Senior executives often infuse their organisations with the values that they have
inherited from prior socialisation as well as from their work experience. Because of
their role as leaders at a critical juncture in an organisation's development, they are able
to model an organisation's culture in unique ways. Thus, their support (or lack of it)
will affect the impact of any major structural or procedural change in the existing
organisation such as implementing a computer-based information system (CBIS). Yet
the focus of most Information Systems Practitioners is mainly towards technical tasks,
so that they pay inadequate attention to and are lacking in their appreciation of the
social (organisational, cultural, political, and personal) aspects of the senior executive's
role.
The objectives of the research are to study and understand the social and
technical phenomena that occur within a CBIS's implementation processes. The study
seeks to identify the factors that cause these phenomena, their relationships, and the
degree to which they influence practices, procedures, and outcomes during CBISs'
implementations. The "multiple perspective" framework, adopted in the study,
provides a total systems rationale, allowing due scope for both the formal-rational
technical approach and the social parameters. It incorporates the multiple
(organisational, technical, and personal) perspectives of stakeholders, and multilevel (context, process, and linkage) perspectives apparent within the processes itself. The
research, therefore, focuses on the question, "What is going on in the CBIS
implementation process?" rather than on the question "How should it be
implemented?"
Research data were collected using empirical research methods based on an
exploratory pilot study through survey questionnaires and two in-depth case studies of
Malaysian government organisations. A framework using the Multiview methodology
is proposed to enhance the analysis of the role of senior executives in the CBIS
implementation process. The study concludes that CBIS implementation can neither be
understood nor undertaken independently of the multiple perspectives of its
stakeholders and multilevel processes that affect its implementation, use, and
development.


In many cities of developing countries, such as Addis Ababa, water supply service is poor. At the moment, Addis Ababa city which accounts for over a quarter of the nations urban population is facing unreliable and inadequate supply of water and sanitation services. The paper raises crucial issues regarding the necessity to better understand the demand for improved water supply service in the absence of market and tries to link in relation to customers' participation in the provision of improved water supply service. In an attempt to examine the determinants of the value of improved water service and to establish how much consumers are willing to pay, we use a contingent valuation method (CVM). The tobit model shows socio-economic and demographic variables such as Income of the household, sex of the respondent dummy (female = 1), Family size, education (both secondary and tertiary level), households' year of stay, households not using tank as a storage, wealth of a household, employment status of the respondent dummy (employed = 1) , households satisfaction with the existing service dummy (unsatisfied=1), and location of the study site (Addis Ketema) are significant variables that explain the willingness to pay. The mean willingness to pay (WTP) values are 15.34 and 20.20 cents per bucket (a 20 liter container) above the exiting average tariff of 7.14 cents per bucket as calculated from the tobit and probit model, respectively. The empirical evidence is an important input for strategic planning to ensure that improvements proposed potentially improve cost recovery initiative and increase the level of customer satisfaction. 1 The final version of this article was submitted in October 2008 2 Lecturer, Mekelle University in the Department of Natural Resource Economics and Management 3 Ethiopian Economic Policy Research Institute (EEPRI), Agriculture and Rural Development Division Head Kinfe and Berhanu: Valuing water supply service improvements...


Background: Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has a poor prognosis if left untreated, frequently resulting in legal blindness. Ranibizumab is approved for treating neovascular AMD. However, further guidance is needed to assist ophthalmologists in clinical practice to optimise treatment outcomes. Methods: An international retina expert panel assessed evidence available from prospective, multicentre studies evaluating different ranibizumab treatment schedules (ANCHOR, MARINA, PIER, SAILOR, SUSTAIN and EXCITE) and a literature search to generate evidence-based and consensus recommendations for treatment indication and assessment, retreatment and monitoring. Results: Ranibizumab is indicated for choroidal neovascular lesions with active disease, the clinical parameters of which are outlined. Treatment initiation with three consecutive monthly injections, followed by continued monthly injections, has provided the best visual-acuity outcomes in pivotal clinical trials. If continued monthly injections are not feasible after initiation, a flexible strategy appears viable, with monthly monitoring of lesion activity recommended. Initiation regimens of fewer than three injections have not been assessed. Continuous careful monitoring with flexible retreatment may help avoid vision loss recurring. Standardised biomarkers need to be determined. Conclusion: Evidence-based guidelines will help to optimise treatment outcomes with ranibizumab in neovascular AMD.


Our analysis of tweets from @narendramodi demonstrates how the Indian prime minister used political irony, enacted through sarcasm and wordplay, to refashion his political style and practice into a more broadly appealing populist ethic. We deconstruct confrontational Twitter messages laced with innuendo to explore the use of language as a means of political self-representation. Modi's use of irony provides a form of political spectacle and demonstrably resonates on social media, as quantified by the high retweeting of his sarcastically worded messages. We identify three rhetorical strategies in these tweets: (1) appeals to the base through the use of popular idiom, (2) creation of a shared cognitive environment to allow followers in on inside jokes and a means of affiliating with the leader, and (3) the performance of righteousness in underlining the leader's use of wit and restraint. We argue that the use of political irony in these tweets must be seen as part of a longer-term performative effort to recast Modi's political image from a regional strongman into a sophisticated communicator.


BACKGROUND
Little information is available about the incidence of stiff-man syndrome (SMS) (the classic form or its variants) or about long-term treatment responses and outcomes.

OBJECTIVE
To comprehensively describe the characteristics of a cohort of patients with SMS.

DESIGN
Observational study.

SETTING
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.

PATIENTS
Ninety-nine patients with classic SMS vs variants of the disorder, both glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 kD isoform (GAD65) antibody seropositive and seronegative.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Neurological, autoimmune, serological, and oncological findings; treatments; and outcomes between January 1984 and December 2008.

RESULTS
The median follow-up duration was 5 years (range, 0-23 years). Seventy-nine patients (59 having classic SMS, 19 having partial SMS, and 1 having progressive encephalomyelitis with rigidity and myoclonus [PERM]) were GAD65 antibody seropositive. Sixty-seven percent (53 of 79) of them had at least 1 coexisting autoimmune disease, and 4% (3 of 79) had cancer. GAD65 antibody values at initial evaluation were significantly higher among patients with classic SMS (median value, 623 nmol/L) than among patients with partial SMS (median value, 163 nmol/L) (P < .001). The initial GAD65 antibody value was positively correlated with the last follow-up Rankin score (P = .03). Among 20 patients who were GAD65 antibody seronegative (6 with classic SMS, 12 with partial SMS, and 2 with PERM), 15% (3 of 20) had at least 1 coexisting autoimmune disease, and 25% (5 of 20) had cancer (3 with amphiphysin autoimmunity and breast carcinoma and 2 with Hodgkin lymphoma). Excluding patients with PERM, all patients but 1 had sustained improvements with at least 1 γ-aminobutyric acid agent, usually diazepam; the median dosage for patients with classic SMS was 40.0 mg/d. Additional improvements occurred among 14 of 34 patients (41%) who received immunotherapy (intravenous immune globulin, azathioprine, prednisone, mycophenolate mofetil, or cyclophosphamide). Sixteen of 25 patients (64%) with extended follow-up duration remained ambulatory.

CONCLUSIONS
Recognition of classic SMS vs variants is important because appropriate therapy improves symptoms in most patients. Classification by anatomical extent and by GAD65 antibody serostatus gives important diagnostic and prognostic information.


Are political activists preferentially targeted by politicians engaging in clientelistic transfers to bolster political support? We provide the first model to highlight two possible rationales for such transfers: to mobilize support from the activists themselves, or to mobilize support from electors these activists have influence over. Using novel household data on ex ante political affiliation and jobs received subsequent to large-scale decentralized workfare program in India, we find that activists are indeed preferentially targeted, and furthermore, such transfers are more pronounced in locations where citizen political involvement is less common, and in remote and less connected areas where activists' role in information transfers is most critical. We argue that the evidence is consistent with the use of transfers to leverage the influence of activists over the decision-making of other electors. Our results are not driven by self selection, reverse causality, and other program transfers, and are robust to alternate definitions of "activism".


Oncology Nurses' Impact Scores for Obstacles and Supportive Behaviors at the End-of-Life Joan Collett College of Nursing, BYU Master of Science Introduction: Oncology nurses provide end-of-life (EOL) care to their patients daily. Oncology nurses' perceptions regarding how to provide quality care to dying patients could be an important addition to the ongoing research on quality EOL care. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of specific obstacle and supportive behaviors in EOL care as perceived by hospital-based oncology nurses. This study extended the work of Beckstrand, Moore, Callister, and Bond (2009). Methods: A 69-item questionnaire adapted from previous studies (Beckstrand & Kirchhoff, 2005; Beckstrand, Smith, Heaston, & Bond, 2008) was sent to 1,000 nurses who were members of the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) and who had provided EOL care to dying oncology patients. Three mailings of the questionnaire yielded 380 usable responses from 907 eligible respondents, which resulted in a 41.9% return rate. Oncology nurses were asked to rate obstacle and supportive items on both size and frequency of occurrence as they related to oncology patients in a hospital setting. Results: Obstacle items which received the three highest perceived impact scores were: (1) dealing with anxious family members, (2) families not accepting what the physician is telling them about the patient's poor prognosis, and (3) being called away from the patient and family because of the need to help with a new admit or to help another nurse care for his/her patients. Supportive behavior items which received the three highest impact scores were: (1) allowing family members adequate time to be alone with the patient after he or she has died, (2) providing a peaceful, dignified bedside scene for family members once the patient has died, and (3) allowing families unlimited access to the dying patient even if it conflicts with nursing care at times. Implications: Oncology nurses are dedicated to providing the best EOL care to their patients and patients' families. This study identified obstacle and supportive behavior items with the largest impact on providing quality EOL care. Recommendations: Results of this research demonstrated the need for more EOL education and guidance in forming teams of nurses, social and palliative care workers, and physicians to support the giving of quality care. Nurses also reported the need for more time to support the dying patient and family.


