Background The GAVI Alliance supported10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) introduction in Kenya. We estimated the cost-effectiveness of introducing either PCV10 or the13-valent vaccine (PCV13) from a societal perspective and explored the incremental impact of including indirect vaccine effects. Methods The costs and effects of pneumococcal vaccination among infants born in Kenya in 2010 were assessed using a decision analytic model comparing PCV10 or PCV13, in turn, with no vaccination. Direct vaccine effects were estimated as a reduction in the incidence of pneumococcal meningitis, sepsis, bacteraemic pneumonia and non-bacteraemic pneumonia. Pneumococcal disease incidence was extrapolated from a population-based hospital surveillance system in Kilifi and adjustments were made for variable access to care across Kenya. We used vaccine efficacy estimates from a trial in The Gambia and accounted for serotype distribution in Kilifi. We estimated indirect vaccine protection and serotype replacement by extrapolating from the USA. Multivariable sensitivity analysis was conducted using Monte Carlo simulation. We assumed a vaccine price of US$ 3.50 per dose. Findings The annual cost of delivering PCV10 was approximately US$14 million. We projected a 42.7% reduction in pneumococcal disease episodes leading to a US$1.97 million reduction in treatment costs and a 6.1% reduction in childhood mortality annually. In the base case analysis, costs per discounted DALY and per death averted by PCV10, amounted to US$ 59 (95% CI 26–103) and US$ 1,958 (95% CI 866–3,425), respectively. PCV13 introduction improved the cost-effectiveness ratios by approximately 20% and inclusion of indirect effects improved cost-effectiveness ratios by 43–56%. The break-even prices for introduction of PCV10 and PCV13 are US$ 0.41 and 0.51, respectively. Conclusions Introducing either PCV10 or PCV13 in Kenya is highly cost-effective from a societal perspective. Indirect effects, if they occur, would significantly improve the cost-effectiveness.


A novel adsorbent for trichlorophenol (TCP) has been developed through the treatment of Chromolaena odorata (Odorata) with iodated table salt. Odorata is an abundant and problematic alien plant which we have found to be effective in removing TCP from aqueous solutions. Kinetic batch tests demonstrated that at pH 5, 99% of TCP could be removed from a solution given sufficient adsorbent loading rate and adsorption contact time with Odorata treated with table salt. Adsorption data were found to fit a 2-layer feed-forward artificial neural network (ANN) with 10 neurons using the Levenberg– Marquardt (trainlm) algorithm. The ability of Odorata to extract TCP from water was tested using equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic studies. Thermodynamic studies showed that the adsorption of TCP by the new adsorbent is thermally feasible and is governed by a chemical adsorption mechanism. It was established that the experimental data fit the selected adsorption isotherms in the following order: Langmuir > Freundlich > Temkin > Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R). Kinetic modelling was done using intra-particle diffusion, liquid-film, pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order models. With the aid of the normalised standard deviation, the pseudo-second order was found to be the appropriate rate expression for the adsorption data. Liquid-film diffusion was the rate-determining stage of the adsorption process. Keywords: Chromolaena odorata ; TCP; adsorption; table salt; ANN


Existing literature and research findings indicated that delays are common amongst
construction projects in many countries across the globe. Delays can be caused by
one or more of the following: the client (excusable with compensation); force majeur
or third party (excusable delays without compensation); or the contractors (nonexcusable
delays or contractor responsible delays). Previous studies cited that
approximately 50% of these delays can be classified as non-excusable delays. The
root-causes (or factors) that cause non-excusable delays identified in these studies
however, are given no detailed attention. Improving and constantly monitoring the
factors causing non-excusable delays can help to determine and improve contractor's
performance.
This research explores issues related to the factors causing non-excusable delays. It
includes establishing indicators to identify these factors and appropriate corrective
actions. The research also develops an indicator that offers an alternative to intuitive
judgement which can provide a consistent and standardised assessment of qualitative
factor. The proposed indicator employs both quantitative and qualitative measures to
evaluate qualitative factor which caused non-excusable delays.
A correct determination of the root-causes (or factors) of non-excusable delays is vital
for deriving an appropriate corrective action. This study offers a method of
identifying these root-causes as well as identifying and establishing their corrective
actions, a structured approach of deriving corrective actions was also developed. This
approach was tested in a survey and proved to be consistent with the opinion of
twenty nine contracting organisations. One of the significant contributions in this
research was the development of an alternative indicator to assess "communication
performance" using the concept of fuzzy logic control. The establishment of the common indicators that were used to identify the critical factors is another important
achievement for this research. Fifteen critical factors were established and the
findings indicate that resources schedule was the most effective indicators used to
identify majority of the factors under consideration. Apart from the knowledge
contribution in the subject of delays, the methodology employed to identify the
factors of non-excusable delays using cause-and-effect analysis has helped to generate
additional factors that previous studies did not focus on.


Six solid wastes from the metal industry, from the chemical industry and from the production of pesticides were investigated for their toxic and genotoxic properties by using the Allium test. To simulate environmental conditions and better assess their environmental impact, the solid wastes were leached with water, and the water-extractable micropollutants were lyophilised before screening. The mean root lengths of onions exposed to different concentrations of the leachates were measured, and EC50 values were determined from the growth curves. The EC50 values of the wastes were ranked, in the order: organochlorine pesticide waste, settling tank sludge from a chemical company, paint sludge, lead slag, steel slag and aluminium slag. The leachates were also mitodepressive, and caused significant increases in the frequency of chromosome aberrations. These results demonstrate that the Allium test is a useful screening test for the evaluation and ranking of toxic industrial waste.


Reviews and describes the results of some psychological tests which
have been used with entrepreneurs. The tests have been mainly employed
either to explore the nature of the entrepreneur or to assess so‐called
significant entrepreneurial characteristics. Key problems in the
psychological testing of entrepreneurs relate to varying definitions of
the entrepreneur, numerous entrepreneurial characteristics, uncertainty
about the significance of entrepreneurial characteristics, and lack of
rigour in test development. The results of well validated tests
highlight many personality characteristics which could be correlated
with characteristics of small firms and business owner‐managers.
However, there have been specific measures of entrepreneurial
characteristics developed in a search for a sensitive discriminating
measure. Unfortunately, many of these tests have been poorly validated
and this fails to supply useful information about the nature of
entrepreneurs. Gives examples to illustrate some problems in
psychological testing and discusses the importance of new approaches.


Henry Raup Wagner (1862-1957) was a prolific scholar who examined Spain's possessions and claims to empire in North America from a panoramic perspective that extended geographically and chronologically from Central Mexico in the sixteenth century to the Alaskan coast in the eighteenth. Because Wagner constructed his many studies with features that he drew from both rare book librarianship and the discipline of history, his imposing corpus of work defies rigid disciplinary categorization. Based on unpublished correspondence and other manuscripts from libraries throughout the United States, Imprints on Empire is the first biographical study to interpret in any substantial way Henry Wagner's evolution as an important scholar of Colonial Spanish North America within the intellectual and cultural settings he labored for more than three decades. Appendices of previously unpublished materials include a voluminous study Wagner developed over a period of twenty years on early European (principally Spanish) accounts about Spain's discovery and conquest of Aztec Mexico.


In this paper, we discuss a topic that has not received extensive attention within the lively debate about the syntax of sentential negation in Arabic varieties. The topic concerns the interaction between the subject of the sentence, particularly the pronominal subject, and the sentential negative. In most Arabic varieties, the pronominal subject precedes the sentential negative on a par with its lexical subject counterpart. San'ani Arabic, however, allows for the pronominal subject to follow the sentential negative. Assuming that the structure of sentential negation, and of the clause in general, is to a large extent uniform across dialects, we will provide an account that derives the somewhat peculiar pattern in San'ani Arabic and contrast it with a different pattern in Moroccan Arabic that illustrates a different manifestation of the interaction between negation and the pronominal subject. San'ani relies on cliticization (without movement) while Moroccan Arabic relies on head movement. In the course of the paper, we introduce data that have not figured prominently in the debate about sentential negation in Arabic varieties and also draw diachronic parallels between San'ani Arabic and Classical Arabic, where cliticization may have been the process that gave rise to the negative laysa .


The objective of the studies was to identify potential parental genotypes or crosses that can be used in future breeding programs for developing promising genotypes. Gene action, combining ability and the extent of heterosis was estimated by analyzing diallel cross data between eight bread wheat parents, Pak81, LU26S, Inqliab91, Rohtas90, Barani83 Rawal87 and 5039. The data obtaind from the diallel progenies were analyzed following the methods given by Maher and Jinks (1982) and Hayman and Jinks (1954). Combining ability studies were conducted as described by Griffing (1956) and heterosis was estimated following Matzingar et al. (1962). The characters studied included plant height, flag leaf area, flag lead weight, specific flag lead area, specific flag lead weight, flag leaf venation, stomatal frequency, stomatal size, epidermal cell size, number of tillers per plant, spike length, number of spikelets per spike, spike density, number of grains per spike, 1000-grain weight, biomass per plant, grain yield per plant, protein content and harvest index.

Scaling tests were used to test the adequacy of the data for analysis using additive-dominance model. The test showed that except number of grains per spike, data was adequate or partially adequate for the characters under study. Analysis of variance of diallel tables displayed that additive (a) effects were significant for all the characters studied. However, dominant (b) effects were significant for most of the characters except flag leaf weight, flag lead venation, stomatal size, number of tillers pr plant and biomass per plant.

