While most research on the e-diaspora focuses on connections within heterosexual families and communities, this paper explores the transnational connections and digital media uses of LGBTQ migrants. Based on semi-structured interviews with 23 LGBTQs living in Belgium, two groups are distinguished: voluntary migrants, who chose to move, and forced migrants, who felt they had to leave their country because of their sexual orientation. Comparing their familial and ethno-cultural connections, it becomes clear that both groups-for varying reasons and to varying degrees-feel disconnected from their countries of origin, families, and ethno-cultural communities in Belgium. For all participants, digital media are a key tool to maintain some connections, but particularly for the forced migrants 'context collapse' on social media leads to a sense of insecurity. Overall, this research illustrates the importance of intersecting variables in research on the e-diaspora, as well as the impact of 'offline' legal and material conditions on online media uses.


In this paper we explore difierent situations in which collaborative agents have to communicate among themselves using standard interaction protocols. We will propose how to process these interactions in parallel without interfering with other agent's activities. Thus, agents will not have to interrupt or delay an activity for handling incoming messages, and in some cases, answers can be created and delivered immediately. Our proposal will be oriented to a robotic soccer domain with autonomous mobile robots. We will analyze three kinds of situations in which the interaction between agents plays an important role for coordination: requirements, queries and proposals. Requirements arise when an agent asks another to execute a speciflc action. A query is used when an agent wants to acquire certain information from another agent. Finally, proposals arise when an agent wants to synchronize with another agent for collaboration. In a realistic scenario, an agent may interact with several agents and these interactions usually proceed simultaneously with the rest of the activities of the agent. Therefore, our proposal is to process these interactions in parallel with the decision cycle of the agent reducing the overhead imposed by the interaction. The implementation of this approach will be done in an extended logic programming framework developed for implementing multi-agent systems.


This article provides a stochastic valuation framework for bond and stock returns that builds on three different pricing traditions: affine models of the term structure, present-value pricing of equities, and consumption-based asset pricing. Our model provides a more general application of the affine framework in that both bonds and equities are priced in a consistent fashion. This pricing consistency implies that term structure variables help price stocks while stock price fundamentals help price the term structure. We illustrate our model by considering three examples that are similar in spirit to well-known pricing models that fall within our general framework: a Mehra and Prescott (1985) economy, a present value model similar to Campbell and Shiller (1988b), and a model with stochastic risk aversion similar to Campbell and Cochrane (1998). The empirical performance of our models is explored, with a particular emphasis on return predictability.


The first widely disseminated 'asthma guideline' came out of Australia and New Zealand in 1989,1 followed shortly by the British Thoracic Society (BTS) in 1990,2 the United States National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Expert Panel Report in 19913 and the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) strategy document in 1995.4 All have benefited from regular updates, the BTS collaborating with the Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN) since 2003, most recently in 2016.5 Each new iteration of the asthma guidelines was written by experts in the field and based on best available evidence. It is not known whether these guidelines (or any others) have improved the care of people with asthma; asthma prevalence has continued to rise (although it may now have plateaued), and deaths overall have not fallen, although this statistic is driven entirely by an ageing population, as deaths in England from asthma in the young have in fact dropped dramatically.6 It is likely, however, that guidelines have reduced variation in diagnosis and treatment of this complex disease.

In 2013, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) joined the guideline party, with a new approach that included consideration of health economics as well as clinical effectiveness. Their rationale included concerns that deaths were not falling, drug costs were rising and over-diagnosis and under-diagnosis still a significant issue. While the strength of evidence for each of these points varies (drug costs are rising across all areas of medicine, and over-diagnosis rates of 30% have been demonstrated repeatedly, even in recently diagnosed individuals7), all healthcare professionals involved in the care of people with asthma would recognise that each of these issues do need careful consideration. However, what had not been established was whether these failures were …


This paper examines the changing nature of occupational labour-market trends in South Africa and the resulting impact on wages. We observe high levels of demand for skilled labour that have intensified a trend already established before 1994. Over the period 2001-12 employment within the primary sectors collapsed, employment in the manufacturing sector did not increase, while employment in the tertiary sectors such as financial services and community services grew. High- and medium-skilled occupations such as managers, professionals, service and sales workers have seen significant growth while the number of low-skilled workers, and the proportion of medium-skilled workers in the primary and secondary sectors of the economy have declined. In addition, an analysis of occupation demand using a Katz-Murphy decomposition model further shows that within-sector shifts outweigh between-sector shifts in explaining changes in relative labour demand. Increasing demand for skilled labour has also fed into and changed the structure of wages, and therefore wage inequality. We follow the work by Firpo et al. (2011) in an attempt to explore the way in which the returns to certain tasks (rather than occupations) have changed over time. This approach emphasizes the influence of structural factors such as technology and trade, in the presence of increasingly routinized tasks and offshoring, on wages. We run quantile regressions which suggest that, when controlling for age/experience, race and education, jobs which involve automated or routine tasks and those without any face-to-face component (largely lower- to medium-skilled jobs) have seen declining wage levels over time.


In late 2009, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills report, Higher Ambitions, laid out challenges to the UK higher education sector to deliver flexible learning opportunities. These objectives are mirrored in Scotland through New Horizons and in Wales through For Our Future and build on a range of policy and research agendas relating to economic growth, perceived skills gaps and widening participation. Responses have been mixed, with some institutions embracing civic engagement opportunities. The real challenge for the higher education sector, however, lies in the extent to which existing systems, processes and infrastructures, predicated on a minority participation model of provision, are fit for this new purpose.
This paper draws on evidence from a Lifelong Learning Network Credit Accumulation and Transfer scheme, Advance. The scheme facilitates work based and lifelong learning by providing easier access to modules carrying credit towards a range of higher education qualifications within the FHEQ. Learning programmes are based on an 'emergence' model where the learner or employer is able to continually build and re-shape the learning journey to respond to their personal or specific business needs.
Evaluation of the pilot study suggests that to provide such flexibility, universities need to re-think awards and programmes, challenge notions of academic coherence and provide innovative interpretation of the QAA codes of practice for partnership working.


Recently, we reported on the unusual "switch-off" of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) by analyzing heart rate (HR) beat-to-beat interval (RRI) signals and respiration in five subjects during a potentially anxiety-provoking first-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning with slow spontaneous breathing waves (Rassler et al., 2018). This deviation from a fundamental physiological phenomenon is of interest and merits further research. Therefore, in this study, the interplay between blood-oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) activity in the cerebellum/brain stem, RRI, and respiration was probed. Both the cardiovascular and the respiratory centers are located in the medulla oblongata and pons, indicating that dominant slow rhythmic activity is present in the brain stem. The recording of BOLD signals provides a way to investigate associated neural activity fluctuation in the brain stem. We found slow spontaneous breathing waves associated with two types of slow BOLD oscillations with dominant frequencies at 0.10 and 0.15 Hz in the brain stem. Both BOLD oscillations were recorded simultaneously. One is hypothesized as vessel motion-based phenomenon (BOLDv) associated with the start of expiration; the other one as pattern associated with neural activity (BOLDn) acting as a driving force for spontaneous inspiration and RRI increase (unusual cessation of RSA) about 2–3 s after BOLDv. This time delay of 2–3 s corresponds to the neurovascular coupling time.


The conflict that historians have called King Philip's War still ranks as one of the bloodiest per capita in American history. An Indian coalition ravaged much of New England, killing six hundred colonial fighting men (not including their Indian allies), obliterating seventeen white towns, and damaging more than fifty settlements. The version of these events that has come down to us focuses on Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay - the colonies whose commentators dominated the storytelling. But because Connecticut lacked a chronicler, its experience has gone largely untold. As Jason W. Warren makes clear in Connecticut Unscathed, this imbalance has generated an incomplete narrative of the war. Dubbed King Philip's War after the Wampanoag architect of the hostilities, the conflict, Warren asserts, should more properly be called the Great Narragansett War, broadening its context in time and place and indicating the critical role of the Narragansetts, the largest tribe in southern New England. With this perspective, Warren revises a key chapter in colonial history. In contrast to its sister colonies, Connecticut emerged from the war relatively unharmed. The colony's comparatively moderate Indian policies made possible an effective alliance with the Mohegans and Pequots. These Indian allies proved crucial to the colony's war effort, Warren contends, and at the same time denied the enemy extra manpower and intelligence regarding the surrounding terrain and colonial troop movements. And when Connecticut became the primary target of hostile Indian forces - especially the powerful Narragansetts - the colony's military prowess and its enlightened treatment of Indians allowed it to persevere. Connecticut's experience, properly understood, affords a new perspective on the Great Narragansett War - and a reevaluation of its place in the conflict between the Narragansetts and the Mohegans and the Pequots of Connecticut, and in American history.


Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a promising vector for human gene therapy. Although more effective than non-viral vectors, AAV still requires improvement in efficacy in order to become a successful gene therapy vector. With this in mind, we have sought to identify and examine identified enhancers of adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2) transduction. Using a high throughput screening system with recombinant AAV2 carrying the luciferase reporter gene (AAV2-Luc), we found siRNA sequences and chemical compounds which increase AAV2 reporter gene expression. We specifically identified a hexamer seed region 5'UGUUUC-3' which facilitated AAV2 transduction. Chemical compound enhancers included ellagic acid, 1,10-phenanthroline, EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors, nucleoside analogs, and DNA alkylating agents. Although several of these compounds, such as EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors and DNA alkylating agents, were known enhancers of AAV transduction, compounds such as ellagic acid and 1,10-phenanthroline were newly identified as facilitating AAV2 transduction. After identifying these enhancers, we have further sought to understand a mechanistic basis for them through studies which individually quantified enhancement at stages including the virus-receptor interaction, the viral DNA introduction into the cell, reporter gene RNA transcription, and the production of protein from the transgene. The identification of siRNAs and chemical compounds which enhance transduction can lead to a better understanding of AAV2 biology and may provide a foundation for the engineering of novel AAV formulations, delivery systems, or vectors. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering First Advisor Scott L. Diamond


Compositional gaps are common in volcanic series worldwide. The pervasive generation of compositional gaps influences the mechanical and thermal properties of the crust, and holds clues on how our planet differentiates. We have explored potential mechanisms to generate these gaps using numerical simulations coupling crystallization kinetics and multiphase fluid dynamics of magma reservoirs. We show that gaps are inherent to crystal fractionation for all compositions, as crystal-liquid separation takes place most efficiently within a crystallinity window of ∼50–70 vol% crystals. The probability of melt extraction from a crystal residue in a cooling magma chamber is highest in this crystallinity window due to (1) enhanced melt segregation in the absence of chamber-wide convection, (2) buffering by latent heat of crystallization, and (3) diminished chamber-wall thermal gradients. This mechanical control of igneous distillation is likely to have played a dominant role in the formation of the compositionally layered Earth9s crust by allowing multiple and overlapping intrusive episodes of relatively discrete or quantized composition that become more silicic upward.


Both global governance and the sub-set of issues that may be termed 'internet governance' are vast and complex issue areas. The difficulties of trying to 'legislate' at the global level – efforts that must encompass the economic, cultural, developmental, legal, and political concerns of diverse states and other stakeholders – are further complicated by the technological conundrums encountered in cyberspace. The unleashing of the so-called 'Global War on Terrorism' (GWOT) complicates things yet further. Today, both sub-state and non-state actors are said to be harnessing – or preparing to harness – the power of the internet to harass and attack their foes. Clearly, international terrorism had already been a significant security issue prior to 11 September 2001 (hereafter '9/11') and the emergence of the internet in the decade before. Together, however, the events of 9/11 and advancements in ICTs have added new dimensions to the problem. In newspapers and magazines, in film and on television, and in research and analysis, 'cyber-terrorism' has become a buzzword. Since the events of 9/11, the question on everybody's lips appears to be 'is cyber-terrorism next?' It is generally agreed that the potential for a 'digital 9/11' in the near future is not great. This does not mean that IR scholars may continue to ignore the transformative powers of the internet.


Trade liberalisation has a significant impact on firm-market dynamics in a regional context. The purpose of this paper is to use an industrial organisation framework, focusing on the analytical units, the firm and the market, to assess the impact of trade liberalisation within the Southern African region, SADC. It is specifically the firm-level responses to various policies that will provide insight into changes in national industrial configurations, regional patterns of industrialisation and the potential for sustainable supply chain development in Southern Africa. The purpose of intra-regional trade liberalisation is to facilitate trade within a regional economic space, and through enhanced trade opportunities to elicit firm-level decisions to expand productive capacity. Such expansion of productive capacity, through various modalities of investment, can have important implications for the development of markets and market processes, resulting in robust, sustainable regional development.


Contemporary Human Resource Management provides students with a thorough and critical exploration of all the key functions and issues within HRM today.

Written in a clear yet thought-provoking style, the book contains chapters contributed by experts in their field to ensure coverage of the most recent ideas and practices. Each chapter is complemented by at least 2 more extensive case studies, exercises or activities to put concepts into recognisable context.

It is suitable for students studying human resource management on a wide range of HRM and general business / management undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes.

Contemporary Human Resource Management: Text and Cases comes with a MyLab Access Card.


Wy should Canadians sing cross-culturally? A country which has often been ailed a cultural mosaic, Canada is home voices from multiple cultural contexts which often live and work alongside one another. This mosaic encompasses the many cultures of the world which call Canada home, as well as the rich heritage of indigenous Canadians. Yet, our cultural dialogue is not without tension: for example, indigenous populations still struggle to have their voices heard by the Canadian government in a quest for equal rights. Consider the legacy of the residential school system, a government-run initiative beginning in the nineteenth century whose stated purpose was to force assimilation of indigenous Canadians into a Euro-Canadian lifestyle in an effort to "kill the Indian in the child."1 Aboriginal children were taken from their homes and placed in residential schools where they were forbidden to speak their language or follow their cultural practices, and many were subject to physical and sexual abuse. The three denominations featured in this study all participated in the administration of this system, which Justice Minister Irwin Coder has called "the single most harmful, disgraceful, and racist act in our history."2 As recently as 2008, current Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave a nationally broadcast apology acknowledging the Canadian government's previous policies of assimilation.3 Indeed, despite Canada's longstanding multiculturalism, its congregational song has not always reflected its people's diversity. The isolation of Canada's Aboriginal, First Nations, and Inuit communities as well as the marginalization of immigrant and other nonAnglo-Saxon populations can be seen in a repertoire of hymnody that historically favoured white WesternEuropean strophic hymnody to the exclusion of other forms of congregational song. In recent years, however, the hymnals of the major Protestant denominations in Canada have begun to reflect Canada's diversity and reconciliation. How, then, to sing toward justice in our twenty-first-century Canadian context? How have we reflected this dialogue in our denominational hymnals? This paper will examine the choices made by the successive hymnal committees of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC), the Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC), and the United Church of Canada (UCC), in order to illustrate where we have come from in our understanding of singing into the church universal. A survey of the advent of global hymnody in these denominations' most recent hymnals: Common Praise (1998), The Book of Praise (1997), Voices United (1996) and More Voices (2007), respectively - will show how we have responded to an increased awareness of global and indigenous song, and the justice issues inherent in their inclusion or exclusion from our repertoire. Two major assumptions undergird this work: first, congregational song is deeply formational; it moulds who we are as a people and delineates our communities' borders. Second, the act of inclusion or exclusion of a hymn in a hymnal is inevitably prescriptive; an included song has been deemed "worthy to be sung," whether it be to affirm the prevailing piety of a worshipping body, or with the prophetic goal of pushing at the borders of what is deemed to be a part ofthat body's theology.4 This being the case, singing a stranger's song is an act of justice: we may sing in a spirit of hospitality, or in a spirit of intercession, or in a spirit of solidarity with songs of protest and praise. While the practice of this justice will look different from congregation to congregation, a kind of musical hermeneutics of justice is evinced in the choices made by these latter hymnal committees, as the material offered up for the church to sing begins to more closely reflect oikoumene, the whole inhabited earth. The Anglican Church of Canada (ACC): Gomwio-n Praise Background The ACC has a rich liturgical history rooted in sacramental theology and a highly responsorial liturgy, influenced by the Anglican chant tradition. …


Human gd T cells are currently the subject of intensive research ana large expansions of tumour-reactive gd T cells have been observed inpatients with haematological malignancies including Multiple Myeloma (MM) and chronic leukaemias (CML, CLL) in our laboratory. However, the role of innate effector gd T cells subsets in patients progressing from monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) to MM is currently unknown. Previously, we have also shown expansion of gd T lymphocytes in cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositive healthy donors compared to CMV seronegative individuals (p=0.0002) suggesting their direct involvement in anti-CMV immune response. Here we performed detailed analyses of expansion, phenotype, clonality and function of Vdl and Vd2 gd T cells isolated from patients and age-matched healthy donors (HD, n=53). We have analysed bone marrow (BM) and paired peripheral blood (PB) samples from MGUS (n=30) and newly diagnosed myeloma (n=52) patients. Second, we determined the whole genome profiles of tumour-reactive gd T cells and compared these to healthy donors. Third, we analysed healthy donors with five most commonly presented aileles for anti-CMV responses of gd T cells in parallel to CMV-specific ab T cells in the same HLA-A*02, HLA-A*01, HLA-A*24, HLA-A*07, and HLA-A*35 donors. The microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles have been generated from HLA-A*02, HLA-A801 CMV seropositive HD. Fourth, detailed analyses of the TCR repertoire of the gamma (g1-8, g9, g10, g11) and delta (d1-d8) chains have been determined in HD and patient cohorts. The summary of results will be presented and discussed.


