OBJECTIVE
We examined whether alcohol consumption and problem drinking decreased with age or if the reported declines were actually cohort and/or period effects.

METHOD
We utilized data from the Normative Aging Study, assessing 1,267 men three times over an 18-year period (1973, 1982, 1991). Men were divided into five 9-year birth cohorts; age ranged from 46 to 72.

RESULTS
Sequential analyses using repeated measures ANOVAs showed significant age, cohort and period effects. Although there was a tendency for alcohol consumption to decline with age, this was not true for all cohorts. Men born between 1910 and 1918 increased from an average of 350 to 440 drinks per year from their fifties to their sixties. The younger cohorts tended to report both more consumption and more problems. However, period had the most consistent effect in this study. There was an increase in problems and in consumption during the 1970s but a decrease in the 1980s, with the exception of the youngest cohort (1937-1945) who reported more problems in the 1991 assessment despite lower consumption.

CONCLUSIONS
Age-related change in both consumption and problems varied depending upon which cohort or time period was assessed. Thus, drinking patterns are a complex amalgam of individual aging and societal change.


Collaborative Traffic Monitoring (CTM) systems exploit the location information continuously collected from vehicles. Users collaborate by providing their location information to have a global picture of the current traffic in real-time. However, location information is very sensitive information that made privacy a major obstacle for the widespread usage of CTM systems. Some of these systems depend on periodic location updates, where a vehicle updates location periodically [1]; other systems trigger update at particular regions [2], or with random time periods [3]. For privacy issues, these systems rely on a trusted third party for enforcing a predetermined privacy level. They may also generate low quality data because of the low precision in both time and space [4]. In this paper, we present a privacy aware collaborative traffic monitoring system, PA-CTM, where moving objects send their location updates to a traffic server, the latter then processes current data and provides its users with current traffic status. Users authenticate themselves to traffic server using pseudonyms that are changed according to user's privacy preferences. PA-CTM deploys two mechanisms for enhancing privacy, the first mechanism is the use of pseudonyms (to authenticate to the traffic server) to hide real identities, and changing these pseudonyms to hide trajectory information from the traffic server. Users can control their privacy by frequently changing their pseudonyms and hence become anonymous to traffic server. The second privacy enhancement technique in PA-CTM is the use of a novel autonomous location update mechanism, ALUM. In ALUM, location update is performed according to moving objects' behavior (change in speed or direction) without the need to a trusted third party. Unlike state-of-the art techniques, ALUM does not require a trusted third-party for triggering vehicles to update their locations. We utilized the existence of location prediction errors to calculate the region where a particular vehicle is expected to be in and hence to calculate anonymity level at that region. We compared ALUM against periodic and random silent period update mechanisms and it showed better privacy results in terms of k-anonymity metric.


This article stems from a National Science Foundation-funded interdisciplinary research project that addresses a major gap in understanding the reporting of sexual victimization in prison and the confluence of factors that contribute to the ineffectiveness of internal laws and policies. As a basis of this work, our cohort of scholars in law, social work, and psychology utilized data and personal narratives from the groundbreaking class action lawsuit, Neal v. MDOC, brought on behalf of over 800 female inmates against the State of Michigan. In this article, we identify the most prevalent rape myths we observed from women who were involved in the Neal lawsuit and other similarly situated female inmates across the country. We focus on the impact of rape myths in contexts where prison staff perpetrate sexual violence against female inmates and in particular, how rape myths span the closed prison system-from reporting to grievance outcomes.We explore how these myths shape notions of the "ideal victim," discuss their specific impact, and explain why they matter. We consider how, by virtue of their incarcerated status, it is impossible for women victimized in prison to meet the "ideal victim" standards, ultimately rendering their attempts at seeking justice futile. We hope that our analysis of rape myths in the prison context will inspire changes in prison law and policy by acknowledging and urging the dismantling of these often unforeseen, implicit, and informal barriers to justice.


The farm level rainwater harvesting which has huge potential for enhancing dryland farming systems resilience is yet to be fully harnessed. Here we have assessed the performance of small rainwater harvesting structures in different five rainfed agro-ecologies in India. Further we have taken a case of the state of Telangana in India and mapped the potential for context specific scaling up of rainwater harvesting through farm ponds at mandal (sub-district) level. The study uses farm level primary data on investments, water use, yield impacts and additional net returns due to farm ponds; perceptions of multiple stakeholders and results of experimental on-farm trials on use of harvested rainwater. The ex-ante study to assess the potential for scaling up farm ponds in the whole Telangana state uses eight years district level yield data of major crops from 2007 to 2015. The technical coefficients representing impact of supplemental/lifesaving irrigation through farm ponds were arrived at based on our above case study in five regions, published literature and stakeholders consultations. Accounting for differential benefits of farm ponds under different rainfall situations, we have used the average rate of additional net returns due to farm pond over the period from 2008 to 2105 considering normal, mild drought, drought and excess rainfall years. Stakeholders' consultation with participation from each district of Telangana state was organized to understand the perceptions and preferences of farmers in different regions of the state. The farmers cultivating less than 2 hectares of land were reluctant to adopt the farm ponds, hence only 5% of such landholders were assumed to be the potential adopters of rainwater harvesting structures.
The harvested rainwater in five different regions representing Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Rajasthan was used for supplemental irrigation and recharging open-wells. In many instances, the rainwater harvesting through farm ponds significantly increased crop yields and had a multiplier effect on farm income under rainfed situation, but in some cases it was perceived by farmers as a waste of resources. Increased access to cash and fodder triggered an increase in income from livestock in some cases. The supplemental irrigation across case studies in the different regions resulted in a significant increase in crop yields (12 to 72 %) and cropping intensity as well as diversification into fruits and fodder production and in few cases aquaculture. The additional net returns due to farm ponds were estimated to be between US$ 120 and 320 structure-1 annum-1. The ex-ante analysis at mandal level in Telangana state indicated that one-fifth of the mandals in the state have potential to create more than 500 farm ponds in each to enhance farming systems resilience and income. We also mapped those one third of the mandals which do not need any farm pond to be created. A few mandals have very high potential with a scope for constructing more than 1000 farm ponds in each. The functional analysis highlighted the technical, capital, social and extension related determinants of adoption of farm ponds. Ex-post impact assessment of farm pond in different regions of India establishes their usefulness and the ex-ante analysis maps out its potential at mandal level in the Telangana state would contribute in prioritizing and better targeting of investments for scaling up of farm level rainwater harvesting in the rainfed regions.


Major sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural crop production are nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions resulting from the application of mineral and organic fertilizer, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from soil carbon losses. Consequently, choice of fertilizer type, optimizing fertilizer application rates and timing, reducing microbial denitrification and improving soil carbon management are focus areas for mitigation. We have integrated separate models derived from global data on fertilizer‐induced soil N2O emissions, soil nitrification inhibitors, and the effects of tillage and soil inputs of soil C stocks into a single model to determine optimal mitigation options as a function of soil type, climate, and fertilization rates. After Monte Carlo sampling of input variables, we aggregated the outputs according to climate, soil and fertilizer factors to consider the benefits of several possible emissions mitigation strategies, and identified the most beneficial option for each factor class on a per‐hectare basis. The optimal mitigation for each soil‐climate‐region was then mapped to propose geographically specific optimal GHG mitigation strategies for crops with varying N requirements. The use of empirical models reduces the requirements for validation (as they are calibrated on globally or continentally observed phenomena). However, as they are relatively simple in structure, they may not be applicable for accurate site‐specific prediction of GHG emissions. The value of this modelling approach is for initial screening and ranking of potential agricultural mitigation options and to explore the potential impact of regional agricultural GHG abatement policies. Given the clear association between management practice and crop productivity, it is essential to incorporate characterization of the yield effect on a given crop before recommending any mitigation practice.


The aim of this study was to examine whether women's perceptions of their infant remain stable between late pregnancy and the early postnatal period, and to examine the effect of women's expectations and evaluations of their infant on the mother–baby bond. Participants completed questionnaires at 39 weeks gestation and 3 weeks after birth. Questionnaires measured demographic details, expected/actual infant characteristics, symptoms of anxiety and depression and the mother–baby bond (postpartum only). It was found that there was a significant difference between expectations and evaluations, with infants being perceived as less fussy, more adaptable and dull than they were expected to be. Both expectations of the baby and evaluation of the baby had a significant effect on the mother–baby bond. Women who expected their infant to have a more difficult temperament and then evaluated them, similarly reported a poorer mother–baby bond postpartum. Symptoms of anxiety and depression in pregnancy were unrelated to expectations of the baby, or to the postnatal mother–baby bond. The effects of parity and postnatal anxiety and depression were also examined. The results are discussed, suggesting that a subgroup of women who have negative perceptions of their infant before and after birth may be at risk of mother–infant attachment problems and long‐term mother–infant difficulties.


