Astaxanthin is a high antioxidant which is red carotenoid pigment obtained from many microalgae species. It is an important preservative of the immune system and it is used in the treatment of cancer, skin and heart diseases. The most efficient source of astaxanthin is Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae. In this study, the optimum cultivation conditions of H. pluvialis and the accumulation of astaxanthin were investigated. Bold Basal media (BBM) and Bristol media (BM) were used for growth media. Different stress conditions were applied and the astaxanthin accumulation was examined. The stress conditions were the application of different illumination power, the addition of tap water and iron, nitrogen deficiency in both BBM and BM. The amount of astaxanthin, dry cell weight and cell count were measured. BBM was found to be more efficient than BM on growth of microalgae. The nitrogen-free BM was more efficient for production of astaxanthin than BBM. Using tap water has been also found advantageous in terms of cost. The effect of illumination power did not make any differences on astaxanthin accumulation.


In this work, we present TOAD-GAN (Token-based One-shot Arbitrary Dimension Generative Adversarial Network), a novel Procedural Content Generation (PCG) algorithm that generates token-based video game levels. TOAD-GAN follows the SinGAN architecture and can be trained using only one example. We demonstrate its application for Super Mario Bros. levels and are able to generate new levels of similar style in arbitrary sizes. We achieve state-of-the-art results in modeling the patterns of the training level and provide a comparison with different baselines under several metrics. Additionally, we present an extension of the method that allows the user to control the generation process of certain token structures to ensure a coherent global level layout. We provide this tool to the community to spur further research by publishing our source code.


: Turbopump condition monitoring is a significant approach to ensure the safety of liquid rocket engine (LRE). Because of lack of fault samples, a monitoring system cannot be trained on all possible condition patterns. Thus it is important to differentiate abnormal or unknown patterns from normal pattern with novelty detection methods. One-class support vector machine (OCSVM) that has been commonly used for novelty detection cannot deal well with large scale samples. In order to model the normal pattern of the turbopump with OCSVM and so as to monitor the condition of the turbopump, a monitoring method that integrates OCSVM with incremental clustering is presented. In this method, the incremental clustering is used for sample reduction by extracting representative vectors from a large training set. The representative vectors are supposed to distribute uniformly in the object region and fulfill the region. And training OCSVM on these representative vectors yields a novelty detector. By applying this method to the analysis of the turbopump's historical test data, it shows that the incremental clustering algorithm can extract 91 representative points from more than 36 000 training vectors, and the OCSVM detector trained on these 91 representative points can recognize spikes in vibration signals caused by different abnormal events such as vane shedding, rub-impact and sensor faults. This monitoring method does not need fault samples during training as classical recognition methods. The method resolves the learning problem of large samples and is an alternative method for condition monitoring of the LRE turbopump


The quality factor of Asness, Frazzini and Pedersen (2013) combines several quality dimensions, identified in previous literature, into one strategy which presents an asset pricing puzzle of quality being positively correlated with prices yet very weakly describing them, and at the same time quality minus junk being significantly profitable. I document similar results by following their construction methodology and observe QMJ profits to be dominated by the short side. I find that quality and value are hedges and higher returns can be achieved by combining the two strategies. I also find evidence of a robust size effect and the beta anomaly by sorting quality within size and market beta portfolios. Lastly, I observe that a managed volatility portfolio, which limits risk exposure when volatility is high, produces a significant alpha for quality.


Contemporary research focuses on examining trustworthy AI but neglects to consider trust transfer processes, proposing that users' established trust in a familiar source (e.g., a technology or person) may transfer to a novel target. We argue that such trust transfer processes also occur in the case of novel AI-capable technologies, as they are the result of the convergence of AI with one or more base technologies. We develop a model with a focus on multi-source trust transfer while including the theoretical framework of trustduality (i.e., trust in providers and trust in technologies) to advance our understanding about trust transfer. A survey among 432 participants confirms that users transfer their trust from known technologies and providers (i.e., vehicle and AI technology) to AI-capable technologies and their providers. The study contributes by providing a novel theoretical perspective on establishing trustworthy AI by validating the importance of the duality of trust.


High strength quenched and tempered (Q&T) steels offer obvious economic benefits originating from their advantageous strength to price and weight ratios. These steels are usually welded using ferritic consumables and for this combination the risk of hydrogen assisted cold cracking (HACC) is high. The use of austenitic stainless steel (ASS) consumables has great potential to significantly improve this issue. Yet, there are no guidelines for determination of safe level of preheat for welding ferritic steels with ASS consumables. For this reason manufacturers adopt this parameter from procedures developed for conventional ferritic consumables thus significantly limiting the benefits ASS consumables are capable to deliver. Productivity could be further enhanced by identifying the upper interpass temperature threshold, thus reducing the stand-off times. Aim of this work is to develop safe highly optimised procedures for welding of high strength Q&T steel with ASS consumable.


New directives for the management of urban stormwater prioritize infiltration and direct discharge into receiving waters. This requires innovative new stormwater facilities in urban areas. Besides hydraulic requirements for retention and infiltration capacity, the pollutants contained in the runoff water are of primary importance in future stormwater drainage concepts. Different urban surfaces are classified according to their potential for pollutant wash-off and the most crucial substances in view of hazardous effects in the aquatic and terrestrial environment are identified. Source control of hazardous pollutants by choosing alternative materials for the construction of buildings, roads and vehicles is considered to be most sustainable but will only be effective on a longterm perspective. In addition, new facilities for decentralized hydraulic retention combined with barrier systems for the most hazardous substances are proposed allowing for ecologically safe discharge of the stormwater into the local environment. Soil passage and new adsorber systems in the form of different granular adsorbents have been investigated and turned out to represent efficient retention systems which can well be integrated into infiltration and hydraulic retention facilities. It is suggested that the structures for stormwater handling are integrated into local landscaping in the surrounding of buildings in the form of ponds, reed-beds, ditches, etc. creating attractive blue-green environments.


The study uses a modified market model to investigate whether the Nigerian stock market reacts efficiently to dividend announcements in terms of price adjustments. The study finds that the cumulative excess returns (CERs) for dividend paying firms are positive and significant for 30 days from the day of the announcement, while the CERs for dividend omitting firms for the same period are significant and negative. The CERs for the subsamples are statistically significant around the event window. Overall, this provides evidence that the Nigerian stock market is not semi–strong efficient, that dividend policy matters and that share prices do react to dividend announcements.


Recent results establish the optimality of interference alignment to approach the Shannon capacity of interference networks at high SNR. However, the extent to which interference can be aligned over a finite number of signalling dimensions remains unknown. Another important concern for interference alignment schemes is the requirement of global channel knowledge. In this work, we provide examples of iterative algorithms that utilize the reciprocity of wireless networks to achieve interference alignment with only local channel knowledge at each node. These algorithms also provide numerical insights into the feasibility of interference alignment that are not yet available in theory.


Abstract. Monocular simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) attracted much attention in the mobile-robotics domain over the past decades along with the advancements of small-format, consumer-grade digital cameras. This is especially the case for micro air vehicles (MAV) due to their payload and power limitations. The quality of global 3D reconstruction by SLAM solutions is a critical factor in occupancy-grid mapping, obstacle avoidance, and map representation. Although several benchmarks have been created in the past to evaluate the quality of vision-based localization and trajectory-estimation, the quality of mapping products has been rarely studied. This paper evaluates the quality of three state-of-the-art open-source monocular SLAM solutions including LSD-SLAM, ORB-SLAM, and LDSO in terms of the geometric accuracy of the global mapping. Since there is no ground-truth information of the testing environment in existing visual SLAM benchmark datasets (e.g., EuRoC, TUM, and KITTI), an evaluation dataset using a quadcopter and a terrestrial laser scanner is created in this work. The dataset is composed of the image data extracted from the recorded videos by flying a drone in the test environment and the high-fidelity point clouds of the test area acquired by a terrestrial laser scanner as the ground truth reference. The mapping quality evaluation of the three SLAM algorithms was mainly conducted on geometric accuracy comparisons by calculating the deviation distance between each SLAM-derived point clouds and the laser-scanned reference. The mapping quality was also discussed with respect to their noise levels as well as further applications.


Genetic factors and catecholaminergic dysfunction have been suggested as the etiology of suicide. The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) 158Val/Met polymorphism affects COMT activity; that is, the alleles encoding Val and Met are associated with relatively high and relatively low COMT activity, respectively. We aimed to identify the role of the COMT Val158Met polymorphism in suicidal attempt behavior. The COMT 158Val/Met polymorphisms were analyzed in 197 suicide attempters (male/female: 70/127), 170 control subjects (male/female: 85/85). All subjects were ethnic Korean. The Lethality Suicide Attempt Rating Scale (LSARS) and risk-rescue rating (RRR) system were explored. For the male subjects, there was a significant difference in genotype distributions and allele frequencies between control subjects and suicide attempters. That is, Val/Val genotype and Val carriers were more frequent in suicide attempters than in control subjects. For the female subjects, however, no significant difference was shown in genotype distributions and allele frequencies between control subjects and suicide attempters. There were no significant differences in LSARS and RRR according to the genotypes. The distribution of the COMT 158Val/Met polymorphism showed a biologically meaningful difference between control subjects and suicide attempters among the male subjects although selection bias should be considered.


