In the present thesis, computational methods for theanalysis and design of photonic bandgap structure areconsidered. Many numerical methods have been used to study suchstructures. Among them, the plane wave expansion method is veryoften used. Using this method, we show that inclusions ofelliptic air holes can be used effectively to obtain a largercomplete band gap for two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystals.An optimal design of a 2D photonic crystal is also consideredin the thesis using a combination of the plane wave expansionmethod and the conjugate gradient method. We find that amaximum complete 2D band gap can be obtained by connectingdielectric rods with veins for a photonic crystal with a squarelattice of air holes in GaAs. For some problems, such as defect modes, the plane waveexpansion method is extremely time-consuming. It seems that thefinite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is promising, sincethe computational time is proportional to the number of thediscretization points in the computation domain (i.e., it is oforderN). A FDTD scheme in a nonorthogonal coordinate systemis presented in the thesis to calculate the band structure of a2D photonic crystal consisting of askew lattice. The algorithmcan easily be used for any complicated inclusion configuration,which can have both the dielectric and metallic constituents.The FDTD method is also applied to calculate the off-plane bandstructures of 2D photonic crystals in the present thesis. Wealso propose a numerical method for computing defect modes in2D crystals (with dielectric or metallic inclusions). Comparedto the FDTD transmission spectra method, our method reduces thecomputation time and memory significantly, and finds as manydefect modes as possible, including those that are not excitedby an incident plane wave in the FDTD transmission spectramethod. The FDTD method has also been applied to calculateguided modes and surface modes in 2D photonic crystals using acombination of the periodic boundary condition and theperfectly matched layer for the boundary treatment. Anefficient FDTD method, in which only real variables are used,is also proposed for the full-wave analysis of guided modes inphotonic crystal fibers.


A new type of high-speed craft, called a Gliding-Hydrofoil Craft (GHC), has recently been developed in Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, China. This craft is similar to a planing hull but with a hydrofoil in the front part of its body. The fixed hydrofoil improves the seakeeping properties and stability of the craft compared with a conventional planing hull. In addition, the GHC has a more simple structure and higher stability when compared to a hydrofoil craft. Unlike conventional planing hulls and hydrofoil crafts, the study of hydrodynamics of GHC has been overlooked. The present work aims to advance our understanding on hydrodynamics of GHC, both model tests and numerical investigations are presented.

To study its hydrodynamic characteristics, model tests are carried out in a towing tank, and the total resistance, trim angle and wetted area of the craft in the cases with different Froude numbers are measured. For the purpose of comparison, model tests have also been carried out for the hull without the hydrofoil. This thesis presents analysis on the experimental data and discusses the effects of the submerged depth and initial attack angle of the hydrofoil on the hydrodynamic features of the GHC.

On this basis, the FLUENT software is then adopted to numerically investigate the hydrodynamics of the GHC. The accuracy of the FLUENT addressing this problem is validated by comparing the numerical solutions with the experimental data. The validation cases include 2D hydrofoil in current, Wigley hull with steady forward speed. Good agreement between numerical results and experimental data was obtained. Considering the significance of the turbulence involved in the problem, especially near the hydrofoil, a numerical investigation aiming to find a suitable turbulence model has been carried out. After being validated, 3D numerical simulations on both the planing craft and the GHC in steady flow are considered. The resistance coefficient, pressure coefficient and wave pattern with different Froude number are investigated. Some results are compared with experiment data obtained in the model tests. The wave pattern, velocity field and pressure distribution near the hulls are discussed in detail as well as the influence of the hydrofoil. Finally, the hydrodynamic performance of GHC in unsteady flow is investigated. Three cases were considered: ship berthing, leaving the harbour and turning navigation direction; which are very commonly seen unsteady examples in reality. The preliminary results presented in this thesis have confirmed the significant effects due to the unsteady procedure and imply the need of carrying out unsteady simulations in the future.


Today's undergraduate students are part of the millennial generation. (Coomes & Debard, 2004) Comfortable with technology and accustomed to a 24/7 world, they are capable of multi-tasking, and they manifest diverse learning styles. The generation has been raised in a polarized political environment and influenced by numerous cultural icons. Certain data depict millennial students as a generation that is bored, unable to focus academically, and not engaged in their studies. This column examines one element in the lives of millennial students-popular culture-and explores its impact on their communication skills, specifically their ability to envision, organize, develop, and deliver academic text. Popular Culture and Communication Dr. Christopher Lynch, a Professor of Communication, presents theoretical and practical insights on how popular culture impacts communication. Popular Culture is ever-present and all pervasive. Its icons have been the gods of our times and its rhetoric our prayers. This is no new phenomenon, but in recent decades the influence of popular culture has been magnified due to the intense impact of visual modes of communication. However, the impact of popular culture goes deeper-to our everyday patterns of conversation and writing. Popular culture influences the attitudes and values that students bring to higher education. College recruiters have become aware that popular values have shaped students into "consumers" of education in recent years. College orientation programs have embraced the latest fashion in t-shirts with the university logo rather than giving a gift of a book to entering students. Popular culture has impacted on the places we value as sources of our information. Movie versions become more real to students than historical contexts of events. Since the release of the movie, The Santa Clause, I find that students, when writing about the character of a similar name, prefer the movie spelling rather than the traditional spelling of Mr. Claus' name. The Internet has become the valued research site for students of our contemporary culture. The Internet has created its own rules of spelling and grammar. Each time I see the misspelling, it highlights the impact our wider culture has on writing, communicating and thinking patterns within our society. The fact that we have a film star as governor of California and a celebrity prize-fighter as former governor of Minnesota helps to illustrate this point. Popular culture impacts on teaching styles. Professors compete with the latest video games or DVDs struggling to become teacher-entertainers always in dread of being shunned by the student comment that "Class is boring." Professors have had to construct learning games to keep students engaged. Professors who deliver a lecture are less favored than professors who engage students in open discussion. The discussion must relate to contemporary issues because the past is out-of-date. This presents a challenge to the instructor who is assigned to teach the rubrics that shape the organization of an essay or a speech. Popular conceptions of time shape attitudes toward the classroom experience. The Internet has added to the myriad of choices that enhance communication but at the same time have enabled anyone to publish at anytime about anything. The talk show phenomenon and the rise of a McDonalidized society have emphasized that any idea can be expressed and we need to do it instantly. Students have come to expect that they have a right to be heard and speak out whenever they feel the urge. The danger of this tendency is that we stop listening to each other and critical thought becomes diminished. Another consequence of time is that students are impatient to take time to practice a speech or rewrite a draft of an essay. They become disheartened when their communications don't achieve eloquence on the first try. Students don't want to brainstorm ideas because the process takes time. …


Introduction The worldwide rising levels of physical inactivity especially in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Eastern Mediterranean region are alarming. The UAE reports one of the highest rates of non-communicable disease mortality and insufficient physical activity (PA) is a major underlying cause. Therefore, action is required to reduce physical inactivity using evidence-based strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a worksite exercise intervention on cardiometabolic health in the UAE. Methods and analysis This is a protocol for a pragmatic parallel randomised controlled trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio to the intervention group and delayed intervention group. A total of 150 participants will be recruited from a semigovernment telecommunications company in Dubai (UAE) after meeting the eligibility criteria. The intervention group will receive 2 hours of exercise per week during working hours for 12 weeks (maximum 1 hour/day). The intervention group will be assigned to attend personal trainer sessions in the workplace gym throughout the intervention period. After the intervention is completed, the delayed intervention group will also receive 2 hours of exercise time per week from working hours for 4 weeks. The main outcome measure is the change in the cardiometabolic risk components, that is, systolic or diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, glycated haemoglobin, fasting plasma glucose, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol from baseline to the end of the intervention. The secondary outcome is to examine whether the workplace exercise intervention improves PA levels 4 weeks postintervention. Ethics and dissemination The study has been approved by the Dubai Scientific Research Ethics Committee (DSREC-SR-08/2019_02). The results will be disseminated as follows: at various national and international scientific conferences; as part of a PhD thesis in Public Health at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University; and in a manuscript submitted to a peer-reviewed journal. Trial registration number NCT04403789.


INTRODUCTION
The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)(®) Sexual Function and Satisfaction measure (SexFS) version 1.0 was developed with cancer populations. There is a need to expand the SexFS and provide evidence of its validity in diverse populations.

AIM
The aim of this study was to describe the development of the SexFS v2.0 and present preliminary evidence for its validity.

METHODS
Development built on version 1.0, plus additional review of extant items, discussions with 15 clinical experts, 11 patient focus groups (including individuals with diabetes, heart disease, anxiety, depression, and/or are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or aged 65 or older), 48 cognitive interviews, and psychometric evaluation in a random sample of U.S. adults plus an oversample for specific sexual problems (2281 men, 1686 women). We examined differential item functioning (DIF) by gender and sexual activity. We examined convergent and known-groups validity.

RESULTS
The final set of domains includes 11 scored scales (interest in sexual activity, lubrication, vaginal discomfort, clitoral discomfort, labial discomfort, erectile function, orgasm ability, orgasm pleasure, oral dryness, oral discomfort, satisfaction), and six nonscored item pools (screeners, sexual activities, anal discomfort, therapeutic aids, factors interfering with sexual satisfaction, bother). Domains from version 1.0 were reevaluated and improved. Domains considered applicable across gender and sexual activity status, namely interest, orgasm, and satisfaction, were found to have significant DIF. We identified subsets of items in each domain that provided consistent measurement across these important respondent groups. Convergent and known-groups validity was supported.