Advanced packaging technologies require materials that will allow for better resolution of patterns associated with the ever more challenging device architecture, along with materials that will allow for higher throughput. Device throughput can be increased with imaging materials that have higher sensitivity. Chemicallyamplified photoresists offer the advantages of excellent sensitivity and resolution with good process margins, coupled with excellent stripping performance and plating bath compatibility for the film thicknesses that are required in packaging applications. However, it is the integration of the photomasking material and the availability of today's advanced back-end exposure tools that allow for improved lithographic imaging. It is this combination that is necessary for meeting the demands of today's higher resolution and tighter pitch requirements for back-end plating applications, which is essential in producing metallized structures for copper pillar and solder applications. Because the profile of the resist image is directly transferred during the electroplating process, it is critical to have a well-formed image that is resistant to the plating chemistry. Plating bath contamination and resist strippability are other key factors in producing void-free, defect-free structures. Dow's newly-introduced chemically-amplified material is capable of film thicknesses from 30μm to 80μm by a single coating process with good uniformity. Imaging and process latitude at multiple wavelengths using a 0.1NA WLP/PLP stepper and a 0.15NA PLP stepper are demonstrated at 50μm thicknesses with emphasis on sidewall profiles and sensitivity. The power of integrating enhanced image contrast via chemical amplification and improved optical design has enabled the development of higher resolution, finer pitch backend processing for advanced packaging technologies.


Context. The recent discovery of dark-cored penumbral filaments suggests that we are resolving the building blocks of sunspot penumbrae. Their properties are largely unknown but provide important clues to understanding penumbral fine structure. Aims. Our observations provide new constraints for the different scenarios put forward to explain the structure of sunspot penumbrae. Methods. We present an analysis of dark-cored penumbral filaments, based on intensity filtergrams ( G -band, continuum and $\ion{Ca}{ii}$ H line wing), magnetograms and Dopplergrams, obtained at heliocentric distances between $15\degr$ and $55\degr$. Results. In general, the visibility of dark cores degrades with increasing heliocentric distance. Based on $\ion{Ca}{ii}$ H wing images we conclude that this is due to a geometrical 3D-effect and not due to a simple formation height effect. Only in the center-side penumbra are dark-cored filaments visible at all observed heliocentric distances. We observe that dark-cored filaments frequently split in the umbra, forming a Y-shape that disappears after a few minutes, leaving a shortened filamentary structure and a bright dot in the umbra. The dark-cored filaments have life times ≥ $ 90$ min. The dark cores are related to a much weaker and a more horizontal magnetic field than their lateral brightenings. Where the dark-cored filaments appear in the umbra, the magnetic field is inclined by 40° with respect to the solar surface normal for both the dark core and the bright edges. With increasing distance from the umbra, the magnetic field inclination in the dark cores increases rapidly within a few thousand km. Both the magnetic field strength and inclination in the lateral brightenings show very small variations with spot-center radial distance. The velocity field possesses a strong horizontal component within the dark cores. The absolute line-of-sight (LOS) velocity is larger within the dark cores than in their lateral brightenings. The Evershed flow apparently is present primarily in the dark cores.


Skill gaps are a key constraint to innovation, hindering productivity growth and economic development. In particular, shortages in the supply of trained professionals in disciplines related to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) may weaken the innovation potential of a society. A wide gender gap has persisted over the years at all levels of STEM disciplines throughout the world. Although the participation of women in higher education has increased, they are still underrepresented. Latin America is no exception. The untapped potential of fully trained and credentialed women represents an important lost opportunity not only for women themselves but also for society as a whole. Although there is growing recognition of the importance of the issue in developing countries, Latin America faces a lack of information that prevents researchers from deepening the understanding of this phenomenon and policymakers from designing effective interventions. This note aims to contribute to the academic and policy debate in the region by reviewing the main factors put forward in the literature to explain gender inequalities in recruitment, retention, and promotion in STEM disciplines and by providing evidence of the scope and results of policies directed to obtain a better gender balance in the sector.


Abstract:  Breast cancer patients do not commonly receive anti‐estrogens prior to surgical excision. We reviewed a cohort of patients who received preoperative anti‐estrogen therapy after baseline biopsy and then had a repeat biopsy after several weeks on treatment. Patients with estrogen receptor positive tumors received anastrozole and fulvestrant in combination with gefitinib. Core needle biopsies were performed at day 1 and 21, and tumors were completely excised if operable at day 112. All patients were postmenopausal. Following treatment, tumors had degenerative changes including smudged nuclei, decreased nuclear size, intranuclear vacuoles, vacuolated cytoplasm, and increased cellular discohesion. In addition, increased tubule formation and intracytoplasmic lumina were seen in 6/9 cases (66.7%) and decreased mitotic rate was demonstrated in 7/9 cases (77.8%). These findings indicate increased differentiation of the tumor cells in response to anti‐estrogen therapy and that may correlate with clinical response.


Omega-3 fatty acids enriched fish oil from lemuru fishmeal processing met the quality standard of food grade fish oil, but it was susceptible to oxidation. Microencapsulation by spray drying was one method that could protect this oil against oxidation and the microcapsule could be applied more widely and easier to handle. The important factor that affected microencapsulation process by spray drying method was encapsulant to core ratio. The objective of research was to elucidate the effect of encapsulant to core ratio (2:1; 3:1; 4:1; 5:1; and 6:1 (w/w)) on characteristics of ?-3 fatty acids enriched fish oil microcapsule. The increase of microencapsulation efficiency and the decrease of surface oil proportion were related to better emulsion stability prior to spray drying and film forming ability around oil globule as the sodium caseinate proportion increased. Emulsification and heating during spray drying could induce hydrolysis of triglycerides in fish oil. Therefore, the quantity of free fatty acids relatively unchanged although the proportion of encapsulated oil decreased. The decrease of oxidation degree is caused by better protective effect of sodium caseinate during emulsification and spray drying due to better film forming ability as proportion of encapsulant increased. However, it was followed by the decrease of ?-3 fatty acids content that related to decreasing proportion of fish oil. This phenomenon was supported by unchanging ?-3 fatty acids retention that showed protective effect of sodium caseinate on oxidation during microencapsulation. Different encapsulant to core ratio did not change yield of microcapsule. Different proportion of surface oil did not affect microcapsule recovery. Key words : fish oil from by product of lemuru meal processing, ?-3 fatty acids enriched oil, microencapsulation, spray drying, encapsulant to core ratio


Immunoglobulin M (IgM) is the first antibody to be produced during an immune response, and most of the primary humoral immune response is mediated by IgM. Selective IgM deficiency (sIgMD) is a rare immune disorder that has been reported in the association with serious infections. Patients with sIgMD may be asymptomatic; however, approximately 80% of patients present with infections with bacteria, viruses, or protozoa or with an associated allergic, malignant, or autoimmune condition. sIgMD is usually identified when evaluating a patient for recurrent or serious infections. Attempts should be made to document the infection, as well as the responsible organism, whenever possible. It is a diagnosis of exclusion, and formal diagnostic criteria have not been established. We report three adult cases that were diagnosed to have sIgMD during the evaluation for serious polymicrobial infections with bacteria, fungi, mycobacterium, and viruses. One of them was diagnosed to have associated lymphocytic leukemia. All were successfully managed with intravenous Immunoglobulin (Ig), antibiotics, antiviral, supportive treatment, and discharged. We conclude that patients presenting with polymicrobial infections with encapsulated bacteria, fungi, mycobacterium, and viruses should be evaluated for specific antibody deficiency responses, and they appear to improve clinically on Ig therapy. It appears that the disorder is underdiagnosed.


In this study, effectiveness of a computer science course at the secondary school level is investigated through a holistic approach addressing the dimensions of instructional content design, development, implementation and evaluation framed according to ADDIE instructional design model where evaluation part constituted the research process for the current study. The process has initiated when the computer science curriculum had major revisions in order to provide in-service teachers with necessary support and guidance. The study is carried through as a project, which lasted more than one year and both quantitative and qualitative measures were used through a sequential explanatory method approach. The intention was to investigate the whole process in detail in order to reveal the effectiveness of the process and the products. In this regard, not only teachers' perceptions but also students' developments in their perceptions of academic achievement and computational thinking, as well as correlations between the computational thinking sub-factors were investigated. The findings showed that the instructional materials and activities developed within the scope of the study, positively affected the computational thinking and academic achievement of students aged 10 and 12 years old. The teachers' weekly feedbacks regarding application structures and implementation processes were also supported the findings and revealed some more details that will be useful both for instructional designers and teachers.


Reparameterization (RP) and likelihood ratio (LR) gradient estimators are used to estimate gradients of expectations throughout machine learning and reinforcement learning; however, they are usually explained as simple mathematical tricks, with no insight into their nature. We use a first principles approach to explain that LR and RP are alternative methods of keeping track of the movement of probability mass, and the two are connected via the divergence theorem. Moreover, we show that the space of all possible estimators combining LR and RP can be completely parameterized by a flow field $u(x)$ and an importance sampling distribution $q(x)$. We prove that there cannot exist a single-sample estimator of this type outside our characterized space, thus, clarifying where we should be searching for better Monte Carlo gradient estimators.


