River restoration is at the forefront of applied hydrologic science. However, many river restoration projects are conducted with minimal scientific context. We propose two themes around which a research agenda to advance the scientific basis for river restoration can be built. First, because natural variability is an inherent feature of all river systems, we hypothesize that restoration of process is more likely to succeed than restoration aimed at a fixed end point. Second, because physical, chemical, and biological processes are interconnected in complex ways across watersheds and across timescales, we hypothesize that restoration projects are more likely to be successful in achieving goals if undertaken in the context of entire watersheds. To achieve restoration objectives, the science of river restoration must include (1) an explicit recognition of the known complexities and uncertainties, (2) continued development of a theoretical framework that enables us to identify generalities among river systems and to ask relevant questions, (3) enhancing the science and use of restoration monitoring by measuring the most effective set of variables at the correct scales of measurement, (4) linking science and implementation, and (5) developing methods of restoration that are effective within existing constraints. Key limitations to river restoration include a lack of scientific knowledge of watershed‐scale process dynamics, institutional structures that are poorly suited to large‐scale adaptive management, and a lack of political support to reestablish delivery of the ecosystem amenities lost through river degradation. This paper outlines an approach for addressing these shortcomings.


This thesis looks into the problems arising in video image transmission when
transmitting over a wireless environment. The main problems faced by future visual
communication systems are multi-resolution video transmission, error resiliance and
compatibility with existing coding standards. Two main areas were investigated in this
thesis. The first area focused on subband decompostion, where a comprehensive
comparison of various subband filters were carried out. The other area centred around
subband coding and modelling, where various subband models were implemented. [Continues.]


Many countries have phased out nuclear electricity production in response to concerns about nuclear waste and the risk of nuclear accidents. This paper examines the impact of the shutdown of roughly half of the nuclear production capacity in Germany after the Fukushima accident in 2011. We use hourly data on power plant operations and a novel machine learning framework to estimate how plants would have operated differently if the phase-out had not occurred. We find that the lost nuclear electricity production due to the phase-out was replaced primarily by coal-fired production and net electricity imports. The social cost of this shift from nuclear to coal is approximately 12 billion dollars per year. Over 70% of this cost comes from the increased mortality risk associated with exposure to the local air pollution emitted when burning fossil fuels. Even the largest estimates of the reduction in the costs associated with nuclear accident risk and waste disposal due to the phase-out are far smaller than 12 billion dollars.


This discussion has resulted in a publication in the American Economic Review , 2002, 92(3), 625-43. Auctions are generally not efficient when the object's expected value depends on private and common value information. We report a series of first-price auction experiments to measure the degree of inefficiency that occurs with financially motivated bidders. While some subjects fall prey to the winner's curse, they weigh their private and common value information in roughly the same manner as rational bidders, with observed efficiencies close to predicted levels. Increased competition and reduced uncertainty about the common value positively affect revenues and efficiency. The public release of information about the common value also raises efficiency, although less than predicted.


Moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) is estimated to affect 11% of children worldwide. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 239 million people are malnourished with 48 million of these being children. Karamoja region has the highest cases of acute malnutrition in Uganda. Corn Soya Blend Plus (CSB+) is the traditional treatment for moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) in children 6-59 months. CSB+ was introduced as a substitute for CSB but does not provide a sustainable treatment for moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) due to unavailability to local communities and its high cost. Despite the availability of local foods to constitute dietary supplements for children that are relatively cheaper than CSB+ and with greater potential to provide a more sustainable solution to treat MAM, they are not widely promoted. There is need therefore to formulate food supplements from locally grown foods and to test their efficacy in treating MAM among children 6-59 months of age. The study was conducted in Karamoja region, Northern Eastern Uganda. The study was conducted in two phases: phase I involved formulating a test food supplement from sorghum and peanut, mixed with honey and ghee (SPB) along with assessing its nutritional and anti- nutrient profile. Phase II comprised the intervention, in which the acceptability and efficacy of SPB versus CSB+ in treating MAM was tested. The sample size for efficacy study was 440 children, 220 for each study arms; SPB and CSB+. A randomised single-blind parallel cluster trial was conducted in which two health centres were assigned on a 1:1 ratio by computer to the two study groups. Each child received a daily ration of 269g of either SPB or CSB+ for a maximum period of 3 months. Anthropometric measurements were taken on a bi-weekly basis. The primary outcomes were the recovery rate and the mean length of stay in the programme before full recovery. Data was analysed using (SPSS version 17). Levels of macronutrients, CSB+ had significantly higher amounts of protein and carbohydrates whereas SPB had significantly higher amounts of fat and crude fibre. There was no significant difference in terms of energy content in SPB and CSB+. Proximate components, beta-carotene, iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, manganese and sodium amounts were available in adequate amounts in both products. Vitamin A level was higher in CSB+ than SPB. Levels of anti- nutrients; condensed tannin, phytates, and trypsin inhibitors were significantly higher in SPB but were in amounts lower than the acceptable limits. Aflatoxins were also below the 20ppb upper limits by FDA. The two food supplements were acceptable to the study participants in terms of all the sensory attributes. The recovery rates were not significantly different (91.4%) in the SPB and 87.1% in the CSB+ group (Chi-square test; P=0.193). Duration of recovery was significantly shorter for CSB+ group; median 43 days compared to 57 days in the SPB (Kaplan-Meir Survival test). The recovery rate and the duration of stay in the programme for those children fed on CSB+ and those on SPB were all within the acceptable Sphere Standards 2004 (≥75% and ≤90 days) respectively. The cost of SPB was much lower than the CSB+ if transportation costs are considered. SPB has the potential to become a cost-effective, sustainable locally-available home-based food supplement for treatment of MAM in the study community and other similar circumstances.


Background Digoxin, the oldest cardiovascular drug, has been used for the treatment of heart failure and in frequency control strategies in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines from 2009 and European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines from 2012, on the management of acute and chronic heart failure (CHF), recommend digoxin for symptom relief and reducing hospital admissions. The ESC-recommended serum digoxin levels used for treating of CHF are 0.8–1.5 nmol/l (0.6–1.2 ng/ml) and equivalent ACC/AHA guidelines recommend 0.64–1.2 nmol/l (0.5–0.9 ng/ml). A serum digoxin level ≥3.0 nmol/l (2.5 ng/ml) is considered to be toxic. Purpose The aim of our study was to analyse a patient population admitted to emergencies for digoxin intoxications in a third-level hospital. Materials and methods This was a retrospective single-centre study of patients admitted to Emergencies with the diagnosis of digoxin intoxication from January 2010 to May 2012. Variables collected from medical records: demographic data (sex, age), antecedents (diabetes, acute (ARF) and chronic (CRF) renal failure, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, CHF), digoxin treatment data, reason for intoxication, test results at admission and treatment at discharge. All categorical variables are reported as frequency and percentage, while the continuous variables were reported as mean ± standard deviation. Results 136 out of 237,068 patients admitted to hospital as emergencies had digoxin intoxication (106 women, 81.8 ± 8.7 years). 36.1% diabetic, 53.5% and 35.6% suffered ARF and CRF, 86.7% hypertensive, 45.9% dyslipidaemia and 69.2% CHF). 47.8% were treated with digoxin for AF and 47% for CHF and AF. The mean daily dose of digoxin was 0.163 ± 0.050 mg. The main reasons for digoxin intoxication were ARF (34.5%), acute kidney injury in CRF (22.7%) and no dosage adjustment (21.8%). The mean digoxin serum levels were 3.36 ± 1.29 mcg/L and creatinine 167.9 ± 121.4 μmol/L. Two patients required treatment with anti-digoxin antibody and three were admitted to the ICU. At discharge, digoxin treatment was stopped (53.2%), dose adjusted (23.4%) or changed to another drug (12.9%) in most of the cases. Conclusions According to the results published, we have found that elderly women with impaired renal function are at the greatest risk. Therefore, early recognition is important for close monitoring and to reduce admissions. No conflict of interest.


We develop a simple model which determines the optimal timing of school tracking as the outcome of the trade off between the advantages of specialization, which call for early tracking, and the costs of early selection, which lead to later tracking. We calibrate the model for Germany and study how relative demand shifts toward more general skills and changes in the (exogenous) rate of technical progress affect the optimal tracking time as well as the efficient allocation of students to general and vocational tracks.


In this article an efficient numerical method for finding solution of the nonlinear Fredholm integro-differential equations on base of Bernstein polynomials basis would be presented. For this purpose at the beginning we express briefly some properties of Bernstein polynomials and after that with respect to relation between Bernstein and Legendre polynomials, operational matrices of integration and product of Bernstein Polynomials and also dual operational matrix of Bernstein basis vector, all will be presented. Then with approximate approach the solution of integro-differential equation with C T �(x) form (in which C is the unknown coefficients vector and�(x) is the Bernstein basis vector) and it's usage of presented matrices, mentioned equation and it's initial conditions will be converted to an equivalent matrix equation. Coefficients vector C is the solution of this matrix equation. At the end with presentation of five numerical examples the method will be evaluated.