Abstract Qatarization, a process to increase the number of Qatari nationals in the labor force, is considered one of the country top priorities to ensure its long-term economic development and security purpose. As 96 percent of Qatari men and 43 percent of Qatari women are currently in the labor force and women are more educated than men on average, it is clear that a significant increase in the labor force, especially in high skilled jobs, can only be achieved by increasing the participation of women in the labor force. It is therefore important to understand the factors that influence the decision of Qatari women to participate in the labor force. Using a nationally representative survey data and recent advances in the quantile regression technique, we analyze women's willingness to participate not only at the mean value (given by well known logistic regression) but also at its various quantiles. We found that the offer wage rate, age and education plays an important role in women decision to join the labor force. These factors have a positive effect on women's participation, but the effect varies across quantiles. The effects of marriage and having children, contrary to normal expectation, are not statistically significant, suggesting that once women enter the labor force they are not likely to exit because of marriage or children. We also discuss policy implications of the results to the Qatarization process.


Poorly managed food provisioning to attract wild fish to interact with tourists has many impacts on the fish and surrounding environment. Such impacts can theoretically be managed at sustainable levels, but too often the activity becomes established at unsustainable levels long before management intervention, resulting in dependence, not only of the fish, but also the local economy, making management unpopular and difficult to enforce. For decades feeding fish has been a popular tourist activity at Lord Howe Island. This study documents the intensity of the activity and examines the behavioural and health impacts on the fish. Impacts included habituation, dependency, aggression and altered foraging behaviour, skin lesions, microbial infections, excessive fat deposits, stomach ulcers and excessive parasite burdens. Lord Howe Island supports a small economy dependent upon ecotourism around sustainable interactions with the natural environment and fish feeding is marketed as a major attraction for visitors. Management action, including education and control of food types and quantities, is imperative to ensure the sustainability of fish feeding. This study exemplifies how an initially small-scale interaction between tourists and fish can escalate to pose a threat to the fish, the surrounding ecosystem and the local economy in a marine park of international significance.


The last few years have seen a significant change in the way humanitarian organisations approach response design. Partly spurred on by the growth in cash transfer programming and market-based programming, the practice of working through and supporting local markets is now widely considered best practice in the humanitarian field. Undertaking market analysis as part of preparedness and contingency planning could significantly improve the readiness to respond to crises. This market assessment was focused on the informal settlement of Mukuru, an urban area in Kenya that has current Oxfam programming. The objectives of the assessment were to: To identify through a rapid market analysis appropriate responses (cash/in-kind/market support/advocacy) to meet emergency and early livelihood-recovery needs. Strengthen Oxfam GB's national capacity in market analysis and in its use in response analysis and design as well as disaster risk reduction, preparedness and contingency planning; To build Oxfam's understanding of existing coping mechanisms and to inform programming on ways of reinforcing these mechanisms.


SUMMARY

The estimation of illite-rich shale anisotropy to account for the alignment of clays and gas- or brine-filled cracks is presented via mathematical modelling. Such estimation requires analysis to interpret the dominance of one effect over another. This knowledge can help to evaluate the permeability in the unconventional reservoir, stress orientation, and the seal capacity for the conventional reservoir.

Effective media modelling is used to predict the elastic properties of the illite-rich shale and to identify the dominant contributions to the shale anisotropy. We consider two principal reasons of the shale anisotropy: orientation of clay platelets and orientation of fluid-filled cracks. In reality, both of these two factors affect the shale anisotropy.

The goal of this study is, first, to separately analyse the effect of these two factors to reveal the specific features in P- and S-wave velocity behaviour typical of each of the factors, and, then, consider a combined effect of the factors when the cracks are horizontally or vertically aligned. To do this, we construct four models of shale. The behaviour of P- and S-wave velocities is analysed when gas- and water-filled cracks embedded in a host matrix are randomly oriented, or horizontally or vertically aligned. The host matrix can be either isotropic or anisotropic (of VTI symmetry). In such a modelling, we use published data on mineralogy and clay platelet alignment along with other micromechanical measurements. In the model, where the host matrix is isotropic, the presence of a singularity point (when the difference changes its sign) in shear wave velocities is an indicator of brine-filled aligned cracks. In the model with the VTI host matrix and horizontally aligned cracks filled with gas, an increase in their volume concentration leads to that the azimuth at which the singularity is observed moves toward the symmetry axis. In this case, if the clay content is small (around 20 per cent), the singularity point may even vanish. The Thomsen parameters are helpful in fluid type indication in shale. An indicator of gas-filled aligned cracks is ɛ > γ. If aligned cracks in illite-rich shale are brine-filled, ɛ < γ. Negative value of δ indicates brine-filled cracks in illite-rich shale. A shale with brine-filled cracks exhibits higher Vp/Vs ratio in the vertical direction as compared to the gas-filled shale.

A disorientation of clay platelets and brine-filled cracks may lead to that the singularity point is absent for brine-saturated shale as well. In this case one can also observe ɛ > γ and decreased values of Vp/Vs in the vertical direction as in the case of gas-filled cracks.

In the presence of vertically aligned cracks, shales exhibit distinctly revealed features of orthorhombic symmetry.

The results have important applications where seismic measurements are applied to predict the maturity state of the shale.


In a search for an x-ray laser capable of operating in a quasi-cw mode, a suggested Kalpha-innershell scheme is examined using recently calculated rates. This scheme involves the decay of a K-shell vacancy followed by a more rapid (for certain elements) L-vacancy decay, which maintains the inversion. The present analysis indicates that the scheme is only marginally feasible unless a depletion of resonant absorbers is accomplished through line shifts associated with multiple ionization following K-vacancy production. The pumping requirements for overcoming photoionization losses in the beam and the associated gain conditions are estimated for three elements, namely silicon, calcium, and copper, and it is concluded that photoionization pumping in a selective energy band is required, with emission approaching the blackbody level. A multiline heavy-ion plasma source is suggested.


The elegant regularity of maps of variables such as ocular dominance, orientation, and spatial frequency in primary visual cortex has prompted many people to suggest that their structure could be explained by an optimization principle. Up to now, the standard way to test this hypothesis has been to generate artificial maps by optimizing a hypothesized objective function and then to compare these artificial maps with real maps using a variety of quantitative criteria. If the artificial maps are similar to the real maps, this provides some evidence that the real cortex may be optimizing a similar function to the one hypothesized. Recently, a more direct method has been proposed for testing whether real maps represent local optima of an objective function (Swindale, Shoham, Grinvald, Bonhoeffer, & Hbener, 2000). In this approach, the value of the hypothesized function is calculated for a real map, and then the real map is perturbed in certain ways and the function recalculated. If each of these perturbations leads to a worsening of the function, it is tempting to conclude that the real map is quite likely to represent a local optimum of that function. In this article, we argue that such perturbation results provide only weak evidence in favor of the optimization hypothesis.


Cambridge is a historic city in the UK with an international reputation. The CB1 development is a major real estate regeneration project around the train station aiming to provide a gateway to the city. Once complete it will provide over 50,000 sq m of offices; 5,000 sq m of retail; 1,250 student units and 330 residential dwellings. When creating such a masterplan on a brown field site with multiple existing buildings and in a sensitive context, multiple decisions to demolish or adapt need to be made.
This paper tracks the history of the CB1 development through a review of planning documentation and media articles, and through interviews with key stakeholders, including the developers, town planners, architects, engineers and local campaigners, identifying where and how key decisions relating to adaptation and demolition were made.
The case study reveals complexities of decision-making in a real-world context. For example, for some of the existing buildings there were conflicting viewpoints about their future. The demolition of a Victorian terrace in favour of two new-build office blocks saw opposition from a local campaign group and the city councillors. However, the planning refusal was taken to appeal by the developers, who were then granted permission by the Planning Inspectorate. Arguments put forward included the lack of architectural significance, supported by the building not being listed and the public benefit brought about by demolition.
The paper also explores the technical aspects associated with buildings which were demolished or retained through the creation and analysis of a database of existing and new buildings. The exploration builds upon international research analysing features that increase adaptation potential. Considering such aspects as, the condition of the building; floor to ceiling heights; standardised floor plates; and intangible values, such as architectural significance.
The paper therefore assesses the CB1 development from both a technical and social perspective. The conclusions encourage actions to ensure holistic and sustainable decision-making in the future, recommending: the need for early stakeholder engagement; clarity on the strength of outline planning permission; and the recognition that heritage conservation and new build can both contribute to place-making. The paper also demonstrates the need for compromise, with inevitable conflicting viewpoints on a development of this scale.


