Electric distribution design and operational goals include meeting customer reliability requirements at the lowest cost. Smart Grid investments have the potential for helping meet these goals, and this paper presents a series of analyses that evaluate the incremental economic benefits of smart grid automation investments. Smart Grid investments provide a number of benefits to customers. Here only benefits that can be objectively quantified in terms of economic savings are considered. Smart Grid automation investments in this work include investments in feeder efficiency, automated switches, and coordinated control of capacitor banks, voltage regulators and load tab changers. Benefits that come from these investments are improved efficiency, reduced demand, shortened storm restoration time, and improved performance during reconfiguration events. The analyses used in the evaluation are very detailed, involving hourly, quasi-steady state power flow analysis over a ten year period for calculating energy consumption and costs, and Monte Carlo simulations for six different storm types. The evaluation shows that similar to other industries, an investment in automation can be justified in terms of hard dollars.


In the aftermath of the financial and economic crisis, large shares of working-age individuals in Estonia either did not work or only to a limited extent. By 2013, several years after the start of the labour-market recovery, 18% were still without employment during the entire year, and a further 13% had weak labour-market attachment, working only a fraction of the year, or on restricted working hours. This paper applies a novel method for measuring and visualising employment barriers of individuals with no or weak labour-market attachment, using household micro-data. It first develops indicators to quantify employment obstacles under three broad headings: (i) work-related capabilities, (ii) incentives, and (iii) employment opportunities. It then uses these indicators in conjunction with a statistical clustering approach to identify unobserved ("latent") groups of individuals facing similar combinations of barriers. The resulting typology of labour-market difficulties provides insights on the most pressing policy priorities in supporting different groups into employment. A detailed policy discussion illustrates how the empirical results can inform people-centred assessments of existing labour-market integration measures and of key challenges across different policy areas and institutions. The most common employment obstacles in Estonia were low skill levels, health limitations and limited work experience. Financial disincentives, care responsibilities and scarce job opportunities were less widespread overall, although important barriers for some groups. A notable finding is that almost one third of jobless or low-intensity workers face three or more simultaneous barriers, highlighting the limits of narrow policy approaches that focus on subsets of these employment obstacles in isolation.


Plague, a rodent-associated, flea-borne zoonosis, is one of the most notorious diseases in history. Rates of plague transmission can increase when fleas are abundant. Fleas commonly desiccate and die when reared under dry conditions in laboratories, suggesting fleas will be suppressed during droughts in the wild, thus reducing the rate at which plague spreads among hosts. In contrast, fleas might increase in abundance when precipitation is plentiful, producing epizootic outbreaks during wet years. We tested these hypotheses using a 27-yr data set from two rodents in Inner Mongolia, China: Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) and Daurian ground squirrels (Spermophilus dauricus). For both species of rodents, fleas were most abundant during years preceded by dry growing seasons. For gerbils, the prevalence of plague increased during wet years preceded by dry growing seasons. If precipitation is scarce during the primary growing season, succulent plants decline in abundance and, consequently, herbivorous rodents can suffer declines in body condition. Fleas produce more offspring and better survive when parasitizing food-limited hosts, because starving animals tend to exhibit inefficient behavioral and immunological defenses against fleas. Further, rodent burrows might buffer fleas from xeric conditions aboveground during dry years. After a dry year, fleas might be abundant due to the preceding drought, and if precipitation and succulent plants become more plentiful, rodents could increase in density, thereby creating connectivity that facilitates the spread of plague. Moreover, in wet years, mild temperatures might increase the efficiency at which fleas transmit the plague bacterium, while also helping fleas to survive as they quest among hosts. In this way, dry years could provide context for epizootics of plague in wet years.


Congenital transmission of Chagas disease has not been extensively studied in Colombia, and there are no standardized processes in the health system regarding the specific diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of this disease. To generate recommendations on congenital Chagas disease and Chagas in women of childbearing age in Colombia, a consensus of experts was developed. An extensive literature search through the Medline database was carried out using the MeSH terms: «Chagas disease/congenital», «prevention and control», «diagnosis», «therapeutics» and «pregnancy». Appropriate abstracts were selected and the full texts were analyzed. The relevant information was synthesized, classified, and organized into tables and figures and was presented to a panel of experts, which was composed of 30 professionals from various fields. Based on the Delphi methodology, three rounds of consultation were conducted. The first and second rounds were based on electronic questionnaires that measured the level of consensus of each question among the participants. The third round was based on a face-to-face discussion focusing on those questions without consensus in the previous consultations. Theevidence was adapted to national circumstances on a case-by-case basis, and the content the final document was approved. These recommendations are proposed for use in routine medical practice by health professionals in Colombia.


"Clover" by G James Brown is a painting executed as a response to an etching, "Flower Piece" by Louis Marie Lemaire (1824–1910). The painting addresses the subject, conceptual focus, style and approach shown in this early print from the standpoint of a contemporary North Queensland artist's perception of the tropical landscape and current issues. By design, the painting critiques the conventions of the early print by comparing them in visual terms to the artist's personal art practice.


The Ehlers–Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of heritable connective tissue disorders (HCTDs) characterized by joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility, and tissue fragility. Over the past two decades, the Villefranche Nosology, which delineated six subtypes, has been widely used as the standard for clinical diagnosis of EDS. For most of these subtypes, mutations had been identified in collagen‐encoding genes, or in genes encoding collagen‐modifying enzymes. Since its publication in 1998, a whole spectrum of novel EDS subtypes has been described, and mutations have been identified in an array of novel genes. The International EDS Consortium proposes a revised EDS classification, which recognizes 13 subtypes. For each of the subtypes, we propose a set of clinical criteria that are suggestive for the diagnosis. However, in view of the vast genetic heterogeneity and phenotypic variability of the EDS subtypes, and the clinical overlap between EDS subtypes, but also with other HCTDs, the definite diagnosis of all EDS subtypes, except for the hypermobile type, relies on molecular confirmation with identification of (a) causative genetic variant(s). We also revised the clinical criteria for hypermobile EDS in order to allow for a better distinction from other joint hypermobility disorders. To satisfy research needs, we also propose a pathogenetic scheme, that regroups EDS subtypes for which the causative proteins function within the same pathway. We hope that the revised International EDS Classification will serve as a new standard for the diagnosis of EDS and will provide a framework for future research purposes. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Gender inequities in marine and environmental management restrict women's access to benefits at all levels, perpetuating poverty and undermining sustainable resource use. However, gender equity in this field is neither widely written into policy nor widely measured. In collaboration with the IUCN Global Gender Office, this study investigates reporting on women's participation in management of protected marine and coastal wetlands. Using National Reports to the Ramsar Convention, a widely-ratified treaty that protects 916 marine and coastal wetlands worldwide, I define the frequency, context, and tenor of discussions of gender and women's participation in conservation of these marine ecosystems and their resources. Keyword searches show that less than 16% of reports mention women or gender, and mentions of keywords relating to women decreased by approximately 90% between 1999 and 2015. These keyword mentions most frequently characterize women as stakeholders on national wetlands management committees, as indistinct from other subgroups often excluded from access to decision-making arenas, and as beneficiaries of sustainable development programs. Despite these findings, most Ramsar National Reports' discussions of women lack sufficient detail for understanding cumulative progress toward gender equity in management. This study suggests that a) greater detail in reporting and b) establishment of mechanisms that measure long-term or cumulative progress toward equitable participation of women would help improve our understanding of gender equity in marine ecosystems management.


The application of an input precompensation scheme for vibration suppression in slewing flexible structures, with particular application to flexible-link robotic manipulator systems, is considered. The control from such input shaping schemes corresponds to a feedforward term that convolves in real time the desired reference input with a sequence of impulses and produces a vibration-free output. The robustness of such an algorithm with respect to modal frequency variations is not satisfactory but can be improved by convolving the input with a longer sequence of impulses, the tradeoff being a decrease in the transient response speed. An adaptive precompensation scheme that can be implemented by combining a frequency domain identification scheme, used to estimate the modal frequencies online, with a subsequent scheme for adjusting the spacing between the impulses is proposed. The combined adaptive input shaping scheme provides the most rapid slew that results in a vibration-free output. Experimental results for a single flexible link are presented to verify the technique. >


The type specimens of Arcacythere chapmani Hornibrook, 1952 (the type species of Arcacythere Hornibrook, 1953; Tertiary, New Zealand) have been re-examined and are shown to have internal carapace features identical to those of Rockallia Whatley, Frame & Whittaker, 1978. Rockallia is known from Cenozoic deep-sea sediments worldwide and from the Oligocene and Miocene of northwestern Europe. The external carapace morphologies of Arcacythere and Rockallia show only minor distribution of the fossae. Rockallia is, therefore, shown to be a subjective junior synonym of Arcacythere. An emended diagnosis of A. chapmani is given.