Dr. Timothy J. Murnen, Advisor The purpose of this case study was to investigate the underlying issues impacting the home-school connection for readers in kindergarten classrooms, by exploring the following questions: What issues do parents face that affect the amount and quality of literacy activities taking place in the home, and what do parents suggest for teachers to strengthen the home-school connection? The study examined the hidden issues or underlying causes that prevent parents from supporting their children with literacy activities at home. The study also explored parents' perceptions of their child's current classroom teacher and her parent involvement techniques and communication. Parents were asked to provide suggestions on what the classroom teacher could do differently in order to strengthen the home-school connection. Using active interviewing (Holstein & Gubrium, 1997) as the primary method of data collection, this study examined the responses of a teacher and parents in a kindergarten classroom in Northwest Ohio. The data was used to determine the issues that affect parents' abilities to work with their children on reading. It was also used to discover what parent involvement strategies are successful, and to find what parents feel teachers could do differently to strengthen the connection between home and school. The results of this study suggest that there are factors in the home environment that affect the amount and quality of literacy interactions that take place in the home. The study revealed that there is a need for teachers to understand the home environments that students come from in an effort to provide literacy activities that meet the needs of all students and families. Lastly, more consistent communication between the home and school is needed in order to strengthen the home-school connection.


In most neurons, Na+ channels in the axon are complemented by others localized in the soma and dendrites to ensure spike back-propagation. However, cerebellar granule cells are neurons with simplified architecture in which the dendrites are short and unbranched and a single thin ascending axon travels toward the molecular layer before bifurcating into parallel fibers. Here we show that in cerebellar granule cells, Na+ channels are enriched in the axon, especially in the hillock, but almost absent from soma and dendrites. The impact of this channel distribution on neuronal electroresponsiveness was investigated by multi-compartmental modeling. Numerical simulations indicated that granule cells have a compact electrotonic structure allowing excitatory postsynaptic potentials to diffuse with little attenuation from dendrites to axon. The spike arose almost simultaneously along the whole axonal ascending branch and invaded the hillock the activation of which promoted spike back-propagation with marginal delay (<200 micros) and attenuation (<20 mV) into the somato-dendritic compartment. These properties allow granule cells to perform sub-millisecond coincidence detection of pre- and postsynaptic activity and to rapidly activate Purkinje cells contacted by the axonal ascending branch.


Although conflicting selection from different resources is thought to play a critical role in the evolution of specialized species, the prevalence of conflicting selection in generalists is poorly understood. Plants may experience conflicting selection on floral traits by different pollinators and between genders. Using artificial selection to increase phenotypic variation, we tested for conflicting and nonadditive selection on wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) flowers. To do this, we measured selection by each of the major pollinator taxa through both male and female fitness, and tested for a single‐generation response to selection by a subset of these pollinators. We found some evidence for conflicting selection on anther exsertion—‐sweat bees exerted stabilizing selection and larger bees selected for increased exsertion. Stamen dimorphism was only under selection by honey bees, causing a response to selection in the next generation, and flower size was under similar selection by multiple pollinators. Selection differed significantly between genders for two traits, but there was no evidence for stronger selection through male fitness or for conflicting selection between genders. Our results suggest wild radish flowers can adapt to multiple pollinators, as we found little evidence for conflicting selection and no evidence for nonadditive selection among pollinators.


Pratchett, Terry. I Shall Wear Midnight . New York: Harper, 2010. Print. "I Shall Wear Midnight" opens with our female protagonist and witch, Tiffany Aching, now in her 4th book and grown up to nearly sixteen years old. We were introduced to Tiffany as a young 9-year-old in  The Wee Free Men , and followed her in sequels  A Hat Full of Sky and Wintersmith. She is no longer a little girl, but now a young lady who is the sole witch in her hometown of Chalk. This story revolves around the fact that there is a formidable and evil force that is turning the townspeople against witches (who may be considered good or bad in these books, depending on how they use their magic). Also known as "the Cunning Man," this wicked figure first attacks Tiffany as she is on her way to inform Roland, the son and next-of-kin of the Baron, of the Baron's recent death. The Cunning Man is supposedly the spirit of a man once slighted by a witch whom he loved, and his angry soul is devoted to exacting his revenge on the witches of the world. In this novel, it is up to Tiffany to come to terms with the Cunning Man and defeat him in order to restore order to her hometown. This fantasy book also brings in important themes that older children will be interested in and can relate to, with somewhat mature themes of unrequited love. It is revealed that Roland had been a love interest to Tiffany, but is now engaged to be married. While she initially battles with this and is somewhat bitter with the prospect, ultimately she comes to terms with what is happening and convinces herself it wasn't meant to be. Later in the book, she starts a relationship with a guard named Preston, which will hopefully be developed further in books to come. Pratchett uses charming wordplay and puns that makes the book an interesting read. Comic relief comes in way of the Nac Mac Feegles – mischievous little blue men who tend to follow Tiffany around and cause a ruckus, whom we first saw in The Wee Free Men . Originally intended to watch over her and make sure she's safe, the Nac Mac Feegles have a way of getting into trouble by drinking and fighting; in this novel, they are accused of destroying a pub. These little men are quite rowdy and add to the 'mature' theme of the book, which help make it suitable for older children and pre-teens. Overall, this book is an interesting read – one part Harry Potter and one part Monty Python. For older children who are fans of fantasy, this book would be an excellent choice; an added bonus is that reading the previous three novels isn't a prerequisite for understanding and enjoying this installment. Pratchett's unique writing style helps develop the imagination of the reader, though it is a bit slow in the beginning. If the reader is patient and takes time to get into the plot, they will be rewarded in the end. Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Diana Keto Diana is originally from the Washington, D.C. area, where she worked for several years at a government library. She received her MLIS in 2009 and works at University of Alberta as a Public Services Librarian in the humanities and social sciences library.


We investigated whether minute alveolar ventilation affects isoflurane concentration in arterial blood and uptake of isoflurane into the body. Thirty female patients scheduled to undergo elective gynecological surgery were randomly assigned to one of three groups: i.e. hyperventilation, normal ventilation and hypoventilation. Inspiratory (CIiso) and end-tidal (CEiso) concentrations of isoflurane were measured by infrared analysis, and arterial blood isoflurane concentration (Aiso) was analyzed by gas chromatography. Cardiac index was measured by Doppler ultrasonography. The body uptake of isoflurane was determined by multiplying alveolar ventilation by the gradient of CIiso–CEiso. Aiso was highest in the hyperventilation group (significant), followed by the normal ventilation and hypoventilation groups, during the 40-min study. During the first 10 min of the study, the slope of the Aiso-over-time curve was highest in the hyperventilation group, followed by the normal ventilation group and the hypoventilation group. During the second half of the study (20–40 min), the slope Aiso-over-time curve did not differ among the three groups. Changes in ventilation affected the concentration of isoflurane in arterial blood but did not significantly alter the uptake of it during the last 20 min of the study. The change of alveolar ventilation altered the speed of functional residual capacity wash-in by isoflurane, which was the integral factor influencing Aiso and body uptake of isoflurane.


Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia with an increasing impact on the aging society. Although generations of researchers tried to unravel the pathomechanisms behind this disease, the molecular and cellular mechanisms leading to its onset and progression are still far from being completely understood. According- ly, only a symptomatic treatment is available until now, and a curative treatment seems to be far-off. On the other hand, several novel therapeutic strategies have been proposed and debated during the last decade. Because of the extensive serotonergic denervation that has been observed in the AD brain and the important role played by serotonin in both, cognition and behavioural control, this neurotransmitter system has become a focus of a concerted research effort to identify new treatments for AD. Therefore, modulation of defined serotonin receptors by specific ligands represents a promising tool for treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like AD. Here we provide an overview of the involvement of the serotonergic system in AD and discuss the underlying molecular mechanisms.


Ordered series involving a dichotomous (binary) variable are widely used to describe changes in phenomena which occur across time. Examples of such series include the percentage of a sample or population each year (or other unit of time) that marries, dies, or is arrested. This article demonstrates how UniODA is used for such designs to test a confirmatory (a priori), omnibus (overall), optimal (maximumaccuracy) hypothesis, subsequently disentangled by a confirmatory (if hypotheses are composed) or otherwise by an exploratory (post hoc) optimal range test. This methodology is demonstrated with an example assessing the effect of airborne beta nuclear radiation emanating from the Fukushima nuclear meltdown on the risk of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) for newborns in California in the years 2011-2012.


0465011594, 9780465011599 | Basic Books, 2008 | 2008 | 240 pages | Lester C. Thurow | The Zero-sum Society: Distribution and the Possibilities for Economic Change | Written during a period of acute economic stagnation in 1980, The Zero-Sum Society discusses the human implications of economic problem solving. Interpreting macroeconomics as a zero-sum game, Thurow proposes that the American economy will not solve its most trenchant problems-inflation, slow economic growth, the environment-until the political economy can support, in theory and in practice, the idea that certain members of society will have to bear the brunt of taxation and other government-sponsored economic actions. As relevant today as it was twenty years ago, The Zero-Sum Society offers a classic set of recommendations about the best way to balance government stewardship of the economy and the free-market aspirations of upwardly mobile Americans. file download rybafu.pdf


Can low-fat cooking be fast-really fast-and tasty too? You bet! Expanding on the successful formula of "Cooking to Beat the Clock, " food journalist Sam Gugino is back with "Low-Fat Cooking to Beat the Clock." Using clever time-saving (and fat-busting) techniques, Gugino shows busy cooks how to get a healthy dinner fit for a gourmand on the table in 15 minutesincluding the time it takes to chop and prep. "Low-Fat Cooking to Beat the Clock" drastically cuts the preparation time for meal-sized entrees, while offering creative new ways of thinking about any recipe that will change the way you cook. It's amazing but true: a healthy, great-tasting dinner can be ready in 15 minutes, start to finish!


