This research assessed website management and development practices across the United Kingdom university library sector. As a starting point, the design and features of this group of websites was recorded against criteria drawn from the extant literature. This activity established core content and features of UK library websites as: a search box or link for searching the library catalogue, electronic resources or website; a navigation column on the left and breadcrumb trail to aid information location and website orientation; homepage design was repeated on library website sub-pages; university brand elements appeared in the banner; and a contact us link was provided for communication with library personnel. Library websites conformed to 14 of the 20 homepage usability guidelines examined indicating that web managers were taking steps to ensure that users were well served by their websites. Areas for improvement included better navigation support (sitemap/index), greater adoption of new technologies and more interactive features.

Website management and development practices were established through national survey and in-depth case studies. These illustrated the adoption of a team approach to website management and development; formal website policy and strategy were not routinely created; library web personnel and their ability to build effective links with colleagues at the institution made a valuable contribution to the success of a library website; corporate services and institutional practices played an important part in library website development; library staff were actively engaged in consultations with their website audience; and a user focused approach to website development prevailed. User studies and metric data were considered in the website evaluation and development process. However, there were some issues with both data streams and interpreting metric data to inform website development. Evaluation and development activities were not always possible due to staff/time shortages, technical constraints, corporate website templates, and, to a lesser extent, lack of finance.


When a closely-divided U.S. Supreme Court decided Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (2014), upholding a challenge by three for-profit corporations to the contraceptive coverage provisions ("contraceptive mandate") of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 ("ACA"), sadly missing in the flurry of commentary was the late Ronald Dworkin's assessment. This essay asks, "What would Dworkin do?," if evaluating that case as well as Wheaton College v. Burwell, in which, over a strong dissent by Justices Sotomayor, Ginsburg, and Kagan, the Court granted Wheaton College emergency relief from complying with ACA's accommodation procedure for religious nonprofit organizations who object to the contraception mandate as substantially burdening religious Free Exercise. This essay addresses these questions about ACA and corporate conscience in light of Dworkin's call, in Religion Without God, to shift from a special right of religious freedom, protected by the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, to a general right of ethical independence. Dworkin only briefly discussed the place of exemptions from general laws in that reorientation, and so this essay considers the form a Dworkinian analysis might take. It examines the different arguments made in Hobby Lobby by the parties, friends of the court, and the justices about whether a for-profit corporation has a right to the free exercise of religion and whether ACA burdens it. Given Dworkin's sharp criticisms of the idea of corporate personhood in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, in the context of political speech, the essay asks whether he would have been similarly critical of corporate personhood for a family-owned, closely held business, given the concern for female employees' reproductive liberty expressed in Justice Ginsburg's Hobby Lobby dissent. The essay then asks what insights Dworkin's work sheds on pending challenges to ACA's accommodation provision as not accommodating enough.


This study explores the relationship between gaze anxiety and the perception of facial expressions. The literature suggests that individuals experiencing Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) might have a fear of making direct eye contact, and that these individuals also demonstrate a hypervigilance towards the eye region. Some have suggested that this increased anxiety concerning eye contact might be related to the tendency of socially anxious individuals to mislabel emotion in the faces of onlookers. An improved understanding of the cognitive biases associated with SAD could lead to more efficient intervention and assessment methods. In the present study, I used the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory-23 (SPAI-23) to measure social anxiety, depression, and overall distress. These forms allowed me to separate participants who reported high socially anxious and depressive traits from those in the normal range. I then compared anxiety concerning mutual eye contact as measured by the Gaze Anxiety Rating Scale (GARS) to performance on a facial recognition task. Performance was measured as recognition accuracy and average perceived intensity of onlooker expression on a scale of 1-5. A linear regression analysis revealed that higher GARS scores were related to higher perceived intensity of emotion by socially anxious individuals. An exploratory correlation analysis also revealed that higher gaze anxiety was related to lower accuracy at identifying neutral emotions and higher accuracy at identifying angry emotions. Although previous research has demonstrated these same biases by socially anxious individuals, gaze anxiety has not been explored extensively. Future research should investigate gaze anxiety's role as a moderating variable.


The aim of this dissertation is to offer an innovative revising of the methodological and economic contributions of the Austrian economist Carl Menger (1840-1921), and to shed light on the actual influence of his work in the history of the discipline of economics. From an economic standpoint, Menger is renowned for his contribution to the "marginal revolution" of the 19th century. However, during the past decades several critics have questioned the originality of his position. Menger was accused of having made full use of typical elements of the Aristotelian tradition and having employed economic principles already developed by his contemporaries. From a methodological standpoint, Menger's approach has been investigated mostly with regard to the so-called "Methodenstreit". However, this debate represents only one of the several relevant aspects at stake.
The discrepancies and partiality of these criticisms induced me to fully reconsider Menger's perspective, without a priori embracing any of the contrasting positions emerged so far. To this aim, in this dissertation I am proposing a rational reconstruction of Menger's approach.
Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 will be addressed to a survey of epistemological and methodological issues. I will especially discuss how Menger concretely applied his methodology to the study of political economy. Chapter 3 will be devoted to critically evaluate some widespread psychological readings of Menger's work. Then, the last two Chapters will have instead a historical nature. In Chapter 4, I will investigate the neglected relationship between Menger and the German Historical School of Law. In Chapter 5, I will originally consider the mutual influences between Menger and his German colleagues. This multifaceted analysis of Menger's contribution will also allow me to outline a fundamental contextualization of the state of affairs of the discipline of economics in the second half of the 19th century.


Rain gardens encompass all possible elements that can be used to capture, channel, divert and make the most of the rain and snow that fall on a property. Using the innovative and attractive approaches described here, it is possible to enhance outdoor spaces and minimize the damaging effects of drought, storm water run-off, and other environmental challenges. Nigel Dunnett and Andy Clayden have created a comprehensive guide to water management techniques for the garden and built environment. Filled with practical, manageable solutions for small and large-scale implementations and utilizing authoritative research with state-of-the-art case studies from all over the world, "Rain Gardens" is the first book on sustainable water management schemes suitable for students and professionals.


Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks in cattle occur annually in Uganda. In this study the authors investigated antibodies against FMD virus (FMDV) in cattle in surrounding areas of Lake Mburo National Park in South-Western Uganda. Two hundred and eleven serum samples from 23 cattle herds were examined for the presence of antibodies against FMDV non-structural proteins and structural proteins using Ceditest ® FMDV-NS and Ceditest ® FMDV type O (Cedi Diagnostics BV, Lelystad, The Netherlands). Furthermore, serotype-specific antibodies against the seven serotypes of FMDV were determined using in-house serotype-specific Solid Phase Blocking ELISAs (SPBE). Of the sera tested, 42.7% (90/211) were positive in the ELISA for antibodies against non-structural proteins, while 75.4% (159/211) had antibodies against the structural proteins of FMDV serotype O. Titres of ≥ 1:160 of serotype-specific antibodies in SPBEs were identified in 61% (19/31), 33% (5/15), 6%7 (20/30), 37% (10/27) and 12% (4/33) of the investigated samples for serotypes O, A, SAT 1, SAT 2 and SAT 3, respectively. This study indicates that most of the FMD outbreaks in the cattle herds in the investigated area were probably caused by FMDV serotype O, A and/ or SAT-serotype(s). It also shows that the usage of non-purified, multivalent vaccines in Uganda obscures the serological diagnosis of FMDV outbreaks, and that the sampling strategy needs to be improved. Finally, it emphasizes the importance of isolation and characterization of FMD viruses responsible for outbreaks in the area.


Thomas Maak and Nicola Pless pick up on the importance of relationships and lay out a relational approach towards responsible leadership in business. They do so first by looking at some of today's key challenges for leaders and discuss a diversity challenge, an ethics challenge, as well as a trust, values and stakeholder challenge.

Faced with these challenges, leadership is a demanding and complex task as leaders have to balance multiple and thus often conflicting values in a creative and ethically sound way. The authors define responsible leadership as the art of building and sustaining morally sound relationships with all relevant stakeholders of an organization. They then discuss the concept of the leader as a moral person, underscoring that character and virtues are an important element but that a leader also needs ethical intelligence by which they mean moral awareness, reflection skills, critical thinking and moral imagination.

In the last part of the chapter the authors discuss the roles and responsibilities of a responsible leader and propose that he or she is at times servant to others, steward and therefore custodian of values and resources, architect of sound processes and shared systems of meaning, responsible change agent, coach to nurture and support others and, finally, storyteller who uses the means of storytelling to lead responsibly.


Hypertension, defined as persistently elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) >140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at least 90 mmHg (International Society of Hypertension guidelines), affects over 1.5 billion people worldwide. Hypertension is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events (e.g. coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke) and death. An international panel of experts convened by the International Society of Hypertension College of Experts compiled lifestyle management recommendations as first-line strategy to prevent and control hypertension in adulthood. We also recommend that lifestyle changes be continued even when blood pressure-lowering medications are prescribed. Specific recommendations based on literature evidence are summarized with advice to start these measures early in life, including maintaining a healthy body weight, increased levels of different types of physical activity, healthy eating and drinking, avoidance and cessation of smoking and alcohol use, management of stress and sleep levels. We also discuss the relevance of specific approaches including consumption of sodium, potassium, sugar, fibre, coffee, tea, intermittent fasting as well as integrated strategies to implement these recommendations using, for example, behaviour change-related technologies and digital tools.


