This study is concerned with Iban involvement in commercial handicraft production (CHP). Its aim has been to examine the possibilities of employment expansion through small-scale rural industrialisation in Sarawak, Malaysia and to discuss differential Iban involvement and "success" in CHIP. The pertinent questions are: why do some Iban craftspersons take up CHP, while others do not; and under what conditions do Iban craftspersons succeed in CHIP? By undertaking this research, it is hoped to establish whether rural industrialisation based on craft production is "desirable" and 'feasible" for the rural Iban. Survey methods were employed from 200 Iban craftspersons from 10 longhouses in Kapit Division, Sarawak supported by participant observation in addition to in-depth interview with government personnel and selected entrepreneurs (such as tour operators, Chinese towkays). The thesis argues for a reinterpretation of Iban economic history because previous research on the Than economy has tended to ignore Iban involvement in non-agricultural activities, particularly in commercial activities. Although the Iban have become increasingly oriented to the market, there has been very little attention to the evolving landscape of the Iban economy. The study shows that Iban involvement in commercial activities does not occur in linear evolutionary phases; it is a variable and fluid response to changes in the social, economic, cultural and political environment. The study also shows that CI-[P provides the rural Iban with employment and income earning opportunities which, in turn enables them to sustain their livelihood whilst regenerating interest in Iban culture. Some craftspersons have succeeded in CHIP and have even managed to market their products beyond their local region. The majority, however, have been unable either to initiate, or once involved, to survive in CHIP because of constrains identified in marketing, availability of raw material, capital, labour, lack of entrepreneurship and institutional support, and certain cultural obstacles. Despite these problems, the majority of those Iban surveyed are willing to take up CHIP in the future suggesting that there is potential for the development of rural industrialisation in Sarawak. This study is a first step towards understanding the nature, extent and effects of Iban involvement in commercial activities, which is a neglected subject in development studies in Malaysia and the interplay of factors that promote or hinder their role in economic development.


The necessity of hybrid energy system is gaining more importance day by day as it incorporates two or more than two renewable energy resources that when integrated overcome limitations inherent in either. Hybrid energy system has been seen as an excellent solution for electrification of rural place where the grid extension is difficult and economically not feasible. Such system may consist of several renewable resources such as solar PV, wind, biomass, micro-hydro, geothermal and other conventional generator for back-up where the deficiency of one system can be compensated by others. This paper depicts the different system components and their optimal combination for the efficient generation of electrical energy exploiting locally available resources. The model discussed in paper compromises of micro-hydro, solar PV and biomass for the rural village in Nepal known as Kalikhola which is used as a case study. The optimised hybrid system shows a unit cost of $0.088/KWh which is obtained after the simulation considering contribution of individual renewable resources participating in the system.


Background: Sjogren's syndrome is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disorder, which often results in significant ocular surface disease. Dry eye associated with Sjogren's syndrome is a multifactorial disease which leads to decreased function of the lacrimal glands and altered tear composition. There currently are numerous anti-inflammatory methods used for treatment of this disease. Case Report: This case report will focus on the use of amniotic membrane placement and autologous serum tears to facilitate a successful scleral contact lens fit allowing for reduced ocular inflammation and discomfort associated with Keratoconjunctivitis sicca due to Sjogren's syndrome. Conclusion: Clinical management of keratoconjunctivitis sicca due to Sjogren's syndrome can be challenging. Diagnosis often requires numerous in office testing including Schirmer I/II, TBUT, sodium fluorescein stain, and osmolarity. Such testing can be repeated over time to monitor for improvement with addition of each new therapy. Various treatment modalities such as topical lubricants, cyclosporine, autologous serum tears, or amniotic membranes have been proven to provide short-term benefits and excellent maintenance of symptoms. Utilizing such treatments to promote an ideal scleral contact lens fit provides lasting benefits of corneal clarity and stable vision.


We propose and study a task we name panoptic segmentation (PS). Panoptic segmentation unifies the typically distinct tasks of semantic segmentation (assign a class label to each pixel) and instance segmentation (detect and segment each object instance). The proposed task requires generating a coherent scene segmentation that is rich and complete, an important step toward real-world vision systems. While early work in computer vision addressed related image/scene parsing tasks, these are not currently popular, possibly due to lack of appropriate metrics or associated recognition challenges. To address this, we propose a novel panoptic quality (PQ) metric that captures performance for all classes (stuff and things) in an interpretable and unified manner. Using the proposed metric, we perform a rigorous study of both human and machine performance for PS on three existing datasets, revealing interesting insights about the task. The aim of our work is to revive the interest of the community in a more unified view of image segmentation.


The [3+2]-cycloaddition of(trimethylsilyl)diazomethane (7) with 9H-fluorene-9-thione (1) at-60°C yields the spirocyclic 2,5-dihydro-5-trimethylsilyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole 10, which eliminates nitrogen at room temperature to give the 1,4-dithiane derivative 13 by dimerization of the intermediate fluorenethione (trimethylsilyl)methanide (11). This thiocarbonyl ylide can be trapped by 1 to give the 2-trimethylsilyl-1,3-dithiolane 14 via [3+2]-cycloaddition. Furthermore, the 1,3-dipole 11 undergoes successfully [3+2]-cycloadditions with the C=S group of the phosphonyldithioformate 15 as well as with the C=C dipolarophiles maleic anhydride (18a) and N-(cyclohexyl)maleimide (18b). The structures of 13 and 14 have been established by X-ray crystallography.


In this study, I explore two central examples of Zapatista material culture, the Zapatista mask and the souvenir muñecas zapatistas [Zapatista dolls], as they become plot lines in the co-constructed encuentro that shapes the Zapatista concept internationally leading to a false image of Zapatista homogeneity. Taking on their own dynamic substance that frequently is dislodged from the context of the people they appear to represent they become indicative of the discourse about the Zapatistas, one that does not necessarily originate in the activities of the Zapatistas. I suggest that, within the broader encuentro process between Zapatistas and non-Zapatistas, the Zapatistas function in at least three modalities: the physical, the representation, and the idea. The mask and the doll case histories I present here show how these three modalities relate to each other and interact with outsider interpreters.


We study the problem of reconstructing a causal graphical model from data in the presence of latent variables. The main problem of interest is recovering the causal structure over the latent variables while allowing for general, potentially nonlinear dependence between the variables. In many practical problems, the dependence between raw observations (e.g. pixels in an image) is much less relevant than the dependence between certain high-level, latent features (e.g. concepts or objects), and this is the setting of interest. We provide conditions under which both the latent representations and the underlying latent causal model are identifiable by a reduction to a mixture oracle. These results highlight an intriguing connection between the well-studied problem of learning the order of a mixture model and the problem of learning the bipartite structure between observables and unobservables. The proof is constructive, and leads to several algorithms for explicitly reconstructing the full graphical model. We discuss efficient algorithms and provide experiments illustrating the algorithms in practice.


Both the experiential two-chair approach (TCA) and the cognitive decision-cube technique (DCT) have been used for the treatment of ambivalence in counselling. The aims of this study were (a) to show that partnership ambivalence is reduced after a brief stand-alone intervention using either TCA or DCT, and (b) to test the hypothesized mechanisms of change processual activation and clarification. Fifty ambivalent participants were randomly assigned to either TCA or DCT interventions of two sessions each. Results indicated that partnership ambivalence was reduced after both interventions. The TCA was associated with a significantly higher processual activation than was the DCT.


In the years following the economic crisis of 1997, Korean policymakers have focused on reforming the civil service by introducing New Public Management (NPM) ideas and practices. By the involvement of top decision-makers to individual central government departments, attempts were made to enhance the materialistic incentive, to reinforce performance management, and to improve flexibility and efficiency of government organisations. Despite these endeavours, the public management reforms in Korea seems to have not yet reached the expected goals. In the search of the cause of such discrepancy, this study investigated the developmental process of four representative civil service pay reform cases, namely, (1) public-private pay balance, (2) performance-related pay, (3) total payroll cost management, and (4) senior civil service pay. In order to do this, the data was collected from relevant documents and archives, such as government publications and newspapers, as well as interviews with 39 policymakers and experts.
The analyses of the cases show how different motives and behaviours of key actors the president and core departments- led to varying degrees of attainment in terms of the outcomes of the reform. While NPM-inspired institutions were transplanted in appearance with necessary legal regulations and arrangements established by enactment in the initiating phase, the effectiveness and sustainability of the reform was limited due to the shift of ownership of the reform from the president to core departments in the consolidating phase. This created a pattern which included cyclic fluctuations of an ambitious start, speedy introduction of a new system, and apparent or hidden retreat or maintenance. This study argues that insufficient reform outcomes stem from the relationship between the president and core departments, which was transformed from the agency-type (owner-agent) relationship into the trustee-type Public Service Bargains (PSB) (autonomous department).
In this context, this study contributes to the existing knowledge by providing insights into the reform process. Firstly, it expands the theory of NPM by presenting the details of convergence and divergence in the case of the Korean civil service. Secondly, this research suggests the Korean civil service reform model that implies the significance of reform ownership and monitoring process. Finally, this study suggests a concept of "dual identity" of bureaucracy as the object and subject of the reform. It is hoped that the implications of reform dynamics will be helpful to policy practitioners in developing countries that aim to initiate a civil service reform with reference to NPM.


