The recent increase in the number of students classified as English language learners (ELLs) has focused significant attention on reclassification policy, which governs the process by which ELLs move toward, and are deemed to reach, full English proficiency. In this paper, we draw on a data set containing annual individual‐level records for every Wisconsin student ever classified as an ELL between the 2006–07 and 2012–13 school years to estimate the effects of being reclassified at the end of 10th grade—a crucial period on the pathway to postsecondary education—on several measures related to students' postsecondary attainments. We estimate these effects in a regression discontinuity framework, exploiting Wisconsin's policy rule that automatically reclassifies ELLs who score above a specified cutoff on the state's English language proficiency exam. Our analysis indicates that being reclassified as fully English proficient in 10th grade has a positive effect on students' ACT scores. It also provides some evidence of a positive effect on high school graduation and the probability of enrolling in a postsecondary institution the fall after graduation. Together, our analyses provide evidence on the effects of a policy directly relevant to the country's fastest growing student population, and we close the paper with a discussion of the implications for research and policy.


The authors empirically test the cross-sectional relationship between hiring discrimination and labor market tightness at the level of the occupation. To this end, they conduct a correspondence test in the youth labor market. In line with theoretical expectations, results show that, compared to natives, candidates with a foreign-sounding name are equally often invited to a job interview if they apply for occupations for which vacancies are difficult to fill; but, they have to send out twice as many applications for occupations for which labor market tightness is low. Findings are robust to various sensitivity checks.


Pseudomonas aeruginosa an opportunistic pathogen of clinical importance has been associated with infections in intensive care units worldwide. This study seeks to evaluate its susceptibility pattern over a five-year period in line with the recommended regional monitoring. Isolates were those of obtained from patients in intensive care units. Bacteria isolation was by basic bacteriological and biochemical methods. The VITEK 2 compact automated system (BioMerieux, Marcy L'Etoile, France) was used for ID confirmation and antimicrobial susceptibility assay. Data was analysed and represented as percentages as well as mean percentage ± standard error of mean (SEM). A total of 580 samples were used for the investigation. Fifty two percent (52%) of them were from males while 48% were from females. Age distribution data shows that P. aeruginosa infection was seen to be more associated in patients within the age range of 51 y and above with a total incidence was 81.25%. Colistin maintained 100% sensitivity to this bacterium throughout the duration of the study. However, for the beta lactam agents, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides and tigecycline, there was a decline in sensitivity from 70.4% in 2013 to 33.1% in 2017. Consequently, there was an observed growing resistance to anti-Pseudomonal drugs, from 14.7% in 2013 to 50.8% in 2017, representing a 3.5 fold increase that is alarming. Also, the mean MAR index of the antibiotic susceptibility was 0.43. The obtained results point to possibility of the isolates originating from a high risk source of contamination region where there high antibiotics use.


Information on farm incomes and expenditure patterns for the eight year period 1968-69 to 1975-76 was collected in a survey of 102 farm businesses. Average gross farm earnings varied by up to $20,000 over the period, with marked variations in individual enterprise earnings also being observed. Spending on farm current costs, investment and livestock and consumption closely followed the trends in incomes. A summary of the data collected for 90 of the 102 farm businesses is presented.


The rapid growth of technology allows tertiary-level education to develop alternative ways of instruction to effectively support student learning. Although a face-to-face class is still powerful, online learning has been advocated as an innovative instructional way to confront constraints such as distance, time, space, and diverse student characteristics. This article introduces a brief overview of online threaded discussion (OTD) in a blended course in physical education teacher education (PETE), and provides insights into how to effectively design, manage, and teach online courses. In particular, contextual information that relates to a specific university, PETE program, course, and students are discussed in this article. Second, the blended model and OTD implemented by the authors are introduced. Finally, the article discusses the blended model's contributions, issues, and strategies, and provides implications for physical educators to improve their online courses in higher education settings.


The ability to successfully manage interfirm alliances is acknowledged as a sustainable source of competitive advantage. However, alliances pose significant management challenges because the danger of serious conflict and opportunism is always present. Thus an integrated understanding of which capabilities allow firms to successfully manage co-marketing alliances is necessary. We address this gap and conceptualize co-marketing capability, develop a new scale for its measurement, and explore its relationship to alliance performance. Drawing on in-depth interviews with marketing alliance managers and a survey of 287 chief marketing officers, we empirically show that co-marketing capability substantially contribute to marketing alliance success


We show how to minimize the asymptotic variance of multipower estimators using a linear combination of optimal powers. Taking advantage of the lower variance provided by this technique allows to build superior estimators of integrated volatility powers. In particular, we focus on a new efficient quarticity estimator and we show, using simulated data, that we can drastically reduce the mean square error of traditional estimators. The implementation on US stock prices corroborates our theoretical findings and further shows that efficient quarticity noticeably reduces the number of detected jumps, and improves the quality of volatility forecasts.


Quantum theory does not have a mechanism that explains how Nature implements probabilities. Thus, the main objective of this paper is to present new directions for the photonics research for the control of photon localization from probabilistic properties, and another step towards a probability field theory. The expectation is to improve photon collection and loss mitigation. The paper delves into the physics of photon probability control to explain the basis for the 4 new proposed experiments. It is known that photons are not affected by the presence of electric or magnetic fields. Therefore, an alternative question is, can photon probabilities be controlled? Probability control means vectoring and modulation. Vectoring is the control of the direction of localization, and modulation is the control of the distance to localization. This paper proposes a control mechanism by rethinking the foundations of quantum theory, using (i) a modified Schrodinger wave function, (ii) a new structure for particle design, (iii) the existence of subspace (x, y, zand no t), (iv) that all particles consists of a disc of the modified Schrodinger or the probabilistic wave function, orthogonal to the particle's motion vector and (v) all other particle properties (e.g. electromagnetic wave, charge, mass, etc.) are added to this structure. The shape of the new probabilistic wave function is very close to that of the Schrodinger wave function. It is proposed that probabilities can be controlled by altering the electric and magnetic field densities, as probabilities are function the electric and magnetic fields. Thus, a new formula for the Airy Pattern. Modified Airy Pattern experiments are proposed to confirm these findings. These include measuring the photon's electric field amplitude, the electric fields in materials, using the Airy Pattern to filter photons by their phase. The new theoretical results confirm that probability is a function of the wavelength. Finally, more than 4 experiments are proposed.


Early Cretaceous condensed successions containing both phosphorite and glauconite occur in South-Eastern France. During the late phase of rifting this area was part of the Helvetic shelf; shallow water and the dominant westward current system allowed the formation of a large upwelling-affected area along the northern margin of Tethys. This peculiar situation generated the condition for condensed sedimentation. A stratigraphical analysis has been performed in order to define the internal organization of the succession and the evolution of the sedimentary environment. Hauterivian deposits directly overlay Upper Valanginian limestones. The succession can be divided into four similar units, showing a repetitive internal structure. Each unit is formed by a hardground layer (polyphasic, phosphate-rich, and bioclastic) followed by a detritic bed, formed through the erosion and winnowing of the hardground itself and by the re-deposition into a more proximal environment; reworked clasts are welded by a glauconite-rich matrix. The top of each unit is formed by a mainly glauconitic rock (glauconite-rich sandstone) followed by open shelf limestones. The investigated succession is sealed by an Upper Cretaceous turbiditic unit. The genesis of the condensed beds can be related to an inner shelf margin origin, close to the slope. The presence of phosphate and glauconite suggests a peculiar environment, including the occurrence of an upwelling current affecting normal marine condition with the establishment of a minimum oxygen zone; the persistance of this caused reduced deposition during transitory periods of the Early Cretaceous, here reported as «condensation events». The lithological variety within each condensation event (of Valanginian to Albian age) is interpreted as the result of eustatic changes upon the same upwelling-affecled environment. Each phosphate hardground, associated with a highstand phase, is followed by early regression deposits and by glauconite in all the above described units. Hardground levels have been compared to similar horizons belonging to the Eastern Swiss Helvetic shelf, and to the Ligurian Brianconnais. Analogous ages and depositional similarities have been found for these layers in different domains, suggesting that the condensed deposition is a large scale event. Phosphate deposition developed during precise periods along the northern Tethys margin for hundreds of kilometers as far as Brianconnais, showing similar depositional characters.


About NACo – The Voice of America's Counties The National Association of Counties (NACo) is the only national organization that represents county governments in the United States. Founded in 1935, NACo provides essential services to the nation's 3,066 counties. NACo advances issues with a unified voice before the federal government, improves the public's understanding of county government, assists counties in finding and sharing innovative solutions through education and research, and provides value-added services to save counties and taxpayers money. For more information about NACo, visit www.naco.org.


In the fall of 2008, the United States was plunged into a financial crisis more severe than any since the Great Depression. As banks collapsed and the state scrambled to organize one of the largest transfers of wealth in history, many including economists and financial experts were shocked by the speed at which events unfolded.In this new book, John Bellamy Foster and Fred Magdoff offer a bold analysis of the financial meltdown, how it developed, and the implications for the future. They examine the specifics of the housing bubble and the credit crunch as well as situate current events within a broader crisis of monopoly-finance capitalism one that has been gestating for several decades. It is the "real" productive economy s tendency toward stagnation, they argue, that creates a need for capital to find ways to profitably invest its surplus. But rather than invest in socially useful projects that would benefit the vast majority, capital has constructed a financialized "casino" economy that neglects social needs and, as has become increasingly clear, is fatally unstable. Written over a two-year period immediately prior to the onset of the crisis, this timely and illuminating book is necessary reading for all those who wish to understand the current situation, how we got here, and where we are heading."