Interpretability is crucial to understand the inner workings of deep neural networks (DNNs). Many interpretation methods help to understand the decision-making of DNNs by generating saliency maps that highlight parts of the input image that contribute the most to the prediction made by the DNN. In this paper we design a backdoor attack that alters the saliency map produced by the network for an input image with a specific trigger pattern while not losing the prediction performance significantly. The saliency maps are incorporated in the penalty term of the objective function that is used to train a deep model and its influence on model training is conditioned upon the presence of a trigger. We design two types of attacks: a targeted attack that enforces a specific modification of the saliency map and a non-targeted attack when the importance scores of the top pixels from the original saliency map are significantly reduced. We perform empirical evaluations of the proposed backdoor attacks on gradient-based interpretation methods, Grad-CAM and SimpleGrad, and a gradient-free scheme, VisualBackProp, for a variety of deep learning architectures. We show that our attacks constitute a serious security threat to the reliability of the interpretation methods when deploying models developed by untrusted sources. We furthermore show that existing backdoor defense mechanisms are ineffective in detecting our attacks. Finally, we demonstrate that the proposed methodology can be used in an inverted setting, where the correct saliency map can be obtained only in the presence of a trigger (key), effectively making the interpretation system available only to selected users.


The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between leadership style and job commitment of library personnel in private universities in the Southwest, Nigeria. A survey design was adopted for the study. The research instrument used in the collection of data was questionnaire. In measuring the research questions and testing hypotheses, mean and standard deviation, analysis of variance (one way), correlation and multiple regression analysis and multiple pair wise comparison were used. The result of the study shows that Leadership Style had a significant relationship with the job commitment of respondents (β=.102, P>.05). Moreover, the study found out that there was significant difference in the comparative Job Commitment of Library Personnel of University (F (14,155, P <.05). Based on the findings, it was observed that library managers should evolve leadership styles that will motivate the job commitment of their subordinates. The study concludes that the respondents are committed to their job but the degree of commitment varies from one university to the other. The study recommends that the management can improve working conditions of the library personnel, especially the availability of material, human and financial resources so as to enhance their job commitment.

Keywords: Leadership style, Job commitment, Library personnel, Private Universities, Nigeria


The neurotransmitter serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] modulates a diverse array of functions related to homeostasis and responses to the environment. Despite its importance, little is known about the brain structures or the postsynaptic receptors that mediate 5-HT effects. Weisstaub et al. created 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR) knockout mice and found that these animals exhibited less anxiety and more disinhibition in a conflictual situation. This behavior could be reversed by selectively restoring 5-HT2ARs in the cortex. However, restored 5-HT2AR expression in a subcortical region such as the thalamus produced no difference between rescued and knockout mice. N. V. Weisstaub, M. Zhou, A. Lira, E. Lambe, J. González-Maeso, J.-P. Hornung, E. Sibille, M. Underwood, S. Itohara, W. T. Dauer, M. S. Ansorge, E. Morelli, J. J. Mann, M. Toth, G. Aghajanian, S. C. Sealfon, R. Hen. J. A. Gingrich, Cortical 5-HT2A receptor signaling modulates anxiety-like behaviors in mice. Science 313, 536-540 (2006). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Abstract This paper presents preliminary data and results for a system mathematical model for a proposed Otto Cycle / Stirling Cycle hybrid-engine-based power generation system. The system is a combined cycle system with the Stirling cycle machine operating as a bottoming cycle on the Otto cycle exhaust. The application considered is that of a stationary power generation scenario wherein the Stirling cycle engine operates as a waste heat recovery device on the exhaust stream of the Otto cycle engine. This paper is primarily concerned with the development of a model for a suitable Stirling cycle engine capable of running on the high grade thermal energy present in the exhaust stream of the industrial Otto cycle engine under consideration. The Otto cycle engine is not modelled, with the relevant engine exhaust and performance parameters taken from published data. This was deemed a suitable step as the Otto cycle engine is an established technology and the engines on which the model is to be based are commercially available. Therefore use of the published data in this manner was favourable as it limited the extent of the model required and allowed focus on the Stirling cycle engine requirements. The modelling procedure for the Stirling engine follows the traditional sequence of Zero Order, First Order, Second Order as suggested in the classical literature. Zero Order analysis is completed in the form of the Beale analysis, First Order analysis utilises a Schmidt style method while the Second Order analysis utilises the Direct Method model. Modelling is based on data available for an industrial Otto engine system operating on natural gas, with the input variables being specified as the exhaust recoverable energy content and temperature at a constant speed of 1500rpm.


: Spotted seals Phoca largha and bearded seals Erignathus barbatus are ice-associated seals that have overlapping range in the Beaufort, Chukchi, and Bering Seas, but have different foraging ecologies. The link between foraging behaviour and specific oceanographic variables is not well understood for these species, nor is the influence of different dive metrics when modelling their foraging behaviour. To explore the value of different dive metrics to estimate foraging behaviour, and the relationships between foraging and water bodies/oceanographic variables, we tagged 3 spotted seals and 2 bearded seals with satellite telemetry tags that recorded movement and oceanographic data. To infer foraging behaviour, we included dive metrics in Bayesian state-space switching models, and found that models that included depth-corrected dive duration were more parsimonious than models that included dive shape. The addition of vertical movements to the model enabled better determination of foraging areas (inferred from area-restricted searches) and provided insights into the probabilities of switching between foraging and transiting behaviours. The collection of oceanographic data in situ at a scale relevant to seals helped identify water masses, and how they were used, and potential oceanographic cues used by seals to identify foraging locations. Fine-scale spatiotemporal clustering analysis revealed spotted and bearded seal foraging 'hotspots' in the Chukchi and Bering Seas that overlap with hotspots identified for other marine mammals and marine birds.


ABSTRACT This article examines the role of translational and polylingual practices in global forms of art activism. It is through translation, both narrowly and broadly speaking, that local issues with a universal resonance overcome cultural and political borders and are addressed by art activists sharing common social and political strategies, such as Hiphoppas, and artists belonging to resistance movements, like the 100 Thousand Poets for Change (100TPC). Translation represents both an object of enquiry, as a shaping force in the construction of these artists' identities, and a methodological tool for examining the interplay of central issues, such as language, culture and identity. Narrative theory and the notion of prefigurative politics are also applied to provide an interdisciplinary approach that is paramount in the analysis of all global processes.


With multinational enterprises (MNEs) centralizing production facilities, market countries claim not to receive their fair share of taxes. A reform of international business taxation that includes new profit allocation rules as well as the introduction of minimum taxation is being considered as a problem mitigating mechanism. We analyze theoretically the real effects of the aforementioned tax reform, i.e., MNEs' adjustments of production and sales decisions. Our findings show that the effects of an international tax reform on sales quantities depend on the properties of the underlying product markets. If national demand resembles characteristics of traditional industries, sales quantities remain unchanged. However, sales quantities are affected if specific demand characteristics of modern business models are assumed. For traditional industries a reformed tax regime increases tax revenues in high-tax market countries and even attracts production. In contrast, for modern business models tax revenues of high-tax countries can even decrease.


The art of the Northern kingdoms of Thailand was Buddhist, and the Buddha image was at its core. The purpose of traditional Buddhist art was not to delight the eye or 'decorate,' but to remind, enlighten, and instruct. For many years art historians considered the sculpture of Northern Thailand, or Lan Na, to be a minor tradition. This volume shows that Lan Na sculpture is an enormous body of work beginning with the Mon-Hariphunchai period of the eleventh century, through the Classic period of Lan Na's Golden Age in the fifteenth century, up until Lan Na's integration


Modern solid-state drives (SSDs) use new host–interface protocols, such as NVMe, to provide applications with fast access to storage. These new protocols make use of a concept known as the multi-queue SSD (MQ-SSD), where the SSD has direct access to the application-level I/O request queues. This removes most of the OS software stack that was used in older protocols to control how and when the I/O requests were dispatched to storage devices. Unfortunately, while the elimination of the OS software stack leads to a significant performance improvement, we show in this paper that it introduces a new problem: unfairness. This is because the elimination of the OS software stack eliminates the mechanisms that were used to provide fairness among applications in older SSDs. To study application-level unfairness, we perform experiments using four real state-of-the-art MQ-SSDs. We demonstrate that the lack of fair scheduling mechanisms leads to high unfairness among concurrently-executing applications due to the interference among them. For instance, when one of these applications issues many more I/O requests than others, the other applications are slowed down significantly. We perform a comprehensive analysis of interference in real MQ-SSDs, and find four major interference sources: (1) the intensity of requests sent by each application, (2) differences in request access patterns, (3) the ratio of reads to writes, and (4) garbage collection. To alleviate unfairness in MQ-SSDs, we propose the Flash-Level INterference-aware scheduler (FLIN). FLIN is a lightweight I/O request scheduling mechanism that provides fairness among requests from different applications. FLIN uses a three-stage scheduling algorithm that protects against all four major sources of interference, while respecting the application-level priorities assigned by the host. FLIN is implemented fully within the SSD controller firmware, requiring no new hardware, and has negligible (<0.06%) storage cost. Compared to a state-of-the-art I/O scheduler, FLIN improves the fairness and performance of a wide range of enterprise and datacenter storage workloads, with an average improvement of 70% and 47%, respectively.