CONCLUSIONS
The SexFS version 2.0 has several improvements and enhancements over version 1.0 and other extant measures, including expanded evidence for validity, scores centered around norms for sexually active U.S. adults, new domains, and a final set of items applicable for both men and women and those sexually active with a partner and without. The SexFS is customizable, allowing users to select relevant domains and items for their study.


As the worldwide production of palm oil is increasing, concomitant wastes of unutilized parts of the oil palm is also increasing. Thus, effective utilization of these wastes is expected. In this paper, therefore, the chemical composition of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and other minor cell wall components was studied for six different parts of the oil palm such as trunk, frond, mesocarp, shell, kernel cake and empty fruit bunch (EFB). As a result, it was shown that cellulose is in a range between 20-40wt% with hemicellulose being 10-35wt%, whereas lignin in a range between 23-52wt%. More in detail, the shell contained the highest lignin about 52wt% but the kernel cake no lignin, while the rest in a range between 23-35wt%, being composed of guaiacyl and syringyl moieties without p-hydroxyphenyl residue. This is very similar to the hardwood-type lignin, rather than softwood-type lignin. On hemicellulose, mannan was rich in kernel cake, while glucuronoxylan rich in the other parts, with 1.8-8.5 xylose units per one uronic acid. These lines of information are useful for the efficient utilization of the whole parts of the oil palm which is necessary for the sustainable development of the biomass resources.


In Log-MAP turbo decoding, the complicated log exponential sum is often simplified with the Jacobian logarithm which consists of the max operation along with an exponen- tial correction function. Although the Max-Log-MAP reduces the complexity of the Jacobian logarithm implementation by omitting the correction function, its performance is inferior to the exact Log-MAP algorithm. Hence, a simple approximation to the correction function is needed to complement the Max- Log-MAP algorithm. In this paper, a new suboptimal hybrid Log-MAP algorithm for decoding turbo code is proposed. It approximates the exact Log-MAP accurately and is simple for hardware implementation. The performance of the hybrid Log- MAP algorithm is shown to have the closest performance to the exact Log-MAP solution especially at low SNR. The result of other Log-MAP based algorithm are also presented. Index Terms—Log-MAP, turbo codes, correction function, Jacobian logarithm.


Studies within this thesis have investigated various aspects of the relationship between physique, coronary artery disease (CAD) and certain CAD risk factors. Data presented was collected on two separate occasions. Firstly, in a hospital setting on men undergoing investigative coronary angiography (CAD men), and secondly during a university health-screening programme (healthy men). Physique has been described using body mass and height, somatotype, skinfolds, girth measurements and various skinfold and girth ratios. CAD risk factors were related to 'metabolic fitness' : fasting serum glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and the LDL-C ; HDL-C ratio. A unique aspect of certain studies is that a proportionality technique was used to adjust the anthropometric measurements for variation in body mass and stature. Also, an angiographic scoring system was used to describe the severity of atherosclerosis as a continuous rather than dichotomous variable. Anthropometric measurements were not related to the severity of atherosclerosis and there was no discernible pattern of subcutaneous adiposity (skinfolds) in the CAD or healthy men. However, in relation to age-matched healthy men, the CAD men were heavier (P < 0.01), had a greater BMI (P < 0.01), biceps skinfold (P < 0.05) and subscapular skinfold (P < 0.001). The CAD men also had significantly greater waist and abdominal girths, abdominal sagittal diameter (ASD), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), abdomen-to-hip ratio (AHR), waist-to-thigh ratio (WTR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and ASD-to-height ratio (ASD/Ht) (all P < 0.001). When the skinfolds and girths were adjusted for variation in stature the differences in biceps and subscpaular skinfolds, and waist and abdominal girths remained. However, when adjusted for body mass variation the differences were no longer apparent. Abdomen and waist girths exhibited a closer association with TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C and the LDL-C : HDL-C ratio than skinfolds. A higher waist or abdominal girth was positively correlated with TG (P < 0.01), and the LDL-C : HDL-C ratio (P < 0.01) but negatively with HDL-C (P < 0.01). Adjusting for stature had no effect on these relationships, but adjusting for body mass reduced them considerably. In studies focusing on somatotype, both the CAD and healthy men were characterised by high ratings for endomorphy and mesomorphy but low ratings for ectomorphy. The CAD men had a small but significantly greater endomorphy rating (P = 0.038) and the healthy men had a small but significantly greater ectomorphy rating (P = 0.006). Somatotype was not related to the angiographic findings but a somatotype of low endomorphy and high ectomorphy was associated with a better metabolic profile in terms of cardiovascular disease risk. In conclusion, CAD men appear to have a physique characterised by abdominal obesity, a higher rating of endomorphy and a low rating for ectomorphy. However, a distinctive skinfold pattern is not apparent. Normalising anthropometric measurements for stature does not affect the relationship between elevated serum lipids and abdominal obesity but adjusting for body mass does.


In common with several other countries India committed itself to achieving convergence with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) in the public sector in 2004 and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in the private sector in 2007. In India the convergence decision-making process has been marked by contrasting scenarios in the private and public sectors despite the state being the central decision-maker in both sectors. In relation to private sector convergence there has been much public political debate with the consequence that the convergence process has suffered severe delay in this sector. On the other hand, the convergence process in the public sector appears to have achieved relatively better progress.

Despite widely acknowledged benefits of a global set of accounting standards, there are several on-going debates regarding the suitability of a blanket adoption of these standards in terms of country-specific issues such as institutional complementarities, cultural differences, political ramifications, and economic factors. India's position has been not to adopt fully but to converge towards an amended version of the standards that are similar but not identical in both private and public sectors. In contrast to much prior literature, which views the decision to converge as a given, this study contributes empirical evidence by examining convergence in India as a decision-making process through the theoretical lens of transnational governance. The decision-making process involves state and non-state actors from the national and global fronts. This thesis uses transnational governance concepts such as transnational communications, transnational policy networks and recursivity to analyse the decision-making process. The research methods used in this study are the collection, description and interpretation of relevant primary data collected through interviews and secondary data gathered from documentary analysis. Tabulation and graphics are used for empirical data analysis.

This thesis contributes to the understanding of convergence through an in-depth analysis of the preparation or pre-implementation stage of convergence. It etches out the chaotic routes through which the idea of convergence travels before being finalised as an implementation decision. The study finds that convergence as a decision-making process is a complex series of cyclic interactions between national and transnational actors through the medium of a variety of transnational policy networks. These interactions are used by actors to influence the decision-making process. This study found that US delays in IFRS convergence have indirectly played a key role in shaping the decision-making process in India. Delays in US convergence conveyed indirect support to local resistance to immediate convergence. This and other important evidence gathered during the course of this study helped illustrate the different types of transnational influences and the varied local responses to these influences which portray the dynamic and complex two-way negotiations/interactions between transnational and national actors that constitute the convergence decision-making process.


After a brief presentation of the work of the German-born American political philosopher Eric Voegelin, Prof. Barry Cooper focuses on what Voegelin calls the Ecumenic Age, the period from the rise of the Persian around the eighth century BC to the fall of the Roman Empire around the eighth century AD. From this period, we can learn that any intramundane apocalyptic efforts to unify politically the ecumene (or inhabited world) and thus to bring an end to history are doomed to fail. Yet this dream remains the driving force behind many contemporary radical ideologies.


Abstract This research aims to prove the effectiveness of Spanish as a Second Language lessons for Haitians designed by volunteers in Santiago de Chile. The methodology used through the study was based on the application of two questionnaires to Haitian students in order to compare results, and finally obtain an average that reflects the achievement of the communicative functions expected. Results indicate that neither the lessons planned, material giver nor the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages fulfilled such expectations. Findings are discussed in relation to previous studies on methodologies for Spanish as a Second Language for Haitian immigrants in Chile (Toledo, 2016)


The authors argue that China's 'authoritarian resilience' cannot be fully grasped without adopting a local
state perspective to examine the way that policy-making plays out at county level and below. Although
local cadre bureaucracies have to obey upper levels, they still have substantial maneuvering space to
shape the implementation of policies. Arguably, effective policy implementation is a manifestation and
a result of systemic adaptiveness, effectiveness refering to the way that policies are adjusted according
to local development blueprints, managed in terms of policy coordination across local government bureaus,
experimentation and innovation, regular evaluation, and mobilization of public support.
This article is structured as follows: first, it highlights important policy changes and institutional reforms
launched by the central government in the early 2000s, which impacted strongly on local state
governance and laid the groundwork for effective policy implementation. The authors then focus on the
'Construction of a New Socialist Countryside' 'macro-policy' as a frame of reference to show how local
governments at county and township levels ensure effective policy implementation. It is argued that
local cadres act as developmental agents who are able to manoeuver successfully between central state
requirements and local needs to ensure that things are getting done 'on the ground'. Subsequently, we
show how local governments interact with and 'guide' private entrepreneurs as important stakeholders
in implementing local development blueprints and strengthening public goods provision. In the conclusion,
the main findings and arguments are summarized.


