A riverbank filtration (RBF) system was installed in a rural village near the Kali River in southwestern India to evaluate its performance in attenuating total coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli loads in a monsoon‐dominated climate in a developing country. A statistical analysis showed that RBF water was of higher microbial quality than other water sources in the study area. Based on the geometric mean of the data from the primary RBF well (MW3), the percent removal compared to the Kali River was 95.1% for total coliforms and 99.2% for E. coli. The maximum percent removals were 99.8% for total coliforms and 99.96% for E. coli. Bacteria concentrations were lower during the dry season than during the monsoon season when contaminants apparently infiltrated into the subsurface. The geometric mean of the annual removal efficiency translates to an approximately 1‐log unit removal of E. coli per 26 m (≈75 ft) setback distance from the river. During the 1‐year monitoring period, Indian water quality standards for total coliform bacteria were regularly exceeded, whereas E. coli standards were met for 29% of the dry season but only 7% of the monsoon season. The consistent problem of attaining local regulatory limits for bacteria show that, at this study site, (1) RBF needs to be considered a pre‐treatment method and, (2) should be combined with conventional disinfection technology. Finally, although the bacteria data confirms that the setback distance of a RBF well from a river is an important factor determining the water quality, local conditions, such as influence of flood‐irrigation of nearby rice paddies, presence of freely‐roaming cattle and latrines, and outside defecation by residents, must be considered when establishing a RBF system in a monsoon climate in a developing country.


In recent times, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have active involvement in diverse applications such as: environment monitoring, security \& surveillance, health care, precision agriculture, industrial applications and many more.  Generally, sensor nodes are deployed randomly in such applications. Therefore, estimation of node location is a legitimate problem in WSNs, due to the fact that uncovered region can result in coverage-holes in the network. One state-of-art solution of this problem is Global Positioning System (GPS) but GPS based solution to localize a node might not be worthy due to the cost of extra hardware and power requirements. Therefore, a low cost solution to this problem might be Computational Geometry based approach to localize a node. In this paper, we first find out distance between Anchor Node (AN) and Unknown Node (UN) based on RSSI Profiling. Subsequently, the node location is estimated using Trilateration. Finally, a Delaunay Triangle is constructed on the basis of node location information. Then the property of empty circle is used to recognize whether coverage hole is present or not in the given ROI. Correctness of the algorithm is checked based on the simulations and theoretical proofs.


A data mining (DM) process involves multiple stages. A simple, but typical, process might include preprocessing data, applying a data mining algorithm, and postprocessing the mining results. There are many possible choices for each stage, and only some combinations are valid. Because of the large space and nontrivial interactions, both novices and data mining specialists need assistance in composing and selecting DM processes. Extending notions developed for statistical expert systems we present a prototype intelligent discovery assistant (IDA), which provides users with 1) systematic enumerations of valid DM processes, in order that important, potentially fruitful options are not overlooked, and 2) effective rankings of these valid processes by different criteria, to facilitate the choice of DM processes to execute. We use the prototype to show that an IDA can indeed provide useful enumerations and effective rankings in the context of simple classification processes. We discuss how an IDA could be an important tool for knowledge sharing among a team of data miners. Finally, we illustrate the claims with a demonstration of cost-sensitive classification using a more complicated process and data from the 1998 KDDCUP competition.


A simple bug in a program can influence a large part of the program execution by spreading throughout the state at runtime. This is known as program infection. The seriousness of bugs is usually measured by studying their external effects. However, such effects essentially derive from internal factors of a program. Our idea is to focus on internal factors, in particular the infection chain, to measure how serious a bug was. This allows reasoning about bugs from a new and potentially insightful perspective.


The authors evaluate and compare the usefulness of various valuation ratios for equity country allocation. To this end, the performance of 73 national equity indexes is investigated for the period 1996 to 2017. The earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA)-to-enterprise value (EV) multiple is the best predictor of performance and outperforms other metrics. An equal-weighted portfolio that is long (short) in the tertile of countries with the highest (lowest) EBITDA-to-EV ratio produces a mean monthly return of 0.69% and a Sharpe ratio of 0.81, which is more than double the Sharpe ratios obtained from using traditional metrics such as the book-to-market ratio or dividend yield. Two major drawbacks of intercountry value strategies are identified: (1) payoffs are derived predominantly from emerging and frontier markets and (2) profitability has significantly declined in the last decade. TOPICS: Accounting and ratio analysis, mutual funds/passive investing/indexing


Lexical categories exhibit parametric variation across languages. Most Indo-European languages reveal a rich pattern of derivation betwween nouns and verbs. Mayan languages in general have less recourse to derivational processes resulting in formal similarities between verbs and nouns at the level of morphophonology and morphosyntax. Focusing on Yukatekan languages, this book shows that these similarities occurr even at the lexical root level. This leads us to review previous root classifications and to propose a large verbonominal root class that we oppose to another main class, the nominal roots. The verbonominal class includes traditional transitive roots and intransitive roots, as well as agent-salient roots that are commonly considered to be nominal roots. Such a system can account for the categorial flexibility exhibited by Mayan roots and allows us to formulate generalizations missing in previous classifications. A new conception of the role of phonology and of morphophonological processes in Mayan languages is proposed. We introduce the notion of instantiation, a twofold process that encompass the formation of phonological profiles (determination of the vowel in the general template CVC) and morphological profiles (inflection). Instantiation handles root-class polyvalence and subsumes the socalled voices traditionally considered to be derivational in nature. The link between the split-ergativity system exhibited in Yukatekan languages and properties of verbonominal roots is examined. The final part deals with the intricate categories of positionals and affectives. Extensive lists of members of the different root classes are given in Appendices.


In view of the persistent increase m traffic density on the Croisette and the restrictions caused by a one-way system which had to be introduced, the Cannes municipality decided to ease the situation by widening the road to handle two-way traffic. Numerous schemes for widening the road on the seaward side were proposed but none were satisfactory for the resulting gains were minimal, and the beach, which is at present very narrow and even non-existent at certain places (see fig. 2), would have suffered accordingly. Consulted on this problem, Sogreah decided to examine the possibility of rebuilding the beach to start with, to be followed by the construction of a new, wide promenade, the net effect being a wider beach than the existing one. Since the beach could not be expected to extend naturally, this involved the construction of a completely man-made beach. This artificial beach building is extremely attractive from a technical point of view, since it presents no snags but it was nevertheless considered advisable to verify that this method could be applied to the Croisette beach. The Cannes Council Technical Department commissioned Sogreah to do a study, the aim of which was to discover whether the artificial beach would be sufficiently stable without extensive maintenance. This report is a record of these studies and the practical achievements they made possible.


Purpose: to explore the experiences of employees in a local bank merger in the United States and examine the concept of job exit queues. We introduce the concept of a job exit queue, which describes how workers position themselves or are positioned by employers to leave jobs and enter new jobs following the announcement of a corporate merger. Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative interviews with mid‐ level managers, technical specialists and low status workers during the sale and merger process were conducted and coded thematically. We explore: (1) how workers and managers describe the job search as an "opportunity" or as a recurring cycle of low‐wage, high‐turnover work and (2) how severance packages structure the job exit queue to meet corporate needs. Findings: The role of severance pay is pivotal in understanding women's and men's job relations to job exit queues. We conclude that employers create job exit queues, placing low status workers and mid‐level women managers with less formal education at a disadvantage in reemployment. Value: This paper contributes a new concept "job exit queue" to the research and theory on work place diversity, gender inequality, and queuing theories.


