Graph matching is a generalization of the classic graph isomorphism problem. By using only their structures a graph-matching algorithm finds a map between the vertex sets of two similar graphs. This has applications in the de-anonymization of social and information networks and, more generally, in the merging of structural data from different domains.
 One class of graph-matching algorithms starts with a known seed set of matched node pairs. Despite the success of these algorithms in practical applications, their performance has been observed to be very sensitive to the size of the seed set. The lack of a rigorous understanding of parameters and performance makes it difficult to design systems and predict their behavior.
 In this paper, we propose and analyze a very simple percolation - based graph matching algorithm that incrementally maps every pair of nodes (i,j) with at least r neighboring mapped pairs. The simplicity of this algorithm makes possible a rigorous analysis that relies on recent advances in bootstrap percolation theory for the G(n,p) random graph. We prove conditions on the model parameters in which percolation graph matching succeeds, and we establish a phase transition in the size of the seed set. We also confirm through experiments that the performance of percolation graph matching is surprisingly good, both for synthetic graphs and real social-network data.


Abstract The paper discusses the concept of adequacy central for Pertażycki's methodology. According to Petrażycki any valuable scientific theory should be adequate, that is, neither limping (to broad with respect its actual scope) nor jumping (too narrow with respect to its actual scope). Consequently, adequacy of a theory is a stronger condition than its truth. Every adequacy theory is true, but not conversely. However, there is problem, because scientific laws are conditionals (implications). This suggests that adequacy is too strong conditions, because the consequence of an implication has a wider scope than its antecedent. Thus, laws should have the form of equivalence. The paper shows how model-theoretic characterization of theories allows to recognize truth and adequacy, consistently with Petrażycki's claims.


Local or village chickens are the major source of poultry products in less developed countries, but information is limited on their susceptibility or resistance to diseases. In this work, 6-week-old local Nigerian chickens, pullets and broilers were used. One day before infection the mean body weight of the broilers was more than twice that of the pullets and local chickens. The bursa: body weight (B:BW) indices of the pullets and local chickens were similar, but were significantly higher than those of broilers. Following inoculation intraocularly with pathogenic infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) drowsiness, drop in feed and water consumption, and diarrhoea were observed among the local chickens and pullets on day 2 post inoculation (p.i.) and in the broilers on day 3 p.i. Body weight losses from 1 to 11 days p.i. were significantly higher in the local chickens and pullets than in the broilers, total mortalities being 17.6, 50.0 and 61.51% in broilers, pullets and local chickens, respectively. Necropsy showed that dehydration and proventricular haemorrhages occurred most frequent in the local chickens. The response correlated with the B:BW indices on day 14 p.i. This showed that local Nigerian chickens are more susceptible to IBD than broilers and slightly more susceptible than pullets, explaining earlier reports that mortality due to IBD was higher in pullets or light breeds of chicken than in broilers or heavy breeds.


The strategy for the development of healthcare in the Russian Federation improves the staffing of the healthcare system, identified as a priority. The state programs set target indicators for the provision of the population with medical personnel, measures to equip medical organizations with medical workers, and measures of social support for medical workers. The aim of the work was to study the factors relevant for graduates that determine the choice of place of work and the development, based on the data obtained, of measures aimed at improving the availability of qualified medical personnel for medical organizations. The results of a sociological study of graduates of a medical university on the problems of employment in medical organizations are studied. Analyzed: indicators of the population of the region with doctors; the need for medical organizations of the region in medical personnel; events implemented in the region in order to provide medical organizations with qualified personnel. The measures, the implementation of which is aimed at increasing the availability of medical organizations with qualified personnel and achieving the effectiveness of employment of graduates of the university, are determined.


The relationship developed in soil mechanics between void ratio and vertical effective stress is a simple but practical way of describing the one-dimensional, mechanical compaction of fine-grained, clastic mudstones. The compression coefficients (e100 and ß) that define this relationship are strongly influenced by grain size, which can be simply described by the sediment's clay content. In this paper, data both from the soil mechanics literature and from geological samples from the North Sea and Gulf of Mexico are used to construct the relationship between clay content and compression coefficients. The two datasets yield different values for the coefficients, but the authors believe that the coefficients derived from the large geological database should be used to describe geological compaction. Regression of the geological data generates the following relationships between clay content and compression coefficients: \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \[e_{100}{\,}={\,}0.3024{\,}+{\,}1.6867clay{\,}+{\,}1.9505clay^{2}\] \end{document} \batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \[{\beta}{\,}={\,}0.0407{\,}+{\,}0.2479clay{\,}+{\,}0.3684clay^{2}\] \end{document} There is excellent agreement between true porosities and porosities calculated using the standard soil mechanics compaction equation with these coefficients. This indicates that the mechanical compaction of natural mudstones to 40 MPa can be adequately described using the soil mechanics approach. Practical application of the work is a two-stage process which first involves the evaluation of clay content and, thus, compression coefficients directly from wireline log data. These data can then be used to (a) help define effective stress–porosity inputs for basin models and (b) estimate mudstone pore pressures. Examples of pore pressure estimates are shown from west Africa, the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.


This proposal examined the spatial characteristics of coral reefs that are associated with the effectiveness of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) network in West Hawaii and the post-settlement processes affecting the demography of aquarium fish. Our results indicate that the geomorphology of the reef, area of reef habitats, and level of habitat complexity were associated with the significant recovery of aquarium fish populations, particularly, yellow tang Zebrasoma flavescens, the most heavily collected aquarium species in Hawaii. For example, locations having large areas of coral-rich and boulder-turf-rich habitats at a range of depths and retention features important for settlement, juvenile survivorship, and adult reproduction supported a higher number of each of the life stages of yellow tang. Recruit densities were higher in finger coral habitats, but not correlative relationship was detected between the abundance of recruits at both high and low levels of finger coral cover in the presence of predators. Furthermore, recruitment rate and years of closure influenced the effectiveness of the network, with more MPAs showing significant increases of yellow tang as years of protection increased and recruitment was consistent. The design of the West Hawaii MPA network was effective at replenishing aquarium fish populations by protecting both newly recruited fish to nearshore reef habitats and foraging and sheltering locations for juveniles and adult breeding populations. Our results demonstrated that guidelines for designing MPA networks should depend on the life history and spatial requirements of the species being protected. Consequently, results from this study suggest that the use of landscape metrics and new technologies, such as remote sensing and geographical information systems, coupled with in situ population sampling can provide managers with the information required to select and manage reef systems for maximum benefit to targeted fish populations.


Consideration of comity in antitrust cases is more important than ever. The global proliferation of competition law enforcement agencies has produced profound effects. Most are highly beneficial for consumers at a local level, but these many agencies create significant difficulties because they apply different legal standards, procedures, and approaches to identifying and redressing perceived antitrust violations. One inescapable consequence is a much greater risk of conflict. This conflict can take various forms. In the extreme case, it can mean that different jurisdictions impose conflicting remedies for the same conduct irrespective of the effect in another jurisdiction, making it impossible for a party to comply with both remedies. But there are more subtle tensions, equally problematic, that can result in the regulation of a party's conduct by one or more agencies that affect market conduct far beyond the enforcing agency's own borders. These risks are particularly high when an agency applies the "effects" doctrine, which often results in remedies that necessarily have an effect beyond that jurisdiction's own borders. Agencies seeking to enforce their antitrust laws should recognize these risks and guard against interfering with the legitimate interests of other governments regulating conduct within their own borders and determining how their own domestic markets should function. This Article examines some of the sources of tension in the competition ecosystem and the means the agencies now use to address those conflicts. The Article identifies a gap that still exists between the need for and mechanisms of coordination and proposes an expanded use of traditional comity to ensure that international competition law enforcement produces benefits for consumers while minimizing unnecessary and inappropriate interference with the legitimate interests of foreign jurisdictions.


This essay seeks to explore Wordsworth's ambivalent relation to the commodity culture emerging in England around the turn of the Nineteenth-century. It does so by examining his unpublished poem "The Ruined Cottage" and his preface to Lyrical Ballads in two related contexts: the discourse of advertising and the history of consumer culture, including the institution of peddling. Wordsworth's promise of the possibility of "enjoyments of. . . a more exquisite nature" available in his poetry if readers are willing to "give up much of what is ordinarily enjoyed" as poetry is similar to the structure of advertisement copy then as now: give up the product you now enjoy for a new and improved one. In the very essay in which he articulates a critique of industrialization and consumerism, Wordsworth unwittingly proposes a consumerist solution to the problem of consumerism. Drawing on the historical work of Colin Campbell and Neil McKendrick, this essay suggests that a dynamic similar to that operating in the preface holds for "The Ruined Cottage" as well. There is a distinct pattern in the poem, particularly in the Pedlar's visits to Margaret, of intense but fleeting attachment which is similar to the process of consumption in which buyers form an intense attachment to a commodity which is abandoned a short time later as attachments to new products are formed. Far from being an example of the Romantic ideology in which poetry evades history, the poem can be seen as a Godwinian analysis of the ways which social forces and institutions "insinuate themselves" into the most intimate matters (82).


