Using multivariate analysis, this study tracks the configuration of factors conditioning variation between the Spanish Progressive (estar "to be (located)" + Gerund (Verb-ndo)) and the simple Present, in 15th, 17th, and 19th century data. While the direction of effect remains stable, change is manifested in shifts in magnitude of effect. The Progressive begins as a locative construction with a presentative function, as shown by strong early effects of cooccurring locatives and postverbal full NP subjects. Over time locative meaning weakens and aspectual meaning, which is an implication of the locative construction, strengthens. The aspectual opposition between the Progressive and simple Present then extends to stative predicates. Thus, the changing relative magnitude of effect of the factor groups in the multivariate analyses shows the gradual emergence of the progressive – nonprogressive opposition. In grammaticisation, new constructions gradually evolve from patterns of variation, in the course of speakers' recurrent choices in discourse.


When conventional programmed electrical stimulation did not yield ventricular arrhythmias suitable for testing implanted automatic defibrillator function and for mapping the location of arrhythmogenic foci, full-wave rectified alternating current (120 Hz) was used for inducing arrhythmias. Application of alternating current resulted in ventricular tachycardias 31 times; in 27 instances, these tachycardias were similar in rate (216 ± 37 beats/min) and morphology to those previously induced in the same patient by programmed electrical stimulation (191 ± 30 beats/min). During endocardial mapping, the origin of the tachycardias induced by both methods was found in the same region. Alternating current produced ventricular fibrillation only four times, twice when it was the patient's spontaneous native arrhythmia and twice after apparently effective endocardial resection. No complications of the technique were observed. The use of alternating current was found to be simple, rapid and safe; it may be especially useful in the operating room during antiarrhythmic surgery because it markedly reduces the cardiopulmonary bypass time required for induction and may also be useful for testing the adequacy of endocardial resection.


Reports of operative mortality ranging from 30% to 60% have long been a deterrent to surgery in the hemophiliac. From these reports arose a concept of limited surgery, and then only in urgent cases. Since 1952, however, a better understanding of the pathophysiology of hemophilia has been made possible through the work of Biggs,1Fraenke,2Alexander,3MacFarlane,4Brink-hous,5and others. Their experimental and clinical findings have led to an effective approach to the management of hemophiliac patients who are undergoing major surgery. As a result, operative mortality has been dramatically reduced. This report presents an illustrative case of hemophilia and discusses principles of preoperative and postoperative management. The proven cases of classical hemophilia (hemophilia A or AHG deficiency) are reviewed to evaluate current therapy. Excluded from this discussion are diseases characterized by a deficiency of other coagulation factors (e.g., hemophilia B and C). Report of


Interpersonal Regulation of Learning and Motivation is the first book in the field to focus on major methodological advances in research on interpersonal regulation of learning and motivation. Interest in developing ways of capturing the dynamics of interpersonal regulation in real-life learning interactions is growing rapidly. Understanding these dynamics is particularly timely given the increased use of collaborative learning activities in schools and university settings, as well as through face-to-face and computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments.

While groups and collections of individuals in social interaction are expected to bring their own motivations and goals to the learning situations, it is also assumed that these are further shaped through interaction, as the group activity evolves. Research methodology publications in the field of learning, regulation and motivation are still dominated by a focus on the individual. The study of collaborative learning at both conceptual and methodological level has not incorporated the significance of social regulatory processes of learning and motivation. This is a new development in the field and one covered by this book.

The book contains numerous illustrations of innovative:

- Methodological approaches to study and interpret the dynamics of interpersonal regulation

- Data sources and data representations to capture scaffolded instruction

- Theory-based analytic methods to investigate interactions in real-life collaborative learning

- Coding systems and social software tools for gathering and analysing interactive data.

Interpersonal Regulation of Learning and Motivation brings together the work of scholars who have been studying interpersonal regulation of learning and motivation at the boundaries of the individual and the social, and who have made original methodological contributions to the study of interactive learning environments. In combination, their work provides a range of distinctive and original conceptual and methodological contributions to this under-examined and vital field of research, making this an essential read for any researcher or student interested in collaborative learning and motivation.


In the period between the First World War and the Second
World War, the firms or Cadbury-Fry-Pascall (Cadbury) and
the Electrolytic Zinc Company or Australia Ltd. (E.Z)
were unusual because they had extensive welfare schemes
and an almost complete absence or industrial conflict in
an era that sometimes experienced quite violent
industrial action. The coincidence or these two rectors
was not accidental.
Cadbury and E.Z had interpreted the bitter industrial
conflict at the end or the First World War was not really
a demand for more money but a protest against their
living conditions. The two firms believed it was their
obligation to cooperate with their workers and supply
them with housing and other welfare benefits. This, they
thought, would result in a content, committed and
efficient workforce.
The crux or both these companies welfare programmes was
the planned creation or model industrial villages. The
Cadbury scheme at Claremont and the E.Z scheme at Lutana
both railed to reach the seals their creators had
envisaged. This was basically because the companies did
not want to bear the expense or building houses, and the workers did not want to live in the company sites. The
other aspect of the welfare programme was the provision
or medical schemes, pension funds and sporting and
recreational activities and facilities. These schemes
were well patronised end engendered in employees a
feeling of commitment to the company.
At both Cadbury and E.Z unionism was weak. This was in
part because joint employer/employee bodies, such as the
Works Committee at E.Z and the Factory Committee at
Cadbury, undertook functions that are usually carried out
by the unions. The workers at E.Z came under the
Tasmanian Wages Board System, which often awarded lower
wages and longer hours than federal Arbitration Court
awards. Union attempts to gain coverage under the federal
awards were successively defeated, thereby making union
membership appear irrelevant. The workers at Cadbury were
covered by two separate federal Arbitration Court awards
for the men and woman. The awards were structured around
the organisation of work at Cadbury, and classified
women's work as unskilled and men's work as skilled. The
effect of the sexual division of labour perpetrated by
Cadbury was to make it difficult to organise the women
and defined them, rather than the Company, as a threat to
the men's wages and conditions. This was reflected in the
unions tendency to fight amongst themselves rather than
engage Cadbury.
Overall the cooperative welfare centered industrial
relations policies of Cadbury and E.Z enabled them, with
the assistance or the state, to menage their labour force
in such an effective manner they were able to virtually
avoid industrial conflict for twenty years.


Complexity science has generated significant insight regarding the interrelatedness of factors and actors constituting our real world and emergent effects from such interrelationships. But the translation of such rich insight towards developing appropriate tools for improving real world situations of change and uncertainty provides a further significant challenge. Systems thinking in practice is a heuristic framework based upon ideas of boundary critique for guiding the use and development of tools from different traditions in managing complex realities. By reference to five systems approaches, each embodying more than 30 years of experiential use, three interrelated features of the framework are drawn out – contexts of systemic change, practitioners as change agents, and tools as systems constructs that can themselves change through adaptation. The 'bells that still can ring' refer to tools associated with the Systems tradition which have demonstrable capacity to change and adapt by continual iteration with changing context of use and different practitioners using them. It is in the practice of using such tools whilst being aware of significant 'cracks' associated with traps in managing complex realities that enables systems thinking in practice to evolve. Complexity tools as examples of systems thinking can inadvertently invite traps of reductionism within contexts, dogmatism amongst practitioners, and fetishism of our tools as conceptual constructs associated with ultimately undeliverable promises towards achieving holism and pluralism. The heuristic provides a guiding framework on monitoring the development of tools from different traditions for improving complex realities and avoiding such traps.


Using design patterns is claimed to improve programmer productivity and software quality. Such improvements may manifest both at construction time (in faster and better program design) and at maintenance time (in faster and more accurate program comprehension). The paper focuses on the maintenance context and reports on experimental tests of the following question: does it help the maintainer if the design patterns in the program code are documented explicitly (using source code comments) compared to a well-commented program without explicit reference to design patterns? Subjects performed maintenance tasks on two programs ranging from 360 to 560 LOC including comments. The experiments tested whether pattern comment lines (PCL) help during maintenance if patterns are relevant and sufficient program comments are already present. This question is a challenge for the experimental methodology: A setup leading to relevant results is quite difficult to find. We discuss these issues in detail and suggest a general approach to such situations. A conservative analysis of the results supports the hypothesis that pattern-relevant maintenance tasks were completed faster or with fewer errors if redundant design pattern information was provided. The article provides the first controlled experiment results on design pattern usage and it presents a solution approach to an important class of experiment design problems for experiments regarding documentation.


