The RID assay is one of the in vitro methods used for in-process control in the production of rabies vaccines for veterinary use. It has been shown to be very useful for determining antigen concentration in the final bulk product. The work presented in this paper, including the production and standardization of candidate standard reagents for use in the Radial Immunodiffusion Assay (RID) was carried out at the Pan American Institute for Food Protection and Zoonoses (INPPAZ/PAHO/WHO). The study was completed with the cooperation of the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, National University of La Plata (NULP), Argentina, where the validation of the proposed standards and the quality control of samples from 28 different batches of rabies vaccines produced with Pasteur strain rabies virus (PV) in BHK cells were performed. The activity of the vaccines was determined by in vivo (NIH) and in vitro (RID)assays. The results of the candidate reagents for the reagent standardization tests showed stability, sensitivity and reproducibility. The Relative Potency the 1.2 between the problem vaccines and the reference vaccine was estimated by variance and regression analysis. The results of our validation study show that the INPPAZ (PAHO/WHO) is capable of producing and distributing the above-mentioned standard reagents, as well as of providing support for the incorporation of the RID technique (sensitive, rapid and inexpensive) to the laboratories that manufacture rabies vaccines in Latin America and the Caribbean.


Mysterious phenomena within the sun break through the surface with an intensity that rises and falls on an average 11-yr cycle. The surface goes from relative quiescence to extraordinary turbulence. And this brief report, reprinted by permission from the Science section of the 18 Dec. 1989 edition of The Washington Post, discusses the current sunspot cycle which may become the most violent ever.


Abstract. Variability in tidewater outlet glacier behavior under similar external forcing has been attributed to differences in outlet shape (i.e., bed elevation and width), but this dependence has not been investigated in detail. Here we use a numerical ice flow model to show that the dynamics of tidewater outlet glaciers under external forcing are highly sensitive to width and bed topography. Our sensitivity tests indicate that for glaciers with similar discharge, the trunks of wider glaciers and those grounded over deeper basal depressions tend to be closer to flotation, so that less dynamically induced thinning results in rapid, unstable retreat following a perturbation. The lag time between the onset of the perturbation and unstable retreat varies with outlet shape, which may help explain intra-regional variability in tidewater outlet glacier behavior. Further, because the perturbation response is dependent on the thickness relative to flotation, varying the bed topography within the range of observational uncertainty can result in either stable or unstable retreat due to the same perturbation. Thus, extreme care must be taken when interpreting the future behavior of actual glacier systems using numerical ice flow models that are not accompanied by comprehensive sensitivity analyses.


It has been proposed that phages can be used commercially as a biopesticide for
the control of fire blight caused by the phytopathogen Erwinia amylovora. The aim of
these studies was to investigate two common bacterial resistance mechanisms, lysogeny
and exopolysaccharide production and their influence on phage pathogenesis. A multiplex
real-time PCR protocol was designed to monitor and quantify Podoviridae and
Myoviridae phages. This protocol is compatible with known E. amylovora and Pantoea
agglomerans rtPCR primers/probes which allowed simultaneous study of both phage and
bacterial targets. Using in vitro positive phage selection, bacteriophage insensitive
derivatives were isolated within sensitive populations of E. amylovora. Prophage
screening with real-time PCR and mitomycin C induction determined that the insensitive
derivatives harboured the temperate Podoviridae phage ΦEaTlOO. Lysogenic conversion
resulted in resistance to secondary homologous phage infections. Prophage screening of
environmental samples of E. amylovora and P. agglomerans collected from various
locations in Canada, United States and Europe did not demonstrate lysogeny. Therefore,
lysogeny is rare or absent while these bacterial species reside on the plant.
Recombineering was used to construct exopolysaccharide deficient E. amylovora
mutants. The EPS amylovoran mutants became resistant to Podoviridae and certain
Siphoviridae phages. Increasing amylovoran production increased phage population
growth, presumably by increasing the total number of bacterial cell surface receptors
which promoted increased phage infections. In contrast, amylovoran did not playa role in
Myoviridae infections, nor did production of the EPS levan for any phage pathogenesis.


Ever since the 1972 Stockholm Declaration proclaimed that man's natural and man made environment are essential to his well-being and to the enjoyment of his basic human rights-including the right to life, there seems to be a consensus amongst scholars that formally creating and acknowledging the right to clean environment as a human right under international law and giving content and effect it could be a good way of encouraging the international community and governments to enhance their efforts to ensure sustainability in the use of the environment.However, certain critical questions arise in relation to a right to environment which are yet unanswered. Firstly, considering the jurisprudential connotation of the concept of rights, can the right to a clean environment be described as a universal moral right which all men, everywhere, at all times ought to have? Can it and should it be accorded the status of a separate basic right under international law? If yes, why do we need a distinct right to clean environment? What will be the benefits of having such a right? Secondly, what would be the exact scope, extent and content of such a right? Thirdly, under what conditions would the failure to reduce environmental degradation be described as a violation of the right to a clean environment? What mechanisms would be required for its effective implementation?; and lastly, considering the limitless nature of the environment and the global nature of certain environmental concerns, how will victims of environmental degradation overcome procedural issues of jurisdiction, proper parties and proper venue? This paper addresses these critical questions in some details. It attempts to provide answers to these questions while analyzing the contributions which a human right to clean environment could make in our quest for attaining global sustainability.


Correlations among bone strength, muscle mass, and physical activity suggest that these traits may be modulated by each other and/or by common genetic and/or environmental mechanisms. This study used structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the extent to which select genetic loci manifest their pleiotropic effects through functional adaptations commonly referred to as Wolff's law. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis was used to identify regions of chromosomes that simultaneously influenced skeletal mechanics, muscle mass, and/or activity‐related behaviors in young and aged B6×D2 second‐generation (F2) mice of both sexes. SEM was used to further study relationships among select QTLs, bone mechanics, muscle mass, and measures of activity. The SEM approach provided the means to numerically decouple the musculoskeletal effects of mechanical loading from the effects of other physiological processes involved in locomotion and physical activity. It was found that muscle mass was a better predictor of bone mechanics in young females, whereas mechanical loading was a better predictor of bone mechanics in older females. An activity‐induced loading factor positively predicted the mechanical behavior of hindlimb bones in older males; contrarily, load‐free locomotion (i.e., the remaining effects after removing the effects of loading) negatively predicted bone performance. QTLs on chromosomes 4, 7, and 9 seem to exert some of their influence on bone through actions consistent with Wolff's Law. Further exploration of these and other mechanisms through which genes function will aid in development of individualized interventions able to exploit the numerous complex pathways contributing to skeletal health.


Flower quality loss, especially short postharvest life, is a major problem in gerbera production. An experiment was conducted to determine how different combinations of humic substances (HS) affect gerbera. Humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA) applied to nutrient solutions in six combinations including control (nutrient solution only), 80 mg L−1 HA + 20 mg L−1 FA, 60 mg L−1 HA + 40 mg L−1 FA, 40 mg L−1 HA + 60 mg L−1 FA, 100 mg L−1 FA, and 50 mg L−1 FA. The HS application enhanced root architecture, nutrient content, number of harvested flowers, and vase life. Fifty (50) mg L−1 FA extended vase life by 8 days and increased flower number (72.9%). Results suggest that HA and FA (especially 50 mg L−1 FA) can improve quality and quantity of gerbera through improving root architecture, leading to enhanced nutrient uptake and possibly affecting hormone-like activities. It seems that using low concentrations of FA may be part of a solution in improving gerbera flower quality.


A study in search of new heterogeneous catalysts that can be used in place of homogeneous catalysts for biodiesel synthesis has been carried out. The objective of this study is to investigate and evaluate the use of solid catalysts for transesterification of triglycerides and esterification of free fatty acid for biodiesel synthesis. Two types of heterogeneous catalyst have been studied that are solid acid and solid base. Three different solid acids and two solid bases were explored. The solid acids investigated were sulfonated hypercrosslinked polystyrene resin, sulfonated polyvinyl alcohol and sulfated zirconia. The solid bases were lithium zirconate and composite calcium oxide-magnetite.

Sulfonated hypercrosslinked polystyrene resin has been studied in the esterification reaction of oleic acid with methanol and rearrangement of α-pinene to camphene and limonenes. The activity of this catalyst was compared with conventional macroporous polystyrene sulfonic acids such as Amberlyst-15, Amberlyst-35 and Nafion SAC-13 which is a composite of Nafion and silica. The activity of this catalyst is superior to those of Amberlysts and SAC-13 in the esterification of oleic acid. This catalyst also has high reusability at elevated temperature.

Sulfonated polyvinyl alcohol catalyst has been studied in the same way the esterification of oleic acid and rearrangement of α-pinene. The activity of the catalyst was compared with sulfonated macroreticular polystyrene resin Amberlyst-35 and Nafion SAC-13. In the esterification reaction, sulfonated polyvinyl alcohol shows a better activity than SAC-13 and the Amberlyst-35 resin catalyst. In the rearrangement/isomerisation reaction, the sulfonated polyvinyl alcohol is the least active.

The activity of sulfated zirconia as a solid acid catalyst has been studied in the esterification of oleic acid and in simultaneous esterification- transesterification of a mixture oleic acid and triglycerides. In the simultaneous reaction, the activity of this catalyst was compared with sulfonated polystyrene catalysts (Amberlyst-15 Amberlyst-35 and Purolite D5081) and commercial sulfated zirconia XZO-1720. The result showed that in the transesterification reaction, the sulfated zirconias are more active but in the esterification reaction the sulfonated polystyrene catalysts are better than sulfated zirconia. The effect of calcination temperature on the catalytic activity of the catalyst was also studied. The study shows that 600 oC calcination gives the best catalytic activity.

