Stringent requirements on the accuracy of attitude determi- nation are currently a major challenge for strapdown INS/GPS integration, which is at the core of self-contained airborne remote sensing and mapping systems. This paper reviews the error models for INS/GPS integration and focuses i n detail on designingfiltering methodsfor improvingattitudeaccuracyin the bandwidth in which an inertial system does not benefit from frequent GPS position/velocity updates. Several fltering methods are designed based on the spec- tral analysis of the raw inertial signal in a dynamic environ- ment. These include a spectral technique for dither spike removal and a class of low-pass finite-impulse-response (FIR] filters operatinginforward/backward mannerfor achieving zero phase distortion. The orientation performance of the whole system with different filters i s evaluated b y comparing it to the "true" attitude information provided by a photo- grammetric block adjustment. Results show clearly that the choice of an appropriatefilter is decisivefor attitude accuracy. Overall, the INS/GPS integration combined with the most suitable pre-filtering method agrees with the external orien- tationreferenceto0.005"(19')RMS overthewholetestperiod, while the flight-line consistency is typically 0.003" (1U')RMS. The best filter in the comparison has an i?MS seven times smaller than the Butterworth filter which i s frequently applied i n the industrial designs of INS.


Sensor networks that use line-of-sight (LOS) laser links can provide spatially efficient and physically secure connectivity. These features are advantageous for low-power communication networks over short distances in environments where LOS is available and where radio-frequency connectivity must be avoided because of interference, low data rates, or security problems. In order for optical wireless (OW) directional networks to provide viable short-range connectivity, the networks must provide signal coverage over an acceptable field of view and operate with efficient media access protocols to minimize random access times for the independent transmitting nodes within the network. In this paper, we present the performance of a directional media access control protocol applied to a uniquely designed OW sensor network. The protocol was implemented using vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers and microcontrollers. The results are discussed with respect to efficiency of operation and optimized performance.


By combining detailed imaging measurements at different tilt angles with simulations of ray emission from prolate-deformed lasing microdroplets, we conclude that the dominant contribution to the laser emission of such three-dimensional dielectric microcavities must come from modes associated with the chaotic region of the ray phase space. As a particularly striking signature, maximum emission from such chaotic lasing modes is not from tangent rays emerging from the highest curvature part of the rim. The laser emission is observed and calculated to be nontangent and displaced from the highest curvature regions owing to the presence of stable orbits. In this paper we present the first experimental evidence for this phenomenon of dynamical eclipsing.


The preparation you need for the new CompTIA Security+ exam SY0-301This top-selling study guide helps candidates prepare for exam SY0-301 and certification as a CompTIA Security+ administrator. Inside the new, CompTIA Authorized edition, you'll find complete coverage of all Security+ exam objectives, loads of real-world examples, and a CD packed with cutting-edge exam prep tools. The book covers key exam topics such as general security concepts, infrastructure security, the basics of cryptography, and much more.Provides 100% coverage of all exam objectives for the new CompTIA Security+ exam SY0-301 including: Network security Compliance and operational security Threats and vulnerabilities Application, data and host security Access control and identity management Cryptography Covers key topics such as general security concepts, communication and infrastructure security, the basics of cryptography, operational security, and more Offers practical examples and insights drawn from the real world Includes a CD with two practice exams, all chapter review questions, electronic flashcards, and more Obtain your Security+ certification and jump-start your career. It's possible with the kind of thorough preparation you'll receive from CompTIA Security+ Study Guide, 5th Edition.


Abstract A gold–aluminium material combination is typically employed as an interconnection for microelectronic devices. One of the reliability risks of such devices is that of corrosion of aluminium bond pads resulting from the galvanic coupling between an aluminium bond pad and a gold wire. The research presented in this manuscript focuses on studying bond pad corrosion by selecting an appropriate model system and a dedicated set of electrochemical and analytical experimental tools. Taking into account the complex three-dimensional structure and the small dimensions of Au–Al interconnections (around 50–100 μm), a dedicated and novel experimental approach was developed. Au–Al covered silicon chips were developed under clean room conditions. Three-dimensional electrodes were mimicked as flat, two-dimensional bond pad model systems, allowing the use of microelectrochemical local probe techniques. Thin gold films were applied on Ti–Al covered silicon surfaces, and their morphology and electrochemical behaviour were analysed using the localised electrochemical cell, scanning vibrating electrode technique, scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy–focused ion beam and Auger electron spectroscopy. The results revealed that the electrochemical behaviour of thin gold films was influenced by the underlying metal layers and the microstructural changes during heat treatment. The effect of the underlying layers on the electrochemical properties of the top gold layer was attributed to a mixed potential behaviour and microgalvanic interactions, which was more pronounced after heat treatment. Overall, the current experimental approach can be employed to study the mechanism of electrochemical events that are occurring on metallic interconnections in different electronic devices.


Background The widely used Mental Developmental Index (MDI) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II has recently been superseded by the Bayley-III – in which cognitive and language development are assessed separately. Comparing developmental outcomes between cohorts assessed using two different editions of this test is problematic. Aims To compare MDI and Bayley-III cognitive and language scores, evaluate the agreement between classifications of disability made using the two tests, and develop an algorithm for converting Bayley-III scores into corresponding MDI scores. Methods 185 children (derived from a sub-cohort of the EPICure-2 study) aged 29–41 months were administered the MDI and Bayley-III concurrently. An average of Bayley-III cognitive and language scores (CB-III score) was calculated for comparison with MDI scores. Results Bayley-III cognitive, language and CB-III scores were 3-, 10- and 7-points higher respectively than MDI scores, but the relationship was non-linear: the CB-III progressively overestimated developmental scores at lower MDI scores. Using a conventional cut-off score <70, CB-III scores under-detected developmental impairment compared with the MDI (sensitivity 58%, specificity 100%). Predictive validity was improved using a CB-III cut-off <80 (sensitivity 89%, specificity 99%). An algorithm was derived for transforming CB-III scores into MDI-equivalent scores, with further improvement in classification of children with MDI<70 (sensitivity 95%, specificity 97%). Conclusions Caution should be exercised in classifying developmental outcomes using the Bayley-III for research purposes. To produce equivalent identification of children who would have an MDI <70, we recommend using a CB-III scores <80 or predicted-MDI scores <70.


CSR has become increasingly important in today's business world and managers must consider not only the economic results of their decisions but also the legal, ethical, moral, and social impact and repercussions of each of their decisions. Some multinational companies' CSR activities even clearly represent applicability of CSR in sport management. The aim of this study was to do a critical comparative analysis, present the changes, alterations in the traditional company philosophy, objectsystem; then to define the concept of CSR, its importance in sport, finally to analyze some of the top 20 World Food & Beverage Companies' (Coca-Cola, Danone, Nestle) CSR activities in sport management. Similarly to the whole economics – beside traditional theoretical tendencies, parallel to them and not developing them – a new kind of company theory concerning the long-term balance problems of the natural environment and society is being formed. Although the notion of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is prominent in some of the current discussions and investigations about the role of business in society, the concept – integrate social and environmental aspects in their business activity – is not new. According to the websites and sustainability reports of the international parent companies and domestic subsidiaries, we can say, that the companies show similarity at several points with regard to social responsibility within the field of sport management. However we must emphasize that we can find in the domestic practice fewer examples. In this case probably the media plays important role, which prefer the news of scandals such as CSR-related initiatives. In the public the companies' CSR activities are even less known. Finally we can establish, that about the sport sponsorship the parent companies we have more information, their reports and websites are more transparency. In contracts, in the case of subsidiaries we can meet deficiencies. Key


The purpose of this study was to apply vibrations to the workpiece during surface grinding in order to improve the performance of the process. In addition to this, further necessary parameters were examined and analysed. A first step was to design the vibrating rig and after a number of different designs the most suitable model was selected for the conduction of the preliminary studies. However, a novel-improved system was designed and manufactured in order to undertake the full volume of experimental work. A number of simulations including stress and modal analysis were carried out and all the static and dynamic characteristics of the rigs were identified. Moreover, the exact dynamic behaviour of the rigs - including their natural frequencies - was established though real experiments. Sweep - sine and impact tests were employed in order to identify these dynamic parameters and the results were compared to those of simulation with the intention to detect the amount of error between these techniques. The rigs were vibrated at their resonant frequencies in order to achieve high values of amplitude with low voltage input. The static and dynamic characteristics of the grinding machine tool were identified. Similar methods such as sweep-sine test were employed in order to find the natural frequency of the machine tool's spindle unit. Static and dynamic stiffness of the machine tool's spindle unit as well as its compliance were identified. The preliminary studies showed an improvement in surface quality of the workpiece as well as a small reduction in cutting forces. This reduction was getting bigger with the increase of depth of cut. The main body of experimental work followed and showed that for 25 urn depths of cut, the vibration-assisted method could decrease up to 22.5 % the tangential forces. Furthermore, the effect of vibration was getting more noticeable at higher wheelspeeds and workspeeds. At those speeds the reduction in workpiece surface roughness reached 12.6%. Moreover, it was found that the application of vibration increased the material removal rate, reduced the cutting forces, increased the G-ratio and produced lower values of wheel wear compared to conventional grinding. Finally, an innovative closed-loop vibration control system was used for the process which could control the amplitude and the frequency of vibration in the actual grinding cycle. This I A Abstract system managed to control the applied values of vibration amplitude at resonant or near resonant frequencies. It was found that for higher depths of cut the closed-loop vibration control reduced the normal forces by 19% compared to open-loop control and 21 % compared to conventional grinding. Furthermore, the closed-loop control system performed better in terms of workpiece surface quality when grinding mild steel compared to conventional grinding and open-loop vibration control.