Abstract Isotopic data (C and O) derived from Callovian (Middle Jurassic) mollusks (bivalves, ammonites and belemnoids, including true belemnites and Belemnotheutis) are presented from a narrow stratigraphic interval in the Christian Malford Lagerstätte, UK. The exceptionally well-preserved mollusks include aragonite-calcite pairs precipitated by individual belemnite animals that enable an assessment of possible "vital" effects and the reliability of using belemnite calcite to determine ocean water compositions. The oxygen isotope data derived from the calcitic rostra of the belemnites (Cylindroteuthis) show modest variability, ranging from −1.2 to 0.9‰ (V-PDB), while their accompanying aragonitic phragmocones range from −1.4 to 0.0‰. Data derived from the ammonite Kosmoceras show some scatter, with oxygen isotope values varying from −3.6 to −0.2‰. The aragonite data from Cylindroteuthis, Kosmoceras and Belemnotheutis all overlap, suggesting they inhabited similar (surface) water depths. However, the corresponding data from the calcitic rostra of the Cylindroteuthis specimens suggest temperatures ~ 5°C cooler. As we have analyzed aragonite-calcite pairs, the discrepancy cannot be explained by environmental effects. Though clearly a vital effect, it is difficult to resolve whether the temperatures derived from the aragonite (phragmocone) are too warm or from the calcite (rostrum) are too cool. Consequently, the applicability of standard paleotemperature equations to Cylindroteuthid belemnite rostra remains unproven. Sequentially sampled ontogenetic isotope data derived from Belemnotheutis phragmocones reveal only modest δ18O variation, consistent with limited movement between warmer (shallower) and cooler (deeper) waters. A coincidental systematic pattern of δ13C enrichment may signal changes in metabolic activity associated with a shift in ecology or feeding with age.


The vapor pressure of potassium has been measured in absorption using a cw
 tunable laser and calibrated against the accurate radiative lifetime of the
 4s—4p doublet of potassium. An accurate
 value of 20,850 ± 30 cal/mol for the heat of vaporization (from the liquid
 phase) at the melting point was determined.


Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) was separated, using diethylamino-ethyl ion-exchange chromatography, into multiple peaks of activity. We investigated the isoforms of ODC during 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon carcinogenesis and in human colon tumors. ODC in both mouse and human normal-appearing colonic mucosa was consistently separated into two active peaks by diethylaminoethyl-Sepharose CL-6B column chromatography. The major peak (Peak I) contained about 75% of the mouse and 72% of the human colonic mucosal ODC activity. During and after 10 weekly injections of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (20 mg/kg, i.p.), colonic ODC activity was significantly enhanced with induction of both peaks but with a more significant increase in Peak II. ODC activity in both 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced and human colon tumors was significantly higher compared with the normal colon mucosa. The chromatographic profile of tumors showed the predominance of the second peak. Furthermore, the chromatographic profile of ODC after alkaline phosphatase treatment yielded an elution of only one peak coincident with the Peak I and the disappearance of Peak II. The second peak of ODC (the phosphorylated form) may be a specific isoform associated with colon tumorigenesis and tumor growth.


INTRODUCTION
Over 50% of the mortality and disability caused by ischemic heart disease and stroke could be avoided by controlling individual risk factors (hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, smoking and obesity). The ignorance of the extent and impact of hypercholesterolemia (HC) in Portugal prompted us to undertake this systematic review of the prevalence and incidence of hyperlipidemia in Portugal, based exclusively on work published nationally.

METHODS
We included every study published in the country that could provide data on the prevalence or incidence of hypercholesterolemia. The search strategy included an electronic search of national and international biomedical databases (Medline, Index Revistas Médicas Portuguesas, the Portuguese Directorate-General for Health and the Portuguese National School of Public Health), screening of reference lists from the individual studies, and personal contacts with institutions, groups and authors (such as the Portuguese Foundation of Cardiology). The data--recorded in electronic format--was collected independently by two of the authors (JC and MB), with consensus achieved with a third (AVC) when there were differences in the study coding.

RESULTS
We could only identify one paper on the incidence of HC in Portugal, which gave an incidence of 559 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants, increasing with age up to 54 years for men and 64 years for women. There was a higher incidence in men than in women up to the age of 54, but at more advanced ages this relationship was reversed. Prevalence studies on HC included 53,445 individuals overall, with sample size lower than 1000 in most of the individual studies. The most frequently used criterion for HC was > 200 mg/dL, with the mean level being higher in most studies. We calculated the mean prevalence for several cut-off points (> or = 190 mg/dL: 63.8%; > or = 200 mg/dL: 56.7%; > or = 240 mg/dL; 31.7%; > or 250 mg/d; 21%). Due to the heterogeneity of the data, these results are to be interpreted with caution, even though they are consistent across individual studies. The prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) was highly variable across studies. Most of them used a baseline criterion of 150 mg/dL (11-26%) or > or = 200 mg/dL (8.9-33.9%).

CONCLUSIONS
Despite the obvious heterogeneity and a certain paucity of studies, we found consistent results concerning the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia in Portugal, and we can state that this constitutes a serious health problem in our country. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia was higher than that of arterial hypertension in our population. The results of this study should serve as a basis for a commitment to action from the health authorities and health professionals as well as patients.


It has become commonplace to justify intellectual property protection with homage to utilitarianism (maximizing the incentive to create, invent or produce quality goods) or natural rights (people should own the product of their creative, inventive or commercial labor). Despite the on-going dominance of these theories, there remains a dissatisfying lack of a comprehensive explanation for the value of intellectual property protection. This is in part because the economic analysis of law tends to undervalue the humanistic element of intellectual property. This Article aims to fill that void. It offers a new explanation for intellectual property rooted in narrative theory. Whereas utilitarianism and natural rights theories are familiar, there is at least another basis for intellectual property protection. This Article contends that all the U.S. copyright, patent and trademark regimes are structured around and legitimated by central origin myths  stories that glorify and valorize enchanted moments of creation, discovery or identity. As a cultural analysis of law, rather than the more familiar economic theory of law, this Article seeks to explain how these intellectual property regimes work the way they do. And as a narrative explanation for the structure of intellectual property protection, this Article enhances the more customary economic or philosophical accounts of intellectual property because narrative, especially one devoted to myth-making in our society, provides "models for human behavior and, by that very fact, gives meaning and value to life."** Origin stories serve both ontological and epistemological functions. They infuse everyday life and relations with significance by explaining why things are as they are and by providing guidance for how things should evolve based on what we already understand about our world. Origin stories also literally give a culture life by designating a beginning and a history. Finally, most origin stories are political, legitimating or justifying certain relations of power in society. This Article is a comparative analysis of the "origin stories" that structure several branches of United States intellectual property protection: copyright, trademark and patent law. When contrasting the three statutory intellectual property regimes for their structured valuation and reification of their own origin myth, the Article shows how the origin myths structuring intellectual property protection articulate a well-worn story about the origins and continuing vitality of the American republic (rugged individualism and the American dream). Each part also draws on popular cultural stories about intellectual property and a recent intellectual property dispute to illuminate how origin myths structure the respective discourses of these intellectual property systems and explain adjudicative results. ** MIRCEA ELIADE, MYTH AND REALITY 2 (1963) (trans. W.R. Trask).


