Abstract A survey of Australian Magpies, Gymnorhina tibicen, in Kings Park, Perth, Western Australia, in 1938 identified 84 individuals in nine groups. The survey was repeated 62 years later in 2000 and identified 98 magpies in 19 groups. The sex and age composition of the population during the two surveys was broadly similar, with 69% of the birds in 1938 classed as adult and 75% in 2000. In 1938, 31% of the population were adult males and 38% adult females compared with 40% and 35% respectively in 2000. Seven of the areas occupied by groups in 1938 were also occupied by one or more groups in 2000. The greater number of groups in 2000 is partly due to two or more groups occupying areas used by one in 1938. Also in 2000, several groups occupied parts of Kings Park where no magpies were recorded in 1938, but the territories of two groups in 1938 were unoccupied in 2000. In part, the increase in the number of magpies and groups since 1938 is the result of clearing large areas of bushland and replacing it with lawns and gardens, thereby creating more habitat for magpies. The remainder of the increase may be the result of more regular watering of lawns and gardens in the park, increasing the food resources available to magpies as water supplies improved. The areas not used in 2000 may have become too densely vegetated or affected by increased traffic on the main road along the park's northern boundary, which may restrict movements of magpies between the park and the lawns and parks of the adjoining residential area.


Liquid-infused membranes inspired by slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) have been recently introduced to membrane technology. The gating mechanism of these membranes is expected to give rise to anti-fouling properties and multi-phase transport capabilities. However, the long-term retention of the infusion liquid has not yet been explored. To address this issue, we investigate the retention of the infusion liquid in slippery liquid-infused membranes (SLIMs) via liquid-liquid displacement porometry (LLDP) experiments combined with microscopic observations of the displacement mechanism. Our results reveal that pores will be opened corresponding to the capillary pressure, leading to preferential flow pathways for water transport. The LLDP results further suggest the presence of liquid-lined pores in SLIM. This hypothesis is analyzed theoretically using an interfacial pore flow model. We find that the displacement patterns correspond to capillary fingering in immiscible displacement in porous media. The related physics regarding two-phase flow in porous media is used to confirm the permeation mechanism appearing in SLIMs. In order to experimentally observe liquid-liquid displacement, a microfluidic chip mimicking a porous medium is designed and a highly ramified structure with trapped infusion liquid is observed. The remaining infusion liquid is retained as pools, bridges and thin films around pillar structures in the chip, which further confirms liquid-lining. Fractal dimension analysis, along with evaluation of the fluid (non-wetting phase) saturation, further confirms that the fractal patterns correspond to capillary fingering, which is consistent with an invasion percolation with trapping (IPT) model.


We studied premature atherosclerosis with carotid Doppler ultrasonography in active acromegaly before and after treatment. Patients (n = 27) with active acromegaly and 12 age-, gender-, and body mass index-matched healthy individuals were included in the study. Carotid intima–media thickness was decreased significantly in the inactive group after treatment (median: 0.6 mm, interquartile range [IQR]: 0.55-0.80]) when compared with the active group (median: 0.9 mm [IQR: 0.75-1.15], P < .0001), but there was no significant difference between the inactive and control groups. There was a correlation between homeostasis model of assessment–insulin resistance (P = .01, r = .41) and growth hormone (GH; P < .0001, r = .46). In conclusion, premature atherosclerosis was demonstrated in active acromegaly patients probably as a consequence of insulin resistance and direct vascular effects of GH and/or insulin-like growth factor 1.


Exploration of the terahertz (THz) portion of the electromagnetic spectrum has recently expanded due to advances in ultrafast optical laser systems. The application of THz imaging to detect explosive materials (and other chemical agents) is a promising potential application because of the unique spectral signatures found for many explosives in the THz band. However, since the wavelength of THz radiation is on the order of tens to hundreds of micrometers, the rough interface between materials and the granular nature of material mixtures (such as explosives) may cause frequency-dependent scattering, which could mask the spectral signature. Thus, to evaluate the effectiveness of THz imaging systems, it is necessary to characterize the combined volume and rough-surface scattering effects. Because of the complexity of the media and the requirement for broadband modeling, the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) formulation is an ideal tool. In this paper, transmission measurements through granular media and reflection measurements from controlled rough surfaces are shown to be in good agreement with FDTD results. Methods for extracting the material spectral peaks from a limited number of measurements are presented and discussed.


Boko Haram was ranked the world's "most deadly" terrorist group in 2016 and the country where it primarily operates, Nigeria, was ranked the world's third "most terrorised" nation in 2017. However, for such a significant militant group there is a dearth of research on Boko Haram using document analysis that can shed light on the inner workings and decision-making processes of the group's leadership. Most researchers have instead examined structural factors in Nigeria to understand Boko Haram. This has led to an academic consensus that Boko Haram was originally peaceful and only marginally benefitted from its ties to al-Qaida - if at all. This article, in contrast, presents documents of the leadership of al-Qaida and Boko Haram that show early and continuing communications between Boko Haram and al-Qaida and al-Qaida had a significant impact on Boko Haram's founding in 2002, launch of a jihad in 2009 and introduction of suicide bombings in 2011. In addition, the al-Qaida-trained militants in Boko Haram played a leading role in conquering territory in Nigeria in 2013, setting up a line of communication to Islamic State in 2014 and facilitating Boko Haram's switch of allegiance and merger with Islamic State in 2015.


Previous modeling of near-infrared (NIR) light distribution in models of the adult head incorporating a clear nonscattering cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) layer have shown the latter to have a profound effect on the resulting photon measurement density function (PMDF). In particular, the presence of the CSF limits the PMDF largely to the outer cortical gray matter with little signal contribution from the deeper white matter. In practice, the CSF is not a simple unobstructed clear layer but contains light-scattering membranes and is crossed by various blood vessels. Using a radiosity-diffusion finite-element model, we investigated the effect on the PMDF of introducing intrusions within the clear layer. The results show that the presence of such obstructions does not significantly increase the light penetration into the brain tissue, except immediately adjacent to the obstruction and that its presence also increases the light sampling of the adjacent skull tissues, which would lead to additional contamination of the NIR spectroscopy signal by the surface tissue layers.


Purpose and context 'Gesundes Kinzigtal' is one of the few population-based integrative care approaches in Germany, organising care across all health service sectors and indications. The system is run by a regional health management company (Gesundes Kinzigtal GmbH) in cooperation with the physicians' network in the region and with two statutory health insurers (among them is the biggest health insurer in Southwest Germany: AOK Baden-Württemberg). Membership is optional for insured persons in the Kinzigtal area. The management company and its partners strive for a higher organisational quality (as concerns management and interaction processes among the cooperating physicians, physiotherapists, pharmacists, hospitals, patients and health insurers) at lower overall cost as compared with the German standard. Very recently first financial results of the Kinzigtal system during its first two years of operation have been presented—they are surprisingly positive. This contribution will discuss which principles of inter-professional cooperation and which management strategies have proven to be effective and thus have probably led to these results. Case description and data sources In our presentation, we will describe the principles of strategic management of the integrated care system. Among these are – the construction process of the management company itself, comprising both medical/therapeutic expertise by physicians and other health professions and management expertise, – the development and prioritization of integrated health programmes, – the structure of economic incentives, and – the cooperation between management company and health insurers. The financial results of the Kinzigtal integrated care system are measured in the context of a shared-savings contract. The calculation model resembles health insurers' calculation of the contribution margin difference of a given population. The calculation model will be described in greater detail during the presentation, as well as the actual financial results of 2006 and 2007. Conclusions and discussion The management and cooperation principles which have been implemented in the Kinzigtal integrated care system seem to have led to a higher efficiency in the organisation of population health services—obviously without losses in quality of care and at lower overall cost compared to the German standard. In our presentation, the Kinzigtal experience will be related to similar projects in Germany and other European countries. If the success of the Kinzigtal model should prove to be sustainable during the years to come, it could even become an example for other similar regions in Germany and Europe.


This work addresses the retrieval of the three water quality parameters chlorophyll-a, yellow substance and suspended particulate matter from spectra of remote sensing reflectance in European coastal waters. We study the suitability of a semi-analytical algorithm for the retrieval of these parameters in coastal waters to investigate the validity of radiative transfer theory and bio-optical models that have been developed primarily for open ocean waters. To obtain water quality parameters from reflectance measurements we employ a non-linear inversion method (Gauss-Newton). Algorithm parameters are established to ensure convergence of the method and reduce trapping by local minima. The developed algorithm is then evaluated with the help of a case-specific sensitivity analysis that reveals strengths and weaknesses with respect to measurement errors and inaccuracies of the bio-optical models on which the algorithm is based. In order to establish the validity of the results, a second sensitivity analysis is carried out based on the analysis of normalised partial derivatives of the algorithm's central equation. The algorithm is then applied to an extensive in situ data set consisting of 447 high-resolution spectra of remote sensing reflectance and water quality parameters from a range of European coastal waters, acquired in the framework of three different projects. Given the different measurement techniques within the various projects, it is not surprising that the algorithm performs poorly for the complete data set. Studying the regional subsets individually yields improved results in some cases, suggesting potential for developing regionally specific algorithms on the basis of dedicated tuning. The complete failure of the algorithm in other regions displays the shortcomings of the methodology. It is shown that, in some cases, the forward model fails to describe the optical characteristics encountered producing a pronounced mismatch between calculated and measured reflectance spectra in both spectral shape and magnitude. In other regions the spectral shape is largely reproduced by the model but a mismatch in magnitude results in failure of the inversion procedure. However, the most fundamental problem encountered is the non-uniqueness of the reflectance inversion process for some spectra. Improved bio-optical models and dedicated measurement campaigns in coastal waters are a crucial requirement to resolve this problem for future regional applications of semi-analytical algorithms. We point out the optical characteristics of favourable and unfavourable conditions for the retrieval of water quality parameters and provide some guidelines to future measurements of optical properties of coastal waters.