Introduction Data mining is the process of discovering useful and previously unknown information and relationships in large data sets (Campos, Stengard, & Milenova, 2005; Tan, Steinbach, & Kumar, 2006). Accordingly, data mining is the purposeful use of information technology to implement algorithms from machine learning, statistics, and artificial intelligence to analyze large data sets for the purpose of decision support. The field of data mining grew out of limitations in standard data analysis techniques (Tan et al., 2006). Advancements in machine learning, pattern recognition, and artificial intelligence algorithms coupled with computing trends (CPU power, massive storage devices, high-speed connectivity, and software academic initiatives from companies like Microsoft, Oracle, and IBM) enabled universities to bring data mining courses into their curricula (Jafar, Anderson, & Abdullat, 2008b). Accordingly, Computer Science and Information Systems programs have been aggressively introducing data mining courses into their curricula (Goharian, Grossman, & Raju, 2004; Jafar, Anderson, & Abdullat 2008a; Lenox & Cuff, 2002; Saquer, 2007). Computer Science programs focus on the deep understanding of the mathematical aspects of data mining algorithms and their efficient implementation. They require advanced programming and data structures as prerequisites for their courses (Goharian et al., 2004; Musicant, 2006; Rahal, 2008). Information Systems programs on the other hand, focus on the data analysis and business intelligence aspects of data mining. Students learn the theory of data mining algorithms and their applications. Then they use tools that implement the algorithms to build mining models to analyze data for the purpose of decision support. Accordingly, a first course in programming, a database management course, and a statistical data analysis course suffice as prerequisites. For Information Systems programs, a data centric, algorithm understanding and process-automation approach to data mining similar to Jafar et al. (2008a) and Campos et al. (2005) is more appropriate. A data mining course in an Information Systems program has an (1) analytical component, (2) a tools-based, hands-on component ,and (3) a rich collection of data sets. (1) The analytical component covers the theory and practice of the lifecycle of a data mining analysis project, elementary data analysis, market basket analysis, classification and prediction (decision trees, neural networks, naive Bayes, logistic regression, etc.), cluster analysis and category detection, testing and validation of mining models, and finally the application of mining models for decision support and prediction. Textbooks from Han and Kamber (2006) and Tan et al. (2006) provide a comprehensive coverage of the terminology, theory, and algorithms of data mining. (2) The hands-on component requires the use of tools to build projects based on the algorithms learned in the analytical component. We chose Microsoft Excel with its data mining add-in(s) as the front-end and Microsoft's Cloud Computing and SQL Server 2008 data mining computing engines as the back-end. Microsoft Excel is ubiquitous. It is a natural front-end for elementary data analysis and presentation of data. Its data mining add-in(s) are available as a free download. The add-in(s) are automatically configured to send data to Microsoft's Cloud Computing engine server. The server performs the necessary analysis and receives analysis results back into Excel to present them in tabulated and chart formats. Using wizards, the add-in(s) are easily configured to connect to a SQL Server 2008 running analysis services to send data and receive analysis results back into Excel for presentation. The add-in(s) provide a rich wizard-based, uniform graphical user interface to manage the data, the data mining models, the configurations, and the pre and post view of data and mining models. …


We present a search for electron neutrino appearance from accelerator-produced muon neutrinos in the K2K long-baseline neutrino experiment. One candidate event is found in the data corresponding to an exposure of 4.8 x 10(19) protons on target. The expected background in the absence of neutrino oscillations is estimated to be 2.4+/-0.6 events and is dominated by misidentification of events from neutral current pi(0) production. We exclude the nu(micro) to nu(e) oscillations at 90% C.L. for the effective mixing angle in the 2-flavor approximation of sin((2)2theta(microe)( approximately 1/2sin((2)2theta(13))>0.15 at Deltam(2)(microe)=2.8 x 10(-3) eV(2), the best-fit value of the nu(micro) disappearance analysis in K2K. The most stringent limit of sin((2)2theta(microe)<0.09 is obtained at Deltam(2)(microe)=6 x 10(-3) eV(2).


A computational simulation model calculates estimated recovery trajectories following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Prior publications include a multi-scale conceptual framework for studying concussion, a systems-level causal loop diagram (CLD) and an analysis of key feedback processes. A set of first order ordinary differential equations and their associated parameters determines recovery trajectories. The model contains 15 state variables, 73 auxiliary variables, and 50 parameters describing TBI pathology in an aggregate fashion at the cellular, network, cognitive and social levels. There are 1200 feedback loops, which give rise to a variety of behavior modes, many of which are highly nonlinear. Exogenous parameters include patient and injury characteristics, treatments, and time constants for recovery processes. Model testing has focused on reviewing the causal diagram with subject matter experts and determining sensitivity of model results to injury severity and patient characteristics, especially the time constants associated with healing/recovery processes. The model produces outcome trajectories that represent quick or slow recovery with no deficits, partial recovery, and the patient remaining indefinitely in a pathological state. While highly speculative, the model serves to demonstrate the potential utility of computational models in this context and to further discussion about the complex dynamics involved in recovery from TBI. The model also generates counterintuitive results, as is characteristic of complex systems. Much more research will be needed to create a properly supported research model that could be used or for precision medicine or to aid clinical trial design.


China's hardline and repressive policies have often stood in the way of its acceptance on the international stage. This legacy has nowhere been more evident than with respect to its national minority policies applied in Tibet. While China long ago in the 1951 17-point Agreement agreed to provide autonomy to Tibetans it has never delivered on this promise, offering repression and assimilation instead. In nearly every diplomatic outing, as was especially evident in the lead up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China's Tibet policies have been an issue. With the 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the 2008 Tibetan Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy for the Tibetan People China surely has excellent guidance for a more humane policy to meet Tibetan concerns. With reference to its historical legacy and international standards, this paper encourages China to embrace such policy reform.


Commercial and Defense/Aerospace OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) daily face the risks of component obsolescence and the resulting impacts on the longevity of their end products. Regardless of the lifecycle length of the end product, all OEMs have some measure of obsolescence management in place in order to mitigate the risks and costs of diminishing components. Historically, defense, aerospace and commercial OEMs with long end product lifecycles have placed greater emphasis on a well-managed obsolescence strategy. Conversely, OEMs with smaller end product lifecycles have placed less emphasis on sophisticated proactive approaches to obsolescence management, relying mostly on reactive measures. This whitepaper makes a case for all OEMs, regardless of size, to use proactive obsolescence forecasting measures. This whitepaper also illustrates the risks of using component lifecycle forecast data points from the manufacturers themselves, versus using forecasts based on algorithmic & historical data points from independent electronic component databases. With the growth and sophistication of electronic component databases growing yearly, lifecycle forecasts, intelligent component selection, and overall obsolescence mitigation are within reach of all OEMs.


Background: Considerable disparities exist in colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality rates between blacks and whites in the United States. We estimated how much of these disparities could be explained by differences in CRC screening and stage-specific relative CRC survival. Methods: We used the MISCAN-Colon microsimulation model to estimate CRC incidence and mortality rates in blacks, aged 50 years and older, from 1975 to 2007 assuming they had: (i) the same trends in screening rates as whites instead of observed screening rates (incidence and mortality); (ii) the same trends in stage-specific relative CRC survival rates as whites instead of observed (mortality only); and (iii) a combination of both. The racial disparities in CRC incidence and mortality rates attributable to differences in screening and/or stage-specific relative CRC survival were then calculated by comparing rates from these scenarios to the observed black rates. Results: Differences in screening accounted for 42% of disparity in CRC incidence and 19% of disparity in CRC mortality between blacks and whites. Thirty-six percent of the disparity in CRC mortality could be attributed to differences in stage-specific relative CRC survival. Together screening and survival explained a little more than 50% of the disparity in CRC mortality between blacks and whites. Conclusion: Differences in screening and relative CRC survival are responsible for a considerable proportion of the observed disparities in CRC incidence and mortality rates between blacks and whites. Impact: Enabling blacks to achieve equal access to care as whites could substantially reduce the racial disparities in CRC burden. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(5); 728–36. ©2012 AACR.


Many of the recent Court of Justice rulings concerning the relationship between the international legal order and the EU legal order have been on the receiving end of considerable criticism, with the EU level judicial commitment to international law being called into question. One dimension of that critique has concerned the treatment of EU concluded Agreements. An assessment of the extant EU level judicial enforcement practice provides evidence of the emergence of a twin-track approach. Member State level activity challenged for non-compliance with EU Agreements is generally subjected to the full force of those Agreements, whilst in contrast the tendency where EU level activity has been challenged before the Court of Justice appears to have become one of shielding such activity from meaningful review. Even if this trajectory were to be maintained, which remains to be seen, it can be argued that the medium of EU law nevertheless serves to bolster the effectiveness of this increasingly expanding body of Treaty law. For EU law has placed at the disposal of litigants, including the Commission via infringement proceedings, the most powerful of tools for policing the compliance of currently twenty-seven Member States with this growing number of agreements.