The research was carried out in the Aviation Division of Dunlop Limited and was initiated as a search for more diverse uses for carbon/carbon composites. An assumed communication model of adoption was refined by introducing the concept of a two way search after making cross industry comparisons of supplier and consumer behaviour. This research has examined methods of searching for new uses for advanced technology materials. Two broad approaches were adopted. First, a case history approach investigated materials that had been in a similar oosition to carbon/carbon to see how other material producing firms had tackled the problem. Second, a questionnaire survey among industrialists examined: the role and identity of material decision makers in different sized firms; the effectiveness of various information sources and channels; and the material adoption habits of different industries. The effectiveness of selected information channels was further studied by monitoring the response to publicity given to carbon/carbon. A flow chart has been developed from the results of this research which should help any material producing firm that is contemplating the introduction of a new material to the world market. Further benefit to our understanding of the innovation and adoption of new materials would accrue from work in the followino areas: "micro" type case histories; understanding more fully the role of product champions or promoters; investigating the phase difference between incremental and radical type innovations for materials; examining the relationship between the adoption rate of new materials and the advance of technology; studying the development of cost per unit function methods for material selection; and reviewing the benefits that economy of scale studies can have on material developments. These are all suggested areas for further work.


Once the optimal strategic benchmark is set for institutional assets, given the characteristics of the liabilities, the challenge is to reallocate all the assets to the benchmark weights. Transitions typically increase transaction costs and tracking error beyond the risk of the normal investment processes, and both transaction costs and tracking error have a significant influence on performance. Suggested here is a model to deal more systematically with transition issues that is independent of the trigger of the transition (such as a rebalancing strategy). The model is less complex than others suggested so far and is well-suited to deal with multiple assets. A multi-asset example shows it is easy to implement this approach.


Degrowth proposes radically reorganizing societies to equitably downscale the economy. The concept remains relatively unknown in the United States, a country whose oversized production and consumption have ample room to degrow. An informal survey suggests that American degrowth advocates tend to frame degrowth as necessary more than as desirable. But science cannot determine that any course of action is necessary; debating what worlds to create and inhabit is the terrain of politics. To build a political movement, degrowth discourse must illustrate the desirability of its vision to potential allies. Movements that have gained momentum in the U.S. in recent years have focused on social justice issues. A discussion of the state of degrowth in the U.S. concludes by suggesting that its advocates emphasize opposition to oppression and create spaces where degrowth and other social movements can collectively envision desirable futures.


Multi-level networks have been a good solution in large scale network scenarios. The implementation of a network in different levels or sub-layers, improves the performance and reduces the investment compared to flat topologies. This paper introduces a method to characterize important parameters on multi-level networks such as diameter, average distance and gateway location to be able to optimize the global network topology. The study focuses on the lower level of the network formed by subnetworks with regular structures, and the method is illustrated with two of the simplest regular topologies such as Single Ring and Double Ring. The conclusions achieved will ease and improve the network planning of large scale networks.


We study Online Convex Optimization in the unbounded setting where neither predictions nor gradient are constrained. The goal is to simultaneously adapt to both the sequence of gradients and the comparator. We first develop parameter-free and scale-free algorithms for a simplified setting with hints. We present two versions: the first adapts to the squared norms of both comparator and gradients separately using $O(d)$ time per round, the second adapts to their squared inner products (which measure variance only in the comparator direction) in time $O(d^3)$ per round. We then generalize two prior reductions to the unbounded setting; one to not need hints, and a second to deal with the range ratio problem (which already arises in prior work). We discuss their optimality in light of prior and new lower bounds. We apply our methods to obtain sharper regret bounds for scale-invariant online prediction with linear models.


Severe economic and financial market crises exacerbate collective action problems and thus trigger challenges to legitimacy in democracies. The article presents a typology of decision-making modes in economic policy-making in normal times and crisis times. It shows that problems of time-inconsistency in combination with high uncertainty over re-distributive implications lead to an "ad-hoc-technocratization" of economic policy-making. The separation of decision-taking from input-based legitimacy-procedures is relevant for scholars of democracy because the redistributive implications of crisis policies are high. The "democratic deficit" of crisis policies is thus not a symptom of "Post-Democracy" but of the specific context arising in an economic crisis.


Objective—To assess prevalence and type of non-atherosclerotic coronary artery disease in young people (≤35 years) who died suddenly. Design—A necropsy study of 150 consecutive cases of sudden death (that is, within 6 h of the onset of symptoms). Results—Death was attributed to coronary artery disease in 48 cases: in 16 (33%) of them the disease was non-atherosclerotic. Twelve subjects (eight males and four females, age range 2–35 years, mean 24·2) had congenital anomalies: a deep intramyocardial course in six, origin from the wrong sinus in three, and ostial obstructions in three. Sudden death was the first manifestation of disease in six cases. The other six had a history of palpitation or syncope or both. An electrocardiogram was available in five cases and showed ventricular arrhythmias in four; none had angina pectoris. Stress testing was available in two cases: neither showed any effort-dependent ST-T abnormalities. In six cases sudden death was related to physical exercise. Acquired non-atherosclerotic coronary artery disease was found in four cases: spontaneous coronary dissection in three previously symptom free patients and Kawasaki coronary arteritis in one child who had had acute myocardial infarction. Conclusion—One third of the cases of fatal coronary artery disease were non-atherosclerotic with coronary artery anomalies being the most frequent form. Coronary artery anomalies should be suspected in young patients who have symptoms of ventricular arrhythmias without any overt signs and symptoms of ischaemia.


Learning structures between groups of variables from data with missing values is an important task in the real world, yet difficult to solve. One typical scenario is discovering the structure among topics in the education domain to identify learning pathways. Here, the observations are student performances for questions under each topic which contain missing values. However, most existing methods focus on learning structures between a few individual variables from the complete data. In this work, we propose VISL, a novel scalable structure learning approach that can simultaneously infer structures between groups of variables under missing data and perform missing value imputations with deep learning. Particularly, we propose a generative model with a structured latent space and a graph neural network-based architecture, scaling to a large number of variables. Empirically, we conduct extensive experiments on synthetic, semi-synthetic, and real-world education data sets. We show improved performances on both imputation and structure learning accuracy compared to popular and recent approaches.


This paper investigates the impact of oil price shocks on house prices in the largest urban centers in Texas. We model their dynamic relationship taking into account demand- and supply-side housing fundamentals (personal disposable income per capita, long-term interest rates and rural land prices) as well as their varying dependence on oil activity. We show the following: 1) Oil price shocks have limited pass-through to house prices?the highest pass-through is found among the most oil-dependent cities where, after 20 quarters, the cumulative response of house prices is 21 percent of the cumulative effect on oil prices. Still, among less oil-dependent urban areas, the house price response to a one standard deviation oil price shock is economically significant and comparable in magnitude to the response to a one standard deviation income shock. 2) Omitting oil prices when looking at housing markets in oil-producing areas biases empirical inferences by substantially overestimating the effect of income shocks on house prices. 3) The empirical relationship linking oil price fluctuations to house prices has remained largely stable over time, in spite of the significant changes in Texas? oil sector with the onset of the shale revolution in the 2000s.


This paper describes two stages of research-in-progress studying the classification of IT investment from the accounting perspective. It addresses the overlooked input side of IT business value research and explores how firms report and classify IT asset and expenses. In the part of the study, we found only 8% of firms report their IT expenditure separately from other forms of expenditure, a finding inconsistent with the increased reliance on IT in modern business practice. In the second part, we further explore the accounting and financial reporting standards that lead to the first finding. The research highlights issues related to inconsistency in reporting of IT at the firm level.


Genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) provide a functional view of the complex network of biochemical reactions in the living cell. Initially mainly applied to reconstruct the metabolism of model organisms, the availability of increasingly sophisticated reconstruction methods and more extensive biochemical databases now make it possible to reconstruct GEMs for less characterized organisms as well, and have the potential to unravel the metabolism in pathogen-host systems. Here we present a GEM for the oomycete plant pathogen Phytophthora infestans as a first step towards an integrative model with its host. We predict the biochemical reactions in different cellular compartments and investigate the gene-protein-reaction associations in this model to get an impression of the biochemical capabilities of P. infestans. Furthermore, we generate life stage-specific models to place the transcriptomic changes of genes encoding metabolic enzymes into a functional context. In sporangia and zoospores there is an overall downregulation, most strikingly reflected in the fatty acid biosynthesis pathway. To investigate the robustness of the GEM, we simulate gene deletions to predict which enzymes are essential for in vitro growth. While there is room for improvement, this first model is an essential step towards an understanding of P. infestans and its interactions with plants as a system, which will help to formulate new hypotheses on infection mechanisms and disease prevention.