Travel writers' expenses Who should pay? Armchair travelers, consumers in the midst of planning vacations, and travel agents all find great value in published news and features relating to travel. Whether a piece is richly evocative of the ambience of a special destination, a roundup of worthwhile "see and do's" or an objective description of a new resort, travel journalism is an extremely rewarding form of writing, for its consumers and producers alike. But those of us who spend our days working in the pipeline of travel information are now grappling with major changes in travel journalism, in the form of increasingly stringent editorial policies dictating how journalists may or may not gather their firsthand research material. I'm referring to rules about the acceptance of "subsidized"--that is, host-subsidized--travel. Public relations professionals and journalists alike agree that the concept of travel "junkets" as a means of generating strictly laudatory travel news and features is improper. A "freebie" trip, basically a writer's vacation in disguise, where it's expected that what's written will be favorable to the destination visited, serves no one well. It does not truly serve the sponsor, be it tourist board, airline or resort. In fact, both the writer and the publication whose readers expect objectivity and independent judgments are compromised. [PRSA's Code of Professional Standards for the Practice of Public Relations provides guidelines on travel expenses. See box, next page.] However, fearful of the potential for abuse of "free" travel by journalists, and mindful of appearances of conflicts of interest and other ethical considerations, many newspaper and magazine editors are instituting policies that prohibit or severely limit the acceptance of subsidized travel by either staff members or freelance writers and photojournalists. "It can be argued that the fact that a writer pays nothing or is partially subsidized on a travel assignment doesn't necessarily mean the report will be biased or incomplete," says John B. MacDonald, travel editor of The Seattle Times. "[But] at the Times, we believe that publishing an article resulting from a subsidized trip is simply weak journalism and is not in the best interest of our readers. We believe a reader shouldn't have to wonder whether a story is being distorted by financial pressure or whether the newspaper is beholden to special interests. We don't want even an appearance of impropriety." A number of the "majors" among travel media will not use freelance submissions if journalists avail themselves of discounted or free arrangements. Among magazines, for example, Conde Nast Traveler and Travel & Leisure tend to rely on small stables of well-known writers (often, book writers), who are paid well and also have agreed-upon expenses paid. "None of our writers are permitted to take any kind of subsidy," says Thomas J. Wallace, executive editor of Conde Nast Traveler. But well-paying magazines make up a very small portion of the market for freelance travel writers. Newspapers, which are by far the largest outlet for travel writing, rarely reimburse expenses or pay more than $200 for a travel feature. Some pay as little as $25. These rates are hardly enough to pay for a local jaunt, never mind a trip to exotic foreign destinations. In fact, few, if any, of the freelance travel journalists who provide valuable contributions to a good percentage of today's newspapers and magazines would be in business if they accepted no subsidized travel. "No freelancer I know can survive without some assistance with transportation, lodging or other expenses," says Barry Anderson, a freelance travel writer and former president of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW). "It's ironic that most newspapers pay freelancers embarrassingly low rates, and no expenses, yet their travel pages are among their biggest revenue generators. …


For an innocuous statement based on a trivial tautology, the quantity theory of money is sorely battered. This paper has three goals. First, it exposes the various flavours of the quantity theory as special cases of a simple application of the law of diminishing marginal utility. Second, it provides an overview of some typically controversial aspects of the quantity theory. Finally, it reformulates the quantity theory in light of these now resolved controversies. Although I use the term "quantity theory of money", by the end of this article I reformulate the concept as an "exchange theory of velocity".


The YSOVAR (Young Stellar Object VARiability) Spitzer Space Telescope observing program obtained the first extensive mid-infrared (3.6 and 4.5 μm) time series photometry of the Orion Nebula Cluster plus smaller footprints in 11 other star-forming cores (AFGL 490, NGC 1333, Mon R2, GGD 12-15, NGC 2264, L1688, Serpens Main, Serpens South, IRAS 20050+2720, IC 1396A, and Ceph C). There are ∼29,000 unique objects with light curves in either or both IRAC channels in the YSOVAR data set. We present the data collection and reduction for the Spitzer and ancillary data, and define the "standard sample" on which we calculate statistics, consisting of fast cadence data, with epochs roughly twice per day for ∼40 days. We also define a "standard sample of members" consisting of all the IR-selected members and X-ray-selected members. We characterize the standard sample in terms of other properties, such as spectral energy distribution shape. We use three mechanisms to identify variables in the fast cadence data—the Stetson index, a χ2 fit to a flat light curve, and significant periodicity. We also identified variables on the longest timescales possible of six to seven years by comparing measurements taken early in the Spitzer mission with the mean from our YSOVAR campaign. The fraction of members in each cluster that are variable on these longest timescales is a function of the ratio of Class I/total members in each cluster, such that clusters with a higher fraction of Class I objects also have a higher fraction of long-term variables. For objects with a YSOVAR-determined period and a [3.6]–[8] color, we find that a star with a longer period is more likely than those with shorter periods to have an IR excess. We do not find any evidence for variability that causes [3.6]–[4.5] excesses to appear or vanish within our data set; out of members and field objects combined, at most 0.02% may have transient IR excesses.


The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of hydrotherapy on postural control and electromyography parameters in men with chronic non-specific low back pain. Thirty men with chronic non-specific LBP divided into two hydrotherapy and control groups, randomly and equally. Electromyographic activity of erector spinae muscles and balance measured for both of groups before and after intervention. Hydrotherapy program was consisted of 24 sessions. Subjects in control group didn't have any special activity. Two-way variance was used to interpret the data and correlated and independent T-tests were used for analysis of data at the significance level of (P 0.05). However, a significant difference observed between two groups in balance index (P<0.05).


This article explores the practice of "beeping" or "missed calling" between mobile phone users, or calling a number and hanging up before the mobile's owner can pick up the call. Most beeps are requests to call back immediately, but they can also send a pre-negotiated instrumental message such as "pick me up now" or a relational sign, such as "I'm thinking of you." The practice itself is old, with roots in landline behaviors, but it has grown tremendously, particularly in the developing world. Based on interviews with small business owners and university students in Rwanda, the article identifies three kinds of beeps callback, pre-negotiated instrumental, and relational and the norms governing their use. It then assesses the significance of the practice using adaptive structuration theory. In concluding, the article contrasts beeping with SMS/text messaging, discusses its implications for increasing access to telecommunications services, and suggests paths for future research.


The commencement of official relations between the European Union (EU) and Turkey dates back to 1959s when Turkey applied for association followng the establishment of the European Economic Community (EEC). The EEC Council of Ministers accepted the application, and the following the negotiations the Ankara Agreement estbalishing an association was signed in 1963. Having viewed the historical period, making a turbulent progresss Turkey-EU relations has started to evolve into a very different dimension with the sign of Customs Union (CU). Through the CU, Turkey and EU have removed all barriers in front of trade excluding agriculture areas and service. This study aims to assess impacts of CU on Turkish economy. The study analyses four distinct impacts that are foreign direct invetsment, employment, growth and foreign trade.


INTRODUCTION An estimated 53% of the world's population do not have Internet access. As a consequence, they lack information capital that could be key to bettering their lives. In this practice article, we introduce a sociotechnical system called "World Librarians." This system, facilitated by a knowledge commons, provides educators, librarians, students, and medical professionals in remote Internet-poor areas of Malawi with access to digital content that they request. OBJECTIVE We describe the social and technical methods by which a team of educators, librarians, students, and information technology specialists in information-privileged environments share educational content to information-disadvantaged communities. METHODS After briefly discussing key foundational components and partnerships, we explain the mechanics of the sociotechnical system. We follow this with two proof-of-concept cases where offline requesters in remote school and library contexts in rural Malawi are assisted by an online librarian searcher team at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. RESULTS The proof of concept cases demonstrate that the relatively low-cost sociotechnical system accomplishes the goal of sharing open access educational content in remote areas with limited or no access to networked information. Moreover, the cases demonstrate that the content shared can be content global southerners offline want and need, rather than information global northerners think they should have. CONCLUSIONS The World Librarians system is ready to be scaled and replicated at other institutions with ready access to high-speed networked information. The authors welcome contact from readers who might be interested in establishing their library as a new "searcher node" in the growing World Librarians network.


We describe a case of GNAO1-associated epilepsy and chorea in a patient with a de novo pathogenic mutation. This patient is unique in being the first reported male with this phenotype, and we propose that this genetic variant may represent a mutation hotspot that characterizes a unique phenotype. This 5.2-years-old boy presented with seizures, chorea, and severe global developmental delay. Brain imaging showed progressive diffuse cerebral atrophy. EEG monitoring revealed multifocal and diffuse discharges, along with generalized-onset seizures. Genetic testing found a de novo pathogenic variant in the GNAO1 gene (c.607G>A; p.Gly203Arg). A review of the literature showed two other patients with similar phenotype and the same genetic variant. In contrast, other patients with neurological involvement had private mutations in the GNAO1 gene. The neurological phenotypes associated with GNAO1 mutations appear to lie on a spectrum, and it is possible that the c.607G>A (p.Gly203Arg) variant characterizes a phenotype with both severe epilepsy and chorea. [Published with video sequence on www.epilepticdisorders.com].


Standard models of investment predict that credit-constrained firms should grow rapidly when given additional capital, and that how this capital is provided should not affect decisions to invest in the business or consume the capital. We randomly gave cash and in-kind grants to male- and female-owned microenterprises in urban Ghana. Our findings cast doubt on the ability of capital alone to stimulate the growth of female microenterprises. First, while the average treatment effects of the in-kind grants are large and positive for both males and females, the gain in profits is almost zero for women with initial profits below the median, suggesting that capital alone is not enough to grow subsistence enterprises owned by women. Second, for women we strongly reject equality of the cash and in-kind grants; only in-kind grants lead to growth in business profits. The results for men also suggest a lower impact of cash, but differences between cash and in-kind grants are less robust. The difference in the effects of cash and in-kind grants is associated more with a lack of self-control than with external pressure. As a result, the manner in which funding is provided affects microenterprise growth.