The paper represents investigations on SAR image statistics and adaptive signal processing for change detection. The investigations show that the amplitude distributions of SAR images with possibly detected changes, that is retrieved with a linear subtraction operator, can approximately be represented by the probability density function of the Gaussian or normal distribution. This allows emerging the idea to use the available adaptive signal processing techniques for change detection. The experiments indicate the promising change detection results obtained with an adaptive line enhancer, one of the adaptive signal processing technique. The experiments are conducted on the data collected by CARABAS, a UWB low frequency SAR system.


In the dissertation, I investigate ways to assemble nanorods, typically made of gold, in solution and polymer matrices by controlling surface chemistry. Gold nanorods were anisotropically functionalized with polymer on the side and alkane dithiol on the end causing the gold nanorods to spontaneously assemble in solution. The assembly could be tuned by controlling the incubation time which affected the solution absorbance due to plasmon coupling. Linked gold nanorods were cast in polymer thin films and their optical properties were imparted to the film. This anisotropic functionalization method was utilized to placed DNA or peptides on the ends of the gold nanorods allowing for reversibly assembly. In the case of DNA, assembly was reversed upon heating and could be tuned by controlling the concentration of the complimentary DNA strand. In the case of the peptide, assembly was triggered by the presence of Zn2+ ions and could be reversed by adding in a chelater. Anisotropic modification of the nanorods could also be used to assemble organic semiconductors around the nanorods at specific facets. Here, organic semiconductors rhodamine-B, 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein, and cyanine-3 were assembled onto the surface of gold nanorods. By tuning the surface chemistry the organic semiconductors would assemble around the nanorods in different ways which resulted in unique optical properties. The dispersion of PMMA-grafted mesoscopic iron-oxide rods in polymer matrices was studied by varying the PMMA brush molecular weight (N) polymer matrix molecular weight (P), and polymer matrix type. Here, we found that the ratio of P/N and matrix type had little effect on dispersion of iron-oxide mesorods. N was found to be the main factor that determined dispersion, which is attributed to the large size of the mesorods. Long PS and short PMMA brushes were grafted to gold nanorod surfaces and the dispersion of this system in PS and PMMA was investigated by controlling matrix molecular weight. We found that the gold nanorods would disperse in PS matrices 24 times larger than the grafted brush, while in PMMA matrices the nanorods would aggregate. SCFT calculations revealed that the good dispersion is most likely due to the collapse of the short PMMA brush and the enthalpic penalty for the collapse of the PS brush onto the PMMA brush. Finally, PS-grafted gold nanorods were assembled in liquid crystals. Assembly was tuned by controlling temperature and liquid crystal defect structure in the presence of micropillar arrays. The assembly of the nanorods resulted in changes in characteristic absorbance peaks of over 100 nm. From these studies, we are able to predict and control the assembly of nanorods in both solution and polymer matrices allowing us to fine-tune optical properties. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering First Advisor Russell J. Composto This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/1712


In this study of Kant's theory of imagination and its role in interpretation, Rudolf A. Makkreel argues against the commonly held notion that Kant's transcendental philosophy is incompatible with hermeneutics. The charge that Kant's foundational philosophy is inadequate to the task of interpretation can be rebutted, explains Makkreel, if one fully understands the role of imagination in his work. In identifying this role, Makkreel also re-evaluates the relationship among Kant's discussions of the feeling of life, common sense, and the purposiveness of history.


Background: Patients with relapsing ovarian cancer have a particularly poor prognosis, it is thus important for oncology consultants to anticipate the patient's adverse prognosis and to select an optimum treatment plan. We report here our retrospective review of the treatment outcomes of the post-relapse survival (PRS) for ovarian cancer and the different prognostic factors for relapsing patients. Methods: Totally 242 patients with ovarian cancer were admitted to our institution. All underwent surgery, and all achieved complete remission of their primary disease. Of the 242 patients, 48 were subsequently diagnosed with a recurrence. We retrospectively reviewed their initial FIGO staging, the histology of their tumors, the treatment-free interval (TFI), the number of recurrent lesions, the treatment for the recurrence (whether treatment included surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy), and the number of chemotherapy regimens applied for treatment of the recurrence. Results: The median age of the 48 relapse patients was 59 years (range 34 - 83); the median follow-up period was 40 months (range 4 - 103). The multivariate Cox proportional hazards model demonstrated that having a mucinous histology (P = 0.029), having a TFI of less than 6 months (P = 0.0002), having a solitary recurrent lesion (P = 0.011), and no chemotherapy (P = 0.007) were independent risk factors associated with PRS. The number of recurrent lesions, multimodal treatment for recurrence, the number of chemotherapy regimens used for treatment, and use of bevacizumab were not independent factors for PRS. Conclusions: In regards to recurrent ovarian cancer, after achieving complete surgical remission of the primary disease, having a mucinous adenocarcinoma histology and/or a TFI of less than 6 months worsened the prognosis for the patient. Having a solitary recurrent lesion was a better prognostic factor regardless of whether or not they received surgical treatment. Chemotherapy could improve PRS, if the performance status (PS) of the patient allows her to receive chemotherapy, and if she is desirous of the attempt to extend her life. J Clin Gynecol Obstet. 2018;7(2):31-36 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jcgo488w


In olfactory receptor neurons, odor molecules cause a depolarization that leads to action potential generation. Underlying the depolarization is an ionic current that is the earliest electrical event in the transduction process. In two preparations, olfactory receptor neurons were voltage-clamped and stimulated with odors and this generator current was measured. In addition, a method was developed to estimate the time course and absolute concentration of odorants delivered to the receptor sites. With this method, olfactory neurons were found to have relatively high stimulus thresholds, steep dose-response relations, long latencies, and an apparent requirement for cooperativity at one or more steps in the pathway from odorant binding to activation of the generator current.


Bacteriophages (phages) have broad applications in diverse areas including phage therapy, agriculture, food safety, and environmental protection. In order to fully realize the potential for phage applications, it is critical to understand phage-bacteria interactions and characterize bacterial responses/targets to phage infection. Previous studies have largely focused on other classes of phages other than mycobacteriophages. This research provides the first global proteome investigation of the dynamic relationship between a mycobacteriophage and a mycobacterial host. Mycobacteriophages are viruses that infect mycobacteria. They have been reported to have vital potential uses in various fields, especially as an alternative in the prevention and treatment of mycobacterial diseases such as tuberculosis. Despite their potential, not much is known about the molecular interaction with mycobacteria during a mycobacteriophage infection, especially at the translational level. To better understand this, a novel mycobacteriophage, Ochi17 was first isolated and characterized based on the genome and structure. I then applied label-free quantitative proteomics using the model host, Mycobacteria smegmatis,which was infected with Ochi17 at different infection time points. Phage Ochi17 was found to be a temperate phage and classified as a Siphoviridae. The proteome changes occurring at the mid-lytic stage of Phage Ochi17 infection was first examined followed by a temporal study of the global changes. More than 2,000 M. smegmatis proteins and at least 50 Ochi17 proteins were identified across all time points. Homologous recombination and host macromolecular synthetic processes were significantly upregulated, while lipid metabolism was significantly downregulated. The results suggested that Ochi17 suppressed the growth of Mycobacterium smegmatis not just by utilizing the macromolecular synthesis of the host, but also by suppressing host transcription, and fatty acid biosynthesis, in addition to the degradation of fatty acids irrespective of infection time. The two-component system was a target at only 24 h post infection. I also showed that phage Ochi17 proteome expression is time-dependent and the proteins typically cluster based on functional relatedness. The results presented here may contribute in the development of mycobacteriophages as antimicrobial therapies that can overcome various defense strategies employed by host mycobacteria.


Muzaffer Seker, " THE MORPHOMETRIC AND IMMUNOCYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS ON THE HUMAN CAROTID BODY" The carotid bodies are paired organs located at the bifurcation of the common carotid arteries. Together with the aortic bodies they constitute the major arterial chemoreceptors that monitor the partial pressure of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and pH of arterial blood. The carotid body consists of groups of specific cells located in a rich vascular connective tissue including many nerve fibres. The functional unit of the organ: the cell clusters or glomoids, consists of two different cell types, namely the Type I cells and Type n cells. The thesis reviews previous work on the structure of human carotid body (HCB) and experimental studies so far on the organ including histopathological studies. In this thesis the following four types of study are reported: 1-General histology and ultrastructure of the normal human carotid body; 2-Postmortem changes in rat and human carotid bodies, the distribution of Type I cells in different pathological conditions and after different postmortem delays in fixing the tissue; 3-Quantitative studies of the human carotid body using morphometric and stereological techniques in various pathological conditions especially chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases "COPD", Essential hypertension (EH), Diabetes mellitus (DM), Thoracic carcinoma (THC); 4-The analysis of cell constituents of human carotid body using immunocytochemical (ICC) techniques. The following antibodies were studied: Neurofilament (for nervous constituents), SI00 protein (for Type II & Schwann cells), Synaptophysin (for Type I cells). Von Willebrand Factor (to outline blood vessels), and Vimentin (for cells of mesencyhmal origin). Their immunoreactivity in different pathological conditions are also discussed. The carotid bodies in experimental animals contain only one variety of Type I cells whilst in the human carotid body three varieties of this cell type have been described (namely light, dark and pyknotic cells). The present study provides data, obtained from different postmortem human material, showing that the three different varieties of Type I cell are the effect of delays in fixation (autolytic changes) on the cell structure. The quantitative study of the distribution of cells, ultrastructural observation, and ICC analysis of the organ all together provide data that to perform an adequate human carotid body study it is essential that specimens should be obtained within 8 hours for light microscopy and immunocytochemistry and within 3 hours for electron microscopy. It has been reported that in chronic hypoxia & EH there is an increase in the size of the organ. The present work confirms these reports and in addition, provides stereological data that DM,THC, and chronic infection also alter HCB structure (hypertrophy and/or hyperplasia). The ICC study of COPD cases shows very variable results: in some cases the classic picture of the structural changes could not be observed whilst in others it was very strong. It was observed that there is an increase in the number of blood vessels and the volume of vasculature in COPD, EH, and DM. The morphological and ICC data presented provide new insight into the structure of human carotid body and advance the postmortem study of the organ. The changes in the structure of the human carotid body in different pathological conditions also provide better understanding of the condition of the organ in health and disease. It is also postulated that the previous experimental animal studies which were exposed to "long term hypoxic conditions" may not have been sufficiently exposed. This is essential to obtain similar structural changes that match human observations. It might be interesting to study much longer periods of hypoxia on experimental animals in order to see whether these longer exposures result ultimately in Type n cell hyperplasia. CONTENTS Dedication i Acknowledgements ii