The lithium zirconate is one of the solid base catalysts evaluated in this study. The catalyst was very active in the transesterification of tributyl glycerate with methanol. The effect of calcination temperature on its activity in the transesterification reaction of tributyl glycerate was studied. The study shows that 700 oC calcination yielded the highest catalytic activity which is associated with the formation of the tetragonal phase which gives the highest concentration of basic sites and basic strength.

A composite between calcium oxide and magnetite is the last catalyst reported in this study. The study of this catalyst is due to ease of separation by an external magnetic field. The catalytic performance in the transesterification of tributyl glycerate and methanol was studied. The catalytic activity of the catalyst was maximum at the calcination temperature of 700 oC. Loss of catalytic activity and magnetic properties were shown at higher calcination temperature.

Despite the relatively high activities found for the catalysts studied, further improvement is needed if the catalysts are to be applied for industrial use. However, sulfonated hypercrossliked polystyrene resin catalysts showed promising activity for the pre-esterification reaction and it is one of the best catalysts for reducing free fatty acid in low grade vegetable oil.


Terry Rawling's book perfectly captures the look and soul of Mod. Tracing its roots back to London's Soho of the Forties, he unearths every impulse and expression of the only surviving British youth movemebt that can be looked back on 'without embarrassment'. Includes exclusive interviews and audiences with some of the Mod scene's main movers past and present, including Richard Barnes, Johnny Moke, Graham Hughes, Peter Stringfellow, Kenney Jones, Bobby Gillespie and 'Mani' Mounfield, Eddie Piller and Gary Crowley. With chapters on the origins of Mod, its music, scooters, clothes and fashions, the beach riots and for the first time, the story of the Mod revivals of the late Seventies and beyond. Features hundreds of pictures, many gleaned from private collections and never published before.


A planned caesarean (or elective/scheduled caesarean), arranged ahead of time, is most commonly arranged for medical reasons and ideally as close to the due date as possible. A crash/emergent/emergency caesarean section is performed in an obstetric emergency, where complications of pregnancy onset suddenly during the process of labour, and swift action is required to prevent the deaths of mother, child(ren) or both.


The purpose of this research is to analyze the service quality of property websites in Indonesia in order to help website owners in evaluating their websites. The service quality of the websites is measured by adapting the SERVQUAL method which measures the gap between visitor's expectation and satisfaction. SERVQUAL in this study was constructed by adapting Web Quality Factors. In addition, considering the unique condition of Indonesia and the various technological advancements, we aim to formulate important features of property websites in Indonesia by asking the respondents to rate the importance of each feature. We circulated questionnaires to property exhibition events in Jakarta and received 101 valid questionnaires from 204 respondents. The results showed that respondents considered the service quality of the websites to still be under their expectations in all SERVQUAL dimensions which include reliability, assurance, tangibility, empathy, and responsiveness. Furthermore, we successfully identified significant features of property websites and extracted important characteristics for developing countries' context. Some of which are currently unavailable in the Indonesian property information provider websites.


Expressions for the enhancement of the far-field scattering cross section of a luminescent or Raman-active compound contained within a multilayered nanosphere are derived, where the active compound resides between an outer metallic shell and a metallic core. The quasi-static approximation is assumed for silver and gold particles using a Lorentz-Drude model of the dielectric function. An attempt has also been made to account for the effect of electron scattering from the boundaries of the shell on the enhancement calculation.


Aim: Falls commonly occur from trips and slips while walking. Recovery strategies from trips and backward falling slips have been extensively studied. However, until recently, forward falling slips (FFSs) have been considered less dangerous and have been understudied. This study aimed first to create an application to realistically simulate FFSs using a split-belt instrumented treadmill and then to understand the biomechanical requirements for young adults to recover from an FFS. Methods: We developed a semi-automatic custom-made application on D-Flow that triggered FFSs by briefly and unexpectedly increasing the speed (a = 5 m·s−2) of the right belt during stance. To validate the protocol, we tested against criteria defined for an ecologically and experimentally valid FFS: unexpected occurrence of the slip, increased foot velocity, forward loss of balance during the slip and consistent perturbation timing. We evaluated the recovery strategies of 17 young adults by measuring dynamic stability, joint moments and ground reaction force (GRF) vector angles before, during and on 15 steps following the FFS. Results: The application successfully triggered FFSs, according to the criteria we defined. Participants' balance returned to normal for a minimum of three consecutive steps in 10.9 (7.0) steps. Recovery from the FFSs was characterised by larger hip flexor and knee extensor moments to support the centre of mass during the slip, and a longer first recovery step with large hip extensor moments to arrest the fall followed by large knee extensor moments to raise and advance the centre of mass into the next step (p < 0.001 compared with normal gait). Subsequent steps progressively returned to normal. Conclusion: This is the first study to experimentally simulate FFSs meeting the aforementioned criteria, and to measure their effects on the dynamic balance and kinetic parameters. The split-belt instrumented treadmill proved a promising tool to better study the mechanisms of falls and recovery. The required large hip and knee joint moments generally agree with findings on trips and backward falling slips and provide an indication of the functional capacities that should be targeted in fall-prevention interventions. These findings should be used to better understand and target the mechanisms of balance loss and falls in older adults following FFSs.


The cruise was a part of the Centre of Excellence for Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate (CAGE) at UiT – The Arctic University of Norway.
The aim of the cruise was to visit two study areas: the first a new study site called Maud Basin in southern Bjørnøyrenna – an area where industry data has shown promising evidence for gas leakage associated with pingo/crater formation and an underlying hydrocarbon reservoir. The second site is the Crater Area previously visited by CAGE in 2015 (15-5).
More specific objectives of the cruise were to:
Obtain multibeam and seismic lines over pingos and craters in Maud Basin, southern Bjørnøyrenna, already identified on industry seismic dataRe-examine the high density flares areas of the Crater Area previously surveyed in 2015 for any changesSurvey new areas in the surrounding region of the Crater AreaObtain plankton net data from gas leaking sites for analyses of biomass
The cruise may be known as: CAGE16_2


The seasonally averaged zonal momentum equation tendencies at 140W are studied in a high-resolution primitive equation ocean general circulation model simulation of the tropical Pacific. The model experiment, forced by climatological monthly average wind-stress, reproduces well the observed boreal springtime eastward surge of the normally westward surface flow, as well as many features of the acceleration and deceleration between the surface and 200 m between January and October. We present each of the zonal momentum equation tendency terms for the depth range 0-160 m, but our discussion focuses on the behavior of the boreal springtime near-surface flow, perhaps the most distinctive feature of the seasonal cycle. The eastward surface surge in boreal spring depends crucially on the springtime weakening of the otherwise westward tendency from tropical instability waves (TIWs). The TIW effects, together with the eastward tendency from the seasonal weakening of the easterly wind-stress, drive the eastward surface current surge. Although the negative viscosity' effect of the TIWs is small in the annual mean, as we have previously shown, its seasonal variation is necessary to the surface flow reversal and eastward surge in this model. A series of experiments, each with weaker TIWs than its predecessor, shows a progressive weakening and eventual absence of springtime eastward surface flow, supporting the above analysis. The seasonal zonal velocity accelerations and decelerations are small compared with the terms in the zonal momentum equation; these terms must be known to an accuracy of at least 10 cm s -1 month -1 (2-5% of the largest terms) if a meaningful budget is to be obtained. This is a strong constraint that must be planned for in future observational studies. We find that nonlinear terms are O(1) in the vertically-integrated balance as well as the local balance, in contrast with some recent observational estimates. Extrapolated velocity errors, neglected terms, data processing assumptions, and crude finite-differencing in the observational studies may account for the differences, as appeared to be the case in the annual mean balances. The model dynamical balances cannot be reproduced if the methods used to analyze observational data are applied to the model output fields. Very near-surface currents must be measured rather than extrapolated if the ocean shear is similar to that of the model flows.


A study was conducted to investigate the influence of the coagulant dosage, suspension pH, mixing intensity and time on the suspended solids particle size distribution during coagulation, flocculation and filtration of dilute suspensions. The coagulation/flocculation investigation consisted of laboratory experiments utilizing the jar test ' apparatus as well as a pilot plant mixing tank. Filtration experiments were conducted using 3-six inch inside diameter glass columns with different media sizes. The data · generated were used to compute the distribution slope of the particles in each sample. The distribution slope was used as the pretreatment performance indicator. The distribution slope is influenced by both chemical and physical treatment parameters and it can be used in the treatment of dilute suspensions to optimize the coagulant dosage, mixing intensity, and mixing time. Both the total number of particles and the distribution slope of flocculated suspensions were found to follow a second order polynomial equation due to floe breakage after the optimum mixing time. The coagulant dosage was found to affect both the head loss development and the effluent quality of granular media filters. The mixing intensity and time were found to influence mostly the head loss development and not the effluent quality. The effluent quality improved with the increase in the coagulant dosage and mixing time and deteriorated with the increase in the m~xing intensity. The filter's effluent particle size distribution was influenced by both the influent particle size distribution ' and media size. Fine media was sensitive to the influent changes whereas coarse media showed much less sensitivity to changes in the influent characteristics.