Turbulent mixing layers have been researched for many years.
Currently, research is focused on studying compressible mixing layers because
of their widespread applications in high-speed flight systems. While the effect
of compressibility on the shear layer growth rate is well established, there is
a lack of consensus over its effect on the turbulent stresses and hence
warrants additional research in this area. Computational studies on
compressible shear layers could provide a deep cognizance of the dynamics of
fluid structures present in these flow fields which in turn would be viable for
understanding the effects of compressibility on such flows. However, performing
a Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) of a highly compressible shear layer with
experimental flow conditions is extremely expensive, especially when resolving
the boundary layers that lead into the mixing section. The attractive
alternative is to use Large Eddy Simulation (LES), as it possesses the
potential to resolve the flow physics at a reasonable computational cost.
Therefore the current work deals with developing a methodology to perform LES
of a compressible mixing layer with experimental flow conditions, with
resolving the boundary layers that lead into the mixing section through a wall
model. The wall model approach, as opposed to a wall resolved simulation,
greatly reduces the computational cost associated with the boundary layer
regions, especially when using an explicit time-stepping scheme. An in house
LES solver which has been used previously for performing simulations of jets,
has been chosen for this purpose. The solver is first verified and validated
for mixing layer flows by performing simulations of laminar and incompressible
turbulent mixing layer flows and comparing the results with the literature.
Following this, LES of a compressible mixing layer at a convective Mach number
of 0.53 is performed. The inflow profiles for the LES are taken from a
precursor RANS solution based on the k-e
and RSM turbulence models. The results of the LES present good agreement with
the reference experiment for the upstream boundary layer properties, the mean
velocity profile of the shear layer and the shear layer growth rate. The
turbulent stresses, however, have been found to be underpredicted. The
anisotropy of the normal Reynolds stresses have been found to be in good
agreement with the literature. Based on the present results, suggestions for
future work are also discussed.


Abstract Investigations were undertaken on the desiccation and freezing sensitivity of recalcitrant seeds of three species: tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze], cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) and jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lamk.). All species showed changes in the physiological characteristics, desiccation and freezing sensitivity of both the seed and the embryonic axes with increasing seed maturity. Fully mature seeds of tea, cocoa and jackfruit survived desiccation to 24, 35 and 31% moisture content, respectively, but at these moisture levels seeds were not able to tolerate freezing in liquid nitrogen (-196 °C). Some survival of cryopreservation was, however, achieved for excised embryonic axes of partially and fully-mature tea and jackfruit seeds after drying to 14% moisture content; cocoa axes were totally freezing sensitive at all three stages of physiological maturity studied. Biochemical investigations on fully mature axes after desiccation and freezing showed that the decline in viability with moisture level was associated with increased leachate conductivity, lipid peroxidation products and/or soluble carbohydrates. Evidence for disruption of cell membranes during desiccation and freezing was supported by ultrastructural studies.


OBJECTIVE
This study examined whether people with moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) display a specific or a general impairment in emotion recognition compared with matched controls, whether these deficits might be accounted for by deficits in other cognitive processes, and whether emotion recognition predicts social functioning following TBI.

PARTICIPANTS
Thirty-two participants with TBI and 32 matched controls took part in this study.

DESIGN
Participants completed the Complex Audio-Visual Emotion Assessment Task (CAVEAT), a novel measure of emotion recognition, alongside measures of neuropsychological functioning. The TBI group also completed selected self-report measures of psychosocial functioning.

RESULTS
Traumatic brain injury participants performed more poorly than controls in recognizing all emotions, rather than displaying a selective impairment in recognizing some emotions (e.g., negative vs. positive) compared with others. Although abstract reasoning, working memory, and processing speed were associated with emotion recognition, injury severity and abstract reasoning were the sole predictors of emotion recognition as measured by the CAVEAT. Emotion recognition accuracy in the TBI group was associated with number of friends and self-reported apathy.

CONCLUSION
Emotion recognition deficits are a direct consequence of TBI and have a direct effect on the social dysfunction which is a common outcome of TBI, strengthening the need for targeted remediation.


"The paper reports on the construction and testing of a Standard International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) computable general equilibrium model for South Africa. A 1998 social accounting matrix (SAM) for South Africa is compiled using national accounts information and recently released supply-use tables. By updating to a recent year, and by distinguishing between producers and commodities, this SAM is an improvement on the existing SAM databases for South Africa. Furthermore, this SAM is made consistent with the requirements of IFPRI's standard comparative static computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. This model is then used to simulate the economy-wide impact of a range of hypothetical policy levers, including: increased government spending; the elimination of tariff barriers; and an improvement in total factor productivity. Results indicate that assumptions made regarding the mechanisms of macroeconomic adjustment are important in determining the expected impacts of these policies. Firstly, despite mixed results concerning changes in household income distribution, the impact of expansionary fiscal policy appears to be growth enhancing, with the Keynesian style adjustment mechanism producing the most positive results. Secondly, a complete abolition of import tariffs also appears to generate increases in gross domestic product, with negative and positive consequences for aggregate manufacturing and services respectively. Finally, an increase in total factor productivity is growth enhancing, with the most positive results derived under neoclassical assumptions of the macroeconomic adjustment mechanisms. These simulations are meant to demonstrate the usefulness for economy-wide policy modelling and the paper concludes by highlighting areas of policy analysis that might benefit from more detailed applications with this framework." Author's Abstract.


To address deficit-oriented discourse about Black males in higher education, researchers have begun to focus on high-achieving Black males. Despite this focus, there is limited research on high-achieving nontraditional Black males (HNBMs). The purpose of this article is to urge the start of a new scholarly conversation focused on investigating the experiences of HNBM collegians in order to develop programs and policies to support the retention and graduation of all nontraditional Black males. To begin this conversation, I first examine the challenges that nontraditional Black students face in higher education to contextualize the need for studies that focus on HNBM collegians. Second, I discuss the current literature which explores the experiences of high-achieving Black male students and how focusing on HNBMs fills a gap in the scholarly discourse. Lastly, the article concludes with implications for theory, university policymakers, and practitioners.


In the present paper results of mechanical analysis of energy-saving high-speed planetary-motion mixer UM-500 are presented. The mixer is a system of two milling chambers partly filled with substance to be milled. Milling chambers are in compound motion: rotation about vertical central axis and self-rotation about moving sloping axes. To perform analysis finite element model is created based on CAD model imported to ANSYS. Finite element model considers nearly all features of the real construction. To simulate correctly the loading of the construction macros was developed in APDL that enables to apply arbitrary body forces to 20-node finite element SOLID95 including centrifugal and Coriolis inertia loads. In the issue of quasi-static analysis stress fields are calculated in all elements of the construction in the operating regime; stress concentration zones are located; safety factor is calculated and analysis of Coriolis forces effect on the construction stressed state is carried out. Spectrum of natural frequencies and mode shapes corresponding to casing vibrations as well as rigid-body-like motion is obtained. By means of ANSYS/LS-DYNA detailed analysis of dynamic non-linear process of mixer takeoff out of casing in the result of emergency situation is performed with use of elasto-plastic material model with strain-based failure criterion.


Laminar vortex rings are produced in the laboratories using a piston/cylinder arrangement. The dynamics of these rings are being extensively studied over the last couple of decades. Research has shown that the most important flow feature which describes the generation and propagation of these rings is the boundary layer growth. The present study focuses on the effect of eccentricity on the pipe boundary layer growth for flows in annulus. Two geometries with different eccentricities are modeled and numerically solved using commercial CFD package. The results are then compared with a concentric geometry. The results indicate toward a faster flow development in eccentric annulus. As vortex rings are generated when the boundary layer is still developing, eccentricity adversely effects the production of laminar vortex rings. This faster flow development hints towards a faster transition of Navier-Stokes equation's solution from Rayleigh to Blasius.


This study argues that those features perceived to be strikingly "dramatic" about celiain lyric poems by John Donne are generally inferred on the part of the reader or critical commentator. With recourse to principles of modern linguistics, specifically the field of pragmatics, it becomes clear that inferential potential is subtly guided or implied by the poet, much as a skilled dramatist divulges information regarding setting, character, and situation indirectly through dialogue alone. Similarly, there is no narrative content as such in Donne's dramatic lyrics; his speakers are not "telling" the reader what is happening in the poems. Rather the dramatic action unfolds in the very utterance, lending the poems the immediacy of live theatrical performance. Some poems possess the qualities of soliloquy and depict a single speaker on the poetic mind-stage. More often, though, the poems in question have a dramatis personae comprising the speaker, addressee, and various third parties to the dramatic situation. The text, like a script, often creates a space for listener response or implied dialogue with the result that the reader senses that there is more than one speaker involved, as in a play. The role of the reader is also sometimes implied by the text, creating an additional dynamic node, that of the poetic audience, whose presence is felt as that of a kind of spectator, overhearer, or eavesdropper. It is the way in which the reader, moreover, is required to play an active, creative part, to fill in the gaps of what is only implied in the text itself, that makes Donne's most memorable poems seem especially dramatic. This dialogic play between reader and poet lends the poems a plastic or fluid quality while at the same time activating the texts with forceful dynamics making them seem self-contained, autonomous, and play-like. The first part of the thesis is a metacritical appraisal of why, when, and how it has been inferred that Donne is patiicularly deserving of the epithet "dramatic". It will be seen that the literature reviewed is too heterogeneous to provide a single overarching theory of the dramatic in Donne. The second part explores the many nuances of the theatrum mundi topos and the principles of "metadrama", both of which, it is proposed, inform, often implicitly, much of Donne's work. The third and final part examines the ways in which Donne's dramatic economy utilises pragmatic elements such as implicature and deixis through a series of close readings.


