Book synopsis: `This is an impressive work... and will provide the advanced reader with a rich source of theory and evidence. There is a huge amount to be got from the book and I suspect it will become a key work' - J Gavin Bremner, Department of Psychology, Lancaster University

The Handbook of Developmental Psychology is a comprehensive, authoritative yet frontier-pushing overview of the study of human development presented in a single-volume format. It is ideal for experienced individuals wishing for an up-to-date survey of the central themes prevalent to developmental psychology, both past and present, and for those seeking a reference work to help appreciate the subject for the first time.

The insightful contributions from world-leading developmental psychologists successfully and usefully integrate different perspectives to studying the subject, following a systematic life-span structure, from pre-natal development through to old age in human beings. The Handbook then concludes with a substantive section on the methodological approaches to the study of development, focusing on both qualitative and quantitative techniques.

This unique reference work will be hugely influential for anyone needing or wishing for a broad, yet enriched understanding of this fascinating subject. It will be a particularly invaluable resource for academics and researchers in the fields of developmental psychology, education, parenting, cultural and biological psychology and anthropology.


Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the redox state of a cell have been implicated in several signal transduction cascades including those that regulate cell proliferation. Specifically, signaling by several growth factors, including epidermal growth factor (EGF), produces a transient increase in ROS. One effect of increases in ROS is the inactivation of tyrosine phosphatases. Pani et al. found that the redox status of cells in culture was different in sparse and dense cultures (sparse cultures have more ROS than dense cultures) and that this difference correlated with whether the cells exhibited contact inhibition. Dense cultures had lower levels of the active [guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-bound] form of the small GTPase Rac-1. Treatment of sparse cultures with drugs to inhibit leukotriene biosynthesis decreased the levels of ROS to those measured in dense cultures, suggesting that Rac-1 may stimulate leukotriene biosynthesis as a mechanism to increase ROS in sparsely cultured cells. The authors also used several other drugs to regulate tyrosine phosphatase activity (sodium orthovanadate) and redox status (dithiothreitol) of the cells; however, none of the agents used were very specific. With that caveat, the results were consistent with the hypothesis that dense cells have lower levels of ROS, which allow increased activity of tyrosine phosphatases, thereby attenuating the ability of growth factors to stimulate proliferation. Thus, the regulation of the levels of ROS through regulation of the activity of proteins such as Rac-1 may be one mechanism by which the inhibition of cell proliferation in response to cell-cell contact occurs. Pani, G., Colavitti, R., Bedogni, B., Anzevino, R., Borrello, S., and Galeotti, T. (2000) A redox signaling mechanism for density-dependent inhibition of cell growth. J. Biol. Chem. 275: 38891-38899. [Abstract] [Full Text]


We present an empirical analysis of the effectiveness of frame selection (also known as Lucky Imaging) techniques for high resolution imaging. A high-speed image recording system has been used to observe a number of bright stars. The observations were made over a wide range of values of D/r0 and exposure time. The improvement in Strehl ratio of the stellar images due to aligning frames and selecting the best frames was evaluated as a function of these parameters. We find that improvement in Strehl ratio by factors of 4 to 6 can be achieved over a range of D/r0 from 3 to 12, with a slight peak at D/r0 � 7. The best Strehl improvement is achieved with exposure times of 10 ms or less but significant improvement is still obtained at exposure times as long as 640 ms. Our results are consistent with previous investigations but cover a much wider range of parameter space. We show that Strehl ratios of >0.7 can be achieved in appropiate conditions whereas previous studies have generally shown maximum Strehl ratios of �0.3. The results are in reasonable agreement with the simulations of Baldwin, Warner & Mackay (2008).


Embedded throughout this paper you will find the diversity of opinions that correlates to the diversity of theories, frameworks, case studies and stories that are related to the field of Knowledge Management (KM). We begin by introducing the Sampler Research Call approach and the 13 KM academics and practitioners working in different parts of the world who answered the call. We then provide baseline definitions and briefly explore the process of knowledge creation within the human mind/brain. After a brief (and vastly incomplete) introduction to KM literature at the turn of the Century, the frameworks of Sampler Call participants are introduced, and two early frameworks that achieved almost cult status—the Data-Information-Knowledge-Wisdom (DIKW) continuum and the SECI (socialization, externalization, combination and internalization) model—are explored through the eyes of Sampler Call participants. We then introduce the results of the KMTL (Knowledge Management Thought Leader) Study, which suggest theories consistent with the richness and diversity of thought interwoven throughout this paper. The field of KM is introduced as a complex adaptive system with many possibilities and opportunities. Finally, we share summary thoughts, urging us as KM academics and practitioners to find the balance between the conscious awareness/understanding of higher-order patterns and the actions we take; between the need for overarching theory and the experiential freedom necessary to address context-rich situations.


Sound emission using an ionised medium has been the subject of research since the beginning of the 20th century. The mechanism involves modulation at an audio frequency of an electrically sustained plasma discharge. In a similar effect to lightning, the charged particles in the plasma respond to the varying energy input. With this comes gas heating, molecular excitation, light emission from relaxation of excited molecular states and acoustic emission resulting from thermal expansion within, and external to, the discharge volume. Despite being the subject of research, there is scope for a deeper understanding of these kinetic processes within the plasma that transforms the input electrical energy into acoustic energy.

In this thesis, experimental measurements on an atmospheric pressure, radio frequency (RF) plasma are devised to explore the electro-acoustic mechanism that leads to sound generation. These measurement methods include: i) nitrogen spectroscopy for measurement of the species temperatures and emission intensities, ii) optical imaging of the visible emission for determining the discharge dimensions, iii) schlieren imaging for measuring the refractive index gradients within the discharge resulting from temperature and density variations and iv) electrical characterisation of the RF discharge. The work in this thesis builds on that reported previously by making direct measurements of the plasma itself to understand the dynamics of the plasma while under modulation. The work develops time-resolved measurement and non-invasive plasma diagnostic tehniques.

Under modulation the plasma behaves as a uniform sound emitter with the level of sound being dependent on the discharge size. A modulation of 15% on an rms conduction current produces a sound pressure level of approximately 67 dB at 3 kHz with around 4% distortion, based on an assessment of the harmonic content of the acoustic signal. In the steady-state, the RF plasma's electrical and optical characteristics show a close correlation to several equivalent DC plasmas and to the results calculated from an adapted model of a DC glow discharge. For an rms conduction current range of 11-30 mA, the rotational temperature varies between 2800-3200 K; the vibrational temperature shows a change of 3500-4000 K with near equilibrium conditions to the rotational state occuring in the central region of the discharge. Spatial measurements identify the changes in the temperatures and dimensions along the vertical z-axis as well as the spatial dependence on the atomic and molecular species generated in the discharge. The widely acknowledged assumption of equilibrium between the rotational and translational states in nitrogen is challenged based on direct measurement of both parameters through spectrocopy and schlieren imaging. Similarly, the plasma dimensions provide contrasting behaviour depending On the spectral emission region used for measurement. Measurement of the discharge under modulation identifies the timescales for the various kinetic processes in the plasma; at 3 kHz the power leads the vibrational temperature by 34ps with a further delay of 70us between vibrational and rotatational temperatures and relate to the timescales for electron-vibration excitation and vibrational-translational relaxation in nitrogen. The source of the acoustic emission due to modulation is identified (and seen) within the central ionised channel.


Application of lower hybrid range of frequencies (LHRF) waves can induce both co- and counter-current directed changes in toroidal rotation in Alcator C-Mod plasmas, depending on the target plasma current, electron density, confinement regime and magnetic shear. For ohmic L-mode discharges with good core LH wave absorption, and significant current drive at a fixed LH power near 0.8 MW, the interior (r/a < 0.5) rotation increments (on a time scale of order the current relaxation time) in the counter-current direction if ne(1020 m−3) > q95/11.5, and in the co-current direction if ne(1020 m−3) < q95/11.5. All discharges with co-current rotation changes have q0 > 1, indicating a good correlation with driven current fraction, unifying the results observed on various tokamaks. For high density (ne ⩾ 1.2 × 1020 m−3) L-mode target discharges, where core LH wave absorption is low, the rotation change is in the co-current direction, but evolves on a shorter momentum transport time scale, and is seen across the entire spatial profile. For H-mode target plasmas, both co- and counter-current direction increments have been observed with LHRF. The H-mode co-rotation is correlated with the pedestal temperature gradient, which itself is enhanced by the LH waves absorbed in the plasma periphery. The H-mode counter-rotation increment, a flattening of the peaked velocity profile in the core, is consistent with a reduction in the momentum pinch correlated with a steepening of the core density profile. Most of these rotation changes must be due to indirect transport effects of LH waves on various parameters, which modify the momentum flux.


Maps drawn by cultural policies and the arts have accompanied the political and territorial rearrangements of South East Europe during the 20th century. At the beginning stands the Yugoslav avant-garde movement Zenitizam. It proclaimed the ʺBalkanisation of Europeʺ as a programme of creative destruction of established aesthetical-ethical and political systems, to be achieved by unleashing the Balkanic force. Delineating the semantic shifts in the reassessment of the terminus technicus ʹBalkanisationʹ, the cultural and artistic topographies reveal the coherence between politics, violence and art. The paper discusses these topographies and the implicit strategies of demarcation that are in contrast to stereotyped concepts of the Balkans and Yugoslavia. In these strategies, ʹBalkanisationʹ manifests itself as a figure that runs opposite to the delimitation of geographical, political and cognitive spaces.