In the Old Testament we read God s word as it was spoken to his people Israel. Today, thousands of years later, we hear in these thirty-nine books his inspired and authoritative message for us. These twin convictions, shared by all of the contributors to The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, define the goal of this ambitious series of commentaries. For those many modern readers who find the Old Testament to be strange and foreign soil, the NICOT series serves as an authoritative guide bridging the cultural gap between today s world and the world of ancient Israel. Each NICOT volume aims to help us hear God s word as clearly as possible. Scholars, pastors, and serious Bible students will welcome the fresh light that this commentary series casts on ancient yet familiar biblical texts. The contributors apply their proven scholarly expertise and wide experience as teachers to illumine our understanding of the Old Testament. As gifted writers, they present the results of the best recent research in an interesting manner. Each commentary opens with an introduction to the biblical book, looking especially at questions concerning its background, authorship, date, purpose, structure, and theology. A select bibliography also points readers to resources for their own study. The author s own translation from the original Hebrew forms the basis of the commentary proper. Verse-by-verse comments nicely balance in-depth discussions of technical matters textual criticism, critical problems, and so on with exposition of the biblical writer s theology and its implications for the life of faith today."


Our understanding of how individual mobility patterns shape and impact the social network is limited, but is essential for a deeper understanding of network dynamics and evolution. This question is largely unexplored, partly due to the difficulty in obtaining large-scale society-wide data that simultaneously capture the dynamical information on individual movements and social interactions. Here we address this challenge for the first time by tracking the trajectories and communication records of 6 Million mobile phone users. We find that the similarity between two individuals' movements strongly correlates with their proximity in the social network. We further investigate how the predictive power hidden in such correlations can be exploited to address a challenging problem: which new links will develop in a social network. We show that mobility measures alone yield surprising predictive power, comparable to traditional network-based measures. Furthermore, the prediction accuracy can be significantly improved by learning a supervised classifier based on combined mobility and network measures. We believe our findings on the interplay of mobility patterns and social ties offer new perspectives on not only link prediction but also network dynamics.


The obese hyperglycemic mouse colony was set up and established at this institution. Since the radioinununoassay of insulin was still a recent method, it was fraught with many inherent difficulties. It was thus investigated and aligned with our special requirements. The sequential development of the inherent obese hyperglycemic syndrome has been studied in these animals by investigating the relationship between the grovth rate, blood sugar and serum insulin changes with regard to age. A close relationship was observed in these three parameters. There vere primarily three phases in the development of the syndrome: (a) the dynamic phase until about week 24 characterized by an increased growth, hyperglycemia and increased serum insulin. (b) a static phase when weight gain was minimal and the weights of the animals were stable. Hyperglycemia too was fairly stable within its own limits and serum insulin concentrations were reduced with time... (c) this third phase was characterized by a reduction in all three parameters. However this apparent amelioration of the disease terminated in ketosis. The results of the investigations strongly suggest that obesity is prcbably a secondary manifestation of tissue resistance to insulin. This "abnormality" is present to an exaggerated degree in the obese animals thus resulting in hyperglycemia, excessive insulin production, and accretion of adipose tissue. This state of affairs is brought to a conclusion when an insufficiency of insulin production results and the animals succumb to diabetes per se. This tissue resistance was made even more evident during the course of studies involving primarily potassium and glucose uptake "in vivo". The investigations were carried out in animals between 16 and 20 weeks of age using the conventional glucose tolerance test under conditions of potassium surplus and deficiency. The importance of potassium was stressed in that further impairment in glucose tolerance was observed in animals maintained on a potassium deficient diet, and an improvement was apparent in animals fed on high potassium diet. This is partially explained by an increased serum insulin and therefore presumably an increased secretion of insulin. Sodium and potassium were measured in tissue, serum and urine. The obese and normal animals on the control 41B diet did not show much variation in these parameters. The glycogen content of liver and pancreas was much higher and that of muscle was much lower in the obese. The various changes of the parameters on the experimental diets have been discussed in the text.


The mf-GrC relay provides the case of a synapse at which elementary neurotransmission mechanisms are particularly well understood allowing a precise investigation of synaptic plasticity. An interesting consequence is that a presynaptic mechanism of LTP could be precisely documented on the basis of quantal analysis. By being presynaptically expressed, LTP becomes instrumental to regulation of short-term synaptic dynamics thereby controlling time-dependent transformations of the incoming mossy fiber input. It is unknown to what extent these considerations could be generalized, but early observations were provided for comparable concepts and mechanisms in neocortical synapses (Tsodyks and Markram, 1997). Although several aspects remain to be investigated, mf-GrC LTP provides a wide substrate for information storage in the cerebellum. In the rat cerebellum, there are 10(11) GrCs and 4 times as many mf-GrC synapses. Mathematical models have suggested that mf-GrC LTP improves mutual information transfer, and that the combination of synaptic and non-synaptic changes improves sparse representation of the mf input (Schweighofer et al., 2000; Philipona et al., 2003). Moreover, mf-GrC LTP could play a key role in regulating neurotransmission dynamics, implementing adaptability in delay lines early envisioned by Breitenberg (1967) and then revisited by Medina and Mauk (2002). These observations challenge the simple view of spatial pattern separation proposed by Marr (1969). The potential consequences of mf-GrC LTP need to be further investigated and confronted with computational models of the cerebellar network.


Legal scholars and historians have depicted the rule of hypodescent - that "one drop" of African blood categorized one as Black - as one of the powerful ways that law and society deployed to construct racial identities and deny equal citizenship. Ariela J. Gross's new book, "What Blood Won't Tell: A History of Race on Trial in America," boldly complicates the dominant narrative about hypodescent rules in legal scholarship. On the one hand, "What Blood Won't Tell" argues that the legal and social construction of race was far more complex, flexible and subject to manipulation than the scholarship regarding the rules about blood distinctions has suggested. On the other hand, "What Blood Won't Tell" highlights circumstances, both historically and in recent memory, of the ways in which blood distinctions played crucial roles in shaping the identity of people of color, including indigenous peoples. Importantly, "What Blood Won't Tell" also examines how blood quantum rules relate to contemporary efforts to reassert indigenous peoples' sovereignty and claims to lands. This Review highlights the important contributions of "What Blood Won't Tell" to our understanding of the racial experience of indigenous peoples and the contemporary methods used to remedy the present-day effects of indigenous peoples' colonial experience. "What Blood Won't Tell" advances a more robust account of the racialization of people of color through rules about blood differences in at least three ways. First, it places the colonial experience of indigenous peoples within the larger historical contexts of racial subordination and efforts to promote White domination and privilege. Second, it underscores the federal government's ongoing responsibility to counteract the long-standing effects of its past misdeeds by addressing indigenous peoples' unresolved claims to lands that have been stolen from them. Third, it allows us to take a careful look at the relationship between blood quantum rules and the right of indigenous peoples to exercise self-determination. Taken together, these three perspectives reveal the immense challenges inherent to remedying the long-term effects of the racialization and colonization of indigenous peoples.


In the context of a public safety net focused on limiting dependency and encouraging participation in the labor market, policymakers and researchers are especially interested in individuals who face obstacles to finding and keeping jobs. The Enhanced Services for the Hard-to-Employ (HtE) Demonstration and Evaluation Project was a 10-year study that evaluated innovative strategies aimed at improving employment and other outcomes for groups who face serious barriers to employment. The project was sponsored by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with additional funding from the U.S. Department of Labor. This report describes the HtE programs and summarizes the final results for each program. Additionally, it presents information for three sites from the ACF-sponsored Employment Retention and Advancement (ERA) project where hard-to-employ populations were also targeted.Three of the eight models that are described here led to increases in employment. Two of the three — large-scale programs that provided temporary, subsidized "transitional" jobs to facilitate entry into the workforce for long-term welfare recipients in one program and for ex-prisoners in the other — produced only short-term gains in employment, driven mainly by the transitional jobs themselves. The third one — a welfare-to-work program that provided unpaid work experience, job placement, and education services to recipients with health conditions — had longer-term gains, increasing employment and reducing the amount of cash assistance received over four years. Promising findings were also observed in other sites. An early-childhood development program that was combined with services to boost parents' self-sufficiency increased employment and earnings for a subgroup of the study participants and increased the use of high-quality child care; the program for ex-prisoners mentioned above decreased recidivism; and an intervention for low-income parents with depression produced short-term increases in the use of in-person treatment. But other programs — case management services for low-income substance abusers and two employment strategies for welfare recipients — revealed no observed impacts.While these results are mixed, some directions for future research on the hard-to-employ emerged: The findings from the evaluations of transitional jobs programs have influenced the design of two new federal subsidized employment initiatives, which are seeking to test approaches that may achieve longer-lasting effects. The HtE evaluation illustrates some key challenges that early childhood education programs may face when adding self-sufficiency services for parents, and provides important lessons for implementation that can guide future two-generational programs for low-income parents and their young children. Results from the HtE evaluation suggest future strategies for enhancing and adapting an intervention to help parents with depression that may benefit low-income populations. Evidence from the HtE evaluation of employment strategies for welfare recipients along with other research indicates that combining work-focused strategies with treatment or services may be more promising than using either strategy alone, especially for people with disabilities and behavioral health problems.