Hydrogen embrittlement is caused by the introduction of hydrogen into steel and is critical for high strength steels. To clarify the effects of Cu addition on hydrogen absorption and diffusion properties of steel under atmospheric condition, corrosion test was conducted on a 1470 MPa grade thin-walled low carbon martensite steel tube. To this end, a martensite steel tube bearing 0.18% C, 0.4% Si, 1.5% Mn, 0.15% Cu, 0.01% Nb was prepared and compared with Cu free steel tube. As a result of EPMA mapping for the rust layer, Cu accumulated discretely on the rust/steel interface, especially in the bottom of pits of 0.15% Cu bearing steel tubes after the atmospheric corrosion test over 12 years. According to x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra, the valence of Cu in the rust layer was mainly +2 as Cu-(O, OH, SO4). The average and maximum diffusible hydrogen content level of 0.15% Cu bearing steel was lower than that of Cu free steel after the atmospheric corrosion test. The quantity of non-diffusible hydrogen was much higher than that of diffusible hydrogen. According to diffusion calculation results, hydrogen diffusion was so rapid that the long-term corrosion hysteresis seemed to have little influence on the diffusible hydrogen content. Furthermore, the short-term corrosion hysteresis may be the main determinant of diffusible hydrogen concentration. Having regard to the fact that the valance of Cu could also be 0 as reported by Shimizu et al., an inhibition mechanism from accumulated Cu on hydrogen-induced cracking was proposed. Eluted Cuy+ ions in the rust layer may precipitate as metallic Cu at the microscopic cathode during the corrosion test. As a result, the microscopic cathode becomes inactivated as an electrochemical reaction site for hydrogen. The Cu alternates between precipitates and Cu ions depending on the relative humidity, and the condensation and pH of the water in the rust layer.


Methods for the design of samples to collect data on migrants as 'rare elements' are applied to Colombians migrating to Ecuador. With an upsurge in violence in Colombia beginning in the late 1990s, Colombians fled in increasing numbers to Ecuador, especially to Sucumbios in the Ecuadorian Amazon, an area of extraordinary biodiversity. These migrants comprise both asylum-seekers and traditional economic migrants. Despite the large influx, they still constitute a tiny part of the Ecuadorian population, creating the need to use 'rare elements' sampling methods. A household survey was carried out in 2006 in the five provinces found (2001 census) to have the largest proportion of Colombians. The main probability sample was supplemented by a snowball sample, with problems encountered described, and lessons learned. Key findings are summarised, comparing Colombians migrating to Ecuador voluntarily and involuntarily. Environmental effects of these migrants are minimal as most move to urban areas.


The advent of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) presents both opportunities and threats to the world of education. Globalisation and the new K-economy are pressuring learning institutions to change and adapt themselves to the demands of the new educational wave. While teaching and learning is supposed to improve, the actual use of ICT among academics is found wanting. Academic staff, a very important and integral part of the whole process of ICT implementation in institutes of higher learning, are always left out in the ICT planning process. This study investigates the integration of ICT into the language classroom by the 28 academics of Akademi Pengajian Bahasa UiTM. The research used the structural equation model that examines four main factors that influence the use of ICT in classroom teaching by the academics. The results show that ICT device ownership, perceived usefulness, ICT knowledge and skills as well as perceived difficulty are the factors that determine the success of ICT integration process by the academics. While the study found that ICT is being used by some of the academics, the level of usage is still very low. Their experience and knowledge of ICT do help in their effort to integrate online technologies in the language teaching and learning activities but they were bogged down by other barriers. The perceived difficulty/barriers factor has to be addressed carefully by ICT administrators if the university were to assist academics in integrating ICT into the classroom. The academics' recommendations discussed in this study stress on the need to include proper training and support system that allocate a large amount of time for them to prepare and research new approaches in teaching and learning using ICT.


Sandvik 12R10L is fully austenitic with a very low cobalt content for nuclear applications. This datasheet provides information on composition, physical properties, elasticity, tensile properties, and shear and bend strength as well as fatigue. It also includes information on high temperature performance as well as heat treating. Filing Code: SS-1309. Producer or source: Sandvik Steel Company and Sandvik AB.


Abstract. The smart cities that promise a sustainable future cannot be thought of independently from the spatial information infrastructure. It is very important to keep the spatial data infrastructure up-to-date for guidance and information in smart city applications (SCA). Easy and low-cost acquisition is an important factor in updating spatial data. Today, there are many measurement techniques to collecting 3-D spatial data of urban areas and land topography. On the other hand, indoor measurement and 3-D modelling techniques are used in the creation of building information modelling (BIM). In this study, measurement techniques that provide 3-D point cloud data to SCA are examined. Consequently, image based photogrammetry and dense matching methods enable low cost measurement than LiDAR based active measurement. The active 3-D measurement techniques have high accuracy especially for mid and long ranges. The LiDAR, that can be applied at day or night time, offer more opportunity to performing SCA like autonomous vehicle and robotic navigations. Nevertheless, LiDAR can only capture structure, not texture, and therefore has limits to the types of data that it can capture. The LiDAR and image based methods are complement to each other in 3-D reality capture. The 3-D measurement techniques are exploited according to SCA as alone or together.


Detailed physical and mechanical characterization of the matrix as well as the interphases of polymer matrix composites can lead to a more complete understanding of failure mechanisms in polymer matrix composite (PMC). This study illustrates mechanical damage of polymers in both the bulk, as well as around the interphase region through integrated computation & experimentation approach. We have developed a quantum mechanics-molecular dynamics framework, which has enabled the prediction of bond scission under load, creation of intermittent free radicals, and exploration of the potential energy surface for possible secondary reactions immediately following bond scission. In parallel, we have conducted experiments with epoxy systems with varying molecular weight and cross-linker density at different load conditions to benchmark the simulation findings of the chemical species present on fracture surfaces of the polymer. In order to evaluate experimentally molecular level effects of mechanical load in epoxy-systems, detail characterizations were conducted combing spectroscopy (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, FT-Infrared spectroscopy), microscopy (HRTEM, AFM-IR, SEM), X-ray diffraction (SAXS) and mechanical testing (3-point bending). Similarly, the nanoscopic nature of interphases of PMCs in terms of topography, chemical mapping/bonding, fractography, and modulus are also studied in order to find a bridge between nanoscopic, microscopic and macroscopic mechanical properties.


Learning disentangled representations is considered a cornerstone problem in representation learning. Recently, Locatello et al. (2019) demonstrated that unsupervised disentanglement learning without inductive biases is theoretically impossible and that existing inductive biases and unsupervised methods do not allow to consistently learn disentangled representations. However, in many practical settings, one might have access to a limited amount of supervision, for example through manual labeling of (some) factors of variation in a few training examples. In this paper, we investigate the impact of such supervision on state-of-the-art disentanglement methods and perform a large scale study, training over 52000 models under well-defined and reproducible experimental conditions. We observe that a small number of labeled examples (0.01--0.5\% of the data set), with potentially imprecise and incomplete labels, is sufficient to perform model selection on state-of-the-art unsupervised models. Further, we investigate the benefit of incorporating supervision into the training process. Overall, we empirically validate that with little and imprecise supervision it is possible to reliably learn disentangled representations.


"I consider it completely unimportant who in the party will vote, or how; but what is extraordinarily important is this--who will count the votes, and how. "--Joseph Stalin (1) I. How the Vote-Dilution Claim Arose A. A Vote-Dilution Claim Is Recommended B. A Draft Complaint Is Sent C. The First Vote-Dilution Claims Are Made II. How the Vote-Dilution Claim Developed A. Vote-Dilution Is Argued in Siegel v. LePore B. Vote-Dilution Is Argued in Touchston v. McDermott C. Vote-Dilution Gets Minimal Attention Before the Florida Supreme Court D. Vote-Dilution Gets More Attention Before the United States Supreme Court III. Why the Vote-Dilution Claim Prevailed A. Gore's Selective Manual Recount Was Legal, Unfair, and a Strategic Error B. The Florida Supreme Court Failed to Understand Its Probationary Status After the United States Supreme Court's Initial Deference IV. Conclusion ********** After the November 7, 2000 presidential election, the electoral-college vote hinged on whether Governor George W. Bush or Vice President Albert Gore, Jr. had won Florida. Candidates, officials, and voters battled in Florida and federal courts. (2) This article is about the equal-protection, vote-dilution constitutional analysis that would ultimately decide the matter. On December 12, the United States Supreme Court held that "[t]he recount process in its features here described, is inconsistent with the minimum procedures necessary to protect the fundamental right of each voter ..." (3) In its analysis, the Court noted that "'[f]or purposes of resolving the equal protection challenge,' it was enough that '[t]he recount mechanisms implemented in response to the decisions of the Florida Supreme Court do not satisfy the minimum requirements for nonarbitrary treatment of voters necessary to secure the fundamental right."' (4) "Upon due consideration of the difficulties identified to this point," the Court later noted, "it is obvious that the recount cannot be conducted in compliance with the requirements of equal protection and due process without substantial additional work." (5) Consequently, the Court held: "With respect to the equal protection question, we find a violation of the Equal Protection Clause." (6) Four problems were identified: (1) "unequal evaluation of ballots"; (7) (2) failure to evaluate voter intent in "overvotes" (8) as was done with "undervotes" (9) in the manual recounts; (10) (3) including totals from a partial recount of Miami-Dade County; (11) and (4) "concerns" about the counting process, including ad hoc, untrained counting teams and observers prohibited from objecting. (12) None of these problems was identified as conclusive. But the sum of them was held to fall short of what equal protection required in order to avoid the vote-dilution problem recognized in the Court's "one-person, one-vote jurisprudence" as applied to "arbitrary and disparate treatment to voters in ... different counties." (13) The Court cited Moore v. Ogilvie (14) for the vote-dilution principle as applied to counties--"[t]he idea that one group can be granted greater voting strength than another is hostile to the one man, one vote basis of our representative government." (15) The Supreme Court remanded the case to the Florida Supreme Court, which decided on December 22, that there was no remedy to be offered to Gore. (16) Was the equal-protection claim properly before the United States Supreme Court? At the St. Thomas Law Review Symposium, Bush v. Gore: A Decade Later, Florida Supreme Court Justice R. Fred Lewis claimed the equal-protection argument was not properly before the United States Supreme Court: [T]alking about the equal protection arguments.... I don't think that those were really preserved ... as a basis for the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling. …


