Abstract: Quantitative analyses were conducted in order to examine maternal characteristics connected to the establishment of a child support order and reasons why some mothers did not have an order. Based on single-mother reports from the Current Population Survey during the 1994-1998 period, results indicated that approximately 36% of mothers eligible for child support did not have an order, and, for the majority of them, objective constraint such as establishing paternity played at least some role in not having an order. Findings suggest the need for interventions employing diverse approaches that are sensitive to racial and demographic patterns amongst single mothers in order to remove barriers connected to child support award. Key Words: child support enforcement, child support order, nonresident fathers, single mothers. The proportion of single-mother families in the United States has increased dramatically over the past three decades, peaking at 26.6% of all families with children in 1996, although declining slightly to 25.8% in 2000 (U.S. House of Representatives, 2000 & 2004). State and federal legislators continue to focus on the persistent economic disadvantage associated with single motherhood and have often targeted legislation and resources aimed at preventing nonresident fathers from financially abandoning their children (for a brief history, see Garfinkel, Meyer, & McLanahan, 1998). In 1975, Congress created the Child Support Enforcement (CSE) Program, which established state Offices of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) and authorized federal matching funds for states to assist with locating nonresident parents, establishing paternity, establishing child support orders, and obtaining child support payments. From 1981 through 1999 (with the exceptions of 1983, 1985, and 1991), Congress passed new laws each year to strengthen the child support system (Lerman & Sorenson, 2000). The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) is the most noteworthy of recent public policy efforts designed to improve the collection of private child support. To reinforce paternity establishment, it streamlines the legal processes for establishment; requires states to adopt voluntary, in-hospital paternity establishment programs; and provides mandatory genetic testing in contested cases. PRWORA also requires states to develop the bureaucratic capacity to monitor all child support payments and to administer universal withholding. PRWORA established a national directory of new hires that can be used to match state directories of fathers with child support obligations to facilitate interstate enforcement of child support obligations. In short, the enforcement system has undergone substantial strengthening in the past 20 years, from one where payment was often discretionary to one where payment is mandatory and automatic (Garfinkel, Meyer, et al., 1998; Legler, 1996; Wolk & Schmahl, 1999). The Importance of Child Support Orders Successful enforcement of child support is a myriad process with two main steps: establish a legal child support order and collect the payment. A child support order legally obligates nonresident parents to provide financial support for their children and stipulates the amount of the obligation and payment method. A custodial parent or state OCSE can ask the court to issue a child support order. The process of setting up an order with OCSE includes opening a child support case, locating the nonresident parent, establishing paternity, and determining a support order and amount. For welfare recipients, cases are referred automatically to OCSE without a fee. Nonwelfare parents can apply for child support services for a small fee. To complete the process, custodial parents need to provide accurate information on nonresident parents, without which a child support order is unlikely to be established. Without establishing a legal child support order, the likelihood of collecting child support payment is low (Hanson, Garfinkel, McLanahan, & Miller, 1996; Miller & Garfinkel, 1999). …


The PTA legal structure of trade liberalisation and collective reliance has been largely ineffective. This failure could be attributed to the top down strategy of the regime that was initiated at Heads of State level and directed to lower levels of society and economy. It has been dependent upon the political goodwill of the member countries as opposed to strong international monitoring and enforcement machinery. It is a passive legal structure that depends on the voluntary cooperation of Member States, individuals and business enterprises. It sets rules regarding such matters as duties and restrictive practices but has lacked the capability to guarantee compliance. The fact that the legal structure is multilateral and unwieldy in scope has only compounded its weaknesses by overstretching available governance capacities.


Last years have witnessed a dramatic growth in the number as well as in the variety of Distributed Virtual Environment systems. These systems allow multiple users, working on different client computers that are interconnected through different networks, to interact in a shared virtual world. One of the key issues in the design of scalable and cost-effective DVE systems is the partitioning problem. This problem consists of efficiently assigning the existing clients to the servers in the system, and some techniques have been already proposed for solving it. This paper experimentally analyzes the correlation of the quality function proposed in the literature for solving the partitioning problem with the performance of DVE systems. Since the results show an absence of correlation, we also propose the experimental characterization of DVE systems. The results show that the reason for that absence of correlation is the non-linear behavior of DVE systems with regard to the number of clients in the system. DVE systems reach saturation when any of the servers reaches 100% of CPU utilization. The system performance greatly decreases if this limit is exceeded in any server. Also, as a direct application of these results we present a partitioning method that is targeted to keep all the servers in the system below a certain threshold value of CPU utilization, regardless of the amount of network traffic. Evaluation results show that the proposed partitioning method can improve DVE system performance, regardless of both the movement pattern of clients and the initial distribution of clients in the virtual world.


This Article contends that workplace accommodations should be predicated on need or effectiveness instead of group identity status. It proposes that, in principle, "accommodating every body" be achieved by extending Americans with Disabilities Act type reasonable accommodation to all work-capable members of the general population for whom accommodation is necessary to enable their ability to work. Doing so shifts the focus of accommodation disputes from the contentious identity-based contours of "disabled" plaintiffs to the core issue of alleged discrimination. This proposal likewise avoids current problems associated with excluding "unworthy" individuals from employment opportunity — people whose functional capacity does not comply with prevailing workforce design and organizational presumptions — and who therefore require accommodation. Adopting this proposal also responds to growing demands to extend the length of time people remain at work by enhancing employment opportunities for aging individuals still capable of contributing on the job. Provision of accommodations for age-related alteration of functionality, when the accommodations are effective, is reasonably prescribed because it is in everyone's interest to retain maximum capabilities as they grow older, whether or not they also possess identity-based characteristics sufficient to constitute a "disability" under the ADA.


This thesis aims at addressing a major issue in Semantic Web and organisational Knowledge Management: consuming large scale semantic data in a generic, scalable and pleasing manner. It proposes two solutions by de-constructing the issue into two sub problems: how can large semantic result sets be presented to users; and how can large semantic datasets be explored and queried. The first proposed solution is a dashboard-based multi-visualisation approach to present simultaneous views over different facets of the data. Challenges imposed by existing technology infrastructure resulted in the development of a set of design guidelines. These guidelines and lessons learnt from the development of the approach is the first contribution of this thesis.

The next stage of research initiated with the formulation of design principles from aesthetic design, Visual Analytics and Semantic Web principles derived from the literature. These principles provide guidelines to developers for building generic visualisation solutions for large scale semantic data and constitute the next contribution of the thesis. The second proposed solution is an interactive node-link visualisation approach that presents semantic concepts and their relations enriched with statistics of the underlying data. This solution was developed with an explicit attention to the proposed design principles.

The two solutions exploit basic rules and templates to translate low level user interactions into high level intents, and subsequently into formal queries in a generic manner. These translation rules and templates that enable generic exploration of large scale semantic data constitute the third contribution of the thesis. An iterative User-Centered Design methodology, with the active participation of nearly a hundred users including knowledge workers, managers, engineers, researchers and students over the duration of the research was employed to develop both solutions. The fourth contribution of this thesis is an argument for the continued active participation and involvement of all user communities to ensure the development of a highly effective, intuitive and appreciated solution.


Time-efficient fault analysis and diagnosis of analog circuits are the most important prerequisites to achieve online health monitoring of electronic equipments, which are involving continuing challenges of ultra-large-scale integration, component tolerance, limited test points but multiple faults. This work reports an FPGA (field programmable gate array)-based analog fault diagnostic system by applying two-dimensional information fusion, two-port network analysis and interval math theory. The proposed system has three advantages over traditional ones. First, it possesses high processing speed and smart circuit size as the embedded algorithms execute parallel on FPGA. Second, the hardware structure has a good compatibility with other diagnostic algorithms. Third, the equipped Ethernet interface enhances its flexibility for remote monitoring and controlling. The experimental results obtained from two realistic example circuits indicate that the proposed methodology had yielded competitive performance in both diagnosis accuracy and time-effectiveness, with about 96% accuracy while within 60 ms computational time.


Trust Programs offers various services to marginalized groups in Palestinian society, especially to villages located in the North West region of Jerusalem. These villages are situated behind the Annexation Wall which isolates them from the other urban areas, making it difficult to access transport or to attain social services with closures and check-points restricting movement. People in these villages also have no or limited access to schools and other educational institutions. Beginning with this scenario, Trust Programs continued for the second year working with village communities to establish a community school in cooperation with the Palestinian Ministry of Education (MOE). At a later stage the school established a community library in Al-Jeeb Village as a model, which was copied by other villages in the area. The paper will present the development of the community library of Al Jeeb, beginning with the Mother-to-Mother program which aims to raise awareness of mothers and families in the importance of education for their children and to prepare families for the entry of their children to schools. With the success of the first program a second one, Learn by play, was introduced through the community library. This program is based on the premise that every child has the right to learn, is considered a prerequisite for entry to other community based programs and as a lever for life-long learning. The program aims at limiting illiteracy and decreasing the dropout rate from schools and operates on three levels which involve parents, teachers and young women volunteers, with the child as the centre of the activity, thus creating relationships based on cooperation and understanding to work for the child's best interest.


