Background Sleep quality is often poor in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A cross-sectional European survey investigated the prevalence of night-time symptoms in COPD to evaluate the level of disconnect between physician and patient perceptions of the presence of night-time symptoms, and to compare the characteristics of patients with and without night-time symptoms. Methods A total of 251 primary care physicians and 251 respiratory specialists completed record forms on 2,807 patients with COPD. The forms captured information on patient demographics, lung function, COPD severity, and symptoms. Patients completed questionnaires on the time of day when their COPD symptoms bothered them, and the impact of COPD on their ability to get up in the morning and on sleep. Data were compared between groups (those with and without night-time symptoms) using t-tests or Wilcoxon signed rank tests. The kappa statistic was used to assess the level of disconnect between physician and patient perceptions of the impact of night-time symptoms. Results Most patients (78%) reported night-time disturbance. Patients with night-time symptoms experienced more daytime breathlessness (mean modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale score 2.4 versus 1.1) and exacerbations in the previous 12 months (mean 1.7 versus 0.4), and received more maintenance therapy (mean of 2.8 versus 2.3 products) than those without. Concordance between the frequency of physician-reported (67.9% of patients) and patient-reported (68.5% of patients) night-time symptoms was good. Physicians significantly underestimated the impact of COPD on the patient's ability to get up in the morning and on sleep (fair–moderate agreement). Physician-reported night-time symptoms were present for 41.2% of patients who could be categorized by Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) group (n=937), increasing from 20.9% of those in the low-risk group to 77.4% of those in the high-riskgroup. Conclusion Patients with COPD experience night-time symptoms regardless of GOLD group, that impact on their ability to get up in the morning and on their sleep quality.


Although John Locke's educational curriculum has traditionally been seen to aim at creating free citizens capable of independent thought, the centrality of habituation to his pedagogy has recently raised concerns that the Education is no more than "indoctrination" for compliant subjects. I argue here that by re-examining habituation in light of Locke's epistemology, we find that Locke's education does aim at freedom, but that this freedom requires a strong will and a cultivated skepticism. The habits which Locke asks parents to instill are aimed not at programming specific behavior and opinions, but rather at training children to "cross their desires" to strengthen their wills against the impositions of nature, custom, and fashion, which Locke argues pose an far more serious threat to independent thought than parental discipline. Locke's education aims to cultivate a skeptical mental disposition that permits individuals to resist these other sources of habit and to continually question and revise their own convictions.


Over the past twenty years, the use of digital design tools such as Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) has increased dramatically. Today, almost no product development project is conducted without the use of CAD models. Major advantages typically ascribed to using CAD include better solutions through broader exploration of the solution space as well as faster and less expensive projects through faster and earlier iterations. This latter effect, the shifting of simulation and testing traditionally accomplished with help of physical prototypes late in the process – a slow and expensive activity – to doing similar activities with virtual prototypes faster and earlier in the process, has been identified as a key aspect of front-loading, an activity shift promising to enable superior product development performance (Thomke and Fujimoto, 2000).Given CAD's recent pervasive use, the research questions for this article became how CAD use has actually changed the way in which product development is conducted, and through which mechanisms and pathways can CAD impact product development performance, especially with respect to the idea of front-loading? This article addresses these questions by studying in a longitudinal comparison in detail two similar product development projects, one conducted in 2001, the other in 2009. The projects were carefully selected to isolate the substantially higher levels of CAD use of the second project while controlling for most other input factors that influence project performance. The project with substantially higher use of CAD exhibited significant improvements in prototyping costs but only marginal changes in project time and project engineering labor cost relative to the project with lower CAD use. In-depth intra-project analysis on the phase level reveals that the use of CAD affected how the product development was executed, with both positive and negative consequences. In addition to, and separate from positive aspects of front-loading, unintended consequences in the form of back-loading work are also observed. Back-loading can occur in two places in the product development process: First, the availability of CAD systems can cause an early jump into detail design, effectively shortcutting concept development. Second, the ability to relatively quickly conduct small changes virtually to the design can erode process discipline, late changes are made simply because they are possible. Both of these effects back-load work in the opposite direction of the positive front-loading. The theoretical implications of our observations are discussed and a simple framework to convert our findings into managerial advice is proposed.


The use of the Internet and specifically the World, Wide Web (Web) as a media for collaboration and problem-solving is an evolving solution to the problem of increasing numbers of students in the university setting. A variety of virtual universities are appearing on the Web to address this dilemma. There are gaps, however, in these Systems which do not meet the needs of the participants. This research examines the use of applied formative evaluation (feedback) methodologies and protocols, used between the stakeholders of a web-based learning environment, to facilitate the learning process.
Principles are established to guide the learning environment designer (LED), the mediator between the subject expert (SE) or teacher and the interactive multimedia web-based design team, in creating a student-centred learning space on the web. The principles and protocols developed in this research are illustrated through the D E L B E R T (Digital Environment Learning-Based Evaluation Response Theory) Tutorial system. This web-based collaborative, problem-solving seminar makes use of on-line tools such as; e-mail, H T M L forms, Javascript and video conferencing to promote communication through a guided-discovery delivery methodology. The case studies conducted with the system support the methodologies proposed in this thesis.
Telecommunication in the area of educational technology is a rapidly changing field. Therefore, the focus of this research is not in the development of software or programming which may be out of date before its implementation. Instead, this research contributes to the design process of a web-based educational environment. The principles and protocols are aimed at supporting the applied formative evaluation methodology between the participants in the on-line learning process. In this way the research can be adapted to new technologies, beyond those adapted to the D E L B E RT Tutorial system, thus, not limiting itself as a contribution to the science of educational technology.


Abstract The nonlinear dynamics of magnetic electron drift mode turbulence are outlined and the generation of large-scale magnetic structures in a non-uniform magnetized plasma by turbulent Reynolds stress is demonstrated. The loop-back of large-scale flows on the microturbulence is elucidated and the modulation of the electron drift mode turbulence spectrum in a medium with slowly varying parameters is presented. The wave kinetic equation in the presence of large-scale flows is derived and it can be seen that the small-scale turbulence and the large-scale structures form a self-regulating system. Finally, it is shown by the use of quasilinear theory that the shearing of microturbulence by the flows can be described by a diffusion equation in k-space and the corresponding diffusion coefficients are calculated.


According to the equivalence principle, the aperture near-field can be expressed as the convolution of the aperture field and the spatial network response function. Therefore the aperture near-field angular spectrum can be expressed as the product of the angular-domain spectrum of the aperture field and the angular-domain spectrum of the spatial network response function. The spatial network function acts as an angular spectrum filter. Based on the aperture field convolution method, the near-field radiation of several electrically large apertures has been computed and compared in the spatial and angular domains, including a circular aperture, a square aperture and a well-designed serrated edge aperture. The following facts have been demonstrated by the numerical results: The serrated edge aperture has the most uniform near-field amplitude and phase distribution, both in the transverse plane and in the central axis. The plane-wave spectrum components received by a certain observation plane are related to its position, size and shape. The direct wave and edge diffraction waves can be observed qualitatively and quantitatively in the angular domain. The edge diffraction waves cannot be distinguished when the transverse size of the observation plane is less than a certain value. Finally, based on general rules of compact antenna test range design, the angular-domain analysis applications for the evaluation of the aperture shape design and the diagnosis of the aperture deformation are presented. All the three aperture diameters are limited to 150 wavelengths in free space. Inverse Fourier transform with a Hamming window has been adopted for the spatial-angular transform.


Spectral-domain approach (SDA) is applied to modeling propagation characteristics of multiconductor structure on superconducting strip lines with signal strips and ground planes of finite thickness in lossy layered media. Equivalent surface impedance is used to transform the superconducting strip of finite thickness into an infinitely thin strip. A novel procedure of a calculation of the equivalent surface impedance is proposed. Two sets of basis functions (Chebyshev and Legendre polynomials) are compared by their ability to accurate modeling of microwave losses in the structure. The model applicability is illustrated by numerical results compared with experimental and simulated data.


This thesis is the result not of any specific idea gained from a general study of the period under review; rather it is based upon the research and work done on an earlier project, a provincial history of Taranaki, which, concentrating mainly on the eighteen-seventies, culminated in the abolition struggle and the years immediately following. However, the detailed study of the provincial economy, its politics in both the provincial and central government spheres, and the political attitudes of the local press, accompanied by a general coverage of the politics of the central government throughout the decade, led to the conclusion that in one province at least, the politics of the period were economically based - around the focal point of Sir Julius Vogel's 1870 public works and immigration policy. From this gradually evolved the concept that economic development and material progress were the issues of greatest importance in the politics of the seventies; they were the prime cause of provincialist jealousies and parochialism, while, in the sphere of central government, Vogelism became the issue on which newly-formed groupings aligned themselves. To see if this concept had validity, the first thing which had to be done was to extend research to get a wider understanding of colonial and provincial economic and political developments, as well as cover the main provincial newspapers for editorial and public opinion throughout the country.


This work evaluates the security strength of a smartphone-based gait recognition system against zero-effort and live minimal-effort impersonation attacks under realistic scenarios. For this purpose, we developed an Android application, which uses a smartphone-based accelerometer to capture gait data continuously in the background, but only when an individual walks. Later, it analyzes the recorded gait data and establishes the identity of an individual. At first, we tested the performance of this system against zero-effort attacks by using a dataset of 35 participants. Later, live impersonation attacks were performed by five professional actors who are specialized in mimicking body movements and body language. These attackers were paired with their physiologically close victims, and they were given live audio and visual feedback about their latest impersonation attempt during the whole experiment. No false positives under impersonation attacks, indicate that mimicry does not improve chances of attackers being accepted by our gait authentication system. In 29 percent of total impersonation attempts, when attackers walked like their chosen victim, they lost regularity between their steps which makes impersonation even harder for attackers.


