Public health care systems routinely collect health-related data from the population. This data can be analyzed using data mining techniques to find novel, interesting patterns, which could help formulate effective public health policies and interventions. The occurrence of chronic illness is rare in the population and the effect of this class imbalance, on the performance of various classifiers was studied. The objective of this work is to identify the best classifiers for class imbalanced health datasets through a cost-based comparison of classifier performance. The popular, open-source data mining tool WEKA, was used to build a variety of core classifiers as well as classifier ensembles, to evaluate the classifiers' performance. The unequal misclassification costs were represented in a cost matrix, and cost-benefit analysis was also performed.  In another experiment, various sampling methods such as under-sampling, over-sampling, and SMOTE was performed to balance the class distribution in the dataset, and the costs were compared. The Bayesian classifiers performed well with a high recall, low number of false negatives and were not affected by the class imbalance. Results confirm that total cost of Bayesian classifiers can be further reduced using cost-sensitive learning methods. Classifiers built using the random under-sampled dataset showed a dramatic drop in costs and high classification accuracy.


This study examines perceptions of human trustworthiness as a key component in countering insider threats. The term insider threat refers to situations where a critical member of an organization behaves against the interests of the organization, in an illegal and/or unethical manner. Identifying how an individual's behavior varies over time and how anomalous behavior can be detected are important elements in the preventive control of insider threat behaviors in securing cyber infrastructure. Using online team-based game-playing, this study seeks to re-create realistic insider threat situations in which human "sensors" can observe changes in a target's behavior. The intellectual merit of this socio-technical study lies in its capability to tackle complex insider threat problems by adopting a social psychological theory on predicting human trustworthiness in a virtual collaborative environment. The study contributes to a theoretical framework of trustworthiness attribution, and gameplaying methodology to predict the occurrence of malfeasance.


General O'Duffy's National Corporate Party/Greenshirt movement was Ireland's largest fascist movement. This thesis explores the origins of Irish fascism, arguing that it was not simply an imitation of continental models, but that it had its roots in the Irish historical and political tradition. Previously dismissed by historians as ephemeral or even non-existent, research reveals that it was a nationally organized party that presented a raft of policies aimed at creating a mass base. The Greenshirts were a small movement and constituted a concentration of fascist tendencies developed by an element in its much larger forerunner, the Blueshirts. The party was to be short-lived but influenced a number of fifth-column and extremist organizations during the war years, as well as the more successful post-war nationalist party, Ailtiri na hAiseirighe. The NCP blended a number of key ideas borrowed from continental fascism, including corporatism and the leadership principle, with a combination of fascist and indigenous pseudo-military style and organization. This was embedded in a political and cultural mould that was a development of romantic ideas that had been widely promoted during the struggle for Irish independence, with a particular focus on nationalism, violence and anti-rationalism. The Greenshirt movement was completely dependent on its leader General O'Duffy, an experienced and able politician, who promoted his movement both at home and abroad at a number of international fascist conferences. He looked to participation alongside Franco in the Spanish Civil War to raise his domestic and international profile. However, the poor record of his Irish Brigade and his absence from Ireland's political scene, led to the rapid demise of a movement which had been in decline since its inception, and which had failed to gain widespread support amongst the population or interest in the national press.


A study of the formation of In- and Au-GaAs(100) interfaces is reported. The metal overlayers are deposited in ultrahigh vacuum on room-temperature (RT) and low-temperature (LT) (100)GaAs grown by molecular-beam epitaxy, following the evaporation of a protective As capping layer from the semiconductor surface. High-resolution photoemission spectroscopy and low-energy electron diffraction are used to characterize these interfaces. In forms a two-dimensional interface layer plus clusters at RT and LT, with reduced clustering at LT. The top substrate layers are only slightly altered by In. The Au-induced perturbation is more significant, as reflected by Ga outdiffusion even at LT. Different Ga core-level components are found at RT and LT, attesting to different levels of segregation as a function of temperature. The GaAs(100) band bending is studied as a function of metal coverage and deposition temperature. Kelvin-probe measurements, coupled with synchrotron-radiation photoemission, are performed to evaluate the synchrotron-light-induced surface photovoltage. The Fermi level is found to be pinned at 0.4 and 0.6 eV above the valence-band maximum for Au and In, respectively, in good agreement with the positions obtained on the cleaved (110) GaAs surface. Evidence of correlation between pinning and overlayer metallization is found for both interfaces.


Since its inception in 1790, the U.S. patent system has been inextricably linked to innovation, the dissemination of knowledge, and numerous other societal benefits. The adoption of a patent claiming system in 1836 has resulted in a series of historical trends, including. (1) the century-plus trend of yearly increases in applications, straining the agency beyond its capabilities,(2) a highly labor-intensive examination process,and, (3) the majority ofpatents issued have been valueless. Today the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ("PTO") is in a selfdescribed workload crisis and under attack for quality concerns. Former Under Secretary and PTO Director James E. Rogan carefully articulated these problems. Through his leadership, Rogan successfully championed a series of initiatives to modernize the PTO. His central theme was modernizing the agency and transforming its nineteenth century business model for the twenty-first century. However, patent reform has become increasingly difficult recently due to the rigors of the legislative process and political considerations. This Article applies game theory, a branch of applied mathematics, to propose a new patent reform whereby the PTO focuses more resources on more rigorous examination offewer applications. Empirical patent scholars have concluded that only a smallfraction of all patents are "valuable, " and scarce examination resources are not properly allocated. Economists liken the patent system to a lottery--individuals seek windfall rewards for their efforts. The Article's proposed examination paradigm avoids arbitrary and irrational resource allocation by applying a market-based mechanism. an auction. An auction will discourage lottery strategies and helps weed out worthless applications. Since our history and tradition encourage promoting innovation and entrepreneurship broadly, the proposal offers inventors a choice for the legal protection of their inventions. Through an auction, inventors could vie for an application's full-scale examination. Alternatively, they would be eligible for another * 1994, J.D., Temple University School of Law; 1990, B.S., University of Pennsylvania. The Author has worked on patent law and policy in all three branches of the federal government: law clerk to the Hon. Pauline Newman, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; Director of Congressional Relations for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; and, counsel, House Judiciary Subcommittee for the Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property. Special thanks to Judge Newman, U.S. Congressman Howard Coble, Bradford R. Huther, and John M. Whealan for their generous help and insights. 1 KATOPIS: PERFECT HAPPINESS? Published by Yale Law School Legal Scholarship Repository, 2008 10 YALE J.L. & TECH. 360 (2008) 2007-2008 type ofprotection (e.g., a petty patent). Nobel Laureate William Vickrey pioneered a sealed bid, second price variety of auction. It is an ideal mechanism for the allocation of scarce public sector resources, and is also appropriate in the patent context. It permits the more robust examination of a smaller set of applications. This will help ease the PTO's workload crisis, discourage specious applications, and hence enhance patent quality. The Vickrey auction does not seek to maximize revenue so as to punish new inventors, small businesses, and non-profits. Rather, it dynamically finds the most optimal price for government examination services. This Article's new paradigm promises to break the century-plus cycle of dysfunction and offer public policy benefits for each of the participants and society at large. 2 Yale Journal of Law and Technology, Vol. 10 [2008], Iss. 1, Art. 9 https://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/yjolt/vol10/iss1/9 PERFECT HAPPINESS?: GAME THEORY AS A TOOL FOR ENHANCING PATENT QUALITY


Mobile IP (MIP) is the solution supporting the mobility of Mobile Nodes (MNs), however, it is known to lack the support for NEtwork MObility (NEMO). NEMO manages situations when an entire network, composed of one or more subnets, dynamically changes its point of attachment to the Internet. NEMO Basic Support (NBS) protocol ensures session continuity for all the nodes in a mobile network, however, there exists a serious pinball routing problem. To overcome this weakness, there are many Route Optimization (RO) solutions such as Bi-directional Tunneling (BT) mechanism, Aggregation and Surrogate (A&S) mechanism, Recursive Approach, etc. The A&S RO mechanism is known to outperform the other RO mechanisms, except for the Binding Update (BU) cost. Although Improved Prefix Delegation (IPD) reduces the cost problem of Prefix Delegation (PD), a well-known A&S protocol, the BU cost problem still presents, especially when a large number of Mobile Routers (MRs) and MNs exist in the environment such as train, bus, ship, or aircraft. In this paper, a solution to reduce the cost of delivering the BU messages is proposed using a multicast mechanism instead of unicasting such as the traditional BU of the RO. The performance of the proposed multicast-based BU scheme is examined with an analytical model which shows that the BU cost enhancement is up to 32.9% over IPDbased, hence, it is feasible to predict that the proposed scheme could benefit in other NEMO RO protocols.


Distinct in appearance and conspicuous among its usually shorter associates, bigcone Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga macrocarpa) provides contrast and variability to the southern California landscape. The wood of the species, although suitable for coarse lumber, is scarcely utilized because the trees are scattered and are more valuable for esthetics and watershed protection. Because the taxonomic characteristics of bigcone Douglas-fir are similar to those of its northern "cousin," Douglas-fir, it was at least twice assigned to the genus Abies. Commonly, the species has been called hemlock, false hemlock, and desert fir. Colloquially, it is often referred to as bigcone-spruce, probably because its drooping lower branches, stiff needles, and upright cones remind the observer of the spruce tree. The species' accepted common name, bigcone Douglas-fir, stresses its Pseudotsuga lineage and the extraordinary size of its cones. The species has been grown successfully outside the continental United States. It was unknown in Europe until the seedlings were raised at Bayfordbury, England, in 1910. Trees also have been reported growing in Sussex and North Ireland, where they reached heights of more than 18 m (60 ft) and crown spread of 12 m (40 ft) (3).