Most of the matter in the Universe appears to be in some form which does not emit or absorb light. While evidence for the existence of this dark matter has accumulated over the last seventy years, its nature remains elusive. In this thesis, quasars and low surface brightness galaxies (LSBGs) are used to investigate the properties of the dark matter. Quasars are extremely bright light sources which can be seen over vast distances. These cosmic beacons may be used to constrain dark matter in the form of low-mass, compact objects along the line of sight, as such objects are expected to induce brightness fluctuations in quasars through gravitational microlensing effects. Using a numerical microlensing model, we demonstrate that the uncertainty in the typical size of the optical continuum-emitting region in quasars represents the main obstacle in this procedure. We also show that, contrary to claims in the literature, microlensing fails to explain the observed long-term optical variability of quasars. Here, quasar distances are inferred from their redshifts, which are assumed to stem from the expansion of the Universe. Some astronomers do however defend the view that quasar redshifts could have a different origin. A number of potential methods for falsifying claims of such non-cosmological redshifts are proposed. As the ratio of dark to luminous matter is known to be unusually high in LSBGs, these objects have become the prime targets for probing dark matter halos around galaxies. Here, we use spectral evolutionary models to constrain the properties of the stellar populations in a class of unusually blue LSBGs. Using rotation curve data obtained at the ESO Very Large Telescope, we also investigate the density profiles of their dark halos. We find our measurements to be inconsistent with the predictions of the currently favoured cold dark matter scenario.


"Romantic love has been, and continues to be, the subject of diverse discussions in a variety of realms, including but not limited to, philosophy, psychology and anthropology. Despite the depth and range of such discussions, as a concept, romantic love remains an enigmatic phenomenon. Love may be knowable and comprehensible to others, as understood in the phrases, "I am in love", "I love you", but it is often felt, most notably by the humanities academic community, that what "love" means in these sentences cannot be analyzed further. This is because the concept of "love" is perceived to be irreducible; an axiomatic, or self-evident, state of affairs that warrants no further intellectual intrusion. In attempting to define love therefore, we stumble across the philosophical questions of how we may know love, how we may understand it and whether it is possible or plausible to make statements about being in love if love is purely an emotional condition. In light of these concerns it is necessary to assert that there is a difference between the claim that love cannot be examined and the claim that it should not be subject to examination out of a sense of reverence for its mysteriousness, its
awesome, divine, or romantic nature.


Summary 1. The prevention and management of transmissible diseases hinges upon understanding host dispersal because it influences distribution of wildlife, affects the rate of disease transmission, and alters the spatial distribution of infection. The relationship between host dispersal and chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids is of interest because potential interspecies transmission of fatal prion diseases creates serious risks for wildlife, domestic species, and humans. 2. We used molecular techniques to examine dispersal in a population of Illinois white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus. Sampled individuals inhabited areas with confirmed cases of CWD, a transmissible prion disease of cervids, with additional sampling in uninfected locations. We genotyped 1410 deer harvested through CWD surveillance using 10 microsatellites and measured gene flow, determined population structure and quantified gender-specific differences in dispersal. Additionally we used spatial autocorrelation and parentage assignments to examine individual movements. 3. Female deer demonstrated philopatry as evidenced by higher levels of genetic structure, positive spatial autocorrelation and maternity assignments within one home range. 4. Male deer were less genetically structured and frequently exchanged genes across >100 km. 5. Synthesis and applications. Dispersal contributes to the spread of wildlife diseases. Therefore, knowledge of wildlife movement patterns can enhance the efficacy of disease control programmes. Our findings show that samples collected for disease surveillance are useful for measuring gene flow and inferring dispersal in white-tailed deer. High genetic admixture indicates males disperse regardless of landscape features. In contrast, distinct clustering of females demonstrates localized dispersal and philopatry. Taken together, results suggest that CWD surveillance and culling of males should be broadly expanded after an outbreak. Furthermore, surveillance of hunter-harvested deer can be used to identify locales in which CWD occurs, and this information should be used to focus culling efforts on females within genetically defined clusters ('matriarchal groups'). Removal of matriarchal groups at those locations will reduce horizontal transmission more than widely distributed population reductions.


Two important sulphide ore-bearing formations have been recognized in the Cambro-Silurian succession of the Røros district. One is composed of sub marine greenstones and quartz keratophyres (the HersjØ Formation). The other one, which is studied here, consists of a heterogeneous series of banded meta-argillites and meta-greywackes with subordinate thin green interlayers of probable volcanogenic origin (the Røsiø Formation). These two formations are embedded in a thick succession of various clastic sedimentary rocks which have undergone metamorphism and folding during the Silurian oro geny. The numerous sulphide deposits which occur in the KjØli area are largely confined to the Røsiø Formation. The sulphide bodies are chiefly composed of massive pyrite and/or pyrrhotite showing variable chalcopyrite and sphalerite grades. The massive sulphides often occur as thin, extensive sheets, locally as irregular, small lenses which rarely exceed one metre· in thickness. It is probable that the sulphides have been precipitated primarily on the sea-floor, but there is no clear evidence of a volcanogenic origin. Lo�al discordant relationships between the massive sulphides and the wall rocks are ascribed to metamorphic mobilization of the sulphides. The thicker sulph.ide lenses may themselves represent mobilized portions of thinner sulphide-rich units.


Abstract The term "adrenal incidentaloma" is a radiological term. Adrenal incidentalomas are adrenal tumors discovered in an imaging study that has been obtained for indications exclusive to adrenal conditions (Udelsman 2001; Linos 2003; Bulow et al. 2006; Anagnostis et al. 2009). This definition excludes patients undergoing imaging testing as part of staging and work-up for cancer (Grumbach et al. 2003; Anagnostis et al. 2009). Papierska et al. (2013) have added the prerequisite that the size of a tumor must be "greater than 1cm in diameter", in order to be called incidentaloma. Although in the most cases these masses are non-hypersecreting and benign, they still represent an important clinical concern because of the risk of malignancy or hormone hyperfunction (Barzon et al. 2003). Th e adrenal tumors belong to the commonest incidental findings having been discovered (Kanagarajah et al. 2012).


The key element that has determined us to initiate a study concerning the benefits of intra-arterial chemotherapy is the fact that, despite progress regarding therapy, the ENT cancer prognosis is poor, especially in stages that have regional invasion, with a higher risk of therapeutic failure. ENT cancer treatment has raised many questions, the present therapeutic standard being simultaneous radio-chemotherapy with cisplatin, a quality regional control being obtained by hyper-fractionated radiotherapy, targeted on the tumour volume. The technical inconveniences that, in some cases, make impossible the accomplishment of a correct treatment, have determined us to make a retrospective analysis of the studies published in medical journals, with the aim of discerning a therapeutic method that has a role in increasing the loco-regional control of the disease. The studies speak about intra-arterial chemoinfusion with cisplatin, alongside radiotherapy, demonstrating with certainty the superiority of this method versus administrating the drug intravenously, in terms of local tumour control and tolerability. Because the benefits regarding the survival rate and the disease-free period have not reached the statistically significant level, intra-arterial chemoinfusion of cisplatin, alongside radiotherapy, remains a subject that is open to further studies. The efficacy of intra-arterial chemoinfusion of cisplatin hasn't been studied in the case of a relapse, remaining still a subject that is worthy of being approached, seeing as this method was shown to be efficient regarding the safety profile, having a good tolerability and also having a good activity profile, leading to increase in the quality of life and an increase in survival through a local tumour control that is superior than in the case of intravenous administration of the drug.


This study proposes a novel adaptation of MAX-MIN Ant System algorithm for the Quota Traveling Salesman Problem with Passengers, Incomplete Ride, and Collection Time. There are different types of decisions to solve this problem: satisfaction of the minimum quota, acceptance of ride requests, and minimization of travel costs under the viewpoint of the salesman. The Algorithmic components proposed regards vehicle capacity, travel time, passenger limitations, and a penalty for delivering a passenger deliverance out of the required destination. The ant-based algorithm incorporates different sources of heuristic information for the ants and memory-based principles. Computational results are reported, showing the effectiveness of this ant-based algorithm.


There are no two ways about it: the Internet presents a challenge to librarians and information providers everywhere. "Googling" and "Asking Jeeves" are often easier options than heading to the local library for answers to research questions. How can libraries be viewed as another, perhaps more useful search engine? Librarian and former technology vendor Andrew Pace draws from successful and failed Internet service models, and explores complicated library-vendor relationships to show you how you can beef up customer satisfaction. This manual advocates that libraries shift their current practices and create collaborative and win-win partnerships with vendors to provide better and more forward-looking services. Pace presents some extreme views and suggests radical changes on how libraries can stay competitive in the new digital arena and starts the dialogue that can lead to lasting change. This unconventional and provocative look explores: what libraries can learn from the heady rise and crushing fall of the dot-coms; how library-vendor partnership can result in better automation products; and how to maintain privacy principles at the heart of the library's mission.


Purpose: This research goes in depth in the human values profile that influences elderly to volunteer. In exploring possible relationships between values and volunteering, we adopt the analysis perspective of the Theory of Basic Human Values framework developed by Schwartz (1992). Design/methodology/approach: Based on an initial exploratory analysis, the study presents a logistic regression model that shows the extent to which an individual's personal values explain his/her volunteer behaviour on elderly people. Findings: The results confirm that a retiree's engagement or lack of engagement in volunteer activities may be satisfactorily explained by the set of human values. The results show that retired volunteers experience a stronger sense of self-transcendence and predisposition towards change, and higher aversion to self-enhancement and conservation. Practical implications: To increase the commitment and motivation of retired elder volunteers and to thus firmly confront challenges that threaten the non-profit sector, human resource professionals of non-profit organizations must ensure consistency between individual values and the nature of activities that volunteers perform, increasing such way those people's commitment. Originality/value: Despite the abundant studies that have related volunteering by elders to physical and socio-emotional wellbeing and to seniors' motivations while performing volunteer work, fewer studies have focused on personal values that prompt such individuals to participate in altruistic efforts.