People disagree frequently, about both objective and subjective matters. But while at least one party must be wrong in a disagreement about objective matters, it seems that both parties can be right when it comes to subjective ones: it seems that there can be faultless disagreements. But how is this possible? How can people disagree with one another if they are both right? And why should they? In recent years, a number of philosophers and linguists have argued that we must become relativists about truth to understand faultless disagreements. This book shows that we can dispense with relativism. It combines a more standard semantics with a novel pragmatic theory to develop a superior approach. The book discusses both classic and recent literature in philosophy and linguistics. It provides a general introduction to the debate about the semantics and pragmatics of perspectival expressions, as well as an original contribution to the contemporary discussion.


Effective water resources planning, allocation, management, and use in agroecosystems require accurate quantification of actual evapotranspiration ETc during growing and nongrowing dormant periods. Prediction of ETc for a variety of vegetation surfaces during the growing season has been researched extensively, but relatively little information exists on evaporative losses during nongrow- ing periods for different surfaces. The objectives of this research were to evaluate ETc in relation to available energy, precipitation, and grass and alfalfa-reference ET ETo and ETr for a maize Zea mays. L field and to analyze the dynamics of surface coefficients Kc during the nongrowing period October 15-April 30. The evaporative losses were measured using a Bowen ratio energy balance system BREBS on an hourly basis and averaged over 24 h for three consecutive nongrowing periods: 2004-2005 Season I, 2005-2006 Season II, and 2006-2007 Season III. BREBS-measured ETc was approximately 50% of available energy RnG; Rn is net radiation and G is soil heat flux density during normal and wet seasons Seasons I and III and 41% of available energy during a dry season Season II. Cumulative ETc ranged from 133 mm in Season II to 167 mm in Season III and exceeded precipitation by 21% during the dry season. The ratio of ETc to precipitation was 0.85 in Season I, 1.21 in Season II, and 0.41 in Season III. ETc was approximately 50% of ETo and 36% of ETr in both Seasons I and III, whereas in Season II, ETc was 32% of ETo and 23% of ETr. Overall, measured ETc during the dormant season was generally most strongly correlated with radiation terms, particularly Rn, albedo, incoming shortwave radiation, and outgoing longwave radiation. Average surface coefficients over the three seasons were 0.44 and 0.33 for grass and alfalfa-reference surfaces, respectively. Using geometric mean Kc values to calculate ETc using a KcETref approach over the entire nongrowing season yielded adequate predictions with overall root mean square deviations of 0.64 and 0.67 mm day 1 for ETo and ETr, respectively. Estimates of ETc using a dual crop coefficient approach were good on a seasonal basis, but performed less well on a daily basis. Regression equations that were developed accounting for serial autocorrelation in the ETc and ETref time series yielded good estimates of ETc. Considering nongrowing period evaporative losses in water budget calculations would enable water regulatory agencies to better account for water use in hydrologic balance calculations over the entire year rather than only for the growing season and to better assess the progression and availability of water resources for the next growing season.


Quantum effects are known to provide an advantage in particle transfer across networks. In order to achieve this advantage, requirements on both a graph type and a quantum system coherence must be found. Here, it is shown that the process of finding these requirements can be automated by learning from simulated examples. The automation is done by using a convolutional neural network of a particular type that learns to understand with which network and under which coherence requirements quantum advantage is possible. The machine learning approach is applied to study noisy quantum walks on cycle graphs of different sizes. It is found that it is possible to predict the existence of quantum advantage for the entire decoherence parameter range, even for graphs outside of the training set. The results are of importance for demonstration of advantage in quantum experiments and pave the way toward automating scientific research and discoveries.


Seven of the eleven species of shore crabs of the families Grapsidae and Ocypodidae occurring in Tasmania are considered; synonymies, detailed locality lists and comments on previous work are given; the remaining four species have been recently discussed in detail elsewhere by Campbell and Griffin (1966). The sesarmine Paragrapsus laevis (Dana) is recorded definitely from Tasmania for the first time. The status of this species and of Leptograpsodes octodentatus (H. Milne Edwards) is discussed. The zoogeographical relations of the Tasmanian grapsid and ocypodid fauna are considered.


From thermal desorption spectroscopy we find that ferrocene, Fe(C5H5)2, adsorbs and desorbs associatively on Ag(100). Photoemission results indicate that the initially adsorbed surface species closely resembles that of molecular ferrocene. The shift in photoemission binding energies relative to the gas phase is largely independent of the molecular orbital. We find that ultraviolet light does lead to partial fragmentation of the ferrocene and that the molecular fragments are much more strongly bound to the surface than the associatively adsorbed ferrocene. Since fragmentation occurs only in the presence of incident radiation, selective area deposition from this class of molecules is possible. Using a focused electron beam in a scanning transmission electron microscope, we show that selective area deposition of features with resolution of a few hundred angstroms is readily achieved.


Contemporary materials engineering requires the use of materials characterised by high mechanical properties, as these precisely properties determine the choice of material for parts of machinery and equipment. Owing to these properties it is possible to reduce the weight and, consequently, the consumption of both material and energy. Trying to meet these expectations, the designers are increasingly looking for solutions in the application of magnesium alloys as materials offering a very beneficial strength-to-weight ratio. However, besides alloying elements, the properties are to a great extent shaped by the solidification conditions and related structure. The process of structure formation depends on the choice of casting method forced by the specific properties of casting or by the specific intended use of final product. The article presents a comparison of AZ91 magnesium alloys processed by different casting technologies. A short characteristic was offered for materials processed by the traditional semi-continuous casting process, which uses the solidification rates comprised in a range of 5 200C/s, and for materials made in the process of Rapid Solidification, where the solidification rate can reach 10 0C/s. As a result of the casting process, a feedstock in the form of billets and thin strips was obtained and was subjected next to the process of plastic forming. The article presents the results of structural analysis of the final product. The mechanical properties of the ø7 mm extruded rods were also evaluated and compared.


Abstract Prior phase III trials in advanced pancreatic cancer have been predominantly unsuccessful. In this review, we attempt to understand how past preclinical data were translated into phase III clinical trials in metastatic pancreatic cancer as described in the article. A systematic literature review conducted through the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases, from January 1997 to June 2015 using key words—phase III clinical trials, metastatic/advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma or pancreatic cancer identified 30 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that met criteria. The trials were limited to RCTs in the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. The success rate of first-line phase III studies in advanced pancreatic cancer was only 13%. In 60% of the RCTs, no preclinical experiments were referenced in biologically cognate pancreatic models. Nine (30%) of the RCTs were designed based on preclinical evidence from in vitro cell lines alone without additional in vivo validation in xenograft models. It remains uncertain how strongly the preclinical data influence the development of clinical regimens but so far the studies developed based on more solid preclinical evidence have been successful.


The past few years have seen some extraordinary activity in the neuroscience field. High-profile advances, from the Allen Brain Atlas to the Brainbow mouse, have injected an air of excitement into the study of the brain—an atmosphere that has been amplified by big funding initiatives in the United States and abroad. For budding neuroscientists, it9s heady days—at least if you9ve got a knack for technology development, programming, and engineering. But it will take more than raw skill to land a job. Read the Feature (Full-Text HTML) Read the Feature (PDF)


Fischl, G, (2004). A Psychosocial Approach to Architectural Design: A Methodological Study. Division of Engineering Psychology, Department of Human Work Sciences, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden In this thesis, psychosocially supportive environmental components are identified and environmental assessment techniques are investigated to evaluate psychosocial components in built environments, particularly in health care environments. The aim is to develop a method useful for designers in collecting quantitative as well as qualitative information about the psychosocial supportiveness of the built environments. In the first paper, an evaluation of the multi-methodological tool (Empowering Environment Evaluation (Triple-E)) was conducted in a hospital ward and a health care center. The aim of the paper was to appropriately select, and test the multimethodological tool in two cases, where redesign of the existing facilities took place. The results show that, with the Triple-E tool, psychosocially supportive components of the environment could be measured by the combination of structured brainstorming, semantic environmental description, and aesthetical preferences. User group differences were found and further considered for the design process. The analysis-synthesis model of design facilitated the designers understanding of how psychosocial approach could be integrated in the design cycle. In the second paper, the Environment Evaluation tool consisting of a modified semantic environmental description questionnaire and an evaluation of architectural details was used. The aim of the study was to identify whether there are any differences in perception of psychosocially supportive architectural and interior elements among patients and architects. The results show that there are differences between patients and architects in terms of factors contributing to psychosocial supportiveness. Results also show that the significant architectural details may influence individual psychological skills, which in turn may affect individual social skills and self-management. The ranking of the influential architectural details on perceived supportiveness for the architect and the patient groups is in the following order: 1) window; 2) floor and wall; 3) ceiling and furniture; 4) handicraft, photograph, chair and curtain; 5) noise level, safety, and space for moving. By relating environmental details to environmental semantic descriptive factors further details of psychological and physical factors could be realized. Suggested improvements of the Triple-E tool are the inclusion of measurements of restorative environmental components which may further contribute to stress alleviation and of more structured guidelines for the design purposes.


In pharmaceutical R & D, drug stereochemistry, and consequently the rotation of enantiomers, is very important. Because they act as chiral selectors in vivo, biomacromolecules have been extensively used as chiral selectors for the liquid chromatographic (LC) resolution of enantiomers and more latterly have also been employed in the newer separative technique, capillary electrophoresis (CE). However, at the outset of this research programme, this had generally been restricted to common easily accessible biomacromolecules such as plasma-binding proteins. It was clear that it be would be useful therefore to adapt LC and CE in such a way as would allow the use of a much wider range of biomacromolecules. Accordingly the general aim of this study was to develop LC and CE protocols involving biomacromolecules that would give rise to minimum consumption of the biomacromolecule.