Abstract An overview of the distribution of volcanic facies units was compiled over the North Atlantic region. The new maps establish the pattern of volcanism associated with breakup and the initiation of seafloor spreading over the main part of the North Atlantic Igneous Province (NAIP). The maps include new analysis of the Faroe–Shetlands region that allows for a consistent volcanic facies map to be constructed over the entire eastern margin of the North Atlantic for the first time. A key result is that the various conjugate margin segments show a number of asymmetric patterns that are interpreted to result in part from pre-existing crustal and lithospheric structures. The compilation further shows that while the lateral extent of volcanism extends equally far to the south of the Iceland hot spot as it does to the north, the volume of material emplaced to the south is nearly double of that to the north. This suggests that a possible southward deflection of the Iceland mantle plume is a long-lived phenomenon originating during or shortly after impact of the plume.


We describe a new approach for modeling the distribution of high-dimensional vectors of discrete variables. This model is inspired by the restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), which has been shown to be a powerful model of such distributions. However, an RBM typically does not provide a tractable distribution estimator, since evaluating the probability it assigns to some given observation requires the computation of the so-called partition function, which itself is intractable for RBMs of even moderate size. Our model circumvents this difficulty by decomposing the joint distribution of observations into tractable conditional distributions and modeling each conditional using a non-linear function similar to a conditional of an RBM. Our model can also be interpreted as an autoencoder wired such that its output can be used to assign valid probabilities to observations. We show that this new model outperforms other multivariate binary distribution estimators on several datasets and performs similarly to a large (but intractable) RBM.


Malta's national museum of archaeology is housed in one of the most stylish baroque buildings still distinguishable in Valletta, more precisely at the Auberge de Provence, in Republic Street. The ground floor hosts artefacts from Malta's unique neolithic period, which spans from the ghar dalam phase to the tarxien phase. Artefacts of particular distinction are The Sleeping Lady and The Venus of Malta. The display includes numerous artefacts used as implements, human and animal figurines, as well as personal decorative items. A number of monumental architectural altars illuminate the art of the ancient prehistoric craftsmen.


As the range of applications for fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials in civil engineering constantly increases, there is more and more concern with regard to their performance in critical environments. The fire behavior of composite materials is especially important since complex physical and chemical processes such as the glass transition and decomposition occur when these materials are subjected to elevated and high temperatures, possibly leading to considerable loss of stiffness and strength. This stiffness and strength degradation in composite materials under elevated and high temperatures is the result of changes in polymer molecular structures. When polyester thermosets are subjected to elevated and high temperatures, they undergo three transitions (glass transition, leathery-to-rubbery transition, and rubbery-to-decomposed transition), corresponding to four different states (glassy, leathery, rubbery and decomposed). At a certain temperature, a composite material can therefore be considered as a mixture of materials that are in different states. As the content of each state varies with temperature, the composite material exhibits temperature-dependent properties. Since these changes in state can be described using kinetic theory, the quantity of material in each state can be estimated and the thermophysical and thermomechanical properties of the mixture can thus be determined. These concepts formed a basis for the development of thermophysical and thermomechanical property sub-models for composites at elevated and high temperatures and even for the description of post-fire status. Incorporating these thermophysical property sub-models into a heat transfer governing equation, thermal responses were calculated using a finite difference method. Integrating the thermomechanical property sub-models within structural theory, the mechanical responses were described using a finite element method and the time-to-failure was also predicted by defining a failure criterion. The modeling results for temperature responses, mechanical responses and post-fire behavior were compared with those obtained from structural endurance experiments on full-scale cellular GFRP (glass fiber-reinforced polymer, in this case polyester resin) panels subjected to a four-point bending configuration and fire from one side. The modeling results for time-to-failure were compared with those from the experiments carried out on GFRP tubes under combined compressive and thermal loadings. In each experimental setup, two different thermal boundary conditions were investigated – with and without water cooling through specimen cells – and good agreement was found. The understanding gained and modeling of the behavior of GFRP composites under elevated and high temperatures carried out in this thesis could be applicable for different composite materials, and also benefit investigations regarding both active and passive fire protection techniques in order to improve the fire resistance of structures made of such materials.


Master modern web and network data modeling: both theory and applications. In Web and Network Data Science, a top faculty member of Northwestern Universitys prestigious analytics program presents the first fully-integrated treatment of both the business and academic elements of web and network modeling for predictive analytics. Some books in this field focus either entirely on business issues (e.g., Google Analytics and SEO); others are strictly academic (covering topics such as sociology, complexity theory, ecology, applied physics, and economics). This text gives today's managers and students what they really need: integrated coverage of concepts, principles, and theory in the context of real-world applications. Building on his pioneering Web Analytics course at Northwestern University, Thomas W. Miller covers usability testing, Web site performance, usage analysis, social media platforms, search engine optimization (SEO), and many other topics. He balances this practical coverage with accessible and up-to-date introductions to both social network analysis and network science, demonstrating how these disciplines can be used to solve real business problems.


We examined the in vivo alterations of human patellar bone blood flow that occur with surgical dissection of the extensor mechanism during total knee arthroplasty. A laser doppler probe was used to measure central patellar blood flow at baseline after quadriceps tenotomy, after partial fat pad excision, after lateral release, and after completion of the lateral release with superolateral geniculate sacrifice. The initial quadriceps tenotomy and medial arthrotomy decreased patellar vascularity to 60.4% of baseline. Fat pad resection initiated another 10.4% decline. The lateral release resulted in a patellar vascularity that was 43.6% of baseline. Finally, the loss of superolateral geniculate inflow reduced the patellar flow to 30.61% of baseline.


There were several problems facing Reconstruction and Development Programmes (RDP) housing projects caused by contractors using unskilled labour, misuse of funds, fraudulent claims, contractors asking for additional money or having left site. The overall scope of projects had no plan and no clear definition, poor project management and there was a lack of strategies to improve the quality of projects. This study recommends that it is imperative that project team members involved in the management of RDP housing projects have the necessary skills and level of education to execute their duties. Moreover, the Department of Housing and Local Government (DHLG) should draft a policy on Quality Management Systems (QMS)/good practices in respect of its project scope of works so that all stakeholders conform to the set standards. The people who are due to benefit from this housing are left in a state of despair, confusion and loss of hope from Government promises, with a subsequent increase in informal settlements. The aim of the study was to investigate factors influencing the success rate of RDP housing in the Eastern Cape. This case study employed a quantitative approach to collect data. Questionnaires were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, namely, correlation t-test and Anova. The purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 50 respondents from the Department of Housing and Local Government (DHLG) in the Eastern Cape Province. The advantage of this sampling technique is to reduce data to an intelligible and interpretable form so that the relationship between research problems can be studied and tested and conclusions drawn. The DHLG could significantly improve the quality management of low-cost homes if it adopts the Project Alignment Model.


We focus on personal data generated by the sensors and through the everyday usage of smart devices and take advantage of these data to build a non-invasive contextual suggestion system for tourism. The system, which we call Pythia, exploits the computational capabilities of modern smart devices to offer high quality personalized POI (point of interest) recommendations. To protect user privacy, we apply a privacy by design approach within all of the steps of creating Pythia. The outcome is a system that comprises important architectural and operational innovations. The system is designed to process sensitive personal data, such as location traces, browsing history and web searches (query logs), to automatically infer user preferences and build corresponding POI-based user profiles. These profiles are then used by a contextual suggestion engine to anticipate user choices and make POI recommendations for tourists. Privacy leaks are minimized by implementing an important part of the system functionality at the user side, either as a mobile app or as a client-side web application, and by taking additional precautions, like data generalization, wherever necessary. As a proof of concept, we present a prototype that implements the aforementioned mechanisms on the Android platform accompanied with certain web applications. Even though the current prototype focuses only on location data, the results from the evaluation of the contextual suggestion algorithms and the user experience feedback from volunteers who used the prototype are very positive.


Clustering is a fundamental and hence widely studied problem in data analysis. In a multi-objective perspective, this paper combines principles from two different clustering paradigms: the connectivity principle from density-based methods is integrated into the partitional clustering approach. The standard k-Means algorithm is hybridized with Particle Swarm Optimization. The new method (PSO-kMeans) benefits from both a local and a global view on data and alleviates some drawbacks of the k-Means algorithm; thus, it is able to spot types of clusters which are otherwise difficult to obtain (elongated shapes, non-similar volumes). Our experimental results show that PSO-kMeans improves the performance of standard k-Means in all test cases and performs at least comparable to state-of-the-art methods in the worst case. PSO-kMeans is robust to outliers. This comes at a cost: the preprocessing step for finding the nearest neighbors for each data item is required, which increases the initial linear complexity of k-Means to quadratic complexity.