In this study, the effect of fibre, yarn and fabric variables on heat and moisture transport properties of single jersey plated fabrics has been studied. Thermal properties, air permeability as well as moisture vapor and liquid transport properties of fabrics are found to be affected by fibre types, yarn linear density and fabric loop length. Slack fabrics knitted at longer loop length and with finer yarns in the inner layer show lower thermal insulation and are suitable choice as summer wear due to improved permeability of fabrics to air and moisture vapor. Cotton/viscose fabrics show better liquid transport properties along with the highest air and moisture vapor permeability, thereby resulting in rapid liquid dissipation and dry feel next to skin. The designed fabrics are thus suitable for use when an individual is involved in strenuous physical activity.


In this paper, a procedure has been presented to develop fragility curves of structures equipped with optimal variable damping or stiffness semi-active tuned mass dampers (SATMDs). To determine proper variable damping or stiffness of semi-active devices in each time step, instantaneous optimal control algorithm with clipped control concept has been used. Optimal SATMDs have been designed based on minimization of maximum interstory drift of nonlinear structure which genetic algorithm(GA) has been used to solve the optimization problem. For numerical analysis, a nonlinear eight-story shear building with bilinear hysteresis material behavior has been used. Fragility curves for the structure equipped with optimal variable damping and stiffness SATMDs have been developed for different performance levels and compared with that of uncontrolled structure as well as structure controlled using passive TMD. Numerical analysis has shown that for most range of intensity measure optimal SATMDs have been effective in enhancement of the seismic fragility of the nonlinear structures which the improvement has been more than passive TMDs. Also, it has been found that, although variable stiffness SATMD shows to be more reliable in lower mass ratios, however in higher mass ratios variable stiffness and damping SATMDs performs similarly to improve reliability of the structure.


t is well-known that for the integral group ring of a polycyclic group several decision problems are decidable. In this paper a technique to solve themembership problem for right ideals originating from Baumslag, Cannonito and Miller and studied by Sims is outlined. We want to analyze, how thesedecision methods are related to Grobner bases. Therefore, we define effective reduction for group rings over Abelian groups, nilpotent groups and moregeneral polycyclic groups. Using these reductions we present generalizations of Buchberger's Grobner basis method by giving an appropriate definition of"Grobner bases" in the respective setting and by characterizing them using concepts of saturation and s-polynomials.


The External Feedback System (EFS) captured perceptions from more than 4,000 partners surveyed between 2012-2014 in government, civil society, public, and private sectors. These perspectives, from national leaders to those directly responsible for implementing projects in the field, as well as academics and representatives of other development agencies, represent a critical asset as the IDB prepares to update its Institutional Strategy in 2015. Listening to our partners is a core element of our commitment to continuous improvement. The key findings and trends presented in this report - gauging partner satisfaction to determine where the IDB excels, how the IDB can improve, and the attributes considered most important in a development institution- reflects the needs of our partners and will help us improve the products we offer and the way in which these products are delivered.


Dear editor, The incidence of cervical ectopic pregnancy is very low ranging from 0.005% to 0. 1%. Women with such pathology are at high risk of severe haemorrhage, which may lead to hysterectomy. With current widespread use of ultrasound diagnosis, the appearance of a gestational sac in the cervical canal can be identified early. A 29th year old, nulliparus woman of Greek origin with BMI 34 kg/m2 presented with amenorrhea of 7 weeks and 3 days. She has been offered an intra-uterine insemination due to her husband's oligo-astheno-zoospermia. She was referred to our department due to a brief episode of loss of consciousness that happened one day before, during which she presented with paleness, a pulse rate of 90 beats per minute and blood pressure of 115/70 mmHg. Her hemoglobin level was 10.5 gr/dl. The transvaginal ultrasonography revealed a gestational sac sized 29.2 x 11.1 mm with a single viable fetus, with a crown-rump length (CRL) of 6 mm, implanted in the upper cervical canal. The uterine cavity revealed a thick endometrium without a gestational sac and the initial serum β-chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) level was 13,420 mIU/ml. 50mg of Methotrexate were administered intramuscularly to the patient. Two days after the initiation of chemotherapy, the patient experienced vaginal bleeding with clots, hemoglobin levels dropped from 10.5 to 7.5 gr/dl and she was transfused with two units of packed red blood cells. Seven days after the initiation of treatment, an ultrasound scan revealed a decrease in size of the gestational sac to 20 mm, with no more fetal heart activity present. The serum β-chorionic gonadotrophin level was 7,642 mIU/ml and a second dose of 50 mg of methotrexate was administered intramuscularly. Subsequent monitoring showed a steady decline of β-hCG values, which dropped below detectable limits after one month. Six months later, the patient became pregnant again. She delivered vaginally, a healthy, term, female neonate, without complications. Medical treatment with methotrexate, which is a folic acid antagonist, was introduced in 1982 as a novel therapy in ectopic pregnancies1. The goal of methotrexate administration is to selectively kill the cytotrophoblastic tissue of ectopic pregnancies while preserving fertility. The single dose protocol describes the administration of 50 mg/m2 of methotrexate given by intramuscular injection without the use of leucovorin. The reported success rate of systemic methotrexate administration differs among various authors. Presence of fetal cardiac activity, CRL greater than 10mm, gestational age greater than 9 weeks and initial serum levels of HCG greater than 10,000 mIU/ml have been considered as poor prognostic factors with high failure rates2,3. Many authors have proposed alternative, more invasive treatments such as intra-amniotic instillation of potassium chloride solution and systemic injection of methotrexate4, intramniotic methotrexate injection through the cervical canal5 or even embolization of uterine arteries6. However, our suggestion is that it may be worthwile to start treatment with methotrexate alone in such a rare case of ectopic pregnancy and, if chemotherapy alone fails to treat the condition, other more invasive techniques to be used in order to avoid hysterectomy and preserve the patient's fertility. In conclusion, due to the fact that cervical ectopic pregnancy is rare and there are no randomized controlled trials on treatment options, methotrexate therapy remains the gold standard in initial treatment. The sooner the condition is recognised, the better the expected outcome, since chemotherapy alone can be adequate for treatment at early stages.


We demonstrate a new kind of picosecond laser source in the UV at a high repetition rate of -45 kHz , using only passive, compact, and simple elements. This system is based on a microchip laser and a very efficient multipass amplifier, both pumped with recently developed high-brightness laser diodes. The system has been optimized to deliver, at a high repetition rate, subnanosecond pulses at the wavelength 355 nm with an energy per pulse of close to 1 muJ (38-mW average power). This source is to our knowledge the first totally passive 300-ps UV laser source at this high repetition rate.


Characterization of the physical and unsaturated hydrologic properties of subsurface materials is necessary to calculate flow and transport for land use practices and to evaluate subsurface processes such as perched water or lateral diversion of water, which are influenced by features such as faults, fractures, and abrupt changes in lithology. Input for numerical flow models typically includes parameters that describe hydrologic properties and the initial and boundary conditions for all materials in the unsaturated zone, such as bulk density, porosity, and particle density, saturated hydraulic conductivity, moisture‐retention characteristics, and field water content. We describe an approach for systematically evaluating the site features that contribute to water flow, using physical and hydraulic data collected at the laboratory scale, to provide a representative set of physical and hydraulic parameters for numerically calculating flow of water through the materials at a site. An example case study from analyses done for the heterogeneous, layered, volcanic rocks at Yucca Mountain is presented, but the general approach for parameterization could be applied at any site where depositional processes follow deterministic patterns. Hydrogeologic units at this site were defined using (i) a database developed from 5320 rock samples collected from the coring of 23 shallow (<100 m) and 10 deep (500–1000 m) boreholes, (ii) lithostratigraphic boundaries and corresponding relations to porosity, (iii) transition zones with pronounced changes in properties over short vertical distances, (iv) characterization of the influence of mineral alteration on hydrologic properties such as permeability and moisture‐retention characteristics, and (v) a statistical analysis to evaluate where boundaries should be adjusted to minimize the variance within layers. Model parameters developed in this study, and the relation of flow properties to porosity, can be used to produce detailed and accurate representations of the core‐scale hydrologic processes ongoing at Yucca Mountain.


Low energy electron (LEE) interactions and the formation of transient negative ions play a dominant role in radiation-induced dissociation of condensed-phase biomolecules (e.g. in radiotherapy). Here we present data on the LEE-induced dissociation and desorption of the DNA/RNA-base and radiosensitizing agent analogues pyrimidine and pyridazine. Vapors of each molecule were condensed on either a Pt or Ar substrate to form a multilayer film or a submonolayer molecular target, respectively. These were irradiated with electrons of 0-80 eV and the desorbing anionic and cationic fragments analysed via time of flight mass spectrometry. The detected cations are the same species seen in gas-phase mass spectra, albeit of differing relative intensity. Anion yield functions exhibit strong maxima, indicating that transient negative ions contribute significantly, via dissociative electron attachment (DEA), to molecular dissociation below 20 eV. For both molecules, the <5 eV shape resonances, seen experimentally and predicted by theory, do not result in fragment desorption. The main anionic fragments are H- and CN- for both molecules, additionally the fragments C-, CH- C2H- and CHN- desorb from pyrimidine and C- and C2H- from pyridazine, with some resonances lying above the ionization limit. Pyrimidine shows higher anion desorption yields than pyridazine for all species except H-. The anion signal also comprises dipolar dissociation (DD), investigated in both anionic and cationic yield functions. From analysis of anion and cation yields, fragmentation pathways are suggested. The direct ionization pathway provides information on the appearance energies for cations and their production processes in condensed phase.