Field work in a teacher training program was focussed on the collection and presentation of data showing changes in the environment depending on variable factors. The observations should be possible to use as models for studies performed by children at school. The instructions were sparse and many of the observations from the first visit to the sites were impossible to repeat. The first four observations were made during autumn every month while the last was made in late spring sixteen months later. After this the students wrote short reflections on their impressions and experiences during the last visit compared to the earlier ones. These were analysed in order to reveal the impact on the students. Most of the students were very uncertain about what to do the first time. Almost none of them complained about this afterwards. Many were astonished over their own incapability of understanding or declared their lack of understanding general ideas. Many students wrote about strong emotions when returning to a familiar site that appeared to have changed and described how this created a strong attachment to the site. What was more surprising was that some students experienced their own development, in some cases towards becoming a teacher but also on a more private or personal level. They not only recognized themselves as the inexperienced student from the first visit and what was achieved later. They also realized how the relation between themselves and the site had a chronological development in accordance with their own development. The simple activity of field observations in combination with personal reflection created complicated processes beneficial for the student.Thus, we achieved and observed unexpected results together with what was expected.


During the last decade Trump International Golf Links Scotland (TIGLS) has built on land where no development was previously outlined and, appropriating parts of a Site of Special Scientific Interest, has come to occupy an important place in debates on Scottish planning policy. Though plans were initially rejected in 2007 by the Aberdeenshire planning body responsible, the Scottish Government subsequently rescaled the decision—instead approving the proposed high-end, large-scale golf resort. Besides numerous clashes with those living close to TIGLS, this has since led to highly visible protests. In this article I scrutinize TIGLS's establishment to explore the entanglements of topological and topographic understandings of space, and to illuminate power exerted through various modalities by various private and public actors. Based on interviews with politicians, activists, planners, residents and business representatives and an analysis of planning documents, developer–state communications, and marketing material, I argue that work on power-topologies and relational geographies has much to offer. But, crucially, this work simultaneously risks underplaying the role material landscapes play in conflicts over planning policy and the power exerted to dominate such landscapes. Thus, emphasizing topology proves insufficient unless coupled with a focus on the power involved in appropriating and reshaping material topographies.


Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) is the best characterized member of a family of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domain containing proteins that serve as ligands for tyrosine kinase receptors of the ErbB family. NRG1 and its main receptor in the brain, ErbB4, have been involved in neural development, neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity. Additionally, NRG1 isoform-specific expression patterns in the brain have been described, but isoform-specific functions remain unclear. Nrg1 is a robustly associated schizophrenia susceptibility gene in many populations. Examination of blood cells and post mortem brain tissue revealed that increased Nrg1 expression occurs in schizophrenia patients, including a notable increase in Ig-Nrg1 mRNA. Together with ErbB4 hyperphosphorylation observed in post mortem brains of schizophrenia patients, this suggests that NRG1/ErbB4 hyperstimulation could represent a component of schizophrenia etiology. However, the underlying pathomechanisms are unknown.
In the present study, we investigated brain endophenotypes associated with cortical-restricted Ig-NRG1/ErbB4 hyperstimulation. For this purpose, a conditional transgenic mouse line was produced that permits stage- and cell type-specific overexpression of the Ig-NRG1 isoform under control of the β-actin promoter after Cre-mediated removal of a "floxed" STOP-cassette. A comprehensive analysis of this mouse model revealed that physiologically relevant Ig-NRG1 overexpression in glutamatergic projection neurons resulted in chronic ErbB4 hyperphosphorylation in the neocortex and hippocampus. ErbB4 hyperstimulation was associated with impaired hippocampal -oscillation and altered social behavior. Biochemical analyses revealed a preferential activation of the AKT pathway upon Ig-NRG1 overexpression. Furthermore, moderate projection neuron-specific overexpression of Ig-NRG1 allowed us to investigate the subcellular localization of the protein, which appeared to be associated with the potassium channel Kv2.1 in the somatodendritic compartment. These results provide a first insight into possible molecular pathomechanisms and schizophrenia-relevant endophenotypes induced by Ig-NRG1-mediated ErbB4 hyperstimulation in cortical networks.
In a second project, NRG1 signaling functions in ErbB4-expressing GABAergic interneurons have been investigated in conditional NRG1 mutants. Cre-mediated elimination of NRG1 from parvalbumin-positive (Parv+) interneurons resulted in body weight reduction, a shivering phenotype, increased motor activity, and a reduced number of interneurons in cortical layers II-III. Thus, in contrast to projection neuron-specific loss- or (moderate) overexpression of NRG1, these findings suggest that NRG1-mediated autocrine signaling in Parv+ interneurons serves an essential role in the regulation of inhibitory circuit functions.
Finally, in a pilot project a new mouse line for the conditional overexpression of NRG2, a closely related ErbB4 ligand in the brain, has been generated by homologous recombination into the Rosa26 locus of embryonic stem cells.


As her fulfillment of one of the requirements for the degree of Sarjana S-1, the thesis writer takes an analysis on the refusal strategies among close relationship students of Petra Christian University based on sex. She wants to find out the kinds of refusal strategies that are used by the students and the highest occurrence among the strategies that are used. In addition, the writer is eager to know about how the respondents? refusal among their close friends influenced by sex. In conducting her research, the writer used tape recorder to get the data. She recorded all-female conversations, all-male conversations, and mixed-sex conversations among students who have close relationship. It was done in order to get the data being recorded accurately. In classifying the data, the writer used the theory of refusal by Kartomihardjo and Beebe and Takahashi. The discussion is explained further in the second chapter. The result of the analysis presents that the influence of sex in the use of refusal strategies among close students is not significant enough. It could be proved that most respondents used direct refusal as their initial strategy to be followed with additional strategies, such as reasons, suggestions, thanking, and conditions. After that, the use of direct refusal as the only strategy to refuse also dominates the respondents. Some respondents also stated their refusal by directly expressing their reasons, suggestions, and conditions. It also could be seen that through the findings some respondents used taboo words as their strategy to refuse. It can be concluded that under the control of close relationship, sex distinction does not give significant effect to the choice of refusal strategies.


In this paper, we examine the issue of pricing open source software. We compare three different pricing mechanisms: commercial software, open source software dual-licensing, and open source software support. We investigate whether the open source software pricing models are viable under monopoly and duopoly when an open source software vendor competes with a commercial software vendor. Our model considers the motivation for and the barrier to open source software adoption, which provides a better picture of the open source software market. We identify the factors that affect the optimal pricing strategy of the commercial and the open source software vendors. Our results can give pricing guidelines to the open source software vendors in the case of monopoly and duopoly, which is not clear in the current state.


The novel's ability to portray and protest the political is generally well recognized. More controversial is how, and with what effects, the assertive nature of political critique combines with the open-ended qualities of artistic expression. Such is the problem confronting this thesis. My inquiry is based on a selection of early to mid-twentieth century counter-totalitarian novels, drawn from across Western Europe and Russia, and representing a variety of different literary styles and political commitments. In the case of Western Europe, my selected authors are Ignazio Silone, Arthur Koestler and George Orwell; for Russia, they are Yevgeny Zamyatin, Andrei Platonov, Mikhail Bulgakov, Vasily Grossman and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.

How we 'read' the artistic/political relationship is important as it influences how we approach texts, the kinds of questions we ask, and the nature of the conclusions we reach. These issues find a theoretical home in the debate on politically committed art, where theorists such as Theodor Adorno and Jacques Ranciere oppose the overt commitments of authors such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Bertolt Brecht. My contention is that the abstractions of this debate obscure the density of the relationship, both as it is experienced by authors and as it may strike us as readers. Hence I argue for a grounded approach to the issue: that is, one that is attentive to the detail of texts situated in all the specificity of their political, historical circumstances.

For my guide to the literary practices of the novel, I turn to Mikhail Bakhtin, focusing on the dialogic and polyphonic, the parodic and subversive, and the time/space settings of chronotope. These elements show how the political can be expressed in an evocative and/or subversive way. At the same time, Bakhtin's binary distinctions—the monological and dialogical; the centripetal and centrifugal qualities of language; and the notions of finalizability and unfinalizability—invite further reflection, for they promote an oppositional reading of the artistic/political relationship, and thus form part of the problem with which I am critically engaged. In concluding, I expand on the intricate intersections between finalizability and unfinalizability; the carrying power of the texts' imaginative calls; and the force of their emotional narratives.

The inquiry is broad-ranging and interdisciplinary, drawing variously on the insights of literary theory, philosophy and political analysis. It aims to be of interest to all those broadly concerned with fiction's powers to speak to the political in its distinctive and controversial fashion.


We present an automatic skew mitigation approach for user-defined MapReduce programs and present SkewTune, a system that implements this approach as a drop-in replacement for an existing MapReduce implementation. There are three key challenges: (a) require no extra input from the user yet work for all MapReduce applications, (b) be completely transparent, and (c) impose minimal overhead if there is no skew. The SkewTune approach addresses these challenges and works as follows: When a node in the cluster becomes idle, SkewTune identifies the task with the greatest expected remaining processing time. The unprocessed input data of this straggling task is then proactively repartitioned in a way that fully utilizes the nodes in the cluster and preserves the ordering of the input data so that the original output can be reconstructed by concatenation. We implement SkewTune as an extension to Hadoop and evaluate its effectiveness using several real applications. The results show that SkewTune can significantly reduce job runtime in the presence of skew and adds little to no overhead in the absence of skew.