Community-level carbon abatement curves highlight opportunities for increased access to clean, efficient energy for the poor. Close to two-thirds of the world's poorest people live in rural areas (1). Eradication of rural poverty depends on increased access to goods, services, and information, targets detailed in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. However, alleviating poverty is hindered by two interlinked phenomena: lack of access to improved energy services and worsening environmental shocks due to climate change. Mitigating climate change, increasing energy access, and alleviating rural poverty can all be complementary, their overlap defining an energy-poverty-climate nexus. We describe interventions in a rural Nicaraguan community to show that energy services can be provided in cost-effective manners, offering the potential to address aspects of rural poverty while also transitioning away from fossil fuel dependence.


We present an approach for determining the tractability index using truncated polynomial arithmetic. In particular, computing the index this way generates a sequence of matrices that contains itself derivatives. We realize the time differentiations using Algorithmic Differentiation techniques, specially by using the standard ADOL-C package with which calculating the derivatives becomes a simple shift and scaling of coefficients. We present the theory supporting the procedure we propose, as well as the implementation issues behind it to provide a convenient interface to the standard ADOL-C functionality. We give also examples of academic and practical problems and report several experimental results we have obtained with them.


This report highlights the first phase of an ongoing study of libraries using the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) in the OCLC Online Union Catalog. The initial phase of this study had the following objectives: (1) identify OCLC member libraries who use the Dewey Decimal Classification as their primary classification; (2) study the usage by Dewey libraries of records with DDC numbers assigned by LC, OCLC member libraries, and cataloging agencies other than LC by determining the total frequency of usage and the frequency of usage based on certain characteristics (format, date of imprint, language, subject). Data collected in phase one of the study may serve as the basis for recommendations on the development and application of the Dewey Decimal Classification. The data may also highlight opportunities for cooperative cataloging efforts


This study presents the results of a survey that assessed engineering student's familiarity with use of open access resources in Punjab (India). The survey was made through questionnaires and completed by 460 respondents. Respondents were generally familiar with open access sources including open access journals, institutional repositories and self-archived materials on the web. Respondents' attitudes toward open access varied, but most agreed that open access resources are of high quality and that open access would benefit them. In helping researchers find open access information, more respondents had used open access journals than institutional repositories or self-archived materials. Some of the challenges faced by the student fraternity in accessing these resources have been enlisted and appropriate recommendations have also been given.


The idea that we are experiencing a new 'age of austerity' has become the dominant means of describing life in post-recession, deficit-cutting Britain. A very wide range of topical issues have been animated through reference to popular historical knowledge about Britain's policies and practices during the austerity years of 1939-55, including debates about consumerism, the role of the state, food security, national and domestic economies, and the environment. In popular culture, lifestyle media promote 'make do and mend' solutions, utility ware surfaces as retro style in fashion and design, and proponents of urban agriculture encourage us to 'dig for victory'. The audiences who seem to have the greatest appetite for austerity are, for the most part, much too young to 'remember' the privations of the home front and post-war rationing. What's more, opportunities to engage with austerity in the present moment tend to happen in the context of consumer culture – via the purchase of a 'ration book' tea towel, or a visit to an 'austerity chic' restaurant, for example. The relation to the past revealed in these transactions is therefore a highly mediated and instrumental one. What questions should we be asking of austerity discourses in order to understand their meaning and evaluate their significance? Can we describe everyday consumer interactions with the new austerity culture in terms of 'memory'? And if so, how should an analysis of austerity culture proceed? This chapter locates these questions in relation to longstanding debates in memory studies about the role of popular media and consumer culture in shaping historical imaginaries. It goes on to argue that in order to get to grips with the significance of austerity culture and the political-ideological ends to which these discourses work, we need to rethink our critical orientation towards popular historical representation. In particular, we should consider that what is at stake when it comes to the popular historical imagination is not simply the cultural memory of the past – that is, our understanding and knowledge of those events that operate as its referent – but pressing present-day issues, anxieties, concerns and desires.


The results of a full-scale trial initiated in May 2006 by the Manatee County Southwest Water Reclamation Facility are presented, and the impacts of peroxide regeneration of spent iron salts on the removal of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from anaerobic digesters at the SWWRF are examined. Treatment with hydrogen peroxide was initiated in a thickened primary sludge line containing an average 300 Lbs/day Fe (primarily as FeS) and 80 mg/L dissolved sulfide. Prior to treatment, dissolved sulfide levels in the primary digester averaged 20 mg/L and were found to drop to < 0.1 mg/L throughout the course of the trial. The vents of the primary digesters exhausted biogas containing an average 200 ppm H2S. After treatment, biogas H2S concentration reduced to 20 ppm on average. Within two sludge ages, similar effects were noted in the secondary digester. Additional positive changes were noted in the volume and quality of biogas produced, and in finished biosolids quality.


Biodiesel has emerged as one of the alternative biofuels to non-renewable fuels, and the typical method of producing biodiesel is by transesterification process. This process was employed in the present work to synthesize biodiesel from waste vegetable oil using acid and base catalysis methods to improve the yields and to identify the optimum operating conditions. Response surface methodology was used to determine the optimum operating parameters. The free fatty acids (FFAs) in the oil were reduced using acid catalyst (H2SO4) before a base catalyst (NaOH) was added. The duration for acid catalyzed process was determined such that it was just short enough to esterify the FFAs that were in the oil. The subsequent base catalyzed synthesis results showed that biodiesel was formed and the highest biodiesel yield was at 2% weight catalyst, 50°C and reaction time of 1.5 h. A further increase in temperature at 2% catalyst weight favoured the formation of soap and had a negative impact on the yield of biodiesel. The yield increased with an increase in temperature, catalyst weight and reaction time. The highest yield was at 3% weight catalyst, 60°C and reaction time of 2 h. The results of the acid-base catalyzed synthesis showed that biodiesel yield was improved as compared to the base catalyzed synthesis alone due to the fact that acid catalyst was responsible for esterifying the FFAs, and subsequently when the base catalyst was added, more biodiesel was formed because no soap formation took place in the reaction. The kinematic viscosity of acid-base catalyzed biodiesel satisfied the standard test method for kinematic viscosity (ASTM D445).


Immigration law concerns both first-order issues about the number and types of immigrants who should be admitted into a country and second-order design issues concerning the legal rules and institutions that are used to implement those first-order policy goals. The literature has focused on the first set of issues and largely neglected the second. In fact, many current controversies concern the design issues. This paper addresses the second-order dimension and argues that a central design choice all states face is whether to evaluate potential immigrants on the basis of pre-entry characteristics (the ex ante approach) or post-entry conduct (the ex-post approach). The ex-post system provides more information and thus results in more accurate screening than does the ex-ante system, but it also may deter risk-averse applicants from making country-specific investments that benefit the host country. Focusing on this important tradeoff for states, as well as other costs and benefits of the two screening regimes, the paper evaluates America's reliance on an illegal immigration system, the growth in ex-post screening during the twentieth century, and other important features of immigration law.


In present front-line of Big Data, prediction tasks over the nodes and edges in complex deep architecture needs a careful representation of features by assigning hundreds of thousands, or even millions of labels and samples for information access system, especially for hierarchical extreme multi-label classification. We introduce edge2vec, an edge representations framework for learning discrete and continuous features of edges in deep architecture. In edge2vec, we learn a mapping of edges associated with nodes where random samples are augmented by statistical and semantic representations of words and documents. We argue that infusing semantic representations of features for edges by exploiting word2vec and para2vec is the key to learningricherrepresentationsforexploringtargetnodes or labels in the hierarchy. Moreover, we design and implement a balanced stochastic dual coordinate ascent (DCA)-based support vector machine for speeding up training. We introduce a global decision-based top-down walks instead of random walks to predict the most likelihood labels in the deep architecture. We judge the efficiency of edge2vec over the existing state-of-the-art techniques on extreme multi-label hierarchical as well as flat classification tasks. The empirical results show that edge2vec is very promising and computationally very efficient in fast learning and predicting tasks. In deep learning workbench, edge2vec represents a new direction for statistical and semantic representations of features in task-independent networks.


The conventional formula for the increase in size of the retinal image provided by a simple magnifier is M=D/4. This formula is based on arbitrary assumptions as to the accommodative powers exerted when the observer views a near object with and without the magnifier. Since these assumptions do not apply in a majority of cases, the conventional ratings of magnification are of limited use in the prescribing of reading aids for patients with subnormal vision. More realistic formulas are proposed which are applicable to many special cases, and which take account of the fact that the increase in size of the retinal image may depend upon the way in which the magnifier is used.It is shown that the dioptric power of the magnifier required by a given patient is determined primarily by (a) his visual acuity and (b) his near point of distinct vision. A simple test of near-acuity for meaningful text is described which gives direct and valid information as to the increase in size of the retinal image required for useful reading vision. Further studies are needed to determine the best method of measuring the accommodative powers of patients with subnormal vision.


A proton pump in action P-type adenosine triphosphatases (ATPases) use the energy from ATP hydrolysis to pump cations across biological membranes. The electrochemical gradients that are generated control many essential cellular processes. Veshaguri et al. incorporated a plant proton pump into vesicles and monitored the dynamics of single pumps. Pumping was stochastically interrupted by long-lived inactive or leaky states. The work reveals how these proton pumps are regulated by a protein domain and by pH gradients. Science, this issue p. 1469 Single-molecule experiments reveal inactive and leaky states that define the activity and the regulation of a proton pump. In eukaryotes, P-type adenosine triphosphatases (ATPases) generate the plasma membrane potential and drive secondary transport systems; however, despite their importance, their regulation remains poorly understood. We monitored at the single-molecule level the activity of the prototypic proton-pumping P-type ATPase Arabidopsis thaliana isoform 2 (AHA2). Our measurements, combined with a physical nonequilibrium model of vesicle acidification, revealed that pumping is stochastically interrupted by long-lived (~100 seconds) inactive or leaky states. Allosteric regulation by pH gradients modulated the switch between these states but not the pumping or leakage rates. The autoinhibitory regulatory domain of AHA2 reduced the intrinsic pumping rates but increased the dwell time in the active pumping state. We anticipate that similar functional dynamics underlie the operation and regulation of many other active transporters.