INTRODUCTION China has made fighting corruption central to its reform and modernization effort since 1978. While much has been written on the causes, forms, and characteristics of China's corruption (e.g., Oi, 1989; Meaney, 1991; Ostergaard and Peterson, 1991; Rocca, 1992; Johnston and Hao, 1995; Cong, 1997; Wedeman, 1997; Lu, 2000), relatively little attention has been given to China's anti-corruption policy. When cleanup efforts are addressed, discussion usually pertains to their goals and effects (e.g., He, 2000). This article explores the makeup of China's anti-corruption policy from a rhetorical perspective. It proceeds along with what Fischer and Forest (1993) call "an argumentative turn" in policy analysis which explores the communicative and rhetorical strategies that policy-makers use to direct attention to the problems and options they are assessing. Rhetoric, defined as "the use of words by human agents to form attributes or to induce actions in other human beings" (Burke, 1969:14), is more than mere words or gloss and seduction. It consists of symbols that themselves stand for and convey ideas, beliefs, and actions. Rhetoric serves to entice the audience into accepting the policy-maker's preferred values and programs. As a result, policies are often amplified through political rhetoric. This explains why policy-making tends to be "a highly stylized and ritualized process" replete with symbolism that conveys reassurance and rationalizes policy products (Elder, 1993). The success of a particular policy depends not only on its implementation but also on its power of linguistic presentations and persuasion. What rhetoric to use, to communicate what to whom, how, and what effects are all important components of policy-making? Rhetoric is fundamental to understanding China's anti-corruption policy. The rhetoric action that China's policy-makers have taken in the battle against corruption is not empty talk without substance and contains important policy messages. A close examination of China's anti-corruption rhetoric shows how corruption is conceptualized, how the importance of fighting corruption is conveyed, how public visions are inspired, and how desired actions are recommended. A rhetorical perspective, thus, enables us to better understand the making of China's anti-corruption policy and its contents. This article begins with an overview of China's campaign-oriented anti-corruption policy then proceeds with a discussion of the major rhetorical strategies used in the anti-corruption campaign and the context in which they are employed. The concluding remarks contain some observations on the policy and, particularly, on the rhetorical efforts associated with it. AN HISTOCIAL OVERVIEW Corruption has haunted the People's Republic since it was born (Gong, 1994; Wong, 1997). The making of current anti-corruption policy, however, takes place mainly in the reform context. As has been well-noted, the market driven reform since 1978 is accompanied by a surge of corruption which appears in new and complex forms and reaches unprecedented and moral fronts while encouraging people to make more money to enrich themselves by such slogans as "getting rich is glorious." The party has to restrain its members from engaging in excessive profit-making activities so as not to tarnish its public image. This is certainly not an easy endeavor. The making of anti-corruption policy has gone through three phases, each of them characterized by different conceptualization of corruption and new policy measures although the fundamental goal remains the same. During the process, anti-corruption rhetorical strategies have evolved as well. The formation of the Discipline Commission of the CCP Central Committee in 1979 marked the initial move in China's battle against corruption.1 The creation of this agency and many of its provincial branches in the following years revealed an urgent task facing the leadership then. …


The need for quantization was felt already around 1900, but quantum mechanics proper started about 80 years ago. It then took half a century to express in a mathematically and physically precise way what was intuitively felt by many, that quantization is deformation. In the past 30 years what is now called "deformation quantization" developed and has proved seminal in a variety of domains, from abstract mathematics to modern theoretical physics. The aim of this special "anniversary" issue is to present some developments in that vast frontier area.


Introduction: Stiffness is a disabling problem following TKR surgery. The overall incidence is 1–3%. Though multiple factors have been implicated in development of stiffness, it still remains an incompletely understood condition. Furthermore, opinion is divided about the efficacy, timing and the number of MUA's post TKR surgery, as there are no definitive guidelines. Aims & Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the predisposing factors for stiffness following TKR surgery, to determine the efficacy of single and multiple manipulations and to investigate the most appropriate timing for manipulation. Material &Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 86 patients who underwent manipulation for stiffness post-primary TKR surgery with at least one-year follow up. The number of manipulations, predisposing factors, the flexion gain at different intervals, final gain in flexion and range of movement was noted till the end of 1 year. Results: Results were assessed by timing and number of MUA's performed. Sixty five patients underwent single MUA and 21 had multiple MUA. At the end of one year the single MUA group showed 310 of sustained gain in flexion and in the multiple MUA group only 90 flexion gain was noted (p=0.003). MUA within 20 weeks of primary surgery showed 300 of flexion gain, whereas only 70 of flexion gain was seen when MUA was undertaken after 20 weeks (p=0.004). Patients on warfarin (9.5%) and with previous major surgeries to the knee prior to TKR (11.5%) had increase incidence of stiffness and poor flexion gain. Conclusion: The timing of the 1st MUA is crucial, with better results achieved in MUA performed less than 20 weeks (particularly between 12–14 weeks) from primary surgery. Age, sex and type of disease do not influence the severity of stiffness in this study. There appears to be no added benefit in re-manipulation.


After being the support of the data and voice convergence, the Internet has become one of the main video providers such as TV-stream. As an alternative to limited or expensive technologies, P2PTV has turned out to be a promising support for such applications. This infrastructure strongly relies on the overlay composed by the peers that consume and diffuse video contents at the same time. Understanding the dynamical properties of this overlay, and in particular how the users switch from one overlay to another, appears to be a key aspect if one wants to improve the quality of P2PTV. In this paper, we investigate the question of relying on non-invasive measurement techniques to track the presence of users on several channels of P2PTV. Using two datasets obtained by using network measurement on P2PTV infrastructure, we show that such an approach contains sufficient information to track the presence of users on several channels. Besides, exploiting the view provided by sliding time windows, we are able to refine the analysis and track users that switch from one channel to another, leading to the detection of super-peers and providing explanations of the different roles they can play in the infrastructure. In addition, by comparing the results obtained on the two datasets, we show how such analyses can shed some light on the evolution of the infrastructure policy.


Cloud computing promises to provide researchers with the ability to perform parallel computations using large pools of virtual machines (VMs), without facing the burden of owning or maintaining physical infrastructure. However, with ease of access to hundreds of VMs, comes also an increased management burden. Cloud users today must manually instantiate, configure and maintain the virtual hosts in their cluster. They must learn new cloud APIs that are not germane to the problem of parallel processing. Those APIs usually take several minutes to perform their VM-management tasks, forcing users to keep VMs idling and pay for unused processing time, rather than shut VMs down and power them on as needed. Furthermore, users must still configure their cluster management framework to launch their parallel jobs.
 In this paper we show that all this management pain is unnecessary. We show how to combine a cloud API -- SnowFlock -- and a parallel processing framework -- MPI -- to truly realize the potential of the cloud. SnowFlock allows users to fork VMs as if they were processes, occupying in sub-second time multiple physical hosts. We exploit the synergy between this paradigm and MPI's job management to completely hide all details of cloud management from the user. Maintaining a single VM and starting unmodified applications with familiar MPI commands, a user can instantaneously leverage hundreds of processors to perform a parallel computation. Besides making use of cloud resources trivial, we also eliminate the cost of idling -- VMs exist only for as long as they are involved in computation.


ABSTRACT Electrical synapses (gap junctions) rapidly transmit signals between neurons and are composed of connexins. In neurons, connexin36 (Cx36) is the most abundant isoform; however, the mechanisms underlying formation of Cx36-containing electrical synapses are unknown. We focus on homocellular and heterocellular gap junctions formed by an AII amacrine cell, a key interneuron found in all mammalian retinas. In mice lacking native Cx36 but expressing a variant tagged with enhanced green fluorescent protein at the C-terminus (KO-Cx36-EGFP), heterocellular gap junctions formed between AII cells and ON cone bipolar cells are fully functional, whereas homocellular gap junctions between two AII cells are not formed. A tracer injected into an AII amacrine cell spreads into ON cone bipolar cells but is excluded from other AII cells. Reconstruction of Cx36–EGFP clusters on an AII cell in the KO-Cx36-EGFP genotype confirmed that the number, but not average size, of the clusters is reduced – as expected for AII cells lacking a subset of electrical synapses. Our studies indicate that some neurons exhibit at least two discriminatory mechanisms for assembling Cx36. We suggest that employing different gap-junction-forming mechanisms could provide the means for a cell to regulate its gap junctions in a target-cell-specific manner, even if these junctions contain the same connexin.