The objective of the study was to determine the causes of fire outbreaks in informal settlements and management practices in Nairobi and establish to what extent, informal settlements are prone to fire outbreaks and to what extent government policy and information available on fire management is helpful in alleviating fire disasters. Primary data was obtained from a selected sample of 100 household heads selected from Kibera informal settlement and also interviewing 10 key informants from key agencies that deal with fire disasters, policy implementation and slum upgrading projects. Secondary data was obtained from review of relevant books, journals, internet, fire reports and articles. The study found out that fire in informal settlements is mainly caused by carelessness which may be taken to mean lack of knowledge on fire management. Many more fires are caused by electrical faults and poor infrastructure in the informal settlement The study concluded that a successful fire management policy should be put in place and it should include all the stakeholders in the concerned institutional and the residents themselves. The slum upgrading project should also be intensified so as to ensure that all informal settlements are well planned. The Government should also sort out issues of land ownership in informal settlements. Based on the findings, the study recommends continuous training and awareness campaigns especially on the dangers of illegal electricity connections and a crackdown on those who continue to have illegal connections. Agencies that have been mandated to deal with fire emergencies should make their response swifter so as to lower the amount of damage and also reduce the number of casualties. http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/8887 [8] Source URL: http://sociology.uonbi.ac.ke/node/4490 Links: [1] http://facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://sociology.uonbi.ac.ke/node/4490&t=FIRE+MANAG EMENT+IN+NAIROBI%E2%80%99S+INFORMAL+SETTLEMENTS [2] http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=FIRE+MANAGEMENT+IN+NAIROBI%E2%80%99S+INFORMAL +SETTLEMENTS&url=http://sociology.uonbi.ac.ke/node/4490 [3] https://plus.google.com/share?url=http://sociology.uonbi.ac.ke/node/4490 [4] http://bookmarks.yahoo.com/toolbar/savebm?opener=tb&u=http://sociology.uonbi.ac.ke/no de/4490&t=FIRE+MANAGEMENT+IN+NAIROBI%E2%80%99S+INFORMAL+SETTLEMENTS& d=%0A%09%26nbsp%3B%0A%0A%09ABSTRACT [5] http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?url=http://sociology.uonbi.ac.ke/node/4490&mini=true &title=FIRE+MANAGEMENT+IN+NAIROBI%E2%80%99S+INFORMAL+SETTLEMENTS&ro=fa lse&summary=%0A%09%26nbsp%3B%0A%0A%09ABSTRACT&source= [6] http://digg.com/submit?url=http://sociology.uonbi.ac.ke/node/4490&title=FIRE+MANAGEME NT+IN+NAIROBI%E2%80%99S+INFORMAL+SETTLEMENTS


As an alternative to virus-mediated gene transfer, we previously demonstrated a simple, safe, and efficient transfer of foreign gene into the central nervous system using continuous injection of a plasmid DNA-cationic liposome complex. To explore whether this approach can be applied to the treatment of certain neurological disorders, we used an experimental model of Parkinson's disease (PD) in the present study. Following continuous injection for 7 days, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) genes carried by a bovine papilloma virus-based plasmid vector were efficiently introduced into glial cells in the striatum of 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats. Significant recovery in apomorphine-induced rotational behavior of PD models was obtained by transfection of TH gene and this effect continued for up to 5 weeks after injection. Moreover, cotransfection of TH with AADC genes was readily accomplished by this procedure and resulted in a greater and longer-lasting improvement of apomorphine-induced rotational behavior than was achieved by transfection of TH gene alone. We suggest that this approach is a controllable and manageable alternative to other methods of gene therapy for the treatment of PD.


Pervious pavements are an effective stormwater treatment technology. However, their performance under variable drying and wetting conditions have yet to be tested, particularly under a continuous time scale. This paper reports on the clogging behaviour and pollutant removal efficiency of three pervious pavement types over 26 accelerated years. These pavements were monolithic porous asphalt (PA), Permapave (PP) and modular Hydrapave (HP). Over a cycle of 13 days, the period of which was equivalent to the average annual Brisbane, Australia rainfall (1,200 mm), the pavements were randomly dosed with four different flows. Drying events of 3 h duration were simulated during each flow. Inflow and outflow samples were collected and analysed for Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Total Phosphorus (TP) and Total Nitrogen (TN). To evaluate the rate of clogging, a 1 in 5 year Brisbane storm event was simulated in the 6th, 8th, 12th, 16th, 20th and 24th week. Under normal dosing conditions, none of the pavements showed signs of clogging even after 15 years. However, under storm conditions, both PA and HP started to clog after 12 years, while PP showed no signs of clogging after 26 years. The drying and various flow events showed no effects in TSS removal, with all systems achieving a removal of approximately 100%. The average TP removal was 20% for all flows except for low flow, which had a significant amount of leaching over time. Leaching from TN was also observed during all flows except high flow. The TSS, TP and TN results observed during storm events were similar to that of high flow.


This document describes a means for automated, authenticated, and
authorized updating of DNSSEC "trust anchors". The method provides
protection against N-1 key compromises of N keys in the trust point
key set. Based on the trust established by the presence of a current
anchor, other anchors may be added at the same place in the hierarchy,
and, ultimately, supplant the existing anchor(s). This mechanism will
require changes to resolver management behavior (but not resolver
resolution behavior), and the addition of a single flag bit to the
DNSKEY record. [STANDARDS-TRACK]


Recently, a number of protocols extending RNA-sequencing to the single-cell regime have been published. However, we were concerned that the additional steps to deal with such minute quantities of input sample would introduce serious biases that would make analysis of the data using existing approaches invalid. In this study, we performed a critical evaluation of several of these low-volume RNA-seq protocols, and found that they performed slightly less well in metrics of interest to us than a more standard protocol, but with at least two orders of magnitude less sample required. We also explored a simple modification to one of these protocols that, for many samples, reduced the cost of library preparation to approximately $20/sample.


Halanaerobium praevalens Zeikus et al. 1984 is the type species of the genus Halanaerobium, which in turn is the type genus of the family Halanaerobiaceae. The species is of interest because it is able to reduce a variety of nitro-substituted aromatic compounds at a high rate, and because of its ability to degrade organic pollutants. The strain is also of interest because it functions as a hydrolytic bacterium, fermenting complex organic matter and producing intermediary metabolites for other trophic groups such as sulfate-reducing and methanogenic bacteria. It is further reported as being involved in carbon removal in the Great Salt Lake, its source of isolation. This is the first completed genome sequence of a representative of the genus Halanaerobium and the second genome sequence from a type strain of the family Halanaerobiaceae. The 2,309,262 bp long genome with its 2,110 protein-coding and 70 RNA genes is a part of the GenomicEncyclopedia ofBacteria andArchaea project.


Professional training is essential for the success of any modern productive organization, regardless of its field of activity. This statement is accepted, more or less tacitly, or even acclaimed, by most administrative boards and top managers (who otherwise do not even dare to state that contrary of this "fashionable" idea) or even by an important part of the trained personnel who are in executive functions. This is also due to the fact that several management studies conducted with different instruments and from different perspectives, confirm the idea that human resources – respectively the quality of professional training on the knowledge, abilities and attitudes plan – are often decisive for reaching the goals set at the workplace, implicitly so that the organizations perform in a certain field of activity.


It is shown theoretically that synchronization between two chaotic self-pulsating laser diodes can be achieved by use of optical feedback levels of a few percent. The sensitivity of the synchronization to parameter changes is examined. A synchronization scheme that utilizes self-pulsating compact disc laser diodes could produce low-cost stand-alone transmitters and receivers for private communication systems.


ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 7 Number 04 (2018) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com The current research reveals the biocontrol potential of local Trichoderma isolates against the fungal pathogen Penicillium digitatum which causes green rot of Citrus fruit. In the present investigation, the isolates of Trichoderma spp. grown from locally collected soil samples were screened against the fungal pathogen Penicillium digitatum, which resulted into the substantial inhibition of the fungal phytopathogen. The soil samples collected from various local rhizosphere of Bihar state in India were inoculated on various nutritive media especially the Trichoderma Specific Media (TSM) and Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) media using the serial dilution technique. Altogether 11 different Trichoderma spp. were isolated. These isolates were identified using authentic manual of fungi for morphological and microscopic identification and further identification was done based on molecular techniques using D1/D2 region of LSU (Large SubUnit:28S rDNA). The pathogen Penicillium digitatum was isolated from rotten citrus fruits and were confirmed by its microscopic identification. The antagonistic capability of Trichoderma isolates was checked by screening it against the fungal phytopathogen using three antagonistic techniques namely Dual culture, Culture Filtrate Assay and Slide culture Assay. The isolates of Trichoderma spp. (TH-5) and (TA-7) having a higher antagonistic potential among all the isolates of Trichoderma, at optimum temperature were selected for In vitro screening against the fungal pathogen Penicillium digitatum. In the dual culture technique, the isolate TH-5 showed 76.9% growth inhibition while the isolate TA-7 showed 78.8% growth inhibition against P. digitatum. The cell free culture filtrate which was extracted from Trichoderma isolates were screened at three different concentrations i.e., 20%, 40% and 60% against the fungal phytopathogen. The screening of culture filtrate against the fungal pathogen also shows significant inhibition of radial growth especially at 40% and 60% concentration. The maximum inhibition was recorded for TH-5 and TA-7 isolates. Similarly, the TH-5 and TA-7 isolates were grown with both fungal pathogens on slide culture and the growth of mycelia was measured. The impact of slide culture method was marked as reduced mycelial growth of the fungal pathogen Penicillium digitatum. These In Vitro tests revealed the biocontrol potential of Trichoderma isolates against Penicillium digitatum, confirming the capability of the local Trichoderma isolates in the biological control of the fungal pathogen Penicillium digitatum. K e y w o r d s Antagonistic capability, Biopriming In vivo efficacy, Phytopathogen, Penicillium, Trichoderrma etc. Accepted: 23 March 2018 Available Online: 10 April 2018 Article Info Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(4): 2970-2978


As the size and complexity of software systems increase, software development process couldn't be bound to just codifying some modules that serve needed functionality and finding the appropriate configuration of these modules. Instead, a growing need emerges to sketch a big picture of the whole system that not only identifies basic parts of functionality, but also harmonizes these parts internally, manages how these parts will provide needed functionality, and paves the way for future adaptation. The answer to this need was software architectures. The agile approach to software development wasn't about introducing a magical solution that will handle all development problems. However, th e agile architecting approach is believed to be a source of new problems. Through this paper, we are going to explore agile architecting problems and what is needed to achieve an architecting approach that can be agile, while serving its purpose of producing a stable architecture.