Abstract. Temperature variations in large portions of the mantle are mainly controlled by the reversible and irreversible transformation of mechanical energy related to pressure and viscous forces into internal energy along with diffusion of heat and chemical reactions. The simplest approach to determine the temperature gradient is to assume that the dynamic process involved is adiabatic and reversible, which means that entropy remains constant in the system. However, heat conduction and viscous dissipation during dynamic processes effectively create entropy. The adiabatic and non-adiabatic temperature variation under the influence of a constant or varying gravitational field are discussed in this study from the perspective of the Joule–Thomson (JT) throttling system in relation to the transport equation for change of entropy. The JT model describes a dynamic irreversible process in which entropy in the system increases but enthalpy remains constant (at least in an equipotential gravitational field). A comparison is made between the thermal gradient from the JT model and the thermal gradient from two models, a mantle convection and a plume geodynamic model, coupled with thermodynamics including a complete description of the entropy variation. The results show that the difference is relatively small and suggests that thermal structure of the asthenospheric mantle can be well approximated by an isenthalpic model when the formulation includes the effect of the gravitational field. For non-dynamic or parameterized mantle dynamic studies, the JT formulation provides a better description of the thermal gradient than the classic isentropic formulation.


Abstract: Melatonin (N‐acetyl‐5‐methoxytryptamine) was initially thought to be produced exclusively in the pineal gland. Subsequently its synthesis was demonstrated in other organs, for example, the retinas, and very high concentrations of melatonin are found at other sites, for example, bone marrow cells and bile. The origin of the high level of melatonin in these locations has not been definitively established, but it is likely not exclusively of pineal origin. Melatonin has been shown to possess anti‐inflammatory effects, among a number of actions. Melatonin reduces tissue destruction during inflammatory reactions by a number of means. Thus melatonin, by virtue of its ability to directly scavenge toxic free radicals, reduces macromolecular damage in all organs. The free radicals and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species known to be scavenged by melatonin include the highly toxic hydroxyl radical (·OH), peroxynitrite anion (ONOO−), and hypochlorous acid (HOCl), among others. These agents all contribute to the inflammatory response and associated tissue destruction. Additionally, melatonin has other means to lower the damage resulting from inflammation. Thus, it prevents the translocation of nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) to the nucleus and its binding to DNA, thereby reducing the upregulation of a variety of proinflammatory cytokines, for example, interleukins and tumor neurosis factor‐alpha. Finally, there is indirect evidence that melatonin inhibits the production of adhesion molecules that promote the sticking of leukocytes to endothelial cells. By this means melatonin attenuates transendothelial cell migration and edema, which contribute to tissue damage.


In this study, the resource planning problem of a real-life problem, namely a 4 km long and 14 m wide asphalt highway project, was handled. According to the contract between the owner and the contractor, all construction work should have been completed within 17 days. The contractor of this project aimed to determine the minimum number of resources required to complete the project within the estimated project duration and their utilization rates. In this research, this problem was handled using computer simulation technique. For this purpose, a dynamic, stochastic and discrete event simulation model was used. The simulation model was built using the ready-made simulation software Extend+BPR. The simulation results revealed that when 3 flagmen, 1 grader, 1 road roller, 1 water truck, 17 trucks, 1 paver, 1 rubber roller, 1 steel wheel roller, and 5 laborers are used, the construction phase of the project could be completed within 17 days. Among all the resources required to complete the project, while the rubber roller had the maximum utilization rate (68%), the water truck had the minimum value (7%). The simulation results also indicated that while any increase in the number of these resources did not help to shorten the project duration, any decrease in the number of these resources brought about severe delays. Although the proposed methodology has some limitations, it has great potential to optimize resources and production rates in similar asphalt highway construction operations, especially when used during the planning phase.


We study dual volume sampling, a method for selecting k columns from an n*m short and wide matrix (n <= k <= m) such that the probability of selection is proportional to the volume spanned by the rows of the induced submatrix. This method was proposed by Avron and Boutsidis (2013), who showed it to be a promising method for column subset selection and its multiple applications. However, its wider adoption has been hampered by the lack of polynomial time sampling algorithms. We remove this hindrance by developing an exact (randomized) polynomial time sampling algorithm as well as its derandomization. Thereafter, we study dual volume sampling via the theory of real stable polynomials and prove that its distribution satisfies the "Strong Rayleigh" property. This result has numerous consequences, including a provably fast-mixing Markov chain sampler that makes dual volume sampling much more attractive to practitioners. This sampler is closely related to classical algorithms for popular experimental design methods that are to date lacking theoretical analysis but are known to empirically work well.


This document defines a practical architecture and protocols for
offering privacy for a user who requests and uses an X.509 certificate
containing a pseudonym, while still retaining the ability to map such
a certificate to the real user who requested it. The architecture is
compatible with IETF certificate request formats such as PKCS10 (RFC
2986) and CMC (RFC 5272). The architecture separates the authorities
involved in issuing a certificate: one for verifying ownership of a
private key (Blind Issuer) and the other for validating the contents
of a certificate (Anonymity Issuer). The end entity (EE) certificates
issued under this model are called Traceable Anonymous Certificates
(TACs). This memo defines an Experimental Protocol for the Internet
community.


AIM
To describe the importance of supervisors working together in supporting the learning process of nurse students through reflective caring science supervision.

BACKGROUND
A supervision model has been developed in order to meet the need for interweaving theory and practice. The model is characterized by learning reflection in caring science. A unique aspect of the present project was that the student groups were led by a teacher and a nurse.

METHOD
Data were collected through interviews with the supervisors. The analysis was performed with a phenomenological approach.

RESULTS
The results showed that theory and practice can be made more tangible and interwoven by using two supervisors in a dual supervision. The essential structure is built on the constituents 'Reflection as Learning Support', 'Interweaving Caring Science with the Patient's Narrative', 'The Student as a Learning Subject' and 'The Learning Environment of Supervision'.

CONCLUSION
The study concludes that supervision in pairs provides unique possibilities for interweaving and developing theory and practice.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT
The supervision model offers unique opportunities for cooperation, for the development of theory and practice and for the development of the professional roll of nurses and teachers.


We study the detailed process by which slow contraction smooths and flattens the universe using an improved numerical relativity code that accepts initial conditions with non-perturbative deviations from homogeneity and isotropy along two independent spatial directions. Contrary to common descriptions of the early universe, we find that the geometry first rapidly converges to an inhomogeneous, spatially-curved and anisotropic ultralocal state in which all spatial gradient contributions to the equations of motion decrease as an exponential in time to negligible values. This is followed by a second stage in which the geometry converges to a homogeneous, spatially flat and isotropic spacetime. In particular, the decay appears to follow the same history whether the entire spacetime or only parts of it are smoothed by the end of slow contraction.


The occurrence and fate of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in the environment are topics of increasing concern. In recent years, numerous studies about their global transport, UV degradation, bioaccumulation and toxicity were performed to assess their environmental fate. As a result, most of the first generation BFRs are banned or restricted, and replaced by new ones. However, based on similar properties these new compounds may also pose a serious risk by causing adverse effects to human health and the environment. According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) the class of the "emerging" BFRs are defined as compounds that have been identified in any environmental compartments, but the potential for degradation or bioaccumulation of these emerging BFRs is partially unknown.
A representative of this class of compounds is the heterocyclic TDBP-TAZTO which was first detected in mollusks from Chinese bohai sea and in environmental matrices near a manufacturing plant in southern china. Furthermore, Wang et al. describe that the growth of the alga Nannochloropsis sp. is inhibited by TDBP-TAZTO in a concentration dependent manner but the photo-chemical behavior as well as the formation of possible photo-transformation products (PTPs) are still unknown. In order to clarify this complex issue photo-degradation experiments were by determining the rate constants and degradation half-life times of TDBP-TAZTO in different solvent compositions. In this study, the photodegradation of TDBP-TAZTO was performed for the first time to identify its photolysis products and to get a first understanding about the main degradation pathway in environmental matrices.


This comprehensive Handbook serves as an excellent reference manual providing answers to virtually every conceivable question that can arise during the planning and implementation process of an evaluation.


We have conducted a paleoseismic investigation of serial fault rupture at one site along the 110-km rupture of the North Anatolian fault that produced the Mw 7.4 earthquake of 17 August 1999. The benefit of using a recent rupture to compare serial ruptures lies in the fact that the location, magnitude, and slip vector of the most recent event are all very well documented. We wished to determine whether or not the previous few ruptures of the fault were similar to the recent one. We chose a site at a step-over between two major strike-slip traces, where the principal fault is a normal fault. Our two excavations across the 1999 rupture reveal fluvial sands and gravels with two colluvial wedges related to previous earthquakes. Each wedge is about 0.8 m thick. Considering the processes of collapse and subsequent diffusion that are responsible for the formation of a colluvial wedge, we suggest that the two paleoscarps were similar in height to the 1999 scarp. This similarity supports the concept of characteristic slip, at least for this location along the fault. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates of 16 charcoal samples are consistent with the interpretation that these two paleoscarps formed during large historical events in 1509 and 1719. If this is correct, the most recent three ruptures at the site have occurred at 210- and 280-year intervals.