Purpose Besides the high rates of morbidity and mortality, atrial fibrillation (AF) is also associated with impairment of quality-of-life (QOL). However, reports covering non-selected AF population within Asian countries remain scarce. The objective of the Keio interhospital Cardiovascular Studies-atrial fibrillation (KiCS-AF) registry is to clarify the baseline and QOL profiles of the AF patients at the time of initial referral to identify areas for improvement and country-specific gaps. Participants The KiCS-AF registry is a multicentre, prospective cohort study designed to specifically recruit AF patients newly referred to the 11 network hospitals within the Kanto area of Japan. The registry completed its enrolment in June 2018. All patients were requested to answer the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality-of-Life (AFEQT) questionnaire both at baseline and 1 year, with planned clinical follow-up for 5 years. The registry also assessed individual treatment strategies including rate and rhythm control, stroke prophylaxis, and their impacts on patient-reported QOL. Findings to date As of December 2016, 2464 AF patients were registered; their mean age was 67.1 years (SD, 11.7), majority (69.7%; n=1717) were men and 49.2% presented with paroxysmal AF. The mean CHA2DS2-VASc (cardiac failure or dysfunction, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes, stroke including vascular disease, age 65-74 years, and sex category [female]) score was 2.3 (SD, 1.6) and oral anticoagulant therapy was used for 88.6% of patients with CHA2DS2-VASc scores ≥2. The median AFEQT-overall summary score was 79.1 (IQR, 66.6–89.1). Roughly 50% had significantly impaired QOL (ie, AFEQT <80) at baseline. Currently, 2307 eligible patients (93.6%) have completed the 1-year follow-up, of which 2072 patients (89.8%) answered the second AFEQT questionnaire. Future plans The KiCS-AF allowed for extensive investigation of AF-related QOL in a non-selected population with long-term follow-up using a rigorously validated QOL assessment tool. Almost half of patients had impaired QOL at baseline. Further investigations aimed at providing care and improving patient-reported QOL are required.


It is impossible to understand the creation and continued survival of de facto states without reference to external actors. External patrons provide vital support and the international system constrains and shapes these aspiring states. The relationship is, however, not one-sided, and these entities are not merely puppets. In fact external dependence creates significant dilemmas for de facto states: it undercuts their de facto independence and contradicts their strategy for gaining international recognition, thereby undermining their long-term sustainability. The dilemmas facing de facto states have been accentuated by the recent recognition of Kosovo, Abkhazia and South Ossetia.


This application note explains the concept of Adjacent Channel Leakage Ratio (ACLR) measurement on 3GPP W-CDMA signals with the spectrum analyzer FSP. Optimum operation for both the integrated bandwidth method and the new time domain method are shown via explanation of the signal behavior and the internal structure of the FSP. With the time domain method the spectrum analyzer family FSP provides a new approach featuring a very short measurement time compared to the integrated bandwidth method.


The Housing Discrimination Study 2000 (HDS 2000) is the third nationwide effort sponsored by HUD to measure the amount of discrimination faced by minority home seekers. This report provides national estimates of discrimination faced by African Americans and Hispanics in 2000 as they searched for housing in the sales and rental markets. It also provides an accurate measure of how housing discrimination has changed since 1989. The report shows large decreases between 1989 and 2000 in the level of discrimination experienced by Hispanics and African Americans seeking to a buy a home. There are, however, worrisome upward trends of discrimination in the areas of geographic steering in home sales for African Americans and the amount of help agents provide to Hispanics with obtaining financing. There has also been a modest decrease in discrimination toward African Americans seeking to rent a unit. This downward trend, however, has not been seen for Hispanic renters. Hispanic renters now are more likely to experience discrimination in their housing search than do African American renters.


A novel pattern-matching neural network is proposed. The network matches an input to multiple candidates of the stored templates in parallel. It can find the best matching template, whose features are arranged in the same order as those of the input, regardless of positional differences between corresponding features. The network consists of a pattern-matching layer, a minimal distance detection layer, and a recognition layer. The matching between an input pattern and candidates of the to-be-matched template is performed in the pattern-matching layer. The candidates are selected in the minimal distance detection layer, and are fed back in parallel to the pattern-matching layer. The candidate that has features in the same positional order as the input can be determined in the pattern-matching layer. The matched template is classified by the recognition layer. Results of simulation studies on one- and two-dimensional patterns have shown that the network can perform position-independent pattern matching completely. >


The past two decades has seen a dramatic increase in the amount of information or data being stored in electronic format. Handling data in small amounts is easier for the
company or organization but when the data becomes larger and huge, they faced the difficulties in retrieving and analyzing the information they needs. Even though the data
are converted and represented in computer format, the analysis of data needs to be done manually because our capability of analyzing and understanding massive amounts of data lags far behind our ability to gather and store the data. This study focuses on how to develop relational database by using Microsoft SQL Server 2000 in where this software can handle large amounts of data. In this study also new Microsoft Corp. product named Microsoft Analysis Services have been studied for analysis and prediction process. This software has provided data mining models. Data Mining is thought to be far superior than existing data analysis tools. This data mining is an AI tool that is used to predict and analyzing unknown features. This study also intends to investigate how to develop relational database and its operation such as creating, deleting, updating and retrieving by using Microsoft SQL Server 2000. Then the weaknesses of this software will be studied.
Perhaps, the findings of this study are able to help people in the future


We use recent daily data and several testing procedures to re-investigate the weak-form efficiency of the Australian stock of the top 50 companies across different industries. Contrary to most prior studies, our results suggest that the Australian market is weak-form efficient with little or no evidence for short-term return predictability.


Coronal emission reflects the time-dependent and non-equilibrium processes connected with plasma dynamics, e.g. coronal heating or flaring activity. Impulsive coronal heating by nano-flares, whether by small-scale reconnection or waves is non-stationary and should produce non-equilibrium ionization and accelerated particles similar to reconnection processes in solar flares. Additionally, the presence of the high-energy nonMaxwellian tails of the particle distributions observed in-situ in the solar wind should indicate their presence in the solar corona. The focus of this project is to study these complex non-equilibrium processes, with emphasis on their observational signatures in remote sensing measurements of the EUV and X-ray radiation. In particular, the team will investigate whether these signatures can be linked to the in-situ measurements of the solar wind, and whether these signatures can be distinguished from the effects of plasma inhomogeneities. To tackle these questions, the proposed ISSI International Team will bring together experts on diverse fields, ranging from atomic physics and spectroscopic observations to solar wind modeling. The Team will contribute to the international development of future space missions for an advanced study of the coronal dynamics and associated non-equilibrium processes, and pave the way e.g. for the interpretation of the future Solar Orbiter observations.


O ver the past year, I have had the privilege of leading the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) in a careful assessment of how developments in science, medicine, and health care should shape the Center's strategic directions. The process included scientific workshops, symposia, think tanks, and extensive consultation with our highly diverse stakeholder community. The result of this year-long dialogue is this, our third strategic plan, which articulates goals and objectives for the coming years and presents a structure for determining priorities for future research. At its core is a vision in which rigorous scientific evidence about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) informs both the decisions Americans make regarding CAM use and the potential for integration of CAM interventions into health care. NCCAM's first decade was a period of rapid growth in which we studied a wide array of CAM modalities. As we move into our second decade, we will build on this foundation by focusing a portion of our efforts on study of specific CAM approaches that show the greatest promise to improve upon existing treatment and health promotion strategies. As in the past, our plan emphasizes the importance of basic and clinical research as the core of building the evidence base for CAM. But in this plan, we give increased emphasis to translational research and bringing the methods of effectiveness and outcomes research to the real world where public use is extensive. We maintain a strong commitment to providing objective and authoritative evidence-based information to the public and health care professionals. We will continue efforts to build state-of-the-art research capacity through targeted training and career development programs, and through fostering multidisciplinary collaborations. My experience as a physician who has cared for patients struggling with chronic, painful, and debilitating symptoms greatly informs my perspective on our work. When I began medical school, one of my teachers taught that " the secret of care of the patient is in caring for the patient. " * I took these words to heart. Symptoms matter, and few would dispute the fact that modern medicine does not always succeed in alleviating them. Few would also dispute the need for better approaches for encouraging healthy lifestyle choices. These are places in which I believe CAM-inclusive approaches offer promise, and I look forward to exploring the possibilities in the years ahead. 47 Strategic Objective 4 The mission of NCCAM is to define, …


Background:It is unclear if volume-outcome relationships exist in inpatient rehabilitation. Objectives:Assess associations between facility volumes and 2 patient-centered outcomes in the 3 most common diagnostic groups in inpatient rehabilitation. Research Design:We used hierarchical linear and generalized linear models to analyze administrative assessment data from patients receiving inpatient rehabilitation services for stroke (n=202,423), lower extremity fracture (n=132,194), or lower extremity joint replacement (n=148,068) between 2006 and 2008 in 717 rehabilitation facilities across the United States. Facilities were assigned to quintiles based on average annual diagnosis-specific patient volumes. Measures:Discharge functional status (FIM instrument) and probability of home discharge. Results:Facility-level factors accounted for 6%–15% of the variance in discharge FIM total scores and 3%–5% of the variance in home discharge probability across the 3 diagnostic groups. We used the middle volume quintile (Q3) as the reference group for all analyses and detected small, but statistically significant (P<0.01) associations with discharge functional status in all 3 diagnosis groups. Only the highest volume quintile (Q5) reached statistical significance, displaying higher functional status ratings than Q3 each time. The largest effect was observed in FIM total scores among fracture patients, with only a 3.6-point difference in Q5 and Q3 group means. Volume was not independently related to home discharge. Conclusions:Outcome-specific volume effects ranged from small (functional status) to none (home discharge) in all 3 diagnostic groups. Patients with these conditions can be treated locally rather than at higher volume regional centers. Further regionalization of inpatient rehabilitation services is not needed for these conditions.