In 2001, the Fed has lowered interest rates in a series of cuts, starting from 6.5 % at the end of 2000 to 2.0 % by early November. This paper asks, whether the Federal Reserve Bank has been surprising the markets, taking as given the conventional view about the effect of monetary policy shocks. New econometric techniques turn out to be particularly suitable for answering this question: this paper can be viewed as a showcase and case study for their application. In order to concentrate on the Greenspan period, a vector autoregression is fitted to US data, starting in 1986 and ending in September 2001. Monetary policy shocks are identified, using the new sign restriction methodology of Uhlig (1999), imposing the conventional view that contractionary policy shocks lead to a rise in interest rates and declines in nonborrowed reserves, prices and output. We find that neither the Fed policy choices in 2001 nor those of 2000 were surprising. We provide a method to explain these interest rate movements by decomposing them into their sources. Finally, we argue that constant-interest-rate projections like those popular at many central banks are of limited informational value, can be highly misleading, and should instead be replaced by on-theequilibrium- path projections.


This study examines the educational choices made by some of the first cohort of further education students at an art college to face fees of up to £9,000 per annum for higher education study. Focusing on lower socio-economic status students, potentially most easily deterred by increased fees and debt, it explores the influences on their decisionmaking and considers the adequacy of the theoretical models underpinning their choice processes. It is a case study essentially concerned with why students make the choices that they do, what processes are involved and what influences shape student choice.
The study was undertaken in the case study college – which delivers undergraduate programmes of study – partly as a result of the potential impact on the college of reduced FE to HE progression. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 16 students on three occasions during the 2011-12 academic year, to coincide with particular points during their decision-making process. An interpretivist paradigm was adopted as the literature shows that many aspects of higher education choice relate to socially constructed realities which could only become fully apparent during qualitative inquiry, with a close relationship between the researcher and what is studied.
The study found that students were not deterred unduly by the prospect of increased tuition fee debt on graduation, but that their choices of where to study were strongly influenced by concerns about living costs whilst studying and other considerations such as proximity to home that are already documented in the literature on higher education choice, largely from the theoretical perspective set out by Pierre Bourdieu (1974). The need for ontological security (Giddens, 1991) was clearly evident in many participants' comments and was a strong underlying theme.
Fieldwork demonstrated that at the point of decision-making, actors sought to make pragmatically rational decisions, within limits conditioned by their social capital, and therefore argues for a two-stage model of decision-making similar to that espoused by Raymond Boudon (1974). Glaesser and Cooper (2014) have argued convincingly for a combination of Bourdieu and Boudon's work in this manner. Whilst this has merit, this thesis notes Hodkinson's (2008) concerns regarding the explanatory capability of existing theoretical models in simultaneously addressing key aspects of HE choice at both macro and micro levels, rather than merely severally. It argues that at a micro level Herbert Simon's 1957 model of bounded rationality best explains decision–making, and uniquely that the boundaries of actors' choices are limited by their habitus. It concludes that actors' boundedly-rational decisions and levels of satisficing are conditioned by their habitus, such that higher education choice is best characterised as 'conditioned bounded rationality'.


Introduction With more than 12,000 older prisoners in the UK, deaths in custody are increasing ,1 as is the need for palliative care. The 'Both sides of the fence' study used action research methodology in one prison with a high population of older offenders. Interviews with staff and prisoners in Phase 1 provided the foundation for action cycles that took place in Phase 2; this paper reports action cycles directly involving older prisoners. Aim(s) and method(s) The aim was to engage with prisoners in making meaningful improvements to palliative care. First, an Older Prisoners Group (OPG) was established and facilitated by prison staff and researchers. The OPG met bi-monthly, with smaller groups of prisoners working on tasks between meetings. OPG members created an information leaflet on planning for the end of life in prison. They were also involved in the development of an Older Prisoners Unit (OPU) to reduce intimidation of vulnerable older prisoners by younger offenders. Results One thousand copies of the leaflet were produced for use by prisoners in the research site and other prisons. The OPU is a protected environment for prisoners over 50, with medication lockers in each room; prisoners in the OPU have reported feeling safer and less stressed. They also reported increased self-esteem through their involvement in the research. Conclusion(s) Involving prisoners in action research can have positive benefits for both prisoners and staff. Sustainability of these benefits will be achieved by the continuation of the OPG after the end of the study. Reference Prison Reform Trust.Bromley Briefings Prison Factfile, Autumn 2015. London: Prison Reform Trust; 2015.


Consideration of the density of rays emanating from an infinite, corrugated Gaussian surface with fractal slope reveals a hitherto unexplored shortwave scattering regime that is uncomplicated by the presence of caustics in the scattered wave field. The statistical and coherence properties of the ray-density fluctuations in this regime are calculated as a function of fractal dimension D, and it is shown that in the Brownian case (D = 1.5) the problem can be solved exactly. The properties of the intensity pattern in a coherent scattering configuration are also investigated. The contrast of the pattern is computed as a function of propagation distance, and the asymptotic behavior in the strong scattering limit is again found to be exactly solvable when D = 1.5. It is shown that the intensity fluctuations are K distributed in this case. The effects of a finite outer-scale size are evaluated and discussed.


Estimation of polynomial regression equations in one error-ridden variable and a number of error-free regressors, as well as an instrument set for the former is considered. Procedures for identification, operating on moments up to a certain order, are elaborated for single- and multi-equation models. Weak distributional assumptions are made for the error and the latent regressor. Simple order-conditions are derived, and procedures involving recursive identification of the moments of the regressor and its measurement errors together with the coefficients of the polynomials are considered. A Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) algorithm involving the instruments and proceeding stepwise from the identification procedures, is presented. An illustration for systems of linear, quadratic and cubic Engel functions, with household consumption and income data is given.


We present an automatic procedure for 3D tracking of micrometer-sized particles with high-NA digital lensless holographic microscopy. The method uses a two-feature approach to search for the best focal planes and to distinguish particles from artifacts or other elements on the reconstructed stream of the holograms. A set of reconstructed images is axially projected onto a single image. From the projected image, the centers of mass of all the reconstructed elements are identified. Starting from the centers of mass, the morphology of the profile of the maximum intensity along the reconstruction direction allows for the distinguishing of particles from others elements. The method is tested with modeled holograms and applied to automatically track micrometer-sized bubbles in a sample of 4 mm3 of soda.


Religious minorities of Georgia include Muslims. Their composition is sufficiently miscellaneous, enclosing both ethnical viewpoint and belonging to the inner Islamic denomination. A majority of Muslims represent Azerbaijanis, who chiefly live in Kvemo Kartli (Bolnisi, Gardabani, Dmanisi, Tetri Tskaro, Marneuli and Tsalka). The catalyst for researchers of Islamic History is the geopolitical interests of Georgia, centuries-old contacts with the Islamic world, the not entirely trivial portion of Islam confessor population, the increasing influence of the Islamic factor in current religious-political processes in the world, the elevating procedure of Muslim religious self-consciousness in the Post-Soviet states, significant challenges of international terrorism, and perspectives of rapid globalization. The rise in the level of religious identity of Muslim citizens of Georgia (first of all of those who are not ethnic Georgians) is noticeable. New mosques have been constructed and, sometimes, even young people are being sent to the religious educational institutions of Muslim countries to gain a higher Islamic education. At a time when gender studies are substantive, the goal of which is to eliminate gender-based discrimination and violence in societies, it is essential in Georgia to conduct researches around the concrete problem – Islamic tradition, woman and education in Georgia. A woman's right to education is an important indicator of women's general status in a society. The appropriate resources, innovative analysis of Georgian ethnological materials, and surveying of the population (quantitative and qualitative research reports, working papers), condition the success of these researches. In the presented work, interrelation matters of Islam, gender and education in contemporary Georgia by the example of the Azerbaijani population in Kvemo Kartli during period 1992-2016 are studied. We researched the history of Muslim religious education centers in Tbilisi and Kvemo Kartli (Bolnisi, Gardabani, Dmanisi, Tetri Tskaro, Marneuli and Tsalka) in 1992-2016, on the one hand, and the results of sociological interrogation, on the other. As a result of our investigation, we found that Azeri women in the Kvemo Kartli (Georgia) region mostly receive their education in Georgia and Azerbaijan. Educational and Cultural Institutions are inaccessible for most Azeri women. The main reasons are the absence of educational and religious institutions at their places of residence and state policies towards Georgia's Muslims. Keywords—Islam, gender, Georgia, education.


Purpose of the Study More than ever before, young adults have access to television content. Television programs are no longer relegated to the television set, but can be accessed on desktops, laptops, tablets, and even smartphones. The accessibility of television has increasingly allowed young adults to spend a significant portion of their day viewing these programs. Gathering information on how this viewing is related to their dating and academic habits is important to better understand the decision-making and outcomes for young adults in these two central areas of their lives. The purpose of this study was to measure the relationship between television viewing, dating behavior, dating expectations, dating well-being, academic achievement, and academic behavior of young adults. Method The current research was designed as a quantitative non-experimental descriptive study utilizing survey methodology. The instrument, called the Milmine Social Interaction, Academic, and Media Instrument (MSIAAMI), was used to gather information on participants television viewing habits, dating behaviors, dating expectations, dating relationship well-being, academic achievement, and academic behaviors. The data was gathered from 202 graduate and undergraduate students attending Andrews University in the Spring 2015 semester. Canonical correlational analyses were used to determine the existence of relationships between television viewing, dating, and academics. ANOVAs, zero-order correlations, and t-tests were used to provide additional descriptive information on the sample. Results There was no significant relationship found between television viewing and dating, as well as between dating and academics. A significant relationship was found between television viewing and academics. In particular, it was found that total viewing and entertainment viewing were positively related to skipping class and procrastinating. Participants watched television for an average of about 79 minutes, spent 201 minutes doing homework, 192 minutes studying, and 154 minutes with their dating partner each day. Physical attractiveness was more important for men while women reported that receiving kind acts and compliments was more important. Conclusions Although most of the results turned out to be non-significant, there were still many interesting findings. Further research is needed in order to clarify and provide support for these results. This study helped grow the understanding of how one of the most influential media impacts the young adult's dating and academics as well as how dating influences academics.


