This study presents a chance-constrained scheduling model based on probabilistic and robust optimisation to handle the uncertainty of renewable energy generation and loads in microgrids. In order to generate appropriate scenarios, a large number of scenarios are generated by a Latin hypercube sampling Monte Carlo method and reduced by a fast forward selection algorithm. With the aggregated scenarios, a probabilistic scheduling model is established to obtain the expectation of schedules in different probability scenario. Aiming at taking full use of the generated scenarios, a robust optimisation is applied to the probabilistic model to consider the worst situations. The scheduling model proposed in this study combines the probabilistic and robust optimisation, in which the probabilistic one utilises the aggregated scenarios to introduce the probability characteristic of uncertainty and the robust one utilises the eliminated scenarios to consider the worst case of uncertainty. Finally, the proposed scheduling model is applied to a designed grid-connected microgrid, and the simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheduling model.


Summarization of long sequences into a concise statement is a core problem in natural language processing, requiring non-trivial understanding of the input. Based on the promising results of graph neural networks on highly structured data, we develop a framework to extend existing sequence encoders with a graph component that can reason about long-distance relationships in weakly structured data such as text. In an extensive evaluation, we show that the resulting hybrid sequence-graph models outperform both pure sequence models as well as pure graph models on a range of summarization tasks.


The much hyped season finale of the US cable TV smash hit "Sex and the City" featured the return of smoking by the leading lady.

Iconic, independent woman Carrie Bradshaw smoked throughout the first few seasons but managed to quit during the third. The series won a 2001 PRISM award for accurate depiction of a nicotine addiction.

Her downfall in the finale came while she was in Paris, where "everybody smokes". It's hard to miss the glorification of smoking in this episode. Not only is her Marlboro Lights pack prominently displayed for long periods, but Carrie's enjoyment of her first smoke can only be described as radiant.

There is …


This paper aims at providing understandings of the linkages between being flexible and the innovation of the organisation. The paper describes the possible linkages between flexibility and innovation due to the uncertainties in the innovation process. By focusing on process perspectives, the issues relating to flexibility and innovation are determined and the linkages between these issues are identified. Three issues of flexibility are discussed as means to facilitate the innovation process when facing various uncertainties. The outcomes of this paper show the importance of flexibility for the organisation that desires higher level of innovation, and reveal the issues that link flexibility and innovation process. In addition, it provides the opportunity for a much richer understanding of how flexibility and innovation can be related and also produced a number of research questions for further innovation studies.


INTRODUCTION The Internet is a new cyber space for commercial online services and data sharing. It is also a new system for transforming information that people search and exchange throughout the world. The terms "web workstyle" and "web lifestyle" have been used to emphasize the effectiveness of corporations and customers using those digital accesses. Especially, "web workstyle" is giving rise to the revolution of commerce entirely. As a result, companies are restructuring knowledge management systems and business operating systems. Thus, this paper researches the electronic commerce system in terms of electric utility service, and provides a framework to develop e-business systems for the new digital generation customers. Many electric utility companies may have temporarily overlooked what they could accomplish if they established a presence on the Internet. Several utilities and industry service companies are using their home pages as repositories of information related to business deals such as procurement activities, equipment sales, power purchase agreement buyouts, and various other offerings. Online business, however, is still in its infancy, and much remains to be done in order to establish the web as a valid transaction medium. Recent developments in the utility industry report that fifteen of the America's largest electric and gas companies have formed a consortium to build an Internet business exchange with suppliers. The exchange will be open to use by any firm in the energy and utilities industry, but the independent company will initially be owned by the founding utilities. As the technology for web-enabled wireless devices continues to evolve, utilities are being forced to consider strategies for the deployment of wireless applications. In addition, utilities are being forced to roll them out so they may cut costs or establish new service revenues. Managers in an electric utility firm may be a step behind the Internet revolution, but in one key respect, they may have an advantage over anyone else building an e-business web portal for business-to-business (B2B) procurement. Executives in utility firms do not fear government regulation, as they are already caught in the net. That affinity may in fact prove downright useful. The possibility of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) taking a more active role in overseeing B2B platforms is of particular interest for many e-procurement ventures by the electric utilities industry. FTC rulings on e-business marketplaces also may affect the scores of energy trading platforms being constructed by utilities and power marketers. E-business, electric trades that connect public organizations with private customers, as yet, is not running at full capacity, even in developed nations where it could be an enormous contribution to society. Expected contributions are: (1) preexisting confidence, (2) predictability, (3) reliability, and (4) convenient payment. Preexisting confidence is defined as customers (demanders) trusting suppliers since they trade with public organizations (other suppliers). Thus, the customers have strong confidence buying public goods. The next contribution, predictability, is enhanced by the following factors: the price of each good is always based on both the details of the contract which is made when customers apply for the first time, and on the user's meters being measured monthly. In addition, the price of each unit is fixed by the contract. There is no extra process to trade because the same condition of contract and the same goods complete the supplement and consumption of every month periodically and permanently. Reliability is the third contribution. Other procedures to deliver the services or products are not required. The goods can simply be delivered by wires which are provided through public organizations and the equipment of each customer. Consequently, consumers do not worry about the time aspect, or whether they can use the products right now or in the future, as public products are limitless. …


Eight- and sixteen-bar segments of a large number of historical jazz recordings were timed with a stopwatch, and summary statistics were calculated from those measurements. A variety of aspects of the control of tempo were analyzed. Tempo is normally distributed when calculated in terms of metronome markings, but not when calculated in terms of durations. Jazz performance is very stable, even for solo performers. However, systematic patterns in the small variability observed indicate that it can serve expressive purposes, as evidenced by positive intercorrelations among alternative versions of the same tunes, as well as other factors. It was also discovered that when the bands execute a rapid "double time," the ratios among the tempo changes deviate systematically from exact doubling. Many of the effects can be summarized by hypothesizing that there are two (and perhaps more) preferred tempo ranges.


Aviezer Tucker, Jana Balharova, Ivo Losman, Jan Nemec, Jan Nemecek, David Ondracka, Zdenek Pol1k, Roman Skyva, Martina-Vyrkova & Marketa Zidkova' A group of Czech scholars examine the political and economic aspects of the post-Communist transition in the Czech Republic, and find that instead of adopting "shock therapy" to achieve a transition to a private enterprise economy, the Czech leadership concentrated on maintaining full employment in order to ensure the popular acceptability of privatization. However, they note the extent to which former members of the Communist hierarchy were able to benefit from the privatization of public enterprises. Key Words: Czech Republic, Post-Communist Transition, Economic Privatization, Democratization The general elections in the Czech Republic in June 1996 solidified a distinctively Western-European style of political culture in the Czech Republic. The ruling center-right three parties coalition composed of ODS The Civic Democratic Party, ODA The Civic Democratic Movement, and the Christian-Democrats received 99 of the 200 seats in the Czech parliament. The Social-Democrats received almost one third of the votes. The Communists received a little more than ten percent and the rightist Republican party a little less than ten percent. The ruling coalition's loss of absolute parliamentary majority should not obscure their winning a slightly increased share of the votes in relation to the 1992 elections; the loss of absolute majority is due to the complexities of distributing the votes of parties that did not pass the 5% threshold according to regional voting patterns in the Czech election law. The establishment of a stable Western European political system in the Czech Republic is in sharp contrast to the return of former Communists to power in the second post-1989 elections in Lithuania, Poland and Hungary. We attempt to understand here the apparent smooth and successful Czech political transition. The most stark contrast is with Poland. Poland had a mass anti-Communist movement that was absent in the Czech Republic, where the dissident movement of Charter 77 numbered 2000 signatories. Yet, in 1993 Poland voted a reformed-Communist government that lost the 1997 elections. By contrast, the Czechs voted fairly consistently in the 1990, 1992, and 1996 elections. There is a marked correspondence between the Czech public's evaluation of the economic transformation [see graph no.1] and the support for democratic parties. From the founding of the Czech Republic in 1993 until the onset of the economic crisis at the end of 1996, the percentage of respondents that evaluated the economic transformation as unsuccessful hovers below 20%, an identical 20% to the percentage the undemocratic Communist and Republican parties received together. Analysis of the regional voting patterns in the last Czech elections further supports the relation between economics and politics. The greatest support for the government coalition (58.84%) and the lowest support for the Communists and Republicans (11.17%) was in the most economically vibrant part of the country, the capital city of Prague. The lowest support for the coalition (35.7%) and the highest for the Communists and Republicans (24.12%) came from northern Bohemia, the most economically depressed part of the country.' Therefore, we try to understand the relations between Czech economic policies and their political effects. An analysis of the Czech transition may form a basis for deciding if the Czech government has been smart or just plain lucky. Did Vaclav Klaus' government follow a better policy of transition than other East-Central European governments, or have the Czechs been lucky, having started their transition process with better initial conditions such as lower per-capita national debt, greater geographical proximity to the prosperous West, an unadaptable and an unreformed Communist party unlike as in Poland and Hungary, and an absence of the kind of clericalism that pushed Polish voters to support the reformed Communists. …


This thesis presents research carried out on a collection of jawbones of extinct megafaunal macropods, Macropus titan , excavated in 2004–2005 at Lancefield Swamp, Victoria. Dating of the Pleistocene site remains uncertain, but the most recent estimate is c.50,000 BP. The aim of this study was to ascertain the ages at which the animals died, and thereby test ideas about the circumstances of their death. This, in turn, would contribute to the long-running debate regarding the cause of megafaunal extinction. Two main hypotheses dominate the debate – anthropogenic factors and environmental stress – and age profiling could help determine which, if either, was the chief cause of the deaths at this site and clarify the processes affecting regional megafauna at this time. Analysis of the jawbones was based on standard, non-invasive assessment methods: molar eruption and molar progression, with tooth wear as an adjunct. The results were compared with those of earlier researchers, notably from major excavations in the 1970s. As well, jawbones held at Museum Victoria from other twentieth century Lancefield excavations were analysed. The outcome from the primary research showed that the vast bulk of animals died in their prime. There were very few juveniles and even fewer old animals. This parallelled the results from the 1970s, as well as more recent studies. The findings are consistent with a waterhole death assemblage. Considering the age profiles, along with taphonomic and hydrological data, it appears that the animals died of drought-induced stress. This finding suggests that drought would have been one of the major impacts on southeastern Australian megafauna at the time of deposition.


