in the first 2 years of life; when the trial's follow-up was extended under partial blinding until the participating children had reached 33 months of age (stage 2 of the follow-up), these high levels of efficacy had persisted. Therefore, the objective of this study was to estimate the persistence of protection from 3 to 6 years of age of the 2 3-component DTaP vaccines administered as primary immunization in infancy.

METHODS
An unblinded prospective longitudinal study of vaccinated and unvaccinated children in 4 Italian regions, with active surveillance of cough, was conducted by study nurses, and Bordetella pertussis infections were confirmed laboratory. The present study (stage 3) included those children who completed stage 2 of the follow-up and were still under active surveillance as of October 1, 1995, accounting for 4217 children who had received DTaP SB (representing 94% of the vaccine's recipients in the initial phase of the trial), 4215 who had received DTaP CB (95% of the original recipients), and 266 who had received DT only (18% of the original recipients). Because the parents of most of the original DT placebo group accepted pertussis vaccination during stage 2 in 1995, an additional 856 children were recruited in the DT group at the initiation of stage 3. These additional children were identified from the census list of children born in the same period and living in the same areas as the trial participants but who had been vaccinated in infancy with DT only. Eligible children were included in stage 3 if they had no history of either pertussis or pertussis vaccination and if a serum sample obtained at the time of enrollment had undetectable immunoglobulin G (IgG) against PT. Parental consent to participate in the study was obtained. Active surveillance for pertussis was conducted in the field by 72 study nurses through monthly contact with each family in the study. A cough episode that lasted >/=7 days was considered to be a laboratory-confirmed infection by Bordetella pertussis if at least 1 of the following 5 criteria (listed in hierarchic order) was met: 1) B pertussis was obtained from nasopharyngeal culture (culture-confirmed infection); 2) the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) IgG or IgA titer against PT in the convalescent-phase serum sample increased by at least 100% compared with the acute-phase sample; 3) the PT-neutralizing titers in Chinese hamster ovary assay in the convalescent-phase sample increased by at least 4-fold compared with the acute-phase sample; 4) the ELISA IgG or IgA titer against filamentous hemagglutinin in the convalescent-phase sample increased by at least 100% and the culture or the polymerase chain reaction assay on the nasopharyngeal aspirate was negative for B parapertussis; and 5) the ELISA IgG PT titer in 1 of the 2 serum samples exceeded the geometric mean titer computed on convalescent sera of the children with a culture-confirmed B pertussis infection in each study group. Incidence of laboratory-confirmed B pertussis infection, using case definitions that varied in terms of duration and type of cough, was computed and the proportion of cases prevented among DTaP recipients in comparison with DT recipients was calculated.

RESULTS
A total of 391 laboratory-confirmed infections were identified in the 3-year follow-up period (138 DTaP SB, 126 DTaP CB, 127 DT recipients, respectively). The mean duration of cough in children with laboratory-confirmed infection was 48, 47, and 70 days for the DTaP SB, DTaP CB, and DT recipients, respectively; the mean duration of spasmodic cough was 15, 13, and 23 days, respectively. When using the primary case definition (ie, laboratory-confirmed B pertussis infection and >/=14 days of spasmodic cough or >/=21 days of any cough), the efficacy was 78% for the DTaP SB vaccine (95% confidence interval [CI]: 71%-83%) and 81% for the DTaP CB vaccine (95% CI: 74%-85%). When using the case definition based on a more severe clinical presentation (>/=21 days of spasmodic cough), the vaccine efficacy was 86% (95% CI: 79%-91%) for both vaccines. When using the case definition based on milder clinical presentation (any cough for >/=7 days), the efficacy was 76% (95% CI: 69%-81%) for the DTaP SB vaccine and 78% (95% CI: 72%-83%) for the DTaP CB vaccine.

CONCLUSIONS
The persistence of protection through 6 years of age suggests that the fourth DTaP dose could be postponed until preschool age in children who received 3-component acellular pertussis vaccines in infancy, provided that immunity to diphtheria and tetanus is maintained. Additional booster doses could be administered at older ages to reduce reactogenicity induced by multiple administrations and to optimize the control of pertussis in adolescents and young adults.