With the rapid development of computer information technology and the continuous improvement of the virtual reality technology, virtual classroom based on Web has appeared abroad, so need to discuss virtual reality technology in the network environment and the specific application in teaching. By making a virtual computer assembly is suitable for online courseware, this paper introduces virtual reality technology and VRML language, and use VRML language to achieve the online virtual computer assembly process, this paper discusses the application of virtual reality technology in teaching. If the virtual reality technology is widely applied in the network classroom, will undoubtedly have a profound effect on the remote teaching.


Digital media allow for instant tracking of audience behaviour, thus enabling a potential negotiation between journalists' traditional authority and professional news values, on the one hand, and the audience's power in terms of ignoring or paying attention to the journalistic outcome, on the other. The present study investigates whether clicks change news values and have an impact on news routines in tabloid, broadsheet and public service newsrooms. The findings indicate that audience metrics bring a new dimension to the news evaluation process regardless of publishing tradition, but that the commercial media seem to keep a closer tab on traffic. In general, journalists strive for a "good mix" between customization to achieve audience satisfaction and a desire for editorial independence.


The aim of this study is to analyze the legal regulation of child relocation law in Catalonia, Spain (as Catalonia has its own Civil Code) and in the United States by comparing and contrasting the main similarities and differences between the regulations of both legal systems. For this reason, I will analyze the statutory law of the United States� jurisdictions in order to provide a general overview of the regulation of child relocation in the United States as a whole.
In order to compare the approaches to this issue in both legal systems, it is necessary to understand what is meant by child relocation in Catalonia and in the United States, whether the relocating party has to notify the non-relocating party, if and how the latter should be notified, the consequence of a lack of notification, which parent has the burden of proof, and the factors the court should take into consideration when assessing relocation disputes. Therefore, I will substantially base my research on statutory law, and complement my research with case law in the instances where statutory law is lacking.


The presence of Mild Cognitive Impairments (MCI) is associated with worse gait performance. However, the effect of MCI on cortical control of gait, as assessed during active walking, is unknown. We hypothesized that MCI would be associated with attenuated activations and limited improvement in efficiency in the Prefrontal cortex (PFC) under cognitively-demanding walking conditions. Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to assess Oxygenated Hemoglobin (HbO2) in the PFC during Single-Task-Walk (STW), cognitive interference (Alpha) and Dual-Task-Walk (DTW) conditions. Three repeated trials in each experimental condition were administered. Healthy control (n = 71; mean age = 76.82 ± 6.21 years; %female = 50.7) and MCI (n = 11; mean age = 78.27 ± 4.31 years; %female = 45.5) participants were included. The increase in HbO2 from STW to DTW was attenuated among MCI participants compared to controls (estimate = 0.505; p = 0.001). Whereas, among controls, HbO2 increased from Alpha to DTW, the opposite was observed among MCI participants (estimate = 0.903; p < 0.001). In DTW, the decline in HbO2 from trial 1 to 2 was attenuated in MCI participants compared to controls (estimate = 0.397; p = 0.008). Moreover, whereas HbO2 declined from trial 1 to 3 among controls, MCI participants showed the opposite trend (estimate = 0.946; p < 0.001). MCI was associated with attenuated brain activation patterns and compromised ability to improve PFC efficiency during dual-task walking.


Natural ice is formed by freezing of water or by sintering of dry or wet snow. Each of these processes causes atmospheric air to be enclosed in ice as bubbles. The air amount and composition as well as the bubble sizes and density depend not only on the kind of process but also on several environmental conditions. The ice in the deepest layers of the Greenland and the Antarctic ice sheet was formed more than 100 000 years ago. In the
bubbles of this ice, samples of atmospheric air from that time are preserved.
The enclosure of air is discussed for each of the three processes. Of special interest are the parameters which control the amount and composition of the enclosed air. If the ice is formed by sintering of very cold dry snow, the air composition in the bubbles corresponds with good accuracy to the composition of atmospheric air.


The passage of the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (NWRSIA) and subsequent implementation of 601 FW 3: Biological Integrity, Diversity and Environmental Health Policy (hereafter, the "Integrity Policy") represented a groundbreaking paradigm shift for refuge management. NWRSIA set forth a "mission for the System, and clear standards for its management, use, planning, and growth (US Fish and Wildlife Service, 1999)," by uniting the eclectic mix of refuges nationwide under the same mission, "to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management, and where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife, and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans" (NWRSIA 1997). The act goes on to say that the Secretary of the Interior must "ensure that the biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health of the System are maintained for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans (US Fish and Wildlife Service, 1999.)" NWRSIA legally formalized the concept of biological integrity as a refuge management objective, but failed to define it. As a result, field experts and refuge managers struggle to discern applications of the biological integrity concept. Given the difficulties inherent in defining biological integrity, and the ambiguities involved with applying the concept to refuge management, examining how the concept is being applied on local refuges reveals valuable information about its practicality. Ultimately, for the biological integrity concept to shape refuge management, some of the ambiguity surrounding its definition and application must be removed. With outside influences such as surrounding land-use, invasive species, and climate change altering the ecological trajectories, biological integrity, as currently defined by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, proves to be an unattainable goal.


Three years after a fiery lift-off, the European Company Statute (ECS) is anything but popular. Although the numbers appear to be improving gradually, only a few companies have actually taken the leap to become certified as a European Company (SE). CEPS' aim in producing this report, and more generally in initiating a Task Force on the issue, has been to examine the problems that inhibit companies from choosing the ECS as a vehicle for simplifying their structures. Several impediments are suggested as being responsible for this slow process, with fiscal issues singled out for particular attention.


As mentioned in the key-note drought issues are expected to increase in importance as a result of climate change. Droughts are often associated with desert like conditions in Africa but also in Europe droughts occur. Given the socio-economic values involved and the fact that measures to prevent droughts are very costly, droughts may in future even get a higher political weight than flooding, also in Europe. This will certainly be the case in countries where droughts are now already important socio-economic issues such as in Spain and Italy. Some NCR partners are already involved in drought related research but much less than in flooding research. The question arises if NCR should pay more attention to droughts and if so, how and who should be involved. These questions were discussed in this workshop.


Cathepsin G secreted from neutrophils cleaves proinflammatory precursors that function as autocrine signals. Activated neutrophils release proteases that function in neutrophil extracellular traps to mediate bacterial killing and that also function as autocrine regulators of neutrophil function. Previous work had shown that neutrophils deficient in two proteases, cathepsin G and elastase (CG/NE), did not respond to activation by immune complexes in vitro and that the response was restored by exogenous addition of cathepsin G. Woloszynek et al. performed a proteomic proteolysis screen of CG/NE-deficient neutrophils stimulated with immune complexes and then treated with cathepsin G and identified four candidate targets of cathepsin G. Of these, Annexin A1 (AnxA1) and CRAMP (the mouse ortholog of human cathelicidin) had been previously reported as substrates of serine proteases that modulate neutrophil function, and those were selected for further evaluation. Both AnxA1 and CRAMP were substrates of cathepsin G in vitro, with AnxA1 cleaved to the active product and CRAMP only partially cleaved. Comparison of stimulated wild-type and CG/NE-deficient neutrophils showed that the abundance of cell-associated AnxA1 and CRAMP either was unchanged or the reduction was slowed in the CG/NE-deficient neutrophils, suggesting that cleavage and release were compromised by the absence of these two proteases. In an in vivo air pouch assay, compared with wild-type mice, less CRAMP and AnxA1 (full-length and truncated forms) were detected in lavages of the pouch from CG- or CG/NE-deficient mice but not from NE-deficient mice. Addition of the active cleavage products of AnxA1 or CRAMP stimulated release of the chemokine CXCL2 from CG/NE-deficient neutrophils, and release was blocked by the addition of an inhibitor of the formyl peptide receptor (FPR). FPR agonists stimulated CXCL2 release from CG-deficient neutrophils. Addition of cathepsin G alleviated inhibition of FPR by an antagonist in CG/NE-deficient neutrophils, suggesting that the FPR ligands generated by cathepsin G competed for FPR. Thus, cathepsin G released from neutrophils contributes to the production of FPR ligands to generate autocrine signals that promote the inflammatory response. J. C. Woloszynek, Y. Hu, C. T. N. Pham, Cathepsin G-regulated release of formyl peptide receptor agonists modulate neutrophil effector functions. J. Biol. Chem. 287, 34101–34109 (2012). [Abstract] [Full Text]


The 2008-2009 global financial crisis highlighted the interdependency of financial institutions and markets worldwide. Globally, fiscal support packages totaling 3 trillion USD were introduced, placing enormous strain on the public finances of a number of countries. Even in jurisdictions such as Canada, with relatively well-managed banking systems, a generalized loss of confidence led to a sharp rise in funding costs. The largest negative effects of the financial crisis on the Canadian economy stemmed from crises originating in other countries, with adverse contagion effects on the Canadian banking system, making it very difficult for Canadian banks to fund themselves in foreign markets. Bank supervisory authorities and financial institutions now appreciate that financial systems must be strengthened to enhance their capacity to withstand shocksThere is considerable international initiative to devise mechanisms to prevent such failures in the future and to create new insolvency resolution schemes to address financial firm failure. Bank supervisors and other regulators are trying to discern the appropriate mix of prudential oversight and private sector governance. This paper examines two discreet issues within this much larger topic. Part II examines the need for regulatory oversight and coordination in preventing liquidity and solvency issues related to banks and other financial institutions. Reform is required to smooth out highs and lows within capital cycles and to address the need for cross-border resolution mechanisms for bank insolvency. Part III then examines the role of bank governance in preventing and addressing bank insolvency, suggesting that governance needs to be prudential, pragmatic and prescient if we are to reduce the frequency and severity of future bank failures.