The primary aim of this text is to gain insight on how cellular activation by a insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I), in the presence of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), is influenced by heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG). Initial research will be presented, assumptions and hypotheses that were included in the development of mathematical models will be discussed, and the future enhancements of the models will be explored. There are many potential scenarios for how each component might influence the others. Mathematical modeling techniques will highlight the contributions made by numerous extracellular parameters on IGF-I cell surface binding. Tentative assumptions can be applied to modeling techniques and predictions may aid in the direction of future experiments. Experimentally, it was found that IGFBP-3 inhibited IGF-I Bovine Aortic Endothelial (BAE) cell surface binding while p9 HS slightly increased IGF-I BAE cell surface binding. IGFBP-3 has a higher binding affinity for IGF-I (3 x 10 M) than p9 HS has for IGF-I (1.5 x 10 M) as determined with cell-free binding assays. The presence of p9 HS countered the inhibiting effect of IGFBP-3 on IGF-I BAE cell surface binding. Although preliminary experiments with labeled p9 HS and IGFBP-3 indicated little to no cell surface binding, later experiments indicated that both IGFBP-3 and p9 HS do bind to the BAE cell surface. Pre-incubation of BAE cells with either IGFBP-3 or p9 HS resulted in an increase of IGF-I BAE cell surface binding . There was a more substantial increase of IGF-I surface binding when cells were pre-incubated with IGFBP3 than p9 HS. There was a larger increase of IGF-I BAE cell surface binding when cells were pre-incubated with p9 HS than when p9 HS and IGF-I were added simultaneously. This suggests that IGFBP-3 and p9 HS surface binding plays key role in IGF-I surface binding, however, p9 HS surface binding does not alter IGF-I surface binding as much as IGFBP-3 surface binding seems to. Experimental work helps further the understanding of IGF-I cellular activation as regulated by IGFBP-3 and p9 HS. Developing mathematical models allows the researcher to focus on individual elements in a complex systems and gain insight on how the real system will respond to individual changes. Discrepancies between the model results and the experimental data presented indicate that soluble receptor inhibition is not sufficient to account for experimental results. The alliance of engineering analysis and molecular biology helps to clarify significant principles relevant to the conveyance of growth factors into tissue. Awareness of the effects of individual parameters in the delivery system, made possible with mathematical models, will provide guidance and save time in the design of future therapeutics involving growth factors.


The ability to lead organizational and cultural change has never been a more critical factor for success in business than today. With renewed urgency many executives ask what do with their company culture(s): "Why can't we build organizations that are more innovative, inspiring, and more agile – and why do our change initiatives typically fail?" Based on project engagements where questions like these have been a focal point, this paper aims to shed light on the conditions and role of business anthropology to take active part in enhancing organizational change programs. Through concrete examples, it discusses central challenges on how we as ethnographers can strengthen our approach when navigating in change programs – not only in terms of how we decompose and diagnose culture (telling companies what they should not do) – but more importantly on how to play an active role in leading the way and tackling complexity through positive enablers of change.


The true story of the Mau Mau rebellion of 1952-60 in Kenya, told for the first time This book tells for the first time the story of the dirty war the British fought in Kenya, in the run-up to the country's independence in 1964. In 1952, after years of tension and bitterness, the grievances of the Gikuyu people of central Kenya exploded into open rebellion. Only 32 European settlers died in the subsequent fighting, but more than 1,800 African civilians, over 3,000 African police and soldiers, and 12,000 Mau Mau rebels were killed. Between 1953 and 1956 Britain sent over a thousand Kenyans to the gallows, often on trumped up or non-existent charges. Meanwhile 70,000 people were imprisoned in camps without trial for between two and six years. David Anderson provides a full and convincing account of a war in which all sides behaved badly, and therefore few of the combatants can be either fully excused, or blamed. These events are still within living memory, and eye-witness testimonies provide the backbone of this controversial story.


Understanding deterrence and dissuasion in cyberspace is often difficult because our minds are captured by Cold War images of massive retaliation to a nuclear attack by nuclear means. The analogy to nuclear deterrence is misleading, however, because many aspects of cyber behavior are more like other behaviors, such as crime, that states try (imperfectly) to deter. Preventing harm in cyberspace involves four complex mechanisms: threats of punishment, denial, entanglement, and norms. Even when punishment is used, deterrent threats need not be limited to cyber responses, and they may address general behavior as well as specific acts. Cyber threats are plentiful, often ambiguous, and difficult to attribute. Problems of attribution are said to limit deterrence and dissuasion in the cyber domain, but three of the major means—denial by defense, entanglement, and normative taboos—are not strongly hindered by the attribution problem. The effectiveness of different mechanisms depends on context, and the question of whether deterrence works in cyberspace depends on "who and what." Not all cyberattacks are of equal importance; not all can be deterred; and not all rise to the level of significant national security threats. The lesson for policymakers is to focus on the most important attacks and to understand the context in which such attacks may occur and the full range of mechanisms available to prevent them.


Introduction: In the current study, methanol and aqueous extracts of leaf of Cerbera odollam Gaertn were screened for its antibacterial, antifungal, phytochemicals and antioxidant activities. Phytochemical constituents were investigated both qualitatively and quantitatively. Methods: The leaf extracts of Cerbera odollam Gaertn were prepared by drying and extracted using Soxhlet apparatus into methanol and aqueous media, which were subjected to phytochemical screening. Total phenols, tannins, flavanols, alkaloids and its antioxidant activity were determined using spectroscopic techniques. Antimicrobial activity were determined using well diffusion method. Results: Aqueous extract exhibits higher content of phenols, tannins, flavanols and alkaloids, whereas methanol extract exhibits higher content of anthocyanin and cardiac glycoside respectively. Aqueous extract exhibits higher inhibitory concentration (IC %) value for DPPH (2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and H2O2 radical scavenging assay and reducing power (RP) assay. The methanol extracts exhibited higher inhibitory concentration (IC %) value in SO and NO radical scavenging assay, exhibiting antioxidant properties in five antioxidant models that were investigated. The methanol extract showed some antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi and Escherichia coli with inhibitory zone ranging from 2 mm to 3 mm, whereas the aqueous extract showed no activity. High antifungal activity was found against Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans for methanol extract and moderate for aqueous extract with inhibitory zone ranging from 9mm to 26 mm. Conclusion: The finding of our study have suggested that the extracts of Cerbera odollam Gaertn, possesses a significant amount of phytochemicals and exhibits antioxidant and antifungal activities.


Over the past several years, two former bandmates in the 1960s rock group, The Turtles, have initiated several lawsuits against the popular music streaming services, Pandora and Sirius XM, arguing that the band owns common law copyrights in the sound recordings of its songs, and that these state-level copyrights grant the band an exclusive public performance right in its sound recordings. If accepted, this argument has the potential to significantly distort federal copyright policy because states would not be constrained by any of the balancing features of the Copyright Act, including Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) safe harbors for Internet Service Providers (ISPs), statutory licenses under 17 USC § 114, or even the limitations, such as fair use, in §§ 107 through 122.

In spite of how detrimental state-by-state copyright policymaking could be to Congress's policy choices embodied in the Copyright Act, federal courts have not applied any form of preemption that would prevent states from legislating at will in this area, because § 301(c) appears to contain a disavowal of preemption for any state law dealing with pre-1972 sound recordings. This note advances an interpretation of § 114(a) that would expressly preempt state-level public performance rights in pre-1972 sound recordings as well as an interpretation of §301(c) that would greatly narrow the scope of the disavowal of preemption, allowing federal courts to strike down state laws that severely distort federal copyright policy.