I argue that as humanity continues on its path of rapid technological developments in the economic and political arenas, the human race becomes less able to choose individually, and submits to a collective society. As each day passes, our civilization loses more of its individuality and assimilates to a larger vehicle. This thesis describes our loss of uniqueness and our assimilation to the technology collective. Comments Submitted to the Program of Organizational Dynamics in the Graduate Division of the School of Arts and Sciences in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Organizational Dynamics at the University of Pennsylvania Advisor: Eric van Merkensteijn This thesis or dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/od_theses_msod/12 AN EXISTENCE VOID OF INDIVIDUALITY


Comparative genomics allow hypotheses about the content of the genome of ancestral species and for many major branching points on the tree of life, hypothetical ancestral genomes can be reconstructed. Cross-species chromosome painting over the last two decades has led the way in the reconstruction of ancestral genomes. Chromosome painting techniques allow to rapidly track chromosome translocations in evolution. A cladistic analysis of syntenies and chromosome associations allows rearrangements to be placed on the evolutionary tree. More recently, assemblies of genome sequences have allowed more far ranging comparisons of vertebrate genome evolution. The in-situ hybridisation of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) cloned into bacterial artificial chromosome overcomes the limitations of chromosome painting permitting the reconstruction of ancestral marker order along the single chromosome and has revealed that centromeres can reposition during evolution. These reconstructions provide insight into the evolutionary forces that have sculpted the genomes of extant species.

Key Concepts:

All forms of life on this planet are connected by descent from common ancestors.

Hypothetical ancestral genomes can be reconstructed at various nodes on the tree of life.

FISH is the major technique of comparative molecular cytogenetics.

Chromosome painting can detect chromosomal homologies even between distantly related mammalian orders.

Chromosomal syntenies may often be fragmented but it is highly unlikely that the same syntenic group can be brought together independently in different lineages.

Chromosome associations are segments homologous to different human chromosomes that are found contiguously in genomes of other species.

Chromosome painting maps are now available for about 200 mammalian species from all eutherian orders.

Bioinformatics provided an alternative approach to reconstructing ancestral genomes from the comparison of complete genome assemblies.

Integration between molecular cytogenetics, sequencing and bioinformatics will allow even more refined hypotheses about genome evolution.

Keywords:

chromosome painting;
comparative molecular cytogenetics;
phylogenomics;
bioinformatics;
placental mammals;
centromere repositioning;
whole genome assemblies


Background: Research on treatment of depression has raised concerns regarding adequacy of medication trials and rationality of drug choice. Little data exists regarding pharmacotherapy by psychiatric residents. As practice habits begun in training will likely persist after graduation, examination of residents' antidepressant use may ultimately improve treatment by psychiatrists. Methods: Charts of new patients presenting to the Wake Forest University Psychiatry Resident Clinic were reviewed. Survey was made of medications prescribed to 112 patients diagnosed with major depression, dysthymia, depressive disorder NOS, adjustment disorder with depressed mood, or bipolar disorder with a documented depression during the studied period. Drug choice and maximum dose were noted. Results: Most-prescribed antidepressants included sertraline, trazodone, citalopram, mirtazapine, venlafaxine, and bupropion. The most used tricyclic antidepressant was amitriptyline (n=7), with an average highest dose of 110.7 mg per day. No MAOIs were prescribed. Augmentation treatment with lithium was prescribed twice and thyroid hormone once. No patients received ECT. Conclusions: Depressed patients in this resident clinic were treated primarily with SSRIs and other newer antidepressants. Little use was made of TCAs, MAOIs, ECT or traditional augmentation strategies. Further research should aim to determine whether more education in older antidepressant treatment modalities should be emphasized.


On January 9, 2004, the United States officially declared Saddam Hussein a prisoner of war and indicated that it will turn him over to a special court established by the Iraqi Governing Council under the direction of the Coalition Provisional Authority. Yet, prosecution in this forum fails to ensure proof of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt as required by Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and does not prohibit the death penalty. Further, such prosecution requires the application of Iraqi criminal law and procedure where otherwise unarticulated in the statute creating it. This might allow Hussein to twist the laws he implemented to his advantage. Consequently, this Article focuses on alternative fora for jurisdiction over Hussein, recommends an ad hoc international criminal tribunal that does not provide for the death penalty, and examines Hussein''s liability for genocide against the Kurds and crimes against humanity.


Springs are unique and vulnerable habitats, which have always been rather out of focus of the scientist interest. Nevertheless, they frequently host very diverse and species-rich assemblages with high proportion of species more or less adapted to their unique environment and can act as biodiversity hotspots in some areas. The Western Carpathian springs are helocrene springs and represent wide variety of different habitat types, from mineral rich sparsely-vegetated or bryophytes-rich covered helocrenes to acidic peaty sites. Such diversification allows the creation of highly diverse assemblages, in which Chironomidae usually dominate in both species richness and abundance. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive overview of chironomid assemblages inhabiting the unique environment of spring fens and factors driving the metacommunity structuring and populations of individual taxa. We examined chironomid assemblages of 62 small, treeless helocrenes sites, which are highly isolated from each other by the terrestrial environment constituting dispersal barriers such as the east-west oriented mountain ridges and valleys. The sampling was performed to cover mesohabitat heterogeneity of study sites. Two main mesohabitats were sampled, the plot with flowing water and coarser substratum near water source (the lotic mesohabitat), and water-logged soil with standing water (the lentic mesohabitat). Study sites hosted nearly 100 chironomid taxa, both mesohabitats were inhabited by chironomid assemblages similar in number of species and abundances and the local environment was proved to be the main driver of compositional changes in chironomid assemblages as expected. Moreover, the significant spatial structure of assemblages was found at the lentic mesohabitat, while biotic interactions described by the abundance of Gammarus fossarum and taxa richness and abundances of predators did not significantly contribute to compositional changes in assemblages at any mesohabitat. Nevertheless, taxa-specific responses revealed populations of many taxa significantly affected by biotic interactions, especially at the more stable lotic mesohabitat, which is in concordance with suggested greater importance of biotic interactions at stable environment. Our results emphasized the importance of multilevel approach in community ecology for proper distinction between different mechanisms of metacommunity structuring. Biotic interaction such as competition can result into the same community patterns as environmental filtering, thus the involvement of detailed analyses of species requirements and interactions is necessary.


The problem of transferring skills to hyper-redundant system requires the design of new motion primitive representations that can cope with multiple sources of noise and redundancy, and that can dynamically handle perturbations in the environment. One way is to take inspiration from invertebrate systems in nature to seek for new versatile representations of motion/behavior primitives for continuum robots. In particular, the incredibly varied skills achieved by the octopus can guide us toward the design of such robust encoding scheme. This abstract presents our ongoing work that aims at combining statistical machine learning, dynamical systems and stochastic optimization to study the problem of transferring skills to a flexible surgical robot (STIFF-FLOP) composed of 2 modules with constant curvatures. The approach is tested in simulation by imitation and self-refinement of an octopus reaching motion.


This essay analyzes the gendered bonds of credit that feature so prominently in the Sonnets and The Merchant of Venice in relation to the historically emergent figure of the female moneylender. Women were among the most prominent lenders of money at interest in early modern England and were in the vanguard of the transition to formal instruments of credit such as bonds. The wills of theater people and other documents of stage history reveal that women were active in the culture of credit surrounding the commercial stage, as they were in the culture at large, lending money at interest to actors and playing companies in need of ready cash. This gendered landscape of urban credit offers a compelling context within which to understand Portia's lexicon of (ac)counting, as well as her emphasis on exactitude in the trial scene. Contemporary accounting treatises maintained that justice in debt litigation relied upon such precision and encouraged an ethos of virtuous Christian exactitude grounded in the new math of abstract ciphering. Shylock's rigor, by contrast, is less exact than it is exacting. His passion for vengeance at all costs clouds his judgment and ability to reckon. His obduracy, impenetrability, and unaccountability are associated not only with the materiality of Old Testament law of the flesh, but also with the materiality of the old math, with its reliance on the abacus or counter table.