With the development of new integrated circuits to interface radio frequency identification protocols, inductive air interfaces have become more and more important. Near field communication is not only able to communicate, but also possible to transfer power wirelessly and to build up passive devices for logistical and medical applications. In this way, the power management on the transponder becomes more and more relevant. A designer has to optimize power consumption as well as energy harvesting from the magnetic field. This paper discusses a model with simple equations to improve transponder antenna matching. Furthermore, a new numerical analysis technique is presented to calculate the coupling factors, inductions, and magnetic fields of multiantenna systems.


This paper considers some paradoxes that arise in connection with repetitive adverbials in English. We propose a simple syntactic structure of verbal predicates along the lines of Ramchand (2008) and show how the apparent paradoxes can be resolved with that structure and some straightforward assumptions. One observation is that repetitives behave differently with verbs taking affected subjects (like read) than with verbs taking non-affected subjects (like paint). Another observation is the fact that repetitives are not uniform in their behaviour with respect to resultatives. Once again, structural assumptions, specifically, distinct structural positions of the resultatives, account for this varied behaviour.


We evaluated the effects of freeze-thaw events on soil respiration, nitrogen mineralization, nitrification, and nitrous oxide production in soils from a northern hardwood-dominated forest in New Hampshire, USA. Soil samples from three horizons (O e , O a , A) from nearly monospecific stands of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall) and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton) were placed in 200-mL incubation vessels (microlysimeters), subjected to severe (-13°C) and mild (-3°C) freeze treatments for 10 d, and then incubated at laboratory temperature (20-25°C) for 3 wk. Evolution of CO 2 and N 2 O and concentrations of leachable NH + 4 and NO - 3 were measured at weekly intervals. Freezing increased rates of C and N cycling in these soils, but the effects varied with species, horizon, and freeze treatment. Whereas severe freezing stimulated respiration, N 2 O flux, and mineralization, mild freezing had very few effects. Nitrification did not appear to be affected by either freeze treatment, but increases in denitrification may have masked freeze effects on this process. Freeze effects were much more marked in maple than in birch soils and in the O a and A horizons. Maple consistently had higher rates of nitrification and N 2 O production than did birch. The species and horizon differences were likely driven by higher levels of available C in the birch soils and O e horizon at both sites. These results suggest that changes in climate and snow cover that influence soil freezing could increase N and C losses from northern hardwood forest ecosystems with potential effects on soil fertility and carbon storage, receiving water quality, and atmospheric chemistry.


Introduction. Part I: Basic Consulting Skills. Business Etiquette. Assertiveness. Leadership. Networking. Public Relations and Marketing. Total Competence-applied Behavior Analysis Plus. Ethics in Daily Life. Part II: People Skills. Personal Communications. Persuasion/Influence. Negotiation and Lobbying. Public Speaking. Part III: Applying Behavioral Skills. Handling Difficult People. "Think Function". Using Shaping Effectively. "Can You Show Me That?" Performance Management. Part IV: Work Habits. Time Management/Prioritizing Tasks. Become a Trusted Professional. Learn to Deal with Stress. Know When to Seek Help. Part V: Advanced Consulting Skills. Critical Thinking. Problem Solving. Understanding and Using "Power". Training/Coaching/Mentoring. Aggressive Curiosity. References. Appendix A: 25 Skills and Strategies Scenarios. Appendix B: 25 Skills Individual Checklist. Appendix C: 25 Skills Organizational Checklist.


This paper reports on a study — overseen by representatives of the publishing, library and research funder communities in the UK — investigating the drivers, costs and benefits of potential ways to increase access to scholarly journals. It identifies five different but realistic scenarios for moving towards that end over the next five years, including gold and green open access, moves towards national licensing, publisher-led delayed open access, and transactional models. It then compares and evaluates the benefits as well as the costs and risks for the UK. The scenarios, the comparisons between them, and the modelling on which they are based, amount to a benefit-cost analysis to help in appraising policy options over the next five years. Our conclusion is that policymakers who are seeking to promote increases in access should encourage the use of existing subject and institutional repositories, but avoid pushing for reductions in embargo periods, which might put at risk the sustainability of the underlying scholarly publishing system. They should also promote and facilitate a transition to gold open access, while seeking to ensure that the average level of charges for publication does not exceed circa £2,000; that the rate in the UK of open access publication is broadly in step with the rate in the rest of the world; and that total payments to journal publishers from UK universities and their funders do not rise as a consequence.


Background: Implementing major system change in healthcare is not well understood. This gap may be addressed by analysing change in terms of interrelated components identified in the implementation literature, including decision to change, intervention selection, implementation approaches, implementation outcomes, and intervention outcomes. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study of two cases of major system change: the centralisation of acute stroke services in Manchester and London, which were associated with significantly different implementation outcomes (fidelity to referral pathway) and intervention outcomes (provision of evidence-based care, patient mortality). We interviewed stakeholders at national, pan-regional, and service-levels (n = 125) and analysed 653 documents. Using a framework developed for this study from the implementation science literature, we examined factors influencing implementation approaches; how these approaches interacted with the models selected to influence implementation outcomes; and their relationship to intervention outcomes. Results: London and Manchester's differing implementation outcomes were influenced by the different service models selected and implementation approaches used. Fidelity to the referral pathway was higher in London, where a 'simpler', more inclusive model was used, implemented with a 'big bang' launch and 'hands-on' facilitation by stroke clinical networks. In contrast, a phased approach of a more complex pathway was used in Manchester, and the network acted more as a platform to share learning. Service development occurred more uniformly in London, where service specifications were linked to financial incentives, and achieving standards was a condition of service launch, in contrast to Manchester. 'Hands-on' network facilitation, in the form of dedicated project management support, contributed to achievement of these standards in London; such facilitation processes were less evident in Manchester. Conclusions: Using acute stroke service centralisation in London and Manchester as an example, interaction between model selected and implementation approaches significantly influenced fidelity to the model. The contrasting implementation outcomes may have affected differences in provision of evidence-based care and patient mortality. The framework used in this analysis may support planning and evaluating major system changes, but would benefit from application in different healthcare contexts.


Visualization is the most important approach to extract relevant information from the huge amount of data produced in today's computational and experimental sciences. Selected contributions from the fifth in a well established series of workshops on "Visualization in Scientific Computing", organized by the EUROGRAPHICS Association, held at May 30 to June 1, 1994, in Rostock, Germany, treat topics of particular interest in current research: visualization of multidimensional data, flow visualization, data modeling, time control, interaction, and volume visualization. Examples of applications for instance come from flow simulation, chemistry, medical imaging, and geography. Readers will profit in getting insight in state-of-the-art techniques which might help them to solve their visualization problems.


If we take recent income per capita estimates at face value, they imply that the average medieval European was at least five times 'better off' than the average Congolese today. This raises important questions regarding the meaning and applicability of national income estimates throughout time and space, and their use in the analysis of global economic history over the long term. This article asks whether national income estimates have a historical and geographical specificity that renders the 'data' increasingly unsuitable and misleading when assessed outside a specific time and place. Taking the concept of 'reciprocal comparison' as a starting point, it further questions whether national income estimates make sense in pre-and post-industrial societies, in decentralized societies, and in polities outside the temperate zone. One of the major challenges in global history is Eurocentrism. Resisting the temptation to compare the world according to the most conventional development measure might be a recommended step in overcoming this bias.


Two new mineral species, trinepheline (NaAlSiO 4 ) and fabriesite (Na 3 Al 3 Si 3 O 12 · 2H 2 O), are described from late-stage metamorphic veins of the jadeite deposit of Tawmaw-Hpakant (Myanmar). Both minerals and their names were approved by the IMA Commission on New Minerals and Mineral Names (IMA 2012–024 and IMA 2012–080). The name trinepheline is known in literature for the polymorphs of synthetic NaAlSiO 4 with a value of the c parameter that is three times that of nepheline. Fabriesite is named in memory of Jacques Fabries (1932–2000), former professor of the "Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle" in Paris (France). Fabriesite and trinepheline occur intimately intergrown together with nepheline, more rarely with albite and other feldspar-group phases such as banalsite and stronalsite; other associated minerals are jadeite and secondary products like natrolite and harmotome. All phases have been identified via electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) patterns. Both fabriesite and trinepheline are pseudomorph after jadeite and occur as skeletal allotriomorphic crystals up to 15–20 μm long and 5–10 μm wide. They are white to yellowish in hand specimen, colourless in thin section; the streak is white and the lustre appears vitreous to greasy; they are non-fluorescent; Mohs' hardness is 5–5½. Empirical formulae (EMPA analysis) are very close to the ideal compositions with traces of Ca and K for trinepheline, and of Ca, K, Ba, Mg, Fe, and Mn for fabriesite. Calculated densities are 2.642 g cm −3 for trinepheline (space group P 6 1 , a = 9.995 A, c = 24.797 A) and 2.386 g cm −3 for fabriesite (space group Pna 2 1 , a = 16.426 A, b = 15.014 A, c = 5.223 A), respectively. The strongest five lines in the calculated X-ray powder diffraction patterns [ d (A) ( I )( hkl )] are: 3.163(100)(122), 3.834(81)(023), 4.133(49)(006), 3.272(40)(120) and 2.403(31)(127) for trinepheline; 3.41(100)(240), 4.41(77)(201), 2.97(70)(421), 2.61(40)(002) and 8.21(36)(200) for fabriesite.