This paper investigates the role of works councils in a simple agency framework in which works councils are supposed to monitor manager's information on behalf of the workforce, but they are independent agents who might pursue their private interest. First, we consider that workers can incentivize works councils through contingent monetary payments. In order to deter collusion, workers must pay higher compensations in states of nature where they can be expropriated by potential coalitions among works councils and management. Collusion makes contingent payments costly and reduces workers' payoffs. Second, when elections are the exclusive mechanisms to align works councils' interest, only well compensated representatives would face an intertemporal tradeoff between accepting management's transfers at first period and losing rents at the second period. Elections increase the cost of entering on collusive behavior with management and works councils will try to behave on the employees' interest. JEL classification: J50, J53, J83


Microsoft v. Commission indicates a shift in competition policy at the expense of protections for intellectual property. The case applies "essential facilities" arguments to Microsoft's server operating system and "tying" arguments to its Windows Media Player. The dynamic effects of Microsoft v. Commission pose a substantial risk to the incentive to innovate in several ways. First, mandatory licensing and unbundling of the elements of an invention erode intellectual property rights. Second, the targeting of multinational corporations by the European Union creates barriers to international trade whose impacts extend across the global economy. Third, the interpretation of "abuse of a dominant position" focuses on market outcomes rather than on anticompetitive conduct, thus penalizing successful innovators and rewarding their competitors. Competition policy based on Microsoft v. Commission diminishes the incentive to innovate.


Abstract Technological feasibility of a simplified mixed-oxide (MOX) pellet fabrication process, the short process, was studied. About 300 g of microwave heating denitrated (MH)-MOX powder with adjusted plutonium content to 30% could be successfully processed by a tumbling granulator for subsequent pelletizing and sintering processes. The granulated 30%PuO2-MOX powder could be pressed into green annular pellets directly and smoothly when using a die wall lubrication method. The pellet tensile strengths were compared for a granulated molybdenum powder that has similar characteristics to those of granulated 30%PuO2-MOX powder, and they were higher for pellets obtained when using the die wall lubrication method than when using the conventional powder mixing method. The amount of additives in the green pellets could be controlled at a low value of 0.06 wt% in this process. It is, therefore, possible to carry out dewaxing and sintering of green pellets in the same furnace. By controlling the average particle sizes of granulated 30%PuO2-MOX powders, pellets with more than 95% theoretical density could be obtained after sintering at 1700°C for 2 h. As a result, it can be concluded that the short process is technologically feasible to fabricate MOX annular pellets.


Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a serious public health problem. Increased vascular permeability and thrombocytopenia are the hallmarks of DHF. The mechanisms involved in DHF/Dengue shock syndrome (DSS) pathogenesis is not fully understood. This study gives evidence of the presence of antibodies which cross-reacted with platelets, and endothelial cells in the sera of Vietnamese infants and children with DHF/DSS. The anti-platelet, anti-endothelial cell IgM levels were higher in the sera of DHF/DSS infants and children, compared with controls. However, the levels of these autoantibodies were not correlated with the severity of DHF (non-shock DHF vs DSS). The antiplatelet, and anti-endothelial cell autoantibodies may play a role in the pathogenesis of DHF/DSS in infants and children with predominantly primary, and secondary dengue infections, respectively. The epitopes shared by surface molecules of platelets and endothelial cells and dengue virus antigens need to be identified and avoided in designing the safe candidate vaccines.


Spectra from Cassini's Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer reveal the presence of a vast tropospheric cloud on Titan at latitudes 51° to 68° north and all longitudes observed (10° to 190° west). The derived characteristics indicate that this cloud is composed of ethane and forms as a result of stratospheric subsidence and the particularly cool conditions near the moon's north pole. Preferential condensation of ethane, perhaps as ice, at Titan's poles during the winters may partially explain the lack of liquid ethane oceans on Titan's surface at middle and lower latitudes.


The perceptions of mental health counselors about securing psychopharmacological privileges and requisite training have not been studied. A survey was sent to a national random sample of 1,000 members of the American Mental Health Counselors Association to which 410 members responded. The purposes were to elicit AMHCA members' perceptions regarding obtaining independent and dependent prescriptive privileges for psychopharmacological agents and requisite training needs. Forty-one percent of the respondents agreed that independent prescription privilege should be attained; 64 percent agreed that the mental health counselor should obtain dependent prescription privilege. More than 90% of the participants agreed that psychopharmacological training should be a required part of their curriculum. The most significant characteristics relative to agreement with dependent and/or independent prescriptive privilege were respondents' age and years of experience. ********** Mental health counselors, one of the nonmedical mental health professionals (NMMHPs), are faced more than ever with a continually challenging client population. Psychotropic medications for the treatment of certain types of mental disorders have been improved, recognized, and accepted by medical and nonmedical mental health care providers. Often, the mental health counselor is more familiar with the client and the client's clinical issues than the prescribing physician. Therefore, the demand for mental health professionals to understand these medications' effects on patients with whom they work has become of paramount importance (Buelow & Hebert, 1995; Diamond, 1998; Hayes, 1997; Preston, O'Neal, & Talaga, 1997). Ronald Koshes, a board-certified psychiatrist, believed that a cooperative approach to prescribing psychotropic medications would be in the best interests of the client (cited in Hayes, 1997, p. 8). He felt that most counselors were knowledgeable about their client's issues, including the possible benefits clients might receive from psychotropic medications. Legally and ethically, mental health counselors cannot prescribe medications, but they are often the ones to hear from their clients about the effects of medications. Buelow and Hebert (1995) questioned whether it was ethical for the counselor to work with clients utilizing only counseling methods when pairing counseling with psychopharmacological interventions may be a more beneficial and efficient approach. Counselors need to be both educated and careful in their decisions to treat and refer clients who are in need of psychiatric medications. "The liability incurred in not referring a client for evaluation who needs psychiatric medication is certainly much higher than of referring a client who does not. Good faith referral of clients is the responsibility of counselors"(p. 107). Buelow and Hebert (1995) also indicated that mental health counselors are not receiving the training required to perform the collaborative work expected of them in clinical or hospital settings. They stated that many counselors are not prepared in psychopharmacology. After examining the available literature relative to the current research, we did not find any existing survey of mental health counselors' perceptions about prescription privileges and requisite psychopharmacological training. Nevertheless, it was apparent from a review of the literature that the needs for further training and more involvement in the prescriptive process were emerging concerns. Therefore, a survey was developed to ascertain the perceptions of American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) members regarding their views of attaining independent and/or dependent privileges. The survey also addressed their perceptions about training needs and the extent of training they have already received. There are several references related to training. From 1973-1986, Mount Zion Hospital in San Francisco, California, offered a doctorate in mental health that was intended to modify the shortcomings in the training of psychiatrists and psychologists to be able to work therapeutically and psychotropically with their patients (Wallerstein, 1992). …


Solid-state thermoelectric devices enable the conversion of waste heat and solar energy into electricity, providing an alternative route for energy harvesting to tackle the challenges of energy sustainability. α-MgAgSb-based materials have recently gained popular attention as a new promising p-type candidate for low-temperature (between room temperature and 550 K) applications. A high figure of merit (ZT) of 1.2–1.4 at 550 K was achieved, along with experimental demonstration of a record high conversion efficiency of ∼8.5% under a cold- and hot-side temperature difference of 225 K, which holds the realistic prospect for power generation. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in both material-level understanding and device-level measurement of the α-MgAgSb system. First, the phase transitions and common fabrication methods are briefly introduced. Then, the origin of the "phonon glass electron crystal" behavior of α-MgAgSb is thoroughly elucidated with regard to some critical factors, such as the crystal structure, lattice dynamic properties, defect chemistry, microstructure, and band structure. Afterwards, the effective strategies to further enhance the ZT are illustrated, including optimizing the carrier concentration and intrinsic defect engineering. In addition, other feasible methods in theory are also presented. Finally, the conversion efficiency on a single-leg device is presented. In the outlook section, the currently unsolved questions as well as future directions and challenges for this material system are discussed.


This thesis is a longitudinal ethnographic analysis of the educational experiences of
Pakistani Muslim women in a southern English city and the implications of these
experiences for their later lives. It is a study of my own community: I the
ethnographer/researcher have been a member of this community, and therefore 'in the
field', for three decades as youth-worker, teacher, headteacher and active community
member. This experience has offered me unique access to study British Pakistani
Muslim women's lives as I am known and trusted. Muslim women are a hard to reach
group in research terms. I reflect on my own work and community experience across
three decades, cross-checking my observations and memories with key informants
(former associates, colleagues and pupils). I present data from in-depth interviews with
76 women, most of whom I used to teach; these interviews, conducted using life history
method, elicited and clarified their memories of schooling and its consequences in their
later life experiences. My research participants, mostly British born, are from rural-origin
families in Pakistan whose parents first came to the UK in the 1970s. The result is a rich
tapestry of data focusing on education and related family issues such as gender
expectations and marriage.
This study breaks new ground in giving voice to adult Pakistani Muslim women who
have experienced education, marriage and childrearing in families with strong patriarchal
practices. I examine the nature of male hegemony and patriarchy as experienced by
women from culturally conservative Pakistani families. I reveal some of the nuances of
gendered power relations, with wives having to side either with menfolk or daughters,
and women themselves trying to negotiate a route through conflicting pressures. I
conclude that early marriages interrupt education; that transnational marriages can cause
marital instability and divorce; and that family pressure and rigidly upheld traditions can
lead to difficulties in women's personal lives. I draw (with some care) on concepts from
social justice; Bourdieu's notion of the reproduction of class attitudes; Anthony Giddens'
structuration model which emphasises personal agency, to explore how blocking young
women's education damages their career prospects and family incomes. I argue that the
process of struggle for change is complex; that agency is mostly gained through
negotiation with families that often exhibit unhelpful culturally conservative attitudes;
and that resistance is possible but challenging. I suggest that long-term appropriate
iii
counselling and mentoring within the UK Pakistani community could provide an
essential support for these women.