AcceleratedSAP is a methodology developed for cost-effective SAP R/3 installation. Numerous project managers have adopted AcceleratedSAP for SAP implementation in a range of industries around the world. The Capability Maturity Model (CMM) is, similarly, a software model that improves software processes in software organizations so that software projects run successfully and deliver quality products. AcceleratedSAP and CMM were developed independently with completely different objectives but share two important characteristics: good engineering and good management practices. Given the high failure rates in software projects, organizations have adopted well-established software models, such as AcceleratedSAP and CMM. This paper describes how AcceleratedSAP and CMM can be aligned in terms of software project management practices. By combining their unique features, ERP managers can easily adopt CMM for ERP installations so that the advantages that can be realized through CMM KPAs (Key Process Areas), and can be exploited for business process re-engineering.


This research study is supplementary to the Review of the Schools Community Relations Programme 2002. The purpose of the initial review was to assess operational structures and their impact on community relations, identify effective practice and make recommendations for its future operation. This supplementary study has been undertaken in response to a recognition that pupils are key stakeholders in the Programme, and as such should contribute to the evaluation process. The views and perceptions of participant pupils have hitherto not been investigated.


Historians have long argued about the place of trade in classical antiquity: was it the life-blood of a complex, Mediterranean-wide economic system, or a thin veneer on the surface of an underdeveloped agrarian society? Trade underpinned the growth of Athenian and Roman power, helping to supply armies and cities. It furnished the goods that ancient elites needed to maintain their dominance - and yet, those same elites generally regarded trade and traders as a threat to social order. Trade, like the patterns of consumption that determined its development, was implicated in wider debates about politics, morality and the state of society, just as the expansion of trade in the modern world is presented both as the answer to global poverty and as an instrument of exploitation and cultural imperialism. This 2007 book explores the nature and importance of ancient trade, considering its ecological and cultural significance as well as its economic aspects.


in this conceptual article, both classic theories and recent research streams on work motivation are reviewed with the aim to identify external factors affecting the state of motivation, i.e. those factors that can be at least partly influenced by the management of an organization. Based on common themes emerging from various motivation theories, a framework including motivational factors on an individual level (challenge, autonomy, feedback, and rewards), on the level of the relationship between the individual and the group (contribution, fairness, support, and standing in the group), and on the level of the relationship between the group and society (contribution to society; fairness, support, and standing within society) is proposed, with the relative importance of those factors depending on an individual's expectations of them. The eclectic framework provides a basis for further comparative research on the relative impact of the various external influences on work motivation, and highlights the hitherto widely neglected influence of factors residing in the groupsociety relationship on the work motivation of group members.


In this talk I will describe some applications of multiphysics modeling of molecular and nano-particle materials that have been carried out at our department. Among the various multiphysics approaches, those that combine quantum mechanics with wave mechanics and quantum mechanics with statistical mechanics have turned out to be particularly powerful for predicting optical properties of organic fluorophores, respectively, nanoparticles. The first type of combined approach allows to estimate the optical transmission from cross sections of multi-photon absorption processes and from considerations of propagation and saturation effects. The other type of combined approach, quantum mechanics with statistical mechanics, allows to account for the spontaneous photon emission of two-photon excited quantum dots including the nonradiative energy dissipation process of phonon scattering. Multi-photon quantum dots offer the combined advantage of brilliance and photo- resistance of normal quantum dots with the 3-dimensional confocality and penetration of multi-photon excitation, something that can have a broad ramification on fluorescence based experiments in biology. We have in particular investigated multiphoton-induced photoluminescence from metal-coated coated quantum dots under the influence of electromagnetic field enhancement associated with surface plasmon resonances. It is argued that up-conversion luminescence of coated quantum dots is a promising approach for bio-imaging as it can generate the multiphoton excitation at reduced laser intensities.


Background of this study is the great event in Surabaya; it is Cross Culture Festival 2009. A Cross Culture Festival is such festival of cross culture that is conducted routinely in annual for perpetuating and developing art and tightening fellowship between races and makes Surabaya as World Display. This event is in international scale by the attendance of ambassador and delegation from sister city countries, but the good potency in this event as the place for cross culture still get unexpected number of visitors and the number of visitors in every venue in the years before. As the result, department of culture and tourism in
Surabaya as the executor should be able to formulate a communication strategy in socializing Cross Culture Festival 2009 to the society.
Based on the background above, the formulations of this study are how the communication strategy of event cross culture festival 2009 is. The purposes of this study are to know and to describe communication strategy of event cross culture festival 2009. This study is descriptive qualitative where the researchers describes or constructs deep interview toward studied subjects. The subjects of this study are chosen by purposive sampling; they are the
officials of department of culture and tourism in Surabaya, 2 person. Data collection is collected by using deep interview, observation, and documentation. Data analysis is begun from the data by the researcher, and it was classified in such categories that force the researcher to theorize, explain and argument. By using triangulation sources, they are comparing or re-checking trust degree of such information that is obtained from the different
sources.
Based on the result of study, communication strategy of event cross culture festival 2009, reviewed from Laswell paradigm by answering question is that who say what in which channel to whom with what effect? As the result of study are as follows: 1. Who has correlation to who is the communicator is the Department of Culture and Tourism in
Surabaya. 2. Says what has correlation with what messages want to convey; it is information about culture, that culture is universal. 3. In which channel has correlation to media used in socialization; by using printed media like advertising in many newspapers like Jawa Pos, Kompas and Surya, the spread of flyers, brochures, banners, or even posters. Electronic media like local television; Jtv, Suara Surabaya Radio and DJ fm are also being the socialization media. Besides, street banner and billboard are used too. There are also using LED audio visual media, invitation, and participants countries whether by email or even
written invitation. 4. To whom has correlation by whom will communication conduct, in this case is all society in Surabaya, especially students and college students also art observers in Surabaya. 5. With what effect has correlation with the effect that is expected from this event;
it is appreciation from society in Surabaya for participating in perpetuating culture and can strengthen correlation between countries through art and culture. Even each areas and countries have different traditions and cultures, but it can be combined by culture.
The conclusion from formulating communication strategy; Department of Culture and Tourism in Surabaya in socializing event cross culture festival 2009 can be said as success enough. It is correlated to the expected effect from the purposes of communication itself. The effect is from the final result of communication; it is attitude and behavior of person whether it is appropriate or not based on wanted by communicator or not. If the attitude or behavior of person is appropriate, then communication is success. It can be seen from the news of media that says event cross culture festival 2009 is success. Appreciation from audiences like the increment of the number of the countries participated in this event, also the increment of the number of participants and visitors significantly can be the measuring rod of the success of communication strategy conducted in the Department of culture and tourism in Surabaya in socializing this event.


This paper describes a new calibration procedure for distance sensors that does not require independent sources of groundtruth information, i.e., that is not based on comparing the measurements from the uncalibrated sensor against measurements from a precise device assumed as the groundtruth. Alternatively, the procedure assumes that the uncalibrated distance sensor moves in space on a straight line in an environment with fixed targets, so that the intrinsic parameters of the statistical model of the sensor readings are calibrated without requiring tests in controlled environments, but rather in environments where the sensor follows linear movement and objects do not move. The proposed calibration procedure exploits an approximated expectation maximization scheme on top of two ingredients: an heteroscedastic statistical model describing the measurement process, and a simplified dynamical model describing the linear sensor movement. The procedure is designed to be capable of not just estimating the parameters of one generic distance sensor, but rather integrating the most common sensors in robotic applications, such as Lidars, odometers, and sonar rangers and learn the intrinsic parameters of all these sensors simultaneously. Tests in a controlled environment led to a reduction of the mean squared error of the measurements returned by a commercial triangulation Lidar by a factor between 3 and 6, comparable to the efficiency of other state-of-the art groundtruth-based calibration procedures. Adding odometric and ultrasonic information further improved the performance index of the overall distance estimation strategy by a factor of up to 1.2. Tests also show high robustness against violating the linear movements assumption.