This paper reviews the evidence on the effects of less-skilled immigration to the U.S., and their implications for immigration reform. It begins with a review of the costs of less-skilled immigration, in terms of competition to native-born American workers; and the benefits of such immigration in the form of lower consumer prices, higher employer profits, and greater efficiency for the U.S. economy. Effects of different legal categories of immigrants and of immigrant integration over time are considered. The paper then reviews various reform proposals and other ideas that might raise the net benefits associated with less-skilled immigration to the U.S.


The laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of a single-layer coating at the nanosecond (ns) regime is obviously lower than an uncoated substrate or a high reflectivity coating coated by the same material. To elucidate this phenomenon, we demonstrate the LIDT of three types of samples at 355 nm with 8 ns. High absorption defects are found at the film-substrate interface by comparing their LIDTs and damage morphologies. These defects originate from the substrate and appear during the coating process. Simulation results show that these defects, coupled to the coating, are mainly responsible for decreasing the damage threshold.


The early detection of developmental disorders is key to child outcome, allowing interventions to be initiated that promote development and improve prognosis. Research on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) suggests behavioral markers can be observed late in the first year of life. Many of these studies involved extensive frame-by-frame video observation and analysis of a child's natural behavior. Although non-intrusive, these methods are extremely time-intensive and require a high level of observer training; thus, they are impractical for clinical and large population research purposes. Diagnostic measures for ASD are available for infants but are only accurate when used by specialists experienced in early diagnosis. This work is a first milestone in a long-term multidisciplinary project that aims at helping clinicians and general practitioners accomplish this early detection/measurement task automatically. We focus on providing computer vision tools to measure and identify ASD behavioral markers based on components of the Autism Observation Scale for Infants (AOSI). In particular, we develop algorithms to measure three critical AOSI activities that assess visual attention. We augment these AOSI activities with an additional test that analyzes asymmetrical patterns in unsupported gait. The first set of algorithms involves assessing head motion by tracking facial features, while the gait analysis relies on joint foreground segmentation and 2D body pose estimation in video. We show results that provide insightful knowledge to augment the clinician's behavioral observations obtained from real in-clinic assessments.


Data mining is the extraction of vast interesting patterns or
knowledge from huge amount of data. The initial idea of privacy-preserving
data mining PPDM was to extend traditional data mining techniques to work with
the data modified to mask sensitive information. The key issues were how to
modify the data and how to recover the data mining result from the modified
data. Privacy-preserving data mining considers the problem of running data mining
algorithms on confidential data that is not supposed to be revealed even to the
party running the algorithm. In contrast, privacy-preserving
data publishing (PPDP) may not necessarily be tied to a specific data mining
task, and the data mining task may be unknown at the time of data publishing.
PPDP studies how to transform raw data into a version that is immunized against
privacy attacks but that still supports effective data mining tasks. Privacy-preserving
for both data mining (PPDM) and data publishing (PPDP) has become increasingly
popular because it allows sharing of privacy sensitive data for analysis
purposes. One well studied approach is the k-anonymity model [1]
which in turn led to other models such as confidence bounding, l-diversity,
t-closeness, (α,k)-anonymity, etc. In particular, all known mechanisms try to
minimize information loss and such an attempt provides a loophole for attacks.
The aim of this paper is to present a survey for most of the common attacks
techniques for anonymization-based PPDM & PPDP and explain their effects
on Data Privacy.


Much of software developers' time is spent understanding unfamiliar code. To better understand how developers gain this understanding and how software development environments might be involved, a study was performed in which developers were given an unfamiliar program and asked to work on two debugging tasks and three enhancement tasks for 70 minutes. The study found that developers interleaved three activities. They began by searching for relevant code both manually and using search tools; however, they based their searches on limited and misrepresentative cues in the code, environment, and executing program, often leading to failed searches. When developers found relevant code, they followed its incoming and outgoing dependencies, often returning to it and navigating its other dependencies; while doing so, however, Eclipse's navigational tools caused significant overhead. Developers collected code and other information that they believed would be necessary to edit, duplicate, or otherwise refer to later by encoding it in the interactive state of Eclipse's package explorer, file tabs, and scroll bars. However, developers lost track of relevant code as these interfaces were used for other tasks, and developers were forced to find it again. These issues caused developers to spend, on average, 35 percent of their time performing the mechanics of navigation within and between source files. These observations suggest a new model of program understanding grounded in theories of information foraging and suggest ideas for tools that help developers seek, relate, and collect information in a more effective and explicit manner


This paper addresses the retention issues presented when large numbers of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds and associated disadvantaged educational histories live together on-campus. It reports research in progress on a new approach taken at the University of New England (UNE), Australia, aimed at encouraging the growth of learning communities in colleges through the training and subsequent support of senior students charged with helping first year students negotiate the transition to successful university study. It outlines the issues faced by both the first year students and the senior students, strategies implemented, outcomes to date and plans for further change. UNE is a regional university with 5,000 on-campus students, half of whom live in seven residential colleges. It appears that for these students, traditional lectures and workshops on learning strategies and techniques are not as effective as layered, personal 'at the elbow' learning support in a non-threatening, social environment.


The problem of finding the dominators in a control-flow graph has a long history in the literature. The original algorithms suffered from a large asymptotic complexity but were easy to understand. Subsequent work improved the time bound, but generally sacrificed both simplicity and ease of implementation. This paper returns to a simple formulation of dominance as a global data-flow problem. Some insights into the nature of dominance lead to an implementation of an O(N) algorithm that runs faster, in practice, than the classic Lengauer-Tarjan algorithm, which has a timebound of O(E ∗ log(N)). We compare the algorithm to Lengauer-Tarjan because it is the best known and most widely used of the fast algorithms for dominance. Working from the same implementation insights, we also rederive (from earlier work on control dependence by Ferrante, et al.) a method for calculating dominance frontiers that we show is faster than the original algorithm by Cytron, et al. The aim of this paper is not to present a new algorithm, but, rather, to make an argument based on empirical evidence that algorithms with discouraging asymptotic complexities can be faster in practice than those more commonly employed. We show that, in some cases, careful engineering of simple algorithms can overcome theoretical advantages, even when problems grow beyond realistic sizes. Further, we argue that the algorithms presented herein are intuitive and easily implemented, making them excellent teaching tools.


How To Defend Employers Against Claims Brought Under the ADA DEFENDING employers against claims brought by current and former employees under The Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA")1 requires a detailed understanding of ADA law and your client's business, as well as the ability to understand medical issues. Disability discrimination charges continue to be a significant part of employers' litigation landscape. Between 1992 and 2003, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") received nearly 190,000 disability complaints, and employers paid monetary benefits at this administrative level totaling $481.3 million.2 This article focuses on how to win ADA cases for your employer client and examines cases that define disability under the ADA. It further explains what must happen to trigger the Act for plaintiffs. Additionally, the article outlines the necessary preparation required to successfully depose plaintiffs, and it discusses case authorities that explain what constitutes "a substantial limitation of a major life activity" and how to assess the limitation's impact on plaintiffs. The article also examines deposition strategies and plaintiffs' dilemmas surrounding disability claims. Finally, it addresses the importance of medical evidence as a key in winning summary judgment. After you receive a disability discrimination complaint filed by your client's employee, your goal is to obtain an order from the U.S. District Court granting the defendant's (your client's) motion for summary judgment. The first step down the path to summary judgment success is to determine whether the plaintiff qualifies as an individual with a disability. A. Determine Whether Plaintiffs Are ADA Disabled 1. What Definitions of Disability Apply? Disability has been defined in many ways. Black's Law Dictionary defines disability as "[t]he inability to perform some function; an objectively measurable condition of impairment, physical or mental."3 Webster defines disability as, "[t]he inability to do something; condition of being disabled; deprivation or lack of physical, intellectual or emotional capacity or fitness."4 Under workers' compensation statutes, like the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act,5 disability can include both temporary and permanent impairments. These statutes refer to disability in terms of temporary and permanent loss of use and focus on a worker's ability to work. Disability is also defined by the nature of the diagnosis, the existence of a surgical procedure, or a mere physical restriction. Each of these distinct definitions of disability is associated with a statutory purpose assigned to each piece of legislation. Workers' compensation statutes are designed as remedial legislation to compensate injured workers and restore them to employment. The definition of disability under the ADA is also associated with its specific purpose, which is to assure the equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic sufficiency of individuals with disabilities.6 The ADA's definition of disability specifically requires a person to be seriously disabled before the Act is triggered. The ADA requires: (1) physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of an individual; (2) a record of such impairment; or (3) being regarded as having such an impairment.7 Many plaintiffs and plaintiffs' counsel view disability in terms of more common notions of disability, as those definitions referred to above. In addition to general notions of disability and the statutory definitions, plaintiffs also have a very personal and subjective view of their own disablement. Their view is very often broad, self-serving, and self-defined. ADA disability is not defined by subjective views of what people can and cannot do or their thoughts about what they choose to do. Neither is the ADA definition as simple as what people are able to do before a specific event and what they choose to do after a certain date, as is true in workers' compensation cases or under other disability provisions. …