Although the positive association between religiosity and life satisfaction is well documented, much theoretical and empirical controversy surrounds the question of how religion actually shapes life satisfaction. Using a new panel dataset, this study offers strong evidence for social and participatory mechanisms shaping religion's impact on life satisfaction. Our findings suggest that religious people are more satisfied with their lives because they regularly attend religious services and build social networks in their congregations. The effect of within-congregation friendship is contingent, however, on the presence of a strong religious identity. We find little evidence that other private or subjective aspects of religiosity affect life satisfaction independent of attendance and congregational friendship.


By computing three and four point functions of non-BPS scattering amplitudes, including a closed string Ramond-Ramond (RR), gauge/scalar and tachyon in type IIA (IIB) super string theories, we discover a unique expansion for tachyon amplitudes in both non-BPS and D-brane anti D-brane formalism. Based on remarks on Chan-Paton factors and arXiv:1304.3711, we propose selection rules for all non-BPS scattering amplitudes of type II super string theory. These selection rules, rule out various non-BPS higher point correlation functions of the string theory. The amplitudes of a closed string RR, one tachyon, one scalar field $ $ and a closed string RR, one tachyon, one scalar and one gauge field $ $ and their all order $\alpha'$ higher derivative corrections have been explored. Having used some of the new Wess-Zumino terms, tachyonic DBI action, this universal tachyon expansion and the proposed selection rule, we are able to produce infinite number of $u'$- channel tachyon and $t$- channel massless scalar poles of $ $ amplitude in string theory. Based on selection rules upon internal CP matrix of open strings for $ $, we reveal that, there should neither be single / double $s',(s'+u'+t)$ channel tachyon, gauge/ scalar poles nor infinite poles.


We discuss the role of scale dependence of entropy/complexity and its relationship to component interdependence. The complexity as a function of scale of observation is expressed in terms of subsystem entropies for a system having a description in terms of variables that have the same a priori scale. The sum of the complexity over all scales is the same for any system with the same number of underlying degrees of freedom (variables), even though the complexity at specific scales differs due to the organization/interdependence of these degrees of freedom. This reflects a tradeoff of complexity at different scales of observation. Calculation of this complexity for a simple frustrated system reveals that it is possible for the complexity to be negative. This is consistent with the possibility that observations of a system that include some errors may actually cause, on average, negative knowledge, i.e. incorrect expectations.


In hot and arid climates, limiting solar heat gain while also providing daylight into a structure is a major concern in building design. Building skin that gradually changes in porosity can help limit solar heat gain. Since solar heat gain is primarily a problem during summer, the path the sun follows during summer must be taken into account in determining opening sizes. In this paper, the researcher reports on a study where a generative system called SolarPierce was developed using AutoLISP, the scripting language of AutoCAD, to generate solid geometry for a building skin based on the sun's path in a given geographical area. The system automatically punches different size openings in a given shell structure where openings facing the sun are the smallest and those fully facing away from the sun are the largest. Opening sizes gradually change from a given minimum to a given maximum depending on how much they face the sun.


The critical micelle concentration and conductivity behaviour of copper (II) soap solution in benzene-methanol mixtures have been determined by the following equation at various temperatures (40, 45, 50 and 550C): log μ = A + B log c Where A and B are constants, c is concentration of copper soap in g.moles/litre and μ is molecular conductivity. The values of log μ and B generally increase with temperature. Both the values of log μ and B also increase with increase in the volume percent of methanol in the system. The above system obeys the Krauss and Bray type expression and data show that in general, dissociation constant increases and limiting molar conductance decreases with the temperature upto 50% methanol in the solvent mixture. The work has been extended to collect thermodynamic parameters such as the heat of dissociation, H0, to enable the behaviour of soap solutions to be better understood. In regard to chain length of the soap, the cmc values are in the order: Caprate < Caprylate. CMC increases with the increase in the methanol percent in the solvent mixture. The results confirm that the change in the nature of micelles from hydrophilic oleomicelles to lipophilic hydromicelles occurs in solutions at about 50% methanol.


Quantum chemical descriptors such as heat of formation, energy of HOMO, total energy, absolute hardness and chemical potential in different combinations have been used to develop QSAR models of inhibitors of enzyme ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase, RDR. The inhibitors are mainly derivatives of 1-formylisoquinoline thiosemicarbazone and 2-formylpyridine thiosemicarbazone. The values of various descriptors have been evaluated with the help of Win MOPAC 7.21 software using DFT method. Multiple linear regression analysis has been made with the help of above mentioned descriptors using the same software. Regression equations have been found to be successful models as indicated by the regression coefficient r2 having the value as high as 0.96 and cross validation coefficient rCV2 having the value approaching 0.95. The value of these two coefficients is indicative of high order of reliability for the proposed prediction. The results obtained are also validated on account of the closeness of observed and predicted inhibitory activities. The best combination of descriptors is heat of formation, total energy and energy of HOMO. Thus the prediction of suitability of inhibitors of the enzyme RDR can be made with the help of the best regression equation.


In this article it is argued that human rights require justification. It regards their universality, their high priority, their legal character. Human rights deal with normative considerations involving a guarantee of a status, a prohibition to discriminate persons and/or to humiliate them. They are a type of social practice requiring implemetation and concretization. There are interests, needs common to every human being, goods (including the conditions of agency) the frustation of which is antithetical to the decent life of human beings. Human rights are indeterminate. Therefore they range from abstract to specific. It is only in all their application that human rights become concrete. Application involves interpretation. From this point of view the role of adjudication is fundamental. It connects the universality of human rights provisions and the particularity of individual cases. Adjudication implies a contextually embedded and situationally sensitive judgment of particulars.


Low carbon technologies are necessary to address global warming issues through electricity decabonisation, but their large-scale integration challenges the stability and security of electricity supply. Energy storage can support this transition by bringing flexibility to the grid but since it represents high capital investments, the right choices must be made in terms of the technology and the location point in the network. Most of the potential for storage is achieved when connected further from the load, and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are a strong candidate for behind-the-meter integration. This work reviews and evaluates the state-of-the-art development of BESS, analysing the benefits and barriers to a wider range of applications in the domestic sector. Existing modelling tools that are key for a better assessment of the impacts of BESS to the grid are also reviewed. It is shown that the technology exists and has potential for including Electric Vehicle battery reuse, however it is still mostly applied to optimise domestic photovoltaic electricity utilisation. The barriers to a wider integration are financial, economic, technical, as well as market and regulation. Increased field trials and robust numerical modelling should be the next step to gain investment confidence and allow BESS to reach their potential.


In this article, we present two empirical examples of water governance failures and its conflicts from coastal zones of Indus Delta, Pakistan, and Cap Bon, Tunisia. Res ults reveal that there is lack of secure equilibriu m between sustainable, equitable and efficient uses of limited w ater to serve for economic sectors. While the water in both zones having high importance for economic contribution (i rrigation, tourism and industrial use) and landscap e attractions (touristic sites). Based on the results obtained fr om the case studies, we have proposed a new mechanism for water supply, management and conservation, which may be extended to the developing countries. Prospectively, we try to disclose that how this mechanism will ensure water resource sustainability to local communities and to contribute in economic development at national scale. Finally, th e need for new modes of governance and institutiona l arrangements for water management mechanism is highlighted and suggestions for its application are made.


In responding to the United States (U.S.) Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Order EA-12-049 Issuance of Order to Modify Licenses with Regard to Requirements for Mitigation Strategies for BeyondDesign-Basis External Events, many of the operating nuclear power plants have identified a need to evaluate the robustness of certain on-site, liquid-contained storage tanks. Because many of these storage tanks were not originally designed for their site's licensing-basis tornado event, the present evaluations must address the effects of wind-driven missile impact on storage tank structural integrity and inventory security. This paper describes one such evaluation for two condensate storage tanks (CSTs) and associated piping connections at an East Coast U.S. nuclear power plant (Plant). The impact of a wind-driven missile against a thin-walled, liquid-contained structure gives rise to a complex and transient engineering problem involving highly localized stresses, nonlinear constitutive behaviour, material damage/failure, and fluidstructure interaction. The multi-physics finite element code LS-DYNA was used to carry out a rigorous computational assessment involving a spectrum of design-basis tornado missile threats. Based on results from the assessment, it was concluded that a barrier mitigation strategy would need to be employed on site. This paper describes the computational modelling approach utilized during the missile impact assessment and discusses results from the nonlinear dynamic finite element simulations. In addition, the concept and design of a novel perforated barrier system comprising ring-net panels is presented.


Accurately projecting global carbon dynamics requires understanding controls over temporal and spatial tropical forest biomass variation. Changes in tropical forest aboveground biomass per area are most commonly estimated using repeat forest plot censuses, but errors in these estimates can be relatively large, limiting our ability to detect real changes in forest carbon. One source of error is nonstandard heights of diameter measurement, which are common in tropical forests because buttressed trees are usually measured above buttresses. Nonstandard and temporally variable measurement heights affect biomass change estimates because tree trunks taper—higher measurements result in smaller diameters and, thus, smaller estimated biomass. Modeling trunk taper is a potential way to correct for biases associated with nonstandard and changing measurement heights. We measured trunk taper for 260 buttressed trees in five lowland tropical forests to assess variation in taper within and among sites. Trunks taper more slowly in trees with larger diameters above buttress, taller buttresses, and higher wood density; these variables together explain 29% of taper variation. We also used plot data to quantify the distribution of measurement heights—and potential for bias in biomass estimates. We found significant variation in measurement heights among plots, and over time within plots. At the site level, our general taper model (taper predicted from diameter above buttress, buttress height, and wood density) produced site‐level biomass estimates within 3.4%, on average, of estimates from measured taper. We recommend using this model to reduce bias from nonstandard measurement heights in studies of tropical forest biomass variation.


