The Czech national awakening is habitually linked with Herder's influence as a Romantic and anti-Enlightenment happening. This study argues the opposite. It contradicts, at least in the Czech case, the idea, originally articulated by Hans Kohn, that European nationalism, particularly in the center and the east of the continent, was an expression of a particularist self-assertion, verging on (or passing into) xenophobia, and defying the rationalistic and cosmopolitan outlook of the Enlightenment. The objective of this study is, fi rst, to show that the pace-setters of the Czech national awakening functioned within the realistic rationalist Enlightenment, rather than within the emotional self-centeredness, growing out of the Romanticist ethos. They drew on other than the Herderian sources, primarily on the Josephist Enlightenment, and the subsequent liberal Catholicism, epitomized by Karl H. Seibt and Bernard Bolzano. The assumptions to the contrary were based on (1) the allegedly anti-national character of the Enlightenment; (2) a distaste for liberal Catholicism by both the offi cial Rome and the secularists; (3) an assumption of the obvious superiority of German culture; and (4) a confusion with the Slovak national romanticism.


Several recent estimates of global biodiversity have concluded that the total number of species on Earth lies near the lower end of the wide range touted in previous decades. However, none of these recent estimates formally explore the real "elephant in the room", namely, what proportion of species are taxonomically invisible to conventional assessments, and thus, as undiagnosed cryptic species, remain uncountable until revealed by multi-gene molecular assessments. Here we explore the significance and extent of so-called "hyper-cryptic" species complexes, using the Australian freshwater fish Galaxias olidus as a proxy for any organism whose taxonomy ought to be largely finalized when compared to those in little-studied or morphologically undifferentiated groups. Our comprehensive allozyme (838 fish for 54 putative loci), mtDNA (557 fish for 605 bp of cytb), and morphological (1963-3389 vouchers for 17-58 characters) assessment of this species across its broad geographic range revealed a 1500% increase in species-level biodiversity, and suggested that additional taxa may remain undiscovered. Importantly, while all 15 candidate species were morphologically diagnosable a posteriori from one another, single-gene DNA barcoding proved largely unsuccessful as an a priori method for species identification. These results lead us to draw two strong inferences of relevance to estimates of global biodiversity. First, hyper-cryptic complexes are likely to be common in many organismal groups. Second, no assessment of species numbers can be considered "best practice" in the molecular age unless it explicitly includes estimates of the extent of cryptic and hyper-cryptic biodiversity. [Galaxiidae; global estimates; hyper-diverse; mountain galaxias; species counts; species richness.].


The molecular repertoire of macrophages in health and disease can provide novel biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Th2-IL-4–activated macrophages (M2) have been associated with important diseases in mice, yet no specific markers are available for their detection in human tissues. Although mouse models are widely used for macrophage research, translation to the human can be problematic and the human macrophage system remains poorly described. In the present study, we analyzed and compared the transcriptome and proteome of human and murine macrophages under resting conditions (M0) and after IL-4 activation (M2). We provide a resource for tools enabling macrophage detection in human tissues by identifying a set of 87 macrophage-related genes. Furthermore, we extend current understanding of M2 activation in different species and identify Transglutaminase 2 as a conserved M2 marker that is highly expressed by human macrophages and monocytes in the prototypic Th2 pathology asthma.


The long-term stability of protective coating for metal is critically important for structural applications [1, 2]. Self-healing ability extend the service life of protective coatings leading to a significant reduction in maintenance cost for oil and gas pipe lines and structural parts in civil and construction industry. Recently, the self-healing technology based on healing agent loaded containers has been receiving attention [3, 4]. The incorporation of self- healing agent loaded containers into polymer matrix can be carried out using existing blending techniques. Hence, this technology facilitate large-scale application of self-healing materials [5]. Different micro or nano containers has been used for the storage and release of self-healing agents upon specific corrosion triggering conditions (e.g. on pH change) or upon mechanical damage [6]. Polymer capsules, polymer nanofibers, hollow glass bubbles, hollow glass fibers etc. were used by the researchers to load the healing agent inside their cavity. The inorganic particles with nano cavity offers large surface area, high pore volume and good stability favorable for the storage of the healing agents. Moreover, the usage of inorganic nanomaterials as reservoirs for healing agent can eliminate the tedious encapsulation process. The present study aims to use inorganic nanotubes and mesoporous silica as containers for healing agents in epoxy coating. The ability of Halloysite nanotubes (HNT), titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotube and mesoporous silica to load and release the healing agents are investigated and compared their performance. Among them, Halloysite nanotubes are naturally occurring clay mineral. Meanwhile, TiO2 nanotube and mesoporous silica are synthesised in laboratory and characterised using scanning electron microscopic (SEM), transmission electron microscopic (TEM) techniques and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis. The morphology of the nanotubes and mesoporous silica are shown in Fig. 1 (in supporting file). In this study, the epoxy pre-polymer and hardener are used as healing agents. Containers loaded with epoxy and hardener can provide a repair system with matching chemical entity with host epoxy coating. Both epoxy encapsulated nanotubes (either Halloysite or TiO2 nanotubes) and amine immobilized mesoporous silica are incorporated into epoxy, followed by the addition of diethylenetriamine curing agent. The mixture is coated on the metal with an average thickness of 300 μm. The controlled epoxy coatings are also prepared without nanotube and mesoporous silica. Epoxy coating loaded with encapsulated Halloysite nanotubes and immobilized mesoporous silica is abbreviated as 'EP/HNT/SiO2' and the one loaded with encapsulated TiO2 nanotubes and immobilized mesoporous silica is abbreviated as 'EP/ TiO2/SiO2'. The self-healing ability of the scratched coatings is monitored by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in definite time intervals for 5 days. Both EIS bode plots and tafel polarization curves are analysed to observe the self-healing ability of the coatings. For the scratched controlled epoxy coating, after an immersion time of 24 hours, the impedance curve drop to its minimum value over the entire frequency range and on further immersion period the impedance curve remains its minimum value. However, in the case of self-healing coatings, the initially declined impedance value recovers in successive days. The recovery in low frequency impedance values (at 0.01 Hz), which is a direct reflection of the recovery of corrosion resistance of the coating are evaluated. While EP/TiO2/SiO2 coating recovered 57% of its anticorrosive property, the EP/HNT/SiO2 coating recovered only 0.026%. This results suggest that the nature of the nanotubes affect the amount and rate of healing agent released into the scratched area from the tube lumen which itself affect the self-healing ability of the coating. SEM is also used to observe the healed scratches on the coatings. After 96 hours of immersion in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution, the scratches in EP/TiO2/SiO2 self-healing coatings are found to be almost covered. The results confirm the effective self-healing ability of the EP/TiO2/SiO2 coating in which the released epoxy pre-polymer from nanotube lumen get contact with the amine hardener immobilized in mesoporous silica and cross-link to cover the scratch. Acknowledgment: This abstract was made possible by PDRA grant # PDRA1-1216-13014 from the Qatar national research fund (a member of Qatar foundation). The findings achieved herein are solely the responsibility of the authors. References 1. C. Suryanarayana, K. Chowdoji Rao, Dhirendra Kumar, Preparation and characterization of microcapsules containing linseed oil and its use in self-healing coatings, Progress in Organic Coatings, 63 (2008) 72-78. 2. A. C. Balaskas, I. A. Kartsonakis, L.-A. Tziveleka, G. C. Kordas, Improvement of anti-corrosive properties of epoxy-coated AA 2024-T3 with TiO2 nanocontainers loaded with 8-hydroxyquinoline, Progress in Organic Coatings 74 (2012) 418-426. 3. E. M. Fayyad, M. A. AlMaadeed, A. Jones, A. M. Abdullah, Evaluation Techniques for the Corrosion Resistance of Self-Healing Coatings. International Journal of electrochemical science, 2014, 9, 4989-5011. 4. E. M. Fayyad, M. A. AlMaadeed, A. Johns, Preparation and characterization of urea–formaldehyde microcapsules filled with paraffin, Polymer Bulletin, 2015, 10.1007/s00289-015-1518-x (In Press). 5. D. Y. Zhu, M. Z. Rong, M. Q. Zhang, Self-healing polymeric materials based on microencapsulated healing agents: From design to preparation, Progress in Polymer Science, 49-50 (2015) 175-220. 6. H. Wei, Y. Wang, J. Guo, N. Z. Shen, D. Jiang, X. Zhang, X. Yan, J. Zhu, Q. Wang, L. Shao, H. Lin, S. Wei, Z. Guo, Advanced micro/nanocapsules for self-healing smart anticorrosion coatings, J. Mater. Chem. A, 3 (2015) 469-480.


OBJECTIVES
To explore patient and health worker perspectives on adherence to tuberculosis preventive therapy (TBPT), and to derive lessons for improving access to care amongst human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected individuals in resource-poor settings.

DESIGN
Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed. Patient records were reviewed for HIV-positive individuals attending a hospital-based HIV clinic between January 2000 and March 2002. Eighteen patients and two health care workers underwent in-depth interviews exploring perspectives around adherence.