The conduct of this study came in the backdrop of thinking of the need for opening a discussion for a more comprehensive and contextual concept of whistleblowing  for Indonesia from the vantage point of existing theoretical perspectives, regulations and practices. There is a lot of misunderstanding and bias about the concept of whistleblowing in public and private organizations in Indonesia. This study is largely based on previous literature and observation of the implementation of whistleblowing system (WBS) in several institutions that the author considered credible enough to be best practices. The study used descriptive qualitative approach and used various reference sources that were drawn from library research. This research has produced several formulations. First, the synonym or equivalent phrase in the Indonesian language for the term whistleblower is Pengungkap dugaan kecurangan, (revealer of alleged fraud) and Pengungkap dugaan pelanggaraan (revealer of alleged violation) or Pengungkap dugaan perbuatan tidak benar (wrongdoing) (revealer of alleged wrongdoing). Secondly, the most appropriate equivalence to the phrase whistleblowing system (WBS) in the context of Indonesia is "Sistem Pengungkapan Dugaan Pelanggaran" (alleged violation disclosure system). Third, the object of the report or complaints of whistleblowing (wrongdoing) is classifying into seventeen types of behavior that are in turn categorized into seven groups. WBS development and implementation in a number of government and private sector institutions emphasize seven key points. Research findings fill a mainstream research gap on whistleblowing in  Indonesia, which has for long been plagued by misunderstanding  between  WBS and  complaints handling system that is evident in several institutions and  government agencies in Indonesia. The expectation is that research results will make some contribution to government policy making in the realm of whistleblowing system by providing a definition that is in line with the initial conception of the concept of whistleblowing. That way, this research is expected to contribute to the development of a more effective policy and WBS that not only protects the whistleblower but also pays attention ethics, culture, and local context in Indonesia which are different from the countries where the concept of whistleblowing had its origins.


In many Asian countries, government institutions have played an important role in guaranteeing SME loans. Nevertheless, they have also exhibited lacklustre operating profits in recent years. Two episodes of failures involving companies offering credit guarantees highlight the importance of sufficient capitalisation and prudent risk management, as well as the difficulty borrowers have in making a transition from credit guarantees.


The three countries of the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem (BCLME), namely Angola, Namibia and South Africa, have committed to implementing ecosystem-based management (EBM) including an ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) in the region, to put in practice the principles of sustainable development in ocean-related matters. There is also recognition of the need for marine spatial planning (MSP) as a process for informing EBM with regard to the allocation and siting of ocean uses so that ecosystem health is ensured and trade-offs between ecosystem services are appropriately dealt with. Marine spatial planning is both an integrated and an area-based process, and this paper produces a spatial characterisation of the BCLME for achieving a common basis for MSP in the region, focusing on the oceanography, biology and fisheries. Recognising spatial variation in physical driving forces, primary and secondary production, trophic structures and species richness, four different subsystems are characterised: (1) north of the Angola–Benguela Front, (2) from the Angola–Benguela Front to Lüderitz, (3) from Lüderitz to Cape Agulhas, and (4) from Cape Agulhas to Port Alfred on the south-east coast of South Africa. Research and monitoring requirements of relevance for MSP and EBM in the region are identified, focusing on understanding variability and change, including with regard to the boundary areas identified for the system. To this end, 14 cross-shelf monitoring transects are proposed (including seven that are already being monitored) to estimate fluxes of biota, energy and materials within and between the subsystems. The usefulness of models for understanding ecosystem variability and changes is recognised and the need for fine-scale resolution of both sampling and modelling for adequate MSP as input to EBM for the often-conflicting interests of conserving biodiversity, and managing fisheries, recreation, offshore oil and gas exploration and exploitation, offshore mining and shipping routes, is emphasised.


In modem networks, the demand for bandwidth and high quality of service (QoS) requires the efficient utilisation of network resources such as transmitters, receivers and
channel bandwidth. One method for conserving these resources is to employ efficient implementations of multicasting wherever possible. Using multicasting, a source sending a message to multiple destinations may schedule a single transmission which can then be broadcasted to multiple destinations or forwarded from one destination to another, thus conserving the source transmitter usage and channel bandwidth. This thesis investigates the behaviour of single-hop WDM optical networks when they carry multicast traffic. Each station in the network has a fixed-wavelength transceiver and is set to operate on its own unique wavelength as a control channel. Each station also has a tuneable wavelength transceiver in order to transmit or receive signals to or from all the other stations. A transmission on each channel is broadcasted by a star coupler to all nodes. Multicasting in single-hop WDM networks has been studied with different protocols. This thesis studies the multicasting performance adopting receiver collision avoidance (RCA) protocol as a multicasting protocol. This study takes into consideration the effect of the tuneable transceiver tuning time which is the time required to switch from one wavelength to another, and the propagation time required by a packet to propagate from one node to another. The strategy in RCA protocol is that nodes request transmission time by sending a control packet at the head of their queues. Upon receipt of this information all nodes run a deterministic distributed algorithm to schedule the transmission of the multicast packet. With the control information, nodes determine the earliest time at which all the members of the multicast group can receive the packet and the earliest time at which it can be transmitted. If a node belongs to the multicast group addressed in the control packet, its receiver must
become idle until all nodes in the group have tuned to the appropriate wavelength to receive the packet. This problem leads to poor transmission and consequently low channel
utilisation. However, throughput degradation due to receiver conflicts decreases as the multicast size increases. This is because for a given number of channels, the likelihood of a receiver being idle decreases as the number of intended recipients per transmission increases.
The number of wavelengths available in a WDM network continues to be a major constraint. Thus in order to support a large number of end users, such networks must use and reuse wavelengths efficiently. This thesis also examines the number of wavelengths needed to support multicasting in single-hop optical networks.


This paper develops research into philosophy and television. While film has become accepted as worthy of philosophy, for most philosophers ephemeral television discounts the eternal truths of philosophy even if they are otherwise not interested in such stratified truths - like Deleuze.

Television is permeated with judgement: of performance in The X-Factor, The Voice or American Idol; of behaviour in Paris Hilton's British, American or Dubai Best Friend; of love in A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila or The Bachelor; of looks in America's, Britain's and Australia's Next Top Model; of matter in Master Chef; and so on. While Kant discusses judgement as external to a work and the beholder judges the art work from outside of it, in what I call 'judgement shows' aesthetic judgement has become the main content of the work itself. Written at a time before the cinematographic realist image (1790) where the image in art was still and an imitation of life, Kant's Critique of Judgement is based on a separation of art and life. According to Kant, for aesthetic judgement the depicted object or subject does not actually have to exist and we must be disinterested in order to judge aesthetics properly. By contrast, aesthetic judgements of a voice on the X Factor, are causally connected with the emotion of the judges and the judging audience. In television today, it is the emotions that the subject evokes which are judged. In judgement shows, the judges of aesthetics have moved into the work. The judging spectator is now overwhelmed in the image and living subjects have assumed the position of the art object in front of them.

Deleuze describes how generally aesthetic judgement has no effect on what it judges: "The faculty of feeling in its higher form is not legislative (1984: 47); "the faculty of feeling has no domain" and aesthetic judgement is "powerless to legislate over objects" (1984: 48). While the beholder had no effect on the painting they aesthetically judged, the judges in a judgement show have an effect on whom they are aesthetically judging. Only in television, is aesthetic judgement able to "legislate over its subjects" (1984: 48).