Debates around gender-responsive agricultural research, particularly plant and animal breeding, invariably circulate around similar topics: the recognition that considering gender is important to developing varieties that lead to equitable benefits, coupled with questions around an evidence base that proves this point. Without convincing evidence—exemplified by case studies across commodities and countries—our arguments for gender-responsive research fall on deaf ears.
 This synthesis seeks to compile available cases from two workshops organized by the CGIAR Gender and Agriculture Research Network: "Gender, Breeding and Genomics" (18–21 October 2016) and "Innovation in Gender-Responsive Breeding" (5–7 October 2017). While by no means comprehensive, with these 10 cases we hope to emphasize the point that considering gender in breeding program design, working with women in the breeding process, and acting on these findings can have dramatic consequences on breeding programs.
 We begin the synthesis by setting the scene with a chapter reflecting on how taking gender into account matters for the success of plant or animal breeding programs with welfare or development goals and a focus on smallholders. This chapter illustrates how the use of a conceptual framework for gender analysis can help breeding programs make sense of gender-differentiated traits and tease out the likely impact of taking gender into account in program-level policies and strategies.
 The following case studies are structured around steps of a plant breeding cycle (see Figure 1.1), examining cases that consider gender in setting breeding priorities, selection, testing experimental varieties, and seed production and distribution. The cases cover a wide range of commodities: beans, cassava, forage grasses, poultry, maize, sorghum, matooke, barley, and groundnuts. Although cases mostly focus on sub-Saharan Africa (Nigeria, Mali, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi), we also present cases from China and Syria.
 What is particularly compelling about these cases is that they not only provide evidence that men and women have different trait preferences; access to resources; or opportunities to engage in production, processing, and marketing of diverse commodities. They also illustrate steps taken by breeding programs to address these issues. These steps range from incorporating "cooking time" as a must-have trait in bean breeding to creating opportunities for maize seed production and sale for women; from changing the structure of matooke breeding programs to add participatory processing for food quality, new breeding targets for adaptation, to nutrient poor soils in sorghum. These are powerful illustrations and positive examples that documenting differences is a means to an end—the real focus should be on change. The synthesis ends with a chapter drawing lessons from the case studies for future action aiming to integrate gender and gender analysis in breeding.
 We hope that these cases, together with the companion publications from the GBI on design principles1, gender and social targeting2, breeding decisions3, and uptake pathways4, compel and challenge breeding programs to become truly gender responsive.


One of the great cultural mysteries of the twentieth century is how a radical new form of government would come to be represented in cultural terms by an art form so associated with its conservative predecessor. From Imperial Russia to the Soviet Union, ballet managed to survive a transition that was both creative and political. In this essay the reinvention of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow from Tsarist to Bolshevik is discovered through the archive materials of the Bolshoi itself. What were the dynamics that encouraged experimentation that of itself was then defined as failure precisely because of its experimental nature? What was the formula that enabled the Bolshoi to represent the Soviet Union despite its representation of an aristocratic past that the Revolution had swept away? In a society where everything is politicized, how does ballet contribute to the polity? From the threat of closure in the new regime's first days, through radical attempts to depict the proletariat in ballet action, to the descent into the creative stasis of socialist realism, we trace the path of ballet in the early Soviet period and its struggle to reform itself and represent the new society around it.


This study was conducted to explore and analyze the most common essay writing errors among Saudi female learners at the departments of English, Majmaa'h University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the aim has been to identify those difficulties from an error analysis standpoint and identify the sources underlying them. An analysis of a written corpus of forty students' written essays was thoroughly conducted. Types of errors were categorized, and the factors that contributed to them were analyzed. The participants were English majors in their third year of study enrolled in an advanced writing course during the first term pertinent to the academic year 2018-2019. Three essays were given to each participant to write about two to four pages using the narrative, descriptive, and compare/contrast organization. A writing difficulties questionnaire was further employed. The findings showed that the most frequent types of errors made by the participants were: punctuation errors forming the most troublesome area, followed by spelling errors, preposition errors, article errors, wrong verb tense, wrong word form respectively. The findings suggested that writing in English as a foreign language is quite challenging for students. Interlingual and intralingual transfer was found to be the source underlying the most common errors.


In the face of a pandemic, urban protests, and an affordability crisis, is the desirability of dense urban settings at a turning point? Assessing cities' long term trends remains challenging. The first part of this chapter describes the short-run dynamics of the housing market in 2020. Evidence from prices and price-to-rent ratios suggests expectations of resilience. Zip-level evidence suggests a short-run trend towards suburbanization, and some impacts of urban protests on house prices. The second part of the chapter analyzes the long-run dynamics of urban growth between 1970 and 2010. It analyzes what, in such urban growth, is explained by short-run shocks as opposed to fundamentals such as education, industrial specialization, industrial diversification, urban segregation, and housing supply elasticity. This chapter's original results as well as a large established body of literature suggest that fundamentals are the key drivers of growth. The chapter illustrates this finding with two case studies: the New York City housing market after September 11, 2001; and the San Francisco Bay Area in the aftermath of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Both areas rebounded strongly after these shocks, suggesting the resilience of the urban metropolis.


Chemical control and refrigeration are two processes usually adopted in the treatment of the banana post harvest rot. This work has for objective to evaluate the effect on the control of the anthracnose in banana post harvest of the chemotherapy, of the thermotherapy, of the combination of the two listed methods and these all associated to the low conservation temperature. The experiments were replicate three times where banana fruit (Musa sp) of the variety 'Prata Ana' (AAB) were collected in the pre-climateric stage. The fruits were submitted to four treatments with five replications. 1. thermotherapy (immersion in hot water at 56oC for six minutes, followed by immersion in water at home temperature), 2. chemical control for six minutes (immersion in fungicidal suspension (prochloraz 2.5 mL.L-1)), 3. thermotherapy followed by the chemical control, 4. Negative control, immersion water at home temperature for six minutes. After the treatments, the hands was divided in half parts, one part was put in cold camera (14oC with variation of 2oC) and the other one stayed at home temperature. The thermotherapy wasn't effective to control of the disease. The fungicide prochloraz at 2.5 mL.L-1 was efficient in the control of the banana post harvest rot. The refrigeration delayed the presence of the disease in up to 12 days. The results indicate that the low temperature, associated or not to the chemical control, can control the fruits post harvest rot for 12 days.


The transcription factor C/EBPβ may be a master regulator of neuropathic pain caused by peripheral nerve injury. Master regulator of chronic pain Neuropathic pain is a chronic type of pain that develops after injury to peripheral nerves. It is associated with reduced responses to morphine-related analgesics and decreased abundance of Kv1.2, a voltage-gated potassium channel, and the μ opioid receptor (MOR) due to epigenetic silencing of the genes encoding these proteins in the dorsal root ganglion, a cluster of sensory neurons involved in pain transmission. Li et al. found that the transcription factor C/EBPβ activated the gene encoding the epigenetic silencer in a mouse model of peripheral nerve injury. Silencing C/EBPβ in the dorsal root ganglia decreased pain hypersensitivity and improved morphine analgesia after peripheral nerve injury. In contrast, overexpression of C/EBPβ in the dorsal root ganglia resulted in hypersensitivity to various painful stimuli in the absence of nerve injury. Thus, targeting C/EBPβ may prevent the gene expression changes that lead to the development of neuropathic pain after peripheral nerve injury. Changes in gene transcription in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) after nerve trauma contribute to the genesis of neuropathic pain. We report that peripheral nerve trauma caused by chronic constriction injury (CCI) increased the abundance of the transcription factor C/EBPβ (CCAAT/enhancer binding protein β) in the DRG. Blocking this increase mitigated the development and maintenance of CCI-induced mechanical, thermal, and cold pain hypersensitivities without affecting basal responses to acute pain and locomotor activity. Conversely, mimicking this increase produced hypersensitivity to mechanical, thermal, or cold pain. In the ipsilateral DRG, C/EBPβ promoted a decrease in the abundance of the voltage-gated potassium channel subunit Kv1.2 and μ opioid receptor (MOR) at the mRNA and protein levels, which would be predicted to increase excitability in the ipsilateral DRG neurons and reduce the efficacy of morphine analgesia. These effects required C/EPBβ-mediated transcriptional activation of Ehmt2 (euchromatic histone-lysine N-methyltransferase 2), which encodes G9a, an epigenetic silencer of the genes encoding Kv1.2 and MOR. Blocking the increase in C/EBPβ in the DRG improved morphine analgesia after CCI. These results suggest that C/EBPβ is an endogenous initiator of neuropathic pain and could be a potential target for the prevention and treatment of this disorder.


The aggregate demand for outdoor recreation has increased in recent years, thus presenting managers with the challenge of providing opportunities for outdoor participation and at the same time preserving in a sustainable way the ecosystem in which those activities take place. The identification and assessment of environmental impacts as a result of modern urbanization have become a top priority among conservationists and managers. This study examines the ecological footprint of a popular urban recreational activity: disc golf. Three ecological markers were selected as indicators of ecological degradation: soil erosion, soil compaction and density of vegetation cover. Results indicated that disc golf significantly increases soil compaction, which yields greater soil erosion and a decrease in vegetation cover. The findings of this study call upon managers and professionals to pay closer attention not only to the ecological degradation associated with outdoor recreational activities but also to the solutions that would lead to a long-term sustainable management. Since some of the ecological degradation is caused by human behavior, a focus on behavioral interventions should be an essential component in finding a relatively inexpensive and sustainable solution.