RESULTS
Of 229 HIV-positive clinic attendees, 94 (41.0%) were eligible for TBPT. Of 87 patients initiating a 6-month TBPT course of isoniazid 300 mg daily, 41 (47.1%) completed TBPT. Of the 46 interrupters, 16 (34.7%) did not return to the clinic after receiving their first dose of TBPT. Barriers to adherence included fear of stigmatization, lack of money for food and transport, the belief that HIV is incurable, competition between Western and traditional medicine, and a reluctance to take medication in the absence of symptoms. Disclosure of HIV status, social and family support, and a supportive clinic environment positively influenced adherence.

CONCLUSION
Interventions to improve the accessibility and quality of the care delivery system have the potential to support adherence to TBPT and other HIV care regimens, including antiretroviral therapy.


The situation with swell is of climatological importance over the Baltic Sea since swell is present during as much as 40% of the time. In this study, two periods with unstable and two periods with stable stratification and wind following swell are investigated. Data are taken at a small flat island in the Baltic Sea. During unstable stratification the turbulent structure shows great resemblance to the free convective boundary layer and scales with the boundary layer height. Since surface heat flux is too small to support the high levels of turbulence present, inactive turbulence is probably the dominating source. For the stably stratified layer, there are smaller differences between data with and without swell. The turbulence is mainly transported upward into the atmosphere with the aid of pressure fluctuations induced by the waves. For most of the data with swell the gradients are smaller than for growing sea. During unstable conditions the wind gradients are negative, indicating the presence of a wave-driven wind. The gradients increase with increasing height above the surface. The drag coefficient is smaller than is usually found for both stable and unstable stratification and varies very little with wind and stratification. There are only small variations in the heat transfer coefficients with changing stratification, but they are significantly different for stable and unstable stratification.


Climate change and biodiversity loss are both pressing global problems. Efforts are being made to address the former through various mitigation and adaptation activities, but these may have consequences for biodiversity which are not identified or acknowledged. This book reviews how mitigation and adaptation measures in eight key areas: agriculture, forestry, energy, built environment, river and coastal flood management, health, tourism and leisure and conservation, identifying how they may impact positively or negatively on biodiversity. It also recognises the interactions which can occur between them and which may be neutral, synergistic or involve trade-offs. It shown how, by including biodiversity in mitigation and adaptation, co-benefits can be achieved and thus identifies cost-effective approaches to tackling climate change and biodiversity loss. This book will be of interest to researches in climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity and conservation, as well as policymakers involved in formulating adaptation and mitigation strategies and stakeholders engaged in their implementation


We elicited caregiver-reported observations of children aged 5-10 who were deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) that resulted in two age-specific instruments: Caregiver Report of Behaviors and Events (CROBE-DHH 5-7 and 8-10). These new instruments record observations on communication and social behaviors/events. In Study 1, 36 caregivers provided qualitative data on important content on what they were able to observe for instrument development and in Study 2, 271 provided data for studying cross-sectional measurement properties. Two modules resulted in 11 items for children age 5-7 and 15 items for children 8-10 years. Items showing good 7-day reproducibility (ICC over .70) and fair 4-week reproducibility (ICC over .50) were retained. Children with milder hearing loss received higher (better) scores. Items did not distinguish between those with or without cochlear implants. Analyses suggest that the instruments are best used as individual indicator items. In both age groups, caregivers reported youths missed out on family conversations and spent little time on their own. These content-validated indicators apply to all children with DHH. Further work will evaluate the usefulness of these indicators in evaluating change in communication and social behaviors, and the implications of results for intervention.


This introduction illustrates the modalities in which different societies imagine the tension between the impersonal and individual- ized aspects of fortune and fate. After briefly discussing the role of contingency, fortune, and gambling in the formation of subjectivities, we outline how different societies confront the moral conundrums arising from fortune's unequal distribution in the world. We highlight how luck orientations presentify the future by the deployment of what we name 'technologies of anticipation'. Luck and fortune can be seen as conceptual techniques for short-circuiting temporal subjectivities by creating a crack in time—a space of 'compossibility'—where events deemed to be fatal and inevitable become negotiable. We conclude with a reflection on dice, randomness, and acts of gambling in which not merely subjectivities but the fate or fortune of larger social aggrega- tions—including the cosmos—is deemed at stake.


Aims In perennial species, the allocation of resources to reproduction results in a reduction of allocation to vegetative growth and, therefore, impacts future reproductive success. As a consequence, variation in this trade-off is among the most important driving forces in the life-history evolution of perennial plants and can lead to locally adapted genotypes. In addition to genetic variation, phenotypic plasticity might also contribute to local adaptation of plants to local conditions by mediating changes in reproductive allocation. Knowledge on the importance of genetic and environmental effects on the trade-off between reproduction and vegetative growth is therefore essential to understand how plants may respond to environmental changes. Methods We conducted a transplant experiment along an altitudinal gradient from 425 m to 1921 m in the front range of the Western Alps of Switzerland to assess the influence of both altitudinal origin of populations and altitude of growing site on growth, reproductive allocation and local adaptation in Poa alpina. The proportion of the number of reproductive tillers by the total number of tillers - was used as a proxy for reproductive allocation. Important findings In our study, the investment in reproduction increased with plant size. Plant growth and the relative importance of reproductive investment decreased in populations originating from higher altitudes compared to populations originating from lower altitudes. The changes in reproductive investment were mainly explained by differences in plant size. In contrast to genetic effects, phenotypic plasticity of all traits measured was low and not related to altitude. As a result, the population from the lowest altitude of origin performed best at all sites. Our results indicate that in P. alpina genetic differences in growth and reproductive investment are related to local conditions affecting growth, i.e. interspecific competition and soil moisture content.


Our unequal global food system is unsustainable for people and planet. We urgently need to rethink how the world feeds its people. The food crisis we are facing is not new. Extreme inequality and poverty, rights abuses, conflict, climate change and inflation – exacerbated by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine – mean that hundreds of millions of people do not have enough to eat. While millions of people are struggling to find their next meal, the world's main food traders have made record profits, adding billions to their collective wealth. This paper debunks 10 myths about our food system and provides an alternative framing that will lead to better outcomes for the long term. We must shift our current food system from an industrial, exploitative and extractive model to a local and sustainable one that contributes to climate resilience and realizes people's right to food – one that reduces inequality and poverty.


The central theme of the book is the flow of information from experimental approaches in biofilm research to simulation and modeling of complex wastewater systems. Probably the greatest challenge in wastewater research lies in using the methods and the results obtained in one scientific discipline to design intelligent experiments in other disciplines, and eventually to improve the knowledge base the practitioner needs to run wastewater treatment plants.

The purpose of Biofilms in Wastewater Treatment is to provide engineers with the knowledge needed to apply the new insights gained by researchers. The authors provide an authoritative insight into the function of biofilms on a technical and on a lab-scale, cover some of the exciting new basic microbiological and wastewater engineering research involving molecular biology techniques and microscopy, and discuss recent attempts to predict the development of biofilms.

This book is divided into 3 sections: Modeling and Simulation; Architecture, Population Structure and Function; and From Fundamentals to Practical Application, which all start with a scientific question. Individual chapters attempt to answer the question and present different angles of looking at problems. In addition there is an extensive glossary to familiarize the non-expert with unfamiliar terminology used by microbiologists and computational scientists.

ISBN: 9781843390077 (Print)

ISBN: 9781780402741 (eBook)


BACKGROUND
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is widely used to diagnose overweight and obesity. However, there are limitations on the use of BMI and development of alternative measures can be of clinical importance. This study aimed to compare specificity and sensitivity of weight for height (W/H), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHTR) with BMI-for-age in diagnosing overweight and obesity in Thai school-age children.

METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study. Children between the ages of 6 and 13 who attended elementary schools were potential participants of the study. BMI, W/H, WC, and WHTR were calculated for each participant. The optimal cut-off points for the diagnosis of overweight and obesity by W/H, WC and WHTR were generated by the receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC).

RESULTS
Using BMI cut-off points introduced by WHO, the overall prevalence of overweight and obesity in the study population was 24.6% and 12.9% respectively. W/H, WC, and WHTR all showed acceptable sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing overweight and obesity when compared to BMI-for-age results. W/H had a particularly high correlation with BMI-for-age.

CONCLUSION
Cut-off points of 112% and 125% W/H are validated to determine overweight and obesity in Thai school-aged children.


