Introduction. Information encountering (finding information while searching for some other information), is a type of opportunistic discovery of information that complements purposeful approaches to finding information. The motivation for this paper was to determine if the current models of information literacy instruction refer to information encountering. Method. Through a literature search we identified five information literacy models popular in the U.S. elementary and secondary school environment and evaluated their descriptions to determine if they include information encountering. We relied on the literature sources that provide initial descriptions of the information literacy models and the secondary literature that discusses the application of the models. Analysis. The analysis for the presence of information encountering first included independent readings by the research team members, followed by a collective discussion of observations to formulate the findings. Results. None of the information literacy models included explicit reference to information encountering or other types of opportunistic discovery of information; however, they all have components that can accommodate this type of information behaviour. Conclusions. Within each of the five analysed models there are stages where natural occurrences of information encountering are possible and could be articulated for students. Additional empirical research is needed about the impact of information encountering-enhanced models of information literacy on the students' learning outcomes and instructional processes. Abstract


This paper introduces a significant new collection of papers on monetary policy in emerging market economies, written by leading analysts and policy makers. Does existing economic theory provide lessons that are pertinent for designing effective monetary policy frameworks in emerging markets? What can be learned from cross-country studies and from experiences of individual countries that have adopted different approaches? While country-specific circumstances and initial conditions matter a great deal in formulating suitable frameworks, are there clear general principles that can serve as a guide in this process? These are among the issues addressed in the dialogue between academics and policy makers represented in this volume. In this paper, we provide an overview of the main issues, linking them to broader debates in the academic literature as well as an assessment of how individual countries have chosen to respond to specific policy challenges and what the consequences have been. We discuss many controversies where there are still sharp differences in views between and amongst theorists and practitioners. We also delineate a few key analytical issues where there is still a yawning gap between theory and practice. In the process, we set out a broad agenda for further research in this area.


The interest in the potential role of community enterprises in sustaining self‐managed development strategies stems from the analysis of the scarce results provided by top‐down development interventions in indigenous settings. This paper reports on an ethnographic study carried out in the Mexican state of Chiapas, where 16 community enterprises managed by local indigenous communities have been analysed. The focus of the analysis was to identify the main needs of local indigenous communities and the contribution that community enterprises could give to addressing these needs. The main findings pinpoint some enabling factors for the emergence of community enterprises and some specific characteristics that explain the contribution of community enterprises in supporting alternative approaches to development, where local communities are actors of their own development processes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


-Twenty-two field sites in W-central Mississippi were surveyed for southern redbelly dace Phoxinus erythrogaster to characterize habitat and ichthyofaunal associations of these 'endangered' disjunct populations. Phoxinus erythrogaster occurred at only six sites. Data assessed similarity among all sites and described microhabitat associations of P erythrogaster. Five species, including Semotilus atromaculatus, Campostoma nomalum, Etheostoma whipplei, P erythrogaster and Pimephales notatus, comprised 95% of the total number of individuals collected at P erythrogaster sites. Standardized abundance (number per seine haul) for S. atromaculatus was consistently high among all P erythrogaster sites, whereas standardized abundance for C. anomalum, P erythrogaster and P notatus varied from site to site. Increased standardized abundance of P erythrogaster was inversely related to abundances of C. anomalum and P notatus and was highest in the absence of C. anomalum and P notatus. Thus competition among C. anomalum, P erythrogaster and P notatus may be linked to the limited occurrence of P erythrogaster in W-central Mississippi. A UPGMA cluster analysis of ichthyofaunal composition (chord distance) showed high similarity among the six sites where P erythrogaster was present. These sites were typically characterized as narrow meandering streams with gravel, pebble and sand substrata, slow-flowing pools with clear cool (22 C) water and steep banks. A discriminant function analysis indicated that the presence of P erythrogaster is associated with stream reaches with high proportions of gravel, detritus, snag, pebble, small cobble and small boulder (Canonical R = 0.73, P = 0.018). A test of the reliability of the predictive model resulted in 87% of the cases being correctly classified (P < 0.01). Declining habitat quality due to erosion and increased urban development was evident at a number of sites including two historic localities where P erythrogaster no longer occurs. Phoxinus erythrogaster abundance was low along degraded stream reaches and typically higher in areas where habitat has been less impacted. Clustering of sites where P erythrogaster was present, based on habitat similarity (chord distance), was not as strong as similarity based on ichthyofaunal composition. There was significant congruence between the two dendrogram matrices (Mantel z = 314.69, P = 0.014) but the relationship between corresponding similarity values was low (r,, = 0.334). Thus, the ability to predict sites similar in ichthyofaunal composition based on habitat similarity was low. This suggests that although specific habitat features are important to P erythrogaster, additional factors such as declining habitat quality and interspecific ompetition may be influencing the occurrence of P erythrogaster inW-central Mississippi.


In this work, we address the use of object recognition techniques to annotate what is shown where in online video collections. These annotations are suitable to retrieve specific video scenes for object related text queries which is not possible with the manually generated metadata that is used by current portals. We are not the first to present object annotations that are generated with content-based analysis methods. However, the proposed framework possesses some outstanding features that offer good prospects for its application in real video portals. Firstly, it can be easily used as background module in any video environment. Secondly, it is not based on a fixed analysis chain but on an extensive recognition infrastructure that can be used with all kinds of visual features, matching and machine learning techniques. New recognition approaches can be integrated into this infrastructure with low development costs and a configuration of the used recognition approaches can be performed even on a running system. Thus, this framework might also benefit from future advances in computer vision. Thirdly, we present an automatic selection approach to support the use of different recognition strategies for different objects. Last but not least, visual analysis can be performed efficiently on distributed, multi-processor environments and a database schema is presented to store the resulting video annotations as well as the off-line generated low-level features in a compact form. We achieve promising results in an annotation case study and the instance search task of the TRECVID 2011 challenge.


This article examines the role of gradable properties in referring expressions from the perspective of natural language generation. First, we propose a simple semantic analysis of vague descriptions (i.e., referring expressions that contain gradable adjectives) that reflects the context-dependent meaning of the adjectives in them. Second, we show how this type of analysis can inform algorithms for the generation of vague descriptions from numerical data. Third, we ask when such descriptions should be used. The article concludes with a discussion of salience and pointing, which are analyzed as if they were gradable adjectives.


Introduction: The cytokines that may be associated with the clearance or persistence of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in patients with mild dysplasia or less of the uterine cervix were determined. Methods: A prospective study of 160 patients who harbored high-risk HPV with histologically confirmed mild dysplasia or less between January 2006 and August 2008 was performed. All patients were followed up at every 4 months during the first year. Human papillomavirus DNA tests by the Hybrid Capture 2 method (Digene, Gaithersburg, Md) were performed at every visit on all patients. Blood sampling was performed in all patients at their initial visit, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the serum levels of interferon γ, tumor necrosis factor &agr;, and interleukins 6 and 10. Results: Of the 160 patients, 107 (66.9%) had clearance of HPV infection after 12 months of follow-up. The median age of patients in the persistence group was significantly higher than that of patients in the clearance group (47 vs 38 years, respectively; range, 21-77 vs 21-71 years, respectively; P = 0.0009). In univariate analysis, the number of patients with serum negative for tumor necrosis factor &agr; was significantly higher in the clearance group than the persistence group (P = 0.0363). However, in multivariate logistic regression analysis, all 4 cytokines failed to show any significant association with the clearance or persistence of HPV infection. Conclusions: The baseline serum cytokine levels were not associated with the clearance or persistence of HPV infection. Systemic immunity may not influence the natural history of HPV infection.


Abstract A multiple baseline design across three grade level groups with a comparison group was employed to investigate the effectiveness of yoga for improving time on task with 10 elementary school children who evidenced attention problems. A yoga videotape, published by Gaiam, was used that required the children to follow an adult instructor and three children who engaged in deep breathing, physical postures, and relaxation exercises for 30 minutes, twice a week, for a period of 3 weeks. Time on task was defined as the percentage of intervals observed that the students were orientating toward the teacher or task, and performing the requested classroom assignments. The results indicated effect sizes that ranged from 1.5 to 2.7 as a function of the intervention. Effect sizes at follow-up decreased, but ranged from.77 to 1.95. Peer comparison data indicated that classmates' time on task remained essentially unchanged throughout the three phases of the study.


Previous research conducted in 1999 highlighted ethical concerns behind challenge studies inducing psychosis with ketamine and made recommendations to enhance ethical standards. Recently, a plethora of clinical trials have evaluated the efficacy of ketamine to treat mood disorders, which lead to complex ethical issues. Pharmaceutical companies and researchers hope to profit by developing patentable variations on ketamine for treating depression. Media have labeled ketamine as a "miracle" antidepressant. Some clinics offer expensive off-label use of ketamine to treat mood disorders. This article examines the ecological validity of ketamine trials, measures to protect patients, informed consent procedures, financial inducements to participants and conflict of interest of researchers, therapeutic misconception, concealment, and deception. Further recommendations are purposed to improve ethical standard of clinical research involving ketamine.


The aim of this study is to assess whether market-based instruments of agri-environmental policy such as taxes and subsidies can promote reduced pesticide use in viticulture. Simulations are carried out using VINEPA, a multi-periodic discrete stochastic programming (DSP) model based on panel data from vineyards. We then evaluate how changes in pesticide use would affect the Environment Impact Quotient (EIQ), which evaluates potential impacts of pesticides on farm workers, consumers, and non-target organisms. The results show that reducing their use calls for high tax rates, and EIQ can only be reduced by setting taxes based on levels of toxicity.