This illustrated history chronicles electric and hybrid cars from the late 19th century to today's fuel cell and plug-in automobiles. It describes the politics, technology, marketing strategies, and environmental issues that have impacted electric and hybrid cars' research and development. The important marketing shift from a 'woman's car' to 'going green' is discussed. Milestone projects and technologies such as early batteries, hydrogen and bio-mass fuel cells, the upsurge of hybrid vehicles, and the various regulations and market forces that have shaped the industry are also covered.


A better way of growing food is the best bet against climate change for Southeast Asia's small-scale food producers. Sustainable agriculture – agriculture that can meet the needs of present and future generations, ensures the efficient production of safe, high-quality agricultural products in a way that protects the natural environment, and improves on the economic conditions of farmers and local communities – offers the best chances for countries belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to deal with climate change. By scaling-up sustainable agricultural practices across the region, ASEAN can help feed its peoples and support the livelihoods of small-scale food producers, and help curb greenhouse gas emissions to push back impending catastrophe.


Over the last decade in Nigeria, societal interest in the ethical aspect of the legal profession has been on the increase.  The question of protection of the individual client, fellow professional lawyers, courts and the legal profession itself have become paramount.  There has been lately, a significant increase in the frequency with which litigants have written petitions against lawyers and judges and in the case of lawyers, with a view to suing them. Professional misconduct tends to have profound effect upon the way in which law is practiced in Nigeria. It is in the execution of this responsibility that Chief Bayo Ojo – the then Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice/ Chairman, General Council of the Bar carried out in the year 2007 a comprehensive review of the Rules of Professional Conduct for legal Practitioners in Nigeria. This paper examines the Ethics, Rules of Professional Conduct and Discipline of Lawyers in Nigeria and concludes that the 2007 Rules have succeeded in embodying the ideal human conduct required of a legal practitioner.  What remains is in trying to enforce the observance of these rules which had largely been curtailed by the "brother's keeper syndrome" as much breaches of the rules of professional conduct are not reported to the appropriate authority.  This has largely being the reason why there have very limited erring legal practitioners been punished for contravening the rules of professional conduct.


The Bahar Field was discovered in 1968 and contains oil and gas-condensate in sandstones and sandy siltstones belonging to the middle Pliocene Productive Series. This has a total thickness of 3600 m. It consists of alternating sandstones, sandy siltstones and shales, with thicknesses between 5 m and 50 m and is of deltaic origin. The reservoir rocks have porosities of 13-18% and permeabilities of 45-250 mD. Biomarker geochemical analyses of onshore and offshore fields show that the Pliocene oil and gas fields in the South Caspian Basin have been charged primarily from epigenetic hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbons have migrated vertically along faults from older source rocks, probably including organic-rich shales of Oligocene to early Miocene age. The Bahar Field is quite mature. Of the original hydrocarbons in place, 72% of the gas has been produced, 39% of the condensate and 11% of the oil. The main oil-bearing horizons, the Pereriv Suite (SP) and Balakhany X, are developed with reservoir pressure maintenance by longitudinal and marginal (up-dip) flooding of surfactant-added sea water.


The calculation of the reflectance of photonic crystals having form-birefringent anisotropic elements in the crystal unit cell, such as cylinders, often turns out to be problematic, especially when the reflectance spectrum has to be computed according to different crystal orientations as in polycrystals for instance. The method we propose here solves this problem in the specific case of photonic crystals whose periodicities are such that there are no diffraction orders except Bragg reflection in the visible range. For a given crystal orientation, the crystal is sliced into layers and the periodic spatial variations of the dielectric function ε are homogenized. Thanks to that homogenization, the calculation can be performed using standard thin film computation codes. In order to demonstrate the usefulness of our method, we applied it to the case of a natural photonic polycrystal found on the cuticle of Entimus imperialis weevil which is a remarkable example of additive color effect. Although each photonic crystal grain of the polycrystal produces a single bright iridescent color, a non-iridescent green matt coloration is perceived by the human eye due to multiscale averaging effects.


Organizations continue to adopt enterprise systems (ES) technology to reduce costs and improve processes with the aim of achieving business benefits. The purpose of this study is to examine the utilization of ES technology and its information by New Zealand (NZ) organizations and their ability to derive benefits. The study does so by exploring (a) how ES data are transformed into knowledge, (b) how this knowledge is utilized to achieve benefits within NZ organizations, and (c) critical success factors for this process. This study gains insights through a "practitioners' perspective" of ES vendors, ES consultants, and IT research firms in a NZ context. Key findings indicate that although many ES implementations in New Zealand are several years old, companies have only recently started tracking benefits through analytical processes to optimize and realize business value from their enterprise systems investment.


It is very hard to see Eliot's poems without having a quotation or two that precedes it. The quotation is an epigraph that is completely an insight into the content of the poem "Mistah Kurtz-he dead," or "however that was in another nation. . ." are two citations every now and again offered in token of the real thing. Evidently readers of Eliot's verse comprehend an exceptional wellness in the citations which head Eliot's poems; they perceive that the quotation, not exactly the title, has a place characteristically to the content which it serves. Notwithstanding when the inclination of the quotation is not superbly comprehended, its power is obviously felt. Keywords: Epigraph, Poetry, Modernism & T. S. Eliot


OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to study the Computed Tomography (CT) characteristics of wall thickening in case of benign and malignant lesions of the colon and rectum, to evaluate the effectiveness of CT in di fferentiating benign and malignant colorectal lesions and to evaluate the role of CT in pre - operative tumor staging of colorectal malignancies. SOURCE OF DATA : Data was collected from 20 patients with wall thickening involving the colorect al region on CT, referred to the department of Radio Diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted over a period of 4 months from September 2013 to December 2013. In this study, 20 patients with wall thickening involving t he colon and rectum on CT were included. CT findings were finally confirmed with histopathological diagnosis. RESULTS: Out of the 20 patients, 12 patients were males and 8 were females. Most of the affected patients were in the age group of 50 - 70 yrs. All the 18 malignant lesions were correctly diagnosed on CT.1 of the 2 benign lesions was correctly diagnosed on CT. The other one was an inflammatory lesion of the colon which was diagnosed as malignancy on CT. The CT features of benign lesions were homogenous attenuation, mild symmetric wall thickening and diffuse involvement of the bowel. The CT features of malignant lesions were heterogeneous attenuation, marked asymmetric wall thickening and focal involvement of the bowel. In the CT staging o f malignant lesions, 3 of the 4 cases were correctly staged as T1/T2 lesions. 10 of the 12 cases were correctly staged as T3 lesions and all the 2 cases were correctly staged as T4 lesions. CONCLUSIONS: CT proved to be an excellent modality in the diagnosis and differentiation of benign and malignant lesions of the colon and rectum. CT is also useful in the staging of malignant lesions which helps in proper planning of surgery and further management of the patient. Besides identifying the lesion, CT provides further information regarding pericolic abnormalities associated with the lesion, presence of lymph nodes, infiltration of adjacent viscera and the presence of distant metastases.


