The lack of high-quality data at small strains under monotonic loads has led to the assumption of linear elasticity in small strain analysis and the use of low values of stiffness for analysis of geotechnical structures under working loads. In addition, since most simple shear apparatuses cannot measure lateral stresses, various assumptions have to be made in order to define the failure strength in terms of principal stresses. In this paper a hollow cylinder torsional simple shear system that is capable of measuring shear strains accurately from a strain level as small as 10−6 to failure in addition to measuring all stress components is described. This system is also capable of consolidating specimens along both normal and overconsolidated stress paths and during shearing is able to apply extremely small load reversals with little or no backlash effect. Using the special features of this system, the behavior of kaolin specimens under various stress histories from very small strains to failure was studied. The results show that irrespective of the consolidation stress history, the major part of the principal stress rotation occurs at the early stages of undrained simple shear, and the final direction near the peak strength is always a few degrees below 45°. The small strain behavior indicates that there exists a very small elastic zone of the order of 2 × 10−5 shear strain, and that the behavior beyond this region is highly nonlinear. The trend in the variation of the peak strength with OCR obtained in this system is similar to that obtained in the conventional simple shear apparatus as reported in the literature.


Mass Customisation (MC) toolkits are powerful user interfaces that enable customers to engage in the design of their own products. This research follows design research methodology (integrated with design process) to research the user perspective on AM-enabled MC toolkits. This research proposes and validates a design framework to guide designers and software developers in designing a user-centred AM-enabled MC toolkits, enabled using digital fabrication technologies such as Additive Manufacturing (AM). This framework includes pre-implementation assessment, and implementation stages.
An initial literature review revealed a lack of standard or universal norms for these user interfaces, and a lack of consistency in their design, in which web objects such as logo, product image, prices, etc. are not shared commonly among toolkits, nor occupy a frequent position. Furthermore, an optimum number of degree of freedom for MC toolkits is lacking from current design knowledge.
This research focuses on AM-enabled Mass Customisation toolkits as a means to enable customers design; its concentration is on users. A first quantitative study was conducted to compare and rank of a collection of features. More detailed user requirements regarding the content and layout of MC toolkits were revealed in a workshop. As a part of the second study, four different CAD systems (software programs and 3D-enabling libraries) were used to create MC toolkits. This provided an understanding of the pros and cons of each system, and demonstrated Three.js to be the best system amongst each one s feasibility and application. Based on previous findings, and as a part of the UX-design process, a prototype web-based MC toolkit was constructed, utilising the Three.js library. The prototype was used for a second study as a platform to investigate, the user interaction and usability of the toolkit, to validate the toolkit design as well as provide insights for its improvement.
Findings and reflections from all the studies were then visualised and communicated in an interactive design framework. A final study, conducted with professional users (N=4) assessed the usability and technicality of the framework tool and led to a number of suggested improvements.
The main contributions to knowledge are: 1- a table was produced to compare the features of four different system, by which Three.js was identified as the most suitable among them 2- most important and expected features for the content were obtained from the user rankings, most frequent location of features for the layout was identified based on the users, and user insights were reflected based on the evaluation of the prototype 3- the UI needs to be flexible in term of degrees of freedom, in another words, each customer (novice or professional) is able to adjust the number of options presented. 4- a framework was proposed through reviewing and adapting existing guidelines and findings from this research.


The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted field tests to evaluate the effectiveness of a wet head continuous mining machine for reducing dust exposure for continuous miner operators. Wet head technology delivers water via sprays to the continuous miner's cutter head as opposed to traditional standard sprays located on the boom and body of the mining machine. The sprays, positioned directly behind each bit on the cutter head, deliver water at the point of attack, serving to cool the bits during mining to reduce the potential for frictional ignitions. The sprays also flood the coal with water to potentially suppress dust generation. Dust surveys were conducted at several mines to evaluate the wet head's effectiveness to control respirable dust exposure at the continuous miner operator location and in the immediate return. Results show that the wet head miner improved air quality at both locations to varying degrees in some cases and not in others when compared to a continuous miner with a standard spray system.


This article examines the unusual circumstance of what the author has tentatively termed "negative enhancement". This term is used to describe those instances where individuals seek to use preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to achieve outcomes that, commonly, are socially not preferred. In a recent survey by the Genetics and Public Policy Centre, it was found that 3% of IVF-PGD clinics in the United States reported having provided PGD to couples who seek to select an embryo for the presence of a particular disease or disability, such as deafness, in order that the child share the characteristic with the parents. The idea of "negative enhancement" is, therefore, both a paradox and a useful means to describe the hidden assumptions behind claims that enhancement technologies can only lead us in one direction -- towards a race of blond, blue-eyed, able-bodied, intellectually magnificent and athletically superior beings. In Australia there does appear to be a consensus that PGD should only be used to select against serious disability. This inevitably raises the question of how we define disability and who is best placed to make decisions about the kind of kin we want to create.


Abstract. The production of splashing-generated balloelectric intermediate ions was studied by means of mobility spectrometry in the atmosphere during the rain and in a laboratory experiment simulating the heavy rain. The partial neutralization of intermediate ions with cluster ions generated by beta rays suppressed the space charge of intermediate ions but preserved the shape of the mobility distribution. The balloelectric ions produced from the waterworks water of high TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) had about the same mobilities as the ions produced from the rainwater of low TDS. This suggests that the balloelectric ions can be considered as singly charged water nanoparticles. By different measurements, the diameter mode of these particles was 2.2–2.7 nm, which is close to the diameter of 2.5 nm of the Chaplin's 280-molecule magic icosahedron superclusters. The measurements can be explained by a hypothesis that the pressure of saturated vapor over the nanoparticle surface is suppressed by a number of magnitudes due to the internal structure of the particles near the size of 2.5 nm. The records of the concentration bursts of balloelectric ions in the atmosphere are formally similar to the records of the nucleation bursts but they cannot be qualified as nucleation bursts because the particles are not growing but shrinking.


Endogenous growth theory is based on the notion that technological knowledge stimulates growth, yet the micro foundations of this process are rarely investigated and remain obscure. Knowledge spillover theory posits that growth is contingent on the technology dependence of industries, forming the landscape for technology entrepreneurs to launch and grow new ventures. We investigate these theoretical contingencies of endogenous growth with two research questions at two levels of analysis: First, do industries with a greater need for new technology-based entrepreneurship grow disproportionately faster than other industries? Second, do the knowledge spillover effects foster the growth of new technology based firms contingent on certain industry structures? These questions are examined empirically, using a comprehensive employee-employer data set on the science and technology labor force in Sweden from 1995 to 2002.


Breast cancer is one of major invasive women cancers. Probiotics are nonpathogenic micro-organisms that have immuno-stimulatory effects. Probiotics can stimulate the systemic immunity beside gut immunity against cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of lactobacillus rhamnosus LMG18243 on breast cancer development in inbred Balb/C mice.

 Materials & Methods: Ten Balb/C mice (4-6 weeks age, 18-20 gr) were entered to study and divided to control and probiotic groups after tumor verification. The probiotic group received bacteria (3 ´ 108 CFU/day) one week before tumorization by gastric intubation. The probiotic administration continued additional 27 days with 3 days interval, and 7 days postoperative delay. The control group received PBS as the same protocol and schedule.

 Results: The data showed that the tumor growth in probiotic group was lower than the control group significantly. The histopathologic data showed that the mitotic cells in tumor decreased and necrosis processes increased significantly in probiotic group. The significant increase in DTH of probiotic group indicated that the cell mediated immune system was stimulated in probiotic group.

 Conclusion: The lactobacillus rhamnosus as a probiotic can potentiate the immune system against tumor and can be used as a good adjuvant in cancer therapy. It can stimulate Th1 immune memory cells.


Background: Epileptics are often socially discriminated due to the negative public attitudes, misconceptions and false beliefs. Thus, the main objective of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes toward epilepsy among Malaysian Chinese.
Methods: A cross-sectional study by using a 23-item validated, self-administered questionnaire was carried out in urban areas, selected through stratified sampling. A Chinese population was randomly selected in the stratified areas of Penang, Ipoh, Klang valley, and Kuala Lumpur and was asked to complete the questionnaire.
Results: Among 382 (74.6%) respondents, 16.2% believed that epilepsy is a type of mental illness. Majority (90.8%) accepted that epileptics can become useful members of the society however, only 16% agreed to marry them. About 57% of respondents recognised epilepsy as nervous system problem. Significant relationships between education level and statements such as, epileptics are as intelligent as everyone else (p=0.009), epilepsy can be successfully treated with drugs (p=0.037) and epileptics can be successful in their chosen career (p=0.009), were found.
Conclusions: The general Chinese population in the selected areas of peninsular Malaysia had relatively good knowledge and positive attitudes toward certain aspects of epilepsy at the time of the investigation. However, minority of the study participants demonstrated prejudice and discriminatory behaviour towards people with epilepsy.