The discovery of thrombolytic agents goes back to the 1930s, when it was shown that substances derived from bacteria (streptokinase, staphylokinase), tissue (fibrinokinase), urine (urokinase) or bat saliva could activate the fibrinolytic system. The potential to treat arterial thrombosis with plasmin was recognized, but it was not until 1958 that its first use in acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) was described. However, since computer tomography (CT) was not available until the mid 1970s, optimal selection of patients was not possible. Early studies with streptokinase in AIS showed an increased risk of intracranial haemorrhage and lack of efficacy, which was associated with low fibrin specificity. The search for new agents with a better risk-benefit profile continued until 1979 when tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) was discovered. In 1983 it became possible to produce recombinant t-PA (rt-PA) by expression of a cloned gene which enabled clinical trials to be started, mainly for coronary thrombolysis. In 1995, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke study showed that rt-PA was an effective treatment for AIS, nowadays for use up to 4.5 h after onset. However, rt-PA still often fails in achieving rapid reperfusion, has relatively low recanalization rates and is associated with an increased bleeding risk. Several attempts have been made to develop thrombolytics with a better risk-benefit profile than rt-PA, but no real impact on clinical practice was observed. In 1994, it was shown that tenecteplase (rt-PA-TNK) had a higher fibrin specificity than rt-PA, but its clinical use in AIS was described only in 2005. The recently reported results of a small phase 2B trial showed significantly better reperfusion and clinical outcome with rt-PA-TNK compared to rt-PA; patients were selected by CT perfusion and angiography, and treated within 6 h after stroke onset. Currently, a phase 3 trial of rt-PA-TNK versus rt-PA is being planned in patients at an onset up to 4.5 h. The most fibrin-specific recombinant plasminogen activator desmoteplase originates from 1991, and its clinical development in AIS started in 2005. Desmoteplase is in phase 3 development for the treatment of AIS between 3 and 9 h after onset in AIS patients presenting with occlusion or high-grade stenosis.


In societies where religion plays a strong and important role, the institutions of the society reflect the religion. Yet in societies where religion plays a more secondary role to say that all political concepts are secularized theological concepts is an overstatement. While Carl Schmitt does make a persuasive argument on the role of religion in political thought, he is also mistaken. In this article, I shall attempt to show that political concepts in the medieval period were built upon theological ideas but in a way different from that described by Schmitt. Toward that end I'll describe the difference between "political theology" and a "theology of politics" and focus on the revelatory political theology of the medieval period as contrasted with the "re-paganized" theology of Schmitt. Finally, by reviewing the process of papal decline with particular emphasis on the writings of Martin Luther, I shall argue that the political theology Schmitt describes reflects a post-Reformation loss of competing "exception-bearers" in the West and that this loss has had profoundly negative consequences for Western civilization. What does the term "political theology" mean? There is no limit to what it can mean: all theology may be considered "political" (from a postmodern perspective), or certain modern ideologies may be termed "political religions" (as, e.g., in Voegelin's writings), and so on. The work of Carl Schmitt presents another perspective. For Schmitt, political theology is the structure of political concepts as related to their origin in theological concepts. Within Schmitt's view of the political, the theological notion of God transfers to the political sovereign a final and total authority in the person of a main decision-maker in extreme emergencies, an "exception-bearer" with whom the power of the state ultimately lies. The notion of the Absolute in religion is used in conceptualizing the Absolute in the state, starting with the "divine right of kings" and extending to the crisis of Schmitt's own time. Is Schmitt's idea of political theology, both in itself and in connection to the rest of his thought, correct? It is partially correct, but not in the way that Schmitt believes. His understanding of the connection between theology and politics is one-sided and misleading. The problem is that he begins his examination of political theology at the time of Bodin and the absolutizing of the theory and practice of monarchy while ignoring earlier European experience. The particular historical period at which Schmitt chooses to begin his study is significant because institutional religious insight into the political and (more importantly) religious insight informing the political were much diminished by the time "divine right" doctrines held sway. This leads the reader of Schmitt to understand theology through politics rather than politics through theology. Beginning his study at an earlier point in Western history might have expanded his overly narrow view of political theology. Still, Schmitt's analysis does clarify the modern situation, but in doing so it clarifies the problematic nature of post-Reformation political theology compared with that of the time before Luther. Although Schmitt ignores the distinction, medieval political ideas were shaped much differently than their post-Reformation counterparts. The resulting error on Schmitt's part is his failure to take sufficiently seriously the theological understanding of politics. This is where the distinction between "theology of politics" and "political theology" comes into play.(2) Political theology has at least two, sometimes overlapping meanings. One is the sense of Schmitt that politics begins to appropriate notions from theology as societies secularize, thus making politics a matter of theology; the other is the ideological use of theology to mask political motivations. Both forms of political theology spring from secularization. The theology of politics, on the other hand, starts from an explicitly theological framework. …


The purpose of this study was to develop a Korean College Stress Inventory (KCSI), which is designed to measure Korean college students' experiences and symptoms of career stress. Even though there have been numerous scales related to career issues, few scales measure the career stress construct and its dimensions. Factor structure, internal consistency, and concurrent validity of the KCSI scores are described. Results indicated that the internal consistency reliabilities of 4 KCSI subscale scores were reasonably high. In addition, the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the modified 4-factor solution seemed to provide a reasonably good fit to the data. Implications, limitations, and recommendations for future research are discussed. Frequently, students experience a lot of stress during their college years, including stress related to academic issues (Crespi & Becker, 1999; Prillerman, Myers, & Smedley, 1989), financial concerns (Frazier & Schauben, 1994), and social stressors (D'Aurora & Fimian, 1988; Prillerman et al., 1989). Historically, the majority of Koreans have received significant benefits from the expansion of educational opportunities (Hong, 2008). Even though Korea has experienced a rapid expansion of higher education, the college entrance exam is still very competitive. During the college years, Korean students make great effort to increase their employability to get a job after graduation. However, for several reasons, including the economic crisis in recent years, the level of unemployment for young people has dramatically increased (Kim, 2003; Park, Bae, & Jung, 2002). As a result, Korean college students suffer from excessive stress (Han, 2005; M. Lee & Larson, 2000; Yang, Kim, Patel, & Lee, 2005). Jang (2000) identified the stressors of Korean college students, such as schoolwork-related stressors, relationship-related stressors, extracurricularrelated stressors, family-related stressors, and career-related stressors. Among these stressors, Jang reported that Korean college students frequently reported career- related issues as the most stressful. Other researchers (Choi, 1986; Kim, 2003) have also found that career stress was ranked the highest among various types of stressors examined in samples of Korean college students. Seth (2002) also reported that Korean college students were concerned about securing high grade point averages to increase their chances for future employment in the job market. After Selye (1956) introduced the concept of stress in such areas as medical science and physiology, Lazarus (1966) extended stress research from the physiological to the cognitive domain. In particular, Lazarus emphasized that many stressors do not provoke stress unless they are first perceived as a stressor by individuals. This cognitive-phenomenological approach to stress has achieved widespread use in the social and organizational sciences. To measure stress in the cognitive-phenomenological model, Stanton, Balzer, Smith, Parra, and Ironson (200 1 ) divided the methods for assessing stress into three general approaches: stress as stimulation, stress as reaction, and stress as interaction between stimulation and reaction. The first approach, stress as stimulation, is concerned with stressors external to the individual, such as academic stressors, career stressors, and interpersonal relationship stressors. To measure these stressors, researchers often use checklists that attempt to catalog the existence of various stressors. However, no list of stressors can ever provide a comprehensive set of stress sources that will be relevant for all persons and situations (Stanton et al., 2001). A second approach to the measurement of stress addresses responses to stress, including physiological responses and the symptomatology of stress (i.e., strains). Some strains (i.e., stress as reaction) are manifested primarily in the psychological domains (e. …


In today's internet era various websites through which a number of individuals purchase items. There are certain online forums which request their users to provide confidential data such as card number, cvv, pin number etc. for various malicious practices. These websites are referred as Phishing Websites. Therefore, to distinguish between the authentic website and the malicious website we suggested an intelligent, adaptable, and efficient model that utilizes Machine learning techniques. We carry through the project using the algorithm of classification and different methods to gather the phishing websites dataset to verify its validity. These spoofing websites are differentiated on certain significant attribute such as encryption standards, Domain Identity, URL and security. The project will utilize machine learning concept thus informing the user if the website is legal or not. This software is highly secured and can be utilized by many E-commerce ventures so as to provide hassle free transaction. Machine Learning design utilized in the project gives good results when compared with other standard classification algorithms. Detection of Phishing web site is ML intelligent and effective model that's supported victimization classification or association data processing algorithms. The algorithms we are using here is logistic regression. We are also using decision tree classifier so that we can make a point-to-point comparison between them which will help us to know parameters like accuracy and time taken. Keywords--Phishing, Phishing Websites, Detection, Machine Learning.


This paper considers a model of growth and income distribution in the presence of imperfect capital markets. Moral hazard on the part of borrowers is the source of both capital market imperfections and the emergence of persistent income inequalities. This model generates a Kuznets curve: in early phases of growth inequalities increase but in later stages they decrease. The results show that when the rate of capital accumulation is high enough, the economy converges to a unique steady state with a unique invariant income distribution.