We report the detection of bright aurora spanning Mars' nightside during the space weather event occurring in September 2017. The phenomenon was similar to diffuse aurora detected previously at Mars, but 25 times brighter and detectable over the entire visible nightside. The observations were made with the Imaging UltraViolet Spectrograph, a remote sensing instrument on the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN spacecraft orbiting Mars. Images show that the emission was brightest around the limb of the planet, with a fairly uniform faint glow against the disk itself. Spectra identified four molecular emissions associated with aurora, and limb scans show the emission originated from an altitude of ~60 km in the atmosphere. Both are consistent with very high energy particle precipitation. The auroral brightening peaked around 13 September, when the flux of solar energetic electrons and protons both peaked. During the declining phase of the event, faint but statistically significant auroral emissions briefly appeared against the disk of the planet in the form of narrow wisps and small patches. These features are approximately aligned with predicted open field lines in the region of strong crustal magnetic fields in Mars' southern hemisphere.


The a-Si:H / c-Si heterostructure, is an attractive solution to avoid the presence of highly recombinative metal contacts at the surfaces of c-Si based solar cells. To assure good interface passivation, insertion of a sandwiched thin device-grade intrinsic a-Si:H(i) film is recommended between substrate and doped a-Si:H layer. In this article we discuss our findings on the impact of low-temperature post-deposition annealing on the passivation properties of such stacks: we have identified two fundamentally different recombination mechanisms that may critically affect heterostructure device performance. Firstly, for the intrinsic buffer layer, whereas abrupt a-Si:H / c-Si interfaces typically benefit from post deposition annealing, it is shown that this is not true when epitaxially grown Si material is present at the interface. Secondly, in case the buffer layer is covered with a doped a-Si:H overlayer, annealing may again be detrimental for the interface passivation. The latter is linked to the fact that the presence of such doped layer may lower the energy required for Fermi-level dependent Si-H bond rupture in the underlying intrinsic buffer layer, resulting in enhanced interface recombination.


Purpose of review With depressive disorders the leading source of disability globally, the identification of new targets for prevention and management is imperative. A rapidly emerging field of research suggests that the microbiome–gut–brain axis is of substantial relevance to mood and behaviour. Similarly, unhealthy diet has recently emerged as a significant correlate of and risk factor for depression. This review provides evidence for the gut microbiota as a key factor mediating the link between diet and depressive illness. Recent findings The development of new technologies is affording a better understanding of how diet influences gut microbiota composition and activity and how this may, in turn, influence depressive illness. New interventions are also suggesting the possible utility of pre and probiotic formulations and fermented food in influencing mental health. Summary Although in its early stages, the emerging field of research focused on the human microbiome suggests an important role for the gut microbiota in influencing brain development, behaviour and mood in humans. The recognition that the gut microbiota interacts bidirectionally with other environmental risk factors, such as diet and stress, suggests promise in the development of interventions targeting the gut microbiota for the prevention and treatment of common mental health disorders.


This Action Plan is based on the World Bank's Technical Note on Consumer Protection and Financial Literacy in Azerbaijan published in June 2009. The Action Plan focuses on the Legal and Regulatory Issues of the Technical Note's Key Findings and Recommendations, proposing specific actions for Azerbaijani authorities, financial institutions and consumer organizations so that consumer protection is strengthened and made more effective and efficient. The Action Plan should be the base upon which specific legal changes should be drafted and against which their implementation should be evaluated. Beside the Technical Note itself, the Action Plan draws on best international practices and experiences of regulators and supervisors that have tried to introduce improved consumer protection in their countries. It should also be noted that a well-balanced consumer protection regime serves also the interest of financial institutions as it provides them with better informed clients and also makes sure that clients understand their obligations under the contracts they signed. The Action Plan is divided into five parts that cover the key areas based on the recommendations of the Technical Note: (a) Legal Mandate, (b) Effective Supervision and Regulation, (c) Disclosure of Information, (d) Business Practices, and (e) Dispute Resolution.


A common theme in causal inference is learning causal relationships between observed variables, also known as causal discovery. This is usually a daunting task, given the large number of candidate causal graphs and the combinatorial nature of the search space. Perhaps for this reason, most research has so far focused on relatively small causal graphs, with up to hundreds of nodes. However, recent advances in fields like biology enable generating experimental data sets with thousands of interventions followed by rich profiling of thousands of variables, raising the opportunity and urgent need for large causal graph models. Here, we introduce the notion of factor directed acyclic graphs (f-DAGs) as a way to restrict the search space to non-linear low-rank causal interaction models. Combining this novel structural assumption with recent advances that bridge the gap between causal discovery and continuous optimization, we achieve causal discovery on thousands of variables. Additionally, as a model for the impact of statistical noise on this estimation procedure, we study a model of edge perturbations of the f-DAG skeleton based on random graphs and quantify the effect of such perturbations on the f-DAG rank. This theoretical analysis suggests that the set of candidate f-DAGs is much smaller than the whole DAG space and thus may be more suitable as a search space in the high-dimensional regime where the underlying skeleton is hard to assess. We propose Differentiable Causal Discovery of Factor Graphs (DCD-FG), a scalable implementation of -DAG constrained causal discovery for high-dimensional interventional data. DCD-FG uses a Gaussian non-linear low-rank structural equation model and shows significant improvements compared to state-of-the-art methods in both simulations as well as a recent large-scale single-cell RNA sequencing data set with hundreds of genetic interventions.


A new biological phosphorous and nitrogen removal process is developed. The process is based on biofilm on carrier elements with enhanced biological phosphorous removal and simultaneous nitrification and denitrification in a continuous process. Results from 3 years of pilot and laboratory experiments are presented with regards to removal of organic substances, phosphorous and nitrogen. This process demonstrates essential benefits and improved performance compared to other EBPR-processes in operation today. The first full scale plant was put in operation in May 2016 at Hias WWTP in Norway.


Economic policy-making is often a delicate dance between government officials and regulators and the marketplace. Governments want to ensure, for example, that consumers are safe, that public goods are properly provided, and that government services are adequately supplied. Companies want to find new markets and new consumers and reap maximum profits. In mature markets or slowly evolving industries, finding the right equilibrium that balances the needs of government, citizens and companies is easier.
In digital trade and e-commerce, however, new technological advances are being developed so rapidly that governments are struggling to keep up. Officials have responded by either allowing industries to exist in entirely unregulated spaces or have tried to adapt off-line rules and legislation to match growing on-line trade. The result has satisfied no one. Governments are uneasy with patchwork regulations and legislation in place to monitor the digital economy at the domestic, regional and global levels. Companies face growing risks and uncertainty in their business models, since poorly structured and fragmented responses by governments can upend once profitable ventures overnight. Consumers are also not getting the best outcomes since many products and services that they might want are not available, have uncertain quality, cost more, and may compromise their own privacy.
This paper tracks the rapidly evolving landscape for digital trade and e-commerce across five Northeast Asian economies? China, Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan. These five countries are at the cutting edge of the digital revolution with increasingly wired citizens and innovative companies offering a staggering range of products and services. The paper examines several business and consumer important trends of note, including the rapid explosion of e-commerce generally, the shift to online and mobile purchases, the proliferation of data and challenges of managing data flows across borders, and new disruptive technologies like fintech, 3D printing and the Internet of Things (IoT). Each of these trends highlights the growing challenges to regulators in continuing to apply existing rules and legislation created for off-line applications to a digital world.
It is one thing to note exciting new changing on the horizon. It is another to grapple with how governments can actually address these rapidly evolving challenges. The paper therefore breaks down digital trade and e-commerce into eight discrete segments of relevance for the digital economy. The eight areas under examination are not the only areas that matter for digital trade, but give a better sense of the scale and scope of issues facing regulators at the domestic level.
The paper then tracks actual legislative and regulatory policies that govern (or do not yet address) policy for the following issue areas: overall e-commerce regulatory frameworks; customs and trade facilitation rules that apply to e-commerce goods; data protection frameworks; data localization and cross-border data flow rules; domain names; intellectual property rights rules; consumer protection in an online world; and over-the-top internet services. A review of how the five Northeast Asian countries are grappling with policy in these eight discrete issue areas reveals wide differences in rules between the countries at the domestic level and often significant variation from what might be considered "best practice" ideas for each topic.
Overall, the review of policy at the domestic level shows that governments have not yet figured out the best approach for creating supportive and enabling frameworks for digital trade and e-commerce. To date, much of the official response has been fragmented between ministries and agencies, with little coordination. Digital trade is unlike many other sectors? It cuts across an increasingly wide swath of the economy and regulatory policies in one area often has knock-on or unintended consequences in other areas. It is also rapidly evolving, which is making it difficult for government officials to address. If governments are too far out in front, too prescriptive or too forward leaning, they risk cutting off new sources of innovation and growth. They may unintentionally box in specific technologies or platforms. Yet it can be very difficult to think about regulating for outcomes, since it requires bureaucrats to have a visionary sense of the future that few individuals are likely to have.
Creating digital economy policies at the domestic level, in any case, is probably not the best or most effective way to create sensible regulations. The digital economy does not recognize national boundaries. It does not logically stop at a customs border. Hence, the more efficient and effective way to manage digital policies is at the regional or international level. The paper therefore considers ongoing efforts in Asia the regional level, through the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade negotiations. Both trade talks have digital components that could create sensible broader frameworks. Both the TPP and RCEP could also usefully contribute to broader global trade rules, crafted in the World Trade Organization (WTO), in the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the World Customs Organization (WCO). The paper also makes recommendations in the final chapter for provisions that should be considered in each of these fora to advance supportive, enabling digital trade and e-commerce rules that would allow governments and companies to reduce risk and uncertainty while ensuring that consumers are properly supported.
In the end, digital trade and e-commerce are likely to be the dominant means of creating and delivering goods and services to consumers and companies around the globe in the future. Northeast Asian economies are at the cutting edge of these trends. The struggles that government officials, legislators and regulators are facing in creating the right frameworks to support this growth shows how vitally important it will be to get the appropriate scaffolding into place at the domestic, regional and global levels.