To study biomacromolecules in free solution CE, a number of experimental variables had to be established for both optimum chiral discrimination and for investigating biomacromolecule-ligand interactions. The typical and widely used biomacromolecule for chiral discrimination, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used to study the variables of pH from pH 5.4 to 8.4, concentration of BSA form 0 to 60 M and concentration of organic modifiers in the range 0 – 20 % v/v for chiral selectivity. This involved an investigation into some unusual artefacts such as ghost peaks and stepped baselines, but ultimately the outcome was a successful free solution CE protocol suitable for the rapid evaluation of chiral discrimination of other biomacromolecules. The conditions were: run buffer (30 M protein, 67 mM phosphate (pH 7.4) – methanol (97.5 : 2.5, v/v)), capillary CElect p150, 40 cm (35 cm to detector) x 50 m i.d., temperature of ambient or 25 C and an applied voltage of 10 kV. The ability of other biomacromolecules, such as human serum albumin (HSA), lactoferrin and protamine, to resolve enantiomers was studied using this protocol including looking at the effect of the addition of modifiers to the buffer such as metal ions like manganese and zinc, competing ligands, e.g. warfarin and ibuprofen, and -cyclodextrin.

As well as using CE, miniaturisation of LC was also studied in view of the success of biomacromolecule-affinity chiral LC. Two different, but similar, microbore LC protocols were employed, i.e. using the protein in free solution or as a pseudo stationary phase. For the former, a Lichrosorb DIOL stationary phase, based on hydroxyl groups immobilised on silica, was chosen in order to minimise the adsorption of protein to the stationary phase. Using this protocol it was demonstrated that free solution microbore LC could be easily be carried out, therefore used to evaluate chiral discrimination and that the use of the system to study in vivo interactions was feasible.

The creation of a biomacromolecule pseudo stationary phase, as opposed to conventional chiral stationary phases where the protein is permanently bonded to the stationary phases, involves the biomacromolecule being adsorbed within the pores of the stationary phase. In this way the overall biomacromolecule structure should not be grossly distorted. Three stationary phases were evaluated, viz wide-pore Nucleosil silica, Nucleosil C8 and Lichrosorb DIOL, for optimum biomacromolecule loading and minimal biomacromolecule leakage when mobile phase was pumped through the column. The Nucleosil silica with adsorbed BSA proved the most successful, e.g.  of 3.6 and 4.0 for tryptophan and kynurenine respectively, and robust of the stationary phases with respect to demonstrating the chiral discrimination potential for this system.

All the miniaturised systems evaluated were successful, to a greater or lesser degree, for the demonstration of chiral selectivity of biomacromolecules. While CE was better for minimisation of the consumption of the biomacromolecule, it was also important that the biomacromolecule LC systems could be operated in reduced dimensions since these systems have perhaps greater potential for exhibiting enantioselectivity and are more appropriate for the ever increasing need for the study of the interaction of ligands with the biomacromolecule in its 'natural' form. With the knowledge gained from this research programme it will now be possible to more easily carry out such studies with much smaller amounts of biomacromolecule, and, accordingly be able to work with biomacromolecules which hitherto it has not been possible to study because of limited availability.

While some of the protocols have now been superseded by recent developments the system developed still has potential. The use of such small scale systems offers the potential to study chiral selectivity and drug-biomacromolecule binding of rare or expensive biomacromolecules.


Abstract As a feminist scholar, I prefer to pursue primary research partly because it allows me to cooperate with other scholars instead of opposing them. I employ the feminist method of engagement with, not detachment from, the object of research, a holistic approach using rhetorical ethos and pathos as well as logos. However, I avoid taking positions excessively driven by ideology, or swayed by ultra‐relativism. Instead, I try to present the author's ideas in her own context. Feminist research is valuable as pure research, but it can also be useful in teaching. Future projects should include further study of the rhetorical theories of historical women, and some attempt to contribute to theorizing of sermo.


The Iraq-Iran war which has been going on for nearly six years will perhaps go down in history as one of the costliest conflicts in this century. It is estimated that the first five years of the fighting may have resulted in a toll of war dead approaching one million.' The economic cost of the conflict which may have already exceeded $500 billion is also staggering in terms of its impact on and implications for the economies of the two nations. Following a brief survey of economic conditions prior to the war in both countries, this essay will attempt to deal with three separate but interrelated issues: first, the effects of the war on the Iraqi and Iranian economies, second, the impact of the war on, and the role of Saudi Arabia in, the changing relative positions of Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia itself in the international oil market and third, an assessment of the prospects for economic development in the post-war period.


Collective cell migration plays a fundamental role in many biological phe-nomena such as immune response, embryogenesis and tumorigenesis. In the present work, we propose a reaction–diffusion finite element model of the lateral line primordium migration in zebrafish. The population is modelled as a continuum with embedded discrete motile cells, which are assumed to be viscoelastic and able to undergo large deformations. The Wnt/ß-catenin–FGF and cxcr4b–cxcr7b signalling pathways inside the cohort regulating the migration are described through coupled reaction–diffusion equations. The coupling between mechanics and the molecular scenario occurs in two ways. Firstly, the intensity of the protrusion–contraction movement of the cells depends on the cxcr4b concentration. Secondly, the intra-synchronization between the active deformations and the adhesion forces inside each cell is triggered by the cxcr4b–cxcr7b polarity. This influences the inter-synchronization between the cells and results in two main modes of migration: uncoordinated and coordinated. The main objectives of the work were (i) to validate our assumptions with respect to the experimental observations and (ii) to decipher the mechanical conditions leading to efficient migration of the primordium. To achieve the second goal, we will specifically focus on the role of the leader cells and their position inside the population.


Interviews with SCHIP administrators in 13 states indicate that cuts to SCHIP in FY 2003 were more widespread than in 2002. Virtually all states reduced or eliminated outreach activities. Four states either froze enrollment or reduced eligibility thresholds. Half the states raised premiums and copayments for program participants. Five states either froze or cut provider reimbursement. Compared with other areas in state budgets, state officials universally described SCHIP cuts as among the smallest, and last, to be adopted, reflecting policymakers' strong support of the program. In addition, most states continued to simplify enrollment, and generous benefits were maintained in all but two states. Despite the deeper cuts, states' capacity to insure children remains much stronger than before the creation of SCHIP in 1997.


This paper presents a unified geometric framework for the statistical analysis of a general ill-posed linear inverse model which includes as special cases noisy compressed sensing, sign vector recovery, trace regression, orthogonal matrix estimation, and noisy matrix completion. We propose computationally feasible convex programs for statistical inference including estimation, confidence intervals and hypothesis testing. A theoretical framework is developed to characterize the local estimation rate of convergence and to provide statistical inference guarantees. Our results are built based on the local conic geometry and duality. The difficulty of statistical inference is captured by the geometric characterization of the local tangent cone through the Gaussian width and Sudakov minoration estimate.


The rate and number of HIV/AIDS infection in Africa is alarming and worsening. The design of effective prevention strategies hinges on an understanding of the multifaceted causes of the pandemic, or its regional epidemic. On this score, the role of educational institutions becomes imperative. This paper will examine available data to guage the enormity and urgency of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa. The investigation will be country-specific to find out what efforts are being made to curb the spread of the HIV/AIDS. The following countries will be examined: Botswana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Greater emphasis will be placed on the youth who appear to be much more vulnerable than adults. This paper argues that appropriate education about HIV/AIDS will be required to assist in the control of the epidemic. It further argues that educational institutions would provide important and indispensable forums for conveying norms and societal values that encourage young people to avoid taking risks that make them vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.


SUMMARY Good management of natural resources is the key to good agriculture. This is true everywhere – and particularly in the semi-arid tropics, where over-exploitation of fragile or inherently vulnerable agro-ecosystems is leading to land and soil degradation, productivity decline, and increasing hunger and poverty. Modern crop varieties offer high yields, but the larger share of this potential yield can only be realized with good crop management. The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), working over a vast and diverse mandate area, has learned one key lesson: that technologies and interventions must be matched not only to the crop or livestock enterprise and the biophysical environment, but also with the market and investment environment, including input supply systems and policy. Various Natural Resource Management (NRM) technologies have been developed over the years, but widespread adoption has been limited for various reasons: technical, socio-economic and institutional. To change this, ICRISAT hypothesizes that 'A research approach, founded on the need to integrate a broad consideration of technical, socio-economic and institutional issues into the generation of agricultural innovations will result in a higher level of adoption and more sustainable and diverse impacts in the rainfed systems of the semi-arid tropics.' Traditionally, crop improvement and NRM were seen as distinct but complementary disciplines. ICRISAT is deliberately blurring these boundaries to create the new paradigm of IGNRM or Integrated Genetic and Natural Resource Management. Improved varieties and improved resource management are two sides of the same coin. Most farming problems require integrated solutions, with genetic, management-related and socio-economic components. In essence, plant breeders and NRM scientists must integrate their work with that of private and public sector change agents to develop flexible cropping systems that can respond to rapid changes in market opportunities and climatic conditions. The systems approach looks at various components of the rural economy – traditional food grains, new potential cash crops, livestock and fodder production, as well as socio-economic factors such as alternative sources of employment and income. Crucially the IGNRM approach is participatory, with farmers closely involved in technology development, testing and dissemination. ICRISAT has begun to use the IGNRM approach to catalyse technology uptake and substantially improve food security and incomes in smallholder farm communities at several locations in India, Mali, Niger, Vietnam, China, Thailand and Zimbabwe.