Dutch long-distance dependencies representing four constructions (wh-questions, relative clauses, topicalization and comparatives) are studied from a diachronic corpus-based perspective. There is a steep decline in usage of such dependencies for relative clauses (but not free relatives) and topicalization, which we attribute to the rise of resumptive prolepsis as an alternative to syntactic movement. Our corpus data show that resumptive prolepsis is particularly common with relative clauses and topicalization, but hardly in use for wh-questions and not at all for comparatives. Long-distance movement therefore needs to be viewed from a broad perspective that includes the available alternatives to movement constructions, such as wh-copying and partial wh-movement, as well as resumptive prolepsis. The historical record shows more violations of the wh-island constraint for early modern Dutch than for present-day Dutch. We argue that this is linked to the near disappearance of long-distance movement in relative clauses and topicalization.


In this study, the main purpose is to analyze the factors that stimulate the probability of financial crises. The period of analysis covers the years of 1970-2008, thereby including the impact of recent global financial crisis. The analysis aims to make a comparison for the developed and developing country financial crises separately. Panel logit estimation technique is used for the analysis which includes 24 developed and 26 developing countries, amounting to 50 countries as total. According to estimation results, current account deficit and credit expansion carry the risk of raising the probability of financial crises significantly both in advanced countries and developing countries. More specifically, credit expansions in developed countries and current account deficits in developing countries raise the probability of financial crises more strongly.


The arrangements of particles and forces in granular materials and particulate matter have a complex organization on multiple spatial scales that range from local structures to mesoscale and system-wide ones. This multiscale organization can affect how a material responds or reconfigures when exposed to external perturbations or loading. The theoretical study of particle-level, force-chain, domain, and bulk properties requires the development and application of appropriate mathematical, statistical, physical, and computational frameworks. Traditionally, granular materials have been investigated using particulate or continuum models, each of which tends to be implicitly agnostic to multiscale organization. Recently, tools from network science have emerged as powerful approaches for probing and characterizing heterogeneous architectures in complex systems, and a diverse set of methods have yielded fascinating insights into granular materials. In this paper, we review work on network-based approaches to studying granular materials (and particulate matter more generally) and explore the potential of such frameworks to provide a useful description of these materials and to enhance understanding of the underlying physics. We also outline a few open questions and highlight particularly promising future directions in the analysis and design of granular materials and other particulate matter.


Field investigations between 2002 and 2011 identified soil structural degradation to be widespread in SW England with 38% of the 3243 surveyed sites having sufficiently degraded soil structure to produce observable features of enhanced surface‐water runoff within the landscape. Soil under arable crops often had high or severe levels of structural degradation. Late‐harvested crops such as maize had the most damaged soil where 75% of sites were found to have degraded structure generating enhanced surface‐water runoff. Soil erosion in these crops was found at over one in five sites. A tendency for the establishment of winter cereals in late autumn in the South West also often resulted in damaged soil where degraded structure and enhanced surface‐water runoff were found in three of every five cereal fields. Remedial actions to improve soil structure are either not being undertaken or are being unsuccessfully used. Brown Sands, Brown Earths and loamy Stagnogley Soils were the most frequently damaged soils. The intensive use of well‐drained, high quality sandy and coarse loamy soils has led to soil structural damage resulting in enhanced surface‐water runoff from fields that should naturally absorb winter rain. Surface water pollution, localized flooding and reduced winter recharge rates to aquifers result from this damage. Chalk and limestone landscapes on the other hand show little evidence of serious soil structural degradation and <20% of fields in these landscapes generate enhanced runoff.


With 15–20% of Indonesian oil palms located, without a legal basis and permits, within the forest zone ('Kawasan hutan'), international concerns regarding deforestation affect the totality of Indonesian palm oil export. 'Forest zone oil palm' (FZ-OP) is a substantive issue that requires analysis and policy change. While spatial details of FZ-OP remain contested, we review literature on (1) the legal basis of the forest zone and its conversion, (2) social stratification in oil palm production (large-scale, plasma and independent growers), and (3) environmental consequences of forest conversion to FZ-OP, before discussing policy options in a range of social and ecological contexts. Policy options range from full regularization (as FZ-OP stands could meet international forest definitions), to conditional acceptance of diversified smallholder plantings in 'agroforestry concessions', to gradually phasing out FZ-OP and eviction/destruction. A nuanced and differentiated approach to FZ-OP is needed, as certification of legality along supply chains is vulnerable to illegal levies and corruption. Corporate actors trading internationally can avoid use of uncertified raw materials, effectively shifting blame and depressing farmgate prices for domestic-market palm oil, but this will not return forest conditions or stop further forest conversion. We discuss an agenda for follow-up policy research.


This paper deals with the material derivative analysis of the boundary integral operators arising from the scattering theory of time-harmonic electromagnetic waves and its application to inverse problems. We present new results using the Piola transform of the boundary parametrisation to transport the integral operators on a fixed reference boundary. The transported integral operators are infinitely differentiable with respect to the parametrisations and simplified expressions of the material derivatives are obtained. Using these results, we extend a nonlinear integral equations approach developed for solving acoustic inverse obstacle scattering problems to electromagnetism. The inverse problem is formulated as a pair of nonlinear and ill-posed integral equations for the unknown boundary representing the boundary condition and the measurements, for which the iteratively regularized Gauss-Newton method can be applied. The algorithm has the interesting feature that it avoids the numerous numerical solution of boundary value problems at each iteration step. Numerical experiments are presented in the special case of star-shaped obstacles.


Abstract : Many security applications require the ability to accurately identify dismounts based on their distinctive identification properties. A dismount can be identified by many personal characteristics to include clothing, height, and gait. In particular, a dismount's skin can be used as an identifying feature because of the vast variability of skin pigmentation amongst individuals. Hyperspectral data, which is comprised of hundreds of spectral channels sampled from a nearly contiguous electromagnetic spectrum, is used to detect skin spectral variability amongst dismounts. However, hyperspectral data is often highly correlated and computationally expensive to process. Feature selection methods can be employed to reduce the data to a manageable size. This thesis presents the results of applying the fast correlation based filter (FCFB) [51] to a data set that contains hyperspectral data from the forearms of 62 subjects. The reduced data is used to train an artificial neural network (ANN) to discriminate a dismount of interest (DOI) amongst a group of 4 non-DOI's. The trained model is then tested to nd the same DOI amongst a group of 62 new non-DOI's. The FCBF selected four features (1014, 1024, 1033, and 1348nm) to discriminate amongst the dismounts. Using these four features, the ANN on average misclassified dismounts amongst four separate DOI validation tests. More specifically, the amount of possible DOI suspects was reduced from 62 to 4 dismounts. The FCBF outperformed three other feature selection methods with 4 times less misclassified instances.


Abstract We present a comprehensive look at a sample of bear spray incidents that occurred in Alaska, USA, from 1985 to 2006. We analyzed 83 bear spray incidents involving brown bears (Ursus arctos; 61 cases, 74%), black bears (Ursus americanus; 20 cases, 24%), and polar bears (Ursus maritimus; 2 cases, 2%). Of the 72 cases where persons sprayed bears to defend themselves, 50 (69%) involved brown bears, 20 (28%) black bears, and 2 (3%) polar bears. Red pepper spray stopped bears' undesirable behavior 92% of the time when used on brown bears, 90% for black bears, and 100% for polar bears. Of all persons carrying sprays, 98% were uninjured by bears in close-range encounters. All bear-inflicted injuries (n = 3) associated with defensive spraying involved brown bears and were relatively minor (i.e., no hospitalization required). In 7% (5 of 71) of bear spray incidents, wind was reported to have interfered with spray accuracy, although it reached the bear in all cases. In 14% (10 of 71) of bear spray incidents, users reported the spray having had negative side effects upon themselves, ranging from minor irritation (11%, 8 of 71) to near incapacitation (3%, 2 of 71). Bear spray represents an effective alternative to lethal force and should be considered as an option for personal safety for those recreating and working in bear country.


This thesis has two parts. The first part deals with the parabolic Anderson model, which is a stochastic differential equation. It models the evolution of a field of particles performing independent simple random walks with binary branching. The focus of this work is on the exponential growth rate of the solution, where several basic properties are derived. The second part deals with two long-range percolation models. The occupied set of the first model is obtained by taking the union of a collection of independent Brownian motion running up to time t whose initial positions are distributed according to a Poisson Point process. Basic properties such as existence of a percolation phase transition and the uniqueness of the unbounded cluster are proven. The second model is the model of random interlacements. It is shown that the vacant set of random interlacement is transient for almost all values of the supercritical phase as the dimension tends to infinity.