On the sintered 12.5 percent chromium-iron magnetic alloy added Fe-P powder from 0.4 to 1.2 percent, the change in the magnetic properties with the sintering time at 1200°C was mainly studied in making use of the EPMA mapping analysis . After sintering for 1 hour, DC and AC magnetic properties come to the maximum value by the addition of 0.6 and 0.8 percent Fe-P respectively. The sintered density increases with the increasing of sintering time and DC magnetic properties increase monotonously in the same way. However, AC magnetic properties show a specific inclination to firstly increase and then decrease with sintering time. It was comfirmed by the EPMA mapping analysis that these changes in the magnetic properties originate from the phenomena of the liquid phase sintering, the solid solution of P and its remaining at the grain boundaries caused by Fe-P addition of over 0.8 percent.


In many areas of science and engineering, we have different sources of data. For example, in geophysics, there are many sources of data for Earth models: first-arrival passive seismic data (from the actual earthquakes), first-arrival controlled-source seismic data (from the seismic experiments), gravity data, etc. Datasets coming from different sources can provide complimentary information. In general, some of the datasets provide better accuracy and/or spatial resolution in some spatial areas and in some depths, while other datasets provide a better accuracy and/or spatial resolution in other areas or depths. For example: each gravity data points describes the result of measuring the gravity field at some spatial location; this field is generated by the joint effects of many locations; as a result, gravity generally measures the average density over a reasonably large spatial region. Thus, estimates based on gravity measurements have (relatively) low spatial resolution. In contrast, seismic waves generally travel a narrow trajectory from a seismic source (earthquake or explosion) to a recording senor. Thus, the spatial resolution corresponding to this data is much higher than gravity. At present, each of these datasets is often processed separately, resulting in several different models reflecting different aspects of the studied phenomena. It is therefore desirable to combine data from different datasets. An ideal approach would be to use all the datasets to produce a single model. However, in many research areas – including geophysics – there are no efficient algorithms for simultaneously processing all the different datasets. While such joint inversion methods are being developed, as a first step, we propose a practical solution: to fuse the models coming from different datasets. c


This report presents the results of an exploratory investigation carried out in the Langley 9-inch supersonic tunnel to determine the maximum lift of wings operating at supersonic speeds. A variety of wing plan forms of random thickness distributions were tested at Mach numbers of 1.55, 1.90, and 2.32 and at Reynolds numbers varying between 0.74 x 10(6) and 0.27 x 10(6) at angles of attack ranging from zero up through the angle at which maximum lift occurred. Subsequent pressure-distribution tests on wings of triangular and rectangular plan forms were made at a Mach number of 2.40. The results of these tests substantiated the values of maximum lift obtained during the force tests and further showed no appreciable center-of-pressure shift over the entire angle-of-attack range.


Statistical modeling of aftershock occurrences shows that the central United States is still active, despite low active deformation rates. The extent to which ongoing seismicity in intraplate regions represents long-lived aftershock activity is unclear. We examined historical and instrumental seismicity in the New Madrid central U.S. region to determine whether present-day seismicity is composed predominantly of aftershocks of the 1811–1812 earthquake sequence. High aftershock productivity is required both to match the observation of multiple mainshocks and to explain the modern level of activity as aftershocks; synthetic sequences consistent with these observations substantially overpredict the number of events of magnitude ≥ 6 that were observed in the past 200 years. Our results imply that ongoing background seismicity in the New Madrid region is driven by ongoing strain accrual processes and that, despite low deformation rates, seismic activity in the zone is not decaying with time. Rolling Under New Madrid During 1811–1812, the New Madrid Seismic Zone experienced a sequence of three large intraplate earthquakes and at least one comparably sized aftershock. There have been no earthquakes of similar magnitudes since then. Using a combination of historical data dating back to the original large events and an epidemic-type aftershock sequence model, Page and Hough (p. 762, published online 23 January) found that the current low seismicity is not part of an aftershock sequence. Instead, despite low observable deformation rates, there is ongoing accumulation of strain, leaving the potential for large earthquakes in the region.


For many big data analytics workloads, approximate results suffice. This begs the question, whether and how the underlying system architecture can take advantage of such relaxations, thereby lifting constraints inherent in today's architectures. This position paper explores one of the possible directions. Impression Store is a distributed storage system with the abstraction of big data vectors. It aggregates updates internally and responds to the retrieval of top-K high-value entries. With proper extension, Impression Store supports various aggregations, top-K queries, outlier and major mode detection. While restricted in scope, such queries represent a substantial and important portion of many production workloads. In return, the system has unparalleled scalability; any node in the system can process any query, both reads and updates. The key technique we leverage is compressive sensing, a technique that substantially reduces the amount of active memory state, IO, and traffic volume needed to achieve such scalability.


Active learning aims to reduce the labeling effort that is required to train algorithms by learning an acquisition function selecting the most relevant data for which a label should be requested from a large unlabeled data pool. Active learning is generally studied on balanced datasets where an equal amount of images per class is available. However, real-world datasets suffer from severe imbalanced classes, the so called long-tail distribution. We argue that this further complicates the active learning process, since the imbalanced data pool can result in suboptimal classifiers. To address this problem in the context of active learning, we proposed a general optimization framework that explicitly takes class-balancing into account. Results on three datasets showed that the method is general (it can be combined with most existing active learning algorithms) and can be effectively applied to boost the performance of both informative and representative-based active learning methods. In addition, we showed that also on balanced datasets our method 1 generally results in a performance gain.


The ship is the dominant element in the visual culture of the South Scandinavian Bronze Age, appearing in several different media, including rock carvings, decorated metalwork and above-ground monuments. Discussion has divided between those scholars who interpret this imagery in terms of long-distance exchange networks and those who emphasize its more local significance, including its deployment in mortuary ritual. A strikingly similar system is identified in Southeast Asia and part of Melanesia and can be interpreted through archaeological and ethnographic sources, but in this case there is no need to distinguish between 'practical' and 'symbolic' interpretations of the depictions of ships. This paper summarizes the evidence from this region and suggests that it can offer a fruitful source of comparison for archaeologists working in northern Europe.


A complete Works Cited list begins on page 29. Mention of commercial products does not indicate endorsement. Faculty Mark Rose, BS, MA, is a licensed psychologist and researcher in the field of alcoholism and drug addiction based in Minnesota. He has written or contributed to the authorship of numerous papers on addiction and other medical disorders and has written books on prescription opioids and alcoholism published by the Hazelden Foundation. He also serves as an Expert Advisor and Expert Witness to various law firms on matters related to substance abuse, is on the Board of Directors of the Minneapolis-based International Institute of Anti-Aging Medicine, and is a member of several professional organizations.


Previous studies from this laboratory have mapped resistance and/or susceptibility to radiation-induced leukemia virus (RadLV)-induced neoplasia to the H-2D region. H-2 linked effects on virus replication can be detected subsequent to the initial virus infection, and clear- cut differences in numbers of virus infected thymus cells can be detected as early as 5 wk after RadLV inoculation. Rapid increases in cellular synthesis and cell surface expression of H-2 antigens are detectable immediately after virus inoculation. These changes have been studied by immunofluorescence, absorption, cell surface iodination followed by sodium dodecyl-sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and two dimensional gel electrophoretic analysis of internally labeled lymphocyte proteins. Expression of H-2K molecules is significantly increased in cells of susceptible and resistant animals. However, significant increases in expression of H-2D antigens occurs only on thymus cells from resistant strains (H-2Dd). Transformed cells of resistant and susceptible H-2 haplotypes adapted to tissue culture lack detectable H-2 antigens as determined by serological absorption studies. It is argued that altered expression of H-2 antigens plays a very significant role in the mechanism of host defense to virus infection.