The purpose of the study is to explore the engagement and consumption experiences of motorcycling edgeworkers. In understanding motorcyclists' experiences, the thesis takes the position that participants are now living in new times of an 'advanced industrialised society'. With a variety of sites, services and goods available for consumption, it is argued that the contemporary high-risk performer is free to subjectively negotiate the meanings of their experiences from the multiplicity of choices available, which has implications for methodology. That is, the study moves away from utilising a standardised methodological approach of developing 'general high-risk typologies' or 'stress-seeking personality types' towards an approach that stresses its diverse and plural characteristics. Hence, the position is taken that motorcyclists' experiences are characterised by highly diversified patterns of interests and activities and therefore seeks to understand motorcycling as a complex, reflexive process where riders assign different meanings to their riding experiences.
Hence, drawing upon narrative theory, the thesis aims to understand the 'lived experiences' of motorcyclists, exploring the personal, social and material context of riders' lives. That risk-taking involves a complex interplay between sensual or emotional apprehending but also a reflexive understanding of the discursive notions associated with high-risk activities. More specifically, the study adopts what Ussher (1997) and more recently Ussher and Mooney-Somers (2000) describe as a 'material-discursive intrapsychic perspective'. This considers the manner by which cultural/community understandings impact riders' accounts of their experiences but also examines the physical/intrapsychic aspects of the activity which are arguably highly
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interrelated. The study also seeks to explore motorcyclists' biographical accounts, examining the diverse ways in which riders draw upon their past in making sense of current motorcycling practice.
Using a narrative approach to data collection and analysis, the data presented is collected in thirty-three in-depth narrative interviews. The data was analysed using a voice-centred relational approach to narrative analysis called the 'Listening Guide', based on the Harvard Project on Women's Psychology and Girls' Development at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (Brown and Gillian, 1991, 1992, 1993 and more recently Milnes 2003) and the data is presented in the form of an analysis of narrative themes from the accounts of the riders, however what separates this 'themed' analysis is differences amongst the accounts are considered alongside similarities. Finally, in exploring motorcyclists' individual biographies, the personal narrative accounts given by nine of the riders are presented focusing on key turning points or 'epiphanies' in their stories.
In order to 'contextualise the narratives', participant observation was conducted at a variety of popular motorcyclist enclaves including motorcycle track days, cafes and venues as well as the review of existing popular text such as magazines, papers and specialist motorcycle press. Several conversations also took place with those who deliver the experience such as motorcycle shop owners and track day tutors.
The research reveals that riders' experiences are more diverse and complex than more traditional studies have often suggested. The analysis of the participants' narratives show that participants draw on both physical/intrapsychic explanations but also on
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community understandings in describing their riding experiences. Hence, it is argued that the materiality of the body, its connections to thrill, desire, to the performance of the activity are all intimately tied to the more discursive factors involved (Ussher 1997).
Furthermore, by identifying key turning points in the stories told by the motorcyclists, the diverse ways in which individual riders adapt their motorcycling practice is revealed. The individual accounts show how riders are influenced by their past experience, but also by dominant cultural and/or community understandings which, as acting as cultural resources, guide riders understanding of their experiences.
Therefore, in taking a 'material-discursive intrapsychic perspective,' the study aims to present a more comprehensive understanding of motorcyclists' experiences. Particularly concerned with commitments to TCR (Transformative Consumer Research), the research may therefore assist in informing future road safety research and motorcycling initiatives. That is, due to the manner by which participants engage in their activity in an ongoing and reflexive manner, the opportunity exists for those interested in re-directing motorcyclists' aspirations, such as marketing campaigners or rider education/assessment training schemes, to encourage participants to adopt more safety conscious, responsible riding styles, focusing on competence, wisdom and safety rather than excitement, performance and speed.
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The general topic of this book is the development of a "realistic" model of meaning; it has to account for the ecological basis of meaning in perception, action, and interaction, and is realistic in the sense of "scientific realism", i.e. it is based on the most successful paradigm of modern science: dynamical systems theory. In Part One a model of sentences is put forward. The first chapter outlines the philosophical background of a theory of meaning. Chapter 2 gives a very short summary of recent proposals for a semantic model which considers image-like schemata. In Chapter 3 a realistic model of valence and basic predication is developed in detail. Chapter 4 treats multistability in meaning and the application of chaos theory and dissipative structures in semantics. Chapter 5 outlines the global framework of a stratified universe of meanings, and Chapter 6 prepares the way for Part Two: the analysis of narrative texts. Oral narratives of personal experience are the prototypical form in which experienced events are organized with the aim of remaking a piece of reality. In Chapter 7 a discrete grammar based on vectorial schemata is developed. Chapters 8 and 9 elaborate the "syntax of narratives" in Chapter 7. Chapter 10 progress to conversational dynamics.


In order to retard the rate of development of antibacterial resistance, the causative agent must be identified as rapidly as possible, so that directed patient treatment and/or contact precautions can be initiated. This review highlights the challenges associated with the detection and identification of pathogenic bacteria, by providing an introduction to the techniques currently used, as well as newer techniques that are in development. Focusing on the chemical basis for these techniques, the review also provides a comparison of their advantages and disadvantages.


The major objective of this study was to estimate heritability and genetic correlations between milk yield (MY) and calving interval (CI) and lactation length (LL) in Murrah buffaloes using Bayesian inference. The database used belongs to the genetic improvement program of four buffalo herds from Brazil. To obtain the estimates of variance and covariance, bivariate analyses were performed with the Gibbs sampler, using the program MTGSAM. The heritability coefficient estimates were 0.28, 0.03 and 0.15 for MY, CI and LL, respectively. The genetic correlations between MY and LL was moderate (0.48). However, the genetic correlation between MY and CI showed large HPD regions (highest posterior density interval). Milk yield was the only trait with clear potential for genetic improvement by direct mass selection. The genetic correlation between MY and LL indicates that indirect selection using milk yield is a potentially beneficial strategy. The interpretation of the estimated genetic correlation between MY and CI is difficult and could be spurious.


Economic analysis of even-aged fir stand management was illustrated using the example of the forests of the Croatian Dinaric region, as well as their transformation into more stable unevenaged structures. Two scenarios (even-aged, uneven-aged) were simulated against the backdrop of the existing forest stand structure of future forest stand management during a 140-year period using forest growth modeling software MOSES version 3.0 in order to identify economic differences amongst different scenarios both at stand level and at forest level. The research included forest management analysis throughout the transformation period and subsequently the continuation of balanced state forest management. Moreover, the research also provided the opportunity of forest purchase within the price range from 1000 to 12,500 EUR/ha, amid assumed fluctuation of selling prices of timber assortments throughout the simulation period. Discount rates from 1% to 5% were used during the economic analysis. The research findings showed that, according to harvesting costs, Net Present Value and Internal Rate of Return, uneven-aged forest management system, including the transformation period, achieved superior economic results, albeit at discount rates that exceeded 1.24%. The conclusion was reached that, according to all economic criteria, uneven-aged mixed silver fir-beech management system is preferred compared with the pure even-aged silver fir management.


The paper presents the use of rapid prototyping technology of three dimensional printing (3DP) to make a prototype shell casting mold. In the first step, for identification purposes, a mold was prepared to enable different alloys to be cast. All molds being cast were designed in a universal CAD environment and printed with the zp151 composite material (Calcium sulfate hemihydrate) with a zb63 binder (2pyrrolidone). It is designated to be used to prepare colourful models presenting prototypes or casting models and molds. The usefulness of 3DP technology for use with copper alloys, aluminum and zinc was analyzed. The strength of the mold during casting was assumed as a characteristic comparative feature in the material resistance to high temperature, the quality of the resulting casting and its surface roughness. Casting tests were carried out in vacuum – pressure casting. The casting programs applied, significantly increased the quality of castings and enabled precise mold submergence. Significant improvement was noted in the quality compared to the same castings obtained by gravity casting.


Competition is important in environments with limited resources. Males of many insect species are territorial and will defend resources, such as a food source or egg-laying site, against intruders, or even compete to attract a mate. In insects, evidence suggests that juvenile hormone acts as an aggression mediator, much like testosterone in other animal species. In this study I tested this idea using a group of male Painted Lady butterflies, Vanessa cardui, and Eastern Black Swallowtail butterflies, Papilio polyxenes, that were treated prior to metamorphosis with either a high or low dose of methoprene acid (a juvenile hormone mimic). Male-male encounters were staged with treated and untreated adults or males treated with a high dose or low dose to observe effects of hormone augmentation on aggression and territoriality. Hemolymph was sampled from larvae and analyzed for JH content using gas chromatography. In each encounter a female was positioned to witness the encounter; after a winner was determined, she was released and allowed to choose a male. Male V. cardui treated with either a high or low dose of methoprene were significantly more likely to win an encounter over a control male, and males given a high dose of methoprene were more likely to win an encounter over a male given a low dose. This result suggests that juvenile hormone influences the aggressive potential of male V. cardui butterflies. High mortality among adult P. polyxenes limited the experimental data collection for that species. Finally, females were not interested in males of any dosage and showed no preference. This suggests that females of V. cardui are not choosing males based on JH level or perhaps not in captivity.


Changing the approach to dynamic memory allocation in a large legacy application is challenging. In order to improve the robustness of memory allocation, we fundamentally changed it. We replaced standard heap allocation with class-specific heaps. We were able to do it with almost no changes to the existing class code by overriding the C++ new() and delete() operators, and using templates creatively to insert the changes into class hierarchies.The results have been very positive. Misuse of dynamic memory has been detected and errors caused by memory misuse have been avoided. Performance of the new memory management code has been as good or better as the previous code. Additional capabilities such as audits have been added to further increase the robustness of dynamic memory usage.


This powerful booklet aims to challenge our thinking about the way we communicate and interact with autistic people and those with learning (intellectual) disabilities. The '10 Rules' concept sets out to be deliberately provocative, by suggesting ways in which people, services and environments can unconciously create problems and obstacles for those they seek to support.

Each communication 'rule' speaks powerfully with the voice of the individual on the receiving end of services and practice. Together, the 10 rules provide a useful starting point for discussion and a catalyst for action. Each is followed by suggestions for positive practice. The booklet also contains additional background information on good practice, together with references and sources of further information.

The booklet can be used for a range of purposes, including staff induction, awareness training, individual professional development and reflection, and discussions regarding service development and design.