Cardiovascular complications are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with acromegaly. Normalization of GH secretion is associated with an improvement in structural and functional cardiac abnormalities. However, the long-term cardiac effects of treatment for acromegaly have not been studied in patients who have already developed chronic congestive heart failure (CHF). We reviewed the charts of 330 consecutive patients with acromegaly treated in two French and Belgian centers since 1985. Ten patients with both acromegaly and CHF (eight men, two women, mean age 49.7 yr) were studied retrospectively. One of them was excluded because CHF was due to severe aortic stenosis.CHF (New York Heart Association stages III-IV and echocardiography showing dilated hypokinetic cardiomyopathy with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and a left ventricular ejection fraction less than 45%) was diagnosed before, concomitantly, or after acromegaly in, respectively, two, five, and two patients. Three patients were referred with terminal heart failure requiring transplantation.One patient had transient CHF associated with a hypertensive crisis. The other eight patients had symptomatic chronic CHF. Control of GH hypersecretion failed, totally or partially, in three patients: one had a long-term survival, and the two others died at 1 and 5 yr. Good GH control was achieved in five patients: four of these are still alive 2-16 yr after diagnosis of CHF, their clinical status is stable or improved, and their quality of life is good. Overall, the 1- and 5-yr mortality (or transplantation) rates for patients with chronic symptomatic CHF were 25% (2 of 8 patients) and 37.5% (3 of 8 patients), respectively. In conclusion, less than 3% of acromegalic patients developed CHF in this study. Although effective treatment of acromegaly improved short-term cardiovascular status, its impact on long-term survival is questionable.


Background and Objectives: The incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasing worldwide, and certain sub-populations appear especially vulnerable to developing the disease. In Qatar, the prevalence of T2DM in the adult population is approximately twice that in the USA. Qatar is ranked sixth in the world for diabetes prevalence. Risk of disease in the country is increasing with an apparent doubling of incidence in children from 1997 to 2007. To reduce T2DM risk and progression, preventative strategies need to be implemented on a population-wide scale with minimal cost and effort and without adverse effect. Our objective was to examine the utility of micronutrients in the prevention of type 2 diabetes and its complications and to evaluate the pathway(s) through which these dietary factors exert their effect. Methods: We searched the available literature linking oxidation, inflammatory signaling pathways, and micronutrient intake to T2DM. Results: The rise of T2DM rates is thought to be due, in part, to genetic factors that interact with lifestyle factors including, but not limited to, poor nutrition, lack of physical activity and obesity. However, chronic low-grade inflammation resulting from oxidative stress and imbalances in the innate immune system has been also linked to the pathogenesis of T2DM. Reducing inflammation via modulation of oxidative stress and the innate immune response could lead to a status of improved insulin sensitivity and delayed disease onset. Dietary supplementation with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant micronutrients might present a feasible strategy toward the prevention of T2DM at the population level, particularly in vulnerable sub-populations. Conclusion: Several lines of evidence support the concept of employing micronutrients as a preventative measure for T2DM via attenuating inflammation and modulating oxidative stress. This approach may be introduced as part of a population-based strategy to curb the rising incidence of T2DM in Qatar and facilitate developing public health policies and actions for disease prevention and control.


Deconstruction represents the peak of the process of dissolution of the "philosophical" and of the emancipation of the critical intellect that has characterized modernity. Deconstruction challenges the very possibility of philosophy. This is why the debate of deconstruction with philosophy "cannot resemble anyone else". It does not take place in philosophy, because it compares the whole of philosophy with an "elsewhere of philosophy", which is not even its opposite. The opposites have, as a matter of fact, a common genus, while between philosophy and deconstruction there is only homonymy. Deconstruction is born by criticizing Husserl's phenomenology. Questioning the foundation of phenomenology (presence and intuition) will mean, for Derrida, settling the coup de grace to the philosophy as a whole. In our essay we will show how the critique of phenomenology rests in reality on a fallacious equation, retention = non-perception. Only on the basis of such an assumption it will be possible for Derrida to "articulate" reflexively the absolute immanence of presence in itself and thus dissolve the "dream" of philosophy.


ABSTRACT This article elaborates on how structural, normative and functional pressures for change may challenge military organizational characteristics. We problematize theoretically and exemplify empirically what consequences these pressures can have on military organizational characteristics, arguing that they constitute major challenges for managing in particular normative pressures for change. The empirical examples suggest that bureaucratic, hierarchical, narcissistic and greedy traits of the organization are challenged by normative pressures such as value changes and normalization. Another source of challenge is professionalization processes. Structural challenges, on the other hand, are managed by the organization and do not seem to inhibit the workings of organizational characteristics. The plausibility probe conducted questions the sustainability of military organizational characteristics in their traditional disguise, in particular due to legitimacy concerns. It is suggested that future research should be directed towards analyzing how military organizations manage pressure for change and whether their characteristics are questioned.


Social media has been on the vanguard of political information diffusion in the 21st century. Most studies that look into disinformation, political influence and fake-news focus on mainstream social media platforms. This has inevitably made English an important factor in our current understanding of political activity on social media. As a result, there has only been a limited number of studies into a large portion of the world, including the largest, multilingual and multicultural democracy: India. In this paper we present our characterisation of a multilingual social network in India called ShareChat. We collect an exhaustive dataset across 72 weeks before and during the Indian general elections of 2019, across 14 languages. We investigate the cross lingual dynamics by clustering visually similar images together, and exploring how they move across language barriers. We find that Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil and Kannada languages tend to be dominant in soliciting political images (often referred to as memes), and posts from Hindi have the largest cross-lingual diffusion across ShareChat (as well as images containing text in English). In the case of images containing text that cross language barriers, we see that language translation is used to widen the accessibility. That said, we find cases where the same image is associated with very different text (and therefore meanings). This initial characterisation paves the way for more advanced pipelines to understand the dynamics of fake and political content in a multi-lingual and non-textual setting.


Interannual variability of vegetation represented by the temporal standard deviation (STD) of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), temporal STD, was calculated using a 25-year semi-monthly sequence of 8 km resolution NDVI images (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR)-Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS) data). The seasonal trajectory of temporal STD versus date was graphed to identify land-cover (LC) and location-related patterns. AVHRR-derived LC data and ecosystem mapping represented by Natural Subregions (NSRs) provided geographical stratification for data extraction. Finer subdivision came from separately considering >80% of pure LC areas within each NSR. The research was carried out over the Province of Alberta, Canada, which spans 11° of latitude and includes non-coinciding gradients in day length, temperature, precipitation and elevation. Two patterns occur. The 'spring-variable' pattern shows higher temporal STD in mid-spring and early autumn, with decreased values in summer. Slightly elevated temporal STD in early April and late October is interpreted to be due to snowmelt and snowfall. Spring-variability is typical of forested LCs and of cooler and wetter areas, primarily related to vegetation response to temperature variability at a given date from one year to the next. The 'summer-variable' pattern shows a single midsummer temporal STD peak. This pattern is typical of dry areas where grassland and cropland LCs predominate. Where these two LCs occur in cooler areas, their temporal STD approaches the spring-variable pattern. Summer-variability typifies moisture-dependent ecosystems. The temporal resolution is sufficient to demonstrate that forests in the extreme cool and wet areas of the province have a later spring temporal STD peak. Alberta has already warmed over the 1960–1990 period; because of the dates involved, warming before the 1980s is unrecoverable from satellite data. The data used here provide a baseline of variability over a period as long as that used for calculating climate normals. It is the longest available spatially complete satellite record to date. In future, with longer image time series, it will be possible to observe any changes in the degree and pattern of variability for the same location/LC. This will allow testing if interannual variability of vegetation changes in its temporal pattern or increases in magnitude for a given place.


We make use of micro-level data for over 45,000 private bond issues by over 5000 firms from 22 countries in 1990-2006 to analyze the impact that the launch of the EMU had on their currency denomination. The use of the micro data allows us to isolate the "euro effect" on new and seasoned bond issuers while conditioning on individual issue characteristics. To our knowledge, ours is the first systematic analysis of this topic at the micro level. We find that the impact on new issuers is larger than on seasoned issuers and that most of the increase in the euro-denominated bond issuance by seasoned borrowers was along the "extensive" margin, i.e. borrowers switching currency denomination of their issues. Insofar as new entrants to the bond market will define the overall currency composition in the long run, these results imply that aggregate studies might be underestimating the euro effect. We also find that to a large extent the increase in euro issuance was "at the expense" of U.S. dollar issuance, suggesting that euro competes with the U.S. dollar as a currency of choice for international - financial transactions.


This project investigated installing a solar intermittency monitoring system at Murdoch University (MU). Solar energy is defined as an intermittent source due to its varied, uncontrollable nature in standard operational conditions, in comparison to conventional power supply systems sourced from fossil fuels. Cloud cover, time of day, and solar seasonal variance are factors which affect solar energy production. Solar intermittency research and collection of data is essential to Australia's continued integration of renewable generation and progress towards a clean energy future.

The two key parameters required to monitor solar intermittency are global horizontal irradiance (GHI) and DC output power. Additional parameters to be measured for this study were: wind speed, wind direction, ambient temperature, module temperatures, humidity, DC output voltages, DC output currents, and AC power to the utility grid. Solar intermittency monitoring also requires a fast sample rate, which was chosen as 1 second (s) for this project, and a high sensor accuracy of 5% for GHI and 2% for power measurements. With this in consideration PV systems on MU Library, and Building 190 were investigated and analysed to determine the best location to install the system. The Engineering and Energy Building PV Array monitoring system was examined as Mael Riou had proposed a solar intermittency monitoring structure there in his thesis in 2012.

MU Library was dismissed as the installation site as the present sensors which monitored current, voltage, power, and solar irradiance had a higher inaccuracy than recommended by the International Standards IEC 61724, and an averaged data sample rate of five minutes. This would require a complete overhaul of the current monitoring system which would have been significantly beyond any budgetary considerations. Building 190's PV monitoring system therefore became the focus of the project and required two new solar irradiance sensors and a replacement device for a National Instruments (NI) FieldPoint (FP)-TC-120, 8-Channel Thermocouple Module.