This work is concerned with the large class of nonlinear scalar field theories known as σ-models, and in particular with their classical solutions. It is shown how the σ-models can admit solitons in (2+1) dimensions; and how, in many cases, these solitons can be classified topologically. For the Kahler c-models, the instanton (i.e. static soliton) solutions are derived explicitly via the Bogomolny equations. The main part of the thesis looks at the behaviour of solitons under the influence of small perturbations, and at their (classical) interactions. Attention is confined to the O(3) a-model and its close relatives. A recurring theme is the ability of solitons to change in size as they evolve, a feature which is attributed to the conformal invariance of the theory. There seem to be three possible approaches. In some special cases, the theory is integrable, in the sense that one can write down explicit time-dependent solutions. More often, one must resort to a numerical simulation, or else some sort of approximation. For theories that possess a topological lower bound on the energy, there is a useful approximation in which the kinetic energy is assumed to remain small. All three of these approaches are used at various stages of the thesis. Chapter IIIdeals with the properties of wave-like solitons in an integrable theory, and reveals some hitherto unseen behaviour. Chapters IV and V develop a numerical simulation based on topological arguments, which is then used in a study of soliton stability in the pure O(3) model. The conclusion is that the solitons are unstable to small perturbations, in the sense that their size is subject to large changes, even though their energy remains roughly constant. Chapter VI uses the slow-motion approximation to investigate soliton interactions in the O(3) model, and uncovers a plethora of possibilities. Finally, some suggestions are made regarding possible directions for future research. In particular, attention is focussed on ways of modifying the O(3) model in an attemptto stabilize its solitons against changes in size


Abstract Back-scattered electron imaging with a scanning electron microscope was applied to the intimate association of fine chalcopyrite grains and sphalerite ('chalcopyrite disease') in synthesized products and natural specimens, in order to distinguish between diagnostic features of two formation mechanisms: replacement and coprecipitation. In the synthetic chalcopyrite disease in Fe-bearing sphalerite formed by a replacement reaction, chalcopyrite occurs as fine lamellae, which are also observed in relatively Fe-rich growth bands of the natural zoned sphalerite. Ellipsoidal to lens-like habits of chalcopyrite appear in sphalerite that has undergone extensive replacement reactions. These textures may have grown steadily from the lamellar chalcopyrite by consuming the FeS component dissolved in the sphalerite. All the sphalerite samples formed by the coprecipitation mechanism are Fe-poor, hosting triangular or irregularly bleb-like inclusions of chalcopyrite. This variety of chalcopyrite morphology could be attributed to diffusion rates and variations in fluid saturation, and their effect on the rate of crystal growth. Thus, in both replacement and coprecipitation the chalcopyrite habit depends strongly both on the FeS content of the host sphalefite and on kinetic factors, and is significant when interpreting chalcopyfite disease textures in natural samples.


Carbon pricing is the efficient instrument to reduce emissions. Nevertheless, the geographical and sectoral coverage of substantial carbon pricing remains low, often due to concerns that it may increase economic inequality. Regulatory standards such as fuel economy standards are more popular. Could it be the case that they have an equity advantage over carbon pricing? We develop two formal models to identify economic situations in which standards have better distributional consequences. First, we prove that an efficiency standard can be more equitable than carbon pricing when consumers exhibit a preference for high-carbon technology attributes. Evidence from the US vehicle market confirms this finding. Second, we show theoretically, and by means of a numerical application to the Chinese transport sector, that intensity standards are preferable when richer households consume more goods with high carbon intensity. Our results hold when the revenue from carbon pricing is not very progressively redistributed. These insights may help advance decarbonisation when pricing remains unpopular.


The paper discusses communication in Agricultural Research and agricultural research management. The importance of agricultural research and the role of communication in agricultural research is elaborated. Reference is also made to what constitutes communication and the communication process; and the essential elements of the process are discussed. As the process of communication affects so many sectors and factors, the linkages necessary to affect proper communication between factors and sectors are discussed. The assumptions made to institute proper communication at the various points are highlighted briefly. Besides, the classification, the channels and the problems of linkages in communication are elaborated. A brief outline of the strategies to be employed to have effective communication in agricultural research is also made. Agricultural research has its main objective the application of a wide variety of scientific disciplines to the development of new approaches to agricultural production, and to the problems faced by the farmers. Communication and its related components, playing a major role in Agricultural Research, is defined as the process by which the knowledge or idea is transferred from a source (production centre) to a receiver with the intent of instituting a change in his behaviour, attitude and other values. The purpose of communication is to bring about certain desired effects on the part of the receiver.


Afrikaans seems to have lost the Dutch independent demonstrative dat 'that' as well as the pronoun het 'it' and the attributive element deze 'this, these', while independent dit 'this' seems to have taken over the functions of dat and het and while attributive die 'that, those' has acquired a proximate reading (Afr. die week 'this week'). In the present paper it is argued, however, that the weak pronoun het was bound to disappear anyway, that dat only underwent phonological change (so that dat and dit couldn't be distinguished any longer) and that the changes in the system of attributive demonstratives are due to developments in Cape Dutch Pidgin.


A crucial issue in understanding Arab American identity is how it might be differentiated historically from other ethnic or "hyphenated" American identities as well as mainstream European American identities. In the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, the invasion of Iraq, and the increased propensity by the United States government to link the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories with the "War on Terror," aspects of this issue have crystallized around questions of United States foreign policy. These recent developments have clarified what both my personal experience and my reading in Arab American culture have led me to believe for some time: that a dissident relationship to United States foreign policy in the Middle East is foundational to the experience of many Arab Americans and to a potential sense of Arab American community. Indeed, this dissent from American foreign policy has played the role for Arab Americans that a long history of concrete and codified legal discrimination has played for African Americans, Mexican Americans, Chinese Americans, and Native Americans. Unique histories created a sense of separateness that was an important foundation for a communal identity. This article uses the work of Edward Said, both his critical writing and especially his memoir Out of Place, as the proving ground for its claim that a dissident relationship to United States foreign policy is a large component of Arab American identities. Out of Place is particularly emphasized because it is arguably Said's most writerly work. It is the most likely of his books to appear on a syllabus dealing with fictional representations of American immigrant experience. Yet it reflects certain unique characteristics of Arab American experience better than some of the more obvious candidates for inclusion on this hypothetical syllabus. Such a positioning of Said's work contrasts with an alternative view of Arab American culture that sees it as music, poetry, fiction, and other fine writing infused with ethnic color, treating Arab American experience as a set of specific anthropological details related to cuisine, courtship, religion, language, and various social practices. This second, more widely held conception (which Edward Said's work fits into with difficulty, if at all) emphasizes a set of details that distinguish Arab American life from that of all other Americans. Yet, it also underscores a basic form or structure holding these details together that parallels all other ethnic American groups and places Arab Americans into a vague American melting pot. The post-September 11 moment in Arab American history has seen an acceleration of interest in this second, more mainstream, "multicultural" idea of Arabs in the United States. In the past five years, Arab Americans have been included in the cast of Def Poetry Jam and featured at comedy clubs. Several anthologies of poems or stories and even a few novels have appeared by writers of Arab descent; while the vast majority of this work has held to a high artistic standard that suggests Arab American diversity, its packaging has usually been opportunistic and openly ethnic. (1) A good example of the recent discourse around Arab American arts is a series of articles that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle. The first of the four articles, written by Jonathan Curiel and titled "The Voices of Arab Culture: Arts from Ancient, Diverse World Stir Interest in the West," includes the following passage: Arabs are united by an ancestral language (Arabic) and an ancestral homeland (the Arabian Peninsula) that gave birth to a Semitic people who've changed the course of human history. The footprints of those changes can be seen in Arabic culture. Even more than politics and military issues, culture is a gateway to understanding a world of distant capitals and disparate religions. Although Islam is one of several faiths that Arabs practice, many Arabs are secular, so it's not surprising that--citing the works of just one author--Naguib Mahfouz has populated his books with characters who are areligious [sic] or critical of religion. …


Rate of penetration of Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM) has a significant role in the planning, measurement of productivity and performance of any tunneling project. In this paper, the application of Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) in prediction of TBM penetration rate is evaluated. For this purpose, a database including Rock Quality Designation (RQD), Uni-axial Compressive Strength (UCS) of the rock, the Distance between Planes of Weakness (DPW) in the rock mass, and empirical data regarding rate of penetration of TBM from several tunneling projects are collected. The Rate of Penetration is then estimated by using ANFIS. These results are then compared with measured TBM penetration rates (actual data). It is concluded that ANFIS can be applied successfully for such purpose and result in high accuracy for prediction for the rate of penetration of TBM. The method provided in this paper can assist the mining engineer to estimate the performance of tunneling accurately.