It can be used by services, professionals and support workers, trainers, teachers, students and carers.


There are currently few biomaterials which combine controlled degradation rates with ease of melt processability. There are however, many applications ranging from surgical fixation devices to drug delivery systems which require such combination properties. The work in this thesis is an attempt to increase the availability of such materials. Polyhydroxybutyrate-polyhydroxyvalerate copolymers are a new class of potentially biodegradable materials, although little quantitative data relating to their in vitro and in vivo degradation behaviour exists. The hydrolytic degradation of these copolymers has been examined in vitro under conditions ranging from `physiological' to extremes of pH and elevated temperature. Progress of the degradation process was monitored by weight loss and water uptake measurement, x-ray diffractometry, optical and electron microscopy, together with changes in molecular weight by gel permeation chromatography. The extent to which the degradation mechanism could be modified by forming blends with polysaccharides and polycaprolactone was also investigated. Influence of the valerate content, molecular weight, crystallinity, together with the physical form of the sample, the pH and the temperature of the aqueous medium on the hydrolytic degradation was investigated. Its progress was characterised by an initial increase in the wet weight, with concurrent decrease in the dry weight as the amorphous regions of the polymer are eroded, thereby producing an increase in matrix porosity. With the polysaccharide blends, this initial rate is dramatically affected, and erosion of the polysaccharide from the matrix markedly increases the internal porosity which leads to the eventual collapse of the matrix, a process which occurs, but less rapidly, in the degradation of the unblended polyhydroxybutyrate-polyhydroxyvalerate copolymers. Surface energy measurement and goniophotometry proved potentially useful in monitoring the early stages of the degradation, where surface rather than bulk processes predominate and are characterised by little weight loss.


The antiferromagnetic phase diagram of MgxNi1−xO alloy was reexamined theoretically by multicomponent cluster expansion method. It predicts antiferromagnetic state in the alloy with high Mg content, instead of a mixture of antiferromagnetic and paramagnetic states, which was deduced previously from neutron diffraction results. The theoretically found intermediate antiferromagnetic ground states at Mg contents of xMg = 0.25 and 0.75 exhibit very low neutron diffraction intensities, which leads to confusion with paramagnetic state. Our approach here reduced remarkably the computation time in searching the intermediate ground states as well as calculating the magnetic phase diagram.


Many aphids carry one or more facultative symbiotic bacteria which can provide a variety of fitness benefits for their hosts. They have chiefly been investigated in asexually reproducing aphids, with studies of the sexual generation limited to investigation of transmission rates and the potential for sex ratio manipulation. The effects of two facultative symbionts on the mating success of pea aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris (Hemiptera: Aphididae, Macrosiphini), were investigated in a no‐choice experiment. We compared the fitness of aphids with natural infections of either Regiella insecticola Moran et al. or Hamiltonella defensa Moran et al. with that of aphids from genetically identical cured lines. Female fecundity was unaffected by the presence of facultative symbionts. However, females mated to males cured of H. defensa laid fewer eggs on average than females mated to males carrying H. defensa; in one case the percentage of melanized eggs (eggs that were either not fertilized or in which early death occurred) was also smaller with cured compared to naturally infected males. In addition, males with H. defensa suffered higher mortality during the experiment than cured males. Four of the aphid lines used also hosted Spiroplasma infections, a symbiont previously reported to cause male‐killing in pea aphids. Despite this, three of the Spiroplasma‐infected lines produced males, two at high numbers. We conclude that removing a natural symbiont infection may have a negative fitness effect on male aphids in some aphid clones, whereas sexual females from the same clones are largely unaffected.


Background: In female athletes, sports-related injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) increase during adolescence and peak in incidence during the mid- to late teens. Although biomechanical investigations indicate that a potential window of opportunity exists for optimal timing for the initiation of integrative neuromuscular training (NMT) in young female athletes, the influence of the timing of initiation of these programs on the efficacy of ACL injury reduction has yet to be evaluated. Hypothesis/Purpose: The purpose of the current report was to systematically review and synthesize the scientific literature regarding the influence of age of NMT implementation on the effectiveness for reduction of ACL injury incidence. The hypothesis tested was that NMT would show a greater effect in younger populations. Study Design: Meta-analysis; Level of evidence 1a. Methods: Data were pooled from 14 clinical trials that met the inclusion criteria of (1) number of ACL injuries reported; (2) NMT program used; (3) female participants were included; (4) investigations used prospective, controlled trials; and (5) age of participants was documented or was obtainable upon contact with the authors. A meta-analysis with odds ratio (OR) was used to compare the ratios of ACL injuries between intervention and control groups among differing age categorizations. Results: A meta-analysis of the 14 included studies demonstrated significantly greater knee injury reduction in female athletes who were categorized in the preventive NMT group compared with those who were in the control group (OR: 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.35, 0.83). Lower ACL injuries in mid-teens (OR 0.28; CI: 0.18, 0.42) compared with late teens (OR 0.48; CI: 0.21, 1.07) and early adults (OR 1.01; CI: 0.62, 1.64) were found in participants undergoing NMT. Conclusion: The findings of this meta-analysis revealed an age-related association between NMT implementation and reduction of ACL incidence. Both biomechanical and the current epidemiological data indicate that the potential window of opportunity for optimized ACL injury risk reduction may be before the onset of neuromuscular deficits and peak knee injury incidence in female athletes. Specifically, it may be optimal to initiate integrative NMT programs during early adolescence, before the period of altered mechanics that increase injury risk.


Female recruitment and retention in technology related fields is still low, despite numerous attempts to reverse this trend. As a recruitment device, a school's webpage may be the only visual representation a student will see before deciding whether or not to apply. Thus, understanding the possible implications of this medium is important within the larger conversation on gender equity and opportunities. This research addresses several questions: At first glance, do websites give gender cues, whether intentional or not? Is there a relationship between certain web content and the number of women recruited into technology related schools and departments? Do applied fields (Informatics, Information Science, Instructional Technology, Information Systems) differ in their online recruitment practices from more traditional Computer Science and Engineering departments? It is important to note that this research is not an attempt to find the best web practices to recruit female students or an attempt to punish or blame specific institutions regarding their recruitment practices.


The purpose of this paper is to describe a simplified model of the banking firm and contrast its theoretical principles against data from the recent financial crisis especially as it relates to sub-prime lending in the USA. The model presented does not include all aspects of lending; it primarily focuses on 'originate-to-distribute' mortgage loans to the exclusion of other. The proposed theory of the banking firm and the comparison of its principles against performance data may serve as a guide to reforming lending institutions in the wake of the recent financial crisis. The paper contributes, primarily, to pedagogy: it proposes a simplified theory of the banking firm which captures the bare essentials of banking. Additionally, it points-out that the 'originate-to-distribute' banking malaise was one of the drivers of the recent financial crisis but not its root cause.


The NADPH oxidase complex [gp91phox, p22phox, p47phox, p40phox, and the guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) Rac] is responsible for the production of superoxide radicals in phagocytes during killing of engulfed microorganisms. The cytochrome b559 part of the complex consisting of gp91phox and p22phox is activated by the cytosolic factors p47phox, p40phox, and Rac. This activation can be achieved in vitro with phagocyte membranes supplemented only with these cytosolic factors in the presence of an anioinic amphiphile. Prenylated Rac can substitute for the amphiphile and for p47phox in the in vitro system. Sigal et al. reconstituted the NADPH complex in vitro and determined that prenylated Rac1 bound to guanosine diphosphate (GDP) was able to stimulate oxidase activity in the presence of the functional fragment of the guanine exchange factor (GEF) Trio. However, the stimulation did not require the presence of guanosine triphosphate (GTP) or guanine exchange and the presence of nonhydrolyzable GTP analogs prevented Trio stimulation of Rac-mediated oxidase activation. Using mutants of Rac, the authors determined that Trio binding was required and that a conformational change associated with guanine exchange was required for stimulation of oxidase activity by prenylated Rac. Thus, the authors propose that Trio stimulates a conformational change, but not guanine nucleotide exchange, in Rac that alters Rac's affinity for the NADPH oxidase complex components allowing Rac to recruit the cytosolic factors to the catalytic subunits of the NADPH complex. N. Sigal, Y. Gorzalczany, R. Sarfstein, C. Weinbaum, Y. Zheng, E. Pick, The guanine nucleotide exchange factor Trio activates the phagocyte NADPH oxidase in the absence of GDP to GTP exchange on Rac. J. Biol. Chem. 278, 4854-4861 (2003). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Recent developments in proteomics technology offer new opportunities for clinical applications in hospital or specialized laboratories including the identification of novel biomarkers, monitoring of disease, detecting adverse effects of drugs, and environmental hazards. Advanced spectrometry technologies and the development of new protein array formats have brought these analyses to a standard, which now has the potential to be used in clinical diagnostics. Besides standardization of methodologies and distribution of proteomic data into public databases, the nature of the human body fluid proteome with its high dynamic range in protein concentrations, its quantitation problems, and its extreme complexity present enormous challenges. Molecular cell biology (cytomics) with its link to proteomics is a new fast moving scientific field, which addresses functional cell analysis and bioinformatic approaches to search for novel cellular proteomic biomarkers or their release products into body fluids that provide better insight into the enormous biocomplexity of disease processes and are suitable for patient stratification, therapeutic monitoring, and prediction of prognosis. Experience from studies of in vitro diagnostics and especially in clinical chemistry showed that the majority of errors occurs in the preanalytical phase and the setup of the diagnostic strategy. This is also true for clinical proteomics where similar preanalytical variables such as inter‐ and intra‐assay variability due to biological variations or proteolytical activities in the sample will most likely also influence the results of proteomics studies. However, before complex proteomic analysis can be introduced at a broader level into the clinic, standardization of the preanalytical phase including patient preparation, sample collection, sample preparation, sample storage, measurement, and data analysis is another issue which has to be improved. In this report, we discuss the recent advances and applications that fulfill the criteria for clinical proteomics with the focus on cellular proteomics (cytoproteomics) as related to preanalytical and analytical standardization and to quality control measures required for effective implementation of these technologies and analytes into routine laboratory testing to generate novel actionable health information. It will then be crucial to design and carry out clinical studies that can eventually identify novel clinical diagnostic strategies based on these techniques and validate their impact on clinical decision making. © 2009 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry


Upward spikes in international food prices lead some food-surplus countries to raise export barriers and some food-deficit countries to lower their import restrictions on staple foods – and conversely when prices slump. When many countries so respond, their actions in aggregate exacerbate the international price spike, making adjustment even more difficult for other countries. This paper reviews conceptually, and then empirically for a sample of small and poor economies, the role of trade measures for achieving the social objective of assisting those hurt by sharp changes in food prices. The data are monthly for the period of 2006 to 2012, and annually since 1990. The paper concludes by exploring the efficacy of using trade policy instruments versus domestic measures to reduce the risk of welfare losses for vulnerable households, and stresses the importance for small and poor economies of supporting multilateral efforts to outlaw beggar-thy-neighbour policy responses to food price spikes.


As co-design is increasingly applied across multiple sectors, there is a greater need for practical guides to support extended, low-cost and diverse implementation. This paper proposes a model, integrated co-design, developed by research through design, which provides a process for conceptualising and implementing co-design projects aiming to collaborate with multiple stakeholder groups. It supports a holistic application of co-design across all stages of a project, from the initial scoping and key ideation phases to beyond project completion. The model was iteratively developed through the design of inclusionED, a nationwide learning and teaching community-based platform aiming to implement research findings of the Autism CRC in schools across Australia. Within this project, multiple stakeholder groups, including teachers, specialist educators, students on the autism spectrum, parents, and policy-makers, were engaged throughout the design process and in ongoing resource development. The integrated co-design model provides a series of strategies for multiple stakeholder group engagement and participation, including methods for designing for co-design , facilitating blended co-design, applying asynchronous co-design, and working with participants requiring customised collaborative experiences to support their involvement, including co-designing with people with cognitive difficulties and trauma. multiple stakeholder involved. The across for


Background Although risk for psychosis in velocardiofacial (22q11.2 deletion) syndrome (VCFS) is well established, the cognitive and familial factors that moderate that risk are poorly understood. Method A total of 75 youth with VCFS were assessed at three time points, at 3-year intervals. Time 1 (T1) psychiatric risk was assessed with the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC). Data reduction of BASC scores yielded avoidance–anxiety and dysregulation factors. Time 2 (T2) neuropsychological and family function and time 3 (T3) prodromal/overt psychosis were assessed. Poisson regression models tested associations between T3 positive prodromal symptoms/overt psychosis and T1 psychiatric risk, T2 cognitive and familial factors, and their interactions. Results T1 avoidance–anxiety ratings predicted T3 prodromal/overt psychosis. T2 verbal learning scores moderated this association, such that individuals with low avoidance–anxiety scores and stronger verbal learning skills were the least likely to demonstrate prodromal/overt psychosis at T3. Low scores on a T2 visual vigilance task also predicted T3 prodromal/overt psychosis, independently of the effect of T1 avoidance–anxiety scores. T1 dysregulation scores did not predict T3 prodromal/overt psychosis in a linear manner. Instead, the association between dysregulation and prodromal/overt psychosis was amplified by T2 levels of family organization, such that individuals with low dysregulation scores and low family organization scores were the most likely to exhibit T3 prodromal/overt psychosis. Conclusions Significant moderators of psychiatric risk in VCFS include verbal learning skills as well as levels of family organization, carrying implications for early identification and preventative treatment of youth with VCFS at highest risk for psychosis.


The Late Holocene Evolution of Coastal Wetlands in Argyll, Western Scotland by Phillip Angus Teasdale A detailed geochronological and geochemical study has been undertaken on selected sediment cores from four lowland coastal marsh environments in Argyll, Western Scotland. This region of northern Britain has experienced differential crustal uplift and relative sea-level changes throughout the Holocene in response to glacio-isostatic adjustment. The complex interplay between land movements and relative sea-level continues to influence the morphological development of the Scottish coast. The study of lowland inter-tidal sedimentary environments from this region provides an opportunity to investigate the linkages between current estimated crustal movements, regional relative sea-level rise and the evolution of contemporary coastal saltmarshes derived from the record of historical sedimentation. The four sites are located across a ca. 70 krn transect extending from the head of Loch Scridain (western Isle of Mull), across the Firth of Lome to the head of Loch Etive, (mainland Argyll). Verti6al activity distributions of the natural radionuclide 21OPb and anthropogenic isotopes (137Cs and 24'Am) have been measured and are used to assess the depositional history of marsh sediment accumulation recorded in the four marsh cores. Down-core activity profiles of radionuclides are only reliable as a means of modelling recent marsh evolution provided no early-diagenetic (redox) reactions have compromised the historical depositional record within the marsh sediments. Solid-phase major and trace element down-core geochemical distributions provide a means of assessing the extent to which post-depositional (redox) reactions may have influenced the reliability of the radiometric dating methods. Marsh sediment geochemistry also serves as a useful proxy for identifying compositional variability over the period of marsh development investigated. Dating of the Argyll saltmarsh cores indicates that over the period corresponding to mature marsh conditions rates of sedimentation vary significantly across the study area. At Loch Scridain an average rate of 1.1 mrn yf 1 corresponding to an historical period of ca. 130 years is recorded. Comparison with estimated rates of regional sea-level rise suggest an established asymptotic relationship between marsh accretion and coastal forcing, implying historical crustal stability at this site. At sites within the Firth of Lome (Loch Don and Loch Creran) average rates of 2.5 and 3.3 mm yr-1 are recorded for the ca. 70 year period to 1995 with a figure of 2.2 mm yf 1 recorded in the marsh core from the head of Loch Etive. These values are well in excess of estimated relative sea-level rise during the twentieth century suggesting that these marshes may not yet have reached full equilibrium with sea-level. Microfossil analysis of the Loch Etive core helps to identify a more complex depositional history with an underlying trend of marine transgression for the ca. 110 year period of marsh development recorded in these sediments. Over the most recent period of marsh development (ca. 5 years) a significant increase in the rate of marsh sedimentation at all sites is recorded. This signifies the response of these marshes to a very recent increase in the rate of relative sea-level rise across the region. Comparison with available storm frequency data indicates that the evolution of these marsh environments have not been subject to the influence of significant storm activity over the last in the late Twetieth century. The findings suggest that the more clastic sedimentary composition of the Argyll marshes results in these inter-tidal areas being extremely sensitive to changes in coastal forcing (sea-level rise). The implications of recent relative sea-level rise, current vertical crustal movements and future coastal management are discussed.


Giuseppe Verdi's career forms one of the loveliest arcs in musical history. The passion of his works resonates universally, while the sophistication of his middle and late operas satisfies demanding ears and tastes. In Verdi: The Operas and Choral Works, Victor Lederer surveys every one of the master's 28 operas and his greatest choral pieces, showing Verdi's growth as a musical dramatist-he would revolutionise the hidebound conventions of 19th-century Italian opera-and his single-minded pursuit of dramatic truth. After describing the chaotic milieu in which Verdi learned his craft, the book provides act-by-act analyses of the early masterpieces Nabucco, Ernani, and Macbeth. The neglected operas from the composer's self-described "years in the galleys" are covered together. Lederer then takes readers through the magnificent sequence of Verdi operas from Luisa Miller onward, including the fine but underrated Stiffelio. Each of the late operas - Don Carlo, Aida, and Othello and Falstaff, the twin Shakespearean masterworks that crown Verdi's oeuvre - is discussed at length in its own chapter. Lederer also examines Verdi's monumental Requiem along with the choral Quattro pezzi sacri, Verdi's sublime final achievement. The book comes with a Naxos CD of musical selections representing highlights from throughout Verdi's long, remarkable career.


This work tackles the problem of semi-supervised learning of image classifiers. Our main insight is that the field of semi-supervised learning can benefit from the quickly advancing field of self-supervised visual representation learning. Unifying these two approaches, we propose the framework of self-supervised semi-supervised learning ($S^4L$) and use it to derive two novel semi-supervised image classification methods. We demonstrate the effectiveness of these methods in comparison to both carefully tuned baselines, and existing semi-supervised learning methods. We then show that $S^4L$ and existing semi-supervised methods can be jointly trained, yielding a new state-of-the-art result on semi-supervised ILSVRC-2012 with 10% of labels.