During telencephalic development, a boundary develops that restricts cell movement between the dorsal cortical and basal striatal proliferative zones. In this study, the appearance of this boundary and the mechanism by which cell movement is restricted were examined through a number of approaches. The general pattern of neuronal dispersion was examined both with an early neuronal marker and through the focal application of DiI to telencephalic explants. Both methods revealed that, although tangential neuronal dispersion is present throughout much of the telencephalon, it is restricted within the boundary region separating dorsal and ventral telencephalic proliferative zones. To examine the cellular mechanism underlying this boundary restriction, dissociated cells from the striatum were placed within both areas of the boundary, where dispersion is limited, and areas within the cortex, where significant cellular dispersion occurs. Cells placed within the boundary region remain round and extend only thin processes, whereas progenitors placed onto the cortical ventricular zone away from this boundary are able to migrate extensively. This suggests that the boundary inhibits directly the migration of cells. To examine whether the signal inhibiting dispersion within the boundary region acts as a long- or short-range cue, we apposed explants of boundary and nonboundary regions in vitro. Within these explants we found that migration was neither inhibited in nonboundary regions nor induced in boundary regions. This suggests that the boundary between dorsal and ventral telencephalon isolates these respective environments through either a contact-dependent or a short-range diffusible mechanism.


Code injection attacks, despite being well researched, continue to be a problem today. Modern architectural solutions such as the execute-disable bit and PaX have been useful in limiting the attacks; however, they enforce program layout restrictions and can oftentimes still be circumvented by a determined attacker. We propose a change to the memory architecture of modern processors that addresses the code injection problem at its very root by virtually splitting memory into code memory and data memory such that a processor will never be able to fetch injected code for execution. This virtual split memory system can be implemented as a software-only patch to an operating system and can be used to supplement existing schemes for improved protection. Furthermore, our system is able to accommodate a number of response modes when a code injection attack occurs. Our experiments with both benchmarks and real-world attacks show the system is effective in preventing a wide range of code injection attacks while incurring reasonable overhead.


This dissertation focuses on a poet who has remained virtually unknown in his homeland, let alone anywhere outside it. Mirza Ali Mo'juz of Shabustar (1874-1934) was an Iranian Azeri poet of the early twentieth century who chose to write his poetry not in Persian, the dominant language in modern Iran, but in Azeri Turkish which had been historically suppressed as means of literary communication. As a result, Mo'juz's poetry is inaccessible to all but few scholars of Iranian culture or Persian and Azeri poetry. In the pages that follow, I will introduce Mo'juz and will discuss his deliberate choice of the Azeri language as the medium for his poetry. I will explain how the poet rejected elitism and social gain by focusing on the illiterate Azeri folk as his audience. Furthermore, I will try to define a locus for the poet within the poetry of the Iranian Constitutional era by comparing and contrasting him to some of the major poets of the period. This work will also attempt to examine Mo'juz with regard to the prevailing trend of humor and satire in modern Azeri literature by comparing him with five major Azeri authors. Finally, I will examine Mo'juz's awareness of his Azeri identity and his assertion of it throughout his work. In this work, I try to trace the genesis and development of Azeri identity and its articulation by modern Azeri authors and define Mo'juz's locus in that trend. I explain that men like Akhunzadeh canonized the Azeri language as a literary idiom which was later promoted by the authors of the Mulla Nasreddin circle. Mo'juz, in turn, became a promoter of Mulla Nasreddin ideals in Iranian Azerbaijan and handed down the legacy to the authors of the Pahlavi era. Mo'juz heralds the rebellious authors of the Pahlavi era during which the use of the Azeri language was politicized and was considered to be a subversive gesture.


Egypt has been undergoing intense dynamics since the 25 January 2011 revolution, with people aspiring for positive democratic and social changes. As Egypt attempts to further industrialise and modernise its economy, energy and water security are some of the most pressing challenges. The time to address these problems is now, but through a different economic paradigm of low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive national development, known as 'green economy' or 'circular economy' (CE) in China. The experience of China was selected because its challenges were similar to Egypt: accelerating economic growth and industrial expansion. After China's rapid industrialisation in the 1980s, serious environmental pollution stimulated Chinese leaders to develop an alternative economic model based on sustainable development. Focusing on the CE of the manufacturing sector in China, this paper reflects on and draws lessons from China's experiences in implementing cleaner production (CP). The research reviews the systems implemented to promote CP in China as well as gaps in their efforts to reach CE at the firm-level. It reflects on the adequacy of Egypt's current policies to attain a green economy in its manufacturing industries.


This paper presents a new out-of-step detection method for multi-machine power systems based on approximate stability boundaries. The boundaries are constructed based on Zubov's method of stability analysis. The proposed out-of-step detection method first constructs a series of boundaries in power angle - frequency (δ-ω) plane, and tracks the trajectory of each generator in the δ-ω plane after the disturbance to differentiate out-of-step from stable power swings. The electrical parameters needed to construct approximate stability boundaries are obtained directly from Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) located at the generator's terminal. The effectiveness of the proposed method is tested in a Single Machine Infinite Bus (SMIB) and the IEEE 3-machine 9-bus system. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm is capable of detecting out-of-step conditions in multi-machine power systems without using network reduction techniques.


The semiconductor industry scaling has mainly been driven by Moore's law, which states that the number of transistors on a single chip should double every year and a half to two years. Beyond 2011, when the channel length of the Metal Oxide Field effect transistor (MOSFET) approaches 16 nm, the scaling of the planar MOSFET is predicted to reach its limit. Consequently, a departure from the current planar MOSFET on bulk silicon substrate is required to push the scaling limit further while maintaining electrostatic control of the gate over the channel. Alternative device structures that allow better control of the gate over the channel such as reducing short channel effects, and minimizing second order effects are currently being investigated. Such novel device architectures such as Fully-Depleted (FD) planar Silicon On Insulator (SOI) MOSFETS, Triple gate SOI MOSFET and Gate-All-Around Nanowire (NW) MOSFET utilize Silicon on Insulator (SOI) substrates to benefit from the bulk isolation and reduce second order effects due to parasitic effects from the bulk. The doping of the source and drain regions and the redistribution of the dopants in the channel greatly impact the electrical characteristics of the fabricated device. Thus, in nano-scale and reduced dimension transistors, a tight control of doping levels and formation of pn junctions is required. Therefore, deeper understanding of the lateral component of the diffusion mechanisms and interface effects in these lower dimensional structures compared to the bulk is necessary. This work focuses on studying the dopant diffusion mechanisms in Silicon nanomembranes (2D), nanoribbons ("1.X"D), and nanowires (1D). This study also attempts to benchmark the 1D and 2D diffusion against the well-known bulk (3D) diffusion mechanisms. . ________________________________________________________________________


This study examined the support needs of four first generation immigrant families with sons and daughters with disabilities from a city in the South West of the United States and gave them a voice to add to the knowledge base that can inform the development of supports and policies for families. Parents talked about their separation from extended families and being alone in an unfamiliar country without knowledge and information on how to raise a child with a disability. Spouse and children were the closest forms of support, but for a single parent, the needs multiplied. All families shared the importance of having support from other parents and family support centers. The participants interviewed found comfort in connecting with other families speaking the same language and coming from the same country. The information they received about their rights came about in a social context. There was a feeling of camaraderie and willingness to help each other. Mothers noted that first generation immigrant parents often struggled with English and felt much more comfortable when information was available in their native language. There was consensus on the importance to learn the system immediately after coming to the United States. Families were concerned that they did not know their rights and felt they were not part of the team in the school setting. Parents also spoke about the differences in supports in the United States compared to their home countries. THE SUPPORT NEEDS OF IMMIGRANT FAMILIES v


Nearly forty years ago, Ernest Gellhorn documented the potentially devastating impact that can occur when federal agencies issue adverse publicity about private parties. Based on his article, the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) recommended that courts, Congress, and agencies hold agencies to clear standards for issuing such publicity. In the decades since, some agencies have adopted standards, but most have not. And neither the courts nor Congress has intervened to impose standards. Today, agencies continue to use countless forms of publicity to pressure alleged regulatory violators and to amplify their overall enforcement powers — all without affording due process or other procedural safeguards that attach to more formal actions. This Article renews the call for standards given four developments since 1973. First, agencies now have even more incentives to issue adverse publicity and eschew more formal statutory enforcement actions. Second, new media give agencies more ways to issue adverse publicity, for example, by making announcements via their websites, Facebook, or Twitter. Third, new media make it easier for audiences to misread or mischaracterize an agency's message. Finally, hyper-responsive capital markets now process adverse publicity more swiftly and hastily, multiplying the potential for damage. In light of these developments, and after reviewing agency practices and litigation since 1973, this Article revisits the earlier recommendations. It calls for agencies to constrain themselves with published standards, for Congress to recognize that publicity used as a sanction is "final agency action," and for courts to review adverse publicity for an "abuse of discretion." Agencies should retain wide discretion to communicate with the public, but should be held accountable if they abuse that discretion. To counterbalance this restraint on agencies, Congress should enhance their statutory enforcement powers and resources, so that agencies do not need to rely on extrastatutory tactics like adverse publicity.