Free living amoebae (FLA) are amphizoic protozoa that are ubiquitous in nature. More than 80% of the human population exhibit antibodies against Acanthamoeba, which is indicative of frequent exposure. Infection with FLA may result in fatal neurological, ocular and skin diseases, including otitis and sinusitis in persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Further, FLA display a symbiotic relationship with bacteria and serve as reservoirs and Trojan horses in their transmission to humans. This has serious implications for water treatment because FLA are also highly resistant to chlorine due to their ability to form a resistant cyst stage. The distribution of FLA in the environment; including soil, domestic and recreational water sources in Jamaica is unknown, although at least one serious case of human infection has been diagnosed. Therefore the true public health significance of the parasites may be underestimated.
Soil, recreational and domestic water were collected from Jamaica to investigate the distribution of FLA types in these environmental sources. Thermotolerant and omotolerant assays were utilized to investigate the pathogenic potential of the Acanthamoeba isolates. PCR and sequencing of the DF3 region were done to genotype the isolated strains of Acanthamoeba. Amplifications and sequencing of the products of the 18S rDNA of FLA and specific PCRs for B. mandrillaris and Vahlkampfidae were also carried out.
 Of the FLA investigated in this study Acanthamoeba spp., Balamutha mandrillaris, Platyamoeba placida, Vannella epipetala, Hartmannellidae belonging to Saccamoeba genus and Vermamoeba (Hartmannella) vermiformis, and Vahlkampfidae amoebae were successfully isolated. Acanthamoeba spp. was isolated from 63.9%, 51.2% and 17.1% of soil, recreational and domestic water, respectively. This is the seventh report on the environmental isolation of Balamuthia mandrillaris, the first report on Balamuthia mandrillaris, Platyamoeba placida, Vannella epipetala, Vermamoeba vermiformis and Saccamoeba spp. in the Caribbean, and the first report on Vahlkampfidae amoebae in the West Indies.
Sequencing of the DF3 region of the 18S rDNA resulted in the identification of genotypes T3, T4, T5, T10 and T11 and five species of Acanthamoeba; A. triangularis, A. griffini, A. lenticulata, A.hatchetti and A. culbertsoni. T4 genotype was most frequently isolated and this is the first report of T3 and T10 genotypes in the Caribbean. Most isolates were thermotolerant or both thermotolerant and osmotolerant, indicating that they may present the potential to cause disease in humans and other animals.


There is increasing interest in establishing a presence in the mobile application market, with platforms including Apple iPhone, Google Android and Microsoft Windows Mobile. Because of the differences in platform languages, frameworks, and device hardware development of an application for more than one platform can be a difficult task. In this paper we address this problem by the creation of a mobile Domain Specific Language (DSL). Domain analysis is carried out using two case studies, leading to the identification of basic requirements for the language. The language is defined as an extension of a λ-calculus in terms of an operation semantics and a type system. The language is a contribution to the understanding of mobile applications since it precisely defines the essential properties offered by a range of mobile application technologies, and can form the basis for a single language that can target multiple platforms.


The healing hand : the role of women in ancient medicine
In contrast with the struggle of 19th and 20th century women all over the world to be admitted to medical schools, women in ancient Greece and Rome were apparently increasingly able to practice medicine from the 4th century BC. The evidence provided offers proof for this more tolerant attitude. The sources are few in number, but fragmentary information can be gleaned from medical writers, passing remarks in Greek and Latin authors, and funerary inscriptions. These sources show an emphasis on the professions of midwife and woman doctor. Although there is some overlapping of duties, we find that in Greece a distinction between μαία and ζατρική was made as early as the 4th century BC; in Rome the two professions were well established by the 1st century BC: the terms being used for them being obstetrix and medica / iatrina. The training, desired characteristics, qualifications, duties, status and remuneration of the two professions are considered. Funerary inscriptions of women doctors reveal that they were honoured for exceptional services on an equal footing with men; it also comes to light that books were dedicated to them as colleagues, and that they were quoted as respected authors on medical matters. Although there were never large numbers of women doctors, the classical world does not seem to have posed insurmountable barriers to women wanting to follow this profession.


In this thesis, we design control algorithms for power scheduling of a fleet of fuel cell cars in a microgrid. Fuel cell cars are a relatively new type of vehicles. The driving force of these cars comes from an electrical motor and in order to generate the required electricity for the operation of the motor, the vehicle is equipped with a fuel cell system. The purpose of the fuel cell system is to convert the chemical energy of hydrogen into electricity. By considering the fact that fuel cell cars have the ability to generate electricity from hydrogen, these type of vehicles can be considered as a new type of flexible power plant. The idea of generating electricity inside a parking lot by using fuel cell cars is what we refer to as the Car as Power Plant (CaPP) concept. In this PhD thesis, we consider the power scheduling problem of a fleet of fuel cell cars in the CaPP concept. Several robust model predictive control methods are developed to determine the power generation schedule of the fuel cell cars inside the microgrid.


A method is presented for elevation, latitude and longitude decorrelation stretch of day (1:30 pm) minus night (1:30 am) monthly averaged land surface temperature (LST) differences captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) which correspond to near-diurnal LST (NDL) estimates. Principal components 1 and 2 (PC1 and PC2) account for 88.9% of the variance evident in NDL imagery. Multiple linear regression analysis of PC1 and PC2 quantifies the variance explained by elevation, latitude and longitude. Predicted and residual images of PC1 and PC2 account for 45.37% and the 43.53% of the variance, respectively. If dimension reduction (omit PC1 and PC2) is applied, then 43.53% of the variance that is independent of elevation, latitude and longitude will be subtracted from the reconstructed NDL data set. Selective variance reduction reconstructs the NDL imagery from the PC1 and PC2 residual images as well as the remaining PCs and thus only the portion of variance that is not related to elevation, latitude and longitude is taken into account. The reconstructed imagery shows the amount by which the standardized NDL value per pixel deviates from the predicted elevation, latitude and longitude. Clustering of the reconstructed data set identified positive and negative NDL anomalies in the USA and Mexico.


PURPOSE
Robust optimization leads to IMPT plans that are more robust than and superior in optimality compared to PTV-based optimized plans. Robust optimization incorporates setup and range uncertainties, which implicitly adds margins to targets and organs-at-risk (OARs); whereas PTV-based optimization only considers setup uncertainties and adds margins only to targets in practice. The purpose of this work is to determine if the superiority of robustly optimized plans is due to not assigning margins to OARs during PTV-based optimization.

METHODS
Plan robustness and optimality of the PTV plus Planning organs-at-Risk Volume (PRVs)-based plans and robustly optimized plans were compared for 5 head and neck cancer cases and one rhabdomyosarcoma case. The PRVs were generated by expansion from OARs by 3 mm. 9 different dose distributions were computed - one each for ± setup uncertainties along three spatial directions, for ± range uncertainty, and the nominal dose distribution. The worst-case dose distribution was obtained by assigning the lowest dose among the 9 doses to each voxel in the target and the highest dose to each voxel outside the target. The DVHs from the worst-case dose were used to assess the plan optimality and robustness. D1cc doses for spinal cord and brainstem, mean doses Dmean for oral cavity and parotids, and D1% doses for other organs were also used to assess plan optimality. D5% and D95% doses are used to assess target dose coverage and homogeneity.

RESULTS
For H&N cases, PTV+PRV-based optimization was inferior to robust optimization. However, PTV+PRV-based optimization yielded plans that spared OARs better than PTV-based optimization, although the target dose robustness and homogeneity were comparable to the PTV-based optimization. The same conclusions are also valid in the rhabdomyosarcoma case.