Extracted from text ... T
Top ICT companies:
providing more than just IT solutions
24 Management Today July 2005
Prof Tersia Brevis is research editor of Management Today and professor of management
in the College of Economic and Business Science at Unisa.
The Corporate Research Foundation (CRF)
recently selected South Africa's top information,
communication, technology and
electronics companies. From the extensive
list of nominated companies, the top ten
were selected and rated by senior journalists,
business people, academics and associations
on CRF's research team.
The study is an opinion based assessment
which used the following selection
criteria:
_ Macro criteria:
- the company must ..


Abrupt transitions to strongly superrotating states have been found in some idealized models of the troposphere. These transitions are thought to be caused by feedbacks between the eddy momentum flux convergence in low latitudes and the strength of the equatorial flow. The behavior of an axisymmetric shallow-water model with an applied tropical torque is studied here to determine if an abrupt transition can be realized without eddy feedbacks. The upper-tropospheric layer is relaxed to a radiative equilibrium thickness, exchanging mass and thus momentum with the nonmoving lower layer. For low values of the applied torque, the circulation is earthlike; however, for larger values, an abrupt transition to a strongly superrotating state can occur. In some cases, the system remains superrotating as the torque is subsequently decreased. A simple analytical model is used to better understand the system. The bifurcation is caused by a feedback between the applied torque and the strength of the Hadley cell. As the torque increases, the strength of the cell decreases, reducing the damping caused by momentum transfer from the lower layer.


In the 25 years from 1990 to 2015, annual global carbon emissions grew by 60%, approximately doubling total global cumulative emissions. This has brought the world perilously close to exceeding 2°C of warming, and it is now on the verge of exceeding 1.5°C. This paper examines the starkly different contributions of different income groups to carbon emissions in this period. It draws on new data that provides much improved insight into global and national income inequality, combined with national consumption emissions over this 25-year period, to provide an analysis relating emissions to income levels for the populations of 117 countries. Future scenarios of carbon inequality are also presented based on different possible trajectories of economic growth and carbon emissions, highlighting the challenge of ensuring a more equitable distribution of the remaining and rapidly diminishing global carbon budget.


Maternal enterovirus infections during pregnancy may increase the risk of offspring developing type 1 diabetes during childhood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether gestational enterovirus infections increase the offspring's risk of type 1 diabetes later in life. Serum samples from 30 mothers without diabetes whose offspring developed type 1 diabetes between 15 and 25 years of age were analyzed for enterovirus-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies and enterovirus genome (RNA), and compared to a control group. Among the index mothers, 9/30 (30%) were enterovirus IgM-positive, and none was positive for enterovirus RNA. In the control group, 14/90 (16%) were enterovirus IgM-positive, and 4/90 (4%) were positive for enterovirus RNA (n.s.). Boys of enterovirus IgM-positive mothers had approximately 5 times greater risk of developing diabetes (OR 4.63; 95% CI 1.22–17.6), as compared to boys of IgM-negative mothers (P < .025). These results suggest that gestational enterovirus infections may be related to the risk of offspring developing type 1 diabetes in adolescence and young adulthood.


OBJECTIVE
The Autism Work Skills Questionnaire (AWSQ), a new, comprehensive self-report assessment of a person's vocational profile, was developed to help produce a good person-job match. This preliminary study was aimed at developing the questionnaire and determining its content validity and internal consistency.

METHOD
Forty-six adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HFASD), ages 18-39, were interviewed with the questionnaire. A two-phase study was conducted: (1) constructing the questionnaire and determining its content validity and (2) ascertaining internal consistency reliability.

RESULTS
We found that the AWSQ had initial content validity and moderate to high internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's α = .64-.90).

CONCLUSION
The AWSQ can be a useful clinical and research tool in occupational therapy for evaluating work skills of adults with HFASD. Further studies with larger samples and including both typically developing individuals and individuals with HFASD are required to further support the questionnaire's reliability and validity.


A systematic methodology for the reduction of the power consumption and the execution time in realizations of multimedia applications on programmable processors is proposed. The methodology is mainly based on the application of data transfer and storage optimizing code transformations to a high-level description of the target algorithm. Application of the code transformations according to the proposed order moves the main part of the memory accesses from the large background memories (lying possibly off-chip) to smaller ones (on-chip) or even to foreground storage. Data cache performance is improved as well. In this way the power consumption in the data memory hierarchy of the target processor and in the related interconnect, which forms a significant part of the total power budget of the system, is significantly reduced. Execution time and the power consumption due to instruction storage and transfers are reduced as well after the application of the proposed methodology. Experimental results from real-life applications prove the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.


We present visible and near-infrared photometry and spectroscopy of LS-RCrA 1, a faint, very late-type object (M 6.5-M 7) seen in the direction of the R Coronae Australis star forming complex. While its emission spectrum shows prominent features of accretion and mass loss typical of young stellar objects, its underlying continuum and photometric properties are puzzling when trying to derive a mass and age based on pre-main sequence evolutionary tracks: the object appears to be far too faint for a young member of the R Coronae Australis complex of its spectral type. We speculate that this may be due to either its evolution along pre-main sequence tracks being substantially altered by the intense accretion, or to a combination of partial blocking and scattering of the light of the object by a nearly edge-on circumstellar disk. The rich emission line spectrum superimposed on the stellar continuum is well explained by an intense accretion process: the H α , CaII infrared triplet, and HeI 6678 lines show equivalent widths typical of very active classical T Tauri stars. The near-infrared observations show anomalously weak spectral features and no significant excess emission in the K band, which we tentatively interpret as indicating line filling due to emission in a magnetic accretion funnel flow. At the same time, numerous, strong forbidden optical lines ([OI], [NII] and [SII]) and H 2 emission at 2.12 μ m suggest that the object is simultaneously undergoing mass loss, providing another example that shows that mass loss and accretion are closely related processes. Such an intense accretion and mass loss activity is observed for the first time in a young stellar object in the transition region between low mass stars and brown dwarfs, and provides a valuable observational test on the effects of accretion on the evolution of objects with such low masses.


Stresses and impurities may influence elastic properties, phase stability and magnetic behavior of metals and their alloys. A physical understanding of this influence is of great importance to both fundamental science and technological applications. The diverse methods used in this work allowed us to shed light on the various aspects of the problem. In particular, in this work the thermodynamic, magnetic and elastic properties of Fe and Fe-Ni alloys at Earth's inner core conditions were investigated by means of the ab initio theory. The main features of these calculations are on one side the extreme pressure-temperature conditions; on the other side the strong-correlation effects, which at these conditions may play an unexpected role. That is why I used different approaches, ranging from molecular dynamics to the dynamical mean field theory.Interesting possibility for the effect of non-hydrostatic stresses on the stability of the body-centered cubic (bcc) phase of iron was observed. If detected, it could allow for an explanation of striking contradictions in high-pressure experiments. The influence of the alloying with Ni on the stability of Fe was studied. It was shown that the observed reverse of the stability trend under pressure is associated with the suppression of ferromagnetism at conditions of Earth's inner core.The strong correlation effects were observed in Fe3Ni by means of the dynamical mean field theory, revealing that the local environment of iron atoms is crucial for the strength of the on-site electronic correlations.There is also an exciting experimental finding of our colleagues indicating that magnetism in pure nickel survives at very high pressures up to 260 GPa, i.e. up to the highest pressure at which magnetism in any material has ever been observed. Our calculations of the pressure dependence of the effective exchange interaction parameter and the hyperfine field support the picture of the ordered ferromagnetic state in Ni at multimegabar pressures.Further, hydrogen is believed to be an important light impurity in Earth's core. Thereupon the hydrogen containing FeOOH was also investigated. The prediction of the effect of symmetrization of the hydrogen bond under pressure was made.The universality of applied methods allowed us to study the elastic constants of TiN, which is of high relevance to the industry of cutting tools. The importance of taking into account the finite temperature effects in the calculations of the elastic properties was demonstrated. Another case of practical interest is the Fe-Cr system, a prototype of many industrial steels. For instance, it is used in cooling pipes of pressure vessel reactors. We studied the effect of hydrostatic pressure on the phase stability of Fe-Cr alloys and revealed intriguing differences in the ordering tendencies depending on the Cr concentration and magnetic state of the alloy. We showed how variation of the ordering tendency between the Fe and Cr atoms emerges due to suppression of the local magnetic moment on the Cr atoms.Noteworthy, hydrogen is not only the basic material playing fundamental role on and in the Earth, it is also a very promising source of fuel, which does not pollute the environment. In this sense the problem of hydrogen storage in Pd is of separate but related interest and it was theoretically investigated in the present work. The effect of vacancies on the energetically preferable position of hydrogen in the Pd cell was addressed. My theoretical results supported the experimental suggestion of multiple occupation of Pd vacancies by hydrogen.