Bottleneck neural networks have recently found success in a variety of speech recognition tasks. This paper presents an approach in which they are utilized in the front-end of a speaker recognition system. The network inputs are melfrequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs) from multiple consecutive frames and the outputs are speaker labels. We propose using a recording-level criterion that is optimized via an online learning algorithm. We furthermore propose retraining a network to focus on its errors when leveraging scores from an independently trained system. We ran experiments on the sameand different-microphone tasks of the 2010 NIST Speaker Recognition Evaluation. We found that the proposed bottleneck feature extraction paradigm performs slightly worse than MFCCs but provides complementary information in combination. We also found that the proposed combination strategy with re-training improved the EER by 14% and 18% relative over the baseline MFCC system in the sameand different-microphone tasks respectively.


Master practical strategic marketing analysis through real-life case studies and hands-on examples. In Cutting Edge Marketing Analytics, three pioneering experts integrate all three core areas of marketing analytics: statistical analysis, experiments, and managerial intuition. They fully detail a best-practice marketing analytics methodology, augmenting it with case studies that illustrate the quantitative and data analysis tools you'll need to allocate resources, define optimal marketing mixes; perform effective analysis of customers and digital marketing campaigns, and create high-value dashboards and metrics. For each marketing problem, the authors help you: Identify the right data and analytics techniques Conduct the analysis and obtain insights from it Outline what-if scenarios and define optimal solutions Connect your insights to strategic decision-making Each chapter contains technical notes, statistical knowledge, case studies, and real data you can use to perform the analysis yourself. As you proceed, you'll gain an in-depth understanding of: The real value of marketing analytics How to integrate quantitative analysis with managerial sensibility How to apply linear regression, logistic regression, cluster analysis, and Anova models The crucial role of careful experimental design For all marketing professionals specializing in marketing analytics and/or business intelligence; and for students and faculty in all graduate-level business courses covering Marketing Analytics, Marketing Effectiveness, or Marketing Metrics


This paper examines the evidence for the one‐way shear model developed for the fib Model Code for Concrete Structures 2010 and provides examples of its application. For the design and analysis for shear, for members with and without shear reinforcement, the fib Model Code 2010 procedures have been developed from physical‐mechanical models that are based on observed behaviour at the meso‐scale level; they represent a significant advance over previous standardized empirical methods. In addition, an approach referred to as "level of approximation" (LoA) is incorporated where advanced models are simplified in a consistent and conservative way such that the designer can select the effort needed to justify their design. To illustrate the practical use of the models and the LoA approach, two examples are presented. The first is a deck slab of a cut‐and‐cover tunnel where design and possible refinements are discussed for a given configuration. The second is a prestressed concrete bridge girder, which is considered for the cases of design and for the analysis of an existing structure.


Abstract The paper presents a series of the results obtained from an extensive questionnaire survey conducted in Bucharest in 2016. The investigated topics are related to earthquake awareness and preparedness of the population currently living in the capital city of Romania, safety concerns and post-earthquake behaviour. Results are interpreted based on several criteria which characterize the target population such as age, education, income, children, as well as the type and year of construction of the building they inhabit. The questionnaire was completed by 1000 respondents and the main findings show that people are generally neither well informed nor prepared for a future major seismic event affecting Bucharest. However, the level of involvement in postearthquake situations is positive, the majority of respondents agreeing to offer humanitarian help in various forms as well as temporary shelter to people, especially relatives or friends.


A century ago, the unsinkable Titanic charged into a moonless night, full steam ahead. Today, unless it changes course to escape its own icebergs, the U.S. biomedical research enterprise hurtles toward a similar doom. The fiscal year 2012 budget of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) buys 18% less research than in 2004. On 2 January 2013, budget sequestration mandated by the Budget Control Act of 2011 could reduce NIH extramural funds still further, producing a staggering cumulative 41% decline in a single decade (in constant dollars, from 2004 to 2014), down to the level that NIH invested in 1997. In contrast, China's governmental support for biomedical research may double that of the United States, or even, in proportion to gross domestic product (GDP), quadruple it by 2017.*


Changes in mass loading on the surface of acoustic biosensors result in output frequency shifts which provide precise measurements of analytes. Therefore, to detect a particular biomarker, the sensor delay path must be judiciously designed to maximize sensitivity and specificity. B-cell lymphoma 2 protein (Bcl-2) found in urine is under investigation as a biomarker for non-invasive early detection of ovarian cancer. In this study, surface chemistry and biofunctionalization approaches were evaluated for their effectiveness in presenting antibodies for Bcl-2 capture while minimizing non-specific protein adsorption. The optimal combination of sequentially adsorbing protein A/G, anti-Bcl-2 IgG and Pluronic F127 onto a hydrophobic surface provided the greatest signal-to-noise ratio and enabled the reliable detection of Bcl-2 concentrations below that previously identified for early stage ovarian cancer as characterized by a modified ELISA method. Finally, the optimal surface modification was applied to a prototype acoustic device and the frequency shift for a range of Bcl-2 concentration was quantified to demonstrate the effectiveness in surface acoustic wave (SAW)-based detection applications. The surface functionalization approaches demonstrated here to specifically and sensitively detect Bcl-2 in a working ultrasonic MEMS biosensor prototype can easily be modified to detect additional biomarkers and enhance other acoustic biosensors.


Understanding the nature of state financialisation is crucial to ensure de-financialisation efforts are successful. This paper provides a structured overview of the emerging literature on financialisation and the state. We define financialisation of the state broadly as the changed relationship between the state, understood as sovereign with duties and accountable towards its citizens, and financial markets and practices, in ways that can diminish those duties and reduce accountability. We then argue that there are four ways in which financialisation works in and through public institutions and policies: adoption of financial motives, advancing financial innovation, embracing financial accumulation strategies, and directly financialising the lives of citizens. Organising our review around the two main policy fields of fiscal and monetary policy, four definitions of financialisation in the context of public policy and institutions emerge. When dealing with public expenditure on social provisions financialisation most often refers to the transformation of public services into the basis for actively traded financial assets. In the context of public revenue, financialisation describes the process of creating and deepening secondary markets for public debt, with the state turning into a financial market player. Finally, in the realm of monetary policy financial deregulation is perceived to have paved the way for financialisation, while inflation targeting and the encouragement, or outright pursuit, of market-based short-term liquidity management among financial institutions constitute financialised policies.


Stereotyping is one of the biggest single issues in social psychology, but relatively little is known about how and why stereotypes form. Stereotypes as Explanations is the first book to explore the process of stereotype formation, the way that people develop impressions and views of social groups. Conventional approaches to stereotyping assume that stereotypes are based on erroneous and distorted processes, but the authors of this book take a very different view, namely that stereotypes form in order to explain aspects of social groups and in particular to explain relationships between groups. In developing this view, the authors explore classic and contemporary approaches to stereotype formation and advance new ideas about such topics as the importance of category formation, essentialism, illusory correlation, interdependence, social reality and stereotype consensus. They conclude that stereotypes are indeed explanations, but they are nevertheless highly selective, variable and frequently contested explanations.


In most machine learning tasks, we evaluate a model M on a given data population S by measuring a population-level metric F(S;M). Examples of such evaluation metric F include precision/recall for (binary) recognition, the F1 score for multi-class classification, and the BLEU metric for language generation. On the other hand, the model M is trained by optimizing a sample-level loss G(S_t; M) at each learning step t, where S_t is a subset of S (a.k.a. the mini-batch). Popular choices of G include cross-entropy loss, the Dice loss, and sentence-level BLEU scores. A fundamental assumption behind this paradigm is that the mean value of the sample-level loss G, if averaged over all possible samples, should effectively represent the population-level metric F of the task, such as, that E[ G(S_t; M) ] ~ F(S; M).

In this paper, we systematically investigate the above assumption in several NLP tasks. We show, both theoretically and experimentally, that some popular designs of the sample-level loss G may be inconsistent with the true population-level metric F of the task, so that models trained to optimize the former can be substantially sub-optimal to the latter, a phenomenon we call it, Simpson's bias, due to its deep connections with the classic paradox known as Simpson's reversal paradox in statistics and social sciences.


We discuss the quantization of linearized gravity on globally hyperbolic, asymptotically flat, vacuum spacetimes, and the construction of distinguished states which are both of Hadamard form and invariant under the action of all bulk isometries. The procedure, we follow, consists of looking for a realization of the observables of the theory as a sub-algebra of an auxiliary, non-dynamical algebra constructed on future null infinity ℑ+. The applicability of this scheme is tantamount to proving that a solution of the equations of motion for linearized gravity can be extended smoothly to ℑ+. This has been claimed to be possible provided that a suitable gauge fixing condition, first written by Geroch and Xanthopoulos ["Asymptotic simplicity is stable," J. Math. Phys. 19, 714 (1978)], is imposed. We review its definition critically, showing that there exists a previously unnoticed obstruction in its implementation leading us to introducing the concept of radiative observables. These constitute an algebra for wh...