CONCLUSIONS
We find that the PTV+PRV method can partly improve plan optimality, but it is still inferior to robust optimization method. This research is supported by National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant P01CA021239, the University Cancer Foundation via the Institutional Research Grant program at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and MD Anderson's cancer center support grant CA016672.


Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present an empirical analysis of CSR communication posted on the websites of 70 companies listed on the main stock markets in German-speaking countries, the so-called DACH region. The results of this analysis offer answers to questions that are currently being discussed in the CSR literature, namely, on the importance attributed to stakeholder information vs stakeholder dialogues in (online) CSR communication.

Design/methodology/approach
Using a quantitative content analysis, the study examines the extent to which leading German, Austrian and Swiss companies are meeting communication and CSR-related requirements, especially regarding stakeholder dialogue and overall stakeholder involvement.

Findings
Drawing on Morsing and Schultz's (2006) theoretical insights concerning stakeholder engagement, this study shows that current CSR communication primarily provides information for stakeholders and contains only a few elements of consultation with stakeholders. In addition, no elements indicating stakeholder involvement in decision processes were found. Data analysed in 2004, 2007, 2012 and 2016 for the German DAX companies allowed for comparisons over time. A closer examination of these data revealed increasing professionalism in CSR communication, especially in the provision and presentation of information. Regarding information clarity and opportunities for dialogue, however, the results show low progress. The criteria set developed for the study provides guidance for how companies can improve their CSR communication, but the findings on the long-term slow progress in stakeholder involvement, in some aspects even a decrease in dialogue, also raise questions about the (perceived) use of online CSR dialogues for companies.

Research limitations/implications
Communication is viewed from a strategic instrumental perspective. The empirical analysis focusses on the technical possibilities offered by the internet to make CSR communications and reporting available and understandable to stakeholders and to promote dialogue with and among stakeholders.

Originality/value
By focussing on online CSR communication in the DACH region, this study contributes to the current state of research and offers several recommendations for practitioners; it particularly provides critical reflection on online stakeholder dialogues and related paradigms (constitutive vs functionalistic perspective).


Styryl-terminated polystyrene macromonomers have been
synthesised by the anionic polymerisation of styrene.
Initiation was by sec-butyl lithium; termination involved the
addition of diphenylethylene prior to vinyl benzyl chloride.
Characterisation of the macromonomers was performed using gel
permeation chromatography (GPC) and proton nuclear magnetic
resonance spectroscopy (nmr).
Novel comb graft copolymers were synthesised by the
copolymerisation of the macromonomer with a comonomer. The
following comonomers were used: Z-vinylpyridine (Z-VP), 4-
vinylpyridine (4-VP) and N-(vinylbenzyl)pyrrolidone (VBP).
Graft copolymers were made with a range of compositions by
varying the feed ratios of the comonomer to the macromonomer.
Reactivity ratios were determined for the different graft
copolymer systems and compared to the simple statistical
copolymerisation of styrene with comonomer. Characterisation of
the graft copolymers was performed using GPC, nmr and membrane
osmometry. Micellar dispersions of the comb graft copolymers were
prepared in cyclohexane, toluene and methanol. These were
subsequently characterised by small-angle X-ray scattering
(SAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Micellar
behaviour was related to graft copolymer composition and
structure.
The graft copolymers were subsequently used as steric
stabilisers in dispersion polymerisations of bis-hydroxyethyl
terephthalate in high boiling aliphatic hydrocarbon, methyl
methacrylate in cyclohexane, vinyl pyridine in
toluene/cyclohexane and styrene in methanol. A number of
parameters have been investigated including initiator,
stabiliser and monomer concentrations. Graft copolymer
composition and structure were shown to be important factors for the effective steric stabilisation of polymer particles in
conjunction with information on surface coverage data.


We present the analysis of OGLE-2016-BLG-0613, for which the lensing light curve appears to be that of a typical binary-lens event with two caustic spikes but with a discontinuous feature on the trough between the spikes. We find that the discontinuous feature was produced by a planetary companion to the binary lens. We find four degenerate triple-lens solution classes, each composed of a pair of solutions according to the well-known wide/close planetary degeneracy. One of these solution classes is excluded due to its relatively poor fit. For the remaining three pairs of solutions, the most-likely primary mass is about , while the planet is a super Jupiter. In all cases, the system lies in the Galactic disk, about halfway toward the Galactic bulge. However, in one of these three solution classes, the secondary of the binary system is a low-mass brown dwarf, with relative mass ratios (1:0.03:0.003), while in the two others the masses of the binary components are comparable. These two possibilities can be distinguished in about 2024 when the measured lens-source relative proper motion will permit separate resolution of the lens and source.


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Ionic Liquids (IL's) are organic salts that are liquid at room temperature. Typically, they contain a bulky,
asymmetric organic cation and a small inorganic/organic anion held together via weak electrostatic
interactions, which prevents them from forming a structured lattice.
They exhibit many favourable physical and chemical characteristics, which has led to their use in a variety
of analytical techniques 1. All IL's display a measured ionic conductivity, plus liquid properties such as
density and viscosity can be controlled by correct choice and/or chemical functionalisation of the ion pair 2.
Ion Selective Electrodes (ISE's) utilise polymeric membranes for the detection of a target ion in trace
amounts. They typically require a polymer and plasticizer, plus also an ion-exchanging salt and an
ionophore which will selectively bind to a target ion 3. The response of a target ion binding to an ionophore
can be monitored electrochemically, or optically if the ion-ionophore complex produces a colour.
There are several reports in which IL's plasticize both polyvinylchloride (PVC) and polymethylmethacrylate
(PMMA) based membranes for use in ISE's 4. Furthermore IL's also act as ion-exchangers, thereby
eliminating the need for facilitated transport of target ions from aqueous to organic phase.
We will describe the work done to date on the IL trihexyltetradecylphosphonium dicyanamide [P6,6,6,14][DCA]
and its use in polymeric membranes typical of ISE's. Once solidified into a PVC membrane, [P6,6,6,14][DCA]
can not only act as the plasticizer and ion-exchanger, but also as the ionophore, producing a colorimetric
response upon coordination to Cu2+ (yellow), Co2+ (blue), but also both ions simultaneously (green).
The multifunctionality of [P6,6,6,14][DCA] leads to a dramatic simplification of membrane components,
producing a system capable of a self-indicating, simultaneous, colorimetric response.
As well as a selective optical response, we have also explored the possibility to see if the inherent
conducting properties of these membranes can be exploited. Radio frequency (RF) detection provides a
technique which can monitor the conductivity of a sample wirelessly, but also has the required sensitivity
and is non-invasive on the sample.
RF can not only discriminate between the coordinated and non-coordinated membranes, but also between
the individual co-ordinated membranes. The resultant downward trend in conductivity from Blank > Cobalt
> Mixture > Copper has been validated by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and by portable
X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF).
XRF shows that the results obtained from RF and EIS are directly related to the binding selectivity of the
ligand [DCA]-. We have observed the highest binding levels for membranes exposed to Cu2+ ions, thereby
producing the lowest RF conductivity signal and the highest impedance values. The opposite applies for
Co2+, we have observed lower binding values, conversely producing the highest co-ordinated RF signal
and the lowest coordinated impedance values.
IL's have been shown to bind to a variety of heavy metal ions 5, lanthanide ions6 plus important target
analytes such as CO2
7 . If a change in conductivity can be presumed upon binding to the analyte, then the
inherent conductivity of IL's could be exploited in future electrochemical sensing.