The estimate of average degree of dominance displayed partial dominance for stomatal frequency, spike length, number of spikelets per spike and spike density while over dominance was operative for plant height, and biomass per plant while over dominance was operative for plant height, 1000-grain weight, grain yield per plant, protein content and harvest index. Graphical representation of the data also supported the results obtained by the average degree of dominance.

Additive effects appeared to be more important than the dominant effects for flag leaf area, flag leaf weight, flag leaf venation, stomatal size, number of tillers per plant and biomass per plant, suggesting the importance of additive variation in the inheritance of these characters.

Mean squares due to GCA ere significant for all the characters and mean squares due to SCA were significant for most of the characters while non-significant SCA was recorded for flag leaf weight, flag lead venation, number of tillers per plant and biomass per plant. The relative magnitude of variation due to GCA and SCA indicated the importance of additive effects for all the characters except plant height, specific flag leaf area, specific flag leaf weight, spike length, number of spikelets per spike, spike density, 1000-grain weight and grain yield per plant where importance of dominant genetic effects was indicated.

Generally greater SCA effects were obtained in the crosses involving both parents with high GCA (high x high), which showed the possibility of genetic improvement of wheat plant through pedigree selection. Similarly cross showing high SCA and involving both parents as low general combiner (low x low) for a character indicated the involvement of epistasis or non-allelic interaction at the heterozygous loci. This situation was indicated in the cross Rawal87 x 5039 for epidermal cell size and Pak 81 x Rohtas 90 for biomass per plant. Therefore, utilization of these crosses through single plant selections in the later generations is suggested.

Crosses presenting high SCA and involving one parent with high GCA (low x high) indicated the involvement of additive x dominance gene interaction for the expression of the particular trait. This situation was indicated in the cross Rohtas90 x 5039 for 1000 grain weight, grain yield per plant and harvest index, and Barani83 x 5039 for plant height, and Chakwal86 x Rohtas90 for flag leaf area, and Pak 81 x Inqilab91 for spike length, and LU26S x Barni83 for spike density.

Heterosis was revealed in some of the crosses but its magnitude was generally low. The hybrids Rawal87 x 5039 showed positive heterosis over mid parent for flag leaf weight and epidermal cell size and Inqilab91 x Rawal87 showed positive heterosis over mid parent for 1000 grain weight, grain yield per plant and harvest index. The cross Inqilab91 x Rawal87 showed positive heterobeltiosis for 1000-grain weight, grain yield per plant and harvest index. As the cross exhibited heterobeltiosis for the most economical characters, therefore it is suggested that this cross (Inqilab91 x Rawal87) may be useful in hybrid breeding programme. It may be concluded from the present diallelic studies in spring wheat, that the genotypes, LU26S, Chakwal86 and 5039 showing additive gene effects and better estimates of GCA, SCA and heterosis would be useful in the development of promising breeding material.

Furthermore, it is suggested that wheat breeding and genetic studies maybe supplemented with the use of modern tools and technique of genetic engineering and biotechnology. The information thus derived would be more helpful in breeding programmes aiming at the evolution of modern wheat cultivars.


The effect of public investment on economic growth is a crucial public policy issue. Empirical research into this question was stimulated by Aschauer (1989), who suggested that public capital has a powerful impact on the productivity of private capital. Aschauer's results were controversial and have generated substantial empirical research directed at determining the robustness of his position. The present paper analyses the way in which public investment and fiscal policy influences the performances of economic growth. We analyze the impact of public investment on the dynamics of private capital formation in an intertemporal optimizing framework. Following W.H. Fischer and S.J.Turnovsky (1998), the public good is treated as a durable capital good, subject to congestion. The analysis is made on the basis of a dynamic model with discrete variables. The optimality conditions for the representative agent's problem are deduced on the basis of the Maximum Principle for discrete dynamic systems (Altar, 1976). The production function considered within the model is a function of three variables: labour, stock of private capital and services obtained from the stock of public capital. A critical feature of the model concerns the specification of the productive services derived by the representative agent from public capital. Several variants for this function are analysed in the paper. We also analyse several alternative modes of government financing. A qualitative analysis of the optimal trajectories is performed, on the basis of the information provided by the Maximum Principle, concerning the dynamics of the dual variable and the properties of the Lagrange multipliers. Finally, we analyse the influence of several fiscal and investment decisions on the optimal trajectories and on the performance-function of the model.


Legal deposit is an obligation to deposit publications with specified depositories. The purpose of legal deposit is to preserve and provide long-term access to the national intellectual heritage. Extending legal deposit to digital publications presents many challenges for the framing of legislation, selection and acquisition of material, preservation and provision of access. The aim of this research was to: explore the potential issues related to the extension of UK legal deposit to digital publications and identify the implications for existing legal deposit arrangements. The research was based on Soft Systems Methodology. Data was gathered through two rounds of interviews with stakeholder groups, including legal deposit libraries, publishers, government and technical experts. Preservation is accepted as the main purpose of legal deposit, but there is some tension and lack of trust between publishers and legal deposit libraries on access to legal deposit collections. The new UK legal deposit law is enabling only; implementation will require further regulations that will be subject to detailed consultation and negotiation. While there has been a voluntary scheme in place for some time in the UK, the research found a lack of readiness amongst the UK legal deposit libraries. They still had to develop cooperative arrangements between themselves and publishers; policies, procedures, especially for online publications; and did not have all the necessary technical infrastructure in place. The deposit of digital publications is an extra role for legal deposit libraries and it is not clear that they will receive extra funding, as is the case in some other countries. There is currently no full-scale fully functional digital legal deposit system in the world. However, there are lessons to be learned from other legal deposit libraries and research and development work is providing partial solutions. The key issues are the need for communication and collaboration between UK legal deposit libraries and cooperation and trust between legal deposit libraries and publishers. Developments since the research was carried out demonstrate some progress in this. Without these, digital legal deposit cannot be successfully implemented in the UK. There is also a need to look at what the users require in terms to material collected and how it is preserved.


First-best optimal forest sector carbon policy is examined. Using a comprehensive forest sector model with a detailed carbon cycle section we show that the renewability and carbon neutrality arguments do not warrant emission free treatment of forest bioenergy. However, under the biomass stock change carbon accounting convention followed by UNFCCC and IPCC, the forest owners pay for the roundwood emissions and, to avoid double counting, the use of roundwood is treated as emission free. The bioenergy from harvest residues cannot be treated as emission free either. Their emission factors are determined through the decay time-scales specific to residue fractions and discount rate used in welfare assessment. In addition, we show that an optimal policy subsidizes the production of wood products sequestering carbon. The relative magnitude of the subsidy is based on the fraction of the carbon stored, the lifetime of the products and the discount rate. Correspondingly, the carbon removals by biomass growth are subsidized and the harvest residue generation taxed. Further, we show that the supply side policies are independent of final use of harvested timber. Numerical solution of the model shows that, although the use of wood is not emission free, it is optimal to increase the use of wood, possibly also in the energy sector. Before the wood use can be increased, the forest biomass has to be increased. This initial carbon sink speeds up the convergence to the lower steady-state atmospheric carbon stock.


Self stabilization in distributed systems is the ability of a system to respond to transient failures by eventually reaching a legal state, and maintaining it afterwards. This makes such systems particularly interesting because they can tolerate faults, and are able to cope with dynamic environments. In this paper we propose the first self stabilizing mechanism for multiagent combinatorial optimization, which stabilizes in a state corresponding to the optimal solution of the optimization problem. Our algorithm is based on dynamic programming, and requires a linear number of messages to find the optimal solution in the absence of faults. We show how our algorithm can be made super-stabilizing, in the sense that while transiting from one stable state to the next, our system preserves the assignments from the previous optimal state (similar to a "last-known-good" state), until the new optimal solution is found (without "random" changes to the variables). We offer equal bounds for the stabilization and the superstabilization time. Furthermore, we describe a general scheme for fault containment and fast response time upon low impact failures. Multiple, isolated failures are handled effectively. To show the merits of our approach we report on experiments with practical sized distributed meeting scheduling problems in a multiagent system.