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The focus of this article is to show how a thorough understanding of organizational strategy and deployment of the strategy into consistent functional strategies is critical for improving the effectiveness of a benchmarking process. The article examines the impact of managerial positions and organizational sizes on utilization of strategic and operational benchmarking performance measures. Statistical results indicate evidence of misalignment between organizational mission and goals, competitive priorities, and manufacturing performance objectives. Evidence of miscommunicatian among managers at various levels, lack of proactive strategy to develop organizational core competencies, and inconsistent decisions with respect to managerial positions and organizational sizes is also the result of the article. Successful resolution of such inconsistencies is crucial before committing resources to benchmarking activities. Key words: Integrated, Benchmarking, performance Measures. INTRODUCTION Benchmarking can be defined as a process where an organization tries to learn from the best-inclass organizations, determines how the best-in-class achieve those performances, and utilizes the best practices to their own organization (Watson, 1992, 1993; Camp, 1989; and Whiting, 1991). During the last two decades, world-class organizations have utilized benchmarking to improve aspects of their competitive advantages such as cost, quality, delivery, and customer service. Bogan and English (1994) stated benchmarking as a flexible tool that can be used for gradual continuous improvement, as well as for major changes of process reengineering. Benchmarking is an effective means for learning and change because it exposes employees to new approaches, systems, and procedures (Welch, 1993; Kuebler, 1993). Deming (1982) and a number of other quality advocates (Graham, 1993; Ishikawa, 1985; Venetucci, 1992) have strongly recommended the use of benchmarking as an essential component of continuous improvement. The use benchmarking as an effective quality improvement tool was started by Xerox in the early 1980's to overcome severe international competition. Also, since 1987, benchmarking has been a major component of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria. According to Began and English (1994), since 1987 out of a total of 1000 Baldrige points benchmarking have consistently influenced more than 500 points. No other quality elements such as process management, employee involvement, and quality planning, have had such a broad influence on the Baldrige criteria than benchmarking. More recently, the practice of benchmarking is being widely used for six sigma process and for organizations seeking ISO 9000 certification. LITERATURE REVIEW Since the early 1980's, application of banchmarking in various areas of businesses ranging from manufacturing to health care, marketing, supply chain, human resources, and accounting have been widely reported. Harrison (1999) presents a detailed analysis of the evolution of different aspects of benchmarking activities. A comparison of the Xerox and Kodak benchmarking process has been reported by Bogan and English (1994). Although the two benchmarking methods utilize different number of steps, their overall logic is quite similar. Zairi and Whymark (2000) report successful results of the application of benchmarking at British Royal mail. Applications of benchmarking to world-class purchasing and to U.S. service sectors have been reported respectively by Newman, Hanna, and Duffett (1995) and Roth et al. (1997). The use of benchmarking as an effective organizational learning tool has bean presented by Sange (1990), Garvin (1993), Ford and Evans (2001), Smith (1997), Hambly (1997), Watson (2001), Chan and Paetsch (1995), O'Dell and Grayson (2000), and Evans and Dean (2003). A comprehensive list of legal and ethical issues of benchmarking is presented by Brue and Greg (2002), Vaziri (1992), and Bogan and English (1994). …


This paper will illustrate how mobile computers and technology is changing and evolving. Slowly the classic computing paradigm of a main unit for processing, a keyboard and mouse for input, and monitor for output is changing. This is a change that faces many hurdles but is an inevitable part of evolution. Mobile computing faces both technological obstacles and consumer acceptance obstacles. I will demonstrate several ways that the technological hurdles are being confronted, including the Future Internet Architecture Program, mobile cloud computing, CogMAC, femtocells, battery alternatives, and carbon based nanotubes. I will then present current technologies that may someday replace modern computers such as new output interfaces and wearable computers, presenting one wearable computer in development, Google Glass, and one that is now in production, the Pebble. Even wearable computers depend on consumer acceptance to be successful. I present the Microsoft Surface RT tablet as an example of a product that has not gained consumer acceptance. Finally, I illustrate how volatile the industry is and how successful a product can be by looking at the iPhone quarterly sales.


Ion propulsion rocketry is increasingly becoming popular by ion-ion pair thrusting concept, because they need low propellant, and design thrust around 1.5 N with low electric power and high efficiency. Basic MATLAB simulation of negative ion-negative ion pair propulsion has been explained in this article. Negative ion plasma has been obtained from electronegative gas, e.g. chlorine, by attachment of electron. Formation of large stable negative ion is achievable due to high electron affinity of chlorine. Electron affinity is a measure of energy exchange due to the addition of electron to a neutral atom to form a negative ion. When the neutral chlorine picks up electrons and forms chloride (Cl-) ion, the energy released due to exothermic reaction is -349 kJ/mol (i.e., -3.6 eV/atom). Mechanism of attachment of electron to chlorine involves the formation of intermediates. Due to that, the high repulsive force is created between the same negative ions. Average distance between any neighbouring ions is important for rocket thrust calculation, and is determined by propellant exhaust velocity. Mass flow rate of propellant is assessed from the ratio of total mass of propellant needed for operation to time periods. This accelerates negative ions to a high velocity in the thrust vector direction with a significantly intense magnetic field and the exhaust of negative ions through nozzle. On comparing with theoretical value and earlier method (xenon ion-electron), this method is capable of achieving required thrust with low electric power (1 kW).


Background & objectives: Shigella spp. are gram negative bacteria that can cause shigellosis in human. It is important in young children as well as elderly and immunocompromised people. Threatening complications can occur in severe cases with multidrug resistance species. It has been observed that Shigella spp. have become resistant to antibiotics like other bacteria. Investigation of resistance to azithromycin, tetracycline and pattern of resistance are the objectives of this study. Methods: Fifty isolates of Shigella spp. which have been collected from three hospitals in Tehran were studied. Isolates identified and confirmed as Shigella spp. by biochemical, serological and molecular methods (ipaH, wbgz, rfc genes). Antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed for ampicillin, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, levofloxacin, minocycline, nalidixic acid, norfloxacin, streptomycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline by disc agar diffusion method. Minimal inhibition concentrations were performed for azithromycin and tetracycline. Results: From a total of 50 Shigella spp. isolates, 16% of them were Shigella flexneri and 84% Shigella sonnei. The majority of isolates were multidrug resistant. The most resistance was seen to doxycycline, streptomycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline. Resistance to azithromycin was 6% and all of the isolates were susceptible to norfloxacin and levofloxacin. Nine patterns of resistance were revealed to these isolates. Conclusion: High resistance to tetracycline was observed and resistance to azithromycin as an alternative treatment choice was also considerable.


For anyone looking to understand photonic crystals, this systematic, rigorous, and pedagogical introduction is a must. Here you'll find intuitive analytical and semi-analytical models applied to complex and practically relevant photonic crystal structures. You will also be shown how to use various analytical methods borrowed from quantum mechanics, such as perturbation theory, asymptotic analysis, and group theory, to investigate many of the limiting properties of photonic crystals which are otherwise difficult to rationalize using only numerical simulations. An introductory review of nonlinear guiding in photonic lattices is also presented, as are the fabrication and application of photonic crystals. In addition, end-of-chapter exercise problems with detailed analytical and numerical solutions allow you to monitor your understanding of the material presented. This accessible text is ideal for researchers and graduate students studying photonic crystals in departments of electrical engineering, physics, applied physics and mathematics.


A recoilless gun is a kind of weapon equipment for individual soldier and its back blast flow has certain influence on the shooter during the launch process. In order to study the launch safety of a recoilless gun firing in a confined space of 2.5×2.5×2m, numerical simulation of the back blast flow field was carried out based on the three-dimensional unsteady viscous compressible N-S equations. The result shows that a complex reflected shock wave is formed due to the reflection of the wall behind the nozzle. The reflected shock wave represents reciprocating motion in the confined space and its intensity is much higher than that of the initial shock wave. Critical damage will be imposed on the shooter if no safeguard procedure is adopted. The high temperature gas flow may ignite the inflammable gases in the confined space and cause secondary damage. The research results are significant for understanding the characteristics of the back blast flow of the recoilless gun launching in the confined space, predicting and taking effective action to reduce the damage on the shooter.