Considerable problems were discovered upon further investigations into Building 190 including: communicating with the PLC which prevented power from flowing to the PV inverter without removing safety features of the system, the Sunny Boy 5000TL inverter having a device fault once power was restored to it, preventing AC power to the utility grid from being monitored as it was not flowing, and the removal of access to the roof, where the PV array and majority of monitoring equipment is located, in Week 11 of semester.

The Renewable Energy Power System (REPS) Training Facility was suggested as a potential site to design and install a solar intermittency monitoring system after this. The PV array there was fully functional. However upon further investigation it was determined the FP Modules, which communicated data about meteorological parameters, were not connected. While this issue could be resolved, the limited time and the scope of work required rendered it unsuitable for this project.

Focus was then returned to Building 190 where a NI LabVIEW project was developed to monitor and log the parameters. The SP Lite2 Silicon Pyranometer was selected as the solar irradiance sensor. However installation of the device did not occur due to budgetary, manpower, and, time restrictions. A proposed design was suggested to replace the NI FP-TC-120 with a NI Compact FieldPoint (cFP)-TC-125. However due to the age of the current equipment and their obsolete statuses, any upgrade of the FP modules would require a new NI Data Acquisition (DAQ) system to be bought and installed.

The "Solar Intermittency" LabVIEW VI attained measurements with a somewhat questionable validity. Signal noise was quite noticeable in the voltage, and current measurements due to the 500Hz filter frequency required by the FP-AI-110 unit to meet the 1 second sample rate. Ideally both FP-AI-110 modules, which monitored the voltage, current, and meteorological parameters would be replaced with either a NI cFP-AI-112 or cFP-AI-118 which are both capable of sampling at a 1 second rate with lower filter frequencies. The Parallel Block D Current's Dataforth was also revealed to be malfunctioning and needed replacement.

To install a solar intermittency monitoring system at Building 190 a large budget of approximately $6,300 would be required as well as work to be performed to fix the significant problems which currently exist at the location. Overall, it was not possible to install a solar intermittency monitoring system at MU during this time.

Although the objective of the project to install a solar intermittency monitoring system at MU was not achieved, some positive outcomes were produced including:

•Identification of solar intermittency monitoring parameters, and specifications about solar intermittency monitoring prerequisites such as sample rate, equipment, measurements, and sensor accuracy.
•An extensive evaluation of the PV systems and their associated monitoring structures and equipment at MU's South Street Campus.
•An in-depth examination and documentation of Building 190's PV array and associated monitoring system, including problems and solutions to these experienced during the review.
•The development of a LabVIEW program for Building 190's solar intermittency monitoring system to detect and record the necessary parameters, as well as a detailed proposal and recommendations to upgrade the solar monitoring system currently at Building 190.


Conservation strategies to tackle habitat loss and fragmentation require actions at the local (e.g., improving/expanding existing habitat patches) and landscape level (e.g., creating new habitat in the matrix). However, the relative importance of these actions for biodiversity is still poorly understood, leading to debate on how to prioritize conservation activities. Here, we assess the relative importance of local vs. landscape-level attributes in determining the use of woodlands by bats in fragmented landscapes; we also compare the role of habitat amount in the surrounding landscape per se vs. a combination of both habitat amount and configuration and explore whether the relative importance of these attributes varies with species mobility and landscape context. We conducted acoustic surveys in 102 woodland patches in the UK that form part of the WrEN project (www.wren-project.com), a large-scale natural experiment designed to study the effects of 160 yr of woodland creation on biodiversity and inform landscape-scale conservation. We used multivariate analysis and a model-selection approach to assess the relative importance of local (e.g., vegetation structure) and landscape-level (e.g., amount/configuration of surrounding land types) attributes on bat occurrence and activity levels. Species mobility was an important trait determining the relative importance of local vs. landscape-level attributes for different bat species. Lower mobility species were most strongly influenced by local habitat quality; the landscape became increasingly important for higher mobility species. At the landscape-scale, a combination of habitat amount and configuration appeared more important than habitat amount alone for lower mobility species, while the opposite was observed for higher mobility species. Regardless of species mobility, landscape-level attributes appeared more important for bats in a more homogeneous and intensively farmed landscape. Conservation strategies involving habitat creation and restoration should take into account the mobility of target species and prioritize landscape-level actions in more homogeneous and intensively farmed landscapes where habitat loss and fragmentation have been more severe.


The aim of this paper is to critically explore whether crowdsourced Big Data enables an inclusive humanitarian response at times of crisis. We argue that all data, including Big Data, are socially constructed artefacts that reflect the contexts and processes of their creation. To support our argument, we qualitatively analysed the process of 'Big Data making' that occurred by way of crowdsourcing through open data platforms, in the context of two specific humanitarian crises, namely the 2010 earthquake in Haiti and the 2015 earthquake in Nepal. We show that the process of creating Big Data from local and global sources of knowledge entails the transformation of information as it moves from one distinct group of contributors to the next. The implication of this transformation is that locally based, affected people and often the original 'crowd' are excluded from the information flow, and from the interpretation process of crowdsourced crisis knowledge, as used by formal responding organizations, and are marginalized in their ability to benefit from Big Data in support of their own means. Our paper contributes a critical perspective to the debate on participatory Big Data, by explaining the process of in and exclusion during data making, towards more responsive humanitarian relief.


In participatory design there is a risk that the emphasis on the co-operation with future users let the developers forget to step back and reflect on what they learned. In this article we report about a case study of a software project and the resulting system. In spite of a user oriented way of developing the system, problems showed up both when using the software and when the developers later tried to modify it. Part of the reason for the problems was the (lack of) structure in the system. We use the 'going native' - a well discussed methodological issue in ethnography - as a metaphor. The ethnographer have to both 'go native' to be able to understand the culture studied but also step back and reflect. In the same way the software developer has to 'step back' and reflect and form their own conceptual model.


This article analyses scientific publications of international prestige in three social science disciplines (communication, economics and sociology) to identify possible production patterns. Emphasis is placed on the study of impact and visibility, both through bibliometric and altmetric indicators to determine similarities and differences and to establish possible inter-variable relationships. The use of measures such as the presence in social media for the study of the visibility of documents is discussed. A total of 112 300 papers published from 2013 to 2015 in the three disciplines analysed was retrieved from the Social Science Citation Index (SSCI). Economics accounted for the largest number and was observed to have a 'stable' and consolidated output profile. Collaboration, impact and visibility were found to be inter-related in the three fields. The proportion of papers with mentions in the social media was high (around 50 %) in communication and sociology, suggesting a relationship between the object of study and the medium for disseminating the findings. Tweets were the most common type of mentions. While the correlation between academic impact (citation/doc) and mentions in blog posts and tweets was observed to be low, the percentage of papers cited (78 % to 96 %) and the mean number of citations per paper were greater among those with than those without mentions in the social media (especially those mentioned in Google+, MSM, videos and Wikipedia). The proportion of open access (OA) papers with mentions in the social media was higher than the percentage of open access papers as a whole in two of the three disciplines.


The objective of this paper is to calculate the total factors productivity (TFP) growth of the Tunisian agricultural sector, between 1961 and 2012, and to assess its main determinants. Data about agricultural inputs and outputs was collected for the mentioned period, and used to calculate the Tornqvist TFP index. Another set of explicative variables was also used to assess the main determinants of the productivity gains. The results showed that TFP in Tunisia was highly fluctuating during the last four decades, which was mainly due to the variability of the agricultural output index. This is stressing the dependency of this output to the climatic conditions. The results also show that some structural characteristics of the agricultural sector, such as the share of cereal (main crop) areas in the total cropped areas, and the rural GDP growth, are significantly and negatively slowing down productivity gains of this sector.


The continuous, kinematical Hilbert space of loop quantum gravity is built upon a family of spaces HΓ, each associated to a different graph Γ, i.e. a network of interconnected onedimensional links `, embedded within a spatial geometry. The kinematics of loop quantum gravity are well-established, but difficult problems remain for the dynamics. There are two steps in getting to the quantum theory from the classical one: first, the embedded graphs are used to define a smearing of the continuous gravitational fields to obtain a holonomy h` and flux X` for each link of the graph, giving a phase space PΓ; second, this phase space is quantized to yield a finite dimensional Hilbert space HΓ. The intermediate classical theory in terms of PΓ phase spaces remains largely unexplored, and here we endeavour to develop it. If we can find such a theory that is consistent with general relativity, then we will have a theory of gravity based upon finite-dimensional phase spaces that is nicely set up for quantization à la loop quantum gravity. To begin, we first review the basic elements of the quantum theory before introducing the classical phase space structure. Within this framework we show that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the data on a graph and an equivalence class of continuous geometries. We find that a particular member of each class, the spinning geometry, makes a promising candidate as a gauge choice to represent the (h`,X`) data in the continuous theory, helping us to formulate a dynamics for the discrete theory. Considering all of the possible graphs, it is important to know how we can evolve from one phase space into another, and how the dynamics in PΓ relates to the continuous evolution. There is a geometrical description of phase spaces where dynamics appears as a class of subspaces within a symplectic manifold. We use this picture to formulate a dynamics between PΓ phase spaces, and demonstrate this process on a simple model that mimics the case of full gravity. Following this, we study a system of point particles in three-dimensional gravity which provides an illuminating demonstration of what we hope to accomplish for full gravity. We develop the classical theory of point particles and show that it can be described by an evolving triangulation where discrete bistellar flips can occur. From here we define the loop gravity theory and show that it agrees with the continuous theory, having two-to-two moves on the graph which mirror the bistellar flips in the triangulation. The results are promising for finding a dynamics for four-dimensional loop gravity, and if the full theory is developed further, we expect it will lead to a breakthrough in the quantum dynamics.