Work-place focused responsibility for both Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management and the development of employee skills arising from new legislative and regulatory frameworks have imposed new responsibilities on managers and OHS practitioners in the work-place. The purpose of this research study was to identify and describe designated OHS practitioners' and work-place managers' perceptions of the implementation of OHS policy in the work-place within agencies of the public sector of South Australia and whether these perceptions are congruent with policy and workplace practice. A case study method was selected as the research design and the data gathering instruments were a questionnaire of OHS practitioners, semi-structured
interviews of work-place managers and a document analysis.

This study revealed that respondent OHS practitioners perceived that they received support from Chief Executives and management for the implementation of OHS. Results also indicated that work-place managers and OHS practitioners held differing perceptions of their respective roles in the area of OHS policy implementation. Policy documentation, intended to support work-place managers, was found to be
comprehensive but was perceived by managers as overwhelming and may need to be designed to meet their needs. OHS practitioners' perception of organisational achievement of best-practice in OHS appeared to be linked to policy development and audit activity.


Responding to a quip by a fellow historian, who feared that Martin Guerre might become better known than Martin Luther, this guest column, by the author of The Return of Martin Guerre, affirms that they are part of the same universe of historical inquiry. Knowing about Martin Guerre brings understanding of the peasant world, which is also important for the trajectory of Luther's Reformation. Knowing about Martin Luther brings knowledge of major religious change, essential to understanding Martin Guerre's village world and what happened in it. Themes of "imposture" and "dissimulation" and the fashioning of identity are central to social conflicts and social and personal aspiration across the spectrum in the sixteenth century: they are found in the actual lives of both men and in Martin Luther's sermons, as well as in the Martin Guerre trial.


There is a large stock of solid wall homes in the UK presenting poor thermal insulation and low energy performance. Although the UK Government has supported improvement efforts in the area, the identification of appropriate technical solutions that effectively improve the existing stock remains a challenge. BIM offers opportunities for building performance optimisation, through improved design and simulation. This research investigates how BIM could improve the retrofit process for social housing. This paper describes a research project looking into the use of BIM to develop what-if scenarios for retrofitting existing 'no-fines' solid wall homes. The scenarios enable the analysis of alternative solutions considering costs, energy performance and user disruption. More specifically, this paper focuses on the use of 4D models to evaluate disruption for end users. The research process includes simulations, meetings, interviews, documents, and observations. Results indicate that the development of 4D BIM models supports a better understanding of the retrofitting process on site, enabling the definition of production processes with as minimal disruption as possible for users, whilst still delivering energy-oriented and cost effective solutions.


Childhood obesity is an epidemic that is affecting children worldwide. Childhood obesity is a topic of public health importance because of its effect on the health of society. Children who are obese are more likely to be obese adults. Preventable obesity-related conditions, such as type two diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, increase healthcare expenditure and loss of productivity. This essay describes a population health needs assessment conducted for a non-profit childhood obesity prevention program, HEALTHY Armstrong, in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania preschool-aged children. The need assessment methodology includes a detailed literature search and stakeholder interviews. Eight interviews were conducted from a range of professionals, physical education teachers, pediatricians, dieticians, and the Head Start Director. Findings between both methods were largely consistent, including the connection between weight status and health implications, parent's influence on their child's weight, and future intervention focus points. The interviews were able to give a more detailed look at the specifics of the population in Armstrong County. In addition, interviews revealed areas of concern for this population that were not mentioned by the literature, such as lack of connectedness between providers and time restrictions during provider appointments. Using information collected in this needs assessment, HEALTHY Armstrong will be able to design an effective intervention that considered the needs of this population.


Many studies have attempted to examine the predictive power of financial variables for numerous countries, but rarely does such research focus on future economic activities with respect to Australia. Financial variables are used to predict future economic events primarily because these variables are the closest indicators of the expectations and activities of investors and other economic agents. The recent global financial crisis (GFC) stemming from the subprime crisis shows that financial markets significantly influence global macroeconomic activities. In this study, we use major financial variables, such as the 90-day Treasury bill rate, 10-year Treasury bond rate, interest rate spread, and Australian stock index data. Similar to the housing prices in some other countries, those in Australia play a key role in future economic activities. In addition to financial variables, housing stock data is incorporated into our model for more realistic results, which are obtained by probit maximum likelihood estimation. We also use a general model for forecasting Australia's GDP growth until the third quarter of 2012. The results support previous research findings, indicating that financial variables are a useful tool for forecasting future economic activities in Australia.


The Foremost Formation of southern Alberta is the basal member of the Campanian Belly River Group, and has been understudied relative to the overlying Oldman and Dinosaur Park formations of this group. Examined outcrop of the upper Foremost Formation preserves coastal barrier island/lagoonal environments that transition upward into more inland coastal/ fluvial plain environments during the Claggett marine regression of the Western Interior Seaway. A low abundance, low diversity agglutinated benthic foraminiferal fauna, together with whole rock geochemical proxies, suggests commonly stressed oxygen and salinity conditions in marginal marine environments. Vertebrate microsite faunas display a primarily brackish water environmental influence, with an increase in diversity upsection in conjunction with increased terrestrial deposition. Hadrosaur remains suggest the previously unknown presence of kritosaurs and potentially a basal hadrosauroid, suggesting that the Foremost Formation dinosaur fauna was similarly diverse compared to faunas of well-characterized Campanian formations in North America.


approved: Eric D. Skyllingstad Laurence Padman Antarctic Ice Sheet mass balance and, hence, sea level change is affected by the floating extensions of outlet glaciers and ice streams that take up about 44% of the coastline (Drewry et al., 1982) and are referred to as "ice shelves". Ice sheet mass loss accelerates when these ice shelves lose mass through basal melting at the ice-ocean interface or calving along the ice shelf front. The focus of this dissertation is to explore the uncertainties in basal melt predictions, as affected by ocean temperatures, ocean currents, and model geometries. Uncertainties in tidal currents and the corresponding affect on sub ice shelf basal melt was explored using the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS 3.2), adapted to represent the thermodynamics of ice shelf basal melt at the ice/ocean interface. Plausible representations of present and future sub ice shelf topographies were used to explore potential errors in tidal forcing and ocean circulation beneath the Larsen-C and FilchnerRonne ice shelves of the Weddell Sea, Antarctica. The influence of thermal forcing and thermodynamic parameterizations was also explored. The results presented here demonstrate that two plausible Larsen-C Ice Shelf (LCIS) topographies could yield shelf-averaged basal melt rates that differ by nearly a factor of two. The difference in these two cases is due to regional variations in tidal currents. The standard grid topography, based on realistic modern bathymetry and ice draft, supported topographic vorticity waves at diurnal frequencies in the northeast LCIS while an alternate model geometry did not. As such, these two grid topographies not only affected the shelf-averaged value of basal melting but also the regional variation in basal melting. Regional variation is important because it determines whether basal melting will have a greater impact on the rate at which ice moves off-shore, as in grounding line melt, or the rate of calving, as in melting along the ice shelf front. Out of all parameterizations, grounding line melt is shown to be largest in a commonly used parameterization that applies a uniform "friction velocity" to estimate basal melting. These model results confirm that both topographic errors and choice of thermodynamic parameterization have a significant influence on the spatial characteristic of basal melt. In a separate study of basal melting of the much larger Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf (FRIS), simulations shows that a future scenario of warmer ocean conditions may lead to a change in the FRIS cavity shape that strongly affects the map of tidal currents and, hence, regional characteristics of basal melting. In general, the change in FRIS cavity shape due to a warming ocean introduces a negative feedback where increased melting reduces the overall magnitude of tidal currents (by increasing the thickness of the water column) which then results in less basal melting; however, there are large regional variations in these results. In one region, south of Henry Ice Rise, the change in cavity shape reduces basal melting from 5 m a−1 to 1.5 m a−1 due to the corresponding change in tidal forcing. In contrast, basal melting increases from 1 m a−1 to 1.5 m a−1 in the nearby region of the Institute Ice Stream outlet owing to a reduction in the upstream basal melting and, hence, cooling of inflowing water. In summary, uncertainties in cavity geometry have a large impact on the regional characteristics of tidal current predictions and, hence, ice shelf basal melting. These uncertainties introduce significant, regional errors to ice shelf mass balance. Critical processes that influence the evolution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet cannot be accurately represented without the inclusion of small grid spacing (∼ 1 km), accurate topography, and tidal forcing in the predictions of ice shelf basal melt. c ©Copyright by Rachael D. Mueller May 16, 2014 All Rights Reserved The Effects of Thermodynamic Parameterizations, Ice Shelf Geometry, and Tides on Modeled Basal Melting of Weddell Sea Ice Shelves. by Rachael D. Mueller


Open-space Learning offers a unique resource to educators wishing to develop a workshop model of teaching and learning. The authors propose an embodied, performative mode of learning that challenges the primacy of the lecture and seminar model in higher education. Drawing on the expertise of the CAPITAL Centre (Creativity and Performance in Teaching and Learning) at the University of Warwick, they show how pedagogic techniques developed from the theatrical rehearsal room may be applied effectively across a wide range of disciplines. The book offers rich case-study materials, supplemented by video and documentary resources, available to readers electronically. These practical elements are supplemented by a discursive strand, which draws on the methods of thinkers such as Freire, Vygotsky and Kolb, to develop a formal theory around the notion of Open-space Learning. CAPITAL was a collaboration between the University of Warwick's Department of English and the Royal Shakespeare Company. CAPITAL was succeeded by the Institute for Advanced Teaching and Learning (IATL) in 2010.