When I was invited to be the guest editor of this edition of Information Display, display engines for augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) came to mind, as this topic continues to be the subject of hot debate in our industry. I have colleagues residing in different camps with regard to which microdisplay will be the dominant player in this escalating market, so I reached out to Barry Young and Po King Li, both highly respected technical experts in the field who have different opinions on the subject. Our own work at Luminit leverages both of these technologies, along with LEDand laser-illuminated MEMs devices, and so we are more than a passive stakeholder in this race for dominance. Barry Young's article, "OLED Displays and the Immersive Experience," offers a realistic view of the challenges facing the industry in creating a truly enveloping AR or VR experience. He notes that while augmentedand virtual-reality consumer products may give famous CEOs a lot of buzz, end-user acceptance is lagging, due largely to price and the awkward and bulky headsets currently available. In spite of the hardware and software challenges, however, he emphasizes the advantages of OLED microdisplays for creating a truly immersive VR experience. Advantages in latency, contrast ratio, response time, and black levels, he notes, as well as advancements in luminance, make OLED microdisplays ideal for both VR and AR. Po King's article, "LCOS and AR/VR," paints a different picture of the liquid-crystal on silicon (LCOS) vs. OLED debate. He notes the advantages of front-lit LCOS and colorfilter LCOS, particularly in AR, where picture quality, high luminance, small pixel size, low power consumption, and small form factor are critical. In addition, LCOS microdisplays, according to Po King, can adapt to various optical architectures, and the design flexibility solves the weight and size issues that have been barriers for consumer adoption. Although the articles express different points of view, both authors agree that the engineering involved in designing and building consumer-friendly, affordable VR or AR devices with a large field of view (FOV) remains a challenge. In addition, the technological landscape is evolving, making the adoption of one platform even more difficult. For example, lasers are playing an increasingly important role in AR and VR, and the spatial and spectral precision of a laser light source could be a game changer for creating a highly realistic AR and VR experience. In addition, matching the light source, whether OLED, LED, or laser, to the combiner, such as waveguide, hologram, or conventional optic remains a challenge, and system-level analysis is needed to understand the best display engine for a particular device. Some spectators may see this race for dominance in AR and VR display technology as neck and neck between LCOS and OLED. It's hard to call, because the course in this technological marathon keeps changing. Whatever microdisplay camp you've planted a flag in, I think we can all agree that in spite of the challenges that lie ahead, the potential of AR and VR devices is endless, and LCOS, OLED, and MEMs devices are all likely to play an important role in much the same way that OLED and LCD co-exist in macro displays today.


Recent cooperative efforts between the University of Central Florida and the National Weather Service's Southeast River Forecast Center have resulted in the development of a finite element model for hydrodynamic calculations for the entire coast of South Carolina and a portion of North Carolina. The study area is located in the northern region of the South Atlantic Bight along the southeast coast of the United States. The studies have focused on the Waccamaw River for the purpose of improving river stage and flood forecasts for the National Weather Service's Southeast River Forecast Center. For the present effort, a sensitivity analysis is performed on selected parameters to produce the most accurate results with the model. The parameters optimized are the bottom friction and the eddy viscosity.


A Kinetic Monte Carlo scheme is applied to simulate with atomic resolution the synthesis of mono (few) layer(s) graphene (Gr) from a silicon carbide (SiC) substrate by selective evaporation of silicon (Si) atoms. The simulation computes the individual dynamics of the residual carbon (C) atoms which diffuse and reconfigure starting from the positions occupied in the SiC hexagonal lattice to the final Gr honeycomb structure. During the transition they gradually modify hybridization (from sp3 to sp2) and bond partners (from Si-C to C-C). We demonstrate that our method is able to recover the complex evolution steps of the epitaxial Gr on SiC in large systems for large time intervals. Moreover, the simulation results can be validated directly by means of comparison with experimental data when varying the material (e.g. initial surface configuration or polarity) or process (e.g. temperature and pressure) conditions.


We combined C and N related pedon data
from the USDA-NRCS National Cooperative Soil Survey Soil Characterization Database with data from the
University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) northern soils research program, representing
58 and 30 years of field work, respectively. Carbon and N data from 117 UAF
pedons were added to 541 pedons from the USDA-NRCS data set for a total of 658.
Missing carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and related data were added to nearly all of
the USDA-NRCS Arctic region pedons from unpublished UAF data. We present relationships
among soil parameters of the data set that are necessary for calculation of
pedon soil organic C and N stores. These new relationships are necessary for better estimating missing
soil bulk density (Db) from measured soil organic C by high-temperature combustion (SOCHTC) and for
conversion of acid chromate reduction soil organic carbon (SOCACR)
to SOCHTC. For the USDA-NRCS data, missing Db data were estimated
and SOCACR corrected to SOCHTC using the new functional
relationships
developed. This allowed for pedon SOC and N stores to be calculated for 609 and
468 Alaska
pedons respectively,
the most available to-date. Additionally, functional relationships were
developed for data within soil orders to estimate total SOCHTC and N
stores in pedons with missing surface organic horizons where only thicknesses
were known. These relationships are presented in order to fill-in missing data
and to better define the existing data set for future use. Some 1904 missing Db
data points and 1612 corrected SOCHTC data points were added to the
total of 4240 points in the 609 pedons that constitute the updated dataset.
When O-layer thickness functions developed here were used, SOC and N stores
were calculated for an additional 137 and 184 pedons respectively.


The epithelial cells that form a barrier lining the lung airway are key regulators of neutrophil trafficking into the airway lumen in a variety of lung inflammatory diseases. Although the lipid mediator leukotriene B4 (LTB4) is known to be a principal chemoattractant for recruiting neutrophils to inflamed sites across the airway epithelium, the precise signaling mechanism involved remains largely unknown. In the present study, therefore, we investigated the signaling pathway through which LTB4 induces transepithelial migration of neutrophils. We found that LTB4 induces concentration-dependent transmigration of DMSO-differentiated HL-60 neutrophils and human polymorphonuclear neutrophils across A549 human lung epithelium. This effect was mediated via specific LTB4 receptors and was inhibited by pretreating the cells with N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an oxygen free radical scavenger, with diphenylene iodonium (DPI), an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase-like flavoproteins, or with PD98059, an extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor. Consistent with those findings, LTB4-induced ERK phosphorylation was completely blocked by pretreating cells with NAC or DPI. Taken together, our observations suggest LTB4 signaling to transepithelial migration is mediated via generation of reactive oxygen species, which leads to downstream activation of ERK. The physiological relevance of this signaling pathway was demonstrated in BALB/c mice, in which intratracheal instillation of LTB4 led to acute recruitment of neutrophils into the airway across the lung epithelium. Notably, the response to LTB4 was blocked by NAC, DPI, PD98059, or CP105696, a specific LTB4 receptor antagonist.


We introduce a long-memory dynamic Tobit model, defining it as a censored version of a fractionally integrated Gaussian ARMA model, which may include seasonal components and|or additional regression variables. Parameter estimation for such a model using standard techniques is typically infeasible, since the model is not Markovian, cannot be expressed in a finite-dimensional state-space form, and includes censored observations. Furthermore, the long-memory property renders a standard Gibbs sampling scheme impractical. Therefore we introduce a new Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling scheme, which is orders of magnitude more efficient than the standard Gibbs sampler. The method is inherently capable of handling missing observations. In case studies, the model is fit to two time series: one consisting of volumes of requests to a hard disk over time, and the other consisting of hourly rainfall measurements in Edinburgh over a 2-year period. The resulting posterior distributions for the fractional differencing parameter demonstrate, for these two time series, the importance of the long-memory structure in the models. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


The LAG3 protein has several features in common with CD4, suggesting that it may be important in controlling T cell reactivity. However, mice with a Lag3 null mutation have now been shown to exhibit a defect in the natural killer cell, rather than the T cell, compartment. Killing of certain tumor targets by natural killer cells from these mice was inhibited or even abolished, whereas lysis of cells displaying major histocompatibility complex class I disparities remained intact. It appears that LAG3 is a receptor or coreceptor that defines different modes of natural killing.


We present an end-to-end differentiable training method for retrieval-augmented open-domain question answering systems that combine information from multiple retrieved documents when generating answers. We model retrieval decisions as latent variables over sets of relevant documents. Since marginalizing over sets of retrieved documents is computationally hard, we approximate this using an expectation-maximization algorithm. We iteratively estimate the value of our latent variable (the set of relevant documents for a given question) and then use this estimate to update the retriever and reader parameters. We hypothesize that such end-to-end training allows training signals to flow to the reader and then to the retriever better than staged-wise training. This results in a retriever that is able to select more relevant documents for a question and a reader that is trained on more accurate documents to generate an answer. Experiments on three benchmark datasets demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms all existing approaches of comparable size by 2-3% absolute exact match points, achieving new state-of-the-art results. Our results also demonstrate the feasibility of learning to retrieve to improve answer generation without explicit supervision of retrieval decisions.


Sperm cryopreservation is a technique integrated in the animal reproductive
biotechnology that allows the preservation of male gametes at low temperatures,
particularly at -196oC, for long periods of time in order to maintain their fertilizing capacity.
The technique is used in different animal species for various purposes, including the
reproductive, the preservation of genetic material, the easier international trade, etc. The
work methodology has consisted of a literature review conducted in several databases by
entering keywords to search for different publications such as theses, scientific articles,
review articles, all related to sperm cryopreservation. In this work has been used as a
model the boar sperm, which presents a greater susceptibility to cryopreservation due to
the high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids and the low cholesterol presence in its
membrane. From 2006 until today, the use of boar semen cryopreserved for the practice
of artificial insemination (AI) represents only 1% of the inseminations carried out, this is
due to the fertility rate and litter size using frozen semen is much lower than that obtained
when using fresh cooled semen; with a 20-30% of difference in the fertility rate and 2-3
piglets less per litter. In recent years, several studies have been conducted to optimize the
protocol for cryopreservation of semen of this species in order to improve sperm survival
and the fertilizing capacity of sperm thawed. In this work has been reviewed some of the
improvements to the cryopreservation protocol tested until now as: modifications of the
technique itself and adding cholesterol, antioxidants or seminal plasma in freezing
extenders. Despite the improvements achieved over the years, it is necessary to continue
testing with new substances and different concentrations of the substances studied so
far, in order to optimize and monetize the technique of cryopreservation of boar sperm to
be of interest within in the sector


Using reflective letter-writing as a method of generating data, a group of four researchers embarked on a collaborative autoethnographic inquiry into the emotional dimensions of researching social aspects of HIV & AIDS. In this article, we use the medium of a narrative dialogue to represent and re-examine our reflective letter-writing method. The dialogue draws attention to key features of reflective letter-writing as a collaborative autoethnographic research method and, in so doing, highlights and explores the nature, potential significance, and challenges of this method. Our discussion points to the value of a collaborative process of reflective letter-writing as a way for researchers to access and portray emotional aspects of their research experience, to deepen their engagement with these emotional dimensions, and to gain insight into their own and others' lived research experiences.