This dissertation examines the impact that AS-level re-sits have had on a selective independent boys' school in the West Midlands, which in the interest of anonymity is referred to throughout as 'School X'. Significantly, and as reflected in the title for this dissertation, unlike the vast majority of secondary schools, A2-level examinations at School X are not sat by students until the final summer of the two year course; therefore, re-sits at this level are not possible. The opening chapter provides an outline of how the introduction of unlimited re-sits can be perceived as being a logical progression as one of a number of developments in the A-level qualification, especially over the past two decades or so, which have invariably contributed to higher pass rates and levels of attainment, as measured by its six point ('A' to 'U') grading system. In the next chapter, secondary research has been divided into two sections.
The first considers the robustness of the qualification, which has existed for well over half a century and the extent to which its survival has reflected the interests of the key stakeholders who have benefited from its reputation as the nation's educational 'gold standard'. On one hand, the introduction of re-sits itself can be understood as one in a relatively long line of incremental changes in the structure of A-level, which have helped to prolong its shelf-life by making it a more accessible and quantifiably successful qualification. On the other, this can be contrasted against the extent to which the opportunity for students to re-sit might have contributed to, arguably, the implosion of the qualification in its Curriculum 2000 form, as pass rates nudge towards 100 per cent, and the subsequent need for either its fundamental restructuring or abandonment altogether.
The second section examines literature which is relevant to supporting a challenge against the popular notion that a modular course such as A-level contains few, if any, characteristics which are embodied in the 'elements' of a formative approach to teaching and learning as outlined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD, 2005, p.15). A case is subsequently made for how a course which allows unlimited re-sits and where candidates have access to their marked scripts, still provides opportunities for interaction between teachers and students which are not normally associated with summative forms of assessment in the learning process.
Chapter three explains how primary data were gathered through various techniques, including an approach that involved a mixture of a structured group interview and self-completion questionnaire, which two broad categories of students at School X participated in over a two year period. One of these consisted of students studying either A-level Business Studies or Economics (and in a few cases, both subjects). The other consisted of 'pre-Alevel' students, back in school at the end of the summer term after sitting their GCSEs, for a few 'taster lessons' in their chosen subjects for A-level. A combination of questions which elicited both quantitative and qualitative responses was used in this instrument of research which represented something of an unconventional approach to methodology, but it proved to be an appropriate technique for efficiently amassing data from scores of students each year, at various stages in their post-16 studies. Interviews were also conducted with numerous members of the teaching profession, mainly, but not exclusively, at School X and for the purpose of comparison with similar institutions, three discussions took place on an annual basis with staff from other independent schools, guided by me on a 'focus group' basis. Supplemented by information from examination performance documents produced by senior management at School X, commercial publications, the examination boards themselves and a variety of governmental and quasi-governmental sources, this allowed me to adhere to a 'data triangulation' approach, as classified by Denzin (1988) and summarised by Robson (2002, p.175), which "help[ed] to counter…the threats to validity." The one-to-one interviews on the other hand became more tightly structured with each round, to reflect the sharper objectives for the dissertation which emerged over time and were thus orientated towards a 'within-method triangulation' approach (Denzin, 1988).
Turning more specifically, in chapter four, to the main objectives of the study, the analysis of results and findings from my empirical research attempts to establish the main motives for re-sitting A-level Economics and Business Studies, as well as the costs and benefits of so doing. The latter objective primarily concerns students, but other factors, such as the impact on the teaching process, are also examined. Chapter five considers the future role of A-level re-sits in the context of the restructuring of the qualification from September 2008 and the alternatives in the post-16 curriculum that exist. The study concludes with a brief, reflective chapter, on how re-sits can contribute to teaching and learning.


A group of environmentalists brought suit against the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the City of Redding, California, appealing decisions to approve the City"s plan to build a business park on protected wetlands. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held: (1) the Corps" decision to issue a dredge and fill permit to the City was not arbitrary and capricious; and (2) the FWS" finding of no "adverse modification" did not conflict with its determination that the proposed project would destroy critical habitat of protected vernal pool shrimp and Orcutt grass species.


A range of international, national and local policy instruments and governance regimes acknowledge Indigenous and local people's knowledge as a key platform for managing biodiversity and ecosystems, but translation of these commitments into negotiation of conservation priorities with appropriately empowered local communities remains inconsistent. Drawing on a review of conservation area management plans in Australian bioregions identified as having high potential for Indigenous engagement in threatened species management, we examined how the potential for local Indigenous communities to pursue their conservation objectives and the extent to which they are involved in management of significant species, cultural heritage and fire is influenced by different environmental governance regimes. We found that there is currently more scope for Indigenous communities to participate in cultural heritage management than in species or fire management, despite evidence that Indigenous communities seek to engage in managing all aspects of their traditional estates. Species management priorities in Indigenous-driven co-governance regime plans centre on culturally significant species rather than threatened species. We conclude that the current potential for local Indigenous communities to participate in conservation management on equitable terms depends upon the establishment of Indigenous-driven co-governance regimes, and argue that improving levels of engagement of Indigenous Peoples in agency governance regimes requires agencies to better recognise Indigenous worldviews in planning conservation approaches..


This dissertation describes the development of the Gamma Ray Polarimeter Experiment (GRAPE), which is designed to measure the polarization of astronomical sources from 50 keV to 500 keV, and presents the Crab observation results from the successful 2011 balloon campaign. The successful balloon flight of this instrument took place on September 23rd and 24th, at Fort Sumner, New Mexico (Flight N624). The instrument was at float altitude for twenty-six hours. The Crab Nebula/Pulsar, Cygnus X-1, and the Sun were observed within the collimated field of view of GRAPE. A polarization fraction of 55.3% +/35.6% and a polarization position angle of 87.8° +/28.2° for the off-pulse phase of the Crab was recorded.


Driving simulators are increasingly being used for the evaluation and rehabilitation of fitness-to-drive. However, difficulties with Simulator Adaptation Syndrome (SAS) are commonly reported in the literature. In this study, the authors investigated the relationship between SAS and incongruences between vestibular and visual inputs. Fifteen individuals (age = 61±13 years, 9 females) who developed SAS (SAS+) and 10 individuals (age = 58±13 years, 4 females) who did not develop SAS (SAS-) during two recently completed simulator-based driving studies participated in this study. Participants were each administered the six conditions of the Sensory Organization Test (SOT), made to rest for 30 minutes, and then drove four Wii®-based programs. Performance on the six SOT conditions and on the four the Wii®-based driving programs by SAS+ participants were compared to those of the SAS- participants. No participant reported feeling sick during the SOT. Participants in the SAS+ group performed better (p = 0.0053) than those in the SAS- group only on the SOT fifth condition, which required reliance on vestibular input for maintaining balance control. Four participants in the SAS+ versus one in the SAS- group experienced SAS during the Wii®-based driving (chi-square = 4.63, p = .0314). The results of the study suggest that individuals who developed SAS in the driving simulator probably relied more heavily on their vestibular system than individuals who did not develop SAS, and thus performed better when in situations that required significant integration of vestibular input for maintenance of equilibrium. The independent effect of the driving simulator versus the Wii driving game also suggests that specific characteristics of simulator environment immersion also likely played a role in eliciting SAS. Individuals who rely heavily on their vestibular system for balance control may be more prone to developing SAS in virtual environments that provide only minimal vestibular feedback. More studies are needed to better understand SAS and develop more effective strategies to mitigate it.


Modern high-speed atomic force microscopes generate significant quantities of data in a short amount of time. Each image in the sequence has to be processed quickly and accurately in order to obtain a true representation of the sample and its changes over time. This paper presents an automated, adaptive algorithm for the required processing of AFM images. The algorithm adaptively corrects for both common one-dimensional distortions as well as the most common two-dimensional distortions. This method uses an iterative thresholded processing algorithm for rapid and accurate separation of background and surface topography. This separation prevents artificial bias from topographic features and ensures the best possible coherence between the different images in a sequence. This method is equally applicable to all channels of AFM data, and can process images in seconds.


Power passive filters are a standard solution for grid-current harmonics attenuation. However, these types of filters may cause a resonance between the inverter and the grid. Passive and active damping techniques are employed for resonance ttenuation. Efficiency concerns have set active damping techniques as promising solution for the resonance problem compared to the passive damping techniques. In this paper, the characteristics, performance, and effect of different active damping schemes applied to an LLCL passive power filter interfacing a three-phase voltage source inverter (VSI) to the grid is investigated. Stablity analysis is conducted for the LLCL-based grid-connected VSI. The presented concept has been elucidated by simulation results using Matlab/Simulink platform.