During the Second World War, the British Government established the Special Operations Executive (SOE) for the purpose of coordinating 'all action, by way of subversion and sabotage, against the enemy overseas'. Although the overseas operations of this branch of the British Secret Services are relatively well known, no previous study has assessed the organisation's UK based infrastructure. This thesis represents the first time the entire UK property portfolio of a clandestine government agency has been assessed. By addressing this gap in our knowledge, this thesis has increased the number of identified properties operated by SOE by 30%. This was achieved by undertaking a desk based assessment which combined pre-existing historical and archaeological methodologies.
At the start of the Second World War, there were few existing facilities established within the UK to support clandestine operations. As the conflict progressed, in parallel to learning the operational procedures of their trade, SOE also had to rapidly expand their support infrastructure. The organisation could only effectively function by establishing facilities dedicated to training, research and development, supply, transportation, communication and command and control. These facilities, when required, combined reflectivity and innovation. It was, however, SOE's preference to utilise pre-existing structures, where feasible, instead of erecting new buildings. Those facilities which were constructed were generally unique to the organisation. By assessing SOE's UK property portfolio, this thesis goes some way to countering the often held notion that the organisation was 'amateurish'.


When the news moved online, journalists suddenly learned what their audiences actually liked, through algorithmic technologies that scrutinize web traffic and activity. Has this advent of audience metrics changed journalists' work practices and professional identities? This book documents the ways that journalists grapple with audience data in the form of clicks, and analyzes how new forms of clickbait journalism travel across national borders. Drawing on four years of fieldwork in web newsrooms in the United States and France, including more than one hundred interviews with journalists, the book reveals many similarities among the media groups examined—their editorial goals, technological tools, and even office furniture. Yet the book uncovers crucial and paradoxical differences in how American and French journalists understand audience analytics and how these affect the news produced in each country. American journalists routinely disregard traffic numbers and primarily rely on the opinion of their peers to define journalistic quality. Meanwhile, French journalists fixate on internet traffic and view these numbers as a sign of their resonance in the public sphere. The book offers cultural and historical explanations for these disparities, arguing that distinct journalistic traditions structure how journalists make sense of digital measurements in the two countries. Contrary to the popular belief that analytics and algorithms are globally homogenizing forces, the book shows that computational technologies can have surprisingly divergent ramifications for work and organizations worldwide.


The classic brand manager dealt with simple brand structures in part because he or she was faced with a relatively simple environment and simple business strategies. Today the situation is far different. Brand managers now face market fragmentation, channel dynamics, global realities, and business environments that have drastically changed their task. In addition, there is pressure to leverage brand assets because of the prohibitive cost of creating new brands. This set of challenges has created a new discipline called "brand architecture." A coherent brand architecture can lead to impact, clarity, synergy, and leverage rather than market weakness, confusion, waste, and missed opportunities. Brand architecture is an organizing structure of the brand portfolio that specifies brand roles and the nature of relationships between brands. This article introduces a powerful brand architecture tool, the "brand relationship spectrum." It is intended to help brand architecture strategists employ insight and subtlety to subbrands, endorsed brands, and their alternatives. Subbrands and endorsed brands can play a key role in creating a coherent and effective brand architecture.


In this paper, we use theological development to help understand why biblical literalists, particularly those American evangelicals who believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible, are less likely to engage in Corporate Environmental Responsibility (CER) than other religious people. The hermeneutic we employ is a historical-grammatical method of exegesis to show that biblical literalists should actually care more for the environment than non-biblical literalist due to the creation care mandate found in Genesis 1. While religion has been studied in organizations, the research often focuses on outcomes of religion in the workplace or on firm level outcomes in the aggregate. We offer individual theology as a possible causal mechanism behind the influence that religion has on individuals and organizations. Theological beliefs influence individual behaviors, and understanding this process has implications for organizations. We discuss generalizability to those of differing faiths and non-religious individuals. We also discuss implications of increased creation care through CER for organizations.


Climate driven sectoral applications in a variety of domains (such as hydrology, agriculture, energy, or health) typically require elaborated data processing workflows involving multiple data access, collocation, harmonization and postprocessing (e.g. bias correction) steps. This is a time-consuming and error-prone task which, in many cases, is performed with different tools and lack of appropriate metadata for reproducibility. The R-based climate4R framework provides a solution to this problem, building on open source software and standards. climate4R allows accessing, postprocessing and visualizing local and remote (OPeNDAP) data sources, providing also full provenance information via METACLIP (semantic MEtadata for CLIimate Products). As a result, climate4R provides a unique comprehensive framework for end-to-end fully reproducible sectoral studies favoring open science.


Background and aims : Access to an anthropometric database is essential for human-centered design. Several Iranian researchers are conducting their studies with the aim of collecting useful data for designing workstations. The present study aims to review all of these related studies in order to introduce the state of the art and help to clarify future studies. Methods : Google scholar, SID, Iranmedex, Magiran, MedLib and Civilica were searched through for finding related literature by means of appropriate keywords. 699 papers were found in national databanks; while 900 were found in the Google scholar. Inclusion criteria were set as having the aim of collecting Iranian adults' anthropometric data for workstation or tool design. Results : 4.99 percent of all studies were entered to the study (i.e. 25 papers). Literature dated from 1977 to 2014. Their methodologies and findings were compared. Conclusion : Results showed that existed studies are applicable according to their methodologies; meaning that applying their results into general Iranian population would have some limitations. Therefore, it is necessary to do up-to date the existed anthropometric tables; as well as to produce a comprehensive table for Iranian anthropometric dimensions. __________________________________


This peer-reviewed article examines the different understandings of materiality and materialism at work in the art and writings of the American artists Carl Andre and Robert Smithson. In the case of Andre, it is argued that materiality was defined according to an indifference to form, but complicated by being figured through the mutually cancelling registers of art and industrial labour. Smithson, on the other hand, was critical of Andre's materialism for its Marxist 'romanticism', and sought instead a more radical condition of exteriority that not only defined the industrial decay he was interested in but also determined the more 'immaterial' realms of representation and language. A complicated pattern of definitions emerges that determined each artist's materialism not only as an artistic attitude, but also in the wider terms of a philosophical or political attitude. The article thus clarifies a key theoretical term in relation to which art of the late 1960s defined itself and so contributes to the art-historical understanding of the period.

The research for the article involved primary research in the Archives of American Art in Washington DC, which was supported by a grant from the AHRC.


It is
shown that apart from the two well known levels of cognition involving the epistemological
concepts particulars and universals, there is an intermediate
level of cognition necessitating a new epistemological concept which we call represental. This has become necessary
as a result of emergence of statistics (an empirical science), the theory of
probability (a branch of pure mathematics), and quantum mechanics (as a branch
of physics) at the beginning of the nineteenth century. We attribute to a particular
man (like Mr. Jones)
well defined properties (like a definite number of children) whereas we
attribute to a man, the universal, only some general properties (like having an
erect body). Thus particulars and universals involve two levels of cognition.
In statistics we
deal with the properties of a large number of particulars denoted by a universal,
without referring to such details as which particular has which properties.
Thus statistics involves a new level of cognition. In statistics, we attribute all the
statistical properties to a single entity and refer to it as the represental
(entity); the concept of represental man is only a generalization of the
concept of average man proposed by Quetelet in 1869. These three
epistemological concepts are distinguished by the relation they bear
with respect to the possible "states" of the particulars. For instance, Mr. Jones, a particular man,
can be in the state of having either 0, or 1, or 2, … children only; a man, the
universal, cannot be said to have either 0, or 1, or 2, … children, though the
state of having children is relevant to him (but not to a chair, the
universal); the represental man has 0 child with probability P(0), 1 child with probability P(1), 2 children with probability P(2), …Thus the possible states are mutually exclusive in
particulars, are only relevant to the universal, and coexist in the represental
with respective probabilities. By recognizing that in statistics, the theory of
probability, and quantum mechanics we deal with a new level of cognition
involving the epistemological concept of represental, the interpretational
problems of statistical phenomena are resolved.


A historically unprecedented number of Americans are currently behind bars. Our high rate of incarceration, and the high bills that it generates for American taxpayers, has led to a number of proposals for sentencing reform. For example, bills were recently introduced in both the House and Senate that would roll back federal mandatory minimum sentences for certain drug offenders, and the Obama Administration has announced a plan to grant clemency to hundreds of non-violent drug offenders. Perhaps the most revolutionary proposal, though, is one advanced by the drafters of the Model Penal Code, namely that judges be given the power to resentence offenders who have been serving long sentences on the ground that societal views about the seriousness of the offenses these individuals committed have changed. These evolved societal views, the drafters have asserted, might justify reducing the offenders' sentences. The drafters of the Code have suggested that this position is based in part on retributivism — on what these particular defendants deserve as a result of committing these crimes. But an offender's desert ordinarily does not change as time progresses; it is societal views of desert that change. This raises a new question in criminal law about whether the original sentencer — the one imposing punishment at the time of trial — or a new sentencer — one imposing punishment over a decade after the offense was committed — is better positioned to determine the offender's desert. The drafters of the Code have proffered that a new sentencer is best because it can be more representative of modern values. But the new sentencer does not represent the public against which the offense was committed. And the new sentencer may not be well positioned to assess the offender's culpability or the harm he caused. The new sentencer may be in a better position to know whether, as time has passed, the offender has been rehabilitated or whether he still poses a danger to society, but these factors are not based on the offender's desert. While these other utilitarian considerations may certainly justify second-look sentencing, and while second-look sentencing may very well be a useful innovation, this new approach to sentencing overlooks the important desert-based restraints of limiting retributivism upon which the Code is based. Reliable assessments of an offender's desert generally best lie with the decisionmakers in place around the time the crime was committed.