Teesid: Artikkel kasitleb Euroopat kui identiteedi ja minaduse solmpunkti ja enesevahenduse moodet kolmes omaelulookirjutuslikus teoses, mille autoritel on valjapaistev positsioon eesti (kirjandus)kultuuris: Jaan Krossi "Kallid kaasteelised" (2003a, 2008), Jaan Kaplinski "Isale" (2003) ja Tonu Onnepalu "Flandria paevik" (2007). Artikkel keskendub sellele, kuidas kusimused suhestumise trajektooridest Euroopa maluruumiga haakuvad Krossi, Kaplinski ja Onnepalu teostes esiletuleva enesemaaratlusliku raamiga, neist lahtuvate vastastikuse konetuse voimaluste ja oma aegruumi tunnetuse pidepunktidega. Kuigi tegemist on eesti keeles ilmunud ning eesti kultuuriruumi lugejale suunatud teostega, seostuvad neis valjajoonistuvad enesemaaratluse teljed viimastel aastakumnetel hoogustunud laiemate aruteludega uhtse Euroopa maluraami ning identiteedi voimalikkusest ja selle toimimise tingimustest. In recent years, the question of the possibility of a shared frame of memory and identity in Europe, its desired manifestations and practices for attaining it as well as its obstacles and limitations to it have gained prominence in scholarly debates in a number of disciplines. In terms of the division between the East and West of Europe, these discussions take as their starting point the collapse of the Soviet system in 1989 as well as the European Union enlargement in 2004. Far from uniform, the exceedingly complex and contrasting ranges of arguments have put forward a varied palette of perspectives and suggestions about possible and desirable implications of Europe in different socio-political and cultural configurations. Taking these debates as my starting point, the current article offers an analysis of three life writing works by contemporary Estonian authors and intellectuals, Kallid kaasteelised (Dear Fellow Travellers, 2003, 2008) by Jaan Kross, Isale (To My Father, 2003) by Jaan Kaplinski and Flandria paevik (The Flemish Diary, 2007) by Tonu Onnepalu where Europe emerges as a noteworthy if not central aspect of construction of subjectivity and processes of identity/identification. Written in Estonian and therefore not accessible for wider international readership, these life writing works can nevertheless be viewed as negotiating for a position within the space of European memory and narration but also challenging it by asking how and by whom does the conditioning of the shared and the recognition of the specific take place and to what extent does it proceed along the (old) binaries of centre/margin, self/other, East/West. The anecdotal structure of Kross' monumental and canonic memoir follows the lives of a great number of the author's 'fellow travellers'. Although many life stories are narrated primarily in relation to Estonian history, Kross also makes a consistent and self-conscious effort to envision a wider space of existence, most importantly, that of a European space of human agency and interaction. Dear Fellow Travellers proposes a (textual) configuration of Europeanness where the narrating subject is self-conscious both of its authoritative identity-forming position and the limits of that authority that inevitably erode that identity and metaphorically leave open a space of narration for the other. In Jaan Kaplinski's confessional epistolary address to the author's Polish father who died in the Gulag shortly after the birth of his son and in Onnepalu's semi-fictional diaristic text emerging from an obligation to write during a stay in a writers' residence in Belgium in Vollezele, the question of subjectivity and (European) identity do not unravel primarily via an emphasis on the ruptures of the period of occupation. Instead, these works engage with questions of Europeanness on a larger and also more volatile frame of the politics of positioning in the contemporary relating to questions of cultural diversity, the local/global relationship and Europe's simultaneously tight and leaky boundaries. In the work of Kaplinski and Onnepalu, these boundaries are being drawn and dissolved both on the level of sociopolitical and cultural functioning of Europe but sometimes independently of the larger public processes, via processes of the construction of individual identities as well as via acts of communication and interactions with other people.


This paper presents the scientific evidence from one study that has informed Early Years policy in the U.K. It begins with a description of the policy context in the early 1990s and shows how research was used to inform a decade of policy innovation. There have been many studies of ways that research has informed practice but fewer on instances of research shaping policy. This paper is one step in that direction, as advocated by Whitty (2007) and Huw, Nutley and Smith (2001).


Vowed religious life, with convictions, passions and concerns regarding its present and future shape, continues to be re-imagined in today's world. Now, in fact, is a critical time for Religious Congregations, a time calling for 'a world of a difference. Christians hold as fundamental the coming of God's Kingdom. Religious life is a part of this story, a special way within the church and the world, of striving to proclaim and give witness to the Reign of God. The future of vowed religious life is inextricably linked to the coming of the Kingdom and has no meaning outside of this; attention to its life and growth is vital. I believe the living of our vows, where we are 'bound to be free', can further the Kingdom within and around us and so bring about a world of a difference.


Online Social Media (OSM) websites have attracted millions of users by enabling them to socially interact in ways that were not possible before. While the explosion of OSM use has had many benefits, it also has a darker side where an individual's personal information can potentially be misused. This study develops and tests an empirical model based on a theoretical lens provided by Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) to examine the salient factors that influence an individual's perceptions of threat and their intention to use OSM websites. We investigate this model with a data set representing survey responses from 197 OSM users. Results suggest that rewards, which are largely overlooked in the IS PMT literature, are the primary influence in the perceived threat calculation in the OSM context. In addition, social influence was found to significantly influence behavioral intentions to share information on OSM websites.


Objective:To determine the impact of length of stay upon 30-day outcomes. Background:It has been recommended the goal length of stay (LOS) after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) should be 1 day to improve resource utilization. This study's aim was to assess LRYGB outcomes by LOS. Methods:Data were obtained from the BOLD (Bariatric Outcomes Longitudinal Database) for 51,788 laparoscopic gastric bypass (LRYGB) procedures performed between 2007 and 2010. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate age, sex, race, body mass index, insurance status, comorbidities, and LOS as predictors for 30-day mortality, serious complications, and readmissions. Results:Overall patient demographics were as follows: median age, 45 years; median body mass index, 46.3 kg/m2; % female, 78.6; % white, 77.8; % private insurance, 86.2; and % comorbidities more than 5 (39.1%). Overall, 30-day outcomes included mortality, 0.1%; serious complications, 0.5%; and readmissions, 3.8%. median LOS was 2 days, and the distribution of LOS was as follows [n (%)]: 0 (1.0), 1 (18.4), 2 (59.0), 3 (17.5), and 4 (4.1). Using the median LOS 2 days as reference, the logistic regression analysis revealed that ambulatory LOS of was significantly associated with increased risk of 30-day mortality (odds ratio: 13.02; P < 0.0001) as was LOS 1 day (odds ratio: 2.02; P < 0.0552). For LOS of 0 day, there was a trend toward an increase in the rate of 30-day serious complications (odds ratio: 1.9; P < 0.16). There was no significant trend between LOS status and 30-day readmission rates. Conclusions:In this large, prospective, clinical database, LOS of 1 day or less for LRYGB patients was significantly associated with an increased risk of 30-day mortality and a trend toward increased risk of 30-day serious complications.


Summary

1
The hypothesis that multiple infections might disrupt or alter the density-dependent processes regulating a host–pathogen interaction is explored using time series from a well-known laboratory insect–pathogen model system.

2
We compare the population dynamics of the same host (Plodia interpunctella) infected with a single (granulovirus) or multiple (granulovirus and nucleopolyhedrovirus) pathogens and show how the dynamical fluctuations are altered by the presence of this second pathogen.

3
Using a maximum likelihood-based approach, we explore the density-dependent mechanisms underpinning the host–pathogen interaction. These regulatory processes differ between single and multiple infections. In singly infected systems, the density-dependent mechanisms of regulation operate through birth rate while in doubly infected systems, density dependence is mediated through death rate.

4
Further, these deterministic dynamics are modulated by the effects of demographic stochasticity. This stochastic process, the overall sum of individual probabilities of births, deaths and infection influence the changes in population size. In the Plodia–granulovirus system, nonlinear density-dependent births coupled with demographic noise is the necessary prerequisite for the observed dynamics. In the multiple infection system, noise acts together with disease transmission and mortality to affect the population dynamics.

5
We discuss the implication of these differing regulatory processes in the different-sized species assemblages in the presence of noise for understanding the ecologies of host–pathogen interactions.


Sovereign authority to establish the colony of South Australia was given by Letters Patent (1836), signed by King William IV. The Letters Patent made explicit provision for the recognition and protection of Indigenous rights and interests in traditional lands and waters, establishing the basis for a peaceable and respectful interaction between Indigenous and settler societies. However, the preexisting sovereignty of Indigenous peoples was not respected and these written orders were ignored by the South Australian Company in its executive action to establish the Province of South Australia. Accordingly, the potential for development of positive forms of intercultural social relationship remained unrealized in this region, as was also the case throughout the Australian colonies. This essay reflects upon the transformative force of this unrealized potential, which remains immanent within the trajectory of Australian history. It makes use of Agamben's conceptualization of time and exigency in The Time That Remains (2005) to theorize directed processes of historical discontinuity. We analyse colonial sources of contemporary Australian society, with a renewed attention to those aspects of political recognition and positively shared social life that were always possible but never came to pass into history. We argue that the experience of time and temporality in the 'messianic mode' enables new understanding of the problematic 'time of the now' and recreates possibilities for the communal invention of postcolonial futures that respond properly to ongoing and contemporary Indigenous practices of sovereignty and nationhood.