One of the great moments of ideological negotiation in any work occurs in the choice of a resolution for the various services it provides. Narrative outcome is one place where transindividual assumptions and values are most clearly visible, and where the word "convention" is found resonating between its literary and social meanings. Any artistic resolution . . . can, with greater or lesser success, attempt an ideological solution to the fundamental contradictions that animate the work. Any resolution can have traces of the conflicting materials that have been processed within it. It is where subtexts and repressed discourses can throw up one last flare of meaning; it is where the author may side-step and displace attention from the materials that a work has made available. Rachel Blau DuPlessis (3) There is always something more interesting at stake than a clear resolution in a novel. I'm interested in survival--who survives and who does not, and why--and I would like to chart a course that suggests where the dangers are and where the safety might be. I do not want to bow out with easy answers to complex questions. Toni Morrison (qtd. in McKay 402) Women writers, Rachel Blau DuPlessis argues in Writing Beyond the Ending, search out and project possibilities "beyond" restrictive plots centered in romance and directed toward domesticity. She defines "writing beyond the ending" as "the transgressive invention of narrative strategies... that express critical dissent from dominant narrative" and fashion a text that "denies or reconstructs seductive patterns of feeling that are culturally mandated, internally policed, hegemonically poised" (5). For Toni Morrison, an African American woman addressing a "dominant narrative" in which black women have been secondary or invisible, "writing beyond the ending" means interrogating the historical implications that romance assumes when infused with ideologies of race. In her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Beloved, intersecting narratives of romance and slavery lead to dual endings, which, in their refusal of resolution, represent the double dilemmas of divergent narrative perspectives and goals. Most of the voluminous commentary produced on Beloved since its publication in 1987 approaches the novel as a meditation on the enduring repercussions of slavery as personified in the character Beloved, with a substantial portion of the criticism focused on the text's negotiations of female identity, subjectivity and embodiment and on its treatment of mother/ daughter bonds. [1] Although these readings have shed light on key aspects of Morrison's project in Beloved, they often overlook her placement of this thematic side-by-side with the emergence of a romantic heterosexual couple. Morrison devotes significant textual space and energy to the relationship between Sethe and Paul D, but many critics relegate the romance strand of the novel to the status of subplot. While much of the criticism on Beloved approaches it primarily as a story of the consequences of slavery and only secondarily as a romance story, I will argue that the novel demands to be read with both narrative lines in the foreground, and that thi s double sidedness produces contradictions and oppositions that are never more powerfully problematic than in Morrison's choices for narrative outcome. The novel's action concludes with the projection of a happily-ever-after romance scenario for Sethe and Paul D, a scenario loaded with possibilities for both resistance and reinscription of the gender role expectations that have consistently failed them. Morrison then writes "beyond" this tenuously romantic ending by writing another. Beloved ends twice: first with the construction of new domestic arrangements at 124 Bluestone Road, then with the deconstruction of Beloved. That these two endings with their contradictory movements--coming together and flying apart--sit so separately together indicates the novel's ambivalent investment in the heterosexual couple as the site where history assumes its shape and meaning. …


In rank aggregation (RA), a collection of preferences from different users are summarized into a total order under the assumption of homogeneity of users. Model misspecification in RA arises since the homogeneity assumption fails to be satisfied in the complex real-world situation. Existing robust RAs usually resort to an augmentation of the ranking model to account for additional noises, where the collected preferences can be treated as a noisy perturbation of idealized preferences. Since the majority of robust RAs rely on certain perturbation assumptions, they cannot generalize well to agnostic noise-corrupted preferences in the real world. In this paper, we propose CoarsenRank, which possesses robustness against model misspecification. Specifically, the properties of our CoarsenRank are summarized as follows: (1) CoarsenRank is designed for mild model misspecification, which assumes there exist the ideal preferences (consistent with model assumption) that locates in a neighborhood of the actual preferences. (2) CoarsenRank then performs regular RAs over a neighborhood of the preferences instead of the original dataset directly. Therefore, CoarsenRank enjoys robustness against model misspecification within a neighborhood. (3) The neighborhood of the dataset is defined via their empirical data distributions. Further, we put an exponential prior on the unknown size of the neighborhood, and derive a much-simplified posterior formula for CoarsenRank under particular divergence measures. (4) CoarsenRank is further instantiated to Coarsened Thurstone, Coarsened Bradly-Terry, and Coarsened Plackett-Luce with three popular probability ranking models. Meanwhile, tractable optimization strategies are introduced with regards to each instantiation respectively. In the end, we apply CoarsenRank on four real-world datasets.


This paper investigates the determinants of regional specialization between 1992 and 1997 using a panel covering 33 industries across 25 Chinese regions, paying particular attention to the role of regional protectionism. This study is motivated by a double paradox concerning the Chinese economy over the reforms. First some authors evidence reduced regional specialization despite the promotion of liberalization away from the introverted development strategy of the pre-reform period. Moreover, several empirical works find a negative impact of the degree of regional concentration on the performance of industries. These counter-intuitive findings lead us to evaluate whether the localization of industries in Chinese regions is rooted in a market process or on the opposite results from industrial and trade policies disconnected from the logic of comparative advantages. This article investigates in a straightforward manner the role of inter-provincial barriers to trade in shaping regional specialization. China?s economic reforms since 1978 have introduced fiscal decentralization, which provided the local governments with a strong incentive to protect their tax base by shielding local firms and industries from outside competition. We study how the impediments to trade between Chinese provinces impact geographic concentration in production beside other traditional factors such as resource endowment, external economies and increasing returns to scale. Regional protectionism is apprehended through all-inclusive indicators of provincial industry-level trade barriers computed based on inter-provincial trade flows. Regional specialization is measured by a location quotient with respect to output. It is found that the dynamics of comparative advantages and the forces of the new geographic economy are at work in Chinese provinces. It is found that there is greater geographic concentration in industries that enjoy significant knowledge spillovers, specialized suppliers and labor-market pooling. Results however lend strong support to the role of local protectionism on the concentration of activities. The localization of economic activities in Chinese provinces does not exclusively follow the logic of the market. It is also is influenced by interregional trade barriers put in place by local governments. Greater location quotients are found for industries that enjoy high protection from interregional competition. The role of protectionism in regional specialization appears to have increased between 1992 and 1997, especially in the provinces that are the least opened to the international.


Scattering of illumination light from a laser is a severe problem especially when imaging in thick media. Although this effect occurs in nearly every imaging process, it can be well perceived and analyzed in configurations where the optical axes for illumination and detection are perpendicular to each other. In this paper I present a theoretical perspective of how to extend the point-spread function arithmetic from ideal imaging to realistic imaging including ghost images. These ghost images are generated by scattered light and are low-correlated with the ideal image. Numerical simulations of the propagation of four different types of illumination beams through a cluster of spheres illustrate the effects of inhomogeneous object illumination. Clear differences between a conventional plane-wave illumination, a static light-sheet, and a laterally scanned Gaussian beam, but also relative to a scanned Bessel beam, can be observed.


Japan's 2013 UN Arms Trade Treaty diplomacy exhibited neither the standard minimalist, subservient negotiating style nor policymaking restricted to the usual actors. Juxtaposition of the treaty and the 2014 arms export policy revision illustrates how traditional "peace diplomacy" can evolve into "proactive pacifism."


Theory and empirical findings in the research of place-name use. A summary of a habilitation dissertation
The starting point of the habilitation dissertation is the embeddedness of place names in social surroundings. The paper explores the questions of place-naming and place-name use in eight chapters. After a short review of the previous findings in the relevant literature, the author tries to define the concept of place-name sociology and its research fields in a broader sense. Then the author deals with the questions of name variants and of the functions of place names. The central part of the dissertation is constituted of a survey carried out in the settlement of Tép. In connection with the survey, the author presents the method of mental mapping and findings in the field of the knowledge of place names. By taking these ideas as a base, the author redefines the concept of name community, focusing on place-name competence. In a separate chapter devoted to slang place names, the author describes how this place-name competence works. Finally, the author pre-sents the collected local place names, also illustrated on maps.


Over the last two decades there has been an increasing flow of publications on insurgency and counterinsurgency in European empires. This journal, for instance, issued a special edition in September 1993 on 'Emergencies and Disorder in the European Empires after 1945'. Its preface finished by highlighting recurrent themes for further, comparative study, including differing legal structures, subversive security organisation, 'the grim but recurrent issue of brutality and torture', and the 'technical problems of negotiation (including the tricky matter of amnesty …) in order to bring emergencies to a close'.

Despite this call to action, comparative studies of these and other 'recurrent themes' have remained thin on the ground. Only a relatively narrow range of technical areas have attracted significant academic attention, notably policing, and the nature and limits of attempts to win 'hearts and minds'.

By contrast, the third area that recent events have brought to the fore is less overtly dramatic, often conducted in secret or at least behind closed doors, and so has remained relatively neglected. This other area is 'negotiation (including the tricky matter of amnesty …) in order to bring emergencies to a close'. Yet from the 1990s onwards, negotiation took centre-stage in Ireland, Iraq and to a lesser extent in Afghanistan. In Northern Ireland, on-off negotiations and posturings throughout the 1990s would culminate, in May 2007, with that former scourge of the IRA (Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley), becoming First Minister with an ex-IRA commander (Martin McGuiness) as his Deputy Minister. In Iraq, the decisive moment came in 2006 when local Sunni tribes formed the 'Anbar Awakening', and took sides with that country's government. In Afghanistan, key players increasingly sought to talk to Taliban and tribal leaders, after fighting flared up again from 2003. In all these cases, there was and is a complex colonial past, and past examples of negotiating tactics, which informed events. In each case, Britain as an imperial and colonising power was implicated in that past, which provided a repertoire of negotiating tactics, and a legacy of memories and prejudices for all sides. There is, therefore, a real justification for looking at colonial examples of 'negotiating with the enemy'.