Providing products on store shelves is a key function of retailing, but it comes at a price. Retailers spend 5% of the global $13.9 trillion sales on logistics. 45% of logistics expenses are caused by store inventory handling and holding. Improvements in store inventory management are therefore a primary objective for retail managers. Over the last decades, research and practice have devoted considerable attention to reducing inventory management costs. Retailers improved logistics efficiency and introduced new technology in the pursuit of providing constantly high levels of on-shelf availability. However, this approach may be very costly if shopper demand varies.

This research therefore investigates the benefits of adjusting on-shelf availability to account for demand variation. It shows empirically when differentiated levels of on-shelf improve store inventory management costs over non-adjusted availability provision. It develops and applies Service-Dominant (S-D) logic, a structuring framework from marketing based around value co-creation in service networks, and transcends the traditional role of retail inventory from the protection against demand towards the goal of service provision and value-creation with shoppers.

The S-D logic view of on-shelf availability is addressed in three complementary levels: theory, conceptual development and empirical research. Theoretically, this research reviews comprehensively and synthesizes the advances and applications of S-D logic since its introduction in 2004. It suggests redundancies in S-D logic, identifies future topic areas and guides research and practice in its application and development. Specifically, it points to the investigation of value attenuation - opposed to co-creation - and the empirical validation of phenomena uncovered by the S-D logic perspective.

Conceptually, this research transcends the traditional view of the effects of retail out-of-stocks on sales losses to a S-D logic view that unveils out-of-stocks to attend value across suppliers, retailers, shoppers and their respective networks. It develops a model of value co-creation where manufacturer supply and shopper demand meet in the retailer's realm. The model identifies the shopper as an active entity whose response to out-of-stocks redistributes value within the retail ecosystem. It proposes that co-creation of value through on-shelf availability takes place in the spatio-temporal integration of actor resources and suggests to improve value creation by allowing on-shelf availability to match shopper demand variation.

Empirically, this research uses inventory modeling to investigate the value of adjusting on-shelf availability to account for demand variation. It transfers the S-D logic concept into a single-location, single-item periodic-review lost sales inventory model with non-stationary demand. In a first step, it analyzes numerically the performance of inventory policies taking into account varying degrees of demand variation using a cost structure comprised of costs for ordering, handling, holding, and out-of-stocks. In a second step, it uses a real life replenishment setup and actual sales data to investigate the value of accounting for demand variation in practice, putting a novel focus on demand variation within and across days. The analysis shows the value of accounting for demand variation to retailers is substantial, especially when demand varies while fix costs are low.

This research provides implications for retail managers and points towards further research in S-D logic, on-shelf availability and inventory modeling. On a broader level, it suggests moving distribution thought and management towards a goal of value co-creation to address availability challenges in supply chains.

The dissertation can also be accessed via the database of electronically published dissertations of the University of St.Gallen (EDIS) [http://www1.unisg.ch/www/edis.nsf/SysLkpByIdentifier/4008?OpenDocument&lang=en here].


ABSTRACTCarbonyl sulfide (COS) are usually yielded from the petrifaction industry or steel-making plants. In this study, a low-temperature radio-frequency (RF) plasma approach was used to destruct COS for removing sulfur. The results showed that at an inlet O2/COS molar ratio of 3, the removal efficiency of COS reached 98.4% at 20 W and 4000 N/m2, with the major product being SO2 with small amounts of sulfur deposition. The removal efficiency of COS was lower in the H2-containing condition than in the O2-containg one. However, when H2 was added into the COS/N2 mixtures, the products, including major elemental sulfur with CS2 as a minor product, were easily collected and recovered.


In order to obtain a unified information flow from early product design to final production, an integrated framework for product, process and automation design is presented. The framework is based on sequences of operations and includes a formal relation between product properties and process operations. This relation includes liaisons (interfaces) and precedence relations, where the precedence relations generate preconditions for the related process operations. From this information a set of sequences of operations (SOPs) is generated. A formal graphical language for hierarchical operations and SOPs is then introduced and defined based on automata extended with variables. Since the operations are self-contained they can be grouped and viewed from different angles, e.g., from a product or a resource perspective. These multiple views increase the interoperability between different engineering disciplines. A case study is performed on a car manufacturing cell, where the suggested modeling framework is shown to give comprehensible SOPs.


This essay demonstrates the ways in which the official Museum of Art in Hong Kong realizes its strategies and influences of identity formation by using its resources and representative position in both colonial and postcolonial spaces. I argue that there are ever-changing "internal" battles of cultural identities, and the official museum has been playing a significant role in some of the cultural and political antagonisms involved. Through a historical survey and investigation of some displays of art there, the essay shows how the museum incorporates the concept of cultural identity, challenges its stability and hegemony, and reformulates its meaning and content. The essay also argues for a subtle form of cultural policy, other than the publicized version, manifested in the birth and evolution of the local public art museum as an institution. The study points out that the official museum offers a variety of perspectives on hybrid discourses and the politics of identity in material forms. It is a practice of hybridity that calls attention to disjunctions and conjunctions, in the form of its development, organization, design and art display. It points out that the museum's permanent collection of Chinese traditional art, together with special exhibits of Western masterpieces, are demonstrating how hybridity, in Bakhtin's sense of a mixture of social languages within the limits of a single utterance or an encounter between two different linguistic consciousnesses, is represented in the Museum.


Robin Hood and his band of merry men infamously, if apocryphally, robbed from the rich and gave to the poor. Over the last decade, some economists have postulated that credit card companies do the opposite: forcing low-income cash customers to pay higher prices for retail goods that effectively fund the frequent-flier miles and other rewards that go predominantly to affluent cardholders. Because credit card systems prohibit surcharging, everyone pays the same price. But, these analysts reason, merchants inflate their prices across the board to cover the cost of credit card acceptance. While credit card customers are rewarded handsomely, the poor, who often use cash or checks, get the shaft. In this sense, these commentators claim, card systems are reversing Robin Hood's redistributive quest.Until recently, the reverse-Robin-Hood-cross subsidy ("RRHCS") hypothesis was limited largely to theoretical economic analysis. Not any longer. Merchants have recently filed more than 50 lawsuits (now consolidated) against the card systems, alleging that the "No-Surcharge Rule effectively compels cash payers and users of other low-cost payment forms to subsidize all of the costly perquisites given by [Card-]Issuing Banks to consumers using more expensive payment forms such as Visa and MasterCard Payment Cards, including frequent-flier miles, rental-car insurance, free gifts, and even cash-back rewards." The potential damages in these cases are said to exceed the annual pre-tax profit of the entire U.S. banking industry.This Article questions the RRHCS hypothesis, providing reasons to doubt that card use increases retail prices in a substantial and systematic way. Although the best available evidence indicates that merchants pay more out-of-pocket to accept credit cards than they do for other forms of payment, these costs are only half the story. Credit cards provide significant benefits to merchants that could outweigh the incrementally higher out-of-pocket costs and thus lead to lower retail prices. Although the evidence is inconclusive, credit card acceptance appears to make all consumers better off than they would be if the particular merchants with whom they deal did not accept cards.Second, this Article demonstrates that the empirical evidence allegedly proving the hypothesis (surveys of gasoline retailers in the 1980s) in fact does not. Factors unique to gasoline retailing are more likely to explain the cross subsidies that existed in the 1980s, than is any generalizable principle about the relationship between card acceptance fees and retail prices. Moreover, when viewed in the context of the entire card-accepting economy, the 1980s gas station experience may cut against the RRHCS hypothesis. The data show that when a significant cross-subsidy favoring card users existed, a significant percentage of the dealers in a large and profitable industry adopted a cash-discounting policy. The paucity of similar discounting schemes today (or, alternatively, of merchants that do not accept credit cards) suggests that the 1980s gas station experience was unique and that substantial cross-subsidies across means of payment are now rare.Lastly, this Article evaluates the impact of any potential subsidy favoring credit card use within an economy that is rife with similar ones. It proposes measures aimed at bringing those who have no banking relationships into the system. Enabling more consumers to benefit from banking services, including credit cards, would provide a greater public service than battling a cross subsidy that may not exist.


Abstract Historic botanical surveys documented that the natural distribution of the plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides subsp. monilifera) was limited to semiarid drainages east of the Rocky Mountains. Recently, a number of isolated populations of plains cottonwood have been found along the Kootenai, lower Snake, and Columbia Rivers and their tributaries. We used isozyme analysis to assess the genetic structure of these Pacific Northwest (PNW) populations in relation to native cottonwood populations east of the Rocky Mountains. These genetic data along with field surveys (dbh, age estimates) and cadastral field survey notes (mid-1800s) were used to understand the origin of these disjunct populations (i.e., relictual natives versus naturalized introductions). Genetic analyses revealed high levels of genetic diversity within and among PNW populations as well as hybridization with black cottonwood (P. trichocarpa). The observed range of genetic variation for PNW populations was similar to that of native cottonwood populations. Collectively, these data confirm that these scattered populations are plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides subsp. monilifera). Age estimates of the largest individuals found within study populations ranged from 27 to 51 years. Cadastral field surveys also noted the absence of woody vegetation along the lower Snake and Columbia Rivers. Considered together, the data suggest that these populations are of recent origin. The high levels of observed genetic variation are consistent with the reproductive biology of Populus spp. (i.e., obligate outcrossing and widespread dispersal of pollen and seed by wind and water) and a recurrent introduction of plains cottonwood throughout the study area.