Astrocytes might play an important role in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) since serum autoantibodies directed against the astrocytic water channel aquaporin-4 cause inflammatory demyelinating lesions in the MS-related disease neuromyelitis optica. Oral cuprizone challenge leads to demyelination of the corpus callosum and cortex in mice, whereby the blood-brain-barrier remains intact. Astrocytic activation of nuclear factor kappa of activated B cells (NF-κB) plays a key role for mediating demyelination under cuprizone. Recent clinical trials in MS indicate that laquinimod (LAQ) is an oral substance with more pronounced effects on disability and brain atrophy than on relapses suggesting that LAQ might exert effects not only on peripheral immune cells, but also on central nervous system (CNS)-resident cells.
The aim of the present study was to investigate intrinsic and therapy-induced astrocytic effects on cuprizone-induced pathology in mice. One aim was to assess the effects of LAQ on toxic demyelination. A further aim was to study the impact of increased astrocytic glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) expression on cuprizone-induced changes.
Eight- to ten-weeks-old male C57BL/6 mice were given 0.25% cuprizone for one or six weeks. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses were performed to evaluate therapy-induced and astrocytic effects on cuprizone-induced changes on glia, myelin and axons in the corpus callosum. In addition, astrocytic NF-κB activation was assessed by nuclear translocation of p65 in GFAP-positive astrocytes.
To examine the effects of LAQ, mice were treated with 0, 5 or 25 mg/kg LAQ per day during cuprizone challenge. After one week of cuprizone, oligodendrocyte apoptosis was reduced by 62% in mice treated with 25 mg/kg LAQ compared to vehicle-treated animals. After six weeks of cuprizone, LAQ reduced demyelination in a dose-dependent manner and attenuated microglial activation, axonal damage and reactive astrogliosis compared to the vehicle group. Similar results were observed in recombination activating gene 1 (Rag1)-deficient mice constitutively lacking T and B cells indicating that the effect of LAQ in the cuprizone model is CNS-intrinsic. Astrocytic NF-κB activation was significantly decreased by 46% under 25 mg/kg LAQ compared to the vehicle group after six weeks of cuprizone. These data indicate that LAQ might protect from cuprizone-induced pathology through CNS-intrinsic mechanisms by reducing NF-κB activation in astrocytes. Recently published data in primary astrocytic cultures support these findings by showing that LAQ directly inhibited the astrocytic NF-κB activation and thereby down-regulated the astrocytic pro-inflammatory response.
The impact of increased astrogliosis on cuprizone-induced demyelination was evaluated in transgenic mice overexpressing human GFAP. These animals show an increased astrogliosis even without external stimuli. After one week of cuprizone, transgenic mice displayed still higher densities of preserved mature oligodendrocytes and an 80% reduction of oligodendroglial apoptoses compared to the corresponding wild type animals. After six weeks of cuprizone, transgenic mice showed decreased demyelination, microglial activation and axonal damage as well as an 80% reduction of astrocytic NF-κB activation compared to wild type animals. These data indicate that reduced astrocytic NF-κB activation might also contribute to reduced cuprizone-induced pathology in mice overexpressing human GFAP.
These data suggest that down-regulating the astrocytic NF-κB activation might be a potential therapeutic approach for the future treatment of demyelinating diseases such as MS. The CNS-intrinsic effects of LAQ on astrocytic activation might explain the clinical findings of more pronounced effects on disability and brain atrophy than on relapses. The findings from this work could contribute to a better understanding and further development of novel protective therapies limiting tissue damage in demyelinating diseases such as MS.


The Meerut Conspiracy Case was directed largely at the emerging radical trade union and workers' and peasants' movements in India, while aiming its blow more specifically at an internationalist communism or socialism. The public impact of Meerut, however, was not unidirectional or confined to leftists, and it came to epitomize the arbitrariness of imperial authority. It was part of a larger process that created divisions and solidarities at the same time. Roy and Zachariah's essay traces the new divides and solidarities that the case facilitated and its impact on a wider popular political imagination as seen, in particular, through the lens of the Indian youth movement. In many ways, the authors contend, Indian communists' responses to Meerut, backed in part by their British communist comrades, showed that a top-down directive from Moscow did not in fact have the impact that it was supposed to. Meerut was thus the pivotal point that went a long way toward defining the politics of the 1930s, both within and outside India.


The purpose of this study is to develop econometric models to better understand the economic factors affecting inbound tourist flows from each of six origin countries that contribute to Hong Kong's international tourism demand. To this end, we test alternative cointegration and error correction approaches to examine the economic determinants of tourist flows to Hong Kong, and to produce accurate econometric forecasts of inbound tourism demand. Our empirical findings show that permanent income is the most significant determinant of tourism demand in all models. The variables of own price, weighted substitute prices, trade volume, the share price index (as an indicator of changes in wealth in origin countries), and a dummy variable representing the Beijing incident (1989) are also found to be important determinants for some origin countries. The average long-run income and own price elasticity was measured at 2.66 and – 1.02, respectively. It was hypothesised that permanent income is a better explanatory variable of long-haul tourism demand than current income. A novel approach (grid search process) has been used to empirically derive the weights to be attached to the lagged income variable for estimating permanent income. The results indicate that permanent income, estimated with empirically determined relatively small weighting factors, was capable of producing better results than the current income variable in explaining long-haul tourism demand. This finding suggests that the use of current income in previous empirical tourism demand studies may have produced inaccurate results. The share price index, as a measure of wealth, was also found to be significant in two models. Studies of tourism demand rarely include wealth as an explanatory forecasting long-haul tourism demand. However, finding a satisfactory proxy for wealth common to different countries is problematic. This study indicates with the ECM (Error Correction Models) based on the Engle-Granger (1987) approach produce more accurate forecasts than ECM based on Pesaran and Shin (1998) and Johansen (1988, 1991, 1995) approaches for all of the long-haul markets and Japan. Overall, ECM produce better forecasts than the OLS, ARIMA and NAIVE models, indicating the superiority of the application of a cointegration approach for tourism demand forecasting. The results show that permanent income is the most important explanatory variable for tourism demand from all countries but there are substantial variations between countries with the long-run elasticity ranging between 1.1 for the U.S. and 5.3 for U.K. Price is the next most important variable with the long-run elasticities ranging between -0.8 for Japan and -1.3 for Germany and short-run elasticities ranging between – 0.14 for Germany and -0.7 for Taiwan. The fastest growing market is Mainland China. The findings have implications for policies and strategies on investment, marketing promotion and pricing.


The paper explores the purpose and value of setting maritime limits and boundaries and, in particular, argues that to do so is crucial in order to provide a clear jurisdictional framework so as to better realise the benefits to be derived from the value marine resources contained within the maritime spaces claimed by coastal States. The problems associated with maritime jurisdictional uncertainty are also noted. The spatial limits of maritime claims under international law are outlined together with the key ways in which the limits of such claims can be established. Challenges and uncertainties in defining maritime limits and boundaries are then highlighted with particular reference to the Pacific island States regional context.


IZA DP No. 14190 MARCH 2021 Occupational Mobility of Routine Workers* This paper analyzes whether occupational polarization takes place within workers or due to changes in the composition of workers by using comprehensive panel data from Finland. The decomposition analysis shows that the decrease in mid-level routine occupations and the simultaneous increase in high-level abstract occupations is largely a within-worker phenomenon. In contrast, the share of low-skilled nonroutine manual tasks has largely increased through entry dynamics. Data on plant closures are used to identify involuntary separations from routine occupations. These results demonstrate a strong, uneven adjustment pattern, with routine cognitive workers being more able to move to abstract tasks and adjust with smaller wage costs than routine manual workers. JEL Classification: J23, J62


The essay contains a highly speculative theory of social change together with an application to the theory of labour management. It draws on previous work done by the author (1972, 1978), partly in collaboration with C.C.v.weizsacker (Weizsacker/Schlicht 1979). In Part I the proposed theory of social change is developed in some detail. The argument leads to the conclusion that society interpets its rules of social organization and interaction as modifications of pure, or simple, or prototype rules, rather than viewing the prevailing set of rules as a self-sufficient archetype. This leads tothe proposition that continuous social changes might entail discontinuous switches in the scheme of social organization. Since the theory draws heavily on Gestalt psychology, these switches are termed Gestalt switches; discontinuous changes in superstructure brought about by smooth changes within the existing socio-economic framework. Part 2 deals with an application of this general kind of argument to the theory of labour management. Starting with a sketch of why labour immobility is a precondition for the viability of labour management in a competitive economy, it will be argued that technical progress will lead, through competitive pressure, to just that: a de-facto-immobility of labour. Thereby, the stage is set for the development of an efficient type of labour-managed organization which might evolve from competition; but immobility of labour will have another important consequence: The very notion of the firm will undergo a change, socially. People will cease to interpret employment relations as exchange relations. Rather, they will view the employment contract as establishing permanent rights and obligations. Since workers are tied permanently to a firm, firms will be considered as being constituted by their staff rather than by changing physicalequipment, just in the same way as a firm is viewed socially as being constituted by the owners of capital under capitalist conditions. Thus, firms will become ultimately identified with their staff rather than with the suppliers of capital, and the labour managed firm will appear as the "natural" form of organization. Actual firms will be considered as modifications of this pure form just in the same way as co-determination is considered as a modification of the pure capitalist mode of organization today. Thus, this precarious kind of theorizing leads to the conclusion that strong pressures are working towards a gestalt switch to labour management. The reader is kindly rtequested, however, not to take those conclusions at face value, since the foundations on which the theory is built are not excelling in firmness. Take all this, please, as a Gedanken-experiment, as one particular attempt towards a better understanding of social and economic change containing, perhaps, some elements of a fruitful approach


Drawing upon my research of Vernon Lee's commonplace books (1887-1900, 12vols), pocket notebooks (1926-1935, 27vols) correspondence and the marginalia in her library books (over 400 volumes), this chapter opens with a survey of Lee's remarkably comprehensive and engaged reading in music, memory, and musical memory. She read and responded to (amongst others) the work of Ribot, Stumpf, Ebbinghaus, Semon, Helmholtz, Hering, Howes and Butler in the study of musical memory, and Bazaillas, Dauriac, Rubinstein, Prime-Stevenson, Rolland, Kostlin, Parry and de Robeck in music criticism. For Lee, who viewed music as an 'ancestral emotion', a key concept was the centrality of musical memory, which she explored both scientifically and aesthetically in much of her critical and fictional writing. This chapter will focus on Lee's deployment of the potency of musical memory in two key texts – Music and Its Lovers (1932), and 'A Wicked Voice' (1890).