This paper shows how a rational Bitcoin miner should select transactions from his node's mempool, when creating a new block, in order to maximize his profit in the absence of a block size limit. To show this, the paper introduces the block space supply curve and the mempool demand curve. The former describes the cost for a miner to supply block space by accounting for orphaning risk. The latter represents the fees offered by the transactions in mempool, and is expressed versus the minimum block size required to claim a given portion of the fees. The paper explains how the supply and demand curves from classical economics are related to the derivatives of these two curves, and proves that producing the quantity of block space indicated by their intersection point maximizes the miner's profit. The paper then shows that an unhealthy fee market—where miners are incentivized to produce arbitrarily large blocks—cannot exist since it requires communicating information at an arbitrarily fast rate. The paper concludes by considering the conditions under which a rational miner would produce big, small or empty blocks, and by estimating the cost of a spam attack.


Soil moisture and its distribution in space and time plays an important role in the surface energy balance at the soil-atmosphere interface. It is a key variable influencing the partitioning of solar energy into latent and sensible heat flux as well as the partitioning of precipitation into runoff and percolation. Due to their large spatial variability, estimation of spatial patterns of soil moisture from field measurements is difficult and not feasible for large scale analyses. In the past decades, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) remote sensing has proven its potential to quantitatively estimate near surface soil moisture at high spatial resolutions. Since the knowledge of the basic SAR concepts is important to understand the impact of different natural terrain features on the quantitative estimation of soil moisture and other surface parameters, the fundamental principles of synthetic aperture radar imaging are discussed. Also the two spaceborne SAR missions whose data was used in this study, the ENVISAT of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the ALOS of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), are introduced. Subsequently, the two essential surface properties in the field of radar remote sensing, surface soil moisture and surface roughness are defined, and the established methods of their measurement are described. The in situ data used in this study, as well as the research area, the River Rur catchment, with the individual test sites where the data was collected between 2007 and 2010, are specified. On this basis, the important scattering theories in radar polarimetry are discussed and their application is demonstrated using novel polarimetric ALOS/PALSAR data. A critical review of different classical approaches to invert soil moisture from SAR imaging is provided. Five prevalent models have been chosen with the aim to provide an overview of the evolution of ideas and techniques in the field of soil moisture estimation from active microwave data. As the core of this work, a new semi-empirical model for the inversion of surface soil moisture from dual polarimetric L-band SAR data is introduced. This novel approach utilizes advanced polarimetric decomposition techniques to correct for the disturbing effects from surface roughness and vegetation on the soil moisture retrieval without the use of a priori knowledge. The land use specific algorithms for bare soil, grassland, sugar beet, and winter wheat allow quantitative estimations with accuracies in the order of 4 Vol.-%. Application of remotely sensed soil moisture patterns is demonstrated on the basis of mesoscale SAR data by investigating the variability of soil moisture patterns at different spatial scales ranging from field scale to catchment scale. The results show that the variability of surface soil moisture decreases with increasing wetness states at all scales. Finally, the conclusions from this dissertational research are summarized and future perspectives on how to extend the proposed model by means of improved ground based measurements and upcoming advances in sensor technology are discussed. The results obtained in this thesis lead to the conclusion that state-of-the-art spaceborne dual polarimetric L-band SAR systems are not only suitable to accurately retrieve surface soil moisture contents of bare as well as of vegetated agricultural fields and grassland, but for the first time also allow investigating within-field spatial heterogeneities from space.


The formation of the prospective customer's perception is a reflection of the performance of personal selling in
success convey the message. Perceptions of whether it is positive or negative perception of identical with whether or not a prospective customer satisfaction when interacting with personal selling, so it can determine whether a relationship further. Bank Syariah Muamalat as one of the Islamic banks which provide pure dividend from revenue-sharing system, currently receive challenge to compete with banks Other Islamic. Seeing this condition,
banks are required to continue to do marketing. In need of marketing because communication is expected by the marketing will create the flow of information between
buyers and sellers that will make activities more efficient and enables the exchange of all parties reach a satisfactory agreement. Sales of personal (personal selling)
is a form of communication by way of verbal and face to face (face to face), personal selling in communicating with prospective customers to determine the impression that
affect his decision is because personal selling or giving advantage loss of the interaction. Starting from this background, the problem under study is how the perceptions of prospective customers about the advantages of communication with personal selling Islamic Bank Muamalat Malang?. The purpose of this investigation is to know about the prospective customer's perception of personal communication with selling.
Communication is examined in this study is communication between personal selling and prospective customer. In addition to helping researchers understand, then used
theoretical overview that describes the theory of social exchange, where this theory explains relationship between two people based on the principles of ie economic benefits and losses. Which means that the greater the benefits obtained from the relationship interpersonal, the greater the possible relationship to continue. Instead the
small gains from interpersonal relationships, the smaller the chance that relationship to continue. As for the perception itself is based on facts, but also there are based on sentiments, principles, expectations, and so forth. Perception here can be a negative perception and positive, which meant the perception here is the perception of prospective customer. Thus, prospective customers to see a relationship with earned a profit and loss account. Therefore, the discussion in the research are referred to here is about the perception of prospective customers about the benefits of communication with personal selling. The definition of profit includes a keutungan material, psychological benefits, and social benefits.
This study used survey research methods, with the type of descriptive research and quantitative approach. This research was conducted on prospective customers Share
Islamic Banking Muamalat Malang who never interact with personal selling in December 2006.
The population in this study were 315 prospective customers, and obtained the number of samples
of 76 respondents using a technique that is simple random sampling sampling, with the formula Taro Yamene. Data collection techniques used were questionnaires and documentary. For analysis of the data used in this study is
using the formula - average count (mean).
The advantage of communicating with personal selling is divided into three indicators namely benefit materially, psychologically, and socially. The results showed that the used of the respondents in general (overall) to assess the benefits of communicating with personal selling is at 3.77 and entry point continuum profitable category, and
benefits that have an average value the lowest is on social benefits ie 3.66 compared with the material and psychological benefits. This is because appraisal community about the increasing social status of prospective customers is still considered somewhat low, because now many types of Islamic Banking in the community so that if a customer of Bank Muamalat the surrounding community feel familiar so that less able to improve their social status in society.


Integrated polarization rotators are known to exhibit stringent fabrication tolerances, which severely handicap their practical application. Here we present a general polarization rotator scheme that enables both the compensation of fabrication errors and wavelength tunability. The scheme is described analytically, and a condition for perfect polarization conversion is established. Simulations of a silicon-on-insulator polarization rotator show polarization extinction ratios in excess of 40  dB even in the presence of large fabrication errors that in a conventional rotator configuration degrade the extinction ratio to below 5  dB. Additionally, wavelength tuning over ±30  nm is shown.


Abstract. Deforestation is associated with a decrease in slope stability through the alteration of hydrological and geotechnical conditions. As such, deforestation increases landslide activity over short, decadal timescales. However, over longer timescales (0.1–10 Myr) the location and timing of landsliding is controlled by the interaction between uplift and fluvial incision. Yet, the interaction between (human-induced) deforestation and landscape evolution has hitherto not been explicitly considered. We address this issue in the North Tanganyika–Kivu rift region (East African Rift). In recent decades, the regional population has grown exponentially, and the associated expansion of cultivated and urban land has resulted in widespread deforestation. In the past 11 Myr, active continental rifting and tectonic processes have forged two parallel mountainous rift shoulders that are continuously rejuvenated (i.e., actively incised) through knickpoint retreat, enforcing topographic steepening. In order to link deforestation and rejuvenation to landslide erosion, we compiled an inventory of nearly 8000 recent shallow landslides in © Google Earth imagery from 2000–2019. To accurately calculate landslide erosion rates, we developed a new methodology to remediate inventory biases linked to the spatial and temporal inconsistency of this satellite imagery. Moreover, to account for the impact of rock strength on both landslide occurrence and knickpoint retreat, we limit our analysis to rock types with threshold angles of 24–28∘. Rejuvenated landscapes were defined as the areas draining towards Lake Kivu or Lake Tanganyika and downstream of retreating knickpoints. We find that shallow landslide erosion rates in these rejuvenated landscapes are roughly 40 % higher than in the surrounding relict landscapes. In contrast, we find that slope exerts a stronger control on landslide erosion in relict landscapes. These two results are reconciled by the observation that landslide erosion generally increases with slope gradient and that the relief is on average steeper in rejuvenated landscapes. The weaker effect of slope steepness on landslide erosion rates in the rejuvenated landscapes could be the result of three factors: the absence of earthquake-induced landslide events in our landslide inventory, a thinner regolith mantle, and a drier climate. More frequent extreme rainfall events in the relict landscapes, and the presence of a thicker regolith, may explain a stronger landslide response to deforestation compared to rejuvenated landscapes. Overall, deforestation initiates a landslide peak that lasts approximately 15 years and increases landslide erosion by a factor 2 to 8. Eventually, landslide erosion in deforested land falls back to a level similar to that observed under forest conditions, most likely due to the depletion of the most unstable regolith. Landslides are not only more abundant in rejuvenated landscapes but are also smaller in size, which may again be a consequence of a thinner regolith mantle and/or seismic activity that fractures the bedrock and reduces the minimal critical area for slope failure. With this paper, we highlight the importance of considering the geomorphological context when studying the impact of recent land use changes on landslide activity.