The story of the strange mixture of romanticism, militarism and technology that has made planes so important to England, from the brilliant author of Britain's War Machine The history of England and the aeroplane is one tangled with myths - of 'the Few' and the Blitz, of boffins, flying machines, amateur inventors and muddling through. In England and the Aeroplane David Edgerton reverses received wisdom, showing that the aeroplane is a central and revealing aspect of an unfamiliar English nation: a warfare state dedicated to technology, industry, empire and military power. England had the strongest air force in the Great War, the largest industry in the world in the 1920s, outproduced Germany by 50 per cent at the time of the Battle of Britain and was the third largest producers of aeroplanes well after this time. In a revelatory recounting of the story of aeronautical England, from its politics to its industry and culture, David Edgerton reconfigures some of the most important chapters of our history. Reviews: "A brilliant polemic' Guardian 'Full of good stories ...an illuminating read". (Spectator). "A tour de force, after which the history of the aircraft industry will never be quite the same again". (Business History). "David Edgerton's sure-footed essay ...sees Britain from an unusual perspective...His arguments provide sound backing for the idea that modern Britain is as much a warfare state as a welfare one". (Economist). About the author: David Edgerton is Hans Rausing Professor at Imperial College London, where he was the founding director of the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine. He is the author of a sequence of groundbreaking books on 20th century Britain: Science, Technology and the British Industrial 'Decline', 1870-1970; Warfare State: Britain, 1920-1970; and Britain's War Machine, published by Penguin. He is also the author of the iconoclastic and brilliant The Shock of the Old: Technology and Global History Since 1900.


Lanfranchi, M., C. Giannetto and V. Dimitrova, 2017. Economic analysis and management of bread waste from producers: results of a survey conducted in Sicily (Italy). Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 23 (4): 544–550 The reduction of waste is a key objective for the EU. This issue has gained a greater media interest only recently, due to its importance in terms of sustainability. Within the agri-food system, waste affects the whole chain. The main aim of this research is to identify the quantity of waste of bread and bread derivates in the analyzed sales points and to understand whether or not the variables relative to the analyzed socio-economic context affect this phenomenon. The research project aims at analyzing the behaviour of the sales point's owner regarding the food raw materials' supply procedure and frequency. The aim is also to analyze the size of the food supply and the relative sale in order to calculate the inventories; to identify the groups of foodstuffs which have a greater waste; to analyze the management of redundancies and to identify the most frequent waste disposal methods. The instrument used in this survey is a questionnaire structured with multiple-choice questions. The choice of the sample has been made by only taking into account the companies producing bread and oven-produced products. In order to obtain indications as exhaustive, truthful and consistent with reality as possible, 113 companies located in the territory of Southern Italy (Sicily) have been identifi ed.


Full internationalization of electronic mail requires not only the
capabilities to transmit non-ASCII content, to encode selected
information in specific header fields, and to use non-ASCII characters
in envelope addresses. It also requires being able to express those
addresses and the information based on them in mail header fields.
This document specifies an experimental variant of Internet mail that
permits the use of Unicode encoded in UTF-8, rather than ASCII, as the
base form for Internet email header field. This form is permitted in
transmission only if authorized by an SMTP extension, as specified in
an associated specification. This specification Updates section 6.4 of
RFC 2045 to conform with the requirements. This memo defines an
Experimental Protocol for the Internet community.


A response to Pedersen's article concerning a biblical view of anger. Pedersen's argument that anger in God is an emotion and that anger in man is only wrong when misdirected or excessive is supported. But the argument that anger as a result of personal offense is acceptable finds no justification in Scripture. Such offenses are to be accepted as part of the Christian's lot of suffering. The proper Christian response involves turning the offense and the offender over to God who alone can properly judge the offense and its underlying motives.


This research considers the problem of constructing high school timetables using a
computer. In the majority of high schools, termly or yearly timetables are still
being produced manually. Constructing a timetable is a hard and time consuming
task which is carried out repeatedly thus a computer program for assisting with this
problem would be of great value. This study is in three parts. First. an overall
analysis of the problem is undertaken to provide background knowledge and to
identify basic principles in the construction of a school timetable. The
characteristics of timetabling problems are identified and the necessary data for the
construction of a timetable is identified. The first part ends with the production of
a heuristic model for generating an initial solution that satisfies all the hard
constraints embodied in the curriculum requirements.
The second stage of the research is devoted to designing a heuristic model for
solving a timetable problem with hard and medium constraints. These include
constraints like the various numbers of common periods, double periods and
reducing the repeated allocation of a subject within any day. The approaches taken
are based on two recently developed techniques, namely tabu search and simulated
annealing. Both of these are used and comparisons of their efficiency are
provided. The comparison is based on the percentage fulfilment of the hard and
medium requirements.
The third part is devoted to one of the most difficult areas in timetable
construction, that is the softer requirements which are specific to particular schools
and whose satisfaction is not seen as essential. This section describes the
development of an expert system based on heuristic production rules to satisfy a
range of soft requirements. The soft requirements are studied and recorded as
rules and a heuristic solution is produced for each of the general requirements.
Different levels of rule are developed, from which the best possible solution to a
particular timetable problem is expertly produced.
Finally, possible extensions of the proposed method and its application to other
types of the timetabling problem are discussed.


Our studies show that the presence of IL-4 during the response of naive Th cells causes precursors to develop into a population comprised largely of "Th2-like" effectors that secrete IL-4 and IL-5, but little IL-2 or IFN-gamma. We find that the levels of IL-4 and IL-2 determine both the level of effectors developed in response to mitogen or Ag and the patterns of lymphokines they secrete when restimulated. IL-2 is required for optimum generation of effectors, and increasing levels of IL-2, augments the expansion of effectors secreting both IL-4/IL-5 and IFN-gamma. In contrast, IL-4 is required for the development of IL-4/IL-5 secreting effectors but suppresses the development of IL-2 and at higher doses IFN-gamma-secreting effectors detected after 4 days. Also dramatic are the effects of the presence or absence of IL-4 evaluated after an additional 1 to 2 wk. When cultures with or without initial IL-4 are cultured in IL-2 alone from days 4 to 11, they retain their distinct patterns of lymphokine production. Those cells that developed in cultures without IL-4 progressively secrete more IL-2 and can be maintained and expanded in IL-2. They continue to produce IFN-gamma, though the levels decrease somewhat with time, but they do not acquire the ability to produce IL-4 or IL-5. These cells thus increasingly resemble Th1 cell lines. In contrast, those cells in cultures initially exposed to IL-4, generate effectors which secrete high levels of IL-4/IL-5 (plus variable levels of IFN-gamma) at days 4 to 5, but the populations of cells developed, are not maintained well on IL-2 alone. Those cells that do survive continue to secrete IL-4 and IL-5 but not IL-2. In addition, IFN-gamma production, if present, falls off with time. Thus the cells in these cultures take on an increasingly Th2-like phenotype. It appears that the effects of low levels of IL-4 in suppressing IL-2 production by day 4 effectors appear to be transient whereas the higher levels appear to drive the development along a distinct pathway which is irreversible. These studies support the concept that different subsets of helper cells, which correspond roughly to Th1 and Th2 subsets, can develop rapidly in short term culture with respectively low vs high levels of IL-4. They support the concept that such distinct phenotypes arise from alternate pathways of differentiation that can be expected to reflect pathways available for helper T cell differentiation in the animal.


Summary This paper introduces an algebraic approach to generate the super-set of perfect complementary (PC) codes suitable for new generation CDMA applications, characterized by isotropic multiple access interference (MAI) free and multipath interference (MI) free properties. The code design methodology proposed in this paper takes into account major impairing factors existing in real applications, such as MAI, MI, asynchronous transmissions, and random signs in consecutive symbols, such that a CDMA system using the generated codes can insure a truly interferencefree operation. Two important facts will be revealed by the analysis given in this paper. First, implementation of an interference-free CDMA will never be possible unless using complementary code sets, such as the PC code sets generated in this paper. In other words, all traditional spreading codes working on an one-code-per-user basis are not useful for implementation of an MAI-free and MI-free CDMA system. Second, to enable the interference-free CDMA operation, the flock size of the PC codes should be made equal to the set size of the codes, implying that a PC code set can support as many users as the flock size of the code set. A systematic search has been carried out to generate the super-set of various PC codes with the help of carefully selected seed codes belonging to distinct sub-sets. This paper will also propose an implementation scheme based on multi-carrier CDMA architecture and its performance is compared by simulations with the ones using traditional spreading codes. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Two documents dated from the ninth century speak of two concurrent locations of hell and both contain details of a high burning mountain and a burning pit. The better-known text is the Latin Navigatio sancti Brendani abbatis , the account of which spurred Tim Severin in the late 1970s to take the route supposedly taken by St. Brendan and to assert that the volcanic activity off the coast of Iceland was the most likely source of the phenomena described. Since volcanic eruptions can be dated accurately to within fifty years, this paper has used the geological data available to locate more precisely the likely eruption which gave rise to accounts of the terrestrial locations of hell. In addition, this paper uses geological details of Irish cave systems to suggest a location of the Purgatory of Saint Patrick alternative to that which is currently accepted.