Music and Its Lovers is Lee's longest and most complex scholarly work on music, and also the most misunderstood. I offer a fresh analysis of Lee's allegedly empirical and qualitative investigation of individual responses to music by demonstrating the importance of her distinction between 'listeners' and 'hearers', a distinction that she argued, was in part biologically demarcated, as well as discussing the importance of memory in her analysis of the appreciation of music. Lee's exploration of the relationship between music, memory and the emotions was not restricted to her non-fictional writing. I examine Lee's most famous fictional depiction of the potency of musical memory, the Gothic horror story, 'A Wicked Voice', from the perspective of her increasing awareness of the biological complexity of both mental storage and retrieval. Specifically, I look at the haunting presence of specific pieces of music (such as Hasse's air 'Pallido Il Sole' and the Venetian gondolier's aria, 'La Biondina in Gondoleta') in shaping this most musical of Lee's short stories. Finally, I will also briefly demonstrate the importance of Lee's theoretical writing on music to the rest of her relentlessly interdisciplinary work, by examining the implications suggested by her advocacy of the corporeality of aesthetic experiences.


In promulgating the Principles of the Law of Family Dissolution: Analysis and Recommendations ("Family Dissolution Principles"), the American Law Institute (ALI) proposes an extensive set of new rules to apply in proceedings relating to family dissolution. One of the major policy changes in family law proposed by the Family Dissolution Principles is the expansion of the scope of relationships that are treated as family relations. Many relationships that in the past have been called "alternative relationships" (alternative to family relationships) are treated in the ALI Principles as equal to and given the same legal protections, benefits, rights, and remedies as historically have been extended by law to a relatively narrow range of intimate or domestic interpersonal relationships, specifically spousal and parent-child relations in the traditional marriage-based family. Most of the Chapters of the Family Dissolution Principles contain provisions that deconstruct and redefine "family" relationships. For example, many of the sections of Chapter 2 (Custody), Chapter 5 (Compensatory Payments), Chapter 6 (Domestic Partners) and Chapter 7 (Agreements) contain provisions that significantly expand protected family relations or radically alter existing family law doctrines. Among the most controversial of the proposed levelling reforms are those in Chapter 6 (Domestic Partners) where the ALI proposes to significantly increase the types of relationships that may claim the full economic protections and privileges of marital status upon dissolution. In Chapter 6, the ALI moves toward equalizing the legal status of all adult domestic relationships and the economic consequences of their dissolution by broadly defining domestic partners, liberally providing for how that status may be established, and proposing to extend almost exactly the same economic benefits to domestic partners as are provided to married couples upon dissolution. This article focuses on Chapter 6 to demonstrate the family-deconstruction-and-relational-equalization theme of the ALI's Family Dissolution Principles. It argues that Chapter 6 is predicated upon some erroneous assumptions about the characteristics of same-sex and heterosexual non-marital cohabitation, as well as the nature and qualities of marriage in general, and about the sameness of the economic expectations and interdependence of non-marital cohabitants and marital couples. It concludes that the ALI's Principles significantly redefines and deconstruct s the family by substantially and unjustifiably expanding the categories of relationships that are given legal preference as "family" relationships.


We derive PAC-Bayesian generalization bounds for supervised and unsupervised learning models based on clustering, such as co-clustering, matrix tri-factorization, graphical models, graph clustering, and pairwise clustering. We begin with the analysis of co-clustering, which is a widely used approach to the analysis of data matrices. We distinguish among two tasks in matrix data analysis: discriminative prediction of the missing entries in data matrices and estimation of the joint probability distribution of row and column variables in co-occurrence matrices. We derive PAC-Bayesian generalization bounds for the expected out-of-sample performance of co-clustering-based solutions for these two tasks. The analysis yields regularization terms that were absent in the previous formulations of co-clustering. The bounds suggest that the expected performance of co-clustering is governed by a trade-off between its empirical performance and the mutual information preserved by the cluster variables on row and column IDs. We derive an iterative projection algorithm for finding a local optimum of this trade-off for discriminative prediction tasks. This algorithm achieved state-of-the-art performance in the MovieLens collaborative filtering task. Our co-clustering model can also be seen as matrix tri-factorization and the results provide generalization bounds, regularization terms, and new algorithms for this form of matrix factorization. The analysis of co-clustering is extended to tree-shaped graphical models, which can be used to analyze high dimensional tensors. According to the bounds, the generalization abilities of tree-shaped graphical models depend on a trade-off between their empirical data fit and the mutual information that is propagated up the tree levels. We also formulate weighted graph clustering as a prediction problem: given a subset of edge weights we analyze the ability of graph clustering to predict the remaining edge weights. The analysis of co-clustering easily extends to this problem and suggests that graph clustering should optimize the trade-off between empirical data fit and the mutual information that clusters preserve on graph nodes.


In this paper we consider two sequence tagging tasks for medieval Latin: part-of-speech tagging and lemmatization. These are both basic, yet foundational preprocessing steps in applications such as text re-use detection. Nevertheless, they are generally complicated by the considerable orthographic variation which is typical of medieval Latin. In Digital Classics, these tasks are traditionally solved in a (i) cascaded and (ii) lexicon-dependent fashion. For example, a lexicon is used to generate all the potential lemma-tag pairs for a token, and next, a context-aware PoS-tagger is used to select the most appropriate tag-lemma pair. Apart from the problems with out-of-lexicon items, error percolation is a major downside of such approaches. In this paper we explore the possibility to elegantly solve these tasks using a single, integrated approach. For this, we make use of a layered neural network architecture from the field of deep representation learning.


Occurrences of fossil marine diatom resting spore genus Liradiscus Greville are described from the middle Eocene to middle Miocene samples of Deep Sea Drilling Project Leg 38 Site 338 in the Norwegian Sea. The genus Liradiscus is characterized by a thick frustule sculptured by numerous veins. In this paper, five new taxa (L. cucurbitus, L. castaneus, L. castaneus var. reticulatus, L. caepus and L. nimbus) are described, and their stratigraphical ranges are presented. These species are short-ranging and may be poten- tially useful biostratigraphic markers to improve resolution of diatom biostratigraphy of the Norwegian Sea. Liradiscus castaneus var. castaneus may be evolved from var. reticulatus in the middle part of the Zone NPD 2A (18.4-20.3 Ma). The geologic ranges of L. reticulatus and L. petasus in the Norwegian Sea ( L. reticulatus: early Miocene,L. petasus : late early Oligocene to middle early Miocene) are differentiated from those in the North Pacific (L. reticulatus: middle late Miocene, L. petasus:early late Miocene), suggesting possi- ble the regional environmental differences.


Images of American slavery conjure up cotton plantations and African American slaves locked in bondage until the Civil War. Yet early on in the nineteenth century the state of slavery was very different, and the political vicissitudes of the young nation offered diverse possibilities to slaves. In the century's first two decades, the nation waged war against Britain, Spain, and various Indian tribes. Slaves played a role in the military operations, and the different sides viewed them as a potential source of manpower. While surprising numbers did assist the Americans, the wars created opportunities for slaves to find freedom among the Redcoats, the Spaniards, or the Indians. Author Gene Smith draws on a decade of original research and his curatorial work at the Fort Worth Museum in this fascinating and original narrative history. The way the young nation responded sealed the fate of slaves for the next half century until the Civil War.This drama sheds light on an extraordinary yet little known chapter in the dark saga of American history.


The scientific debate on the impact of climate change on hurricane intensity/strength continues. Regardless of its causes, the consequence of increasing hurricane intensity is undeniably immense among coastal residents. In this study, we investigate how various objective measures of hurricane strength affect people's perception of changing hurricane strength over time. We utilize original survey data to examine the relationship between perceived and actual shift in hurricane strength. In this article, hurricane strength is indicated as maximum wind speed at landfall, storm surge, and economic damage. We find that the characteristics of hurricane strength associated with the most recent landfall are much more closely associated with perceptions of changing hurricane strength than objectively measured trends. This result is consistent with availability bias, suggesting that perceptions are associated with most accessible and retrievable events. We also find that people's belief in climate change play a powerful role in one's perception of changing hurricane strength. Political predispositions are found to affect one's perceptions of changing hurricane strength. Compared to Democrats and Independents, Republicans are far less likely to believe that climate is changing and thus they tend to not believe that hurricanes are becoming stronger. Given that this study focuses on how physical characteristics of past hurricane events influence individual perceptions of hurricane strength shift, future research should focus on how expectations of future climate and weather‐related events influence individual attitudes and behaviours.


Despite the many efforts of scientists, in particular those from the field of soil science, the fate and distribution of fluorine (F) species in soils and aquifers remain relatively unraveled. As for groundwater systems, such a shortcoming makes difficult the finding and development of safe water supplies. Likewise, the use of transport models does not render acceptable results because of the many uncertainties related to the behavior of F in aqueous media. This paper presents the results of four batch test in which solutions of different pH and [F - ] (concentration of fluoride) were in contact during 48 hours with clean quartz sand grains. The resulting data were fitted by linear versions of the Freundlich, the Langmuir, and the Langmuir-Freundlich models. The [F - ] was varied between 0,5 and 10 mg L -1 , except in one batch where a large initial concentration of F was used (45 mg L -1 ), and the range of pH used was 2,95 to 5,02. From a sieve analysis, the quartz grains had a medium size (d50) of 0,25 mm, and a uniformity coefficient (d40/d90) of 1,65. According to the fits and some dedicated goodness of fit indices, the Langmuir-Freundlich approach gave the best results for the batch test at the lowest pH, whereas the three remaining tests data were fitted by the Freundlich equation. It has to be mentioned that the pH of the equilibrium solutions were higher than the pH of the initial solutions, which was interpreted as an exchange process of OH - by F - on the quartz sand surface. However, such an exchange does not stand out as the exclusive mechanism promoting the F - disappearance from solution. It is deemed that the obtained results can be used as initial estimates of parameters in models used for calibrating the transport of F - in aquifers.