This manuscript presents the case of an adult, male patient with mal de debarquement syndrome (MdDS); results from his experimental treatment with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) are also provided. Additionally, we included a review of literature related to the neurophysiology of MdDS and its treatment with rTMS. A 41-year-old man had been experiencing symptoms of MdDS, which initially emerged following a car ride, for 11 to 12 years. Pharmacologic approaches had failed to provide symptom relief; thus, we investigated an intervention using low-frequency (1 Hz) rTMS unilaterally for 2 consecutive weeks. The outcome measures included a standardized, computerized dynamic posturography test to quantify the patient's balance and identify abnormalities in his use of the sensory systems contributing to postural control, as well as the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to measure his anxiety and depression. An rTMS treatment log was created to document any adverse events. Following rTMS, the patient's balance scores improved significantly; these improvements were mostly related to the patient's increased reliance on the visual and vestibular systems. Our patient's HADS Anxiety and Depression subscores also showed improvement post-rTMS. The presented case study provides preliminary evidence that rTMS may be a noninvasive treatment option for improving balance, specifically in individuals with MdDS. This evidence can be used to further therapeutic research on, and provide strategies for treating, MdDS.


A comparison of institutional enrollment data and counseling center service utilization data at 66 universities showed that neither ethnic minority students nor European American students under- or overutilized counseling services (Study I). Data from Study 2 examining students in the general campus bodies at 45 institutions indicated that utilization of counseling center services for students of various ethnicities was predicted by the ethnic composition of the counseling center staff. Among students of color, utilization of campus counseling services was predicted by greater psychological distress, less family support, and a history of previous psychological problems. ********** College student mental illness represents a significant public health issue in the United States. Almost half of college-age individuals have a psychiatric disorder, and the prevalence of psychiatric disorders is equally high among young adults who attend college and those who do not (Blanco et al., 2008). According to Hunt and Eisenberg (2010), the number of college students with mental illness is increasing. Eating disorders (Kurth, Krahn, Nairn, & Drewnowski, 1995), self-injurious behavior (Serras, Saules, Cranford, & Eisenberg, 2010), anxiety-related problems (Eisenberg, Gollust, Golberstein, & Hefner, 2007), and alcohol abuse (Cranford, Eisenberg, & Serras, 2009) are common among college students. In fact, evidence has suggested that alcohol use disorders are more prevalent among college students than among adults of similar ages who are not enrolled in college, although college students are less likely than their peers who do not attend college to receive treatment for alcohol use disorders (Blanco et al., 2008). Furthermore, each year 10% of college students seriously consider suicide; 1.5% attempt suicide; and 1,100 commit suicide, making it the second leading cause of death among college students (American College Health Association, 2008; Suicide Prevention Resource Center, 2004). Depression also is prevalent on college campuses. Approximately 10% of college students are diagnosed with or treated for depression on an annual basis, and more than 30% of students report feeling too depressed to function at least once during the past year (American College Health Association, 2008). Because of the psychological distress they experience, approximately 1.8 million college students seek help from university counseling centers each year (American College Health Association, 2008). Research has indicated that the services provided by college counseling centers are effective at relieving students' psychological distress, facilitating academic functioning, and aiding campus retention efforts (Minami et al., 2009; Vonk & Thyer, 1999; Wilson, Mason, & Ewing, 1997). However, there is some evidence suggesting that utilization of university counseling center services is inconsistent across student racial/ethnic groups. For example, one study found that African American and Latino(a)/ Hispanic students tended to underutilize university counseling center services (Davidson, Yakushka, & Sanford-Martens, 2004). It should be noted, however, that data from this study were gathered only from a single university. Nonetheless, it is important to determine whether barriers exist for ethnic and racial minority students regarding the utilization of college counseling centers. One reason that university counseling center service utilization may be inconsistent across racial and ethnic groups is that some minority students prefer to seek treatment from racial/ethnic minority providers, who often are in short supply (Barksdale & Molock, 2009; Thompson, Bazile, & Akbar, 2004; Townes, Chavez-Korell, & Cunningham, 2009). Racial/ethnic minority students may be hesitant to seek treatment from European American providers because of factors such as cultural mistrust, peer norms related to self-reliance, family norms pertaining to privacy, "double stigma" related to racism and mental illness, and doubts about the availability of culturally sensitive services (Barksdale & Molock, 2009; Braithwaite, Taylor, & Treadwell, 2009; Whaley, 2001). …


Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a common viral pathogen that causes a substantial health burden worldwide. Significant progress has been made in the past few decades in understanding the natural history of HBV infection. A dynamic balance between viral replication and host immune response is pivotal to the pathogenesis of liver disease. In immunocompetent adults, most HBV infections spontaneously resolve, whereas in most neonates and infants they become chronic. Those with chronic HBV may present in 1 of 4 phases of infection: (1) in a state of immune tolerance, (2) with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)positive chronic hepatitis, (3) as an inactive hepatitis B surface antigen carrier, or (4) with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis. Of these, HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis may progress to cirrhosis and its long-term sequelae including hepatic decompensation and hepatocellular carcinoma. Several prognostic factors, such as serum HBV DNA concentrations, HBeAg status, serum aminotransferases, and certain HBV genotypes, have been identified to predict long-term outcome. These data emphasize the importance of monitoring all patients with chronic HBV infection to identify candidates for and select optimal timing of antiviral treatment, to recognize those at risk of complications, and to implement surveillance for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.


Stage One of the Pharmacy Continence Care Project (the project) was undertaken in 2003-2004 by the Continence Advisory Service of WA Incorporated. The aim of the project was to establish current best practice in the provision of continence care within community pharmacies in Australia and internationally, and to develop a model of best practice based upon these findings. These materials will be trialed and evaluated in the second stage of the project. Research, including a literature search, surveys of pharmacy staff, consumer focus groups and a consumer survey was conducted. A survey of consumers found that they were generally uncertain of knowledge levels of pharmacy staff in relation to continence issues. This uncertainty was demonstrated by consumers indicating that they would primarily seek continence advice from a doctor or other health care professional rather than a pharmacist. While a definitive model was not found, components of a best practice model and opportunities to promote continence were identified. Stage one of the project concluded with the development of draft training modules. In response to input from pharmacy staff, a selection of supportive material, such as product selection guides was developed to enhance pharmacy staff skills in providing information and advice on continence care. The second stage of the project will involve the evaluation and modification of the training materials.


Even if many research projects in population genetics and conservation biology collect a quantity of spatially located biological samples, and despite its present predominance in Science and its direct application to concerns of public society (health, food), molecular data were heretofore rarely studied by the GIScience community. Biotechnologies make it possible to measure this growing amount of genetic data, and GIScience holds promise for being one of the appropriate ways to investigate this information from a complementary point of view, which is somewhat unique to the traditional field of life sciences. In this paper, I describe a novel spatial analysis method (SAM) to detect regions of the genome being shaped by natural selection. This operation is essential as it gives the possibility to understand which genes are involved in adaptation processes. SAM is the first method to tackle this issue from the environmental angle: with the contribution of GIS, environmental variables and molecular data, it applies multiple univariate logistic regressions to test for association between targeted genomic regions and environmental variables. Several applications to animals and plants demonstrated a strong correspondence between SAM results and those obtained with a standard population genetics approach. In the future, such a method may accelerate the process of hunting for functional genes at the population level. Indeed, it permits to identify ecological parameters which will help to interpret the role specific regions of the genome may play, likely to improve our understanding of the genetic mechanisms of evolution.


This article examines the role of the IRD (Information Research Department) in Northern Ireland during the first half of the 1970s. After discussing British conceptualisations of propaganda, it offers a detailed account of IRD activity, including how a Foreign Office department came to be involved on British soil; how IRD propaganda fitted into the broader apparatus in Northern Ireland; the activity in which the IRD was engaged – both in Northern Ireland and beyond; and some of the challenges faced which limited the campaign's effectiveness. It argues that the IRD's role was driven from the very top of government and came against a context of cuts, a deteriorating security situation in Northern Ireland, and a tradition of domestic propaganda in the UK. IRD activity pressed four key themes: exploiting divisions within the IRA; undermining the IRA's credibility amongst the population; linking the IRA to international terrorism; and portraying the IRA as communist.