A genetic model for the dynamics of a quantitative trait is analyzed in terms of gene frequencies, linkage disequilibria, and environmental effects on the trait. In a randomly mating population, at each generation progeny move to niches where they are subject to weak Gaussian selection on the trait, with different fitness levels in the different niches. Initially, the variability of the trait is due to additive loci with heterozygous homeostasis. The evolution of plasticity is then described in terms of the invasion of the population by genetic modifiers that may epistatically affect the trait, its optimum in each niche, the strengths of selection, and other parameters characteristic of the niches. We show that the evolution of trait means within niches depends on the overall evolution in the whole system, and in general, optimum phenotypic values are not attained. The reaction norm and genotype‐environment interaction may evolve even if the only effects of the modifier are on individual rates of dispersal, or on fitness effects resulting from the different environments in the different niches; this evolution does not require that the modifier affect parameters that influence the values of the trait. It is conjectured that in the least frequently reached niches with low fitness levels, the deviations from the trait optima should be larger than those in more commonly experienced and less stringent niches. Our analysis makes explicit the different contribution of between‐ and within‐niche effects on the evolutionary dynamics of phenotypic plasticity in heterogeneous environments.


In forestry planning, accurate description of the state of the forests is essential. Advanced planning models often require input data with high resolution, i.e. data at the single-tree level. Field inventory procedures based on sample plot measurements are usually employed. However, such methods are expensive, so cost-efficient alternatives would be attractive. In the work described in this thesis, inventory methods based on imputation of reference sample plot data were evaluated. The reference material consisted of data from previously performed field inventories. The k nearest neighbour (kNN) method was used, in which all variables available at the reference plots were simultaneously estimated for the target areas. The imputations were based on information derived from interpretations of aerial photographs, optical satellite data, radar data (airborne sensor), and existing stand records. To account for differences in the qualities of the different information sources combined in the kNN estimations, distance metrics were defined and applied using regression functions. The utility of various types of forecasted reference material was evaluated. Increasing the length of forecasts of reference sample plot data increased the mean square error (MSE) in stem volume estimates. However, by excluding disturbed plots (due to thinnings) from the reference material, plot data forecasted for up to 25 years could be used without severely decreasing the accuracy of the estimations. Using aerial photo interpretations together with stand records, kNN estimates of stem volume with relative root MSEs (RMSEs) of 14-20% at the stand level were obtained. More accurate estimates were obtained for a northern test site, in comparison with results from southern Sweden. Combining optical satellite data and radar data significantly improved results, giving a RMSE in standwise stem volume estimates of 22%, compared to 30% for the best single-sensor case. Consequences of using kNN estimations in a planning context were evaluated by a cost-plus-loss approach. The total cost of undertaking an inventory was obtained by summing the actual inventory cost and the net present value of expected future losses due to non-optimal decisions caused by erroneous data. Input data obtained by imputation of reference sample plots were compared with traditional field sample plot inventories. Results indicated that the total cost of an inventory could be reduced by 15-50% by integrating different methods; imputation could be applied for some types of stands while more accurate field inventories should be carried out in others. It is not necessarily the most valuable stands that should be inventoried by careful field measurements, but many of those with a treatment impendin