The literature review aimed to provide a greater understanding of male partners' experiences of their female partner's breast cancer. A comprehensive search for relevant qualitative studies was conducted which identified fourteen studies. The findings were synthesised using a meta-ethnography approach. Male partners were found to mirror the emotional reactions and responses of their partner's and also found to manage difficult feelings by gathering information in order to re-establish balance within the family system. Providing male partners with information in accordance with their individual needs may help male partners meet the expectations of their role, reduce uncertainty and enable them to approach the diagnosis from a more informed position. The research paper aimed to explore the experience of friendships following a diagnosis of breast cancer. Using a qualitative design, ten women who had received a diagnosis of primary breast cancer were interviewed. Data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three super-ordinate themes were selected and discussed. The first theme explored ways in which breast cancer tested women's expectations of their friendships, causing them to re-evaluate their quality and value; the second theme related to the importance of the proximity of their friends during the treatment phase of their illness; and the third described how time with friends post active treatment was re-evaluated based on the time and effort they had received from friends during their illness. Receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer therefore provided individuals with an opportunity to learn about the value and quality of their friendships. The critical appraisal reflects upon issues that arose while completing the research for this doctoral thesis. Obstacles and dilemmas faced during the different stages of the research process were discussed, the limitations of the research were explored and the potential implications for future research in this area were also considered.


Pseudo gangs form the steely side of Hearts and Minds and were used with great effect in counter-insurgency campaigns in Kenya (1952-60) Malaya (1948-60) and Rhodesia (1964-1979). Although the use of pseudo gangs was not new to counter-insurgency tactics, with the British using a similar tactic in the Boer war (1899-1902), the use of such gangs was certainly perfected during these later campaigns producing good results. The Kenya Police Special Branch re-instigated this concept, developing its use during the 'Emergency'. The principal concept was to 'turn' or co-opt insurgents through a series of inducements to change sides and join the counter insurgency as part of the Government forces but not as regular forces. Rather the co-opted kept their actual identities or their 'assumed' identities and return to the conflict areas as part of a 'gang', which would be made to appear as if it is still fighting for the insurgents. This 'pseudo' gang would then rejoin or flush out the opposition and either capture, gain further intelligence or eliminate them. Based on my ongoing PhD research into these three campaigns, this paper will briefly outline an alternative model that could be developed for current conflicts against insurgents.


The protein–RNA complexes known as snRNPs are the cell's editors. In 1992, researchers knew from many in vitro studies that different snRNPs band together to form the "spliceosome," which splices premessenger RNA molecules to form functional mRNAs. But they didn't know where in the nucleus snRNPs congregated. Using a new technique, Angus Lamond (now at the University of Dundee, UK) and colleagues tracked snRNPs to two mysterious structures, the interchromatin granules and the Cajal bodies (formerly coiled bodies). Follow-up work suggests that both objects are important for snRNP production and activity.

Figure 1

Foci rich in snRNPs (red) also contain the coiled body protein coilin (green).

When cell biologists first detected snRNPs using immunofluorescence, they observed glowing "speckles" strewn around the nucleus. Although this technique could reveal the presence of snRNPs, the antibodies initially available couldn't determine which kinds of snRNP mustered in a particular location. So Lamond and his team added another ingredient: antisense probes that could discriminate among different snRNPs. The combination of antisense and antibodies revealed that "not all speckles were equal," says Lamond. Some, which the researchers dubbed "nuclear foci," glowed brighter (Carmo-Fonseca et al., 1991a,b).

The next year, Lamond's group confirmed the existence of two kinds of speckles and pinned down their identities (Carmo-Fonseca et al., 1992). Electron microscopy studies from David Spector's group at the Cold Spring Harbor Lab in New York had suggested that antibodies against snRNPs detected the structures known as interchromatin granules. Lamond's group, then at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, had access to one of the first confocal microscopes, allowing them to analyze combinations of labels and test this possibility. When the team tagged cells with antibodies against snRNPs and against the granules, the staining patterns corresponded, confirming that some speckles were granules.

However, the antigranule antibody didn't cling to the bright foci, suggesting that they were different. The researchers suspected that they were Cajal bodies. Another group at the Scripps Research Institute in California had just discovered antibodies in autoimmune patients that recognize a Cajal body protein called coilin (Raska et al., 1991). When Lamond's lab tagged nuclei with antisense strands and this anticoilin antibody, labeling overlapped, showing that snRNPs were loitering in the Cajal bodies. Huang and Spector (1992) obtained similar results around the same time. These findings "gave us a much higher resolution picture of what was going on [in the nucleus]," says Lamond.

But they didn't explain why snRNPs were parking in the Cajal bodies and interchromatin granules. Sleeman and Lamond (1999) provided one clue by showing that snRNPs that have just entered the nucleus gather in the Cajal bodies. The snRNPs then travel to the interchromatin granules and acquire their finishing touches, maturing into functional particles (Jady et al., 2003). The granules may serve as storage depots for inactive snRNPs, says Lamond, while active snRNPs likely bind to pre-mRNA molecules at the genes themselves. Their dispersal around the nucleus probably accounts for the diffuse glow researchers noted in some labeling experiments, says Lamond.

Carmo-Fonseca, M., et al. 1991. a. EMBO J. 10:195–206. [PubMed]

Carmo-Fonseca, M., et al. 1991. b. EMBO J. 10:1863–1873. [PubMed]

Carmo-Fonseca, M., et al. 1992. J. Cell Biol. 117:1–14. [PubMed]

Huang, S., and D.L. Spector. 1992. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 89:305–308. [PubMed]

Jady, B.E., et al. 2003. EMBO J. 22:1878–1888. [PubMed]

Raska, I., et al. 1991. Exp. Cell Res. 195:27–37. [PubMed]

Sleeman, J.E., and A.I. Lamond. 1999. Curr. Biol. 9:1065–1074. [PubMed]


Background: There is increasing interest in the role that technology can play in improving the vitality of knowledge workers. A promising and widely adopted strategy to attain this goal is to reduce sedentary behavior (SB) and increase physical activity (PA). In this paper, we review the state-of-the-art SB and PA interventions using technology in the office environment. By scoping the existing landscape, we identified current gaps and underexplored possibilities. We discuss opportunities for future development and research on SB and PA interventions using technology. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in the Association for Computing Machinery digital library, the interdisciplinary library Scopus, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Xplore Digital Library to locate peer-reviewed scientific articles detailing SB and PA technology interventions in office environments between 2009 and 2019. Results: The initial search identified 1130 articles, of which 45 studies were included in the analysis. Our scoping review focused on the technologies supporting the interventions, which were coded using a grounded approach. Conclusion: Our findings showed that current SB and PA interventions using technology provide limited possibilities for physically active ways of working as opposed to the common strategy of prompting breaks. Interventions are also often offered as additional systems or services, rather than integrated into existing office infrastructures. With this work, we have mapped different types of interventions and provide an increased understanding of the opportunities for future multidisciplinary development and research of technologies to address sedentary behavior and physical activity in the office context.


PERCEIVED BARRIERS TO UPPER LEVEL CAREER LADDER STATUS BY ELIGIBLE TENNESSEE EDUCATORS by Julia J. Price This study examines the phenomenon that although 6,900 educators have obtained Career Ladder Levels II and III, there are 27,620 in Tennessee who are eligible for the upper levels of the Career Ladder, but have not obtained these levels. The purpose of the study waB to identify the barriers, as perceived by eligible educators in Tennessee, which discourage them from attempting to gain upper level Career Ladder status. The research design was descriptive and utilized data from a survey instrument constructed by the researcher. A pilot test of the instrument was conducted, reliability coefficients calculated, and survey items retained, modified, or deleted based on the results. The final survey contained 62 statements (grouped into 11 subscales) and a demographic section. A total of 575 surveys were sent to eligible educators in the public schools of the seven districts of Tennessee; of those, 426 were returned, and 404 responses were used. Other variables studied were age, gender, race, job classification, years of teaching experience, educational attainment, future plans to attempt upper levels, previous attempts at the upper levels, information sources concerning the program, and overall opinions of the Career Ladder program. Findings include: The most problematic barriers in rank order from greatest to least were Personal Obstacles, Teaching Professionalism, Evaluation Procedures, Political Facet, Participation Process, System Improvement, Financial Considerations, and Individual Role Professionalism; three of the barriers were found to be non-problematic, these are Teacher Morale, TEA Support, and Administrative Support; significant differences regarding the barriers exist in all demographic areas included in the study except for job classification; the majority of respondents had a negative overall opinion of the Career Ladder, however, the opinion varied with the source of information about the program. Educators who received their information from official sources had a more positive opinion of the program than those who got their information from informal sources. It appears that the barriers identified in this study may be factors in keeping eligible educators from participating in the upper levels of the Career Ladder.


Conventional mechanisms for computer colorant formulation commonly employ the Kubelka-Munk theory to relate reflectance values to colorant concentrations. However, there are situations where this approach is not applicable and hence an alternative is desirable. One such method is to utilize artificial intelligence techniques to mimic the behavior of the professional colorist. The purpose of this paper is to describe recent research being carried out at Reading University, sponsored by Courtaulds Research, that utilizes collections of cellular automata, known as neural networks, in the problem of recipe prediction.