Background Community college leaders are now turning to social media/social networking sites for new avenues and opportunities to increase students' interaction, engagement, and collaboration with peers, faculty, and staff. Social media may be a particularly attractive option because it can provide a potentially effective and exciting mechanism for catalyzing such connections for students. Purpose/Objective This study examines the use of social media/social networking sites and its relationship to academic outcomes in the context of community colleges. Population/Participants We used longitudinal data from about 17,000 students who joined a Facebook based online application (the Schools App) in seven community colleges across the country. We compared these members to students who did not join the app for an overall sample size of about 98,000. Research Design This study used a quasi-experimental design with propensity score matching and random effects regression to estimate the effects of online engagement on student outcomes. Findings/Results We find that there is, indeed, a relationship between social media use and academic outcomes. The most active users as well as passive users had the highest GPAs and chances of continuing the next semester compared to inactive members of the online community as well as compared to nonmembers. Conclusions/Recommendations We find that certain forms of online engagement have a distinct relationship with GPA and persistence. The results of this study also suggest that, although potentially valuable, it is not easy to build an online community. Sustaining continued use of the application was challenging and strongly dependent on the quality and relevance of the posted comments and discussion. Nevertheless, this study found that for those who continued to use the application, there were positive effects in terms of student outcomes. Our findings further support the notion that integration is relevant for community college student persistence, but the nature of that integration—more simultaneously social as well as academically oriented—is important to consider in both offline and online contexts. Recommendations focus on a more strategic use of social media, which puts specific emphasis on answering questions and getting involved in online communities and not using social media solely for marketing or dissemination of information purposes. On campuses where students realized that answers to pertinent questions were available (through administrators and peers), online engagement was of high quality. Sustaining high quality online interaction is therefore one element in ensuring a positive effect on student engagement and outcomes.


Rural communities the world over depend on agriculturally-based livelihoods. In the Canadian prairies, access to sufficient quality and quantity of water can be challenging. Agriculture is fundamentally susceptible to access to water during critical crop germination and growth periods. Climate change models for the Canadian prairies indicate, in general, that summer growing seasons will experience less frequent, but larger precipitation events. The anticipated results of a changing climate include more frequent spring flooding and a new climate regime that requires more proactive water management to ensure availability of adequate supplies at optimal times to support and sustain agricultural production. Multi-disciplinary research is investigating, quantifying, and critically assessing currently purported beneficial management practices (BMPs) for agriculture to determine rural community vulnerability and adaptability to climate change. The presentation includes research results from field scale implementation and testing of BMPs, interviews of rural communities and residents, and quantitative evaluations of rural economies, development, and adaptation strategies.


Abstract. Plant responses to biotic and abiotic legacies left in soil by preceding plants is known as plant–soil feedback (PSF). PSF is an important mechanism to explain plant community dynamics and plant performance in natural and agricultural systems. However, most PSF studies are short-term and small-scale due to practical constraints for field-scale quantification of PSF effects, yet field experiments are warranted to assess actual PSF effects under less controlled conditions. Here we used unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based optical sensors to test whether PSF effects on plant traits can be quantified remotely. We established a randomized agro-ecological field experiment in which six different cover crop species and species combinations from three different plant families (Poaceae, Fabaceae, Brassicaceae) were grown. The feedback effects on plant traits were tested in oat (Avena sativa) by quantifying the cover crop legacy effects on key plant traits: height, fresh biomass, nitrogen content, and leaf chlorophyll content. Prior to destructive sampling, hyperspectral data were acquired and used for calibration and independent validation of regression models to retrieve plant traits from optical data. Subsequently, for each trait the model with highest precision and accuracy was selected. We used the hyperspectral analyses to predict the directly measured plant height (RMSE  =  5.12 cm, R2  =  0.79), chlorophyll content (RMSE  =  0.11 g m−2, R2  =  0.80), N-content (RMSE  =  1.94 g m−2, R2  =  0.68), and fresh biomass (RMSE  =  0.72 kg m−2, R2  =  0.56). Overall the PSF effects of the different cover crop treatments based on the remote sensing data matched the results based on in situ measurements. The average oat canopy was tallest and its leaf chlorophyll content highest in response to legacy of Vicia sativa monocultures (100 cm, 0.95 g m−2, respectively) and in mixture with Raphanus sativus (100 cm, 1.09 g m−2, respectively), while the lowest values (76 cm, 0.41 g m−2, respectively) were found in response to legacy of Lolium perenne monoculture, and intermediate responses to the legacy of the other treatments. We show that PSF effects in the field occur and alter several important plant traits that can be sensed remotely and quantified in a non-destructive way using UAV-based optical sensors; these can be repeated over the growing season to increase temporal resolution. Remote sensing thereby offers great potential for studying PSF effects at field scale and relevant spatial-temporal resolutions which will facilitate the elucidation of the underlying mechanisms.


The role of information became more important due to rapidly changing technical conditions, market and economic regulations in our globalizing world. Several regulations tend to provide the framework for reporting performance and income of the companies, but in different statements performance is inconsistently presented and many kind of evaluation method exist in the practice. These facts led to the demand of properly assess the financial health of an organization, and created a commonly accepted rule-system, which name was International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). In this paper I tend to present the statements, definitions and factors, which can have great influence in representing the performance, income of the company in the frame of the IFRS, and reveal the differences between the other accounting regulations (EU directives, Hungarian Accounting Act) in this field.


In lieu of an abstract, below is the article's first paragraph. To most, the word "vampire" conjures visions of Halloween, of old black and white horror movies, of Bela Lugosi whispering "I vant to suck your blood." Yet for Anne Rice, this view of the vampire is much too limiting; true, her series of five Vampire Chronicles does focus mainly around the dark hero, Lestat, who is indeed, a blood-sucking "monster." However, The Vampire Chronicles are far more than a collection of murderous escapades; they are, symbolically, a "chronicle" of the author's spiritual journey from her concern with commenting on social dynamics in the first installment, Interview with the Vampire, to her own personal confrontation with the religious experience and redemption in the last, Memnoch the Devil. This article is available in The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol1/iss1/6 "Lestat, C' est Moi": Anne Rice's Revelation of Self Through The Vampire Chronicles


The world is in the midst of a biodiversity crisis, threatening essential goods and services on which humanity depends. While there is an urgent need globally for biodiversity research, growing obstacles are severely limiting biodiversity research throughout the developing world, particularly in Southeast Asia. Facilities, funding, and expertise are often limited throughout this region, reducing the capacity for local biodiversity research. Although western scientists generally have more expertise and capacity, international research has sometimes been exploitative ``parachute science,'' creating a culture of suspicion and mistrust. These issues, combined with misplaced fears of biopiracy, have resulted in severe roadblocks to biodiversity research in the very countries that need it the most. Here, we present an overview of challenges to biodiversity research and case studies that provide productive models for advancing biodiversity research in developing countries. Key to success is integration of research and education, a model that fosters sustained collaboration by focusing on the process of conducting biodiversity research as well as research results. This model simultaneously expands biodiversity research capacity while building trust across national borders. It is critical that developing countries enact policies that protect their biodiversity capital without shutting down international and local biodiversity research that is essential to achieve the long-term sustainability of biodiversity, promoting food security and economic development.


One area of special importance is the intersection between event sponsorship and corporate social responsibility — namely the event as a marketing communication venue to convey CSR. A second area of interest is to address metrics used to evaluate success of how event consumers perceive sponsor's corporate social responsibility. Here, authors use some newer metrics of event word-of-mouth and event social responsibility (Scheinbaum and Lacey 2015). Given the importance of work in this area, the objective is to present a theoretically driven framework showing how attendee perceptions of an event as socially responsible and sponsor sincerity impact both the event and sponsor. In short, a premise here is to include how consumers infer a motivation of sincerity from a sponsoring brand when it comes to a sponsorship. It is also of interest to examine how consumers perceive the event itself and how that interlays with attitudes toward the title sponsor. When consumers perceive an event is socially responsible, it could strengthen how they perceive the sponsor's sincerity for supporting the event. As part of this work, it is crucial to examine sponsor-event fit and how it relates with consumer perceptions of the event's social responsibility. A mismatched partnership could backfire on the event and title sponsor. When consumers perceive that a sponsor and an event fit together well, they could have higher perceptions of the event as socially responsible (e.g., to the local community, local businesses, etc.). Consumers could also perceive the sponsor as more sincere when the event seems to fit with the sponsoring brand. Sponsor-event fit drives perceived event social responsibility especially strongly when management puts clarity in the event's positioning (Pappu and Cornwell 2014) — which is another relatively fresh metric in examining sponsorship-linked marketing outcomes. A reason may be explained by how consumers implicitly attribute the sponsor motivations for sponsoring the event — the basis of attribution theory. The literature review begins with a brief overview of attribution theory, which serves as the primary theoretical underpinning of the framework. The authors next provide an overview the literature with respect to corporate social responsibility, sponsorship effects, and any intersection of event sponsorship and social responsibility scholarship. This is followed by a description of the research method, which is drawn from a field study of 490 participants. The authors conclude with the study's findings with respect to theory and practice, and share potential areas for future research.


In the study area predominantly three marketing options were available for the dairy farmers; unorganized vendors, formal / organized dairy cooperatives and integrated contract system. A majority of dairy farmers around 57.3 percent had shifted from one marketing option to another. The rest 42.7 per cent of dairy farmers remained in the same marketing option from the day they began commercial milk production. A major shift from vendors (informal system) to contract (39.5 per cent), followed by vendor to co-operative (24.4 per cent) and co-operative to vendor (19.8 per cent) was noticed. Irregularity in payment and stoppage of procurement by vendor system made dairy farmers shift from vendor system to others. After the weakening of vendor- farmer relationship and initiation of Milk Producer Cooperatives at the village level, there has been a shift from vendor to co-operative system. When the dairy sector opened for private investment coupled with poor performance of cooperatives, farmers shifted towards new marketing option the 'integrated contract system'. Irregularity in payment, distant location of collection centre and inability to milk the animals were reasons for shifting back to vendor from other marketing options. Prompt payments, sustainability of marketing systems in business were major factors responsible for retaining members and attracting new dairy farmers. Dairy farmers with the experiences of various marketing options gave more value to the prompt payment for the milk sold on comparing to milk prices.