In the past fifteen years, the emerging field of Market Design has solved important practical problems, and clarified both what we know and what we don't yet know about how markets work. The challenge is to understand complex markets well enough to fix them when they're broken, and implement new markets and market-like mechanisms when needed.Among markets that economists have helped design are multi-unit auctions for complementary goods such as spectrum licenses; computerized clearinghouses such as the National Resident Matching Program, through which most American doctors get their first jobs; decentralized labor markets such as those for more advanced medical positions and for academic positions; school choice systems; and kidney exchange, which allows patients with incompatible living donors to exchange donor kidneys with other incompatible patient-donor pairs.These markets differ from markets for simple commodities, in which, once prices have been established, everyone can choose whatever they can afford. Most of these markets are matching markets, in which you can't just choose what you want, you also have to be chosen. One of the scientific challenges is to learn more about the workings of complex matching markets, such as labor markets for professionals, college admissions, and marriage.


Early Miocene (c. 18 Ma) hominoid sites (Proconsul) from Rusinga Island, Lake Victoria occur in palaeosols and volcaniclastic strata deposited in a semi-arid, seasonal climate on the flanks of the active, low-relief edifice of the Kisingiri volcano. Palaeosols interbedded with sequences of primary pyroclastic deposits have stable carbon isotope values indicative of C3 vegetation from semi-arid environments. Isotopic values of palaeosol organic matter and pedogenic carbonate from the Rusinga Group have average δ13C of – 23.8 ± 0.8 and – 7.7 ± l.l‰, respectively, considerably heavier than average C3 vegetation. These isotopic values were most likely caused by reduced photosynthetic fractionation under water-stressed conditions. Prolonged dry seasons and semi-arid precipitation levels for Rusinga Group fossil soils are also supported by the profile depth of calcareous horizons and vertic clay structures. The principal fossil-bearing units of the Rusinga Group (Kiahera and Hiwegi formations) are dominated by sandy strata which are interbedded with palaeosols and have features indicative of hydromagmatic pyroclastic deposition. Pyroclastic surge features include very low-angle cross-bedding, low amplitude and long-wavelength dune bedforms, moderate to poorly sorted layers of tuffaceous and pebbly sandstones, and common, isolated cobbles and boulder clasts of Precambrian basement rocks with associated impact sags. These features are interpreted as the deposits of pyroclastic surge dune bedforms and ballistically implaced volcanic ejecta, both produced by powerful hydromagmatic explosions from the Kisingiri volcano. According to this interpretation, the initial stages of this carbonatite-nephelinite volcano had repeated episodes of hydromagmatic eruptions which built a large (15–20 km radius), low-relief tuff ring or maar volcano. The palaeosol sequences interbedded with the primary pyroclastic deposits represent periods of volcanic quiescence lasting hundreds to thousands of years. Thus, Proconsul and associated fauna and flora inhabited a frequently disturbed landscape that experienced repeated catastrophic volcanic deposition in an overall semi-arid seasonal climate.


If you need to make a big impact in promoting and growing your aquatic facility, then you need Aquatic Center Marketing. Written by an industry veteran whose novel approach to marketing has garnered numerous national and international awards, this book delivers practical, affordable, and innovative marketing ideas for any new or existing aquatic facility, of any type and size.
 Whether you work for a municipal pool or a commercial property, the tried-and-tested techniques in Aquatic Center Marketing can help your facility flourish:
 • Increase membership
 • Reenergize attendance to keep guests coming back for more
 • Establish your facility's image in the community
 • Reinforce the value of aquatics as an enjoyable lifelong activity
 You'll find chapters on topics such as brand management, market development, guest communications, and how to be effective with limited funding. Learn how the design and signage in your facility can work to excite guests and keep them coming back throughout the season. Understand how to get the most out of your electronic and social media efforts and how to use fun events and themes to attract specific audiences. Then see real-life examples in case studies and stories that demonstrate the practical solutions in action.
 Create memorable experiences for your guests and make your aquatic facility a success. Aquatic Center Marketing is full of realistic, practical ideas that anyone managing an aquatic facility can quickly put to good use to grow the facility and increase the bottom line.


More than 25 inherited neurological disorders are caused by the unstable expansion of repetitive DNA sequences termed short tandem repeats (STRs). A fundamental unresolved question is why specific STRs are susceptible to unstable expansion leading to severe pathology, whereas tens of thousands of normal-length repeat tracts across the human genome are relatively stable. Here, we unexpectedly discover that nearly all STRs associated with repeat expansion diseases are located at boundaries demarcating 3-D chromatin domains. We find that boundaries exhibit markedly higher CpG island density compared to loci internal to domains. Importantly, disease-associated STRs are specifically localized to ultra-dense CpG island-rich boundaries, suggesting that these loci might be hotspots for epigenetic instability and topological disruption upon unstable expansion. In Fragile X Syndrome, mutation-length expansion at the Fmr1 gene results in severe disruption of the boundary between TADs. Our data uncover higher-order chromatin architecture as a new dimension in understanding the mechanistic basis of repeat expansion disorders.


Advances in molecular genetics have facilitated large scale genotyping and therewith utilization of molecular genetic information for selection in many species, including horses and dogs. Genotype-based selection strategies have been developed, but implementation conditions need to be studied in a trait- and population-specific manner. In this work a simulation approach was chosen to investigate implementation issues of marker-assisted selection (MAS), using the example of radiographic health of the limbs in the Warmblood horse, and genomic selection, using the example of canine hip dysplasia (CHD) in the German shepherd dog. Simulation parameters were chosen according to the results of previous population and molecular genetic studies to resemble specific data and pedigree structures as close as possible. For the horse, a multi-generation pedigree was simulated under the assumption of a multiple-trait scenario including one continuous trait and four genetically correlated binary traits. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) information referred to one of the binary traits. Genetic analyses were performed on the basis of phenotype or phenotype and genotype information on population samples of different size using Bayesian methods via Gibbs sampling. Implementation of the Gibbs sampler with a proper prior for the genetic relationship matrix was based on comparison of flat and proper prior analyses which revealed that reliable results can only be obtained under a proper prior. Comparison of results from analyses with and without consideration of genotype information showed that estimation of genetic parameters based on phenotypes and genotypes resulted in overestimation of the polygenic heritability of the binary trait with polygenic and QTL determinants (QTL trait), but increased accuracy of additive genetic correlation estimates. Use of information on two subsequent generations of animals was more efficient in increasing effective sample size and reducing bias of parameter estimates than mere increase of the number of informative animals from one generation. Combined use of phenotype and genotype information on parents and offspring will therefore be beneficial for identification of favorable and unfavorable genetic correlations between traits of interest, facilitating the design of successful multiple-trait selection schemes. Selection response with respect to a QTL trait can be maximized by increasing accuracy of genetic evaluation through combined use of phenotype and genotype information and selecting on the basis of polygenic breeding values and genotypes. Comparison of the applied Gibbs sampling approach with the standard methods, BLUP and REML, indicated superiority of estimating genetic parameters and predicting breeding values in mixed linear-threshold models using Gibbs sampling. Higher success in identifying genetically inferior and superior animals justifies the use of this computationally more demanding approach. Comparison of different selection schemes under realistic conditions such as small numbers of animals with trait information, low heritability of the QTL trait, and low frequency of the favorable QTL allele showed clear superiority of MAS even in a multiple-trait selection scenario with just a single QTL of small size being known for one of the traits. According to the simulation results, horse breeding should benefit from utilizing molecular genetic information by implementing MAS. For the dog, a multi-generation pedigree was simulated under realistic distributions of CHD phenotypes and biallelic markers for CHD. Results of an association study with regard to additive and dominance effects were used to derive genomic breeding values. Short-term responses to different strategies of sire selection were studied with special focus on the possible impact of random versus non-random availability of offspring phenotypes for genetic evaluation of sires. Pre-selection of phenotypes interfered with accurate prediction of breeding values. Response to selection based on the biased breeding values was significantly smaller than genomic selection. Given the equal accuracy of genomic breeding values for all individuals and its independence from amount and distribution of phenotype information on relatives, implementation of genomic selection is expected to result in a fast and considerable increase of breeding progress. Comparative study of long-term selection responses illustrated the limitations of phenotypic selection and the advantages of genomic selection. Use of genomic breeding values for parent selection resulted in large genetic gain due to efficient elimination of unfavorable marker alleles, accompanied by fast phenotypic improvement. In the simulation rigid single-trait selection against CHD on the basis of genomic breeding increased the proportion of dogs free of signs of CHD from initial 61 percent to more than 99 percent within less than ten generations. Although these figures may not be achieved in practical breeding in absence of the idealized selection conditions assumed here, they illustrate the great potential of genomic selection in speeding-up the breeding progress. Together with continued phenotypic monitoring, simulation figures allow definition of time periods after which decline of selection response may require using additional or new markers. Trait- and population-specific simulations were presented as valuable tools to quantify expected benefits from revision of existing breeding programs and introduction of utilization of molecular genetic information in horse and dog breeding.