Investing in REITs: Real Estate Investment Trusts-Revised & Updated Edition, Ralph L. Block, 2002, 472 pages, Bloomberg Press, 2002. This is an introductory book on Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) that provides an excellent source of information about the characteristics of REITs, as well as the risks and rewards involved in investments in REITs. A graduate degree in business or finance is not required to follow the book, but the author assumes that the reader is familiar with basic financial concepts. Topics covered include the development, valuation and future prospects of REITs. Although the book is a good source of information that is relevant to REIT investors, I found that some of the important concepts are not explained or skipped altogether. An example of such a concept is the valuation of REITs. One cannot emphasize enough the importance of valuing assets for investment purposes. However, valuation techniques that are discussed in the book are not presented in a comprehensive format that would involve an actual numerical example. Part I of the book provides information on what REITs are, how they compare to alternative investments, how today's investment environment for REITs looks and what contributes to cyclicality of real estate. Chapter 1 provides information on basic investment characteristics of REITs, for example low price volatility and low correlation between REIT returns and returns on other asset classes. These characteristics of REITs provide one important argument for investing in REITs, which says an investor can improve portfolio risk and return trade off by including REITs in the portfolio. Chapter 2 compares REITs to other investments such as bonds, preferred stocks, convertibles and other methods of investing in real estate, including partnerships. The author concludes that REITs are superior to the above-mentioned investments because REITs can provide tax-advantages, lower variability and higher investment liquidity. Chapter 3 reviews the organizational formations of REITs, which are subject to certain restrictions to maintain their status as non-taxable entities at the corporate level. Chapter 4 describes property sectors and investment characteristics of REITs, which includes apartments, retail, offices and industrial properties, health care, self-storage, hotels and manufactured housing. This chapter is a good review of factors that affect different types of REITs. Most of the discussion is straightforward and easy to follow. Part II of the book includes Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 and explains some of the common misbeliefs about investing in REITs and an excellent review of the history of REITS, respectively. These chapters are important to gain an understanding on how the market views REITs and how they are developed over time. Part III explains the valuation of REITs for investment purposes. The chapters in this part are designed as easy reading material, but lack vigor in the valuation models. …


Accounting for business combinations and for goodwill has profoundly changed during the last ten years both in the US and in Europe, as a consequence of the common effort of the FASB and the IASB towards the international convergence of accounting standards. The Business Combinations project has been the first major project undertaken jointly by the accounting standard setters and it has resulted in the issue of substantially converged accounting standards with some remaining differences. The aim of this paper is to review and comment the evolution and the major changes occurred in accounting for business combinations and for goodwill and their current status in the light of the process of convergence of accounting standards on these crucial economic transactions.


This thesis interrogates the relationship between technocracy and the destruction of the world in two contemporary works of speculative fiction, Oryx and Crake and Cat's Cradle. The creation of technologies within a closed society and the asymmetries of power that develop from the distribution of technology lead to observable shifts in biological, social, and environmental realms. The development of this technocracy in the twentieth century is reflected in the maturation and expansion of science fiction, as writers within the genre attempt to criticize material and cultural elements of technocracy through their work. Vonnegut and Atwood display how a technocratic society leaves crippled environments and disabled, genetically altered, and abused bodies of human and non-human animals in its wake. The last chapter will discuss the negative effects of technocracy in the social realm, specifically turning to linguistic regressions, the dissolution of familial bonds, and the denial of subjectivity to those not involved in the creation, dissemination, and control of technologies. The variation in the technologies that Vonnegut and Atwood focus on, as well as the scope of the damage inflicted by their technocratic societies, reveal the historical realities of these authors situated in two distinct epochs.


We present GSUVis, a visualization tool designed to provide better understanding of location‐based social network (LBSN) data. LBSN data is one of the most important sources of information for transportation, marketing, health, and public safety. LBSN data consumers are interested in accessing and analysing data that is as complete and as accurate as possible. However, LBSN data contains sensitive information about individuals. Consequently, data anonymization is of critical importance if this data is to be made available to consumers. However, anonymization commonly reduces the utility of information available. Working with privacy experts, we designed GSUVis a visual analytic tool to help experts better understand the effects of anonymization techniques on LBSN data utility. One of GSUVis's primary goals is to make it possible for people to use LBSN data, without requiring them to gain deep knowledge about data anonymization. To inform the design of GSUVis, we interviewed privacy experts, and collected their tasks and system requirements. Based on this understanding, we designed and implemented GSUVis. It applies two anonymization algorithms for social and location trajectory data to a real‐world LBSN dataset and visualizes the data both before and after anonymization. Through feedback from domain experts, we reflect on the effectiveness of GSUVis and the impact of anonymization using visualization.


In recent years, the number of reinforced concrete structures requiring repair and rehabilitation has increased considerably. This is due mainly to the corrosion of the reinforcing steel within the concrete which has become contaminated with a highly corrosive environment containing chlorides and carbon dioxide. Specification of repair materials at present, in accordance with BD 27/86, is based on an inadequate understanding of the interaction between the substrate concrete and repair material. Cracking may occur in the early ages after application of the repair material due to the restraint to shrinkage provided by the substrate concrete and steel reinforcement. This would have serious durability consequences which would aid the onset of further corrosion. Furthermore, it is not clear at present if an efficient composite interaction is developed between the repair patch and substrate concrete in the long term to enable the repair patch to carry external load, or if the repair patch just acts as a barrier to protect the steel reinforcement from further corrosion.This research relates the basic properties of repair materials (elastic modulus, shrinkage and creep) to the long term performance of repair materials applied to actual concrete highway structures and simulated laboratory repairs. The research forms part of a LINK project sponsored by three companies and the Department of Transport. Three deteriorating highway structures were selected for concrete repairs. The repairs were monitored over the long term to gain an understanding of the interaction between the repair material, substrate concrete and steel reinforcement. These were Gunthorpe Bridge, a three span reinforced concrete arch bridge, crossing the River Trent to the east of Nottingham, Lawns Lane Bridge, carrying part of the Ml near Wakefield in West Yorkshire, and finally, Sutherland Street Bridge, carrying the B6080 in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. In order to gain information on the effectiveness of the repair materials in developing an efficient composite action with the substrate concrete, vibrating wire strain gauges were attached to the substrate concrete and steel reinforcement after the deteriorated concrete was removed. Embedment and surface gauges were installed in the repair patches either during or after repair material was applied. Laboratory investigations consisted of repairs to simply supported reinforced concrete beams. Repair patches were applied centrally at mid-span to beams which were subjected to two point loading at one-third span points. The interaction between the repair materials, steel reinforcement and concrete substrates were monitored by a combination of a demec extensometer and electrical resistance strain gauges.A theory is presented which predicts the long term interaction between the concrete substrate and repair materials to unpropped compression members. The analysis is divided into two stages. The first part deals with the distribution of shrinkage strain within the repair patch; the second part deals with the redistribution of external load from the substrate concrete into the repair patch. The distribution of shrinkage strain in the repair patch is based on the analogy of a bi-metallic strip contracting due to adrop in temperature (similar to a repair material contracting due to shrinkage). It has been observed that a repair material with an elastic modulus greater than the elastic modulus of the substrate concrete is able to transfer some shrinkage strain to the substrate concrete. This analysis, therefore, enables the tensile stress in the repair material, due to the partial restraint to shrinkage provided by the substrate concrete, to be predicted. Similarly, the restrained shrinkage strain that is transferred to the substrate concrete is also predicted as an increase in compressive stress in the substrate concrete. The transfer of external load into the repair patch is based on analysing the distribution of stress in a compound member when subjected to an axial force. The compound member consists of two different materials - the substrate concrete and repair material. The analytical expressions require basic properties of the repair material (elastic modulus, shrinkage and creep) and substrate concrete (elastic modulus) to enable a prediction of the stress across the repair patch in the long term to be made. The validity of the model is verified on the basis of the field data from the spray applied repair materials on two of the highway structures (Lawns Lane Bridge and Gunthorpe Bridge).


Construction projects comprise holistic and organic processes of the
conceptual, detailed engineering, construction and start-up phases. The
conceptual phase is the most critical phase in a project's life-cycle where
the main strategic decisions are made. The success of other phases
depends upon the decisions made during the conceptual phase. Although
the conceptual phase presents the greatest opportunity for productivity
improvement during the construction phase, it has been given relatively
little attention.
The main aim of this research was to establish the conceptual phase tasks
and associated best practices for major projects that ensure good site
productivity through decisions made in the conceptual phase. The aim was
realised through the following five objectives: define tasks performed in the conceptual phase; rank the impact of conceptual phase tasks on site
productivity; determine the impact of conceptual phase tasks on
productivity in terms the main site resources of time,
labour, plant, material and finance; establish the sequence with which tasks are performed
in the conceptual phase; and establish Best Practices associated with each of the
conceptual phase tasks.
The research findings were based upon literature, an industry-wide postal
questionnaire survey and case studies. The survey comprised a
substantial twenty-page questionnaire containing 184 questions. The
questionnaire was posted to 144 companies including clients, consultants,
contractors and financial institutions throughout the European Union. A
return of 37 per cent was achieved.
The industry-wide survey was then followed by detailed case studies of six
projects: a power plant; a chemical plant; a sewerage treatment plant; an offshore-structure; a motor way; and, a substantial building project. These
case studies underpinned the survey and specific differences and
similarities were highlighted among the six projects and the processes
adopted during the conceptual stages.
The industry-wide survey and complementary case studies formed the
basis of recommendations for conceptual phase tasks and associated best
practices achieving enhanced site productivity. It was concluded that the
conceptual phase of construction projects comprised ten tasks: Consents
and Permits; Project Definition; Financial Strategy; Project Planning;
Contract Strategy; Project Management Organisation; Construction
Philosophy; Procurement Strategy; Design of Temporary Works; and,
Design of Permanent Structures. Eighty-one best practices relating to the
conceptual phase were accepted by the respondents. These best
practices, when adopted in the conceptual phase, should held to enhance
site productivity.