ObjectivesTo assess the utility of advanced tests performed before surgery on patients who needed emergent abdominal operations, and to assess the outcomes of these patients relative to their diagnoses. Summary Background DataPatients with a potential abdominal catastrophe may have various presentations, contributing to the difficulty of the decision about whether an operation is indicated. Advanced tests can be valuable, but the use of these adjuncts should be appropriate to the clinical status of the patient so that treatment is not delayed. The role of these tools in the evaluation of the patient who may need an emergent abdominal operation is less well defined. MethodsData were reviewed on adult patients undergoing emergent abdominal operations. Entrance criteria included patients who had an emergent abdominal operation, defined as one performed for presumed gastrointestinal perforation, infarction, or hemorrhage within 6 hours of admission or surgical consultation. Advanced tests were those that were time-consuming or invasive or required scheduling with other departments so that the risk/benefit ratio of these tests could be questioned. A useful test was one that provided information that contributed to a change in the patient's management. ResultsDuring a 5-year period, 300 consecutive adult patients (158 perforations, 66 hemorrhage, 53 ischemia/infarction, and 23 "other") underwent emergent nontrauma celiotomies. Overall, the death rate was 20%. Advanced preoperative tests were performed in 135 (45%) of the 300 patients, and 40 of these patients had delayed treatments. Preoperative localization of bleeding sites was accomplished in 77% of patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding and 86% of patients with lower gastrointestinal bleeding. ConclusionsMost patients in need of emergent abdominal operations should not undergo advanced tests. The primary role of advanced tests in these patients is in the localization of a bleeding site. With the exception of patients who present with hemorrhage, advanced tests frequently cause a delay in treatment.


This work presents a pathology detection system on the lower train. For this, a database of healthy subjects has been captured. Due to the nonexistence of pathological gait databases, pathology walks have been simulated. The users used sole padding in order to simulate clubfoot walk. The database consists of acceleration, angular acceleration, magnetic field signals and the angles between the joints. The algorithm extracts fragments of the signals which are used to train a recurrent neural network (RNN). To optimize the results, hand-tuning method was used to modify the hyperparameters. Using the best configuration, we have a 97% accuracy training with 90% of the database. Although, if we train with only 50% of the data the accuracy reaches at 91%. The results obtained show the solution feasibility, although further research should be done using real lower train


Financial time series exhibit two different type of non linear correlations: (i) volatility autocorrelations that have a very long range memory, on the order of years, and (ii) asymmetric return-volatility (or `leverage') correlations that are much shorter ranged. Different stochastic volatility models have been proposed in the past to account for both these correlations. However, in these models, the decay of the correlations is exponential, with a single time scale for both the volatility and the leverage correlations, at variance with observations. We extend the linear Ornstein-Uhlenbeck stochastic volatility model by assuming that the mean reverting level is itself random. We find that the resulting three-dimensional diffusion process can account for different correlation time scales. We show that the results are in good agreement with a century of the Dow Jones index daily returns (1900-2000), with the exception of crash days.


Re-refined engine oil bottoms (REOB) are one of several products obtained in the refining of recovered engine oil and have been used in the asphalt industry since the 1980's. Generally, REOB is used to help soften the base asphalt binder and is commonly used from 3 to 10% by weight in order to achieve desired low temperature asphalt binder properties. Recently, poor cracking performance in a number of Canadian and northern United States pavement sections have been blamed on the use of REOB to modify the asphalt binder. This has prompted state agencies in the northeast United States to ban its use, without necessarily understanding how REOB affects asphalt binder and mixture performance. A research effort was conducted to evaluate the laboratory performance of asphalt binders and mixtures modified with REOB. Two different sources of REOB were blended with different base asphalt grades at varying dosage rates in the study to achieve "softer" asphalt binders—similar to the current practice of REOB modification in the asphalt industry. Performance grading, master stiffness curves, double edged notch tension test, and Black Space analysis were conducted on the asphalt binders at different levels of laboratory aging. Additionally, the asphalt binders were used to produce asphalt mixtures for stiffness, permanent deformation, fatigue cracking and low temperature cracking performance. The research study showed that while being able to achieve softer asphalt binder grades in accordance with AASHTO R 29, the addition of REOB accelerates the age hardening effects in the asphalt binder, with higher levels of age hardening occurring at higher REOB dosage rates. The study also indicated that while the stiffness properties at low temperatures are not impacted by the REOB, the relaxation properties, as measured using m-slope of the Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR), are highly affected. Both the Black Space analysis, using the Glover-Rowe approach, and the DENT test show promise at identifying the age hardening effects and correlated well to mixture fatigue cracking in the Overlay Tester. Differences were found between the various asphalt mixture fatigue cracking tests in their respective ranking of fatigue cracking performance. Asphalt mixture permanent deformation and dynamic modulus of REOB modified asphalt mixtures showed similar performance to the neat asphalt binders when compared to the REOB modified asphalt binders of the same PG grade.


SUMMARY: Vertical distributions of turbulent energy dissipation rates and fluorescence were measured simultaneously with a high-resolution micro-profiler in four different oceanographic regions, from temperate to polar and from coastal to open waters settings. High fluorescence values, forming a deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM), were often located in weakly stratified portions of the upper water column, just below layers with maximum levels of turbulent energy dissipation rate. In the vicinity of the DCM, a significant negative relationship between fluorescence and turbulent energy dissipation rate was found. We discuss the mechanisms that may explain the observed patterns of planktonic biomass distribution within the ocean mixed layer, including a vertically variable diffusion coefficient and the alteration of the cells' sinking velocity by turbulent motion. These findings provide further insight into the processes controlling the vertical distribution of the pelagic community and position of the DCM.


A future limitation of autonomous ground vehicle technology is the inability of current algorithmic techniques to successfully predict the allowable dynamic operating ranges of unmanned ground vehicles. A further difficulty presented by real vehicles is that the payloads may and probably will change with unpredictably time as will the terrain on which it is expected to operate. To address this limitation, a methodology has been developed to generate real-time estimations of a vehicle's Instantaneous Maneuvering Manifold. This approach uses force-moment method techniques to create an adaptive, parameterized vehicle model. A technique is developed for estimation of vehicle load state using internal sensors combined with low-magnitude maneuvers. An unscented Kalman filter based estimator is then used to estimate tire forces for use in determining the ground/tire coefficient of friction. Probabilistic techniques are then combined with a combined-slip pneumatic trail based estimator to estimate the coefficient of friction in real-time. This data is then combined to map out the instantaneous maneuvering manifold while applying techniques to account for dynamic rollover and stability limitations. The algorithms are implemented in MATLAB, simulated against TruckSim models, and results are shown to demonstrate the validity of the techniques. The developed methodology is shown to be a novel approach that is capable of addressing the problem of successfully estimating the available maneuvering manifold for autonomous ground vehicles.


Crow was Ted Hughes' fourth book of poems for adults and a pivotal moment in his writing career. In it, he found both a structure and a persona that gave his vision a new power and coherence. A deep engagement with history, mythology and the natural world combine to forge a work of impressive and unsettling force. "English poetry has found a new hero and nobody will be able to read or write verse now without the black shape of Crow falling across the page." (Peter Porter).


The prevailing trend of waste disposal site in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa is detrimental to the environment on a long term. Waste disposal sites are randomly selected and frequently incinerated, releasing harmful gases which have negative impacts on the surrounding ecosystem and human life. The study area in Kwara State, Nigeria is a Microcosm of Africa's unique challenge. The research is aimed at the determination of suitable landfill sites that engender environment sustainability. The proposed landfill sites were investigated using Geographic Information System (GIS), Geological, Geophysical and Geotechnical techniques as tools to aid the decision-making processes. To achieve the objectives, 2017 IKONOS Satellite imagery was used to identify geological features, soil, topography, land use, roads network, river, surface water, infrastructure and settlement. Twenty (20) vertical electrical soundings (VES) were conducted using the Schlumberger configuration for geophysical investigations. Three to four layers were deduced: Topsoil/laterite, clay, weathered basement, moderate to fresh basement. An integration of IKONOS satellite imagery, geology, geophysics and geotechnical data were modelled with Environmental geo-spatial model builder in ArcGIS 10.3 environment using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Weighted Linear Combination (WLC) and multi criteria analysis in which criteria such as distance from settlement, roads, highway, land use, water body, river, water table, elevation, and slope were used after geo referencing, reclassifying, weighting of criteria, data overlaid and finally suitability model map were developed. The whole area falls into two categories: moderately suitable (Sokoto2, Malete) and not suitable (Sokoto1, Oke Oyi). It is expected that soil improvement techniques such as geo-textile and geo-membrane can be used to improve sites which are not suitable for landfill sites.


Test access mechanisms are critical components in digital systems. They affect not only production and operational economics, but also system security. We propose a security enhancement for system-on-chip (SoC) test access that addresses the threat posed by untrustworthy cores. The scheme maintains the economy of shared wiring (bus or daisy-chain) while achieving most of the security benefits of star-topology test access wiring. Using the proposed scheme, the tester is able to establish distinct cryptographic session keys with each of the cores, significantly reducing the exposure in cases where one or more of the cores contains malicious or otherwise untrustworthy logic. The proposed scheme is out of the functional path and does not affect functional timing or power consumption.


DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETRY (DSC) ANALYSES OF ESTHETIC NICKEL-TITANIUM WIRES AS-RECEIVED AND AFTER CLINICAL USE Nicholas Valeri, D.D.S. Marquette University, 2013 Introduction: The demand for esthetic orthodontics has increased rapidly over the past few decades, and much progress has been made in the development of esthetic clear and translucent brackets for labial orthodontics. However, the majority of wires used with these clear brackets are still the traditional alloys. Recently, American Orthodontics (Sheboygan, WI) and Opal (Ultradent; South Jordan, UT) have released epoxy resin coated nickel-titanium archwires that give a tooth-colored appearance. American Orthodontics has released EverWhite and Opal has released Via Pearl. The goal of this study was to compare the thermal properties of these new archwires with their uncoated counterparts before and after clinical use via differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Materials and Methods: Four types of nickel-titanium orthodontic archwires were evaluated in this study. The four types consisted of two epoxy coated wires and two comparable control wires of the same .016 x 0.022 inch dimension. The transformation temperatures and phase transformations of these wires were determined in the as-received condition and after 4 to 12 weeks in the oral cavity by differential scanning calorimetry. In addition, the amount of coating lost for each coated archwire after clinical use was determined using a scanned image of the wire and matlab software. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in thermal properties when comparing archwires before and after clinical use. However, significant differences were observed between the as-received uncoated and coated counterparts from both manufacturers. Both wire types lost a significant amount of esthetic coating after use, but the Opal Via Pearl wire maintained significantly more coating compared to the EverWhite type. Conclusions: The significant differences between as-received uncoated and coated wires from the same manufacturer indicate that these wires may perform differently in clinical situations contrary to the manufacturers' claims. In addition, improvements to the coating processes or alternative wires are needed to provide a more esthetic archwire with limited coating loss.


Human conflict and its resolution is obviously a subject of great practical importance. Equally obviously, it is a vast subject, ranging from total war at one end of the spectrum to negotiated settlement at its other end. The literature on the subject is correspondingly vast and, in recent times, technical, thanks to the valuable contributions made to it by game theorists, economists, and writers on industrial and international relations. In this essay, however, I shall discuss only one familiar form of conflict-resolution. There is room for such a discussion, because philosophers have lately neglected compromise, despite the interest shown in it by the aforementioned experts, and despite the classic treatments of it by Halifax, Burke and Morley. Truly, '…compromise is not so widely discussed by philosophers as one might expect', and '…the idea of compromise has been largely neglected by Anglo-American jurisprudence'.


Nonclass aggregate litigation is risky for plaintiffs: it falls into the gray area between individual litigation and certified class actions. Although scholars have formulated procedural protections for both extremes, the unique danger and allure posed by nonclass aggregation has been undertheorized, leaving mass tort claimants with inadequate safeguards. When hallmark features of mass torts include attenuated attorney-client relationships, numerous litigants, and the demise of adversarial legalism, the attorney-client relationship itself becomes another bargaining chip in the exchange of rights. This Article thus takes the initial steps toward advancing a cohesive theory of procedural justice in nonclass aggregation by exposing the problem itself, discerning the principal disparities between litigant preference and mass tort practice, and identifying the main obstacles to implementing procedural preferences. In so doing, it observes that procedural justice is context-dependent and thus a matter of perspective. Claimants' perspectives and procedural preferences vary depending on whether they view themselves as part of a group or a collective. Accordingly, this Article introduces a continuum for evaluating group cohesion and designates two new points along that continuum - "individuals-within-the-collective" and "group-oriented-individuals". It concludes by sketching some preliminary observations about tailoring process to meet the needs of these different plaintiffs and the inherent barriers to implementing procedural justice.


In a study of older adults and their travel patterns in Oregon, a statewide mail survey and telephone interviews were conducted with older drivers and older adults who had voluntarily chosen to stop driving. The purpose of the study was to determine: (1) the factors that influence driving cessation; (2) the physical and emotional barriers that delay driving cessation; (3) what opportunities exist for alternative transportation after driving cessation; (4) whether drivers make relocation decisions on the basis of driving cessation; (5) the warning signs that make a driver stop driving; and (6) whether a crisis situation generally forces a driver to stop driving. Completed mail surveys included those from 342 respondents who were current drivers (184 urban and 141 rural, plus 17 who did not report whether they lived in an urban or rural area) and 158 respondents who had voluntarily ceased driving (110 urban and 37 rural, plus 11 who did not report their urban/rural status). Telephone interviews were completed with 33 urban drivers, 36 rural drivers, 25 urban ceasers, and 6 rural ceasers. Changes in driving patterns, occurred gradually and late, mostly for respondents in their late 70's or early 80's. Among the results of the study was the finding that those most likely to have chosen to stop driving were older, depressed females in poorer health who were living in senior housing, using alternative transportation when available, making fewer trips, and seeing fewer limitations associated with using alternative transportation. Relocation to improve access to transportation alternatives was not seen by most respondents as a viable option. Because this study was a cross-sectional, not longitudinal, analysis, it was not possible to determine causality (e.g., to know whether people became depressed as a result of ceasing to drive or being depressed led them to cease driving, or to know whether poor health was the result or cause of driving cessation). Additional research is needed to establish causality, ideally following groups of individuals in particular age cohorts over time, including individuals forced to stop driving through the Medically-At-Risk Program. Such research would enable better understanding of the factors affecting driving decisions and the effects of those decisions, and help to signal possible strategies to implement to encourage the use of alternative transportation.


This book offers a critical survey of religious change and its causes in eighteenth-century Europe, and constitutes a challenge to the accepted views in traditional Enlightenment studies. Focusing on Enlightenment Italy, France and England, it illustrates how the canonical view of eighteenth-century religious change has in reality been constructed upon scant evidence and assumption, in particular the idea that the thought of the enlightened led to modernity. For, despite a lack of evidence, one of the fundamental assumptions of Enlightenment studies has been the assertion that there was a vibrant Deist movement which formed the "intellectual solvent" of the eighteenth century. The central claim of this book is that the immense ideological appeal of the traditional birth-of-modernity myth has meant that the actual lack of Deists has been glossed over, and a quite misleading historical view has become entrenched.


Surface and quantum confinement effects in one-dimensional systems such as ZnO nanowires are responsible for novel electrical properties, and can be exploited to tune electrical transport on the nanoscale. The investigation of new physical mechanisms for resistive switching can be fulfilled by studying metal/insulator/metal memristive devices that take advantage of the unique properties of one-dimensional nanoscale metal oxides. In particular, the mechanisms of resistive switching between multiple resistance states in such nanostructures can be associated with the variation of internal physical states. Here we demonstrate both experimentally and theoretically that core–shell structures based on polyacrylic acid coated ZnO nanowires exhibit a resistive switching behavior characterized by internal multiple resistance states, owing to the changes in surface states induced by redox reactions occurring at their surfaces. The introduction of a thin layer of polymer coating resulted in a resistive switching between more than two states. Specifically, the existence of two intermediate states in addition to the high and low resistance states was revealed during DC measurements in voltage sweep mode. All resistive states showed low variability over cycling. The mechanism of switching between multiple steps, as probed by density functional theory calculations, was associated with redox reactions involving species at the interface (e.g. methanal or hydroxyl groups), each characterized by a given redox potential. Therefore, multiple resistance states were induced by specific and stable threshold voltages, as shown experimentally.


We propose a margin-based loss for tuning joint vision-language models so that their gradient-based explanations are consistent with region-level annotations provided by humans for relatively smaller grounding datasets. We refer to this objective as Attention Mask Consistency (AMC) and demonstrate that it produces superior visual grounding results than previous methods that rely on using vision-language models to score the outputs of object detectors. Particularly, a model trained with AMC on top of standard vision-language modeling objectives obtains a state-of-the-art accuracy of 86.49% in the Flickr30k visual grounding benchmark, an absolute improvement of 5.38% when compared to the best previous model trained under the same level of supervision. Our approach also performs exceedingly well on established benchmarks for referring expression comprehension where it obtains 80.34% accuracy in the easy test of RefCOCO+, and 64.55% in the difficult split. AMC is effective, easy to implement, and is general as it can be adopted by any vision-language model, and can use any type of region annotations.


Social labels and categories are exercise in control. They describe opponents, create boundaries, exclude social groups, justify discrimination, and promote persecution. They are imbued with sociopolitical power. Muslims used labels, internally for the first time, during the formative period of the community to privilege the elite and marginalize dissenters. They called those who challenged the established order, Khawarij [Outsiders]. Today, Muslims living in Western societies are often labeled radical Islamic extremists. But aside from this politically charged phrase, even common adjectives, such as Islamic and Muslim, are misused. So in what contexts should these adjectives be appropriately used and why is it important to use social labels judicially?


Glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of primary brain tumor, is predominantly assessed with gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted (T1Gd) and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Pixel intensity enhancement on the T1Gd image is understood to correspond to the gadolinium contrast agent leaking from the tumor-induced neovasculature, while hyperintensity on the T2/FLAIR images corresponds with edema and infiltrated tumor cells. None of these modalities directly show tumor cells; rather, they capture abnormalities in the microenvironment caused by the presence of tumor cells. Thus, assessing disease response after treatments impacting the microenvironment remains challenging through the obscuring lens of MR imaging. Anti-angiogenic therapies have been used in the treatment of gliomas with spurious results ranging from no apparent response to significant imaging improvement with the potential for extremely diffuse patterns of tumor recurrence on imaging and autopsy. Anti-angiogenic treatment normalizes the vasculature, effectively decreasing vessel permeability and thus reducing tumor-induced edema, drastically altering T2-weighted MRI. We extend a previously developed mathematical model of glioma growth to explicitly incorporate edema formation allowing us to directly characterize and potentially predict the effects of anti-angiogenics on imageable tumor growth. A comparison of simulated glioma growth and imaging enhancement with and without bevacizumab supports the current understanding that anti-angiogenic treatment can serve as a surrogate for steroids and the clinically driven hypothesis that anti-angiogenic treatment may not have any significant effect on the growth dynamics of the overall tumor cell populations. However, the simulations do illustrate a potentially large impact on the level of edematous extracellular fluid, and thus on what would be imageable on T2/FLAIR MR. Additionally, by evaluating virtual tumors with varying growth kinetics, we see tumors with lower proliferation rates will have the most reduction in swelling from such treatments.