The purpose of this study is to prove the lipid-regulating effects of neohesperidin (NHP) and explore the potential mechanisms related to fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Free fatty acids (FFAs)-induced lipid-accumulated HepG2 cells, acutely egg yolk-induced dyslipidemia and chronically diet-induced obese (DIO) model mice were treated with NHP. Biochemical analyses were carried out to determine the lipid profiles. Western blotting and real-time PCR were employed to analyze FGF21, AMPK and the related proteins or mRNA expressions. Body weight and food intake were measured in DIO mice. siRNA or inhibitors of FGF21 or AMPK were utilized in further study. NHP showed potent hypolipidemic effect in HepG2 cells loaded with FFAs and reversed the pathological changes of lipid in the acute or chronic dyslipidemia mouse model. It obviously improved the lipid profiles in plasma, liver and gastrocnemius muscles in DIO mice, and led to a significant body weight loss. Simultaneously, FGF21 protein expression or secretion, and AMPK/sirtuin type 1 (SIRT1)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) axis or related molecules, was improved by NHP in HepG2 cells and/or DIO mice. Furthermore, the siRNA or inhibitor targeting FGF21 or AMPK rejected the triglyceride-lowering effect of NHP. In conclusion, NHP regulates lipid metabolism in vivo and in vitro via FGF21 and AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling axis.


1. The interactions between ragweed pollen and the saliva from ragweed-sensitive and non-sensitive humans have been examined. A number of morphological changes of the pollen grains take place under the conditions of the incubation. Of these changes, two occur only with incubation in allergic saliva and one occurs with the use of 'inflammatory' saliva, allergic or non-allergic. 2. The two changes that are associated only with incubation in saliva from an individual who is ragweed-sensitive appear to be related. They consist of a clearing of the background material surrounding the pollen grain and the formation of a halo of white, mat-like material around the grain. 3. The incubation of pollen with 'congestive' or 'inflammatory' saliva resulted in the exudation of granular material, encased in a membrane, from the pollen grain. 4. Kinetic studies give the development time of particular changes and their duration.


Twenty to fifty years of annual mean deepwater (hypolimnetic) temperature data from twelve deep lakes spaced across Europe (2°95'W to 14°0'E, 46°27' to 59°00'N) show a high degree of coherence among lakes, particularly within geographic regions. Hypolimnetic temperatures vary between years but increased consistently in all lakes by about 0.1–0.2°C per decade. The observed increase was related to the weather generated by largescale climatic processes over the Atlantic. To be effective, the climatic signal from the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) must affect deep lakes in spring before the onset of thermal stratification. The most consistent predictor of hypolimnetic temperature is the mean NAO index for January–May (NAOJ–M), which explains 22–63% of the interannual variation in deepwater temperature in 10 of the 12 lakes. The two exceptions are remote, less wind‐exposed alpine valley lakes. In four of the deepest lakes, the climate signal fades with depth. The projected hypolimnetic temperature increase of approximately 1°C in 100 yr, obtained using a conservative approach, seems small. Effects on mixing conditions, thermal stability, or the replenishment of oxygen to deep waters result in accumulation of nutrients, which in turn will affect the trophic status and the food web.


Abstract We propose an algorithm to select parameter subset combinations that can be estimated using an ordinary least-squares (OLS) inverse problem formulation with a given data set. First, the algorithm selects the parameter combinations that correspond to sensitivity matrices with full rank. Second, the algorithm involves uncertainty quantification by using the inverse of the Fisher Information Matrix. Nominal values of parameters are used to construct synthetic data sets, and explore the effects of removing certain parameters from those to be estimated using OLS procedures. We quantify these effects in a score for a vector parameter defined using the norm of the vector of standard errors for components of estimates divided by the estimates. In some cases the method leads to reduction of the standard error for a parameter to less than 1% of the estimate.


Abstract. Stratospheric ozone and water vapour are key components of the Earth system, and past and future changes to both have important impacts on global and
regional climate. Here, we evaluate long-term changes in these species from the pre-industrial period (1850) to the end of the 21st century
in Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6)
models under a range of future emissions scenarios. There is good agreement between the CMIP multi-model mean and observations for total column
ozone (TCO), although there is substantial variation between the individual CMIP6 models. For the CMIP6 multi-model mean, global mean TCO has
increased from ∼ 300 DU in 1850 to ∼ 305 DU in 1960, before rapidly declining in the 1970s and 1980s following the
use and emission of halogenated ozone-depleting substances (ODSs). TCO is projected to return to 1960s values by the middle of the 21st century
under the SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, SSP4-3.4, SSP4-6.0, and SSP5-8.5 scenarios, and under the SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios TCO values are projected to
be ∼ 10 DU higher than the 1960s values by 2100. However, under the SSP1-1.9 and SSP1-1.6 scenarios, TCO is not projected to
return to the 1960s values despite reductions in halogenated ODSs due to decreases in tropospheric ozone mixing ratios. This global pattern is
similar to regional patterns, except in the tropics where TCO under most scenarios is not projected to return to 1960s values, either through
reductions in tropospheric ozone under SSP1-1.9 and SSP1-2.6, or through reductions in lower stratospheric ozone resulting from an acceleration of
the Brewer–Dobson circulation under other Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs). In contrast to TCO, there is poorer agreement between the
CMIP6 multi-model mean and observed lower
stratospheric water vapour mixing ratios, with the CMIP6 multi-model mean underestimating observed water vapour mixing ratios by
∼ 0.5 ppmv at 70 hPa. CMIP6 multi-model mean stratospheric water vapour mixing ratios in the tropical lower stratosphere have
increased by ∼ 0.5 ppmv from the pre-industrial to the present-day period and are projected to increase further by the end of the 21st
century. The largest increases (∼ 2 ppmv) are simulated under the future scenarios with the highest assumed forcing pathway
(e.g. SSP5-8.5). Tropical lower stratospheric water vapour, and to a lesser extent TCO, shows large variations following explosive volcanic eruptions.


We have carried out a comprehensive study of the decay dynamics of the valence electronic states of CH2F–CH3+, by using threshold photoelectron–photoion coincidence (TPEPICO) spectroscopy and a tunable vacuum ultraviolet synchrotron radiation source. Threshold photoelectron spectroscopy (TPES) has been recorded for the first time in the photon energy range of ∼12–24 eV. Ion yield curves and breakdown diagrams have been determined in the energy range of ∼ 11.5–18 eV. The dissociation process and fragmental mechanism of the valence states of the parent ion are discussed. The mean translational kinetic energy releases for fragmentation of CH2F–CH3+, via a single bond cleavage have been measured and compared with the predictions of statistical and impulsive mechanisms. For dissociation CH2F–CH3+→CHF–CH3+ + H+e−, a non-statistical decay is assumed, and there seems to be a transition to statistical behaviour with increasing photon energy. For cleavage of the C–C bond to form CH2F+, there seems again to be a transition to statistical decay. The ionization threshold measured from the TPES and the appearance energies (AEs) identified from the ion yield curves are presented. An upper limit for the ionization threshold of CH2F–CH3 (11.66 ± 0.03 eV) and the enthalpy of formation of CH2F–CH3+ at 298 K (679 ± 3 kJ mol−1) are determined.


In Kenya, there exist small, medium (SMEs) and large enterprises but SMEs' have been always regarded as the engines due to their immense contribution to the economy. Many reforms in taxation system in Kenya have been done to ensure that the government collects enough revenue to finance its ever increasing budget. However, taxation is still an uphill task among SMEs thus viewed to be complex and a burden. In this regard therefore, the study was guided by tax compliance theory while assessing the key taxation concepts which will increase compliance among Kenya's SMEs. Using library research design, the study found out that SMEs in Kenya are in dire need of understanding the principal objective of taxation, taxation approaches, tax crimes and audits. However, the researcher recommends increased taxation sensitization by the main tax authority in Kenya (KRA) given the new reforms made. In addition, there is need to avail more knowledge to Kenya's SMEs regarding factors affecting their tax compliance. KEYWORD: SMEs, Tax compliance, Taxation Approaches, Tax Crimes, Tax audits