Modern diplomacy, once a largely one-dimensional, nation-to-nation process, is now a multi-dimensional enterprise in which so-called "non-state" actors and foreign publics play an increasingly prominent role. The latest Iraq war is the most dramatic, but hardly the first, example of this phenomenon. The rise in influence of non-state actors has been paralleled by two other equally important developments: globalization--the integration of peoples, societies, and economies--and information technologies that now link nations, cultures, and societies in complex and unprecedented ways. This is the transformed international environment in which public diplomacy now operates. In such a world, the public-diplomacy quotient of virtually every foreign policy issue today has risen dramatically, whether regarding a trade negotiation over genetically modified corn, the reconstruction of Iraq, or the threat of HTV/AIDS. Policies can still be forged in private, confidential talks among professional diplomats, much as they were 200 years ago, but no policy initiative can succeed over the long term without the understanding and support of multiple foreign publics and other non-state actors. Equally vital is a shift in US State Department culture that moves public diplomacy closer to the center of diplomatic work. To shape mindsets abroad, mindsets at home must be changed first. This process began with the integration of the US Information Agency into the Department of State in 1999. More recently, the administration of US President George Bush has reversed a decade of declining resources for public diplomacy through substantial increases in funds, personnel, and training. The disciplines of persuasive communication are inescapable, and the realm of foreign policy is no exception. The public diplomacy and international communications of the United States must reflect a basic set of principles and practices--the seven pillars of public diplomacy--to meet its mandate "to inform, engage, and influence" foreign publics. The Seven Pillars The first of these so-called pillars is policy advocacy, and all public diplomacy activities, however varied, are designed to support US national interests and meet its international duties. Above all else, the first responsibility must always be to ensure that foreign audiences understand US policies for what they are, not for what others say they are. To be more than a series of ad hoc responses to changing events, public diplomacy must be incorporated into the ground floor of foreign policy. Policy makers must take to heart the maxim that a policy that cannot be explained clearly and understandably, to many different audiences is not sustainable. In the Bush administration's national communications strategy, therefore, foreign policy and public diplomacy are inextricable and integrated throughout the process of policy formulation and implementation. An effective national public diplomacy effort must be coordinated throughout the government to ensure that information priorities are clear, overall themes are established, messages are consistent, and resources are used effectively. Types of messages, language, audience, format, and media will vary greatly. All, however, should be part of a comprehensive public diplomacy strategy linked to the formulation of policy at its inception and coordinated broadly throughout the foreign affairs community. The daily point-counterpoint of policy debate is only one element of public diplomacy. It is equally vital to systematically address the slower pulse of public attitudes, to connect with human emotions and perceptions where our values and worldviews reside most deeply. As one writer has said, "People are drowning in information, yet desperate for context." It is here, in the quest for deeper understanding and broader dialogue with states and peoples, that the Bush administration has worked hard to re-energize US public diplomacy, which has lost focus and funding since the end of the Cold War. …


ABSTRACT After many years of being legally banned, comparative advertising has recently been permitted in Germany. So far, advertising practitioners and researchers have neither reached a consensus on its effectiveness nor on its usefulness for corporate communications. While findings from the U.S. literature suggest that comparative advertising can be effective in several contexts in the United States, there has been a lack of research on whether comparative advertising can be effective in Germany. Because of cultural factors, it should not be automatically concluded that comparative advertisements will be effective in Germany. The authors explore the effectiveness of comparative advertising in Germany by analyzing two separate campaigns, one that theoretically lends itself to effective comparative advertising and one that does not. A general theory that makes predictions about the effectiveness of comparative advertising is proposed and tested. While an analysis of two campaigns is not sufficient to establish the generalized efficacy of comparative advertising in Germany, the results clearly support the idea that comparative advertising can be effective in some contexts in Germany. However, as predicted by our theory, there are other conditions under which comparative advertising is not effective.


Abstract We used complete mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences, largely obtained from sequences deposited with GenBank, supplemented by published sequences, from most genera and most species among the Procellariiformes to infer their phylogeny and molecular taxonomy. We analysed both issues of higher-level relationships within the order, and questions of the correct classification of taxa at the levels of genus, subgenus, species and subspecies. Nucleotide sequence data of cytochrome b are insufficient to resolve all higher-relationship issues, which must await the analysis of additional mtDNA and nuclear sequence data, but they do suggest some striking new findings. Sequence and distance data allow us to make judgments about the boundaries between taxa at various levels that are less arbitrary in these matters than those based on morphological or phylogenetic data alone. Working within the multidimensional Biological Species Concept, we reject the recently proposed splits among albatross species, and lump D. amsterdamensis as a subspecies of Diomedea exulans. A strong relationship of the storm-petrels to the albatrosses is apparent. We subdivide the storm-petrels into two subfamilies, Hydrobatinae and Oceanitinae. Presently, Oceanodroma is paraphyletic, and is regrouped into four genera: Hydrobates (of which Oceanodroma becomes a junior synonym), Cymochorea, Halocyptena, and Thalobata. In the fulmar clade, Macronectes halli should be merged with M. giganteus. The shearwaters formerly assigned to Puffinus apparently cluster into two major clades at the generic level: Puffinus and Ardenna. Puffinus creatopus should become a subspecies of P. carneipes. Lugensa is a distinct genus, with its closest affinities to Pachyptila; and the evidence suggests reducing the prions to two species: P. turtur and P. vittata. However, the prion—Lugensa group remains incertae sedis. Bulweria groups with Pseudobulweria and Procellaria. Our data reveal that Pterodroma has internal structure at the subgeneric level; they establish the subgenera Pterodroma, Hallstroma and probably Cookilaria, but final analysis will require data from nearly all gadfly-petrel species. Amino acid distances are used to estimate times of divergence for the various branchings.


According to Bakhtin's theory, an argumentative text encompasses qualities such as heteroglossia, polyphony and dialogism that enable the students' transition from monologic to dialogic cognition of others' ideas. Such a knowledge may conduce to the dialogic formation of argumentative writing and raise the students' awareness on the argumentative genre. Influenced by Bakhtin's theory, the following paper presents an intervention case-study in teaching argumentation conducted in a group of twenty four 12-year old students of a Greek primary school. Data has been gathered from class recordings of role playing games, dialogic interactions as well as from written argumentative texts. Results showed that the aforementioned activities conduced, first, to the introduction of counter-arguments and rebuttals in the students' texts and, second, to the empowerment of their individual persuasive speech.


Background Preeclampsia has been suggested to increase the risk of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD); however, most studies were unable to adjust for potential confounders including pre-existing comorbidities such as renal disease and cardiovascular disease (CVD). We aimed to examine the association between preeclampsia and the risk of ESKD in healthy women, while taking into account pre-existing comorbidity and potential confounders. Methods and findings Using data from the Swedish Medical Birth Register (MBR), women who had singleton live births in Sweden between 1982 and 2012, including those who had preeclampsia, were identified. Women with a diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD), CVD, hypertension, or diabetes prior to the first pregnancy were excluded. The outcome was a diagnosis of ESKD, identified from the Swedish Renal Registry (SRR) from January 1, 1991, onwards along with the specified cause of renal disease. We conducted Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to examine the association between preeclampsia and ESKD adjusting for several potential confounders: maternal age, body mass index (BMI), education, native country, and smoking. This analysis accounts for differential follow-up among women because women had different lengths of follow-up time. We performed subgroup analyses according to preterm preeclampsia, small for gestational age (SGA), and women who had 2 pregnancies with preeclampsia in both. The cohort consisted of 1,366,441 healthy women who had 2,665,320 singleton live births in Sweden between 1982 and 2012. At the first pregnancy, women's mean (SD) age and BMI were 27.8 (5.13) and 23.4 (4.03), respectively, 15.2% were smokers, and 80.7% were native Swedish. The overall median (interquartile range [IQR]) follow-up was 7.4 years (3.2–17.4) and 16.4 years (10.3–22.0) among women with ESKD diagnosis. During the study period, 67,273 (4.9%) women having 74,648 (2.8% of all pregnancies) singleton live births had preeclampsia, and 410 women developed ESKD with an incidence rate of 1.85 per 100,000 person-years. There was an association between preeclampsia and ESKD in the unadjusted analysis (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.93–6.33; p < 0.001), which remained in the extensively adjusted (HR = 4.96, 95% CI 3.89–6.32, p < 0.001) models. Women who had preterm preeclampsia (adjusted HR = 9.19; 95% CI 5.16–15.61, p < 0.001) and women who had preeclampsia in 2 pregnancies (adjusted HR = 7.13, 95% CI 3.12–16.31, p < 0.001) had the highest risk of ESKD compared with women with no preeclampsia. Considering this was an observational cohort study, and although we accounted for several potential confounders, residual confounding cannot be ruled out. Conclusions The present findings suggest that women with preeclampsia and no major comorbidities before their first pregnancy are at a 5-fold increased risk of ESKD compared with parous women with no preeclampsia; however, the absolute risk of ESKD among women with preeclampsia remains small. Preeclampsia should be considered as an important risk factor for subsequent ESKD. Whether screening and/or preventive strategies will reduce the risk of ESKD in women with adverse pregnancy outcomes is worthy of further investigation.


Reliably localizing and tracking displays moving relative to content in the physical world is one of the primary technical challenges facing all augmented reality systems. While significant progress has been made in recent years, all approaches remain limited to functioning only in certain environments and situations. Attempts to improve solution generality via additional sensors (e.g., depth sensors, multiple cameras) add significant size, weight and power to wearable solutions sensitive to these attributes. In this work, we propose an approach to tracking and localization using a single camera and inertial chip. Through a combination of visual-inertial navigation, point cloud mapping and dynamically correlating building faces and edges with sparse OpenStreetMap datasets, we achieved a typical global localization precision of less than 0.25 meters and 1 degree heading relative to the map. All motion tracking calculations are performed on a local mobile device with less than 10 milliseconds of latency while global localization and drift correction is performed remotely.