A low-cost, effective learning management system to support face-to-face teaching using standard Microsoft Office System software is described. This paper goes on to discuss the implementation, hosting, content creation and usage issues encountered during an 8-month trial that covered two full teaching semesters at Bond University. Bond University, based on the Gold Coast, is Australia's first private university and specializes in small-class and face-to-face education. The learning management system called the SharePoint Alliance (SPA) was used to support this quality teaching and learning environment. We comment upon the effectiveness of SPA and how far it was able to support the needs of a learning management system by simply extending the standard information management software environment of a university.


The lysosomal storage disorder alpha‐mannosidosis is caused by deficiency of the enzyme lysosomal alpha‐mannosidase (MAN2B1). In this study, 96 disease‐associated sequence variants were identified in 130 unrelated alpha‐mannosidosis patients from 30 countries. Eighty‐three novel variants were detected, extending the mutation spectrum from 42 to 125. In total, 256 of the 260 mutant alleles (98.5%) were identified. Most of the variants were unique to each family, however, c.2248C>T (p.Arg750Trp) was detected in 50 patients from 16 countries, and accounted for 27.3% of the disease alleles. Haplotype analysis revealed that the c.2248T variant was present on four MAN2B1 haplotype backgrounds, where one major haplotype accounted for 95% of the alleles. The distribution of the c.2248T‐associated haplotypes differed remarkably from those of the control populations, suggesting that c.2248C>T has occurred on a few ancestral haplotypes where the major haplotype subsequently has spread by founder effects. The disease‐associated missense mutations were introduced into the human MAN2B1 cDNA, expressed in cell culture and assayed for MAN2B1 activity. The majority of the variants were inactive, however, ten showed MAN2B1 activity above background, and more detailed studies are necessary to further evaluate the pathogenicity of these variants. Hum Mutat 33:511–520, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Virtual Reality (VR) is an immersive three-dimensional computer generated environment. The concept of VR was introduced in 1960s when helmet mounted display (HMD) devices was introduced to fighter pilots). The technology has improved since then to mature wearable VR devices. Outside of military use, VR can be found in the entertainment and gaming industry, and commonly accessible for home users utilizing entry level technology with smart phones and adapters such as Google Cardboard. The technology has crossed from entertainment to education and visualization. Tapped more frequently in design education, utilized for ideation inception through to logistical planning. The power of VR is in its ability to close the communication gap between designer and builder and users of space. Several previous studies have focused on how VR can improve construction scheduling and safety. This tool can also be utilized to bridge from the conceptual and abstract; from teacher to student. VR allows environment designers to test concepts in 'virtual space' at 1:1 scale for themselves and for the critique of others – be they faculty, peers, internal, or reviewers. The utility of this tool comes from its ability to move communication from abstract visualization feedback to conversations held within a virtual representation of the space itself. This paper explores the role of VR in how students learn to design spaces and in how they communicate that space with fellow students, construction managers, and their faculty.


Millions of credit-constrained borrowers turn to title loans to meet their liquidity needs. Legislatures and regulators have debated how to best regulate these transactions, but surprisingly, we still know very little about the customers who use title loans. This Article reports findings from the first large-scale academic study of title lending customers. We surveyed over 400 title lending customers across three states and obtained information about customers' demographic and behavioral characteristics. Based on the results of our survey and guided by insights from behavioral economics, this Article seeks to reframe the title lending debate. Instead of focusing on the risks and consequences of borrowers' cars being repossessed, as the vast bulk of the literature does, we argue that the primary problem that most borrowers face is underestimating the true cost of taking out a title loan. Borrowers' survey responses demonstrate that many borrowers are overly optimistic and experience self-control problems that affect their ability to make timely loan payments. We argue that these deviations from the assumptions of classical economics do not warrant an outright ban of title lending, but they do provide room for policy interventions. Policymakers can improve efficiency in title lending markets by requiring lenders to disclose to consumers the likely experiences they will have with their title loans rather than merely requiring lenders to communicate pricing information.


In this paper, I propose a shift in analytic focus from language to artifacts – that is, to personally meaningful objects that surface in interaction and generate talk – as a means of accounting for the historical dimension of the relationship between form and meaning. Artifacts activate memories and feelings from other times and places, informing ways of speaking in the conversational here-and-now. By applying discourse analysis to a conversation recorded during fieldwork at a social center for Spanish senior citizens in Paris, I show how various timescales – that is, the microgenetic scale of unfolding talk, the "series of connected discourse events" over weeks, months or even years, and the ontogenetic scale of individuals' lives (Larsen-Freeman and Cameron 2008: 169) – converge in a single interaction. Such timescales inform not only the social meanings (the identities, stances, alignments) that individuals create, but also the linguistic resources they use to do so.


1. Invaded ecosystems present complex management issues. This problem is exacerbated in many situations by a lack of knowledge about the ecosystem. However, delaying conservation action to collect further data and so reduce such uncertainty is often either impractical or inadvisable. 2. The Macquarie Island Pest Eradication Project, currently underway, is attempting to eradicate rabbits, rats, and mice from the island. We undertook qualitative modelling of this project, examining a range of likely outcomes and their possible ecological consequences. The results were aggregated across a large number of possible models, in order to account for uncertainty concerning interactions within the ecosystem. 3. The results strongly support the current actions of simultaneous eradication of all three pest species, as simulated eradications of only one or two generally led to continued impacts on the island's native biota. The results also provided support for the anticipated positive outcomes of the project, with predicted recoveries of tall tussock vegetation, and burrow- and surface-nesting seabirds. 4. However, the model predictions also highlighted potential risks: the eradication of mice from the island may not succeed, due in part to the structural position of this species within the ecosystem. Successful eradication of all three target species could potentially release the self-introduced, non-native redpolls and starlings, allowing expansion of their populations, with possible impacts on macro-invertebrates and vegetation. 5. Synthesis and applications. These results demonstrate that qualitative modelling approaches can in some cases deliver consistent results, despite high levels of uncertainty regarding interactions within the underlying ecosystem. Such outcomes can provide assistance in the development of strategic contingency plans and ongoing future management action.


A basic prediction of effcient risk-sharing is that relative consumption growth rates across countries or regions should be positively related to real exchange rate growth rates across the same areas. We investigate this hypothesis, employing a newly constructed multi-country and multi-regional data set. Within countries, we find signifcant evidence for risk sharing: episodes of high relative regional consumption growth are associated with regional real exchange rate depreciation. Across countries however, the association is reversed: relative consumption and real exchange rates are negatively correlated. We identify this failure of risk sharing as a border effect. We find that the border effect is substantially (but not fully) accounted for by nominal exchange rate variability. We then ask whether standard open economy macro models can explain these features of the data. We argue that they cannot. To explain the role of the nominal exchange rate in deviations from cross country consumption risk sharing, it is necessary to combine multiple sources of shocks, ex-ante price setting, and incomplete financial markets.


Focusing on climate change, this article discusses possibilities of a local approach to complex global environmental problems. Due to failures of markets and international politics as strategies to govern the atmosphere, an alternative approach could be voluntary initiatives in which the complexity of the global common-pool resource (CPR) is reduced. Assessing such an approach through a case study of food standard development in Sweden, the outcome is two-sided. By means of scientific explanations and stakeholder dialogue, standards were produced, but attentiveness to CPR management diminished as focus turned towards producer interests and efficiency increasing measures. Although the climate issue was promoted, the outcome was far from the needed change and illustrates difficulties to deviate from prevailing priorities. In order to balance local interests and power with global and intertemporal values, and reach absolute emission cuts, change in norms and governance on every level would be needed.


A long-term study of the breeding success of an increasing population of great spotted woodpeckers in southern England has shown that nest survival has increased dramatically and the nesting season advanced over the last 20 years. Nest site interference by starlings was frequently observed in the early years of the study and was thought to be the main cause of the low nest survival and delayed nesting. Starling numbers have now declined to such an extent that they no longer nest in the study woods and nest site interference does not now occur. Great spotted woodpeckers are increasing in Britain and the reduction in nest site competition from starlings may be one of the factors contributing to this increase.