The sampled Radon transform of a two-dimensional (2D) function can be represented as a continuous linear map A: L 2 (Ω) → R N , where (Au) j = (u,ψ j ) and ψ j is the characteristic function of a strip through Ω approximating the set of line integrals in the sample. The image reconstruction problem is: given a vector b ∈ R N , find an image (or density function) u(x,y) such that Au = b. In general there are infinitely many solutions; we seek the solution with minimal 2-norm, which leads to a matrix equation Bw = b, where B is a square dense matrix with several convenient properties. We analyze the use of Gauss-Seidel iteration applied to the problem, observing that while the iteration formally converges, there exists a near null space into which the error vectors migrate, after which the iteration stalls. The null space and near null space of B are characterized in order to develop a multilevel scheme. Based on the principles of the multilevel projection method (PML), this scheme leads to somewhat improved performance. Its primary utility, however, is that it facilitates the development of a PML-based method for spotlight tomography, that is, local grid refinement over a portion of the image in which features of interest can be resolved at finer scale than is possible globally.


To end the current recession, Congress and the Obama administration propose the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), an $825 billion fiscal stimulus package made up of tax cuts and federal spending. A significant component of this package consists of federal grants meant to help states facing unprecedented budget shortfalls.While federal grants may provide temporary relief for state budgets, the size and scope of the proposed spending will worsen already-distorted state and local fiscal practices while creating perverse incentives inducing greater public spending with scarce state funds. By fracturing the link between those who benefit (local constituencies) and those who pay (federal taxpayers), ARRA reduces government accountability on all levels and ultimately erodes local control over policy by imposing federal solutions on local problems.Instead of attempting a short-term fix of amplifying the grant system through an emergency stimulus package, the federal government should work to make state and local governments accountable for their own spending decisions. This means reducing states' and localities' reliance on federal funding for local priorities and allowing local activities to be addressed by the appropriate mechanisms: state and local governments and the private and philanthropic sectors.


I. INTRODUCTION Turkey is a secular state.1 Among Muslim countries, only Turkey and Senegal prescribe secularism in their constitutions. Secularism focuses on human reason rather than divine inspiration to resolve political or social issues2 and is one of the most important principles of the Turkish Republic.3 From the first republican Constitution of 1924,(4) through the more liberal and democratic Constitution of 1961,(5) and finally to the most recent and more authoritarian Constitution of 1982,(6) the concept of secularism has always occupied an important place in Turkish legislation. But in a country with an overwhelmingly Muslim majority, secular legislation always presents IMAGE FORMULA5 practical problems in the conduct of social life.' For many Turks, general principles of Islam are not compatible with Western philosophy. Muslim fundamentalists and some Muslim intellectuals believe that the ideas of democracy and secularism are inimical to Islamic dogma.8 Clearly, certain Islamic traditions, interpretations, and practices are in conflict with the concept of a modern state.9 Nevertheless, philosophically, sociologically, and theologically, Islam is multidimensional. Historically, Turkey has not been a classically traditional Muslim society. The historical, social, and cultural situations in Turkey have always fostered a synthesis between Islam and Western political thought.10 IMAGE FORMULA7 Describing both the historical and current philosophies of Turkish Muslims and non-Muslims creates a foundation for explaining how Islamic beliefs can be reconciled with Western progressivism. Part II of this article will present the current sociological and demographic situations in Turkey. Part III will detail the historical background of various religious traditions that have influenced Turkey's demographic structure. Part IV will then discuss the current legal status of the various Islamic sects and describe the numerous problems each sect presently faces. Finally, Part V will offer a brief conclusion. II. THE SOCIOLOGICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC SITUATIONS IN TURKEY Before discussing the current legislative situation in Turkey, this section will address the sociological, demographic, and historical aspects of religion in Anatolia. A. Muslims in Turkey The population of Turkey today is estimated to be between sixtytwo and sixty-five million,11 of which ninety-nine percent are at least nominally Muslim.12 The great majority of Turkish Muslims are of the Sunni branch of Islam, as are a great majority of Muslims in the world.13 However, in Eastern Turkey, near the Iranian border, particularly among numerous villages in Kars, reside many fervent Muslims of the ShTa sect. There is also an important community of Shias IMAGE FORMULA12living in Istanbul. Shia literally means "party," "faction," or "sect," and denotes those Muslims who are faithful to the genealogical line of Ali,14 the cousin of Mohammed.15 Shias believe that this genealogical line (ahl-i Beyt)16 was inherited from Mohammed through his daughter Fatima, the wife of Ali,17 a divine light that is still transmitted through Ali's successors. The total number of Turkish Shias is estimated to be approximately 300,000. Another Islamic sect faithful to the genealogical line of Ali are the Alevis.18 However, this common devotion to Ali and respect for his genealogical successors is the only link between Alevis and orthodox Shias.19 Alevis do not accept many of the traditions and rituals of Shias. For example, Alevis do not fast during the Holy Month of Ramadan, instead fasting for twelve days during the month of Mouharrem; they do not go on the Haj, or pilgrimage to Mecca; nor do they pray five times daily; and the Alevi women do not veil themselves.20 Even among the poorest, most uneducated sections of the Alevi community, a certain degree of enlightenment and sophistication exists. …


The global decline in biodiversity as a result of urbanization remains poorly understood. Whereas habitat destruction accounts for losses at the species level, it may not explain diversity loss at the community level, because urban centers also attract synanthropic species that do not necessarily exist in wildlands. Here we suggest an alternative framework for understanding this phenomenon: the competitive exclusion of native, non-synanthropic species by invasive species. We use data from two urban centers (Phoenix and Baltimore) and two taxa (birds and spiders) to link diversity loss with reduced community evenness among species in urban communities. This reduction in evenness may be caused by a minority of invasive species dominating the majority of the resources, consequently excluding nonsynanthropic species that could otherwise adapt to urban conditions. We use foraging efficiency as a mechanism to explain the loss of diversity. Thus, to understand the effects of habitat conversion on biodiversity, and to sustain species-rich communities, future research should give more attention to interspecific interactions in urban settings.


The thesis is aimed at the empirical investigation of the role of intangible assets, in particular human and social capital, as relevant determinants of local economic performances. Traditional theories of economic growth, focusing on the role of physical capital as fundamental engine of economic growth, have failed to explain much
of the differences in the level of income and development among regions and countries. The direct consequence of this evidence was the increasing effort in identifying alternative mechanisms and determinants. In line with this trend the role of intangible assets as determinants of economic outcomes has recently gained increasing importance in the economic literature. However, the empirical evidence
remains limited and controversial. The thesis aims at filling this gap by developing a sound analytical framework and robust empirical strategies for the assessment of the potential economic dividend of soft factors. The analysis is developed through three independent and original papers grounded into different streams of literature and covering in a consistent manner a variety of contributions: from traditional economic theory on the role of human capital and externalities as main source of endogenous growth (Romer, 1986, Lucas, 1988), to the theory and empirics of social capital (Putnam, 1990, Granovetter, 1973, Keefer and
Knack, 1997) and some more recent contributions regarding the role of migration and human capital externalities externalities ( Breschi and Lissoni, 2000, Moretti, 2004, Duranton, 2007, Faggian, McCann, 2006, 2009). In each of the three papers the empirical investigation is provided building on different econometric techniques (cross section,
first difference, panel data, instrumental variables) coherently with the underlying research questions, theoretical motivations and characteristics of the available data.The papers provide robust empirical evidences in support of the hypothesis regarding the relevant role of intangible assets as crucial determinant of the economic and innovative performance of local areas.
The main findings are consistent over changes in the geographical unit of analysis and methodological settings.


We have used a variety of different applied fields to control the density, growth, and structure of colloidal crystals. Gravity exerts a body force proportional to the buoyant mass and in equilibrium produces a height-dependent concentration profile. A similar body force can be obtained with electric fields on charged particles (electrophoresis), a temperature gradient on all particles, or an electric field gradient on uncharged particles (dielectrophoresis). The last is particularly interesting since its magnitude and sign can be changed by tuning the applied frequency. We study these effects in bulk (making 'dielectrophoretic bottles' or traps), to control concentration profiles during nucleation and growth and near surfaces. We also study control of non-spherical and optically anisotropic particles with the light field from laser tweezers.