IN AN EFFORT TO BE INCLUSIVE, Arkansas history has been broadly defined in the compilation of this bibliography. Some materials, such as genealogical or local history society journals, government documents, and nonprint productions, have been omitted. The Arkansas Historical Quarterly is cited as AHQ. BOOKS Adler, David. The Presidency and the Law: The Clinton Legacy. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2002. Angelou, Maya. A Song Flung up to Heaven. New York: Random House, 2002. [continuation of Angelou's autobiography] Bagley, Will. Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2002. [account of the tragedy that befell a wagon train from Arkansas] Blevins, Brooks. Hill Folks: A History of Arkansas Ozarkers and Their Image. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2002. Brotherton, Velda. Springdale: The Courage of Shiloh. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2002. [photographic history] Busby, Robert. Defending the American Presidency: Clinton and the Lewinsky Scandal. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2001. Christ, Mark, ed. Getting Used to Being Shot At: The Spence Family Civil War Letters. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 2002. Collins, Marilyn. Rogers, Arkansas: The Town the Frisco Built. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2002. [photographic history] Danielson, Kay. Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2002. [photographic history] Finley, Randy and Thomas DeBlack, eds. The Southern Elite and Social Change: Essays in Honor of Willard B. Gatewood, Jr. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 2002. [includes essays about Arkansas] Frei, Terry. Horns, Hogs, & Nixon Coming: Texas vs. Arkansas in Dixie's Last Stand. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2002. [a college football game as social history] Halley, Patrick. On the Road with Hillary: A Behind the Scenes Look at the Journey from Arkansas to the U.S. Senate. New York: Viking, 2002. Hendrickson, Ryan. The Clinton Wars: The Constitution, Congress, and War Powers. Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press, 2002. Kirk, John. Redefining the Color Line: Black Activism in Little Rock, Arkansas, 1940-1970. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2002. Klein, Joe. The Natural: The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton. New York: Doubleday, 2002. Lee, R. Alton. The Bizarre Careers of John R. Brinkley. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2002. [includes discussion of Brinkley's unusual medical career in Arkansas] Leveritt, Mara. Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2002. [account of three young boys' murder and the subsequent trial of those accused of the crime] Levy, Peter. Encyclopedia of the Clinton Presidency. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2002. McDougal, Susan. The Woman Who Wouldn't Talk: Why I Refused to Testify against the Clintons. New York: Carroll & Graf, 2002. [McDougal, Kenneth Starr, and Whitewater] McPheeters, Dr. William. "I Acted From Principle": The Civil War Diary of Dr. William M. McPheeters, Confederate Surgeon in the Trans-Mississippi. Cynthia DeHaven Pitcock and Bill Gurley, eds. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 2002. Metz, Allan. Bill Clinton: A Bibliography. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2002. Steward, Dana, ed. A Rough Sort of Beauty: Reflections on the Natural Heritage of Arkansas. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press, 2002. Streissguth, Michael, ed. Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Reader. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2002. Valencius, Conevery Bolton. The Health of the Country: How American Settlers Understood Themselves and Their Land. New York: Basic, 2002. [health concerns of nineteenth-century Arkansans] Walton, Hanes. Reelection: William Jefferson Clinton as a Native-Son Presidential Candidate. …


Supply chain relationships play a significant role in supply chain management to respond to dynamic export market changes. If the dyadic exporter-producer relationships are still weak, they impede the emergence of a high performance supply chain within an export market. This paper develops a conceptual framework for understanding how exporter-producer relationships include not only the relationship system but also network and transaction systems; and thus introduces a more integrated way of looking at supply chain management based on information sharing as a key process between exporters and producers. To achieve this aim, supply chain relationships are reviewed from the perspectives of relationship marketing theory, network theory and transaction cost theory. Findings from previous research are discussed to provide a better understanding of how these relationships have evolved. A conceptual framework is built by offering a central proposition that specific dimensions of relationships, networks and transactions are the key antecedents of information sharing, which in turn influences export performance in supply chain management.


Variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE™) is used as a tool to characterize properties such as optical constant, thickness, refractive index depth profile, and pore volume fraction of single and bilayer porous low-k films. The porous films were prepared using sacrificial pore generator (porogen) approach. Two sets of porous films with open- and closed-pore geometries were measured. Three models were used for data analysis: Cauchy, Bruggeman effective medium approximation (BEMA), and graded layer. Cauchy, a well-known model for transparent films, was used to obtain thickness and optical constant, whereas BEMA was utilized to calculate the pore volume fraction from the ellipsometric data. The Cauchy or BEMA models were then modified as graded layers, resulting in a better fit and a better understanding of the porous film. The depth profile of the porous film implied a more porous layer at the substrate-film interface. We found 3%–4% more porosity at the interface compared with the bulk for both film...


It was V. O. Key Jr. who stated, "Unless mass views have some place in the shaping of policy, all the talk about democracy is nonsense" (Glynn, 1999). According to most scholars "the responsiveness of government policy to citizens' preferences is a central concern in .. .democratic theory"(Page, 1982). This opinion summarizes the motivation behind the vast amount of political science research that has been conducted in an attempt to explore the relationship between public opinion and government action. Since the late 1960s, public opinion on environmental issues has been monitored with varying degrees of attention (Dunlap 1991), and this topic has traditionally been included in those studies examining government accountability (Monroe 1998). Due to the global nature of environmental issues, public opinion and government action in this area needs active monitoring. My hypothesis is that levels of government activity on environmental issues will correlate with changing levels of public opinion support for environmental protection. This article is available in Res Publica Journal of Undergraduate Research: http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/respublica/vol6/iss1/8 Public Opinion on Environmental Issues: Does It Influence Government Action?


Abstract Based on an ethnographic case study of three recently erected church buildings in the Dutch Bible Belt, this article demonstrates how orthodox Reformed congregations in the Netherlands define church buildings—especially the auditoria—and bibles as simultaneously profane and mediating the sacred. These at first glance ambivalent discourses are informed by a particular semiotic ideology, which maintains that material spaces and objects like these are sacralized if, and only if, individual believers can meaningfully relate them to their personal spiritual experiences. This ideology makes a primary attitude of profanization of material forms indispensable, because any preexistent sacredness of matter would precisely rule out these personal spiritual experiences.


Abstract Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the extent to which misoprostol alters mucosal or systemic immune responses following either buccal or vaginal administration. Methods: This was a prospective, crossover pilot study of 15 healthy, reproductive-age women. Women first received 800 μg misoprostol either via buccal or vaginal administration and were crossed over 1 month later to receive the drug via the other route. Cervicovaginal lavage samples, cervical Cytobrush samples, cervicovaginal swabs, urine and blood were obtained immediately prior to drug administration and the following day. Parameters assessed included urine and cervicovaginal misoprostol levels, whole blood cytokine responses (by ELISA) to immune stimulation with lipopolysaccharide, peripheral blood and cervical lymphocyte phenotyping by flow cytometry, cervicovaginal antimicrobial peptide measurement by ELISA and vaginal microbial ecology assessment by 16S rRNA sequencing. Results: Neither buccal nor vaginal misoprostol significantly altered local or systemic immune and microbiological parameters. Conclusion: In this pilot study, we did not observe significant alteration of mucosal or systemic immunology or vaginal microbial ecology 1 day after drug administration following either the buccal or vaginal route.


This paper investigates how dynamic capabilities form in the context of social entrepreneurship. A qualitative, inductive approach is used to examine four cases of ventures founded to solve social problems. Findings from within and cross case analysis revealed overlapping patterns that coalesced into two microprocesses whereby social entrepreneurs amassed, configured and reconfigured resources in an effort to solve particular social problems. These are cobbling across sectors and effectuating ecosystems. Implications of findings for dynamic capabilities and social entrepreneurship are discussed including the intriguing idea that entrepreneurs found more than just social purpose ventures, they create capability platforms upon which others can build.


Work hour flexibility is believed to help couples manage career and family demands. The German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP) is unique in following both the flexible employee and their partner over time. The study utilizes this feature to investigate whether the take-up of work hour flexibility is detrimental for the flexible employee's wage development. Men and women benefit from flexible working hours. For women, this positive wage effect occurs late, suggesting that, unlike men, they must first prove their commitment. Moreover, it tests for the first time whether flexible workers' partners profit from the increased couple-level flexibility. The positive cross-partner effect for the inflexible partner is particularly pronounced for mothers' wages, suggesting that men may use flexible working hours to support their wives' careers. These measures are not necessarily used more frequently by those in need (e.g. parents or women). Instead, they seem to be accessed by those in sought-after positions.


Statisticians measure the progress of societies. Like the invisible rudder of an ocean liner, statistics help policy-makers to steer their ships of state. Now statisticians are saying that prevailing measures, especially the dominance of economic indicators like the GDP, are steering us the wrong way. Before they can propose better indicators, however, they must know what our progress is towards. Only the citizens can legitimately decide that, they say, so we must ask communities to describe the futures they want. Can the futurists help? This feature explores their exciting challenge and asks, how will we respond? The old way, with competition in the marketplace? Or the new way, with collaboration and cooperation? As well as collaboration between futurists and statisticians, it proposes a prior collaboration between futurists around the world to develop a best practice community visioning toolkit that is endorsed by leading practitioners.


The objective of the present trial was to evaluate the effect of incorporating date blocks in diet on growth in young camels, and in the same time, to assess the risk of toxicity due to the presence of urea in the blocks. Fifteen 3 years old camels were shared into two groups receiving in addition to alfalfa, respectively 1 kg of commercial concentrate or 1kg of date blocks containing 50% pitted dates. Daily intake was measured, and the animals were weighed, and blood sampled every 2 weeks. No significant impact on total intake and growth throughout the experiment (135 days) was observed, but the assessment of consumption index showed a better efficiency of commercial concentrate (1.89 kg/kg growth) than date block (2.33 kg/kg growth). Uremia was higher in control group receiving the commercial concentrate, but the difference was not significant, except at the 78th day of the experiment. No effect on glycemia, AST and ALT was observed. LDH was significantly higher at the end of the trial, but the values were in normal range. Date blocks could be used safely for a partial substitution of commercial concentrates.


A series of monotonic and cyclic triaxial tests were performed on a sand with fines sourced from Christchurch, New Zealand. The sand was sieved and then mixed to give three soils with different fines contents. The undrained tests were used to examine the effects of fines on the strain softening behaviour under monotonic loading and liquefaction resistance in cyclic loading. Two reference states were used as a basis for evaluation of the effects of fines: the relative density and the steady state line within the state-concept framework for sand characterization. The addition of fines to the sand base caused downward movement of the steady state line in the Dr-p' plane (e-p' plane), and this effectively increased the potential for strain softening or flow deformation. Samples prepared at an identical relative density showed decreasing cyclic strength with increasing fines content. Conversely, samples at an identical initial state relative to the steady state line showed increasing cyclic strength with the fines content.