Cross-Site Leaks (XS-Leaks) describe a client-side bug that allows an attacker to collect side-channel information from a cross-origin HTTP resource. They are a significant threat to Internet privacy since simply visiting a web page may reveal if the victim is a drug addict or leak a sexual orientation. Numerous different attack vectors, as well as mitigation strategies, have been proposed, but a clear and systematic understanding of XS-Leak' root causes is still missing. Recently, Sudhodanan et al. gave a first overview of XS-Leak at NDSS 2020. We build on their work by presenting the first formal model for XS-Leaks. Our comprehensive analysis of known XS-Leaks reveals that all of them fit into this new model. With the help of this formal approach, we (1) systematically searched for new XS-Leak attack classes, (2) implemented XSinator.com, a tool to automatically evaluate if a given web browser is vulnerable to XS-Leaks, and (3) systematically evaluated mitigations for XS-Leaks. We found 14 new attack classes, evaluated the resilience of 56 different browser/OS combinations against a total of 34 XS-Leaks, and propose a completely novel methodology to mitigate XS-Leaks.


In pattern recognition, data integration is an important issue, and when properly done, it can lead to improved performance. Also, data integration can be used to help model and understand multimodal processing in the brain. Amari proposed -integration as a principled way of blending multiple positive measures (e.g., stochastic models in the form of probability distributions), enabling an optimal integration in the sense of minimizing the -divergence. It also encompasses existing integration methods as its special case, for example, a weighted average and an exponential mixture. The parameter determines integration characteristics, and the weight vector assigns the degree of importance to each measure. In most work, however, and are given in advance rather than learned. In this letter, we present a parameter learning algorithm for learning and from data when multiple integrated target values are available. Numerical experiments on synthetic as well as real-world data demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.


The development of monitoring systems for rotating machines is the ability to accurately detect different faults in an incipient state. The most popular rotating machine in industry is the squirrel-cage induction motor, and the failure on such motors may have severe consequences in costs, product quality, and safety. Most of the condition-monitoring techniques for induction motors focus on a single specific fault. The identification of two or more combined faults has been rarely considered, in spite of being a very usual situation in real rotary machines. On the other hand, information entropy is a signal processing technique that has recently proved its suitability for fault detection on induction motors, and fuzzy logic analysis has extensively been used in combination with several processing techniques in improving the diagnosis of a single isolated fault. The contribution of this paper is a novel methodology that is suitable for hardware implementation, which merges information entropy analysis with fuzzy logic inference to identify faults like bearing defects, unbalance, broken rotor bars, and combinations of faults by analyzing one phase of the induction motor steady-state current signal. The proposed methodology shows satisfactory results that prove its suitability for online detection of single and multiple combined faults in an automatic way through its hardware implementation in a field programmable gate array device.


Mergers in any industry can raise complicated questions about the elimination of competition and the achievement of efficiencies. Mergers in regulated industries such as electricity raise even more complicated issues as the analyst needs to grapple with the constraining effects of regulation, multiple levels of regulation, the ability to evade regulation, and the desire for efficiency. This paper discusses the electricity industry in general and one particular electricity merger that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently analyzed, in order to draw several lessons about the promotion of competition through electricity mergers in the United States. The purpose is to stimulate discussion with European counterparts to see what, if anything, Europe can learn from the U.S. experience with electricity mergers and regulations.


The continuity of political themes between pre- and post-conflict Northern Ireland and the prominence of ex-prisoners in the political landscape render imperative the social integration of political ex-prisoners as a means to ease movement to a more normal political environment. This article argues that the means by which this may be achieved is through a vibrant engagement with the notion of citizenship, and through a privileging of the idea of social citizenship as something which unites both political traditions and through which the more thorny issue of political citizenship may be approached. In particular, the issues of poverty and social exclusion lie at the heart of the concerns of political ex-prisoners and, it is argued, lie at the heart of any potential solution to them. Social citizenship is therefore presented as the foundation for a model of transitional citizenship and a solid base from which to build a new and inclusive society.


Individuals often derive considerable evolutionary benefit from manipulating others. In the majority of cases, manipulation involves direct interactions between individuals. In the dung beetle, Onthophagus taurus, females mated with large males provide more resources to their offspring. Here, we demonstrate, however, that this may result in manipulation that extends across generations: the care that a mother provides to a developing son influences the parental effort of his mate (the mother's daughter–in–law (DIL)). Maternal care associated with constructing heavier brood masses has previously been shown substantially to influence offspring size, male mating success and female survival and fecundity in this species. The mother–in–law effect that we document here is, however, the ability to produce large sons from relatively lighter brood masses. Our results demonstrate not only that females are able to manipulate the parental effort of DILs that they do not directly encounter, but that provisioning relatively lighter brood masses may have evolutionary benefits that trade off against the considerable benefits of producing heavy brood masses.


Much has been written concerning the importance of risk and uncertainty on decision making. However, research results employing static theory are seldom modified by risk and uncertainty considerations to provide more realistic recommendations to farmers and others making decisions under imperfect knowledge. Too often, for example, farm plans derived by budgeting or linear programming are unqualifiedly recommended as "optimum" because they provide maximum profits under average or "normal" prices and yields. To make such results more meaningful, the farmer also needs some estimate of the risk or uncertainty associated with the plans. Ordinarily, the farmer's view of this uncertainty is highly subjective since his past experiences are often limited (that is, in the case of new farmers) or based on a "biased" sample of years. Thus, farmers need a more objective measurement of the uncertainty or variability associated with various enterprises and combinations of enterprises. Our contribution concerning this problem is published in the Giannini Foundation Paper series. The authors offer acknowledgment to C. O. McCorkle, Jr., G. M. Kuznets, and G. Tintner for helpful suggestions in various phases of the study and preparation of the manuscript.


In recent years, there has been a growing interest in building smart cities based on the Internet of Things (IoT) technology. However, selecting a low-cost IoT wireless technology that enables low-power connectivity remains one of the key challenges in integrating IoT to smart cities. In this context, the IQRF technology offers promising opportunities to provide cost-effective solutions. Yet, in the literature, there are limited studies on utilizing IQRF technology for smart city applications. Therefore, this study is aimed at increasing the awareness about the use of IQRF technology in IoT-based smart city development. For this purpose, a review of smart city architectures along with challenges/requirements in adopting IoT for smart cities is provided. Then, some of the common cost-effective IoT wireless technologies that enable low-power consumption are briefly presented. Next, the benefits of IQRF technology over other technologies are discussed by making theoretical comparisons based on technical documentations and reports. Moreover, the research efforts currently being undertaken by the authors as a part of ongoing project on the development of IoT-based smart city system in Gjøvik Municipality, Norway, are conceptually introduced. Finally, the future research directions are addressed.


AR Smart Glasses need to be comparable to normal glasses in respect of size, weight and esthetics. By using Laser Beam Scanning (LBS) the optical engine i.e. the image projector can be miniaturized down to sizes of 1cc only, allowing smart integration into the glasses temples. In contrast to 2D microdisplays like LCoS, DLP or µOLED the size of the LBS optical engine is not directly scaling with display performance i.e. luminance, field of view and angular resolution. So far single laser packages of TO-can type have been used for each color red, green and blue. We present a compact package containing the laser diodes chips of all three colors. This RGB laser module combines all the necessary features for a robust and small form factor light source (surface mountable, hermetically sealed etc.). By choosing appropriate power classes for the single mode laser diodes the module can be used for both waveguide combiner and direct retina scanning optical architectures. Beside the optical power also the geometrical arrangement of the colors can be optimized according to the needs of the system integrator.


The Miocene siliciclastic sediments infilling the Valles-Penedes half-graben are affected by two sets of structures developed during the extensional tectonics that created the basin. The first set, represented by extension fractures infilled with mud and sands, is attributed to seismically induced liquefaction. The second set, represented by normal faults, corresponds to a high-permeability horsetail extensional fracture mesh developed near the surface in the hanging walls of normal faults. The incremental character of the vein-fills indicates episodic changes in the tectonic stress state and fault zone permeability. Two episodes of fluid migration are recorded. The first episode occurred prior to consolidation and lithification when shallow burial conditions allowed oxidizing meteoric waters to flow horizontally through the more porous and permeable sandy layers. Development of clastic dikes allowed local upward flow and dewatering of the sandy beds. Liquefaction and expulsion of fluids were probably driven by seismic shaking. During the first episode of fluid migration there was no cementation of the sandstone or within the fractures, probably because little fluid was mobilized by the predominantly compaction-driven flow regime. The second episode of fluid migration occurred synchronously with normal fault development, during which time the faults acted as fluid conduits. Fluids enriched in manganese, probably leached from local manganese oxyhydroxides soon after sedimentation, moved laterally and produced cementation in the sandstone layers, eventually arriving at the more porous and permeable fault pathways that connected compartments of different porosities and permeabilities. Carbonate probably precipitated in fractures saturated with meteoric water near the ground surface at a transitional redox potential. Once the faults became occluded by calcite cement, shortly after fault development, they became barriers to both vertical and horizontal fluid flow.