The authors use data from workers in the largest public-sector occupation in the United States—teaching—to examine the effect of pension enhancements on employee retention. Specifically, they study a 1999 enhancement to the benefit formula for public school teachers in St. Louis, Missouri, that resulted in an immediate and dramatic increase in their incentives to remain in covered employment. To identify the effect of the enhancement on teacher retention, the analysis leverages the fact that the strength of the incentive increase varied across the workforce depending on how far teachers were from retirement eligibility when it was enacted. The results indicate that the St. Louis enhancement—which was structurally similar to enhancements that were enacted in other public pension plans across the United States in the late 1990s and early 2000s—was not a cost-effective way to increase employee retention.


Scientists are interested in generalizing causal effects estimated in an experiment to a target population. However, analysts are often constrained by available covariate information, which has limited applicability of existing approaches that assume rich covariate data from both experimental and population samples. As a concrete context, we focus on a large-scale development program, called the Youth Opportunities Program (YOP), in Uganda. Although more than 40 pre-treatment covariates are available in the experiment, only 8 of them were also measured in a target population. To tackle this common issue of data constraints, we propose a method to estimate a separating set -- a set of variables affecting both the sampling mechanism and treatment effect heterogeneity -- and show that the population average treatment effect (PATE) can be identified by adjusting for estimated separating sets. Our approach has two advantages. First, our algorithm only requires a rich set of covariates in the experimental data, not in the target population. Second, the algorithm can estimate separating sets under researcher-specific constraints on what variables are measured in the population. Using the YOP experiment, we find that the proposed algorithm can allow for estimation of the PATE in situations where conventional methods fail due to data requirements.


Post occupancy evaluation (POE) studies typically use a combination of occupant questionnaires and physical measurements of various aspects of the indoor environment to assess building performance. These physical measurements are often compared against published reference limits to evaluate compliance and satisfactory performance. This study investigates whether indoor environment conditions compatible with published indoor environment quality (IEQ) standards and guidelines are predictive of occupant satisfaction. Data used in this study were collected as part of two large building evaluation field studies conducted in the past eight years. Occupant questionnaire and physical measurement data from 11 office buildings across North America were used (N=194). Inputs for the analyses were demographic factors and workstation characteristics, as well as aspects of the measured physical indoor environment. Outcome variables were various measures of environmental satisfaction (i.e. lighting, acoustics/privacy, and ventilation/temperature). The results of this study suggest that occupants had higher satisfaction with lighting when measured desktop illuminance levels were within IESNA RP-1-12 (2012) recommendations. Measured sound levels and thermal conditions within reference limits did not correlate to higher occupant satisfaction in their respective categories.


Suppose you have a dispute with your neighbour, and wish to secure redress for losses incurred. How might the issue be resolved? Is it worth the cost and time delay to take the issue to court? Or is there some other approach? Over the past few decades a range of alternative, dispute resolution programmes have emerged to settle conflicts informally, outside the courtroom. Drawing on real life experiences of community mediation practices in British Columbia, Canada, the author explores informal justice as an event rendered possible by the fragmentation of justice under postmodern conditions. He develops some of Foucault's ideas on governmentality to erect an analytical framework that does not view community mediation as necessarily empowering, or an inevitable expansion of state control. The analysis identifies how one might engage with current versions of community justice and yet avoid the political apathy that too often accompanies such criticism.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine whether a multistage tracking system could improve communication between health care providers, reducing the risk of delay in diagnosis related to inconsistent communication and tracking of radiology follow-up recommendations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Unconditional recommendations for imaging follow-up of all diagnostic imaging modalities excluding mammography (n = 589) were entered into a database and tracked through a multistage tracking system for 13 months. Tracking interventions were performed for patients for whom completion of recommended follow-up imaging could not be identified 1 month after the recommendation due date. Postintervention compliance with the follow-up recommendation required examination completion or clinical closure (i.e., biopsy, limited life expectancy or death, or subspecialist referral).

RESULTS
Baseline radiology information system checks performed 1 month after the recommendation due date revealed timely completion of 43.1% of recommended imaging studies at our institution before intervention. Three separate tracking interventions were studied, showing effectiveness between 29.0% and 57.8%. The multistage tracking system increased the examination completion rate to 70.5% (a 52% increase) and reduced the rate of unknown follow-up compliance and the associated risk of delay in diagnosis to 13.9% (a 74% decrease). Examinations completed after tracking intervention generated revenue of 4.1 times greater than the labor cost.

CONCLUSION
Performing sequential radiology recommendation tracking interventions can substantially reduce the rate of unknown follow-up compliance and add value to the health system. Unknown follow-up compliance is a risk factor for delay in diagnosis, a form of preventable medical error commonly identified in malpractice claims involving radiologists and office-based practitioners.


In this paper, some numerical aspects of variational problems which fail to be convex are studied. It is well known that for such a problem, in general, the infimum of the energy (the functional that has to be minimized) fails to be attained. Instead, minimizing sequences develop oscillations which allow them to decrease the energy.It is shown that there exists a minimizes for an approximation of the problem and the oscillations in the minimizing sequence are analyzed. It is also shown that these minimizing sequences choose their gradients in the vicinity of the wells with a probability which tends to be constant. An estimate of the approximate deformation as it approximates a measure and some numerical results are also given.


Spectral learning methods have recently been proposed as alternatives to slow, non-convex optimization algorithms like EM for a variety of probabilistic models in which hidden information must be inferred by the learner. These methods are typically controlled by a rank hyperparameter that sets the complexity of the model; when the model rank matches the true rank of the process generating the data, the resulting predictions are provably consistent and admit finite sample convergence bounds. However, in practice we usually do not know the true rank, and, in any event, from a computational and statistical standpoint it is likely to be prohibitively large. It is therefore of great practical interest to understand the behavior of low-rank spectral learning, where the model rank is less than the true rank. Counterintuitively, we show that even when the singular values omitted by lowering the rank are arbitrarily small, the resulting prediction errors can in fact be arbitrarily large. We identify two distinct possible causes for this bad behavior, and illustrate them with simple examples. We then show that these two causes are essentially complete: assuming that they do not occur, we can prove that the prediction error is bounded in terms of the magnitudes of the omitted singular values. We argue that the assumptions necessary for this result are relatively realistic, making low-rank spectral learning a viable option for many applications. Appearing in Proceedings of the 17 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Statistics (AISTATS) 2014, Reykjavik, Iceland. JMLR: W&CP volume 33. Copyright 2014 by the authors.


ABSTRACT We assessed the effect of APOE polymorphisms –491 A/T, C112R (APOE*4), and R158C (APOE*2) and saturated fat intake on plasma lipid levels and risk of myocardial infarction (MI) in 1,927 case subjects and 1,927 population-based control subjects matched for age, sex, and residence, all living in the Central Valley of Costa Rica. A significant gene-diet interaction (p = 0.0157) was observed. High saturated fat intake was associated with a 49% increased risk of MI (OR = 1.49; 95% CI, 1.16–1.92) among wild-type subjects. In contrast, high saturated fat intake was associated with a 2.2-fold increased risk of MI among carriers of APOE*2 (OR = 3.17; 95% CI, 1.58–6.36) and with a 1.6-fold increase among carriers of the –491T and APOE*4 variants together (OR = 2.59; 95% CI, 1.38–4.87). Consistently, a high fat diet elicited a greater response in LDL cholesterol among carriers of APOE*2 (+17%) and APOE*4 (+14%) compared to noncarriers (+6%). The frequency of APOE variants was similar in case and control subjects, although APOE*4 homozygotes were at increased risk of MI compared to noncarriers (OR = 2.26; 95% CI, 1.03–4.98). This study supports the hypothesis that the APOE*2 and APOE*4 variants increase susceptibility to MI in the presence of high saturated fat and could explain inconsistent findings on the effects of these variants on MI in various populations.


We describe an innovative solution to the problem of scheduling astronomy observations for the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, an airborne observatory. The problem contains complex constraints relating the feasibility of an astronomical observation to the position and time at which the observation begins, telescope elevation limits and available fuel. Solving the problem requires making discrete choices (e.g. selection and sequencing of observations) and continuous ones (e.g. takeoff time and setting up observations by repositioning the aircraft). The problem also includes optimization criteria such as maximizing observing time while simultaneously minimizing total flight time. We describe a method to search for good flight plans that satisfy all constraints. This novel approach combines heuristic search, biased stochastic sampling, continuous optimization techniques, and well-founded approximations that eliminate feasible solutions but greatly reduce computation time.


The study of weather is called meteorology, but unlike any other science, weather is really a combination of several different scientific disciplines. The building blocks of meteorology include elements of physics, chemistry, astronomy, biology and geology. The study of weather is also greatly influenced by mathematics, social studies and economics. The appreciation of meteorology's interdependence among other disciplines is fundamental to this collection of laboratory experiments. Useful as a resource for teachers, "Weather in the Lab" teaches students about meteorology by showing them how to actually simulate real-world weather phenomena in the classroom. These simple laboratory models not only foster an understanding of weather occurrences, but they also highlight the relationship of weather to other areas of study. Thomas Richard Baker has compiled a list of 25 projects, covering a wide array of topics. Designed especially for group work and easily completed in one class period using inexpensive materials, these experiments show students how to, among other things: calculate the diameter of the sun; record, graph and analyze weather; determine dew point and relative humidity; generate small-scale cold and occluded fronts; predict the effects of geography on weather; collect and study precipitation; make convection cycles using smoke. In addition to being a resource for multidisciplinary study, "Weather in the Lab" also aims to raise students' awareness of important environmental issues.