The strongly incompatible behaviour of uranium in silicate magmas results in its concentration in the most felsic melts and a prevalence of granites and rhyolites as primary U sources for the formation of U deposits. Despite its incompatible behavior, U deposits resulting directly from magmatic processes are quite rare. In most deposits, U is mobilized by hydrothermal fluids or ground water well after the emplacement of the igneous rocks. Of the broad range of granite types, only a few have U contents and physico-chemical properties that permit the crystallization of accessory minerals from which uranium can be leached for the formation of U deposits. The first granites on Earth, which crystallized uraninite, dated at 3.1 Ga, are the potassic granites from the Kaapval craton (South Africa) which were also the source of the detrital uraninite for the Dominion Reef and Witwatersrand quartz pebble conglomerate deposits. Four types of granites or rhyolites can be sufficiently enriched in U to represent a significant source for the genesis of U deposits: peralkaline, high-K metaluminous calc-alkaline, L-type peraluminous and anatectic pegmatoids. L-type peraluminous plutonic rocks in which U is dominantly hosted in uraninite or in the glass of their volcanic equivalents represent the best U source. Peralkaline granites or syenites are associated with the only magmatic U-deposits formed by extreme fractional crystallization. The refractory character of the U-bearing minerals does not permit their extraction under the present economic conditions and make them unfavorable U sources for other deposit types. By contrast, felsic peralkaline volcanic rocks, in which U is dominantly hosted in the glassy matrix, represent an excellent source for many deposit types. High-K calc-alkaline plutonic rocks only represent a significant U source when the U-bearing accessory minerals (U-thorite, allanite, Nb oxides) become metamict. The volcanic rocks of the same geochemistry may be also a favorable uranium source if a large part of the U is hosted in the glassy matrix. The largest U deposit in the world, Olympic Dam in South Australia is hosted by highly fractionated high-K plutonic and volcanic rocks, but the origin of the U mineralization is still unclear. Anatectic pegmatoids containing disseminated uraninite which results from the partial melting of uranium-rich metasediments and/or metavolcanic felsic rocks, host large low grade U deposits such as the Rossing and Husab deposits in Namibia.

The evaluation of the potentiality for igneous rocks to represent an efficient U source represents a critical step to consider during the early stages of exploration for most U deposit types. In particular a wider use of the magmatic inclusions to determine the parent magma chemistry and its U content is of utmost interest to evaluate the U source potential of sedimentary basins that contain felsic volcanic acidic tuffs.


Modern digital camera technology has produced huge services for the users from different ages and specifications .It made it easer to have images, but the user still needs to enhance those images, which have some problems when taken by the camera, for not applying enough light, as taking it in cloudy weather or on bright light or dark area or taking it from a far distance, all these reasons make the picture not clear having ambiguous details and colors. So, through this research we used some image contrast enhancement techniques to adjust the light for dark images, to make them have deep detail, sharp edges and better quality. Contrast problem is one of the most problems that face those who work on research field or normal users. The aim of this research is to improve the contrast of images that have bad contrast using both classical techniques and intelligence techniques. Among intelligence techniques we chose the fuzzy logic methods, to have images contain better colors all over the image and make the images look brighter. By studying the classical and fuzzy logic methods, we proposed a method named (Fuzzy Hyperbolic Threshold), the proposed method gave very good results. We applied the methods on gray, colored images and on a video, and used (Matlab 7) to implement those methods.


We are developing robot controllers based on biomimetic design principles. The goal is to realise the adaptive capabilities of the animal models in natural environments. We report feasibility studies of a hybrid architecture that instantiates a command and coordinating level with computed discrete-time map-based DTM neuronal networks and the central pattern generators with analogue VLSI Very Large Scale Integration electronic neuron aVLSI networks. DTM networks are realised using neurons based on a 1-D or 2-D Map with two additional parameters that define silent, spiking and bursting regimes. Electronic neurons ENs based on Hindmarsh--Rose HR dynamics can be instantiated in analogue VLSI and exhibit similar behaviour to those based on discrete components. We have constructed locomotor central pattern generators CPGs with aVLSI networks that can be modulated to select different behaviours on the basis of selective command input. The two technologies can be fused by interfacing the signals from the DTM circuits directly to the aVLSI CPGs. Using DTMs, we have been able to simulate complex sensory fusion for rheotaxic behaviour based on both hydrodynamic and optical flow senses. We will illustrate aspects of controllers for ambulatory biomimetic robots. These studies indicate that it is feasible to fabricate an electronic nervous system controller integrating both aVLSI CPGs and layered DTM exteroceptive reflexes.


Translations have been widely described as one source of language contact phenomena in language maintenance situations. In particular the impact of English on German by translation is a topic of ongoing research interest. The present article reviews the place of translations in the study of language contact and discusses two different methodological approaches to determining causal explanations for an assumed influence of translations on target language original text production. We discuss the limitations of corpus-based studies in providing evidence for a direct effect of translations on original text production in the target language. An alternative experimental approach focussing on cognitive processing during text production is shown not to overcome the limitations of corpus studies. The paper therefore argues for a different approach drawing on various methods that may help control confounding factors.


Context trees (CT) are a widely used tool in machine learning for representing context-specific independences in conditional probability distributions. Parsimonious context trees (PCTs) are a recently proposed generalization of CTs that can enable statistically more efficient learning due to a higher structural flexibility, which is particularly useful for small-data settings. However, this comes at the cost of computationally expensive structure learning, which is feasible only for domains with small alphabets and tree depths. In this work, we investigate to which degree CTs can be generalized to increase statistical efficiency while still keeping the learning computationally feasible. Approaching this goal from two different angles, we (i) propose algorithmic improvements to the PCT learning algorithm, and (ii) study further generalizations of CTs, which are inspired by PCTs, but trade structural flexibility for computational efficiency. By empirical studies both on simulated and realworld data, we demonstrate that the synergy of combining of both orthogonal approaches yields a substantial breakthrough in obtaining statistically efficient and computationally feasible generalizations of CTs.


The Upper Quarter Y-Balance Test (UQYBT) is a functional assessment tool that measures the stability and mobility of the upper extremity, while also analyzing symmetry. Scapular dyskinesis is defined as an alteration of the positioning and function of the scapula that impacts the overall kinetic chain, inhibiting proper shoulder movement. This condition is most prevalent in athletes participating in overhead sports such as swimming and tennis. Scapular dyskinesis decreases the range of motion of the shoulder resulting in a weakened performance. While it is unknown whether scapular dyskinesis is a cause or effect, it is believed that it increases the risk for shoulder injuries to occur. PURPOSE: to investigate if scapular dyskinesis impacts the performance on the UQYBT. METHODS: Twenty subjects (23±5 years; 76±17 kg; 173±10 cm), eight females and 12 males, participated in this study. Scapular dyskinesis was assessed using the Kibler Scapular Dyskinesis Test (SDT), on all subjects. Once the SDT was completed, the subjects performed the Upper Quarter Y-Balance Test (UQYBT). The three reach directions of the UQYBT are medial reach (MR), superolateral reach (SLR), and inferolateral reach (ILR). Three consecutive trials in all three directions were performed on the right and left arm, randomly. A one-minute resting period was given for each subject between trials. The best reach score for each direction and side was collected and normalized to the right upper extremity length. Composite scores were then calculated using the average of the three reach directions, for each side. One-way ANOVA analyses were used to compare the normalized reach scores for each direction, between the shoulders with scapular dyskinesis and the normal, p<.05. RESULTS: Out of the 40 shoulders tested in this study, 15 shoulders were categorized as having scapular dyskinesis and the other 25 were categorized as normal. No significant differences were found when comparing all three normalized reach scores and normalized composite score between scapular dyskinesis shoulders and normal shoulders, p>.05. For the normal shoulders, %MR was 98.4±7.9%, %SR was 73.1±13.5%, %IR was 81.1±12.8%, and %composite was 84.2±8.95%. In terms of the scapular dyskinesis shoulders, %MR was 95.6±8.9%, %SR was 69.9±13.9%, %IR was 83.8±12.6%, and %composite was 83.1±10.5%. CONCLUSION: In all three reach directions and composite scores, the scapular dyskinesis shoulders were observed to have similar results when compared to the normal shoulders. These results may indicate that subjects with scapular dyskinesis shoulders are able to achieve similar scores due to compensatory patterns of the muscles surrounding the shoulder girdle complex and thorax. Further research needs to be done to investigate if there are different compensatory mechanisms in individuals with scapular dyskinesis shoulders.