The prevailing form of international cooperation in the 20th century, known as liberal internationalism, is increasingly under attack. Based on multilateral treaties, often coupled to formal organizations, liberal internationalism has drawn fire from many quarters. Some critics argue that international organizations threaten national sovereignty and ought to be curtailed. Others claim that globalization and the rise of NGOs are eclipsing state power. In response, transgovernmentalists argue that while that liberal internationalism is dying, the state is here to stay. Much contemporary international cooperation is not international at all: rather, it is occurring among discrete, specialized domestic agencies. These "transgovernmental networks" are expanding rapidly, particularly in regulation. Proponents believe that networks are "the blueprint for the international architecture of the 21st century". This article assesses the future of international cooperation by examining transgovernmental networks and evaluating their relationship to liberal internationalism. My central claim is that networks are a significant development in international law, but one likely to supplement and strengthen, rather than supplant, liberal internationalism. I make four subsidiary claims. First, an empirical examination of three networks - in securities, competition, and environmental regulation - demonstrates that networks are active and growing. Second, I argue three factors are driving the evolution of networks: the expansion of domestic regulation, increased economic interdependence, and technological innovation. Third, while regulatory enforcement has been a key driver of networks, networks also promote the export of regulatory rules and practices from major powers to weaker states, which in turn promotes policy convergence. I offer a theory of this process which builds upon the insights of network economics. Fourth, and most importantly, the cooperation that networks foster and the convergence that they facilitate have important implications for liberal internationalism. Networks smooth the negotiation of new treaties. They act as gap-fillers where treaties are politically precluded. And by building bureaucratic capacity, networks can improve domestic regulation and thereby enhance treaty compliance and effectiveness. Put differently, there are good reasons to believe networks will make treaties more effective by making governments more effective.


Abstract. Ice core nitrate concentrations peak in the summer in both Greenland and Antarctica. Two nitrate concentration peaks in one annual layer have been observed some years in ice cores in Greenland from samples dating post-1900, with the additional nitrate peak occurring in the spring. The origin of the spring nitrate peak was hypothesized to be pollution transport from the mid-latitudes in the industrial era. We performed a case study on the origin of a spring nitrate peak in 2005 measured from a snowpit at Summit, Greenland, covering 3 years of snow accumulation. The effect of long-range transport of nitrate on this spring peak was excluded by using sulfate as a pollution tracer. The isotopic composition of nitrate (δ15N, δ18O and Δ17O) combined with photochemical calculations suggest that the occurrence of this spring peak is linked to a significantly weakened stratospheric ozone (O3) layer. The weakened O3 layer resulted in elevated UVB (ultraviolet-B) radiation on the snow surface, where the production of OH and NOx from the photolysis of their precursors was enhanced. Elevated NOx and OH concentrations resulted in enhanced nitrate production mainly through the NO2 + OH formation pathway, as indicated by decreases in δ18O and Δ17O of nitrate associated with the spring peak. We further examined the nitrate concentration record from a shallow ice core covering the period from 1772 to 2006 and found 19 years with double nitrate peaks after the 1950s. Out of these 19 years, 14 of the secondary nitrate peaks were accompanied by sulfate peaks, suggesting long-range transport of nitrate as their source. In the other 5 years, low springtime O3 column density was observed, suggesting enhanced local production of nitrate as their source. The results suggest that, in addition to direct transport of nitrate from polluted regions, enhanced local photochemistry can also lead to a spring nitrate peak. The enhanced local photochemistry is probably associated with the interannual variability of O3 column density in the Arctic, which leads to elevated surface UV radiation in some years. In this scenario, enhanced photochemistry caused increased local nitrate production under the condition of elevated local NOx abundance in the industrial era.


Throughout history people have altered the earth's air, water, and soil in order to survive and thrive as a species. The consequences are pervasive. In the United States, many meandering rivers and their oxbows are dredged into channelized, straight lines; remote mountain ranges, seen from 30,000 feet above, are crisscrossed with spider webs that must be roads (Devall 1993; Shankman 1996). Yellow-brown haze blurs many a horizon, burns the lungs, and can kill trees downwind with acidic precision. Rivers and aquifers become oversubscribed, and large cities such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Tucson negotiate allocations for water flow that may never materialize or be equitably distributed. Grass lawns, deciduous trees, and agricultural fields turn desert communities into replicas of other well-watered places and times. Domestic populations of dogs, cats, cows, and horses continue to replace the splendid variety of native wildlife. Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, and other once unsullied scenic areas suffer heavy burdens of tourist traffic, and campfire pollution and backpacker gridlock are common problems. High-technology logging and frequent high-fuel forest fires reduce national forests to scarred landscapes, and many national parks have become landscape zoos. Nature, if it exists in pure form at all, is under siege. Considering the exponential population growth worldwide during the past half-century, the extensive use of fossil fuels and hydroelectric power, the development of science, technology, and agriculture, the creation of new weaponry, and the complexity and scale of global pollution, intensive management of the "global village" has become both inevitable and nearly universal. Clearly, one of the most evident and inescapable human efforts to control nature is the manipulation of water. In the United States, almost all rivers and lakes are under some form of local, regional, or federal control. The most obvious examples of managed rivers are the Mississippi and the Colorado, but other river systems have also become important indicators of how waters will be managed in the next millennium. One of these is the Kissimmee River system in central Florida. The Kissimmee River system, originating at the headwaters near Orlando, comprises numerous lakes and two basins. The northern, or upper, basin encompasses approximately 1,595 square miles and is often referred to as the "Chain of Lakes" (Figure 1). The lower basin, encompassing approximately 684 square miles, contains Lake Kissimmee, which empties into the Kissimmee River. Before 1960 the Kissimmee River ran through a series of watery switchbacks for more than 103 miles and connected the Chain of Lakes with Lake Okeechobee, creating the headwaters for the entire Everglades ecosystem. A river teeming with largemouth bass and a mile-wide floodplain was a major stopping point for migratory birds on the Atlantic flyway. Ring-necked ducks, American widgeon, northern pintail, and blue-winged teal wintered along the Kissimmee. White and glossy ibis, herons, and egrets were common in the grassy, wet prairies and flooded lowlands of the lower Kissimmee basin. Groves of cypress, oaks, and other hardwoods provided nesting habitats for other birds. [Figure 1 ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] From 1900 to 1960 hurricanes caused flooding throughout the basin, and for months at a time the entire Kissimmee watershed resembled nothing so much as a large lake. Extensive flooding in 1945 and 1947 and a major hurricane in 1953 threatened sprawling conurbations that had located in the floodplain. After repeated damage to personal property, the Florida congressional delegation urged the U.S. Congress to provide federal aid to the region for flood control. The delegation's successful effort resulted in the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control Project of 1948. Consequently, between 1961 and 1971 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers transformed the Kissimmee River into a straight, fifty-six-mile-long, thirty-foot-deep ditch for flood control (Figure 2). …


Abstract : Design of Customer Relationship Management Web-Base Application for PT Bank Internasional Indonesia, Tbk. branch of Pontianak. This study aims to to develop an CRM application to provide the best services to their customers, and than to ccommodate some complaints from the customers, and manage relationships with customers in order that the customer loyalty is remains awake and does not switch to another bank. Designing CRM begins with identifying the needs of the system, and than created the system design with UML diagrams. The result is an web-based application of CRM that has the facility to manage customer data, banking product display, and display the frequently ask questions FAQ). It also includes complete customers personal data which includes date of birth, hobbies and habits of the customer must be clearly understood by the CSO or relationship officer to support services exclusively to customers who have given a major contribution to the BII branch of Pontianak.  Keywords : customer relationship management, web-based application, customer services


This article presents a dynamic heterogeneous-agent life-cycle model with housing demand to evaluate the economic implications of reforming US state and local personal tax structures. Because of the extensive reliance of state and local governments on income, sales, and property tax revenue, those three taxes are explicitly modeled to generate a baseline and varied to evaluate alternative policy proposals. The results of the model show that the sales tax burden falls evenly across the distribution of income earners, while the property tax burden falls more heavily on the highest income earners. By design, the model's income tax is progressive, so the tax burden shares rise with income. Results also show that the property tax generally improves utilitarian social welfare relative to income and sales taxation, but the magnitude of these gains depends on the availability of a state and local tax deduction on federal income taxes.