We analyze technology adoption in industries where network externalities are significant. The pattern of adoption depends on whether technologies are sponsored. A sponsor is an entity that has property rights to the technology and hence is willing to make investments to promote it. Key findings include the following: (1) compatibility tends to be undersupplied by the market, but excessive standardization can occur; (2) in the absence of sponsors, the technology superior today has a strategic advantage and is likely to dominate the market; (3) when one of two rival technologies is sponsored, that technology has a strategic advantage and may be adopted even if it is inferior; (4) when two competing technologies both are sponsored, the technology that will be superior tomorrow has a strategic advantage.


Abstract Objective: To determine whether packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion affects post-prandial superior mesenteric artery blood flow velocities (SMA BFVs) in very-low birth weight (VLBW) neonates and if so, at what time point after transfusion restoration of previous SMA BFV patterns occurs. Design/Methods: VLBW pre-term neonates, older than 14 days and tolerating bolus enteral feedings administered every 3 h were enrolled in this prospective observational study. Pulsed Doppler ultrasound was used to measure pre- and post-prandial (at 45 min) time-averaged mean, peak and end diastolic velocities (TAMV, PSV, EDV) immediately before and after 15 ml/kg of PRBC transfusion was given over 3 h; patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) status was also evaluated. Subsequent pre- and post-prandial SMA BFVs were recorded 24 and 48 h after the transfusion. Results: Pre- and post-prandial measurements were obtained for 21 out of 25 enrolled infants. Post-prandial SMA BFVs were attenuated during the feedings immediately after transfusion; at 24 and 48 h after transfusion, changes in post-prandial SMA BFVs were similar to those measured prior to transfusion; the presence of the PDA did not affect results. Conclusions: PRBC transfusion blunted SMA BFV responses to feedings immediately after the transfusion with normalization observed 24 h post-transfusion.


Background: Measles remains a serious vaccine preventable cause of mortality in developing nations. Vietnam is aiming to achieve the level of immunity required to eliminate measles by maintaining a high coverage of routine first vaccinations in infants, routine second vaccinations at school entry and supplementary local campaigns in high-risk areas. Regular outbreaks of measles are reported, during 2005-2009. Methods: National measles case-based surveillance data collected during 2005-June 2009 was analyzed to assess the epidemiological trend and risk factors associated with measles outbreak in Vietnam. Results: Of the 36,282 measles suspected cases reported nationwide, only 7,086 cases were confirmed through laboratory examination. Although cyclical outbreaks occurred between 2005 and 2009, there was no definite trend in measles outbreaks during these periods. Overall, 2438 of measles confirmed cases were among children ≤5 years and 3068 cases were among people ≥16 years. The distribution with respect to gender skewed towards male (3667 cases) significant difference was not observed (P= 0.1693). Unsurprisingly, 4493 of the confirmed cases had no history of vaccination (X2 <0.01). The northern and highland regions were identified as the main endemic foci and the spatial distribution changed with time. The occurrence of cases, in a considerable proportion of vaccinated population, is not only a reflection of the high vaccination coverage in Vietnam but also portrays a possibility of less than 100% vaccine efficacy. More so, in order to prevent measles in adults, high-risk groups must be identified and catch-up for selected groups selected. Conclusions: This study therefore reinforces the need for continued improvement of surveillance system and to probe into the possible role of changes in age-distribution of cases if the effective control of measles is to be achieved.


The preimaginal stages of T. peregrina are described. The egg displays a sculptured chorion, which is found only on those deposited externally. The immature larvae are characterized by their peculiarities in (a) a setose ring on the thoracic and abdominal segments, (b) an anal notch and (c) size and the sensory structures of the head capsule. The final instar is described and illustrated. Morphological structures of diagnostic value are discussed. The most salient character shown by the mature larva of this species lies in the epistoma, which is complete.


Hybrid systems describe the interaction of software, described by finite models such as finite-state machines, with the physical world, described by infinite models such as differential equations. This book addresses problems of verification and controller synthesis for hybrid systems. Although these problems are very difficult to solve for general hybrid systems, several authors have identified classes of hybrid systems that admit symbolic or finite models. The novelty of the book lies on the systematic presentation of these classes of hybrid systems along with the relationships between the hybrid systems and the corresponding symbolic models. To show how the existence of symbolic models can be used for verification and controller synthesis, the book also outlines several key results for the verification and controller design of finite systems. Several examples illustrate the different methods and techniques discussed in the book.


Schemas describe the data structures of various domains such as purchase order, conference, health and music. A large number of schemas are available on the Web. Since
different schema elements may have the same semantics but exist in distinct schemas,
it is important to manage their semantic heterogeneity. Schema matching is usually
used to determine mappings between semantically correspondent elements of different
schemas. It can be conducted manually, semi-automatically and automatically. Man-
ual matching is a time-consuming, error-prone and expensive process. Fully-automated
matching is not possible because of the complexity of the schemas.
This research investigated semi-automatic schema matching systems to overcome
manual works for schema mapping. In general, these systems use machine learning
and knowledge engineering approaches. Machine learning approaches require training
datasets for building matching models. However, it is usually very diffcult to ob-
tain appropriate training datasets for large datasets and to change the trained models
once mapped. Knowledge engineering approaches require domain experts and time-
consuming knowledge acquisition. In order to solve these problems, an incremental
knowledge engineering approach - Ripple-Down Rules (RDR) can be a promising approach since it allows its knowledge to grow incrementally. However, acquiring matching rules is still a time-intensive task. In order to overcome the limitations of these
independent approaches, a hybrid approach called Hybrid-RDR has been developed
by combining a machine learning approach with the Censor Production Rules (CPR)
based RDR approach.
First, the most suitable machine learning algorithm, J48 is determined by comparing eleven machine learning approaches including decision trees, rules, Naive Bayes,
AdaBootM1, and later combined with CPR based RDR for building Hybrid-RDR ap-
proach. This approach constructs a matching model using J48. When new data are available, the model may suggest incorrect matchings for some cases which are corrected
by incrementally adding rules to the knowledge base. The approach reuses the previous
match operations (rules) and handles the schema matching problems using an incremental knowledge acquisition process. So users do not need to add, delete or modify
schema matching results manually. The Hybrid-RDR approach works for element-level
matching that only considers matching names of schema elements. Structure-level
matching that considers the hierarchical structure of the schema, is required to adjust
incorrect matches found from the element-level matching.
A Knowledge-based Schema Matching System (KSMS) has also been developed
that performs element-level matching using Hybrid-RDR and structure-level matching using Similarity Flooding algorithm. This algorithm considers the concept that
two nodes are similar when their neighbor elements are similar. The final mappings
are generated by combining the results of element-level matching and structure-level
matching using aggregation functions. In order to evaluate the performance of the
system, evaluations using real world schemas found on the Web have been conducted.
Experimental results have shown that the system determines good performance both
at element-level matching and structure-level matching. This research has resolved
the ongoing problem of elements having different names within different schemas. The
KSMS allows for matching of different schemas to produce accurate mappings.


We present ALMA CO (2–1) detections in 11 gas-rich cluster galaxies at z ∼ 1.6, constituting the largest sample of molecular gas measurements in z > 1.5 clusters to date. The observations span three galaxy clusters, derived from the Spitzer Adaptation of the Red-sequence Cluster Survey. We augment the >5σ detections of the CO (2–1) fluxes with multi-band photometry, yielding stellar masses and infrared-derived star formation rates, to place some of the first constraints on molecular gas properties in z ∼ 1.6 cluster environments. We measure sizable gas reservoirs of 0.5–2 × 1011 M☉ in these objects, with high gas fractions (fgas) and long depletion timescales (τ), averaging 62% and 1.4 Gyr, respectively. We compare our cluster galaxies to the scaling relations of the coeval field, in the context of how gas fractions and depletion timescales vary with respect to the star-forming main sequence. We find that our cluster galaxies lie systematically off the field scaling relations at z = 1.6 toward enhanced gas fractions, at a level of ∼4σ, but have consistent depletion timescales. Exploiting CO detections in lower-redshift clusters from the literature, we investigate the evolution of the gas fraction in cluster galaxies, finding it to mimic the strong rise with redshift in the field. We emphasize the utility of detecting abundant gas-rich galaxies in high-redshift clusters, deeming them as crucial laboratories for future statistical studies.


Dingman argues that the San Francisco settlement signaled the emergence of a new Pacific maritime order in which the United States Navy is the dominant naval force relying on significant bases in Japan. In particular, he focuses on the Yokosuka naval base whose retention was called for by the navy and became an important element in Washington's approach to the peace negotiations. Tozawa deals with the attitudes of the Yoshida government and the opposition parties to the peace negotiations and later to the ratification of the San Francisco Peace Treaty and the United States-Japan Security Pact. The points of difference were: whether Japan should negotiate with all the victors or with individual countries; whether Japan should observe disarmed neutrality; whether amendment to the Constitution was necessary. Cortazzi presents the perspective of a junior official in the United Kingdom Liaison Mission from October 1951. He gives an account of the activities of the British delegation to the San Francisco Conference and the conversations of Herbert Morrison and Robert Scott, especially with Prime Minister Yoshida. Lowe argues that British ministers and officials looked backward, influenced by economic, strategic and public opinion factors, the last referring to prisoners-of-war who had been treated harshly in Southeast Asia. The Labour government was worried over a probable revival in Japanese economic competition, referring particularly to textiles, shipping and the potteries. The British views of the treaty were much more critical of Japan than the USA. Foreign Secretary Herbert Morrison, anxious that the British contribution to the ultimate treaty should be properly acknowledged, agreed to be in San Francisco at the last moment for the signing of the peace treaty.