A total of 216 pigs (initially 11.7 Ib and 21 d of age) was used in a 35-<1 growth trial to determine the effect of dietary L-carnitine on growth performance and tissue accretion rates for the early-weaned pig when fed a porcine plasma-based diet. Pigs were blocked by>weight, ancestry, and sex in a randomized complete block design, resulting in six pigs per pen (three barrows and three gilts) and six pens per treatment. Experimental diets were fed in two phases from d 0 to 35 postweaning. During Phase I (d 0 to 14 postweaning), the control diet was corn-soybean meal based; included 7.5% spray-dried porcine plasma, 25% dried whey, and 1.75% spray-dried blood meal; and was formulated to contain 1.6% lysine; and .44% methionine. On d 14, all pigs were switched to a Phase II (d 14 to 35 postweaning) diet that contained 10% dried whey and 2.5% spray-dried blood meal and was formulated to contain 1.25% lysine and .36% methionine. L-carnitine replaced corn in the Phase I and II control diets to provide dietary Lcarnitine levels of 250, 500, 750, 1,000, and 1,250 ppm. On d 35, three barrows and three gilts per treatment (one pig per block) were slaughtered to determine carcass composition. From d 0 to 14 postweaning, increasing L-carnitine had no effect on growth performance. From d 14 to 35 and d 0 to 35, no differences occurred in average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI); however, pigs fed 1,000 ppm L-carnitine were more efficient (F/G) over the entire trial and were 1.94 lb heavier on d 35 than pigs on the positive control treatment. Plasma carnitine levels taken on day 14 increased as dietary carnitine increased. Percentage carcass CP, lipid, and daily protein accretion were not influenced by dietary L-carnitine on d 35. However, daily fat accretion was reduced, with pigs on the 750 ppm L-carnitine having the lowest daily fat accretion. Based on these results, L-carnitine addition reduces daily fat accretion and improves F/G when fed during the nursery phase.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 17, 1994


The present catalogue seeks to provide a comprehensive record of the 1532 editions printed in the 15th and 16th centuries held in the legal historical section of the Biblioteca di Scienze Sociali of the Universita degli Studi di Firenze. This library is the successor to that of the Facolta di Giurisprudenza, the nucleus of which remains the historic collection of the Collegio degli Avvocati di Firenze acquired in 1924. Supplemented by further important acquisitions, including the library of the Corte di Appello di Firenze, the collection has come to be numbered among the foremost in its fi eld in Italy. It exhibits a wide range not only of the famous medieval authors of the ius commune, but also of the growing number of contemporary 16th century jurists.


Pain as shared representation. An exploratory research within the Veneto region project "Hospital and Territory without Pain" - For long, Health Psychology has been interested in the cognitive processes which shape the concepts of health and illness. Less space has been devoted to the study of pain and its representation. Adopting a social representations approach, the present paper inquires the shared features of the representation of pain. In a joint interdisciplinary project University of Padova - Hospital of Rovigo, the content, field and structure of SR shared by health professionals (N = 245) and students (N = 163) have been analysed. Data gathered through a free association task to the word-stimulus "pain" has been sub- mitted to correspondence factor analysis and to analysis of rank and frequency. The results have been discussed with professionals in focus groups. The main results show a conception which appears normative, based on "classic" dualisms such as mind vs. body, evaluation vs. experience. The prevalence of aspects of classification, coherent with the diagnostic practice, enhances the importance of formative moments which allow to widen and diversify the span of interpretations and practices relative to the understanding and treatment of pain. Key words: pain, social representations, professional, students, institutional change Parole chiave: dolore, rappresentazioni sociali, professionisti, studenti, cambiamento istituzionale


Introduction: According to many studies, hypertension is considered as the second leading risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) and cardiac infarction after smoking The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of four weeks of Isometric Handgrip (IHG) Training on peripheral resistance and hypertension among hypertensive women. Methods: 14 middle aged women, aged 40 to 55 years old, were randomly selected. The training program included 4 sets of 2 minute IHG training with 1 minute resting between each period, performed 3 days a week for four weeks. Doppler ultrasound method was used to measure the vascular resistance. Data were analyzed using paired t-test. Results: According to the results, there was a significant difference between systolic blood pressure (p=0.006) and diastolic blood pressure (p=0.001) after 4 weeks of training. However, no significant difference was observed in vascular resistance (p=0.66). Conclusion: These results demonstrate that IHG training can reduce blood pressure in the hypertensive patients 24 hours after the last training session. It is also revealed that reduced blood pressure is not always associated with reduced vascular resistance and other influential factors may play a role in this regard.


The Stone-Geary utility function defined over an index of goods, the leisure of the husband, and the leisure of the wife is used to derive the earnings functions of the husband and the wife. The parameters of the utility function are estimated from the parameters of the earnings functions in a way that accounts for a number of theoretical and statistical problems. The effect of family composition on utility is estimated by specifying and estimating adult equivalents in consumption and leisure of various categories of children. On the statistical side the following difficulties are all considered: nonlinear constraints across equations, endogenous marginal income tax rates, variations in tastes in the population, heteroscedasticity, and truncation of the left-hand variable. The data come from the 1967 Survey of Economic Opportunity. The results are generally good and support the view that the effects of family composition on utility can be estimated from behavioral relationships. Alternative results that ignore the complicated statistical problems are presented; they imply that the statistical problems are empirically important and should not be ignored.


The aim of this paper is to develop an integrated demand-supply model to forecast the requirements of technical manpower in the Indian agriculture sector. Technical manpower has played an important role in achieving self sufficiency in food grain production in India. At the current levels of operations itself, there is shortage of technical manpower at various levels of the agriculture sector. Drawing on system dynamics methodology, a causal model is initially developed which is subsequently transformed to a dynamic simulation model that captures the dynamics of manpower demand-supply interactions. The simulation results show technical manpower shortages in agriculture sector in India. A policy of 50 percent increase in the intake capacity of the technical institutions is proposed which is thereafter evaluated with anticipated sectoral growth rates of 3 per cent and 4 per cent respectively. The policy was found to alleviate the shortage of technical manpower substantially for both the scenarios. However, the policy makers need to make further interventions in balancing the technical manpower supply and demand in the long run.


AbstractThis study describes a 29-yr (1981–2009) global ocean surface gravity wave simulation generated by a coupled atmosphere–wave model using NOAA/GFDL's High-Resolution Atmosphere Model (HiRAM) and the WAVEWATCH III surface wave model developed and used operationally at NOAA/NCEP. Extensive evaluation of monthly mean significant wave height (SWH) against in situ buoys, satellite altimeter measurements, and the 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40) show very good agreements in terms of magnitude, spatial distribution, and scatter. The comparisons with satellite altimeter measurements indicate that the SWH low bias in ERA-40 reanalysis has been improved in these model simulations. The model fields show a strong response to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) in the North Atlantic and the Southern Oscillation index (SOI) in the Pacific Ocean that are well connected with the atmospheric responses. For the NAO in winter, the strongest subpolar wave responses are found near the northern Europe coast and the coa...


Abstract This paper has two major aims. First, to investigate how positive emotions and intrinsic motivation affect each other over time. Second, to test the effect of positive emotions and intrinsic motivation on subsequent educational choices. Through two ordinary study semesters, 64 sport students in Norway reported on their intrinsic motivation for outdoor activities (twice) as well as positive emotions after two three-day outdoor events (four times). Next autumn, students study choice was collected. Pre-established intrinsic motivation increased the level of positive emotions, as suggested by the self-determination theory. Additionally, positive emotions increased intrinsic motivation, even when the effect from pre-established intrinsic motivation was controlled for. Hence, positive emotions also had a separate building effect, as proposed by the broaden-and-build theory. Intrinsic motivation was the main predictor for students who continued with an outdoor specialization. Positive emotions were the key predictor for students who picked sport as their major. The study has implications for the practical educational field as well as for general health promotion and well-being in paying attention to the emotional experience as it demonstrates that positive emotions improve intrinsic motivation.


Background: Health care reform has resulted in changes throughout the health system, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and IRS requirements that nonprofit hospitals conduct community health needs assessments and develop implementation plans to guide greater investment in their respective communities. This has led to questions of which factors influence hospital interaction and investment in PH systems. Purpose: This paper presents a comprehensive framework, informed by a literature review and expert panel that introduces hypothesized factors related to these outcomes. Methods: To develop a conceptual framework that identifies hypothesized indicators of increased hospital interaction and investment in PH systems, we completed a thorough and iterative review and coding of the literature. We drafted a first version of the conceptual model and convened an expert panel (n=9) to review, further narrow, and refine the conceptual model of indicators. Results: The finalized conceptual framework includes four primary categories: Community Demographics, Legal/Policy Environment, Market Conditions, and the Public Health and Hospital Organization and Systems. Detailed subcategories are included within each category. While we generally hypothesize that these factors determine the extent to which a hospital will interact and invest in PH systems, we indicate only their relational characteristics, not the direction in which these factors are specified. Implications: Ongoing work will test components of the framework utilizing four published datasets. This paper presents the framework to guide future research and funding priorities in the field.


Given the robust behavioral association between delayed reward discounting (DRD) and addictive behavior, there is an expanding literature investigating the neural correlates of this relationship. The objective of this systematic review was to characterize and critically appraise the existing literature examining the neural correlates of DRD in individuals exhibiting addictive behavior using functional and structural MRI (fMRI/MRI) and to do so through the lens of the neural networks implicated in addiction. Using a systematic search strategy, 20 studies were identified, with 12 focusing on task fMRI, 4 focusing on functional connectivity fMRI, and 4 focusing on structural MRI. Behaviorally, significantly steeper DRD was present in individuals with addictive disorders across studies, reproducing earlier findings. Among individuals with addictive disorders, there was substantial evidence of greater neural activity in the executive control network during choices for larger-delayed rewards (delayed gratification) relative to choices for smaller-immediate rewards (immediate gratification), particularly in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, as well as moderate evidence of greater recruitment of the default mode, salience, and reward valuation networks during larger-delayed choices. In functional connectivity fMRI studies, there was moderate evidence for greater connectivity between the executive control, salience, and default mode networks in individuals exhibiting addictive behavior. Structural MRI studies reported highly heterogeneous findings and no consistent conclusions could be drawn. As a whole, this review suggests consistent differences in neural activation and connectivity relating to DRD in individuals with addictive disorders. It also reveals heterogeneity of methods and findings in this line of inquiry.