Exploring the new science of emergence allows us to create a very different classroom than how the modern classroom has been conceptualised under the mentality of efficiency and output. Working on the whole person, and not just the mind, we see a shift from the epistemic pillars of truth to more ontological concerns as regards student achievement in our post-Modern and critical discourses. It is important to understand these shifts and how we are to transition our own perception and mentality not only in our research methodologies but also our approach to conceptualisations of issues in education and sustainability. We can no longer think linearly to approach complex problems or advocate for education and disregard our interconnectedness insofar as it enhances our children's education. We must, therefore, contemplate and transition to a world that is ecological and not mechanical, complex and not complicated—in essence, we must work to link mind-body with self-environment and transcend these in order to bring about an integration toward a sustainable future. A fundamental shift in consciousness and perception may implicate our nature of creating dichotomous entities in our own microcosms, yet postmodern theorists assume, a priori, that these dualities can be bridged in naturalism alone. I, on the other hand, embrace metaphysics to understand the implicated modern classroom in a hierarchical context and ask: is not the very omission of metaphysics in postmodern discourse a symptom from an education whose foundation was built in its absence? The very dereliction of ancient wisdom in education is very peculiar indeed. Western mindfulness may play a vital component in consummating pragmatic idealism, but only under circumstances admitting metaphysics can we truly transcend our limitations, thereby placing Eastern Mindfulness not as an ecological component, but as an ecological and metaphysical foundation.


Deformation of the workpiece may cause dimensional problems in machining. Supports and locators are used in order to reduce the error caused by elastic deformation of the workpiece. The optimization of support and locator locations is a critical problem to minimise the geometric error in workpiece machining. In this paper, the application of genetic algorithms (GAs) to the fixture layout optimisation is presented to handle fixture layout problem. A genetic algorithm based approach is developed to optimise fixture layout through integrating ANSYS running in batch mode to compute the objective function values for each generation. A case study is given to illustrate the application of proposed approach.


PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF TANTALUM SILICIDE FILMS ON SILICON SUBSTRATES by Lei Jin Tantalum silicide (TaSi2) thin films were sputter deposited on ptype and ntype silicon substrates using VARIAN 3125 magnetron DC sputtering system with TaSi 2 target. The thicknesses of TaSi2 thin films considered in this study are 200A, 600A and 1000A, respectively. The TaSi2/Si wafers were annealed at temperatures in the range .of 400 to 900°C. The sheet resistances of TaSi2 thin films with various thicknesses were measured by four-point probe before and after annealing. The sheet resistance decreases with increase in annealing temperature and decreases with the increase in thickness of TaSi2 thin films. The structure of tantalum silicide thin. films are investigated utilizing Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Energy Dispersion X-ray Analysis (EDAX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Due to the absorption of photons in the Si substrate, we cannot get reliable results from FTIR. EDAX results show the composition characteristics of TaSi2 thin films. X-ray diffraction results show changes in the structure of TaSi2 thin film from amorphous to crystalline after annealing. Oxidation characteristics of the TaSi2 films have been investigated in the temperature range of 500 °C-900°C in wet steam ambients. The oxidation time ranged from 0.5 to 1.5 hours. No oxide formation of tantalum was observed in the experiment because the surface layer of the mixed Ta-Si oxides prevented the further oxidation of tantalum silicide. PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF TANTALUM SILICIDE FILMS ON SILICON SUBSTRATES


Large-scale refugee movements clearly pose a threat to human, state, and societal security. Balancing the different levels of security threats is difficult. The case of the Afghan refugees is interesting, as (forced) migration was not linked to security until years after the initial displacement, and during a time when refugee numbers were not at their peak. Furthermore, countries with smaller numbers of refugees felt more threatened than those bearing the bulk. This article sets out to explore this interesting security puzzle, trying to answer the question whether the South Asian security dilemma can be linked to migration and displacement in the region, or other factors. The article concludes that a security-migration linkage seems to be based more on the duration than the size of displacement. Furthermore, policies by regional and international actors toward Afghan refugees contributed to the development of refugee warrior communities linked to state and international security concerns. Finally, power politics and geo-strategic as well as economic interests also contributed to the security dilemma. All these factors need to be considered in future refugee assistance in order to assume that human security is not sacrificed for that of states, and that the victims (refugees) are not the only ones held responsible.


The construction, fit-out, operation and the final demolition of buildings contributes to a large-scale negative impacts on the environment, even at the level of material and energy consumption, or even because the inefficient infrastructure. This document is based on a thorough study that encompasses the design phase, construction, use and, finally,the end of life. This work it is followed by an innovative modular building and execution process, within the FRAMEUP project, which will take place in Lulea, Sweden. The aim of this study is to analyze the sustainability of this future building; first from an energy point of view so as to know the specific energy consumption using specific software, and on the other hand from an environmental stand point by leading a complete life-cycle assessment (cradle-to-grave).


From experts at McKinsey & Company's world-renowned growth practice comes a highly practical, field-tested approach to initiating and sustaining growth in companies of all sizes. . Growth unleashes benefits beyond the economic. It revitalizes organizations and invigorates the people in them, creating energy, a sense of purpose, and the glow of being on a winning team. Like the alchemy of old, it seeks to transform the everyday into the exalted by means that seem little short of magical. Yet growth is often elusive, achieved at unacceptable costs, or managed in fits and starts. Based on over three years of research and application at high-performing companies around the world, The Alchemy of Growth is a comprehensive, practical approach to initiating, achieving, and sustaining profitable growthtoday and tomorrow. As the book shows, the secret is to manage business opportunities across three time horizons at once: extending and defending core businesses, building new businesses, and seeding options for the future. The Alchemy of Growth offers managers at all levels the tools and concepts for investing in the right initiatives, capabilities, and talent to propel their companies into the future.


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A method of testing for the tensile strength of weak rock from H-Ometer is presented. H-Ometer tests are carried out on artificial weak rock specimen to test for the accuracy of the model. The weak rock is a simulation of weakly cemented sandstone, which is assumed homogeneous and isotropic and contains no discontinuities. Presently, the existing method of in direct tensile testing using the H-Ometer test is carried out on diametrical specimen model. In this study, efforts to determine a suitable method of testing are carried out on both axial and diametrical
model position. The test was conducted on both model specimens, which is subjected to incremental load until failure occurs, and at each load response, the deformation,
crack pattern and tensile strength were determined. In this study, a 3-Dimensional elasto-plastic analysis of the experimental work using commercially available LUSAS Finite Element Method is carried out to simulate the performance of H-Ometer on both axial and diametrical model specimens. The ability of the simulated models to predict the tensile strength and crack pattern from H-Ometer will validate the experimental results. Comparison of results for both diametrical and axial model specimen will determine the appropriate model specimen that will give accurate results from H-Ometer test. Throughout this investigation, results of both model specimens carried out using H-Ometer testing device is found to be reliable with indirect tensile strength values ranging from 0.256 MPa to 0.218 MPa. As for the numerical analysis, tensile strength results of both models differ by 1.3%, which is almost negligible and indicates that ideally, either testing position is appropriate. However, experimentally, the axial model agreed more closely to the finite element analysis, which differs by 3.6% compared to 11.3% for the diametrical model.


A novel dry low-NOx gas turbine technology requires well-balanced assessments since the early development phases. The weak knowledge of often conflicting aspects, such as operability and manufacturability, make any roadmap difficult to be drawn. Introduction of innovative manufacturing technologies such as the direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) process allows rapid manufacturing of components and test them in dedicated facilities to support real-time development of new products. The use of such a manufacturing process allows the adoption of designed experiment-based development strategies, which are still uncommon at industrial level, due to the reduced time from drawings to test.The paper describes a reactive test campaign performed by BHGE in cooperation with University of Florence, aimed at the exploration of capabilities of different innovative burners in terms of pollutant emissions containment and blow-out margin. In particular, the test campaign has been conceived to provide a robust estimate of the effects of key geometrical parameters on principal burner performances. The flame stabilization mechanism of the investigated burners is based on the swirling flow generated by different setup of two internal channels: corotating and counter-rotating radial and axial swirlers. The effect of both the shape and the size of the internal air passages, as well as of the swirler characteristics, has been matter of investigation. Burners were tested in a single-cup test rig operated at moderate pressure conditions (up to 6 bar), with two levels of preheated air temperature (300 °C and 400 °C). Each burner was equipped with two natural gas feeding lines representing the diffusion (pilot) and premixed (main) fuel supplies: both lines were regulated during tests to assess the effect of fuel split on emissions and to identify a stable low-NOx operating window, within which a lean blow-out test was performed. Dynamic pressure probes were used to evaluate the onset of combustion instabilities. The burner development was supported by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) investigations with the purpose to have a detailed understating of the flow-field and flame structure and to perform a preliminary screening to select the most promising solutions for the testing phase. The post process of the experimental results has allowed to correlate the main design parameters to burner performance variables discovering possible twofold optimizations in terms of emissions and operability.


With a recent study in this journal, Hansen and Lassen1 followed a promising path to answer pressing questions with regard to postulated causal links between shift work and cancer.2 By employing diurnal preference to characterise the individual's chronobiological propensity to work and sleep or rest, the authors may have used a marker of susceptibility to stress and strain experienced by individuals who work at chronobiologically unusual times. This novel approach may have captured information relevant to the undefined link, namely 'circadian disruption', in the 'probable' chain of cancer causation in shift workers which experts of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) identified in 2007.3 Here is why and how we could diligently follow-up on this thought-provoking case-control study.