Hailed as a model state history thanks to Thomas E. Sheridan's thoughtful analysis and lively interpretation of the people and events shaping the Grand Canyon State, "Arizona" has become a standard in the field. Now, just in time for Arizona's centennial, Sheridan has revised and expanded this already top-tier state history to incorporate events and changes that have taken place in recent years. Addressing contemporary issues like land use, water rights, dramatic population increases, suburban sprawl, and the US-Mexico border, the new material makes the book more essential than ever. It successfully places the forty-eighth state's history within the context of national and global events. No other book on Arizona history is as integrative or comprehensive. From stone spear points more than 10,000 years old to the boom and bust of the housing market in the first decade of this century, "Arizona: A History "explores the ways in which Native Americans, Hispanics, African Americans, Asians, and Anglos have inhabited and exploited Arizona. Sheridan, a life-long resident of the state, puts forth new ideas about what a history should be, embracing a holistic view of the region and shattering the artificial line between prehistory and history. Other works on Arizona's history focus on government, business, or natural resources, but this is the only book to meld the ethnic and cultural complexities of the state's history into the main flow of the story. A must read for anyone interested in Arizona's past or present, this extensive revision of the classic work will appeal to students, scholars, and general readers alike.


'My friends, I want to talk for a few minutes with the people of the United States about banking.' So began the first of Franklin D. Roosevelt's famous Fireside Chats, which came on the heels of his decision, two days after his inauguration, to close all American banks. During this address, Roosevelt used the intimacy of radio to share his hopes and plans directly with the people. He concluded by encouraging Americans to 'tell me your troubles.' Roosevelt's invitation was unprecedented, and the enormous public response it elicited signaled the advent of a new relationship between Americans and their president. In this indispensable book, Lawrence W. Levine and Cornelia R. Levine illuminate the period from 1933 to 1938 by setting each of the Fireside Chats in context and reprinting a moving selection of the letters that poured into Washington from an extraordinary variety of ordinary Americans. In his foreword, Michael Kazin examines the achievements and limits of the New Deal and the reasons that FDR remains, for many Americans, the exemplar of a good president. He also highlights the similarities of the 1930s to our era, with its deep recession and a new progressive administration in the White House.


Supply chain management (SCM) has become one of the most popular and fastest growing areas in management. One major issue of SCM is the proper design of supply chains to serve customers effectively (high customer service) and efficiently (at low costs). This is particularly difficult as companies nowadays face a series of challenges like shrinking product life cycles, the proliferation of product variants (mass customization), and increasing uncertainty on both the demand and the supply side. Dealing efficiently with uncertainty is one of the most crucial points in supply chain design. According to Lovejoy (1998) a company has three generic possibilities to address uncertainty: it can either hold safety inventory, hold safety capacity, or reduce variability by using enhanced information. These three strategies constitute the so-called Operations management (OM) triangle. This study will analyze whether and how variability can be reduced in supply chains and thereby improve process performance of supply chains. This means that the concept of OM triangle is extended and linked to concepts from SCM, with a special focus on the analysis of the role of information and its capability for reducing variability. As one result of this study a new variability framework is presented, organizing the different types of variability in supply chains. Second, the extended OM triangle is eveloped, linking concepts from SCM to the OM triangle. Finally, it can be stated that handling variability within the supply chain is major challenge for every supply chain manager, as there is always some kind of uncertainty or variability. This study may help to organize this broad field of action within supply chains. (author's abstract)


ABSTRACT Introduction: Parkinson's disease (PD) is an insidious disorder affecting more than 1–2% of the population over the age of 65. Understanding the etiology of PD may create opportunities for developing new treatments. Genomic and transcriptomic studies are useful, but do not provide evidence for the actual status of the disease. Conversely, proteomic studies deal with proteins, which are real time players, and can hence provide information on the dynamic nature of the affected cells. The number of publications relating to the proteomics of PD is vast. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate the current proteomics literature and establish the connections between the past and the present to foresee the future. Areas covered: PubMed and Web of Science were used to retrieve the literature associated with PD proteomics. Studies using human samples, model organisms and cell lines were selected and reviewed to highlight their contributions to PD. Expert commentary: The proteomic studies associated with PD achieved only limited success in facilitating disease diagnosis, monitoring and progression. A global system biology approach using new models is needed. Future research should integrate the findings of proteomics with other omics data to facilitate both early diagnosis and the treatment of PD.


Increasingly complex engineering design challenges requires the diversification of knowledge required on design teams. In the context of open innovation, positioning key members within these teams or groups based on their estimated abilities leads to more impactful results since mass collaboration is fundamentally a sociotechnical system. Determining how each individual influences the overall design process requires an understanding of the predicted mapping between their technical competency and performance. This work explores this relationship through the use of predictive models composed of various algorithms. With support of a dataset composed of documents related to the design performance of students working on their capstone design project in combination with textual descriptors representing individual technical aptitudes, correlations are explored as a method to predict overall project development performance. Each technical competency and project is represented as a distribution of topic knowledge to produce the performance metrics, which are referred to as topic competencies, since topic representations increase the ability to decompose and identify human-centric performance measures. Three methods of topic identification and five prediction models are compared based on their prediction accuracy. From this analysis, it is found that representing input variables as topics distributions and the resulting performance as a single indicator while using support vector regression provided the most accurate mapping between ability and performance. With these findings, complex open innovation projects will benefit from increased knowledge of individual ability and how that correlates to their predicted performances.


SUMMARY Food insecurity and malnutrition in local populations both result from and drive deforestation. This paper examines the relationships between diet of local people and measures of forest cover and use in the East Usambara Mountains, Tanzania. Data on dietary diversity and intake were collected for 270 children and their mothers. Area of tree cover within the vicinity of each household was examined in relation to forest use and diet. Individuals using foods from forest and other non-farm land had higher dietary diversity, consumed more animal source foods and had more nutrient dense diets. They also had more tree cover in a close proximity to the home, suggesting a relationship between tree cover and forest food use. Households reporting trips to the forest had lower area of tree cover within close proximity, suggesting that land close to the home with tree cover such as agroforest and fallow is important for obtaining subsistence products. Although historically there has been little motivation for local people to participate in forest conservation in the East Usambaras, the maintenance of tree cover in the landscape around the home, especially on agricultural and village land, may be important in ensuring continued access to the health benefits potentially available in wild and forest foods.


Summary The global movement to reach universal health coverage presents opportunities to advance family planning goals. The family planning community has a keen interest in whether and how the full range of contraceptive services can be made accessible, particularly to underserved populations such as youth or the poor, within broader initiatives that aim to achieve universal health coverage. This brief describes common approaches used to finance health within the context of universal health coverage and the significance of these approaches for family planning. The authors focus on the role of private health providers and the mechanisms used to pay them. Making progress toward universal health coverage and satisfying unmet need for family planning is a long-term process, but one that can be accelerated. Advocates can champion better coverage of family planning by building the evidence base, promoting inclusion of private providers, and gaining a better understanding of the concepts and language of health financing.


In this paper, I illustrate that there has been a neglect to consider what Hebrews has to say on Jesus' temptations in studies on the temptations of Jesus. I therefore conduct an exegesis of Hebrews, whereby I argue that in the epistle, the purpose of Jesus' temptations is understood as designed to enable fully his priestly role of intercession for those in temptation whom he represents before God. Such an anthropocentric understanding of the purpose of Jesus' temptations makes them highly devotional in their application as I demonstrate in applying them to the experiences of the Baganda Christian martyrs of the 19th century, with the edification of Uganda Martyrs' Seminerians in view.


Many retrofit measures have been proposed and then implemented into existing highway bridges. The goal of seismic strengthening is not intended to retrofit a bridge to be "earthquake-proof", but to minimize the likelihood of structural collapse. An amount of acceptable damage may occur during a design level earthquake. The combination of retrofit measures and the acceptable damage greatly complicates the structural properties for a bridge. It is necessary to use analytical and experimental means to verify the effectiveness of various retrofit combinations. The objectives of this research are: (1) to investigate analytically the feasibility and advantages of applying the retrofit measures developed for single-column bent bridges to multi-column bent bridges; (2) to evaluate analytically the effects and benefits of current column retrofit strategies for multi-column bridges and propose the most effective measures for strengthening bridges; (3) to evaluate the performance of earthquake restrainers and find the change of seismic loads and displacements caused by their installation. To achieve the objectives, an existing nonlinear dynamic bridge analysis program with elastic-perfectly plastic column behavior and a conventional hysteresis model was modified in order to include softening behavior and a more realistic hysteresis rule for cyclic loading. Both two- and three-dimensional structural models for two actual bridges from Washington were analyzed by inputting a typical seismic record. The two-dimensional models were used to evaluate column retrofitting measures, and the three-dimensional model was used to evaluate the performance of longitudinal earthquake restrainers. Both partial and full column retrofit strategies were shown to result in decreased maximum earthquake response and decreased plastic deformation of columns for the bridge bent compared to the case without retrofitting. Therefore, it was concluded that the partial column retrofit strategies were feasible after a ductility capacity of the bridge is exactly defined. The opening displacements at expansion joint hinges were decreased due to the installation of longitudinal restrainers. Additionally, the redistribution of earthquake forces caused by their installation was not significant.