Several treatment approaches have been used to correct anterior open bites, but high relapse rates are reported. This report shows the orthognathic surgical correction of a severe anterior open bite of a 23 years old woman with a mouth breathing habit. Although the treatment outcome was regarded as successful, progressive recurrence of the anterior open bite was found during 2 years retention. Digital dental models, 3D facial scans and CBCT were superimposed to analyse the dental, soft tissue, skeletal and airway volume changes during treatment and 2 years retention in three dimensions (3D). The Ortho Gnathic Analyser software tool was used to analyse in detail the skeletal dimensional changes (translations and rotations) of the maxilla and mandible in 3D. Relapse of the upper arch expansion was found in the posterior region. The impaction, advancement and clockwise pitch of the maxilla by the Le Fort 1 osteotomy were very unstable. The mandibular advancement and counter-clockwise pitch by the BSSO showed significant relapse. During retention a counter-clockwise roll of the maxilla was noticed, and considered as an adaptation to the relapse. The upper airway volume was reduced and the improvement of the soft tissue profile appeared to be unstable. 3D superimpositions made it possible to relate the oropharyngeal airway volume changes to the stability of the corrections of the dentition, maxilla and mandible and soft tissues. The orthognathic surgical treatment had reduced the upper airway volume, which maintained the mouth breathing habit, suggesting that this was the major cause of the dental, soft tissue and skeletal relapse. It is mandatory to collecting more 3D data on stability of hard and soft tissue and airway volume changes in unravelling the aetiology of relapse after orthognathic surgical correction of anterior open bites.


ABSTRACT Co-utilization of domestic fuels (CDF) represents a promising portfolio of new production processes and inputs. However, new technologies are unlikely to be adopted unless prototype testing demonstrates the efficacy of creative approaches to blending fuels. Beyond the R&D stage, utilities transforming inputs into useable energy must be convinced that these technologies will benefit the bottom line. The technical skills and innovations of engineers are needed more than ever, but unless the regulatory system rewards the introduction of more environmentally sustainable fuels, the funds needed for new initiatives are unlikely to be forthcoming. Current uncertainties regarding regulatory policies and industry restructuring along with investor perceptions of industry risk raise the cost of capital and thus reduce the likelihood of new initiatives. If the economic foundations of co-utilization are not solid, CDF will wait in the wings while traditional production technologies continue to dominate the marketplace.


Organizations try to gain
competitive advantages, and to increase customer satisfaction. To
ensure the quality and efficiency of their business processes, they
perform business process management. An important part of process
management that happens on the daily operational level is process
controlling. A prerequisite of controlling is process monitoring,
i.e., keeping track of the performed activities in running process
instances. Only by process monitoring can business analysts detect
delays and react to deviations from the expected or guaranteed
performance of a process instance. To enable monitoring, process
events need to be collected from the process environment. When a
business process is orchestrated by a process execution engine,
monitoring is available for all orchestrated process activities.
Many business processes, however, do not lend themselves to
automatic orchestration, e.g., because of required freedom of
action. This situation is often encountered in hospitals, where
most business processes are manually enacted. Hence, in practice it
is often inefficient or infeasible to document and monitor every
process activity. Additionally, manual process execution and
documentation is prone to errors, e.g., documentation of activities
can be forgotten. Thus, organizations face the challenge of process
events that occur, but are not observed by the monitoring
environment. These unobserved process events can serve as basis for
operational process decisions, even without exact knowledge of when
they happened or when they will happen. An exemplary decision is
whether to invest more resources to manage timely completion of a
case, anticipating that the process end event will occur too late.
This thesis offers means to reason about unobserved process events
in a probabilistic way. We address decisive questions of process
managers (e.g., "when will the case be finished?", or "when did we
perform the activity that we forgot to document?") in this thesis.
As main contribution, we introduce an advanced probabilistic model
to business process management that is based on a stochastic
variant of Petri nets. We present a holistic approach to use the
model effectively along the business process lifecycle. Therefore,
we provide techniques to discover such models from historical
observations, to predict the termination time of processes, and to
ensure quality by missing data management. We propose mechanisms to
optimize configuration for monitoring and prediction, i.e., to
offer guidance in selecting important activities to monitor. An
implementation is provided as a proof of concept. For evaluation,
we compare the accuracy of the approach with that of
state-of-the-art approaches using real process data of a hospital.
Additionally, we show its more general applicability in other
domains by applying the approach on process data from logistics and
finance.%%%%Unternehmen versuchen
Wettbewerbsvorteile zu gewinnen und die Kundenzufriedenheit zu
erhohen. Um die Qualitat und die Effizienz ihrer Prozesse zu
gewahrleisten, wenden…


Submodular optimization has found many applications in machine learning and beyond. We carry out the first systematic investigation of inference in probabilistic models defined through submodular functions, generalizing regular pairwise MRFs and Determinantal Point Processes. In particular, we present L-FIELD, a variational approach to general log-submodular and log-supermodular distributions based on sub- and supergradients. We obtain both lower and upper bounds on the log-partition function, which enables us to compute probability intervals for marginals, conditionals and marginal likelihoods. We also obtain fully factorized approximate posteriors, at the same computational cost as ordinary submodular optimization. Our framework results in convex problems for optimizing over differentials of submodular functions, which we show how to optimally solve. We provide theoretical guarantees of the approximation quality with respect to the curvature of the function. We further establish natural relations between our variational approach and the classical mean-field method. Lastly, we empirically demonstrate the accuracy of our inference scheme on several submodular models.


Customer satisfaction and loyalty are important drivers of business profits. In the online arena, acquisition costs are high, switching costs are low, the service encounter is non-personal and the Internet is often used only as a source of information. The aim of this article is to determine the relationship between critical eService quality elements utilised in online tourism portals in order to establish eLoyalty. The target population of this study was South African tourism accommodation establishments who advertised on online tourism portals during 2005. A personalised branded HTML email with a clickable link to the online survey was mailed to all respondents. One hundred and nine valid responses were received. A multi-item questionnaire was used to measure the relationship between eService quality, eValue, eSatisfaction and eLoyalty pertaining to online tourism portals utilised by the respondents. The findings imply that online tourism portals would increase their eLoyalty (and thus increase profits) if they first satisfied their suppliers' needs by providing them with a secure, visually pleasing user interface with which they could identify. Secondly, there is a need for online tourism portals to provide services that add value, making it easy for suppliers to add and change details on their own pages, as well as ensuring that their suppliers receive a substantial income stream through the portal.


Feasibility of Gallery Intake Systems for Seawater Reverse Osmosis Facilities along the Northern Red Sea Coast of Saudi Arabia Abdullah Hamoud Dehwah The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is dependent on desalination of seawater to provide new water supplies for the future. Desalination is expensive and it is very important to reduce the cost and lower the energy consumption. Most seawater reverse osmosis facilities use open-ocean intakes, which require extensive pre-treatment processes to remove particulate and biological materials that cause operating problems. An alternative intake is the subsurface system which utilizes the concept of riverbank filtration using wells or galleries and provides natural filtration to improve the quality of feedwater before it enters the desalination plant. This reduces operating cost and lowers energy consumption. Research was focused on evaluating gallery-type intakes (beach and seabed galleries) that could be used along the Northern Red Sea shoreline to provide a better quality feedwater for desalination. The geological characteristics of the visited sites were favorable for the development of seabed filter systems (offshore), but not for beach gallery intakes. The low wave energy along the shoreline and the presence of mud or rocky coasts made beach galleries infeasible. One of the potentially favorable sites for a seabed filter was located in the nearshore area at King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC). This site has a predominantly sandy offshore bottom with shallow water depths, and a low tide range. In addition, the bottom is always covered with water and contains soft limestone unit below the sand mantle that could be easy excavated to facilitate the 5 construction of a seabed filter. About 50 sediment samples were collected from the site and laboratory measurements were performed on them. Grain size distribution, porosity and hydraulic conductivity measurements were performed on the sediment samples. In addition, six statistical methods were used to estimate the hydraulic conductivity values. Based on results of lab measurements, field observations, tide ranges and sediment types, it is concluded that the geological conditions and characteristics of KAEC site are feasible for design and construction of a seabed filtration system. A conservatively designed cell with dimensions of 100 by 50 m would produce about 25,000 m 3 /day of filtered seawater and seven cells could support a 60,000 m 3 /day (permeate) seawater RO plant.


Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of low-intensity exercise training using belt electrode skeletal muscle electrical stimulation on muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness in healthy subjects. Nineteen healthy subjects were allocated into control or intervention groups; in both groups the participants kept regular physical activity while the intervention group underwent 30 min B-SES training at 3–4 METs for four weeks. Knee extensor muscle strength and cardiorespiratory endurance during incremental exercise test were measured at baseline and after four weeks for all participants. The relative change of knee extensor muscle strength in the intervention group was significantly higher than control group (p < .05). Also, oxygen uptake at ventilator threshold and peak oxygen uptake during incremental exercise test significantly increased in the intervention group when compared with control group (p < .05). This study showed that prolonged low-intensity B-SES training resulted in significant increases in muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness in healthy subjects. Our present work suggested that B-SES training could assist patients who might have difficulty performing adequate voluntary exercise because of excessive obesity, orthopaedic problems and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. An intervention study conducted for such patients is strongly recommended.


> "Any doctor not fulfilling the standards and quality of care in the appropriate treatment that are set out in these Clinical Guidelines, will have this taken into account if, for any reason, consideration of their performance in this clinical area is undertaken." Department of Health, 1999.1

Evidence based guidance arguably offers the most trustworthy advice available to clinicians concerning medical management. Their authoritative status may explain why clinical guidelines are sometimes prefaced with vague warnings that link guideline compliance with accountability. But how authoritative can guidelines actually be, and does evidence based guidance entirely supplant clinical discretion?