In this paper, we propose a convolutional recurrent neural network for joint sound event localization and detection (SELD) of multiple overlapping sound events in three-dimensional (3-D) space. The proposed network takes a sequence of consecutive spectrogram time frames as input and maps it to two outputs in parallel. As the first output, the sound event detection (SED) is performed as a multi-label classification task on each time frame producing temporal activity for all the sound event classes. As the second output, localization is performed by estimating the 3-D Cartesian coordinates of the direction-of-arrival (DOA) for each sound event class using multi-output regression. The proposed method is able to associate multiple DOAs with respective sound event labels and further track this association with respect to time. The proposed method uses separately the phase and magnitude component of the spectrogram calculated on each audio channel as the feature, thereby avoiding any method- and array-specific feature extraction. The method is evaluated on five Ambisonic and two circular array format datasets with different overlapping sound events in anechoic, reverberant, and real-life scenarios. The proposed method is compared with two SED, three DOA estimation, and one SELD baselines. The results show that the proposed method is generic and applicable to any array structures, robust to unseen DOA values, reverberation, and low SNR scenarios. The proposed method achieved a consistently higher recall of the estimated number of DOAs across datasets in comparison to the best baseline. Additionally, this recall was observed to be significantly better than the best baseline method for a higher number of overlapping sound events.


In this paper, we present the outcome of a 4-year project whose ultimate goal is to develop a complex platform that can transcribe, index and make searchable the historical archive of Czech and Czechoslovak Radio. The archive covers 90 years of public broadcasting and contains hundreds of thousands audio documents. The developed modular platform employs our LVCSR system that has to cope with 2 related languages: Czech and Slovak. Furthermore, it must deal with audio files of varying quality (e.g. recordings originally stored on matrices or tapes, data passed through analog and digital telephone lines, speech recorded during parliament or court sessions, etc.) The system includes speaker and language identification modules, a narrow-band signal detector, a music/song detector, and several other components to enhance transcription accuracy and provide support for multi-optional search. We evaluate the performance on broadcast news test sets grouped according to decades. We show that after acoustic and language model adaptation WER values are in range 8-14% and do not differ much since 1960s to present. We report also results achieved on other types of documents (e.g. talk shows, political debates, public speeches, etc), where the WER is higher but still acceptable for most search tasks.


ABSTRACT The 'High Street' has traditionally played a key role in the health of towns worldwide. It is instrumental as a community hub, supporting local independent retail businesses and incubating entrepreneurship and innovation. Since 2009, thousands of stores have closed with record levels of shop vacancies. Reasons for the decline include a failure to respond to multi-channel retailing, wider demographic and economic changes and problems coordinating the network of actors who hold competing ideas about High Street regeneration. This paper evaluates the contribution of a value co-creation perspective in exploring strategy making in a complex retail high street ecosystem. It draws on Service-Dominant Logic and its service ecosystems perspective, institutional theory and data from a depth case study of strategy development in a UK High Street. The study illustrates how the value co-creation perspective, underpinned by institutional theory offers a rich appreciation of how actors in the ecosystem participate in shaping strategy. It identifies seven norms shared by the multiple actors, which serve as a point of reference for more sustainable strategy development. The normative analysis highlights the potential of operant resources amongst actors to shape strategy implementation. The study provides empirical evidence to support the role of institutions and institutional arrangements in effective value co-creation.


Kinetic models of metabolic networks are mapping the biochemical reactions taking part in a cell to a mathematical representation. They are the blueprints of the biochemical network, connecting enzymatic activities and metabolic compounds. Kinetic models have been used in systems biology to produce estimates of response of an organism to stress and to reveal potentially efficient targets for cellular engineering. Lipids are major constituents of the cell membrane. They are responsible for major properties of the cellular membranes: hydrophobicity, selective permeability and being the scaffold of signaling proteins. Many diseases are associated with alterations in the lipid distribution in the cell and the composition of membrane domains. Metabolic syndrome, obesity, atherosclerosis, as well as Alzheimer's, Huntington's diseases and cancer, all originate from alterations in some stage of lipid biosynthesis. Therefore, advancement of knowledge in the field of lipid metabolism will provide novel insights for further biomedical research and potential strategies for drug development. In the current study we combine lipidomics data and metabolic models of lipid metabolism in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We use the models as platform for the application of sensitivity analysis and metabolic control analysis, which involves direct and inverse sensitivity analysis. In direct sensitivity analysis we quantify how the changes in enzymatic activities, either by gene deletion or RNAi, are mapped through the metabolic pathway model into variations in lipid profiles. This analysis allows us to identify the effects of the perturbations in enzyme activities (inhibition or overexpression) on the distribution of the lipids synthesized as the end products of the network. We further extend the analysis by casting the inverse problem. With the inverse sensitivity analysis framework, we consider as input an altered lipidomic profile and we are able to identify, the responsible perturbations in enzyme activities that account for such a change. The results of the analysis have been confirmed based on lipidomics analysis of mutant yeast cells. Although we demonstrate the application of the method in models of lipid metabolism it is possible to be applied to biochemical systems of various parts of metabolism and sizes creating a modular platform for identification of mutations.


Biobutanol use as a fuel began in the late 19th century. Problems remain in economic viability. A review of the state of the art and need for technical advances is presented. The technical potential of producing biofuel from a naturally occurring macroalgae was studied. The algae grow in Jamaica Bay, New York City, in contaminated water. The process consisted of mechanical harvesting, drying, grinding, and acid hydrolysis to form an algal sugar solution. Clostridium beijerinckii and C. saccharoperbutylacetonicum were used in an acetone butanol ethanol (ABE) fermentation to make butanol. Fermentation was followed by distillation Butanol concentrations during fermentation reached 4 g/L. The recovery of reducing sugars in the media was 0.29 g butanol/g sugar. Feedstock with greater than 7 g/L butyric acid caused death of the butanol-producing bacteria. The kinetics of the production of 1-octadecanol from octadecanoic acid was investigated in a liquid-phase trickle-bed reactor by hydrogenation. The primary reactions occurring in the reactor were the desired conversion of octadecanoic acid to 1-octadecanol and the subsequent undesired conversion of 1-octadecanol to octadecane. A series-parallel kinetics model first order in acid and zero order in hydrogen was developed to predict these two reactions. The activation energies of the reactions were 63.7.8 and 45.6 kJ/mole, respectively. The conversion of octadecanoic acid and the selectivity to the desired product as functions of temperature, space velocity, and inlet octadecanoic acid concentration were then estimated. The model predicts maximum productivity of 1-octadecanol at higher temperatures and short residence times. Parametric plots show productivity to be ≥0.48 g 1-octadecanol/g octadecanoic acid at 566 o F and a 0.1 h residence time. The model from the 1-octadecanoic acid study was fitted to several sets of data for the hydrogenation of butyric acid to butanol in the temperature regime of 300-400 o F and pressures of 700-1000 psig. The model failed to accurately predict the final concentrations of 1-butanol and butane. Reasons for this are suggested and future work to fix this problem is presented and discussed.


Background: A growing body of literature addresses the need for transition programs for young adults with sickle cell disease (SCD); however, studies assessing transition readiness are limited and there are few validated instruments to use. Objective: To conduct a pilot study to assess transition readiness of patients with SCD in our transition program and to evaluate a SCD-specific assessment tool that measures 5 knowledge skill sets (medical, educational/vocational, health benefits, social, and independent living), and 3 psychological assessments (feelings, stress, and self-efficacy). Results: Of the 47 SCD patients between the ages of 18 and 22 seen in our facility, 33 completed the assessment tool. The majority of patients reported good medical knowledge of SCD and said they were motivated to pursue a career despite the burden of living with the disease. We identified knowledge gaps in the area of independent living and health benefits skills sets. A majority of patients reported being worried that their SCD would prevent them from doing things in their life; however, few respondents said they were worried or anxious about their transition to adult care. Conclusions: Adolescents beginning a transition intervention program reported a high level of knowledge of their disease and demonstrated a positive attitude toward transition with good self-efficacy.