Since 1950, the number of urban agglomerations in West Africa increased from 152 to almost 2 000, and today towns and cities are home to 41% of the region's total population. Cities and their inhabitants are increasingly shaping West Africa's economic, political and social landscape. Yet there is little up-to-date data available for analysis and the formulation of development policy at the local, national and regional levels.
Africapolis, a comprehensive and homogenous dataset on urbanisation, is a significant step towards closing this data gap. The 2015 update covers 17 West African countries spanning the period 1950 to 2010. Its original methodology combines demographic sources, satellite and aerial imagery to provide population estimates and geolocation at the level of individual agglomerations. The morphological approach adopted by Africapolis helps identify territorial transformation processes which are at the core of West Africa's complex urbanisation dynamics and can be observed at several levels: metropolises, secondary cities, the merging of villages and the formation of conurbations.
The identification of cities with fewer than 100 000 inhabitants is a major contribution of Africapolis – 90% of West Africa's cities, or a combined population of 45 million people, fall into this category – a figure which underscores the important role of small cities within the urban system. This edition also includes new measurements of urbanisation in Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, constituting the most complete dataset on urbanisation dynamics in this country to date.


We develop a dynamic investment options framework with optimal capital structure and analyze the effect of debt maturity. We find that in the absence of financing constraints short-term debt maximizes firm value. In contrast with most literature results, in the absence of constraints, higher volatility may increase initial debt for firms with low initial revenues, issuing long term debt that expires after the investment option maturity. This effect, which is due to the option value of receiving the value of assets and remaining tax savings, does not hold for short term debt and firms with high profitability, where an increase in volatility reduces the firm value. The importance of short-term debt is reduced in the presence of non-negative equity net worth or debt financing constraints and firms behave more conservatively in the use of initial debt. With non-negative equity net worth, higher volatility has adverse effects on the firm value, while with debt financing constraints higher volatility may enhance firm value for firms with relatively low revenue that have out-of-the-money investment options.


This paper shows that having access to a fast Internet connection is an important determinant of capitalization effects in property markets. Our empirical strategy combines a boundary discontinuity design with controls for time-invariant effects and arbitrary macro-economic shocks at a very local level to identify the causal effect of broadband speed on property prices from variation that is plausibly exogenous. Applying this strategy to a micro data set from England between 1995 and 2010 we find a significantly positive effect, but diminishing returns to speed. Our results imply that disconnecting an average property from a high-speed first-generation broadband connection (offering Internet speed up to 8 Mbit/s) would depreciate its value by 2.8%. In contrast, upgrading such a property to a faster connection (offering speeds up to 24 Mbit/s) would increase its value by no more than 1%. We decompose this effect by income and urbanization, finding considerable heterogeneity. These estimates are used to evaluate proposed plans to deliver fast broadband universally. We find that increasing speed and connecting unserved households passes a cost-benefit test in urban and some suburban areas, while the case for universal delivery in rural areas is not as strong.


Excerpt] You're reading this book because you want to do good and you want to do well in your organization. In this book, I will help you do both. I will help you if you are (or aim to be) a senior manager in an organization and have a seat at the table where key decisions are made. I will also help you if you are (or aim to be) one of the valued employees doing the good work of the organization in your individual office, cubicle, laboratory, or sales territory. What makes you valuable to your organization? You're valuable if the organization would lose out if it weren't paying you for your input. The head of the organization would have significantly more to do if you weren't there. Without you, less would be produced. In your absence, poorer decisions would be made. But in order for you to be valuable, your input must truly be valuable. Your input cannot be valuable if you do not know what the organization is trying to achieve. It cannot be valuable if you do not know what strategy the head of the organization and the other leaders have adopted to try to achieve it. And it cannot be valuable if you cannot contribute to the making of good, sound, purposeful decisions. Those are the things that this book will help you do: understand the organization's bottom line and help you contribute to it.


As there is an exponential increase of web videos, it is time-consuming to get a query result from the tremendous data. An effective and efficient video management system is in urgent need. To increase the efficiency of video retrieval and storage, the most widely used methods are indexing schemes, such as locality sensitive hashing (LSH). However, it is more essential to represent the video itself compactly. In this paper, we propose a strategy to generate stratification-based keyframe cliques (SKCs) for video description, which are more compact and informative than frames or keyframes. The new representations are scalable for different retrieval tasks due to the ranking of SKCs. To further accelerate the retrieval speed, only top SKCs will be used; meanwhile, the searching results are still satisfactory. Experiments are conducted on TRECVID dataset as well as web video dataset. Results show that our proposed SKCs are more succinct and informative for video retrieval and management.


Almost a century ago, British anthropologist Alfred Cort Haddon traveled the world seeking samples of human hair, among other curios, for his ethnographic studies of native people. The samples, which lay in a museum drawer for 90 years, included hair from a young Australian Aboriginal man. Now in a paper published online this week in Science , geneticists report that they have extracted enough DNA from that hair to sequence the first complete genome of an Aboriginal. The genome offers the first good look at the origins of Aboriginals, showing that they are one of the oldest continuous populations outside of Africa, the authors say.


Public engagement continues to be central to wider efforts to address climate change. This study contributes to public engagement debates by investigating engagement with climate change among an often overlooked group, the corporate middle class in Africa's second largest megacity, Lagos. Combining survey and interviews, I focus analysis on three aspects: awareness, knowledge and concern; role of scientific and social frames in shaping general attitude; and spatial attribution of causes and consequences. The study reveals a universal awareness and high concern about climate change among the respondents, although understanding and perceptions of climate change are significantly socially framed. Social situatedness, more than scientific facts, is the most important definer of overall engagement with climate change. This study thus underscores a nuanced constructionist stance, showing how corporate professionals' 'ways of knowing' climate change is underpinned by a certain co-production between scientific and socio-experiential frames. I highlight implications for research and public engagement with climate change.


Global declines of shark populations are of concern because of their largely assumed role as moderators of ecosystem function. Without long-term data on movement patterns for many species, it is impossible to infer relative extinction risk, which varies as a function of range, dispersal and habitat specificity and use. The past 50 yr of research on coastal sharks has revealed common movement patterns among species. In the horizontal plane, measured home range size generally increases with body size. We demonstrate meta-analytically the effects of increasing body size and monitoring time on home range size. Changes in the extent of horizontal movement might arise from ontogeny, predator avoidance or environmental tolerances. In the vertical plane, movement patterns include oscillatory vertical displacement, surface swimming, diel vertical migration and swimming at depth. These vertical movements are often attributed to foraging or navigation, but have been quan- tified less than horizontal patterns. Habitat specificity is often correlated with environmental condi- tions such as depth, salinity, substratum, and in some cases, prey availability. Site fidelity is common in species that use nursery areas. However, fidelity to mating, pupping, feeding and natal sites has only been observed in a few species. To date, few studies have examined habitat partitioning, although some general patterns have emerged: habitats appear to be subdivided by benthos type, prey availability and depth. The conservation of coastal sharks can be facilitated in some cases by the use of marine protected areas, especially for coastal resident species using specific nursery, repro- duction or feeding areas. Partial protected-area closures might be effective during aggregation or migration periods to protect older size classes, but these must be applied with other management strategies such as reduced fishing and size or bag limits to protect individuals throughout different life history phases. More long-term research on habitat use, migration patterns and habitat partition- ing is essential for developing successful management initiatives for coastal shark populations.


This study identifies six key reasons explaining the social phenomenon that many
practising fine artists find it so difficult to make a living in the arts.
Due to a marked paucity of research explaining this social phenomenon, the study
at hand investigates the internal factors related to artists' personality, motivation, and
skills as well as various external factors influencing artists' working and business
environment by applying two acknowledged analysis tools in strategic business
management.
The literature findings highlight four external threat factors mainly responsible for a
very challenging working and business environment affecting practising fine artists'
chances of professional success. Consequently, two internal factors – notably artists'
motivation and ambition to conduct business and a living in the arts as well as their
developed skills – turn out to be key factors to successfully deal with these external
threat factors. In this context, three research aims related to practising artists'
professional education and preparation arise: the identification of crucial skills to
successfully make a living in the arts as practising artists, the status of their professional
education at higher education institutions (HEIs), and the capability of arts incubators as
alternative education programmes to prepare large numbers of practising fine artists for
professional success.
The approach to investigation is exploratory and inductive with a cross-sectional
survey strategy. To identify the crucial skills for professional success in the arts, surveys
of up to 219 fine art lecturers, 168 fine art undergraduates, and 149 commercial galleries
are conducted. To report on the status of fine artists' educational preparation, 87
undergraduate degree programmes, 55 post-graduate programmes, and 46
extracurricular training offerings at HEIs are investigated. The study focuses mainly on
the UK and Germany. These countries are selected due to their significantly different
market sizes and reputation for the purpose of identifying differences in market
challenges and professional preparations faced by fine artists. To analyse arts incubators'
capability in preparing large numbers of practising fine artists for a professional career, 92
arts incubation programmes around the globe are analysed and nine structured
interviews with practising fine artists are conducted.
The investigation of the crucial skills for fine artists' professional success highlights
in particular the development of an entrepreneurial mindset as well as of seven skills.
Research on arts education shows evidence that fine art graduates are hardly equipped
with this skillset and mindset due to HEIs' lack of focus on the professional careers of
practising artists. The analysis of arts incubation programmes illustrates serious
limitations in supporting larger numbers of practising fine artists in their professional
endeavours.
The research findings stimulate the discussion in, and contribute to, knowledge in
the fields of artists' professional preparation, arts entrepreneurship, and the redesigning
of fine art curriculum to purposefully prepare fine art graduates for an entrepreneurial and
professional career as practising artists.