Background In 2012, South Africa set a goal of circumcising 4.3 million men ages 15–49 by 2016. By the end of March 2014, 1.9 million men had received voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC). In an effort to accelerate progress, South Africa undertook a modeling exercise to determine whether circumcising specific client age groups or geographic locations would be particularly impactful or cost-effective. Results will inform South Africa's efforts to develop a national strategy and operational plan for VMMC. Methods and Findings The study team populated the Decision Makers' Program Planning Tool, Version 2.0 (DMPPT 2.0) with HIV incidence projections from the Spectrum/AIDS Impact Module (AIM), as well as national and provincial population and HIV prevalence estimates. We derived baseline circumcision rates from the 2012 South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence and Behaviour Survey. The model showed that circumcising men ages 20–34 offers the most immediate impact on HIV incidence and requires the fewest circumcisions per HIV infection averted. The greatest impact over a 15-year period is achieved by circumcising men ages 15–24. When the model assumes a unit cost increase with client age, men ages 15–29 emerge as the most cost-effective group. When we assume a constant cost for all ages, the most cost-effective age range is 15–34 years. Geographically, the program is cost saving in all provinces; differences in the VMMC program's cost-effectiveness across provinces were obscured by uncertainty in HIV incidence projections. Conclusion The VMMC program's impact and cost-effectiveness vary by age-targeting strategy. A strategy focusing on men ages 15–34 will maximize program benefits. However, because clients older than 25 access VMMC services at low rates, South Africa could consider promoting demand among men ages 25–34, without denying services to those in other age groups. Uncertainty in the provincial estimates makes them insufficient to support geographic targeting.


This study proposes an automatic naturalness recog-nition from an acted dialogue. The problem can be stated that: given speech utterances with their naturalness labels, is it possible to recognize these labels automatically? By what methods? And how to evaluate these methods? We evaluated two supervised classifiers to investigate the possibility of recognizing naturalness automatically in acted speech: long short-term memory and multilayer perceptron neural networks. These classifiers accept inputs in the form of acoustic features from a speech dataset. Two kinds of acoustic features were evaluated: low-level and high-level features. This initial study on automatic naturalness recognition of speech resulted in a moderate performance of the assessed systems. We measured the performance in concordance correlation coefficients, Pearson correlation coefficients, and root mean square errors. This study opens a potential application of speech processing techniques for measuring naturalness in acted dialogue, which benefits for drama- or movie-making in the future.


The Routledge History of Disability explores the shifting attitudes towards and representations of disabled people from the age of antiquity to the twenty-first century. Taking an international view of the subject, this wide-ranging collection shows that the history of disability cuts across racial, ethnic, religious, cultural, gender and class divides, highlighting the commonalities and differences between the experiences of disabled persons in global historical context. The book is arranged in four parts, covering histories of disabilities across various time periods and cultures, histories of national disability policies, programs and services, histories of education and training and the ways in which disabled people have been seen and treated in the last few decades. Within this, the twenty-eight chapters discuss topics such as developments in disability issues during the late Ottoman period, the history of disability in Belgian Congo in the early twentieth century, blind asylums in nineteenth-century Scotland and the systematic killing of disabled children in Nazi Germany. Illustrated with images and tables and providing an overview of how various countries, cultures and societies have addressed disability over time, this comprehensive volume offers a global perspective on this rapidly growing field and is a valuable resource for scholars of disability studies and histories of disabilities.


This paper uses panel data for 34 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to investigate the effect of gender inequality and governance on poverty. It applied a maximum likelihood estimation of random effect models. It found that high gender inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa contributes for high poverty. The results also show that good governance in Sub-Saharan Africa may have a decisive positive impact on poverty reduction. The results are robust at country and regional level data. Convincingly, it also found that gender inequality and the absence of good governance can have a potential impact to increase poverty. Hence, to get out of poverty by improving human development, refining frameworks that improve the institutional quality through voice and accountability, regulations and government effectiveness on socio-economic issues are necessary. The high gender inequality in the region should also decreased.


Many pre-dispersal seed predators are specialized insects that rely on seeds for larval development. Th ese insects may respond to the amount of seeds produced by a plant (i.e. crop size), increasing the proportion of seeds damaged with increases in seed numbers. Large seeds have more resources and spend more time in plants to complete their development and are probably more prone to be preyed on by those insects than small seeds. Here I tested how crop size and seed mass infl uence pre-dispersal seed predation in plants from the Cerrado savannas of Brazil. I related plant crop size to pre-dispersal seed predation for Xylopia aromatica and Erythroxylum pelleterianum. A literature review was performed to test if seed mass may explain among-species diff erences in pre-dispersal seed predation. Pre-dispersal losses increased proportionally to crop size in the two species investigated, but some species show positive or no density-dependent seed predation in literature, indicating that seed losses are not a simple function of crop sizes. Seed mass did not explain pre-dispersal seed loss diff erences among 14 species with data available. Pre-dispersal losses are often small and probably less important than seed dispersal and establishment limitation for plant recruitment in Cerrado savannas.


Early career teachers are under considerable pressure and are expected to adjust quickly to the complex and demanding role of teaching. The percentage of teachers who leave the profession within the first five years is concerning (Carlyle and Woods, 2002; Wilhelm et al., 2000). This study researched the emotional effects on the teaching and personal lives of early career teachers and was funded by Loughborough University Design Education Research Group. We employed a mixed methods approach. A pre questionnaire ascertained early career teachers' school experiences and the consequences (if any) on their personal lives. In response to this, 44 teachers in four different schools were offered six hours of therapeutic training. A follow-up questionnaire and group interviews considered the impact of the training on practice. Key findings indicated that therapeutic training was beneficial for normalising many of the concerns raised. It offered an opportunity to share situations within a group which improved teachers' self- awareness and their awareness of others. The main conclusions revealed the deep physical and emotional exhaustion experienced by these teachers. The impact of the therapeutic training appeared to be extremely positive. This suggests it could be a significant area to be covered during a teacher education course to build resilience to sustain teachers in the profession.


Background and Aims: The family mood is predisposing the most of the people issues in all stages of life, especially school day. The present research to be accomplished with the aim of the survey of the relationship between the rate of family function with academic self-regulation among the nursing students in the Zahedan university of medical science (Iran). Methods: This research method was descriptive- correlative one with the statistical population included all the nursing students in the Zahedan university of medical science at 2014-2015 year.200 students were selected as a sample according to convenience sampling method. For the data's collection were used to the Epstein, Baldwin and Bishop Family function questionnaire (1983) and the Kanel and Ryan academic self-regulation questionnaire (1987). The data in descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (correlation coefficient and step-by-step Regression) and were analyzed using the software Spss-18. Results: The results indicate that there was a positive and significant correlation between the family function in all dimensions (problem – solving, communication, role, emotional response, emotional association, behavior control, and general control) with the academic self-regulation in the nursing students. The regression analysis showed that among the predictor variables, the role and problem- solving variables could predict the academic self-regulation in the nursing students. Conclusions: The family and its performance have important effects on the student's self-regulation.


Methods of monetary policy implementation continue to change. The level of reserve supply---scarce, abundant, or somewhere in between---has implications for the efficiency and effectiveness of an implementation regime. The money market events of September 2019 highlight the need for an analytical framework to better understand implementation regimes. We discuss major issues relevant to the choice of an implementation regime, using a parsimonious framework and drawing from the experience in the United States since the 2007-09 financial crisis. We find that the optimal level of reserve supply likely lies somewhere between scarce and abundant reserves, thus highlighting the benefits of implementation with what could be called "ample" reserves. The Federal Reserve's announcement in October 2019 that it would maintain a level of reserve supply greater than the one that prevailed in early September is consistent with the implications of our framework.


Industrial X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) techniques are used in a wide variety of different applications. In recent years the inspection of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) has also been added to these applications. Besides defect detection, an increasing interest is observed in characterizing the inner structure and in providing in-depth information for the design and manufacturing of new components. This paper presents the results of volume porosity characterization and parameter optimization obtained using different µ-XCT systems as well as CT-simulation. The scans were performed on the EADS Innovation Works' µ-XCT system, which was especially built for CFRP characterization. It is an open system, which allows different kinds of acquisition, reconstruction, and data evaluation. In addition, scans were carried out at the University of Applied Sciences,Upper Austria, which operates a GE phoenix|x-ray Nanotom 180 device. The XCT scans were carried out on two specimens with the focus on quantitative characterization of porosity. In addition, the choice of optimized measurement and evaluation parameters is of particular importance, especially with varying dimensions and pore shape. Several studies of porosity determination [1, 2] have shown that the evaluated degree of porosity and its uncertainty are dependent on CT measurement parameters and evaluation. Due to the CFRP manufacturing process it is difficult to obtain samples with predefined degrees of porosity, as well as homogeneous pore distribution, which are needed for porosity studies of this kind. Thus, the XCT-simulation of synthetically-generated volume porosity datasets is a promising method for test parameter optimization. The correlation of XCT-simulation and XCT-measurement is mandatory in order to choose the best possible aquisition parameters and thus improve the precision of quantitative non-destructive testing of CFRP materials using µ-XCT.