The provided habitat of many services from natural capital is important. But because most ecosystem services tools qualitatively evaluated biodiversity or habitat quality, this study quantitatively analyzed those aspects using the species distribution model (MaxEnt). This study used location point data of the goat(Naemorhedus caudatus), marten(Martes flavigula), leopard cat(Prionailurus bengalensis), flying squirrel(Pteromys volans aluco) and otter(Lutra lutra) from the 3rd National Ecosystem Survey. Input data utilized DEM, landcover classification maps, Forest-types map and digital topographic maps. This study generated the MaxEnt model, randomly setting 70% of the presences as training data, with the remaining 30% used as test data, and ran five cross-validated replicates for each model. The threshold indicating maximum training sensitivity plus specificity was considered as a more robust approach, so this study used it to conduct the distribution into presence(1)-absence(0) predictions and totalled up a value of 5 times for uncertainty reduction. The test data`s ROC curve of endangered mammals was as follows: growing down goat(0.896), otter(0.857), flying squirrel(0.738), marten(0.725), and leopard cat(0.629). This study was divided into two groups based on habitat: the first group consisted of the goat, marten, leopard cat and flying squirrel in the forest; and the second group consisted of the otter in the river. More than 60 percent of endangered mammals` distribution probability were 56.9% in the forest and 12.7% in the river. A future study is needed to conduct other species` distribution modeling exclusive of mammals and to develop a collection method of field survey data.


Tourism security is an important part of both security management and tourism. Private security professionals and police departments in tourism cities, as well as hotels, major attractions, and theme parks, have all come to realize that tourism security and safety issues (often called tourism surety) are essential for industry survival and success. In Tourism Security, leading expert Peter Tarlow addresses a range of key issues in tourism safety and security. The book guides the reader through a study of tourism security themes and best practices. Topics include the relationship between tourism security and the economy, hotel and motel security, risk and crisis management, public places, transportation, and legal issues. The book also includes case studies of four popular tourist destinations. With each destination, an interview with a police or security representative is included-providing unique, in-depth insight to security concerns. Tourism Security is an invaluable resource for private security professionals, police departments that serve tourist destinations, and tourism professionals who work in hotels or convention centers, or at attractions, casinos, or events.

Explains what tourism security is and outlines safety procedures for different tourism environments
Serves as a resource tool and how-to for implementing best practices
Includes detailed case studies of four popular tourist destinations: Charleston, South Carolina, the Dominican Republic, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction to Tourism Security

Chapter 2: The Relationship between Tourism Security and the Economy

Chapter 3: Hotel and Motel Security

Chapter 4: Risk and Crisis Management

Chapter 5: Public Gathering Places

Chapter 6: Aquatic Tourism

Chapter 7: Transportation

Chapter 8: Tourism Security Legal Issues

Chapter 9: Case Studies - Four Tourism Cities


The Santaren Anticline constitutes the frontal termination of the Cuban fold and thrust belt within the Bahamian foreland. New well and seismic data allow us to constrain in detail the evolution of this anticline. Pre-growth and syntectonic (partly post-tectonic?) units, separated by a major unconformity, are associated with the Santaren Anticline. Their geometrical features are consistent with a detachment fold. The precise age of the beginning of fold growth remains unknown. However, the complete record of well-dated syntectonic sediments documents its kinematic evolution from Mid-Eocene to Pliocene/present day, and reveals an approximately constant and very slow growth rate from Early Miocene to Pliocene/present day. The timing of evolution of the Santaren Anticline is not consistent with previous models that postulate that deformation associated with the Cuban fold and thrust belt ended in the Eocene. Our data suggest that the most external part of the Cuban fold and thrust belt was still being deformed under a compressional regime during the late Palaeogene, Neogene and probably during the Quaternary. We propose that this folding may result from compressive stresses transmitted approximately 400 km northwards from the actual plate boundary, as a result of slow convergence between the N and S American plates.


Develops a Comprehensive, Global Model for Contextually Based Processing SystemsA new perspective on global information systems operation Helping to advance a valuable paradigm shift in the next generation and processing of knowledge, Introduction to Contextual Processing: Theory and Applications provides a comprehensive model for constructing a contextually based processing system. It explores the components of this system, the interactions of the components, key mathematical foundations behind the model, and new concepts necessary for operating the system. After defining the key dimensions of a model for contextual processing, the book discusses how data is used to develop a semantic model for contexts as well as language-driven context-specific processing actions. It then applies rigorous mathematical methods to contexts, examines basic sensor data fusion theory and applies it to the contextual fusion of information, and describes the means to distribute contextual information. The authors also illustrate a new type of data repository model to manage contextual data, before concluding with the requirements of contextual security in a global environment. This seminal work presents an integrated framework for the design and operation of the next generation of IT processing. It guides the way for developing advanced IT systems and offers new models and concepts that can support advanced semantic web and cloud computing capabilities at a global scale.


Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe, heritable psychiatric disorder associated with shortened lifespan and comorbidities of advancing age. It is unknown however whether MDD is associated with accelerated biological ageing relative to chronological age. This hypothesis was tested using the epigenetic clock as a measure of biological age. Methods To address the main hypothesis, using peripheral blood, we derived measures of Epigenetic Age Acceleration (EAA) in 3,833 controls and 1,219 MDD cases based on Hannum and Horvath epigenetic clocks in Generation Scotland (GS:SFHS, mean age 48 years, std dev 14.5). Models controlled for relatedness, sex, cell counts, and processing batch (basic model), as well as additional covariates of smoking and drinking status, and body mass index (BMI) (full models). Results Accelerated epigenetic ageing was found in MDD cases versus controls using the Horvath clock (β=0.0804, p=0.012 equivalent to 0.20 years) in both the basic and full models. Significant MDD*age interactions indicated greatest effects at younger age ranges. No significant differences were observed for the Hannum clock. BMI was the only additional covariate found to attenuate the relationship between EAAHorvath and MDD. Further, genetic correlation analysis indicated significant overlap in the genetic aetiology of EAAHorvath with BMI (rG=0.20, p=0.03), between MDD with BMI (rG=0.10, p=9.86×10−6), but not between EAAHorvath and MDD (rG=0.14, p=0.125). Mediation analysis indicated partial mediation of the relationship between EAAHorvath and depression status through BMI (β =0.0028; p=0.0248, ~13%). Conclusion These data imply that accelerated biological ageing is associated with MDD and partially mediated through BMI.


Translation and subtitling has always been a complicated dimension of the
motion picture industry for years. The problem of dealing with linguistic elements in films and conveying them to audiences of different languages across the globe encompasses many difficulties regarding forms and structures of other languages. One of the more highly researched topics in French linguistic studies has been the use of address pronouns and a range of aspects related to their use and interpretation. Many studies have been conducted over the last sixty years in order to determine and understand these variables. An analysis of several of these studies reveals the many complexities involved in second-person pronoun choice in the French language and the development of the idea of pronoun choice as an act of social identity. The focus of this study is to provide an analysis of the use of formal and informal address pronoun use in the French subtitling and dubbing of an American film, Maid in Manhattan, in order to add, on a broader level, a way to differentially examine perceived norms in a variety of contexts within this medium.


There are many Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) available for library automation in the market and are being instrumental in managing information and knowledge all over the world. Cost effectiveness and the availability of source code are the major rationalities for LIS professionals to adopt FOSS over the proprietary packages. Open Source Integrated Library Management System (OSILMS) is gaining widespread adoption in Indian libraries for the last two decades. The present study intends to evaluate the perceptions of Indian LibSys software users on the adoption of OSILMS and focuses to survey the level of agreement of LibSys software users on some selected statements related to the features and characteristics of OSILMS. Study also compares the impact, functional features and financial aspects of OSILMS with its commercial counterparts practised in Indian libraries. Online questionnaire method was used to collect the responses from the libraries in India using LibSys as their automation software. The study found that majority of the respondents positively agreed with most of the projected statements on the adeptness and rewards of OSILMS and a higher percentage of them expressed willingness to migrate to OSILMS.


Although the obesity epidemic has impacted men and women equally, only 25% of men attempt to lose weight, compared to 40% of women. Since motivation likely plays a role in weight loss attempts and degree of success, this research explores gender and weight loss motivators, using self-determination theory, with a nationally representative cross sectional data set of 2,997 participants. Using a principal component analysis, 28 weight-loss motivation items were classified into two components—Quality of Life (QOL) motivators and Interpersonal and Cultural (IC) Motivators. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted with the predictors of Gender, Age, BMI, and Relative Size in four models for QOL and IC. Older participants, compared to the younger ones, were weaker in their endorsement of QOL motivators for weight loss. Yet women had less of a decrease in QOL motivators compared to men. Similarly, there was less motivation for weight loss for IC for the older the participants compared to the younger ones. However, women found IC motivators to be more motivating for weight loss than men. By understanding who endorses which type of motivators, clinicians can assess for those motivators that may be associated with poor psychological and weight loss outcomes.