Discussion can be an important and powerful tool in efforts to build a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive future for STEM. However, facilitating discussions on complex and uncomfortable issues, like racism and sexism, can feel daunting. We outline a series of steps that can be used in offices, laboratories, and classrooms to facilitate productive discussions that empower everyone to listen, contribute, learn, and ultimately act to transform STEM.


Production of biomass-derived chemicals requires the decrease of oxygen content in substrates because building blocks in biomass refinery have high oxygen content. C–O hydrogenolysis is one of the useful reactions for decreasing the oxygen content. On the other hand, selective C–O hydrogenolysis is essential in order to obtain a specific product in high yield since the building blocks are over-functionalized and contain a variety of C–O bonds. Recently, selective C–O hydrogenolysis was advanced by the development of surface modification of noble metal particles with metal oxide species. The modified catalysts have been also applied to the selective hydrogenation of carbonyl and carboxyl groups, which are also common functional groups in biomass-derived building blocks. This review deals with the performance, the structure of the active sites, and the reaction mechanism over the catalysts with direct bonds between noble metal particles and metal oxide species.


The study intends to interpretation of well logs to determine the petrophysical parameters for Khasib, Tanuma, and Sa'di formations in Halfaya Oil Field. Where this field is located 30 kilometers south-east of the Amara city and it is considered as one of the important fields in Iraq because of the high production of oil, because Khasib, Tanuma, and Sa'di are f carbonates reservoirs formations and important after the Mishrif Formation because of the lack of thickness of the formations compared to the amount of oil production. The Matrix Identification (MID) and the M-N crossplot were used to determine the lithology and mineralogy of the formations; through the diagrm it was found the three formations consisted mainly of calcite with some dolomite. Density – Neutron cross plot for lithology identification which shows that the formations are mainly consist of limestone with little shale


Insurance fraud is now recognized as a significant resource-allocation problem in many markets. The object of this study is to verify how straight deductible contracts may affect the equilibrium level of falsification in automobile insurance. This type of contract is observed in many markets, even if it is not optimal under costly state falsification. A higher deductible may create incentives to fraud or cheat, particularly when the insured anticipates that the claim has a small probability of being audited. To verify this proposition, we estimate a loss equation for which one of the determinants is the amount of the deductible, using a data set of claims filed for damages following an automobile accident with twenty insurance companies in Quebec in 1992. Because we have access only to reported losses, a higher deductible also implies a lower probability of reporting small losses. To isolate the fraud effect related to the presence of a deductible in the contract, we jointly estimate a loss equation and a threshold equation. The threshold is the amount over which an insured decides to report a given loss. It can be interpreted as a personal deductible, and it is not observable. Our results indicate, among other things, that with an appropriate correction for selectivity the amount of the deductible is a significant determinant of the reported loss, at least when no other vehicle is involved in the accident; in other words, when the presence of witnesses is less likely.


In many cases, supermarkets are founded on rental of already built property and in this case, the space is accepted as is. It is imperative in this case that the supermarket be designed to achieve multiple objectives such as ease of roaming, display area, special display areas etc. It is important for any store to have a good design, because it will be reflected on the customer's satisfaction, which in turn will increase sales and will ease customer flow. Several possible ready-made designs are available in the literature such as Grid, loop, and mixed. When implemented on the current space limitations, they can have different achievement for the objectives of the design. Analytical Hierarchy process (AHP) represents a suitable technique for comparing these designs and reaching the final layout design selection. AHP layout selection is applied to a local supermarket and different layouts were generated. The design objectives are then evaluated for each of the layouts. It was concluded initially there is variability in the objectives achieved by the different designs, and a suitable multi-objective technique is required to select the final design. AHP is used to determine which of the designs was the most suitable through multiple comparison and consistency check. The results showed that the grid design was the most suitable for the current case study.


The aims of this project were to investigate the impact of perioperative myocardial damage on morbidity and mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), to determine whether biochemical marker levels after CABG correlate to perioperative myocardial infarct size, and to assess the long-term morbidity after CABG, in particular to determine whether women do worse.The studies were conducted in patients who had undergone isolated, primary CABG. The correlation of postoperative cardiac marker levels to early and late survival was evaluated in 4,911 consecutive patients; this showed that elevated cardiac markers implied a highly increased risk of both early cardiac death and late death. Hospital readmission for any cause and effect of gender on the readmission rate were analysed in 7,493 patients; it was found that the risk of readmission was higher in women than in men, because of greater co-morbidity and higher age. In the same patient cohort, it was clearly demonstrated that perioperative myocardial damage increased the risk of heart failure independently, and that late mortality was greatly increased in patients readmitted for heart failure. Finally, in a prospective, clinical trial, creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) and troponin I and T levels were found to correlate to infarction mass, as quantified by magnetic resonance imaging postoperatively. The findings strongly suggested that CK-MB above five times the upper normal limit was the result of perioperative myocardial infarction.In conclusion, perioperative myocardial damage is an important adverse event with a highly negative effect on early and late survival after CABG, and also entails an increased risk of subsequent heart failure, which markedly impairs long-term survival. Gender differences may be explained by patient characteristics and risk factors and not by female sex per se. Increases in biochemical markers after CABG correspond to the amount of perioperatively infarcted myocardium.


Scottish economic growth improved in the third quarter of last year on the latest Executive data. UK growth slowed in the fourth quarter and this coupled with Scottish business survey evidence suggests a slowing of Scottish growth in that period. It is therefore probable that Scottish GDP will have fallen slightly in 2002 as a whole. Evidence for both the Scottish and UK economies suggests a further weakening of growth during the first two months of 2003. Yet the underlying position in the world economy, with the UK performing above the EU average and better than most OECD countries, suggests a gradual strengthening of demand with recovery occurring during the remainder of 2003 and full recovery in 2004. However, the prospects in the short and perhaps medium run are clouded considerably by the war in Iraq. In view of this uncertainty, we offer three forecasts for the Scottish economy that reflect different assumptions about the outturn of the war: a benign scenario, which forms our baseline forecast, an intermediate scenario, and a worst scenario. In the baseline case, where the war concludes fairly quickly with minimal disruption to oil supplies and tourism, we are predicting that Scottish GDP will grow by 1.1% this year and 1.8% in 2004. Our forecast for 2003 has been revised downwards by 0.3% points in recogni- tion of the weakening of the economy during the first two months of this year. The intermediate and worst scenarios assume that the war produces progressively greater damaging effects on the world economy and hence on Scottish economic performance. In the worst-case the war effectively pushes the Scottish economy into recession. There are clearly significant uncertainties in the days ahead, but our best judgement is that the benign scenario is the most likely.


We consider the problem of performing learning and inference in a large scale knowledge base containing imperfect knowledge with incomplete coverage. We show that a soft inference procedure based on a combination of constrained, weighted, random walks through the knowledge base graph can be used to reliably infer new beliefs for the knowledge base. More specifically, we show that the system can learn to infer different target relations by tuning the weights associated with random walks that follow different paths through the graph, using a version of the Path Ranking Algorithm (Lao and Cohen, 2010b). We apply this approach to a knowledge base of approximately 500,000 beliefs extracted imperfectly from the web by NELL, a never-ending language learner (Carlson et al., 2010). This new system improves significantly over NELL's earlier Horn-clause learning and inference method: it obtains nearly double the precision at rank 100, and the new learning method is also applicable to many more inference tasks.


Recital presented at the NTSU School of Music Recital Hall in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree.


I construct risk-corrected approximations of the policy functions of DSGEmodels around the stochastic steady state and ergodic mean that are linear in the state variables. The resulting approximations are uniformly more accurate than standard linear approximations and capture the dynamics of asset pricing variables such as the expected risk premium missed by standard linear approximations. The algorithm is fast and reliable, requiring only the solution of linear equations using standard perturbation output. I examine the joint macroeconomic and asset pricing implications of a real business cycle model with stochastic trends and recursive preferences. The method is able to estimate risk aversion under these preferences using the Kalman filter, where a standard linear approximation provides no information and alternative methods require computationally intensive particle filters subject to sampling variation.


Aeolian deposits in the North American Great Plains are important sources of Holocene palaeo environmental records. Although there are extensive studies on loess and dune records in the region, little is known about records in aeolian cliff-top deposits. These are common on table (mesa) edges in the White River Badlands. These sediments typically have loam and sandy-loam textures with dominantly very fine sand, 0.5–1% organic carbon and 0.5–5% CaCO3. Some of these aeolian deposits are atypically coarse and contain granules and fine pebbles. Buried soils within these deposits are weakly developed with A-C and A-AC-C profiles. Beneath these are buried soils with varying degrees of pedogenic development formed in fluvial, aeolian or colluvial deposits. Thickness and number of buried soils vary. However, late-Holocene soils from several localities have ages of approximately 1300, 2500 and 3700 14C yrs BP. The 1300 14C yr BP soil is cumulic, with a thicker and lighter A horizon. Soils beneath the cliff-top deposits are early-Holocene (typically 7900 but as old as 10000 14C yrs BP) at higher elevation (|950 m) tables, and late-Holocene (2900 14C yrs BP) at lower (|830 m) tables. These age estimates are based on total organic matter 14C ages from the top 5 cm of buried soils, and agreement is good between an infrared stimulated luminescence age and bracketing 14C ages. Our studies show that cliff-top aeolian deposits have a history similar to that of other aeolian deposits on the Great Plains, and they are another source of palaeoenvironmental data.