Conceptual replication within a computer-assisted language learning (CALL) environment provides an understanding of the generalizability of second language acquisition (SLA) research (Porte, 2013; Smith & Schulze, 2013). The present study replicates Collentine (1998a), a classroom-based experiment framed within a larger discussion on the relative benefits of inputand output-based instruction. Collentine (1998a) compared the benefits of Processing Instruction (VanPatten, 2004) and output-based instruction, both of which elevated the Spanish subjunctive's communicative value. The results showed that inputor output-oriented instruction informed by how learners process grammatical information can affect the acquisition of complex grammatical phenomena. This conceptual replication not only seeks to corroborate the original study's findings in a new learning context. It also tests the finding's generalizability to a tutorial CALL environment built on 3D simulations and emerging web-app technologies. The participants were foreign-language learners of Spanish in a classroom-based curriculum (N = 50). The results indicate that, in the classroom and in a CALL environment, both inputand output-oriented approaches can promote the acquisition of a complex grammatical structure if practice is meaningful (informed by psycholinguistic processing principles) and deliberate, and if feedback is provided.


SURFACTANT-ASSISTED HYDROTHERMAL SYNTHESIS OF TITANIA NANOROD THIN FILMS by Benjamin M. Petersen Titania (TiO2) nanorods have shown promise for applicability in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) and may present a cost-effective solution for the fabrication of efficient and affordable solar power generation. In contrast to traditional silicon solar cell fabrication, the fabrication of DSSCs does not require expensive high energy, vacuum, and temperature processes. Titania nanorods have the potential to increase the electron transport rate in DSSCs by forming a direct electrical pathway, thus improving the performance. This study set out to investigate ways in which titania nanorod hydrothermal growth could be enhanced and made more reliable through (1) experimentation with procedures to control temperature and pressure to hydrothermally grow titania nanotubes in a more reproducible way, and (2) experimentation with different additives to study their effect on nanorod growth. Optimum nanorod growth occurred when the temperature and pressure were kept constant. Use of multiple molecular weights of polyethylene gyclol (PEG) as an additive was shown to significantly enhance nanorod growth.


This study investigates N400, the event related potential (ERP) that reflects semantic processing in cortex. The stimuli were semantically congruent vs. incongruent audio-visual pairings of objects (i.e. words presented in familiar picture context). As predicted, the results showed in time extended significant peak-to-peak differences between congruent and incongruent picture-word pairings at the centroparietal and the parietal recording sites. The rationale for this study is our pioneer intent to verify use of ERPs in response to the current materials. After extension of this research, the data will be used in comparison to answer questions on appearance of the semantic component in young children. Based on earlier research, we expect that the N400 component in children will be greater in amplitude, delayed in latency and more widely distributed in scalp distribution.


Abstract : A comparison between Hill's Tables of Saturn and the orbit recently obtained by numerical integration indicated errors in the Tables that seemed to be connected with the secular perturbations and with the great inequality. It is of course possible that the errors are the consequence of some numerical mistake, either in Hill's theory or in the Tables. L. E. Cunningham has indeed discovered a mistake at the very beginning of the theory, which affects the whole of it, but which probably is not large enough to account for the errors in the Tables. There may be other mistakes, as yet undiscovered; and a complete numerical verification of Hill's theory is much to be desired. But it also seems worth-while to inquire whether Hill's theory may be incomplete by reason of his overlooking portions of the disturbing forces that might produce important perturbations; this is the subject of the present article.


In the period of transition since independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, Macedonian national identity has been highly contested. The discourse (r)evolving around the commemoration of the Macedonian national day, Ilinden, may be viewed as an arena where such challenges are addressed. By analyzing excerpts from the print media, this chapter aspires to show how challenges facing the Macedonian community and their identity are interpreted, and how solutions to them are negotiated through constructions of continuity between past, present, and future in the Ilinden discourse. The focus will be on periods during which potential disruptions of the continuity of the national identity have been especially strong. The notion of continuity with the Ilinden past has rendered understandable and acceptable the massive social, economic, and political changes that the Macedonian community has undergone. Although this Ilinden matrix appears to be fixed, primarily its resilience and flexibility have ensured its continuing importance.


Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a major severe ovary disorder affecting 5-10% of reproductive women around the world. PCOS can be considered a metabolic disease because it is often accompanied by obesity and diabetes. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) contains abundant mitochondria and adipokines and has been proven to be effective for treating various metabolic diseases. Recently, allotransplanted BAT successfully recovered the ovarian function of PCOS rat. However, BAT allotransplantation could not be applied to human PCOS; the most potent BAT is from infants, so voluntary donors are almost inaccessible. We recently reported that single BAT xenotransplantation significantly prolonged the fertility of aging mice and did not cause obvious immunorejection. However, PCOS individuals have distinct physiologies from aging mice; thus, it remains essential to study whether xenotransplanted rat BAT can be used for treating PCOS mice. In this study, rat-to-mouse BAT xenotransplantation fortunately did not cause severe rejection reaction, and significantly recovered ovarian functions, indicated by the recovery of fertility, oocyte quality, and the levels of multiple essential genes and kinases. Besides, the blood biochemical index, glucose resistance, and insulin resistance were improved. Moreover, transcriptome analysis showed that the recovered PCOS F0 mother following BAT xenotransplantation could also benefit the F1 generation. Finally, BAT xenotransplantation corrected characteristic gene expression abnormalities found in the ovaries of human PCOS patients. These findings suggest that BAT xenotransplantation could be a novel therapeutic strategy for treating PCOS patients.


In today's world the art of sending & displaying the hidden information especially in public places, has received more attention. And so it has to face many challenges. Therefore, different methods have been developed so far for hiding information in different cover media. Steganography is the art and science of invisible communication which takes place between two different entities. This is done by hiding the information in other information. It is the way of hiding the existence of the communicated information. Steganography is often confused with cryptography because the two are similar in the way that they both are used to protect confidential information. Steganography is different from cryptography. Cryptography focuses on keeping the contents of a message secret, while steganography focuses on keeping the existence of a message secret [4]. This paper intends to give an overview of security systems with a main concentration on steganography, its uses and techniques. Keywords-steganography; steganalysis; discrete cosine transformation (DCT); discrete wavelet transformation (DWT); model-based steganography (MB)


The aim of the article is to identify the main objectives that arise for religions under conditions of globalisation, as well as the conceptual approach that is necessary for their analysis. The theoretical perspective that has been selected is the concept of "work that has been advanced by soul" that unifies religion and culture. Culture is analysed through the prism of the concepts of social communication and individual personification; meanwhile, religion is approached through the concept of the relationship with the absolute or infinity by highlighting both their mutual autonomy and their overlap. Nowadays, the conditions for both cultural life and religious life are undergoing radical transformations because of the process of globalisation. In this article, globalisation is defined as the increasing global interdependence of societies that is being driven by technology. The paradoxical nature of this process is noted: on the one hand, it poses a threat to the very cultural and religious identity of a person, but on the other hand, it creates conditions for a more intense interconnectedness of cultures and religions, and a new stage for the maturity (deepening) of this identity. In this context, the main objectives are being reformulated; these objectives arise out of the necessity to articulate changed modalities of the relationship with the absolute and spiritual movements of new types under conditions of globalisation: making sense of technology, obtaining a new concept of authority, transformation of the relationships between religion and politics, universal ecumenism, rethinking the concept of truth, the search for a universal language, and the revival of a mystical stance.