The legal status of evidence based guidance is examined, including whether guidelines from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) should be understood to carry special importance in helping courts to decide whether or not allegations of negligence should be upheld.

Evidence is a generic notion of great importance to many practices and enquiries. Cardinal to spying, journalism, historical and scientific research, and the practice of medicine, semantically the term bundles together two approaches to supporting belief, perception, and understanding. Whether evidence refers to marks or indications conspicuous to an observer, to reasoning and judgment about such indications, or to analysis of data arising from experiments, evidence leads on to and supports hypotheses and conclusions, however provisional and conditional.

Evidence—and the more recently minted compound term "evidence based"—refers to reliable observational, inferential, or experimental information forming part of the grounds for upholding or rejecting claims or beliefs. Evidence based medicine (EBM) has not developed a new concept of evidence2; its major contribution lies in the emphasis it places on a hierarchy of evidential reliability, in which conclusions related to evidence from controlled experiments are accorded greater credibility than conclusions grounded in other sorts of evidence. Since studies underpinning most medical …


Despite a trend toward more flexible rates, more than half the world's countries maintain fixed or managed exchange rates. In the 1980s and 1990s, developing countries as a group progressively liberalized their trade regimes, but some governments defend their exchange rate in actions that run counter to long-run plans for liberalization. Without discussing the relative merits of fixed and flexible exchange rate systems, the authors note that exchange rate management in many countries has resulted in overvaluation of the real exchange rate. Roughly twenty five percent of the countries for which data are available have overvalued exchange rates, with black market premiums from 10 percent to more than 100 percent. After surveying the literature, the authors present lessons from experience about what has worked (or not) in response to crises involving external shocks and external trade deficits - and why. Trying to defend an overvalued exchange rate with protectionist trade policies is a classic pattern, but experience shows such protection does significantly retard the country's growth, and delay its integration into the world trading community. In fact, and overvalued exchange rate is often the root cause of protection, preventing the country from returning to more liberal trade policies that allow growth and integration into the world community without exchange rate adjustment. Most developing countries have downward price and wage rigidities and, with an external trade deficit, require some form of nominal exchange rate adjustment to restore external equilibrium. The authors present cross-country econometric and case study evidence - citing examples from Argentina, Chile, Ghana, The Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Turkey, Uruguay, and Sub-Saharan Africa (including the CFA zone) - that overvalued exchange rates reduce economic growth. Defending the exchange rate, they show, has nor no medium-term benefits, since falling reserves will eventually force devaluation. Better to have devaluation occur without further debilitating losses in reserves and lost productivity because of import controls. After devaluation the exchange rate will reach a new equilibrium, strongly influenced by government and central bank policies.


We explore the determinants of state fragility in sub-Saharan Africa. Controlling for a wide range of economic, demographic, geographic and istitutional regressors, we find that institutions, and in particular the civil liberties index and the number of revolutions, are the main determinants of fragility, even taking into account their potential endogeneity. Economic factors such as income growth and investment display a non robust impact after controlling for omitted variables and reverse causality. Colonial variables reflecting the history of the region display a marginal impact on fragility once institutions are accounted for.


Fetal age and weight estimation plays the important role in pregnant treatments. There are many estimate formulas created by the combination of statistics and obstetrics. However, such formulas give optimal estimation if and only if they are applied into specified community or ethnic group with characteristics of such ethnic group. This paper proposes a framework that supports scientists to discover and create new formulas more appropriate to community or region where scientists do their research. The discovery algorithm used inside the framework is the core of the architecture of framework. This algorithm is based on heuristic assumptions, which aims to produce good estimate formula as fast as possible. Moreover, the framework gives facilities to scientists for exploiting useful information under pregnant statistical data


This benchmarking index is a learning tool that evaluates the legal, regulatory and operating environments for Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) in transport, water/sanitation and electricity infrastructure for 19 Latin American and Caribbean countries. The analysis and scores in the model provide a comparable assessment of individual countries' readiness and facility for PPP project design and implementation. For the purpose of this index, PPP refers specifically to projects which involve a long-term contract between a public-sector body and a private-sector entity for the design, construction (or upgrading), operation and maintenance of public infrastructure; with finance usually provided by, and significant construction, operation and maintenance risks transferred to, the private-sector, which also bears either availability or demand risk; but with the public sector remaining responsible for policy oversight and regulation; and the infrastructure generally reverting to public-sector control at the end of the contract term.


A callus induction and plant regeneration protocol was developed from leaf and petiole explants of the endemic Astragalus nezaketae. Explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) supplemented with different plant growth regulators (PGRs) [α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), benzyladenine (BA), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), kinetin (Kin), thidiazuron (TDZ)]. The combinations and concentrations of PGRs were shown significant variations for the frequency of callus formation, appearence of callus and the potential of callus differentiation. NAA x BA have been found highly affective in callusing and plant regeneration. Other PGRs have not resulted in callus differentiation for shoot formation. The highest number of shoots (6/explants) was obtained from leaf explants cultured on MS with 0.5 mg/l NAA and 4 mg/l BA. The regenerated shoots transferred to rooting medium (MS with 0.5 mg/l indole-3-butyric acid) were successfully rooted (100%) and showed rapid elongation. Rooted plantlets were acclimatized in pots containing 1:1 mixture of peat and perlite.


The growing complexity of customizable single-chip multiprocessors is requiring communication resources that can only be provided by a highly-scalable communication infrastructure. This trend is exemplified by the growing number of network-on-chip (NoC) architectures that have been proposed recently for system-on-chip (SoC) integration. Developing NoC-based systems tailored to a particular application domain is crucial for achieving high-performance, energy-efficient customized solutions. The effectiveness of this approach largely depends on the availability of an ad hoc design methodology that, starting from a high-level application specification, derives an optimized NoC configuration with respect to different design objectives and instantiates the selected application specific on-chip micronetwork. Automatic execution of these design steps is highly desirable to increase SoC design productivity. This work illustrates a complete synthesis flow, called Netchip, for customized NoC architectures, that partitions the development work into major steps (topology mapping, selection, and generation) and provides proper tools for their automatic execution (SUNMAP, xpipescompiler). The entire flow leverages the flexibility of a fully reusable and scalable network components library called xpipes, consisting of highly-parameterizable network building blocks (network interface, switches, switch-to-switch links) that are design-time tunable and composable to achieve arbitrary topologies and customized domain-specific NoC architectures. Several experimental case studies are presented In the work, showing the powerful design space exploration capabilities of the proposed methodology and tools.


The work reported here relates to a class of reconstructions on the Si(111) surface with 3?1 or 6?1 periodicity that are believed to be similar for Ag, Mg and the alkali metals (Li, K, and Na). The electronic structure of this reconstruction was studied by means of angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy of the valence bands of the Ag/Si(111)-3?1/6?1 reconstruction. Theoretical valence band maps calculated using Density Functional Theory (DFT) were found to agree well with the experimentally obtained valence band maps for the Ag/Si(111)-3?1/6?1 reconstruction. The geometric structure and bonding was investigated by core-level spectroscopy of the M/Si(111)-3?1 surfaces for M=Li, K, and Na, as well as the Ag/Si(111)-3?1/6?1 and Ag/Si(111)-c(12?2) reconstructions.


The current study aims at examining soil organic carbon levels at the territory of Godech Municipality one of the municipalities of Sofia Province, located in the western part of Bulgaria. The investigation includes information about some of the latest global studies, regarding soil organic carbon, including those, conducted on Bulgarian territory. Soil organic carbon plays a key role in overall carbon sequestration and it plays a key role for sustainable development. A basis of the study is the investigation of Hengl et al. (2017) who created a global soil grids at 250 m resolution. Their datasets consist of prediction data about carbon contents in g per kg at the following depths: 0 cm, 5 cm, 15 cm, 30 cm, 60 cm, 100 cm and 200 cm. This data is analyzed and developed for the purposes of the current study. Generally, soil organic carbon contents in Godech Municipality decrease from north to south, with the largest carbon pool in Berkvoska Mountain. There is an increase of carbon stocks from subsoil to topsoil, which is consistent with other results. The outcomes of the study prove to be successful and they can be applied in other investigations of this subject.


ABSTRACT Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a notorious foodborne pathogen due to its low infectious dose and the disease symptoms it causes, which include bloody diarrhea and severe abdominal cramps. In some cases, the disease progresses to hemorrhagic colitis (HC) and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), due to the expression of one or more Shiga toxins (Stx). Isoforms of Stx, including Stx2a, are encoded within temperate prophages. In the presence of certain antibiotics, phage induction occurs, which also increases the expression of toxin genes. Additionally, increased Stx2 accumulation has been reported when O157:H7 was cocultured with phage-susceptible nonpathogenic E. coli. This study characterized an E. coli O157:H7 strain, designated PA2, that belongs to the hypervirulent clade 8 cluster. Stx2a levels after ciprofloxacin induction were lower for PA2 than for the prototypical outbreak strains Sakai and EDL933. However, during coculture with the nonpathogenic strain E. coli C600, PA2 produced Stx2a levels that were 2- to 12-fold higher than those observed during coculture with EDL933 and Sakai, respectively. Germfree mice cocolonized by PA2 and C600 showed greater kidney damage, increased Stx2a accumulation in feces, and more visible signs of disease than mice given PA2 or C600 alone. These data suggest one mechanism by which microorganisms associated with the colonic microbiota could enhance the virulence of E. coli O157:H7, particularly a subset of clade 8 strains.