We introduce a novel Bayesian hybrid matrix factorisation model (HMF) for data integration, based on combining multiple matrix factorisation methods, that can be used for in- and out-of-matrix prediction of missing values. The model is very general and can be used to integrate many datasets across different entity types, including repeated experiments, similarity matrices, and very sparse datasets. We apply our method on two biological applications, and extensively compare it to state-of-the-art machine learning and matrix factorisation models. For in-matrix predictions on drug sensitivity datasets we obtain consistently better performances than existing methods. This is especially the case when we increase the sparsity of the datasets. Furthermore, we perform out-of-matrix predictions on methylation and gene expression datasets, and obtain the best results on two of the three datasets, especially when the predictivity of datasets is high.


Abstract Ethical questions with regard to modern neurosciences have significant relevance because the human brain provides the organic basis for central aspects of our self-concept. Neuroethics identifies and reflects the ethical questions raised by modern neurosciences. Here we deal with ethical questions in the contexts of brain imaging techniques and several interventions into the human brain. Besides the central question how to preserve personal identity and higher cognitive functions we address specific ethical aspects of neurotechnology and neuroprosthetics as well as the questions relevant in the context of neuroenhancement


Graham Liggins, a New Zealand obstetrician and physiologist, is widely remembered for two related observations made in the 1960s: that administering corticosteroids to lambs in utero induced labour and also helped their lungs mature structurally as well as functionally. The first observation was a key finding in advancing our understanding of the mechanisms of parturition. The second observation inspired Liggins to conduct a randomized prospective clinical trial in Auckland, New Zealand, of administering antenatal glucocorticoids to women in premature labour. This treatment, first reported by Liggins and Ross Howie in 1972, subsequently became the mainstay of prevention of respiratory distress syndrome in prematurely born infants worldwide and arguably the most important therapeutic finding in the development of modern neonatology. It is accepted that Liggins's innovation and subsequent derivative approaches have saved many thousands of lives.


The thesis evaluates the impact of just-in-time (JIT) strategies on retailers and cut make
and trim (CMT) manufacturers within the apparel supply chain. A simulation approach
is adopted based on a case study within the apparel sector, involving a major high street
retailer and a manufacturing supply chain.
A range of procurement strategies are subsequently modelled (including manufacturing
resource planning [MRPII], safety stock [SS]. ship to forecast [STF] and JIT) within
manufacturers of differing scale, and varying levels of dependence on primary
customers (major high street retail chains) and impact on the variation of demand against
forecast are evaluated against a wide range of parameters; these include: net margin,
delivery, manufacturing profit and impact on a manufacturing company's ability to
satisfy its secondary customers (smaller retail outlets with less buying power).
Analytical methods are used to evaluate performance measures within three
perspectives: Primary and Secondary customers, and Suppliers (manufacturers). A
further perspective is evaluated combining all three views.
Findings indicate that JIT retail strategies, notably where power of the retailer is high
and the power of the manufacturer is low (compared to the raw material supplier),
necessitate inventory holding and biased work scheduling at a supply level, leading to
reduced manufacturing margin and loss of secondary customers; the latter imposes
hidden costs in attracting new custom, which is not evaluated in this thesis.
The thesis concludes by comparing the variation of parameters across each of the four
perspectives, and proposes recommendations for conventional JIT policy, based upon
optimising benefits for all parties within the supply chain.


Financial difficulties at large financial institutions present governments and regulators with an unenviable dilemma. On the one hand, they are afraid to permit such a firm to enter 'ordinary' insolvency proceedings, lest this transmit financial shock to other, connected, institutions. Yet every voter can grasp the moral hazard problems and distributional inequity associated with government handouts for the financial sector. Consequently many jurisdictions have introduced, or are designing, 'special resolution' mechanisms for financial institutions. The first generation of such mechanisms were based on the US FDIC receivership regime. They focus on waiving property rights so as to effect a very rapid transfer of complex assets and short-term liabilities to a purchaser who will be able to stand behind those liabilities and thereby ensure stability. This model works well for small to medium sized domestic banks, but is insufficient to provide a credible alternative to bailouts for large, complex financial institutions. As a result, a series of new measures — which we have termed 'second generation' resolution mechanisms — have been developed. First, there has been a realization that the level of complexity is such that resolution ex post is impossible without careful planning by supervisors ex ante. Second, this planning process can be used not only to understand, but also to modify, the structure of complex financial institutions and their regulatory oversight so as to facilitate resolution should it be necessary. Third, the use of 'bail-in' or mandated debt to equity swaps provides a potentially very useful additional resolution tool when used in conjunction with such forward planning and oversight. Fourth, in the context of international financial institutions, coordination and allocation of responsibility amongst national regulators is an integral part of the planning process. The implications of this shift are clear. For the resolution of large complex financial institutions to be credible, it must be thought of as an integral part of the ongoing oversight of financial institutions by regulators, and not as simply a set of mechanisms that are kept for troubled times. Investment in regulatory capacity — recruitment and training to build human capital in the regulatory sector — is therefore crucial to ensuring the success of resolution.


Chickpea is the third most important grain legume grown in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world. In spite of vast germplasm accessions available in different genebanks, there has been very limited use of these accessions in genetic enhancement of chickpea. However, in recent years, specialized germplasm subsets such as global composite collection, core collection, mini core collection and reference set have been developed. In parallel, significant genomic resources such as molecular markers including simple sequence repeats (SSRs), single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), diversity arrays technology (DArT) and transcript sequences, e.g. expressed sequence tags, short transcript reads, have been developed. By using SSR, SNP and DArT markers, integrated genetic maps have been developed. It is anticipated that the use of genomic resources and specialized germplasm subsets such as mini core collection and reference set will facilitate identification of trait-specific germplasm, trait mapping and allele mining for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and for agronomic traits. Advent of the next generation sequencing technologies coupled with advances in bioinformatics offers the possibility of undertaking large-scale sequencing of germplasm accessions so that modern breeding approaches such as genomic selection and breeding by design can be realized in near future for chickpea improvement.


The ongoing struggle for civil rights and social justice lies at the heart of America's evolving identity. The pursuit of equal rights is often met with social and political trepidation, forcing citizens and leaders to grapple with controversial issues of race, class, and gender. Renowned scholar Harvard Sitkoff has devoted his life to the study of the civil rights movement, becoming a key figure in global human rights discussions and an authority on American liberalism. Toward Freedom Land assembles Sitkoff 's writings on twentieth-century race relations, representing some of the finest race-related historical research on record. Spanning thirty-five years of Sitkoff 's distingushed career, the collection features an in-depth examination of the Great Depression and its effects on African Americans, the intriguing story of the labor movement and its relationship to African American workers, and a discussion of the effects of World War II on the civil rights movement. His precise analysis illuminates multifaceted racial issues including the New Deal's impact on race relations, the Detroit Riot of 1943, and connections between African Americans, Jews, and the Holocaust.


The use of jointed precast concrete and steel connections with unbonded, post-tensioned prestress has been the focus of a significant amount of recent research. These systems provide a controlled inelastic response through gap-opening at the beamcolumn interface instead of through yielding and damage of the structural elements. The development of a model that captures all of the associated characteristics and provides an accurate prediction of connection response provides significant added confidence in response simulations. A model is developed that utilises a time-incremental model of the connection behaviour that accounts for yielding of the prestress tendons, the reduction or elimination of the prestressing force, friction between the post-tensioning tendons and the containing ducts, and asymmetry from non-centrally located tendons. The model is formulated using incremental versions of the Menegotto-Pinto and Ramberg-Osgood type, providing a smooth, continuous loading and unloading approximation to the piecewise linear behaviour. The model is validated against experimental results for an 80% full-scale jointed precast concrete connection tested with inputs drifts to a maximum of 4%. Results show very good agreement between the model and the experimental results, with errors generally less than ±5%. Overall, the model is generalisable to other connections using steel and concrete rocking connections that utilise this damage-free design approach and is a useful tool for evaluation of connection designs.


Maternal mortality recorded in Zambia is one of the highest in the world.According to the 2013-14 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey1, the mortality ratio was 398/100,000.This ratio is unacceptably high. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of socio-demographic factors on utilization of maternal health care services.
Methods: A cross sectional study of the utilization of maternal health services was carried out among 400 women of child bearing age from 15 to 49 years in Zambezi district in north-west Zambia after having received ethical approval from the Eres Converge research ethics committee. Multistage systematic sampling was done from the 12 clinics' catchment areas in the district. To estimate the effect of the socio-demographic variables on maternal health service utilization three outcome variables were used, which were; use of antenatal care services, assisted (facility) delivery and postnatal care services. Logistic regression was used to estimate models of the outcome variables.
Results: The results showed that 38.5 percent (154) of the women received antenatal care, 32.3 percent (129) of the women received delivery services while 48.3 percent (193) received postnatal care services. In the logistic regression model, reduced income level was associated with decreased use of antenatal care (OR=0.1, P<0.05). In assisted delivery, increased distance to the health facility was associated with reduced use (OR=0.1, P <0.05). In postnatal care, reduced education level of the respondent was found to be associated to decreased use of postnatal services (OR=0.51, P<0.05). Increased maternal age was associated with increased utilization of maternal health services (OR=2.1, P<0.05). On the other hand, decision making roles by the male spouse alone or both partners was associated with increased use of postnatal services (OR=4.5,P<0.05)
Conclusion: To increase women's utilization of health care services and improve maternal health in Zambia, some crucial steps should be taken on educating women such as integrating of reproductive health programs in the school curriculum. Attention should be given to scaling up male involvement in order to ensure there is understanding of the importance of maternal health services. There is need to strengthen the linkage of postnatal services to under-five services to improve coverage of postnatal services.