Objective: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often accompanied by other mental health conditions, including major depressive disorder (MDD), substance misuse disorders, and anxiety disorders. The objective of the current study is to delineate classes of comorbidity and investigate predictors of comorbidity classes amongst a sample of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Regular Force personnel. Methods: Latent class analyses (LCAs) were applied to cross-sectional data obtained between April and August 2013 from a nationally representative random sample of 6700 CAF Regular Force personnel who deployed to the mission in Afghanistan. Results: MDD was the most common diagnosis (8.0%), followed by PTSD (5.3%) and generalized anxiety disorder (4.7%). Of those with a mental health condition, LCA revealed 3 classes of comorbidity: a highly comorbid class (8.3%), a depressed-only class (4.6%), and an alcohol use–only class (3.1%). Multinomial logit regression showed that women (adjusted relative risk ratio [ARRR] = 2.77; 95% CI, 2.13 to 3.60; P < 0.01) and personnel reporting higher trauma exposure (ARRR = 4.18; 95% CI, 3.13 to 5.57; P < 0.01) were at increased risk of membership in the comorbid class compared to those without a mental health condition. When compared to those with no mental health condition, experiencing childhood abuse increased the risk of being in any comorbidity class. Conclusions: Results provide further evidence to support screening for and treatment of comorbid mental health conditions. The role of sex, childhood abuse, and combat deployment in determining class membership may also prove valuable for clinicians treating military-related mental health conditions.


In this paper, we present a novel algorithm for scheduling clock skews in a synchronous digital circuits to optimize performance. The new algorithm is based on inclusively matching allowable clock skews intervals of all local data path in the circuit in order to determine the proper global skew ranges. This algorithm will lead to minimizing the clock period as well as obtaining a list of scheduled skews to be inserted in the clock network. These scheduled skews are then used to obtain a delay model for all branches of the clock distribution network tree. The delay values ensure the proper synchronization of data and eliminate any potential race condition in the circuit. The new algorithm has been tested and found to be a good approach toward reducing the clock period compared with zero intentional skew clocking.


At the time of the election of the European Parliament (EP) in 2014, the European Union (EU) was heavily affected by a multifaceted crisis that had – and still has – far‐reaching implications for the political system of its member countries, but also for the European level of governance. Against the background of the strong Eurosceptic vote in the 2014 EP elections, this study aims to investigate in which way Eurosceptic parties of the left and the right respond to the multiple crises of the EU. Using data from the Euromanifesto Project from 2004/2009 and 2014, changes in the party positions towards the EU are analysed in the shadow of the multiple crises and the reasons thereof are explored. The findings show a general anti‐European shift among the two types of Eurosceptic parties. Nevertheless, the changes in the EU polity tone are not determined by issue‐based repercussions of the multiple crises, but by the EU‐related evaluation – the polity mood – of the national citizenry. For far‐right Eurosceptic parties, the shift is moderated by the level of public support for EU integration in their national environment. Among far‐left Eurosceptic parties, by contrast, it is moderated by the more specific public attitudes about the monetary union policy of the EU. Consequently, political parties when drafting their manifestos for EP elections are not so much guided by the objective severity of political problems or by the evaluations of these problems by the citizenry. What matters in the end is the link that citizens themselves are able to establish between the severity of political problems, on the one hand, and the responsibility of the EU for these problems on the other. This has important consequences for understanding of the nature and substance of political responsiveness within the EU system of multilevel governance.


Urban morphology is one of the main parameters influencing directly and indirectly buildings' energy needs. Despite an increasing number of urban energy and environmental modelling tools addressing these issues, the complexity of physical relationships at this level often constrain urban energy modelers to simplify the problems by considering only parts of the phenomena, thus leading to diverging findings and recommendations related to the relevance of urban morphology. A systematic review of published research works in the field of urban energy and environmental modelling is performed. This involves characterising the research approach, evaluating the physical effects taken into consideration in the models applied, the types of models applied, identifying whether the effect of urban morphology is isolated from other effects, whether the urban scene considered is real or theoretical and parametrised and recognising the performance indicators used for assessment. Last but not least, the type of result and the robustness of the ensuing recommendations in terms of sustainable urban design are critically evaluated according to clearly defined assessment criteria. The main findings related to the impact of urban morphology on energy needs in the built environment are summarised and put in relation to the physical effects taken into consideration, showing that there is no common basis allowing for a generalisation of the knowledge available. Beyond an attempt to cluster the different approaches, the authors conclude that there is a clear need to further develop more comprehensive tools, but also to propose a minimal set of requirements for computational modelling activities in the urban energy field.


Long‐range ordering of dipoles is a key microscopic signature of ferroelectrics. These ordered dipoles form ferroelectric domains, which can be reoriented by electric fields. Relaxor ferroelectrics are a type of ferroelectric where the long‐range ordering of dipoles is disrupted by cation disorder, exhibiting complex polar states with a significant amount of local structural heterogeneity at the nanoscale. They are the materials of choice for numerous devices such as capacitors, nonlinear optical devices, and piezoelectric transducers, owing to their extraordinary dielectric, electro‐optic, and electromechanical properties. However, despite their extensive applications in these devices, the origins of their unique properties are yet to be fully understood, hindering the design and exploration of new relaxor ferroelectric‐based materials. Herein, the complex polar states and applications of relaxor ferroelectrics are first introduced. Attention is then focused on their electromechanical properties, where the relationship between local structural heterogeneity and the extraordinary electromechanical properties is discussed. Based on the understanding of relaxor ferroelectrics, potential strategies to exploit the local structural heterogeneity to design ferroelectrics for drastically enhancing their electromechanical performances are also discussed. It is expected that this article will stimulate future studies on the important roles of local structural heterogeneity in improving the properties of various functional materials.


2-adamantylamino-5-nitropyridine, an organic second-order nonlinear optical crystal with large d coefficient, has been characterized in terms of its absorption and refractive indices to clarify its wavelength-conversion properties. Phase-matching curves are estimated both theoretically and experimentally. The results show that Type II angle-tuned phase-matched wavelength conversion such as second-harmonic generation and optical parametric generation are possible in the wavelength region from 1.2 to 1.7 μm. In addition, 2-adamantylamino-5-nitropyridine shows higher wavelength-conversion efficiency than conventional inorganic crystal. These results indicate that it is possible for 2-adamantylamino-5-nitropyridine to provide Type II angle-tuned phase-matched wavelength conversion with high efficiency for optical communication systems.


Projective contents, which include presuppositional inferences and Potts's (2005) conventional implicatures, are contents that may project when a construction is embedded, as standardly identified by the FAMILY-OF-SENTENCES diagnostic (e.g. Chierchia & McConnell-Ginet 1990). This article establishes distinctions among projective contents on the basis of a series of diagnostics, including a variant of the family-of-sentences diagnostic, that can be applied with linguistically untrained consultants in the field and the laboratory. These diagnostics are intended to serve as part of a toolkit for exploring projective contents across languages, thus allowing generalizations to be examined and validated crosslinguistically. We apply the diagnostics in two languages, focusing on Paraguayan Guaraní (Tupí-Guaraní), and comparing the results to those for English. Our study of Paraguayan Guaraní is the first systematic exploration of projective content in a language other than English. Based on the application of our diagnostics to a wide range of constructions, four subclasses of projective contents emerge. The resulting taxonomy of projective content has strong implications for contemporary theories of projection (e.g. Karttunen 1974, Heim 1983, van der Sandt 1992, Potts 2005, Schlenker 2009), which were developed for the projective properties of particular subclasses and fail to generalize to the full set of projective contents.


Due to complex 3-D heterogeneous structures, conventional 1-D analysis techniques using onshore seismograms can yield incorrect estimation of earthquake source parameters, especially dip angles and centroid depths of offshore earthquakes. Combining long-term onshore seismic observations and numerical simulations of seismic wave propagation in a 3-D model, we conducted centroid moment tensor (CMT) inversions of earthquakes along the Nankai Trough between April 2004 and August 2019 to evaluate decade-scale seismicity. Green's functions for CMT inversions of earthquakes with moment magnitudes of 4.3–6.5 were evaluated using finite-difference method simulations of seismic wave propagation in the regional 3-D velocity structure model. Significant differences of focal mechanisms and centroid depths between previous 1-D and our 3-D catalogues were found in the solutions of offshore earthquakes. By introducing the 3-D structures of the low-velocity accretionary prism and the Philippine Sea Plate, dip angles and centroid depths for offshore earthquakes were well-constrained. Teleseismic CMT also provides robust solutions, but our regional 3-D CMT could provide better constraints of dip angles. Our 3-D CMT catalogue and published slow earthquake catalogues depicted spatial distributions of slip behaviours on the plate boundary along the Nankai Trough. The regular and slow interplate earthquakes were separately distributed, with these distributions reflecting the heterogeneous distribution of effective strengths along the Nankai Trough plate boundary. By comparing the spatial distribution of seismic slip on the plate boundary with the slip-deficit rate distribution, regions with strong coupling were clearly identified.