Continental transforms are commonly associated with relatively small scale pull-apart basins. However, much larger scale basins, which are not consistent with the pull-apart model, commonly exist adjacent to transforms. Structures associated with several basins along the Dead Sea rift and El Pilar fault illustrate this. These basins are remarkably asymmetric, bounded by essentially linear transform segments on one side and subparallel normal faults on the other, suggesting simultaneous strike-slip motion and transform-normal extension. This observation, which is incompatible with classical faulting theory, can be explained along divergent plate boundaries if the transform fault is much weaker than the adjacent crust. Analysis of the orientation of the horizontal principal-stress direction near a weak transform fault embedded in an otherwise strong crust shows that convergent and divergent plate motion results in a stress field characterized by nearly fault-normal compression and extension, respectively. Structural styles along the San Andreas, Dead Sea, and El Pilar transform systems show that predictable changes between these two states have occurred through time along strike of the transforms.


A constructive method for investigating if a given nonlinear dynamic system subject to control constraints can be controlled to follow a desired curve in the state or output space is presented. If the method gives an affirmative answer we can then compute a closed form expression of the corresponding state feedback control law. Specifying a family of parametrized curves, approximations of reachable sets can also be computed.


INTRODUCTION TO PYTHON PROGRAMMING AND DEVELOPING GUI APPLICATIONS WITH PYQT 1E teaches Python programming step-by-step through practical examples that readers can see in action right away. It begins with a solid introduction of Python from scratch, covering loops, control structures, sequences, functions, classes, and exception handling. Thereafter, the book explores file handling and GUI application development in PyQT, the powerful cross-platform GUI layout and forms builder that allows programmers to rapidly design and build widgets and dialogs. The book finishes with an introduction to Django, a easy-to-use platform for developing web applications in Python. This is a great book for newbie programmers interested in learning Python


Instantly recognizable, Auguste Renoir's masterpiece depicts a gathering of his real friends enjoying a summer Sunday on a café terrace along the Seine near Paris. A wealthy painter, an art collector, an Italian journalist, a war hero, a celebrated actress, and Renoir's future wife, among others, share this moment of la vie moderne, a time when social constraints were loosening and Paris was healing after the Franco-Prussian War. Parisians were bursting with a desire for pleasure and a yearning to create something extraordinary out of life. Renoir shared these urges and took on this most challenging project at a time of personal crises in art and love, all the while facing issues of loyalty and the diverging styles that were tearing apart the Impressionist group. Narrated by Renoir and seven of the models and using settings in Paris and on the Seine, Vreeland illuminates the gusto, hedonism, and art of the era. With a gorgeous palette of vibrant, captivating characters, she paints their lives, loves, losses, and triumphs in a brilliant portrait of her own.


The contemporary world is experiencing an ongoing cultural change, made both distinctive and far-reaching by the centrality of information and information technologies. In light of this development, we propose a research path in the philosophy of information that could be called the philosophy of information culture(s). After a brief survey of the idea of culture, we reflect on the interrelationships between information and culture. We focus on the notion of "information as culture," or distinctive values, artifacts, and practices that are constituted by and oriented around information. We suggest that friendship provides a particularly appropriate locus for philosophical investigation of information cultures.


Objective: Total laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (TLRH) requires advanced skill in laparoscopy. We evaluated various objective measurements of surgical skill representing the learning curve throughout the first 2 years of implementation of TLRH at our institution. We also describe our technique of "buddy operating," where 2 surgeons combine referrals and operate together, thereby increasing the rate of skill acquisition. Methods: Charts were retrospectively reviewed for 45 patients undergoing TLRH and pelvic lymphadenectomy at the Hamilton Health Sciences from August 14, 2007, to August 14, 2009. A discriminant function analysis was used to describe the learning curve. &khgr;2 and t tests were used for discrete variables. Results: The most predictive learning curve model divided the sample in two, with an accurate group assignment 72.1% of the time. After the first 23 procedures, operative time was significantly shorter (201.7 vs 176.6 min, P = 0.02), estimated blood loss was significantly lower (355.7 vs 196.3 mL, P = 0.01), the number of lymph nodes removed was significantly higher (11.5 vs 15.3, P = 0.02), and hospital length of stay was significantly shorter (1.57 vs 0.14 days, P = 0.002). There were nonsignificant trends toward decreasing intraoperative complications and postoperative morbidity. Conclusions: Total laparoscopic radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy is an important procedure in gynecologic oncology. After a fellowship training program including laparoscopy, we demonstrate the learning curve improves after only 23 cases. This is shorter than previously reported and may be due to "buddy operating," a novel technique for reducing the learning curve in infrequently performed complex procedures.


The strategic importance of green marketing (GM) in value creation for the end customer (VCEC) and the contribution of the spatial and structural characteristics of a residential project (RP) to the final price have been acknowledged in the literature. However, GM features that can lead to price increases have not been evaluated from the VCEC perspective. This study examines the impacts of GM strategies on RPs. This study applies Hedonic Price Modelling to newly built RPs in Istanbul and evaluates the results from the perspective of the Attractive Quality Attributes Theory. The results showed that the total price of the RPs was affected more by design-related sustainable features of RPs and revealed that there is a relationship between GM and sustainable design. The study highlights the importance of GM, which companies can use to operate effectively in a competitive market and increase the satisfaction of end customers through value creation. The study's findings can be considered useful information for policies on creating a sustainable built environment.


This paper focuses on the intervention practices of Kokebe Tsibah special unit for children with intellectual disabilities. The data were collected through interview of three teachers who served for 20 years in the unit, observation of teachers and children, and analysis of documents. Qualitative data analysis was employed to analyze the data. The results indicated that children with intellectual disabilities received interventions in the form of educational, adaptive skills and vocational intervention. Teachers practice intervention in the unit by providing educational intervention, adaptive skills training and vocational training for children with intellectual disabilities. Considerable results are recorded through the application of these intervention practices. Stakeholders should fully involve in the intervention of children with intellectual disabilities.


We present an algorithm for recovering planted solutions in two well-known models, the stochastic block model and planted constraint satisfaction problems (CSP), via a common generalization in terms of random bipartite graphs. Our algorithm matches up to a constant factor the best-known bounds for the number of edges (or constraints) needed for perfect recovery and its running time is linear in the number of edges used. The time complexity is significantly better than both spectral and SDP-based approaches.

The main contribution of the algorithm is in the case of unequal sizes in the bi-partition that arises in our reduction from the planted CSP. Here our algorithm succeeds at a significantly lower density than the spectral approaches, surpassing a barrier based on the spectral norm of a random matrix.

Other significant features of the algorithm and analysis include (i) the critical use of power iteration with subsampling, which might be of independent interest; its analysis requires keeping track of multiple norms of an evolving solution (ii) the algorithm can be implemented statistically, i.e., with very limited access to the input distribution (iii) the algorithm is extremely simple to implement and runs in linear time, and thus is practical even for very large instances.


In urban schools, along with skills for effective teaching, successful teachers must also possess values and belief systems conducive to teaching effectively in diverse settings (Becker, Kennedy, & Hundersmarck, 2003; Haberman, 2008; Metzgar & Wu, 2008). As demonstrated in CAEP standard 3, there is a critical need for EPPs to admit candidates who have both the dispositions to be effective teachers in urban schools and the propensity for success within the preparation program. The Haberman Star Teacher Interview is a commercial teacher selection instrument designed for use in selecting teachers for urban schools. This study examines the validity of the instrument as a selection instrument for teacher preparation programs. The selection instrument was administered to 109 students before entry into an urban teacher preparation program at an urban university in the U.S. Midwest. Inter-rater agreement and principle components analysis provided evidence of reliability and structural validity of the multi-part Haberman scores. Logistic regression analyses supported the validity of using the Haberman scores to predict later program attrition, but not in the manner recommended by its developers. Within this paper, the authors recommend the cautious use of the instrument in urban teacher preparation. Application of scoring and program implications are discussed.


Abstract: In this political statement, we summarize the major motivations and agenda of the First International Seminar "Afrodiasporic Feminist Conspiracy". This event was held in Cali, Colombia, on June 24 and 25, 2011. The rationale for this gathering was to have a major intervention: in the twenty-first century, Black/Afro-descendent women need to conspire. We understand a conspiracy to be an act of love and care; a search for equity and equality; an affirmation of our beauty; a commitment to guaranteeing access to food, education and health care, as well as a home and a place of dignity in the world's history to millions of Black/Afro-descendent women. We need to conspire to secure access to adequate care and treatment to Black/Afro-descendent women living with HIV, and to preserve the land of deracinated women. Black feminism and all forms of diasporic feminism ought to conspire to invert the course of history, a history of marginality and oppression of Black/Afro-descendent women. To that end, we conceive of an Afrodiasporic Feminist Conspiracy as a strategy of social mobilization, a practice of solidarity, and a claim for reparative justice. We further propose concrete areas of conspiratorial action focused on deconstructing and challenging entrenched forms of thinking and representing Black/Afro-descendent women in the larger society, as well as practices of domination that divide our movements and communities along axes of race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality. We embrace previous contributions made in the Americas and develop new venues for Black feminist mobilization and research. We find that an Afrodiasporic Feminist Conspiracy that impacts the production of knowledge, the creation of public policies, the transformation of the gender and sexual politics of Black movements, and the everyday ethno-racial relations in the rural communities and barrios in the cities can be the most effective strategy to attain a life of dignity in the present.