Most high-deductible health plan (HDHP) enrollees do not engage in consumer behaviors such as price shopping. Why not? We surveyed 1,637 Americans in HDHPs-which can be linked to health savings accounts (HSAs) but usually are not-about factors that may predict, facilitate, or impede HDHP enrollees' engagement in consumer behaviors. We found that having an HSA was associated with saving for future care, high financial literacy was associated with comparing prices and quality, and high confidence in talking with providers about costs and trying to negotiate prices was associated with engaging in these behaviors. Employer HSA contributions were the most frequent facilitator of saving, websites were the most frequent facilitators of comparing prices and quality, and "someone at the doctor's office" was the most frequent facilitator of discussing costs with providers and trying to negotiate prices. The most frequent impediment to all of these behaviors was not having considered them when making decisions. These results suggest strategies that health plans, employers, and health systems should explore to promote greater engagement in consumer behaviors among patients in HDHPs.


Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics models are developed to understand physical principles of self-reacting friction stir welding process. A novel approach of predicting the weld microstructure based on plastic strain distribution at cross-section behind the tool is proposed and verified with experimental results. Limitations and credibility of shear stress and velocity tool/workpiece boundary condition are evaluated from the perspective of the weld formation mechanism. The importance of the shear layer and its sticking/sliding transition state in weld formation mechanism is emphasized. From modeling perspective, shear stress boundary, which only represents a sliding condition, neglects the movement and effects of this shear layer. When shear layer is formed, due to the velocity discontinuity which could not be captured in fluid model, velocity boundary condition, which represents an averaging effect of sticking/sliding transition between tool and shear layer, is needed.


Abstract The article deals with the transformation of the Crimean Tatars' institutions and discourses after the 2014 conflict around Crimea. It shows the change in the balance of power of traditional institutions such as Mejlis and Muftiyat, which for many years represented secular and religious components of Crimean Tatars' ethnic identity. It tells how the Mejlis was dismissed from the political stage in Crimea, while the Muftiyat has enjoyed a great support by new authorities. This transformation and threats to societal security inevitably led to reassessment of previous views and goals of the main actors in the Crimean Tatar community and the formation of new institutions with hybrid composition and discourse. The article focuses on organization such as 'Crimean solidarity,' which was formed in 2016 as a reaction to authorities' pressure over the Crimean Tatars. Using discourse analysis of statements of activists of this organization and content analysis of social media, the author presents the main topics of its discourse and types of activity. She shows how the traditional Islamic discourse of activists of this organization has been transformed by the incorporation of the main concepts of secular discourse developed by the Mejlis. The author argues that the appearance of 'Crimean solidarity' indicates the blurring of lines between secular and religious, and ethnic and Islamic in the Crimean Tatar society. It shows how people with different backgrounds and agendas manage to leave their differences aside to support each other in the face of a common threat.


The effective development of the waterfront should optimize properties of the waterfront, resulting in activation of urban districts. For this purpose, rehabilitation of the district by letting people live there and supervision of the district, and, furthermore, consciousness and action of the people based on the community become important. In addition, an organized community is indispensable. In this paper, the community organized by properties retained at the waterfront, called a 'Waterfront Community', is clarified with respect to its establishment conditions.


The topic of this thesis involves developing a computer based control and monitoring system for a motor-generator dynamometer, so that it can be used as a learning tool. Its purpose was for a study of the system to be undertaken so that future students from varying disciplines of engineering – power, industrial computer systems, instrumentation and control, and renewable energy – could benefit from interacting with the apparatus. To achieve this goal it was decided that the hardware and software which most suited the projects principle objectives, and would prove most successful, was National Instruments NI 6014 Data Acquisition unit and National Instruments LabVIEW version 9.

The fundamental stages of this project involved gaining an understanding of the various pieces of equipment being utilised. First was the induction motors, then came the DC generator and AC car alternator with rectifying power electronics, and the two VSD units used to control the motors of both systems. With understanding of this key systems it was possible to determine the key characteristics which needed to be studied so as to implement a suitable control and monitoring system for the two apparatus' used in the thesis. The four key characteristics which were necessary for expanding the control and monitoring system were:
1. Torque
2. Speed
3. Voltage
4. Current

With these four system values it was made possible – through system equations and mathematics – to derive the input and output power of the system, the synchronous operating speed of the induction motors, the slip of the induction motors, and the overall system efficiency.

During the final stage of the project a number of tests were carried out to ensure the functionality of the control and monitoring system which was implemented. The output plots of the four key characteristics against time displayed waveforms which were expected, particularly the plot of the performance characteristic – voltage against current – and the load torque-speed characteristic which showed a favourable plot response. While it was hoped that the system would allow for the display of the torque-speed characteristic curve of an induction motor, it was unfortunately met with no success in deriving the induced torque within the time allotment of the project.


This thesis contributes to the growing interest in animals in geography. Specifically, it situates pets within the geographic literature and addresses the causes and consequences of pet love in the United States. Using Syracuse, New York as a case study, this thesis illuminates the critical yet understudied existence of pets in the city, paying particular attention to the historical and contemporary foundations, management, and geographies of surplus dogs. Further, it explores major shifts in Americans' attitudes toward pets over the last two centuries, details the necessity for and establishment of animal management in the city, and explains the consequences (namely, euthanasia) of the flawed animal management system in Syracuse. While animal control and welfare have improved since the nineteenth century, Syracuse has not resolved its issues facing animal management for two reasons. First, modern animal control and welfare are rooted in historical practices. Although Americans' attitudes toward animals have changed drastically since the nineteenth century, the way humans manage animals today is much the same as in the past, pointing to larger structural and systemic intractabilities. Second, many organizations are involved in animal management in Syracuse. Tensions among these organizations make for unproductive working conditions and limit the possibility of change. PETS IN THE CITY: MANAGING SURPLUS DOGS IN SYRACUSE, NEW YORK


Abstract This article presents the analysis of thematic, historical and political spectrums of the "Ukrainian" content in the German newspapers and magazines of the interwar period. As a source base for this scientific work the authors analyze the newspaper and magazine journalism of that time, which allows not only to keep certain historical episodes (konstatives), but also (in some way) to reflect the views, needs, intentions, challenges, promises as well as German political and social factors in terms of disillusionment of Ukrainian patriotic forces (performatives). Nazism and Bolshevism skillfully used propaganda to achieve predatory targets, therefore it should be a lesson for the future generations, also the importance of conceptional media in Ukraine and Poland should increase.


GST implementation in Malaysia in April 2015 is part of the tax reformation with the goal of having a more efficient and effective taxation system. A successful tax reformation requires a high acceptance from taxpayers. In order to assist in the acceptance of GST implementation in Malaysia, taxpayers need to have a proper knowledge and awareness of the GST system, also known as GST literacy. Thus, this study aims to assess the level of GST literacy of secondary school teachers as well as examining their GST-acceptance level towards GST implementation in Malaysia. This study determines the GST literacy level from the perspective of GST knowledge and GST awareness. Apart from that, this study is also aim to identify the relationship between GST literacy levels with the GST acceptance levels of secondary school teachers. Questionnaires were distributed to 150 secondary school teachers in Batu Pahat, Johor and the response rate was 66.67%. The finding indicates secondary school teachers as literate towards the GST implementation in Malaysia. The findings also suggest that secondary school teachers have a moderate knowledge level and high awareness level on GST implementation in Malaysia. The study proves statistically that there is a positive significant relationship between GST literacy with GST acceptance. The results suggest that government should provide sufficient information and explanation of GST implementation through various ways such as media social, distribution of pamphlets, publish of articles, TV talks on GST, and whatnot . This is due to the fact that sufficient information can increase the literacy level of taxpayers.


The danger of nuclear terrorism and ways to thwart it, tackle it and manage it in the event of an attack is increasingly gaining the attention of nuclear analysts all over the world. There is rising awareness among nuclear experts to develop mechanisms to prevent, deter and deal with the threat of nuclear terrorism. Nuclear specialists are seeking to develop and improve the science of nuclear forensics so as to provide faster analysis during a crisis. Nuclear forensics can play an important role in detecting illicit nuclear materials to counter trafficking in nuclear and radiological materials. An effective nuclear forensic and attribution strategy can enable policy makers, decision makers and technical managers to respond to situations involving interception of special nuclear materials.


Similarity measures for comparing clusterings is an important component, e.g., of evaluating clustering algorithms, for consensus clustering, and for clustering stability assessment. These measures have been studied for over 40 years in the domain of exclusive hard clusterings (exhaustive and mutually exclusive object sets). In the past years, the literature has proposed measures to handle more general clusterings (e.g., fuzzy/probabilistic clusterings). This paper provides an overview of these new measures and discusses their drawbacks. We ultimately develop a corrected-for-chance measure (13AGRI) capable of comparing exclusive hard, fuzzy/probabilistic, non-exclusive hard, and possibilistic clusterings. We prove that 13AGRI and the adjusted Rand index (ARI, by Hubert and Arabie) are equivalent in the exclusive hard domain. The reported experiments show that only 13AGRI could provide both a fine-grained evaluation across clusterings with different numbers of clusters and a constant evaluation between random clusterings, showing all the four desirable properties considered here. We identified a high correlation between 13AGRI applied to fuzzy clusterings and ARI applied to hard exclusive clusterings over 14 real data sets from the UCI repository, which corroborates the validity of 13AGRI fuzzy clustering evaluation. 13AGRI also showed good results as a clustering stability statistic for solutions produced by the expectation maximization algorithm for Gaussian mixture. Implementation and supplementary figures can be found at http://sn.im/25a9h8u.