Accurately mapping freshwater habitats and biodiversity at high-resolutions across the globe is essential for assessing the vulnerability and threats to freshwater organisms and prioritizing conservation efforts. Since the 2000s, extensive efforts have been devoted to mapping global freshwater habitats (rivers, lakes, and wetlands), the spatial representa tion of which has changed dramatically over time with new geospatial data products and improved remote sensing technologies. Some of these mapping efforts, however, are still coarse representations of actual conditions. Likewise, the resolution and scope of global freshwater biodiversity compilation efforts have also increased, but are yet to mirror the spatial resolution and fidelity of mapped freshwater environments. In our synopsis, we find that efforts to map freshwater habitats have been conducted indepen dently of those for freshwater biodiversity; subsequently, there is little congruence in the spatial representation and resolution of the two efforts. We suggest that global spe cies distribution models are needed to fill this information gap; however, limiting data on habitat characteristics at scales that complement freshwater habitats has prohibited global high-resolution biogeography efforts. Emerging research trends, such as mapping habitat alteration in freshwater ecosystems and trait biogeography, show great prom ise in mechanistically linking global anthropogenic stressors to freshwater biodiversity decline and extinction risk.


Public access to computers and the Internet can play an important role in social and economic development if it effectively helps to meet the needs of underserved populations. Public access venues such as libraries, telecentres and cybercafés are sometimes free, and sometimes charge user fees. User fees can be an important barrier to use of public access venues, especially among underserved communities in developing countries. This paper analyzes the role of user fees and other critical barriers in the use of computers in public access venues in 25 developing countries around the world. Results of this study suggest that digital literacy of staff and local relevance of content may be more important than fees in determining user preference for public access venues. These findings are important to public libraries, which tend to offer free services, but where perceptions of digital literacy of staff and locally relevant content tend to be lowest, compared to telecentres and cybercafés, according to the results of this study. More attention to digital literacy of staff and availability of locally relevant content may be more important than free services to meet the information needs of underserved populations.


Summary. This study examines the reproductive success of men and women in rural Ethiopia as a function of their marital status, specifically by comparing polygamously and monogamously married individuals. In line with predictions from evolutionary theory, polygamy is beneficial to male reproductive success (i.e. producing larger numbers of surviving offspring). The success of polygamously married females depends on wife rank: the first wives of polygamous husbands do better than monogamously married women and much better than second or third wives. These effects are mirrored in child nutritional status: the children of second and third wives have lower weight for height. Due to potential, largely unmeasurable differences in marriageability (quality) between individuals, it was not possible to support a model of either resource-holding polygyny combined with female choice or female coercion into unwanted marriages. First wives of polygamously married men marry at a younger age and attract a higher brideprice, suggesting that both the males and females in the marriage are likely to be of higher quality (due to wealth, family status or some other factor such as beauty). Unions that end up monogamous are likely to be between slightly lower quality individuals; and second and third wives, who marry at the oldest ages and attract the lowest brideprice, may be 'making the best of a bad job'. The relatively long gap between first and second marriages may mean that first wives of highly marriageable males can enjoy considerable reproductive success before their husbands marry again.


During face perception, we integrate facial expression and eye gaze to take advantage of their shared signals. For example, fear with averted gaze provides a congruent avoidance cue, signaling both threat presence and its location, whereas fear with direct gaze sends an incongruent cue, leaving threat location ambiguous. It has been proposed that the processing of different combinations of threat cues is mediated by dual processing routes: reflexive processing via magnocellular (M) pathway and reflective processing via parvocellular (P) pathway. Because growing evidence has identified a variety of sex differences in emotional perception, here we also investigated how M and P processing of fear and eye gaze might be modulated by observer's sex, focusing on the amygdala, a structure important to threat perception and affective appraisal. We adjusted luminance and color of face stimuli to selectively engage M or P processing and asked observers to identify emotion of the face. Female observers showed more accurate behavioral responses to faces with averted gaze and greater left amygdala reactivity both to fearful and neutral faces. Conversely, males showed greater right amygdala activation only for M‐biased averted‐gaze fear faces. In addition to functional reactivity differences, females had proportionately greater bilateral amygdala volumes, which positively correlated with behavioral accuracy for M‐biased fear. Conversely, in males only the right amygdala volume was positively correlated with accuracy for M‐biased fear faces. Our findings suggest that M and P processing of facial threat cues is modulated by functional and structural differences in the amygdalae associated with observer's sex.


There are shortly described results of the analysis of variations in the location and intensity of the auroral electrojets during magnetic storms and substorms using a numerical method for estimating the equivalent ionospheric currents based on data from meridian chains of magnetic observatories. It is shown that the westward electrojet adjoins to the polar electrojet located at cusp latitudes in the dayside sector. The association of electrojets with the field-aligned currents (FACs), namely Region 1 FAC and Region 2 FAC is considered. During intense disturbances a Region 3 FAC (accompanied with diffuse electron precipitation from the plasma sheet boundary layer) with the downward current was identified. The analysis of observational data is summarized in terms of 2D time-latitude distribution of electrojets at ionospheric altitudes. The magnetic field sawtooth variations generated during the storm main and early recovery phases are also discussed. To follow 3D currents in the magnetosphere- ionosphere system a clarified view of interrelated 3D currents and magnetospheric plasma domains is presented.


MDS matrices are used in the design of diffusion layers in many block ciphers and hash functions due to their optimal branch number. But MDS matrices, in general, have costly implementations. So in search for efficiently implementable MDS matrices, there have been many proposals. In particular, circulant, Hadamard, and recursive MDS matrices from companion matrices have been widely studied. In a recent work, recursive MDS matrices from sparse DSI matrices are studied, which are of interest due to their low fixed cost in hardware implementation. In this paper, we present results on the exhaustive search for (recursive) MDS matrices over GL(4, F2). Specifically, circulant MDS matrices of order 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; Hadamard MDS matrices of order 4, 8; recursive MDS matrices from companion matrices of order 4; recursive MDS matrices from sparse DSI matrices of order 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 are considered. It is to be noted that the exhaustive search is impractical with a naive approach. We first use some linear algebra tools to restrict the search to a smaller domain and then apply some space-time trade-off techniques to get the solutions. From the set of solutions in the restricted domain, one can easily generate all the solutions in the full domain. From the experimental results, we can see the (non) existence of (involutory) MDS matrices for the choices mentioned above. In particular, over GL(4, F2), we provide companion matrices of order 4 that yield involutory MDS matrices, circulant MDS matrices of order 8, and establish the nonexistence of involutory circulant MDS matrices of order 6, 8, circulant MDS matrices of order 7, sparse DSI matrices of order 4 that yield involutory MDS matrices, and sparse DSI matrices of order 5, 6, 7, 8 that yield MDS matrices. To the best of our knowledge, these results were not known before. For the choices mentioned above, if such MDS matrices exist, we provide base sets of MDS matrices, from which all the MDS matrices with the least cost (with respect to d-XOR and s-XOR counts) can be obtained. We also take this opportunity to present some results on the search for sparse DSI matrices over finite fields that yield MDS matrices. We establish that there is no sparse DSI matrix S of order 8 over F28 such that S8 is MDS.


China's 1911-12 Revolution, which overthrew a 2000-year succession of dynasties, is thought of primarily as a change in governmental style, from imperial to republican, traditional to modern. But given that the dynasty that was overthrown—the Qing—was that of a minority ethnic group that had ruled China's Han majority for nearly three centuries, and that the revolutionaries were overwhelmingly Han, to what extent was the revolution not only anti-monarchical, but also anti-Manchu? Edward Rhoads explores this provocative and complicated question in Manchus and Han, analyzing the evolution of the Manchus from a hereditary military caste (the "banner people") to a distinct ethnic group and then detailing the interplay and dialogue between the Manchu court and Han reformers that culminated in the dramatic changes of the early 20th century. Until now, many scholars have assumed that the Manchus had been assimilated into Han culture long before the 1911 Revolution and were no longer separate and distinguishable. But Rhoads demonstrates that in many ways Manchus remained an alien, privileged, and distinct group. Manchus and Han is a pathbreaking study that will forever change the way historians of China view the events leading to the fall of the Qing dynasty. Likewise, it will clarify for ethnologists the unique origin of the Manchus as an occupational caste and their shifting relationship with the Han, from border people to rulers to ruled. Winner of the Joseph Levenson Book Prize for Modern China, sponsored by The China and Inner Asia Council of the Association for Asian Studies


The view is widespread that there are just two options for the future of the Eurozone – either it is complemented by a fiscal union, or it will fall apart. In this paper, we discuss five possible elements of a fiscal union, of which three are in the centre of the current debate on fiscal union in the Eurozone. Second, we argue that the fiscal union will only work if political integration in Europe goes significantly beyond the current state of affairs. Third, we suggest an alternative approach, which places less emphasis on centralised fiscal policy coordination and focuses on financial sector reform, decentralised responsibility for government debt and sovereign debt restructurings in the case of fiscal crises.


Fresh volcanic glass is preserved throughout the extrusive section of the Troodos ophiolite, which indicates that the lavas have not been pervasively metamorphosed. Glass compositions reveal the existence of two major magma suites apparently corresponding to distinct stratigraphic intervals. The basal 400–500 m of the sequence consists of an andesite-dacite-rhyolite assemblage containing abundant hyaloclastites. The remainder of the section comprises a basalt–basaltic andesite assemblage with high MgO and low TiO 2 and total iron. The lower sequence is interpreted as an evolved arc-tholeiite suite; the upper has some similarities to boninitic lavas. The close association in time and space of these two suites is similar to that observed in the Mariana and Bonin arcs and suggests that all of the Troodos lavas were erupted in a subduction-zone environment, most probably in an incipient arc or fore-arc.