Comb-driven electrostatic actuators applied to mechanical testing of nanostructures are usually designed by a ldquobrute-forcerdquo approach for maximum electrostatic-force output, which results in limited actuation range. This issue is more prevalent when testing soft nanofibers with large ductility. In this paper, the design considerations for a comb-driven platform for nanoscale mechanical testing of ductile nanofibers subjected to 50%, or larger, inelastic extensions are presented. The optimization carried out aimed at increasing the net-force output by comb drives with clamped-clamped tethers, which also improves on the accuracy in the calculation of the force that is applied onto the nanofiber specimens. At large actuator motions, tethers of low bending stiffness increased the net force applied to a nanofiber and provided better accuracy in the calculation of the applied force. On the contrary, at small actuator motions, the maximum net-force output by the comb drives increased with the axial tether stiffness due to the associated increase in the pull-in-instability voltage. The fabricated surface-micromachined devices enabled experiments with individual electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibers at a maximum force of 30 muN and extensions up to 60%. The force output calculated from the voltage input to the electrostatic devices was compared to direct measurements by an independent optical method. [2008-0252]


A new species, Porcellidium rastellum, is described from NSW bringing the total number of species in that genus for Australia to seven. Unlike other Australian genera in the Porcellidiidae, Porcellidium Claus, 1860 is ill defined. Porcellidium viride (Philippi, 1840) is considered the type species to the genus, but it has never been adequately characterized. This has led to considerable disagreement on the characters that define the genus. Porcellidium viride can be identified from a species specific character shown by Brady's (1880) drawing of the male antennules. Another species, Porcellidium fimbriatum Claus, 1863, can also be identified by species specific characters shown in the more complete description by Claus (1889). This enables new specimens of these two species to be identified with a high degree of certainty. In the present study, specimens collected from Oban, Scotland, identified as P. viride and P. fimbriatum, have been used to redescribe both species in detail and select species specific characters for a diagnosis of each species. A new diagnosis for the genus Porcellidium is given, based on the characters of P. viride. Extensive enquiry suggests that Philippi's and Claus' type material is lost. To ensure taxonomic stability of the genus Porcellidium, a neotype of P. viride is designated. From this study it is shown that P. lecanoides Claus, 1889 and P. sarsi Bocquet, 1948 are junior synonyms for P. viride. The new diagnosis for Porcellidium excludes many of the species originally placed in that genus. Porcellidium tenuicauda Claus, 1860 and P. scutatum Claus, 1889 are examples of species that possess apomorphic characters excluding them from Porcellidium sensu stricto. A new genus, Porcelloides gen. nov. is proposed to take Claus' two species, as Porcelloides tenuicaudus (Claus, 1860) comb. nov., and Porcelloides scutatus (Claus, 1889) comb. nov. Keys to the known species of Porcellidium and Porcelloides are given.


Civil and architectural engineering education programs strive to prepare students to design built environments that will be used by society. Some of these built systems can be challenging for laypeople to visualize while learning the design process. This research focuses on improving the way that students visualize and engage with building design content through the creation of a novel educational tool for designing sustainable building elements. The tool prototype, called ecoCampus, is an educational game that uses augmented reality technology on a mobile computing platform. It allows users to visualize a possible building retrofit design in the context of an existing built space and also receive tailored feedback about their design. The prototype application was tested with 47 first-year architectural engineering students to better understand the benefit of this tool. The results of this implementation were analyzed and compared to the results of prior semesters' students who were tasked with completing a similar retrofit design activity without the use of ecoCampus or a mobile computing device. This comparison suggests that students who completed the ecoCampus activity were more likely to complete multiple design iterations as well as experiment with materials other than those present in the existing wall, suggesting that ecoCampus may help to break the tendency toward design fixation. Additionally, students generally rated the experience as highly enjoyable, suggesting engagement with this teaching tool. Future work will implement the ecoCampus experience with students in several building-related majors to identify possible additional benefits that can be observed.


This Letter presents the first experimental observation of the attractive strong interaction between a proton and a multistrange baryon (hyperon) Ξ^{-}. The result is extracted from two-particle correlations of combined p-Ξ^{-}⊕p[over ¯]-Ξ[over ¯]^{+} pairs measured in p-Pb collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV at the LHC with ALICE. The measured correlation function is compared with the prediction obtained assuming only an attractive Coulomb interaction and a standard deviation in the range [3.6, 5.3] is found. Since the measured p-Ξ^{-}⊕p[over ¯]-Ξ[over ¯]^{+} correlation is significantly enhanced with respect to the Coulomb prediction, the presence of an additional, strong, attractive interaction is evident. The data are compatible with recent lattice calculations by the HAL-QCD Collaboration, with a standard deviation in the range [1.8, 3.7]. The lattice potential predicts a shallow repulsive Ξ^{-} interaction within pure neutron matter and this implies stiffer equations of state for neutron-rich matter including hyperons. Implications of the strong interaction for the modeling of neutron stars are discussed.


OF DISSERTATION DEVELOPING A METHOD FOR MEASURING "WORKING OUT LOUD" Enterprise social network software platforms (ESNs) are increasingly being deployed in firms across almost every industry as a means of fostering employee collaboration. Although benefits in increased productivity, innovation, and employee engagement are highly touted, there is a high failure rate of these deployments. This often occurs because (1) there is a misapplied focus on technology adoption rather than adoption of the employee behaviors that are ultimately required to obtain those benefits, and (2) it is unclear what those behaviors are and how to measure them. "Working Out Loud" is one possible framework for understanding and measuring the behaviors necessary to fulfill the promise that ESN vendors advertise. It is loosely described as doing work in a way that makes it visible to others, and is often associated with the use of social business tools. As these tools proliferate within organizations, the Working Out Loud concept is becoming increasingly popular as an organizational and individual goal and mantra among social software vendors, their customers, and leading pundits and consultants in this space. Many benefits have been associated with Working Out Loud; however the concept is still somewhat amorphous. No attempts have been made to quantify it and little research has been done on whether the benefits attributed to it really exist. The common industry definition of Working Out Loud identifies two separate behaviors: narrating one's work in the form of blog posts, status updates, etc. (typically individual behavior), and performing work in a transparent and observable way through the use of an enterprise social platform (typically group or team behavior). This research hypothesizes that these two behaviors do exist and are related but distinct, and thus scales can be developed to measure each. A survey was given to employees of Lexmark International, Inc. (the author's employer). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses performed on the data confirmed the hypothesis and resulted in scales for individual and group Working Out Loud that are designed to be minimally intrusive so as to enable both researchers and practitioners to track an organization's Working Out Loud behavior on an ongoing basis.


Buildings represent one of the most significant sources of negative impacts to the natural ecosystems on which Qatar's inhabitants health and environmental quality depend. The market has identified Qatar as one of the busiest construction areas in the world (Ibrahim 2011), While rapid economic development, population growth, and construction boom are positive indicators of growth, they may also present issues related to the negative impact on the socio-environmental components of cities. Such is the case of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries where increasing economic prosperity has led to a surge in tall building construction and a sense of competition to erect the tallest skyscrapers in the world (Mahgoub and Abarra 2012). While tall buildings are a source of national pride and cultural identity enabled by economic prosperity, they pose several challenges to integrate with the urban fabric of the city while also having a tremendous environmental impact. Tall buildings are especially massive consumers of energy (Ali and Armstrong 2008). They are the dominant elements in urban architecture due to their scale and purpose, and should be the focus of sustainable design. With large number of towers constructed and to be constructed in Al Dafna and West Bay areas of Doha, these buildings affect different aspects of the built and urban environment, i.e., city image, traffic, urban spaces and physical conform. Therefore, more architectural design strategies have to be planned well ahead in order to tackle the issues of sustainability and adaptability to climate change and to foster sustainable built environment in the state of Qatar. With Qatar slated to host a 'zero carbon' World Cup in 2022, Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) has set up a group to foster green infrastructure as a national resource. Qatar is utilizing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the Global/Qatar Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS/QSAS) to this end. Furthermore, shortages in raw materials between 2013 and 2017 are expected to challenge the construction sector, as the period is expected to be the peak for the sector. Therefore, the sector will have to bridge the gap during this period by mutual agreements with the companies in Saudi Arabia and the UAE (QCB 2012). The objectives of this paper are as follows: 1- to Identify sustainability metrics for tall buildings with focus on construction materials and methods used in Qatar; 2- Explore existing literature and identify analogies in optimization consistent with design variables; 3- to examine sustainability of construction materials used in Qatar by utilizing software which is based on currently available databases to perform life cycle assessment. To meet the objectivess described above, the currently available software platforms to perform life cycle analysis of building materials were explored. A commercial software, SimaPro, which utilizes the environmental impact database Ecoinvent, was chosen for its flexibility in defining custom mix designs for concrete, as well as database information on steel and many other building materials. With SimaPro, a sustainability model for concrete and steel was developed which reflects the environmental implications of manufacture of materials in Qatar as appropriate. Quantitative results from the model for the sustainability of constituents of building materials were extracted, to form the basis of sustainability metrics in the forthcoming tall building topology optimization protocol. Furthermore, Blanco-Carrasco et al (2010) outline reduced use of Portland cement, increased use of alternate cementitious materials, and reduced water use to improve the sustainability of the concrete industry in Qatar. Using structural models and the SimaPro model, ultra-high performance concrete was explored as a potential solution for all these problems, to be applied in the gravity/lateral structural components of Qatar tall buildings. In addition to identifying a novel material which fits well with the current tall building designs of the region, the process of examining the structural and environmental improvements from using ultra-high performance concrete has resulted in the formation of a procedure to compare multiple materials used in Qatar. This paper is a result of a funded research project by QNRF, entitled "Multi–Objective Tall Building Topologies – Optimizing for Structural Performance, Economy, and Sustainability" and a jointly collaboration between researchers from Qatar University, Virginia Tech, Johns Hopkins University, Optim Design Inc, and MZ & Partners. "This research/publication was made possible by a National Priority Research Program NPRP award [NPRP- 7 - 1518 - 2 – 549] from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of The Qatar Foundation). The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the author(s)."