Bacillus thuringiensis (or Bt) is a Gram-positive, soil-dwelling bacterium, frequently used as an organic pesticide. B. thuringiensis also arises naturally in the gut of caterpillars of several kinds of moths and butterflies, as well on foliage surfaces, marine environments, animal feces, insect-rich surroundings, and flour mills and grain-storage facilities. All through sporulation, various Bt strains harvest crystal proteins (proteinaceous inclusions), termed δ-endotoxins, that have insecticidal action. This has led to their use as pesticides, and more recently to genetically improved crops using Bt genes, such as Bt corn. Numerous crystal-producing Bt strains, however, do not have insecticidal properties. We define natural and in vitro growth of Cry toxins, as well as their significance in the mechanism of action for insect control. Furthermore, the use of DNA shuffling to develop two Bt toxins will be conversed together with in silico analyses of the generated mutations to evaluate their possible effect on protein structure and cytotoxicity. Keywords : Bacillus thuringiensis, Cry toxins, genes, pest Cite this Article Vishakha Singhal. Molecular Methods to Improve the Insecticidal Action of Bacillus thuringiensis in Biotechnology Arena. Research & Reviews: A Journal of Bioinformatics . 2017; 4(1): 31–35p.


In this paper, we rethink the problem of scene reconstruction from an embodied agent's perspective: While the classic view focuses on the reconstruction accuracy, our new perspective emphasizes the underlying functions and constraints such that the reconstructed scenes provide actionable information for simulating interactions with agents. Here, we address this challenging problem by reconstructing an interactive scene using RGB-D data stream, which captures (i) the semantics and geometry of objects and layouts by a 3D volumetric panoptic mapping module, and (ii) object affordance and contextual relations by reasoning over physical common sense among objects, organized by a graph-based scene representation. Crucially, this reconstructed scene replaces the object meshes in the dense panoptic map with part-based articulated CAD models for finer-grained robot interactions. In the experiments, we demonstrate that (i) our panoptic mapping module outperforms previous state-of-the-art methods, (ii) a high-performant physical reasoning procedure that matches, aligns, and replaces objects' meshes with best-fitted CAD models, and (iii) reconstructed scenes are physically plausible and naturally afford actionable interactions; without any manual labeling, they are seamlessly imported to ROS-based simulators and virtual environments for complex robot task executions.1


This chapter focuses on lexical subjects in non-finite domains and, following Chomsky (2006, 2008), provides an account of structural Case reliant on the phase head. I argue that agreement, understood as uninterpretable phi-features (i.e., uφ), is not compulsory for either Case licensing or for obtaining a Case value. Nonetheless, I show that the presence of uφ on the probing domain will ensure a Nominative value, while its absence will constrain the DP to an Accusative value. I propose that a null expletive checking the EPP feature will trigger Nominative subjects whenever (C)-T lacks uφ, specifically, in non-finite domains, such as infinitives and gerunds. I offer evidence for expletive pro as a UG primitive from Romanian binding facts and provide an analysis of Case valuation in this language. Lastly, I discuss micro-parametric variation in subject lexicalization within null expletive languages.


This case study explores the role of the online instructor and how they influence student satisfaction. While there has been a substantial body of literature on what impacts on student satisfaction when students study online, there is far less literature focussing on how the instructor mediates this satisfaction, in particular satisfaction related to quality of feedback and teaching. This case study addresses this gap by exploring the performance of two instructors across six fully online courses in a post graduate managerial leadership course. Course evaluation data (quantitative and qualitative) frequency and content of instructor postings, and social network maps were considered in exploring what influenced student satisfaction with feedback and quality of teaching in a fully online unit. The outcomes of the case study corroborate with what is beginning to appear in the literature, that is, the central role the instructor plays in influencing student satisfaction. The importance of teaching and social presence, driven by the instructor, appears to be an important factor driving learning quality. This has implications for recruitment and retention as well as for training and development of online instructors.


We present a method for extracting depth information from a rectified image pair. Our approach focuses on the first stage of many stereo algorithms: the matching cost computation. We approach the problem by learning a similarity measure on small image patches using a convolutional neural network. Training is carried out in a supervised manner by constructing a binary classification data set with examples of similar and dissimilar pairs of patches. We examine two network architectures for this task: one tuned for speed, the other for accuracy. The output of the convolutional neural network is used to initialize the stereo matching cost. A series of post-processing steps follow: cross-based cost aggregation, semiglobal matching, a left-right consistency check, subpixel enhancement, a median filter, and a bilateral filter. We evaluate our method on the KITTI 2012, KITTI 2015, and Middlebury stereo data sets and show that it outperforms other approaches on all three data sets.


The aim of this thesis was to increase knowledge about metapopulation and metacommunity processes in patchy, dynamic landscapes, using epiphytic bryophytes as a model system. Host trees and deciduous forest stands in the coniferous landscape are patchy, temporal and undergo changes in habitat quality during succession. Epiphytes must track this dynamic habitat network for their long-term survival. Community patterns at different spatial scales were explored and linked to regional metapopulation processes and local population dynamics. Spatial structuring in species richness both at a local and regional scale indicated stronger dispersal limitation but lower sensitivity to habitat quality in species with large asexual than in species with small sexual diaspores. In sexually dispersed species, a strong rescue effect was indicated by a bimodal frequency distribution of the species and by increasing local abundance with increasing patch connectivity. Present connectivity to other deciduous forest patches had positive effects on richness of asexually dispersed species, whereas richness of sexually dispersed species was instead related to the landscape connectivity 30 years ago. A study of local growth and reproduction suggested that this is caused by delayed sexual, but not asexual, reproduction. Habitat conditions affected the production of sporophytes, but not of asexual diaspores. No differences in either growth rates or competitive abilities among species with different dispersal and life-history strategies were found. In vitro experiments showed that establishment is higher from large asexual diaspores than from small sexual. Establishment of all diaspore types was limited by pH. There were indications of trade-offs between high germination and protonemal growth rates, desiccation tolerance and a rapid development of shoots from protonema. The results indicated that the epiphyte metacommunity is structured by two main trade-offs: dispersal distance (diaspore size) versus age at first reproduction, and dispersal distance versus sensitivity to habitat quality. Trade-offs in species traits may have evolved as a consequence of conflicting selection pressures imposed by habitat turnover, connectivity and irregular water supply rather than by species interactions. Syndromes of interrelated species traits imply that fairly small changes in habitat conditions can lead to distinct changes in metacommunity diversity: the results indicate that increasing distances among patches cause most harm to asexually dispersed species, whereas cuttings of forests of high age and quality as well as increasing patch dynamics are most harmful to sexually dispersed species.


This thesis investigates the applicability of the Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) for interfacing grid connected photovoltaic conversion plants. A detailed three-phase 9-level simulation model is implemented in Simulink. Two control objectives are identified as distinctive for the MMC: Capacitor voltage balancing and suppression of circulating currents, both of which are included in the model. The MMC is controlled by a modified Level-Shifted Pulse Width Modulator. The model is verified by comparing its behaviour to that of the mathematical model of the MMC. The nature of photovoltaic power generation makes Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) important to maximize the power yield from a pv module. All the pv modules connected to the same MPP tracker should have the same operating conditions. For largescale pv farms this is only feasible with multiple MPP trackers. Two pv inverter configurations are identified as suitable for grid connection of large-scale pv farms using the MMC: Cascaded dc-dc converters and multi-string inverter. With the former, the three phase legs share the same dc link voltage. With a multi-string topology, each submodule is fed by a separate pv string. Thus, power imbalance between the submodules are inevitable. This can be remedied by power imbalance compensation. For grid side control Synchronous Reference Frame Control (SRFC) and Model Predictive Control (MPC) is considered. MPC has the advantage of handling non-linear constraints on both states and variables. In addition it is reported to perform better than SRFC during dynamic conditions, which are likely to occur with power generation from pv modules. SRFC is implemented in the MMC simulation model. It synchronizes with the grid and delivers power at unity power factor.


Charles Peter Wagner is a well-known missiologist and ecclesiologist of the latest era. He is the author, trainer and prayer warrior who founded the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) that seeks to establish a fourth house. The NAR is a heterodox movement in Protestant Christianity sometimes known as the apostolic-prophetic movement, commonly associated with both the Pentecostal and Charismatic churches worldwide since the beginnings of the 1990s. Central to their theology is their locus of dogma that the task of the church, under the leadership of the apostles and prophets, is to take dominion of the earth within Christendom (distinct from Catholicism, Protestantism and Orthodox Christianity). The ekklesia is the people of God, whether they are gathered in their congregations on Sunday as the nuclear Church, or scattered in the workplace Monday through Saturday as the extended Church. The extended Church, just like the nuclear Church, is founded on apostles and prophets, but in the extended Church these are the different people who operate differently under a different rule book. It is these extended church leaders who will be most effective in transforming society. Workplace apostles are called to take dominion in business, government, arts and entertainment, media, family and education. Panoramically, Wagner's ecclesiology, like mainstream evangelical ecclesiology, is trinitarian, communal, missiological and eschatological in nature and character. The weaknesses on his ecclesiology include the notions of polity based on fivefold ministries, balance of power and authority on church leadership, phenomenological approach to texts, exegetical shortcomings, and secular models in ecclesiastical governance.