In "Beyond the Discrimination Model On Voting," 127 Harvard Law Review 95 (2013), Professor Samuel Issacharoff proposes that Congress turn away from what he considers the outdated and "limited race-driven use" of the Fifteenth Amendment and instead protect all types of voters from partisan manipulation using a "non-civil rights" Elections Clause approach. Specifically, Issacharoff proposes that jurisdictions disclose changes to voting rules for federal elections. This Essay argues that Issacharoff's approach is incomplete. Contemporary discrimination exists and warrants attention — particularly where fast-growing minority populations threaten the status quo. This discrimination differs from simple partisan manipulation, as the discrimination reduces incentives for cross-racial coalitions and fuels racial division. Further, Issacharoff's choice to move "beyond" race and abandon the Fifteenth Amendment limits his proposal to federal elections. As a result, his proposal would overlook significant problems — at least 86.4% of all election changes that resulted in VRA section 5 objections since 2000 would not have been disclosed under Issacharoff's proposal. Unlike the high-profile restrictions he targets (e.g., photo ID triggered by "Republican control of the state legislature"), local voting changes missed by Issacharoff's proposal are often decisive factors in non-partisan elections, attract little national media attention, and go unchallenged by local voters who lack resources to bring lawsuits. Congress should deter voting discrimination by using the Fifteenth Amendment and the Elections Clause to require disclosure of election changes for federal, state, and local offices, as well as to require more detailed reporting than Issacharoff's proposal. Finally, disclosure alone is not enough. Congress should also strengthen the VRA Section 3(c) bail-in procedure and streamline voting rights litigation. Selecting between the Fifteenth Amendment and the Elections Clause is a false choice, as we can work both to prevent voting discrimination and to improve access to voting for all Americans.


IDEA TO EXECUTION-Ari Meisel 2016-09-14 Ari Meisel and Nick Sonnenberg recently launched a profitable Virtual Assistant (VA) business in just one day challenging the startup mentality that every new venture requires months of planning and a large investment of capital. Their VA business was born from scribbled notes on a cocktail napkin during dinner and was an up-and-running less than 24 hours later. By following their 3 step process: Optimize, Automate, Outsource, they leveraged free, readily available digital tools and apps with no outlay of cash whatsoever. Meisel and Sonnenberg reveal tactics for building a scalable business in today's world. This fascinating and informative book chronicles their first year in business together. An essential read for any entrepreneur. It follows their journey from idea to execution, detailing a bold new approach to 21st century business based on a fearless ingenuity and a willingness to rewrite the rules.


This case study descriptionbes the psychological preparation and intervention in a low intensity marathon event. A successful attempt was made on a world squash playing marathon record, and although the players were assisted by other professionals, it was decided to report the contribution of the psychological intervention. A holistic approach based on the individual needs of the players was designed, and the particular use and application of relaxation, imagery and re-interpretation of stimuli and responses is descriptionbed.


There is a widely shared perception among lawyers, judges, and various public officials that government lawyers have greater responsibilities to serve the public interest than lawyers in private practice. This perception is reflected in judicial opinions, lawyer professional responsibility standards, and numerous other legal writings. Nonetheless, a number of academic critics have attacked what is described here as the "public interest serving" role for government attorneys. This Article provides a defense of the public interest serving role against its critics. While the critiques addressed are diverse, they often make the mistake of importing values from the context of private litigation into the quintessentially public context of government litigation. The Article concludes by offering three examples of the most common forms of government litigation (criminal prosecutions, lawsuits against executive branch agencies, and civil enforcement proceedings), in an effort to demonstrate how the public interest serving role ought to be pursued.


Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality and is characterized by episodes of acute exacerbations. Finding a systemic biomarker that reliably predicts outcome after an acute exacerbation remains a major challenge. Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) has been previously studied in COPD, however, urine excretion trajectory and prognostic value after an exacerbation is unknown. Methods In this retrospective post hoc analysis of a prospective study that included 253 COPD patients who were hospitalized for acute exacerbation, 207 patients were analyzed. Urine and serum were sampled at admission, discharge, and 180 days after discharge; urine excretion trajectory was analyzed and correlated with clinicopathological and survival data. Results HSP27 urine excretion increased after an exacerbation episode [1.8% admission, 1.8% discharge, 2.3% 180 days after discharge (P=0.091)]. In severely ill patients (GOLD IV) this course was even more distinct [1.6% admission, 2.1% discharge, 2.8% 180 days after discharge (P=0.007)]. Furthermore, fractional HSP27 urine excretion at discharge was increased in GOLD IV patients (P=0.031). In Kaplan-Meier and univariable Cox proportional hazard models patients with HSP27 urine excretion below 0.845% showed significantly worse survival at 30, 90 and 180 days after discharge. In a multivariable Cox proportional hazard model including established COPD outcome parameters fractional HSP27 urine excretion remained a significant predictor of survival at 30 and 90 days after discharge. Comparing this model to our already published model that includes HSP27 serum concentration we could show that fractional HSP27 urine excretion performs better in short-term survival. Conclusions Our findings provide novel information about fractional HSP27 urine excretion trajectory in acute exacerbation of COPD. Fractional HSP27 urine excretion may be significantly reduced during an episode of acute exacerbation in COPD patients and may be used as a predictor of short-term all-cause mortality.


OBJECTIVE
To examine operative outcomes after acute pulmonary embolectomy (APE), a recently adopted, more aggressive surgical approach.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
We retrospectively identified patients who underwent surgical APE from April 1, 2001, through March 31, 2009, and reviewed their clinical records for perioperative outcome. Operations were performed with normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass and a beating heart, absent a patent foramen ovale. For completeness, embolectomy was performed via separate incisions in the left and right pulmonary arteries (PAs) in 15 patients.

RESULTS
Of the 18 patients identified, the mean age was 60 years, and 13 patients (72%) were men. Thirteen patients (72%) had been hospitalized recently or had systemic disease. The preoperative diagnosis was established by echocardiography or computed tomography (or both). The median (range) follow-up time for all surviving patients was 16 months (2-74 months). Indications for APE included cardiogenic shock (n=12; 67%) and severe right ventricular dysfunction as shown by echocardiography (n=5; 28%). Seven patients (39%) had an embolus in transit. Seven patients (39%) experienced cardiopulmonary arrest before APE. Four early deaths (22%) occurred; all 4 of these patients had preoperative cardiopulmonary arrest, and 2 had APE via the main PA only, without branch PA incisions. Two late deaths (11%) occurred. Right ventricular function improved in all survivors.

CONCLUSION
The results of emergent APE are encouraging, particularly among patients without cardiopulmonary arrest. It should not be reserved for patients in extremis; rather, it should be considered for patients with right ventricular dysfunction that is an early sign of impending hemodynamic collapse.


Crustal thermal structures are closely related to metamorphism, rock rheology, exhumation processes, hydrocarbon maturation levels, frictional faulting and other processes. Drilling is the most direct way to access the temperature fields in the shallow crust. However, a regional drilling program for geological investigation is usually very expensive. Recently, a large-scale in-situ investigation program in the Western Foothills of Central Taiwan was carried out, providing a rare opportunity to conduct heat flow measurements in this region where there are debates as to whether previous measured heat flows are representative of the thermal state in this region. We successfully collected 28 geothermal gradients from these wells and converted them into heat flows. The new heat flow dataset is consistent with previous heat flows, which shows that the thermal structures of Central Taiwan are different from that of other subduction accretionary prisms. We then combine all the available heat flow information to analyze the frictional parameters of the Chelungpu fault zone that ruptured during the 1999, Chi-Chi, Taiwan, earthquake. The heat flow dataset gave consistent results compared with the frictional parameters derived from another independent study that used cores recovered from the Chelungpu fault zone at depth. This study also shows that it is suitable for using heat-flow data obtained from shallow subsurface to constrain thrusting faulting parameters, similar to what had been done for the strike-slip San Andreas Fault in California. Additional fieldworks are planned to study heat flows in other mountainous regions of Taiwan for more advanced geodynamic modeling efforts.