Religious life is studied by way suggested by the rational choice theory and the religious capital theory. The basic contentions of the theory on the nature of religious life having to do with an exchange upon a religious market, by firms offering compensators and rewards, and consumers, is considered. In the empirical analysis, it was validated that the independent (religious capital) and dependent (religious rewards of two types) were empirically separate constructs. Cross-sectional analysis of survey data indicated a very strong association between religious capital and institutional and ritual experience rewards within religious life, at a cross-cultural analysis, including Bosnian Muslims, Serbian Orthodox, Slovenian Catholics and US Protestants. The association was confirmed as robust at regression inspection with religious socialization. This extends further support for the empirical validity these novel theories of religious life and extensions of economic analysis into religious life


The author discusses his ongoing artwork visualized with the help of a graphics computer. Because quantum physics is mathematical and non-pictorial, most people find it difficult to understand how the atom's electron structure works. The artist's purpose is to develop an architecture for the atom, a model appealing to the visual mind. Through his artwork he attempts to aid in the visualization of the building block of matter, the atom.


McTaggart's famous argument that the A-series is contradictory is vitiated by an unsatisfactory conceptualization of tenses which can be corrected by making explicit their relational structure. This leads into a much sharper formulation of his apparent contradiction, and defusing this apparent contradiction requires a careful distinction between tensed and tenseless descriptions of thoughts. As a result the 'unreality' of tense turns out to rest on the fact that tensed descriptions of temporal facts do not capture their identity. This 'metaphysical' priority of tenseless over tensed descriptions of time is, however, counterbalanced by an 'epistemological' priority of tensed thoughts over tenseless thoughts: a conception of tense which requires a form of self-consciousness turns out to be an essential ingredient of rational thought.


Understanding species differences in plant functional traits has been critical in developing a mechanistic understanding of terrestrial ecological processes. Greater attention is now being placed on understanding the extent, causes and consequences of intraspecific trait variation (ITV). ITV is especially important in governing ecological processes in cropping systems, where only a small number of species or genotypes exist in high abundances. However, it remains unclear if key principles of trait-based ecology – namely the leaf economics spectrum (LES) – also describe intraspecific variation in crop functional biology. There also remains a need to understand whether ITV within crops is random, or structured across environmental, management-related or biological levels of organization in agroecosystems. We employed a nested design field survey to evaluate ITV in leaf traits in coffee (Coffea arabica), one of the world's most widespread tropical crops. We evaluated ITV in eight physiological, morphological and chemical leaf traits, across five nested categorical levels (sites, management systems, spatial location, plant identity, branch identity). We compared patterns of LES trait covariation in coffee, to interspecific patterns observed across over 700 wild plant species. Patterns of bivariate and multivariate ITV in coffee were broadly consistent with, but considerably weaker than, interspecific patterns associated with the LES, indicating that crops may systematically diverge from global patterns of trait trade-offs observed in wild plants. Physiological traits varied most widely (coefficient of variation (cv) 42–107%), followed by morphological traits (cv = 15–38%) and chemical traits (cv = 3–11%). Physiological ITV was best explained by the site in which a coffee plant was growing (17–55% explained), while ITV for chemical traits was best explained by management treatments within sites (25–36%); morphological ITV was higher even at the individual tree level or branch level and remained largely unexplained. Our results support the hypothesis that artificial selection and high-resource agricultural environments lead crops to systematically deviate from patterns of leaf trait covariation observed across wild plants species. Coupled with an understanding of how different traits vary systematically across multiple levels of biological organization, these findings help integrate ITV into future analyses of agroecosystem structure and function. (Resume d'auteur)


Objective: To design and evaluate a critical appraisal tool (CAT) that can assess the research methods used in a broad range of qualitative and quantitative health research papers; has the depth to fully assess these research papers; has an appropriate scoring system; and has validity and reliability data available to evaluate the scores obtained by the tool.

Critical appraisal is defined here as the impartial assessment of one or more research papers to determine their strengths, weaknesses and benefits.

Study design and setting: The study was a sequential mixed methods research design where data collected in one phase informed the design and focus of the next. Data collection took place between July 2008 and September 2010 at James Cook University, Australia. There were two sections to the study: collection and synthesis of secondary data; and planning, collection and analysis of primary data.

The study began with an exploration of the divide between qualitative and quantitative research. This showed that the divide is more an historical distinction than a current one. As such, there are no theoretical impediments for a single qualitative and quantitative research CAT. The scope of research methods was examined next through the use of mind maps. This exploration was required so that the design of a CAT could be situated within an overall understanding of research methods. A critical review of how CATs are designed was the final part of secondary data analysis. This review of 45 papers informed the design of the proposed critical appraisal tool, which was based on empirical evidence and the nature of research methods rather than subjective or biased assessments of what a critical appraisal tool could include.

The first part of the primary data collection was an exploratory study of the validity of the scores obtained by the proposed CAT. A random selection of 60 health research papers were analysed using the proposed CAT and five alternative CATs. Next was an exploratory study of reliability, where the proposed CAT was used by five raters, each of whom appraised 24 randomly selected research papers. The final part was to test whether using a CAT was an improvement over using no CAT to appraise research papers because there is little empirical evidence to show if this is true. A total of ten raters were randomly assigned to two groups and they appraised a random selection of five health research papers. One group used the proposed CAT, while the other group did not use any CAT.

Results: Critical review – Explanations on how a critical appraisal tool was designed and guidelines on how to use the CAT were available in five (11%) out of 45 papers evaluated. Thirty-eight CATs (84%) reported little or no validity evaluation and 33 CATs (73%) had no reliability testing. The questions and statements which made up each CAT were coded into a proposed CAT with eight categories, 22 items, and 98 item descriptors, such that each category and item was distinct from every other.

Validity – In all research designs, the proposed CAT had significant (p < 0.05, 2-tailed) weak to moderate positive Kendall's tau correlations with the alternative CATs (0.33 ≤ τ ≤ 0.55), except in the Preamble category. There were significant moderate to strong positive correlations in true experimental (0.68 ≤ τ ≤ 0.70); quasi-experimental (0.70 ≤ τ ≤ 1.00); descriptive, exploratory or observational (0.72 ≤ τ ≤ 1.00); qualitative (0.74 ≤ τ ≤ 0.81); and systematic review (0.62 ≤ τ ≤ 0.82) research designs. There were no significant correlations in single system research designs.

Reliability – The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for all research papers was 0.83 for consistency and 0.74 for absolute agreement using the proposed CAT. The G study showed a majority paper effect (53–70%) for each research design, with small to moderate rater effects or paper × rater interaction effects (0–27%).

Compare CAT with no CAT – The ICC for absolute agreement was 0.76 for the group not using a CAT and 0.88 for the proposed CAT group. A G study showed that the group not using a CAT had a total score variance of 24% attributable to either the rater or paper × rater interactions, whereas in the proposed CAT group this variance was 12%. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed that there were significant effects in the group not using a CAT for subject matter knowledge (F(1,18) = 7.03, p < 0.05 1-tailed, partial η² = 0.28) and rater (F(4,18) = 4.57, p < 0.05 1-tailed, partial η² = 0.50).

Discussion: Critical review – Many CATs have been developed based on a subjective view of research quality rather than on evidence for what elements should or should not be included in a critical appraisal of research. When choosing a CAT, researchers should: (1) take into account the context of the appraisal; (2) determine whether the CAT was developed using the best evidence available; (3) ensure that the validity of the scores obtained from the CAT can be verified; and (4) analyse the scores obtained from the CAT for reliability.

Validity – The proposed CAT exhibited a good degree of validity based on the theory the CAT was built, the collection of empirical evidence, and the stated context for its use. Therefore, inferences made based on the scores obtained using the proposed CAT should reflect the value of the papers appraised.

Reliability – Given the assessment of validity and the reliability scores obtained, the proposed CAT appears to be a viable tool that can be used across a wide range of research designs and appraisal situations. Any variability in the scores obtained using the proposed CAT can be explained by the diverse subject matter of papers and participants' unfamiliarity with some research designs. Difficulties with subject matter and research designs are less likely in normal use of the proposed CAT where raters are more familiar with the subject matter and research designs used.

Compare CAT with no CAT – The proposed CAT was more reliable than not using a CAT when appraising research papers. In the group not using a CAT there were significant effects for rater and subject matter knowledge. In the proposed CAT group the rater effect was almost eliminated and there was no subject matter knowledge effect. There was no research design knowledge effect in either group.

Conclusion: A CAT was designed and evaluated, which met the aim and objectives of the study. The proposed CAT can be used across a broad range of qualitative and quantitative health research; has the depth to fully assess research papers; has an appropriate scoring system; and has validity and reliability data available. Further research can extend the proposed CAT to determine whether it is useful in criterion-referencing health research and general research. Furthermore, the proposed CAT can be applied to the increased use of mixed and multiple research methods, and be used to assess, understand and communicate this research knowledge.