ABSTRACT Empirical research has shown that high-quality arguments according to criteria from argumentation theory lead to higher claim acceptance than low-quality arguments. However, this relationship was not observed in some cultural settings. This leads to the question whether criteria for high-quality arguments are culturally variable or universal. Therefore, adding to existing research on sensitivity to quality criteria for the argument from authority and the argument from generalization conducted mainly in Western cultural contexts, an experiment was run in Turkey (N = 307). Results showed that Turkish participants were sensitive to the quality of arguments: claim acceptance was higher when high-quality variants were used than when low-quality variants were used. While not neglecting potential cultural variability, these data add to the findings that there might be some level of universality in sensitivity to criteria for argument quality.


One of the components of an AIS algorithm that most distinguishes it from other paradigms is the use of an affinity funciton. However, for the most part, the implications of choosing a suitable matching rule and the likely effects on the algorithm from an engineering point of view have not been well studied. We develop a simulator that models an idiotypic network that can utilise a number of different shape-space models, which more faithfully model aspects of the real immune system. In each model, an antibody is considered to match any cell which lies within some volume v surrounding the point representation of the antibody (or its complement). The paper's main contribution is to illustrate how the precise shape of the volume v influences both the dynamics of the resulting networks, and the connectivity of the networks. In particular, the shape of v radically affects the manner in which the entire shape-space can be segmented into tolerant and non-tolerant regions. This has significant bearing for the AIS-practitioner: choosing the correct model may make the difference between being able to find a successful solution to a problem or not.


Astronomical images, degraded by the eects of atmospheric can be corrected in real-time using adaptive optics (AO). A reconstructed wavefront, measured using a reference object with a small angular separation from a target object, is used to compensate aberrations eecting a target object. The conjugate of the recovered wavefront is used to alter the optical path of a telescope for correction. To ensure high performance, a constraint is imposed on the angular separation between a reference object, such as a bright guide star, and target object which is typically fainter. This constraint is referred to as the isoplanatic angle, θ0. Given the sparsity of natural guide stars, combined with limitations on the use of artificial guide stars, severe restrictions are imposed on the field of view (FOV) and turbulence compensation over the anisoplanatic region. Our aim is to use aberration data from two or more reference objects to extend the isoplantatic angle. This paper outlines a system architecture and proposes the use of artificial neural networks (ANN) to provide extended FOV coverage for real-time astronomical image restoration.


For centuries, women who aspired to write had to enter a largely male literary tradition that offered few, if any, literary forms in which to express their perspectives on lived experience. Since the nineteenth century, however, women writers and readers have been producing "disobedient" counter-narratives that, while clearly making reference to the original texts, overturn their basic assumptions. This book looks at both canonical and non-canonical works, over a variety of fiction and nonfiction genres, that offer counter-readings of familiar Western narratives. Nancy Walker begins by probing women's revisions of two narrative traditions pervasive in Western culture: the biblical story of Adam and Eve, and the traditional fairy tales that have served as paradigms of women's behavior and expectations. She goes on to examine the works of a wide range of writers, from contemporaries Marilynne Robinson, Ursula Le Guin, Anne Sexton, Fay Weldon, Angela Carter, and Margaret Atwood to precursors Caroline Kirkland, Fanny Fern, Mary De Morgan, Mary Louisa Molesworth, Edith Nesbit, and Evelyn Sharp.


The new mineral zincomenite, β-ZnSeO3, is found in active fumaroles belonging to the Northern fumarole field at the First scoria cone of the Northern Breakthrough of the Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. It is associated with sofiite, sellaite, fluorite, halite, anhydrite, cotunnite, chubarovite, flinteite, etc . Zincomenite occurs as tabular, equant or prismatic crystals up to 0.2 mm sometimes combined in clusters up to 0.3 mm across or interrupted incrustations up to 0.7 × 1 cm overgrowing basalt scoria. Partial to complete pseudomorphs of zincomenite after sofiite are typical. The crystal forms are {101}, {010}, {100} and {013}. T-shaped twins with (012) as twin plane were found. Zincomenite is transparent, colourless, white or pale beige with adamantine lustre. Cleavage and parting were not observed and the fracture is uneven. D calc is 4.760 g cm−3. Zincomenite is optically biaxial (−), α = 1.744(5), β = 1.860(5), γ = 1.875(5). The IR spectrum is reported. The chemical composition (wt%, electron microprobe data) is: ZnO 42.53, SeO2 56.67, total 99.20. The empirical formula calculated on the basis of 3 O apfu is: Zn1.02Se0.99O3. Zincomenite is orthorhombic, Pbca, a = 7.1971(2), b = 6.2320(2), с = 11.9914(3) A, V = 537.84(2) A3 and Z = 8. The strongest reflections of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [ d ,A( I )( hkl )] are: 4.612(26)(102), 3.601 (77)(200), 3.119(48)(210), 3.048(38)(113), 3.014(100)(211, 021), 2.996(56)(004), 2.771(19)(123, 104, 212), 2.459(23)(213, 023), 2.311(20)(123, 221, 204), and 2.162(19)(214, 024). Zincomenite is a representative of the CuSeO3 structure type. Its crystal structure, solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data ( R = 0.0188), contains layers formed by Zn2O8 dimers (consisting of edge-sharing ZnO5 trigonal bipyramids; each dimer shares four vertices with the neighbouring ones) linked via (SeO3)2− groups (with Se4+ in trigonal pyramidal coordination) to form an open framework. The mineral is named in allusion to its chemical composition: zinc selenite (the Greek μηναζ means moon , indicating selenium).


Mainstreaming natural resource management (NRM) within a community-driven development program to achieve more sustainable rural development involves diverse and complex dynamics of resource governance. Social capital has been identified as one of the key elements in facilitating collective action that could enhance the effectiveness of resource governance in socio-ecological systems. In the context of NRM, this concept focuses on social networks, specifically, on the mixes of 'horizontal' and 'vertical' relations that operate through engagements within (bonding or internal ties) and between (bridging or external ties) social networks. Linking social capital concerns the 'vertical' relations that are found in both bonding and bridging forms of social capital, with an additional focus on relations with formal institutions beyond the community's local resources.

The thesis explores the effectiveness (as well as the lack thereof) of a communitydriven development (CDD) program to improve local NRM management. Empirical evidence provided in two South East Sulawesi case studies revealed three main findings: (1) high levels of network density in local institutions indicated the existence of strong bonding ties that theoretically should increase the possibilities for collective action in resource management; (2) regardless of the long involvement in a CDD program, bridging social capital remained weak; and (3) vertical relations continued to dominate processes of engagement within and across social networks, and with higher levels of government in the context of decentralised resource governance.

Findings from the study of this CDD-NRM program indicate the need to: establish a network of expertise among the villages; develop a clear mechanism of accountability within the framework of the representation system; facilitate hamlet interactions that enable a reporting-back mechanism through the representation system; provide secure but accountable financial transfers from higher authorities to the village level; and provide incentives for better resource governance.


This paper proposes an efficient spectrum and power allocation solution for a large scale dynamic spectrum access (DSA) systems. Unlike conventional methods relying on optimization techniques which need huge computational capabilities and full information exchange, in this paper we rely on particle filtering to allocate the available bands among users in a distributed manner. Particle filter is based on the representation of the searched state, bands allocation per user in our case, by a set of particles. The Particle filter has the advantage, with comparison to Kalman-based filters, of its adaptivity to general scenarios (non-linear models, non-Gaussian noise, multi-modal distributions). Like Kalman-based filters, two model equations are needed for particle filter, (i) A state evolution equation to characterize the time evolution of the state. For our case, we derive a prediction equation of the channel allocation from the previous allocation from the channel fading temporal correlation, (ii) An observation equation which relates the observation, the Quality of Service in our case, to the channel allocation (state). This equation will be useful in the weighting and re-sampling phases of the filtering algorithm. The performances are analyzed in terms of the per user achieved throughput. In addition, comparison with performance when Q-learning is employed to show the efficiency of our approach.


The contributions in this book examine ethical dilemmas pertaining to the administration of criminal justice and professional activities in the field. Comprehensive coverage is achieved through focus on law enforcement, legal practice, sentencing, corrections, research, crime control policy and philosophical issues. Overviews tie the chapters together with a thematic structure. Key concepts, discussion questions and case studies enhance the text.