First, some remarkable observations: In this study of night-shift work among women in the Danish military, diurnal preference was associated with differential breast cancer risks. For those with 884 or more cumulative night shifts, the OR for morning types was 3.9 (95% CI 1.6 to 9.5) and 2.0 (95% CI 0.7 to 5.8) for similarly exposed evening types; in the so-called intermediate types no increased risks were detected. The information on night work was collected before IARC's aforementioned classification, which lends methodological weight to the observations of this case-control study.

Second, some necessary information: When Hansen and Lassen refer to 'morning type' or 'evening type' preference, this corresponds colloquially to 'larks' and …


In the human genome, telomeric DNA has tandem repeats of the sequence 5′-TTAGGG terminating with a 3′ single-stranded overhang of 100–200 bases. These guanine-rich DNA sequences can fold into tetrastranded structures, known as G-quadruplexes. The precise fold of the G-quadruplex structure is dictated by the metal ions present which we studied through the use of the α-hemolysin ion channel. Being electrophoretically driven into the cis side of the α-hemolysin, the hybrid fold (K+) entered the vestibule mouth leading to current blockages for the duration of the time the DNA resided in the vestibule. Due to the polymorphic nature of the hybrid folds, the recorded current signatures could be correlated with the major structural topologies that exist for this fold in solution (e.g. hybrid-1, hybrid-2, and triplex; Mashimo et al., 2010). The hybrid folds were not capable of traversing to the trans side of the nanopore, while the triplex could achieve translocation. The basket fold (Na+) was also able to enter into the vestibule causing current blockages that were indicative of the orientation in which they entered into the vestibule. When the basket fold entered tail first, slow translocation events were observed. In contrast, the propeller fold (∼3.9 nm, 0.05 M K+/5 M Li+) exceeds the protein channel orifice (∼3.0 nm) producing only swift and small disturbances to the open channel current. Secondly, oxidative damage to the telomeric sequence is proposed to contribute to telomere shortening, dysfunction, and cell aging (Epel et al., 2004). Locations of the oxidative damages have different effects on the G-quadruplex folding that produced significant changes in their nanopore behavior. Placement of the guanine oxidation product, 8-oxoguanosine (OG), in a top or bottom tetrad results in destabilization of that layer, whereas the presence of OG in a middle tetrad leads to complete unfolding of the G-quadruplex. These behaviors were determined by their translocation times which correlated with the folding's free energy supported by NIH GM093099.


Both enantiomers of 2-tert-butyl-2-methyl-1,3-benzodioxole-4-carboxylic (TBMB) acid, which has a unique quaternary chiral center located on the acetal carbon, were prepared from a racemic ketone in which the carboxy group was replaced by a trifluoroacetyl group. First, reduction with fungi, Geotrichum candidum provided (2S,1′S)- and (2R,1′S)- 1′-(2-tert-butyl-2-methyl-1,3-benzodioxol-4-yl)-2′,2′,2′-trifluoroethanol in a highly enantiofacially selective manner. After acetylation, the resulting diastereomeric mixture was submitted to Candida antarctica lipase B-catalyzed transesterification. The reaction proceeded in a stereoselective manner under the influence of the chiral center at the acetal carbon, even though it was six atoms removed from the ester carbonyl carbon. Although the two substrates had the same absolute configuration at the secondary alcohol, the reaction rate of one stereoisomer was 72 times greater than that of the other isomer. The reason for this differential reactivity was attributed mainly to a large difference in Vmax(app) between the stereoisomers. The products, acetate and alcohol, were easily separated by chromatography, and each was then derivatized to (R)- and (S)-TBMB acid, with >99.2% ee, respectively.


We investigate theoretically and experimentally Fano resonances in integrated silicon Bragg reflectors. These asymmetric resonances are obtained by interference between light reflected from the Bragg waveguide and from the end facet. The Bragg reflectors were designed and modeled using the 1D transfer matrix method, and they were fabricated in standard silicon wafers using a CMOS-compatible process. The results show that the shape and asymmetry of the Fano resonances depend on the relative phase of the reflected light from the Bragg reflectors and end facet. This phase relationship can be controlled to optimize the lineshapes for sensing applications. Temperature sensing in these integrated Bragg reflectors are experimentally demonstrated with a temperature sensitivity of 77 pm/°C based on the thermo-optic effect of silicon.


The increasing risk of human exposure to emerging nanoparticles (NPs) has created a wide concern about their inhalation toxicity. Once NPs are inhaled, they get through the branching airway to deposit in the alveoli, where a thin pulmonary surfactant (PS) layer acts as the first barrier against them entering the deep lung. However, in terms of the inhalation toxicity of NPs, the mechanisms by which inhaled NPs interact with the PS layer and how the morphological change of NPs due to the PS layer interactions influences the subsequent fate of NPs are still elusive. By using molecular dynamics simulations, we investigate the interactions between graphene nanosheets (GNs) and the PS layer. It is found that when GNs suspend above or slowly penetrate the PS layer, PS molecules can spontaneously be extracted from the layer and made to form inverse micelles via cooperative molecular motion and rearrangement on the GN surfaces. We demonstrate that the PS layer tension and GN properties like size, oxidation ratio and curvature significantly affect the extraction dynamics. Notably, for curved GNs, only the concave surface can vigorously extract PS molecules, showing that the dispersive adhesion between GN and PS dominates the extracting and rearranging process. Our results propose new mechanisims for the experimental findings on the inhalation toxicity of graphene-family nanomaterials. Moreover, bearing in mind that the surface properties of GNs have been masked by adsorbed PS molecules, the newly formed structure may act like a corona that influences the biological identity of GNs. Therefore, anyone either evaluating inhalation toxicity or promoting biomedical applications of GNs should consider the first contact with PS at the air–water interface in alveoli.


The Singaporean government has made building information modeling (BIM) implementation mandatory in new building projects with gross floor areas over 5000 m2, but the implementation is still plagued with hindrances such as lacking project-wide collaboration. The purposes of this study are to identify critical factors hindering BIM implementation in Singapore's construction industry, analyze their interrelationships, and identify strategies for reducing these hindrances. The results from a survey of 87 experts and five post-survey interviews in the Singaporean construction industry identified 21 critical hindrances, among which "need for all key stakeholders to be on board to exchange information" was ranked top. These hindrances were categorized into lack of collaboration and model integration (LCMI), lack of continuous involvement and capabilities (LCIC), and lack of executive vision and training (LEVT). LEVT and LCIC contributed to LCMI; LEVT caused LCIC. The proposed framework implying the key hindrances and their corresponding managerial strategies can help practitioners identify specific adjustments to their BIM implementation activities, which enables to efficiently achieve enhanced BIM implementation. The hindrances identified in this study facilitate overseas BIM implementers to customize their own lists of hindrances.


Purpose: This article attempts to deal with the events that took place during the advent (reappearance) of Imam Mahdi, the Savior of all the worlds. In fact, in this article, we will discuss the forces that will join him when the Imam of the time appears, and above all, with Imam Hussein and how globalization can pave the way for Imam Mahdi's world revolution. Also, this research was conducted to answer and clarify three questions that stated in the Introduction section. Methods: We performed our methods in 4 stages: Identifying studies, Selection of Studies, Collating Studies, Reporting results. Results: One of the reasons why the Imam of the Age (Imam Mahdi) rises is because of the killing of Imam Hussein, and God has made a firm promise that he will take revenge on any of the perpetrators who led this incident by Imam Mahdi. Imam Hussein also states that the basis of his rising was inviting people to the Quran and the Prophet's Sunnah. Conclusion: God helps Imam Mahdi and Jesus Christ to establish divine government on earth, and this is accepted by Muslims and Christians. Dread and terror, as part of Imam Mahdi's power, will move in advance of his soldiers. Imam Mahdi will appear with the aim of reforming humanity and spreading justice in the world. We hope this article will take an important step in acquainting people with Imam Mahdi and Jesus Christ and paving the ground for their reappearance.


The small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) is a conserved factor that post-translationally regulates proteins involved in many cellular processes, including gene transcription. We previously demonstrated that promoter-bound factors become sumoylated during activation of inducible genes in yeast, but the identity of these factors, and the role of sumoylation in their function, was unknown. Here we show that the transcriptional activator Gcn4 is sumoylated on two specific lysine residues and in a manner that depends on its ability to bind DNA, indicating that sumoylation occurs after Gcn4 binding to target promoters. Importantly, this functions to facilitate the subsequent removal of the activator from these promoters after recruitment of RNA polymerase II, which can prevent inappropriate transcription of target genes. Furthermore, we show that clearance of sumoylated Gcn4 requires the protein kinase and Mediator complex subunit Srb10, linking activator removal with target gene transcription. Our study demonstrates an unexpected role for protein sumoylation in the process of transcriptional activation.