Editor's Preface - Prefaces and Introductions - Introduction to Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry - 'William Carleton' in Stories from Carleton - Introduction to Representative Irish Tales - Introduction to Irish Fairy Tales - 'William Allingham 1824-1889' in The Poets and the Poetry of the Century - 'Ellen O'Leary 1831-1889' in The Poets and the Poetry of the Century - Preface to The Works of William Blake: Poetic, Symbolic, and Critical - Introduction to Poems of William Blake - 'Modern Irish Poetry' reprinted from A Book of Irish Verse Selected from Modern Writers - 'Lionel Johnson', 'AE', 'Nora Hopper' and 'Althea Gyles', reprinted in A Treasury of Irish Poetry in the English Tongue - 'Thoughts on Lady Gregory's Translations' Prefaces to Cuchulain of Muirthemne and Gods and Fighting Men by Lady Gregory - Preface to Love Songs of Connacht Being the Fourth Chapter of the Songs of Connacht - Untitled Introduction to 'Poetry and Patriotism' by Lionel Johnson in Poetry and Ireland: Essays by W.B.Yeats and Lionel Johnson - Preface to Deirdre of the Sorrows: A Play by J.M.Synge Introduction to Selections from the Writings of Lord Dunsany - Preface to The Post Office by Rabindranath Tagore - Untitled Preface to Shingu Gikyoku Zenshu (Collected Plays of J.M.Synge) - Introduction to The Happy Prince and Other Fairy Tales by Oscar Wilde - Preface to Early Memories: Some Chapters of Autobiography by J.B.Yeats - Preface to An Offering of Swans and Other Poems by Oliver Gogarty - Preface to 'Axel' by Jean Marie Matthias Philippe August Count de Villiers de l'Isle-Adam - Introduction to The Midnight Court by Brian Merriman - Prefatory Letter to the Medici Society in Songs of Innocence by William Blake - 'What we did or tried to do' The Coinage of Saorstat Eireann - Preface to Wild Apples by Oliver Gogarty - 'Anglo-Irish Ballads by F.R.Higgins and W.B.Yeats in Broadsides: A Collection of Old and New Songs - Introduction to Selections from the Poems of Dorothy Wellesley - Introduction to The Lemon Tree by Margot Ruddock - 'Music and Poetry' by W.B.Yeats and Dorothy Wellesley in Broadsides: A Collection of Irish and English Songs - Textual Appendices - Explanatory Annotation - Individual Textual Introductions - List of Copy-texts used for this edition - List of Emendations to the Copy-texts - List of Abbreviations of Works by W.B.Yeats - Index


We formulate Gaussian and circular random-matrix models representing a coupled system consisting of an absorbing and an amplifying resonator, which are mutually related by a generalized time-reversal symmetry. Motivated by optical realizations of such systems we consider a or a time-reversal symmetry, which impose different constraints on magneto-optical effects, and then focus on five common settings. For each of these, we determine the eigenvalue distribution in the complex plane in the short-wavelength limit, which reveals that the fraction of real eigenvalues among all eigenvalues in the spectrum vanishes if all classical scales are kept fixed. Numerically, we find that the transition from real to complex eigenvalues in the various ensembles display a different dependence on the coupling strength between the two resonators. These differences can be linked to the level spacing statistics in the Hermitian limit of the considered models. This article is part of a special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical devoted to 'Quantum physics with non-Hermitian operators'.


One significant problem in the design of ship steering control systems is that the dynamics of the vessel change with operating conditions such as the forward speed of the vessel, the depth of the water and loading conditions etc. Approaches considered in the past to overcome these difficulties include the use of self adaptive control systems which adjust the control characteristics on a continuous basis to suit the current operating conditions.

Artificial neural networks have been receiving considerable attention in recent years and have been considered for a variety of applications where the characteristics of the controlled system change significantly with operating conditions or with time. Such networks have a configuration which remains fixed once the training phase is complete. The resulting controlled systems thus have more predictable characteristics than those which are found in many forms of traditional self-adaptive control systems. In particular, stability bounds can be investigated through simulation studies as with any other form of controller having fixed characteristics.

Feedforward neural networks have enjoyed many successful applications in the field of systems and control. These networks include two major categories: multilayer perceptrons and radial basis function networks. In this thesis, we explore the applicability of both of these artificial neural network architectures for automatic steering of ships in a course changing mode of operation.

The approach that has been adopted involves the training of a single artificial neural network to represent a series of conventional controllers for different operating conditions. The resulting network thus captures, in a nonlinear fashion, the essential characteristics of all of the conventional controllers. Most of the artificial neural network controllers developed in this thesis are trained with the data generated through simulation studies. However, experience is also gained of developing a neuro controller on the basis of real data gathered from an actual scale model of a supply ship.

Another important aspect of this work is the applicability of local model networks for modelling the dynamics of a ship. Local model networks can be regarded as a generalized form of radial basis function networks and have already proved their worth in a number of applications involving the modelling of systems in which the dynamic characteristics can vary significantly with the system operating conditions. The work presented in this thesis indicates that these networks are highly suitable for modelling the dynamics of a ship.


Sum mary Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is the third most common endocrine disorder. The clinical manifestations primarily involve the kidneys and the skeletal system. Pathologic bone fractures and proximal myopathies are rare conditions associated with PHPT. Early brachial plexus lesion secondary to clavicle fracture is very rare as well. The present case is of importance since it includes all of the three above-mentioned rare conditions. A 43-year-old female patient presented with complaints of pain and weakness in the right arm and limitation of movements in the right shoulder after a minor trauma. According to clinical, laboratory and radiological examination, she was diagnosed as having PHPT and traumatic right brachial plexus lesion due to pathologic fracture of clavicle, as well as hyperparathyroidism associated with secondary osteoporosis and myopathy. The patient underwent parathyroid surgery. After the surgery, a rehabilitation program including range of motion and strengthening exercises was given. PHPT may be diagnosed in an advanced stage of the disease. Therefore, clinicians should keep in mind that PHPT may present with complications of hyperparathyroidism. Turk J Phys Med Re hab 2011;57 Suppl 2: 361-5.


This thesis conducts a Critical Stylistic Analysis of Sherko Bekas' The Small Mirrors, with the help of metaphor analysis. Five textual conceptual functions (Jeffries, 2010): Naming and Describing; Equating and Contrasting; Representing Processes/Events/States of being; Assuming and Implying and Prioritizing are used to analyse the poems. I also analyse the connotations of metaphor. These functions and metaphor analysis show how the texts construct the speaker and the fictional world in Bekas' The Small Mirrors and the ideologies behind such constructions.

The ranges of ideation – ideology in Bekas' poetry identified by these tools are:

1. Suffering and survival are inexorable
2. Martyrdom is positive
3. Valuing one's nation and identity is positive
4. The speaker and the people lack control over the situation

My thesis aims to create a version of the Critical Stylistic model that helps me to show the depiction of the speaker and the fictional world in The Small Mirrors. I argue that Critical Stylistics is applicable to the Kurdish poetry, but it needs modifications and that the tools might work in hierarchical ranks meaning that some tools are given primary focus over others because of the difference between English and Kurdish. I use Jeffries' (2010) Critical Stylistics and add any required modification for the textual conceptual functions to get a complete model for the analysis of The Small Mirrors. The model can show how the speaker and the fictional world are constructed which I aim to reveal. The textual conceptual functions construct a coherent perspective of the reality of the fictional world in Bekas' poetry. The linguistic images of the fictional world of Bekas' poetry are repetitions that become part of the naturalised ideologies of the writer.


This study investigates the inviscid, linear spatio-temporal stability of heated, compressible, and incompressible coaxial jet flows. The influence of the temperature ratio and the velocity ratio between the core jet and the bypass stream on the transition from convectively to absolutely unstable flows is studied numerically. The investigation shows that for coaxial jets, absolute instability can occur for considerably lower core-stream temperatures than for single jets. The reason for this modified stability character is the appearance of an additional unstable mode as a result of the outer velocity shear layer between the bypass stream and the ambient flow. The presence of two shear layers enables the interaction between otherwise free waves to give rise to new instabilities. When the bypass-stream velocity is increased, the classical absolute mode known from single jets (inner mode) is first stabilized and then destabilized for high bypass-stream velocities, whereas the outer mode reaches maximum spatio-temporal growth rates when the core-stream velocity is approximately equal to twice the bypass-stream velocity. Additionally, it is demonstrated that the spatio-temporal character of the modes is very sensitive to the shear-layer thickness and to the distance separating the two layers. Increasing the Mach number strongly dampens the onset of an absolute instability for both modes.


As we enter the new millennium, the Third World, far from disappearing, is becoming global. The dynamic of economic driven globalization is resulting in the global reproduction of Third World problems. Growing inequality, risk and vulnerability characterize not simply the state system, but an emerging global social order. This is part of an historical process underway for five centuries: the expansion of capitalism across the globe. Technological developments speed up the process. The demise of the communist bloc and the associated rejection of 'real existing socialism' as a mode of economic organization have provided a specific additional fillip to the reconfiguration of the 'Third World'. The 1980s, and more particularly the 1990s, have witnessed the mainstreaming of liberal economic ideology via the Washington consensus. This approach to development has been legitimated in several global conferences such as United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) and the Copenhagen Social Summit. It has been applied practically through institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and World Trade Organization (WTO). In its wake we have seen a deepening of existing inequalities between and within states, with a resulting tension—contradiction even—between the development targets agreed by the United Nations (UN), and the policies pursued by international organizations and governments to facilitate such results.