This series publishes monograph length conceptual papers designed to promote theory and research on important substantive and methodological topics in the field of human resources management. Volume 28 of "Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management" ("RPHRM") contains seven papers on important issues in the field of human resources management, thus continuing the tradition of the series to develop a more informed understanding of the field. This collection of papers represents excellent scholarship and illustrates the truly interdisciplinary character of the field.


The designation of Net-Zero Energy describes a building that meets all of its energy demand with on-site renewable energy generation. The Bank of Italy Building, in Downtown San Jose, California, is currently undergoing design-development to transform a landmark historical site into a modern, Net-Zero Energy building. This paper will analyze the project team's design approach to minimizing energy demand and meeting this demand with on-site renewable energy. It will also evaluate the unique challenges associated with preserving the historical character of the existing structure, while converting it into a high-performing building. The research will consider similar past projects and approaches; the goals and rationale for choosing a zero-energy design; the specific project approach and associated challenges; and the economic rationale behind the project. The research employs both quantitative and qualitative approaches to gather information on the project, as well as relevant cost and energy data from governmental and private publications. This data is used to develop an understanding of the project approach and economic rationale behind the Net-Zero Energy conversion of a historic landmark building. The results of this study reveal that the project is economically feasible, with a favorable payback period on the initial investment.


Since government staff is exposed to environmental, socio-economic and occupational stressful factors, their QOL has found much importance. This study aims to determine Boukan's government staff QOL and its determinant factors. Hence the results of this study can be considered as a pilot and basis for further studies and be used by health policy makers.

 Materials & Methods : In this study 462 government staff in Boukan completed the self-administered WHO questionnaire on QOL. Cluster sampling was done and each domain of the WHO questionnaire was scored from 0 to 100. The final remaining variables in multi linear regression model were determined using SPSS 17.

 Results : The mean scores obtained for the four domains of QOL (physical, psychological, social and environmental health) were 66.9, 61.64, 67.8 and 51.5 respectively. The influential factors affecting each domain were: educational level and current disease in the physical health domain, employment status in the psychological domain, status of house ownership and number of years employed in the environmental health domain and marital status in the social health domain.

 Conclusion: Since this study has been performed on subgroup of governmental officials' staff for the first time in Iran, the results could also provide useful information in the field of QOL in this group and present hypothese about some of the effective factors.


This paper works to increase the body of knowledge on virtual community and incorporates a comparison using a different cultural environment – the context of China. We examine a virtual community of one of the largest travel companies in China - Mango. The Mango virtual community provides a platform for people to get to know each other, offer help and receive help when they have tourism related questions. The purpose of this study is to 1) investigate the usage pattern of a tourism virtual community, 2) apply social capital theory to virtual community, 3) validate prior virtual community research findings in a non-Western (China) tourism context 4) provide implications based on the analysis of user posting patterns. Our results also show collective action is generated by networks of relationships, reciprocity, trust, and social norms.


In this work, we deal with a mathematical model of heat induction processes. We first build a model derived from Maxwell and heat equations and, using certain simplifying assumptions, we obtain a system of coupled partial differential equations describing the evolution of thermal and magnetic fields. We show that this evolutive problem has a solution in a weak sense. The study of the problem is carried out using numerical analysis techniques. A numerical scheme is build to be implemented on a computer in order to obtain numerical results. Finally, we present theoretical results for a steady-state problem and prove existence of a solution under assumptions weaker than in the evolutive case.


We report on the observation of collective radiative decay, or superradiance, of cyclotron resonance (CR) in high-mobility two-dimensional electron gases in GaAs quantum wells using time-domain terahertz magnetospectroscopy. The decay rate of coherent CR oscillations increases linearly with the electron density in a wide range, which is a hallmark of superradiant damping. Our fully quantum mechanical theory provides a universal formula for the decay rate, which reproduces our experimental data without any adjustable parameter. These results firmly establish the many-body nature of CR decoherence in this system, despite the fact that the CR frequency is immune to electron-electron interactions due to Kohn's theorem.


Rendering the brilliant iridescent colors of the Morpho butterflies has been a challenge in computer graphics. The cause of vivid blue color of the wings of these species is not as the result of the pigments of the wing. They are caused by the physical microscopic structures on the scales of the wing. These micro-structures has been studied extensively in various fields by different expertise [Yinlong Sun . 2006] [FOX, D. 1976] [VUKUSIC, P. AND SAMBLES, R.2003]. In this paper I have addressed the problem of rendering the anisotropic iridescence colors of the Morpho butterflies photorealistically. The developed model is physically based and combines two previously presented models; Multi-layer thin film model [Yinlong Sun . 2006] and separate lamellae model [S.KINOSHITA et al. 2002]. Both of those models fail to describe the anisotropic nature of the light reflectance on these structures. The introduced model in this paper produces an anisotropic model with interpolating between those two isotropic models. The model is based on the physical properties and analytical derivations of the microscopic structures of on the scales of the wings. Rendered images with this model match the experimental description [Fox 1976; Simon 1971] of iridescence properties of the Morpho butterflies.


In this study we examine whether executives manage accounting earnings to maximize their own gains around stock option exercises. In particular, this study analyzes the effects of two factors, the value of exercised executive stock options and the change in the value of exercised executive stock options for a 1% change in the underlying stock price on the propensity of managers to engage in earnings management. Furthermore, the present paper investigates whether the relations between both the value and the price incentive of exercised stock options and earnings management are more affected by the level of information asymmetry and the length of the stock disposition period after exercising stock options. The sample for this study consists of 93 observations from 51 companies listed on the Korea Stock Exchange and Korean Securities Dealers Automated Quotations. Managers exercised their stock options from the fourth quarter of 2002 to the fourth quarter of 2005. The empirical findings are as follows. First, higher values and price incentives for executive stock options were associated with higher earnings management. These results imply that executives manage firms' reported earnings to maximize their own gains around stock option exercises. Second, information asymmetry reinforces the association between both the values and price incentives of exercised executive stock options and earnings management. Finally, the values and price incentives of exercised executive stock options provide greater incentives for executives to manage earnings when executives sell the acquired stocks after exercising the stock options.


The National Football League (NFL) has come under sharp criticism for its approach to the problem of concussion, and many former players have filed a lawsuit against the league.In reviewing the response of NFL to concussion, one can easily think that the league was too slow to worry about the medical consequences of head trauma. Despite concerns being raised for many years about the risk to player health, it took until December 2009 for the NFL to advise its teams that players should not return to play or practice on the same day that they suffer a concussion.But the NFL was not alone in viewing concussion as a relatively mild problem. Physicians also did not worry very much about the medical consequences of concussions. For decades, neurologic experts disagreed as to whether concussions could cause permanent injury, with many attributing patient symptoms to psychological issues or to the incentives created by compensation programs for people with disabling conditions.While the NFL may have responded slowly to problems from concussion, the extent to which its response was unreasonable is unclear. If many medical experts did not worry about concussions, it is difficult to fault the NFL for not worrying either. Still, one can question the NFL's failure to adopt concussion guidelines in the late 1990's when they were being issued by medical experts.


We derive a general joint affine term structure model of US government bond yields and the convenience yields on physical commodities. We apply this framework separately to oil and gold. Our results show clear links between bond and commodity markets, since bond factors play a significant role in the pricing of the convenience yield term structure. Our framework allows us to decompose the term structure of futures prices into expectations of future spot prices and risk premia components. We estimate that the risk premium in oil futures has been negative over the 1980s and 1990s, and turned positive in the mid-2000s, consistent with a declining role for supply shocks in the oil market over this period. In contrast, we estimate that the gold risk premium is mostly positive throughout the sample period.


Abstract. Long dynamical atmospheric reanalyses are widely used for climate studies, but data-assimilative reanalyses of ocean and sea ice in the Arctic are less common. TOPAZ4 is a coupled ocean and sea ice data assimilation system for the North Atlantic and the Arctic that is based on the HYCOM ocean model and the ensemble Kalman filter data assimilation method using 100 dynamical members. A 23-year reanalysis has been completed for the period 1991–2013 and is the multi-year physical product in the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) Arctic Marine Forecasting Center (ARC MFC). This study presents its quantitative quality assessment, compared to both assimilated and unassimilated observations available in the whole Arctic region, in order to document the strengths and weaknesses of the system for potential users. It is found that TOPAZ4 performs well with respect to near-surface ocean variables, but some limitations appear in the interior of the ocean and for ice thickness, where observations are sparse. In the course of the reanalysis, the skills of the system are improving as the observation network becomes denser, in particular during the International Polar Year. The online bias estimation successfully maintains a low bias in our system. In addition, statistics of the reduced centered random variables (RCRVs) confirm the reliability of the ensemble for most of the assimilated variables. Occasional discontinuities of these statistics are caused by the changes of the input data sets or the data assimilation settings, but the statistics remain otherwise stable throughout the reanalysis, regardless of the density of observations. Furthermore, no data type is severely less dispersed than the others, even though the lack of consistently reprocessed observation time series at the beginning of the reanalysis has proven challenging.