What makes individuals likely to support state leaders with few constraints on executive authority? Leaders who reorganize power around their position seem inimical to most individuals' welfare. Yet in many countries these leaders receive broad popular support when citizens feel some type of threat. This study argues that territorial threat leads individuals to support this type of state leadership. Mobilization of the military for defense of territory requires discretion by the state leader, leading individuals to interpret checks and balances as obstacles to security. The results using mixed effects logit analyses show a robust connection between territorial threat and individual-level expectations of the state leader. Individuals who live in states under territorial threat are more likely to prefer a state leader unconstrained by legislative process or other checks and balances. The analyses provided in this study have important implications for the study of popular support of democracy.


Asocial behaviour is reflected as delinquency, escape from school and home, drug-addiction, and suicide; all these are different ways to cope in a crisis. In this paper two main sources of children's asocial behaviour are emphasized: 1) children's orientation toward standards of prestige and success stated by society, and 2) the need of valuable emotional bonds. Nowadays student's success is mainly associated with the achievements in academic performance, and success of an adult – with his/her financial and social independence and level of academic education. The worldwide discussion during the last decade about children's rights approximated social status of a child and of an adult. Consequently, the concept of social success of a child and an adult became similar. Results of the study, which was carried out in 1999 show that such understanding of the success exists – level of education and a good paid job are one of the highest values for the youth. More than 1800 students (7-9, 12-14 and 16-18 years old) were questioned in Lithuania and Sweden in 1995 and 1998 with a purpose to find out their opinions about the value of and a support given to children's rights at home and in school, to identify the rights which are valued the most, and to identify violations of a non-discrimination principle in school, to find out students' opinions about equality of students and teachers. The aim of the project was to identify the concepts held by children in different countries about their rights and the reality of their implementations, to assess the level of practising these rights and the nature of socialisation, which reflects the status of children in a society. The findings of the study show that students in Lithuanian schools lack emotional security, respect for their opinion, love and care from adults. Quality of communication with teachers and academic questions are the most urgent issues for students. 72 per cent of them agree that discrimination exists in school; this is especially true for children from poor and problematic families, and for those who are out of standards of beauty, abilities, and behaviour. Results of the study enable stating an assumption that in school exist unfavorable conditions, which trigger the development of an asocial behaviour of students, particularly from those coming from problematic families. The special role in preventing asocial behaviour of children should be given to a social worker, because traditionally social worker is the one who is responsible for changing tactics and principles of social communication, who is also responsible for development and fostering of human potentials and abilities and for their application in a socially accepted way.


A simple network representation is given for a stack of thin, homogeneous piezoelectric plates, executing a single thickness mode of motion. All plates may differ in thickness and material properties, including dielectric loss, ohmic conductivity, and viscous loss. Each plate is driven by a thickness-directed electric field, and all stack elements are connected electrically in series. Functionally gradient single plates and composites are readily modeled by the network, to a desired precision, using a sequence of circuit elements representing stepwise variations in material properties and layer thicknesses. Simulations of RAINBOW (reduced and internally biased oxide wafer) ceramics are given.


In the increasingly popular area of research into creativity in education; students' perceptions of creativity are an important consideration for developing a creative environment. Consequently, student's perceptions of creative thinking and practice are a key resource for educators to be innovative in creating educational excellence. The purpose of this study was to investigate students' perceptions about their art classroom environments which either stimulate or inhibit the development of creative thinking and practices, in girls' intermediate schools (12-15 years) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It addresses the following research question: Is it possible to improve perceptions of creative thinking and practices, of adolescent girls in Saudi Arabia, through control of art classroom environments? There were three parts to this study: firstly, the pre-intervention study to explore and identify a range of factors with potential to influence perceptions of creative thinking and practices; secondly, the main part of the study was the intervention to determine the impact of manipulating classroom variables with potential to influence perceptions of creative thinking and practices; and thirdly, follow up visits to determine whether the environmental changes, and the changes in perceptions, had continued. The samples used in the intervention study were students (n = 225) all from second year classes in nine secondary schools in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The research findings were obtained by observation using behaviour mapping and Likertscale questionnaires indicated that students' perceptions of creative thinking and practices were improved through changing table and seating arrangement and wall displays. The contribution to new knowledge in this study will inform participants working within and related to the field of education and in particular art education, proposing considerations for appropriate improvements to learning environments by:

· Developing a research process for identifying and testing environmental influences upon the perception of creative thinking and practices.
· Evidencing how table and seating arrangement, and wall display, can improve perceptions of creative thinking and practice in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.


Idealized conceptual models of supercontinent cyclicity must be tested against the geologic record using pre-Pangean reconstructions. We integrate tectonostratigraphic records and paleomagnetic data from Siberia, Laurentia, and Baltica to produce a quantitative reconstruction of the core of the Nuna supercontinent at 1.9–1.3 Ga. In our model, the present southern and eastern margins of Siberia juxtapose directly adjacent to, respectively, the arctic margin of Laurentia and the Uralian margin of Baltica. Consistent tectonostratigraphic records of the three cratons collectively indicate the history of Nuna9s assembly and breakup. According to this reconstruction, the late Mesoproterozoic transition from Nuna to Rodinia appears to have been much less dramatic than the subsequent late Neoproterozoic transition from Rodinia to Gondwana.


The report analyses options for allocation of emission allowances to new entrants in the Nordic energy sectors, and give recommendations for harmonised allocation principles for use in the 2008-2012 NAPs of the Nordic countries. It contains quantitative comparisons of allocation to standard energy installations in northern European countries. The authors give specific recommendations on allocation to New Entrants, giving pros and cons of different options. The study finds that current allocation rules does have an impact on investment decisions, and can significantly distort competition if they remain unchanged. IVL recommends that the Nordic countries do not allocate free allowances to new entrants in the energy sector. This should be combined with adjusted rules on allocation to existing installations in order to avoid putting new installations at a disadvantage compared to existing installations. An important condition for this recommendation is that Germany and Poland also radically decreases its allocation to new entrants. If this will not be the case, free allocation should be considered in the Nordic countries as well. Options for this are described in the report. Finally, IVL recommend that the Nordic countries investigate what options are available to provide greater certainty in the allocation, for instance through allocating allowances for longer periods into the future.


We report on measurements of the all-particle cosmic ray energy spectrum and composition in the PeV to EeV energy range using 3 years of data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. The IceTop detector measures cosmic ray induced air showers on the surface of the ice, from which the energy spectrum of cosmic rays is determined by making additional assumptions about the mass composition. A separate measurement is performed when IceTop data are analyzed in coincidence with the high-energy muon energy loss information from the deep in-ice IceCube detector. In this measurement, both the spectrum and the mass composition of the primary cosmic rays are simultaneously reconstructed using a neural network trained on observables from both detectors. The performance and relative advantages of these two distinct analyses are discussed, including the systematic uncertainties and the dependence on the hadronic interaction models, and both all-particle spectra as well as individual spectra for elemental groups are presented.


Abstract Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a re-occurring decimal in Africa. This phenomenon is estimated to occur in over twenty-five (25) countries in Africa. It is further estimated that FGM has been performed on nearly two million adolescent women globally and more than two million adolescent women probably undergo this process on a yearly basis. This paper compared FGM features across five African countries. UNICEF and WHO datasets were used in the analysis. Results show that selected variables swayed the FGM choices differently for each of the five countries used as case studies. Furthermore, results indicate that the FGM is anchored in cultural, religious and traditional processes. If religious and cultural dynamics are ignored, the outright use of laws and education policy framework would be less effective in mitigating the practice. The paper recommends that in addition to legislation and education, a re-orientation of norms and values of African leaders, both traditional and religious, could lower the prevalence of FGM..


This contribution to a special issue on "Computer-aided processing of intertextuality" in ancient texts will illustrate how using digital tools to interact with the Hebrew Bible offers new promising perspectives for visualizing the texts and for performing tasks in education and research. This contribution explores how the corpus of the Hebrew Bible created and maintained by the Eep Talstra Centre for Bible and Computer can support new methods for modern knowledge workers within the field of digital humanities and theology be applied to ancient texts, and how this can be envisioned as a new field of digital intertextuality. The article first describes how the corpus was used to develop the Bible Online Learner as a persuasive technology to enhance language learning with, in, and around a database that acts as the engine driving interactive tasks for learners. Intertextuality in this case is a matter of active exploration and ongoing practice. Furthermore, interactive corpus-technology has an important bearing on the task of textual criticism as a specialized area of research that depends increasingly on the availability of digital resources. Commercial solutions developed by software companies like Logos and Accordance offer a market-based intertextuality defined by the production of advanced digital resources for scholars and students as useful alternatives to often inaccessible and expensive printed versions. It is reasonable to expect that in the future interactive corpus technology will allow scholars to do innovative academic tasks in textual criticism and interpretation. We have already seen the emergence of promising tools for text categorization, analysis of translation shifts, and interpretation. Broadly speaking, interactive tools and tasks within the three areas of language learning, textual criticism, and Biblical studies illustrate a new kind of intertextuality emerging within digital humanities.