Previously, researchers paid no attention to the creation of unambiguous morpheme embeddings independent from the corpus, while such information plays an important role in expressing the exact meanings of words for parataxis languages like Chinese. In this paper, after constructing the Chinese lexical and semantic ontology based on word-formation, we propose a novel approach to implanting the structured rational knowledge into distributed representation at morpheme level, naturally avoiding heavy disambiguation in the corpus. We design a template to create the instances as pseudo-sentences merely from the pieces of knowledge of morphemes built in the lexicon. To exploit hierarchical information and tackle the data sparseness problem, the instance proliferation technique is applied based on similarity to expand the collection of pseudo-sentences. The distributed representation for morphemes can then be trained on these pseudo-sentences using word2vec. For evaluation, we validate the paradigmatic and syntagmatic relations of morpheme embeddings, and apply the obtained embeddings to word similarity measurement, achieving significant improvements over the classical models by more than 5 Spearman scores or 8 percentage points, which shows very promising prospects for adoption of the new source of knowledge.


This paper proposes an efficient agent for competing in Cliff Edge (CE) environments, such as sealed-bid auctions, dynamic pricing and the ultimatum game. The agent competes in one-shot CE interactions repeatedly, each time against a different human opponent, and its performance is evaluated based on all the interactions in which it participates. The agent, which learns the general pattern of the population's behavior, does not apply any examples of previous interactions in the environment, neither of other competitors nor its own. We propose a generic approach which competes in different CE environments under the same configuration, with no knowledge about the specific rules of each environment. The underlying mechanism of the proposed agent is a new meta-algorithm, Deviated Virtual Learning (DVL), which extends existing methods to efficiently cope with environments comprising a large number of optional decisions at each decision point. Experiments comparing the performance of the proposed algorithm with algorithms taken from the literature, as well as another intuitive meta-algorithm, reveal a significant superiority of the former in average payoff and stability. In addition, the agent performed better than human competitors executing the same task.


A stochastic parametrization for deep convection, based on cellular automata, has been evaluated in the high‐resolution (2.5 km) ensemble prediction system Hirlam Aladin Regional Mesoscale Operational NWP Ensemble Prediction System (HarmonEPS). We studied whether such a stochastic physical parametrization, whilst implemented in a deterministic forecast model, can have an impact on the performance of the uncertainty estimates given by an ensemble prediction system. Various feedback mechanisms in the parametrization were studied with respect to ensemble spread and skill, in both subgrid and resolved precipitation fields. It was found that the stochastic parametrization improves the model skill in general, by reducing a positive bias in precipitation. This reduction in bias, however, led to a reduction in ensemble spread of precipitation. Overall, scores that measure the accuracy and reliability of probabilistic predictions indicate that the net impact (improved skill, degraded spread) of the ensemble prediction system is improved for 6 h accumulated precipitation with the stochastic parametrization and is rather neutral for other quantities examined.


Strategic communication is becoming more relevant in communication sciences, though it needs to deepen its reflective practices, especially considering its potential in a VUCA world — volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. The capillary, holistic and result-oriented nature that portrays this scientific field has led to the imperative of expanding knowledge about the different approaches, methodologies and impacts in all kinds of organisations when strategic communication is applied. Therefore Strategic Communication in Context: Theoretical Debates and Applied Research assembles several studies and essays by renowned authors who explore the topic from different angles, thus testing the elasticity of the concept. Moreover, this group of authors represents various schools of thought and geographies, making this book particularly rich and cross-disciplinary.


From Introduction] Mental health problems are among the most important contributors to the global burden of disease and disability. Of the ten leading causes of disability worldwide, five are psychiatric conditions: unipolar depression, alcohol use, bipolar affective disorder (manic depression), schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The burden of mental disorders on health and productivity throughout the world has long been profoundly underestimated.2 The impact of mental health problems in the workplace has serious consequences not only for the individuals whose lives are influenced either directly or indirectly, but also for enterprise productivity. Mental health problems strongly influence employee performance, rates of illnesses, absenteeism, accidents, and staff turnover. The workplace is an appropriate environment in which to educate and raise individuals' awareness about mental health problems. For example, encouragement to promote good mental health practices, provide tools for recognition and early identification of the symptoms of problems, and establish links with local mental health services for referral and treatment can be offered. The need to demystify the topic and lift the taboos about the presence of mental health problems in the workplace while educating the working population regarding early recognition and treatment will benefit employers in terms of higher productivity and reduction in direct and in-direct costs. However, it must be recognised that some mental health problems need specific clinical care and monitoring, as well as special considerations for the integration or reintegration of the individual into the workforce.


The seasonal and spatial variability of dissolved Barium (Ba) in the Amundsen Gulf,southeastern Beaufort Sea, was monitored over a full year from September 2007 to September 2008. Dissolved Ba displays a nutrient・type behavior: the maximum water column concentration is located below the surface layer. The highest Ba concentrations are typically observed at river mouths, the lowest concentrations are found in water masses of Atlantic origin. Barium concentrations decrease eastward through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Barite (BaSO 4 ) saturation is reached at the maximum dissolved Ba concentrations in the subsurface layer, whereas the rest of the water column is undersaturated. A three end‐member mixing model comprising freshwater from sea・ice melt and rivers, as well as upper halocline water, is used to establish their relative contributions to the Ba concentrations in the upper water column of the Amundsen Gulf. Based on water column and riverine Ba contributions, we assess the depletion of dissolved Ba by formation and sinking of biologically bound Ba (bio・Ba), from which we derive an estimate of the carbon export production. In the upper 50 m of the water column of the Amundsen Gulf, riverine Ba accounts for up to 15% of the available dissolved Ba inventory, of which up to 20% is depleted by bio-Ba formation and export. Since riverine inputs and Ba export occur concurrently, the seasonal variability of dissolved Ba in the upper water column is moderate. Assuming a fixed organic carbon to
bio・Ba flux ratio, carbon export out of the surface layer is estimated at 1.8 ・ 0.45 mol C m −2 yr −1 . Finally, we propose a climatological carbon budget for the Amundsen Gulf based on recent literature data and our findings, the latter bridging the surface and subsurface water carbon cycles.


AbstractThe degree of organic matter (OM) enrichment in shale determines its oil and gas potential. To understand the factors controlling this OM enrichment, we have used petrological and geochemical analyses to study the Lower Cambrian Niutitang Formation Shale in the eastern shelf margin of the Yangtze Block. Our results reveal that the total organic carbon (TOC) content of the Niutitang Formation Shale varies significantly throughout the vertical section. The lower part of the Niutitang Formation has a high TOC content, likely due to its formation in a dysoxic/anoxic environment with intense upwelling that favored OM enrichment. The middle part of the Niutitang Formation has the highest TOC content, which can be attributed to its formation in an environment with more hydrothermal activity, moderately upwelling, high paleosalinity, dysoxic/anoxic conditions, and moderately restricted water contents. Finally, the upper part of the Niutitang Formation records the lowest TOC contents because it likely form...


While teaming is a vital component of engineering, it is important to remember that there is no team without individuals and individual behavior can drive team outputs. One of these individual factors that may manifest itself at the team level is individual risk-taking attitudes, which can be impacted by personality and preferences for creativity. However, a gap exists in research on the impact of the team composition in these factors on creative outputs, as previous research has found that team composition plays a key role in team performance. The current work was developed to examine how the elevation and diversity of team personality and preferences for creativity impact the novelty and quality of ideas generated and selected by the team through a simulation study of 60,831 simulated teams. The results of this study show that the novelty and quality of ideas generated and selected can be predicted by the elevation and diversity of the simulated teams' personality and PCS factors. In addition, it was found that the impact of the individual elevation and diversity factors can vary depending on the ideation trait (novelty and quality) and design stage (concept generation and selection). However, there was one variable that had a consistent positive impact on team behavior — the elevation of the Creative Confidence of the Simulated Team Members. These findings provide preliminary evidence on how individual attributes manifest themselves at the team level to impact team ideation and selection performances.


This paper aims to introduce an overall game application as an effective tool for various corporation-related purposes. This work lies in the communication and sharing frameworks: Serious games, Advergames, Gamifications. We first discussed on the serious games, advergames, and gamification for both employee and customer based on previous literature review. Second, we synthesized the key features of game applications benefits that make them promising to be used for corporation purposes. All three of them, it will be efficient not only corporation (employee training & education, advertising & marketing) but also customer (information delivery capability, communication & feedback control etc). Moreover, various game-related factors are more effective means rather than antecedents of other media such as Internet and TV. Overall, game applications play a significant role in influencing the intention to corporation's goals. Finally, implications of applications benefits for corporation purposes and future direction for research in this area are discussed.


Learning algorithm evaluation is usually focused on classification performance. However, the characteristics and requirements of real-world applications vary greatly. Thus, for a particular application, some evaluation criteria are more important than others. In fact, multiple criteria need to be considered to capture application-specific trade-offs. Many multi-criteria methods can be used for the actual evaluation but the problems of selecting appropriate criteria and metrics as well as capturing the trade-offs still persist. This paper presents a framework for application-oriented validation and evaluation (APPrOVE). The framework includes four sequential steps that together address the aforementioned problems and its use in practice is demonstrated through a case study.