Wood anatomical characteristics for 21 taxa of Cassiope are reported. Qualitative features differ somewhat from the general pattern of the Ericaceae. However, considerable deviation is found in the quantitative aspects of the wood features. The stems are very slender with narrow growth rings evident in all but one species. Vessel elements are very small and usually have scalariform perforation plates with several bars. Vessels are extremely abundant in transection. Vascular rays are mostly uniseriate with a few biseriates and all are composed exclusively of erect cells. The imperforate elements are tracheids which are the only conductive elements in the late wood. Calluna-type pith is found in most of the taxa while homogeneous pith is found in two species. The recognition of these in the separate genus Harrimanella is supported. Cassiope plants are often found in moist, protected microenvironments in arctic and alpine areas of extreme cold and desiccating winds. Short growing seasons and low mean temperatures probably contribute in large part to the dwarf stature of the plants, which in tum accommodates the reduced vascular system. The tracheids provide a safe conductive system in the late wood which is less susceptible to loss of function due to air embolisms. The vessel elements with scalariform perforation plates accommodate the presumably slow conductive rates in the earlier part of the growing season. The vessel elements of Cassiope are considerably smaller than most others known to have scalariform perforation plates. The values for vulnerability, an indicator of the degree of vessel redundancy and hence safety, are much lower than any yet calculated for any group. The same is true for figures for mesomorphy, which introduces vessel element length as an independent measure of degree of xeromorphy.


n Overall rates of abortion in the United States peaked soon after the procedure was legalized in 1973, remained fairly constant through the 1980s, and have declined steadily since then. However, the overall rate masks large differences and varying patterns across time for demographic subgroups. n A substantial drop in the abortion rates of teenagers and women aged 20–24 accounts for much of the overall decline from 1989 to 2004. During this period, the abortion rate of women in their 30s changed little, while the rate of women aged 40 or older increased. n The majority of abortions (57%) are obtained by women in their 20s. Minors account for fewer than 7% of all abortions. n Abortion is far more common among unmarried women than married women, although rates for both groups have dropped significantly in the past 15 years. n Abortion rates for all racial and ethnic groups have declined recently. The rates now range from 11 per 1,000 for non-Hispanic white women to 28 per 1,000 for Hispanic women and 50 per 1,000 for black women. The widely varying rates reflect differing patterns of contraceptive use, pregnancy and childbearing. n Black women account for 37% of abortions, non-Hispanic white women for 34%, Hispanic women 22% and women of other races 8%. n Most abortions occur before nine weeks' gestation, and the proportion of very early abortions (<7 weeks) has increased substantially since 1994. The proportion of abortions performed after 12 weeks of pregnancy has changed little, and fewer than 0.2% take place after 24 weeks. n In 2004, 60% of women having abortions already had children, up from 50% in 1989. n Although 47% of abortions are obtained by women who have had a prior abortion, the proportion of second and subsequent abortions has recently begun to fall. There is no evidence that abortion is being used as a primary method of birth control. n Further research on abortion in the United States should focus on the circumstances facing women in the groups with the highest rates of unintended pregnancy and abortion.


Stephanie Swartzlander Graphic Communication Department, June 2011 Advisor: Lorraine Donegan This study will show how magazines and their advertisers are using print to send their readers to digital sources of information. Placing URLs, QR codes, promoting Facebook/Twitter and mobile/ iPad apps are becoming very popular ways to advertising products and services. Print magazines are utilizing these trends to link their readers from the print to the digital world and are reaping the benefits. Seven different magazines were analyzed in this study. In studying the trends from 2008 to 2011, it is obvious that magazines and their advertisers want readers to expand their scope of knowledge by visiting their digital counterparts for additional information. While URLs have been popular for many years, 2010 shows the introduction of mobile apps and social media, and 2011 shows the recent boom of QR codes. There is no question that these digital references are successful at driving readers to outside sources of information. By providing the reader with multiple platforms to view content, a unique interactive experience is created. All the magazines analyzed for this study use slightly different methods to provide their readers with supplemental information. One thing they all have in common is the increase in digital references overall. Today, it is very uncommon to find an advertisement without any sort of link to a digital platform. It is also expected to see more QR codes, more references to Facebook and Twitter accounts and more mobile app advertisements in future magazines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Table of


Today, within the global Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) approach, success of design, industrialization and production activities depends on the ability to coordinate and improve the interaction among information systems that handle such activities. Enterprises deploy mainly the PLM system, the Enterprise Resource Planning system (ERP) and the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) in order to manage sufficient product related information and provide better customer-products. In this paper, we propose a preliminary analyse of the interaction problem among engineering and production management by focusing on the industrialization step. A main focus on the information systems involved in the product development and manufacturing followed in this analysis. The use of the ISA 95 standard specifications to analyze the realization of a possible interaction is also presented. The recognition of the limitations of each solution is also part of these analyses.


The indenoisoquinolines are a novel class of cytotoxic non-camptothecin topoisomerase I inhibitors. A potential DNA-threading agent was designed by attaching different amine side chains on the lactam nitrogen as well as on the C11 position of the indenoisoquinoline ring system. It was hypothesized that substituents on the lactam nitrogen could protrude out toward the DNA major groove while those on the C11 project out toward the DNA minor groove in the ternary "cleavage complex." Compound 4 was synthesized in order to test this DNA-threading scenario. It was found unexpectedly that an alkenyl substituent on the C11 position was autoxidatively cleaved under basic conditions to afford a ketone. A possible mechanism for this unusual oxidative cleavage was proposed on the basis of the studies of a 9-fluoredene model compound. The proposed mechanism was further supported by computational studies. Although the designed compound 4 showed potent cytotoxicities in various cancer cell lines, it was less potent than its nonthreading counterparts and was not a topoisomerase I inhibitor.


The group of HIV Nobelist L. Montagnier has published two articles challenging the standard views about genetic code and providing strong support for the notion of water memory. Already the results of the first article suggested implicitly the existence of a new kind nano-scale representation of genetic code and the the recent article makes this claim explicitly. The TGD based model for the findings was based on the notion of magnetic body representing biologi- cally relevant aspects of molecules in terms of cyclotron frequencies. The model involved also the realization of genetic code using electromagnetic field patterns and as dark nucleon strings and led to a proposal that the analogs of trancription and translation are realized for the dark variants of DNA, RNA, tRNa, and aminoacids represented in terms of dark nucleon strings. Also processes transcribing ordinary and dark variants of the biomolecules to each other were proposed. This would make possible R&D-like controlled evolution based on experimentation using dark representations of biomoleculesd defining kind of virtual world.

The recent findings of the group of Montagnier allow a more detailed formulation of the model and suggest a general mechanism for generalized transcription and translation processes based on the reconnection of magnetic flux tubes between the molecules in question. A new element is the proposed role of ordered water and hydrogen bonds in the formation of water memories. These representation would result from the dropping of the magnetic bodies of molecules as the hydrogen bonds connecting the molecule to water molecules of the ordered water layer around it-analogous to ice layer- are split during the mechanical agitation. A similar process occurs quite generally when external energy feed excites the resting state of cell and induces protein folding and its reversal and the formation of protein aggregates. Good metaphors for resting state and excited states are cellular winter and summer. The necessity of a repeated dilution and mechanical agitation could be understood if agitation provides metabolic energy for the replication of the magnetic bodies filling the diluted water volume and gives rise to a series of "environmental catastrophes" inducing evolutionary leaps increasing the typical value of Planck constant associated with the magnetic bodies until the energy E = hf of 7 Hz dark photons exceeds the thermal energy at room temperature.


Persistent differences in the level of business ownership across countries have attracted the attention of scientific as well as political debate. Cultural as well as economic influences are assumed to play a role. This paper deals with the influence of cultural attitudes towards uncertainty on the rate of business ownership across 21 OECD countries. First, the concepts of uncertainty and risk are elaborated, as well as their relevance for entrepreneurship. An occupational choice model is introduced to underpin our reasoning at the macro-level. Second, regression analysis using pooled macro data for 1976, 1990 and 2004 and controlling for several economic variables, yields evidence that uncertainty avoidance is positively correlated with the prevalence of business ownership. According to our model, a restrictive climate of large organizations in high uncertainty avoidance countries pushes individuals striving for autonomy towards self-employment. Regressions for these three years separately show that in 2004, this positive correlation is no longer found, indicating that a compensating pull of entrepreneurship in countries with low uncertainty avoidance may have gained momentum in recent years. Third, an interaction term between uncertainty avoidance and GDP per capita in the pooled panel regressions shows that the historical negative relationship between GDP per capita and the level of business ownership is substantially weaker for countries with lower uncertainty avoidance. This suggests that rising opportunity costs of self-employment play a less important role in this cultural environment, or are being compensated by increasing entrepreneurial opportunities.


CONTEXT
Maternal diet during pregnancy has been linked to offspring adiposity, but it is unclear whether maternal polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) status during pregnancy affects offspring body composition.

OBJECTIVE
We investigated the associations between maternal plasma n-3 and n-6 PUFA status at 34 wk gestation and offspring body composition.

DESIGN AND SETTING
A prospective United Kingdom population-based mother-offspring cohort, the Southampton Women's Survey (SWS), was studied.

PARTICIPANTS
A total of 12,583 nonpregnant women were recruited into the SWS, among whom 1987 delivered a baby before December 31, 2003; 293 mother-child pairs had complete measurements of maternal plasma PUFA concentrations in late pregnancy and offspring body composition at both ages 4 and 6 yr.

MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURED
We measured offspring body composition by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, yielding fat mass, lean mass, percentage fat mass, and percentage lean mass. Results are presented as β-coefficients for standardized variables, therefore reflecting the sd change of the outcome for every 1 sd of the predictor.