It has generally been assumed that the Expressionist movement had little noticeable impact on British theatre. Claire Altree Warden here suggests that in the plays of Ewan MacColl (and in particular his The Other Animals of 1948) there is a discernible challenge to this assumption. In order to advocate a specific political position, MacColl took the conventions of Expressionism and developed a highly engaged, artistically innovative theatrical aesthetic that could tackle socio-political inequalities and the suppression of the dissident voice. Through linguistic experiment, episodic structure, representational characters, and a focus on the individual mind, the playwright challenges the audience to confront class injustice and hegemonic tyranny. Claire Altree Warden is based at the University of Edinburgh, where she teaches English Literature. She also teaches Critical Theory and Theatre History at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, and is currently preparing a new critical study of Ewan MacColl's plays.


We present a transmission model for estimating the effect of the atomic-force microscopy tapping tip height on a pho- tonic crystal microcavity (MC). This model uses a fit of the mea- sured tip-height-dependent transmission above a "hot spot" in the MC. The predicted transmission versus average tapping height is in good agreement with the values obtained from tapping mode experiments. Furthermore, we show that for the existing, nonopti- mized structure, the transmission coefficient can be tuned between 0.32 and 0.8 by varying the average tapping height from 26 to 265 nm. A transmission larger than that of the undisturbed cavity at resonance was observed at specific tip locations just outside the cavity-terminating holes.


A couple years ago, Denny Taylor and Catherine Dorsey Gaines made the first of what were to be many visits to families living in the inner city of a major metropolitan area in the Northeast. Their aim: to study the familial contexts in which young Black children living in urban poverty are growing up literate. Through their focus on children who were successfully learning to read and write despite extraordinary economic hardship, this multiracial team presents new images of the strengths of the family as educator and the ways in which the personal biographies and educative styles of families shape the literate experiences of children. Through the stories of the Shay Avenue families, Taylor and Dorsey-Gaines reach several conclusions that some readers may find surprising.


Good writing wins court cases- The Winning Brief is proof. Now, Bryan Garner brings us a revised and updated version of his modern classic. In 100 concise, practical, easy-to-use sections, legal writing guru Bryan A. Garner goes step-by-step through the art of effective legal writing. He covers it all - from the rules for planning and organizing a brief to openers that can capture a judge's attention from the first few words. "Never write a sentence that you couldn't easily speak" Garner warns - and he shows how to do that. He gives masterly advice on building sound paragraphs, drafting crisp sentences, choosing the best words ("Strike pursuant to from your vocabulary."), quoting authority, citing sources, and designing a document that looks as impressive as it reads. Throughout, he shows how to edit for maximal impact, using vivid before-and-after examples that apply the basics of rhetoric to persuasive writing. Filled with examples of good and bad writing from actual briefs filed in courts of all types, the book also covers the new appellate rules for preparing federal briefs. Including new sections on the ever-changing rules of acceptable legal writing, Garner's new edition keeps lawyers on their toes and writing the briefs that win cases. An invaluable resource for attorneys, law clerks, judges, paralegals, and law students and their teachers. The Winning Brief has the qualities that make Garner's book so successful: authority, accessibility, and page after page of tips and techniques that work.


Summary Background Myoblast sheet transplantation is a promising novel treatment for ischemic heart failure. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that heat shock (HS) pre-treatment affects the angiogenic properties of myoblast sheets in vivo and in vitro. Material/Methods We studied HS preconditioning of L6 myoblast sheets in relation to their apoptosis, proliferation, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-associated responses under normoxia and under hypoxia in vitro. In vivo evaluation of their therapeutic effect was performed with 60 male Wistar rats divided into 3 groups (20 each): sole left anterior descending (LAD) ligation (control); LAD ligation and non-conditioned sheet transplantation (L6 No-Shock); and LAD ligation and L6-heat shock conditioned sheet transplantation (L6 Heat-Shock). Left ventricular function was evaluated by echocardiography after 3, 10, and 28 days. Results Expression of HSP70/72 was strongly induced 24 hours after HS, and thereafter it decreased notably during 72 hours in hypoxia. Under normal growth conditions, HSP70/72 expression remained stable. HS delayed apoptosis-associated caspase-3 expression during 24-hour hypoxia compared to non-treated controls. However, VEGF expression reduced significantly in the heat shock pretreated sheets. Ejection fraction of the L6-myoblast HS pre-treatment group (L6 Heat-Shock) decreased gradually during follow-up, in the same pattern as the controls. However, these functional parameters improved in the L6-myoblast normal sheet group (L6 No-Shock) at the tenth day and remained significantly better. Conclusions HS protects myoblast sheets from hypoxia-associated apoptosis in vitro, but reduces VEGF expression of the sheet, leading to lower therapeutic effect in heart failure.


AI needs a formal functional theory of emotions to represent in computer programs our knowledge of emotions. In the theory we propose, emotions are a special class of Intentional states with structural components and properties similar to thos e of the traditional somatic appetites of thirst, hunger, and sex. These were originally part of a hardwired, phylogenetically adapted, nonverbal feedback system for implicitly conveying information about these states both among and within individual members of the species. A classification system provides two major functional classes of emotions, (1) those serving as Appetitive Wishes toward objects, and (2) those serving as Beliefs about the status of fulfillment of those and other significant wishes. Thus, emotions such as Anger or Fear indicate a wish to attack or escape from some object or situation, while Love or Surprise indicate wishes to care about or explore an object or situation. Emotional wishes, like their somatic brethren, require Consummatory Acts for their fulfillment. The result of these acts are emotions such Anxiety or Depression, which indicate Beliefs that the relevant wishes will be hard or impossible to satisfy, or Contentment or Elation , which function as Beliefs that the wishes have been or are being fulfilled. Together, emotional wishes and beliefs form a comprehensive wish-belief information feedback system with manifold causal consequences. Potential applications include agent-oriented problem solving, animation, and human-computer interaction.


It was long assumed that both multiculturalism and feminism are connected to progressive movements and hence have comparable and compatible goals. However, both in academia and in popular media the critique on multiculturalism has grown and is often accompanied with arguments related to gender equality and/or feminism. According to political scientist Susan Moller Okin for example there are fundamental conflicts between our commitment to gender equality and the desire to respect the customs of minority cultures or religions. If we agree that women should not be disadvantaged because of their sex, she argues, we should not accept group rights that permit oppressive practices. Okin's claims led to a complex and highly important debate both in academia and in public debates. The main aim of this thesis is to explore in depth the different discourses about multiculturalism and feminism and develop a more inclusive and nuanced redefinition of the relationship between multiculturalism and feminism. The focus of the analysis will be on the Netherlands, where the debate has been intense and paradigmatic of similar debates in most countries. The first part of the thesis explores the literature on multiculturalism and feminism, and discusses the importance of for instance intersectionality, the politics of location and situated knowledges for a better understanding of the debates. The second part of the thesis is dedicated to fieldwork. A preliminary media analysis is undertaken to analyse the main aspects of the public debate as they appear in the feminist magazine Opzij. On the basis of this analysis, a series of focus groups with women belonging to organisations that are considered stakeholders in the debate (e.g. feminist, religious, cultural or sub-cultural) is organised.
 The thesis provides a comprehensive understanding of the complex relationship between the concepts of multiculturalism and feminism. It argues that gender equality is often misused in islamophobic and anti-migration discussions, which also harms the position of minority women. Furthermore, it demonstrates that a more nuanced and inclusive interpretation of multiculturalism and feminism acknowledges the multiple layers of this debate, starts from intersectionality and includes critical accounts of secularism and religion, colonial history and subjectivity.


Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a clinical syndrome with the main characteristic of diffuse liver cells with fatty changes. The clinical evolution of NAFLD includes simple non-alcoholic fatty liver, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, and even hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods and Findings We conducted this review to identify the effectiveness of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFA) in NAFLD. We searched PubMed, Cochrane Library and Embase. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of ω-3 PUFA treatment for NAFLD were considered. Two reviewers assessed the quality of each study and collected data independently. Disagreements were resolved by discussion among the reviewers and any of the other authors of the paper. We performed a meta-analysis and reported summary estimates of outcomes as inverse variance (IV), fixed or random, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We included seven RCTs involving 442 patients (227 for the experimental group and 215 for the control group). All the patients were divided into two groups: one treated with ω-3 PUFA and the other was the control group (generally placebo). The demographics of the ω-3 PUFA and control groups were comparable. Beneficial changes in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (IV 95% CI: −7.61 [−12.83 to −2.39], p = 0.004), total cholesterol (TC) (IV 95% CI: −13.41 [−21.44 to −5.38], p = 0.001), triglyceride (TG) (IV 95% CI: −43.96 [−51.21 to −36.71], p<0.00001) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (IV 95% CI: 6.97 [2.05 to 11.90], p = 0.006) favored ω-3 PUFA treatment. Omega-3 PUFA tended towards a beneficial effect on aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (IV 95% CI: −6.89 [−17.71 to 3.92], p = 0.21), γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) (IV 95% CI: −8.28 [−18.38 to 1.83], p = 0.11) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (IV 95% CI: −7.13 [−14.26 to 0.0], p = 0.05). Conclusions Supplementation with ω-3 PUFA is a practical and effective treatment for NAFLD to decrease ALT, TC and increase HDL-C, especially to decrease TG. Omega-3 PUFA also has a tendency toward a beneficial effect on AST, GGT and LDL-C. More high-quality, large RCTs are needed to validate our findings.