The UKMYC5 plate is a 96-well microtiter plate designed by the CRyPTIC Consortium (Comprehensive Resistance Prediction for Tuberculosis: an International Consortium) to enable the measurement of MICs of 14 different antituberculosis (anti-TB) compounds for >30,000 clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates. Unlike the MYCOTB plate, on which the UKMYC5 plate is based, the UKMYC5 plate includes two new (bedaquiline and delamanid) and two repurposed (clofazimine and linezolid) compounds. ABSTRACT The UKMYC5 plate is a 96-well microtiter plate designed by the CRyPTIC Consortium (Comprehensive Resistance Prediction for Tuberculosis: an International Consortium) to enable the measurement of MICs of 14 different antituberculosis (anti-TB) compounds for >30,000 clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates. Unlike the MYCOTB plate, on which the UKMYC5 plate is based, the UKMYC5 plate includes two new (bedaquiline and delamanid) and two repurposed (clofazimine and linezolid) compounds. UKMYC5 plates were tested by seven laboratories on four continents by use of a panel of 19 external quality assessment (EQA) strains, including H37Rv. To assess the optimal combination of reading method and incubation time, MICs were measured from each plate by two readers, using three methods (mirrored box, microscope, and Vizion digital viewing system), after 7, 10, 14, and 21 days of incubation. In addition, all EQA strains were subjected to whole-genome sequencing and phenotypically characterized by the 7H10/7H11 agar proportion method (APM) and by use of MGIT960 mycobacterial growth indicator tubes. We concluded that the UKMYC5 plate is optimally read using the Vizion system after 14 days of incubation, achieving an interreader agreement of 97.9% and intra- and interlaboratory reproducibility rates of 95.6% and 93.1%, respectively. The mirrored box had a similar reproducibility. Strains classified as resistant by APM, MGIT960, or the presence of mutations known to confer resistance consistently showed elevated MICs compared to those for strains classified as susceptible. Finally, the UKMYC5 plate records intermediate MICs for one strain for which the APM measured MICs close to the applied critical concentration, providing early evidence that the UKMYC5 plate can quantitatively measure the magnitude of resistance to anti-TB compounds that is due to specific genetic variation.


The Cuneiform Digital Library Initiative (CDLI) is a two decades strong repository of curated data from cuneiform inscribed objects, in the form of images, metadata, and text (transliterations and translations). Its objectives are the exhaustive compilation, preservation and access promotion of these cuneiform sources in their digital form. It is the largest endeavor of this nature in the field of Assyriology. As a response to the Global Philology project, this white paper addresses three major points: the current state of digital Assyriology, the projects underway at the CDLI for the advancement of research in the field, and finally, our vision for the close future of discipline developments in the present technological landscape. Natural Language Processing (NLP) for the Sumerian and Akkadian languages is in its early stages, when compared with the toolsets available for modern and even classical languages. Processes utilized are rule-based and rely on human input. With this methodology, it is difficult to process large corpora since human intervention is required to result in an acceptable final product. The main obstacle for further developments are the peculiarities of the orthography, syntax, and morphology of cuneiform languages which makes them harder to parse than the Greek and Latin texts of the Perseus project. An additional challenge lies in the disparity of encoding and standards of the digital transcriptions and the quality of such transcriptions across projects, but even more in their limited access. The CDLI is currently working on projects with two main objectives in mind: (1) developing techniques to harness large corpora of data (such as the 21th century BC corpus of 70,000 transliterated texts) and also (2) widening the access to cuneiform sources for existing and prospective audiences. In our opinion, the best way to tackle cuneiform "big data" is to integrate machine learning (ML) components into our methodologies. We are currently researching this avenue in two projects: first by the preparation of images of cuneiform sources for future Optical Character Recognition (OCR) endeavors, where our segmentation algorithms work on recognizing lines of texts and individual cuneiform signs. Second, by integrating ML solutions for the automated translation of and information retrieval in cuneiform texts. In particular social and economic historians have been effectively shut out from access to the content of Babylonian administrative documents that, unlike literary or religious texts, have very rarely been translated by experts, even though they make up the overwhelming majority of cuneiform texts in the aggregate. Computer science and computational linguistics research groups are increasingly requesting cuneiform datasets to run machine learning experiments. As such, some algorithms geared expressly to the study of cuneiform languages are available. Algorithms stemming from research on other languages can complement these methods. The time is ripe to attempt machine translation and larger scale information retrieval on select datasets. To this end, we have developed an overarching approach to formulate, test and evaluate new (context aware) methodologies for information retrieval and machine translation. These projects tie into the objectives of facilitating access to the discipline's primary sources by machines and humans, through the principles of universal design, linked open data (LOD) and knowledge exchange (as opposed to only dissemination) with actual and potential audiences. We will be utilizing linguistic LOD with generated annotations following the prime objective of enabling researchers to reuse our data. This will effectively make it possible to add Sumerian and Akkadian in meta-research across languages using linguistic LOD (Chiarcos et al. 2012 <http://linguistic-lod.org/>) and will set an exemple for other languages to follow. We will also release all new data and algorithms to the public domain. An updated interface for the CDLI is currently under preparation for easier access to these data by researchers, curators and students. The information that will be released includes tens of thousands of text translations that would take dozens of years to complete by scholars alone. Contextual data, a byproduct of the translation and information retrieval processes, can be visualized, for instance using network analysis or dependency visualisation but will also be linked to enhance search and navigation of the corpus. It is our hope that the future of Assyriology will see as a first step the establishment of shared standards across projects to facilitate interoperability at the lowest level. This would permit, among other things, the integration of shared NLP tools geared to cuneiform transliterations with a software package such as the Classical Language Toolkit. Additionally, we also wish for the wider adoption of an ethical approach to open data, where projects will demonstrate care for data and audiences in the way they prepare and share the methods they employ and the results of their work.


Abstract Wetlands in the Playa Lakes Region (PLR) provide important habitats for wintering waterfowl, cranes, and both migrant and breeding shorebirds. Playa Lakes Region wetlands experience naturally fluctuating hydroperiods but are exposed to anthropogenic stresses, which are exacerbated during summer and may influence PLR wet-land occupancy and selection by breeding shorebirds. We examined wetland-scale habitat use and nest-site selection of the 4 dominant shorebirds (American avocets [Recurvirostra americana], black-necked stilts [Himantopus mexicanus], killdeer [Charadrius vociferus], snowy plovers [C. alexandrinus]) nesting in playas, saline lakes, and in both created and riparian wetlands in the PLR of Texas, USA. All 4 species nested in saline lakes. Only avocets and killdeer nested in playas, and snowy plovers nested in riparian wetlands. No nests were found in created wetlands. Wetland habitat changed (P < 0.001) during the breeding season, while water habitats generally decreased. Used (i.e., shorebirds found nesting) wetlands had more (P < 0.05) mudflats than non-used (i.e., shorebirds not found nesting) wetlands, which had more (P < 0.05) dry habitats. Used and non-used wetlands had similar (P > 0.05) amounts of water habitats. Nests were located close to vegetation on bare dry ground and dry ground with vegetation. Because water is ephemeral in PLR wetlands, shorebirds must select—in a somewhat predictive manner upon arrival—wetlands with suitable nest-site and brood-rearing habitat. Although surface water is necessary for nesting, its presence is not adequate for delineating suitable PLR wetland habitat for breeding shorebirds. Our findings that created wetlands cannot compensate for regional wetland losses in habitat or function highlights the need for conservation of natural PLR wetlands.


Adland is a ground-breaking examination of modern advertising, from its early origins, to the evolution of the current advertising landscape. Bestselling author and journalist Mark Tungate examines key developments in advertising, from copy adverts, radio and television, to the opportunities afforded by the explosion of digital media.

 Adland focuses on key players in the industry and features exclusive interviews with leading names in advertising today, including Jean-Marie Dru, Sir Alan Parker, John Hegarty and Sir Martin Sorrell, as well as industry luminaries from the 20th Century such as Phil Dusenberry and George Lois.

 Exploring the roots of the advertising industry in New York and London, and going on to cover the emerging markets of Eastern Europe, Asia and Latin America, Adland offers a comprehensive examination of a global industry and suggests ways in which it is likely to develop in the future.


Protocorm-like bodies of Dendrobium Bobby Messina were cryopreserved by vitrification method. In this study, protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) with the size range of 1-2 and 3-4 mm were selected from 4 weeks old culture, pretreated with half strength semi-solid Murashige and Skoog (MS) media supplemented with 0.5 M sucrose at 25°C for 24 h. Pretreated PLBs were then treated with a mixture of 2 M glycerol and 0.4 M sucrose supplemented with half strength liquid MS media at 25°C for 20 min. Osmoprotected PLBs were then dehydrated with plant vitrification solution 2 at 0°C for 20 min before storage in liquid nitrogen. After rapid warming in water bath at 40°C for 90 s, the PLBs were washed with half strength liquid MS media  supplemented with 1.2 M sucrose and then cultured on half strength semi-solid MS media supplemented with 2% sucrose without the presence of any growth regulators. Survival of the cryopreserved PLBs was assessed based on triphenyl tetrazoliumchloride (TTC) spectrophotometrical analysis. The PLBs with 3-4 mm size range showed better viability comparative to size range 1-2 mm for both cryopreserved and non-cryopreserved PLBs. The best pretreatment concentration used in pretreatment media was 0.6 M sucrose and 1.2 M sorbitol, respectively. Key words : Cryopreservation, vitrification, Dendrobium Bobby Messina, Pretreatment.