Any tribute to Karl Barth as the most important theologian of the 20th century must show an awareness of the many facets of his work. He will long be remembered for his monumental contribution to church dogmatics. The inspiration for his dogmatics was his dilemma in preaching the Word of God. Preaching and proclaiming the Word of God were his main interests. This article attempts to analyse his homiletic stance, not only as an academic theory, but in relation to his own sermons. Finally, the importance of Barth's theology for preaching in a postmodern society is outlined.


The use of marginal land (ML) for lignocellulosic biofuel production is examined for system stability, resilience, and eco-social sustainability. A North American prairie grass system and its industrialization for maximum biomass production using biotechnology and agro-technical inputs is the focus of the analysis. Demographic models of ML biomass production and ethanol farmer/producers are used to examine the stability properties of the ML system. A bio-economic model that maximizes the utility of consumption having the dynamics of MLs and the farmer/producers as dynamic constraints is used to examine the effects of increased conversion efficiency, input costs, risk, and levels of base resources and inputs on the competitive and societal solutions for biomass production. We posit ML abandonment after biofuel production ceases could lead to permanent land degradation below initial levels that prohibit the establishment of the original flora and fauna.


This paper deals with the land allocation problem of finding a good locational pattern over time for various activities (such as different types of industries, agriculture, housing, `and recreation) within a region. A mathematical programming model is formulated to support long-range regional development studies at IIASA concerning the Malmo area (Sweden) and the Silistra region (Bulgaria). Estimates for the total volume of different activities within the region is assumed to be available (e.g., as econometric forecasts or in the framework of central planning). The problem is then to determine subregional development plans in order to meet the estimated volume for the activities, taking into account the initial situation as well as land available in the subregions. As criteria for evaluating alternative development paths we consider investment and operating costs, transportation and other communication costs, as well as some environmental aspects. While determining the investment and operating costs, economies of scale play an important role for certain activities.

Formally, our model is a dynamic multicriteria optimization problem with integer variables and quadratic objective functions (which may be neither convex nor concave). A solution technique is proposed for this problem. The method, which relies heavily on the network flow structure of the set of constraints, is illustrated using a numerical example. Finally, the implementation of a plan is briefly discussed.


The anthropogenic heat emissions generated by human activities in London are analysed in detail for 2005–2008 and considered in context of long‐term past and future trends (1970–2025). Emissions from buildings, road traffic and human metabolism are finely resolved in space (30 min) and time (200 × 200 m2). Software to compute and visualize the results is provided. The annual mean anthropogenic heat flux for Greater London is 10.9 W m−2 for 2005–2008, with the highest peaks in the central activities zone (CAZ) associated with extensive service industry activities. Towards the outskirts of the city, emissions from the domestic sector and road traffic dominate. Anthropogenic heat is mostly emitted as sensible heat, with a latent heat fraction of 7.3% and a heat‐to‐wastewater fraction of 12%; the implications related to the use of evaporative cooling towers are briefly addressed. Projections indicate a further increase of heat emissions within the CAZ in the next two decades related to further intensification of activities within this area. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society


BACKGROUND
This paper presents a case study of the nationwide implementation of an Electronic Health Record system based on industry standards.

OBJECTIVES
To critically review the finalized nationwide EHR implementation in Albania, pointing out the achievements and the shortcomings, gained knowledge and sharing lessons learned.

METHODS
This paper reports on our analysis of the project's documentation, first-hand experience working with healthcare professionals during and after project implementation. The initial system uptake analysis has been made using EHR usage statistics.

RESULTS
Despite very poor initial ICT infrastructure, minimal or non-existing medical nomenclature and a rather challenging project schedule, the nationwide implementation of the EHR system was successfully completed in less than two years.

CONCLUSION
Although the system is already in use by 79 healthcare providers and is covering secondary and tertiary care, the majority of clinical data still remains in paper format; the access for clinicians to the system is limited due to insufficient ICT infrastructure.


Learning performant robot manipulation policies can be challenging due to high-dimensional continuous actions and complex physics-based dynamics. This can be alleviated through intelligent choice of action space. Operational Space Control (OSC) has been used as an effective task-space controller for manipulation. Nonetheless, its strength depends on the underlying modeling fidelity, and is prone to failure when there are modeling errors. In this work, we propose OSC for Adaptation and Robustness (OSCAR), a data-driven variant of OSC that compensates for modeling errors by inferring relevant dynamics parameters from online trajectories. OSCAR decomposes dynamics learning into task-agnostic and task-specific phases, decoupling the dynamics dependencies of the robot and the extrinsics due to its environment. This structure enables robust zero-shot performance under out-of-distribution and rapid adaptation to significant domain shifts through additional finetuning. We evaluate our method on a variety of simulated manipulation problems, and find substantial improvements over an array of controller baselines. For more results and information, please visit https://cremebrule.github.io/oscar-web/.


of Dissertation PROTEASOME REGULATION OF CASPASE-8: SIGNIFICANCE IN CANCER Anti-tumor therapeutic strategies based on combinations of chemotherapeutic agents with a death inducing ligand such as TNF-α Related Apoptosis Inducing Ligand (TRAIL), are directed towards selective and effective cancer cell apoptosis and enhanced therapeutic response. We previously demonstrated that proteasome inhibition sensitizes TRAIL resistant prostate cancer cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis via stabilization of the active p18 subunit of initiator caspase-8. The present study investigated the functional link between caspase-8 and the proteasome, by analyzing the impact of caspase-8 ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation on the outcomes of the extrinsic apoptosis pathway in cancer cells. Caspase-8 ubiquitination status was assessed by polyubiquitin immunoprecipitation (IP) and fluorescent microscopy. Apoptosis induction in response to death receptor stimuli or proteasome inhibitor was evaluated using the Annexin V/Propidium iodide staining (PI). To determine the consequences of proteasome inhibition on caspase-8 stability, trafficking, and activity following death receptor activation, we used the TRAIL-resistant human prostate cancer LNCaP cells, and the caspase-8 deficient Neuroblastoma 7 (NB7) cells, as cellular models for reconstituting the non-cleavable mutant forms of caspase-8. Our findings demonstrate that the noncleavable forms of caspase-8 are capable of inducing apoptosis comparably to wild-type caspase-8 upon treatment with proteasome inhibitor and GST-TRAIL. Furthermore, caspase-8 processing into its active subunits preceded caspase-8 polyubiquitination, implicating caspase-8 processing as a potential regulatory mechanism, rather than a requirement for caspase-8 activation in apoptosis induction. The mechanistic control of caspase-8 by ubiquitination in cancer cells may have significant significance in bypassing mechanisms of therapeutic resistance in human tumors and optimization of anti-cancer treatment strategies in human tumors and optimization of anti-cancer treatment strategies.


In all countries, there are differences in health between socio-economic groups. In Finland those health differences are comparatively large. Why there is such wide cross-national variation in relative health differences between socio-economic groups remains an unanswered question. One brand of explanations links health outcomes to income inequalities. The other brand of explanations emphasizes the role of health care systems and unequal access to health care. The latter explanation has dominated the Finnish debate, which is motivated by the fact that the OECD has classified the Finnish health care system as one of the most unequalizing in the industrial countries. A third set of explanations argues that health outcomes are related to the size of the health budget. In this article, we focus on socio-economic differences in selfassessed health. We ask how strongly socio-economic health differences are linked to income inequalities (H1), how satisfactorily the characteristics of health care systems explain these differences (H2), and what the relative role of the health budget is (H3). The comparisons show that the socio-economic health differences among 17 European countries are more strongly associated to the health budget (H3) than to the features of health care systems (H2) or income inequality (H1). However, these two explanations also get qualified support— but bigger seems to be better.