There has recently been much development in the description and modeling of the particulate 231Paxs/230Thxs ratio in the ocean as proxy for the meridional ocean circulation, especially to study the situation in the glacial Atlantic Ocean. Many studies have investigated the effects of ventilation, mass flux and particle composition on 231Paxs/230Thxs ratios. The interpretations as paleoproxy rely usually on the assumption that the isotopic signal stored in the sediment is determined by the composition of suspended or sinking particles when these arrive at the respective water depth. This composition is controlled by exchange with the deep water column [1]. At depths >2500m, Scholten et al. [2] found agreement between 231Paxs/230Thxs ratios in suspended material and surface sediments. Chase et al. [3] observed no difference in activity ratio between surface sediment and a fluff layer present on top of their cores. However, there are several processes that may cause the ratio in surface sediments to differ from the ratio in sinking particles. Bottom currents transport and redistribute the sediment and fractionate grain size [4] and isotopes [5,6]. As a result of this transport and of early diagenetic reactions in the sediment, surface sediments may have a chemical composition and reactivity that is different from sinking particles. We will discuss the possible bias that these processes can give to the signals measured in bottom waters and stored in the sediment.
Whereas Pa/Th ratios have mostly been studied in relation to deep water formation in the North Atlantic, the formation of deep water in the Weddell Sea (Weddell Sea Bottom Water, WSBW) also effects the distribution of 230Th and 231Pa. We will present some new water column data confirming the strong effect of ventilation on the distribution of 231Pa and 230Th in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean. Both nuclides accumulate at intermediate depth in the Weddell Sea while concentrations are appreciably lower in the newly formed Weddell Sea Bottom Water.

[1] Thomas et al. (2006) Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 241, 493-504.
[2] Scholten et al. (2008) Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 271, 159-169.
[3] Chase et al. (2003) Deep-Sea Res. II 50, 739-768.
[4] McCave, I. N. and Hall, I. R. (2006) Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 7, Q10N05.
[5] Kretschmer et al. (2010) Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 294, 131-142.
[6] Kretschmer et al. (2011) Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 75, 6971-6987.


The six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries face the most severe water shortages in the world today yet exhibit the highest global water consumption (500 litres per capita per day) combined with minimal efforts or measures to manage or conserve water use. While the literature is rich with practices and recommendations to reduce water use in the private sphere, very little research has been conducted for public buildings such as mosques (public buildings for Muslims to pray). These public buildings are under government management and allow water to be used freely, with no price controls or restrictions. At the same time, an essential preparation for salah (prayer), which Muslims must perform five times a day, is wudu (ablution or washing with water). The Sunnah (which discusses traditional customs and practices of the Islamic community) prescribes that the ideal ablution uses only a small amount of water: the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) himself used just 0.6 litres. This study, which analyses ways to manage water demand in mosques in Oman, seeks to help address the issue – thus contributing to the literature on water demand management in similar countries worldwide. This research thesis revealed alarming results, up to 7 litres of water used per wudu. The research involved a combination of qualitative and quantitative techniques, including 41 interviews, 120 observations, 120 measurements of water consumption and analysis of two years of water bills for around 688 of mosques in Muscat (capital city of Oman). It is anticipated the impact of the study could be massive, 80% of water consumption conserved in mosques, achieved via policy recommendations that promote the application of suitable tools and techniques and result in improved efficiency of appliances and water reuse. This research, which covers three major variables influencing water use (efficient appliances, policies, and reuse), will help decision-makers in taking the most appropriate action for water demand management. The findings provide an example for other GCC countries, as well as contributing to global knowledge.


When implementing open access, policy pioneers and flagship institutions alike have faced considerable challenges in meeting their own aims and achieving a recognized success. Legitimate authority, sufficient resources and the right timing are crucial, but the professionals charged with implementing policy still need several years to accomplish significant progress. This study defines a methodological standard for evaluating the first generation of open access policies. Evaluating implementation establishes evidence, enables reflection, and may foster the emergence of a second generation of open access policies. While the study is based on a small number of cases, these case studies cover most of the pioneer institutions, present the most significant issues and offer an international overview. Each case is reconstructed individually on the basis of public documents and background information, and supported by interviews with professionals responsible for open access implementation. This article presents the highlights from each case study. The results are utilized to indicate how a second generation of policies might define open access as a key component of digital research infrastructures that provide inputs and outputs for research, teaching and learning in real time.


Abstract. We have implemented a prognostic aerosol scheme (v1) in CNRM-CM6, the climate model of CNRM-GAME and CERFACS, based upon the GEMS/MACC aerosol module of the ECMWF operational forecast model. This scheme describes the physical evolution of the five main types of aerosols, namely black carbon, organic matter, sulfate, desert dust and sea salt. In this work, we describe the characteristics of our implementation, for instance, taking into consideration a different dust scheme or boosting biomass burning emissions by a factor of 2, as well as the evaluation performed on simulation output. The simulations consist of time slice simulations for 2004 conditions and transient runs over the 1993–2012 period, and are either free-running or nudged towards the ERA-Interim Reanalysis. Evaluation data sets include several satellite instrument AOD (aerosol optical depth) products (i.e., MODIS Aqua classic and Deep-Blue products, MISR and CALIOP products), as well as ground-based AERONET data and the derived AERONET climatology, MAC-v1. The uncertainty of aerosol-type seasonal AOD due to model internal variability is low over large parts of the globe, and the characteristics of a nudged simulation reflect those of a free-running simulation. In contrast, the impact of the new dust scheme is large, with modelled dust AODs from simulations with the new dust scheme close to observations. Overall patterns and seasonal cycles of the total AOD are well depicted with, however, a systematic low bias over oceans. The comparison to the fractional MAC-v1 AOD climatology shows disagreements mostly over continents, while that to AERONET sites outlines the capability of the model to reproduce monthly climatologies under very diverse dominant aerosol types. Here again, underestimation of the total AOD appears in several cases, sometimes linked to insufficient efficiency of the aerosol transport away from the aerosol sources. Analysis of monthly time series at 166 AERONET sites shows, in general, correlation coefficients higher than 0.5 and lower model variance than observed. A large interannual variability can also be seen in the CALIOP vertical profiles over certain regions of the world. Overall, this prognostic aerosol scheme appears promising for aerosol-climate studies. There is room, however, for implementing more complex parameterisations in relation to aerosols.


Neo-Schumpeterian economics inspired by the work of Schumpeter and the financial Keynesianism of Minsky are often regarded as unrelated theoretical strands. In this paper, we try to combine these two literatures building on a parallelism between non-financial and financial firms. We focus on recent financial innovations, highlighting how the evolution experienced by US financial institutions led them to transcend their traditional role of credit providers, shaping as 'producers' of financial products, through securitization. This allows on the one hand to broaden the application of Neo-Schumpeterian insights to the financial sector and, on the other, to provide an original explanation of the so-called sub-prime crisis by applying the Financial Instability Hypothesis of Minsky to the alternative context of financial production. We maintain that the 2007-8 crisis was not the result of an innovation in the real sector, but came from an innovation (or a series of innovations) intrinsic to the financial system itself, which fostered credit creation. We argue that this 'cluster of innovations' can be placed under the label 'securitization', defined as the business of packaging and reselling loans, with repo agreements as the main source of funds.


Recent progress on QCD sum rule determinations of the light and heavy quark masses is reported. In the light quark sector a major breakthrough has been made recently in connection with the historical systematic uncertainties due to a lack of experimental information on the pseudoscalar resonance spectral functions. It is now possible to suppress this contribution to the 1% level by using suitable integration kernels in Finite Energy QCD sum rules. This allows one to determine the up-, down-, and strange-quark masses with an unprecedented precision of some 8–10%. Further reduction of this uncertainty will be possible with improved accuracy in the strong coupling, now the main source of error. In the heavy quark sector, the availability of experimental data in the vector channel, and the use of suitable multipurpose integration kernels allows one to increase the accuracy of the charm- and bottom-quarks masses to the 1% level.


Planktic foraminifera have been used as recorders of the neodymium (Nd) isotopic composition of seawater, although there is still controversy over the precise provenance of the Nd signal. We present an extensive, multispecific plankton tow Nd/Ca data set from several geographic locations (SE Atlantic, NE Atlantic, Norwegian Sea, and western Mediterranean), together with core top samples from the Mediterranean region. The range of Nd/Ca ratios in plankton‐towed foraminifera, cleaned only of organic material, from all regions (0.01–0.7 μmol/mol), is similar to previously published analyses of sedimentary foraminifera cleaned using both oxidative and reductive steps, with distribution coefficients (Kd) ranging between 4 and 302. For the Mediterranean, where core top and plankton tow data are both available, the range for plankton tows (0.05–0.7 μmol/mol) is essentially identical to that for the core tops (0.1–0.5 μmol/mol). Readsorption of Nd during cleaning is ruled out by the fact that the plankton tow samples underwent only an oxidative cleaning process. We find a relationship between manganese (Mn) and Nd in plankton tow samples that is mirrored by a similar correlation in core top samples. This relationship suggests that Fe‐Mn coatings are of negligible importance to the Nd budgets of foraminifera as the Nd/Mn ratio it implies is over an order of magnitude greater than that seen in other Fe‐Mn oxide phases. Rather, since both plankton tows and core tops present a similar behavior, the Nd/Mn relationship must originate in the upper water column. The data are consistent with the acquisition of Nd and Mn from the water column by binding to organic material and the fact that intratest organic material is shielded from both aggressive cleaning and diagenetic processes. Collectively, the results help to explain two abiding puzzles about Nd in sedimentary planktic foraminifera: their high REE contents and the fact that they record a surface water Nd isotopic signal, regardless of the cleaning procedure used.


BayesOpt is a library with state-of-the-art Bayesian optimization methods to solve nonlinear optimization, stochastic bandits or sequential experimental design problems. Bayesian optimization characterized for being sample efficient as it builds a posterior distribution to capture the evidence and prior knowledge of the target function. Built in standard C++, the library is extremely efficient while being portable and flexible. It includes a common interface for C, C++, Python, Matlab and Octave.