The effect of isomeric substitutions on the transmitter for triplet energy transfer (TET) between nanocrystal (NC) donor and molecular acceptor is investigated. Each isomeric acceptor is expected to bind in a unique orientation with respect to the NC donor. We see that this orbital overlap drastically affects the transmission of triplets. Here, two functional groups, the carboxylic acid and dithiocarbamate, were varied between the 1-, 2- and 9-positions of the anthracene ring to give three ACA and three ADTC isomers. These six anthracene isomers served as transmitters for triplets between CdSe NC sensitizers and 9,10-diphenylanthracene annihilators for photon upconversion. The photon upconversion quantum yield (QY) is the highest for 9-ACA (12%), lowest for 9-ADTC (0.1%), around 3% for both 1-ACA and 1-ADTC, and about 1% for the 2-isomers. These trends in QYs are reflected in the rates of TET given by ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy where a maximum of 3.8 × 107 s-1 for 9-ACA was measured. Molecular excited state energy levels were measured both in solution and polymer hosts to correlate structure to TET. This work confirms that anthracene excited states levels are very sensitive to molecular substitution, which in combination with orbital overlap, critically affect Dexter-based TET.


Problem. Since about the year 1930 the vitality of the Sabbath school, as measured by membership and offerings, has been in decline. Does the adult Sabbath school still have a role to fill in the Seventh-day Adventist church? If so, what is it? The purpose of this study was to determine the objectives of the adult Sabbath school and their perceived relative importance. Method. A study was made of the literature for the Sabbath and Sunday schools, along with input from the Sabbath school's professional administrators, to determine the adult Sabbath school's objectives. An instrument was created and administered to determine each objective's perceived relative value. Appropriate statistical analysis of the collected data, the determination of the significance of the statistical analysis, the drawing of conclusions, and the making of recommendations completed the research. Results. Six objectives for the adult Sabbath school were identified and ranked. In order of perceived importance they were: Bible study, Fellowship and support, Nurture and character development, Training for Christian service, Community evangelism and soul-winning, and World-mission promotion and funding. A model for the adult Sabbath school, based on the findings, was suggested. Conclusions. In both independent ratings and forced choices, respondents consistently identified Bible study as the most important objective for the adult Sabbath school. Equally significant is the fact that World-mission promotion and funding was consistently identified as the least important of the objectives for the adult Sabbath school. The three objectives having to do with the spiritual growth of the Sabbath school attendees (i.e., Bible study, Fellowship and support, and Nurture and character development) were consistently rated more important than those having to do with service to or evangelism of those not attending the Sabbath school (i.e., Training for Christian service, Community evangelism and soul-winning, and World-mission promotion and funding).


This paper addresses the emergence of complex syllables with coda consonant (r) in the acquisition of Brazilian Portuguese in the speech community of Rio de Janeiro. Acquisition of words containing complex syllabic types implies the diminishment or abandonment of the CV pattern, but what happen when the competing variable forms alternate different syllable shapes? Since variants are competing forms of the same word, in some cases, they also reflect competing phonological patterns and sociophonetic variation plays a role in abstracting mental representation. Studies about the speech community showed that the coda is variably realized alternating a phonetic velar/glottal variant with its absence and that internal codas are much more realized than final ones (Callou, 1987; Votre, 1978). There is no stigma related to the zero variant in final coda (noun and verbs). The study is based on a cross-sectional sample of 11 typically-developing children (from high and low middle class) distributed in age levels but not in relation to gender or class. The age grading ranges from 2;1 to 5;0. The analysis showed different distributions of frequency of variants as a reflex of the structured variation observed in the speech community. The results reveal that (r) is almost categorically absent in final verbs in all age levels, which can be taken as evidence that children are developing the CV pattern as the main representation of infinitives. Children's behavior for medial codas is more consistent with a CV(r) pattern as the central representation than word final coda in all ages. The results obtained in this study for final verb coda is consistent with a final stage of a change in the direction of the loss of the infinitive morpheme in the speech community. This working paper is available in University of Pennsylvania Working Papers in Linguistics: http://repository.upenn.edu/pwpl/


This study sought to ascertain and analyse attitudes towards wind energy at a significant time for urban Tasmania. In the latter half of 2009, in and around the capital city of Hobart, wind energy developments were proposed for the first time. This study compiled and analysed community attitudes towards three specific development proposals: atop the ANZ Bank Building in the Hobart CBD; atop the Marine Board Building on the Hobart waterfront; and in the car park of the Lindisfarne Medical Centre. The research represents an opportunity to assess local attitudes towards wind energy, pre-development.
The purpose of this study was to investigate attitudes amongst local residents towards these three developments, and explore how these might be shaped by general environmental attitudes, sense of place, and attitudes towards wind energy, both generally and locally. The presence of a Not-In-My-Backyard (NIMBY) mentality was also explored. The primary method used was a survey of two subpopulations of local residents living in Lindisfarne and South Hobart. Details of the three proposals — and their paths to ultimate approval — were identified through the use of local newspaper articles, media reports, development applications, and relevant city council documents.
This survey employed a Likert scale questionnaire which was administered in early November 2009 within three predetermined locations according to a modified mail-based method. In an effort to identify and understand influences on support levels for the three local developments, the questionnaire included six separate sections: demographic characteristics; general environmental views; attitudes towards energy and innovation; feelings of suburban attachment; and attitudes towards wind energy both generally and locally. Statistical analyses were carried out on the resultant data.
High levels of awareness and recognition regarding the environment, the state of the earth, and the need to reduce fossil fuel usage were apparent from the results. Additionally, widespread general support of wind energy was established amongst respondents, as were widespread feelings of attachment towards their suburb of residence. Regarding the specific local wind energy development proposals however, support levels experienced a drop-off. This indicates a gap between general wind energy support and support for specific, local wind energy developments. Rather, perceived local impacts such as aesthetic infringements and noise level concerns dominated the reasons for objection, and only limited support was found for the NIMBY hypothesis. Respondents exhibited tendencies to support or oppose all developments, regardless of their varying locations. This study concludes by offering areas of further and future research, and by providing recommendations regarding future siting and design considerations.


Belgian Blue double-muscled (BBDM) heifers (n = 341) were used to investigate the effect of body weight (BW) at first calving at an age of two years (BWC). Females with a birth weight (BWB) <40 kg realized a lower body weight gain (BWG) up to an age of four months and they also had a significant lower BWC. Dams with a higher BWC gave birth to calves with a higher birth weight. Milk yield during the first four months after calving linearly increased with a significantly higher BWC (R 2 = 0.34). Females with a daily BWG from zero to four months of age of <0.6 kg have a lower BWC than females with a higher growth rate. A higher rate of gain from zero to four months did not affect subsequent heifer BWG. There was a tendency for a BW-loss during the last trimester of the gestation when BW at conception was lower, especially when this period coincided with the grazing season. This may be due to a reduced intake capacity of BBDM animals and a heavy BWB of the offspring. With mean adult BW of BBDM cows of ca. 710 kg, heifers should gain approximately 0.8 kg/d from birth to conception, to achieve 55 - 60% of their adult BW at the conception at 15 months of age. A lower BWC was only partly compensated from the first up to the third calving, but there was no clear effect on the interval from the first to the third calving. From the present study we can conclude that it is desirable to strive for a pre-partum BW of about 600 kg in BBDM heifers when their first calving occurs at an age of 24 months. Extra attention should be paid to the nutrition of BBDM heifers to realize an accelerated growth rate before they become pregnant.


A normalizing flow models a complex probability density as an invertible transformation of a simple base density. Flows based on either coupling or autoregressive transforms both offer exact density evaluation and sampling, but rely on the parameterization of an easily invertible elementwise transformation, whose choice determines the flexibility of these models. Building upon recent work, we propose a fully-differentiable module based on monotonic rational-quadratic splines, which enhances the flexibility of both coupling and autoregressive transforms while retaining analytic invertibility. We demonstrate that neural spline flows improve density estimation, variational inference, and generative modeling of images.


Extreme weather conditions such as strong winds, hail, heavy rainfall, heavy snowfall, and high air temperature impact roads, traffic, and operational decisions. Strong winds in arid regions may pick up fine dust particles and create massive blowing plumes dramatically reducing the visibility. This reduced visibility severely impairs driving ability causing catastrophic crashes. The purpose of this research was to investigate the impacts of dust storms on freeway safety and operations. Interstates 8, 10, 15, 17, 19, and 40 running through Arizona were studied in relation to dust loading and crash risks. To achieve this, nine severe Arizona dust storms (2009–2016) were modeled using Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled with a chemistry module (WRF-Chem). WRF is a mesoscale numerical weather prediction system with a software architecture allowing for parallel computation. When coupled with a chemistry module (WRF-Chem), it could be used to model the fate and transport of the particulate matter. Dust hot spots were calculated based on Getis-Ord Gi* statistical method and were correlated to dust storm caused crashes. It was shown that a positive Gi* accompanied by dust loading of at least 50 kgm–2 will result in a crash with a 90% confidence level. The outcome of this research could be used by local and federal transportation agencies to communicate warnings to drivers for improved safety.