Modern societies cannot anymore be just defined as classical or bourgeois capitalism. Since the emergence of a second relation of production and a third social class in capitalist societies, they are mixed societies where two forms of property – capital and organization – are present. That is why modern capitalism is not anymore classical or bourgeois capitalism, but a mixed form that we call professionals' capitalism or knowledge capitalism or technobureaucratic. In this paper I define the new relation of production that we call 'organization'. As to capital, I discuss the transformation of its definition as capitalism changed historically.


In many developing countries, the use of small-scale biogas digesters based on animal manure as feedstock is a well-known alternative to using firewood and fossil fuels. The present paper presents the results for a biogas research project in Vietnam where rice straw and water hyacinths have been added as supplementary feedstock.  The project proves that the use of alternative feedstock can be practiced with success and the analysis presents the welfare gains of the technology. The investigation is performed as a social cost-benefit analysis trying to monetize all relevant economic and environmental effects obtained when shifting to climate-friendly biogas produced from a biomass feedstock. The conclusion from the cost-benefit analysis shows the technology to be very attractive in terms of both private and social welfare gains. The net benefits are primarily due to the fuel cost savings (LPG and firewood) and time gains when reducing the usage of firewood.


AGL Energy Pty Ltd owns and operates the Camden Gas Project in the Southern Sydney Macarthur region and are currently extracting water and methane from the underlying Illawarra Coal Measures. Within the Macarthur region are two groundwater monitoring sites located at Menangle Park and Denham Court. At each site has four monitoring bores established to monitor the groundwater levels and allow water quality testing. These monitoring bores enable the characterisation of the local groundwater system and an assessment of impacts from coal seam gas extraction on the groundwater system. The Menangle Park monitoring bores are within 100 metres of active production bores whereas Denham Court is ~15km outside the current Camden Gas Project. Both Menangle Park and Denham Court monitoring bores record the groundwater levels of the geological units such as alluvium, the Wianamatta Group and the Hawkesbury Sandstone. Groundwater level hydrographs assess and compare the recharge/drawdown characteristics. In addition, water samples were taken from the Menangle Park monitoring bores (MPMB01, MPMB02, MPMB03 and MPMB04), the nearby production bore (MP17) and the Nepean River. The samples were measured for major ions, elements, radioisotopes and stable isotopes. The techniques involved AMS, CRDS, EA-IRMS, IC and ICPMS. The results characterised the Hawkesbury Sandstone at Menangle Park into an 'upper' and 'lower' level separated hydrogeologically by a 12 metre thick shale layer. The 'upper' level was dated at 600BP whereas the 'lower' level was dated between 14,500-16,000BP. The hydrogeochemistry of the coal seam water was significantly different to the Hawkesbury Sandstone however, the age calculations were unrepresentative and unreliable. The water quality was assessed in the Hawkesbury Sandstone and was found to be relatively fresh whereas the Bulli Coal Seam was saline. Interpretation of these results suggests no or negligible hydraulic connection between beneficial aquifers and the coal seam aquifer. Based on this the author concluded that there is negligible impact from coal seam gas extraction on the Hawkesbury Sandstone. However, the data available did not enable the author to make an assessment for the likelihood of long term impacts from coal seam gas extraction.


Background An ageing population heralds a greater demand for palliative and end of life care. Many people approaching the end of life rely on domiciliary care services provided by a para-professional workforce. Despite low pay and status, these workers provide personal and social care to people at a difficult time in their lives. Little is known about the impact of this work on the workers themselves or how they are trained, supervised and supported. Methods A systematic search was conducted in six databases. All study designs were included. Titles and abstracts of retrieved papers were screened by two researchers working independently. Findings were analysed using a narrative synthesis approach. Results Of 747 retrieved references, 12 papers from six countries in four continents were selected for inclusion in the review. Few studies dealt directly with the experiences of direct care workers themselves. Most considered them as part of multi-professional care networks with many focusing on issues relating to the professionals involved in the teams under consideration. Internationally and within nations, workers job titles varied and in some cases obscured job role. Where this role was clear, there was much overlap between domestic, personal, social and health related tasks. There was little evidence of a consistent approach to training and supporting staff involved in care towards the end of life and a paucity of 'voice' for these workers in published studies. Conclusion The experiences of direct care workers in palliative homecare is poorly studied. There is considerable variability in how workers are named, the work they do, and who they report to. More research that privileges the voice of these workers and identifies the impact on them of caring for those approaching the end of life is required so that employing agencies may consider how to improve the training, supervision and support of this essential frontline workforce.


In recent times, several synthetic pathways have been developed to create multilayered materials of diverse composition that combine accessible porosity and optical properties of structural origin, i.e., not related to absorption. These materials possess a refractive index that varies periodically along one direction, which gives rise to optical diffraction effects characteristic of Bragg stacks or one-dimensional photonic crystals (1DPCs). The technological potential of such porous optical materials has been demonstrated in various fields related to energy and environmental sciences, such as detection and recognition of targeted biological or chemical species, photovoltaics, or radiation shielding. In all cases, improved performance is achieved as a result of the added functionality porosity brings. In this review, a unified picture of this emerging field is provided.


In this paper, we aim at a dynamical, structurally-phenomenological approach, from a multidisciplinary point of view, starting from today's information technology and from the last theories of the second half of the 20th century, which are connected to non-linear dynamics, fractal geometry, topology and complex systems theory. Shannon and Weaver's information theory grasps only the quantitative aspect, through associating information to entropy and the second law of thermodynamics, so that only artificial languages and information technology finally implement the qualitative aspect of information. The proof that information is involved in all the processes, at all scales and levels of reality, is the very difficulty of defining information. The network topology, just as the knot theory in the information technology, highlight an apparently surprising aspect, that is, topology is the suitable mathematical instrument for formalizing information. Topology of information might represent the modality of grasping information in its qualitative form, as the way to unify reality, and reality with cognition, through information. Key-Words: Information, topology, reality, cognition, energy, brain.


1 The prevalence, intensity and transmission of Nosema fumiferanae (Thomson) (Microsporidae) infections and potential impacts on the survival of field populations of spruce budworm Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.) were examined in three plots in New Brunswick, Canada, from 1983 to 1992. 2 The highest prevalence of N. fumiferanae infection in post‐hibernation second‐instar larvae occurred in the plot where prevalence in female pupae was the highest in the previous generation, suggesting higher rates of vertical transmission. There was little change in the prevalence of N. fumiferanae infections between the second and sixth instars in the later generations. In the two other plots, N. fumiferanae prevalence increased by approximately 25% from the second to sixth larval stadia. Coincident with the changes in N. fumiferanae prevalence were substantial declines in the populations of spruce budworms, making it difficult to determine rates of horizontal transfer of the disease. 3 In all plots and in all years, there were progressive increases in the intensity of N. fumiferanae infections (spore loads/individual) from the second to sixth instars and pupae. 4 Annual spruce budworm mortality associated with N. fumiferanae was ≤15% of all mortality in reared specimens and was positively correlated with but generally less than 30% of annual N. fumiferanae prevalence.


American courts have traditionally followed the general principle of limited enumerated federal power in which certain matters are reserved to state-level control regardless of purported national importance or state "competency." Recently, however, a group of influential constitutional scholars have called for doing away with the traditional federalist understanding of enumerated national power and replacing it with their interpretation of a principle originally declared in Resolution VI of the so-called "Virginia Plan." Introduced in the early stages of the 1787 Philadelphia Constitutional Convention, Resolution VI declares that federal power should be construed to reach all cases involving the "general interests of the Union," those to which the "states separately are incompetent" and those affecting national "harmony." Under this principle, Congress would have power to regulate any purported collective action problem of national importance, regardless of subject matter. Resolution VI proponents argue that the members of the Philadelphia Convention adopted Resolution VI and sent the same to the Committee of Detail with the expectation that the resulting text would embrace this overriding principle of national power. They also claim (or rely on the claim) that Philadelphia Convention member James Wilson publicly declared during the ratification debates that the framers viewed Article I, Section 8 as the textual "enactment" of Resolution VI.A close reading of the historical sources, however, shows that the Framers did not view Article I, Section 8 as having operationalized the general "state incompetency" principle of Resolution VI. In fact, they expressly stated otherwise. Nor is there any historical evidence that James Wilson (or anyone else) referred to Resolution VI during the ratification debates. Claims to the contrary are based on errors of historical fact.


As evident in the mass protests during the Arab Spring and Occupy movements, social media platforms helped the protesters spread messages, organize, and mobilize support for their campaigns. The emergence of collective action facilitated by social media has attracted much attention not only from journalists and political observers but also from researchers of various disciplines. In recent years research devoted to deepening our understanding of online collective action has surged. Yet, due to its novelty and complexity, more research is needed to further our understanding of the many facets of it. Here the authors study the transnational nature of online collective action through the lens of inter-network cooperation. We analyze interaction and support mechanisms between the networks of two online collective actions related to women's rights; i.e. 'Women to Drive' (primarily in Saudi Arabia) and 'Sexual Harassment' (global). The analysis is based on data collected from blogs from 23 different countries authored by female Muslim bloggers. The methodologies used in this study include: an extraction of social networks for each collective action, mapping of interactions among the actors common to these two networks, and a sentiment analysis on the observed interactions to provide a better understanding of the support mechanisms. The broader goal of the study is to examine the common dynamics between the interconnected collective actions. In both we observe an aspiration toward collective awareness by addressing gender inequality and women's rights. This research contributes to understanding of the mobilization of social movements in the age of digital activism. Moreover, this paper contributes to our understanding of the role of cooperative networks in online collective action.