The geochemical composition of deep-sea benthic foraminiferal calcite is widely used to reconstruct sea floor paleoenvironments. The calibration of the applied proxy methods has until now been based on field observations in complex natural ecosystems where multiple factors are interfering. However, laboratory experiments with stable physico-chemical conditions appear to be the ideal way to evaluate the influence of a single parameter. In this paper, we present the oxygen isotopic composition of deep-sea benthic foraminiferal shells entirely calcified under controlled experimental conditions over a large temperature range (4 to 19C). The new laboratory protocols developed for this study allowed us to produce large quantities of shells in stable conditions, so that also the shell size effect could be investigated. It appears that when considering a narrow test size range, the curve describing the temperature dependency of δ18O in Bulimina marginatais parallel to the thermodynamically determined curve observed in inorganically precipitated calcite ( −0.22‰◦C−1). This observation validates the use ofδ18O of this benthic species in paleoceanographical studies. Over the studied size range (50 to 300 μm), the effect of test size was 0.0014‰ μm −1, confirming previous suggestions of a substantial test size effect on δ18O of benthic foraminifera. This study opens new perspectives for future proxy calibrations in laboratory set-ups with deep-sea benthic foraminifera (e.g. quantification of the influence of the carbonate chemistry). Correspondence to: C. Barras (email@example.com)


There are two important rules to patent races: minimal accomplishment necessary to receive the patent and the allocation of the innovation benefits. We study the optimal combination of these rules. A planner, who cannot distinguish between competing firms in a multistage innovation race, chooses the patent rules by maximizing either consumer or social surplus. We show that efficiency cost of prizes is a key consideration. Races are undesirable only when efficiency costs are low, firms are similar, and social surplus is maximized. Otherwise, the optimal policy involves a race of nontrivial duration to spur innovation and filter out inferior innovators.


Abstract Coastal gravel-ridge complexes deposited on islands in the Caribbean Sea are recorders of past extreme-wave events that could be associated with either tsunamis or hurricanes. The ridge complexes of Bonaire, Jamaica, Puerto Rico (Isla de Mona), and Guadeloupe consist of polymodal clasts ranging in size from sand to coarse boulders that are derived from the adjacent coral reefs or subjacent rock platforms. Ridge-complex morphologies and crest elevations are largely controlled by availability of sediments, clast sizes, and heights of wave runup. The ridge complexes are internally organized, display textural sorting and a broad range of ages including historical events. Some display seaward-dipping beds and ridge-and-swale topography, and some terminate in fans or steep avalanche slopes. Together, the morphologic, sedimentologic, lithostratigraphic, and chronostratigraphic evidence indicates that shore-parallel ridge complexes composed of gravel and sand that are tens of meters wide and several meters thick are primarily storm-constructed features that have accumulated for a few centuries or millennia as a result of multiple high-frequency intense-wave events. They are not entirely the result of one or a few tsunamis as recently reported. Tsunami deposition may account for some of the lateral ridge-complex accretion or boulder fields and isolated blocks that are associated with the ridge complexes.


The SMOS mission is a European Space Agency project aimed at global monitoring of surface Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity from radiometric L-band observations. This work is concerned with the reduction of the systematic error (or bias) in the reconstruction of radiometric brightness temperature maps from SMOS interferometric measurements. A recent and efficient method has been proposed for reducing this error. However, a residual bias still persists. A new approach for reducing this bias down to residual values less than 0.1 K is presented here and illustrated with numerical simulations.


Abstract. Visualization can greatly
benefit understanding of concepts and processes, which in soil science and
geology can be done using real-life snapshots of soils and sediments in
lacquer peels and glue peels. While it may seem complicated, anyone can make
such a soil peel for use in classrooms, public places, homes, and offices for
teaching, outreach, decoration, and awareness. Technological development has
considerably simplified the making of soil peels, but this methodological
innovation has not been described in the literature. Here, we report on a
thoroughly tested and simple method for taking peels of sandy soils using
readily available tools and materials. Our method follows the main previously
published steps of preparing a soil face, impregnating the soil face with a
fixation agent in the field, extracting the resulting peel, and mounting it
on a wooden panel. Yet instead of using lacquers and thinning agents, we use
strong though flexible contact adhesive (glue), which has the major advantage
that it no longer requires use and mixing of toxic chemicals in the field or
reinforcement of the peel to prevent breaking. Moreover, the preservation
potential is much higher than with the old method. This new twist to old
methods makes creation of soil peels safer, simpler, and more successful, and
thereby a true DIY (do-it-yourself) activity. The resulting increased accessibility of
making soil and sediment peels can benefit research, teaching, and science
communication and can thereby bring the value and beauty of the ground below
our feet to students, schools, policy makers, and the general public.


A promising approach to reducing the >870,000 deaths/year globally from unsafe water is flow-through solar water pasteurization systems (SWPs). Unfortunately, demonstrated systems have high capital costs, which limits access for the poor. The most expensive component of such systems is the heat exchanger (HX). Thus, this study focuses on cost optimization of HX designs for flow-through SWPs using high-effectiveness polymer microchannel HXs. The theoretical foundation for the cost optimization of a polymer microchannel HX is provided, and outputs are plotted in order to provide guidelines for designers to perform HX optimizations. These plots are used in two case studies: (1) substitution of a coiled copper HX with polymer microchannel HX, and (2) design of a polymer microchannel HX for a 3-D printed collector that can fit in an arbitrary build volume. The results show that substitution of the polymer expanded HX reduced the overall expenditure for the system by a factor 50, which aids in making the system more economical. For the second case study, the results show how future system designers can optimize an HX for an arbitrary SWP geometry. The approach of distributed manufacturing using laser welding appears promising for HX for SWP.


Race is a legal concept, and like all legal concepts, it is a matrix of rules. Although the legal conception of race has shifted over time, up from slavery and to the present, one element in the matrix has remained the same: the background rules of race have always taken a view of racial identity as a natural aspect of human biology. To be sure, characterizations of the rule have oftentimes kept pace with developments in race science, and the original invention of race as a rationale for the subordination of certain human populations is now a rationale with little currency. The departure from this "classic liberal" conception of race, and its attendant and disturbing view of the function of race, did not, however, depart from the idea that race is a natural and organic part of being a human being. As this Article argues, this seminal background rule — that race is natural, neutral, and necessary — is deeply problematic and a substantial obstacle in the fight against the Supreme Court's ascending anticlassification jurisprudence. Not to mention, it is also false. In an effort to make some headway against the idea that race is a natural idea, as opposed to a legal concept, the Article attacks the background rules of race via the unlikely field of Conflict of Laws. Taking the Supreme Court's decision in Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 as a benchmark, the discussion first suggests an early functionalist view of voluntary school integration by way of an analogy to the early twentieth-century transformations occurring in Conflicts of Laws. Second, and in the alternative, the discussion then situates the facts of Parents Involved as literally a problem of Conflict of Laws. In both instances, the hope is to focus legal discourse on the background rules of race so as to empower a new and emancipatory anti-subordination jurisprudence.


Meanwhile/Becoming is a practice-led research project that includes a written thesis and a final exhibition of work investigating methods of creating photographs that do not conform to the Cartesian perspective prevalent in photographs taken with a standard format camera. The research explores the opportunity of examining a visual space other than that offered by the standard single lens reflex camera through manipulation of the pinhole camera.
The photographic series that constitutes Meanwhile/Becoming uses processes that produce what the research describes as a reinterpretation of phenomenology, postphenomenology and posthumanism through photographic practice; where the photographs are expressive of the what and how humans see and the lived experience of the situated perspectives of a specific space. The research question reflects and critiques this position asking, if multiple viewpoints are presented within a single photograph, does the resulting photograph incorporate the human experience of, relation to and presence in, the world? Once expressed within this framework, the research questions if these multiple viewpoints more closely represent the physiology of how humans see.
The concept of the meanwhile is taken as the timespace between events, examining the "meanwhile" through the landscape of the domestic garden. "Becoming" refers to "the movement between events", an interval between events that allows the processes of creativity and change through differentiation and duration, identified by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari (2004) and Henri Bergson (1911).
Together, my practice and thesis interrogate the restricted boundaries of the Cartesian model of constructed visual space through the apparatus of a unique purpose-built multiple pinhole camera. This apparatus mediates between me and the world, enabling me to develop a new method of making photographs that considers space/place and how we respond to it both physically and perceptually.


 In this paper, we propose a reliable multicast transport protocol for satellite communication systems. Many of the emerging applications in the Internet would benefit from reliable multicast services, and broadband satellite communication systems have attractive characteristics for supporting such services. However, many of the protocols designed primarily for terrestrial networks do not perform well over satellite networks. Therefore, it is necessary to look at the problem of reliable multicast in the solution space of satellite communications. Our protocol makes use of a special form of forward error correcting codes and couples it with an adaptive window based control mechanism to dynamically adjust the number of encoding packets forwarded to the users. Protocol makes very good use of the broadcast nature of the satellite channel and attempts to minimize the feedback volume by a novel feedback implosion suppression algorithm. We evaluate the protocol performance by computer simulations.


For a sub-Riemannian manifold provided with a smooth volume, we relate the small time asymptotics of the heat kernel at a point $y$ of the cut locus from $x$ with roughly "how much" $y$ is conjugate to $x$. This is done under the hypothesis that all minimizers connecting $x$ to $y$ are strongly normal, i.e.\ all pieces of the trajectory are not abnormal. Our result is a refinement of the one of Leandre $4t\log p_t(x,y)\to -d^2(x,y)$ for $t\to 0$, in which only the leading exponential term is detected. Our results are obtained by extending an idea of Molchanov from the Riemannian to the sub-Riemannian case, and some details we get appear to be new even in the Riemannian context. These results permit us to obtain properties of the sub-Riemannian distance starting from those of the heat kernel and vice versa. For the Grushin plane endowed with the Euclidean volume we get the expansion $p_t(x,y)\sim t^{-5/4}\exp(-d^2(x,y)/4t)$ where $y$ is reached from a Riemannian point $x$ by a minimizing geodesic which is conjugate at $y$.