In India, research on creativity has focused on the construction of tests of creativity and correlational studies of creativity with self-concept, intelligence, personality etc.,. There have been no studies considering the effects of schooling on creativity, teachers' perceptions of creativity or how they could to promote it. This research focused on teachers' views of creativity and their classroom practices, and on students' performance on Tests of Creative Thinking by Baqer Mehdi, their attitude towards curriculum subjects, their occupational choices and their experiences at school.
The sample for the survey included 373 students and 88 teachers drawn from nine Government schools in Andhra Pradesh, India. All the instruments were developed by the researcher and data was collected by means of questionnaires for students and teachers, an scale for assessing teachers encouragement of pupils in the classroom, interviews with teachers and a check-list for head teachers regarding out-of- school activities. To analyse the data, various quantitative and qualitative techniques were applied.
The findings showed that teachers valued creativity, had established criteria for its definition and for identifying creative children. They believed that the development of creativity depended on good teacher-pupil relationships, encouraging experimentation and building self-confidence among the students. Obstacles to the development of creativity included inadequate resources, lack of instructional materials, lack of funds, passive unmotivated students with a tendency to rote learning, pressure to complete the syllabus, preparing students for examinations and teachers' teaching load. They felt that the curriculum was overloaded, inflexible and not suitable to cater for the needs of the wide range of learners. They preferred a child centred curriculum based on activities.
The findings from the student data contributed to the development of a model linking parental factors, the medium of instruction and teacher encouragement. Path analysis showed that out-of- school activities, mother's education, teacher encouragement and mother's income had causal relationships with students' creative thinking. On the basis of the findings practical recommendations have been made for the promotion of creativity among school students.


Is there a difference in citation rates between articles that were published with links to data and articles that were not? Besides being interesting from a purely academic point of view, this question is also highly relevant for the process of furthering science. Data sharing not only helps the process of verification of claims, but also the discovery of new findings in archival data. However, linking to data still is a far cry away from being a "practice", especially where it comes to authors providing these links during the writing and submission process. You need to have both a willingness and a publication mechanism in order to create such a practice. Showing that articles with links to data get higher citation rates might increase the willingness of scientists to take the extra steps of linking data sources to their publications. In this presentation we will show this is indeed the case: articles with links to data result in higher citation rates than articles without such links. The ADS is funded by NASA Grant NNX09AB39G.


Polarity-controllable transistors have emerged in the last few years as an adequate successor of current CMOS FinFETs. Due to the additional polarity terminal, novel physical design techniques are required. We present a novel grid-based power routing scheme able to mitigate the polarity terminal impact. The logic cells are organized in regular arrangements and easily configured using the novel power routing scheme. The impact of the placement and routing techniques used is gauged in terms of routing metal distribution, speed and area performance. Benchmark circuits are synthesized, placed and routed using commercial tools and performances are extracted. Post place and route results show 28% faster circuits compared to 22nm FinFET regular layout-based designs.


Marker shale horizons are used in stratigraphic interpretation and for modelling and mining of the
banded-iron-formation-hosted iron ore deposits in the Hamersley Province in the Pilbara region of
Western Australia. These deposits contain marker shale horizons that are highly consistent throughout
the Hamersley Province and are used to define lithology and provide context to enable the
separation of visually similar rock units. The locations of these shales are normally determined from
natural gamma-ray logs in exploration holes, which provide a coarse resolution boundary due to
their wide spatial separation. Hyperspectral imagery can provide detailed information at high spatial
resolution on the location and strike of shale horizons as they are presented on benches and walls
in open-pit mines. The relationship between measurements of downhole gamma and shale horizons
as detected by hyperspectral imagery must be understood if these very different kinds of measurements
are to be used in a complementary way.
The ability to identify marker shale horizons using their spectral features would allow them to
be mapped using hyperspectral imagery. Multivariate analysis of shales from a typical Marra
Mamba deposit showed absorption features relating to ferric iron, OH, H2O, and Al-OH, which
allowed different marker shales to be spectrally separated. The kaolinite and Al2O3 abundance was
estimated from the hyperspectral data using the intensity of the feature at 2202 nm to within 5.8%
and 2.6%, respectively.
Comparison of measurements of downhole gamma-ray with a proportion of kaolinite estimated
from hyperspectral data showed both similarities and differences that required examination.
Peaks in the gamma were located at the same depth in the core as peaks in the proportion of
kaolinite. However, the relative magnitudes of these peaks were not consistent. Additionally, the
gamma-ray baseline measurements between peaks varied at different depths in the core, with
some sections of the core having a much higher baseline than others. This was not true for estimated
kaolinite. These differences would lead to different interpretations of the distribution of
material types down the hole. Similarities in the location of peaks in both types of data provide a
basis to link these very different types of data to improve the resolution and accuracy of ore body
boundary models.


The accelerated industrialization of Hanoi, Vietnam, coupled with a high population growth rate and changing climatic conditions create increasing pressure on the local water balance. Despite abundant precipitations, overexploitation endangers the groundwater resources, which are not able to sustain an adequate water supply. The present paper presents a sustainable approach for balancing the lowering of groundwater levels by increasing the rainwater percolation rates through enhanced infiltration. The efficiency of the method was assessed by a scenario analysis based on hydrological and hydrogeological models. Multi-criteria simulations revealed the optimum infiltration sites by considering technical and site-specific aspects and the positive impact of artificial recharge on seasonal groundwater budget.


The reactivity of few novel high-spin Fe(II) complexes of Schiff base ligands derived from 2-hydroxynaphthaldehyde and some variety of amino acids with the OH− ion has been examined in an aqueous mixture at the temperature range from 10 to 40°C. Based on the kinetic investigations, the rate law and a plausible mechanism were proposed and discussed. The general rate equation was suggested as follows: rate = kobs[complex], where kobs. = k1 + k2[OH−]. Base-catalyzed hydrolysis kinetic measurements imply pseudo–first-order doubly stage rates due the presence of mer- and fac-isomers. The observed rate constants kobs are correlated with the effect of substituent R in the structure of the ligands. From the effect of temperature on the rate base hydrolysis reaction, various thermodynamic parameters were evaluated. The evaluated rate constants and activation parameters are in a good agreement with the stability constants of the investigated complexes. Moreover, the reactivity of the investigated complexes toward DNA was examined and found to be in a good agreement with the reported binding constants.


A mid-infrared (mid-IR) label-free chemical sensor was developed using opto-nanofluidics consisting of a Si-liquid-Si slot-structure. A broadband mid-IR lightwave can be strongly confined within a nanofluidic capillary by utilizing the large refractive index contrast (Δn ~ 2) between the liquid core waveguide and the Si cladding. Through an optical-field enhancement together with a direct interaction between the probe light and the analyte, the sensitivity for chemical detection is increased by 50 times when compared to evanescent-wave sensing. This spectral characterization distinguished several common organic liquids (e.g., n-bromohexane, toluene, isopropanol) accurately, and could determine the ratio of chemical species (e.g., acetonitrile and ethanol) at low concentration (<; 5 μL/mL) in a mixture through spectral scanning over their characteristic mid-IR absorption peaks. The combination of CMOS-compatible planar mid-IR microphotonics, and a high-throughput nanofluidic sensor system, provides a unique platform for chemical detection.


ABSTRACT This article discusses how (non-)economic activities are defined in European competition law. It examines the criteria developed by the European Court of Justice, whether these criteria are consistent, and whether they are also applied logically. In this examination, a legal as well as an economic perspective is taken. It appears that economic insights can contribute substantially to the understanding of the Court's approach.


How does culture shape notions of sexuality and gender? Why are transvestites in the West so often seen as deviant or perverse, while they are accepted in other societies? What are the implications for the categories of male and female when considering transvestism? Transvestism, and its cultural practice, is a useful lens through which we can view and thus debate models of sex, gender and sexuality. Drawing on primary fieldwork, Unzipping Gender offers a cross-cultural study of transvestism through an examination of transvestites in Britain and the Hijras of India. The author tackles the critical question of whether or not transvestism is motivated primarily by sex or gender, and she challenges the straightforward binary divide that dominates Western theories of gender. Taking into account the importance of material culture, she also pays close attention to the detail of dress and considers the artefactual nature of the construction of the self through clothing. Highlighting the differences between the two groups and drawing on further cross-cultural perspectives, Suthrell illustrates the social construction of sex and gender. She considers the roles that emotion, mythology, imagery and belief systems play in influencing ideas about sex and gender in different cultures. Since sex and gender must inevitably be intertwined, Suthrell argues for a more sophisticated response to the complex practice of transvestism. In order to gain a deeper understanding of sex and gender issues, it is imperative to examine the underlying social and symbolic structures. This unique study across cultures leads the way.


Machine intelligence will eclipse human intelligence within the next few decades - extrapolating from Moore's Law - and our world will enjoy limitless computational power and ubiquitous data networks. Today's iPod[registered] devices portend an era when biology and information technology will fuse to create a human experience radically different from our own. Already, our healthcare system now appears on the verge of crisis; accelerating change is part of the problem. Each technological upgrade demands an investment of education and money, and a costly infrastructure more quickly becomes obsolete. Practitioners can be overloaded with complexity: therapeutic options, outcomes data, procedural coding, drug names etc. Furthermore, an aging global population with a growing sense of entitlement demands that each medical breakthrough be immediately available for its benefit: what appears in the morning paper is expected simultaneously in the doctor's office. Meanwhile, a third-party payer system generates conflicting priorities for patient care and stockholder returns. The result is a healthcare system stressed by scientific promise, public expectation, economic and regulatory constraints, and human limitations. Change is also proving beneficial, of course. Practitioners are empowered by better imaging methods, more precise robotic tools, greater realism in training simulators, and more powerful intelligence networks. The remarkable accomplishments of the IT industry and the Internet are trickling steadily into healthcare. "The Medicine Meets Virtual Reality" series can readily see the progress of the past fourteen years: more effective healthcare at a lower overall cost, driven by cheaper and better computers.