The C-Band All-Sky Survey (C-BASS) is an all-sky full-polarization survey at a frequency of 5 GHz, designed to provide complementary data to the all-sky surveys of WMAP and Planck, and future CMB B-mode polarization imaging surveys. The observing frequency has been chosen to provide a signal that is dominated by Galactic synchrotron emission, but suffers little from Faraday rotation, so that the measured polarization directions provide a good template for higher frequency observations, and carry direct information about the Galactic magnetic field. Telescopes in both northern and southern hemispheres with matched optical performance are used to provide all-sky coverage from a ground-based experiment. A continuous-comparison radiometer and a correlation polarimeter on each telescope provide stable imaging properties such that all angular scales from the instrument resolution of 45 arcmin up to full sky are accurately measured. The northern instrument has completed its survey and the southern instrument has started observing. We expect that C-BASS data will significantly improve the component separation analysis of Planck and other CMB data, and will provide important constraints on the properties of anomalous Galactic dust and the Galactic magnetic field.


The deformation mechanisms of silicon {001} surfaces during nanoscratching were found to depend strongly on the loading conditions. Nanoscratches with increasing load were performed at 2 µm/s (low velocity) and 100 µm/s (high velocity). The load‐penetration‐distance curves acquired during the scratching process at low velocity suggests that two deformation regimes can be defined, an elasto‐plastic regime at low loads and a fully plastic regime at high loads. High resolution scanning electron microscopy of the damaged location shows that the residual scratch morphologies are strongly influenced by the scratch velocity and the applied load. Micro‐Raman spectroscopy shows that after pressure release, the deformed volume inside the nanoscratch is mainly composed of amorphous silicon and Si‐XII at low scratch speeds and of amorphous silicon at high speeds. Transmission electron microscopy shows that Si nanocrystals are embedded in an amorphous matrix at low speeds, whereas at high speeds the transformed zone is completely amorphous. Furthermore, the extend of the transformed zone is almost independent of the scratching speed and is delimited by a dislocation rich area that extends about as deep as the contact radius into the surface. To explain the observed phase and defect distribution a contact mechanics based decompression model that takes into account the load, the velocity, the materials properties and the contact radius in scratching is proposed. It shows that the decompression rate is higher at low penetration depth, which is consistent with the observation of amorphous silicon in this case. The stress field under the tip is computed using an elastic contact mechanics model based on Hertz's theory. The model explains the observed shape of the transformed zone and suggests that during load increase, phase transformation takes place prior to dislocation nucleation. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)


This paper considers The Walking Dead comic (Kirkman, Moore and Adlard, Image 2003-present) and television series (AMC, 2010-present), arguing that although the two series rely on similar imagery they are distinct in their use of space. This contradicts established industry, audience and creator discourses surrounding this text and offers a counter-argument to the popular perspective that comics can be used as simple storyboards for their television adaptations. Firstly, geographies of the urban gothic and themes such as inversion and decay are used to interrogate paratextual claims of fidelity between the two texts. The paper compares key scenes and settings and goes beyond aesthetics to show that in both versions the functions of urban spaces are inverted (the highway, prison, farm, etc). It argues that the zombies' decaying flesh echoes the disrepair of the landscape and the protagonists' own bodily fragmentation through injury and violence is mirrored in the destruction of the places they encounter. These claims are then reconsidered using the space of the comics page, applying the work of Thierry Groensteen and critical theories of gothic narrative structure. This demonstrates that comics' mono-sensory narratives allow depictions to be thematically linked with an emotive use of space to engage readers, and that this contributes to a gothic architecture of the page. The paper concludes that the critical discourse of fidelity that surrounds The Walking Dead is superficial and that each version's spaces are medium-specific and distinct in their affect on the reader/viewer.


The question of women's land rights has a relatively young history in India. This paper briefly traces that history before examining why gendering the land question remains critical, and what the new possibilities are for enhancing women's land access. Potentially, women can obtain land through the State, the family and the market. The paper explores the prospects and constraints linked to each, arguing that access through the family and the market deserve particular attention, since most arable land in India is privatized. On market access, the paper makes several departures from existing discussions by focusing on the advantages, especially for poor women, of working in groups to lease in or purchase land; using government credit for land rather than merely for micro-enterprises; and collectively managing purchased or leased in land, the collectivity being constituted with other women, rather than with family members. Such group functioning is shown to have several advantages over individual or family-based farming. This approach could also help revive land reform, community cooperation and joint farming in a radically new form, one centred on poor women.


Foundational concepts in psychology are introduced to "27% of all full-time students" in postsecondary institutions each year (Scheirer & Rogers, 1985), constituting an annual North American class size of more than one million adults. In part, these numbers reflect the growth in popularity and perceived value of academic psychology since it was made part of university and college curricula. Understandably, teachers of psychology and their professional organizations have expended considerable effort to set the pedagogical goals for this introduction to the topic (e.g., Gilliland, 1932; Goodwin, 1992; Irion, 1976; Sanford, 1910; Wolfle, 1942). Primary among these goals is that of imparting to students academic psychology's orientation, guiding principles, and facts, on the assumption that there is agreement about the conceptual heart of the discipline. The present study is intended to contribute to the identification of the conceptual core of the introductory psychology curriculum.Scrutiny of the introductory textbook is a common strategy for determining core psychology concepts. However, empirical investigations of textbook content are divided on the issue of content consistency. A number of studies employing gross measures of topic coverage (e.g., page counts devoted to a topic) in different texts at a single time point (Griggs, Jackson, & Napolitano, 1994), in the same text over time (Griggs & Jackson, 1996), and in different texts over time (Webb, 1991) give an impression of coherence and stable consensus about the introductory conceptual corpus. Other studies using similar approaches suggest a picture of variation and inconsistency (Harari & Jacobsen, 1984; Weiten, 1988). Efforts at identifying core concepts using more fine-grained analyses of index terms (Boneau, 1990; Quereshi, 1993; Quereshi & Sackett, 1977; Quereshi & Zulli, 1975), glossaries (Boneau, 1990; Zechmeister & Zechmeister, 2000) or page-by-page content (Landrum, 1993) have led some to see convergence and coherence (Quereshi, 1993) and others to suggest that there is little compelling evidence of a sizeable set of common concepts (Zechmeister & Zechmeister, 2000).A variety of methodological issues have undoubtedly contributed to the equivocal character of work in this area, including differences in chosen sets of textbooks to study; extraneous sources of content variance in the indices, glossaries, and textbook design; and variation in the criteria used for determining that a concept is common to a number of textbooks. This state of affairs leaves ample room for interpretive disagreement about the extent and nature of consensus about core concepts. Whereas Quereshi (1993) reported that recent texts were "more comprehensive and more similar to each other" (p. 220) than previously examined texts, Zechmeister and Zechmeister (2000) found "evidence for incoherence rather than coherence, instability as opposed to stability..." (p. 6) when they examined Quereshi's (1993) data.The point of departure for the present study is the observation that however lamentably small the number, recent studies (Landrum 1993; Quereshi, 1993; Zechmeister & Zechmeister, 2000) have nonetheless been able to identify a number of core concepts in the introductory curriculum ranging from as few as 64 (Zechmeister & Zechmeister, 2000) using a 100% inclusion criteria in 10 books, to 141 in 75% of 52 books (Quereshi, 1993). Landrum's (1993) finding of 126 concepts common to all six texts he reviewed falls in this range. The thrust of our approach is to explore further where in the introductory curriculum consensus about core concepts exists. Using a content analysis approach, we specifically sought to identify which, if any, areas in the introductory curriculum exhibit consensus about core concepts.Two previous studies have examined concepts by topic or area. Quereshi (1993) classified 137 terms found common to 75% of 52 books into four broad areas: biopsychology, clinical psychology, learning and development, and popular psychology. …


This article asserts that a challenge exists in deflecting the prevailing view that a general gap of legal applicability exists in respect of legal regulation of the war on terror. This "gap" is articulated by a focus on a new phenomena—namely the emergence of Al Qaeda as a non-nationally motivated, transnational terrorist organization whose actions and actors do not "fit" existing legal norms and sanctions. In addressing that challenge, this article will rebut the argument that suggests a legal lacuna exists, and that no appropriate legal tools are available to states and international organizations as they confront the post September 11th context. In particular, the argument asserts that existing legal norms provide sufficient coverage to respond to the conflicts experienced in the contemporary moment, as well as to the state and non-state entities participating in them. The article suggests that clarity about the boundaries between the legal regime of international human rights law and international humanitarian law would assist closing off perceived regulatory gaps. It contends that the usual rationale given in favor of parallel application, namely higher protection for the victims of conflict, substantially underestimates its other valuable policy and instrumental benefits. Specifically, the traditionally vaunted victim centered rationale does not sufficiently weigh the value of affirming consistent rule of law coverage to situations of conflict. The article asserts that while further regulatory measures may be possible and even desirable to confront the contemporary challenges of conflict forms (including terrorism), a combined or dynamic approach to the law of war and international human rights law provides sufficient traction and norm content to address and be relevant to present needs.


In current research work, Co1-xNix/2Srx/2Fe2O4 (x = 0–1 in a step of 0.2) ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized by a sol-gel method. According to the evolution in the subspectral areas obtained from Mossbauer spectroscopy, it was found that the relaxing iron belongs mostly to the site B, since the Mossbauer fraction of site A does not vary appreciably. With an increase in Ni-Sr substitution contents in cobalt ferrite, the coercivity and saturation of magnetization decrease. Variation of reflection loss versus frequency in microwave X-band demonstrates that the reflection peak shifts to lower frequency by adding substituted cations and the synthesized nanoparticles can be considered for application in electromagnetic wave absorber technology.