The discontinuous Galerkin method (DGM) is applied to a number of problems in computational electromagnetics. This is achieved by obtaining numerical solutions to Maxwell's equations using the DGM. The aim of these simulations is to highlight the strengths of the method while showing its resilience in handling problems other schemes may not be able to accurately model. Although no method will ever be the best choice for every problem in electromagnetics, the discontinuous Galerkin method is able to accurately approximate any problem, although the computational costs can make the scheme impractical for some. Like other time domain schemes, the DGM becomes inefficient on large domains where the solution contains small wavelengths. We demonstrate that all of the different types of boundary conditions in electromagnetic wave propagation can be implemented into the DGM. Reflection and transmission boundaries fit easily into the framework, whereas perfect absorption requires a more advanced technique known as the perfectly matched layer. We begin by simulating mirrors with several different geometries, and analyze how the DGM method performs, and how it offers a more complete evaluation of the behavior in this problem than some other methods. Since Maxwell's equations describe the macroscopic features of electromagnetics, our simulations are able to capture the wave features of electromagnetics, such as interference and diffraction. We demonstrate this by accurately modelling Young's double slit experiment, a classic experiment which features well understood interference and diffraction phenomena. We also extend the basic electromagnetic wave propagation simulations to include situations where the waves travel into new media. The formulation of the DGM for Maxwell's equations allows the numerical solutions to accurately resolve the features at the interface of two media as predicted by the Fresnel coefficients. This allows the DGM to model lenses and other sources of refraction. We predict that the DGM will become an increasingly valuable method for computational electromagnetics because of its wide range of applicability as well as the lack of undesirable features in the numerical solutions. Furthermore, the only limiting factor for applying DGM, its computational cost, will become less influential as computing power continues to increase, allowing us to apply the DGM to an increasing set of applications.


Abstract: Whereas soils in semiarid environments have received considerable attention, specific biogenic structures produced by the plants and animals that inhabit them are less well understood. Soils in a field site in the Santa Catalina Critical Zone Observatory in the semiarid Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona were investigated to develop a model to improve the interpretation of analogous paleosols and associated soil ecosystems in the geologic record. A flat plateau of desert scrubland was divided into thirty-six 4 m2 plots for description and study. Field methods included mapping of soil surfaces, imaging with ground-penetrating radar, casting of open burrows, description of soil trenches, and soil coring. Laboratory methods included analysis of soil bulk geochemistry, clay mineralogy, and thin sections as well as detailed descriptions of burrow casts. Soils included 10–40 cm thick Entisols and Aridisols with blocky peds, pervasive, coarse (3–5 mm) to very fine (< 1 mm) roots, and were dominated by the burrows of ground squirrels and ants, as well as those of various lizards, snakes, scorpions, spiders, centipedes, termites, and insect larvae. Burrow morphologies included small (< 1 cm) to large (> 1 cm) diameter simple vertical shafts, isolated ovoid chambers, subhorizontal tunnels, subvertical to subhorizontal networks of branching tunnels, and complex branching galleries. Bioturbation was concentrated in the upper 20 cm of the soil profile, whereas roots often extended to the base of the profile. Results from this study advance our understanding of the traces produced by different soil organisms and their impact on soil development in modern settings and will be valuable for the interpretation of the paleosols from semiarid environments in the rock record.


American hospitals are required to provide emergency medical care to the uninsured. We use previously confidential hospital financial data to study the resulting uncompensated care, medical care for which no payment is received. We use both panel-data methods and case studies from state-wide Medicaid disenrollments and find that the uncompensated care costs of hospitals increase in response to the size of the uninsured population. The results suggest that each additional uninsured person costs local hospitals $900 each year in uncompensated care. Similarly, the closure of a nearby hospital increases the uncompensated care costs of remaining hospitals. Increases in the uninsured population also lower hospital profit margins, which suggests that hospitals cannot simply pass along all increased costs onto privately insured patients. For-profit hospitals are less affected by these factors, suggesting that non-profit hospitals serve a unique role as part of the social insurance system.


ABSTRACT This study examines mutual fund performance around fund manager replacement and the timing of the decision to replace mutual fund managers. Fund manager replacement timing is explored to test whether quick actions by boards of directors mitigate the negative fund performance characteristics usually associated with manager replacement. The study includes data from 507 instances of replacement of an individual fund manager or the entire management team. While results match previous findings that returns improve and standard deviation falls following a manager change, several important new findings are also presented. In using a unique control sample of funds matched on prior period performance, net assets, and investment objective, it is shown that poorly performing managers who retain their positions actually improve fund performance to as great a degree as the new managers hired after a termination. Both groups experience improved returns and lower standard deviation of monthly return after the replacement date. Further, evidence indicates that for boards which decide to replace poorly performing managers, stronger boards are more likely to complete the replacement early in a period of underperf ormane e . That is, boards which have a larger percentage of independent directors and which are smaller tend to be associated with early terminations. INTRODUCTION Mutual funds experiencing poor performance often replace the fund manager in an effort to improve returns. Managers who are underperforming are therefore motivated to increase performance in order to retain their position. While this may initially appear to align managers' goals with those of shareholders, a deeper examination is required. Fund managers who are underperforming may feel a need to focus exclusively on short-term results, and therefore increase risk in a gamble to boost returns (Chevalier and Ellison (1997), Brown, Harlow, and Starks (1996)). If the gamble pays off, the manager may keep his position, while if the gamble fails, he only loses a position which he was destined to lose anyway. An underperforming manager who remains in place for several years may compound the severity of the problem, resulting in a trend of increasing risk, lower performance, and lower asset flows. Prior research has shown that performance and flows generally increase and risk decreases following a manager replacement (Chevalier and Ellison (1999), Khorana (1996) Khorana (2001)). The improvement is usually credited to the new manager. However, in this paper I compare funds which have changed managers to a matched set of funds which have not replaced managers in order to determine whether poorly performing funds which retain their managers also experience improved performance. This study is unique in determining a control group of funds with similar performance rather than comparing the "change" funds to a much broader control group based solely on investment objective. Therefore, the first question addressed in this paper is whether credit should be given the new manager or if there is a general mean reversion that occurs in underperforming funds over time. Results indicate that after the manger replacement date, performance, asset flows, and risk are very similar for the funds which replaced their managers and the control group. Excess objective returns approach 0 for both groups in the post-replacement period, a significant increase from negative excess objective returns prior to the manager change. Flows, which appear to follow lagged return, fall during the pre-replacement period, then also increase after the replacement date. Secondly, since prior studies have shown that a manager replacement is a positive event for a struggling fund, the timing of the decision to replace mutual fund managers is examined. I test whether more timely reactions by boards of directors mitigate the negative fund performance characteristics usually associated with manager replacement. …


In an attempt to find a less toxic and easily available oral hypoglycaemic agent,two herbs were selected. The oven-dried fruits Momordica charantia (M) and oven-dried
leaves Strobilanthes crispus (S) were incorporated into the feed of rats at 5% inclusion level.A total of 72, six weeks old male Sprague Dawley rats were used whereby eight rats
each were assigned to each group.The group receiving normal pellet served as the control (N) while diabetes mellitus was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of alloxan monohydrate.Thus,the groups of rats were as follows; control (N),Momordica only (M),Strobilanthes only (S) M plus S (MS), diabetic (D), D plus glibenclimide (DG),D plus M (DM),D plus S (DS) and D plus M plus S (DMS).The experiment was carried out for 24 weeks following one week period of acclimatasation. At all instances,water and feed were given ad libitum. The rats were monitored daily for the development of abnormal clinical signs.Body weight
was taken triweekly and simultaneously blood was also taken.
Blood taken were subject to glucose, malondialdehyde (MDA), gluthatione peroxidase (GSH-Px),superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) assays. At the end of the study, all rats were killed and the liver,kidney, heart, eye and pancreas were taken for histopathologic examination and scoring. Data obtained were subjected to the general linear model statistical (GLM) analysis.The study showed that alloxan was able to induce hyperglycaemia in rats. Likewise,
it was found that M and S were able to alleviate hyperglycaemic-induced injuries in rats.These includes a much lower blood glucose, decreased MDA levels, increased
GSH-Px and SOD activities and minimal tissue changes. The changes are more pronounced when both herbs were used in combination and is believed to act synergistically.The study also showed that MDA is a reliable and sensitive indicator of peroxidation status while GSH-Px and SOD are excellent biomarkers of antioxidant status.The prolong use of both herbs did not result in any deleterious effects in both the euglycaemic and hyperglycaemic groups