This research examines the concept of Social. Darwinism in relation to British imperialism, with particular reference to Northern Nigeria and the administrative work of Charles Temple during the period 1901 ~ 1916. At the centre of previous portrayals of Temple and his career is the suggestion that he was an introspective and unusually speculative man, whose significance in the history of Northern Nigeria is limited to the contribution of some abstruse ideas of narrow relevance to the practical administration of colonial government. The existing
historical accounts, which are often based on uncontextualised and sometimes casual appraisals of his book Native Races and Their Rulers, also suggest that Temple believed in minimal intervention into native communities. The result of these assessments has been that Temple's rationale for colonial rule (in particular his wish to protect indigenous communities from sudden or abrupt change) has been over-
emphasised, whilst his advice on the practical implementation of this rationale has been largely ignored.
Against this background Native Races can only be properly understood from a detailed analysis of its ideological and historical context. The relationship between British imperialism and Social Darwinism, and particularly the specific aspects of this debate likely to have interested a man of Temple's age, background and profession, are
outlined. It is concluded that within such a context, the most likely function of Social Darwinism in relation to British imperialism was to provide justification for intervention into, and for the subjugation of, foreign communities - as well as a means of explaining the racial and other contradictions which this process involved.
A detailed analysis of Temple's Native Races establishes that there is a strong contiguity between his ideas and those expressed in the contemporary mainstream debate that combined ideas on British imperialism with Social Darwinist assumptions. It is argued that the techniques which Temple proposed for interpreting specific native customs, beliefs and institutions, as well as his version of the policy of Indirect Rule, displayed Social Darwinist assumptions. It is also clear that Temple required a great deal of practical intervention from British administrators - even if they were cautioned to allow the natives to find their own path of progression.
Substantial new evidence indicates that Temple was a man out to make a name for himself as a modern, scientific and liberal administrator and that he had a real, powerful and continuous influence on the administration of Northern Nigeria for nearly sixteen years. Whilst Temple thought detailed and scientific administrative policy was vital, he also realised that without organizational efficiency and continuity in practice, little could be achieved. Temple believed that this stage in the development of Northern Nigerian communities required sustained and rigorous intervention, and he consistently justified this approach in official documents and journal articles from a Social Darwinist interpretation of native societies.
The thesis offers considerable evidence, including a detailed appraisal of his wider connections and interests, to support the case that the contribution which Temple made towards British government in Northern Nigeria lay in the translation of administrative theory into actual practice. It is therefore concluded that Temple not only used Social Darwinism to explain racial differences and justify British imperialism, but also caused it to have a direct impact on the practical administration of colonial rule in Northern Nigeria between 1901 and 1916.


Polar bear migratory habits and population dynamics are relatively unknown and to learn more about these aspects, the Arctic Institute of North America (AINA) is supporting a long-range, research project. With funds from the Office of Naval Research the Institute sent Dr. Martin W. Schein to the Arctic Research Laboratory at Point Barrow during April 1965 and he returned to ARL with Dr. Vagn Flyger in March 1966. With the help of the able pilots at the Arctic Research Laboratory and their small ski equipped airplanes, they developed the following technique for capturing bears. When weather permitted they flew out over the ice in the general area north of Point Barrow with Cessna 180 airplanes. While one airplane flew at an elevation of about 100 feet and searched for polar bear tracks, the other airplane, containing Flyger and Schein, flew slightly behind and at an altitude of about 500 feet. Upon finding polar bear tracks, the planes followed them until they came upon the bear. The plane containing the biologists went on ahead about two or three miles in the direction the bear was travelling and deposited Flyger and Schein on the ice where they hid behind a pressure ridge. The plane then took off and the two planes drove the bear to the waiting biologists. When the bear got to within approximately 50 yards, it was shot with an automatic projectile syringe from a rifle. Syringes contained the drug succinylcholine chloride which paralyzed the bear within a few minutes. While the bears were immobile, they were examined, measured, and marked with ear tags and dye so that they could be recognized later if seen. Five bears were captured but of these four died because of a combination of overdoses of the drug and circumstances connected with chasing the bear with aircraft. Much, however, was learned from these animals which made it possible to be more successful in capturing and marking bears in Svalbard during August 1966. The Norsk Polarinstitutt invited Dr. Flyger, supported by AINA, and Dr. Albert W. Erickson, supported by the New York Zoological Society, to accompany them on a polar bear capturing expedition to Svalbard during the summer of 1966. This expedition under the direction of Mr. Thor Larsen from the University of Oslo, operating in the pack ice near Kong Karls Land in a seal hunting vessel was able to capture four bears, mark them, and release them alive. This time a different drug was used: M-99, a synthetic opiate. Working from a ship was much easier than with aircraft because it was possible to observe the bear closely before shooting it with a projectile syringe, thus lessening the chance of an overdose. Plans are now under way for a large scale program to mark polar bears over the entire Arctic. ... The feasibility of studying bear movements with radio transmitter-receivers is being explored with the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA). Telemetric methods which have been used on other animals including brown and black bears are not applicable to arctic conditions. Recently developments in satellite technology have raised the possibility that perhaps polar bears can be studied by employing a Nimbus B satellite. Such a satellite would pick up messages (giving location, heartbeat, respiration rate, internal temperature, and external temperature) from a transmitter-receiver on a collar around the neck of the bear and relay them to a tracking station on earth. The practicability of this is being studied at present with NASA.


A longtime Aptos resident who spent part of his youth in Soquel, Mr. Johnston began his interview with descriptions of turn-of- the-century Capitola, the Soquel paper mill, and the mid-county fruit industry. He then discussed the history and economy of the old village of Aptos-- its businesses, school, roads, water supply, and volunteer fire department, of which he was long an active member. He also described the men who were the large landowners in the mid-county at that time and the coming of the modern real estate developers, specifically the creation of Rio Del Mar and Seacliff. In the latter part of the manuscript he described the rum-running and mountain stills of the Prohibition era, while the concluding chapters were devoted to World War II, particularly the Civil Defense efforts in the County during those years.


In the affluent neighborhood and diplomatic district of Chanakyapuri in New Delhi lies the Indian National Rail Museum (NRM), the only one of its kind in Asia. Sprawling over 44,000 square meters, the NRM comprises a large outdoor museum, an indoor gallery and a large Auditorium for conferences. In 2010, the museum hosted the annual meeting of the International Association for the History of Transport, Traffic and Mobility (T2M).


The importance of trace element bioavailability in the etiology of nutritional deficiencies, for example in the etiology of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia, can be expected to be most pronounced in individuals with high requirements. Of special concern is the situation in poor communities where infants and young children are consuming monotonous, cereal-based diets. Traditionally, cereal-based gruels are often one of the first semisolid foods to be introduced into the infant's diet. These foods can be expected to have low energy and nutrient density as well as low bioavailability of iron due to the presence of phytic acid. Ascorbic acid is a potent enhancer of non-heme iron absorption that can overcome the inhibiting effect of phytic acid when present in high enough quantities. However, home prepared complementary foods based on cereals and legumes contain negligible amounts of ascorbic acid unless ascorbic acid-rich foods are mixed with the cereal or consumed at the same time. Different approaches to improve iron bioavailability from plant-based complementary foods, e.g., by enzymatic degradation of phytic acid and/or by increased consumption of ascorbic acid-rich foods, should be explored and adapted to local conditions. In addition, there is a need to evaluate efficacy and effectiveness of strategies to increase the dietary intake of bioavailable iron by dietary diversification and food fortification under realistic conditions. J. Nutr. 133: 1560S–1562S, 2003.


3D integration is being touted as the next semiconductor revolution by industry. 3D integration involves the use of various interconnects that include balls, pillars, bond wires, through silicon vias (TSV) and redistribution layers (RDL) for enabling chip stacking, interposer and printed circuit board (PCB) based technologies. More recently 2.5D integration using silicon interposers has gained momentum as a viable solution for 3D integration. For such new integration schemes to be viable, mixing and matching of technologies is required to evaluate system performance early in the design cycle. The role of path finding is therefore to enable early exploration (planning) prior to costly implementation. Path finding must be based on an efficient electromagnetic analysis (EM) methodology which offers a good balance between speed and accuracy. In this work a hybrid solver is used which combines the Method of Moments (MoM) technique with specialized basis functions and the Partial Element Equivalent Circuit (PEEC) method to accurately provide design guidance. Three types of test cases are used to explore key implementation areas. The impact of local interconnection density and routing topology for a 2 or 3 layer low cost Silicon interposer technology is investigated. Eleven signal lines are routed within a PWR/GND mesh grid for this example where the line width and spacing is varied to determine the variation in performance. A 49 TSV array is implemented in order to analyze near-end crosstalk (NEXT) between various TSVs in the array. The TSV array is varied to determine the crosstalk impact to determine where signals can be assigned. Wirebonds in a PoP (Package on Package) structure are designed to analyze the effect of design variations on performance. It is predicted that classical PCB designs for consumer electronic devices will continue to shrink as PoP implementations prove more advantageous for speed, area, power and weight related issues. The interconnect length and other parameters of the bond wires is varied to determine the impact on SI performance metrics. Various configurations of the wirebond structure have been demonstrated. While several variations for each of the test cases described above is analyzed to determine the impact on signal integrity and performance, a larger parameter set can be explored using a Design of Experiments (DoE) methodology, which is not covered in this paper. From these findings, a set of rules can be created for detailed implementation. The examples covered show the attractiveness of using an exploratory tool early in the design cycle.