Locally and globally among policymakers and edupreneurs, what constitutes "good teaching and learning" is highly contested, and prototypes that seem to embody "what works" are highly valued. In the United States, many accept Teach For America (TFA) as an exemplar of "what works." As its U.S. operations continue to grow, TFA has recalibrated and expanded into Teach for All, an international organization with extensive reach. Teach For All not only finds historic roots in TFA, but it reflects TFA's intentional expansion of its theory of change and implementation on a global scale. This exploratory essay investigates the linkages between TFA and TFAll, focusing on theory and implementation of education reform by comparing domestic TFA ideology and practices with those of TFAll. Also, we conceptualize the dimensions and anatomy of a global network of IOs engaged in global education reform. In addition to providing insight on TFAll, our broader goal is to build the knowledge base around what we are calling global Intermediary Organization Networks (IONs).


John Gonzalez iii The University of Edinburgh Abstract This research is focused on the application of both new and established seismic interferometry techniques to a single area: the Altiplano in the Andes region. This area has already been widely studied in terms of its geological evolution. Nevertheless, a single accepted theory has not yet been developed to explain why the topography of the Andes incorporates such a large area of low relief at this altitude. The Altiplano is therefore an interesting zone to study. This research introduces and analyses new concepts and methodologies, such as retrieving surface and body waves between earthquakes by using interferometry. Nevertheless, several factors, such as the quality of recordings, the separation between sources, and the velocity gradient of the medium, had to be taken into account for body and surface wave retrieval. This research also analysed the retrieval of body waves by means of seismic interferometry applied to coda wave arrivals. Results show that due to the attenuation of S waves produced by the zone of partial molten material, when using S coda waves, seismic interferometry does not achieve the objective of wave retrieval. On the other hand, P coda waves gave good results. Also, the combined methodology of interferometry by cross-correlation and convolution was shown to account for the behaviour of the retrieved waves and provided an indication of how the distribution of sources affects the Green's functions estimates for body waves in this area. Another point covered by this research was the analysis of passive recordings in order to retrieve surface and body waves. Results indicate that surface and body waves could be retrieved. However, in order to retrieve body waves, special circumstances are required, such as lateral continuity of the Moho, a relative strong Moho impedance contrast, and simplicity of the geologic structure because these factors will contribute to a strong signal like that obtained in critical reflections making interferometry results more successful.


This paper explores a modeling framework necessary for analyzing the impact of energy storage on power system operations. We first develop a unifying definition of energy storage as an abstraction of many heterogenous energy storage options, including flexible demand response. Then we develop, a multi-time-scale model of energy storage tailored for temporal hierarchies of power systems. Based on this model, the impact of energy storage in primary control, secondary frequency regulation, and economic dispatch can be pinpointed and analyzed explicitly. We then propose a simple scalar performance index for quantifying the value of energy storage over different horizons in competitive electricity markets. This performance index provides a value-based criteria for operating energy storage over different time horizons. Numerical case studies are conducted in a modified IEEE 14-bus system, which includes flywheel and battery energy storage.


Mechanical stress on the heart that results from increased blood pressure leads to hypertrophy of heart cells and increases the risk of heart failure. The effects of mechanical stress are mediated at least in part by angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptors, and pharmacological blockade of such receptors can limit cardiac hypertrophy and subsequent heart failure. To explore how AT1 receptors actually sense mechanical stress, Zou et al. studied cells cultured on silicone-based dishes that could be stretched to apply mechanical stress to the cells. Mechanical stretching of human embryonic kidney 293 cells or COS7 cells caused activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases ERK1 and ERK2 only if those cells were first transfected with the AT1 receptor. This receptor activation appeared not to result from secretion of angiotensin II (AII), as previously proposed, and was observed even in cells expressing a mutant receptor with an altered binding site that does not bind AII. In ATG–/– mice, which lack the angiotensinogen gene and thus don't make AII, mechanical stress still caused hypertrophy in vivo, supporting a biologically relevant role for the mechanical stress-induced ligand-independent regulation of the AT1 receptor. It now remains to be seen whether the receptor itself is the sensor, as it is physically stretched into an active conformation, or whether some other associated molecule might provide an activating signal. Y. Zou, H. Akazawa, Y. Qin, M. Sano, H. Takano, T. Minamino, N. Makita, K. Iwanaga, W. Zhu, S. Kudoh, H. Toko, K. Tamura, M. Kihara, T. Nagai, A. Fukamizu, S. Umemura, T. Iiri, T. Fujita, I. Komuro, Mechanical stress activates angiotensin II type 1 receptor without the involvement of angiotensin II. Nat. Cell Biol. 6, 499-506 (2004). [Online Journal]


Anthropological studies of religion have been largely concerned with belief, with ritual, and with the general integrative significance of religious institutions for society. But many issues in the power relations of religious affiliation are still not clear. The political implications of religion involve grave practical as well as theoretical problems. Abstractly, religion and politics are often conceived as opposed; concretely, they interact. While religion can be a powerful political instrument, it can also adapt to political ends and generate its own political structures. In contrast to the broadly affirmative role assigned by anthropologists to religion in society is Karl Marx's thesis of religion as political ideology. Reasons for granting some validity to this position but also for questioning its basic assumptions are given. The whole analysis is illustrated by a wide range of examples, from Polynesian ethnography to the history of Christianity and of Islam, and the situation of religion in modem socialist states.


Abstract. Modern map visualizations are built using data structures for storing tile images, while their main concerns are to maximize efficiency and usability. The core functionality of a web tiled map management system is to provide tile images to the end user; several tiles combined construe the web map. To achieve this, several data structures are showcased and analyzed. Specifically, this paper focuses on the SimpleFormat, which stores the tiles directly on the file system; the ImageBlock, which divides each tile folder (a folder where the tile images are stored) into subfolders that contain multiple tiles prior to storing the tiles on the file system; the LevelFilesSet, a data structure that creates dedicated Random-Access files, wherein the tile dataset is first stored and then parsed in files to retrieve the tile images; and, finally, the LevelFilesBlock, a hybrid data structure which combines ImageBlock and LevelFilesSet data structures. This work signifies the first time this hybrid approach has been implemented and applied in a web tiled map context. The JDBC API was used for integrating with the PostgreSQL database. This database was then used to conduct cross-testing amongst the data structures. Subsequently, several benchmark tests on local and cloud environments are developed anew and assessed under different system configurations to compare the data structures and provide a thorough analysis of their efficiency. These benchmarks showcased the efficiency of LevelFilesSet, which retrieved tiles up to 3.3 times faster than the other data structures. Peripheral features and principles of implementing scalable web tiled map management systems among different software architectures and system configurations are analyzed and discussed.


Latin America was hit by COVID-19 in a moment of (socio-)economic distress and political unrest This essay reflects on the immediate repercussions of the COVID-19 crisis for democracy in the region It expounds how responding to the pandemic put to the test the still consolidating democracies with their long-standing defects in the areas of political and civil rights and horizontal accountability In the course of coping with the crisis, it is precisely in these problem areas that additional risks for democracy have arisen due to infringements of political rights and the performance of presidents Regarding the latter, the ambiguities of presidential leadership become particularly evident when comparing pragmatic and populist responses to the crisis


Relativistic effects are important for the accurate evaluation of the observables of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, the nuclear magnetic shielding and the indirect spin–spin coupling tensors. Some of the most notable relativistic effects, in particular for light elements in the vicinity of heavy nuclei, are due to spin–orbit effects, an effect difficult to evaluate when starting from a non-relativistic wavefunction. Two- and four-component relativistic methods include spin–orbit effects variationally, and the recent improvements in the computational efficiency of these methods open new opportunities for accurate calculations of NMR parameters also for molecules with heavy elements. We here present an overview of the different approximations that have been introduced for calculating relativistic effects with two- and four-component methods and how these methods can be used to calculate the NMR parameters. We will also give some examples of systems that have been studied computationally with two- and four-component relativistic methods and discuss the importance of relativistic effects on the shielding and indirect spin–spin coupling constants.


The Psychoanalytic Theory of Neurosis, Fenichel's classic text, summarized the first half century of psychoanalytic investigation into psychopathology and presented a general psychoanalytic theory of neurosis. When Otto Fenichel died, Anna Freud mourned the loss of 'his inexhaustible knowledge of psychoanalysis and his inimitable way of organizing and presenting his facts'. These qualities shine through The Psychoanalytic Theory of Neurosis which has been a standard reference for generations of psychoanalysts. For this anniversary edition, Leo Rangell has written an introduction that sets Fenichel's work in context. He sees Fenichel as a worthy heir to Freud; both men influenced their followers by what Rangell calls 'the charisma of ideas'. In his epilogue, Rangell describes the fate of Fenichel's ideas and of this book as 'a barometer of the place of psychoanalysis ...within the external intellectual world and, even more significantly, of the trends and shifting winds of opinion within the psychoanalytic field itself'. He traces those trends through the turbulent controversies of the field, concluding that Fenichel's observations are as fresh and relevant today as they were fifty years ago.