Stress-tensor analysis of minor faults near the structural range fronts of diversely oriented Laramide foreland uplifts in the central Rocky Mountains, Wyoming, indicates that paleo-σ 1 was horizontal and oriented nearly perpendicular to uplift trends. Trend directions for σ 1 vary from east-northeast in the north-trending Laramie Range, to northeast in the northwest-trending Bighorn Mountains, to north at east-trending Casper Mountain and in the east-trending central Owl Creek Mountains. Although these compression directions are compatible with models invoking temporally changing stress directions during the Laramide orogeny, the apparent similarity in timing of uplift in these ranges suggests that the computed stress tensors may not reflect regional stress conditions. Recent stress determinations in transpressional regimes suggest that strain partitioning may be an important factor in considering local stress patterns in the vicinity of mountain belt structures oblique to regional trends. In light of these studies, caution should be used in interpreting regional paleostress from structures measured close to the tectonic fronts of Laramide uplifts.


The form of the scaling relation between the displacement and length of faults has been a subject of considerable controversy because of insufficient scale range and scattered data. Here we report on displacement and length data collected from well-exposed normal faults located on the Volcanic Tableland in northern Owens Valley, California. These data, which exhibit little scatter, are from a fault population that spans three orders of magnitude in fault length and were gathered in a relatively uniform lithologic and tectonic setting. With the upper cooling surface of the middle Quaternary Bishop Tuff used as a marker, the displacement distribution along individual faults can be mapped in detail. The displacement distribution profiles are consistent with a linear relation between displacement and fault length.


ABSTRACT Gamification is the use of video-game mechanics and elements in nongame contexts to enhance user engagement and performance. The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic review to have an in-depth investigation into the existing gamification solutions targeted at solving user engagement problems in different categories of software. We carried out this systematic review by proposing a framework of gamifying process, which is the basis for comparison of existing gamification solutions. In order to report the review, the primary studies are categorized according to the following: a) gamified software and their platforms; b) elements of the gamifying process; c) gamification solutions in each software type; d) gamification solutions for software user engagement problems; e) gamification solutions in general; and f) effects of gamification on software user engagement and performance. Based on the search procedure and criteria, a total of 78 primary studies were extracted. Most of the studies focused on educational and social software, which were developed for web or mobile platforms. We concluded that the number of studies on motivating users to use software content, solving problems in learning software, and using real identity is very limited. Furthermore, few studies have been carried out on gamifying the following software categories: productivity software, cloud storage, utility software, entertainment software, search engine software, tool software, fitness software, software engineering, information worker software, and health-care software. In addition, a large number of gamification solutions are relatively simple and require improvement. Thus, for future studies, researchers can work on the items discovered in this review; they can improve the quality of the current gamified systems by using a wide variety of game mechanics and interface elements, utilizing a combination of contextual types of rewards and giving users the ability to use received rewards "in-game" and "out-game."


The architecture of a software system plays a crucial role during evolution and maintenance, as it provides the means to cope with the inherent system complexity by abstracting from implementation and design details. Architectural component models represent high level designs and are frequently used as a central view of architectural descriptions of software systems. Hence, understandability of those models is crucial as they play a key role in supporting the architectural understanding of a software system. In this paper we present the results from a study we carried out to examine to which extent the software architecture could be conveyed through architectural component diagrams. The statistical evaluation of the results shows that metrics such as the number of components, number of connectors, number of elements, and number of symbols used in the diagrams can significantly decrease architectural understandability when they are above and below a certain, roughly predicted threshold. Also, our results indicate that architectural understandability is linearly correlated with the perceived precision and general understandability of the diagrams.


Innovazione e competitivita nella trasformazione di prodotti da agricoltura biologica: il caso delle imprese artigiane agro-alimentari lombarde - Innovation and competitiveness of organic food artisan enterprise in Lombardy The present work is inspired by the observation that today "innovation" is frequently a key word for Italian food industry. It seems that this is the only way to successfully face global market. We can see that the food industry is following two different strategies: on one hand there are enterprises, more and more specialized, industrial production oriented whereas on the other hand there are enterprises oriented towards high quality, value added and niche productions. The aim of this work is to investigate behaviour of organic artisan enterprises in Lombardy and to take it as an example of how much innovation helps to increase small enterprise's competitiveness. Particularly the study regards two of the main regional supply chains, dairying and cereal from organic agriculture. It tries to determinate new ways to get good economic performance and, consequently, new ways to take part in the strategic choices. The work tries to check also acquisitions of innovation and which role innovation plays in a business strategy based on an upgraded concept of differentiation. This means, therefore, to focus the attention on the strategic nature of innovative choices and to define what each artisan enterprise is able to do: in an exclusive way; distinguishing it from the contenders; showing it to costumers; maintaining a special position in the market. The method of survey to define resources and ability of each organic artisan firm of the sample, is the Dynamic capabilities approach. The study evidences the key-resource and the key-capabilities combination on which is based the introduced innovation and it describes the main course of this particular sector. The data reveal a prevailing asset: marketing ability is the opportunity that a lot of enterprises efficiently use to differentiate the own distributive system - export is an example - and also to satisfy different customers. This attitude shows a resources and capability configuration more complex than the other. A systematic approach toward innovation in small enterprise, involving all the actors of the supply chain, could carry best economic improvements. Organic market, despite of the conventional one, is a new sector and it offers several opportunities to successful marketing initiative. New products, new services, new communications can attract more customers at all levels. JEL Codes: Q13, L10 Key words: innovation, competitiveness, firm strategy, agricultural and food-artisan Enterprises


The green seeker technology was applied to acquire Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Red-Near Infrared (NIR) ratio of main crops i.e. wheat, rice and oats grown in the NARC field station, Pothwar region to provide repository for future monitoring of the crops through satellite imaging. The spectral data of different growth stages of the wheat crop indicated NDVI values ranging between 0.1 0.88 during Rabi 2006-07 and Rabi 2015-16. The values of wheat and oat crops indicated a similar pattern during Rabi 2015-16, but with slight difference before the heading and near the harvesting stage of the crops. The NDVI values of rice crop grown in the irrigated fields during Kharif 2007 ranged between 0.03 0.61. The value was maximum during the heading followed by maturity stage. NDVI values observed in the rainfed fields indicated high variability due to heterogeneous crop cover resulting from variable moisture conditions, fertilizer use, soil type and sowing practices. A detail study needs to be carried out in different agro-ecological regions of the country to collect unique spectral characteristic of different crops and the surrounding land covers to support satellite based crop monitoring and yield forecasting in future.


Bangladesh, like other South Asian countries, has a dairy system characterized by small-scale operations, integrated with crops and other off-farm activities. Dairying is considered a major source of nutrition and income, and offers good opportunities for both farm families and non-farm rural and urban employment. Consequently, several dairy development programmes and models have been implemented for improving the dairy sector. The gradual shift from subsistence to market-oriented dairy units demands more advanced knowledge and dairy technology. However, adequate information about the dairy sector and its technological advancement is scanty, which increases the need to identify opportunities for technical and institutional development. This paper updates information on key changes in the dairy sector and the characterization of dairy production systems in Bangladesh and considers their implications for South Asian countries. Milk demand, measured by per capita consumption, is increasing by 4% per year, which is higher than the growth in milk production (3.6%). This has led to a continuous widening of the gap between milk supply and demand. Institutional support and policies play a major role in narrowing this gap and should therefore be considered in developing strategies for dairy development.


Spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP) has been considered as an alternative for in-feed antibiotics to improve pig growth performance; however, the effect of SDPP on gut microbiota is unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of feeding SDPP on fecal microbial communities of nursery pigs. Ninety-six weaned pigs were assigned to 16 pens, which were allotted to two dietary treatments, including the control or the control + SDPP (5% and 2.5% SDPP inclusion in phase 1 and 2, respectively) diet. Fecal samples were collected at d 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28. Multiplex sequencing of V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene was used to characterize the bacterial community structure of fecal samples. Pearson's correlation tests were performed in Calypso to identify bacterial taxa that were either positively or negatively associated with overall growth performance. Feeding SDPP altered microbial structure at family, genus, and operational taxonomic unit (OTU) classifications; however, fecal microbes shifted with time. At the family level, Clostridiaceae increased (P < 0.001) on d 14, but decreased (P < 0.05) on d 28 in SDPP-fed pigs compared with control pigs. Decreased Veillonellaceae (P < 0.05; d 14) and Lachnospiraceae (P = 0.001; overall) were observed in SDPP-fed pigs compared with control pigs. Feeding SDPP increased lactic acid-producing bacteria (Lactobacillus delbrueckii, d 7) and cellulolytic bacteria (Ruminococcus albus, d 7; Clostridium thermocellum, d 7 and 14; and Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum/beijerinckii, d 14; and Megasphaera elsdenii, d 21). On d 28, feeding SDPP decreased (P < 0.05) Clostridium difficile compared with control pigs. In conclusion, feeding SDPP altered fecal microbial communities in nursery pigs. The results of this study may provide information to help explain the positive effects associated with feeding SDPP on nutrient digestibility and gut health of nursery pigs.