The development of transgenic cotton cultivars gives cotton producers more options for controlling pests. The value of these cultivars to producers depends not only on the cost-savings that they may contribute to the pest management systems employed, but also on the gross revenues from the sale of the crop produced. This study examines the cost and returns associated with alternative pest control systems using transgenic and nontransgenic cultivars in an effort to identify the most economical alternatives. The experiments were done as holistic comparisons of production systems. The treatment variable was a specific combination of a cultivar and a pest management system that was consistent with the genetic potential of the cultivars. Over 5 site-years in Arkansas, yield was the factor most closely associated with profitability at each site in each year. In 3 of the 5 siteyears, yields were not statistically different for most or all of the cultivars tested, so the least expensive treatment would also be the most profitable treatment. Comparisons among the cultivars tested in this research, indicate that the currently available cultivars offer ample opportunities to identify high-yielding cultivars and profitable systems within non-transgenic, insect-resistant, herbicideresistant, or combined insect- and herbicide-resistance (so-called "stack gene") category of transgenic cottons. T


We present the discovery, classification, and extensive panchromatic follow-up observations of PTF11qcj, a type Ibn supernova discovered by the Palomar Transient Factory. Our observations with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array show that this event is the first radio-loud member of the rare Ibn class: PTF11qcj reached a radio peak luminosity comparable to that of the famous gamma-ray-burst-associated supernova 1998bw (L5GHz ~ 10^{29} erg/s/Hz). PTF11qcj is also detected in X-rays with the Chandra observatory, and in the infrared band with Spitzer. Our multi-wavelength analysis probes the supernova interaction with a Helium-rich circumstellar material. The radio observations suggest a progenitor mass-loss rate of ~ 10^{-4} Msun/yr x (v_w/1000 km/s), and a velocity of ~(0.3-0.5)c for the fastest moving ejecta (at about 10d after explosion). However, these estimates are derived assuming the simplest model of supernova ejecta interacting with a smooth circumstellar material, and could be improved via modeling accounting for inhomogeneities in the medium and asphericity of the explosion. The X-ray flux from PTF11qcj is compatible with the high-frequency extrapolation of the radio synchrotron emission (within the large uncertainties). A light echo from pre-existing dust is in agreement with our data. Our analysis of pre-explosion images from the Palomar Transient Factory suggests that a precursor eruption of M_r ~ -13 mag may have occurred ~2.5 yr prior to the supernova explosion. We conclude that PTF11qcj fits the expectations from the explosion of a Wolf-Rayet star of the WNE class. Precursor eruptions may be a common feature during the final evolution of such stars.


The Hajilar earth dam is under construction near the Kharvana Town of Varzaghan County. The height of this earth dam is 95 meters from foundation level. During dam studies have been identified 11 borrow material sources. As for, the evaporative formations outcrops in the project region and the presence of field evidence such as erosion of the sluice, erosion of the jars, the formation of pit and tunnel in the soil, and the flooding of the water after rainfall, it is necessary to study the potential of the dispersion of fine-grained soils in the area. In this research, the soil characteristics of five borrow sources of the clayey core of dam have been investigated, with emphasis on parent rocks, mineralogy and dispersive tests. For this purpose, field investigation and sampling and determination of parent rock related to borrow material resources, dispersive tests such as Crumb, double hydrometer, Pinhole and chemical analysis were performed on the samples. The results of this study show that clayey soils with the origin of Neogene evaporation deposits in the Leylab plain have a high dispersive potential and are classified according to the results of pinhole tests in group D1. Based on the results of double hydrometer tests, the percentage of dispersion in the Leylab plain is between 45 and 68%. The fine-grained soils around the Hajilar River, which are often the source of igneous rocks, have a low dispersive to


I. INTRODUCTION 923 II. COASEANISM 924 III. LIBERTARIANISM 927 IV. FRIEDMAN 927 V. MCCLOSKEY 935 VI. MEDEMA 938 VII. ZORN 946 I. INTRODUCTION Private property rights are the basic building blocks of economic freedom. They are a necessary condition for a free society. Therefore, it behooves us to study, in some detail, precisely of what they consist. If we are unclear on this issue, the entire edifice of free enterprise can collapse, as does a house with a poor foundation. Property rights have many enemies--socialists, environmentalists, feminists, communitarians, Marxists, specialists in black "studies," literary "studies," queer "studies," multiculturalists, sociologists, etc. These philosophies, although staunchly opposed to private property, have at least the virtue, from the point of view of the defenders of laissez faire, of being open and honest about their opposition and can therefore be criticized in a straightforward manner. That is, there is no question in anyone's mind, proponents or opponents of economic freedom alike, where scholarship emanating from these quarters stands on the issue of laissez faire capitalism. The same cannot be said, unfortunately, for Ronald Coase and the large literature of "Law and Economics" engendered in his name. For while this free market oriented Nobel Prize winner is widely interpreted as a defender of markets, I shall argue that he should be considered one of the most rigorous critics of property rights, and because of this misconception, Coase is a major threat to economic freedom. This appears to be a harsh and unexpected charge, in that the overwhelming majority of Coase's work is widely interpreted, and rightfully so, as being broadly supportive of the capitalist system. Certainly, this applies to his contribution to our knowledge of the firm (1) and to the economics of the radio spectrum (2) and advertising. (3) My critique of Coase is thus a limited one--it applies only (4) to his study of "social cost." (5) Yet it is not insignificant, because Coase's The Problem of Social Cost is tremendously influential and one of the most highly cited articles in all of economics. (6) It has inspired such writers as Posner, Demsetz, Landes, and Calibresi in the "Law and Economics" tradition. So let me be clear on the outset on what I am not saying. I do not hold that the entire corpus of Coase's work is contrary to of undermines private property rights and the free market system. Instead, my present criticism applies only to his analysis of social cost. II. COASEANISM What is the essence of Coase's vision on social costs? For Coase, two possible states of the world exist--one in which there are very high transaction costs and the other characterized by low or zero transactions costs. (7) In the case of a dispute between two parties over property in the low-transactions-costs world, the judicial decision will have no effect on the ultimate allocation of resources, because whoever values them more will get the property. If the judge awards the property to the claimant who places a higher value on it, the claimant will retain it. If the judge awards the property to the party that places a lower value on it, he will sell it to the party that values it most (for a fee). Of course, the judge's decision does affect the relative wealth of the two parties, but he does not influence who will ultimately own the property. (8) The outcome is different in a more realistic high-transactions-cost scenario. Here, by definition, the judge's ruling will stand. Property will not be able to be transmitted from one claimant to the other; the transaction costs of doing so will outweigh the possible benefits from trade made possible by the claimant's differing utility considerations. …


Titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) has been extensively used in aircraft turbine-engine components, aircraft structural components, aerospace fasteners, high performance automotive parts, marine applications, medical devices and sports equipment. How-ever, wide-spread use of this alloy has limits because of difficulty to machine it. One of the major difficulties found during machining is development of poor quality of surface in the form of higher surface roughness. The present investigation has been concentrated on studying the effects of cutting parameters of cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut on surface roughness of the product during turning of titanium alloy. Box-Behnken experimental design was used to collect data for surface roughness. ANOVA was used to determine the significance of the cutting parameters. The model equation is also formulated to predict surface roughness. Optimal values of cutting parameters were determined through response surface methodology. A 100% desirability level in the turning process for economy was indicated by the optimized model. Also, the predicted values that were obtained through regression equation were found to be in close agreement to the experimental values.


We review recent advances made by our group in finding optimized geometries of atomic clusters as well as in description of fission of charged small metal clusters. We base our approach to these problems on analysis of multidimensional potential energy surface. For the fusion process we have developed an effective scheme of adding new atoms to stable cluster isomers which provides good starting points for a global optimization procedure and thus allows one to obtain optimal geometries of larger clusters in an efficient way. We apply this algorithm to finding geometries of metal and noble gas clusters. For the fission process the analysis of the potential energy landscape calculated on the ab initio level of theory allowed us to obtain very detailed information on energetics and pathways of the different fission channels for the Na2+10 clusters.


A governmental decision is "ex ante efficient" if it maximizes the satisfaction of everyone's preferences ex ante, relative to other possible decisions. Equivalently, each affected person would be rational to approve the decision, given her preferences and beliefs at the time of the choice. Does this matter, morally speaking? Do governmental officials - legislators, judges, regulators - have a moral reason to make decisions that are ex ante efficient? The economist's answer is "yes." "Ex ante efficiency" is widely seen by welfare economists to have moral significance, and often appears within law-and-economics scholarship as a criterion for evaluating legal doctrines. The intuitive attractiveness of ex ante efficiency is grounded, I suggest, in a broader intuition: namely that "rational approvability" has moral weight. Imagine that person P would be rational to approve some particular governmental decision A*, given P's preferences and beliefs at the time of governmental choice. Then it seems plausible that the governmental decisionmaker has a prima facie moral reason to choose A*. Considerations of welfare seemingly come into play here. A governmental decision that P is rational to approve is (seemingly) a decision that enhances her welfare, at least given a preference-based account of welfare and rationality. Consent, too, seems relevant. To say that a governmental decision is rationally approvable by P is just another way of saying that she would consent to it. And the moral force of ex ante efficiency follows quite immediately from the moral force of rational approvability: an ex ante efficient decision is one that everyone rationally approves. In this Article, I seek to deflate the intuitive case for ex ante efficiency just described. The fact that P rationally should approve some official decision, given her preferences and beliefs at the time of choice, has no moral significance whatsoever for a governmental decisionmaker. Neither welfare, nor consent, nor the fact that governmental decisions are made under conditions of uncertainty (producing a divergence between what's best ex ante and what's best ex post), nor the need for stable governmental decisions, nor other considerations, actually lends moral weight to rational approvability. Choices rationally approvable by P might, unluckily, lead to outcomes that are worse for her welfare. Hypothetical consent is not the same as actual consent; further, the rational approvability by P of some choice implies that she would hypothetically consent to the choice given her current beliefs, not that she would hypothetically consent under full information or under Rawlsian conditions of morally structured ignorance. And the probabilistic beliefs that prompt P's rational approvals can readily deviate from the probabilistic beliefs of the governmental decisionmaker; it is those beliefs or the objective probabilities, not P's beliefs, that determine what the decisionmaker morally ought to do ex ante.