Abstract. Formic acid (HCOOH) is one of the most abundant volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere. It is a major contributor to rain acidity in remote areas. There are, however, large uncertainties on the sources and sinks of HCOOH and therefore HCOOH is misrepresented by global chemistry-transport models. This work presents global distributions from 2008 to 2014 as derived from the measurements of the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI), based on conversion factors between brightness temperature differences and representative retrieved total columns over seven regions: Northern Africa, southern Africa, Amazonia, Atlantic, Australia, Pacific, and Russia. The dependence of the measured HCOOH signal on the thermal contrast is taken into account in the conversion method. This conversion presents errors lower than 20 % for total columns ranging between 0.5 and 1 × 1016 molec cm−2 but reaches higher values, up to 78 %, for columns that are lower than 0.3 × 1016 molec cm−2. Signatures from biomass burning events are highlighted, such as in the Southern Hemisphere and in Russia, as well as biogenic emission sources, e.g., over the eastern USA. A comparison between 2008 and 2014 with ground-based Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements obtained at four locations (Maido and Saint-Denis at La Reunion, Jungfraujoch, and Wollongong) is shown. Although IASI columns are found to correlate well with FTIR data, a large bias (> 100 %) is found over the two sites at La Reunion. A better agreement is found at Wollongong with a negligible bias. The comparison also highlights the difficulty of retrieving total columns from IASI measurements over mountainous regions such as Jungfraujoch. A comparison of the retrieved columns with the global chemistry-transport model IMAGESv2 is also presented, showing good representation of the seasonal and interannual cycles over America, Australia, Asia, and Siberia. A global model underestimation of the distribution and a misrepresentation of the seasonal cycle over India are also found. A small positive trend in the IASI columns is observed over Australia, Amazonia, and India over the 2008–2014 period (from 0.7 to 1.5 % year−1), while a decrease of ∼ 0.8 % year−1 is measured over Siberia.


This research is conducted based on the fact that underachiever students are still found in the field students whose intelligence is high but their learning outcomes are below standard. Self regulated is assumed as a factor exerting an influence upon underachiever students' learning achievement. The aim of this research is to see the correlation between self regulated and learning achievement of the underachievers. This research is classified into quantitative study which was conducted by applying correlational method. The subjects of the research were 87 students. The instruments used is self regulated instruments by applying scale of Likert model. The data obtained were analyzed by using simple regression. The results of the research indicate that there is a positive and significant correlation between self regulated and learning achievement of the underachievers.


This volume has become known as perhaps the best introduction to Jung's work. In these famous essays. "The Relations between the Ego and the Unconscious" and "On the Psychology of the Unconscious," he presented the essential core of his system. Historically, they mark the end of Jung's intimate association with Freud and sum up his attempt to integrate the psychological schools of Freud and Adler into a comprehensive framework. This is the first paperback publication of this key work in its revised and augmented second edition of 1966. The earliest versions of the Two Essays, "New Paths in Psychology" (1912) and "The Structure of the Unconscious" (1916), discovered among Jung's posthumous papers, are published in an appendix, to show the development of Jung's thought in later versions. As an aid to study, the index has been comprehensively expanded.


The phenomenon of kidnapping is on the increase on daily basis in Nigeria. It is however more widespread in the Niger Delta region. This paper specially examines the dynamics of kidnapping in the Niger Delta region before and after the implementation of the Presidential Amnesty Programme. Using both primary and secondary data, the paper traces the commencement of kidnapping in the Niger Delta region to the beginning of armed phase of the Niger Delta agitation for resource control. The perpetrators were basically militant groups and the victims were expatriates. It was strategically used to wage the resource control war against the federal government and the multi-national oil companies. However, with the implementation of the Amnesty Programme since 2009, there has been increase in cases of kidnapping instead of reducing. While the perpetrators now involve both members and non-members of armed groups, the victims also include expatriates and indigenes of the region depending on their economic worth as it is used as a mean of livelihood and survival by people indulging in it in post-amnesty Niger Delta. The paper argues that widespread increase in kidnapping in post-amnesty Niger Delta can be traced to prevalence of poverty in the region and the way and manner in which the amnesty programme was implemented. The paper recommended massive job creation and reconsideration of the system of justice administration in the country as solutions to the problem of widespread kidnapping in the Niger Delta region.


Globally, numerous pollution hotspots have been identified using satellite-based instruments. One of these hotspots is the prominent NO 2 hotspot over the South African Highveld. The tropospheric NO 2 column density of this area is comparable to that observed for central and northern Europe, eastern North America and south-east Asia. The most well-known pollution source in this area is a large array of coal-fired power stations. Upon closer inspection, long-term means of satellite observations also show a smaller area, approximately 100 km west of the Highveld hotspot, with a seemingly less substantial NO 2 column density. This area correlates with the geographical location of the Johannesburg–Pretoria conurbation or megacity, one of the 40 largest metropolitan areas in the world. Ground-based measurements indicate that NO 2 concentrations in the megacity have diurnal peaks in the early morning and late afternoon, which coincide with peak traffic hours and domestic combustion. During these times, NO 2 concentrations in the megacity are higher than those in the Highveld hotspot. These diurnal NO 2 peaks in the megacity have generally been overlooked by satellite observations because the satellites have fixed local overpass times that do not coincide with these peak periods. Consequently, the importance of NO 2 over the megacity has been underestimated. We examined the diurnal cycles of NO 2 ground-based measurements for the two areas – the megacity and the Highveld hotspot – and compared them with the satellite-based NO 2 observations. Results show that the Highveld hotspot is accompanied by a second hotspot over the megacity, which is of significance for the more than 10 million people living in this megacity.


A series of high-profile incidents in and after 2008 placed Malmö in southern Sweden on the national and international map as a place that was unsafe for people identified as Jews. The primary aim of this article is to explore and exemplify what it is like to live with Jewish identity in Malmö within a framework of how the media reports anti-Semitism and how this group copes with being the potential target of anti-Semitic harassment and hate crime. Based on interviews with people with Jewish identity in Malmö, we analyze and discuss their experiences using different themes, such as violent and everyday anti-Semitism, the local impact of the Israel–Palestine conflict, how media images affect their lives, and how exposure and vulnerability are dealt with. The findings are important in terms of both possible long-term measures against anti-Semitism and as immediate support for those targeted.


Angiogenesis is the process of blood vessel formation which plays a crucial role in normal physiology, and also in the progression of various chronic diseases such as cancer, arthritis and such. As targeting angiogenesis has become an important strategy in the search of treatments of various debilitating ailments, it is a need-based study to identify a natural source of anti-angiogenic agent that may halt the progression of angiogenesis event. Ardisia crispa, locally known as "mata itik" (Family: Myrsinaceae) has been used in traditional Malay medicine to treat various ailments related to inflammation. Ardisia crispa roots have been shown to treat various inflammation-related diseases in several previous studies. As angiogenesis is strongly correlated with inflammation, the aim of the present study was to evaluate anti-angiogenic potential of the hexane partition of Ardisia crispa roots ethanolic extract (ACRH) and its quinone- rich fraction (QRF) on several experimental models, namely Miles vascular permeability test, murine air pouch granuloma and mouse sponge implantation test. Preliminary cyclooxygenase and soy lipoxygenase inhibitory study were also conducted to elucidate the possible pathways involved. Preliminary phytochemical screening of ACRH indicated the abundant presence of flavonoid, triterpene and tannin. Quinone- rich fraction (QRF) was separated from ACRH (38.33% w/w) and further isolated to yield a compound, namely fAC-2, indicated by a single TLC spot at Rf: 0.76. The compound was later found to be impure, when later analysed with GC-MS. Nevertheless, fAC-2 was elucidated to possess a major constituent of a benzoquinonoid compound (2-methoxy-6-undecyl-1, 4-benzoquinone), when compared with the standard data. Both ACRH and QRF were also quantified using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). For toxicity study, the LD50 value of ACRH was found to be 617.02 mg/kg. In Miles vascular permeability assay, the lowest dose of both ACRH and QRF (10 mg/kg) produced significant reduction in VEGF-induced hyperpermeability compared to vehicle control. In murine air pouch granuloma, ACRH and QRF displayed significant and dose-dependent angiogenic and inflammatory inhibition, in which significant reduction of vascular index and granuloma tissue weight was observed at high dose (100 mg/kg). ACRH and QRF were also shown to possess selective COX-2 inhibitory properties which were dose-dependent, though COX-1 inhibition was also observed in a lower percentage. On the other hand, ACRH and QRF did not exhibit LOX inhibitory activity. Interestingly, fAC-2 showed its selectivity towards the inhibition of COX-2, instead of COX-1, and showed to be a moderate LOX inhibitor. Thus, it can be concluded that Ardisia crispa roots showed potential anti-angiogenic properties by partly mediating COX-2 activity, as shown in the in vitro screening, and it is postulated that fAC-2 (2-methoxy-6-undercyl-1, 4-benzoquinone) displays dual COX-2 and LOX once it is purely isolated in a large scale and tested in vivo.