Electricity market analysis is useful for accessing strategic market information in order to set energy policy. According to recent interpretations of the Article 44 of the Iranian Laws, the Iranian electricity market is to become a free market. Mechanisms that were implemented in the Spanish electricity market - a free market - provide a versatile benchmark to employ time series modeling approach to compare Iran and Spain's electricity markets via price and load time series as two main indices. Here, we develop linear (autoregressive integrated moving average [MA]), heteroskedastic (autoregressive MA model [ARMA]-generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedastic [GARCH]), and nonlinear time series models to model the Iranian/Spanish electricity market for price and load time series indices. We further utilize the conditional variance to propose the ARMA-TGARCH model as the best suited model for the Iranian electricity market price. We employ our models and time series analysis to forecast and question the status of the Iranian market structure as a free market.


Urban schools and school-based agricultural education programs (SBAE) face challenges to engage students in the educational system. Specifically, urban SBAE programs face unique challenges engaging students in the development and implementation of SAE programs. While SAE continues to be considered a central component to the total SBAE program, a lack of research exists on the utilization of SAE in urban programs. Therefore, this qualitative study sought to identify factors present in the development and implementation of exemplary SAE programs in urban schools. Two urban SBAE programs were purposively sampled through a one-day on-site visit, focus group sessions, and one-on-one interviews. Through the use of the constant comparative method, five themes emerged from the data: 1) Engaged Teachers, 2) In-Class Supervision, 3) Student Interest, 4) Partnerships in SAE, and 5) Development of an SAE Culture. The presence of an SAE culture was found throughout the data and was an essential factor to the development and implementation of student SAE programs. The researchers recommend further investigation of the development of an SAE program and the development of a model to assist agricultural education teachers in successfully creating a culture for SAE in their local SBAE programs.


Palmprint, as a new member of biometrics family, has attracted much of research attention in the past decade. Many different algorithms and systems have been proposed and built. Although, great success has been achieved in palmprint research, palmprint recognition could be further improved in two aspects: higher accuracy and robustness against spoof attack. Multispectral imaging, a method to collect a series of images by different spectra, is a good technique to address the issues mentioned above. In this thesis, different aspects of multispectral palmprint recognition were investigated and discussed.
First, the issues of multispectral palmprint recognition were addressed. A well developed and accurate multispectral palmprint prototype with high speed was proposed. There are four different kinds of illumination in the device developed, blue illumination, green illumination, red illumination, and near infrared illumination. The former three are the primary colors well known in visible spectrum, and they could compose other lights. A large multispectral palmprint database was built by this device. Multispectral palmprint recognition can be regarded as a kind of special multimodal biometrics and there are three popular schemes regarding multimodal fusion: image level, feature level and matching score level. In this thesis, the three levels of fusion were studied and compared. The shortcomings and advantages of each method make them applicable for different applications.
Then, a critical issue for palmprint recognition was studied. Illumination which is used to enhance the palmprint feature is a key component in palmprint recognition system design. Although there are some rules or guidances on the selection of cameras, light types, lens etc. There is no work systematically evaluating whether the white light source, which is the dominant light color in palmprint recognition, and which is the optimal light. Based on the multispectral palmprint image acquisition and additive color theory, seven kinds of palmprint images are acquired by red, green, blue, cyan, yellow, magenta and white lighting. The question which light is optimal for palmprint was studied empirically through three kinds of palmprint recognition algorithms.
After that, although a multispectral palmprint acquisition device was developed, the underlying design principles were not well studied. In general, more feature bands could provide more features and thus get higher accuracy. However, more feature bands may contain redundant information and require too much cost on computation. Thus, the optimal number of feature bands in terms of accuracy and computation cost is a key issue in multispectral imaging. In this thesis, a feature band clustering algorithm was proposed to determine the optimal feature band number. After determining the number, an exhaustive searching could find the optimal combination.
Finally, CompCode, one of state-of-the-art algorithms for palmprint recognition was analyzed and used in this thesis. It is the first algorithm for extracting orientation information for palmprint image with good accuracy and less computation cost on matching. It is mainly composed of three parts: filter design, feature extraction and matching. Although some work has been done on proposing novel filters, little work has been done on feature extraction and matching. A novel feature extraction scheme, Binary Orientation Co-occurrence Vector, was proposed in this thesis. It showed robustness to rotation effect and got better results than CompCode did on public databases. There are two widely used distances for fast orientation feature comparison. They are SUM_XOR and OR_XOR. No one empirically analyzed which one is more appropriate for palmprint recognition, and their relationship is left open for analyzing. In this thesis, a unified distance measurement was proposed. There is one parameter to control the proposed distance, and SUM_XOR and OR_XOR are special cases of theproposed distance with suitable parameter value. It also empirically showed when a suitable parameter was selected, better accuracy could be achieved comparing with the two distances.


The age at which American adolescents first experience sexual intercourse continues to decline. Approximately half of all American females and two-thirds of all males have experienced coitus by 17 years of age.1,2 For those who begin having intercourse before age 18, 45% of females report having had four or more partners,3 and males report having had an average of five partners.2 Most adolescent females report that their first experience was unplanned.4 More than 85% have first coitus before seeking professional advice about preventing pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The earlier the first coitus, the longer the interval until such advice is sought.
 There are a number of consequences of unprotected coitus including pregnancy, often unwanted, and exposure to STDs that may adversely affect pregnancy outcome, damage the reproductive system, or even threaten life.5,6 An estimated 4% of students in grades nine through 12 have a history of a STD.3 The number of adolescents with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has increased 77% since 1989.7 The 10-year latency period between infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and development of symptoms suggests that many AIDS patients were probably infected as teenagers.5 For females, early intercourse, repeated infections, and multiple partners greatly increase the risk of cervical cancer and infertility.5 Although the use of contraception, especially condoms, can prevent many of these conditions, teenagers do not use contraceptives effectively.3
 The 1985 Guttmacher Report found that despite levels of sexual activity comparable to their European counterparts, the teenage pregnancy rate in the United States was two to five times higher than in other developed countries.8


Context The expansion of feral pig populations across the United States has increased the occurrence of damage and damage complaints. New techniques are needed to more effectively manage feral pig damage, including the development of fertility control agents. Aims We aimed to assess the ovotoxic properties of ERL-4221 as a candidate fertility control agent for feral pigs. Methods We conducted two palatability trials to determine ERL-4221 acceptance and one experimental trial with ERL-4221 at the captive wildlife facility of Texas A&M University-Kingsville during 2008. Our experimental trial had three treatments, a control containing no ERL-4221, baits containing 16.0 mg ERL-4221 kg–1 bodyweight for 10 days, and baits containing 16.0 mg ERL-4221 kg–1 bodyweight for 20 days. Key results Final body mass, total ovary mass, number of follicles and number of corpora lutea did not differ between treatments. Conclusions We did not find it efficacious to orally deliver ERL-4221 to feral pigs to reduce fertility. Oral delivery is the most practical, cost-effective means of delivering fertility control agents to feral pigs and development of additional fertility control strategies are needed. Implications Unless ovotoxic effects of ERL-4221 can be identified in feral pigs, along with a successful means of administration, other fertility control strategies may need to be explored, such as oocyte-secreted proteins that regulate follicular development.


The main Borrelia species causing Lyme borreliosis in Europe and Asia are Borrelia afzelii, B. garinii, B. burgdorferi and B. bavariensis. This is in contrast to the United States, where infections are exclusively caused by B. burgdorferi. Until to date the genome sequences of four B. afzelii strains, of which only two include the numerous plasmids, are available. In order to further assess the genetic diversity of B. afzelii, the most common species in Europe, responsible for the large variety of clinical manifestations of Lyme borreliosis, we have determined the full genome sequence of the B. afzelii strain K78, a clinical isolate from Austria. The K78 genome contains a linear chromosome (905,949 bp) and 13 plasmids (8 linear and 5 circular) together presenting 1,309 open reading frames of which 496 are located on plasmids. With the exception of lp28-8, all linear replicons in their full length including their telomeres have been sequenced. The comparison with the genomes of the four other B. afzelii strains, ACA-1, PKo, HLJ01 and Tom3107, as well as the one of B. burgdorferi strain B31, confirmed a high degree of conservation within the linear chromosome of B. afzelii, whereas plasmid encoded genes showed a much larger diversity. Since some plasmids present in B. burgdorferi are missing in the B. afzelii genomes, the corresponding virulence factors of B. burgdorferi are found in B. afzelii on other unrelated plasmids. In addition, we have identified a species specific region in the circular plasmid, cp26, which could be used for species determination. Different non-coding RNAs have been located on the B. afzelii K78 genome, which have not previously been annotated in any of the published Borrelia genomes.