Efforts to boost maize productivity can be undertaken through systematic management of heterosis. Combining ability test is a critical step towards identifying a heterotic group of new parental lines. Different heterotic grouping methods has been used by different researchers. Among these, SCA and hybrid mean, hybrid index, combined use of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), SSR markers and heterotic group's specific and general combining ability (HSGCA) are the major grouping methods. This study aimed to (i) assign maize inbred lines into heterotic groups and (ii) compare efficiency of different grouping methods. An experiment with 21 maize inbred lines crossed to two testers with known heterotic groups was conducted in 2017. The hybrid and parent experiments were tested together and laid out side by side. This study identified good heterotic grouping procedure. The breeding efficiency of HSGCA was higher by 31.6, 11.0 and 9.6% over joint SCA and hybrid mean, SCA and hybrid index methods, respectively. While the hybrid index method was more efficient than joint SCA and hybrid mean and SCA by 20.1 and 1.3% respectively, the SCA grouping method was more efficient than joint SCA and hybrid mean method by 18.5%. The highest (37%) and lowest (28.1%) breeding efficiency value were scored by HSGCA and hybrid index heterotic grouping method, respectively. Based on the result, HSGCA grouping method was more efficient. The variable heterotic grouping of the 21 newly developed QPM lines in this study indicated that different heterotic grouping methods have different efficiency in grouping the germplasms.

 Key words: General combing ability, heterotic-group, inter-group, specific combing ability, within-group, Zea mays.


Multinational Investment and Economic Structure examines the relationship between industrial development and foreign direct investment (FDI) activities, and the interaction between multinational (MNE) activity and economic structures. It deals with the changing structure of the world economy as a whole, and the dynamics of the relationship between industrial development and the extent of FDI activities across countries. It evaluates the concurrent (and interrelated) evolutionary processes behind economic growth and MNE activity and how these evolutionary forces impact on the economic structure of individual economies in the industrialised world as their economies converge through globalisation.


The purpose of the article is to substantiate the theoretical and applied principles of small innovative entrepreneurship and develop recommendations for policies to promote the establishment of innovative start-ups, taking into account the best foreign practices in the interests of endogenous development of Ukraine's economy. It is shown that the vital link in the ecosystem of start-ups is an entrepreneur-innovator. It is justified that the state's efforts to accumulate knowledge and human capital should be complemented by encouraging innovative entrepreneurship. It has been found that the integration of start-ups into social networks and their close connection with the external environment is crucial, as well as the qualities of the entrepreneur-innovator and his team to overcome the problems of "novelty vulnerabilities" and "minor vulnerabilities". Authors demonstrate that in the conditions of limited assets and a highly competitive market environment, the most perspective direction of developing innovative start-ups is their establishment of symbiotic relations with reputable companies. Their dynamic interaction and complementary measures, on the one hand, will ensure the viability of start-ups, and on the other, they will strengthen the technological potential of the existing business. Paper reveals the peculiarities of the policy of innovative entrepreneurship in the OECD countries. Development of innovative start-ups is a systemic process in which the government creates favourable conditions for its participants and directly participates itself. The state acts as an entrepreneur-innovator, taking on the risks of innovation related to uncertainty, and at the same time plays a role a contractor who buys an innovative product of start-ups, created with financial assistance within budget programs. Such policy of assistance at all stages – from development to implementation and introduction to the market promotes endogenous economic development and strengthening its position in the world market. It is revealed that the legislation of Ukraine only fragmentarily mentions certain aspects of the functioning of entities that form the ecosystem of innovative start-ups, without combining them into a single structure. This complicates the formation and implementation of a purposeful state policy to create necessary conditions and mechanisms to stimulate innovative entrepreneurship. To address the shortcomings, the authors propose regulatory and institutional changes. Paper recommends developing essential documents: the draft Law of Ukraine "On technology-oriented start-ups" and the project "Strategy for the development of technology-oriented start-ups in the interests of innovative development of the Ukrainian economy".


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Paraclinoid aneurysms represent challenging lesions for which endovascular techniques have gained widespread application in their treatment. A new endovascular strategy, flow diversion, is gaining importance in the treatment of these aneurysms. Before embracing flow diversion in larger numbers of patients with paraclinoid aneurysms, it is important to know the safety and efficacy of "traditional" endovascular methods for these aneurysms. We review complications and outcomes of patients with unruptured paraclinoid aneurysms treated with coils, with or without balloon and stent assistance, over the past 12 years at our institution. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of 118 patients with 126 unruptured paraclinoid aneurysms, treated between 1999 and 2010, was performed. Clinical records, endovascular reports, angiographic results, and clinical outcomes were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: Fifty-nine percent of aneurysms were carotid-ophthalmic, 27% were hypophyseal, 9% were posterior carotid wall, 3% were carotid cave, and 2% were transitional. Twenty-one percent of aneurysms were symptomatic, and 3% were recurrent aneurysms after previous treatment. Fifty (40%) were treated with balloon assistance and 18 (14%) with stent assistance. Technical complications causing permanent morbidity occurred in 1 patient (0.8%), while early clinical complications causing transient morbidity occurred in 5 (4%) patients. Complete occlusion was achieved in 40% of aneurysms immediately after treatment and in 66 (62%) aneurysms during follow-up (mean 31.9 ± 28.4 months). Recurrences occurred in 18 patients (17%) and 10 (9%) patients were retreated. Clinical outcome was good in 95% and poor in 5% of the 107 patients with follow-up (mean 37.0 ± 33.7 months). Only in 1 patient was poor outcome related to the endovascular procedure. Transient ischemic attacks occurred in 4% of patients. No cases of rebleeding were observed during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Modern endovascular coil treatment of unruptured paraclinoid aneurysms appears safe, with satisfactory, although not ideal, rates of complete occlusion. The introduction of flow diverters will probably increase the rate of complete angiographic occlusion, but this must be achieved with low complication rates.


In urban planning, 3D modeling and virtual reality (VR) provide new means for involving citizens in the planning process. For municipal government, it is essential to know how effective these means are, to justify investments. In this study, we present a case of using VR in a municipal process of civic participation concerning the redesign of a public park. The process included co-design activities and involved citizens in decision-making through a ballot, using 3D-rendered versions of competing designs. In co-design, 3D-modeling tools were instrumental in empowering citizens to negotiate design decisions, to discuss the quality of designs with experts, and to collectively take decisions. This paper demonstrates that, in a ballot on competing designs with 1302 citizens, VR headsets proved to be equally effective compared to other display technologies in informing citizens during decision making. The results of an additional, controlled experiment indicate that VR headsets provide higher engagement and more vivid memories than viewing the designs on non-immersive displays. By integrating research into a municipal process, we contribute evidence of cognitive and engagement effects of using 3D modeling and immersive VR technologies to empower citizens in participatory urban planning. The case described in the paper concerns a public park; a similar approach could be applied to the design of public installations including media architecture.


The ability to explain the causes of historical events is a key skill for learners to acquire, but the ill-structured nature of the task means they cannot be guided through a problem-space of well-defined moves to reach a correct answer. This paper investigates whether a knowledge-based computer coach can provide effective guidance to learners as they construct diagrammatic explanations of the causes leading to a particular event. The design of the coach was based on a model of expert reasoning synthesised from the historiographical literature and on an analysis of teacher-learner interactions observed during classroom activities. Coaching was provided at two levels: a) generalised (decontextualised) guidance and b) guidance directly relevant to the topic of study. Where appropriate, learners could choose to disregard the coach's advice. The knowledge-base underlying the coach could also be made available as a scaffolding aid. An evaluation with three groups of students aged 12-13 showed that i) maximal scaffolding and content-specific coaching resulted in diagrammatic explanations of greater accuracy and superior structural quality to those produced either with generalised guidance or with no guidance at all, and ii) learners' appreciation of the subjective nature of historical explanations was not compromised by the coaching interventions.


Background: Intradialytic hypotension is a potential complication experienced by patients with end-stage renal disease who receive hemodialysis. This complication occurs during the dialysis treatment in 15-30% of all treatments. The multiple comorbidities that exist in hemodialysis patients predispose them to recurrent intradialytic hypotension episodes. Recurrent intradialytic hypotensive episodes can result in negative short-term and long-term clinical consequences. Short-term consequences include complications such as ischemic events (e.g., heart attacks, strokes), clotting of patient dialysis access, or heart rhythm abnormalities. Long-term consequences include end-organ damage, increased cardiovascular morbidity, and a higher mortality rate. Problem Statement: Available nursing interventions used to treat intradialytic hypotension such as decreased dialysis fluid temperature, changes in the calcium and sodium concentrations in the dialysis fluid and oral medication have limited success. Another existing technological intervention called blood volume monitoring shows greater potential success but is currently underutilized. Purpose: The purpose of this literature review is to synthesize current literature on blood volume monitoring technology used to prevent intradialytic hypotension in hemodialysis patients. Methods: A literature review was conducted analyzing pertinent research articles published in the last ten years, in addition to seminal articles. Seventeen articles were retrieved and analyzed that met criteria. Results: Fourteen of the seventeen research studies reached a consensus on the successful use of blood volume monitoring to decrease intradialytic hypotension and the related symptoms. Conclusion: Results of the literature review support the use of blood volume monitoring technology as an effective nursing intervention to prevent intradialytic hypotension in hemodialysis patients.