Integrins constitute an important class of cell adhesion receptors, as they bidirectionally transduce information between the cytoplasm of biological cells and the surrounding extracellular matrix. By means of atomic force microscopy, spectroscopic measurements of the specific interactions of integrins with their corresponding ligands were performed. Basically, these experiments allow deep insights into cellular signal transduction, but despite sophisticated vibration isolation systems the acquired data exhibit very low signal-to-noise ratios that impair an accurate analysis. This drawback was overcome by a novel post-processing algorithm, which significantly reduces the noise and thus improves the signal-to-noise ratio. Thereby, previously invisible signal features can be revealed.
Another important task when evaluating this kind of experiments is the identification of steplike transitions corresponding to unbinding events between the receptor-ligand bonds. To this end, a technique has been developed that can be adjusted to detect very low or narrow steps even if they are smooth and hidden by noise.
By applying the noise reduction algorithm to force spectroscopy data obtained with living T lymphocytes, the onset force required for the extraction of a membrane tether could be observed for the first time. Using the step detection method, strong evidence of sub-10-pN steps was found. Moreover, it was shown that the chemokine SDF-1α leads to a strengthening of individual bonds between VLA-4, one type of integrins primarily involved in the early stages of chemokine-induced lymphocyte adhesion, and its ligand VCAM-1. The adhesion strengthening is accompanied by a stiffening of the integrins' environment. It is independent of an intracellular binding site of VLA-4 to talin, the major intracellular factor involved in integrin affinity modulation.
Further, the functional role of the integrin trans-membrane domains in receptor-ligand interactions was explored by analyzing the effects of two mutations of the integrin αvβ3 on cellular adhesion: a chimera encompassing the strongly dimerizing trans-membrane domain of glycophorin A and a point mutation known to induce trans-membrane domain dissociation. The results show that both constructs provoke strong cell adhesion. They correspond well to a three-state model of integrin activation. A resting state is activated by intracellular ligands to an intermediate state without trans-membrane domain separation. The dimerizing chimera mimics the intermediate state, which strengthens cellular adhesion.


Trace-metal concentrations in sediment and in the clam Macoma petalum (formerly reported as Macoma balthica), clam reproductive activity, and benthic macroinvertebrate community structure were investigated in a mudflat 1 kilometer south of the discharge of the Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant (PARWQCP) in South San Francisco Bay, Calif. This report includes the data collected by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists for the period January 2011 to December 2011. These data serve as the basis for the City of Palo Alto's Near-Field Receiving Water Monitoring Program, initiated in 1994. Following significant reductions in the late 1980s, silver (Ag) and copper (Cu) concentrations in sediment and M. petalum appear to have stabilized. Data for other metals, including chromium, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc, have been collected since 1994. Over this period, concentrations of these elements have remained relatively constant, aside from seasonal variation that is common to all elements. In 2011, concentrations of Ag and Cu in M. petalum varied seasonally in response to a combination of site-specific metal exposures and annual growth and reproduction, as reported previously. Seasonal patterns for other elements, including Cr, Hg, Ni, Se, and Zn, were generally similar in timing and magnitude as those for Ag and Cu. In 2011, metal concentrations in both sediments and clam tissue were among the lowest concentrations on record. This record suggests that regional-scale factors now largely control sedimentary and bioavailable concentrations of Ag and Cu, as well as other elements of regulatory interest, at the Palo Alto site. Analyses of the benthic community structure of a mudflat in South San Francisco Bay over a 38-year period show that changes in the community have occurred concurrent with reduced concentrations of metals in the sediment and in the tissues of the biosentinel clam, M. petalum, from the same area. Analysis of the M. petalum community shows increases in reproductive activity concurrent with the decline in metal concentrations in the tissues of this organism. Reproductive activity is presently stable (2011), with almost all animals initiating reproduction in the fall and spawning the following spring. The community has shifted from being dominated by several opportunistic species to a community where the species are more similar in abundance, a pattern that indicates a more stable community that is subjected to fewer stressors. In addition, two of the opportunistic species (Ampelisca abdita and Streblospio benedicti) that brood their young and live on the surface of the sediment in tubes have shown a continual decline in dominance coincident with the decline in metals; both species had short-lived rebounds in abundance in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Heteromastus filiformis (a subsurface polychaete worm that lives in the sediment, consumes sediment and organic particles residing in the sediment, and reproduces by laying its eggs on or in the sediment) showed a concurrent increase in dominance and, in the last several years before 2008, showed a stable population. H. filiformis abundance increased slightly in 2011. An unidentified disturbance occurred on the mudflat in early 2008 that resulted in the loss of the benthic animals, except for those deep-dwelling animals like Macoma petalum. Animals immediately returned to the mudflat in 2008, which was the first indication that the disturbance was not due to a persistent toxin or to anoxia. The reproductive mode of most species present in 2011 is reflective of the species that were available either as pelagic larvae or as mobile adults. Although egg layers were lower in number in this group, the authors hypothesize that these species will return slowly as more species move back into the area. The use of functional ecology was highlighted in the 2011 benthic community data, which show that the animals that have now returned to the mudflat are those that can respond successfully to a physical, nontoxic disturbance. Today,


This study examines relationships between hydrothermal vent species and their surrounding physical and chemical environment on 2 high-temperature sulfide edifices of the Juan de Fuca Ridge (northeast Pacific). Video imagery and in situ temperature and chemical information were acquired during 2 remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dive programs in 1993 and 1995, for a total of 78 scans. Statistical analyses of environmental and faunal data reveal a heterogeneous distribution (cor respondence analyses) of hydrothermal species and demonstrate a significant influence of local physical and chemical conditions on species distributions (canonical correspondence analyses). Results confirm the importance of hydrogen sulfide to the distribution of vent species as well as the importance of complex variables such as visible flow intensity and substratum type. Since less than 30% of the variance in species distribution could be explained by the measured in situ factors, we conclude by stressing the need to evaluate effects of other unmeasured environmental factors such as dissolved oxygen, nitrogen compounds, food availability and biological interactions.


In this paper water management in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell is considered. Firt mass convervation law for water is applied. Next proton transport is described by the Nernst-Planck equation and liqid water convection velocity is eliminated by the Schlogl equation. Electro-osmotic drag coefficient is related to hydrogen index and experimentally determined swelling coefficient. Three partial differential equations for molar water concentration Cw, electric potential ϕ and water pressure Pw are formulated. Current density vector i is derived from proton flux expression. These equations together with adequate boundary conditions were solved using finite element method. The distribution of electric potential and current density in function of geometrical parametres is investigated. At the end some illustrative example is given.


In a bid to tighten the organization9s grip on its members9 whaling and reduce the number of whales killed, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) has proposed a controversial deal. In exchange for temporarily narrowing loopholes, Japan, Norway, and Iceland would be allowed to commercially hunt whales for 10 years. The draft proposal—and the catch limits unveiled in Washington, D.C., last week—have inflamed conservationists. They fear that legalizing any form of commercial whaling will open the door to other nations and ultimately lead to more, not fewer, whale deaths.


The paper examines the intricacies implicated in the narration of young people's national identities, by shedding light on intersecting allegiances and on the role that perceived 'others' play in their accounts of nationhood. Based upon a qualitative study of youth narratives of identity in the context of Greek society, the paper unpacks how participants make sense and narrate their nationhood via utilizing discursive resources, whilst dialogically conversing with the gaze of 'other'. The narrative-discursive analysis of the in-depth interview material illustrates the interweavement of ethnicity with religion, along with the use of historical imagery and cultural signals of alleged similarity and difference. What becomes evident is the salience of ethno-cultural and religious identifications, operating as potent resources for self-making but also as vehicles for categorization and the potential exclusion of 'others'. The paper concludes by underlining the importance of empirically substantiating and theorizing the configurations of young people's collective identities.


"Old" museum collections are a valuable and sustainable resource for conducting archaeological investigation. In the past decade, a revitalization in collections-based research has occurred within the discipline of anthropology, more specifically within the subdiscipline of archaeology. This renewed interest stems from a variety of familiar and more recent trends in archaeology. The most substantial trends are the ongoing curation crisis, the lack of funding opportunities for large-scale excavation projects, evolving ethical standards, the return of anthropologists into museum settings, and academia finally allowing M.A. and Ph.D. theses to be based on existing collections. Additionally, archaeometric techniques have assisted in giving value to existing museum collections by creating original data sets for new interpretations. Collections-based research has many benefits compared to field research. The collections that are under the care of museums allow researchers to better contextualize field data from recent excavations, enable comparisons of broader sets of objects than can be obtained from excavations alone, and provide the opportunity to study rare objects that are encountered infrequently during field work. Research on collections generates object biographies that include provenance, manufacture, use, repairs, and detection of outright forgeries. Collections offer an opportunity for collaboration and engagement by community members and can lead to a repatriation of knowledge, if not a repatriation of the items themselves. This edited volume contributes a comprehensive approach to collections-based research using anthropological collections housed at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian and National Museum of Natural History, Department of Anthropology. Additionally, the volume will serve as a pedagogical manual for conducting collections-based research within current museum milieus.