Ventilation systems for a nuclear plant must have a very high reliability and effectiveness. In this application, fluidic devices have advantages which electro-mechanical and pneumatic devices lack. Fluidic devices will not easily wear out, they have a relatively fast response and in some cases they may be cheaper than an equivalent conventional device. Most importantly, they have fewer moving parts (usually none) so are inherently reliable, so long as the fluidic design is effective. So vortex amplifiers (VXA) are ideal for active ventilation systems where access for maintenance is problematic.
From 1995 to 2000, space limitations at Sellafield drove the desire to minimise VXA size and also glovebox size. Recently completed plant expansions use a smaller version of VXA produced by scaling geometrically the existing standard model. It is called the mini-VXA. Subsequent performance of the mini-VXA has been disappointing with high oxygen levels noted in the inerted gloveboxes; this required an expensive increase in the inert gas supply rate of gloveboxes to mitigate against fire risk.
After doing experiments using a mini-VXA and typical glovebox, the author has confirmed the high 02 levels. The 02 distribution in the glovebox indicates that oxygen is entering the glovebox by the VXA supply ports; against the general direction of flow.
The ultimate source of this back leakage is the control port (that is open to atmosphere) and smoke visualisation studies on the mock VXA indicate a mechanism. This is due to separated flow patterns with excessive control port momentum. A temporary solution using an orifice plate and spacing chamber has been shown to reduce essential nitrogen supply to one quarter that without the modification. Addition of the orifice plates enables further reduction in nitrogen use, and the smallest orifice tested performs best with no discernable cost in pressure drop and therefore fan power. The author also found the following points. The ratio of control port area to supply port area is a critical parameter affecting mixing of the two airstreams. Yet exit port area is unimportant. The ratio of supply port area to exit port area has no influence on discharge coefficient (at least within the scope of current work). It is also identified that the ratio of chamber height to exit port radius does not affect the discharge coefficient or two angle parameters. Doubling chamber height, supply port area and control port area at the same time has a slight effect on the discharge coefficient (attributed partly to a viscous effect), but no effect on the two angle parameters. The chamber height has little effect on Reynolds number. If the supply port area is not too small relative to the exit port, the supply port area will not significantly affect Reynolds number. The use of discharge coefficient and the two angle parameters to characterize VXA performance breaks with the traditional form of dimensionless characteristics that are used for the purpose. Testing these alternate characteristics has enabled the momentum
(which dominates control of VXA performance) to be more explicitly expressed in updated design rules.


Psychiatric diagnosis and treatment depends on the therapist's ability to accurately observe and analyze the patient's emotional, mental, and behavioral state .  During this process, the variety of unconscious responses arising in the therapist is termed countertransference —which describes the predictable patterns of emotional and behavioral changes that occur in response to the patient's personality .  In the case of a personality disorder, this phenomenon is amplified .  With understanding and non-judgmental recognition of these responses, therapists can use countertransference to inform their diagnosis and approach to treatment .  An informal study of these responses, elicited in both experienced clinicians and medical student trainees, was conducted to elucidate the phenomenon of countertransference in the context of a case presentation.


Asia-Pacific region has emerged as the growth pole of the world economy over the past decade. However, in the aftermath of global financial crisis, sustaining the dynamism of Asia-Pacific economies would require a rebalancing in favour of greater domestic consumption and exploiting the potential of regional economic integration. This paper argues that broader regional economic integration in Asia within the Comprehensive Economic Partnership of East Asia (CEPEA) framework, proposed for the ASEAN+6 countries, could be an engine of growth for not only the participating countries but also has the potential to enhance the welfare of the rest of the world by unleashing the synergies of Asian countries for trade creation besides making the region emerge as the third pole of the world economy along side NAFTA and the EU. Furthermore, monetary and financial cooperation in the region has further possibilities of generating additional aggregate demand for sustaining their dynamism by efficiently intermediating between region's excess savings and unmet investment needs. By forming credible schemes of regional economic integration, Asia will be able to seek its due place in the global economic governance and contribute to building a more democratic and multipolar world economy. Asian economic integration by increasing the interdependence of countries in the region will also ensure peace and stability.


A change in executive leadership is a significant event in the life of a firm. This study investigates an important consequence of a CEO turnover: a change in equity volatility. We develop three hypotheses about how changes in CEO might affect stock-price volatility, and test these hypotheses using a sample of 872 CEO turnovers over the 1979 to 1995 period. We find that volatility increases following a CEO turnover, even for the most frequent type, when a CEO leaves voluntarily and is replaced by someone from inside the firm. Forced turnovers increase volatility more than voluntary turnovers, which we argue is consistent with forced departures implying a higher probability of large strategy changes. For voluntary departures, outside successions increase volatility more than inside successions, which we attribute to increased uncertainty over the successor CEO's skill in managing the firm's operations. We also document a greater stock-price response to earnings announcements following CEO turnover, consistent with more informative signals of value driving the increased volatility. Our findings are robust to controls for firm-specific characteristics such as changes in firm operations, firm size, and both volatility change and performance prior to the turnover.


In six concise clearly written chapters, the author provides a scholarly and well-documented introduction to the principle features of Shi'i Islam, an important school of Islamic thought which has gained increasing prominence in Western media in recent years. Beginning with an examination of the term Sh'i Islam -- stressing its occurrence in numerous traditions of the prophet so that the origins of Shi'ism can be regarded as coterminous with those of Islam itself -- the author then moves to a discussion of the textual and other sources of Shi'i thought: The qur'an, the Sunnah of the Prophet, the teachings of the infallible Imams from the Household of the Prophet, and the principles of reason and consensus as distinctively understood in Shi'ism. He follows with a review of the leading doctrines of Shi'i Islam, both those it holds in common with other Muslims and those that set it apart -- divine justice, the Imamate and the infallibility of the Imams. The devotional practices of Shi'i Islam are presented in turn, followed by a review of its general characteristics, with stress on both spirituality and rationality. Concluding with a demographic survey of Shi'i populations and brief notes on cities and sacred associations, the book is carefully argued, and can be recommended as a useful source of reference for all those interested in Islamic studies.


Canadian Health Policy in the News is a compendium of the commentaries (or OpEds) published by the Evidence Network of Canadian Health Policy (or EvidenceNetwork.ca) in major newspapers across the country since the birth of EvidenceNetwork.ca in April 2011 up to October 2012. It is a timely, balanced and non-partisan snapshot of what's new and controversial concerning our healthcare system and related social programs that affect health and well-being in our country – with evidence at the forefront. For the first time, we've collected this Creative Commons content together in an e-book format to make the information ever more widely available and accessible. The essays you'll find here, in both English and French, are organized by date published and according to eight loosely overlapping categories: Aging Population and Its Potential Impact addresses concerns over healthcare strains associated with our graying population. Is there a silver tsunami about to bankrupt our healthcare system? Would reforms in chronic healthcare delivery better accommodate this population? Will changes to pension benefits mean more of our seniors will live in poverty? Authors tackle these issues with evidence, and the answers may surprise many readers. Healthcare Costs and Spending addresses the increased costs for both out-of-pocket and public spending on health services in Canada. How are the numbers calculated (and spun by vested interests)? What's going on to cause these increases? And what can we do about it? Authors follow the money and give us the goods in accessible language. Private, For-Profit Solutions to Funding and Delivery deals with the public vs. private debate: loaded words in the Canadian context. There can (and already exists) public and private roles in both the funding and delivery of healthcare. What is the best balance for Canadians? Who pays and who should pay for healthcare? Who should deliver healthcare? Authors explore models and evidence from both inside the country and internationally to help forge the path forward. In More Care Is Not Always Better, authors tackle the question: 'What is the right amount of healthcare?' It's easy to assume that the real problem with the healthcare system is 'not enough,' but what does the evidence say? A growing number of studies show that more healthcare is not always better and the more expensive solutions are not always the best. In Health is More Than Healthcare, the authors sketch the relationship between various 'social determinants' of health, such as education, poverty and homelessness, and indicate that some of the most fruitful policy levers for improving public health lie outside of the domain of health services. In Patient Financing of Healthcare, the essays address direct patient financing of healthcare delivery. Would this result in a more efficient and cost-effective healthcare system? Would user fees, for example, prevent overuse and bring in needed revenue? Or would they negatively impact those who may need the health system the most? Sustainability includes OpEds which address whether Canadians can afford the level of healthcare we expect at a cost which is acceptable to the public; and whether we are at risk of losing our publicly funded health system from a financial perspective. Finally, in Waiting for Care, the authors assess wait times and access to care. How bad are wait times, really? And what will it cost to improve the situation?This book is available free-of-charge so that you can share it widely, in your classrooms, amongst your friends and colleagues, on your websites and via social media. Canadian health policy will always be emerging and unfolding, responding to changing environmental and economic factors, new technologies, publicly held values and differing political landscapes. Canadian Health Policy in the News captures a moment in time and presents the issues that concern Canadians most, grounding our national discourse and debate on healthcare in the best evidence.


— Crossnational statistical studies show a positive relationship between the length of time a country has been democratic and its economic performance. Old democracies grow faster, ceteris paribus, and also demonstrate advantages in some economic policies thought to be conducive to growth. However, the causal connections between regime history and economic policy and performance remain opaque. Arguments are highly speculative, for the causal pathways are usually difficult to measure and are not readily testable in a large-N cross-country format. In order to illuminate possible interconnections between regime history and economic performance we identify three countries in the developing world whose recent history may be regarded as illustrative: Brazil, India, and Mauritius. Our analysis of these cases focuses on the achievement of policy consensus and policy reform, both of which are commonly regarded as critical to economic performance. Intensive study of our chosen cases suggests multiple mechanisms by which democratic experience might translate into greater success on these policy dimensions. ! 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.