During the practicum period, the student researcher interned at MYDEL to gain a better understanding of the challenges and successes of the non-formal education (NFE) sector in urban Kampala, and in particular the Kisenyi neighborhood of Mengo. In the slum areas of Mengo, many children and youth are unable to afford school fees and thus are more susceptible to turn to a street life, which entails the following: extreme poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, young marriage, early childbirth, rape, or sexual abuse. MYDEL as an organization works to combat this cycle by instructing the children and youth of Mengo in basic academic courses and vocational training. Through teaching in the functional literacy classroom for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and through interacting with the youth in vocational training, the researcher developed an insight into the reasons why these members of society are pushed away from formal education. In addition to participant observations and informal interviews, the researcher conducted formal interviews through home and community visits in Kisenyi and with the KCC coordinator for Basic Education for Urban Poverty Areas (BEUPA). The researcher also utilized literature relating to formal and NFE in Uganda from the SIT Resource Center and from the internet. Individuals and families in Mengo are barely able or unable to meet their basic needs of food, shelter, and clothing. Due to these pressing concerns, education of children and youth is often not a monetary priority for families. Programs such as MYDEL and BEUPA work to combat the educational inequalities children in the Kampala slums by offering basic classes and by attempting to find sponsors for children to be able to attend Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools. Both the staff of MYDEL and Kisenyi community members recognizes the importance of educating the children and the youth, but the success of NFE continues to be obstructed by inefficient and inconsistent classes, lack of financial and academic resources, and physical and emotional health problems of the community. In attempting to implement NFE in Kisenyi, MYDEL encounters these and other challenges. Slum life is not conducive to consistent and productive academic and vocational classes. MYDEL counters these obstacles by providing for more than basic


Different features have different relevance to a particular learning problem. Some features are less relevant; while some very important. Instead of selecting the most relevant features using feature selection, an algorithm can be given this knowledge of feature importance based on expert opinion or prior learning. Learning can be faster and more accurate if learners take feature importance into account. Correlation aided Neural Networks (CANN) is presented which is such an algorithm. CANN treats feature importance as the correlation coefficient between the target attribute and the features. CANN modifies normal feed-forward Neural Network to fit both correlation values and training data. Empirical evaluation shows that CANN is faster and more accurate than applying the two step approach of feature selection and then using normal learning algorithms.


Models for the transmission of light through either rough-surface or bulk diffusers are presented. Since the transmission function contains a dependence on the input angle, it is convenient to use an angular-spectrum representation for the input illumination in the general case. Computer simulations of far-zone speckle patterns and analytical calculations of the ensemble-averaged radiation patterns are made with and without the angle dependence in the transmission function. We find that this angular dependence is relatively unimportant with input illumination near normal incidence. However, the computer simulation demonstrates that the angle dependence can make a significant difference in the detail of the speckle pattern for a complex input spectrum or even for a single plane wave at large (≥30°) angles of incidence. The essential effect of the angle dependence on the averaged radiation patterns is to increase the effective roughness of the diffuser.


Despite available diagnostic tests and recent advances, diagnosis of pulmonary invasive aspergillosis (IPA) remains challenging. We performed a longitudinal case-control pilot study to identify host-specific, novel, and immune-relevant molecular candidates indicating IPA in patients post allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT). Supported by differential gene expression analysis of six relevant in vitro studies, we conducted RNA sequencing of three alloSCT patients categorized as probable IPA cases and their matched controls without Aspergillus infection (66 samples in total). We additionally performed immunoassay analysis for all patient samples to gain a multi-omics perspective. Profiling analysis suggested LGALS2, MMP1, IL-8, and caspase-3 as potential host molecular candidates indicating IPA in investigated alloSCT patients. MMP1, IL-8, and caspase-3 were evaluated further in alloSCT patients for their potential to differentiate possible IPA cases and patients suffering from COVID-19-associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) and appropriate control patients. Possible IPA cases showed differences in IL-8 and caspase-3 serum levels compared with matched controls. Furthermore, we observed significant differences in IL-8 and caspase-3 levels among CAPA patients compared with control patients. With our conceptual work, we demonstrate the potential value of considering the human immune response during Aspergillus infection to identify immune-relevant molecular candidates indicating IPA in alloSCT patients. These human host candidates together with already established fungal biomarkers might improve the accuracy of IPA diagnostic tools.


Policymakers in the Dominican Republic have responded to foreign pressure by rewriting their labor laws and revitalizing their labor ministry. What are the likely consequences? Is aggressive labor law enforcement more likely to protect vulnerable workers from abuse and exploitation or to undermine their ability to compete for labor-intensive employment in an unforgiving world economy? And what are the broader implications of the answer? I address these questions by analyzing qualitative as well as quantitative data on workplace regulators empowered by the Dominican Republic in response to trade-related labor standards imposed by the United States and find that they reconcile social protection with economic adjustment by simultaneously discouraging "low road" employment practices like informality, union-busting, and the exploitation of child labor, and encouraging "high road" alternatives that link firms, farms, and families, on the one hand, to public educational, training, and financial institutions, on the other. The result is a potentially inclusive alternative to the repressive industrial relations regime that fueled export-led development – and the East Asian "miracle" in particular – in the late twentieth century.


Earlier research indicates that overweight and obese individuals face weight bias and discrimination in multiple domains, including healthcare settings. Evidence suggests that obese people are faced with anti-fat attitudes from healthcare providers, with common perceptions that they are lazy, stupid, worthless, lacking in self-control and willpower, non-compliant with treatment, unsuccessful, undisciplined, unintelligent and dishonest. There is further evidence indicating that weight bias in healthcare settings leads to poor quality of care. While research has found weight bias to be present in various societal domains, namely, educational and occupational settings, retail and healthcare, there has been limited investigation into weight bias among mental health professionals (MHPs). This study therefore examines, the degree of explicit and implicit weight bias among MHPs who have, or who are treating patients who are overweight and/or obese, the impact of an empathy-evoking intervention, and the behavioural outcomes and practice implications. Two hypotheses and five sub-hypotheses were offered in line with previous research: 1) participants would report negative explicit and implicit attitudes towards obesity; 2) the experimental group would report reduced anti-fat attitudes post-intervention; and 3a) overweight/obese participants would indicate anti-fat attitudes towards patients who are overweight/obese due to an absence of 'in-group' bias; 3b) younger participants would hold more negative anti-fat attitudes towards their patients who are overweight/obese; 3c-e) differences in anti-fat attitudes between ethnicity, gender and occupational approaches would be evident.

125 London-based MHPs between the ages of 25-69 years-old volunteered to participate. Participants working as either Psychologists, Psychotherapists, CBT Therapists or Counsellors, completed a demographics questionnaire, as well as the measures of explicit and implicit attitudes towards obesity. Study hypotheses were examined using Multivariate Analyses of Variance (MANOVA) on the pre-intervention for each independent variable (age, sex, ethnicity, BMI, occupation, working privately and working with patients who are overweight/obese), and on the discrepancy data (difference between the post- and pre-intervention data) against the intervention groups. A Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) was conducted on the discrepancy data for each independent variable (covariates) with intervention group as fixed factor. Follow-up one-way ANOVAs were employed to examine attitudes in relation to the demographic characteristics, with post hoc tests or independent samples t-tests used where there was significance.

Analysis on the overall pre-intervention data suggests that participants generally held negative explicit and implicit attitudes towards obesity. Differences based on sex, age, ethnicity, BMI, and occupation were evident, however it was only age and occupation at pre-intervention testing, and specifically 'Young Adults' and 'Counsellors', which were shown to hold statistically significant negative explicit attitudes toward their overweight and/or obese patients. Analysis on the overall post-intervention data suggests that participants generally maintained their negative explicit and implicit attitudes towards obesity, with the intervention video significantly affecting the experimental group participant's attitudes from pre- to post intervention testing, however not in the direction anticipated. The anti-fat attitudes of those within the experimental group were shown to become more negative post-intervention.

The study findings contribute to evidence that patients who are overweight and obese seeking mental healthcare are discriminated against and are subjected to weight biases in such settings. These findings provide insight for not just Counselling Psychologists, but for all practitioners working within mental healthcare who may be unaware of the existence of any explicit and/or implicit weight biases, the difficulty in modifying these biases, and the implications of these attitudes on the various therapeutic dynamics within their practice.


Explicitly Teaching Multiple Modes of Representation in Science Discourse: The Impact on Middle School Science Student Learning Ryan S. Nixon Department of Teacher Education Master of Arts The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of explicitly teaching multiple modes of representation (MMR) on middle school students' understanding of science content and their use of MMR on a science unit test. Participants in this quasi-experimental study were seventhand eighth-grade students enrolled in science courses taught by three different middle school science teachers. Half of the students received explicit instruction in MMR in addition to their regular science instruction; the other half received only regular science instruction. Ordinary least squares multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between gain scores on unit assessments, whether students received explicit MMR instruction, and demographic variables. Additionally, regression analysis was used to examine how receiving explicit instruction in MMR and demographic variables predicted student use of MMR on the final test. These analyses indicated that receiving explicit instruction in MMR did not influence students' gain scores or use of MMR on a final test. However, Latinos and females used MMR more often than Whites and males, respectively, on the final test, even though these two groups of students did not use MMR more often on the first test. This suggests that Latinos and females may be placed at a disadvantage when compared to some of their peers by the bias towards using words that is present in the U.S. school system. This study also highlights challenges in creating instruments that assess student learning in MMR and difficulties in interpreting multimodal responses. Implications for classroom teachers and educational researchers are also discussed.


"All I can say is that there was something - right from the first. A stubby little mare, bright bay with remarkably large ears. A white star on her forehead shaped like Madagascar, and a huge arse..."This is the story of an extraordinary relationship - and an extraordinary horse. When Barnes buys Dolly Dolores VII, he knows he has got something special. She is feisty, restless, mysterious - sometimes crazily unpredictable. But she is also, to her owner's delight, a jumper of mesmerising poise and skill; she canters like a ballerina, gallops like a wild thing. Then, one day, Dolly does something so startling, so inexplicable that she brings her owner to breaking point. Barnes is faced with a terrible decision... The Horsey Life is about a friendship pushed to its limits; but it is also filled with larks and joy - a book which takes you right to the heart of the world of horses and those that love them.