A quantitative integration of porosity/permeability measurements and well log data from the major reservoir intervals throughout the basin is carried out using a back-propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN), modified with the Marquardt algorithm. After data preprocessing and training/supervising example preparation, a model for the relationship among porosity, permeability and well log responses was established with the BP-ANN technique. The BP-ANN model was then used to construct profiles of porosity and permeability in both cored and uncored wells for the Avalon, Hibernia and Jeanne d'Arc formations from well logs. The BP-ANN derived porosity and permeability curves provide a basis for further reservoir studies, such as inter-well permeable units recognition and correlation, and basin-wide reservoir quality evaluation.


We study a firm's decisions to engage in socially responsible activities, voluntarily report on them and purchase external assurance of the report. In our signaling model, neither firm type nor the level of activity is observed. We show that if voluntary assurance is not too expensive, the firm that engages in more socially responsible activities purchases external assurance and thus "selects" a separating equilibrium. As a result, CSR reports can be used to infer the level of activity and this causes all firms to engage in more socially responsible activity. Further, when voluntary assurance is required to support a separating equilibrium, greater monitoring by social activists increases the chosen quality of voluntary assurance—voluntary assurance and monitoring by social activists are complements, not substitutes.


We use reinforcement learning to learn tree-structured neural networks for computing representations of natural language sentences. In contrast with prior work on tree-structured models in which the trees are either provided as input or predicted using supervision from explicit treebank annotations, the tree structures in this work are optimized to improve performance on a downstream task. Experiments demonstrate the benefit of learning task-specific composition orders, outperforming both sequential encoders and recursive encoders based on treebank annotations. We analyze the induced trees and show that while they discover some linguistically intuitive structures (e.g., noun phrases, simple verb phrases), they are different than conventional English syntactic structures.


Abstract The utility of stochastic point kinetics theory has been demonstrated through the examination of a criticality excursion in a supercritical system. It has been found that a deterministic point kinetics model underpredicts the excursion maximum energy release by up to two orders of magnitude with respect to a counterpart stochastic model. This potentially large underprediction shows that neutron population fluctuations play an important role in the evolution of that system. This work provides a review of the formalism and approximations used to arrive at this conclusion. To broaden the result's applicability, we relax several approximations, leading to the construction of new, nonanalytical expressions. We compare the two sets of results using local sensitivity analysis, which also allows us to assess the impact of potential uncertainties in included model parameters or data. This comparison (presented also for a 235U system) also proves useful in assessing the validity of the approximations under consideration.


In the decision support systems literature, most studies have concentrated on the direct effects of DSS use and design on decision outcomes and user performance in the workplace. Fewer DSS studies have integrated decision process variables, such as user beliefs and attitudes, in their models. In this paper, we examine the mediating role of decision process variables in the use of an online customer DSS. We do so through an experimental study of an alternative-based and an attribute-based DSS for product customization by online customers. Using cognitive fit and flow theories, we develop a theoretical model with four mediating decision process variables (perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived enjoyment, and perceived control) and two of their antecedents: interface design (attribute-based versus alternative-based) and task complexity (choice set size). Our results show that the impact of DSS interface design on behavioral intentions is fully mediated by perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment, although not by perceived control. Specifically, we verify that users of an attribute-based DSS express higher perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment than users of an alternative-based one. In addition, we find that task complexity has an interesting relationship with usefulness and enjoyment, both of which follow an inverted U-shaped curve as choice set size increases. Finally, we find that for users of the alternative-based DSS, perceived ease of use and perceived control decrease as task complexity increases. However, the attribute-based DSS alleviates that decline for both variables. Among other contributions, our results indicate the importance of including decision process variables when studying DSS as well as the complex effect of task complexity on those variables. Our study also provides some important guidelines for online companies that provide customer DSS on their websites, especially the danger of providing too many product choice options that can overwhelm customers and harm their shopping experience.


Electrophoretic studies of proteins remain a primary source of insight into genetic diversity in many species including the Atlantic salmon Salmo salar, one of the most culturally and economically important fish species of the North Atlantic region. Since 1966, >350 scientific papers on protein variation have been published encompassing 25 000+ salmon from over 400 locations in >200 river systems across the species' distribution. Variation has been detected at 30% of the 110 protein loci screened, though most studies examine <40. The method has been applied largely to the investigation of population structure and differentiation, but work has also led to the systematic revision of the genus Salmo and remains the primary source of insight into hybridization in the wild with brown trout Salmo trutta. Spatial patterns of differentiation show temporal stability, both within and among river systems, and strongly support structuring of the species into river and tributary specific populations and the designation of European and North American populations as distinct sub-species. They also show widespread regional differentiation within both continents, beyond the marked subcontinental differences between Baltic Sea and Atlantic Ocean populations in Europe. Most of the differentiation probably reflects gene flow and founder events associated with colonization following the retreat of the glaciers from much of the species' modern range. However, variation at MEP-2* shows strong correlations with environmental temperature, both within and among rivers, and associations with phenotypic performance. This suggests selection is acting on the locus and provides compelling evidence for the local adaptation of populations. Protein studies have led to more population centred management of the species and have been exploited in the discrimination of regional stocks in mixed stock analysis in high seas fisheries, particularly in the Baltic Sea, and as markers for the assessment of stocking success. They have also advanced insight into how the genetic character of populations can be changed in cultivation and the potential impact of salmon aquaculture and stocking on wild populations. The method has been largely superseded by DNA based analyses, but the results remain highly relevant to Atlantic salmon management and conservation and are an irreplaceable data set for studying genetic stability of populations over time.


The emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) has lead to a technological transformation that integrates several technologies to represent the future of computing and communications. IoT is the interconnection of internet of computing devices embedded in objects such as sensors, actuators and networks enabling them to send and receive data. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) is an integral part of IoT, which is the practice of allowing employees to use their own smartphones, tablets and laptops in the workplace to access enterprise resources and applications. It offers several benefits like employee job satisfaction, productivity, increased job efficiency and flexibility. With all the advantages offered, BYOD environments are still less safe because of persistent security threats, attacks caused by loss, theft of personal devices and corporate data leakage. BYOD enterprise network is accessed through enterprise mobility management solutions which monitor, controls and enforce access control policies to devices accessing the network. This paper aims to close the gap of the existing Network Access Control (NAC) systems focusing on 802.1x protocols with a Novel Device type Behaviour Profiling Technique. The Behaviour Profiling Technique used a dataset proposed in [29] to develop a device type behaviour profiles of five dell netbooks, three iPads, two iPhones 3G, two iPhones 4G and two Nokia Phones using K-Means Clustering Algorithm.


In spite of the strategic importance of the national Portuguese road network, there are no recent studies concerned with either the identification of contributory factors to road collisions or collision prediction models (CPMs) for this type of roadway. This study presents an initial contribution to this problem by focusing on the national roads NR-14, NR-101 and NR-206, which are located in Portugal's northern region. This study analyzed the collisions frequencies, average annual daily traffic (AADT) and geometric characteristics of 88 two-lane road segments through the analysis of the impact of different database structures in time and space. The selected segments were 200-m-long and did not cross through urbanized areas. Data regarding the annual traffic collision frequency and the AADT were available from 1999 to 2010. The GEE procedure was applied to ten distinctive databases formed by grouping the original data in time and space.


This article deals with different traditions of the genealogy of Pythagoras of Samos (c. 570–480 BC). It shows how three versions of Pythagoras's lineage were combined in antiquity. Firstly, Pythagoras could be seen as the son of human parents who themselves descend from Ancaeus, the mythical founder and first king of Samos who is closely connected with both Greek and Near Eastern mythology. Secondly, there is the tradition that Pythagoras was the son of a human mother and Apollo, which goes together with the important role that this deity played in the religion of Pythagoreanism from the very start. Finally, the Pythagorean doctrine of metempsychosis holds another possibility in explaining Pythagoras's genealogy that connects him directly with the shamanistic motif of the soul-journey. A distinct analysis of the sources shows that the symbiosis of all three traditions was obviously the most common way of explaining Pythagoras's genealogy.


To reduce transportation emissions and energy consumption, policy makers typically employ one of two approaches—changing technology or changing behavior. These strategies include demand management tools, such as ridesharing and vehicle control technologies that involve cleaner fuels and fuel economy. Despite the benefits of a combined policy approach, these strategies are normally employed separately. Nevertheless, they have been linked occasionally, for instance in the electric station car programs of the 1990s. station cars are vehicles used by transit riders at the start or end of a trip. In 1990, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) focused on reducing clean vehicles through its Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate. In 1998, significant flexibility was introduced through partial ZEV credits for very-low-emission vehicles. In 2000, CARB left the ZEV mandate intact, but began considering new approaches including stations cars and carsharing. Carsharing is the short-term use of a shared-use vehicle fleet. In January 2001, recognizing the potential for station cars and carsharing to further improve air quality by reducing vehicle miles traveled—particularly with transit linkages—CARB proposed additional ZEV credits for vehicles in such programs. Thus, the mandate would formally link demand management and clean vehicles. Explored are carsharing and station car developments, lessons learned, the ZEV mandate, and the proposed credit structure. Finally, policy and research recommendations are discussed for enhancing the success and effect of this combined approach.