Advances in genotyping technology, such as molecular
markers, have noticeably improved our capacity to characterize genomes at
multiple loci. Concomitantly, the methodological framework to analyze genetic
data has expanded, and keeping abreast with the latest statistical developments
to analyze molecular marker data in the context of spatial genetics has
become a difficult task. Most methods in spatial statistics are devoted to
univariate data whereas the nature of molecular marker data is highly
dimensional. Multivariate methods are aimed at finding proximities between
entities characterized by multiple variables by summarizing information in
few synthetic variables. In particular, Principal Component analysis (PCA)
has been used to study genetic structure of geo-referenced allele frequency profiles,
incorporating spatial information with a posteriori analysis. Conversely, the
recently developed spatially restricted PCA (sPCA) explicitly includes
spatial data in the optimization criterion. In this work, we compared the
results of the application of PCA and sPCA in the study of the spatial genetic
structure at fine scale of a Prosopis
flexuosa and P. chilensis hybrid
swarm. Data consisted in the genetic characterization of 87 trees sampled in
Cordoba, Argentina and genotyped at six microsatellites, which yielded 72
alleles. As expected, principal components explained more variance than sPCA
components, but were less spatially autocorrelated. The maps obtained by the
interpolation of sPC1 values allowed a better visualization of a patchy spatial
pattern of genetic variability than the PC1 synthetic map. We also proposed a
PC-sPC scatter plot of allele loadings to better understand the allele contributions
to spatial genetic variability.


The chapter provides an overview for studying and understanding the psychological aspects of enhanced living environments (ELEs). First, socio-ecological psychology is presented as a macro theoretical approach to human environmental behaviour and relationships along with the main concepts of niche construction theory that may be used to broaden the theoretical foundations of ELEs. Second, the psychologically relevant literature of the home is reviewed with an emphasis on the transactional processes between individuals and their built and natural environments. Third, self-determination theory (SDT), a macro theory of human relationships and motivation, is described. SDT may provide insight about optimal conditions for constructing social ecological niches, most importantly for the development of home environments. As a conclusion, the chapter defines major themes and research directions where socio-ecological psychology may enrich research and practice around ELE themes.


The present study is an attempt to evaluate personality Traits of adolescent boys. We have compared personality trait of normal weight, overweight & underweight adolescent & effect of counseling on their personality. A random sample of 530 adolescent boys (one private English Medium and one Government Hindi Medium School) between the ages of 10-18 years during the period of August 2008 to August 2009 constituted the material for this study. Weight, Height and BMI and personality trait were evaluated. Overweight adolescent boys were found to be more abstract thinking, expedient, depressive, controlled, relaxed and sound follower. Post counseling they were found to be more concrete thinking, tense, conscientious and zestful. Normal weight adolescent boys were found to be more reserved, aggressive, concrete thinking, excitable, shy and relaxed on pre counselling data analysis. Post counseling data they were found to be milder and socially bold and this change was statistically significant. Underweight adolescent boys were found to be more reserved, concrete thinking, phlegmatic, aggressive, self reliant and relaxed. Post counselling data analysis showed statistically significant changes and they were found to be more abstract thinking, group dependent and sound follower. Conclusion: Adolescent psychological need should be assessed and there counselling should be done as per their need because personality pattern of overweight, underweight and normal weight adolescent varies.


In urging "responsible eating," food writer Wendell Berry once wrote, "I begin with the proposition that eating is an agricultural act." Yet the legal world has long treated food and agriculture as separate spheres. Food law in the United States has traditionally been viewed as the area of law related to the development and marketing of final food products, while agricultural law has been viewed as the area of law relevant to farmers and rangers, agri-businesses, and food processing and marketing firms. But more recently, both policymakers and scholars have been taking a more systems-oriented approach to food regulation through the re-framing of food and agricultural law into a broader food systems law. In particular, a number of legal scholars working in these areas have begun merging the fields of food law and agricultural law — as well as components of other fields of law — into something perhaps greater than the sum of its parts: a field of law that examines food systems as an interactive whole, rather than as individual components of the farm-to-fork process.This Article is the first of a two-part project. This part explores trends in agricultural and food law scholarship to argue that a nascent integrated approach, one that is more systems-oriented, is developing within current legal scholarship. The Article begins by providing some broader context on systems-oriented approaches to understanding food, drawing from food policy and environmental policy literature. It next briefly describes the different origins and coverage of early agricultural law and food law, situating the distinct historical and theoretical foundations of agricultural law and food law into the broader literature of legal taxonomy. It then illustrates developing trends in scholarly articles, legal casebooks, and other law school institutional coverage to suggest the convergence of these two areas into a broader, more systems-oriented approach. Finally, the Article highlights distinctive features that might arise out of a more deliberate development of systems-oriented approach in this legal field. It argues that such an approach may provide insights into other cross-cutting areas of legal scholarship that the separated areas of food law and agricultural law cannot provide. In doing so, this Article lays the groundwork for the next part of this project, which presents case studies to provide a more complete an analysis of the benefits that would arise from such an approach and uses systems theory to develop important considerations for the deliberate cultivation of food systems law as a field of law.


Physical modelling of vegetated flows is an essential component of process-based investigations into vegetation ecohydraulics. The vast majority of research into vegetated flows has employed rigid model vegetation, so that the canopy's geometry (i.e. its height and frontal area) is invariant and easy to quantify. Here, we demonstrate that embedding realism (in the form of flexibility and buoyancy) in the model vegetation can have a profound impact on the hydrodynamics. Specifically, we compare rates of vertical mixing in two types of model canopy (with identical heights and frontal areas) subjected to oscillatory flow over a range of realistic wave heights and periods. The two types of canopy were: (1) a rigid canopy consisting of wooden dowels, and (2) an array of flexible, buoyant model plants designed to mimic a meadow of the seagrass Posidonia australis. Dynamic similarity between the model and real seagrass was achieved by matching the two dimensionless ratios of the dominant forces that govern plant motion (rigidity, buoyancy and drag). Results demonstrate a significant difference in flow structure between the two canopies and a significant reduction in the rate of vertical mixing in a flexible canopy, relative to the rigid analogue. Thus, while the use of dynamically-scaled vegetation models adds a layer of modelling complexity, it represents a step towards a more faithful recreation of flow and mixing in these systems.


The Thyropygus opinatus subgroup (Diplopoda: Harpagophoridae) of the T. allevatus group in Thailand is revised. Based on a phylogenetic analysis of mtDNA sequence data, it is merged with the T. bifurcus subgroup to form an extended T. opinatus subgroup. Nine new species are described: Thyropygus cimi sp. nov. and T. forceps sp. nov. from Nakhonsrithammarat Province, T. culter sp. nov., T. planispina sp. nov., T. undulatus sp. nov. and T. ursus sp. nov. from Krabi Province, T. mesocristatus sp. nov. from Songkhla Province, T. navychula sp. nov. from Phang-Nga Province and T. sutchariti sp. nov. from Phetchaburi Province.


Entrepreneurship and business creation is a priority area for many governments worldwide. Public administration can help to promote entrepreneurship through its decisions and the definition and implementation of public policies. This study analyzes the effect of six dimensions of quality of governance in business creation. We used panel data for a sample of 206 countries over the period of 2004 to 2014, divided into four subsamples generated from the income level of the countries. Furthermore, the study adopted a dual perspective, considering both immediate effects and delayed effects, resulting in two research hypotheses. The results show that for high-income countries, the political stability and absence of violence variable is significant. Adopting two-year lags in the statistical model resulted in a greater number of statistically significant explanatory variables. No homogeneous pattern is observed in the variables for statistical significance regarding the four income levels. This finding implies that the focus on good governance should primarily be regarded as a long-term perspective, rather than in terms of short cycles or simply electoral cycles.


Abstract. Rising atmospheric carbonate dioxide (CO2) levels lead to increasing CO2 concentration and declining pH in seawater, as well as ocean warming. This enhances stratification and shoals the upper mixed layer (UML), hindering the transport of nutrients from deeper waters and exposing phytoplankton to increased light intensities. In the present study, we investigated combined impacts of CO2 levels (410 μatm (LC) and 925 μatm (HC)), light intensities (80–480 μmol photons m−2 s−1) and nutrient concentrations [101 μmol L−1 dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and 10.5 μmol L−1 dissolved inorganic phosphate (DIP) (HNHP); 8.8 μmol L−1 DIN and 10.5 μmol L−1 DIP (LN); 101 μmol L−1 DIN and 0.4 μmol L−1 DIP (LP)] on growth, photosynthesis and calcification of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi. HC and LN synergistically decreased growth rates of E. huxleyi at all light intensities. High light intensities compensated for inhibition of LP on growth rates at LC, but exacerbated inhibition of LP at HC. These results indicate that the ability of E. huxleyi to compete for nitrate and phosphate may be reduced in future oceans with high CO2 and high light intensities. Low nutrient concentrations increased particulate inorganic carbon quotas and the sensitivity of maximum electron transport rates to light intensity. Light-use efficiencies for carbon fixation and calcification rates were significantly larger than that of growth. Our results suggest that interactive effects of multiple environmental factors on coccolithophores need to be considered when predicting their contributions to the biological carbon pump and feedbacks to climate change.