Abstract

One cannot begin to understand EU foreign policy without taking identity politics into account. First, the differential Europeanization of national identities explains to a large degree why the current European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) has not been supranationalized. Second, the gap between the EU's grandiose rhetoric of being a 'force for good' in the world and its inability to put this foreign policy identity at work into practice, largely results from the fact that the EU's construction of a distinct foreign policy identity is inward rather than outward-oriented. Last, but not least, the EU enlargement discourse, particularly about Turkey, has as much to do with contested self-descriptions of the EU and what follows for its boundaries than with any security or economic considerations. The article starts with conceptual remarks on collective identity, followed by three case studies focusing on the lack of supranationalization of the ESDP, the EU's foreign policy construction as a civilian power, and the enlargement discourse, particularly with regard to Turkey. I conclude with some policy recommendations.

Policy Implications

•
A 'coalition of the willing' should move ahead towards permanent structured cooperation in foreign and defence matters, irrespective of British objections.

•
The more the EU pursues a coherent foreign policy with one voice, the more it will recognize that its foreign policy identity and its 'vision for the world' need to be adjusted.

•
It is more important for European identity creation to pursue a coherent foreign policy than to embark on an identity discourse that cannot be put in practice.

•
We need more rather than less public controversies about the boundaries of the EU and how these borders reflect European identity.


It is acknowledged that for successful mitigation of flood risk there is a need for an integrated, basin-wide approach. This is particularly important in transboundary river basins that cross administrative borders where the actions of multiple stakeholders must be coordinated from source to mouth. The Ciliwung River, Indonesia, presents an example of a complex urban basin that crosses multiple administrative borders. The increasing frequency and severity of floods in the downstream capital city of Jakarta has highlighted the urgent need for more effective governance arrangements to tackle flooding. However, it is not clear what form these arrangements should take to be effective. In order to understand how transboundary river management arrangements can be improved to mitigate flood hazard impacts, it is first important to identify the nature of the existing management arrangements and how they relate and interact with the flood hazard. To do this, a conceptual framework was developed. The framework firstly outlines the flood hazard itself in terms of drivers and impacts. It then goes on to establish the associated transboundary governance and river management arrangements and seeks to identify any interdependencies. Key concepts were drawn from a review of the literature, conducted using online databases and search engines. The review included published journal and conference papers as well as reports published by organisations which were identified through online searches. The framework highlights multiple interrelated drivers of flood risk, both human and physical. There are also a range of governance issues related to capacities, coordination of institutions and fragmentation of plans and policies identified within the river basin, which need to be overcome. Due to the complexities of flood risk and river management, this conceptual framework provides much needed clarity to facilitate future research on transboundary management in relation to flood risk in urban and peri-urban river basins. It sets a framework for the development of improved transboundary management arrangements in the Ciliwung River Basin.


As data moves between actors and organizations, what emerges is a data supply chain. Unlike manufacturing supply chains, transferred data is often duplicated in the process, challenging the essence of ownership. What does ethical data labor look like? How are the various stakeholders held accountable for being good data guardians? What does clean data transfer look like? What kinds of best practices can business and government put into place? What upstream rights to data providers have over downstream commercialization of their data?


An elevated Schroder path is a lattice path that uses the steps $(1,1)$, $(1,-1)$, and $(2,0)$, that begins and ends on the $x$-axis, and that remains strictly above the $x$-axis otherwise. The total area of elevated Schroder paths of length $2n+2$ satisfies the recurrence $f_{n+1}=6f_n-f_{n-1}$, $n \geq 2$, with the initial conditions $f_0=1$, $f_1=7$. A combinatorial interpretation of this recurrence is given, by first introducing sets of unrestricted paths whose cardinality also satisfies the recurrence relation and then establishing a bijection between the set of these paths and the set of triangles constituting the total area of elevated Schroder paths.


Abstract The composition of the lithosphere can be fundamentally altered by long-lived subduction processes such that subduction-modified lithosphere can survive for hundreds of millions of years. Incorrect petrotectonic interpretations result when spatial–temporal–compositional trends of, and source contributions to, magmatism are not properly considered. Western Mexico has had protracted Cenozoic magmatism developed mostly in-board of active oceanic plate subduction beneath western North America. A broad range of igneous compositions from basalt to high-silica rhyolite were erupted with intermediate to silicic compositions in particular, showing calc-alkaline and other typical subduction-related geochemical signatures. A major Oligocene rhyolitic ignimbrite 'flare-up' (>300 000 km3) switched to a bimodal volcanic phase in the Early Miocene (c. 100 000 km3), associated with distributed extension and opening of numerous graben. Extension became more focused c. 18 Ma resulting in localized volcanic activity along the future site of the Gulf of California. This localized volcanism (known as the Comondú 'arc') was dominantly effusive and andesite–dacite in composition. Past tectonic interpretations of Comondú-age volcanism may have been incorrect as these regional temporal–compositional changes are alternatively interpreted as a result of increased mixing of mantle-derived basaltic and crust-derived rhyolitic magmas in an active rift environment rather than fluid flux melting of the mantle wedge above the subducting Guadalupe Plate. Supplementary material: References from which whole-rock geochemical and radiometric age data have been compiled in this paper are available at http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18645


Applications of transport time scales are pervasive in biological, hydrologic, and geochemical studies yet these times scales are not consistently defined and applied with rigor in the literature. We compare three transport time scales (flushing time, age, and residence time) commonly used to measure the retention of water or scalar quantities transported with water. We identify the underlying assumptions associated with each time scale, describe procedures for computing these time scales in idealized cases, and identify pitfalls when real‐world systems deviate from these idealizations. We then apply the time scale definitions to a shallow 378 ha tidal lake to illustrate how deviations between real water bodies and the idealized examples can result from: (1) non‐steady flow; (2) spatial variability in bathymetry, circulation, and transport time scales; and (3) tides that introduce complexities not accounted for in the idealized cases. These examples illustrate that no single transport time scale is valid for all time periods, locations, and constituents, and no one time scale describes all transport processes. We encourage aquatic scientists to rigorously define the transport time scale when it is applied, identify the underlying assumptions in the application of that concept, and ask if those assumptions are valid in the application of that approach for computing transport time scales in real systems.


This is a study of four plays of William Wycherley. It argues that Wycherley was not so much an attacking playwright but rather a thinking one, fascinated by the workings and motivations of fallible and insecure men and women. This book's assessments of male relationships, of women's sexuality, of the numerous and various sexual entendres, and the reevaluations of some three dozen characters are all new or at the very least more substantial than heretofore.


Abstract Economic experiments, or attempts to shape national and local economies with the help of economic theory, have been typical of post-war development efforts. Economic sociologists have explored the role of such experiments to demonstrate how economics – as a set of practices, ideas and technologies – enacts its worlds. This paper examines one such case of high-powered economic theory and its enactment in an emergent West African oil economy by focusing on economist Jeffrey Sachs's advisory project in São Tomé and Príncipe. It pivots on the 'resource curse', an economic device that has recently gained purchase in global policy circles. This paper argues that economic devices are not simply imposed on pre-arranged worlds. Instead, they collide with and adjust to already existing politico-economic and socio-cultural conditions, resulting in complex articulations. Drawing on ethnographic material, I critique the ability of the resource curse to make sense fully of apprehensions of the past, present and future consequences of extractive industry developments. Contrasting economic accounts of an incipient curse with competing and complementary local accounts of the effects of oil wealth, I propose a new model for the sociological analysis of the variety of articulations into which an economic device, such as the curse, may enter.


Objective: The close similarity between the symptoms of alcohol intoxication and low blood glucose levels makes it difficult for breathalyzers to make the distinction between a diabetic and an individual who is driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or driving while intoxicated (DWI). In Jamaica, it is illegal if a person's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is ≥ 35 microgram per 100 milliliter of breath on the breathalyzer and the intoxilyzer devices. The aim of the present study was to examine the extent to which the breathalyzer test provided false blood alcohol measurements in persons with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Design: The purposive and snowball sampling methods were used to collect information from motorists who were accused and charged by the police for DUI/DWI. Data was collected during the period from 2007-2009, from respondents at the St. Andrew Traffic Court, at their work stations and other convenient locations. The data were stored and analyzed by using SPSS version 17.0. Results: Of the 53 respondents, 73.6% were of type 1 diabetes mellitus status and 53.8% were those who were suspected by the police to be DUI/DWI and hence, the breathalyzer test resulted in 42.9% of the respondents showing a reading of ≥ 35 microgram per 100 millilitre of breath. The findings showed a correlation (β² = 0.75) between the respondents with type 1 diabetes mellitus and wobbly (41.7%) and faintish/dizzy (20.8%) equilibrium when examined by the police. There was a high association between the diabetics who were unlikely to consume alcohol and those who were unlikely to be DUI/DWI (C = 0.725, P < 0.01, β = 0.01). The respondents of type 2 diabetes were 14 (26.4%), of which 8 failed the breathalyzer examination and were subjected to a blood test. Conclusions: Motorists with type 1 diabetes mellitus, who were subjected to a breathalyzer examination, were charged and they faced the court for being accused of DUI/DWI. The ignorance of the police officers and the respondents on this matter can result in similar repeated cases of this nature.