Models based on Rational Polynomial Coefficients (RPC) have recently sparked considerable interest within the remote sensing community because of their simplicity and accuracy. Indeed, some commercial, high-resolution, satellite imagery data are now supplied with RPC even though they do not disclose their physical sensor model. RPC, with stereo pairs, enable full photogrammetric processing including 3-D reconstruction, generation of digital elevation models (DEMs), orthorectification, block adjustment and feature extraction. In the light of this we here present a complete methodology for generating a DEM from stereo satellite images by using rational polynomial coefficients of the imaging geometry. We also conduct a study of the accuracy and performance, in terms of generating a stereo images-based DEM using RPC within three well known software packages. Our results are evaluated using sample data that was captured by IKONOS.


Our motivating application is a real-world problem: COVID-19 classification from CT imaging, for which we present an explainable Deep Learning approach based on a semi-supervised classification pipeline that employs variational autoencoders to extract efficient feature embedding. We have optimized the architecture of two different networks for CT images: (i) a novel conditional variational autoencoder (CVAE) with a specific architecture that integrates the class labels inside the encoder layers and uses side information with shared attention layers for the encoder, which make the most of the contextual clues for representation learning, and (ii) a downstream convolutional neural network for supervised classification using the encoder structure of the CVAE. With the explainable classification results, the proposed diagnosis system is very effective for COVID-19 classification. Based on the promising results obtained qualitatively and quantitatively, we envisage a wide deployment of our developed technique in large-scale clinical studies.Code is available at this https URL.


Abstract: The EU is experiencing a somewhat paradoxical phenomenon. On the one hand, it has been a tremendously successful club, promoting democracy and open societies within its borders and in its neighborhoods. On the other hand, the language of national rivalry and of class struggle is re-entering public discourse, especially within the eurozone. The way to solve the paradox is to democratize, or trivialize, the issue of the euro. This means that the euro ought to have a clear exit clause. This, in its turn, means that European democratic elites should learn from their counterparts in the English-speaking democracies—where democracy is a way of life and not a means to achieving a particular purpose. European democrats should me more open to losing an argument about specific purposes, including the euro in its present format, if they really want to strengthen democracy in Europe.


There was an error published in Development 142, 3529-3536. The concentrations of two drugs were wrongly reported. The correct values are 200 nM (not 500 μM) TSA and 500 μM (not 200 nM) VPA. Corrected sentences read as follows. On p. 3531: To test the requirement for histone deacetylation of Atoh1 during postnatal downregulation, we treated P1 organ cultures for 6 or 24 h with 500 μM valproic acid (VPA), a broad-spectrum histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) (Göttlicher et al., 2001) (Fig. 3C). On p. 3534: Embryonic cochlear cultures were placed directly in the drug/vehicle; postnatal cultures were allowed to recover for 2-3 hours before administering the drugs [30 μM curcumin (Enzo Life Sci, ALX-350-M010), 250 μMBA (Enzo Life Sci, ALX-778-649-18-6), 200 nM TSA (Sigma) and 500 μM VPA (Sigma)]. The authors apologise to readers for this mistake.


This article explores the roots of white support for capital punishment in the United States. Our analysis addresses individual-level and contextual factors, paying particular attention to how racial attitudes and racial composition influence white support for capital punishment. Our findings suggest that white support hinges on a range of attitudes wider than prior research has indicated, including social and governmental trust and individualist and authoritarian values. Extending individual-level analyses, we also find that white responses to capital punishment are sensitive to local context. Perhaps most important, our results clarify the impact of race in two ways. First, racial prejudice emerges here as a comparatively strong predictor of white support for the death penalty. Second, black residential proximity functions to polarize white opinion along lines of racial attitude. As the black percentage of county residents rises, so too does the impact of racial prejudice on white support for capital punishment.


African rice gall midge (AfRGM) is one of the most destructive pests of irrigated and lowland African ecologies. This study aimed to identify the quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with AfRGM pest incidence and resistance in three independent bi-parental rice populations (ITA306xBW348-1, ITA306xTOG7106 and ITA306xTOS14519), and to conduct meta QTL (mQTL) analysis to explore whether any genomic regions are conserved across different genetic backgrounds. Composite interval mapping (CIM) conducted on the three populations independently uncovered a total of 28 QTLs associated with pest incidence (12) and pest severity (16). The number of QTLs per population associated with AfRGM resistance varied from three in the ITA306xBW348-1 population to eight in the ITA306xTOG7106 population. Each QTL individually explained 1.3 to 34.1% of the phenotypic variance. The major genomic region for AfRGM resistance had a LOD score and R2 of 60.0 and 34.1% respectively, and mapped at 111 cM on chromosome 4 (qAfrGM4) in the ITA306xTOS14519 population. The meta-analysis reduced the number of QTLs from 28 to 17 mQTLs, each explaining 1.3 to 24.5% of phenotypic variance, and narrowed the confidence intervals by 2.2 cM. There was only one minor effect mQTL on chromosome 1 that was common in the TOS14519 and TOG7106 genetic backgrounds; all other mQTLs were background specific. We are currently fine-mapping and validating the major effect genomic region on chromosome 4 (qAfRGM4). This is the first report in mapping the genomic regions associated with the AfRGM resistance, and will be highly useful for rice breeders.


Abstract. To study the impact of fireworks (FW) events on air quality, aerosol particles from FW displays were measured using a High-Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) and collocated instruments during the Independence Day (July 4) holiday 2017 at Albany, NY, USA. Three FW events were identified through the potassium ion (K+) signals in the aerosol mass spectra. The largest FW event signal measured at two different sites was the Independence Day celebration in downtown Albany, with maximum hourly PM2.5 of about 55 μg m−3 at the downtown site (approximately 1 km from the FW launch location), and 33.3 μg m−3 of non-refractory PM1 at the uptown site (approximately 8 km downwind). The aerosol concentration peak measured at the uptown site occurred 2 hours later than at the downtown site. The Independence Day FW events resulted in significant increases in both organic and inorganic (K+, sulfate, chloride) chemical components. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) of organics mass spectra identified one FW related organic aerosol factor (FW-OOA) with a highly oxidized state. The intense emission of FW particles from the Independence Day celebration contributed about 79.0 % (26.1 μg m−3) of total PM1 (33.0 μg m−3) measured at the uptown site during Independence Day FW event (07/04 23:00–07/05 02:00). Aerosol measurements and wind LiDAR measurements showed two distinct pollution sources, one from the Independence Day FW event in Albany, and the other transported from the northeast, potentially associated with another city's FW events. This study highlights the significant influence of FW burning on fine aerosol mass concentration and chemical characteristics, which is useful in quantifying the impacts of FW on air pollution, at a time when more than usual people are clustered together and breathing the outdoor air.


In this work, we analyze the role of the network architecture in shaping the inductive bias of deep classifiers. To that end, we start by focusing on a very simple problem, i.e., classifying a class of linearly separable distributions, and show that, depending on the direction of the discriminative feature of the distribution, many state-of-the-art deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have a surprisingly hard time solving this simple task. We then define as neural anisotropy directions (NADs) the vectors that encapsulate the directional inductive bias of an architecture. These vectors, which are specific for each architecture and hence act as a signature, encode the preference of a network to separate the input data based on some particular features. We provide an efficient method to identify NADs for several CNN architectures and thus reveal their directional inductive biases. Furthermore, we show that, for the CIFAR-10 dataset, NADs characterize features used by CNNs to discriminate between different classes.


Thermodynamic modelling is widely used to predict phase equilibria and solute partitioning in high temperature materials processing. There have been significant advances in computational thermodynamic modelling in the last three decades. A number of thermochemical software packages and databases have been established and developed, offering different features and capabilities. This paper summarises the fundamentals of thermodynamic modelling focusing on multi-component phase equilibrium using Gibbs energy minimisation and solution models. Different thermodynamic packages used by the authors are described and the key features of each package are highlighted. The packages described are Chemix (The CSIRO-SGTE Thermodata System), MTDATA, FactSage, and HSC. An example of thermodynamic modelling on the distribution of impurities in magnesium production using both ideal solution and a random mixing solution models is presented. Using ideal solution model for the condensate from the process, a purity of 98.33 wt% Mg is predicted compared to 99.98 wt% using the alternate solution model. These difference are important because of the repercussions on the development of new routes for magnesium, as commercial grade magnesium requires a purity of greater than 99.95 wt.% This example illustrates both the predictive power of thermodynamic modelling but also the dilemmas associated with dealing with solution behaviour.


Clustering is one of the most effective means to enhance the performance of object base applications. Consequently, many proposals exist for algorithms computing good object placements depending on the application profile. However, in an effective object base reorganization tool the clustering algorithm is only one constituent. In this paper, we report on our object base reorganization tool that covers all stages of reorganizing the objects: the application profile is determined by a monitoring tool, the object placement is computed from the monitored access statistics utilizing a variety of clustering algorithms and, finally, the reorganization tool restructures the object base accordingly. The costs as well as the effectiveness of these tools is quantitatively evaluated on the basis of the OO1-benchmark.