RESULTS
After adjustment for maternal factors and child factors including height and duration of breast-feeding, maternal plasma n-6 PUFA concentration positively predicted offspring fat mass at 4 yr (β = 0.14 SD/SD; P = 0.01) and 6 yr (β = 0.11 SD/SD; P = 0.04), but there was no association with offspring lean mass at either age (β = 0.005 SD/SD, P = 0.89; and β = 0.008 SD/SD, P = 0.81, respectively). Maternal plasma n-3 PUFA concentration was not associated with offspring fat mass at 4 yr (β = 0.057 SD/SD; P = 0.34) or 6 yr (β = 0.069 SD/SD; P = 0.21). Maternal plasma n-3 PUFA status was positively associated with offspring lean mass on univariate analysis (4 yr, β = 0.11, P = 0.06; 6 yr, β = 0.14; P = 0.02); however, this was confounded by a positive association with offspring height.

CONCLUSIONS
This observational study suggests that maternal n-6 PUFA status during pregnancy might influence offspring adiposity in childhood.


Background: Rates of Covid-19 infection have declined in many countries, but outbreaks persist in residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) who are at high risk of severe outcomes. Epidemiological data from LTCFs are scarce. We used population-level active surveillance to estimate incidence of, and risk factors for Covid-19, and attributable mortality in elderly residents of LTCFs. Methods: Cohort study using individual-level electronic health records from 8,713 residents and daily counts of infection for 9,339 residents and 11,604 staff across 179 UK LTCFs. We modelled risk factors for infection and mortality using Cox proportional hazards and estimated attributable fractions. Findings: 2,075/9,339 residents developed Covid-19 symptoms (22.2% [95% confidence interval: 21.4%; 23.1%]), while 951 residents (10.2% [9.6%; 10.8%]) and 585 staff (5.0% [4.7%; 5.5%]) had laboratory confirmed infections. Confirmed infection incidence in residents and staff respectively was 152.6 [143.1; 162.6] and 62.3 [57.3; 67.5] per 100,000 person-days. 121/179 (67.6%) LTCFs had at least one Covid-19 infection or death. Lower staffing ratios and higher occupancy rates were independent risk factors for infection. 1,694 all-cause deaths occurred in 8,713 (19.4% [18.6%; 20.3%]) residents. 217 deaths occurred in 607 residents with confirmed infection (case-fatality rate: 35.7% [31.9%; 39.7%]). 567/1694 (33.5%) of all-cause deaths were attributable to Covid-19, 28.0% of which occurred in residents with laboratory-confirmed infection. The remainder of excess deaths occurred in asymptomatic or symptomatic residents in the context of limited testing for infection, suggesting substantial under-ascertainment. Interpretation: 1 in 5 residents had symptoms of infection during the pandemic, but many cases were not tested. Higher occupancy and lower staffing levels increase infection risk. Disease control measures should integrate active surveillance and testing with fundamental changes in staffing and care home occupancy to protect staff and residents from infection. Funding: Economic and Social Research Council [ES/V003887/1].


We propose a method for learning landmark detectors for visual objects (such as the eyes and the nose in a face) without any manual supervision. We cast this as the problem of generating images that combine the appearance of the object as seen in a first example image with the geometry of the object as seen in a second example image, where the two examples differ by a viewpoint change and/or an object deformation. In order to factorize appearance and geometry, we introduce a tight bottleneck in the geometry-extraction process that selects and distils geometry-related features. Compared to standard image generation problems, which often use generative adversarial networks, our generation task is conditioned on both appearance and geometry and thus is significantly less ambiguous, to the point that adopting a simple perceptual loss formulation is sufficient. We demonstrate that our approach can learn object landmarks from synthetic image deformations or videos, all without manual supervision, while outperforming state-of-the-art unsupervised landmark detectors. We further show that our method is applicable to a large variety of datasets - faces, people, 3D objects, and digits - without any modifications.


BACKGROUND
Efforts have been paid to lower the health risks associated with use of computers at the workplace. Computerized risk assessment systems are available in the market for adoption by companies.

OBJECTIVES
The Display Screen Equipment Risk Assessment and Management System was designed for conducting risk assessment and providing intelligent-driven solutions for DSE-related occupational health problems. This report summarizes two consecutive research work conducted on evaluating its effect in reducing body discomfort and mental fatigue, and enhancing sedentary workers' occupational health.

METHODS
Convenience sampling was adopted to recruit participants (111 participants for Study 1 and 75 participants for Study 2 who were randomly assigned to an immediate or a delayed intervention group. The intervention was using DSE RAM System to perform a risk assessment followed by an immediate modification of participant's workstation based on the recommendations generated by the System. Face to face interview was conducted and participants completed three sets of questionnaires right before the assessment and two weeks after the intervention.

RESULTS
The results of Study 1 revealed that the DSE RAM System was effective for alleviating the discomfort and fatigue levels by rectifying the workstation-worker match. These mismatches were identified to be the heights of monitor, keyboard and chair with the workers. The results of Study 2 indicate that the System was specific for promoting participants to take more frequent rest breaks (OR: 3.65) and pay more attention to occupational safety and health information (OR: 3.90). In particular, the take frequent rest breaks behavior was found to predict decrease in discomfort in the eyes and mental fatigue (lack of energy). Nevertheless, there was no strong evidence on the use of the System can lead to immediate attitudinal changes towards occupational health and safety.

CONCLUSION
The findings support the notion that workers' participation and integration of ergonomics into the management are important for successful implementation of occupational health programs. Together with educational and skill training sessions on occupational health at the workplace, the DSE RAM System offers a venue for implementing participatory ergonomics at the workplace.


Introduction This study investigates the availability and use of Information and communication technologies (ICTs) in collection management in university and special libraries in the Niger Delta Region, Nigeria. Meyer (1997:4) sees ICTs as "the hardware, software, telecommunication technology, human skills and intellectual content that enable the study, design, development, implementation, support, management or use of intellectual expressions. This includes data, knowledge and languages in all digital, print, audio and visual formats." UNESCO (2000:12) defines ICTs as the "scientific, technological and engineering disciplines and management techniques used in information handling and processing." The use of ICTs provides quality services to users. Moreover, ICTs have revolutionized activities in all spheres of life, especially library and information services. Faulkner (1998:4) asserts that the use of ICTs builds a strong and effective information system. For years, libraries used manual systems to gather, process, and disseminate information to users. The advent of ICTs, however, has changed this practice and made library and information services, as well as information access, much faster and easier. Special libraries provide information for a parent organization that supports the library (Ashworth 1979:9). The parent organization could be a government department, private society or institution, a hospital, a public cooperation, a research association, an industrial company, and so on. Some prominent special libraries in Nigeria are those of the Higher Court of Justice and Federal Ministry of Justice in Lagos, which were both launched in 1990. (Nnaji, 1986). Okiy (1998:93) cites a survey conducted in 1979 which revealed more than thirty-two special libraries in Nigeria. This picture has changed drastically with the proliferation of special libraries in various sectors of the Nigerian economy, including the banking industry, business and communication. Academic libraries are libraries established in tertiary institutions. They include libraries in universities, colleges of education, and polytechnics. The emphasis in this research is on universities. The first university library was the library of the university college, Ibadan, established in 1948. There are presently 92 Nigerian universities, of which 27 are federal, 31 state, and 34 private. Singh (2004:17) observes that collection development and collection management have been used almost synonymously, although there are differences in meaning. Collection development is the selection and acquisition of library materials, considering users' current needs and future requirements. Collection management is much more than collection building. It is managing the use, storage, and organization of the collection, and making it accessible to users. Branin (1994:25) notes that the paradigm of librarianship is clearly changing and the librarian's role is diversifying. Librarians at present are more concerned with collection management than collection development. They are acting increasingly as interpreters of information rather than selectors. Daniel, Okentunji, Okojie, and Abdusalam (2003:83) observe that library automation has been a topical issue in Nigeria since the early seventies. The issue of ICTs has generated many seminars, workshops and articles. Nonetheless, only limited application of the technologies to libraries appears to have taken place. This was what informed the Executive Committee of the Nigerian Library Association when planning for the 40th Anniversary National Conference and Annual General Meeting, "Eko 2002," to commission a survey of ICTs in Nigerian libraries. The advent of the Internet has brought awareness of the importance of global communication. People, organizations, and businesses are better informed and more connected to each other than ever before. Information that once took several processes and procedures to obtain is now readily available. …


New from Richard Tames, the well-known popularizer of English history, comes this entertaining exploration of the bits of English history that have been sidelined, lost or somehow overlooked. Written in an engaging, easy-toread and often humorous style, he brings to life the various colourful characters, famous in their day, who have now sunk into obscurity, from St Cuthbert and Nicholas Breakspear (the only English pope) to Octavia Hill and the Marquis of Granby. Tames also covers such diverse areas as sports, lost villages, forgotten war heroes and inventors. Did you know, for example, that Barking was once home to the largest fishing fleet in the world? Or that coffee houses were once known as penny universities? Peppered with quotes and anecdotes, and arranged into concise sections, this book is ideal for dipping into or reading from cover to cover.