The healthcare system in Australia is struggling to meet the healthcare needs of the ageing population. The pressure on health systems to solve these complex problems can create a sense of urgency to find a panacea in concepts such as coordinated care. A common understanding of coordinated care is often assumed when, in reality, the concept is neither clearly defined nor completely understood. The purpose of this review was to examine and identify the attributes of coordinated care to facilitate a shared definition of this concept within the primary care context. The study was a conceptual review of the literature relating to coordinated care in chronic disease. Two key electronic databases (MEDLINE and CINAHL) were searched using terms generated by a panel of primary healthcare practitioners and researchers. Following the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 20 studies were selected from an initial pool of 128. Several key attributes of coordinated care were identified together with a definitional statement. Coordinated care in the primary healthcare setting can be broadly defined as the delivery of systematic, responsive and supportive care to people with complex chronic care needs. It relies heavily on complicated concepts such as partnerships, networking, collaboration, knowledge transfer, person-centred practice and self-management support. The expression of these concepts in the literature was relatively superficial, with little discussion of the actual practices that might be implemented in order to enact them. This paper provides a framework of coordinated care within the primary care setting that can guide future work around implementation and evaluation.


BACKGROUND
Enamel matrix derivative (EMD) contains a variety of hydrophobic enamel matrix proteins and is extracted from developing embryonal enamel of porcine origin. EMD has been associated with the formation of acellular cementum and it has been found to stimulate periodontal regeneration. The present study was established to investigate the influence of EMD on human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells, gingival fibroblasts (GF), and osteosarcoma (MG-63) cells on wound-fill rates using an in vitro wound model.

METHODS
Wounds were created by making 3 mm incisions in cell monolayers across the length of tissue culture plates. The wounded PDL, GF, and MG-63 cell monolayers were treated with media containing EMD over a concentration range of 5 to 100 microg/ml, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-BB) at 20 ng/ml as a positive control and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) at 100 ng/ml as a negative control. PDL cell wounded monolayers also were treated in EMD coated tissue culture plates. After an incubation period (up to 9 days), the cells were fixed and stained and cellular fill was measured across the width of the wound by computer-assisted histomorphometry.

RESULTS
When PDL, GF, and MG-63 cells were exposed to EMD in culture medium, an enhanced wound-fill was observed for all cells compared to untreated conditions. At early time points, PDL wound-fill rates in the presence of EMD were statistically greater than the rates of GF and MG-63 treated with EMD (P<0.001). There were no significant differences in wound-fill rates of PDL cells treated with EMD in medium versus EMD coated on culture plates. At days 3 and 6 post-wounding, PDL cells showed a significantly greater response to EMD than to PDGF-BB (P <0.001). EMD also had a greater effect on GF wound-fill rates than PDGF-BB at days 6 and 9. MG-63 cells were less responsive to PDGF-BB and EMD than PDL cells and GF. All 3 cell types treated with IGF-I showed no significant increase of wound-fill rates.

CONCLUSION
The present data support the concept that clinical application of enamel matrix derivative may enhance periodontal wound regeneration by specifically modifying periodontal ligament cell proliferation and migration.


SUMMARY Soybean yields on smallholder farmers' fields in Malawi are constrained by poor soil fertility, limited application of external inputs and poor crop husbandry. We tested crop management practices through on-farm experimentation and participatory technology evaluation. Two agronomic soybean trials were established in 2009 and 2010 in three contrasting agro-ecologies resulting in 72 replications per trial. Treatments in the first trial included several combinations of inoculation with Bradyrhizobium japonicum, inorganic fertiliser application and compost manure. In the second trial, farmers tested an improved variety, optimal weeding regime, increased plant population and chemical pest and disease control. A combination of inoculation, inorganic fertiliser (10 N, 8 P, 20 K in kg ha−1), and 6 t ha−1 compost manure increased yields from 0.86 t ha−1 under farmers' practice to 1.56 t ha−1 and resulted in average profits of US$222 ha−1. Increased plant populations and biocide spraying also resulted in substantial yield increases. Inoculation and increased plant population resulted in an average value to cost ratio (VCR) > 2. Low investment costs make inoculants, compost manure and increased plant populations interesting options, whereas adoption of inorganic fertiliser application in soybean may be limited due to high costs and low VCR. The farmers ranked eight technologies in descending order of preference as: (i) early planting, (ii) plant population, (iii) variety choice, (iv) compost manure, (v) weeding, (vi) inoculant, (vii) fertiliser and (viii) spraying. Our participatory research approach demonstrated that there is a wide range of technologies with different levels of human and financial investment costs that smallholder farmers can adopt to enhance their soybean yields and profits.


The prediction of asymmetric equilibria with Stackelberg outcomes is clearly the most frequent result in the endogenous timing literature. Several experiments have tried to validate this prediction empirically, but failed to find support for it. By contrast, the experiments find that simultaneous-move outcomes are modal and that behavior in endogenous timing games is quite heterogeneous. This paper generalizes Hamilton and Slutsky's (1990) endogenous timing games by assuming that players are averse to inequality in payoffs. I explore the theoretical implications of inequity aversion and compare them to the empirical evidence. I find that this explanation is able to organize most of the experimental evidence on endogenous timing games. However, inequity aversion is not able to explain delay in Hamilton and Slutsky's endogenous timing games.


Our goal is to automatically detect boundaries between discussions of different topics in meetings. Towards this end we adapt the TextTiling algorithm [1] to the context of meetings. Our features include not only the overlapped words between adjacent windows, but also overlaps in the amount of speech contributed by each meeting participant. We evaluate our algorithm by comparing the automatically detected boundaries with the true ones, and computing precision, recall and f–measure. We report average precision of 0.85 and recall of 0.59 when segmenting unseen test meetings. Error analysis of our results shows that although the basic idea of our algorithm is sound, it breaks down when participants stray from typical behavior (such as when they monopolize the conversation for too long).


The response of the water column to varying conditions of stratification and wind forcing was investigated in Lake Kinneret (Israel) using data collected from thermistor chains and acoustic Doppler current profilers during 1997 and 1998. The strong daily sea breeze was found to generate a vertical mode 1 internal Kelvin wave and basin‐scale internal Poincaré waves of vertical modes 1, 2, and 3. The Kelvin wave, the dominant component of the internal wave field, was responsible for alongshore velocities in the nearshore regions. In the upwind nearshore regions, velocities were dominated by the forced response to the wind and were cross‐shore in nature. In the lake interior, the Kelvin wave effect on the horizontal velocity field was minor compared to the higher vertical mode Poincareé waves. The Kelvin wave is shown to exist in resonant and nonforced states with the wind, whereas the vertical mode 1 Poincaré wave energy remained relatively constant, despite large variability in the forcing conditions. The energy in the higher mode Poincaré waves varied greatly, both on daily and seasonal timescales. The results demonstrate that the wind energy forces multiple basin‐scale internal wave modes and that prior motion in the water column must be considered when determining the subsequent internal wave response in periodically forced systems.


Susie MacMurray's Shell installation manifests in Pallant House, Chichester, like some pulsing exotica, a heavily-textured wall-paper, darkly decorative, heavily luxurious, broodingly present, with more than a hint of the uncanny or the gothic. A remarkable undertaking by an artist of significance, this work's life-span was just one year, and then it disappeared, leaving no physical trace, but undoubtedly contributing is a much less tangible way to an already rich layering of narrative within this special space... This commissioned catalogue essay was published by Pallant House / Arts Council England to accompany the exhibition.


Frances Pritchett's lively, compassionate book joins literary criticism with history to explain how Urdu poetry--long the pride of Indo-Muslim culture--became devalued in the second half of the nineteenth century. This abrupt shift, Pritchett argues, was part of the backlash following the violent Indian Mutiny of 1857. She uses the lives and writings of the distinguished poets and critics Azad and Hali to show the disastrous consequences--culturally and politically--of British rule. The British had science, urban planning--and Wordsworth. Azad and Hali had a discredited culture and a metaphysical, sexually ambiguous poetry that differed radically from English lyric forms. Pritchett's beautiful reconstruction of the classical Urdu poetic vision allows us to understand one of the world's richest literary traditions and also highlights the damaging potential of colonialism.


The eudaimonic orientation (seeking authenticity, meaning, excellence, growth) and hedonic orientation (seeking pleasure, comfort) are two of the primary ways in which people define and pursue a good life (Huta & Waterman, 2014). Research has shown that eudaimonic and hedonic orientations have substantial but different impacts on people's lives: the two orientations relate to somewhat different aspects of personal well-being; and a eudaimonic orientation relates much more to promoting the well-being of other people, while a hedonic orientation occasionally relates to having a negative impact on others. Thus, it is important to understand what leads people to pursue a eudaimonic or hedonic orientation (or both) in the first place. We expected worldviews, which are an individual's fundamental beliefs about how things work and what is true and real, to be pivotal in predicting eudaimonic and hedonic orientations. Koltko-Rivera (2004) compiled the most comprehensive list of worldviews to date. We created a survey of worldviews that was predominantly based on Koltko-Rivera's (2004) review and to which we added some further concepts. In an exploratory study containing a single item per worldview, we compared eudaimonic and hedonic orientations in terms of their correlations with worldviews in a sample of 749 undergraduates. We report results that appeared with some consistency across similar themes, providing preliminary insight into the different patterns of worldviews that may shape hedonic versus eudaimonic orientations. Overall, a eudaimonic orientation related to more worldviews than a hedonic orientation. A eudaimonic orientation was more related to beliefs that there is greater purpose to people and the universe, that the purpose of life is excellence and contribution, that there is a spiritual dimension to life, and that people can impact the world directly, as well as a belief in moral absolutism. In contrast, hedonia had stronger relationships with moral relativism and fatalistic beliefs about the outcomes in people's lives.