Background and Introduction—According to the Food and Agricultural Organization that more than one-third of the population of the world is affected each year by food-borne diseases caused by chemical and biological hazards. Foodsafety has been identified as high priority in the Qatar National Food Security Master Plan. Campylobacter spp. are among the leading causes of foodborne illness and capable of triggering severe gastroenteritis with grave long-term sequelae and serious economic impact such as, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The practice of drinking fresh camel milk, although is a tradition in Qatar, is increasing around the world because of the perceived medicinal value for health in general, diabetes, autism, and allergies. In addition to the fact that camel milk is the closest to human mother's milk, it contains high levels of antioxidants and iron. Being a fresh product it is exposed o foodborne pathogens including Campylobacter spp. Understanding the pathway by which this hazard enter the food chain and pose risk to human will help in developing risk mitigation strategies. We carried out a study to assess the potential risk of illness from the consumption of camel milk contaminated with Campylobacter spp. in Qatar and identify critical intervention points that would contribute to mitigating its associated risk. Methods—We used the quantitative risk assessment (QRA) methodology using a combination of deterministic and stochastic approaches to address the stated objectives. The QRA approach helps in identifying stages in the production system from farm-to-table that are likely to play role in mitigating or exacerbating the risk of illness associated with the consumption of contaminated camel milk with this pathogen. Data on the probability of either C. jejuni or C. coli in camel milk or in humans were obtained through repeat cross-sectional studies in these populations. Estimates of the adverse health effects were obtained using risk characterization which integrated data on hazard characterization and exposure assessment, including dose-response model. A Monte Carlo Simulation of inputs in the model was performed using @Risk software (Palisade Software, Newfield, NY, USA) and parameters were obtained using Latin Hypercube sampling. Sensitivity analyses were performed to capture the effect of uncertainty and variability of the different parameters used in the model on the predicted risk of illness. Results—Our preliminary analyses showed that the probability of illness for a healthy female from the consumption of camel milk contaminated with C. jejuni ranged from 5 x 10-3 to 24 x 10-2 depending on the amount of camel milk consumed. However, the risk for male is higher (13 x 10-3 to 30 x 10-2). The estimates of illness are three times higher for immune compromised females consumed fresh camel milk. We also evaluated the risk of illness for immune compromised males that consumed fresh camel milk and it was five-times higher in comparison to healthy men. The risk of illness due to the consumption of camel milk contaminated with either C. jejuni or C. coli could be significantly reduced for either gender by increasing the efficacy of sterilizing the milk by boiling or pasteurization.


This study examined the factors perceived by in-service teachers as either facilitating or impeding successful completion of online group work in a virtual graduate school of education program. Based on a quantified qualitative data analysis of open-ended questions, five facilitative factors were identified as (a) individual accountability, (b) affective team support, (c) the presence of a positive group leader, (d) consensus building skills, and (e) clear instructions. There were also seven impeding factors perceived by the teacher participants. Although four of the factors described a lack of the aforementioned facilitative factors, another three broached new, problematic issues that need to be further considered in online teacher education programs. At the conclusion of this article, recommendations are provided that online teacher educators might consider as they initiate group projects in online environments.


Availability of grid‐scale electric energy storage systems with response rates on the order of seconds plays a key role in wide implementation of renewable energy sources. Here, a new concept called the electrochemical flow capacitor (EFC) is presented. This new concept shares the major advantages of both supercapacitors and flow batteries, providing rapid charging/discharging while enabling the decoupling of the power and energy ratings. Like in supercapacitors, energy is stored in the electric double layer of charged carbon particles. A flowable carbon‐electrolyte mixture is employed as the active material for capacitive energy storage, and is handled in a similar fashion to flow or semi‐solid batteries (i.e., for charging/discharging, it is pumped into an electrochemical cell, and for storage, it is pumped into reservoirs). This study presents the proof‐of‐concept of this technology and reports initial EFC performance data obtained under static and intermittent flow operations.


After the fall of the Berlin wall, all socialist societies in Europe started with transition. Nevertheless, they have differently passed through post-socialist transition. Due to the Yugoslav crisis in the 1990s, Serbia has had harsher and postponed transition. This state, known as a "blocked transformation", has caused many unordinary situations, where some new capitalist phenomena have emerged side by side with the preservation of old, socialist ones. In the case of Serbian housing, the construction of new multi-family housing is such example. The first private investments of this sector began in the early 1990s and boomed during the 2000s. However, the system of solidarity funds for housing construction from socialist Yugoslavia existed since the early 2000s. Although both types of housing construction existed parallel, they have different characteristics, such as the selection of new apartment dwellers. Proposed research aims to understand has this difference between two mentioned types of new multi-family housing influenced to newly formed communities in these buildings – how dwellers function as a community? The research polygon is two buildings in the city of Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia. The first example is the last multi-family building built from the solidarity funds; the second one is the example built at the same time, but it was a private-investment project. Used method is a survey that is created to cover main issues about community space - collective space in buildings and around it. The dwellers of these buildings are the survey participants. It is expected that survey results will present how noticeable is difference in the opinions of the respondents of the buildings. Using this method, the research intends to clarify if different procedure for the selection of apartment dwellers influences to the dwellers' opinion and behaviour towards collective place. This clarification will be the foundation for new recommendations to improve current state and regulation in multi-family housing. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.sace.17.4.15408


The subject of this Ph.D. thesis is Customer Satisfaction in Malaysian Malay Restaurants Dining Experience. The research was conducted in three Malay family restaurants in Malaysia by using an inductive Case Study research approach. The aim of the research was to propose a conceptual framework for customer satisfaction dining experience. It focused on dining experience satisfaction consumption related to factors in, and the management of, customer satisfaction. The implications of the findings provide a theoretical and methodological contribution to the knowledge in both, Malaysia and the rest of the world. Adopting the Case Study research approach gave an opportunity to collect data that stems from three Malay family restaurants in Malaysia using a wide variety of data collection methods. The findings presented in this thesis were based on an in-depth interview with 108 restaurant customers who dined at the restaurants and 18 restaurant staff, particularly front of house and kitchen staff, besides the owner and manager of each restaurant. Daily participant observation for each restaurant took 5 to 9 hours a day for between 27 and 30 days. The findings were also based on a number of supplementary data from documentary evidence such as staff working timetables, menu cards/ books, staff attendance punch cards, stock check lists, reservation records and restaurant organisational charts. The contributions of this study comprise of six major themes: Firstly, dining experience is a continuous process which starts with the customers' first engagement with the restaurant at the reservation stage and continues until they leave the restaurant at the departure stage. Therefore, to ensure customers' loyalty, restaurateurs needed to ensure all tangible and intangible factors that influenced satisfaction at each stage of the dining process (pre-meal experience; antecedent experience; reservation experience and arrival experience; the actual meal experience: seating experience and food experience; and post-meal experience: payment experience and departure experience) were integrated together (they did not work as separate entities and should not be treated individually) to provide valuable, meaningful, memorable and holistic satisfaction to every customer who dined at the restaurant. Secondly, factors influencing customer satisfaction at the pre-meal experience were the availability of a reservation service, both formal and informal, and customers' phone calls for reservations being answered quickly by restaurants' polite and professional staff. Meanwhile, at the dining arrival stage, factors influencing customers' satisfaction were being assisted by a free parking attendant, having a parking area close to the premises, punctuality of restaurant business hours and offering a 24-hour restaurant operation to the public. The meal experience stage was found to be a major stage among seven stages of the dining experience process, with menu variety, and food presentation and display as the core of restaurant service. iv Factors influencing dining satisfaction during the actual meal experience were related to a unique cultural preference concept for Malay restaurants such as private dining space, food quality attribute of authenticity, eating style, restaurant decoration, waiting activities, prayer room, and traditional live band. Satisfaction influence factors for post-meal experience were self service payment, being bid farewell and being escorted to the exit door. Thirdly, this study because it adopted a qualitative research approach, managed to venture the role of Maslow's Theory in customer satisfaction through the hierarchy of satisfaction of dining experience. The lowest level satisfaction was achieved when the basic needs of the customers' dining at the restaurant was fulfilled or what restaurants provided to the customers was adequate or equal with customers' expectation. A moderate level of satisfaction was achieved when customers could control their own dining activities. A high level of satisfaction resulted when the restaurants offered something above ordinary or which exceeded customers' expectation. The highest level of satisfaction was achieved when the restaurants provided something that was outstanding and which surpassed the ordinary needs of the customers. Fourthly, the major way of managing factors influencing customer satisfaction dining experience was based on a systematic restaurant operation system. However, the key element that was responsible for the management of a systematic restaurant operation system depended on human resource management (the restaurant manager, front of house staff and kitchen staff), staff training and development, and restaurant rules. Fifthly, the analyses of customer satisfaction in a new socio-cultural context: Malaysian Malay restaurants provided an opportunity for a cross-comparison of 'western' and 'eastern' research findings and the identification of what was the same and what was different depending on the cultural context. Sixthly, the development of a conceptual framework had three major concepts: the input for the dining experience satisfaction (which consisted of factors influencing dining satisfaction and ways of managing it); the consumption of dining experience satisfaction at three phases: pre-meal, the actual meal and post-meal experience and the cognitive evaluation process of dining experience that led to satisfaction. And, lastly, the outcomes of dining experience satisfaction (in a form of pleasurable feelings and behavioural changes) which aided the understanding of customer satisfaction with the dining experience and ways managing it. This research suggested future research should consider additional factors to explain the overall satisfaction with the dining experience at Malaysian Malay restaurants (and /including) cross- type of restaurants and demographic profiles of customers; expand this research throughout the country to improve the transferability of the findings to other types of restaurant to assist restaurant managers in better matching the needs of each customer segment; extend the research to different ethnic restaurants that have different characteristics and attributes; undertake a comparative study of factors influencing customer satisfaction in Malay restaurants between two different groups of customers, such as Eastern versus Western; conduct a longitudinal study to compare changes in factors that influence customers' satisfaction with dining experience at different times; and investigate whether the meal experience stage still plays the most important role in different types of restaurants.