Abstract. Ice cores are exceptional archives which allow us to reconstruct a wealth of climatic parameters as well as past atmospheric composition over the last 800 kyr in Antarctica. Inferring the variations in past accumulation rate in polar regions is essential both for documenting past climate and for ice core chronology. On the East Antarctic Plateau, the accumulation rate is so small that annual layers cannot be identified and accumulation rate is mainly deduced from the water isotopic composition assuming constant temporal relationships between temperature, water isotopic composition and accumulation rate. Such an assumption leads to large uncertainties on the reconstructed past accumulation rate. Here, we use high-resolution beryllium-10 (10Be) as an alternative tool for inferring past accumulation rate for the EPICA Dome C ice core, in East Antarctica. We present a high-resolution 10Be record covering a full climatic cycle over the period 269 to 355 ka from Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 9 to 10, including a period warmer than pre-industrial (MIS 9.3 optimum). After correcting 10Be for the estimated effect of the palaeomagnetic field, we deduce that the 10Be reconstruction is in reasonably good agreement with EDC3 values for the full cycle except for the period warmer than present. For the latter, the accumulation is up to 13% larger (4.46 cm ie yr−1 instead of 3.95). This result is in agreement with the studies suggesting an underestimation of the deuterium-based accumulation for the optimum of the Holocene (Parrenin et al. 2007a). Using the relationship between accumulation rate and surface temperature from the saturation vapour relationship, the 10Be-based accumulation rate reconstruction suggests that the temperature increase between the MIS 9.3 optimum and present day may be 2.4 K warmer than estimated by the water isotopes reconstruction. We compare these reconstructions to the available model results from CMIP5-PMIP3 for a glacial and an interglacial state, i.e. for the Last Glacial Maximum and pre-industrial climates. While 3 out of 7 models show relatively good agreement with the reconstructions of the accumulation–temperature relationships based on 10Be and water isotopes, the other models either underestimate or overestimate it, resulting in a range of model results much larger than the range of the reconstructions. Indeed, the models can encounter some difficulties in simulating precipitation changes linked with temperature or water isotope content on the East Antarctic Plateau during glacial–interglacial transition and need to be improved in the future.


This paper presents a Priority Checking Random Early Detection (PC-RED) gateway for ensuring the Quality of Service (QoS) of high priority dataflow in IPv6 networks. A bit in the IP header is used in PC-RED to label the current status of the QoS that the dataflow is being treated in, which is determined by the difference between the packet average-dropping rate and the fixed desired limit dropping rate of the dataflow. PC-RED would perform dissimilarly to every dataflow corresponding to the different QoS status throughout congestions. PC-RED has been modeled and the parameter setting has been studied. Simulation result shows remarkable contrast between the High-Priority and Non-Priority dataflow throughput under PC-RED mechanism.


AIM: Precision in determining cup positioning in patients after total hip arthroplasty (THA) is critical, especially in seek for the cause of symptoms in cases of postoperative pain, excessive wear and instability. Computed tomography scans (CT) were found to be superior at measuring the anteversion of the acetabular cup as compared to measurements performed on printed radiographs. The purpose of the present study was to compare acetabular anteversion measured on digital radiographs with dedicated software to measurements carried out via CT. METHODS: CT scans and radiograph exams were obtained from 62 patients after THA. Acetabular cup anteversion was measured from CT by CT-based image analysis software (Amira©) and from digital radiographs using dedicated measurement tool of a digital software (TraumaCAD©). Anteversion angles of the acetabular cup were calculated and compared. RESULTS: Radiographic calculated acetabular anteversion angles were significantly lower than CT measurements (average difference of -13.8, p < 0.001), with a moderate correlation between methods (r = 0.534; p < 0.001). There was a significant correlation between radiographic error and anteversion angle (r = 0.910; p < 0.001), with the radiographs showing greater underestimation of the angle at greater angles. CONCLUSIONS: Digital radiographic shows imprecision in measuring acetabular cup anteversion. Clinicians must consider this when making clinical decisions based on these radiographs.


Forty-four consecutive infants aged from 3 days to 10 months underwent repair of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection using deep hypothermia with circulatory arrest. There were eight (18%) early hospital deaths. Using multivariate analysis no significant association could be shown between early mortality and age or weight at operation, preoperative pulmonary or systemic pressure, and preoperative condition for patients undergoing operation during the most recent five year period. Late pulmonary venous obstruction developed in four (11%) of the survivors and all of these patients died.


The huge variety of ecosystems that we collectively refer to as "biofilm" is reflected by the numerous different systems available to grow them in the laboratory. The relationship between in situ systems, microcosms and laboratory models is defined and discussed. The first two represent holistic approaches designed to assess the structure and function of particular biofilms: the last is analytical and reductionist, aiming to isolate specific functions of biofilms in order to understand properties that can apply to biofilm in general. Properties of a model can be completely understood whilst this is unlikely with natural ecosystems because of the possibility of unculturable species which could play an unrecognised but important part in its structure and function. A range of systems is reviewed. These include simple surfaces exposed to nutrient in different ways, flow systems such as the Robbins device and constant shear devices such as the Rototorque and the Fowler cell adhesion measurement module. The constant depth film fermenter (CDFF) is described as are membrane based models including the membrane biofilm and the perfused biofilm reactors. Some examples of microcosms are described. The concept and value of "steady state" biofilm is introduced in terms of the CDFF and of fluidised bed reactors. A number of commercially available film fermenters are listed in the appendix.


The majority of human chromosome ends remain incomplete due to their highly repetitive structure. In this study, we use BioNano data to anchor and extend chromosome ends from two European trios as well as two unrelated Asian genomes. Two thirds of BioNano assembled chromosome ends are structurally divergent from the reference genome, including both deletions and extensions. The majority of extensions are homologous to sequences on chromosome 1p, 5q and 19p. These extensions are heritable and in some cases divergent between Asian and European samples. We identified two sequence families in these sequences which have undergone substantial duplication in multiple primate lineages, leading to the formation of new fusion genes. We show that these sequence families have arisen from progenitor interstitial sequence on the ancestral primate chromosome 7. Comparison of chromosome end sequences from 15 species revealed that chromosome end divergence matches the corresponding phylogenetic relationship and revealed a rate of chromosome extension since the primate divergence of 80-440 kbp per million years.


A physical map of the European stone fruit yellows phytoplasma strain GSFY1 chromosome was constructed using PFGE-purified genomic DNA from diseased tobacco and tomato plants. The map was generated with single and double digestions of the chromosome with SmaI, BssHII, ApaI, BamHI and XhoI restriction endonucleases and the fragments were resolved by PFGE. Reciprocal double digestions were used to locate 26 restriction sites on the chromosome. Southern blot analysis was also used to assist in the arrangement of the contiguous restriction fragments obtained. From the restriction fragments generated by double digestion, the circular chromosome was calculated to be approximately 635 kb. Loci of two rRNA operons, the operon containing the tuf gene, genes encoding an immunodominant membrane protein and a putative nitroreductase, and randomly cloned DNA fragments IH184 and AT67 were placed on the map. Digestion of chromosomal DNA of strain GSFY1 with MluI gave a complex restriction pattern, suggesting that this isolate consists of a population with heterogeneity with respect to MluI restriction sites. The GSFY1 physical map was different from that of the closely related apple proliferation phytoplasma but the genetic arrangement was similar.


Purpose: to compare the result of using a stay stitch to bridge the nerve gaps with repair the nerve gap without using a stay stitch, to compare both ways on the length of graft, number of grafts and number of cables per graft. Methods: a comparative study between 2 groups of babies with OBPP in which each group consists of 15 infants. In all the patients in both groups, neuroma excision and nerve grafting was indicated. In group (A) the defects were measured directly after neuroma excision without any attempts to approximate the retracted ends of the nerves, this was followed by reconstruction of the gaps by cable grafts from the sural nerves using fibrin glue. Conversely, in group (B) we took measurements of the defects after using 1 or 2 bridging stay sutures through the posterior aspect of the epineurium just to overcome the retracted distance without any further tension on the nerve. This also was followed by reconstruction of the gaps by cable nerve grafts with the aid of fibrin glue. Results: in group (B), the cable grafts length can be shortened from (29.6mm to 14.2 mm) with average of (15.4 mm). The number of cables per graft increase from 2.2 to 3.2. The number of grafts used in reconstruction of the brachial plexus were more in group B than in group A. Conclusions: A simple bridging stay suture can prevent retraction of the nerve ends after repair with fibrin glue, working as an internal splintage to the repair site, decrease the length of the cable graft, increase the number of cables per graft, gives more opportunity to make more nerve grafts and the surgeon feel that his repair is more secure.