This article analyzes why, despite similar transformations in the dimensions structuring political space since the late 1980s, extreme right-wing populist parties have emerged in some West European countries, but not in others. Two factors may affect the fortunes of these parties. First, if electorates remain firmly entrenched in older cleavages, new parties will find it difficult to establish themselves. Second, the positions of the established actors with respect to the new cultural divide that the extreme populist right mobilizes may be crucial. This article systematizes the various explanations regarding the impact of mainstream party positions on the electoral fortunes of the extreme right, and develops two new hypotheses that differentiate between the conditions that favor the entry of the extreme right, and its subsequent success. The various hypotheses are then tested in an empirical analysis of election campaigns in France and Germany, combining data on party positions as reflected in the news media with mass-level surveys. The results show that the diverging behavior of the established parties, rather than the strength of the traditional state-market cleavage, explains the differences between these two countries. More specifically, the differing strategy of the mainstream left in the two contexts has allowed the Front National to anchor itself in the French party system, whereas similar parties have not achieved a breakthrough in Germany.


Small lakes are an important source of greenhouse gases in the boreal zone. These lakes are severely impacted by the winter season, when ice and snow cover obstruct gas exchange between the lake and the atmosphere and diminish light availability in the water column. Currently, climate change is resulting in reduced spring snow cover. A short-term removal of the snow from the ice stimulated algal primary producers and subsequently heterotrophic bacteria. Concurrently, the relative abundance of methanotrophic bacteria decreased and methane concentrations increased. Our results increase the general knowledge of microbial life under ice and, specifically, the understanding of the potential impact of climate change on boreal lakes. ABSTRACT Climate change scenarios anticipate decreased spring snow cover in boreal and subarctic regions. Forest lakes are abundant in these regions and substantial contributors of methane emissions. To investigate the effect of reduced snow cover, we experimentally removed snow from an anoxic frozen lake. We observed that the removal of snow increased light penetration through the ice, increasing water temperature and modifying microbial composition in the different depths. Chlorophyll a and b concentrations increased in the upper water column, suggesting activation of algal primary producers. At the same time, Chlorobiaceae, one of the key photosynthetic bacterial families in anoxic lakes, shifted to lower depths. Moreover, a decrease in the relative abundance of methanotrophs within the bacterial family Methylococcaceae was detected, concurrent with an increase in methane concentration in the water column. These results indicate that decreased snow cover impacts both primary production and methane production and/or consumption, which may ultimately lead to increased methane emissions after spring ice off. IMPORTANCE Small lakes are an important source of greenhouse gases in the boreal zone. These lakes are severely impacted by the winter season, when ice and snow cover obstruct gas exchange between the lake and the atmosphere and diminish light availability in the water column. Currently, climate change is resulting in reduced spring snow cover. A short-term removal of the snow from the ice stimulated algal primary producers and subsequently heterotrophic bacteria. Concurrently, the relative abundance of methanotrophic bacteria decreased and methane concentrations increased. Our results increase the general knowledge of microbial life under ice and, specifically, the understanding of the potential impact of climate change on boreal lakes.


In the literature on healthy humans, effort is poorly studied and an extension from an animal literature is just emerging. I tested an hypothesis that physical effort is a non-trivial aspect of motivated behaviour; it serves as a cost and interacts with outcomes. To do this I conducted four experimental studies and extended the range of costs to include pain. In my first experiment, I develop a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) task assessing willingness to expend effort. I show that physical effort discounts value of actions and that activity in dorsal striatum is associated with effort of selected actions. In addition to influencing choice, effort may be influenced by affective outcomes. In my second experiment, I develop a behavioural instrumental learning task examining how reward and punishment influence learning about effortful response. I show that it is easier to expend effort to gain reward and to withdraw effort to avoid punishment, but not the other way around; in other words it is more difficult to expend effort to avoid punishment and to withdraw effort to gain reward. Results from reinforcement learning modelling account for this tendency in terms of a pavlovian influence on effort. On the one hand, outcome has an influence in effort while, on the other, effort may modulate neural signalling of action anticipation and outcome delivery. In my third experiment, I develop an fMRI cue-predictive instrumental task investigating brain responses for effort anticipation and outcome evaluation. I show that activity in anterior cingulate cortex and dorsal striatum is sensitive to anticipated effort and highlight an effort modulation on activity in ventromedial prefrontal cortex and ventral striatum associated with expected outcomes. Finally, I extend my investigation of costly behaviour in effort to pain by showing an influence of context effects in pain avoidance behaviour.
In summary, within this thesis I demostrate that physical effort as a cost is non-trivial in that it i) discounts value, ii) is sensitive to pavlovian influences, iii) is neurally anticipated and iv) modulates outcome signalling. I show the viability of various experimental paradigms to assess costly behaviours driven by effort and extend this endeavour by studying cost-driven pain avoidance. These experiments forge new research directions for understanding action and decision making as well as show promise for testing aberrant populations that often present with pathology that may reflect under- and over-motivated actions (e.g., apathy and perseveration).


The aim of this research is to examine clusters as a major source of external knowledge and competitiveness for Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs). In contrast to global network firms which have relatively high ability to build joint knowledge stocks and alliance capabilities by relying on partners based in dense clusters across the globe, located SMEs face the challenge of how they can utilize existing tools and practices to sustain and enhance their competitive positioning in the marketplace. While reliance on accumulated alliance experience and alliance portfolio management have often been cited as mechanisms for large firms to build an alliance capability, a systematic analysis of how clustering assists SMEs to build capabilities is yet to be examined. At the very least, the existing research highlights need for sustained investment in developing dynamic capabilities as a primary force behind a firm's competitiveness. As clusters may not consistent of homogeneous collection of SMEs and that each SME is fully embedded in a different social and economic network, there is a need to understand the manner in which SMEs build dynamic capabilities to address rapidly changing business environments. In this research, dynamic capability connotes a strategic competency which enables clusters on two fronts: (i) to identify and effectively handle major issues arising from internal and external business environments and (ii) to seize the opportunity to innovate, to be cost effective, to be flexible and finally to provide a more profitable and agile response on an on-demand basis to the marketplace.


Drawing on recent advances in the social sciences, this volume shows how rigorous, theory-based empirical research can help improve the management of public policies and programs - and how better governance can lead to better performance. These original essays demonstrate how better data and improved statistical techniques have allowed researchers to construct more complex models of governance processes and thereby assess the effects of many variables on policy and program outcomes. They present useful research results that illuminate such issues as automatic grade advancement in public schools, management of federally-funded job-training programs, reducing welfare caseloads, and management of welfare-to-work programs. Illustrating a range of theoretical and methodological possibilities, this book shows how more sophisticated research in public management can help improve government performance.


I. INTRODUCTION We have been told on countless occasions that we are at war against international terrorism. Casualties, both civilian and military, mount in this war-the most noteworthy terrorist attack produced more casualties than the attack on Pearl Harbor. Our military forces are engaged in a multitude of ways, from direct combat overseas, to advising friendly governments and their militaries, to assisting domestic law enforcement.1 We are advised that this war, like the Cold War before it, will be a long and difficult struggle. But if we are at war, it is a very different kind of war. Our enemies are not the soldiers of a state. In fact, following the military defeat of the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan, there is no state in the world that overtly claims to be anything other than our ally in this struggle. Al Qaeda's goals are not to conquer territory, control resources, nor even further traditional political or ideological purposes. They seek weapons of mass destruction-not as deterrents against the actions of other states-but for use at times and in places calculated to cause maximum destruction and horror. The enemy "soldiers" wear no uniforms, have no fixed bases, and are themselves essentially stateless.2 Yet those with whom we are at war must operate from somewhere. They must store weapons somewhere; they must train and house their fighters somewhere; they must develop their plans somewhere; and their leaders must sleep somewhere. These activities must occur on the territory of some state. Moreover, they must be supported from somewhere. Their weapons must come from somewhere, their funds must come from somewhere, and their supplies must come from somewhere. How can states counter this new threat? If a country is to attack nonstate actors, what is the appropriate predicate to conduct that attack on the territory of another state? Is the current state of international law adequately addressing the relatively recent phenomenon of nonstate terrorist organizations that have many of the indicia of statehood? What are the legal theories that support possible state responses to varying degrees of terrorism? Do states have responsibilities and duties to counter terrorist acts, and do other states have a legal basis upon which they can effectively act if these duties are breached? This Article addresses these questions and submits that, in fact, current international law provides a basis for state actions that respond effectively to terrorist acts. However, this Article argues that the precepts of state responsibility and the commonly accepted 19th century definition of anticipatory self-defense must be adapted to recognize the technological realities of the 21st century. II. TWO APPROACHES TO TERRORISM A state may use two possible legal theories in responding to terrorist acts: (1) a law enforcement approach or (2) a use of armed force (conflict management) approach. Until recently, the law enforcement approach has predominated.3 This approach considers terrorist events as purely criminal acts to be addressed by various civil government functions-essentially the domestic criminal justice system and its components: police, investigators, prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, juries, appellate courts, and a corrections system. If successful, actors are identified, prosecuted, convicted, and punished. As there is no agreed upon definition of terrorism,4 the crimes charged-murder, kidnapping, hijacking, and arson-reflect domestic criminal law with little or no reference to the terrorist motives of the defendants or the international character of their organizations. Some argue that the possibility of dismissed charges or acquitted defendants should result in the abandonment of the law enforcement approach. They believe that only the use of armed force will result in the degree of decisive action that will minimize the likelihood that offenders will go unpunished. …


The Olympic Games have evolved into the most prestigious sport event on the planet. As a consequence, each Games generates more and more interest from the academic community. Sociology, politics, geography and history have all played a part in helping to understand the meanings and implications of the Games. Heritage, too, offers invaluable insights into what we value about the Games, and what we would like to pass on to future generations. Each Olympic Games unquestionably represents key life-markers to a broad audience across the world, and the great events that take place within them become worthy of remembrance, celebration and protection. The more tangible heritage features are also evident; from the myriad artefacts and ephemera found in museums to the celebratory symbolism of past Olympic venues and sites that have become visitor attractions in their own right. This edited collection offers detailed and thought-provoking examples of these heritage components, and illustrates powerfully the breadth, passion and cultural significance that the Olympics engender. This book was published as a special issue of the International Journal of Heritage Studies.