Resistance to chemotherapy remains the primary obstacle for the successful treatment of cancers. Nanotechnology-based studies have developed many smart nanomedicines and efficient strategies to overcome multidrug resistance (MDR), which have brought new horizons to cancer therapy. Among them, protein-based nanomedicine represents an appealing drug delivery platform to realize safe and superior therapeutic effects due to its paramount biocompatibility with minimized toxicity. Herein we describe the rational design and construction of a novel protein-based nanocarrier using the naturally-occurring protein phycocyanin (PC) as the base material, to achieve safe and tumor-specific drug delivery. This cancer-targeting nanosystem (FA-PCNP@DOX) with bio-responsive properties exhibits positive targeting accumulation in resistant cancer cells and overcomes drug efflux by enhancing cellular uptake and retention time. Specifically, FA-PCNP@DOX inhibits the function of pumping proteins of the ABC family and triggers ROS-mediated apoptotic signaling pathways, thereby attaining highly efficient anticancer efficacy and overcoming drug resistance. Pharmaceutical studies demonstrate that FA-PCNP@DOX overwhelms DOX by sustained release in the blood, which verifies its prolonged circulation in vivo. Moreover, FA-PCNP@DOX efficiently accumulates in tumors and strengthens the tumor inhibitory effect of DOX by enhanced tumoral penetration. Importantly, FA-PCNP@DOX effectively reduces the hepatic, pulmonary, renal and cardiac toxicity caused by DOX. Therefore, as a new nanocarrier, this novel nanosystem could be further exploited as a safe and versatile nanoplatform for next-generation cancer therapy.


Accurate estimation of camera external orientation with respect to a known object is one of the central problems in photogrammetry and computer vision. In recent years this problem is gaining an increasing attention in the field of UAV autonomous flight. Such application requires a real-time performance and robustness of the external orientation estimation algorithm. The accuracy of the solution is strongly dependent on the number of reference points visible on the given image. The problem only has an analytical solution if 3 or more reference points are visible. However, in limited visibility conditions it is often needed to perform external orientation with only 2 visible reference points. In such case the solution could be found if the gravity vector direction in the camera coordinate system is known. A number of algorithms for external orientation estimation for the case of 2 known reference points and a gravity vector were developed to date. Most of these algorithms provide analytical solution in the form of polynomial equation that is subject to large errors in the case of complex reference points configurations. This paper is focused on the development of a new computationally effective and robust algorithm for external orientation based on positions of 2 known reference points and a gravity vector. The algorithm implementation for guidance of a Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 micro-UAV is discussed. The experimental evaluation of the algorithm proved its computational efficiency and robustness against errors in reference points positions and complex configurations.


We study competitive interaction between two alternative models of digital content distribution over the Internet: peer-to-peer (p2p) file sharing and centralized client-server distribution. We present microfoundations for a stylized model of p2p file sharing where all peers are endowed with standard preferences and show that the endogenous structure of the network is conducive to sharing by a significant number of peers, even if sharing is costlier than freeriding. We build on this model of p2p to analyze the optimal strategy of a profit-maximizing firm, such as Apple, that offers content available at positive prices. We characterize the size of the p2p network as a function of the firm's pricing strategy, and show that the firm may be better off setting high prices, allowing the network to survive, and that the p2p network may work more efficiently in the presence of the firm than in its absence.


Abstract. The Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) is a pan-European research infrastructure which provides harmonized and high-precision scientific data on the carbon cycle and the greenhouse gas budget. All stations have to undergo a rigorous assessment before being labeled, i.e., receiving approval to join the network. In this paper, we present the labeling process for the ICOS atmosphere network through the 23 stations that were labeled between November 2017 and November 2019. We describe the labeling steps, as well as the quality controls, used to verify that the ICOS data (CO2, CH4, CO and meteorological measurements) attain the expected quality level defined within ICOS. To ensure the quality of the greenhouse gas data, three to four calibration gases and two target gases are measured: one target two to three times a day, the other gases twice a month. The data are verified on a weekly basis, and tests on the station sampling lines are performed twice a year. From these high-quality data, we conclude that regular calibrations of the CO2, CH4 and CO analyzers used here (twice a month) are important in particular for carbon monoxide (CO) due to the analyzer's variability and that reducing the number of calibration injections (from four to three) in a calibration sequence is possible, saving gas and extending the calibration gas lifespan. We also show that currently, the on-site water vapor correction test does not deliver quantitative results possibly due to environmental factors. Thus the use of a drying system is strongly recommended. Finally, the mandatory regular intake line tests are shown to be useful in detecting artifacts and leaks, as shown here via three different examples at the stations.


We investigate how to co-opt the perception of causality to aid the analysis of multivariate data. We propose Dynamic Glyphs (DyGs), an animated extension to traditional glyphs. DyGs encode data relations through seemingly physical interactions between glyph parts. We hypothesize that this representation gives rise to impressions of causality, enabling observers to reason intuitively about complex, multivariate dynamics. In a crowdsourced experiment, participants' accuracy with DyGs exceeded or was comparable to non-animated alternatives. Moreover, participants showed a propensity to infer higher-dimensional relations with DyGs. Our findings suggest that visual causality can be an effective 'channel' for communicating complex data relations that are otherwise difficult to think about. We discuss the implications and highlight future research opportunities.


Firms must create, maintain and manage their corporate reputation to stay competitive. With the rise of social media and social network applications this management includes upholding the reputation online. Employees especially can harm companies' reputation with thoughtless behaviour in social networks because their behaviour might be attributed to the firm's products and services. This study investigates how employees' behaviour in social networks affects customer outcome variables of corporate reputation such as trust and word of mouth. The study extends prior reputation research that centred on offline contexts and investigates reputation-related online behaviour of employees. The authors use an experimental design and surveyed 199 customers. The results indicate that employees' reputable behaviour in social networks positively affect trust and word of mouth. Additionally, the authors find support for a mediating effect of customer-based corporate reputation. The findings contribute to corporate reputation research by enhancing our understanding of the effect of employee behaviour in social networks.


The Dutch Black Tern Chlidonias niger population showed a decrease of more than 90% over the past 50 years. In some landscape types this decline has continued until recently, but Black Terns in other landscapes have showna recovery. These trends correlate with differences in breeding success. Relatively high breeding success was found in riverine landscapes, intermediate success in lowland peat marshes and low success in grasslands and moors. Clutch survival was low in habitats dominated by rhizomes of nymphaeids, where clutches were (partly) lost because of the unstable nest substrate. Most clutches hatched when laid on Water Soldier Stratiotes aloides or anchored rafts. Chick survival is poor in moors, heathland and grassland, intermediate in lowland peat marshes and high in riverine landscapes, but this could not be attributed to differences in nest substrate. Provisioning anchored rafts is useful in habitats where unstable nest substrates, such as floating nymphaeids, cause poor breeding success.


Peering in the Internet interdomain network has long been considered a "black art", understood in-depth only by a select few peering experts while the majority of the network operator community only scratches the surface employing conventional rules-of-thumb to form peering links through ad hoc personal interactions. Why is peering considered a black art? What are the main sources of complexity in identifying potential peers, negotiating a stable peering relationship, and utility optimization through peering? How do contemporary operational practices approach these problems? In this work we address these questions for Tier-2 Network Service Providers. We identify and explore three major sources of complexity in peering: (a) inability to predict traffic flows prior to link formation (b) inability to predict economic utility owing to a complex transit and peering pricing structure (c) computational infeasibility of identifying the optimal set of peers because of the network structure. We show that framing optimal peer selection as a formal optimization problem and solving it is rendered infeasible by the nature of these problems. Our results for traffic complexity show that 15% NSPs lose some fraction of customer traffic after peering. Additionally, our results for economic complexity show that 15% NSPs lose utility after peering, approximately, 50% NSPs end up with higher cumulative costs with peering than transit only, and only 10% NSPs get paid-peering customers.


The synthesis of high quality ZnO nanowire (NW) arrays on a range of conventional conductive substrates has important applications in LEDs, nanogenerators and piezotronics. In this paper, using ammonium hydroxide as the reactant, together with zinc nitrate hexahydrate, ZnO NW arrays have been grown on various patterned metal layers, such as Au, Ag, Cu and Sn, without pre-depositing a seed layer. The mechanism for this novel synthesis route has been discussed and the effect of parameters such as ammonia concentration and solution/container volume ratio on the nanowire growth has also been investigated. Preferentially selective nucleation and the subsequent growth of ZnO NW arrays was demonstrated on patterns of different metals without a ZnO seed. Electrical characterization was subsequently performed to reveal the characteristics of the contacts formed between the ZnO NWs and the underlying metal layer . Further demonstration of the as-fabricated ZnO NW arrays on flexible substrates as an electromechanical switch in response to externally applied strain exhibits the potential applications of the demonstrated seedless synthesis of patterned ZnO NW arrays in areas ranging from sensing, and energy harvesting to interfacing piezotronics with silicon based technologies.