Integrated information theory postulates that the particular way stimuli appear when we consciously experience them arises from integrated information relationships across neural populations. We investigated if such equivalence holds by testing if similar/different percepts map onto similar/different information structures. We computed integrated information structure from intracranial EEGs recorded in 6 neurosurgical patients who had electrodes implanted over posterior cortices. During recording, we dissociated subjective percepts from physical inputs in three distinct stimulus paradigms (passive viewing, continuous flash suppression, and backward masking). Unsupervised classification showed that integrated information within stimulus-selective cortical regions classified visual experiences with significant accuracy (peaking on average around 64% classification accuracy). Classification by other relevant information theoretic measures such as mutual information and entropy was consistently poorer (56% and 54% accuracy). The findings argue that concepts from integrated information theory are empirically testable, promising a potential link between conscious experience and informational structures.


Implementation of the Enhancements to Canada's Industrial and Regional Benefits Policy. Canadian Industrial Development requirements associated with Federal Government Procurement


Background: In a patrilineal surnames society a surname should correlate with a type of the Y chromosome. Aims: To study surnames of those who committed suicide and to investigate influence of various variables on the probability of suicide in subsamples of surnames at high suicide risk. Method: In a sample of records for all 186.443 deaths of males in the period 1985-2003 in Slovenia the following variables were studied: surname, mode of death, age and region of residency. The surname which exhibited at least 10 suicide deaths in the period and for which the proportion of suicide was significantly higher than the average was considered as a high risk surname. Results: The logistic regression linking the binary variable (suicide-other deaths) to other variables in 1213 males with the 5, 10 or 20 surnames that are most at risk showed that age, but not regionality, remained significant. Conclusion: Much of the regional variation can be attributed to the variation of the proportion of surnames at risk. Some evidence of the claim that when somebody moves between regions it is rather the "surname" that carries the information about propensity to suicide than the region they are in at the time of death. Language: en


Daytime thermospheric temperatures and wind velocities have been inferred from dual Fabry-Perot spectrometer observations of the atomic oxygen emission line at lambda630 nm, and this paper details the analysis procedures applied to the recorded spectra. Numerical simulation of the recorded spectra was used to examine the limitations imposed by analysis assumptions and by the influence of atmospheric molecular oxygen and water vapor absorption lines near lambda630 nm. The observational and analysis procedures provide a reliable ground-based means of monitoring the thermal and dynamical state of the neutral thermosphere during the daytime.


abstract Long-distance dependencies are notoriously difficult to analyze in a formally explicit way because they involve constituents that seem to have been extracted from their canonical position in an utterance. The most widespread solution is to identify a gap at an extraction site and to communicate information about that gap to its filler, as in What_FILLERdid you see_GAP? This paper rejects the filler−gap solution and proposes a cognitive-functional alternative in which long-distance dependencies spontaneously emerge as a side effect of how grammatical constructions interact with each other for expressing different conceptualizations. The proposal is supported by a computational implementation in Fluid Construction Grammar that works for both parsing and production.


PERCEPTIONS OF CLASSROOM SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT HELD BY COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS AND INSTRUCTORS IN DEVELOPMENTAL COURSES by Ann Cooper Bartholomay The purpose of this study was to determine students' classroom social environment needs by identifying characteristics of actual and ideal classroom environments as perceived by students taking developmental math or English courses in Virginia community colleges, characteristics of the actual classroom environments as perceived by their instructors, and characteristics of actual and ideal classroom environments as perceived by subgroups of students. The subgroups were formed by gender, race, age, type of developmental course, size of college, and whether students were first generation college students. The Adult Classroom Environment Scale was administered to students and instructors in developmental studies classes in Virginia community colleges during the Fall, 1993, semester. The statistical procedures used to analyze the data were £-tests for independent means, t.-tests for dependent (correlated) means, analyses of variance, and the Newman-Keuls Post Hoc Multiple Comparison Procedure. Findings indicated that students and instructors viewed Teacher Support and Organization and Clarity as the two most prevalent dimensions in the classroom environment. Students' preference for an ideal classroom environment indicated a desire for increased attention to Involvement, Affiliation, Personal Goal Attainment, and Student Influence, but not to Task Orientation. Special ideal classroom environment needs were identified for subgroups. Younger, Asian, and American Indian students expressed a need for emphasis on Personal Goal Attainment and Student Influence. Teacher Support was especially important to women and men; white, Asian, and Hispanic students; younger and older students; both math and English students; first-generation and non-first-generation students; and students in large and small colleges. Instructors' views of the dimensions in the actual classroom environment were higher than students, except for Personal Goal Attainment and Student Influence. iii INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL This is to certify that the following study has been filed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of East Tennessee State University. Title of Grant or Project Perceptions of Classroom Social Environment Held bv Virginia Community College Students and Instructors in Developmental Courses_________________________ Principal Investigator Ann Cooper Bartholomay______________ Department Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis_____ Date Submitted September 9. 1993-____________________________ Institutions Chairman


The recent high-performance interfaces like DDR2, DDR3, USB and Serial ATA require their output drivers to provide a minimum variation of rise and fall times over Process, Voltage, and Temperature (PVT) and output load variations. As the interface speed grows up, the output drivers have been important component for high quality signal integrity, because the output voltage levels and slew rate are mainly determined by the output drivers. The output driver impedance compliance with the transmission line is a key factor in noise minimization due to the signal reflections. In this paper, the different implementations of PVT compensation circuits are analyzed for cmos45nm and cmos65nm technology processes. One of the considered PVT compensation circuits uses the analog compensation approach. This circuit was designed in cmos45nm technology. Other two PVT compensation circuits use the digital compensation method. These circuits were designed in cmos65nm technology. Their electrical characteristics are matched with the requirements for I/O drivers with respect to DDR2 and DDR3 standards. DDR2 I/O design was done by the Freescale wireless design team for mobile phones and later was re-used for other high speed interface designs. In conclusion, the advantages and disadvantages of considered PVT control circuits are analyzed.


Nasty, below-the-belt campaigns, mudslinging, and character attacks. These tactics have become part and parcel of today's election politics in America, and judicial elections are no exception. Attacking Judges takes a close look at the effects of televised advertising, including harsh attacks, on state supreme court elections. Author Melinda Gann Hall investigates whether these divisive elections have damaging consequences for representative democracy. To do this, Hall focuses on two key aspects of those elections: the vote shares of justices seeking reelection and the propensity of state electorates to vote. In doing so, Attacking Judges explores vital dimensions of the conventional wisdom that campaign politics has deleterious consequences for judges, voters, and state judiciaries. Countering the prevailing wisdom with empirically based conclusions, Hall uncovers surprising and important insights, including new revelations on how attack ads influence public engagement with judicial elections and their relative effectiveness in various types of state elections. Attacking Judges is a testament to the power of institutions in American politics and the value of empirical political science research in helping to inform some of the most significant debates on the public agenda. This book's results smartly contest and eradicate many of the fears judicial reformers have about the damaging effects of campaign negativity in modern state supreme court elections.


This book examines the connections between the commercial fishing industry in colonial America and the American Revolution, Christopher P. Magra places the origins and progress of this formative event in a wider Atlantic context. The Fisherman's Cause utilizes extensive research from archives in the United States, Canada, and the UK in order to take this Atlantic approach. Dried, salted cod represented the most lucrative export in New England. The fishing industry connected colonial producers to transatlantic markets in the Iberian Peninsula and the West Indies. Parliament's coercive regulation of this branch of colonial maritime commerce contributed to colonists' willingness to engage in a variety of revolutionary activities. Colonists then used the sea to resist British authority. Fish merchants converted transatlantic trade routes into military supply lines, and they transformed fishing vessels into warships. Fishermen armed and manned the first American Navy, served in the first coast guard units, and fought on privateers. These maritime activities helped secure American independence.


One of the most remarkable features of contemporary international relations is the new prestige accorded universal standards of human rights. However, NATO's attempt to redeem the promise of human rights by way of military intervention during the recent Kosovo crisis may have established a disturbing precedent for humanitarianism. The Alliance exploited the capabilities of precision weaponry and digital information systems to wage war with air power alone, thus avoiding entirely the deployment of ground troops and the domestic political exposure such a deployment inevitably involves. The best available evidence is that this approach had little immediate effect on the atrocities carried out by Serbian troops in Kosovo and that NATO's overriding concern with casualty-avoidance in war undermined both the effectiveness and the moral legitimacy of humanitarian intervention. Even more disturbing is the question whether NATO's action implies that states endowed with the advanced military assets that were brought to bear against Serbia will adopt a casual policy on the conduct of limited war, a policy at odds with the lessons of the twentieth century.


Transgenic tomato plants with reduced expression of the sucrose transporter SlSUT2 showed higher efficiency of mycorrhization suggesting a sucrose retrieval function of SlSUT2 from the peri-arbuscular space back into the cell cytoplasm plant cytoplasm thereby limiting mycorrhiza fungal development. Sucrose uptake in colonized root cells requires efficient plasma membrane-targeting of SlSUT2 which is often retained intracellularly in vacuolar vesicles. Protein-protein interaction studies suggested a link between SISUT2 function and components of brassinosteroid biosynthesis and signaling. Indeed, the tomato DWARF mutant dx defective in BR synthesis1 showed significantly reduced mycorrhization parameters.2 The question has been raised whether the impact of brassinosteroids on mycorrhization is a general phenomenon. Here, we include a rice mutant defective in DIM1/DWARF1 involved in BR biosynthesis to investigate the effects on mycorrhization. A model is presented where brassinolides are able to impact mycorrhization by activating SUT2 internalization and inhibiting its role in sucrose retrieval.