We explore theoretically and empirically whether social interaction, including local and global interaction, influences the incidence of corruption. We first present an interaction-based model on corruption that predicts that the level of corruption is positively associated with social interaction. Then we empirically verify the theoretical prediction using within-country evidence at the province-level in China during 1998 to 2007. Panel data evidence clearly indicates that social interaction has a statistically significantly positive effect on the corruption rate in China. Our findings, therefore, underscore the relevance of social interaction in understanding corruption. JEL classification: K420, D720, D640, O170, J240


[Summary]:
Non-timber forest product (NTFP) is one of the sources of livelihood in developing countries like Nepal. In the present context of agriculture crop production decline because of climate change, an alternative to agro-crops, NTFP species domestication could be a viable option of livelihood for the resource poor farmers of south Asian region. Domestication is important in two ways: One is that helps fulfil the demand of food and other is that it helps conserve natural resource base in the forest. Therefore, domestication is critical for both livelihood and environmental sustainability.

The book Non-timber Forest Products (NTFPs) and Domestication provides an insight into the potentiality of cultivation of NTFPs in cultivated land in place of agro-crops. Based on a structured questionnaire survey and some secondary documents this book has sought to explore the perception of smallholder farmers whether or not the NTFPs could be an alternative to existing agro-crops. The book deals with constraints and opportunities, market opportunities and risks with regards to promotion (domestication) of NTFPs in the cultivated land. The book also throws light on whether or not the existing policies are favourable to NTFPs domestication at farm level. Findings suggest that farmers are very much willing to cultivate NTFPs in their farmland in place of agro-crops. They perceive NTFPs more profitable and environmentally desirable than agro-crops since NTFPs requires less input (fertiliser, soil works, labour etc.) than agro-crops. But farmers are reluctant to adopt domestication extensively because of market risks (price fluctuation, insecure market, trader domination). Lack of direct access of farmers to the big trading companies is another constraint posed to expensive cultivation of NTFPs in the farm land.


We present the results of an intensive coordinated monitoring campaign in the optical and X-ray wavelength ranges of the low-mass, pre-main sequence star V410 Tau carried out in November 2001. The aim of this project was to study the relation between various indicators for magnetic activity that probe dierent emitting regions and would allow us to obtain clues on the interplay of the dierent atmospheric layers: optical photometric star spot (rotation) cycle, chromospheric H emission, and coronal X-rays. Our optical photometric monitoring has allowed us to measure the time of the minimum of the lightcurve with high precision. Joining the result with previous data we provide a new estimate for the dominant periodicity of V410 Tau (1:871970 0:000010 d). This updated value removes systematic osets of the time of minimum observed in data taken over the last decade. The recurrence of the minimum in the optical lightcurve over such a long timescale emphasizes the extraordinary stability of the largest spot. This is confirmed by radial velocity measurements: data from 1993 and 2001 fit almost exactly onto each other when folded with the new period. The combination of the new data from November 2001 with published measurements taken during the last decade allows us to examine long-term changes in the mean light level of the photometry of V410 Tau. A variation on the timescale of 5:4 yr is suggested. Assuming that this behavior is truly cyclic V410 Tau is the first pre-main sequence star on which an activity cycle is detected. Two X-ray pointings were carried out with the Chandra satellite simultaneously with the optical observations, and centered near the maximum and minimum levels of the optical lightcurve. A relation of their dierent count levels to the rotation period of the dominating spot is not confirmed by a third Chandra observation carried out some months later, during another minimum of the 1.87 d cycle. Similarly we find no indications for a correlation of the H emission with the spots' rotational phase. The lack of detected rotational modulation in two important activity diagnostics seems to argue against a direct association of chromospheric and coronal emission with the spot distribution.


We present new complexity results and efficient algorithms for optimal route planning in the presence of uncertainty. We employ a decision theoretic framework for defining the optimal route: for a given source S and destination T in the graph, we seek an ST-path of lowest expected cost where the edge travel times are random variables and the cost is a nonlinear function of total travel time. Although this is a natural model for route-planning on real-world road networks, results are sparse due to the analytic difficulty of finding closed form expressions for the expected cost (Fan, Kalaba & Moore), as well as the computational/combinatorial difficulty of efficiently finding an optimal path which minimizes the expected cost. We identify a family of appropriate cost models and travel time distributions that are closed under convolution and physically valid. We obtain hardness results for routing problems with a given start time and cost functions with a global minimum, in a variety of deterministic and stochastic settings. In general the global cost is not separable into edge costs, precluding classic shortest-path approaches. However, using partial minimization techniques, we exhibit an efficient solution via dynamic programming with low polynomial complexity.


This study systematically examined the extent of environmental sustainability (ES) research within the sport-related journal sample of academic literature to identify areas of under-emphasis and recommend directions for future research. The data collection and analysis followed a content analysis framework. The investigation involved a total of 21 sport-related academic journals that included 4,639 peer-reviewed articles published from 1987 to 2008. Findings indicated a paucity of sport-ES research articles (n = 17) during this time period. Further analysis compared the sport-ES studies within the sample to research in the broader management literature. A research agenda is suggested to advance sport-ES beyond the infancy stage.


The Aesthetics of Hate examines the writings of a motley collection of interwar far-right intellectuals, showing that they defined Frenchness in racial, gendered, and sexual terms. A broad, ambitious cultural and intellectual history, the book offers a provocative reinterpretation of a topic that has long been the subject of controversy. In works infused with rhetorics of abjection, disgust, and dissolution, such writers as Maulnier, Brasillach, Celine, and Blanchot imagined the nation through figures deemed illegitimate or inferior-Jews, colonial subjects, homosexuals, women. Sanos argues that these intellectuals offered an "aesthetics of hate," reinventing a language of far-right nationalism by appealing to the realm of beauty and the sublime for political solutions. By acknowledging the constitutive relationship of antisemitism and colonial racism at the heart of these canonical writers' nationalism, this book makes us rethink how aesthetics and politics function, how race is imagined and defined, how gender structured far-right thought, and how we conceive of French intellectualism and fascism.


Why is the public presentation of the war on terror suffused with sexualised racism? What does this tell us about ideas of gender, sexuality, religious and political identity and the role of the state in the Western powers? Can we diffuse inter-ethnic conflicts and change the way the West pursues its security agenda by understanding the role of sexualised racism in the war on terror? In asking such questions, Gargi Bhattacharyya considers how the concepts of imperialism, feminism, terror and security can be applied, in order to build on the influential debates about the sexualised character of colonialism. She examines the way in which western imperial violence has been associated with the rhetoric of rights and democracy - a project of bombing for freedom that has called into question the validity of western conceptions of democracy, rights and feminism. Such rhetoric has given rise to actions that go beyond simply protecting western interests or securing access to scarce resources and appear to be beyond instrumental reason. The articulations of racism that appear with the war on terror are animated by fears and sexual fantasies inexplicable by rational interest alone. There can be no resolution to this seemingly endless conflict without understanding the highly sexualised racism that animates it. Such an understanding threatens to pierce the heart of imperial relations, revealing their intense contradictions and uncovering attempts to normalise violent expropriation.


Oil pollution can cause tremendous harm and risk to the water ecosystem and organisms due to the relatively recalcitrant hydrocarbon compounds. The current chemical method used to treat the ecosystem polluted with diesel is incompetent and expensive for a large-scale treatment. Thus, bioremediation technique seems urgent and requires more attention to solve the existing environmental problems. Biological agents, including microorganisms, carry out the biodegradation process where organic pollutants are mineralized into water, carbon dioxide, and less toxic compounds. Hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria are ubiquitous in the nature and often exploited for their specialty to bioremediate the oil-polluted area. The capability of these bacteria to utilize hydrocarbon compounds as a carbon source is the main reason behind their species exploitation. Recently, microbial remediation by halophilic bacteria has received many positive feedbacks as an efficient pollutant degrader. These halophilic bacteria are also considered as suitable candidates for bioremediation in hypersaline environments. However, only a few microbial species have been isolated with limited available information on the biodegradation of organic pollutants by halophilic bacteria. The fundamental aspect for successful bioremediation includes selecting appropriate microbes with a high capability of pollutant degradation. Therefore, high salinity bacteria are remarkable microbes for diesel degradation. This paper provides an updated overview of diesel hydrocarbon degradation, the effects of oil spills on the environment and living organisms, and the potential role of high salinity bacteria to decontaminate the organic pollutants in the water environment.