The purpose of this dissertation research was to explore the role of gender in prison-based abolitionist pedagogy. In order to achieve this objective, the following research questions framed this study: (1) How did institutional gatekeepers influence my experience with gender's role in prison-based abolitionist pedagogy? (2) In my experiences within the cultures of different prison facilities and programs, what role did gender play in prison-based abolitionist pedagogy? (3) What role did gender play in my overall experience with prison-based abolitionist pedagogy? Using autoethnographic methods, my firsthand experience as a prison educator and researcher comprised the primary data for this study. The themes that emerged from data analysis included the following: (1) Duality of Intersecting Privileges and Oppressions, (2) Dualistic Paternalism, (3) Dualistic Sexualization, (4) Sexual Abuse of Power, (5) Necessity of Doing Gender, (6) Iatrogenic Gender Violence/Creating a Gender Regime, (7) Dualistic Pedagogical Cultures, and (8) Gendered Resistance/Gendered Hope. The findings from this study appear to support the argument for a change in the gendered structures and cultures of the prison regime. Based on its findings, this study recommends that future research into prison-based abolitionist pedagogy focus on the role of race in prison-based abolitionist pedagogy, how the gender of the prisonerstudent mediates the experience of abolitionist pedagogy, uncovering further firstperson accounts of those involved in abolitionist pedagogy, and successful examples of abolitionist pedagogy for the purposes of replication. This study also recommends that future practice focuses on drastically reducing the number of people in prison, altering the mission and culture of prisons, training of prison personnel, hiring of prison personnel, implementing outside bodies of accountability, and reshaping prison education to increase standards and become abolition-driven.


Objectives: Conventional therapy of Wegener's granulomatosis with cyclophosphamide and corticosteroids is limited by incomplete remissions and a high relapse rate. The efficacy and safety of an alternative immunosuppressive drug, deoxyspergualin, was evaluated in patients with relapsing or refractory disease. Methods: A prospective, international, multicentre, single-limb, open-label study. Entry required active Wegener's granulomatosis with a Birmingham vasculitis activity score (BVAS) ⩾4 and previous therapy with cyclophosphamide or methotrexate. Immunosuppressive drugs were withdrawn at entry and prednisolone doses adjusted according to clinical status. Deoxyspergualin, 0.5 mg/kg per day, was self-administered by subcutaneous injection in six cycles of 21 days with a 7-day washout between cycles. Cycles were stopped early for white blood count less than 4000 cells/mm3. The primary endpoint was complete remission (BVAS 0 for at least 2 months) or partial remission (BVAS <50% of entry score). After the sixth cycle azathioprine was commenced and follow-up continued for 6 months. Results: 42/44 patients (95%) achieved at least partial remission and 20/44 (45%) achieved complete remission. BVAS fell from 12 (4–25), median (range) at baseline to 2 (0–14) at the end of the study (p<0.001). Prednisolone doses were reduced from 20 to 8 mg/day (p<0.001). Relapses occurred in 18 (43%) patients after a median of 170 (44–316) days after achieving remission. Severe or life-threatening (⩾ grade 3) treatment-related adverse events occurred in 24 (53%) patients mostly due to leucopaenias. Conclusions: Deoxyspergualin achieved a high rate of disease remission and permitted prednisolone reduction in refractory or relapsing Wegener's granulomatosis. Adverse events were common but rarely led to treatment discontinuation.


HIV Risk Perceptions of HIV-Infected Adults Ages 30 to 49 Years in Atlanta, Georgia by Esther N. Mune-Ashford MPH, Walden University, 2012 BA, Southern Polytechnic State University, 2003 Minor, Southern Polytechnic State University, 2003 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Health Walden University May 2016 Abstract More than 49,081 people were diagnosed with HIV in the United States in 2011. Of those 49,081 HIV-infected persons, 1 in 6 was not aware of being HIV positive. In 2011, Georgia had the 5 th highest number of HIV diagnoses among the 50 U.S. states. This phenomenological study aimed to understand the lived experiences of HIV-infectedMore than 49,081 people were diagnosed with HIV in the United States in 2011. Of those 49,081 HIV-infected persons, 1 in 6 was not aware of being HIV positive. In 2011, Georgia had the 5 th highest number of HIV diagnoses among the 50 U.S. states. This phenomenological study aimed to understand the lived experiences of HIV-infected adults, ages 30 to 49 years in Atlanta, Georgia, by understanding their perceptions of risk prior to contracting HIV. The health belief model was used to guide this study because it explains and predicts health-related behaviors and it has been used in previous studies to identify preventive behaviors specific to sexual behaviors. Purposive sampling was used to obtain 12 HIV-positive persons ages 30 to 49 years who lived in the metropolitan Atlanta area at the time of the study, were knowledgeable about HIV perceptions, and were able to discuss their lived experiences. Interviews were conducted to collect the data. The data analysis procedures included creating codes and categorizing the data, checking the validity of the codes, identifying patterns and themes, interpreting the data, and conducting member checks. Results showed that most participants did not perceive themselves to be at risk of HIV. Participants also experienced stigmatization and had challenges maintaining social relationships after their HIV positive diagnosis. Future priorities should focus on identifying best practices relevant to individual, familial, organizational, societal, environmental, economic, and policy factors to reduce the risk of HIV. This study is important for public health and social change because the findings might be used by healthcare professionals to identify and allocate the resources necessary to strengthen HIV/AIDS care and services to the populations who need them the most. HIV Risk Perceptions of HIV-Infected Adults Ages 30 to 49 Years in Atlanta, Georgia by Esther N. Mune-Ashford MPH, Walden University, 2012 BA, Southern Polytechnic State University, 2003 Minor, Southern Polytechnic State University, 2003 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy


The central question of investigation in this study is the stability of housing markets and their related sectors. A feature of the theoretical framework established in this study is that it accounts for heterogeneity among economic agents, as well as slow information diffusion, as in Hong and Stein (Harrison Hong and Jeremy C Stein, 1999). This theory is then incarnated econometrically in ARMAX form. The empirical investigation uses a panel of data from the four regions of the United States: Northeast, Midwest, South and West. The researcher's initial interests in housing markets were triggered by the spectacular rise and fall of housing prices in the major economies around the world. After years of attempting to model housing prices using different frameworks and methods, and using data from various countries/regions, a natural curiosity arises: is the system linking the housing markets, the financial institutions, and other parts of an economy an intrinsically stable one? To elaborate on that, does equilibrium or equilibria exist in this system? If they do, are they stable; are they attainable? If attainable, what sort of time path would each variable of interests in this system take? Economists in general classify housing markets into two sub-markets: the space and the capital markets, which are also referred to respectively as the real sector and the financial sector. The space market is location-specific hence heavily influenced by local social economic factors; but the capital market is global. Because funds move around the world in chases of higher returns, the space market is strongly affected by the weather conditions in global financial markets. Conversely, because housing is a major household asset, the performance of this sector will have important bearings on the healthiness, or lack or it, of financial institutions, close and afar. One of the aims of this study is to build up a theoretical framework which explicitly models the connections between the real and the financial sides of housing markets. The traditional approaches to housing markets tend to treat the two separately. For instance, the four-quadrant model did a great job in integrating the three sub-markets of the space market, namely, the user, the capital and the development markets. Nowhere in this model, however, accounts for the important influences of mortgage financing on the real activities of housing markets. Buckley was one of the very few authors who have attempted this task (Robert M. Buckley, 1982). His work is to be greatly improved by incorporating the advancements in financial and the econometric literatures, seen in the past thirty years, a bold step the current researcher is contemplating. Another aim of this study is to build up, empirically using panel data, a simultaneous equations model. Most empirical studies take a single equation approach when modeling housing markets. Such an approach allows us to take a microscopic view, hence generating in-depth knowledge, of the problems at hand. It does not, however, facilitate our understanding of the interdependences and interactions among the different parts of a closely linked system. Without a holistic perspective, theoretically and empirically, our understanding will be incomplete regarding many of the issues which have attracted the limelight now and then, for instance, the cyclical behavior of the housing markets, and its somewhat destructive impact on national and global economies. More specifically, the researcher will attempt to build up a system of four equations, in ARMAX form, that simultaneously determines the housing rent and price, the supply of housing units and housing finance. An ARMAX model combines the desirable properties of polynomial and geometric lag models, permitting very flexible lag structures with relatively few parameters. There is also no need to impose restrictive assumptions about the structures of the disturbance terms, which is the case in classical OLS. Once constructed, estimated, and tested for robustness, the model will be analyzed, theoretically and empirically, to establish the dynamic stability of the system. With these results in hand, the researcher is then in a position to deal with the short-run and long-run impact of housing policies and mortgage market regulations, an endeavor which in no sense assumes a secondary place in this study. The readers are cautioned, however, whatever empirical statements that might arrive on completion of this study are results of a small sample exercise E{ the effective data used for estimation include less than 10-year's monthly observations. Such results may well be valid only for the period and the regions under consideration. More firm conclusions can only be reached when longer time series are available; and a general empirical statement cannot be made without an extended study employing data from a variety of countries and regions.


General work planning makes reference to the moment of economic policy and political, social, and institutional forces, in addition to other sociopolitical instability variables, over the definition of the growth path of the country. The general impact on growth will be dependent o nature or crashes, either permanent or transient, and on some economics conditions, such as capital relative intensities of productive sectors, the mobility extent and investment restraints, as well as on social, politic and institutional variable, in addition to the other variables of the new politic economics of growth. In dealing with Colombia, an analysis of economics growth dynamics is made, both at short and long-term, of macroeconomic performance and sociopolitical instability. The work shows that this later factor has influenced growth dynamics, and therefore, political forces, institutional agreements and social instability impact the growth.