For Mothers, the aging process can go hand in hand with the exodus of family - children grow up and move on - washing lines which were once weighed down with laundry are now reduced to an individual's handful of items, possibly hand-washed, not big enough for a machine load. A collection of rooms that at one time seemed to bulge at the seams; every corner occupied, if not in person, then by the plethora of belongings we each trail with us. Once emptied, only small pockets and pathways of the house are utilized in a regular, rhythmical pattern. The remaining spaces darkening and growing cold with only the specters of earlier, more chaotic times.


In the past hundred years, business schools in the United States have had to be resilient and undergo change in order to address various challenges. They have faced issues pertaining to their legitimacy, rigor, and relevance. This article suggests that business schools are once again in a period of change that requires resilience and that these age old issues have to be reconsidered in this new environment, and it describes some of the economic, reputational, technological, and psychosocial threats and opportunities that are currently creating an impetus for change. The other articles that comprise this dialog series on Resilience and Change in Business Education and Management Research are also introduced.


Cell properties and functions, such as adhesion, migration, proliferation, differentiation, organization, protein expression and death, are dynamically regulated at the surface of cell membranes by interaction between a ligand molecule of cellular microenvironments and the membrane protein receptors. Furthermore, physical signals of cellular microenvironments, stiffness, elasticity and hydration, are also important factors for modulation of cellular functions. In the body, natural extracellular matrices (ECMs) and ECM-bound growth factors regulate the cell functions. The universal control of cell functions at the single-cell level through artificial modulation of extracellular microenvironments by mimicking the natural ECMs could be a key technique for biomedical fields. In this chapter, fabrication of nanometer-sized artificial ECM films using various polymers and proteins on single-cell surfaces to control cell functions is described. The thickness, charge, and components of the ECM films significantly affected cell functions. The optimized ECM films induced cell-cell organization to construct three-dimensional (3D) human tissue chips. Moreover, construction of 3D human tissue chips assisted with preparation of nano-ECM films on cell surface was performed automatically by an inkjet cell and protein printing system. Control of extracellular microenvironments using a nanometer-sized polymer/protein film as an artificial ECM could be useful as a novel technique to regulate cell properties and functions as desired.


In this work, we examine the properties with respect to environment of brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs), the most massive population of galaxies in the known Universe, and also, the link between these galaxies and the intracluster light component (ICL) within galaxy clusters. The ICL is a flat, diffuse, low surface brightness (LSB) feature thought to contain a significant fraction of stellar mass contained within galaxy clusters; it is believed primarily to be formed from stripped stars during galaxy-galaxy interactions in the cluster core. Through our work, we attempt to discern the well-known observational and theoretical tensions which exist regarding the accretion history of stellar mass in the cores of galaxy clusters, as well as attempting to address some of the commonly-known systematics that accompany such studies. In Part I (Chapters 2-3), we analyse the structural parameters of a sample of 329 optically-confirmed, X-ray selected clusters in the SPectroscopic IDentification of eROSITA Sources Survey (SPIDERS) out to z ~ 0.3 with respect to three environmental properties (velocity dispersion-based halo mass, X-ray luminosity and optical richness). We quantify the morphologies of our BCGs by modelling their light profiles using GALFIT 3 (via the SIGMA pipeline), which we also use to obtain integrated magnitude-based stellar masses. We test the software thoroughly using ~ 20,000 mock galaxies implanted across 8 arbitrary cluster fields within our sample, which include field PSF convolutions and an idealised Poisson noise component. We find that we are able to recover our SDSS r-band profiles (with similar results in i and g) accurately out to ~ 16.5 magnitudes; fainter than this, we begin to observe biases in our results, especially in recovered Sersic index; such surface brightness-dependent structural biases have important consequences for evolutionary claims regarding BCG structure. Regarding environment, we find no evidence for any correlations between the structural properties of our science sample of 198 BCGs and any of the environmental properties used here, beyond BCG stellar mass. This observed homogeneity leads us to conclude that the majority of structural evolution of BCGs is likely to have occurred at earlier cosmic epochs than z ~ 0.3, with little evidence for much evolutionary activity at more recent epochs. In Part II, (Chapters 4-5), we attempt to quantify the ICL within a sample of 19 clusters detected in XMM Cluster Survey (XCS) data, with optical counterparts in the SDSS footprint. To do so, we use deep (~ 26.8) Hyper Suprime Cam Subaru Strategic Program DR1 (HSC-SSP DR1) i-band data. We apply a rest-frame mu_B = 25 mag/arcsec^2 isophotal threshold to our clusters, below which we define light as the ICL within an aperture of R_X,500 centered on the BCG. We apply extensive masking and careful post-processing correction techniques to address the persistent challenges which face observers attempting to analyse ICL; through application of our post-processing method, we recover a significant fraction (~ 1/5) of ICL flux previously lost during processing, significantly higher than our estimate of the image background at at the same isophotal level. We find, on average, that the ICL makes up about ~ 25% of the total cluster stellar mass on average (~ 41% including the flux contained in the BCG within 50kpc); this value is well-matched with other observational studies and SAM/numerical simulations, but is significantly smaller than results from recent hydrodynamical simulations (even when measured in an observationally consistent way). We find no evidence for any links between the amount of ICL flux with cluster mass, but find a growth rate of 2-4 for the ICL between 0 < z < 0.5; however, we find no evidence for any growth in our BCGs, finding the fractional contribution of BCG light to be strongly anti-correlated with halo mass at fixed redshift. We conclude that the ICL is the dominant evolutionary component of stellar mass in clusters from z ~ 1.


Wiki-like or crowdsourcing models of collaboration can provide a number of benefits to academic work. These techniques may engage expertise from different disciplines, and potentially increase productivity. This paper presents a model of massively distributed collaborative authorship of academic papers. This model, developed by a collective of thirty authors, identifies key tools and techniques that would be necessary or useful to the writing process. The process of collaboratively writing this paper was used to discover, negotiate, and document issues in massively authored scholarship. Our work provides the first extensive discussion of the experiential aspects of large-scale collaborative research.


One of the most hot topics of recent research is the reuse of some compounds existing as pollutants in environment. These compounds (molecules, ions, complexes, etc.) are of high-added value and it will be ideal to selectively bind them with any environmental application and reuse them in their initial or modified form. The latter can be achieved using molecular imprinting. In the present review article, an overview of the recent attempts for the selective binding of some precious metals (i.e., gold, silver, and platinum) of high-added value is done using molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs) as materials. The simplicity of their use, their relatively low cost, and the broad range of possible guest molecules (small organic molecules, ions, metals, and also biological macromolecules) have since led to the important development of molecular imprinting.


To foster sustainability pursuits, regulation by state-imposed legislation is often crucial, but self-regulation by corporations, associations, and other non-state actors increasingly exerts pressures and provides incentives for sustainable practices. In order to shed more light on the complex interplay among sustainability regulations and self-regulation, this study focused on a highly regulated field: the German wine industry. Using a social network analysis, this study identified the most central actors (e.g., associations, regulatory institutions) that need to be addressed in order to ensure the enforcement of sustainability. By analyzing 15 semi-structured interviews with the key actors, we outlined their understanding of sustainability, and classified three distinctive governance patterns. These mixed methods and in-depth analyses revealed that self-regulation by associations plays a crucial role in terms of enhancing sustainability, but regulation remains an important trigger in this context. This article concludes with some lessons for regulation and self-regulation policies that can ensure sustainability within an organizational field.


This dissertation investigates the underwater cultural heritage from a multidisciplinary approach, sustained by argumentative reflections, comparative analysis and problem solving techniques in a combination of theoretical, legal and managerial perspectives. The main purpose is to provide a complete, dynamic and innovative framework of analysis that may also serve as a guide for implementation. Specifically, the research aims to accomplish three tasks: first, to elucidate for the complexity of transforming divergent interests into converging opportunities; second, to provide a comprehensive key for interpreting the contradictory views manifested in the international legal scenario; and, third, to compare benefits and limits of the most sensible methods of management of the underwater cultural heritage.
This research begins exploring the existing theoretical framework in order to identify, explain and organize the basic variables of underwater cultural heritage management into an advanced conceptual model. This framework recognizes the hierarchical pyramid of interests and the necessity to strike the right balance among them in order to provide a long-term sustainable management.
The second part of the research considers the current international legal context and the issues related to its implementation. Positively, despite an excessive use of "constructive ambiguities", the entrance into force of the 2001 UNESCO Convention has significantly strengthened the protection of the underwater cultural heritage. Negatively, several factors thwart the harmonization of this framework: the structural incompatibility between this Convention and the salvage regime, the different and ambivalent approaches of states toward this heritage, the unsolved doubts about the legal value of title and sovereign immunity on ancient sunken state vessels, and the conflicting professional ethical view of archaeologists and historic salvage companies.
In the final part, this work evaluates and compares the main methods for the management of underwater cultural heritage (museums "on-land", underwater museums, underwater archaeological parks, restricted access sites, reburial or covering sites, and unmanaged sites). Two related conclusions emerge: first, the absence of a "perfect method"; second, the necessity to understand in which specific circumstances the adoption of each method is more appropriate and efficient.