"The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs reveals the operating system behind any great presentation and provides you with a quick-start guide to design your own passionate interfaces with your audiences." Cliff Atkinson, author of Beyond Bullet Points and The Activist Audience Apple CEO Steve Jobs's wildly popular presentations have set a new global gold standard--and now this step-by-step guide shows you exactly how to use his crowd-pleasing techniques in your own presentations. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs is as close as you'll ever get to having the master presenter himself speak directly in your ear. Communications expert Carmine Gallo has studied and analyzed the very best of Jobs's performances, offering point-by-point examples, tried-and-true techniques, and proven presentation secrets that work every time. With this revolutionary approach, you'll be surprised at how easy it is to sell your ideas, share your enthusiasm, and wow your audience the Steve Jobs way. Watch Carmine Gallo describe how you can inspire, motivate, and lead your team to do "insanely great" things. "No other leader captures an audience like Steve Jobs does and, like no other book, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs captures the formula Steve uses to enthrall audiences." Rob Enderle, The Enderle Group "Now you can learn from the best there is both Jobs and Gallo. No matter whether you are a novice presenter or a professional speaker like me, you will read and reread this book with the same enthusiasm that people bring to their iPods." David Meerman Scott, bestselling author of The New Rules of Marketing & PR and World Wide Rave


Ecoregions are large mapped areas of hypothesized ecological uniformity that are delineated subjectively based on multiple physical and biological components. Ecoregion maps are seldom evaluated because suitable data sets are often lacking. Landsat imagery is a readily available, low-cost source of archived data that can be used to calculate the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), which is associated with seasonal and annual vegetation conditions. This paper reports on a study designed to test the use of NDVI as an integrating variable for detecting differences among mapped ecoregions and determine if NDVI was associated with biological components within ecoregions using USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) field data. Published 1.1 km resolution georeferenced NDVI imagery was obtained at the beginning (June 22) and end (September 23) of the summer growing season for 11 years (1989-1999). Public domain GIS software (WinDisp4) was used to determine NDVI values at 5,399 georeferenced, forested plot locations in Kentucky and Tennessee that are periodically inventoried by FIA. Plots were grouped by ecoregions of various scale and tested for significant differences. Analysis of variance revealed significant (P< 0.001) differences in mean NDVI between the two macro-scale ecoregions (divisions) and among most of the next lower ecological units (provinces). Regression analysis indicated that NDVI was associated (P< 0.01) with season of sampling, elevation, and forest stand basal area of the inventory plots. At the ecoregion analysis scale, NDVI values consistently increased with higher elevation and forest basal area at the plot locations. We concluded that NDVI determined at FIA plot locations has potential for testing differences among ecoregions. Satellite imagery has often been used to determine classification accuracy within small mapped ecosystems; results from our study suggest that imagery may also be used to test for hypothesized overall differences between large mapped ecosystems.


Ivan Puig and Andres Padilla Domene (Los Ferronautas) built their striking silver road-rail SEFT-1 vehicle to explore the abandoned passenger railways of Mexico and Ecuador, capturing their journeys in videos, photographs and collected objects.

In their first London exhibition, SEFT-1 Abandoned Railways Exploration Probe: Modern Ruins 1:220, commissioned by Rob La Frenais and Nicola Triscott, Arts Catalyst and presented in partnership with Furtherfield Gallery, in the heart of Finsbury Park, the artists explore how the ideology of progress is imprinted onto historic landscapes and reflect on the two poles of the social experience of technology - use and obsolescence.

Between 2010 and 2012, the artists travelled across Mexico and Ecuador in the SEFT-1 (Sonda de Exploracion Ferroviaria Tripulada or Manned Railway Exploration Probe). In a transdisciplinary art project, they set out to explore disused railways as a starting point for reflection and research, recording the landscapes and infrastructure, stories and testimonials around and between cities. Interviewing people they met, often from communities isolated by Mexico's passenger railway closures, they shared their findings online, http://www.seft1.com, where audiences could track the probe's trajectory, view maps and images and listen to interviews.

The artists' journeys led them to the notion of modern ruins: places and systems left behind quite recently, not because they weren't functional, but for a range of political and economical reasons. In the second half of the 19th century, the Mexican government partnered with British companies to built the railway line that would connect Mexico City with the Atlantic Ocean – and beyond to Europe. This iconic railway infrastructure now lies in ruins, much of it abandoned due to the privatisation of the railway system in 1995, when many passenger trains were withdrawn, lines cut off and communities isolated.

For this new exhibition, the artists are inviting British expert model railway constructors to collaborate by creating scale reproductions of specific Mexican railway ruins, originally built by British companies, exactly as they are now. One gallery becomes a space for the process of model ruin construction. The room's walls will show the pictures, documents, plans and other materials used as reference for the meticulously elaborated ruin construction. With this action a dystopian time tunnel is created.


The pathophysiology of psychosis and other forms of severe mental illness in HIV infection is complex, and multifactorial causation is likely in most instances. Severe mental illness has been identified as a risk factor for the acquisition of HIV infection and occurs as both a manifestation of opportunistic infections and a result of the neurotropic effects of the virus. A full psychiatric assessment in people living with HIV / AIDS (PLWHA) presenting with psychosis is important but may prove difficult in many parts of South Africa. This paper presents a variety of algorithms to simplify the assessment and management of an HIV-infected patient with psychosis.


Recently, a novel class of Approximate Policy Iteration (API) algorithms have demonstrated impressive practical performance (e.g., ExIt from [1], AlphaGo-Zero from [2]). This new family of algorithms maintains, and alternately optimizes, two policies: a fast, reactive policy (e.g., a deep neural network) deployed at test time, and a slow, non-reactive policy (e.g., Tree Search), that can plan multiple steps ahead. The reactive policy is updated under supervision from the non-reactive policy, while the non-reactive policy is improved with guidance from the reactive policy. In this work we study this Dual Policy Iteration (DPI) strategy in an alternating optimization framework and provide a convergence analysis that extends existing API theory. We also develop a special instance of this framework which reduces the update of non-reactive policies to model-based optimal control using learned local models, and provides a theoretically sound way of unifying model-free and model-based RL approaches with unknown dynamics. We demonstrate the efficacy of our approach on various continuous control Markov Decision Processes.


The cell wall of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and related genera is unique among prokaryotes, consisting of a covalently bound complex of mycolic acids,d-arabinan and d-galactan, which is linked to peptidoglycan via a special linkage unit consisting of Rhap-(1→3)-GlcNAc-P. Information concerning the biosynthesis of this entire polymer is now emerging with the promise of new drug targets against tuberculosis. Accordingly, we have developed a galactosyltransferase assay that utilizes the disaccharide neoglycolipid acceptors β-d-Galf-(1→5)-β-d-Galf-O-C10:1and β-d-Galf-(1→6)-β-d-Galf-O-C10:1, with UDP-Gal in conjunction with isolated membranes. Chemical analysis of the subsequent reaction products established that the enzymatically synthesized products contained both β-d-Galflinkages ((1→5) and (1→6)) found within the mycobacterial cell, as well as in an alternating (1→5) and (1→6) fashion consistent with the established structure of the cell wall. Furthermore, through a detailed examination of the M. tuberculosisgenome, we have shown that the gene product of Rv3808c, now termed glfT, is a novel UDP-galactofuranosyltransferase. This enzyme possesses dual functionality in performing both (1→5) and (1→6) galactofuranosyltransferase reactions with the above neoglycolipid acceptors, using membranes isolated from the heterologous host Escherichia coli expressing Rv3808c. Thus, at a biochemical and genetic level, the polymerization of the galactan region of the mycolyl-arabinogalactan complex has been defined, allowing the possibility of further studies toward substrate recognition and catalysis and assay development. Ultimately, this may also lead to a more rational approach to drug design to be explored in the context of mycobacterial infections.


Energy production has become one of the key problems in the recent years. Hungary is lacking fossil fuels, but could play a leading role of biomass utilization in Europe. In the concept of biomass not only main-, but by-products (e.g. grape) are be included. Since farmers face a variety of difficulties in disposing of garpe from plantation sites it would be beneficial to encourage grape use in energy production. In our opinion due to varying transportation costs it is crucial to investigate the amount of potentially usable grape both for the whole country and in local township levels. Our economic studies were done on the Szentantalfa Township's Balatonfured-Csopak Vine Region. According to our findings the total amount of grape generated in the township theoretically amounts to 5.28 TJ exploitable that would operate a 360 kW boiler for a whole heating period (6 months). In our opinion the appearance of local energy production based on grape could significantly raise the ability of the future potential income of townships.


Sensing in forest area is the most widely used application concerning investigation studies of climate change. Wireless sensor networks with spatially scattered sensors enable the application to record climate change disturbance detecting condition changes in temperature, humidity, sound, wind, etc. The highly automated method herein can pass the observed information bi-directionally to the system sink, empowering sensor activity control. It is common knowledge that a multisensor environment has hundreds or thousands of sensor nodes connected. With recent innovations, the remarkable challenge faced in a multisensor climate is to rapidly acquire specific information from a reliable route exhibiting high data accuracy. This proposed ADKF-DT-MF algorithm for multisensor data fusion combines sensor information in-continuous time, providing a rapid information exchange on climate change for environmental awareness. The findings significantly show a better RMSE of 0.85 than the previous results reported in the literature MHT-EnKF. The quality of estimation was explored, calculating the best costs, ensuring an increase in data fusion accuracy for active awareness. The tests on simulated data applying fuzzy membership optimization function show improvement in the ADKF-DT-MF multisensor fusion system's performance.