The use of virtual experiments of welded steel plate girders are commonplace in modern structural research. One key factor in the success of using such numerical analysis is the availability and reliability of input data including imperfections such as initial deformations and residual stresses. In this research a methodology combining experimental and numerical work is developed in order to use virtually fabricated welded specimens, which include the imperfections as a result of the manufacturing process, in virtual experiments. A series of experiments are performed to calibrate and validate the numerical models. Temperature measurements are conducted in a steel structure factory during the welding of plate girders. The measurement methodology developed combines two types of measurements using an infrared thermometer without disturbing the fabrication process itself. The residual stresses are measured using a modified hole drilling method. Geometrical imperfection measurement results are also available from other related projects. For the numerical simulation of welding a mixed time integration scheme is proposed. For the modelling of the heat source of welding an "equivalent prismatic heat source model" is developed, which is very robust and allows for very simple calibration. Both thermal and thermal stress analyses of the welding process are performed including a large number of parametric studies. The residual stress measurements are also numerically investigated and calibration tables are developed to evaluate the measurements considering inaccuracies in their execution. The fabrication of full size plate girders is simulated. The calculated and measured web deformations are compared and reasonable agreement is found. Finally, to demonstrate and summarise the achievements of this research, a virtual specimen is used in a virtual experiment in which the ultimate behaviour of a plate girder is studied.


Detector array effects are considered for a time-integrating acoustooptic correlator used for signal detection. Effects such as detector area integration, detector element, spatial response, and the location of the correlation peak within a detector element are included. General SNR, PD, and PFA expressions are derived as a function of various system and detector parameters. Quantitative data are provided for a Gaussian-Markov signal, and initial experimental confirmation is included.


In normal subjects it was possible to evoke tendon and Hoffman reflexes which were followed by late EMG responses with a latency of 150-250 ms after the reflex stimuli. Analysis of the covariations of reflexes and late responses revealed that muscle spindle sensitivity and strength of the preceding twitch are not essential factors in determining the occurrence of the late responses as opposed to excitability changes within the spinal cord. Inhibition of monosynaptic reflexes and facilitation of late EMG responses to vibration indicate a difference in central pathways. A polysynaptic pathway may be involved in the late responses.


Abstract How can the museum incorporate the voice of the developmentally disabled artist? How can the very idea of dialogue be reconsidered through the interactions that the museum curator might develop with artists that have atypical cognitive abilities? I trace these questions through an examination of a video and the circumstances around it, entitled CREATE: The Artists Are Present (2011), which showcases a series of interviews with developmentally disabled artists from Creative Growth in Oakland, Creativity Explored in San Francisco and National Institute for Art and Disability (NIAD) in Richmond, California. The interviews were conducted by self-identifying physically disabled artists as a reaction against the lack of self-representation of the interviewed artists in the large-scale exhibition, CREATE (2011), co-curated by Lawrence Rinder, Director of the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archives (BAMPF), California, and Matthew Higgs, Director of White Columns, New York. This paper argues that the very nature of artist/curator dialogue and socially engaged art practices in the museum can be deepened and enriched by much more variegated forms of communication amongst those typically occupying the margins.


The trend of increased usage of both BIM and 3D GIS and the similarity between the two has led to an increase in the overlap between them. A key application of such overlap is providing geospatial context data for BIM models through importing 3D GIS-data to BIM software to help in different design-related issues. However, this is currently difficult because of the lack of support in BIM software for the formats and data models of 3D Geo-information. This paper deals with this issue by developing and implementing a methodology to convert the common open 3D city model data model into the most common open BIM data format, namely CityGML (Gröger et al., 2012) to IFC (buildingsmart, 2019b). For the aim of this study, the two standards are divided into 5 comparable subparts: Semantics, Geometry, Geographical coordinates, Topology, and Encoding. The characteristics of each of these subparts are studied and a conversion method is proposed for each of them from the former standard to the latter. This is done by performing a semantic and geometrical mapping between the two standards, converting the georeferencing from global to local, converting the encoding that the two standards use from XML to STEP, and deciding which topological relations are to be retained. A prototype implementation has been created using Python to combine the above tasks. The work presented in this paper can provide a foundation for future work in converting CityGML to IFC. It provides an insight into the relationship between the two standards and a methodology for the conversion from one to the other, and the process of developing software to perform such conversion. This is done in a way that can be extended for future specific needs.


We use attention to select relevant portions of our environment for detailed processing-a process often directed by feature-based goals. Feature-based attention guides visual information processing by strengthening early representations (i.e., within perceptual cortex). Here we examined how feature-based goals affect the way visual information is represented at later stages of processing, namely within visual working memory (VWM). To address this question we used a continuous partial-report VWM task (i.e., a colour-wheel task) and measured the effects of attention on guess rate (the probability that an item is encoded into VWM) and standard deviation (the resolution with which an item is represented). On each trial of Experiment 1, participants remembered the colours of two squares and two circles over a delay, and then reported the colour of one probed stimulus. To manipulate feature-based attention we instructed participants that square stimuli were more likely to be probed (counterbalanced): Across four blocks, squares were probed on 60%, 70%, 80%, or 90% of trials. We found that increasing the value of a feature-based goal increases the probability that a goal-matching item will be encoded into VWM without altering its resolution. This pattern reverses, however, for non-matching stimuli: Attention affects resolution but not guess rate. In Experiment 2, we increased set size from four to six items (three circles and three squares), and observed the same effects of attention. The double dissociation observed in both experiments suggests that feature-based attention can affect both VWM encoding probability and resolution, and, for a given stimulus, these effects can emerge independently. Broadly, our findings add to recent studies investigating how the value of an attentional goal impacts VWM. Interestingly, as attention type (attend to feature vs. space) and stimulus type (report colour vs. location) change, so do the effects on VWM, suggesting a need for more research. Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2015.


The debate on whether AWS are consistent with international law has largely focussed on International Humanitarian Law. This is so because AWS are considered military weapons - therefore, meant to be used in armed conflict where international humanitarian law is the applicable regime. However, other scholars emphasise that international human rights law is equally relevant in the AWS debate. When the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions first presented his report on AWS to the UN Human Rights Council in 2013, there was a number of states who felt that the issue of AWS is not within the mandate of the Human Rights Council because it concerns military weapons, a subject that is governed by International Humanitarian Law and belonging to the disarmament forum. In this paper, I consider the relevance of International Human Rights Law to the AWS debate and the question whether AWS are consistent with human rights norms that seek to protect important rights such as the right to life and dignity.In summary, the arguments I make in this paper are that International Human Rights Law is relevant to the AWS debate and discussions should occur both in disarmament and human rights fora. This precisely because of three major points: firstly, when assessing the legality of new weapons, the Martens Clause specifically provides that principles of international law – of which human rights are part – must be taken into consideration. Secondly, International Human Rights Law continues to apply in armed conflict. Thirdly and finally, in most cases weapons that are initially made to be used only in the context of armed conflict always find their way to law enforcement situations because of their utility. In view of human rights standards, I argue that AWS, if used in law enforcement situations, may be incapable of complying with the right to life, dignity, remedy and due process rights. With regards to the right to life, the argument is that AWS may not comply with the 'protect life principle' which is a high standard as far as the protection of the right to life is concerned.As for the right to dignity, the argument is that just in as much as soldiers in armed conflict are entitled to dignity, so are suspected criminals and other people who may be caught up in a situation where law enforcement officials use force. Dignity to this end, may not allow that the decision to take life and the legal calculations to comply with the high standard of the 'protect life principle' or other norms pertaining the use of force against humans be taken by machines. I also argue that if AWS are used in law enforcement scenarios, they are unlikely to comply with due process rights that should be accorded to suspects. Furthermore, the protection of human rights is dependent on accountability of violations. Now that AWS pose problems to responsibility mechanisms in international law, their use threatens victims' right to remedy.I also discuss the use of AWS across state borders and how it is likely to raise the issue of extraterritorial application of human rights in the case of armed drones. Similarly, I observe that the use of AWS is likely to be met with lack of transparency as has been the case with armed drones.


For central banks, institutional, and individual investors, it is crucial to understand the frequency and importance of drops or sudden rises in financial markets. Extreme value theory (EVT) is an interesting tool providing answers to questions such as: With what frequency do we find variations of returns beyond a given threshold? Over a given period, what type of extreme variation can be expected? In a cross-country setting of emerging and mature financial markets do extreme variations behave in a similar manner? In the following paper we start with a review of theoretical elements of EVT. In the empirical section of this study we consider five mature markets, nine Asian, six Eastern European, and seven Latin American emerging markets. The tail behavior of returns is found to be compatible with the existence of up to the third moment but not beyond. The estimation of the tail distribution as a Generalized Pareto Distribution shows that great care has to be taken for emerging markets where little data is available and returns' distribution is subject to violate the IID assumption. Using a subsample of countries we demonstrate the limitations of evt. We also show that little can be learned from 19th century US data about presently emerging markets' tail behavior.


&NA; Integration of mental health care into primary care is a strategic priority of Rwanda's national mental health care programme and a central tenet of global mental health. In 2009, the international health care delivery organisation, Partners In Health, established a community based mental health programme to support national planning goals. In 2012, the organisation collaborated with the Rwanda Ministry of Health to implement a structured mentorship programme enabling government employed, primary care nurses to care for patients with severe mental disorders at primary care health care centres in one rural district. The implementation strategy included decentralised training and consistent supervision for four priority neuropsychiatric disorders. Lessons learned were applied through the transition of supervisory responsibilities to district hospital based government nurses. The programme's focus on structured mentorship for generalist nurses, systems based improvements and use of an existing public health care strengthening efforts highlight its potential as a model for integrating mental health care into primary care in resource limited settings.