The Teaching Inquiry Group (TIG) is a team of six faculty members from STEM disciplines who are conducting research about their teaching. The group met through AY 15-16, and was mentored by an expert in self-study methodology from the Graduate School of Education. TIG meetings have focused on the self-study of interactive teaching including, self-study as a research method, developing a topic for self-study, self-study research questions, and identifying A¢â'¬A"critical friends groupsA¢â'¬Â. The group facilitates critical reflection by maintaining an open dialogue; this enables them to think about teaching in ways that go beyond the subject area. The end-goal of the group is to improve their professional development on teaching and learning, not only for themselves, but also for the students they teach. Dissemination includes group and individual presentations at conferences, followed by write ups of the studies and publication in their respective educational research journalsA' The session will include an overview of the process and then the six faculty group members will describe parts of the process that affected them greatly. Discipline fields included astronomy, bioengineering, biology, geology, information sciences and technology, and mathematics.A'  At the end of the session, participants will be aware of the importance of taking time to reflect, reframe and respond to their practice, and foster genuine educational change for themselves and their students.


Neurological examination and magnetic resonance imaging were performed in the neonatal period in 58 full-term infants who presented with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the patterns of neurological abnormalities and their correlation to brain lesions on MRI. The prognostic value of the neurological examination performed at different times in the neonatal period was also evaluated. Our results showed that specific clinical patterns can be observed in infants with HIE and these can be related to the pattern of lesion on brain MRI. In particular, while infants with normal MRI or minimal changes tend to show only minor tone abnormalities after the first week of life, infants with more severe lesions such as basal ganglia lesions show persistent and diffuse neurological abnormalities. Infants with white matter changes but intact basal ganglia show a different clinical pattern with improved sucking reflex and behaviour and less severe tone abnormalities. Our results also suggested that the neurological examination performed after the second week of life is a reliable indicator of outcome in these infants.


A matrix equation for the refraction of a thin pencil of rays by a surface of arbitrary shape is derived. The equivalence of this equation and previous nonmatrix equations derived for the same purpose is established. Potential applications of this matrix equation are in the field of ophthalmic lens design. The design of progressive-addition lenses, or just the thorough evaluation of spherotoric lenses, is an example of a task that requires the ability to propagate a thin pencil of rays under very general conditions. The matrix version of the generalized Coddington equations proposed here is a fitting tool for this end.


Modern technology is dramatically changing the way consumption taxes are collected, but it is also changing the way policymakers assess the operation and impact of these taxes. Whether the design is a standard credit-invoice value added tax (VAT) of European design, or a retail sales tax (RST) of American design, or the credit subtraction VAT without invoices type of consumption tax (CT) of Japanese design, technology is having a profound impact. Government certified transaction software is in place in the United States. The Streamlined Sales Tax offers taxpayers in 18 states the option of having their retail sales tax determined in a manner that not only assures accuracy, but which carries with it audit immunity. The software is provided at no cost to the taxpayer in instances where the taxpayer volunteers to collect the tax on out-of-state sales. Similar software certification regimes are under consideration in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that would be global in scope and handle the whole range of VAT transaction for a multinational enterprise. Discussions have commenced in various forums with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the United States Aid for International Development (USAID) on applications of this technology in developing country contexts. Certification of transaction tax determinations and audit immunity are attributes of immense interest to multinational enterprises that are increasingly under pressure from securities and corporate governance regulations to assure accurate financial statements and operational cash flow figures. This pressure is global in scope, as indicated by: Sarbanes-Oxley Act in the U.S.; the Loi de Securite Financiere in France; the Companies Act of 2004 in the U.K.; the Corporate Law Economic Reform Program (part 9) (CLERP 9) in Australia; the Kouninkaikeishihou no ichibu wo kaisei suru houritsu 2004-4-1 (An Act to Amend Part of the Certified Public Accounting Law) in Japan; and the recent modifications to the E.U.'s Eighth Corporate Directive (84/253/EEC). But technology offers more than a linear application of digital processes to formerly paper based and manual systems. When certified transaction tax technology is merged with "smart" card technology in IDs that possess digitized biometric identity information an opportunity opens for hyper transformation of the consumption tax. It is entirely within the grasp of policymakers today to design a broad-based, single rate consumption tax that is truly and independently progressive. In many respects, this is the Holy Grail of consumption tax theory. Technology offers it to us today. This text begins and ends with a tax reform. It starts with a proposal to the President's (George W. Bush's) Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform, and ends with a proposal for the consideration of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Tax Commission. Neither tax reform commission appears at the moment to be considering technological solutions, although both are critically interested in consumption taxes. In the U.S. case both of the identified structural barriers to a federal level VAT (federal-state coordination and regressivity) can be answered technologically. In the Japanese case a wholesale transformation of the CT is under consideration; one that would move the Japanese CT to an invoice system with multiple rates and a standard rate of 10 percent or higher. The structural departure that this proposal makes from the traditional Japanese CT need not be taken if technological solutions are applied, although the "double digit" rate increase seems to be a given for revenue reasons.


The global fisheries crisis is a topic of significant research across fields, including economics. It is evident that the current global fish stocks are declining, which has motivated environmental protection measures to be implemented. Low-income countries and their inhabitants are unevenly harmed by these environmental impacts, as artisanal fishing villages are dependent on fisheries for subsistence and livelihood. This case is particularly true in Sierra Leone, where poverty is evident, artisanal fishing communities exist, and dependence on fisheries is high (Kassam, et al. 2017; Teh, et al. 2016). Policy makers in these countries are faced with the challenge of mitigating environmental disasters while still ensuring that livelihoods of local people are protected. The present paper argues that an econometric model would provide useful, empirical evidence to these policy makers as to the specific factors of livelihood, responding to the question: which factors in the livelihoods of low-income artisanal fishers are most significant, and therefore should be considered in policy decisions? The econometric model in this paper follows the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach to environmental protection and poverty reduction (Krantz 2001). Livelihood, measured by the United Nations Development Programme Human Development Index, is explained by economic, social, and environmental variables in a sustainable livelihoods framework. Results and viability of this model are discussed, followed by a discussion of further research to sharpen these results. The model is then tested to show its practical application for policy-makers in maximizing poverty alleviation outcomes. Research concluded that insufficient data has caused present results to be relatively inconclusive for Sierra Leone today, but the model design and rationale can be useful given a substantially larger dataset.


Artibeus jamaicensis Leich, 1821, obtains its basic energetic requirements to survive and to reproduce from fruits and leaves, even though some of them may contain harmful phytochemicals that could act as estrogens (phytoestrogens, PTE); thus provoking endocrine disruption in its reproductive physiology. PTE derive from isoflavones, lignans, and coumestans, phenolic fluorescent compounds that can be detected through thin layer chromatography. Here we evaluate the presence of these three groups in the feces of adult males of A. jamaicensis, by means of representative analites (genistein, GEN; zearalenone, ZEA; coumestrol, COU, respectively) in order to verify: a) which analites were present, and b) whether they had a temporal pattern or they remained constant along the year. We further examined if we could qualitatively link temporal patterns of phytochemicals with the reproductive activity of males, using the position of their testes. Although we detected neither presence of GEN, ZEA or COU, we did observed stains from unknown phytochemical fluorescent compounds (UPFC), according to annual seasons and to pluvial regimen, as well as to the position of the testes. The finding of these UPFC, together with its temporal coincidence with the reproductive activity of males, elicits more questions about the possible influence that these substances could have on the reproductive activity of A. jamaicensis .


This study presents the mid-twentieth-century English lord of appeal, Lord Wright, as an innovative traditionalist judge. Judges have a duty to be creative, Wright believed, but only within the framework of existing legal authority. Wright explained his innovative traditionalist perspective in relation to precedent, public policy, and legislation, and he illustrated his perspective particularly by way of contributions to decisions on worker compensation, commercial contracts, restitution, and international criminal law. He was not always a bold judge, as is especially evident from his contribution to Liversidge v. Anderson. But his efforts to develop the law without undermining established precedents and statutory authority could be subtly effective. In contract and tort decisions, he consistently argued that personal liability should attach only to outcomes that could reasonably have been expected to come about. He was realistic, and believed courts must be realistic, about the tendency of the business world to be guided primarily by its own norms. He incisively criticized implied contract theory and advanced a conception of unjust enrichment that, in England, was considerably ahead of its time. In employment law, he added a twist to freedom-of-contract reasoning, arguing that if it is permissible for individuals to use their economic advantage to impose contractual terms on weaker parties, then it should also be permissible for those parties to combine and gain the upper hand. After World War II, he argued that the positive laws necessary for punishing war criminals already existed. This study draws these arguments together in an effort to capture Wright's judicial style and to show that some of his contributions to legal thought and doctrine run deep and are historically significant.


Social inclusion is considered to be a key element in maintaining a balanced society (such as in preventing high rates of unemployment). Music and arts programmes in communities have been found to facilitate feelings of social inclusion in citizens, in particular amongst the youth. The exact influence of such activities on social inclusion is not known, however, nor are there any formal, empirically-tested comprehensive assessment instruments for the concept. The current study (see footnote 1) explored the connections between children's musical backgrounds and their feelings of social inclusion, as well as developed and tested an instrument for assessing social inclusion with children. Data were gathered with 110 8-11year-old children in the UK and Finland. Statistical analysis was carried out on the social inclusion instrument in order to assess its reliability, validity and effectiveness. Statistical analysis was also conducted on potential connections between the children's musical background factors and their feelings of social inclusion. The results indicated that the new instrument can be used in educational and clinical settings with children when assessing their feelings of social inclusion. In addition, children felt more socially included when they played a musical instrument or sang with their family or friends every few days.