Background State-of-the-art rare variant association testing methods aggregate the contribution of rare variants in biologically relevant genomic regions to boost statistical power. However, testing single genes separately does not consider the complex interaction landscape of genes, nor the downstream effects of non-synonymous variants on protein structure and function. Here we present the NETwork Propagation-based Assessment of Genetic Events (NETPAGE), an integrative approach aimed at investigating the biological pathways through which rare variation results in complex disease phenotypes. Results We applied NETPAGE to sporadic, late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD), using whole-genome sequencing from the AD Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort, as well as whole-exome sequencing from the AD Sequencing Project (ADSP). NETPAGE is based on network propagation, a framework that models information flow on a graph and simulates the percolation of genetic variation through gene networks. The result of network propagation is a set of smoothed gene scores used to predict disease status through sparse regression. The application of NETPAGE to AD enabled the identification of a set of connected genes whose smoothed mutation profile acted as a robust predictor of case-control status, based on gene interactions in the hippocampus. Additionally, smoothed scores significantly correlated with risk of conversion to AD in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) subjects. Lastly, we showed tissue-specific transcriptional dysregulation of the core genes in two independent RNA-seq datasets, as well as significant enrichments in terms and gene sets with known connections to AD. Conclusions The presented framework enables enhanced genetic association testing for a wide range of traits, diseases, and sample sizes.


BACKGROUND
Loosening of a cemented glenoid component is an important cause of failure in shoulder arthroplasty. This study was developed to examine the outcome of patients managed with a metal-backed, bone-ingrowth glenoid component as an alternative to a cemented component.

METHODS
The study group included eighty-three total shoulder arthroplasties with a metal-backed, bone-ingrowth glenoid component performed between 1989 and 1994. Seventy-four shoulders had a diagnosis of primary osteoarthritis, and nine shoulders had other diagnoses. All patients were followed radiographically and clinically for a minimum of two years or until the time of revision surgery. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were performed with revision and/or radiographic failure as the end points.

RESULTS
The mean clinical follow-up was 9.5 years, and the mean radiographic follow-up was 7.1 years. Pain ratings (on a scale of 1 to 5) decreased from a mean of 4.7 preoperatively to 2.0 postoperatively. The mean range of motion in active elevation increased from 102 degrees preoperatively to 135 degrees postoperatively; the mean external rotation increased from 27 degrees to 56 degrees . Glenohumeral joint instability developed in fourteen shoulders. Radiographic changes consistent with glenoid component loosening were present in thirty-three shoulders. Polyethylene wear with metal wear of the glenoid component was noted in twenty-one shoulders, and humeral component loosening was seen in fifteen shoulders. Revision procedures were performed in twenty-six shoulders. There were no identifiable patient, disease, or surgical characteristics associated with failure, either clinically or radiographically. The five-year survival estimate free of revision or radiographic failure was 79.9% (95% confidence interval, 71.6% to 89.3%), and the ten-year survival estimate was 51.9% (95% confidence interval, 41.0% to 65.8%).

CONCLUSIONS
The high rate of failure of total shoulder arthroplasties performed with this metal-backed, bone-ingrowth glenoid component raises concerns as to its use, and perhaps the use of other types of metal-backed components, in shoulder arthroplasty, other than for special situations.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.


The purpose of this study was to explore how social relationships and
environmental settings impact physical activity attitudes and behaviors for adolescent
girls. Guided by a social ecological framework and following a phenomenological
interpretive tradition, focus group interviews were conducted with 32 adolescent girls (17
African American, 15 Caucasian) between the ages of 11 and 13 who attended public
middle schools. Adolescent girls indicated that parents and peers play a significant role in shaping
their physical activity behaviors as does the physical and social environments in which
they live. Themes that emerged from the analyses of data include (a) differing
conceptualizations of physical activity, (b) parents and peers as facilitators of activity, (c)
lack of girls' active space in school and neighborhood environments, and (d) policy
restrictions on girls' access to physical activity time. African American girls reported conceiving of physical activity as unstructured
play, often outside, where as White girls indicated they considered physical activity to be
closely related to adult-directed, organized sport. Girls described a desire to engage in
more physical activities with the mothers and other female relatives. A lack of
playground space at school and unsafe community environments hindered the amount of
activity in which girls engaged. Educational policies that prevent middle school girls
from participating in school sport programs, as well as restricting recess and lunch
periods to inside spaces impeded access to desired physical activity outlets by middle
school girls in this study. Findings support previous research and extend understanding
of girls' perceptions of physical activity by allowing girls to voice their opinions and
concerns.