The velocity fluctuations present in macroscopically homogeneous suspensions of neutrally buoyant non-Brownian spheres undergoing simple shear flow, and their dependence on the microstructure developed by the suspensions, are investigated in the limit of vanishingly small Reynolds numbers using Stokesian dynamics simulations. We show that, in the dilute limit, the standard deviation of the velocity fluctuations (the so-called suspension temperature) is proportional to the volume fraction, in both the transverse and the flow directions, and that a theoretical prediction, which considers only the hydrodynamic interactions between isolated pairs of spheres, is in good agreement with the numerical results at low concentrations. We also simulate the velocity fluctuations that would result from a random hard-sphere distribution of spheres in simple shear flow, and thereby investigate the effects of the microstructure on the velocity fluctuations. Analogous results are discussed for the fluctuations in the angular velocity of the suspended spheres. In addition, we present the probability density functions for all the linear and angular velocity components, and for three different concentrations, showing a transition from a Gaussian to an exponential and finally to a stretched exponential functional form as the volume fraction is decreased. The simulations include a non-hydrodynamic repulsive force between the spheres which, although extremely short range, leads to the development of fore–aft asymmetric distributions for large enough volume fractions, if the range of that force is kept unchanged. On the other hand, we show that, although the pair distribution function recovers its fore–aft symmetry in dilute suspensions, it remains anisotropic and that this anisotropy can be accurately predicted theoretically from the two-sphere solution by assuming the complete absence of any permanent doublets of spheres. We also present a simple correction to the analysis of laser-Doppler velocimetry measurements, which substantially improves the interpretation of these measurements at low volume fractions even though it involves only the angular velocity of a single sphere in the vorticity direction. Finally, in an Appendix, we show that, in the dilute limit, the whole velocity autocorrelation function can be predicted using again only two-particle encounters.


Identity crime and misuse cost the Australian economy an estimated $2.65b in 2015–16 (Jorna & Smith 2018). Considerable effort has been devoted to finding secure ways to verify individuals' identity and to secure their personal information. Biometrics is the fastest developing technological solution. It makes use of people's unique biological characteristics to identify them when dealing with government and business. Since 2013, the Australian Institute of Criminology has conducted online surveys to gain a greater understanding of identity crime and misuse in Australia. These surveys have asked about respondents' experience of identity crime and also their willingness to use biometric technologies to safeguard their personal information. This paper presents the results of the latest survey, conducted in 2017, which indicated generally high levels of previous exposure to biometrics and increasing willingness to use biometric technologies in the future.


PASSEQ 2006–2008 (Passive Seismic Experiment in TESZ; Wilde-Piórko et al. 2008) was the biggest passive seismic experiment carried out so far in the area of Central Europe (Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic and Lithuania). 196 seismic stations (including 49 broadband seismometers) worked simultaneously for over two years. During the experiment, multiple types of data recorders and seismometers were used, making the analysis more complex and time consuming. The dataset was unified and repaired to start the detection of local seismic events. Two different approaches for detection were applied for stations located in Poland. The first one used standard STA/LTA triggers (Carl Johnson's STA/LTA algorithm) and grid search to classify and locate the events. The result was manually verified. The second approach used Real Time Recurrent Network (RTRN) detection (Wiszniowski et al. 2014). Both methods gave similar results, showing four previously unknown seismic events located in the Gulf of Gdańsk area, situated in the southern Baltic Sea. In this paper we discuss both detection methods with their pros and cons (accuracy, efficiency, manual work required, scalability). We also show details of all detected and previously unknown events in the discussed area.


Objective: Digital cervical evaluation has been used to determine the likelihood of vaginal delivery which is considered by many women to be non-tolerable. Recently, alternative approaches such as transperineal ultrasound, fetal fibronectin test in cervicovaginal secretions have been investigating for the prediction of the delivery route. We aimed to study whether the usefulness of qualitative fetal fibronectin test in cervicovaginal secretions for the prediction of vaginal delivery in pregnant women at postterm induced with dinoprostone. Study design: A total of 32 nulliparous pregnant women at postterm were enrolled in this prospective observational study. Fetal fibronectin test was applied to all participated women before the induction with dinoprostone and transvaginal ultrasonography was performed to measure cervical length. Results: The women having positive fetal fibronectin test result gave birth through vaginal route, except one case. Although there is no statistically significant difference, the shorter cervical length was associated with vaginal delivery in our population. Conclusion: Fetal fibronectin test has a predictive value for delivery route in nulliparous women at postterm. Fetal fibronectin test may be used as a "rule out" test because the rate of fetal fibronectin positivity was found to be higher in patients who gave birth via vaginal route. As also shown in our study, although there is no statistically significant difference, the pregnant women with shorter cervical length might have a high possibility to achieve vaginal delivery.


Phagocytes engulf microbes by enveloping them in a patch of membrane and internalizing them in phagosomes, which fuse with endosomes and lysosomes to form the phagolysosomes in which the internalized pathogens are destroyed. Trivedi et al. exposed mouse macrophages to latex beads to investigate mechanisms through which immunoglobulin G (IgG) class antibodies, which stimulate phagocytosis, might promote the latter part of this process. When macrophages incubated with beads coated with either bovine serum albumin or IgG at 15oC (allowing bead engulfment but not fusion of phagosomes with lysosomes) were warmed to 37oC, the association of IgG-coated beads with fluorescently labeled phagolysosomes was faster than that of the albumin-coated beads. A cytosol-dependent cell-free scintillation proximity assay, in which phagosomes containing scintillant beads were incubated with tritium-labeled lysosomes, revealed that cytosol from phagocytes incubated with IgG beads was more effective at promoting phagosome-lysosome interactions than cytosol from cells that had not been incubated with IgG beads. Similarly, cytosol from CHO cells transfected with human Fcγ receptor IIa (making them phagocytic) and incubated with IgG beads promoted phagosome-lysosome interactions more effectively than that from cells unexposed to IgG beads, an effect enhanced by transfection of the cells with protein kinase C (PKC)-α. Moreover, inhibition of PKC abolished the stimulatory effect of IgG in the in vitro assay and blocked IgG-dependent stimulation of phagosome maturation in cells. Further pharmacological analysis indicated that IgG stimulated the actin-dependent tethering or docking (or both) of phagosomes and lysosomes. Thus, facilitation of phagosome-lysosome attachment by way of PKC appears to be one mechanism whereby IgG signaling stimulates phagocytosis. V. Trivedi, S. C. Zhang, A. B. Castoreno, W. Stockinger, E. C. Shieh, J. M. Vyas, E.-M. Frickel, A. Nohturfft, Immunoglobulin G signaling activates lysosome/phagosome docking. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 103, 18226-18231 (2006). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Heidelberg, Germany—Researchers attending the Human Genome Organization meeting here offered different views on whether sequence data should be made available to the community as soon as it is generated. The yeast genome project—which has just finished sequencing the entire genome of bakers' yeast—allowed participants exclusive use of data for some time before it was made public. In contrast, two sequencing powerhouses—the Sanger Center in the United Kingdom and a sequencing group at Washington University—are putting sequence data on the World Wide Web every day. A group of researchers and funding organizations led by Britain's Wellcome Trust is now drafting a statement of principles designed to encourage openness and rapid release of sequence data.


Aims. Stars twinkle because their light propagates through the atmosphere. The same phenomenon is expected on a longer time scale when the light of remote stars crosses an interstellar turbulent molecular cloud, but it has never been observed at optical wavelengths. The aim of the study described in this paper is to fully simulate the scintillation process, starting from the molecular cloud description as a fractal object, ending with the simulations of fluctuating stellar light curves. Methods. Fast Fourier transforms are first used to simulate fractal clouds. Then, the illumination pattern resulting from the crossing of background star light through these refractive clouds is calculated from a Fresnel integral that also uses fast Fourier transform techniques. Regularisation procedure and computing limitations are discussed, along with the effect of spatial and temporal coherency (source size and wavelength passband). Results. We quantify the expected modulation index of stellar light curves as a function of the turbulence strength – characterised by the diffraction radius Rdiff – and the projected source size, introduce the timing aspects, and establish connections between the light curve observables and the refractive cloud. We extend our discussion to clouds with different structure functions from Kolmogorovtype turbulence. Conclusions. Our study confirms that current telescopes of ∼4 m with fast-readout, wide-field detectors have the capability of discovering the first interstellar optical scintillation effects. We also show that this effect should be unambiguously distinguished from any other type of variability through the observation of desynchronised light curves, simultaneously measured by two distant telescopes.


When can an appellate court review a district court's denial of a remand motion before a final judgment? Surprisingly little has been written on this topic, especially compared to how much has been written on the review of a district court's grant of a remand motion. But recent developments in the Fifth Circuit, including a case in which we participated as amicus, provide a fine case study for addressing these questions. Our goal here is to guide judges and lawyers in answering the opening question. Our short answer is that a remand denial is not inherently different than the typical interlocutory ruling, and therefore a party must follow the ordinary appellate methods prescribed by Congress: either await final judgment or obtain certification under 28 U.S.C. § 1292(b). Mandamus review is generally unavailable because the petitioner has an adequate remedy by appeal. Neither the time, hassle and expense of enduring trial, nor the possibility that the appeal might ultimately prove unsuccessful, render the appellate remedy inadequate.