Implementing state estimation in low and mediumvoltage power distribution is still challenging given the scale of many networks and the reliance of traditional methods on a large number of measurements. This paper proposes a method to improve voltage predictions in real-time by leveraging a limited set of real-time measurements. The method relies on Bayesian estimation formulated as a linear least squares estimation problem, which resembles the classical weighted least-squares (WLS) approach for scenarios where full network observability is not available. We build on recently developed linear approximations for unbalanced three-phase power flow to construct voltage predictions as a linear mapping of load predictions constructed with Gaussian processes. The estimation step to update the voltage forecasts in real-time is a linear computation allowing fast high-resolution state estimate updates. The uncertainty in forecasts can be determined a priori and smoothed a posteriori, making the method useful for both planning, operation and post-hoc analysis. The method outperforms conventional WLS and is applied to different test feeders and validated on a real test feeder with the utility Alliander in The Netherlands.


Timetables are important for train punctuality. However, relatively little attention has been paid to the people who plan the timetables: the research has instead been more centred on how to improve timetables through simulation, optimisation, and data analysis techniques. In this study, we present an overview of the state of practice and the state of the art in timetable planning by studying the research literature and railway management documents from several European countries. We have also conducted interviews with timetable planners in Southern Sweden, focusing on how timetable planning relates to punctuality problems. An important backdrop for this is a large project currently underway at the Swedish Transport Administration, modernizing the timetable planning tools and processes. This study is intended to help establish a baseline for the future evaluation of this modernization by documenting the current process and issues, as well as some of the research that has influenced the development and specifications of the new tools and processes. Based on the interviews, we found that errors in timetables commonly lead to infeasible timetables, which necessitate intervention by traffic control, and to delays occurring, increasing, and spreading. We found that the timetable planners struggle to create a timetable and that they have neither the time nor the tools required to ensure that the timetable maintains a high quality and level of robustness. The errors we identified are (a) crossing train paths at stations, (b) wrong track allocation of trains at stations, especially for long trains, (c) insufficient dwell and meet times at stations, and (d) insufficient headways leading to delays spreading. We have identified eleven reasons for these errors and found three themes among these reasons: (1) "missing tools and support," (2) "role conflict," and (3) "single-loop learning." As the new tools and processes are rolled out, the situation is expected to improve with regard to the first of these themes. The second theme of role conflict occurs when planners must strive to meet the demands of the train operating companies, while they must also be unbiased and create a timetable that has a high overall quality. While this role conflict will remain in the future, the new tools can perhaps help address the third theme by elevating the planners from first- to double-loop learning and thereby allowing them to focus on quality control and on finding better rules and heuristics. Over time, this will lead to improved timetable robustness and train punctuality.


Blockage of culverts by transported debris materials is reported as the salient contributor in originating urban flash floods. Conventional hydraulic modeling approaches had no success in addressing the problem primarily because of the unavailability of peak floods hydraulic data and the highly non-linear behavior of debris at the culvert. This article explores a new dimension to investigate the issue by proposing the use of intelligent video analytics (IVA) algorithms for extracting blockage related information. The presented research aims to automate the process of manual visual blockage classification of culverts from a maintenance perspective by remotely applying deep learning models. The potential of using existing convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithms (i.e., DarkNet53, DenseNet121, InceptionResNetV2, InceptionV3, MobileNet, ResNet50, VGG16, EfficientNetB3, NASNet) is investigated over a dataset from three different sources (i.e., images of culvert openings and blockage (ICOB), visual hydrology-lab dataset (VHD), synthetic images of culverts (SIC)) to predict the blockage in a given image. Models were evaluated based on their performance on the test dataset (i.e., accuracy, loss, precision, recall, F1 score, Jaccard Index, region of convergence (ROC) curve), floating point operations per second (FLOPs) and response times to process a single test instance. Furthermore, the performance of deep learning models was benchmarked against conventional machine learning algorithms (i.e., SVM, RF, xgboost). In addition, the idea of classifying deep visual features extracted by CNN models (i.e., ResNet50, MobileNet) using conventional machine learning approaches was also implemented in this article. From the results, NASNet was reported most efficient in classifying the blockage images with the 5-fold accuracy of 85%; however, MobileNet was recommended for the hardware implementation because of its improved response time with 5-fold accuracy comparable to NASNet (i.e., 78%). Comparable performance to standard CNN models was achieved for the case where deep visual features were classified using conventional machine learning approaches. False negative (FN) instances, false positive (FP) instances and CNN layers activation suggested that background noise and oversimplified labelling criteria were two contributing factors in the degraded performance of existing CNN algorithms. A framework for partial automation of the visual blockage classification process was proposed, given that none of the existing models was able to achieve high enough accuracy to completely automate the manual process. In addition, a detection-classification pipeline with higher blockage classification accuracy (i.e., 94%) has been proposed as a potential future direction for practical implementation.


Elliptic bases, introduced by Couveignes and Lercier in 2009, give an elegant way of representing finite field extensions. A natural question which seems to have been considered independently by several groups is to use this representation as a starting point for small characteristic finite field discrete logarithm algorithms. This idea has been recently proposed by two groups working on it, in order to achieve provable quasi-polynomial time for discrete logarithms in small characteristic finite fields. In this paper, we don't try to achieve a provable algorithm but, instead, investigate the practicality of heuristic algorithms based on elliptic bases. Our key idea, is to use a different model of the elliptic curve used for the elliptic basis that allows for a relatively simple adaptation of the techniques used with former Frobenius representation algorithms. We haven't performed any record computation with this new method but our experiments with the field F 3 1345 indicate that switching to elliptic representations might be possible with performances comparable to the current best practical methods.


ABSTRACT Microfinance institutions (MFIs) offer targeted opportunities for the poor to generate additional income with a range of financial services including credit, insurance, savings accounts and money transfers. Aside from reducing poverty, microfinance can potentially improve health because it is the poor who are usually more constrained from health investments due to limited budgets. Furthermore, microfinancing specifically targets women, who are more likely to spend additional income on children's well-being. Finally, several MFIs have also begun to offer health-related services, such as health education, health-care financing, clinical care, training community health workers, health micro-insurance and linkages to public and private health providers. Using a new data set, this article conducts the first multi-country study of the effect of microfinance on child mortality, the health outcome, which is most sensitive to the effects of absolute deprivation. Our findings confirm that an increase in the proportion of MFI clients in a country is significantly associated with lower under-five and infant mortality rates. We conclude that if MFIs' educational and health services have indeed caused improvements in health outcomes at the community level, then it may be important for governments to complement these activities with similar campaigns, particularly in remote areas where MFI penetration is low.


Water Reclamation Technologies for Safe Managed Aquifer Recharge has been developed from the RECLAIM WATER project supported by the European Commission under Thematic Priority 'Global Change and Ecosystems' of the Sixth Framework Programme. Its strategic objective is to develop hazard mitigation technologies for water reclamation providing safe and cost effective routes for managed aquifer recharge.

Different treatment applications in terms of behaviour of key microbial and chemical contaminants are assessed. Engineered as well as natural treatment trains are investigated to provide guidance for sustainable MAR schemes using alternative sources such as effluent and stormwater. The technologies considered are also well suited to the needs of developing countries, which have a growing need of supplementation of freshwater resources. A broad range of international full-scale case studies enables insights into long-term system behaviour, operational aspects, and fate of a comprehensive number of compounds and contaminants, especially organic micropollutants and bulk organics.

Water Reclamation Technologies for Safe Managed Aquifer Recharge depicts advances in water reclamation technologies and aims to provide new process combinations to treat alternative water sources to appropriate water quality levels for sustainable aquifer recharge.

ISBN: 9781843393443 (Print)

ISBN: 9781780400648 (eBook)


The recent completion of the MR CLEAN trial1 and news of early stoppage of other stroke trials demonstrates the ability for the neurointerventional community to address a crucial question that has hindered the ability of intra-arterial therapy (IAT) to be offered more widely. The focus of future studies will now shift towards improving clinical outcomes in patients undergoing IAT.

### Imaging

There is currently no consensus regarding the optimal imaging strategy for the selection of patients for intervention. The modality must be efficient, accurate, available and repeatable. Non-contrast CT using Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) scoring,2 CT perfusion and MRI are all in widespread clinical usage at interventional stroke centers. A trial comparing different modes of imaging based patient selection would be valuable and currently does not exist. There are advantages and disadvantages to each technique with strong beliefs that each modality has its advantages.

The question is whether the widespread availability, ease of access and time savings justify using non-contrast CT (supplemented by ASPECTS) as 'good enough' to select patients when compared to advanced imaging modalities that may be more specific to detecting ischemia. Developing an educational pathway with ASPECTS scoring to reduce inter-rater variability along with a standardized CT perfusion algorithm that can be replicated across institutions can allow for a trial examining this question to occur. The current landscape would potentially also allow for an MRI comparative trial.

One starting point might be a core-lab adjudicated, prospective registry comparing pre- and post-treatment ASPECTS, computed tomography perfusion (CTP) and/or MRI data from …


AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence , choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. We produce AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly ; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50+ educators; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empower-ment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We