Cyanobacterial biofilms were collected in the subtropical part of Taiwan from wet and irrigated rocks, stone and concrete walls, and drains. The biofilms developed in unpolluted freshwater and consisted of various genera, including Phormidium, Lyngbya, Oscillatoria, Microcoleus, Aphanothece and Scytonema. Ethanolic extracts of these biofilms were used to test for growth inhibition activity against cyanobacteria (Anabaena 7120 and Anabaena P-9), grazer toxicity (acute toxicity of Thamnocephalus platyurus) and inhibition activity of extracellular and ectoenzymatic polysaccharide hydrolysis (a-glucosidase inhibition). More than 20 % of the extracts were active in the different bioassays. Most Phormidium biofilms showed growth inhibition activity; the strongest grazer toxicity was found in a Nostoc biofilm, while a Scytonema biofilm exhibited the strongest inhibitor activity against α-glucosidase. The activities shown in the different bioassays were not accumulated in a particular biofilm but were distributed over different collections and demonstrate the wide occurrence and importance of allelochemistry in cyanobacterial biofilms. The growth inhibition test for cyanobacteria was miniaturized to allow the assay of very small amounts of growth inhibitory extracts.


We introduce a closed form behavioural stochastic Arrow-Pratt risk process, decomposed into discrete asymmetric risk seeking and risk averse components that run on different local times in ϵ-disks centered at risk free states. Additionally, we embed Arrow-Pratt ("AP") risk measure in a simple dynamic system of discounted cash flows with constant volatility, and time varying drift. Signal extraction of Arrow-Pratt risk measure shows that it is highly nonlinear in constant volatility for cash flows. Robust identifying restrictions on the system solution confirm that even for small time periods constant volatility is not a measure of AP risk. By contrast, time-varying volatility measures aspects of embedded AP risk. Whereupon maximal AP risk measure is obtained from a convolution of input volatility and idiosyncratic shocks to the system. We provide four applications for our theory. First, we find that Engle, Ng and Rothschild (1990) Factor-ARCH model for risk premia is misspecified because the factor price of risk is time varying and unstable. Our theory predicts that a hyper-ARCH correction factor is required to remove the Factor-ARCH specification. Second, when applied to analysts beliefs about interest rates and volatility, we find that AP risk measure is a feedback control over stochastic cash flows. Whereupon increased risk aversion to negative shocks to earnings increases volatility. Third, we use an oft cited example of Benes, Shepp and Witsenhausen (1980) to characterize a controlled AP diffusion for a conservative investor who wants to minimize the AP risk process for an asset. Fourth, we recover stochastic differential utility functional from the AP risk process and show how it is functionally equivalent to Duffie and Epstein's (1992) parametrization.


Global and national law firms alike operate in a challenging business environment and managing the firm's information and knowledge assets is increasingly viewed as a key factor in efficient legal service delivery. In legal practice, information management technologies, for example intranets, portals, workflow management systems, document and content management systems, case and project management systems and online dispute resolution systems are becoming important means of legal service delivery. The reason for applying information management technologies and implementing knowledge management strategies in law firms is not only to satisfy clients' growing need for a trusted online platform to interact with legal service providers, but for law firms to capitalize on their intellectual assets, to continuously modernize legal practice management, to empower lawyers, to increase productivity, to use time efficiently, to transfer skills and knowledge from senior to junior professionals, to improve service delivery and to gain competitive advantage. This article firstly reviews the role of information and knowledge management in providing an effective legal service to clients and compares foreign and South African law firms' information management related contexts, challenges and benefits. Secondly, it presents the findings of a survey conducted at South African law firms based on their knowledge management practices. The aim of the article is to provide insights into law firm knowledge management and its effect on providing legal services in an online business environment.


This paper explores whether and to what extent the federal government ought to have the power to liberate the various institutions that compose a "state government" -- the governor, municipalities, counties, school districts, state administrative agencies, etc. -- from the state legislature's control. The federal government frequently attempts to bestow powers on the subdivisions or branches of a state that are inconsistent with state law. For instance, the Federal Power Commission might give a license to a city to build a dam, even though state law bars the city from such a project. Or the Congress might bestow a grant on a county or a state's governor, barring the state legislature from appropriating or otherwise controlling the grantee's use of the grant. In such cases, the question arises whether the federal government can delegate such powers to the subdivisions or branches of the state even against the will of the state legislature. Must the federal government take the state or local institution as it finds them, or can Congress expand the powers of state and local officials even in the teeth of state laws that bar such officials from exercising such powers? This paper offers a two-part answer to this question. First, the paper defends the traditional view that the federal government may not bestow powers on non-federal governmental officials when those powers are clearly and expressly barred by state law. The doctrinal basis for this principle is obscure: neither Hunter v. City of Pittsburgh nor "state autonomy" doctrine clearly supports such a result. However, this paper argues that the traditional doctrine, which this paper calls "the principle of state supremacy," makes sense as a matter of sound policy, because state lawmakers are more likely to promote certain efficiencies in designing institutions for local governance that the Congress is likely to disregard. Second, the paper qualifies the "principle of state supremacy" with a presumption of institutional autonomy: under this presumption, when state law is ambiguous, it ought to be construed to maximize the ability of state and local officials to serve as agents of Congress. Such a canon of construction makes sense as a matter of policy, because it encourages useful intra- and intergovernmental competition between various state and local institutions for federal grant revenues and implementing authority. When state legislatures, municipalities, governors, and other non federal institutions compete with each other for federal grants and implementing authority, then Congress can presumptively bypass non-federal officials who fail to implement federal law faithfully and avoid strategic misrepresentations, insuring that state and local officials faithfully adhere to their intergovernmental bargains to carry out schemes of cooperative federalism. Such a presumption is the mirror image of federalism promoting canons of construction: it helps protect nationalism through the states' political process, insuring that, absent a plain statement from the relevant state lawmaker, Congress will continue to have access to the services of state and local officials.


In the U.S., the increasing electricity demand gives pressure on the power grids because of its limited capacity to serve demand. Instead of building new power plants to meet the increasing demand, Demand Response (DR) programs incentivize end-consumers to reduce certain electricity demand during certain periods (e.g., peak demand and emergency times). In the current practice, saving potential of buildings, i.e., the amount of electricity that end-consumers can save during an event, is usually determined using the technical specifications of equipment installed, which is unrealistic and leads to over or underestimation of the expected saving potential. In this study, the authors developed a data-driven framework to quantify the electricity saving potential in buildings. The framework was applied to nineteen campus buildings. Several prediction algorithms were used to fit models to the integrated datasets of these buildings, and models were evaluated using four criteria to avoid over-fitting and under-fitting. The best performance of the models resulting in 0.86 of R, which represents high capability to quantify the electricity saving potential. The contribution of this study is the proposed data-driven framework, which provides facility operators with reliable tools to accurately quantify saving potential of buildings. The conducted case study using the framework on 19 test buildings showed that facility operators could avoid unnecessary penalties by eliminating them to sign up for unrealistic targets, and help them to gain the most value out of the DR programs by knowing the true potential of their buildings.


Local image features have become ubiquitous for a wide range of computer vision tasks. For embedded and low power devices, speed and memory efficiency is of main concern, and therefore, there have been several recent attempts to improve these issues. In this paper, we are concerned with the early components of the object recognition pipeline, namely, feature detection, feature description, and feature tracking. In particular, we propose a novel approach to speed up feature detectors and to inform feature tracking that speeds up the recognition process by using the concept of adaptive sampling. We select two examples of visual algorithms to be modified by adaptive sampling and present comparative results with and without modifications. We show how processing time and memory footprint can benefit by this approach with little impact on overall output quality. We implement our proposed methods on a chipset commonly found on smartphones and we discuss the obtained improvements.


Cooperative role, notably Saving And Lending Co-op (KSP) progressively is of important deep increase economic growth. KSP becomes one of alternative for society to get fund in the effort fix life level, the need accomplishment day-to-day and developmental effort. Credit security problem constitute problem who shall be noticed. Risk who may arise deep credit channelizing system and pretty much will beget its misfire credit which given unto by client so ensues bad to co-op operational viability. So is required a credit management that constitutes, credit application procedure, analisis is credit application until to credit management operation that good beginning of credit amount planning, rate of interest determination and stagnant credit observation. A cooperative society Saving And Lending personation can warm up firm and independent effort, via credit application effort it shall can increase application system effectiveness credit and tries as good as maybe reduce credit failing risk. Therefore, credit channelizing shall be gone upon on carefulness principle and with analisis financial statement that really. To the effect this research is descripted needed requisite to propose credits at KSP Artha Persada, descripted runs the risk jam that experienced by Saving And Lending Co-op (KSP) Artha Persada, and descripted Is aging schedule, averagely aged credit, and receivable turn over in reduce credit jam risk. analisis's method that is utilized in analisis runs the risk credit return, which is account jam risk by use of aging schedule approaching, determining receivable turn over, and determining averagely credit age. Stipubting who shall be accomplished to propose credit on KSP Artha Persada, is BPKB original and xerox (duplex 3), STNK'S xerox (duplex 3), family Card xerox (duplex 3), KTP /'S xerox Driving License (duplex 3), years minimal vehicle 1985, ricek is vehicle, and vehicle in keaadaan standart / well (vehicle shall be taken in). analisis's result receivable turn over and on a par credit age points out that receivable turn over and on a par credit age that experienced by KSP ? Artha Persada ? up to 2 adverse book years for from smaller count results from standart what does diberlakukan by co-op parties. Ratio third that gets to reduce credit jam risk up to 2 year bind books at KSP ? Artha Persada ?. Ratio third that point out credit which already close to tempos or was overdue and have to be charged and gets memperketat credit proffering stipubtings. Keyword : Analisis, risiko, kredit Link Terkait : http://skripsi.umm.ac.id/files/disk1/340/jiptummpp-gdl-s1-2009-frendyyanw-16991-PENDAHUL-N.pdf