Iodine and selenium are required for thyroid function. This study investigated iodine and selenium intakes in healthy, women aged 50–70 years (n = 97) from three cities in the North Island of New Zealand, after mandatory fortification of bread with iodised salt. Iodine and selenium concentrations were determined in 24-h urine samples; daily intakes were extrapolated from amounts in urine (90% and 55% of daily intake, respectively). Three day diet diaries (3DDD) also estimated selenium and iodine (excluding iodised salt) intake. Median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was 57 (41, 78) µg/L, indicating mild iodine deficiency. Estimated median iodine intake based on urine was 138 (100, 172) µg/day, below Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) (150 µg/day) with 25% below Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) (100 µg/day). Estimated median selenium intake was 50 (36, 71) µg/day based on urine and 45 (36, 68) µg/day using 3DDD, below RDI (60 µg/day) with 49%–55% below EAR (50 µg/day). Median bread intakes were low at 1.8 (1.1, 2.7) serves/day; 25% consumed ≤1 serve/day. Although population iodine intakes improved following mandatory fortification, some had low intakes. Selenium intakes remain low. Further research should investigate thyroid function of low consumers of iodine fortified bread and/or selenium in New Zealand.


Abstract The cinematic montage installation Obsession is unique with respect to its interaction method: how the story is told is not directed by any kind of conscious activity of the spectators, such as clicking interface elements with the mouse. Introducing the notion of enactive cinema the work emphasizes unconscious interaction between the cinema and the spectators as participants, referring to the idea of acting with and within an environment. In this solution the narrative flow is driven tacitly by the participants' heart rate and skin conductivity evolving in response to the events on the screen, and a detector of orientation in the installation space. The invitation to enact this way is very gentle. In the middle of the space there are five chairs to sit down. On the arm of each chair a red-lit shape of a hand attracts the spectator to place her hand on the built-in biosensors. Each participant's heart rate is continuously measured from her fingertip, and the emotionalarousalis captured from her palmin terms of skin conductance. The spectators' common contribution is collected for the input to the software in charge of the narrative flow. This article concentrates on the explication of the narrative logic of this installation inspired by the Eisensteinian 'montage machine', and leaves aside a number of details of its complete setup.


Abstract The gross and histopathologic findings for a primary tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma in a captive 11-yr-old male polar wolf (Canis lupus arctos) are described. The carcinoma had metastasized to regional lymph nodes of the pharynx, the precardial mediastinum, and the lungs. Tumor suppressor protein TP53 was detected by immunohistochemistry in the nuclei of poorly differentiated, cytokeratin-positive cells of the primary neoplasm and the metastases. Canine oral papillomavirus DNA was not detectable by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).


Heparin and dermatan sulfate activate heparin cofactor II (HCII) comparably, presumably by liberating the amino terminus of HCII to bind to exosite I of thrombin. To explore this model of activation, we systematically substituted basic residues in the glycosaminoglycan-binding domain of HCII with neutral amino acids and measured the rates of thrombin inactivation by the mutants. Mutant D, with changes at Arg184, Lys185, Arg189, Arg192, Arg193, demonstrated a ∼130-fold increased rate of thrombin inactivation that was unaffected by the presence of glycosaminoglycans. The increased rate reflects displacement of the amino terminus of mutant D because (a) mutant D inactivates γ-thrombin at a 65-fold slower rate than α-thrombin, (b) hirudin-(54–65) decreases the rate of thrombin inactivation, and (c) deletion of the amino terminus of mutant D reduces the rate of thrombin inactivation ∼100-fold. We also examined the contribution of glycosaminoglycan-mediated bridging of thrombin to HCII to the inhibitory process. Whereas activation of HCII by heparin was chain-length dependent, stimulation by dermatan sulfate was not, suggesting that dermatan sulfate does not utilize a template mechanism to accelerate the inhibitory process. Fluorescence spectroscopy revealed that dermatan sulfate evokes greater conformational changes in HCII than heparin, suggesting that dermatan sulfate stimulates HCII by producing more effective displacement of the amino terminus.


The vital need to maximise the health and wellbeing potential of the growing numbers within the older population is acknowledged at government level and among health professionals. A certain amount of research evidence exists to suggest that both visual arts and creative dance confer benefits to older people.

In April 2013, North Kent Local Authorities Arts Partnership (NKLAAP) funded and produced edna – energise dance nourish art; a dance, arts, health and wellbeing project. The aim of the pilot project was to evaluate the benefits to health and wellbeing of dance and arts activities that were stimulating and developed for and with older people in Medway and Gravesend.

Medway Older People's Partnership (MOPP) and two professional artists were commissioned to support and deliver edna. Two groups of people over 50 years were formed in outreach community settings in the NKLAAP region (Local and Unitary Authority areas of Gravesham and Medway).

NKLAAP also jointly commissioned The Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health (SDH) and the Dance Science department of Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (TL) to undertake an empirical evaluation of edna. The research team included a Senior Researcher from SDH and a Graduate Intern from TL's Dance Science Department.

Specific physiological and psychosocial areas of health and wellbeing were chosen for assessment. The overall design involved a pretest-posttest descriptive study, incorporating validated research measures plus semi-structured interviews. Physiological assessments included postural assessment, range of shoulder mobility and balance.

Psychosocial measures were collected using the World Health Organisation's WHOQOL BREF, a quality of life (QoL) questionnaire1. A specially designed questionnaire was also used to capture general attitudes towards the project as a whole.

Physiological research findings demonstrated statistically significant improvement of the left shoulder mobility within both groups and a trend towards improvement in the right shoulder mobility. Both groups saw a significant improvement in posture with the Medway group significantly improving in upper body and the Gravesend group in the lower body. For both groups there was a significant improvement in balance scores.

Overall mean post-intervention QoL measures showed higher scores than at baseline, with a significant post-intervention difference in the psychological domain when compared to baseline. For participants in Medway the greatest change was in psychological and social domains. For Gravesend participants the greatest change was in the physical and psychological domains.

Findings from this small scale pilot project suggest that dance and arts programmes have the potential to improve both physiological and psychosocial wellbeing of older people. It is recommended that
commissioning agencies should consider including funding for such interventions in future plans and also support continuing evaluation to increase generalizability and to look at other variables in the
physiological and psychological domains.


Abstract Municipal solid waste (MSW) management in China has become a serious issue as it poses challenges to environmental quality and sustainable development. To provide reliable references for planning the future MSW management mode and analysing the potential of waste to energy utilization in China, the prediction of future MSW generation quantity in the whole country is necessary and urgent to be well predicted. In this study, the multiple linear regression, a factor-model-based method, is adopted to predict the future MSW generation in China. Urban population, GDP and consumption level of residents are selected as related factors and their correlations with MSW generation quantity are analysed. With the historical data of 1981–2011 from China Statistical Yearbook, the model is established and model accuracy is assessed through two simulation performance criteria. Based on the future prediction of related factors and multiple linear regression method, the annual MSW generation quantity in China till 2030 can be predicted. It shows that the annual MSW generation in China will increase about 2 times in the next 20 years, which indicates considerable environmental pressure as well as waste to energy potential.


We develop a model in which a single currency plays the role of medium of exchange in two countries, while their governments are free to determine their fiscal balance and the extent to which they need to extract seigniorage from the common currency. We show that the actions of each government affect the economic performance of the other country, due to their trade relationship and, mostly, due to their monetary integration. We then endogenize each government's fiscal policy, and find that in equilibrium they will choose higher deficits than if they did not share a currency. Moreover, their policy choices are inefficient in the sense that if they could negotiate and commit their fiscal policy, they would choose smaller deficits. The inefficiency is worst if one of the partners is very small, or very unproductive, relative to the other, as the moral hazard on the smaller or poorer government would be larger


This Article sets forth an interpretive theory of adjudicative lawmaking according to which, under certain conditions, such lawmaking ensures constructive participation through interest representation and thus is not inherently nondemocratic. The author contends that the idea of 'judicial activism,' courts deciding issues better left to political processes or substituting the personal 'values' of judges for law, is based on the incorrect assumptions that courts are unconstrained and nonrepresentative. Instead, when adjudication operates in an archetypal way, it produces law in a manner similar to the parliamentary legislation process. Courts making law are constrained by the process of participatory decisionmaking--the production of judicial decisions through voluntary, self-directed debate among litigants. Moreover, adjudicative lawmaking occurs through the operation of interest representation--the binding of subsequent parties by precedent only to the extent that they are similarly situated to the original parties. The conditions necessary for adjudicative lawmaking to function democratically are that litigants participate to a significant degree in the production of binding decisions, that precedential decisions bind only future parties who are similarly situated to the parties to the original action, and that the conduct of the original litigants meet at least a threshold standard of adequacy. The author examines adjudicative lawmaking from the perspective of proceduralist and functionalist democratic justificatory theories and then demonstrates, using case law and current controversies, that a threat to adjudicative legitimacy arises when the potential binding effects of a decision extend beyond its particular facts. The author concludes that in our concern over judicial decisionmaking, we should monitor the decisionmaking processes used by courts to ensure that adjudication follows or simulates common law processes, thus rendering it democratically legitimate.