Retail reciprocity requirements have been included in the electricity restructuring legislation of at least four states. These requirements mandate generally that out-of-state utilities which operate in a state "closed" to retail competition cannot market power to retail consumers in the "open" state. Because state reciprocity requirements enacted without congressional authorization are probably unconstitutional under the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, Congress would have to include a reciprocity provision in federal electricity restructuring legislation if it wants to support the view that such a provision will increase competition. This report reviews the treatment of state reciprocity requirements by the U.S. Supreme Court and discusses Congress' power under the Commerce Clause.


Mental retardation in Down syndrome (DS) has been imputed to the decreased brain volume, which is evident starting from the early phases of development. Recent studies in a widely used mouse model of DS, the Ts65Dn mouse, have shown that neurogenesis is severely impaired during the early phases of brain development, suggesting that this defect may be a major determinant of brain hypotrophy and mental retardation in individuals with DS. Recently, it has been found that in the cerebellum of Ts65Dn mice there is a defective responsiveness to Sonic Hedgehog (Shh), a potent mitogen that controls cell division during brain development, suggesting that failure of Shh signaling may underlie the reduced proliferation potency in DS. Based on these premises, we sought to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying derangement of the Shh pathway in neural precursor cells (NPCs) from Ts65Dn mice. We found that the expression levels of the Shh receptor Patched1 (Ptch1) were increased compared to controls both at the RNA and protein level. Partial silencing of Ptch1 expression in trisomic NPCs restored cell proliferation, indicating that proliferation impairment was due to Ptch1 overexpression. We further found that the overexpression of Ptch1 in trisomic NPCs is related to increased levels of AICD, a transcription-promoting fragment of amyloid precursor protein (APP). Increased AICD binding to the Ptch1 promoter favored its acetylated status, thus enhancing Ptch1 expression. Taken together, these data provide novel evidence that Ptch1 over expression underlies derangement of the Shh pathway in trisomic NPCs, with consequent proliferation impairment.
The demonstration that Ptch1 over expression in trisomic NPCs is due to an APP fragment provides a link between this trisomic gene and the defective neuronal production that characterizes the DS brain.


ABSTRACT Papillomaviruses have been linked to several skin disorders in the dog. In order to have a suitable diagnostic tool for canine papillomavirus detection, eight PCRs with published primer combinations were evaluated. The most sensitive PCR was used to demonstrate that papillomavirus DNA can be detected on nonlesional skin of dogs.


The Son-Rise Program is an intensive, child-centered approach to treatment of autism, incorporating strategies to promote child-initiated social interactions. Parent training is an important element of the treatment program, which is intended to be implemented in long-term home-based programs. In the present study, parents of children with autism who participated in two five-day parent-training courses in Son-Rise Program intervention (separated by several months) completed questionnaires and the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist prior to each course. Changes in scores were examined for parents who reported implementing (1) no treatment, (2) low intensity treatment, or (3) high intensity treatment in their homes in the interval between courses. Parents who administered Son-Rise Program intervention reported improvements in communication, sociability, and sensory and cognitive awareness in their children, with greater gains associated with greater hours of treatment per week. This study represents a first step in examining the effects of home-based Son-Rise Programs for children with autism.


We describe the structure-activity relationship of various arylcyclopropylamines (ACPAs), which are potent LSD1 inhibitors. More than 45 ACPAs were synthesized rapidly by an unconventional method that we have recently developed, consisting of a C-H borylation and cross-coupling sequence starting from cyclopropylamine. We also generated NCD38 derivatives, which are known as LSD1 selective inhibitors, and discovered a more effective inhibitor compared to the original NCD38.


With more than 61 million individuals receiving Social Security benefits, one out of every four families in America receives monthly cash payments from the Social Security Administration (SSA). These monthly payments directly benefit 48.5 million retired workers, their current and former spouses, 10 million disabled adults, and include more than 3 million children. Several million more children and adults in the increasing number of multi-generational households in America benefit indirectly from Social Security retirement payments.
In addition to the broad reach of monthly Social Security retirement benefits these payments have ensured the financial well-being of millions of American families for more than 80 years. Eight-four percent of Americans 65 and older receive benefits with more than 60 percent of Social Security beneficiaries receiving one-half or more of their income from SSA. Notably, 33 percent of all beneficiaries receive at least 90 percent of their income from SSA. The percentages of people of color who rely on Social Security income are even more significant. Hispanic, Black, and Asian seniors rely on Social Security benefits for one-half or more of their income at rates of 73, 69 and 62 percent, respectively. Similarly, Hispanic, Black, and Asian seniors rely on Social Security benefits for 90 percent or more of their income at rates of 52, 45, and 41 percent, respectively. Additionally, about 48 percent of married couples, and 71 percent of unmarried individuals, receive one-half or more of their income from SSA. After decades of decreases in defined benefit plans and interest rates, and escalating health care costs and life spans, these high rates of reliance on Social Security benefits are not surprising. Given the depth and breadth of reliance on Social Security benefits it is critical for households to understand and plan for decreasing average retirement benefit amounts. Seniors rely on Social Security retirement benefits because many have few or no other resources. According to the General Accounting Office, 41 percent of households age 55 and older; 52 percent of households age 65 through age 74; and 71 percent of households age 75 and older have no retirement savings. Therefore, maximizing Social Security retirement benefits is critical for seniors' and their families' health, safety, and welfare. As of June 2017, retired workers received average yearly benefits of $16,428, while surviving spouses aged 60 or older only received $15,684 of average yearly benefits. Retired workers and their spouses had average yearly aggregate benefits of $27,336, and a widowed senior with two dependent children received average yearly benefits of $31,968 for the household. These amounts represent current average earnings replacement rates of only 52, 38, 32, and 25 percent of low ($22,215), medium ($49,366), high ($78,985) and the maximum ($120,418) earnings amounts for a retired worker at age 65 in 2017. Over time these replacement rates are scheduled to decrease as full retirement age (FRA) increases. Medium earners' replacement rates at age 65 will decrease from 38 to 34 and 31 percent in 2020 and 2030, respectively.
Because Social Security benefits are such an important component of household income for families, it is not surprising that in 2016 Social Security benefits lifted more than 26 million people out of poverty including 1.5 million children, 7.5 million adults and more than 17 million seniors. Moreover, Social Security benefits decreased the depth of and proximity to poverty for millions more seniors, children, and their families.
The amount of monthly Social Security retirement benefits a senior and her family receives is directly related to when they are claimed. Accordingly, the timing of claiming Social Security retirement benefits is a vital decision for individuals who rely on their benefits to support their households. Many decision models and measures being used by individuals to analyze this timing decision, among other individual financial decisions, are the same measures that have been developed to guide large business organizations. However, because of differences in economic size, capacity, life cycle, mission, goals, and unique human attributes, these large organization models do not fit the needs of lower and middle-income households. At the same time, these increasingly vulnerable individuals do need strategic measures to focus on when making financial decisions. Strategic measures specifically designed to meet the unique needs of these individuals could be valuable to their families and the economy at large as benefits are decreasing over time. One such approach is to analyze, determine, and measure the quality-value of marginal Social Security benefits to a household. This Article will present a few exemplary quality-value dollar timing models. The quality-value dollar models better expose financial advantages that seniors gain by delaying their retirement benefits.
As members of Congress struggle to resolve the long-term financial viability of Social Security and Medicare given an aging and longer-living U.S. population, it is possible that increasing FRA beyond age 67 may be part of any reform package. A quality-value dollar model would be instructive in senior outreach, education, and engagement regarding Social Security benefits timing decisions and any other changes to the existing Social Security retirement system.


Background: Hemoglobinopathies are one of the major public health problems in the state of Maharashtra, India. Their prevalence shows regional and ethnic variations. Pune, now becoming educational and IT hub cater populations from different regions. Aim: To study the pattern of hemoglobinopathies diagnosed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in Western Maharashtra, India. Settings and Design: This pilot study was aimed to find the prevalence of hemoglobinopathies in and around Pune (Western Maharashtra, India) and identify the change in the demographic profile Materials and Methods: A total of 3465 cases received from January 2012 to December 2014 for hemoglobin variant analysis at the referral laboratory were studied for hemoglobinopathies. Samples were received from various private hospitals and laboratories in and around Pune. The samples were run on instrument manufactured by Bio-Rad Laboratories based on the principle of HPLC. Based on retention time and proportion of hemoglobin (Hb) variants different hemoglobinopathies were diagnosed and their prevalence were analyzed. Results and Conclusions: Out of total 3465 patients screened for suspected hemoglobinopathies 175 (5.05%) were found positive for abnormal Hbs with maximum number in the age group 20-30 years. We found that a maximum number of patients was of thalassemia trait with a prevalence of 3.7%, followed by double heterozygous states of Sickle cell with beta thalassemia trait, sickle cell trait, and sickle cell disease in decreasing order. Other rare variants such as Hb E disease, Hb D disease, Hb E trait, double heterozygous Hb SD, and Hb SC were also identified. We found more heterozygous states as compared to homozygous states. Prevalence was on the lower side of the normal range. Conclusion: Continuous awareness programs, mass screening of the population especially childbearing age and school going children will help in early detection of heterozygous states. This further helps in preventing severe hemoglobinopathies and reducing the morbidity and mortality.