Whereas one fusion protein complex can fuse a vesicle with a bilayer, three are needed for efficient content release. For neurotransmitters to be released from a neuron, a synaptic vesicle must fuse with the plasma membrane and form a fusion pore. Soluble N-ethylmaleimide–sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complexes are the core protein machinery involved in fusion; however, there has been debate regarding the mechanism. Whereas in vitro studies have found that a single SNARE can cause fusion of two bilayers, in vivo studies have shown that a minimum of three SNAREs are required for neurotransmitter release. The apparently contradictory results are explained by Shi et al., who monitored fusion of vesicles to membrane nanodiscs. While a single SNARE complex was sufficient to fuse bilayers, a minimum of three SNARE complexes were required to open a pore large enough for neurotransmitter release. L. Shi, Q.-T. Shen, A. Kiel, J. Wang, H.-W. Wang, T. J. Melia, J. E. Rothman, F. Pincet, SNARE proteins: One to fuse and three to keep the nascent fusion pore open. Science 335, 1355–1359 (2012). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Unsupervised image-to-image translation is a class of computer vision problems which aims at modeling conditional distribution of images in the target domain, given a set of unpaired images in the source and target domains. An image in the source domain might have multiple representations in the target domain. Therefore, ambiguity in modeling of the conditional distribution arises, specially when the images in the source and target domains come from different modalities. Current approaches mostly rely on simplifying assumptions to map both domains into a shared-latent space. Consequently, they are only able to model the domain-invariant information between the two modalities. These approaches cannot model domain-specific information which has no representation in the target domain. In this work, we propose an unsupervised image-to-image translation framework which maximizes a domain-specific variational information bound and learns the target domain-invariant representation of the two domain. The proposed framework makes it possible to map a single source image into multiple images in the target domain, utilizing several target domain-specific codes sampled randomly from the prior distribution, or extracted from reference images.


Abstract. Continuous monitoring of climate indicators is important for understanding the dynamics and trends of the climate system. Lake ice has been identified as one such indicator, and has been included in the list of Essential Climate Variables (ECVs). Currently there are two main ways to survey lake ice cover and its change over time, in-situ measurements and satellite remote sensing. The challenge with both of them is to ensure sufficient spatial and temporal resolution. Here, we investigate the possibility to monitor lake ice with video streams acquired by publicly available webcams. Main advantages of webcams are their high temporal frequency and dense spatial sampling. By contrast, they have low spectral resolution and limited image quality. Moreover, the uncontrolled radiometry and low, oblique viewpoints result in heavily varying appearance of water, ice and snow. We present a workflow for pixel-wise semantic segmentation of images into these classes, based on state-of-the-art encoder-decoder Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). The proposed segmentation pipeline is evaluated on two sequences featuring different ground sampling distances. The experiment suggests that (networks of) webcams have great potential for lake ice monitoring. The overall per-pixel accuracies for both tested data sets exceed 95 %. Furthermore, per-image discrimination between ice-on and ice-off conditions, derived by accumulating per-pixel results, is 100 % correct for our test data, making it possible to precisely recover freezing and thawing dates.


Purpose Assess feasibility and interexaminer reliability of a new test of contrast sensitivity (CS) for pediatric populations. Methods The Double Happy (DH) measures CS using a method similar to the Teller Acuity Cards. The schematic DH face is 16 degrees in diameter with features of 0.3 c/d and a channel frequency of 0.8 c/d. DH log10 CS is in 0.15 log unit steps, 0.05 to 2.1. Participants were 43 unselected patients, ages 2 to 18 years: 23 were diagnosed with ocular disorders only; 20 were diagnosed with cerebral visual impairment (CVI). Two examiners measured DH log10 CS. Visual acuity (VA) was also measured. Results All 43 participants were tested for binocular DH log10CS. Cohen's kappa values for interexaminer reliability were fair. The between examiner ICC was +0.92 (P < 0.001). The mean difference between examiners was near zero, and the 95% CI was −0.44 to 0.45 log10CS. DH log10CS was near normal in the ocular disorder group and reduced in the CVI group. VA was reduced in both groups. DH log10 CS and VA were correlated (r = −0.65). DH log10 CS was a marginally better predictor of diagnosis than VA. Conclusions DH log10CS test was successful in a diverse pediatric population diagnosed with ocular disorders or CVI. Interexaminer reliability was comparable to that of adults tested previously using the same stimuli and methods. Both CS and VA are reduced in CVI. Translational Relevance CS and VA both should be tested in pediatric clinical populations, especially in those at risk of CVI.


Social learning in robotics has largely focused on imitation learning. Here we take a broader view and are interested in the multifaceted ways that a social partner can influence the learning process. We implement four social learning mechanisms on a robot: stimulus enhancement, emulation, mimicking, and imitation, and illustrate the computational benefits of each. In particular, we illustrate that some strategies are about directing the attention of the learner to objects and others are about actions. Taken together these strategies form a rich repertoire allowing social learners to use a social partner to greatly impact their learning process. We demonstrate these results in simulation and with physical robot 'playmates'.


In the French-speaking countries of Africa, strategies of conservation, inherited from the colonial time, exclude the bordering people in the management of the national parks plant resources. Today, policies and legislation try to reconcile forest conservation and development by associating local people. As a consequence, approaches of participatory planning of forest management schemes have become necessary. A major challenge has been the issue of how to (use?) scientific knowledge and local knowledge in the most appropriate way. This article provides an account of a contribution to addressing this issue in the case of the "Parc National Kaboré Tambi" in Burkina Faso, by proposing a combination of ethno-botanical surveys and botanical inventories. The article analyses the importance of the park plant species, identify the constraints faced by local people to harvest the park plant products, analyse the park vegetation structure and assess the degree of regeneration of the main useful species. The surveys reveal that bordering people consider the park as their granary, their pharmacy, their pasture, their place of religious worship, and the source of the strength of their territory. They harvest in the park Non Wood Forest Products (NWFPs), although the Forest Code bans free access. About one hundred plants species are used, but the pattern of extraction of the products or some plant parts could destroy the resource base. Technically, conservation by domestication of the source species and improved harvest of Non Wood Forest Products could be combined for sustainable management of the park. Finally, the process toward an integration of ecology, silviculture, law, economy and decentralisation in order to achieve the park sustainable forest management is of great importance. The success of this process will depend on all actors including policy makers, technicians, local people, researchers and funding agencies.


There is a Korean historical document which records an observation of anomalous tidal waves at Jeju Island in 1707. The date corresponds to the occurrence of the great 1707 Hoei earthquake (M8.4) which occurred in the Nankai trough off southwestern Japan. This record suggests a possibility that the tsunami waves caused by the Hoei earthquake reached the Korean peninsula. In this study, we investigate whether the tsunami caused by an anticipated Nankai-Tonankai earthquake will affect to the Korean peninsula or not. We conducted a tsunami simulation based on the nonlinear longwave equations with a dynamic rupture scenario that breaks the whole Nankai-Tonankai area as a single event. We used the dynamic rupture scenario computed by Hok et al. (2011, JGR). The simulation shows tiny tsunami arrivals in Jeju Island about 4 hours after the start of tsunami propagation. At 12 points around the Jeju Island and 2 points between China and Jeju, tsunami heights are computed. We obtained larger tsunami heights (˜0.08 m) at the western side of the Jeju than the eastern side (˜0.05 m), and we observed the largest amplitude ( ˜0.17 m) at the southwestern coast. Also, we found that a larger tsunami wave reaches the eastern coast of China, in contrast to the Korean peninsula. Small tsunami amplitudes are observed at Jeju Island because the first tsunami wavefronts attenuated while turning around Kyusyu Island. This kind of simulation would be useful to understand how tsunamis originating at southwestern Japan propagate to Korea, which will serve for the mitigation of tsunami disasters in the Korean peninsula.


This thesis concerns the computational study of copper containing perovskites using
electronic structure methods. We discuss an extensive set of results obtained using
hybrid exchange functionals within Density Functional Theory (DFT), in which we vary
systematically the amount of exact (Hartree-Fock, HF) exchange employed. The method
has enabled us to obtain accurate results on a range of systems, particularly in materials
containing strongly correlated ions, such as Cu2+. This is possible because the HF
exchange corrects, at least qualitatively, the spurious self-interaction error present in
DFT.
The materials investigated include two families of perovskite-structured oxides, of
potential interest for technological applications due to the very large dielectric constant
or for Multi-Ferroic behaviour. The latter materials exhibit simultaneously ferroelectric
and ferromagnetic properties, a rare combination, which is however highly desirable for
memory device applications.
The results obtained using hybrid exchange functionals are highly encouraging. Initial
studies were made on bulk materials such as CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO) which is well
characterised by experiment. The inclusion of HF exchange improved, in a systematic
way, both structural and electronic results with respect to experiment. The confidence
gained in the study of known compounds has enabled us to explore new compositions
predictively. Interesting results have been obtained, and we have been able to identify
new materials of potential interest, which represent clear new targets for future
experimental studies.