Background Maternity leave reduces neonatal and infant mortality rates in high-income countries. However, the impact of maternity leave on infant health has not been rigorously evaluated in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In this study, we utilized a difference-in-differences approach to evaluate whether paid maternity leave policies affect infant mortality in LMICs. Methods and Findings We used birth history data collected via the Demographic and Health Surveys to assemble a panel of approximately 300,000 live births in 20 countries from 2000 to 2008; these observational data were merged with longitudinal information on the duration of paid maternity leave provided by each country. We estimated the effect of an increase in maternity leave in the prior year on the probability of infant (<1 y), neonatal (<28 d), and post-neonatal (between 28 d and 1 y after birth) mortality. Fixed effects for country and year were included to control for, respectively, unobserved time-invariant confounders that varied across countries and temporal trends in mortality that were shared across countries. Average rates of infant, neonatal, and post-neonatal mortality over the study period were 55.2, 30.7, and 23.0 per 1,000 live births, respectively. Each additional month of paid maternity was associated with 7.9 fewer infant deaths per 1,000 live births (95% CI 3.7, 12.0), reflecting a 13% relative reduction. Reductions in infant mortality associated with increases in the duration of paid maternity leave were concentrated in the post-neonatal period. Estimates were robust to adjustment for individual, household, and country-level characteristics, although there may be residual confounding by unmeasured time-varying confounders, such as coincident policy changes. Conclusions More generous paid maternity leave policies represent a potential instrument for facilitating early-life interventions and reducing infant mortality in LMICs and warrant further discussion in the post-2015 sustainable development agenda. From a policy planning perspective, further work is needed to elucidate the mechanisms that explain the benefits of paid maternity leave for infant mortality.


Keyword-based search in text-rich multi-dimensional datasets facilitates many novel applications and tools. In this paper, consider objects that are tagged with keywords and are embedded in a vector space. For these datasets, Study queries that ask for the tightest groups of points satisfying a given set of keywords. propose a novel method called ProMiSH (Projection and Multi Scale Hashing) that uses random projection and hash-based index structures, and achieves high scalability and speedup. In this present an exact and an approximate version of the algorithm. Our experimental results on real and synthetic datasets show that ProMiSH has up to 60 times of speedup over state-of-the-art tree-based techniques.


Workers beyond the bounds of employment and other small players are deprived of coordination rights under "fissured" business arrangements in addition to being subject to the control of relatively large, powerful firms. This absence of coordination rights is neither an inexorable force of nature as the 'economy changes' nor is it a free-standing legal fact. Rather, the conditions under which workers and small enterprises are deprived of coordination rights in these business arrangements are instead part of an overall allocation of coordination rights that is a fundamental function of antitrust law. Antitrust law affirmatively chooses hierarchy and domination, as embodied in the traditional firm and as extended under contemporary firm fissuring, as its preferred form of coordination while condemning cooperation. Barred from joint price-setting or joint bargaining themselves, workers and small firms are effectively forced to pay more powerful firms for the benefit of their license to engage in economic coordination. At the same time, the license to engage in control beyond firm boundaries that these contemporary firms claim for themselves stretches both the deep grammar of the law (the firm exemption) and its surface grammar (antitrust's law of vertical restraints and the single entity doctrine). By magnifying the contradictions that were already embodied in both areas, these business arrangements call out for a conscious re-allocation of coordination rights.


Background
The role of cytomorphology in differentiating sarcoidosis from tuberculosis is not fully elucidated. Herein, we evaluate the utility of cytological features in differentiating between these two diseases in subjects undergoing endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA).

Methods
Retrospective analysis of subjects who underwent EBUS-TBNA and had a final diagnosis of sarcoidosis or tuberculosis. The final diagnosis was based on the clinicoradiological features, microbiology and clinical course during follow-up (including response to treatment) at six months. A cytologist blinded to the clinical details and microbiology examined the aspirates. The primary outcome was the diagnostic accuracy of cytologist's impression to diagnose sarcoidosis as compared to the final diagnosis.

Results
179 (145 sarcoidosis, 34 tuberculosis) subjects were included. Granuloma was identified in 135 (75.4%) subjects; amongst these, the cytologist made a correct diagnosis in 62.2% cases, misdiagnosed 28.9% cases, and in 8.9% cases differentiating sarcoidosis from tuberculosis was not possible. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) of the cytologist in diagnosing sarcoidosis was 62%, 64%, 90%, and 25%, respectively. The identification of a non-necrotic granuloma, along with a negative TST and the lack of endosonographic features favouring tuberculosis (heterogeneous echotexture and coagulation necrosis sign), provided the best specificity (97%) and PPV (99%) to diagnose sarcoidosis.

Conclusion
Sarcoidosis cannot be reliably differentiated from tuberculosis based on cytomorphology alone. A combination of clinical features, endosonography, cytology and microbiology is required for accurate diagnosis.


Chapter 1: Overview General Perspectives on Measurement Historical Origins of Measurement in Social Science Later Developments in Measurement The Role of Measurement in the Social Sciences Summary and Preview Chapter 2: Understanding the "Latent Variable" Constructs Versus Measures Latent Variable as the Presumed Cause of Item Values Path Diagrams Further Elaboration of the Measurement Model Parallel "Tests" Alternative Models Exercises Chapter 3: Reliability Continuous Versus Dichotomous Items Internal Consistency Relability Based on Correlations Between Scale Scores Generalizability Theory Summary and Exercises Chapter 4: Validity Content Validity Criterion-related Validity Construct Validity What About Face Validity? Exercises Chapter 5: Guidelines in Scale Development Step 1: Determine Clearly What it Is You Want to Measure Step 2: Generate an Item Pool Step 3: Determine the Format for Measurement Step 4: Have Initial Item Pool Reviewed by Experts Step 5: Consider Inclusion of Validation Items Step 6: Administer Items to a Development Sample Step 7: Evaluate the Items Step 8: Optimize Scale Length Exercises Chapter 6: Factor Analysis Overview of Factor Analysis Conceptual Description of Factor Analysis Interpreting Factors Principal Components vs Common Factors Confirmatory Factor Analysis Using Factor Analysis in Scale Development Sample Size Conclusion Chapter 7: An Overview of Item Response Theory Item Difficulty Item Discrimination False Positives Item Characteristic Curves Complexities of IRT When to Use IRT Conclusions Chapter 8: Measurement in the Broader Research Context Before the Scale Development After the Scale Administration Final Thoughts References Index About the Author


Enterprise architecture (EA) models the whole enterprise in various aspects regarding both business processes and information technology resources. As the organisation grows, the architecture of its systems and processes must also evolve to meet the demands of the business environment. Evolving an EA model may involve making changes to various components across different levels of the EA. As a result, an important issue before making a change to an EA model is assessing the ripple effect of the change, i.e. change impact analysis. Another critical issue is change propagation: given a set of primary changes that have been made to the EA model, what additional secondary changes are needed to maintain consistency across multiple levels of the EA. There has been however limited work on supporting the maintenance and evolution of EA models. This article proposes an EA description language, namely ChangeAwareHierarchicalEA, integrated with an evolution framework to support both change impact analysis and change propagation within an EA model. The core part of our framework is a technique for computing the impact of a change and a new method for generating interactive repair plans from Alloy consistency rules that constrain the EA model.


Stakeholder Adoption of E-Government Services: Driving and Resisting Factors examines the stakeholders of e-government and reveals the stages of growth or service maturity levels. This publication sheds light on the paradigms and fundamental discourses of the e-government adoption process, including empirical studies in both developed and developing countries. Given these perspectives, issues, and critical factors, this book proposes a citizen-centric governing framework for e-government. Finally, the book provides tools to evaluate the performance of e-government projects and gives inferences from some implemented e-government projects.


This article examines the nature of religious terrorism, principally with reference to al-Qaeda. It argues that a distinction must be made between the ultimate aims and the immediate objectives of 'religious' terrorists, and that while the ultimate aims will be religiously formulated, the immediate objectives will often be found to be almost purely political. This distinction is illustrated with reference to such pre-modern religious terrorists as the Assassins and Zealots. Immediate objectives, are for many purposes more important than ultimate aims. Although the immediate objectives of al-Qaeda on 9/11 cannot be established with certainty, it is highly probably that the intention was to provoke a response from the US that would have a radicalizing impact on al-Qaeda's constituency. Reference to public opinion in the Middle East, especially in Egypt, shows that this is indeed what has happened. Such an impact is a purely political objective, familiar to historians of terrorism from at least the time of Errico Malatesta and the 'propaganda of the deed' in the 1870s. While no direct link between Malatesta and al-Qaeda exists, al-Qaeda was certainly in contact with contemporary theories that Malatesta would have recognized, and seems to have applied them. Even though its immediate objectives are political rather than religious, al-Qaeda is a distinctively Islamic group. Not only is its chosen constituency a confessional one, but al-Qaeda also uses—and when necessary adapts—well-known Islamic religious concepts to motivate its operatives, ranging from conceptions of duty to conceptions of ascetic devotion. This is demonstrated with reference to the 'Last Night' document of 9/11. The conclusion is that terrorism which can be understood in political terms is susceptible to political remedies.


The figure of Oedipus haunted the thought of Michel Foucault from the outset of his tenure at the Collège de France, in association with several key philosophical and historical projects, and enduring until the conclusion of his career. However, it was with Foucault's account of an "Oedipus complex"—one that operated "not at the individual level but at the collective level; not in connection with desire and the unconscious but in connection with power and knowledge" ("Truth and Juridical Forms," 1973)—that Foucault was able to enlist Oedipus for a genealogy of "sexuality" and, furthermore, of "governmentality," such as would increasingly preoccupy him through the mid- to late 1970s. Foucault's attention to classical texts—in particular the Oedipus Tyrannos of Sophocles and the Republic of Plato—thereby helped to clear a critical pathway through the conventional Marxism embraced by the "repressive hypothesis," and to arrive at a Nietzschean genealogy of sexuality and power.