With the increasing importance of computer-based communication technologies, communication networks are becoming crucial in supply chain management. Given the objectives of the supply chain: to have the right products in the right quantities, at the right place, at the right moment and at minimal cost, supply chain management is situated at the intersection of different professional sectors. This is particularly the case in construction, since building needs for its fabrication the incorporation of a number of industrial products. This paper provides a review of the main approaches to supply chain communications as used mainly in manufacturing industries. The paper analyses the extent to which these have been applied to construction. It also reviews the on-going developments and research activities in this domain.


The objectives of this research were to examine the effect of the sucrose polyester coating Semperfresh® on the physiology and biochemistry of 'Conference' pear tissues; to determine how Semperfresh® affects the rate of tissue invasion by Penicillium expansum and Monilinia fructigena; and to determine the physiological basis for any such effect.

'Conference' pears coated with 0.5 or 1% Semperfresh® and sampled after 0, 2, 4, and 5 months storage at 0°C showed signs of delayed ripening as indicated by the recorded firmness, sugar contents, starch contents, and colour data. Additional information indicated that Semperfresh® had a greater effect on firmness when compared to other quality attributes such as colour and starch conversion. Semperfresh® (1%) significantly reduced the external and internal lesion dimensions recorded after artificial inoculation with P. expansum and M. fructigena, having a greater effect on the rate of growth of Monilinia fructigena in comparison to Penicillium expansum.

When fruits were exposed to controlled atmosphere (CA) environments to generate a similar internal gas atmosphere (IGA) to that induced by coating there was a decrease in the rate of lesion growth for P. expansum and M. fructigena. Generally the magnitude of the effect varied accordingly to the extent of IGA modification in the same way for fruit which are coated and those in CA. The gas atmosphere developing in 1% Semperfresh® coated fruit was reproduced using 8% CO2 combined with 7% O2. Coated and CA stored 'Conference' pears inoculated with M. fructigena presented similar lesion dimensions which were significantly reduced in comparison to non-coated material. Submitting the fruits to 10% CO2 + 5% O2 for four days before and one day after inoculation delays the progression of the rot. However, when the fruits were returned to air, the rate of growth of M. fructigena resumed at a similar rate to the control.


Among all forms of sculpture, bas-relief is arguably the closest to painting. Although inherently a two dimensional sculpture, a bas-relief suggests a visual spatial extension of the scene in depth through the combination of composition, perspective, and shading. Most recently, there have been significant results on digital bas-relief generation but many of the existing techniques may wash out high level surface detail during the compression process. The primary goal of this work is to address the problem of fine features by tailoring a filtering technique that achieves good compression without compromising the quality of surface details. As a secondary application we explore the generation of artistic relief which mimic cubism in painting and we show how it could be used for generating Picasso like portraits.


Abstract: This document is the final report for a background paper for the ECA Old-Age Insurance report, using a General Equilibrium approach to analyze aging and pension reforms in two countries from the Europe and Central Asia region, Poland and Slovakia. Compared to the second interim report, this document adds analysis for some additional reforms, sensitivity analysis and policy implications. Low fertility and increases in life expectancy lead to aging of the population. As the number of young active households is growing less rapidly (or even shrinking) than old households prone to retirement, the financing of pension systems is a challenge when these systems are based on the pay-as-you-go scheme. All developed countries rely to some extent on pay-as-you-go schemes. The basic challenge of pension financing created by population aging is common to many developed countries . The challenge confronted by countries in the ECA region may however be larger, for several reasons. In particular, high participation in informal markets decreases government revenue, adding to immediate pension financing difficulties. Using an expanded overlapping generations model with endogenous retirement decisions with formal and informal sectors, simulation predicts that aging would increase social security deficits by more than 5% of GDP by 2100. Among the various reforms considered, cuts in pension benefits are the most successful at containing the deficits if the sole goal of reforms is financial sustainability. Increases in retirement age may be preferable if additional goals are considered. Targeting a decrease in informality alone may not help to decrease the deficit in the long run because gains in revenues are offset by the increase in pension payments.;


In this work we investigate stochastic non-convex optimization problems where the objective is an expectation over smooth loss functions, and the goal is to find an approximate stationary point. The most popular approach to handling such problems is variance reduction techniques, which are also known to obtain tight convergence rates, matching the lower bounds in this case. Nevertheless, these techniques require a careful maintenance of anchor points in conjunction with appropriately selected"mega-batchsizes". This leads to a challenging hyperparameter tuning problem, that weakens their practicality. Recently, [Cutkosky and Orabona, 2019] have shown that one can employ recursive momentum in order to avoid the use of anchor points and large batchsizes, and still obtain the optimal rate for this setting. Yet, their method called STORM crucially relies on the knowledge of the smoothness, as well a bound on the gradient norms. In this work we propose STORM+, a new method that is completely parameter-free, does not require large batch-sizes, and obtains the optimal $O(1/T^{1/3})$ rate for finding an approximate stationary point. Our work builds on the STORM algorithm, in conjunction with a novel approach to adaptively set the learning rate and momentum parameters.


Abstract. In addition to being one of the most productive upwelling systems, the oceanic region off Peru is embedded in one of the most extensive oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) of the world ocean. The dynamics of the OMZ off Peru remain uncertain, partly due to the scarcity of data and to the ubiquitous role of mesoscale activity on the circulation and biogeochemistry. Here we use a high-resolution coupled physical/biogeochemical model simulation to investigate the seasonal variability of the OMZ off Peru. The focus is on characterizing the seasonal cycle in dissolved O2 (DO) eddy flux at the OMZ boundaries, including the coastal domain, viewed here as the eastern boundary of the OMZ, considering that the mean DO eddy flux in these zones has a significant contribution to the total DO flux. The results indicate that the seasonal variations of the OMZ can be interpreted as resulting from the seasonal modulation of the mesoscale activity. Along the coast, despite the increased seasonal low DO water upwelling, the DO peaks homogeneously over the water column and within the Peru Undercurrent (PUC) in austral winter, which results from mixing associated with the increase in both the intraseasonal wind variability and baroclinic instability of the PUC. The coastal ocean acts therefore as a source of DO in austral winter for the OMZ core, through eddy-induced offshore transport that is also shown to peak in austral winter. In the open ocean, the OMZ can be divided vertically into two zones: an upper zone above 400 m, where the mean DO eddy flux is larger on average than the mean seasonal DO flux and varies seasonally, and a lower part, where the mean seasonal DO flux exhibits vertical–zonal propagating features that share similar characteristics than those of the energy flux associated with the annual extratropical Rossby waves. At the OMZ meridional boundaries where the mean DO eddy flux is large, the DO eddy flux has also a marked seasonal cycle that peaks in austral winter (spring) at the northern (southern) boundary. In the model, the amplitude of the seasonal cycle is 70 % larger at the southern boundary than at the northern boundary. Our results suggest the existence of distinct seasonal regimes for the ventilation of the OMZ by eddies at its boundaries. Implications for understanding the OMZ variability at longer timescales are discussed.


"Many empirical studies for Germany consider either the training activities of the unemployed or those of employees. However, a comprehensive comparison of both groups had not been conducted until now. The paper closes this gap. Using data from the latest time-use survey (Zeitbudgeterhebung) of the Federal Statistical Office, the amount of training undertaken by the two groups is compared. Furthermore, the types of activities that are made use of in particular are described. Heterogeneity due to different relevant socioeconomic characteristics in the two groups is eliminated by applying a matching procedure. The findings demonstrate that only 49 % of unemployed people participate in any kind of training activity off the job. In the case of full-time employment 59 % would take part. Concerning the average expenditure of time per week the difference is reversed, i. e. the expenditure of time is greater during unemployment. However, a large proportion of the training activities undertaken by the unemployed comprises general training, e. g. by reading books or watching television. Furthermore, the result is driven by a different potential of time that can be used for training activities off the job. In relation to this potential of time, the amount of training activity is still smaller during unemployment." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en)) Additional Information Kurzfassung (deutsch) Executive summary (English)


Mice carrying a genetic mutation that causes autistic symptoms show improved sociability after being treated with oxytocin, a hormone promoting mothering and trust. Going Social Oxytocin—a hormone that promotes mothering, trust, and social bonding in animals—seems a likely treatment for the social isolation of individuals on the autism spectrum, but tests in humans have generally proved disappointing. To delve deeper into how oxytocin affects autism symptoms, Peñagarikano et al. created a mouse mimic of one type of genetic autism, cortical dysplasia and focal epilepsy (CDFE) syndrome, by deleting the gene that is mutated in human patients. Unlike normal mouse-loving mice, CDFE mice were asocial, showing no preference for other mice over objects, but this deficit was reversed by giving them oxytocin. Further, revving up the sluggish production of their own oxytocin in the paraventricular nucleus in the hypothalamus also improved sociability. Most hopeful for patients, the authors found that giving young CDFE mice multiple doses of oxytocin just after birth produces a long-lasting improvement in oxytocin brain levels and sociability. Mouse models of neuropsychiatric diseases provide a platform for mechanistic understanding and development of new therapies. We previously demonstrated that knockout of the mouse homolog of CNTNAP2 (contactin-associated protein-like 2), in which mutations cause cortical dysplasia and focal epilepsy (CDFE) syndrome, displays many features that parallel those of the human disorder. Because CDFE has high penetrance for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we performed an in vivo screen for drugs that ameliorate abnormal social behavior in Cntnap2 mutant mice and found that acute administration of the neuropeptide oxytocin improved social deficits. We found a decrease in the number of oxytocin immunoreactive neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus in mutant mice and an overall decrease in brain oxytocin levels. Administration of a selective melanocortin receptor 4 agonist, which causes endogenous oxytocin release, also acutely rescued the social deficits, an effect blocked by an oxytocin antagonist. We confirmed that oxytocin neurons mediated the behavioral improvement by activating endogenous oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular hypothalamus with Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADD). Last, we showed that chronic early postnatal treatment with oxytocin led to more lasting behavioral recovery and restored oxytocin immunoreactivity in the PVN. These data demonstrate dysregulation of the oxytocin system in Cntnap2 knockout mice and suggest that there may be critical developmental windows for optimal treatment to rectify this deficit.