Abstract : We have crossed a threshold where most of our large software systems can no longer be constructed as monoliths specified by a single, focused, and unified team; implemented as a unit; and tested to be within known performance limits. They are now constructed as groups of interoperating systems (as systems of systems) developed by different but sometimes related teams and made to interoperate through various forms of interfaces. Unfortunately, while we can easily conceive these large systems of systems, we have trouble building them. Software engineering practices have not kept pace, and the problem will only get worse as the community begins to build Internet-scale systems of systems like the Global Information Grid. This technical note introduces the System-of-Systems Navigator (SoS Navigator), the collection and codification of essential practices for building large-scale systems of systems. These practices have been identified through the work of the Integration of Software-Intensive Systems Initiative at the Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute. SoS Navigator provides tools and techniques to characterize organizational, technical, and operational enablers and barriers to success in a system of systems; identify improvement strategies; and pilot and institutionalize these strategies.


The development objective of the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) Promoting Sustainable Natural Resource-based Livelihoods Project for Belize is to promote viable and sustainable natural resource-based livelihoods for participating communities in Belize and thereby reducing anthropogenic pressures on key natural resources. Some of the negative impacts and mitigation measures include: (1) minimum use of pesticide can reduce the impact of killing both pest and beneficial insects; (2) to reduce the impact of soil erosion the cooperative will plant pasture around crop area that is around the edges of the farm; (3) soil nutrients can be evaluated by reapplying sources of nutrients back to the soil to replace nutrients been wash; (4) applications of fertilizers to the soil can change soil ph, thus making the soil acidic; (5) contamination of near water can be avoided by implementing a filter area to block off run off of water to near water source; and (6) to reduce the impacts of drift localize application of growth regulators must be done by plant preferably with the use of knop sock sprayer.


In Reading Japanese Haikai Poetry Herbert Jonsson makes an inquiry into the multitude ways in which Japanese linked haikai poetry has been read and understood. A number of poems composed by the eighteenth-century master Yosa Buson are analyzed in great detail. Although closely related to the popular haiku, haikai is often regarded as difficult for non-specialists, but this study offers the reader a wealth of explanations, displaying the varied perspectives available. The first part of the book consists of a thorough investigation of how these poems have been interpreted in the Japanese commentary tradition. The second concluding part offers an innovative study of the poetics of scent (nioizuke), essential for understanding the creative force of this poetry.


Courses in this area are grouped as follows. Comparative Studies: The exploration of non-Christian traditions with special emphasis on comparative religious questions. Philosophy of Religion: The study of conceptual issues that bear upon method in theology and ethics, the philosophical clarification of religious concepts and categories, and the examination of philosophical worldviews that are alternatives to traditional Christian perspectives. Religion and the Arts: Studies concerning the nature of human imagination in visual, literary, and musical forms that have shaped the religious life and its cultural expression, both within and outside the Christian church. The inquiry is normally undertaken within the context of ministry. Study of Society: The employment of normative and social-scientific tools to comprehend and bring under ethical and theological scrutiny societal institutions (including religious ones) and ideational patterns.


Antibodies of the secretory IgA (SIgA) class comprise the first line of antigen-specific immune defense, preventing access of commensal and pathogenic microorganisms and their secreted products into the body proper. In addition to preventing infection, SIgA shapes the composition of the gut microbiome. SIgA is transported across intestinal epithelial cells into gut secretions by the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR). The epithelial surface is protected by a thick network of mucus, which is composed of a dense, sterile inner layer and a loose outer layer that is colonized by commensal bacteria. Immunofluorescence microscopy of mouse and human colon tissues demonstrated that the SIgA co-localizes with gut bacteria in the outer mucus layer. Using mice genetically deficient for pIgR and/or mucin-2 (Muc2, the major glycoprotein of intestinal mucus), we found that Muc2 but not SIgA was necessary for excluding gut bacteria from the inner mucus layer in the colon. Our findings support a model whereby SIgA is anchored in the outer layer of colonic mucus through combined interactions with mucin proteins and gut bacteria, thus providing immune protection against pathogens while maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship with commensals.


This paper examines the history of the first town engineers in Johannesburg and Pretoria by looking at the selection process that was applied in their appointment; their responsibilities; and the circumstances at the end of their tenures. It explores what was expected of municipal engineers in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries; shows how weak their position was within the municipal structure; and explains how vague their job description was in relation to their wide field of operation. It becomes clear that most early town engineers had no formal training for the positions they held and that there was added pressure from elected councillors in both municipalities who were prone to follow assiduously how officials were spending public money.


Using a comprehensive set of recently published experimental results for training and validation, we have developed computational models appropriate for simulations of aqueous solutions of poly(ethylene oxide) alkyl ethers, an important class of micelle-forming nonionic surfactants, usually denoted CnEm. These models are suitable for use in simulations that employ a moderate amount of coarse graining and especially for dissipative particle dynamics (DPD), which we adopt in this work. The experimental data used for training and validation were reported earlier and produced in our laboratory using dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements performed on twelve members of the CnEm compound family yielding micelle size distribution functions and mass weighted mean aggregation numbers at each of several surfactant concentrations. The range of compounds and quality of the experimental results were designed to support the development of computational models. An essential feature of this work is that all simulation results were analysed in a way that is consistent with the experimental data. Proper account is taken of the fact that a broad distribution of micelle sizes exists, so mass weighted averages (rather than number weighted averages) over this distribution are required for the proper comparison of simulation and experimental results. The resulting DPD force field reproduces several important trends seen in the experimental critical micelle concentrations and mass averaged mean aggregation numbers with respect to surfactant characteristics and concentration. We feel it can be used to investigate a number of open questions regarding micelle sizes and shapes and their dependence on surfactant concentration for this important class of nonionic surfactants.


The digital age has introduced a deeper sense of connectivity in business environments. By relying more heavily on current technologies, organizations now experience more effective communication and collaboration opportunities.

Online Collaboration and Communication in Contemporary Organizations is a critical scholarly resource that identifies the new practices and techniques for leading, knowledge sharing, and learning through the use of online collaboration. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as online leadership, intercultural competence, and e-ethics, this book is geared toward professionals, managers, and researchers seeking current research on new practices for online collaboration and communication.


Sexual harassment is a widespread problem in the American workplace. Managers must understand how their employees perceive ethical leadership in this context. This includes current undergraduates—managers' future employees. Undergraduates are entering the workforce in a climate of heightened awareness due to the #MeToo movement and federally required collegiate sexual violence training. Grounded in scholarship on ethical leadership and feminist standpoint theory, the experiment compares U.S. undergraduates' perceptions of male and female managers across common workplace scenarios and examines their evaluations of managers' traits and behaviors. Analysis reveals (a) what manager behavior is deemed ethical, (b) a general preference for female managers, and (c) that women evaluate female managers more positively than male managers. This study's findings provide important implications for employee–manager communicative exchanges.


Eastern Taiwan has a significant amount of archaeological sites. Some of the sites yield the dating from radiocarbon dating method. However, other than those sites with charcoal or organic remains unearthed, the dating for most of the sites remains blurred. This study seeks to fill this gap by utilizing luminescence dating (TL and OSL) to the ceramic samples from varies sites with different presumed time periods.


Abstract. The ocean's biological carbon pump (BCP) plays a major role in the global earth carbon cycle. A fraction of the photosynthetically fixed organic carbon produced in surface waters is exported below the sunlit layer in the form of settling particles (e.g. marine snow). Since the seminal works on the BCP, global estimates of the global strength of the BCP have improved but large uncertainties remain (from 5 to 20 GtC yr−1 exported below the euphotic zone or mixed layer depth). The 234Th technique is widely used to measure the downward export of particulate organic carbon (POC). This technique has the advantage to allow a downward flux to be determined by integrating the deficit of 234Th in the upper water column and coupling it to an estimate of the POC/234Th ratio in sinking matter. However, the factors controlling the regional, temporal and depth variations of POC/234Th ratios are poorly understood. We present a database of 9110 measurements of the POC/234Th ratio in the ocean, from the surface down to > 5500 m, sampled on three size fractions (~ > 0.7 μm, ~ 1–50 μm, ~ > 50 μm), collected with in situ pumps and bottles, and also from bulk particles collected with sediment traps. The dataset is archived on the data repository PANGAEA® (https://www.pangaea.de/) under https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.902103 (Puigcorbé, 2019). The samples presented in this dataset were collected between 1989 and 2016 and the data have been obtained from published papers and open datasets available online. Unpublished data has also been included. Most of the open ocean provinces are represented by multiple measurements. However, there is an uneven distribution of the data, with some areas highly sampled (e.g, China Sea, Bermuda Atlantic Time Series station) compared to some others that are not well represented, such as the southeastern Atlantic, the south Pacific and the south Indian oceans. Some costal areas, although in a much smaller number, are also included in this global compilation. Globally, based on different depths horizons and climate zones, the median POC/234Th ratios have a wide range, from 0.6 to 18 μmol dpm-1.