People with epilepsy face serious driving restrictions, determined using retrospective studies. To relate seizure characteristics to driving impairment, we aimed to study driving behavior during seizures with a simulator. Patients in the Yale New Haven Hospital undergoing video‐electroencephalographic monitoring used a laptop‐based driving simulator during ictal events. Driving function was evaluated by video review and analyzed in relation to seizure type, impairment of consciousness/responsiveness, or motor impairment during seizures. Fifty‐one seizures in 30 patients were studied. In terms of seizure type, we found that focal to bilateral tonic–clonic or myoclonic seizures (5/5) and focal seizures with impaired consciousness/responsiveness (11/11) always led to driving impairment; focal seizures with spared consciousness/responsiveness (0/10) and generalized nonmotor (generalized spike–wave bursts; 1/19) usually did not lead to driving impairment. Regardless of seizure type, we found that seizures with impaired consciousness (15/15) or with motor involvement (13/13) always led to impaired driving, but those with spared consciousness (0/20) or spared motor function (5/38) usually did not. These results suggest that seizure types with impaired consciousness/responsiveness and abnormal motor function contribute to impaired driving. Expanding this work in a larger cohort could further determine how results with a driving simulator may translate into real world driving safety.


Background: Research on the clustering of physical activity, sedentary, and dietary intake behaviors in children has relied on retrospective and parent-report measures, which may obscure true associations. The current study combined objectively-measured moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time (ST) data from waist-worn accelerometers, with multiple child-report 24-h dietary recalls to assess specific components of dietary intake (i.e., dietary fat, carbohydrates, protein; glycemic load, fruits and vegetables) in children. Methods: Participants (n = 136, ages 8–12 years) wore an accelerometer for 7 days. On two of those days, children completed 24-h recall phone interviews to assess dietary intake. Results: After adjusting for child age, sex, ethnicity, annual household income, and body mass index (BMI) percentile; ST was positively associated with percent dietary fat intake, and negatively associated with percent dietary carbohydrate intake and glycemic load (p's < 0.01). MVPA was positively associated with percent dietary carbohydrate intake and daily glycemic load, and negatively associated with percent dietary fat intake (p's < 0.05). Conclusion: Despite its direct health benefits, physical activity may be associated with consuming greater proportion of total intake from carbohydrates, especially those with a higher glycemic index. Further research is needed to understand the differential implications of these unique behavioral interrelations for diabetes, cardiovascular, and obesity risk.


points to the opposite conclusion: higher appropriations are associated with lower economic growth. This suggests that the observed shrinkage in state appropriations over the first half of the decade was actually a positive development: one that dampened, albeit modestly, the real relative economic decline of the state. Moreover, it calls into question a growth strategy based on expansion of higher education. Indeed, other results included in the econometric estimation suggest that a better growth strategy would be to put the entire Michigan state government on a diet in order to finance a reduction in the overall tax burden. While higher education expenditures are not growth-inducing, the evidence shows that tax reductions are.


This thesis examines the cases of three rural working-class women from Essex who, in a five year period between the years of 1846 and 1851, were arrested, tried, and, in two instances, executed for poisoning crimes. From the cases of these three women (Sarah Chesham, Mary May and Hannah Southgate) this thesis studies the various competing narratives about their femininity which appeared in newspapers, Hansard transcripts, social commentary, witness depositions, personal correspondence and petitions against their sentences. The main research question this thesis asks is what narratives about femininity exist in available sources regarding female poisoners from the mid-Victorian era and how can these narratives enable us to better understand the contradictory and competing constructions of femininity in nineteenth century England? Currently research into how the femininity of female poisoners was constructed, why it was constructed in such a manner, and the varying differences in depictions of their womanhood is underrepresented. To tackle the issue of limited source material (both because the women were not tried in London courts and because of their social standing) I have chosen to find a broad range of sources as advocated by microhistorians and some feminist historians. The methodology adopted to collect and analyse these data sources is incorporated from microhistorical methods (interest in the normal exception, broad ranging source material and concern with individual cases in order to interpret societal changes and occurrences), and partly from feminist scholars who have investigated legal as well as media narratives to discover how female criminals are represented therein. The methodology is situated within a discourse analysis frame. The findings of this research suggest that the construction of the femininity of the three accused women varied according to the discourse into which each case was linked regardless of whether the case was in fact related to the discourse (e.g. Mary May's case was linked with the debates around infanticide even though she was on trial for the poisoning murder of her half-brother in his forties). Each woman was depicted as deviating from the societal expectations of respectable womanhood, however, contemporaries did not outline what good womanhood entailed, nor was there agreement about what manner a bad woman looked or behaved. There was often a lot of difference between how each woman had her femininity represented even within newspapers, let alone witness depositions, petitions, parliamentary debates, etc. This illustrates that there was no single distinct idea about femininity, but rather that femininity was often in flux within discourses.


Cortical neurons process information on a background of spontaneous, ongoing activity with distinct spatiotemporal profiles defining different cortical states. During wakefulness, cortical states alter constantly in relation to behavioral context, attentional level or general motor activity. In this review article, we will discuss our current understanding of cortical states in awake rodents, how they are controlled, their impact on sensory processing, and highlight areas for future research. A common observation in awake rodents is the rapid change in spontaneous cortical activity from high-amplitude, low-frequency (LF) fluctuations, when animals are quiet, to faster and smaller fluctuations when animals are active. This transition is typically thought of as a change in global brain state but recent work has shown variation in cortical states across regions, indicating the presence of a fine spatial scale control system. In sensory areas, the cortical state change is mediated by at least two convergent inputs, one from the thalamus and the other from cholinergic inputs in the basal forebrain. Cortical states have a major impact on the balance of activity between specific subtypes of neurons, on the synchronization between nearby neurons, as well as the functional coupling between distant cortical areas. This reorganization of the activity of cortical networks strongly affects sensory processing. Thus cortical states provide a dynamic control system for the moment-by-moment regulation of cortical processing.


THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SENSE OF HUMOR, LEADER-FOLLOWER DISTANCE, AND TENURE IN PASTORAL MINISTRY Jonathan Walter Young, Ed.D. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2009 Chairperson: Dr. Hal K. Pettegrew Background: Sense of humor has been shown to affect the personal dynamics of leadership in many ways: it opens channels of communication, improves social relations, enhances performance, and provides a coping mechanism for stress. In leadership research, humor has been linked with improving morale, enhancing group cohesiveness, increasing creativity and motivation, and stimulating higher levels of productivity. Though humor contains the potential to greatly enhance personal and leadership dynamics in the realm of pastoral leadership, very little research has been conducted with this goal in mind. Method: This study examined the relationship between the pastor's predominant sense of humor style using the Humor Styles Questionnaire, predominant configuration of Leader-Follower Distance, and the pastor's tenure characteristics. The instrument was offered to 2,500 Southern Baptist pastors and was completed on-line by 530 pastoral leaders. Over half of the survey participants also responded affirmatively as being willing to participate in an extensive follow-up telephone interview. These qualitative interviews were conducted with a representative subsample of 13 of these pastors. Sense of humor was studied from the perspective of its ability to equip the leader to cope effectively with the stressful realities of pastoral ministry, its ability to gain a balanced perspective on reality, and its capacity to create and manage effective leaderfollower relationships. Results: The adaptive humor styles (afflliative humor and self-enhancing humor) were predominant among pastors as was the proximal Leader-Follower Distance configuration. The self-enhancing humor style was shown to be significantly related to career ministry tenure (at p=.05) and also to Leader Follower Distance configuration (also at p=.05). Likewise, Leader Follower Distance configuration was shown to be significantly correlated to career ministry tenure (at p=.001). Additional significant relationships were also found between HSQ styles and certain church demographics. These data were further explored in the qualitative telephone interviews. Conclusion: The study is intended to aid pastors in dealing with the unique stressors of pastoral leadership, to help churches assess their own expectations of pastoral leadership, and to understand better how certain humor styles and LFD configurations will match with those expectations.


The main issue in the synthesis of molecular imprinted polymer nanoparticles is the identification and optimization of the key factors affecting the material structure and molecular recognition properties. This paper focus on the application of experimental design approach to synthesis bisphenol A molecular imprinted polymers (BPA-MIPs) aimed at the effect on polymerisation temperature, agitation rate, cross-linker to solvent ratio, and percentage of initiator; and determine the influence on hydrolysis breakage to remove template molecule, discussed by FTIR spectra results. The polymers were prepared under thermal suspension polymerization and their functional group stretching and degradation was evaluated. The results presented demonstrate the importance of keeping the right balance between the four parameters conditions which are approximately 55°C, 100rpm, 65% solvent ratio and 1% initiator, respectively. The FTIR results shows that the particle sizes variation affects the performance of MIP where particles with 4 #m size reached 84% removal within time constrain rather than particles with 514 #m size only manage 40% of template removal. Generally, it could be concluded that smaller MIPs achieve removal better than the bigger ones and is expected to perform better in further investigations.


What are the proper bounds of executive discretion in the regulatory state, especially over administrative decisions not to take enforcement actions? This question, which, just by asking it, would seem to cast into some doubt the seemingly absolute discretion the executive branch has until now been thought to possess, has become the focal point of the latest debate to emerge over the U.S. Constitution's separation of powers. That ever‐growing, heated debate is what motivated more than two dozen distinguished scholars to gather for a two‐day conference held late last year at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, a conference organized around the papers appearing in this special Issue of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. We are pleased to introduce this insightful collection of scholarship by explicating the conceptual contours underlying the contemporary debate over executive discretion, and its bounds, in the regulatory state.