The fusiform face area (FFA) is defined by its selectivity for faces. Several studies have shown that the response of FFA to nonface objects can predict behavioral performance for these objects. However, one possible account is that experts pay more attention to objects in their domain of expertise, driving signals up. Here, we show an effect of expertise with nonface objects in FFA that cannot be explained by differential attention to objects of expertise. We explore the relationship between cortical thickness of FFA and face and object recognition using the Cambridge Face Memory Test and Vanderbilt Expertise Test, respectively. We measured cortical thickness in functionally defined regions in a group of men who evidenced functional expertise effects for cars in FFA. Performance with faces and objects together accounted for approximately 40% of the variance in cortical thickness of several FFA patches. Whereas participants with a thicker FFA cortex performed better with vehicles, those with a thinner FFA cortex performed better with faces and living objects. The results point to a domain-general role of FFA in object perception and reveal an interesting double dissociation that does not contrast faces and objects but rather living and nonliving objects.


This paper tests the proposition that voters advance a more liberal agenda in prosperous times and turn more conservative in dire economic times. A reference-dependent utility model suggests that, with income growth, the relative demand for public goods increases and the median voter is more likely to vote Democrat. With slowing income growth, the median voter derives increased marginal utility from personal income—making taxation more painful—and is more likely to vote Republican. Ordinary and instrumented analyses of a new time series for the US median voter are encouraging of this income growth model. This work links voting behavior to economic business cycles and shows that ideological change is endogenous to income growth rates.


The place of customary law in the new constitutional dispensation in South Africa has been the subject of much debate in legal literature and elsewhere. Most notable for the purposes of this article have been the debates about the relationship between the previously dominant legal system, the common law, and customary law in the context of law reform; the application of the Constitution to customary law, especially the question whether the Bill of Rights applies to customary law directly or indirectly and conflicts between customary law and constitutional rights. This article contributes to these debates by critically analysing the methods adopted by the courts and the legislature to reform customary law and the problems they raise for the advancement of women's human rights.
The three-fold aim of the article is, firstly, to discuss the approaches the South African legislature and courts have taken to advance the rights of women under the customary law of marriage and succession and to bring this system of law in line with the Constitution and international law; secondly, to consider factors that may adversely affect the implementation of these new laws; and, thirdly, to suggest ways of counteracting these factors. Obviously, the discussion of the factors in question is anticipatory in nature, but one hopes that their identification will serve a useful purpose in relation to considerations of future law reform and in generating hypotheses for further research into the effectiveness of state interventions in this important area of the law.
The legislature and the courts in South Africa have made attempts to advance the rights of women under customary law in the areas of marriage and succession in accordance with the Constitution and the international conventions that South Africa has ratified. The approach both the legislature and the courts have taken to reform customary law is to replace it with South African common law with little accommodation of customary law.
In this article I will attempt to show that factors related to the approach taken to reform customary law and the inaccessibility of the new laws threaten to reduce the new laws to paper rights that are of little, if any, real benefit to the majority of women.
The focus of the article is on the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act (hereafter referred to as the Act), which reformed the customary law of marriage and the decision of the Constitutional Court in Bhe v Magistrate Khayelitsha. For the purposes of this paper the decision in Bhe and the Recognition of Customary Marriages Act will be referred to as the new law or laws.


Forced frictional oscillations in a self-excited system occurred when the maximum static friction force did not become an isolation point and the kinetic friction force was given as a combined function of the relative sliding velocity composed of linear and hyperbolic functions. This process of oscillation was reviewed by the averaging method in continuation of the previous report. The properties of the limit cycle occurring where there was only one unstable first approximation solution of the harmonic oscillation with the values of the oscillation force circular frequency and the moving surface velocity are explained in this report. Various characteristics of the resultant stable, non-harmonic oscillations are also reviewed. By comparing results of the previous report with highly accurate, piecewise linear approximation solution, it was determined that this averaging method workes quite well and therefore is an effective method for judging the stability of the solution. It was learned that the highly accurate solution of the sliding motion could be estimated quantitatively by the stable first approximation solution using the averaging method. The unstable region in the first approximation solution corresponded with the occurrence region of the non-harmonic oscillations in the highly accurate solution. The solution by the averaging method showed the qualitative change of the amplitude.


Abstract. The paper illustrates the project of an interdisciplinary team composed of archaeologists and researchers of the Scuola Normale Superiore and the University of Pisa. The synergy between these Centres has recently allowed for a more articulated 3D simulation of the agora of Segesta. Here, the archaeological excavations have brought to light the remains of a huge public building (stoa) of the Late-Hellenistic Period. Computer graphics and image-based modeling have been used to monitor, document and record the different phases of the excavation activity (layers, findings, wall structures) and to create a 3D model of the whole site. In order to increase as much as possible the level of interaction, all the models can be managed by an application specially designed for an immersive virtual environment (CAVE-like system). By using hands tracking sensor (Leap) in a non-standard way, the application allows for a completely hand-free interaction with the simulation of the agora of Segesta and the different phases of the fieldwork activities. More specifically, the operator can use simple hand gestures to activate a natural interface, scroll and visualize the perfectly overlapped models of the archaeological layers, pop up the models of single meaningful objects discovered during the excavation, and obtain all the relative metadata (stored in a dedicated server) which are visualizable on external devices (e.g. tablets or monitors) without further wearable devices. All these functions are contextualized within the whole simulation of the agora, so that it is possible to verify old interpretations and enhance new ones in real-time, simulating within the CAVE the whole archaeological investigation, going over the different phases of the excavation in a more rapid way, getting information which could have been ignored during the fieldwork, and verifying, even ex-post, issues not correctly documented during the fieldwork. The opportunity to physically interact with the 3D model of the agora increases drastically the level of affordance between operator and 3D simulation, and to verify with a completely new approach, issues which can be hardly investigated by using traditional 2D documentation.


Organic complexants are present in some radioactive wastes and can challenge waste disposal as they may enhance subsurface mobility of radionuclides and contaminant species via chelation. The principal sources of organic complexing agents in low level radioactive wastes (LLW) originate from chemical decontamination activities. Polycarboxylic organic decontaminants such as citric and oxalic acid are of interest as currently there is a paucity of data on their biodegradation at high pH and under disposal conditions. This work explores the biogeochemical fate of citric acid, a model decontaminant, under high pH anaerobic conditions relevant to disposal of LLW in cementitious disposal environments. Anaerobic microcosm experiments were set up, using a high pH adapted microbial inoculum from a well characterized environmental site, to explore biodegradation of citrate under representative repository conditions. Experiments were initiated at three different pH values (10, 11, and 12) and citrate was supplied as the electron donor and carbon source, under fermentative, nitrate-, Fe(III)- and sulfate- reducing conditions. Results showed that citrate was oxidized using nitrate or Fe(III) as the electron acceptor at > pH 11. Citrate was fully degraded and removed from solution in the nitrate reducing system at pH 10 and pH 11. Here, the microcosm pH decreased as protons were generated during citrate oxidation. In the Fe(III)-reducing systems, the citrate removal rate was slower than in the nitrate reducing systems. This was presumably as Fe(III)-reduction consumes fewer moles of citrate than nitrate reduction for the same molar concentrations of electron acceptor. The pH did not change significantly in the Fe(III)-reducing systems. Sulfate reduction only occurred in a single microcosm at pH 10. Here, citrate was fully removed from solution, alongside ingrowth of acetate and formate, likely fermentation products. The acetate and lactate were subsequently used as electron donors during sulfate-reduction and there was an associated decrease in solution pH. Interestingly, in the Fe(III) reducing experiments, Fe(II) ingrowth was observed at pH values recorded up to 11.7. Here, TEM analysis of the resultant solid Fe-phase indicated that nanocrystalline magnetite formed as an end product of Fe(III)-reduction under these extreme conditions. PCR-based high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that bacteria capable of nitrate Fe(III) and sulfate reduction became enriched in the relevant, biologically active systems. In addition, some fermentative organisms were identified in the Fe(III)- and sulfate-reducing systems. The microbial communities present were consistent with expectations based on the geochemical data. These results are important to improve long-term environmental safety case development for cementitious LLW waste disposal.