Abstract Purpose: To test the feasibility and acceptability of an implementation intention strategy (if-then plans) increasingly used in health psychology to bridge the goal intention–action gap in rehabilitation with people with neurological conditions who are experiencing difficulties with mobility. Methods: Twenty people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and stroke, randomised to an experimental and control group, set up to three mobility related goals with a physiotherapist. The experimental group also formulated if-then plans for every goal. Data collection: Focus groups and interviews with participants and therapists; Patient Activation Measure (PAM), 10-m walk test, Rivermead Mobility Index, self-efficacy, subjective health status, quality of life. Results: Qualitative data highlighted one main theme: Rehabilitation in context, encapsulating the usefulness of the if-then strategy in thinking about the patient in the context of complexity, the usefulness of home-based rehabilitation, and the perceived need for a few more sessions. Changes in walking speed were in the expected direction for both groups; PAM scores improved over 3 months in both groups. Conclusion: If-then plans were feasible and acceptable in bridging the goal intention–action gap in rehabilitation with people with MS and stroke, who are experiencing difficulties with mobility. This approach can now be adapted and trialled further in a definitive study. Implications for Rehabilitation Goal planning in rehabilitation necessitates specific strategies that help people engage in goal-related tasks. If-then plans aim to support people to deal more effectively with self-regulatory problems that might undermine goal striving and have been found to be effective in health promotion and health behaviour change. This feasibility study with people with a stroke and multiple sclerosis has demonstrated that if-then plans are feasible and acceptable to patients and physiotherapists in supporting goal-directed behaviour.


"Sacrificing Massiah" examines the legitimacy and impacts of Kansas v. Ventris's explanation of the Massiah "exclusionary rule." It first traces the cryptic development of Massiah's right to counsel-based suppression doctrine through a series of post-Massiah opinions. It then discusses Ventris - the first definitive explanation of the justifications for barring admissions deliberately elicited from uncounseled defendants. The Ventris Court classified Massiah suppression as a mere deterrent safeguard designed to prevent pretrial counsel deprivations and denied that defendants have the personal right not to be convicted based on uncounseled admissions. This understanding of Massiah is contrary to the original conception of exclusion. More important, it is irreconcilable with the nature of the pretrial assistance guarantee that is Massiah's foundation. It ignores the core reasons for a right to pretrial assistance - to preserve a fair adversarial process and guard the accused against courtroom consequences of imbalanced clashes. Ventris rests on the indefensible premises that pretrial assistance exists for its own sake, that constitutional harm is inflicted only before trial, and that damage to an accused's chances for acquittal at trial is not the constitutional concern. The article proffers reasons why the Court might have arrived at this entirely misguided conception, including: uncritical, monolithic thinking about "exclusionary rules;" palpable, abiding hostility toward constitutional suppression doctrines that defeat the search for truth; and dissatisfaction with Massiah's extension of the right to counsel's assistance. Finally, the article discusses the pragmatic consequences of Ventris's vision, concluding that constraints imposed on Fourth Amendment exclusion will surely be imposed on Sixth Amendment suppression. As a result, the right to counsel "exclusionary rule" will be hobbled in ways that would be impossible were the true "constitutional right" character of Massiah's evidentiary bar acknowledged. Ventris's legacy - an array of "exclusionary rule" restrictions - will, in fact, threaten the vitality of the fundamental right to counsel itself.


The carrotmob—often defined as an inverse boycott—is a new, fast-diffusing form of pro-environmental consumption focusing on societal issues. Organized by activists, consumers swarm a predefined store and collectively buy its products. In return, the company engages in pro-environmental actions. This is the first study that empirically analyzes consumer attitudes toward carrotmob and participation intention. The article compares the drivers of carrotmob and anti-consumption (e.g., ecological consumer boycotts). Both forms of consumer activism are triggered by ecological concern. However, carrotmobbing differs because participants do not have to sacrifice their preferred consumption patterns. Study 1 (n = 437) demonstrates that willingness to make sacrifices moderates the impact of ecological concern on attitudes toward the carrotmob. Study 2 (n = 153) establishes external validity by modifying the carrotmob target. As expected, the carrotmob is an alternative consumption option attractive for consumers unwilling to make sacrifices in expressing their environmental concerns.


The European Solar Engineering School ESES is a one-year master programme that started in 1999 at the Solar Energy Research Center, SERC, Dalarna University College. The programme, run in English, consists of courses which cover passive and active solar thermal, solar energy for tropical climates, PV and PV/Hybrid system design, and have sections on topics such as economy and social aspects as well as other renewable energy sources. ESES is then finished with a research project as thesis work. Over the years the contents have been evolved and improved, and new experimental work has been introduced. The programme has been growing in popularity over the years, with over 20 students each year. Approximately half of the students come from Europe, the rest coming from all over the globe. This paper describes the contents and experiences from eight years of running the programme. The majority of the students from ESES have found work in the solar industry, energy industry or taken up PhD positions. An alumni group has been started that actively gives support to past, present and potential future students.


ABSTRACT Limited treatment options are available for implant-associated infections caused by methicillin (meticillin)-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We compared the activity of daptomycin (alone and with rifampin [rifampicin]) with the activities of other antimicrobial regimens against MRSA ATCC 43300 in the guinea pig foreign-body infection model. The daptomycin MIC and the minimum bactericidal concentration in logarithmic phase and stationary growth phase of MRSA were 0.625, 0.625, and 20 μg/ml, respectively. In time-kill studies, daptomycin showed rapid and concentration-dependent killing of MRSA in stationary growth phase. At concentrations above 20 μg/ml, daptomycin reduced the counts by >3 log10 CFU/ml in 2 to 4 h. In sterile cage fluid, daptomycin peak concentrations of 23.1, 46.3, and 53.7 μg/ml were reached 4 to 6 h after the administration of single intraperitoneal doses of 20, 30, and 40 mg/kg of body weight, respectively. In treatment studies, daptomycin alone reduced the planktonic MRSA counts by 0.3 log10 CFU/ml, whereas in combination with rifampin, a reduction in the counts of >6 log10 CFU/ml was observed. Vancomycin and daptomycin (at both doses) were unable to cure any cage-associated infection when they were given as monotherapy, whereas rifampin alone cured the infections in 33% of the cages. In combination with rifampin, daptomycin showed cure rates of 25% (at 20 mg/kg) and 67% (at 30 mg/kg), vancomycin showed a cure rate of 8%, linezolid showed a cure rate of 0%, and levofloxacin showed a cure rate of 58%. In addition, daptomycin at a high dose (30 mg/kg) completely prevented the emergence of rifampin resistance in planktonic and adherent MRSA cells. Daptomycin at a high dose, corresponding to 6 mg/kg in humans, in combination with rifampin showed the highest activity against planktonic and adherent MRSA. Daptomycin plus rifampin is a promising treatment option for implant-associated MRSA infections.


Abstract This paper describes the use of finite element software to provide a two-dimensional time harmonic analysis of cavitational activity within an ultrasonic cleaning vessel as used within hospitals and dental surgeries. A rational for the simulation method utilized and input parameters affecting the model is discussed. Practical affirmation of the model is provided via qualitative methods (the industry standard HTM2030 foil erosion test) and quantitative data are obtained from an ultrasonic cavitational probe. Simulated data from the finite element model and that obtained practically are compared, with both sets of results showing a good level of agreement and indicating a correlation between those areas of maximum pressure variation and cavitational field strength. Limitations and implications of the results are discussed along with future directions for research, including the development of a three-dimensional model to provide a more accurate reflection pattern from the boundary geometries within the ultrasonic cleaning vessel. Quantification of the results of reflections is discussed as a future development plan, as is correlating the field strength predicted to cleaning efficacy via test soil analysis.


A number of devices for obtaining x-ray diffraction photographs at low temperatures have been described in the literature. Usually, however, these devices have been applied to single crystal cameras (1) or to Debye-Scherrer powder cameras (2). It is the purpose of this note to describe a simple x-ray diffractometer specimen mount in which the temperature may be varied from room temperature to liquid nitrogen or helium temperatures.


Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) continues to be a significant source of morbidity for UK service personnel. The Personal Interfaced Hearing Protection (PIHP) system was procured as an Urgent Operational Requirement primarily to provide a connection to the Personal Role Radio. Through its custom- mould design it was also expected to act as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) against NIHL in a method that had not been possible previously. The aim of this paper was to evaluate user opinion of the four current methods of hearing protection including PIHP. 108 service personnel serving in a Forward Operating Base in Afghanistan were questioned anonymously using a paper-based questionnaire. The response rate was 78%, reflecting the difficulties in anonymous data collection in an environment such as this. PIHP was perceived to be more practical for use on the ranges or patrolling than the standard methods of hearing protection. Although only 4% were routinely wearing PIHP on patrol, this was related to understandable reluctance in wearing a new system that had only been issued immediately prior to this deployment. Early design problems highlighted by our study, such as changes in the design of the ear-piece to improve retention, have already been implemented. Compliance will be improved through a dedicated educational programme to explain its relevance. Despite the logistical difficulties in providing custom- made ear moulds, the PIHP system must be delivered to all service personnel early in their career so they are confident in its use long before operational deployment. Future research is required to ascertain the effectiveness of PIHP as a method of PPE in reducing the incidence of NIHL.