Earth observing satellites represent some of the most valued components of the international Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) and of the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), both part of the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). In the United States, such satellites are a cornerstone of the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), required to carry out advanced coastal and ocean research, and to implement and sustain sensible resource management policies based on science. Satellite imagery and satellite-derived data are required for mapping vital coastal and marine resources, improving maritime domain awareness, and to better understand the complexities of land, ocean, atmosphere, ice, biological, and social interactions. These data are critical to the strategic planning of in situ observing components and are critical to improving forecasting and numerical modeling. Specifically, there are several stakeholder communities that require periodic, frequent, and sustained synoptic observations. Of particular importance are indicators of ecosystem structure (habitat and species inventories), ecosystem states (health and change) and observations about physical and biogeochemical variables to support the operational and research communities, and industry sectors including mining, fisheries, and transportation. IOOS requires a strategy to coordinate the human capacity, and fund, advance, and maintain the infrastructure that provides improved remote sensing observations and support for the nation and the globe. A partnership between the private, government, and education sectors will enhance remote sensing support and product development for critical coastal and deep-water regions based on infrared, ocean color, and microwave satellite sensors. These partnerships need to include international research, government, and industry sectors in order to facilitate open data access, understanding of calibration and algorithm strategies, and fill gaps in coverage. Such partnerships will define the types of observations required to sustain vibrant coastal economies and to improve the health of our marine and coastal ecosystems. They are required to plan, fund, launch and operate the types of satellite sensors needed in the very near future to maintain continuity of observations.


This paper contributes to the current debate in both Economic Geography and International Business on the nature and strategies of Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) from emerging countries (EMNEs). The paper fills a relevant gap in the existing literature by shedding new light on the location strategies of EMNEs at the national and regional level, looking at their investment drivers and systematically comparing them with those of multinationals from advanced countries (AMNEs). The empirical analysis looks at the location choices of MNEs in the European Union (EU-25) regions and unveils that EMNEs follow distinctive location strategies. Their attraction into large regional markets is similar to AMNEs as well as their irresponsiveness to efficiency seeking motives. Conversely, the most knowledge-intensive investments of EMNEs respond
mainly to two 'attraction' factors: strategic assets (in the form of local technological dynamism) and the agglomeration of foreign investments in the same business functions. In addition, both the national and the regional levels are simultaneously relevant to EMNEs decisions.

The empirical analysis is based on 22,065 projects undertaken by MNEs from
three selected groups of countries (intra-EU, North America, Emerging
Countries) into the EU25


The traumatic death of a member of her family seems to have thrown Sylvie, a teenage girl cared for in a day hospital, into an exclusive concern for the dead. However, this lack of separation from the dead is not the sign of a mourning process in progress, nor of a melancholic bond with an object already lost. It bears witness to a cryptic inclusion of a traumatic loss unelaborated by the former generation. This inclusion generates an incestual bond in the family, which Sylvie tries to process through her obsessive questionings about the dead.


The MIT Faculty has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters. Abstract Objectives—Gastric colonisation with intestinal flora (IF) has been shown to promote Helicobacter pylori (Hp)-associated gastric cancer. However, it is unknown if the mechanism involves colonisation with specific or diverse microbiota secondary to gastric atrophy. Design—Gastric colonisation with Altered Schaedler's flora (ASF) and Hp were correlated with pathology, immune responses and mRNA expression for proinflammatory and cancer-related genes in germ-free (GF), Hp monoassociated (mHp), restricted ASF (rASF; 3 species), and specific pathogen-free (complex IF), hypergastrinemic INS-GAS mice 7 months postinfection. Results—Male mice cocolonised with rASFHp or IFHp developed the most severe pathology. IFHp males had the highest inflammatory responses, and 40% developed invasive gastrointestinal intraepithelial neoplasia (GIN). Notably, rASFHp colonisation was highest in males and 23% developed invasive GIN with elevated expression of inflammatory biomarkers. Lesions were less severe in females and none developed GIN. Gastritis in male rASFHp mice was accompanied by decreased Clostridum species ASF356 and Bacteroides species ASF519 colonisation and an overgrowth of Lactobacillus murinus ASF361, supporting that inflammation-driven atrophy alters the gastric niche for GI commensals. Hp colonisation also elevated expression of IL-11 and cancer-related genes, Ptger4 and Tgf-β, further supporting that Hp infection accelerates gastric cancer development in INS-GAS mice. Conclusions—rASFHp colonisation was sufficient for GIN development in males, and lower GIN incidence in females was associated with lower inflammatory responses and gastric commensal and Hp colonisation. Colonisation efficiency of commensals appears more important than microbial diversity and lessens the probability that specific gastrointestinal pathogens are contributing to cancer risk.


A 10,000-year transect of Roman populations Rome wasn't built (or settled) in a day. Antonio et al. performed an ancestral DNA analysis to investigate the genetic changes that occurred in Rome and central Italy from the Mesolithic into modern times. By examining 127 Roman genomes and their archaeological context, the authors demonstrate a major ancestry shift in the Neolithic between hunter gatherers and farmers. A second ancestry shift is observed in the Bronze Age, likely coinciding with trade and an increased movement of populations. Genetic changes track the historical changes occurring in Rome and reflect gene flow from across the Mediterranean, Europe, and North Africa over time. Science, this issue p. 708 Whole-genome sequencing of ancient Romans reveals a dynamic population history and reflects historical events. Ancient Rome was the capital of an empire of ~70 million inhabitants, but little is known about the genetics of ancient Romans. Here we present 127 genomes from 29 archaeological sites in and around Rome, spanning the past 12,000 years. We observe two major prehistoric ancestry transitions: one with the introduction of farming and another prior to the Iron Age. By the founding of Rome, the genetic composition of the region approximated that of modern Mediterranean populations. During the Imperial period, Rome's population received net immigration from the Near East, followed by an increase in genetic contributions from Europe. These ancestry shifts mirrored the geopolitical affiliations of Rome and were accompanied by marked interindividual diversity, reflecting gene flow from across the Mediterranean, Europe, and North Africa.


Abstract Peatlands cover about 30% of northeastern Alberta and are ecosystems that are sensitive to nitrogen deposition. In polluted areas of the UK, high atmospheric N deposition (as a component of acid deposition) has been considered among the causes of Sphagnum decline in bogs (ombrogenous peatlands). In relatively unpolluted areas of western Canada and northern Sweden, short-term experimental studies have shown that Sphagnum responds quickly to nutrient loading, with uptake and retention of nitrogen and increased production. Here we examine the response of Sphagnum fuscum to enhanced nitrogen deposition generated during 34 years of oil sands mining through the determination of net primary production (NPP) and nitrogen concentrations in the upper peat column. We chose six continental bogs receiving differing atmospheric nitrogen loads (modeled using a CALPUFF 2D dispersion model). Sphagnum fuscum net primary production (NPP) at the high deposition site (Steepbank—mean of 600 g/m2; median of 486 g/m2) was over three times as high than at five other sites with lower N deposition. Additionally, production of S. fuscum may be influenced to some extent by distance of the moss surface from the water table. Across all sites, peat nitrogen concentrations are highest at the surface, decreasing in the top 3 cm with no significant change with increasing depth. We conclude that elevated N deposition at the Steepbank site has enhanced Sphagnum production. Increased N concentrations are evident only in the top 1-cm of the peat profile. Thus, 34 years after mine startup, increased N-deposition has increased net primary production of Sphagnum fuscum without causing elevated levels of nitrogen in the organic matter profile. A response to N-stress for Sphagnum fuscum is proposed at 14–34 kg ha−1 yr−1. A review of N-deposition values reveals a critical N-deposition value of between 14.8 and 15.7 kg ha−1 yr−1 for NPP of Sphagnum species.


Periodic arrays of shunted, piezoelectric patches are employed to control waves propagating over the surface of plate structures, and corresponding vibrations. The shunted, piezoelectric patches act as sources of impedance mismatch, which gives rise to interference phenomena resulting from the interaction between incident, reflected and transmitted waves. Periodically distributed mismatch zones, i.e., the piezo patches, produce frequency dependent, wave-dynamic characteristics, which include the generation of band gaps, or stop bands in the frequency domain. The extent of induced band gaps depends on the mismatch in impedance generated by each patch. The total impedance mismatch, in turn, is determined by the added mass and stiffness of each patch as well as the shunting electrical impedance. Proper selection of the shunting electric-circuit thus provides control over the attenuation capabilities of the piezo-plate structure, as well as the ability to adapt to changing excitation conditions. Control of wave-propagation attenuation and vibration reduction for plates with periodic, shunted, piezoelectric patches is demonstrated numerically, employing finite-element models of the considered structures.