The complexity of sustainable development and societal transitions require both analytical understandings of how coupled human-environment systems function and transdisciplinary science-to-practice approaches. The academic discourse has advanced in developing a framework for defining success in transdisciplinary research (TDR). Further empirical evidence is needed to validate the proposed concepts with TDR case studies. This paper applies a widely used TDR framework to test and critically evaluate its design principles and criteria of success with five TDR case studies the author is intimately familiar with. Overall, the design principles of the framework are validated for the five cases. Additional design principles are derived from the case analysis and proposed to complement the applied framework: (1) A project origin from society as opposed to with and for society; (2) Quickly available initiation funding; (3) Flexibility in time, objectives and methods throughout the research process; (4) Acceptance of process vs. project results; (5) Inclusion of public science communication; and (6) A demand-driven transition to a prolonged or new project partnership. The complementing principles are proposed for integration in the applied framework and are subject to further empirical testing. The reflexive empirical approach I have taken in this paper offers a key step towards removing institutional barriers for successful TDR, demonstrating how conceptual frameworks can be applied.


An approximation procedure is developed for the analysis of tandem configurations consisting of single server finite queues linked in series. External arrivals occur at the first queue which may be either finite or infinite. Departures from the queuing network may only occur from the last queue. All service times and interarrival times are assumed to be exponentially distributed. The approximation algorithm gives results in the form of the marginal probability distribution of the number of units in each queue of the tandem configuration. Other performance measures, such as mean queue-length and throughput, can be readily obtained. The approximation procedure was validated using exact and simulation data. The approximate results seem to have an acceptable error level.


Osteopontin (OPN), a multifunctional protein, has emerged as a potentially valuable biomarker for diagnosing and treating cancers. Recent research focuses on its involvement in tumor biology including the cell proliferation, survival, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. Understanding the molecular mechanisms and pharmacological effects of OPN in cancer development could lead to new targets for improving cancer diagnosis and treatment. This review explains how the structurally conserved domains of OPN are associated with OPN signaling mediators and CD44, and how the conserved OPN domains determine biological functions. The authors have reviewed representative works of OPN expression in breast cancer and colorectal cancer to elucidate the relationship between OPN and cancer/tumor biology. It has also been shown that the prognostic sensitivity in non-small cell lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric cancer, and ovarian cancer improved compared to the individual marker when OPN was analyzed in conjunction with other markers. The therapeutic approaches based on OPN inhibitors are discussed to illustrate recent research progress. Previous clinical data has indicated that OPN has played a unique role in cancer development, but further investigation is required to understand the underlying mechanism. More clinical trials are also required to examine the applicability and efficacy of OPN inhibitors in cancer therapy.


(Section Headings Only) Introduction. Defining Pain. Physiology of Pain. Psychology of Pain. Management of Labour Pain By Midwives: A Historical Perspective. A Cultural Experience of Pain. Care By Midwives: Women's Experiences. Complementary Medicine for Pain Relief in Labour. Water in Labour. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. Drugs in Labour. Regional Anaesthesia: Epidural and Spinal Block


Objectives To gain an understanding of the accuracy of acuity assessment made by emergency department (ED) triage nurses, to compare the differences between the characteristics of triage nurses according to hospital variables and the accuracy of acuity ratings, and to explore the influence of nursing variables on the judgement of triages. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted at the EDs of hospitals in northern Taiwan. Ten adult emergency case scenarios and a demographic sheet with high validity were developed to survey 279 triage nurses. Data were collected from April to October 2006. All data were analysed using percentage, mean, SD, independent t test, one-way ANOVA and a stepwise logistic regression analysis. Results The average score of rating accuracy was 5.62 points (out of a possible total of 10 points), which was considered low. Approximately 24.3% (n=68) of nurses' triage ratings were under-triaged and 19.7% (n=55) were over-triaged. Factors included years of ED experience, hours of triage education, level of hospital and triage mode of delivery. These factors were identified as significantly affecting the accuracy of nurses' judgement (p<0.05; adjusted R2=40.0%). Conclusion The scores of accuracy ratings for triage nurses can be improved if factors contributing to inaccuracy can be altered. The findings of this study can be used to guide improvements.


There is a need for developmental screening that is easily administered in resource-poor settings. We hypothesized that known risk factors would predict failed developmental screening on an adapted screening tool in East African children living in poverty. The sample included 100 healthy Ugandan children aged 6–59 months. We adapted a parent-reported developmental screener based on the Child Development Review chart. The primary outcome was failure to meet age-appropriate milestones for any developmental domain. Venous blood was analyzed for lead, and caregivers completed a demographics questionnaire. We used multivariate logistic regression models to determine if elevated blood lead and stunting predicted failure on the screener, controlling for maternal education level, age in months past the lower bound of the child's developmental age group, and absence of home electricity. In the sample, 14% (n = 14) of children failed one or more milestones on the screener. Lead levels or stunting did not predict failing the screener after controlling for covariates. Though this tool was feasibly administered, it did not demonstrate preliminary construct validity and is not yet recommended for screening in high-risk populations. Future research should include a larger sample size and cognitive interviews to ensure it is contextually relevant.


Italy enacted Law 180 ("Basaglia's Law") on May 13, 1978, and thereby initiated the gradual dismantling of its mental asylums. Franco Basaglia remains a controversial and historical figure in Italian psychiatry. Extolled as one of the most important innovations in psychiatry over the past 50 years or despised as hotly ideological and not sufficiently detailed in terms of services and provisions for alternatives to mental hospitals, Law 180 has survived several attempts to amend it and remains the principle of Italian mental health services (1). The law states that dangerousness is no longer the basic criterion for commitment, commitment is restricted to therapeutic emergencies, compulsory admission must be to a general hospital unit, and mental hospitals are officially abolished (2, 3). After receiving his degree in medicine from the University of Padua in 1949, Basaglia developed an interest in the study of phenomenological philosophers, such as Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, Husserl, and Heidegger, and then he analyzed the work of historical and sociological critics of psychiatric institutions, such as Foucault and Goffman. He married Franca Ongaro, who closely worked with him to change the asylums and later entered the Italian parliament. After some years of clinical practice at the University of Padua, in 1961 he left the academic environment and went to head the asylum in Gorizia, with the idea of radically changing the old-fashioned institutional setting. He then moved to Parma (1969) and Trieste (1973). In January 1977, he announced the closure of the asylum in Trieste in favor of a new therapeutic community model that would allow persons with psychiatric disabilities to play a valuable role in society. Basaglia was a charismatic, innovative leader in Italian psychiatry, a discipline that was for many years poorly developed and confined to the gloomy atmosphere of mental hospitals; his contribution was essential to give visibility to psychiatry and move psychiatric practice into the realm of health care. Basaglia died in 1980, only 2 years after the enactment of his law, and therefore he never saw the full positive and negative effects of its implementation.


In spite of the fact that the Draft Convention on the Hotelkeeper's Contract is only a draft which has not yet been adopted by an international diplomatic conference, the period 1986-1988 has been earmarked for its adoption. After that, it will only be a matter of time before the Final Convention is adopted. South Africa will then have to decide whether or not to adopt the Convention as part of its law. In order to take the correct decision, the contents of the Draft ought by then to have been studied in order to determine whether they are compatible with South African law on this point and, if there are any deviations, whether these are fatal from a South African legal perspective. This modus operandi is consistent with state practice. States evaluate treaties and other international instruments by comparing them to related aspects in their own national systems. If this study in compatibility proves to be in their interest, they will accept these treaties as law either with some clearly indicated reservations or unreservedly. This article is a study on the compatibility between the Draft Convention and the South African law on this point.


Many reinforced concrete (RC) structures, built in seismic-prone countries before the introduction of the modern seismic oriented codes and usually designed for gravity loads only, necessitate an upgrade in terms of strength and ductility against lateral loading. In this paper the possibility of using post-installed anchors for seismic retrofit solutions is investigated. Post-installed anchors are usually fast and easy to install and they represent a valuable low-invasive solution to transfer high loads with quite low costs. The retrofit of RC beam-column connections with a diagonal haunch element fastened to the existing structural element using post-installed anchors is proposed. The design method based on experimental and analytical investigations is presented. Particular focus is given to the requirements in terms of load displacement characteristics, i.e. stiffness on the post-installed anchors.


Hedge funds play an increasingly important role in institutional portfolios as an alternative to investments in traditional asset classes. Yet, the minimal disclosure requirements hedge funds face, coupled with an investment mandate that typically allows the use of leverage, short selling, derivatives and highly illiquid securities, present serious challenges for investors. These challenges include, among others, correctly assessing risk/return characteristics, accurately measuring left-tail risk of funds with relatively short return histories as well as comparing performances of funds within the same style. This article addresses these issues through the use of return-based style analysis. It demonstrates how investors can use its results to better understand the nature of risks and exposures of various strategies, and the extent to which investments in various individual funds are correlated. The article also examines the common practice of classifying hedge funds into styles based on their self-reported investment strategy. A simple technique that can help identify inconsistencies between the actual and self-proclaimed style of a fund based on a measure of distance between the return time-series of the two is presented.