Two Iberian wolf Canis lupus signatus packs were studied in the north of Portugal during spring and summer 1996. The study areas are located in two mountainous areas close to the Spanish border. Both regions presented a very low density of wild ungulates and intensive livestock production. The food habits and the livestock depredation of the wolves were considered. The study material included 87 dropping samples, interviews with shepherds, carcass investigation and government reports of livestock depredation. Prey preference was measured in both areas. Wolves fed exclusively on livestock, especially goats. Wolf attacks on goats affected mostly large flocks of > 100 heads, but where there were horses, wolves preyed preferentially on horses. In both study areas, sheep was recorded as a regular prey by the government reports but never appeared in the scat analysis results. This apparent contradiction will be discussed. The wolf's dependence on livestock can be explained by the scarcity of wild prey and the high density of livestock. Conservation of wolves in such impoverished areas depends on an efficient livestock depredation management plan and the reintroduction of native prey species.


Porous liquids, as a newly emerging type of porous material, have great potential in gas separation and storage. However, the examples and synthetic strategies reported so far likely represent only the tip of the iceberg due to the great difficulty and challenge in engineering permanent porosity in liquid matrices. Here, by taking advantage of the hydrogen bonding interaction between the alkane chains of branched ionic liquids and the Brønsted sites in H-form zeolites, as well as the mechanical bond of the long alkyl chain of the cation penetrated into the zeolite channel at the interface, the H-form zeolites can be uniformly stabilized in branched ionic liquids to form porous liquid zeolites, which not only significantly improve their gas sorption performance, but also change the gas sorption-desorption behavior because of the preserved permanent porosity. Furthermore, such a facile synthetic strategy can be extended to fabricate other types of H-form zeolite-based porous liquids by taking advantage of the tunability of the counter-anion (e.g., NTf2-, BF4-, EtSO4-, etc.) in branched ionic liquids, thus opening up new opportunities for porous liquids for specific applications in energy and environment.


In the UK, 11,000 new cases of open angle glaucoma (OAG) are diagnosed annually in people aged 40 to 70 years. However, two--‐thirds of UK OAG cases may remain undiagnosed, highlighting the need for improved detection. UK optometrists generate more than 95% of referrals for suspected glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Case--‐ detection of glaucoma may be improved by using screening tests with better diagnostic accuracy, but standardised protocols for advanced technologies used alone, or in combination, to detect glaucoma are lacking.

Chapter 2 reports on two cross--‐sectional surveys of UK community optometrists, determining the equipment and information technology (IT) used in optometric practice, and exploring the rationale behind the uptake of ophthalmic equipment and IT. UK optometrists are increasingly investing in new ophthalmic equipment and IT, including the latest technology. Longitudinal comparisons with previous surveys revealed an increase in use of Optical coherence tomography (OCT), Goldmann/ Perkins tonometry and pachymetry. Variations in responses reflected differences in General Ophthalmic Services provision across the UK and involvement in community enhanced services. There was general agreement that specialised equipment enhances clinical care and permits increased involvement in enhanced services, but initial costs and ongoing maintenance can be a financial burden.

Chapter 3 summarises a prospective cross--‐sectional study investigating the diagnostic accuracy of four advanced technologies for detecting POAG, used alone and in combination, in a representative sample (N=505) of the UK primary care population aged ≥60 years, and compared to a reference standard ophthalmic examination. Structural imaging using the iVue SD--‐OCT provided better discrimination between POAG and non--‐POAG/ non--‐OHT subjects than either visual function test (Frequency Doubling Technology or Moorfields Motion Displacement Threshold). The low specificity of visual function tests precludes their use in isolation, but their use together with objective evaluation of optic nerve head structure by SD--‐OCT should improve case--‐detection of glaucoma.

Chapter 4 describes a case--‐control study (N=78) evaluating the diagnostic effectiveness of two slit--‐lamp based techniques (van Herick and Smith's) and imaging--‐based systems (Pentacam and Visante OCT) when compared to the reference standard gonioscopic observation, to screen for individuals at--‐risk of angle closure glaucoma (ACG). Overall, the van Herick test and Visante OCT, used either alone or in combination, showed best discrimination between narrow and open angles. Recording of either the temporal or nasal van Herick grade would be sufficient for case--‐finding in at--‐risk individuals.

Chapter 5 summarises preceding chapters and details recommendations for future research.


What happens when Congress commands the Secretary of an administrative agency to issue regulations, but the Secretary fails to act? In most areas of the law, the answer is obvious: a party aggrieved by the Secretary's delay should file a suit (under 5 U.S.C. 706 or a similar provision) asking a court to compel the Secretary to issue regulations. In the tax area, however, a different pattern has emerged. When Congress enacts a statute commanding the Secretary of the Treasury to act, the courts generally have not bothered to issue an order compelling him to do so. Rather, the reviewing court steps into the Secretary's shoes and creates phantom regulations, announcing the rules that it thinks the Secretary should promulgate pursuant to Congress's directive. As is often the case, tax lawyers, the IRS, and courts have ignored generally applicable law in favor of a solution that seems "right" as a policy matter. This paper addresses the propriety of that unusual approach and concludes that phantom regulations should never be employed by courts, the IRS, or taxpayers.


Summary 1. Mycorrhizae form a critical link between above-ground plants and the soil system by influencing plant nutrition, nutrient cycling and soil structure. Understanding how mycorrhizae respond to disturbances may lead to important advances in interpreting above-ground plant recovery. 2. The inoculum potential for arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi was investigated in thinned-only, thinned and prescribed burned (both restoration treatments) and unthinned and unburned control stands in northern Arizona ponderosa pine forests. The relationships between mycorrhizal fungal propagule densities and plant community and soil properties were quantified. 3. The relative amount of infective propagules of AM fungi was significantly higher in samples collected from both restoration treatments than their paired controls (unthinned and unburned stands). In contrast, the same restoration treatments had no significant effect on the relative amount of infective propagules of EM fungi. 4. The relative amount of infective propagules of AM fungi was significantly positively correlated with graminoid cover and herbaceous understorey species richness and negatively correlated with overstorey tree canopy cover and litter cover. 5. Synthesis and applications . These results indicate that population densities of AM fungi can rapidly increase following restoration treatments in northern Arizona ponderosa pine forests. This has important implications for restoring the herbaceous understorey of these forests because most understorey plants depend on AM associations for normal growth. These results also can be applied to other ecosystems that are in a state of restoration or where the role of fire is just beginning to be understood.


Objective Respiratory motion degrades MR images of the coronary arteries. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare two methods of reducing the effects of respiration in coronary artery MRI. Single-slice 2D imaging with breath-holding and a respiratory-gated 3D technique were used. Materials and Methods A comparison was made in 10 normal subjects between a 2D multiple breath-holding approach and a 3D technique with and without retrospective respiratory gating in imaging the coronary arteries. Results Respiratory gating improved the image quality in 76% of the 3D images. Both the 2D and the 3D approaches were capable of visualizing the proximal parts of the coronary arteries, with comparable vessel length and diameter. The image quality was somewhat better for images obtained by breath-holding in 83% of the vessels, probably due to less blurring by remnant respiratory motion and higher inflow contrast. Conclusion The 2D breath-holding approach reveals a better image quality. However, the 3D respiratory-gated acquisition is less operator dependent, faster, and less strenuous for patients.


By upbringing, family connections, and education, Felix Mendelssohn was ideally positioned to contribute to the historical legacies of the German people, who in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars discovered that they were a nation with a distinct culture. The number of cultural icons of German nationalism that Mendelssohn "discovered," promoted, or was asked to promote (by way of commissions) in his compositions is striking: Gutenberg and the invention of the printing press, Durer and Nuremberg, Luther and the Augsburg Confession as the manifesto of Protestantism, Bach and the St. Matthew Passion, Beethoven and his claims to universal brotherhood. The essays in this volume investigate from a variety of perspectives Mendelssohn's relationship to the music of the past, including the significance of Bach's music for the Mendelssohn family, the homages to Bach in Mendelssohn's organ compositions, the influence of Beethoven in the Reformation Symphony, and Mendelssohn's reception and use of Handel's oratorios. Together, the essays shed light on the construction of legacies that, in some cases, served to assert German cultural supremacy only two decades after the composer's death in 1847. Contributors: Celia Applegate, John Michael Cooper, Hans Davidsson, Wm. A. Little, Peter Mercer-Taylor, Siegwart Reichwald, Glenn Stanley, Russell Stinson, Benedict Taylor, Nicholas Thistlethwaite, Jurgen Thym, R. Larry Todd, Christoph Wolff Jurgen Thym is professor emeritus of musicology at the Eastman School of Music and editor of Of Poetry and Song: Approaches to the Nineteenth-Century Lied (University of Rochester Press, 2010).


Background The reconstitution of cellular immune components contributes to clinical outcome of HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection. Interruption of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) could lead to perturbations in reconstitution of T cells in HIV/ tuberculosis (TB) patients. Objectives To ascertain the effect of interrupted ART on reconstitution of CD4+ and CD8+ T sub-sets in TB patients. Methods Participants with HIV (CD4>350 cells/µL) and TB were recruited under a larger phase 3 open label randomised controlled clinical trial. The CD45RO and CD62L markers were measured on CD4+ and CD8+ cells by flow cytometry. Samples were analysed at baseline, 3, 6, 12 months. Results There was a significant increase of naive CD8+ cells (p = 0.003) and a decrease in effector CD8+ cells (p = 0.004) among participants in ART/TB treatment arm during the first 6 months. Withdrawing ART led to naive CD8+ cells reduction (p=0.02) to values close to baseline. An increase of naive CD8+ cells after 6 months of TB treatment in TB alone treatment arm (p=0.01) was observed. A trend towards increment of naive CD4+ sub sets in either treatment arms was observed. Conclusion Interrupting ART alters CD8+ but not CD4+ sub-sets in patients with less advanced HIV infection and TB.