ABSTRACT During the last decade there has been on-going discussions about students' declining interest and low achievement in science. One of the reasons suggested for this decline is that teachers and students have different frames of reference, whereby teachers sometimes communicate science in the classroom in a way that is not accessible to the students. There is a lack of research investigating the effects of coteaching with senior students in science in upper secondary schools. To improve teaching and to narrow the gap between teachers' and students' different frames of references, this study investigates how an experienced chemistry teacher gains and refines her pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) by cooperating with two grade 12 students (age 18) as coteachers. The teacher and the two coteachers coplanned, cotaught and coevaluated lessons in chemical bonding in a grade 10 upper secondary class. Findings indicate that the coteachers contributed with their own learning experiences to help the teacher understand how students perceive difficult concepts. In such way, the coteachers were mediating between the teacher and the students, thus bridging the gap between the teacher and the students' frames of references. The teachers' PCK was refined which in turn lead to improved teaching strategies.


This study was a broad autecological investigation of the life history and behaviour of the amaurobioid spider Badumna candida (L. Koch), primarily comprising a two-year sampling program of nests and a number of field and laboratory experiments, the latter including rearing from egg to adult at constant temperature.

The main host plants of B. candida nests in the study site at Townsville, North Queensland, were Zizyphus mauritiana (the chinee apple) and Dolichondrone heterophylla. The nests were prevalent at ecotones, though they did not seem to thrive better there.

B. candida was univoltine. Males developed (egg to adult) in about 210 days at 25°C; females in about 265 days. Continuous temperatures below 21°C and above 29°C impaired normal development. The threshold of development for early life history stages was about 17-18°C Most nests were founded between January and February by solitary subadult females, and mating took place in them in February and March. Both sexes were capable of multiple matings, and the mating position was one as yet unrecorded among the Cribellatae. A mean of six egg sacs, each containing a mean of 27 eggs, were produced between March and October. The primary sex ratio was even. The nest was a non-territorial, uniform structure to which all siblings contributed. At the peak of colony growth in October and November, about 100 spiders, the progeny of the single founder female, inhabited each colony. Subadult females began to disperse before subadult males appeared in the nests. Adult males did not appear until most or all of the subadult females had dispersed. Since males matured earlier than females when reared singly in the laboratory, it is possible that the development of males is retarded in natural nests, thus synchronizing the maturation of the sexes.

Dispersal may have reached about 50m, but half that distance seemed optimum for successful establishment. Dispersing spiders sometimes reinitiated dispersal if the habitat was unfavourable. Founder females that failed to travel far from the home nest may have suffered more from predation by birds. 23 % of nests founded in March survived to the time of the start of dispersal (November); the corresponding survival rate per female dispersing from the home nest was 2 %. Groups of spiders sometimes dispersed together (i.e. by sociotomy), but this appeared to be a transitory phenomenon in dispersal.

The scelionid parasitoid Ceratobaeus setosus caused losses of about 20 % of B. candida eggs. The egg sacs were camouflaged, and were most often clumped in groups, perhaps to facilitate guarding them from this wasp. Along with C. setosus and the spider hosts, numerous other nest associates comprised a complex community within B. candida nests; among these associates, two oecophorid moths in particular were prominent and often caused serious damage.

The colony was most active in the early evening, improving the web, feeding and (over a restricted season) dispersing. Nests were not cleaned of prey remains and exuvia, but faeces were deposited clear of the nest. Nests fell into disrepair at the peak time of dispersal, usually being abandoned by March.

Although prey was subdued by several spiders and feeding was communal, the behaviour of individuals in predation and feeding was not cooperative; only the usual level of tolerance of conspecifics made it appear so. Other things being equal, attacks on prey were most likely from the largest spiders and from females. Extra-oral digestion and communal feeding created a potential avenue for the distribution within the colony of substances involved m control of development and/or behaviour.

Spiderlings emerged from the egg sac without assistance and shared the prey of their mother and of their elder siblings; the chances of survival of first instar spiderlings were limited otherwise, for they did not prey and feed effectively. The parent female did not feed her young by regurgitation. In the laboratory, cannibalism between siblings was very rare at 20°C and 25 °C, but at 30°C it was frequent (48 %). One possible explanation for this difference was that recognition and tolerance were mediated by a volatile body-borne pheromone that dissipated rapidly at sustained high temperatures.

Interattraction was very high among juveniles under normal conditions, but subadult females and adult males (the life stages for which xenophobia was most adaptive) were intolerant of conspecifics of the same age and sex. Adult females, which rarely contacted spiders other than their own offspring, were variable in their reactions to other adult females; but in general they had lost the tolerance levels characteristic of their earlier communal life. In behaviour, as in development, pheromones (silk-borne or body-borne) are invoked as potential explanations of these phenomena.

B. candida was classified as a periodic-social or communal, non-territorial, subsocial (matrifilial) species. Some of the adaptations of its present level of sociality may preadapt it to a more advanced social organization - in particular, if development of conspecifics is really being influenced (retarded, for instance) pheromonally, an independent avenue to eusociality seems a possible feature of its destiny.


In January 11th 1693 an earthquake, commonly reported as the
largest Italian seismic event (Io = X/XI MCS and Mw 7.4 according to
CPTI04 reference catalogue), occurred in eastern Sicily, causing more
than 54.000 casualties and totally destruction in the areas embracing
the nowadays provinces of Catania, Siracusa and Ragusa. The entire
Sicily Ionian coast was hit by a tsunami, with waves up to 8 metres
high. Several geological sources differing in location, attitude and kinematics
have been proposed by different authors for this earthquake:
the NNW-SSE Malta Escarpment normal fault located offshore the
eastern coast of Sicily, the nearly N-S Scicli strike-slip fault located in
the central Hyblean plateau, the WSW-ENE Scordia-Lentini graben in
the northern Hyblean region, the NW-dipping Ionian subduction
plane, and lastly the NNW-dipping Sicilian Basal Thrust across the
central-eastern Sicily and the Ionian offshore.
In this paper, we attempt to discriminate among the above sources
by applying a forward modelling technique which, starting from given
fault model parameters (strike, dip, length, width, hypocentral location
and magnitude) and reproducing acceleration time history above 1 Hz
(the range of frequencies correlated with building damage), calculates
the data point intensities at the surface. The differences between the
observed and calculated macroseismic intensities, expressed as L1
norm, are discussed in order to identify the better analytical solutions.
The obtained results are strongly dependent from the equivalent
magnitude (Mw) attributed to the 1693 event, which in the literature
ranges from Mw 6.8 to 8.0. Almost all the analysed fault models fall to
reproduce the highest intensity (X/XI MCS) data points of the Hyblean
region, suggesting that this area might have undergone a cumulative
damage effects due to an intense foreshock activity (January 9th 1693,
Mw 6.2, and January 11th 1693, morning, Mw 4.3). The portion of the
macroseismic field located north of the Gela-Catania thrust front is
better reproduced by the Malta Escarpment solution (Mw 7.1) and subordinately
by the Sicilian Basal Thrust and by the Scordia-Lentini
graben source models. The Hyblean portion of the field is better reproduced
by the Ionian Subduction Plane (Mw 8) and subordinately by
the Scicli line (Mw 7.4 and 7.1) source models. The entire field is better
reproduced by the Scicli line related sources (Mw 7.1 and 7.4).
Regional scale geological and seismotectonic considerations may help
to further discriminate among the various sources.


1 Summary Farmington Bay covers 94 mi 2 (260 km 2) in the SW corner of the Great Salt Lake, and is essentially a separate lake because it is enclosed by Antelope Island and a causeway leading to the island from the mainland. The bay has received wastes from the adjoining Salt Lake City metropolitan area for decades. Because of water quality concerns for Farmington Bay, the Aquatic Ecology Laboratory class at Utah State University studied the bay and a nearby control site (Bridger Bay) in the Great Salt Lake during the fall of 2001. Field sampling and laboratory experiments, as well as other data sources, demonstrated the bay is severely eutrophic and is one of the most polluted water bodies in the state of Utah. A preliminary nutrient loading estimate for the bay indicates that total phosphorus coming into the system is 8-times higher than necessary for the bay to be classed as eutrophic. Sewage treatment plants discharging directly to the bay contribute approximately 50% of the nutrients. Metrics of eutrophication (chlorophyll, Secchi depth and total phosphorus) all indicated that the bay was hypereutrophic and the combined Trophic State Index was 91, higher than any other lake or reservoir in the state. Oxygen was supersaturated in the surface waters of Farmington Bay during the day, but the bottom water was anoxic. During the night, nearly the entire water column became anoxic due to respiratory demand of the biota. The anoxic conditions allowed high concentrations of foul-smelling hydrogen sulfide to be produced. Brine shrimp were not abundant in Farmington Bay and the community was dominated by rotifers. In contrast, water quality in Bridger Bay located on the main lake, was good and brine shrimp were abundant there. Our results, although restricted in scope, corroborate existing monitoring data from this bay. Water quality characteristics in Farmington Bay do not meet those mandated for the protection of aquatic life. Odor problems from the bay likely impact more people than are affected by any other polluted water body in the state. The impact of eutrophication and anoxia on the biota in Farmington Bay may also be substantial, although inadequate data exists to determine these impacts. There are substantial technical challenges to be overcome if water quality in the bay is to be improved to meet its designated use. However, before these technical issues can be solved, the responsible agencies will need to address …


Faced with an increasingly media-saturated, globalized culture, art historians have begun to ask themselves challenging and provocative questions about the nature of their discipline. Why did the history of art come into being? Is it now in danger of slipping into obsolescence? And, if so, should we care? In "Writing Art History", Margaret Iversen and Stephen Melville address these questions by exploring some assumptions at the discipline's foundation. Their project is to excavate the lost continuities between philosophical aesthetics, contemporary theory, and art history through close readings of figures as various as Michael Baxandall, Martin Heidegger, Jacques Lacan, and Alois Riegl. Ultimately, the authors propose that we might reframe the questions concerning art history by asking what kind of writing might help the discipline to better imagine its actual practices - and its potential futures.