The smallholder dairy farmers' access to modern milk marketing chain has been assessed in India by collecting data at the farm level in two states, viz. Bihar and Punjab. These states are among the largest milk producing states of the country but depict stark variations in terms of milk productivity and per capita milk availability. Another significant feature is the emergences of modern milk marketing chains in both the states. The study has shown that in spite of the growing presence of modern milk supply chains, the traditional milk supply chain is still dominant in the Indian milk market. Its presence is even more pronounced in less-developed states like Bihar. However, the traditional milk supply chain is being replaced, albeit slowly, with the commercialization of dairying. The structure of the milk marketing in Punjab has depicted this conclusion. The study has concluded that the modern milk supply chain seems to have an inclusive structure and the resource-poor dairy farmers are not excluded from the modern milk supply chain. The study has argued that the traceability and food safety issues will further strengthen the modern milk supply chain. The scalability of the modern milk supply chain will depend on the development of milk collection and transportation facilities and incentive pricing for a quality produce.


Citizen sensing, or the use of low-cost and accessible digital technologies to monitor environments, has contributed to new types of environmental data and data practices. Through a discussion of participatory research into air pollution sensing with residents of northeastern Pennsylvania concerned about the effects of hydraulic fracturing, we examine how new technologies for generating environmental data also give rise to new problems for analysing and making sense of citizen-gathered data. After first outlining the citizen data practices we collaboratively developed with residents for monitoring air quality, we then describe the data stories that we created along with citizens as a method and technique for composing data. We further mobilise the concept of 'just good enough data' to discuss the ways in which citizen data gives rise to alternative ways of creating, valuing and interpreting datasets. We specifically consider how environmental data raises different concerns and possibilities in relation to Big Data, which can be distinct from security or social media studies. We then suggest ways in which citizen datasets could generate different practices and interpretive insights that go beyond the usual uses of environmental data for regulation, compliance and modelling to generate expanded data citizenships.


The controlled assembly of anisotropic plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) into highly SERS-active substrates remains particularly challenging for the production of long-term stable NP assemblies in suspension. In this work, we report a simple and efficient strategy to assemble gold nanorods (AuNRs) into dimers. The pH-dependent assembly was triggered using the bifunctional molecular linker BPE (1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene) and quenched with silver nitrate. The resulting AuNR dimers were encapsulated in mesoporous silica shell and proved to be stable in water for at least 5 months. Taking advantage of the large Raman scattering cross-section of the linker BPE, we conducted a detailed study of the enhancement ability of these NR dimers using solution-based surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Both experimental (SERS) and theoretical (discrete dipole approximation) studies of the near-field characteristics revealed a two-orders of magnitude increase of the SERS enhancement factor for the dimers as compared to isolated AuNRs. Besides thermal and colloidal stability, mesoporous silica coating of AuNRs imparts other notable advantages due to its porosity and biocompatibility, which make these core-shell plasmonic platforms promising for future bio-applications.


Taxes tend to influence individual choices between labor and leisure, and high effective marginal tax rates on earned income tend to discourage work. In particular, the empirical evidence shows that high effective marginal tax rates tend to discourage work by lowand moderate-income individuals, especially those that are trying to work their way out of the welfare system. Unfortunately, the current federal tax system often imposes its highest effective marginal tax rates on just those individuals. The purpose of this paper is to suggest some simple ways to reduce those high effective marginal tax rates. One approach would be to replace the current earned income tax credit with a $2,000 per worker credit and a refundable $1,000 per child tax credit. A more comprehensive approach would be to integrate the individual income tax and Social Security tax systems into a single, comprehensive income tax system with refundable $2,000 per worker earned income tax credits and with $1,000 or $2,000 per person refundable personal tax credits or demogrants. In short, this paper consid-


Regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+) recruited by FOXP3 gene, are necessary for the initiation and conservation of self-tolerance and avoidance of autoimmunity by decreasing the auto reactive T cells. According to one research, it was being planned to examine the aspect of Tregs in immune system of HIV+ patients and noticed that number of Tregs are above the normal but function is extremely decreased with noticeable HIV-1 RNA in plasma in contrast to healthy control.. In agreement with other analysis, the effect of HIV infection on regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25high) was figured out via flow cytometry and FOXP3 quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR. FOXP3 mRNA was taken and calibrated in purified CD4+ lymphocytes or peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HIV+ lymphopenic patients. Hence, three HIV+ positive patients named as A, B and C were distributed clinically and antiretroviral therapy was administered to them. Consequently, it was evaluated through flow cytometry that frequency of Tregs are decreased in HIV+ positive patients while in group of uninfected, no reduction ofTregs was observed. This clarifies that FOXP3 mRNA expression is reduced in HIV+ positive patients as compared to controls.


HYPOTHESIS
Pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM) is a high-risk factor for biliary tract carcinogenesis because of a continuous reflux of pancreatic juice into the biliary tract. It remains to be disclosed whether we should perform prophylactic excision of gallbladders and bile ducts.

DESIGN
A person-year method.

SETTING
A university hospital.

PATIENTS
We studied 68 patients with PBM treated between August 1, 1974, and December 31, 1999.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Relative risks (observed number-expected number ratios) of gallbladder and bile duct carcinomas according to type of bile duct dilation (ie, cystic dilation, diffuse dilation, and nondilation).

RESULTS
Observed number-expected number ratios of gallbladder carcinomas were high: 291.3 in 43 patients with cystic dilation, 167.2 in 16 patients with diffuse dilation, and 419.6 in 7 patients with nondilation. Observed number-expected number ratios of bile duct carcinomas were 194.2 in 43 patients with cystic dilation before surgery and 142.8 in 39 patients with cystic dilation after long postsurgical follow-up. All these values were statistically significant (P<.01).

CONCLUSIONS
The gallbladder carries a high risk for carcinogenesis in all types of dilation in patients with PBM. The bile duct carcinomas of PBM were exclusively identified by the type of cystic dilation. Prophylactic cholecystectomy should be recommended for all dilation types, and prophylactic excision of bile ducts including cholecystectomy should be performed in patients with PBM and cystic dilation. Complete excision of extrahepatic dilated bile ducts and careful follow-up for carcinogenesis in residual dilated bile ducts should be recommended for patients with PBM and cystic dilation.


Privacy has always been a respected value regardless of national borders, cultural differences, and time in every society throughout history. This study focuses on the unprecedented changes in the traditional forms of privacy and consequent concerns with regard to invasion of privacy along with the recent emergence and wide use of the Internet. Government intrusion into private domains through the Internet is examined as a major concern. Privacy invasions by Web marketers, hacker threats against privacy, and employer invasion of employee privacy at the workplace are discussed respectively. Then a set of possible solutions to solve the current problems and alleviate the concerns in this field is offered. Legal remedies that need to be performed by the government are presented as the initial solution. Then encryption is introduced as a strong technical method that may be helpful. Finally, a set of individual measures emphasized as complementary practical necessities. Nevertheless, this study indicates that technology will keep making further changes in the form and concerns of privacy that possibly may outdate these findings in the near future, however, privacy itself will always remain as a cherished social value as it has always been so far.


Abstract We measured fresh body mass, total body fat, and fat-free dry mass (FFDM) of three species of Arctic-nesting calidrid sandpipers (Baird's Sandpiper [Calidris bairdii], hereafter "BASA"; Semipalmated Sandpiper [C. pusilla], hereafter "SESA"; and White-rumped Sandpiper [C. fuscicollis], hereafter "WRSA") during spring stopovers in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North Dakota, and evaluated the contribution of stored fat to (1) energy requirements for migration to their Arctic-breeding grounds and (2) nutrient needs for reproduction. All spring migrant WRSA (n = 124) and BASA (n = 111), and all but 2 of 99 SESA we collected were ≥2 years old. Male and female BASA migrated through North Dakota concurrently, male SESA averaged earlier than females, and WRSA males preceded females. Fat indices (ratio of fat to FFDM) of male and female SESA and WRSA averaged approximately twice those of male and female BASA. Total body fat of male and female BASA increased with date in spring 1980, but not in 1981; slopes were similar for both sexes each year. Male and female SESA arrived lean in 1980 and 1981, and total body fat increased with date in both years, with similar slopes for all combinations of sex and year. Male and female WRSA arrived lean in 1980–1981 and 1981, respectively, and total body fat increased with date, whereas females arrived with fat reserves already acquired in 1980. Interspecific and sex differences in migration schedules probably contributed to variation in fat storage patterns by affecting maintenance energy costs and food availability. Estimated flight ranges of BASA suggest that few could have met their energy needs for migration to the breeding grounds exclusively from fat stored by the time of departure from North Dakota. Estimated flight ranges of SESA and WRSA, along with fresh body masses of both species when live-trapped on or near their breeding grounds in northern Canada, suggest that major parts of both populations stored adequate fat by departure from temperate mid-continental North America to meet their energy requirements for migration and part of their nutrient needs for reproduction. Dinámica de la Grasa en Chorlos que Nidifican en el Ártico durante la Primavera en el Área Continental Central de América del Norte


Electrochemistry behaviours of C₆₀ attached with physical method: solvent casting
and mechanically attachment, to various solid-state electrode surfaces (gold, glassy
carbon and platinum) were studied in aqueous and non-aqueous solution
containing a variety of doping cations such as Group I alkali-metal cations and
quatemaI)'-ammonium R4N+. Electroreduction and reoxidation of microcrystalline
C₆₀ in 0.1 M TBAPF₆/ACN showed one to four pairs, characteristic solid state
current-potential curve, with only first and second pairs appeared to be stable and
reversible.
In contact with 0.1 M TBAPF₆/ACN, the large peak separation and small
maximum at reverse scan observed with cyclic voltammetric experiments, as well
as the current-time transients obtained in chronoamperometric experiments
produce evidence of nucleation and growth (N&G) processes at the electrolytesolid-
electrode interface. C60 cast onto glassy carbon or gold electrodes showed very different results of
cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronocoulometry (CC), and chronoamperometry (CA)
in aqueous and non-aqueous solutions. With the presence of alkali-metal cations in aqueous electroyte, MnC₆₀ (M = LI⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, R⁺, Cs⁺, n = 1 to 6) was formed at
the end of potential scan, and the loss of faradaic activity when oxidizing MnC60 at
reverse of potential scan indicated the formation of non-electroactive and
irreversible species. In aqueous solution, CV results showed a parallel shift in
reduction peak position as the sizes of cation increased.
A glassy carbon electrode modified by C60 coat was used to mediate the oxidation
of cysteine in contact with an aqueous electrolyte containing potassium cation.
Under conditions of cyclic voltammetry, the potential of cysteine is lowered by
approximate 100 m V and current is enhanced significantly relative to the situation
prevailing when a bare glassy carbon electrode is used. Mediation also occurs
when the potential range covered include that of Cw/C60n- redox couples.