STUDY OBJECTIVE
We sought to create a clinical decision rule, on the basis of variables available to out-of-hospital personnel, that could be used to accurately predict severe injury in pediatric patients involved in motor vehicle crashes as occupants.

METHODS
We analyzed the National Automotive Sampling System database, a national probability sample, using pediatric patients up to 15 years old (occupants only) involved in motor vehicle crashes from January 1993 to December 1999. The National Automotive Sampling System database includes patients from regions throughout the country, weighted to represent a nationwide sample. Twelve out-of-hospital variables were used in classification and regression tree analysis to create a decision rule separating children with severe injuries (Injury Severity Score [ISS] > or =16) from those with minor injuries (ISS < 16). Misclassification costs and complexity parameters were selected to yield a decision tree with appropriate sensitivity and specificity for the identification of severely injured patients, while also being simple and practical for out-of-hospital use. Probability weights were used throughout the analysis to account for the sampling design and sampling weights.

RESULTS
Using a sample size of 8,392 children, we constructed a decision rule using 3 out-of-hospital variables (Glasgow Coma Scale score, passenger space intrusion > or =6 in [> or =15 cm], and restraint use) to predict those patients with an ISS of 16 or more. Internal cross-validation was used to determine the sensitivity and specificity, yielding values of 92% and 73%, respectively, for the prediction of patients with an ISS of 16 or more.

CONCLUSION
Out-of-hospital variables available to field personnel could be used to effectively triage pediatric motor vehicle crash patients using the decision rule developed here. Prospective trials would be needed to test this decision rule in actual use.


We developed a four-channel photon counting based Stokes-polarimeter for spatial characterization of polarization effects in second harmonic generation (SHG). We have implemented a calibration technique allowing quantitative measurement of polarization parameters, such as the degree of polarization (DOP), degree of linear polarization (DOLP), degree of circular polarization (DOCP), as well as anisotropy from the acquired Stokes parameters. The technique is used as contrast mechanism to characterize the polarization properties from two potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) micro-crystals and collagen type-I in SHG microscopy.


We investigate the joint observation between type 2 diabetes and headache using a case-control study of a US ambulatory dataset.Recent whole-population cohort studies propose that type 2 diabetes may have a protective effect against headache prevalence. With headaches ranked as a leading cause of disability, headache-associated comorbidities could help identify shared molecular mechanisms.We performed a case-control study using the US National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, 2009, on the joint observation between headache and specific comorbidities, namely type 2 diabetes, hypertension and anxiety, for all patients between 18 and 65 years of age. The odds ratio of having a headache and a comorbidity were calculated using conditional logistic regression, controlling for gender and age over a study population of 3,327,947 electronic health records in the absence of prescription medication data.We observed estimated odds ratio of 0.89 (95% CI: 0.83-0.95) of having a headache and a record of type 2 diabetes over the population, and 0.83 (95% CI: 2.02-2.57) and 0.89 (95% CI: 3.00-3.49) for male and female, respectively.We find that patients with type 2 diabetes are less likely to present a recorded headache indication. Patients with hypertension are almost twice as likely of having a headache indication and patients with an anxiety disorder are almost three times as likely. Given the possibility of confounding indications and prescribed medications, additional studies are recommended.


We study a rating system in which a set of individuals (e.g., the customers of a restaurant) evaluate a given service (e.g, the restaurant), with their aggregated opinion determining the probability of all individuals to use the service and thus its generated revenue. We explicitly model the influence relation by a social network, with individuals being influenced by the evaluation of their trusted peers. On top of that we allow a malicious service provider (e.g., the restaurant owner) to bribe some individuals, i.e., to invest a part of his or her expected income to modify their opinion, therefore influencing his or her final gain. We analyse the effect of bribing strategies under various constraints, and we show under what conditions the system is bribery-proof, i.e., no bribing strategy yields a strictly positive expected gain to the service provider.


We compute the generation of vorticity from velocity dispersion in the dark matter fluid. For dark matter at zero temperature Helmholtz's theorem dictates that no vorticity is generated and we therefore allow the dark matter fluid to have a non-vanishing velocity dispersion. This implies a modification to the usual hydrodynamical system (continuity and Euler equations): we have to consider the Boltzmann hierarchy up to the second moment. This means that the Euler equation is modified with a source term that describes the effect of non-zero velocity dispersion. We write an equation for the Eulerian vorticity in Lagrangian coordinates and show that it has a growing mode already at second order in perturbation theory. We compute the power spectrum of the vorticity and the rotational velocity at second order in perturbation theory.


The purpose of this study was to examine how 52 pre-service teachers (PSTs) assessed 7 th -grade students' learning of social studies lessons they planned and taught. The PSTs provided assessment artifacts on 312 students, along with explanations for how they assessed and graded each student. Of the 429 coded assessment explanations, 240 (56%) related directly to students' social studies achievement, 141 (33%) related to non-achievement factors, and 48 (11%) related to achievement factors not connected with social studies. Consistent with previous research on the assessment practices of in-service teachers, the pre-service teachers in this study used a combination of student achievement, effort, behavior, and ability to make their grading judgments. Assessment of student learning is taking a greater role in education today, and much of the burden for helping new teachers to improve their assessment practices will fall on teacher educators, who should integrate explicit coursework on assessment with authentic field experiences for PSTs to practice planning and teaching lessons, as well as assessing and grading students.


In this article we present DUAL-PECCS, an integrated Knowledge Representation system aimed at extending artificial capabilities in tasks such as conceptual categorization. It relies on two different sorts of cognitively inspired common-sense reasoning: prototypical reasoning and exemplars-based reasoning. Furthermore, it is grounded on the theoretical tenets coming from the dual process theory of the mind, and on the hypothesis of heterogeneous proxytypes, developed in the area of the biologically inspired cognitive architectures (BICA). The system has been integrated into the ACT-R cognitive architecture, and experimentally assessed in a conceptual categorization task, where a target concept illustrated by a simple common-sense linguistic description had to be identified by resorting to a mix of categorization strategies. Compared to human-level categorization, the obtained results suggest that our proposal can be helpful in extending the representational and reasoning conceptual capabilities of standard cognitive artificial systems.


The arctic–alpine Ranunculus glacialis s. l. is distributed in high‐mountain ranges of temperate Europe and in the North, where it displays an extreme disjunction between the North Atlantic Arctic and Beringia. Based on comprehensive sampling and employing plastid and nuclear marker systems, we (i) test whether the European/Beringian disjunction correlates with the main evolutionary diversification, (ii) reconstruct the phylogeographic history in the Arctic and in temperate mountains and (iii) assess the susceptibility of arctic and mountain populations to climate change. Both data sets revealed several well‐defined lineages, mostly with a coherent geographic distribution. The deepest evolutionary split did not coincide with the European/Beringian disjunction but occurred within the Alps. The Beringian lineage and North Atlantic Arctic populations, which reached their current distribution via rapid postglacial colonization, show connections to two divergent pools of Central European populations. Thus, immigration into the Arctic probably occurred at least twice. The presence of a rare cpDNA lineage related to Beringia in the Carpathians supports the role of these mountains as a stepping stone between temperate Europe and the non‐European Arctic, and as an important area of high‐mountain biodiversity. The temperate and arctic ranges presented contrasting phylogeographic histories: a largely static distribution in the former and rapid latitudinal spread in the latter. The persistence of ancient lineages with a strictly regional distribution suggests that the ability of R. glacialis to survive repeated climatic changes within southern mountain ranges is greater than what recently was predicted for alpine plants from climatic envelope modelling.


Pathogenic Yersinia species suppress the host immune response by using a plasmid-encoded type III secretion system (T3SS) to translocate virulence proteins into the cytosol of the target cells. T3SS-dependent protein translocation is believed to occur in one step from the bacterial cytosol to the target-cell cytoplasm through a conduit created by the T3SS upon target cell contact. Here, we report that T3SS substrates on the surface of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis are translocated into target cells. Upon host cell contact, purified YopH coated on Y. pseudotuberculosis was specifically and rapidly translocated across the target-cell membrane, which led to a physiological response in the infected cell. In addition, translocation of externally added YopH required a functional T3SS and a specific translocation domain in the effector protein. Efficient, T3SS-dependent translocation of purified YopH added in vitro was also observed when using coated Salmonella typhimurium strains, which implies that T3SS-mediated translocation of extracellular effector proteins is conserved among T3SS-dependent pathogens. Our results demonstrate that polarized T3SS-dependent translocation of proteins can be achieved through an intermediate extracellular step that can be reconstituted in vitro. These results indicate that translocation can occur by a different mechanism from the assumed single-step conduit model.


This article is based on the notion that Prisa's approaching 55th anniversary presents an opportunity to reflect on the current state of public relations in South Africa – a state of affairs brought into sharper focus by the substantive change in the country subsequent to 1994's new political dispensation. This qualitative field survey asked the following research question: How do the presidents of Prisa who have served terms of office since 1994 view the current state of public relations in this country? The purposive sample resulted in ten respondents and an interview strategy was utilised to elicit responses in terms of an interview schedule. The thematic analysis brought about a two-fold picture: there appears to be increasing pressure on the public relations industry from the outside, with a commensurate collapse from within the industry itself. The article concludes that in many respects this study underscores the fact that not much has changed in the public relations industry; therefore, one could argue that the findings point to a recurring crisis of credibility in the South African public relationsindustry.