The purpose of this thesis is to create a potential framework described as the Internship Learning Program (ILP). The foundation that drives the potential framework, the experiential learning theory, Master of Science of Organizational Dynamics at University of Pennsylvania, my educational and professional experience, research and scholarly works are intertwined throughout as they inform subsequent elements of the ILP. Internships are interwoven among three stakeholders; the university, the intern and the potential employer. This Capstone examines the goals and structure to maximize the benefit for the student, university and employer. A summary is presented highlighting next steps. Comments Submitted to the Program of Organizational Dynamics in the Graduate Division of the School of Arts and Sciences In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Organizational Dynamics at the University of Pennsylvania Advisor: William Wilkinsky This thesis or dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/od_theses_msod/42 A POTENTIAL FRAMEWORK FOR AN INTERNSHIP LEARNING PROGRAM IN SPORT MANAGEMENT


In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updated statistics detailing foodborne illness occurrence and attribution in the United States. From this compilation of data, the CDC concluded that approximately 1 out of 6 Americans has succumbed to illness which has been the direct result of consumption of various foodborne pathogens. These numbers translate into approximately 48 million people per year putting tremendous burden on this country's health care system. Consequently, non-typhoidal Salmonella was responsible for 35% of the hospitalizations due to foodborne illness (Scallan et. al., 2011). Due to the increased prevalence of Salmonella in poultry parts as determined by the base-line parts study conducted by USDA-FSIS, many processors are looking at new multi-hurdle approaches at controlling Salmonella prevalence on poultry products. Bacteriophages are an older technology which has recently made waves in pathogen control due to the presence of many antibiotic-resistant strains of various foodborne pathogens. Recently, USDA-FSIS has given the use of bacteriophages in poultry processing GRAS status (USDA-FSIS, 2014). A new product produced by Intralytix called SalmoFreshTM has been designed to target the top Salmonella serotypes found on poultry products. The first objective of this project was to determine the ideal concentration of SalmoFreshTM in order to give the optimal reduction of Salmonella. Reduction in ii Salmonella populations was measured alongside 100ppm and 700ppm peracetic acid (PAA). Results suggested that that 9.602 log PFU/sample phage concentration would be optimal to use in a plant setting. The second objective of the project was then to combine the optimized SalmoFreshTM concentration with a 8) post-chill intervention. This was designed in order to give the best reduction in Salmonella cell counts in a plant setting. From this, the results suggested that 90ppm PAA in combination with a 9.602 log PFU/sample phage spray treatment gave the most significant reduction in Salmonella populations after a 24 hour period. In conclusion, experimental evidence suggests that using bacteriophage treatment in combination with currently used chemical interventions can provide optimal control of Salmonella on poultry parts. These results opens a new door as to adding a new multi-hurdle approach to foodborne illness control in the plant in various different locations.


Abstract In the last decade, literary studies has been dominated by an examination of race, class, and gender as major categories of subjectivity. Recently, however, this almost holy trinity has been challenged and complicated by new considerations---the concept of "nation" in post-colonial studies and "place" in environmental literature. This dissertation argues for the usefulness of another aspect of being, age, as a determiner of identity that does significant cultural work. The project focuses specifically on midlife in nineteenth-century Britain. In contrast to twentieth-century midlife which some theorists argue is dominated by ideologies of decline, Victorian middle age operates as a protean construction that maintains an unresolved competition between gain and loss. I examine ways in which these two conceptions of midlife vie for cultural authority as they are heavily complicated by gender. In the introduction, I discuss age as a construct largely determined by cultural forces but also subject to certain biological constraints, and I provide a brief history of midlife as well as outlining the major characteristics of middle age in the Victorian era. In chapter one, I identify disputes in beauty and conduct books surrounding the performance of youth versus age in regard to midlife markers such as baldness, gray hair, wrinkles, weight gain, and use of cosmetics. Chapter two explores fictive age anxiety, showing that though women are most at risk for aging, portrayals of middle-age angst occur in marriage plots for both men and women. In chapter three, I consider Victorian brides who are middle aged by comparing Frances Trollope's Widow Barnaby with widows in three of Anthony Trollope's Palliser novels. I show notions of decline giving way to increasingly progress-oriented narratives for midlife women. Chapter four examines discourse surrounding "the change of life" for both men and women. The dissertation employs archival materials from beauty and conduct books, as well as medical and longevity texts. Many novels are included that feature midlife, including texts by Frances Trollope, Anthony Trollope, Charles Dickens, George Eliot, Grant Allen, and Margaret Oliphant.


This paper presents the electrical and technological design for the new generation of Telemetry and Telecommand (TT&C) receivers for satellite application, in Ka Band. The congestion of the S-band are forcing towards higher frequency bands and towards a bandwidth optimization. The improvements in the system performance, and at the same time reducing cost, mass and power consumption are the goals to achieve with these new developments[1]. Performance repeatability, improved reliability figure, modular design, unit miniaturisation and reduced tuning effort in production are just few of the possible advantages introducing of latest technologies either in the RF/ microwave and in the digital domain.


Humans and mice have evolved distinct pathways for Th1 cell development. Although IL-12 promotes CD4+ Th1 development in both murine and human T cells, IFN-αβ drives Th1 development only in human cells. This IFN-αβ-dependent pathway is not conserved in the mouse species due in part to a specific mutation within murine Stat2. Restoration of this pathway in murine T cells would provide the opportunity to more closely model specific human disease states that rely on CD4+ T cell responses to IFN-αβ. To this end, the C terminus of murine Stat2, harboring the mutation, was replaced with the corresponding human Stat2 sequence by a knockin targeting strategy within murine embryonic stem cells. Chimeric m/h Stat2 knockin mice were healthy, bred normally, and exhibited a normal lymphoid compartment. Furthermore, the murine/human STAT2 protein was expressed in murine CD4+ T cells and was activated by murine IFN-α signaling. However, the murine/human STAT2 protein was insufficient to restore full IFN-α-driven Th1 development as defined by IFN-γ expression. Furthermore, IL-12, but not IFN-α, promoted acute IFN-γ secretion in collaboration with IL-18 stimulation in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. The inability of T cells to commit to Th1 development correlated with the lack of STAT4 phosphorylation in response to IFN-α. This finding suggests that, although the C terminus of human STAT2 is required for STAT4 recruitment and activation by the human type I IFNAR (IFN-αβR), it is not sufficient to restore this process through the murine IFNAR complex.


New, high performance chopped, discontinuous, or short fiber composites (DFCs), DFCs, such as HexMC and Lytex, made by compression molding of randomly oriented preimpregnated unidirectional tape, can be formed into complex geometry while retaining mechanical properties suitable for structural use. These DFCs provide the performance benefits of Continuous Fiber Composites (CFCs) in form factors that were previously unavailable. These materials demonstrate some notably different properties from continuous fiber composites, especially with respect to damage tolerance and failure behavior. These behaviors are not very well understood, and fundamental research efforts are ongoing to better characterize the material and to ease certification for future uses. Despite this, these new DFCs show such promise that they are already in service in the aerospace industry, for instance in the Boeing 787. Unfortunately, the relative novelty of these parts means that they needed to be certified by "point design", an excess of physical testing, rather than by a mix of physical testing and finite element analysis, which would be the case for CFCs or metals. In this study, one particular approach to characterizing both linear-elastic and failure behaviors are considered. The Stochastic Laminate Analogy, which represents a novel approach to modeling DFCs, and its combination with a Ply Discount scheme. Owing to limited available computational resources, only preliminary results are available, but those results are quite promising and warrant further investigation.


Effective duration, calculated by parallel shifts of the yield curve, is the standard measure of portfolio-based interest rate risk. Key rate durations, obtained by shifting individual key rates, describe how the risk is distributed along the term structure. Ordinarily the sum of the key rate durations equals the effective duration. However, in the case of tax-exempt municipal bonds the sum and the effective duration may differ. The reason is that the prices of discount munis are tax-affected, and the applicable tax rate depends on the size of the discount. The authors' result has ramifications for the hedging of muni portfolios, and for the measurement of interest rate risk under the recently introduced SEC N-Port regulation. TOPICS: Risk management, fixed income portfolio management Key Findings • The tax effect on the price of a discount muni depends on the size of the discount (applicable tax rate around 20% if de minimis, 40% if not). • Because bumping individual key rates has smaller effects on price than shifting the entire yield curve, the applicable tax rates may differ. • Consequently key rate durations for munis may not add up to effective duration, creating challenges for portfolio hedging and SEC risk reporting.