Abstract Introduction: Elevated intraabdominal pressure (IAP) it is known to have an impact on renal function trough the pressure transmitted from the abdominal cavity to the vasculature responsible for the renal blood flow. Intraabdominal pressure is found to be frequent in intensive care patients and also to be a predictor of mortality. Intra-abdominal high pressure is an entity that can have serious impact on intensive care admitted patients, studies concluding that if this condition progresses to abdominal compartment syndrome mortality is as high as 80%. Aim: The aim of this study was to observe if a link between increased intraabdominal pressure and modification in renal function exists (NGAL, creatinine clearance). Material and Method: The study enrolled 30 critically ill patients admitted in the Intensive Care Unit of SCJU Tîrgu Mures between November 2015 and August 2016. The study enrolled adult, hemodynamically stable patients admitted in intensive critical care - defined by a normal blood pressure maintained without any vasopressor or inotropic support, invasive monitoring using PICCO device and abdominal pressure monitoring. Results: The patients were divided into two groups based on the intraabdominal pressure values: normal intraabdominal pressure group= 52 values and increased intraabdominal group= 35 values. We compared the groups in the light of NGAL values, 24 hours diuresis, GFR and creatinine clearance. The groups are significantly different when compared in the light of NGAL values and GFR values. We obtained a statistically significant correlation between NGAL value and 24 hour diuresis. No other significant correlations were encountered between the studied items. Conclusions: NGAL values are increased in patients with high intraabdominal pressure which may suggest its utility as a cut off marker for patients with increased intraabdominal pressure. There is a significant decreased GFR in patient with elevated intraabdominal pressure, observation which can help in early detection of renal injury in patients due to high intraabdominal pressure. No correlation was found between creatinine clearance and increased intraabdominal pressure.


In order to achieve a high level of health protection for consumers and to guarantee their right to information, it should be ensured that consumers are appropriately informed as regards about the food they consume. Only well-informed consumer is able to make rational decisions on purchasing foods according to his individual needs and interests. Taking into account the importance of food information to consumers and measures of European Union that have been taken exercising its shared competence in the areas of internal market and consumer protection, the aim of this article is to analyse the legal requirements of food information, also how and how much of this information can be made available to consumers. The paper deals with the concept of food information to consumers, it also discusses the link between definition, mentioned above, i.e. "food information to consumers", and "labelling": whether these definitions have the same or different meaning. The feasibility to implement a definition of "food information to consumers" into national laws should be considered. The article examines main provisions of food information to consumers, laid down in new Regulation No 1169/2011, i.e. fair information practices, provisions on responsibilities for the food information, list of mandatory particulars etc. Furthermore, ethical considerations, impacting informed decision making when buying food, are observed. However, it is not so important now, how should consumers be provided with even more information, but whether this higher content of information means better informed consumer. Also attention paid to the provision of Regulation No 1169/2011, which allows Member States to adopt measures requiring additional mandatory particulars for specific types or categories of foods, justified on at least one of the mentioned grounds, and which could be a gateway for Member States to require almost any sort of information on foods, justified by the protection of consumers. Which institution should adopt such measures in Lithuania, is not clear, therefore the author suggests to discuss this question and regulate it explicitly. Though there is a very detailed attempt to regulate food information to consumers with Regulation No 1169/2011, it is obvious that this area is still evolving and some aspects require additional research and analysis.


It is important to monitor and assess the growth of micro-organisms under various conditions. Yet, thus far there has been no technique to do this with the required speed and accuracy. This work demonstrates swift and accurate assessment of the concentration of carbon dioxide that is produced by use of a wavelength-modulated tunable diode-laser based absorption spectroscopy (WM-TDLAS). It is shown by experiments on two types of bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans, that the technique can produce high signal-to-noise-ratio data from bacteria grown in confined spaces and exposed to limited amounts of nutrients that can be used for extraction of growth parameters by fitting of the Gompertz model. By applying the technique to S. aureus bacteria at various temperatures (in the 25°C to 42°C range), it is specifically shown that both the maximum growth rate and the so-called lag time have a strong temperature dependence (under the specific conditions with a maximum of the former at 37°C) that matches conventional models well for bacterial growth. Hence, it is demonstrated that WM-TDLAS monitoring CO2 is a user-friendly, non-intrusive, and label-free technique that swiftly, and with high signal-to-noise-ratio, can be used for rapid (on the Hz scale) and accurate assessment of bacterial growth.


Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) that harness the reinforcing nature of collaborative efforts with aging services can better prepare for the future of older adult populations. The purpose of this research was to identify collaborative efforts between FQHCs and aging services and distinguish perceptions and knowledge regarding older adult populations. Executive directors, medical directors and social service directors (N=44) at 31 FQHCs across the state of Texas completed surveys measuring structural, procedural and environmental components of the health center setting. The 2007 Uniform Data System and 2000 US Census provided additional data on health centers use and services. Descriptive statistics analyzed independent variables of health center characteristics. Bivariate analysis determined significance of association between independent variables and levels of collaboration with aging services. Results found that all health centers collaborated with at least one aging service, with more informal than formal partnerships. Respondents indicated major barriers to providing services to older adults, including inadequate transportation, inadequate insurance, and limited funding. Respondents also indicated overloaded staff as a major barrier to collaborating with aging services. Aging topics for staff development and perceptions about older adults were also identified. Health center tenure (p=0.005, lambda=1.000), professional tenure (p=0.011, lambda=1.000), leadership in aging services (p=0.002, lambda=1.000), recent gerontological training (p=0.002, lambda=0.500), formal gerontological training p=0.002, lambda=1.000), strategic planning (p=0.002, lambda=1.000), and having older adults on governing boards (p=0.002, lambda= 1.000) were significantly associated with informal collaboration with aging services. Health center tenure (p=0.006, lambda=0.500), leadership in aging services (p=0.004, lambda=0.500), recent training (p=0.010, lambda=0.500), formal training (p=0.005, lambda=0.500), the designation of health center staff older adult services (p=0.025, lambda=0.250), strategic planning (p=0.011, Iambda=0.500), and older adults on governing board (p=0.009, lambda=0.500) were significantly associated with formal collaboration with aging services. In conclusion, FQHCs' efforts at partnering with aging services should include an investment in key staff and board development, the designation of staff to older adult programs, and strategic planning.


Introduction to Islamic Banking and Finance is a succinct guide to the key characteristics of Islamic banking highlighting how these differ from conventional banking. This detailed book illustrates how Islamic banking is consistent with the Sharia'a, a key element of which is the prohibition on collecting and paying interest. This central religious precept appears to rule out most aspects of modern finance but it does allow money to be used for trading tangible assets and business, which can then generate a profit. Brian Kettell's book looks at all aspects of Islamic banking, including chapters on its creation and evolution through to detailed discussions of the issues involved in the Sharia'a contracts of Murabaha, Mudaraba, Musharaka, Ijara, Istisna'a, and Salam. Islamic insurance (Takaful) is also covered. Finally the book takes a look at Sharia'a law and Sharia'a boards, indicating the roles and responsibilities that come with membership.

Islamic banks have been operating in places such as Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Dubai for some time. Conventional bankers have traditionally viewed the sector as a small, exotic niche but recent years have seen a dramatic surge in popularity. A number of Western investment banks have started working with Muslim clerics to create new ranges of financial products designed for devout Muslims, a large and growing market. Although estimates of the size of the Islamic finance industry vary greatly, everyone agrees that it is expanding rapidly and this is the perfect book for anyone looking to understand the industry.


Indigenous worldviews and scholarship are underrepresented and underdeveloped in sport for development and wider sport management spaces. Given many sport for social change initiatives target Indigenous populations, this is concerning. By adopting a Kaupapa Māori approach, a strengths-based stance, and working together with two plus-sport and sport-plus cases from provincial and national New Zealand rugby settings: the Taranaki Rugby Football Union's and Feats' Pae Tawhiti (seek distant horizons) Māori and Pasifika Rugby Academy and the E Tū Toa (stand strong), hei tū he rangatira (become a leader) Māori Rugby Development camps, the authors provide an illustration of Indigenous theory–practice. They argue sport for social change practices that focus on Indigenous peoples would be greatly improved if underpinned by the principles of perspective, privilege, politics, protection, and people. Thus, any sport for social change praxis seeking to partner with Indigenous communities ought to be informed by Indigenous philosophical viewpoints.