Abstract Two partners contribute to a common project over time. The value of the project is determined by the aggregate effort of the partners and by a common productivity parameter that each partner is privately informed about. At each instant, the two partners observe a noisy public signal of total effort. An equilibrium of this game is Markov if effort choices of agents depend only on the beliefs about the value of the project and on calendar time. I characterize the unique symmetric linear Markov equilibrium as the solution to a nonlinear boundary value problem. The equilibrium features a mutual encouragement effect, as agents exaggerate their effort in order to signal their private information, which counteracts free-riding incentives. Indeed, if the project lasts sufficiently long, the diffused information structure approximates the first-best in terms of welfare. If, instead of distributed private information, one agent has all the information about the productivity parameter, the excessive signaling effect is accentuated. As a result, the centralized information structure can yield output levels above the first best.


By the example of the Pontian-South Caucasian paleoisland arc actively functioning during the whole Mesozoic the authors consider the main peculiarities of spatial-temporal relationships between ores of non-ferrous metals and enclosing rocks, and discuss the conditions of the evolution of oremagmatic systems. The authors' conclusions are substantiated by data on 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios, concentration of rare elements in enclosing volcanogenic rocks, isotopic ratio of sulfur and oxygen in ores, and results of thermobarogeochemical studies. The authors hold the opinion shared by many mining geologists that the main part of ore components in non-ferrous metal deposits was extracted from nearby magmatites enclosing and underlying mineralized zones. The solutions from which ores precipitated were, by their salinity, very close to sea water. The maximum temperature of ore formation at epigenetic deposits reached 400°C for copper ores and 280°C for barite-polymetallic ores, whereas the pressure did not exceed 200 bar. As for hydrothermal-sedimentary ores, they could most likely form at the sea bottom, at depths of 2-3km and maximum temperature no more than 300°C.


This study investigated the effect of magnesium on the vascular reactivity of conduit and resistance arteries in a nitric oxide synthase inhibition-induced hypertension model. The aorta and third-order branches of the mesenteric artery were dissected from normotensive control and hypertensive rats, and their constriction and dilation responses in physiological saline solution containing normal (1.2 mM) or high (4.8 mM) magnesium concentrations were examined. The responses of the vessels were evaluated using potassium chloride (KCl) and phenylephrine (Phe), acetylcholine (ACh) and sodium nitroprusside. The Phe-induced constriction response of the aortic rings increased, whereas the ACh-induced dilation response decreased, in the hypertensive group compared to controls, in the presence of a normal magnesium concentration. High magnesium did not alter these responses in either group. Both the KCl- and Phe-induced constriction responses of the mesenteric arteries increased, and the ACh-induced dilation response decreased in the hypertensive group compared to controls, in the presence of a normal magnesium concentration. High magnesium significantly decreased the KCl and Phe-induced constriction and increased the ACh-induced dilation response of the mesenteric arteries in the hypertensive group, while it did not alter these responses in controls. This study suggests that high magnesium improves vascular reactivity of resistance-, but not conduit-type arteries in the nitric oxide synthase inhibition-induced hypertension model.


A variety of psychological disorders may develop following stroke, namely depression. Post-stroke depression has been reported to affect approximately one-third of individuals. These rates may also be influenced by a combination of factors such as age, sex, socioeconomic status, functional independence, cognitive impairment, and stroke severity. The presence of post-stroke depression can significantly impact a wide range of outcomes and overall stroke recovery. Several studies have investigated pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options for post-stroke depression. However, no consensus has been reached regarding the most effective and viable treatment. This chapter explores the evidence regarding interventions for the prevention and treatment of post-stroke depression, as well as its prevalence, predictors, and consequences. A brief overview of another mood disorder, poststroke emotionalism, is also provided.


Due to cell-to-cell variability and asymmetric cell division, cells in a synchronized population lose synchrony over time. As a result, time-series measurements from synchronized cell populations do not reflect the underlying dynamics of cell-cycle processes. Here, we present a branching process deconvolution algorithm that learns a more accurate view of dynamic cell-cycle processes, free from the convolution effects associated with imperfect cell synchronization. Through wavelet-basis regularization, our method sharpens signal without sharpening noise and can remarkably increase both the dynamic range and the temporal resolution of time-series data. Although applicable to any such data, we demonstrate the utility of our method by applying it to a recent cell-cycle transcription time course in the eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Our method more sensitively detects cell-cycle–regulated transcription and reveals subtle timing differences that are masked in the original population measurements. Our algorithm also explicitly learns distinct transcription programs for mother and daughter cells, enabling us to identify 82 genes transcribed almost entirely in early G1 in a daughter-specific manner.


The connective because can express both highly objective and highly subjective causal relations. In this, it differs from its counterparts in other languages, e.g. Dutch, where two conjunctions omdat and want express more objective and more subjective causal relations, respectively. The present study investigates whether it is possible to anchor the different uses of because in context, examining a large number of syntactic, morphological and semantic cues with a minimal cost of manual annotation. We propose an innovative method of distinguishing between subjective and objective uses of because with the help of information available from an English/Dutch segment of a parallel corpus, which is accompanied by a distributional analysis of contextual features. On the basis of automatic syntactic and morphological annotation of approximately 1500 examples of because , every English sentence is coded semi-automatically for more than twenty contextual variables, such as the part of speech, number, person, semantic class of the subject, modality, etc. We employ logistic regression to determine whether these contextual variables help predict which of the two causal connectives is used in the corresponding Dutch sentences. Our results indicate that a set of semantic and syntactic features that include modality, semantics of referents (subjects), semantic class of the verbal predicate, tense (past vs. non-past) and the presence of evaluative adjectives, are reliable predictors of the more subjective and objective uses of because , demonstrating that this distinction can indeed be anchored in the immediate linguistic context. The proposed method and relevant contextual cues can be used for identification of objective and subjective relationships in discourse.


Increasingly, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are implicated in the development of insulin resistance. To test the hypothesis that modulators of insulin sensitivity (i.e., metformin, ovarian sex steroids and exercise training) affect the fate of oxygen in skeletal muscle, mitochondrial H[subscript]2O[subscript]2 emission (mE[subscript]H2O2) and respiratory O[subscript]2 flux (JO[subscript]2) were measured in saponin-permeabilized myofibers from rodents and women. Concommitant with improved glucose tolerance, complex I-linked mE[subscript]H2O2, but not JO[subscript]2, was reduced in metformin-treated obese rats to rates near or below those in the lean animals. Ex vivo dose-response experiments revealed that metformin inhibits complex I-linked mE[subscript]H2O2 at a concentration ~2 orders of magnitude lower than that required to inhibit JO[subscript]2. To determine if estradiol or progesterone directly affect mitochondrial function, saponin-permeabilized vastus lateralis myofibers biopsied from women in the menstrual cycle follicular phase were incubated breifly in luteal phase serum concentrations of estradiol, progesterone, or both. While progesterone alone inhibited respiration, the effect was absent in the presence of estradiol. Progesterone, alone or in combination with estradiol increased complex I-linked mE[subscript]H2O2. Complex I-linked mE[subscript]H2O2 measured in permeabilized myofibers from insulin sensitive and resistant women correlated significantly with serum progesterone in these subjects. Moreover, mE[subscript]H2O2 was more than 80% greater in the insulin resistant women. Regular exercise is known to improve insulin sensitivity. To determine the effects of exercise training on mitochondrial function, mE[subscript]H2O2 and JO[subscript]2 were measured in saponin-permeabilized vastus lateralis myofibers from lean (BMI 30) women before (Pre) and after (Post) 8 weeks of exercise training (8WT = stationary cycling, 1 h/d, 5 d/w at heart rate corresponding to 70-75% VO[subscript]2). Interestingly, while Pre-Post there were no changes in JO[subscript]2 supported by multiple substrates or calculated ratios of respiratory control, there was a reduction in the potential for complex I-linked mE[subscript]H2O2 following training in the lean women. Altogether, the results of this project support the notion that modulators of insulin sensitivity may do so through their ability to affect complex I-linked mE[subscript]H2O2, but not necessarily JO[subscript]2 in skeletal muscle.


Open domain relation extraction systems identify relation and argument phrases in a sentence without relying on any underlying schema. However, current state-of-the-art relation extraction systems are available only for English because of their heavy reliance on linguistic tools such as part-of-speech taggers and dependency parsers. We present a cross-lingual annotation projection method for language independent relation extraction. We evaluate our method on a manually annotated test set and present results on three typologically different languages. We release these manual annotations and extracted relations in ten languages from Wikipedia.


Background: Research on the outcomes of assistive technology devices and services is necessary in order for consumers and other associated parties to fully realize the impact that these devices can offer to those with disabilities. A previous study found that a mounting system improved functional and psychosocial characteristics of users, and that it was used in unanticipated ways. Purpose: To improve upon the methodology of prior research conducted that evaluated the consumer's perspective on using the Mount'n Mover mounting system. Method: A quasi-experimental research design was implemented to evaluate the device's impact on the functional capacity and quality of life of participants that had just acquired the device. Four new users were participants in this study. Two participants used the device in a school setting, and two used the device in a community-based habilitation program. The Occupational Self-Assessment (OSA) and sections of the Assistive Technology Predisposition Assessment (ATD-PA) at pretest and three-week follow-up were administered. Personal factors, environmental conditions, and expectations for device use were also explored in relation to whether or not the device was used. Results: Marginal improvements in functional capability and quality of life were noticed, with few outcomes producing statistically significant results. No conclusions could be drawn regarding differences between those who abandoned the device and those who continued device use. Results of this study were very different to those in previous work, and environmental conditions were implicated as a potential factor. Conclusion: Limitations resulting from low sample size prevented generalization of results, but the results raise important questions regarding the potential effect of environmental conditions on device outcomes.