The cytopharyngeal basket in Nassula consists largely of microtubules. During binary fission the old basket is resorbed and simultaneously two new baskets develop. Changes in basket structure occurring during basket development and resorption, and variations in the lengths of baskets during the interfission period have been examined using phase-contrast and electron microscopy. These examinations indicate the manner m which several different processes influence the shapes, sizes, positions, and numbers of the various basket components. Early in development some of the microtubular basket components contact certain basal bodies from which they subsequently detach, and then, while most of them assemble into the positions they occupy in the mature organelle, they are temporarily associated with a reticulum of microtubules. Several of these components are not included in a new basket and some of them are resorbed; development of the others continues and they establish microtubular connexions to basal bodies different from those to which they were previously attached. Other basket components commence development after assembly of the microtubular components and form in contact with them, even if they have not been included in a new basket. The majority of microtubules apparently lengthen by accumulating material exclusively at one of their extremities Baskets of starving organisms gradually shorten by loss of material from their bottoms but lengthen again when the organisms feed The bulk of an old basket is not enclosed in a vacuole when it is resorbed; breakdown of tubules progresses from their extremities after loss of intertubular cross-connexions


We present a refinement-based compositional framework for showing that pipelined machines satisfy the same safety and liveness properties as their non-pipelined specifications. Our framework consists of a set of convenient, easily applicable, and complete compositional proof rules. We show how to apply our compositional framework in the context of microprocessor verification to verify both abstract, term-level models and executable, bit-level models. Our framework enables us to verify machine models that are significantly more complex than the kinds of models that can be verified using current state-of-the-art automated decision procedures. For example, using our framework, we can verify a 32-bit, 10-stage, executable pipelined machine model. In addition, our compositional framework offers drastic improvements in the context of design debugging over monolithic approaches, in part because bugs are isolated to particular steps in the compositional proof and because the counter examples generated are much smaller.


Abstract The Upper Cretaceous Sego Sandstone Member of the Mesaverde Group has been extensively studied in the Book Cliffs area of Utah and Colorado, and has been the focus of stratigraphic reconstruction aimed at developing an understanding of the evolution of the Western Cretaceous Interior Seaway. The Sego Sandstone Member was deposited in a marginal marine, tide-influenced environment of the Cretaceous Seaway. This study documents the sequence stratigraphy of the Sego Sandstone Member in northwestern Colorado, just north of Rangely, and compares and contrasts it with equivalent strata in the Book Cliffs area in Utah. The Sego Sandstone Member in the study area contains three sequences characterized by progradational and aggradational stacking patterns. The stratigraphically lowest sequence consists of a prograding, tide-influenced delta overlain by marine mudstones, which represents a retrogradation and flooding surface. The second sequence is composed of multiple parasequences and consists of an incised valley filled with stacked tidal bars which then pass into a largely aggradational stacking pattern, composed of barrier-island deposits with back-barrier, flood-tidal-delta deposits, and wave-dominated-shoreface deposits. The third sequence is a broad, tide-dominated distributary-mouth system with a sharp, incisional basal contact. The three sequence boundaries documented in northwestern Colorado are consistent with the three main sequence boundaries identified in the Book Cliffs. However, whereas barrier islands and flood-tidal deltas are characteristic of the Sego Sandstone Member in northwestern Colorado, similar deposits are not as prevalent in the Book Cliffs of Utah, suggesting different depositional processes and paleogeography. Tidal and fluvio-deltaic processes are the dominant controls on deposition of the Sego Sandstone Member north of Rangely, Colorado. The transition from a tide-dominated fluvio-deltaic system to a mixed wave–tide-influenced coastline indicates a fundamental change in processes and depositional environment in the upper part of Sequence 2. Such change from a prograding fluvio-deltaic system to a more passive tide-modified coastline is not observed in the Book Cliffs, and may be the result either of large scale transgression or of relocation of the river system through large-scale avulsion, which is not observed in the Book Cliffs. Our study shows significant stratigraphic variability between rocks exposed in the Book Cliffs versus time-equivalent rocks exposed in northwestern Colorado in the Upper Cretaceous, which has implications for the regional basin architecture and stratigraphic correlations.


The development of wireless patient monitoring system has been quite intensive in the past decade. Hence, in the present study, a new approach of wireless patient monitoring system was proposed as a prototype to minimize the power consumption and the costing issue. AT89C51 (8051 Family) microcontroller as the hardware circuit were used to implement the system. The communication between the hardware and software systems is in the full duplex communication via the XBee modules happened. The results show that XBee module is successfully communicated with the whole system and the monitoring software is in the best condition to be implemented. Since the prototype using variable voltage, good comparison with the experimental and previous studies shows that the present study can be improved by using the real ECG machine so that the system can be ready to the real user.


Electronic commerce offers tools which potentially support the development and re·invigoration of regional economies because of their ability to /ink enterprises and labour markets in networks across dispersed geographical areas. However. the evidence that regional areas of Australia benefit from this development in accordance with optimistic forecasts of the potential is, at best, mixed. This paper examines the constraints on the development of IT-based activity in regional areas and identifies barriers to full participation of those areas in Australia. It argues that regional areas are unlikely to benefit from the 'new economy' without a major changes in government thinking about regional development.


Vibrio parahaemolyticus can cause gastrointestinal illness through consumption of seafood. Despite frequent food-borne outbreaks of V. parahaemolyticus, only 19 strains have subjected to complete whole-genome analysis. In this study, a novel strain of V. parahaemolyticus, designated FORC_022 (Food-borne pathogen Omics Research Center_022), was isolated from soy sauce marinated crabs, and its genome and transcriptome were analyzed to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms. FORC_022 did not include major virulence factors of thermostable direct hemolysin (tdh) and TDH-related hemolysin (trh). However, FORC_022 showed high cytotoxicity and had several V. parahaemolyticus islands (VPaIs) and other virulence factors, such as various secretion systems (types I, II, III, IV, and VI), in comparative genome analysis with CDC_K4557 (the most similar strain) and RIMD2210633 (genome island marker strain). FORC_022 harbored additional virulence genes, including accessory cholera enterotoxin, zona occludens toxin, and tight adhesion (tad) locus, compared with CDC_K4557. In addition, O3 serotype specific gene and the marker gene of pandemic O3:K6 serotype (toxRS) were detected in FORC_022. The expressions levels of genes involved in adherence and carbohydrate transporter were high, whereas those of genes involved in motility, arginine biosynthesis, and proline metabolism were low after exposure to crabs. Moreover, the virulence factors of the type III secretion system, tad locus, and thermolabile hemolysin were overexpressed. Therefore, the risk of foodborne-illness may be high following consumption of FORC_022 contaminated crab. These results provided molecular information regarding the survival and pathogenesis of V. parahaemolyticus FORC_022 strain in contaminated crab and may have applications in food safety.


Low‐carbon development is a challenging endeavor for many fossil fuels exporting nations around the world, and is especially important in light of the recent Paris Agreement on climate change. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have been adopting innovations and policies in order to diversify their economies and decrease environmental degradation. After decades of high demographic and economic growth, balancing ecological concerns and the need for more dynamic growth have now become cornerstones of those countries' national, urban, and infrastructure planning strategies. This review article introduces the ecological modernization in the GCC region through innovations and reforms. Such a pathway might be a viable model for other oil‐ and gas‐rich economies. The review outlines the current model in the GCC region for achieving a low‐carbon future through interventions in the built environment, deployment of renewables, technological investments, and gradual integration in knowledge‐intensive global industries. On the other hand, the review points to mixed results with regards to megaprojects and the still existing barriers to adoption of renewables. The obstacles in addressing large environmental footprints and fossil fuel dependency are evaluated. Overall, modernization policies in the Gulf region are still emerging, are rather supply‐side focused, and are implicitly driven by the idea of technological primacy. At the same time, in an effort to develop local capacities, policymakers seek to promote comparatively high‐potential sectors and maintain the region's global image as a crossroads of trade and modernity.


This paper considers concepts of citizenship and consumerism in light of complaints about healthcare, which have risen since the early1990s, due to a greater willingness by the healthcare user to complain, and also the reforms in complaint systems. The narrow legal model for dealing with complaints has been replaced by a managerial model based on corporate sector practice that views complaint handling as a way of retaining customers and organisational learning. The managerial model has proved difficult to embed into the English NHS and has been superposed with a centralised regulatory system that aims to manage performance while also being responsible for reviewing, complaints and being responsive to complainants. It is argued that this may have positive consequences in terms of improving healthcare quality but more negatively, the promotion of consumerism within complaints processes has led to a loss of the right to due process and public accountability.


Animal husbandry is a recent innovation in Greenland, specifically reindeer husbandry is less than 50 years old. Reindeer husbandry was first established in mid-west Greenland and later in southern Greenland. The Greenland hunter tradition and culture is, however, still dominant in many communities. During the 1980s and 1990s, the incompatibility of these two traditions resulted in the failure of reindeer husbandry in mid-west Greenland. There were neither herding nor seasonal herd movements. Animals remained year round on the winter range, which was destroyed as lichens were trampled every summer. Without seasonal herd movements both sustainable range use and control of the herd were lost. Today, there are just two semi-domestic reindeer herds left, and both are in southern Greenland. One herd is commercially successful, and the other is under development. In mid-west Greenland, semi-domestic reindeer husbandry officially ended in 1998, and a hunt was initiated to remove the remaining population. Possibly, by the year 2000 any animals left in this region will be considered wild caribou.