Many millions of people are affected by the trauma of war. Psychologists have a good understanding of how experiences of war impact on memory, but the significance of external environmental influences is often disregarded. Memory, War and Trauma focuses on our understanding of the psychosocial impact of war in its broadest sense. Nigel C. Hunt argues that, in order to understand war trauma, it is critical to develop an understanding not only of the individual perspective but also of how societal and cultural factors impact on the outcome of an individual's experience. This is a compelling book which helps to demonstrate why some people suffer from post-traumatic stress while other people don't, and how narrative understanding is important to the healing process. Its multidisciplinary perspective will enable a deeper understanding of both individual traumatic stress and the structures of memory.


[1] The mechanisms that control climate-dependent rockfall from permafrost mountain slopes are currently poorly understood. In this study, we present the results of an extensive rock slope monitoring campaign at the Matterhorn (Switzerland) with a wireless sensor network. A negative dependency of cleft expansion relative to temperature was observed at all clefts for the dominant part of the year. At many clefts this process is interrupted by a period with increased opening and shearing activity in the summer months. More specific, this period lasts from sustained melting within the cleft to the first freezing in autumn. Based on these empirical findings we identify two distinct process regimes governing the cleft motion observed. Combining current theories with laboratory evidence on rock slope movement and stability, we postulate that (1) the negative temperature-dependency is caused by thermomechanical forcing and is reinforced by cryogenic processes during the freezing period and, (2) the enhanced movement in summer originates from a hydro-thermally induced strength reduction in clefts containing perennial ice. It can be assumed that the irreversible part of the process described in (1) slowly modifies the geometric settings and cleft characteristics of permafrost rock slopes in the long term. The thawing related processes (2) can affect stability within hours or weeks. Such short-term stability minima may activate rock masses subject to the slow changes and lead to acceleration and failure.


MUC4, a transmembrane mucin, is aberrantly expressed in pancreatic adenocarcinomas while remaining undetectable in the normal pancreas. Recent studies have shown that the expression of MUC4 is associated with the progression of pancreatic cancer and is inversely correlated with the prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients. In the present study, we have examined the phenotypic and molecular consequences of MUC4 silencing with an aim of establishing the mechanistic basis for its observed role in the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer. The silencing of MUC4 expression was achieved by stable expression of a MUC4-specific short hairpin RNA in CD18/HPAF, a highly metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line. A significant decrease in MUC4 expression was detected in MUC4-knockdown (CD18/HPAF-siMUC4) cells compared with the parental and scrambled short interfering RNA–transfected (CD18/HPAF-Scr) control cells by immunoblot analysis and immunofluorescence confocal microscopy. Consistent with our previous observation, inhibition of MUC4 expression restrained the pancreatic tumor cell growth and metastasis as shown in an orthotopic mouse model. Our in vitro studies revealed that MUC4-associated increase in tumor cell growth resulted from both the enhanced proliferation and reduced cell death. Furthermore, MUC4 expression was also associated with significantly increased invasiveness (P ≤ 0.05) and changes in actin organization. The presence of MUC4 on the cell surface was shown to interfere with the tumor cell-extracellular matrix interactions, in part, by inhibiting the integrin-mediated cell adhesion. An altered expression of growth- and metastasis-associated genes (LI-cadherin, CEACAM6, RAC1, AnnexinA1, thrombomodulin, epiregulin, S100A4, TP53, TP53BP, caspase-2, caspase-3, caspase-7, plakoglobin, and neuregulin-2) was also observed as a consequence of the silencing of MUC4. In conclusion, our study provides experimental evidence that supports the functional significance of MUC4 in pancreatic cancer progression and indicates a novel role for MUC4 in cancer cell signaling. (Mol Cancer Res 2007;5(4):309–20)


As much as one third of the luminosity of the local universe is emitted in the far infrared. In order to understand the history of energy release in the universe, it is crucial to characterize this rest-frame far-infrared contribution from the present back to the era of initial galaxy formation. Over the redshift range from 0 to 10, this energy is received in the 80 micrometers to 1 mm spectral region. In the 1980's the Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) all-sky survey provided the first comprehensive view of the far infrared emission from the local universe. The diffuse background measurements by Cosmic Background Explorer Satellite (COBE) have provided constraints on the integral contributions from the high redshift universe. In the past five years, submillimeter measurements made using the SCUBA instrument have revealed powerful high redshift sources. To develop a clear history of energy release in the universe, we need numbers and redshifts of representative populations of energetically important objects. The near future will bring the Space Infrared Telescope Facility Multiband Imaging Photometer (SIRTF)(MIPS) survey, which will cover about 100 square degrees at wavelengths out to 160 micrometers, providing a large sample of energetically important galaxies out to z of approx.3. In 2005, the Japanese IRIS survey will provide a 160 micrometers full sky survey, which will provide larger samples of the high z galaxy populations and will find intrinsically rare high luminosity objects. The SPIRE instrument on the FIRST facility will extend these surveys to longer wavelengths, providing a view of the universe at higher redshifts in three spectral bands. A concept for an all-sky submillimeter survey is under development, called the Survey of Infrared Cosmic Evolution (SIRCE). With a 2 m cryogenic telescope, it can map the entire sky to the confusion limit in the 100 to 500 micrometers range in six months. This survey will provide photometric redshifts, number counts, and will find the most luminous objects in the universe. In the next decade, the opening of the submillimeter, combined with the near infrared capability of NGST will provide us with a clear picture of energy release in the early universe.


This study used eye tracking to explore the relationship between second-language recasts, noticing, and learning during computer-mediated communication. Learners' eye fixations were used as a measure of noticing. We examined the relationship between occurrence, number, and duration of fixations and posttest success and between the nature of the recasts and fixation duration. Intermediate learners of Spanish and German (N = 16) engaged in chat conferences with their instructor, taking posttests one week later. Results showed a relationship between noticing of lexical and grammatical form and posttest success. Suggestive effects were found for fixation number and posttest success and for number of targets in complex recasts and fixation duration. Eye tracking can be a useful tool for exploring attention to form.


Given a graph, does there exist an orientation of the edges such that the resulting directed graph is strongly connected? Robbins' theorem [Robbins, Am. Math. Monthly, 1939] asserts that such an orientation exists if and only if the graph is 2-edge connected. A natural extension of this problem is the following: Suppose that the edges of the graph are partitioned into trails. Can the trails be oriented consistently such that the resulting directed graph is strongly connected? We show that 2-edge connectivity is again a sufficient condition and we provide a linear time algorithm for finding such an orientation. The generalised Robbins' theorem [Boesch, Am. Math. Monthly, 1980] for mixed multigraphs asserts that the undirected edges of a mixed multigraph can be oriented to make the resulting directed graph strongly connected exactly when the mixed graph is strongly connected and the underlying graph is bridgeless. We consider the natural extension where the undirected edges of a mixed multigraph are partitioned into trails. It turns out that in this case the condition of the generalised Robbin's Theorem is not sufficient. However, we show that as long as each cut either contains at least 2 undirected edges or directed edges in both directions, there exists an orientation of the trails such that the resulting directed graph is strongly connected. Moreover, if the condition is satisfied, we may start by orienting an arbitrary trail in an arbitrary direction. Using this result one


The gap between where companies pay tax and where they really do their business is huge, as shown by new research described in this briefing. In 2012, US multinationals alone shifted $500–700bn, mostly to countries where these profits are not taxed, or taxed at very low rates. G20 countries themselves are among the biggest losers. The measures recently announced by the OECD leave the fundamentals of a broken tax system intact and do not stop the race to the bottom in corporate taxation. G20 governments must do more and should strongly support further reforms.


Previous work on emergency brake application concluded that driver population diversity and 'the overlap of braking parameter distributions between normal conditions and emergency situations' is such, that triggering criteria cannot both detect all emergency braking actions and never activate the assistance in situations where it is not necessary. The objective of this study was to investigate driver-braking characteristics, in order that future systems might achieve greater effectiveness. Forty-eight drivers drove an instrumented vehicle on a public road section before arriving at a test track, where they were instructed to follow at their preferred distance another vehicle towing a trailer. They were told the aim was to measure their preferred car-following distance. They were not aware that 0.2 miles down the track the trailer would be released and rapidly decelerate to a stop. The main variables analysed included "throttle-off" rate, brake pedal pressure/force, and clutch pedal pressure/operation. The results indicate a series of relationships exploitable by an intelligent brake assist system. An intelligent brake assist system could take advantage of those characteristics and adapt its performance to individuals' braking style. Limitations of the study include resource constraints (use of a single instrumented vehicle, time-limited access to the test track) and the contrived nature of the emergency braking scenario (need for surprise element, practically a one-off study, limitation of speed to 30mph/48kmph). The study provides evidence of a background for a customisable brake assist system that learns from the driver and adjusts its full-brake trigger accordingly. The full text of this paper may be found at: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/esv/esv21/09-0247.pdf For the covering abstract see ITRD E145407.


It is safe to say that building disaster resilience by preparing for disasters with a business continuity plan is vital for small business to thrive in the long run. More often than not, small business owners invest large sums of money, time, and resources to make their ventures successful and yet, many of them fail to properly plan and prepare for disaster situations. With this problem in mind, Florida International University (FIU) became the house of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the Extreme Events Institute (EEI). Together, both institutes have collaborated in their mission to spread disaster resilience and business continuity management knowledge and best practices in an accessible way to small businesses in South Florida and Latin America. By developing and disseminating knowledge, processes and best-practices through several activities and channels such as business consulting and business continuity plan elaboration, Pasantias (Practicums) , and the Disaster Resilience Toolkit for Small-and-Medium-Sized Enterprises, both institutes truly represent FIU's experience with SMEs and its commitment with entrepreneurship and South Florida's community.