I wasn't very popular when I was thirteen years old. I was plump and I had a mousy-brown afro precisely in the era when afros weren't fashionable. I was also unmistakably, overtly, Queer, a fact which was blindingly obvious to the tougher boys and nastier girls, but which I was only beginning to realise. Until then I thought it was perfectly okay to turn up to a fancy dress party in your mum's old bridesmaid dress and to read romance comics during little lunch. In this transition to a greater self-knowing, as part of the instinctive dance of teenage tribalism, I drifted towards the other outcasts, the fat girls, the red-headed and the variously sexually aberrant who all spent their leisure time avoiding random acts of violence in the schoolyard. In 1983 students were only moderately worse bullies than teachers and there was little respite for those who stood out...


Over the past several decades, pioneering biophysics work has shown that living tissues interact with electric and magnetic fields in unexpected and dramatic ways. From initial anecdotal accounts of enhanced healing under electromagnetic stimulation, research in this field has progressed to a sophisticated arsenal of investigative tools and theoretical models which include polarized light microscopy to study the liquid crystal properties of living cells and laser-excitation of DNA to induce hybridization through non-molecular information transfer. In almost all cases, the results point to a set of remarkable properties of living tissues, and in particular of genetic material: the emerging picture is that of biosystems as sources and domains of coherent electromagnetic fields, which account for practically instantaneous inter-cellular communication and a highly efficient mechanism of energy utilization, and which seem to reflect very closely the developmental and patho-physiological state of the organism. In addition, a wide spectrum of genetic mechanisms now appears to be under the influence of surrounding electromagnetic fields. At the same time, an impressive number of studies in the areas of parapsychology and mind-body medicine converge to show that conscious intent can affect practically every single type of genetic program, as well as many physiological parameters [1]. These studies also show that such effects can be produced from great distances, and that occasionally they are accompanied by unusual energy signatures. Is there a correlation between the effects of electromagnetic fields and those of mental intent on genetic regulation and living tissues? This paper will discuss the major experimental evidence and proposed mechanisms of these interactions, as well as the principal obstacles lying in the way of a viable, comprehensive theory. At the same time, we will attempt to formulate several preliminary hypotheses based on this evidence and to sketch some possible directions for future research in this field.


We report pyrrhotite, anhydrite and dolomite crystal rods in fluorapatite occurring in silicate-bearing carbonate rocks associated with UH P eclogites in the Tromso Nappe of the Scandinavian Caledonides in Norway. The apatite-rich rock (up to 10 vol. %) is composed of Mg-rich calcite-dolomite exsolutions, almandine-grossular garnet, low-jadeite clinopyroxene, magnesiohornblende, phlogopite, and accessory minerals represented mainly by zircon, Fe-Ti oxides and allanite. Fluorapatite occurring as euhedral crystals in the carbonate matrix and as inclusions in garnet and clinopyroxene shows up to 45 mol. % of the hydroxylapatite component, traces of CO 3 2− , probably CN − and small amounts of the britholite and ellestadite components. Pyrrhotite occurs as crystallographically oriented rods parallel to the c axis of the host hydroxyl-bearing fluorapatite either as a dense trellis or in the form of scarce inclusions. Precipitation of pyrrhotite in the fluorapatite was probably facilitated by a volatile sulphur phase ( e.g ., H 2 S), which was enclosed within the apatite nano-channels and interacted with Fe in apatite. Anhydrite and dolomite rods have also been identified in the apatite, pointing to the presence of HCO 3 − in the fluids. The anhydrite is also trapped by exsolved dolomite from calcite in the carbonate matrix. Crystallisation of anhydrite, and probably also the associated pyrrhotite, at about 550–650°C was deduced from calcite–dolomite thermometry. At these amphibolite-facies, post-UH P conditions rapid pyrrhotite precipitation in the host apatite is presumed. Relaxation of the fluorapatite structure in the a -axis direction during decompression facilitated the formation of the oriented inclusions in apatite.


Tree and shrub integration has been promoted as a means of enhancing rural livelihoods through sustaining watershed provision of services and products, especially in Ethiopia. However, research to support this effort has been limited. This study was conducted in Borodo watershed in central Ethiopia, to identify constraints to the process of tree and shrub integration in the watersheds. A household survey was conducted, supplemented with focus group discussions (FGDs), key informant interview and field observations. A total of 31tree and 11 shrub species were identified in different niches in the watershed. The key constraints to tree and shrub species integration included shortage of arable land, soil cracking, free grazing, lack of seedlings of desired species and water-logging. The main catalysts to the integration were availability of information on improved integration and cash for investment in the required activities, easy land certification and market opportunity for tree and shrub products. The tree and shrub growing niches preferred by farmers were homesteads (95.5%), gully sides (67.4%), stream sides (61.8%) road sides (60.7%), and crop land (12.4%). It is essential to address the factors that hinder tree and shrub species integration at various growing niche so as to improve the availability of tree products and services. Moreover, the capacity of farmers should be upgraded through training and demonstration of best tree planting, management and utilisation practices.


The study of hot band microstructure and texture during the hot rolling process is of
great importance within the general context of texture development during
thermomechanical material processing. In this thesis work, the microstructure and
texture after hot rolling of several low carbon steel grades (LC, ELC, ULC, B-ULC
and IF) are of interest. Hot band characterization is meant to be made on the basis of
the influence of parameters such as finishing rolling temperature (FRT), strain at the
last pass, and chemical composition. Regarding the microstructural characterization,
the grain size characterization is addressed. Optical microscopy (OM) together with
the AnalySIS auto image post-processing software are used. In the second part of the
work, texture development for the ELC and ULC steels is further investigated by
means of XRD.
A correlation between the chemistry and the hot band grain size is established based
for the several grades of interest. However, the effect of parameters such as FRT,
strain at the last pass could not be clearly determined. The behaviour of the austenite
can be traced back by the resulting transformation textures after cooling.
The measured textures for the ELC and ULC materials could not make it possible to
determine the behaviour of the austenite during the hot deformation. The effect of the
reduction in the last rolling pass is also investigated.


Postgraduate education in China bears the dual mission of "high-end talent supply" and "scientific and technological innovation" as delegated by the Ministry of Education of China (2017). Improve the quality of postgraduate student training and management is essential for Chinese universities to meet this requirement. This paper investigates the practical effectiveness of using a specially designed, internationally collaborative research training workshop to enhance new Chinese postgraduate students' scientific literacy and self-efficacy. The research results show that the workshop, which integrates seminar presentations and both individual and group-based student activities, is of practical significance for improving the experiences of first-year postgraduate students. The findings indicate the application of enactive mastery and vicarious learning strategies in research training workshop effectively boost students' motivation, confidence and feeling of accomplishment at their early research career, and can provide ongoing benefits to support Chinese students to further develop research skills and capabilities. The positive findings in this exploratory study can inform future research projects to examine the transferability of this research training workshop model in the broader Chinese higher education context.


Linearly combined order statistic (LCOS) constant false-alarm rate (CFAR) detectors are examined for efficient and robust threshold estimation applied to exponentially distributed background observations for improved detection. Two optimization philosophies have been employed to determine the weighting coefficients of the order statistics. The first method optimizes the coefficients to obtain efficient estimates of clutter referred to the censored maximum likelihood (CML) and best linear unbiased (BLU) CFAR detectors. The second optimization involves maximizing the probability of detection under Swerling II targets and is referred to as the most powerful linear (MPL) CFAR detector. The BLU-CFAR detector assumes no knowledge of the target distribution in contrast to the MPL-CFAR detector which requires partial knowledge of the target distribution. The design of these CFAR detectors and the probability of detection performance are mathematically analyzed for background observations having homogeneous and heterogeneous distributions wherein the trade-offs between robustness and detection performance are illustrated. >


Enterprise resource planning systems are adopted to improve productivity and overall business performance in organizations. Implementation of these systems requires considerable financial and labour investment and therefore, the managers must understand the benefits of the system and the aspects of the system which need improvement. An approach to evaluate and track an ERP system's success in corporate organizations is therefore, important. In this study, the success of ERP system is measured through the Ifinedo model and a comparison between private and public organizations is made. Interviews conducted by the researchers introduce factors influencing ERP implementation success in organizations. In addition, to understand why some organizations have achieved more ERP success than others, questionnaire responses to some identified critical success factors for ERP implementation are analyzed.


Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a unique cerebrovascular disease characterized initially by an obliterative vasculopathy followed by a compensatory proliferative vasculopathy. Coined by Suzuki and Takaku in 1969, the term moyamoya (MM) refers to a "puff of smoke" like appearance of small collaterals seen traversing the basal ganglia and thalamus, in response to progressive stenosis and occlusion of supraclinoid internal carotid artery. The natural history is unclear but is generally one of the gradual progressions. The etiopathogenesis of MMD is unknown, but the syndromic form may be associated with certain genetic conditions, such as Down's syndrome and neurofibromatosis, and may occur following cranial radiation. The clinical manifestations are predominantly ischemic and usually confined to the anterior circulation. Hemorrhagic presentation is less common and occurs more often in adults. Similarly, posterior circulation may get involved in later stages. Treatment is essentially surgical, and a combined revascularization strategy involving a direct superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery anastomosis along with a pial synangiosis provides a reasonable stroke-free survival. Considerable controversy exists on the etiopathogensis, diagnostic guidelines, management protocols, ideal surgical approach, and the role of surgery in hemorrhagic MMD. This review attempts to summarize the current advances of MMD on the aspects of epidemiology, etiology, clinical features, imaging diagnosis, and treatment.