In 2017, English dubbing entered the mainstream on the initiative of the subscription video-on-demand service (SVoD) Netflix. Recent English dubs have taken advantage of the largely convention-free English dubbing industry and, in 2019, dubs outsourced by Netflix to VSI London saw the introduction of linguistic variation into the dubs of Spanish originals, such as Alta Mar (High Seas) (Campos and Neira 2019–) and, most notably, Hache (Torregrossa and Trullols 2019–). In these series, a myriad of British accents is used for characterisation as an alternative to standardisation strategies that conflate cultural identities into one, which are prevalent in many consolidated dubbing industries. In addition to the lack of industry precedents and an argued associated malleability of viewers, the diegetic quality of dubbed dialogue seems to have allowed the implausibility of linguistic variation to be accepted by viewers in an extended "suspension of linguistic disbelief" (Romero-Fresco 2009: 49). In this paper, I explore accents as "unit[s] of cultural transmission" aka "memes" (Dawkins 1976: 206), and the specific sets of connotations associated with accents i.e. dialectal memes that are evoked in the original and dubbed versions of the aforementioned series. Emerging norms in UK dubs of Spanish originals are then elucidated.
Lay summary
For over sixty years now, subtitling has been the default form of translation when bringing foreign films into English-speaking countries. However, Netflix has recently disrupted this practice by providing the alternative option of watching many of its non-English films and series dubbed into English, i.e. the voices of the original actors are replaced with those of voice actors who perform in English instead of, say, Spanish. In many countries where dubbing has long been the default translation practice, such as Spain, the accents used in original versions to create different character identities are dubbed into one standardised Spanish accent, which makes it difficult to distinguish between characters' social class, among other qualities attached to accent. In the English dubs on Netflix, however, accents are being used for characterisation. In this article, I analyse the use of British accents in Netflix' dubs of the Spanish-original series Hache and Alta Mar (High Seas), and compare character identities in the original and dubbed versions, according to the cultural connotations triggered by the different accents used in each. I apply theories from the Translation Studies discipline to help understand and support the use of accents in English dubs, as a valid alternative to standardisation strategies in dubbing. Given a significant amount of Netflix' foreign products are in Spanish, the analysis in this article can be used in future to track changes in English dubs generally and especially English dubs of Spanish-language originals on Netflix, which might use different strategies to English dubs of Danish products, or Spanish products on other streaming platforms, for example.


Excerpt] This essay examines the continuing struggle of rank-and-file teachers to democratize the SNTE, a union of between 800,000 and one million members linked to the PRI. In particular, the essay analyzes the dissident movement's strategy of organizing to hold and win elections in union locals, and assesses the advantages and limitations of this strategy over a ten-year period (1979-1989). What were the implications of organizing within an official union for the movement's internal organization, demands, strategies, and ability to achieve its goals? This essay is divided into three parts. The first looks at the official union as an institution that structured the protest movement within it. The laws, procedures, organizational structure, and leadership of the union set boundaries for the movement's actions, shaping, though not fully determining, its demands, strategies, organization, and what it was able to achieve. The second part examines how the movement overcame some of these constraints in pursuing a legal or institutional strategy to democratize the union. This part also analyzes the gains and limitations of the movement's legal strategy as experienced by those sections of the movement that obtained legal recognition. The last part looks at how changes in the movement's political environment affected the ability to achieve its goals. This section focuses on the Oaxacan case and argues that the relations between government and union officials were crucial to understanding the movement's important breakthroughs, as well as the limits to organizing within official unions.


Challenging the conventional wisdom that users cannot remember cryptographically-strong secrets, we test the hypothesis that users can learn randomly-assigned 56- bit codes (encoded as either 6 words or 12 characters) through spaced repetition. We asked remote research participants to perform a distractor task that required logging into a website 90 times, over up to two weeks, with a password of their choosing. After they entered their chosen password correctly we displayed a short code (4 letters or 2 words, 18.8 bits) that we required them to type. For subsequent logins we added an increasing delay prior to displaying the code, which participants could avoid by typing the code from memory. As participants learned, we added two more codes to comprise a 56.4- bit secret. Overall, 94% of participants eventually typed their entire secret from memory, learning it after a median of 36 logins. The learning component of our system added a median delay of just 6.9 s per login and a total of less than 12 minutes over an average of ten days. 88% were able to recall their codes exactly when asked at least three days later, with only 21% reporting having written their secret down. As one participant wrote with surprise, "the words are branded into my brain."


An alteration in the balance between a T-helper type 2 cell (Th2) response and a Th1 response may predispose to the development of bronchial asthma. Interleukin-18 (IL-18) has an ability to promote both Th1 and Th2 responses, depending on the surrounding cytokine environment. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness. Recent studies have demonstrated that antioxidants are able to reduce airway inflammation and hyperreactivity in animal models of asthma. In this study, we used a C57BL/6 mouse model of allergic asthma to examine the effects of antioxidants on the regulation of IL-18 expression. Our present study with ovalbumin-induced murine model of asthma revealed that ROS production in cells from bronchoalveolar lavage fluids was increased and that administration of l-2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid or α-lipoic acid reduced the increased levels of ROS, the increased expression of IL-18 protein and mRNA, airway inflammation, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Our results also showed that antioxidants down-regulated a transcription factor, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), activity. These results indicate that antioxidants may reduce IL-18 expression in asthma by inhibiting the activity of NF-κB and suggest that ROS regulate the IL-18 expression.


The availability of large language corpora and their electronic processing has challenged the notion that language in use is predominantly a product of the slot and filler principle of grammar and vocabulary. The extent to which language in use consists of multi-word sequences that appear to be processed as units, rather than combined for each instance of use, is still a matter of some uncertainty, but it is clear that the phenomenon is prominent (Altenberg, 1998; Sinclair, 1991) and recent years have seen a flurry of work devoted to it.
Most of this work was done on English data and, to a much smaller degree, on a few other European languages (see Butler, 2005 for an overview). It has generally been assumed that MWS similar to the type found in English are universally found in languages and even in studies that looked at MWS in non-European languages, this assumption has not received much overt discussion (though some discussion is found in Kim, 2009). While the assumption is not unreasonable, the nature and degree of the assumed universality across languages, particularly those of differing morphological type, need urgent investigation. The present study aims to contribute to this by comparing MWS found in English, German and Korean. While English is the most isolating language of the three, German is more synthetic and Korean is a synthetic language with polysynthetic elements. These data allow us to test whether the concept of MWS depends on, or is significantly influenced by, morphological typology.
In our investigation, we looked at just over 1 million words of newspaper texts from the 80s and 90s for each language, taken from the British National Corpus (BNC Baby, version 2, 2005), the Swiss Text Corpus (Bickel, Gasser, Hacki Buhofer, Hofer & Schon, 2009) and the Sejong Corpus (Kim, 2006) respectively. After the extraction of plain text and preparatory formatting, each of the one million word corpora was split into n-grams of length 2 to 10, using Zhang's NGramTool (2009). Subsequently, our own substring reduction algorithm was used to produce a consolidated list of n-grams for each corpus. These were then filtered to produce MWS and subsequently compared. Among the comparisons drawn were those between the number of MWS types and tokens above different frequency cut-offs. Notable differences between languages were found, with the English data displaying the highest number of extracted MWS by a considerable margin, followed by German, with Korean showing the smallest number of extracted MWS at all frequency cut-offs employed. In a second round of comparisons, the German data were modified by lemmatising verbs, thus neutralising verbal inflectional morphology. This raised the number of MWS extracted by about 10%. The removal of subject, object, topical and plural suffixes in our Korean data resulted in an even more dramatic increase in MWS extracted.
While results support the notion of MWS across typologically different languages, they also suggest that MWS perhaps require a somewhat flexible definition when universality is claimed. Finally, the results highlighted methodological challenges in MWS identification. One answer to these challenges could involve a stronger weighing of the morpheme vis a vis the word in MWS definition and identification.
References:
Altenberg, B. (1998). On the phraseology of spoken English: The evidence of recurrent word-combinations. In A. P. Cowie (Ed.), Phraseology: Theory, analysis and applications. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Bickel, H., Gasser, M., Hacki Buhofer, A., Hofer, L., & Schon, C. h. (2009). Schweizer Text Korpus - theoretische Grundlagen, Korpusdesign und Abfragemoglichkeiten. Linguistik Online, 39(3).
BNC Baby, Version 2. (2005). [Data file] Oxford University Computing Services on behalf of the BNC consortium.
Butler, C. S. (2005). Formulaic language: An overview with particular reference to the cross-linguistic perspective. Pragmatics & Beyond. New Series, 140, 221-242.
Kim, H. (2006). Korean national corpus in the 21st century Sejong Project. In Language corpora: Their compilation and application. Proceedings of the 13th NIJL international symposium.
Kim, Y. (2009). Korean lexical bundles in conversation and academic texts. Corpora, 4(2), 135-165.
Sinclair, J. (1991). Corpus, concordance, collocation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.


The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of different feed restrictions which were applied in early period on change of Body Mass Index of Ross 308 broiler chickens. For this aim we used to two different statistical methods, namely Profile analysis and Growth curves. The daily body weight and weekly body length change of chickens was collected from 7 days of age to 42 days of age. Profile analysis was used to compare differences among the groups and the Gompertz growth function was regressed from these data to estimate the growth parameters. The group profiles were not found parallel in terms of Body Mass Index (P<0.001) as a result of the Profile analysis. Therefore once concludes that the difference in Body Mass Index (BMI) of the animals between weeks depends on feeding regime (profiles are not parallel). The value of A and b parameter values were 0.02368 and 0.83436 for ad libitum group (AD), 0.02216 and 0.75251 for 20 % feed restriction based on ad libitum group (YK), 0.02235 and 0.79656 for HG group, respectively. Inflection point (k) for HG group was fount smaller than that of the AD and YK groups. All parameter estimates and growth characteristics for chickens based on Gompertz growth model were significant (P<0.05).


We test whether social comparison nudges can promote water-saving behaviour among farmers as a complement to traditional CAP measures. We conducted a randomised controlled trial among 200 farmers equipped with irrigation smart meters in South-West France. Treated farmers received weekly information on individual and group water consumption over four months. Our results rule out medium to large effect-sizes of the nudge. Moreover, they suggest that the nudge was effective at reducing the consumption of those who irrigate the most, although it appears to have reduced the proportion of those who do not consume water at all.