Human microglia regional heterogeneity and phenotypes determined by multiplexed single-cell mass cytometry Böttcher C, Schlickeiser S, Sneeboer MAM, et al. Nat Neurosci. 2019;22(1):78-90. Microglia, the specialized innate immune cells of the central nervous system, play crucial roles in neural development and function. Different phenotypes and functions have been ascribed to rodent microglia, but little is known about human microglia (huMG) heterogeneity. Difficulties in procuring huMG and their susceptibility to cryopreservation damage have limited large-scale studies. Here we applied multiplexed mass cytometry for a comprehensive characterization of postmortem huMG (103-104 cells). We determined expression levels of 57 markers on huMG isolated from up to 5 different brain regions of 9 donors. We identified the phenotypic signature of huMG, which was distinct from peripheral myeloid cells but was comparable to fresh huMG. We detected microglia regional heterogeneity using a hybrid workflow combining Cytobank and R/Bioconductor for multidimensional data analysis. Together, these methodologies allowed us to perform high-dimensional, large-scale Immunophenotyping of huMG at the single-cell level, which facilitates their unambiguous profiling in health and disease.


The globalization process focuses on the transformation of the economic
environment worldwide. Malaysia in this new global era has opened its market
to free trade and foreign investments in order to achieve its Vision 2020 of
becoming an industrialized nation. As a result of this new advancement, more
expatriates are sent to Malaysia every year to help the process of technology
transfer internationally and to maintain the quality of the products generated in
this country. With the new environment, expatriates are bound to face challenges
and to make adjustments in their lifestyles. As such, a study was conducted with
the objectives of understanding the meaning of expatriates' experiences in terms
of cross-cultural challenges and to understand how they got adjusted staying in
Malaysia. This study applies the qualitative research methodology. The data were collected
through interviews of sixteen expatriates as informants for the study and who
are currently working in Malaysia. The interviews were conducted by using an
interview guide. These interviews were recorded and later transcribed. The
results of the study indicated that the informants faced with the following
challenges with regard to a) attitudes of Malaysians, b) the custom and the
religious issues, c) addressing social status d) gender issues, e) Malaysian
working habits, and f) cross-cultural training programs.As a result of these challenges the study pointed out that, the expatriates adapted
to the situations through the following adjustments: a) acquiring more cultural
knowledge regarding Malaysia, b) using the knowledge of previous experiences
in the host country, c) becoming more tolerant and optimistic about the people
and the new environment, d) establishing strong support system from own
organization, friends and family members. In conclusion, it is therefore
suggested, future programmes of expatriates in Malaysia can be improved by
having more intellectual discourse regarding cross-cultural issues and
organizing concise and systematic cross-cultural training sessions in order to
create awareness of the cultural differences among the participants of foreign
assignments to Malaysia. It is hoped that such efforts will achieve a win-win
situation for the expatriate's country of origin and the host country.


Tamper-proof devices are pretty powerful. They can be used to have better security in applications. In this work we observe that they can also be maliciously used in order to defeat some common privacy protection mechanisms. We propose the theoretical model of trusted agent to formalize the notion of programmable secure hardware. We show that protocols not using tamper-proof devices are not deniable if malicious verifiers can use trusted agents. In a strong key registration model, deniability can be restored, but only at the price of using key escrow. As an application, we show how to break invisibility in undeniable signatures, how to sell votes in voting schemes, how to break anonymity in group/ring signatures, and how to carry on the Mafia fraud in non-transferable protocols. We conclude by observing that the ability to put boundaries in computing devices prevents from providing full control on how private information spreads: the concept of sealing a device is in some sense incompatible with privacy.


The Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, 28 February 2001 [date of decision], held that wrongful life is not a recognized cause of action in Maryland. Millicent Kassama sought medical care from Dr. Magat for her pregnancy. During her first visit with Dr. Magat, an ultrasound showed that Kassama was pregnant with a 17-week-old fetus. Magat referred her for alpha fetoprotein (AFP) testing, and Kassama's results showed an increased risk for Down's syndrome. Because the AFP test was not performed until the fetus was approximately 22 weeks old, and abortions on fetuses older than 24 weeks are not performed in Maryland, Magat informed Kassama that she would likely have to travel out-of-state should she choose to abort. Kassama claimed Magat did not inform her of either the test results or her options. Subsequently, Kassama gave birth to a baby with Down's syndrome. Kassama asserted that the infant would have been aborted but for the physician's negligence, and sought damages on behalf of the child for living in a defective state. The Maryland Court of Special Appeals held that there is not cause of action for wrongful life "because it's an impossible task to calculate damages based on a comparison between life in an impaired state and no life at all." The court affirmed the trial court's judgment for Magat.


The structure and dynamics of confined water in cylindrical pores have been investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. Both rigid (TIP4P) and flexible (BJH) models have been used. Pore radii between 4.2 and 20 A have been studied; the pore walls are modeled either as a smooth (10−4) Lennard-Jones wall or as a structured wall consisting of (12−6) Lennard-Jones particles. Polar functional groups on the pore surface are modeled by arrays of point charges. We present results on density and orientational distribution functions and on the water mobility. We observe that water transport through nonpolar pores is fast and dominated by the surface layer, whereas transport in polar pores is slowed down relative to bulk liquid water and occurs preferentially through the center of the pore.


Basic relationships between certain regions of space are formulated in natural language in everyday situations. For example, a customer specifies the outline of his future home to the architect by indicating which rooms should be close to each other. Qualitative spatial reasoning as an area of artificial intelligence tries to develop a theory of space based on similar notions. In formal ontology and in ontological computer science, mereotopology is a first-order theory, embodying mereological and topological concepts, of the relations among wholes, parts, parts of parts, and the boundaries between parts. .We shall introduce abstract relation algebras and p~sent their structural properties as well as their connection to algebras of binary relations. This will be followed by details of the expressiveness of algebras of relations for region based models. Mereotopology has been the main basis for most region based theories of space. Since its earliest inception many theories have been proposed for mereotopology in artificial intelligence among which Region Connection Calculus is most prominent. The expressiveness of the region connection calculus in relational logic is far greater than its original eight base relations might suggest. In the thesis we formulate ways to automatically generate representable relation algebras using spatial data based on region connection calculus. The generation of new algebras is a two pronged approach involving splitting of existing relations to form new algebras and refinement of such newly generated algebras. We present an implementation of a system for automating aforementioned steps and provide an effective and convenient interface to define new spatial relations and generate representable relational algebras.


Pathogenic intestinal spirochaetes of pigs include Brachyspira (formerly Serpulina) hyodysenteriae, the cause of swine dysentery, and Brachyspira pilosicoli, the cause of porcine colonic spirochetosis (Pcs). The purpose of this study was to assess the relative importance of Brachyspira species in diarrhoeal disease of growing pigs on farms in southern Brazil. The intensity and pattern of haemolysis, the production of indole and the hydrolysis of hippurate by reference and field porcine intestinal spirochaetes were compared with 16S-ribosomal RNA (rRNA)- and 23S-rRNA-based polymerase chain reaction assays for the identification of B hyodysenteriae and B pilosicoli. Between July and October 1998, 206 rectal swabs were taken from pigs on 17 farms with a history of diarrhoea developing within 30 days after they had been moved from nursery to growing facilities. Of 49 β-haemolytic spirochaetes that were cultured, 29 (59.2 per cent) were grown in pure culture for phenotypic and genotypic characterisation, leaving 20 untyped. Of the 29 typed isolates, eight isolates obtained from six farms were identified as B hyodysenteriae, and 15 isolates obtained from seven other farms were identified as B pilosicoli; the remaining six isolates were identified as weakly, β-haemolytic commensal spirochaetes. There was complete agreement between the results of the phenotypic and genotypic analyses.


Reading and reading difficulties are some of the most researched topics in the literature in regard to psychology and education. Additionally, some specific subjects such as prediction and prevention attract research interest as well. These issues are discussed in the present chapter that focused on the screening measures and their characteristics towards significance and effectiveness. More specifically, discrimination accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity as well as validity and reliability were taken into consideration. Some well-known studies were examined revealing a range of methodological issues, which affected the effectiveness of using measures in the extant research. Although the findings were consistent with literature, they continued to be scant and not widely accepted, affected by several limitations regarding the sampling and the experimental design.


Social enterprises generate revenue to solve social, humanitarian, and ecological problems. Their products are not a means to the end of profits, but rather profits are a means to the end of their production. This dynamic presents many of the same corporate governance issues facing other forprofit firms, including legal compliance. The author contends, however, that traditional strategies for corporate compliance are incongruent to the social enterprise's unique normative framework. Specifically, traditional compliance theory, with its prioritization of shareholder interests, stands at odds with the social enterprise's mission-driven purpose. Attention to this distinction is essential for developing effective compliance and enforcement policies in the future. Indeed, arguably the greatest feature of the social enterprise is its potential to harness organizational characteristics that inspire the values and culture most closely linked with ethical behavior— without resort to more costly or intrusive measures.


The evaluation of scientific research is based on data protected by secrecy and intellectual property (e.g., Elsevier Scopus or Clarivate Web of Sci- ence). The peer review process is essentially anonymous. While science has progressed thanks to public dialogue, the current evaluation system is centered on private control of information. This represents a fundamental shift from democratic to authoritarian science. Open Science may con- front this change only if it is accepted as the heir, in the digital age, of the values and principles that public and democratic science has traditionally fostered in the age of printing, thus becoming the guardian of a democrat- ic society.