In July 1996 and August 1997, dense amphigenous mycelia bearing Oidium conidia infected the lower stems and leaves of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plants in research nurseries in south-central Wisconsin, causing the defoliation of the affected leaves. In the greenhouse, the disease spread rapidly from transplanted field plants to adjacent flats of alfalfa seedlings. A teleomorphic state of the fungus was not observed. Morphological characteristics of the oidia were similar to those of Erysiphe pisi (1). Conidia were ellipsoid-cylindrical and closely resembled those shown from Pisum sativum L. (2). Dry (2) conidia averaged 14.6 × 41.4 μm (range: 13.0 to 15.6 × 39 to 46.8 μm). Conidia shaken from mildewed alfalfa plants onto plants of garden pea (Pisum sativum) cv. Early Perfection and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) cv. Lakeland infected both hosts. However, powdery mildew developed sooner and was much more severe in pea than in red clover. Noninoculated control plants remained free of powdery mildew. This is the first report of powdery mildew in alfalfa in Wisconsin fields. In extensive pathogenicity studies in greenhouses in Wisconsin (2), conidia from at least one isolate from red clover infected Medicago falcata L. and M. sativa L. var. glutinosa Urban, but not alfalfa cv. Vernal. References: (1) H. J. Boesewinkel. Bot. Rev. 46:167, 1980. (2) J. R. Stavely and E. W. Hanson. Phytopathology 56:309, 1966.


Globalization and the increasing number of legal disputes at both consumer and commercial levels create the need for effective and less costly dispute resolution. The establishment of online dispute resolution processes can contribute to achieving these goals, in several manners. The article discusses the digitalization of dispute resolution processes in Denmark in three different areas (consumer claims, civil disputes and criminal cases). It reaches the conclusion that digitalization presents undeniable advantages, but also raise some concerns the consequences of which are not fully known yet.


The paper outlines the basic tenets of the information storage and processing theory, comparing it to other cognitive development theories. The authors present results of studies regarding the phenomenon of intelligence and applies them to characterize intellectual processes as they occur in children with significant or severe aural impairments. The presented research lasted for approximately one year and was based on a series of tests, applying the deductive and autocreative learning model as well as the assumption that assimilation of information may be described in probabilistic terms. Test results and conclusions enable the authors to formally assess that revalidation activities based upon information processing theories may significantly improve the effectiveness of teaching. The presented research proves also that aurally impaired children possess similar mental skills as their unimpaired


Technologies from different industries are increasingly being combined to create new products and services. A fundamental challenge for the successful development of these interindustry innovations is to combine the previously unconnected technologies in an entirely new product architecture. The development of the required architectural knowledge is especially challenging in an interindustry setting. For instance, specialists from the different industries are likely to have different routines and no prior ties. Given these considerations, this paper explores the conditions for the successful organization of the development process of interindustry architectural innovations. This study adopts a multiple case study design. Based on document analysis and semistructured interviews, three development projects were studied and compared. These projects involved the development of mobile communication applications for services that were already being provided by traditional means in other industry, that is, television, banking, and payment. To increase the likelihood of finding relevant theoretical insights, the three projects were selected based on their different organizational setups, that is, a contractual alliance of two large firms, an informal alliance of two large firms and one small firm, and an independent start-up together with its suppliers. The results show that development projects for interindustry architectural innovations are likely to benefit from an organizational form (1) that includes specialists from the relevant industries; (2) that facilitates intense coordination integration between these specialists; and (3) that facilitates timely decision making and conflict resolution. Interestingly, these organizational dimensions influence project performance jointly rather than individually. Hence, these results lay the ground for the development of a configurational theory. This is a clear contribution to the new product development literature because configurational theories in this field of research are underdeveloped. Configurational theories offer valuable insights for managers who have to make multiple decisions simultaneously rather than in isolation. In particular, this study shows how multiple organizational dimensions can be aligned to produce a synergistic effect, while taking into account the specific characteristics and challenges of interindustry architectural innovations. In particular, this study proposes intense collaborations between specialists from the different industries in which one of these specialists takes the lead. Of course, specialists should be responsible for their areas of expertise, but architectural decisions should be made by consensus and—whenever needed to speed up the process—by fiat. At the same time, the findings suggest that going it alone by start-ups as well as fifty‐fifty collaborations between incumbents do not work well for this type of innovation.


Genetic haemochromatosis (GH) is one of the most frequentgenetic disorders found in Northern Europeans. GH is a condition caused by continued absorption of iron from the upper small intestine, despite normal, and then increased, total body iron. This leads to accumulation of iron in the tissues as the body has no means of getting rid of excess iron.In advanced disease, iron accumulation causes widespread tissue damage, including diabetes mellitus and cirrhosis. The disorder is inherited in autosomal recessive fashion. The gene involved lies close to the HLA-A region on chromosome 6. This updated guideline follows on from the previously published guideline commissioned by the British Committee forStandards in Haematology in February 2000 (Dooley & Wor-wood, 2000). This review and updated guidance coincides with the development of a separate guideline on the investigation and management of a raised serum ferritin, also commissioned by the BSH guidelines committee.


Acute myeloid leukemia represents a heterogenous group of hematopoietic malignancies, affecting every age group in childhood. Over the past decades, the treatment of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia has made remarkable progress. Better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of leukemogenesis, more precise risk-group stratifi cation, and new biologically-targeted therapies offer the reasonable promise of further improvement of treatment outcome in these children.


SUMMARY Protected areas (PAs) have been selected using either subjective or objective criteria applied to an extremely limited subset of biodiversity. Improved availability of species distribution data, better statistical tools to predict species distributions and algorithms to optimize spatial conservation planning allow many impediments to be overcome, particularly on small islands. This study analyses whether 219 species are adequately protected by PAs on Pico Island (the Azores, Portugal), and if they are as efficient as possible, maximizing species protection while minimizing costs. We performed distribution modelling of species' potential distributions, proposed individual conservation targets (considering the context of each species in the archipelago and their current conservation status) to determine the efficiency of current PAs in meeting such targets and identify alternative or complementary areas relevant for conservation. Results showed that current PAs do not cover all taxa, leaving out important areas for conservation. We demonstrate that by using optimization algorithms it is possible to include most species groups in spatial conservation planning in the Azores with the current resources. With increasing availability of data and methods, this approach could be readily extended to other islands and regions with high endemism levels.


According to the recognition heuristic, people infer that an object they recognize has a higher value on a criterion of interest than an object they do not recognize. This model has been analyzed and conditions for the less-is-more effect- where recognizing fewer objects increases inferential accuracy have been derived. We extend previous studies by modelling this heuristic including the probabilistic recognition of objects and provide a number of results: First, we derive closed-form expressions for the parameters of the original model, in terms of the distributions of recognition and other cues over the objects. Second, we use the expressions to analyze the less-is-more effect. Third, we assume that the vectors of objects is random and use the expressions to calculate and compare the expected accuracy probability of success and derive the conditions under which the model equal or surpass the accuracy of random inference. Our results are general and can thus be linked to any model of recognition-based inference.


We describe an innovative, low-power, high-performance, programmable signal processor (DSP) for digital communications. The architecture of this processor is characterized by its explicit design for low-power implementations, its innovative ability to jointly exploit instruction-level parallelism and data-level parallelism to achieve high performance, its suitability as a target for an optimizing high-level language compiler, and its explicit replacement of hardware resources by compile-time practices. We describe the methodology used in the development of the processor, highlighting the techniques deployed to enable application/architecture/compiler/implementation co-development, and the optimization approach and metric used for power-performance evaluation and tradeoff analysis. We summarize the salient features of the architecture, provide a brief description of the hardware organization, and discuss the compiler techniques used to exercise these features. We also summarize the simulation environment and associated software development tools. Coding examples from two representative kernels in the digital communications domain are also provided. The resulting methodology, architecture, and compiler represent an advance of the state of the art in the area of low-power, domain-specific microprocessors.


Renewable polymers have become an important focus in next-generation materials, and algae biomass offers an environmentally low-impact feedstock that can serve multiple uses. This study aims to develop a scalable methodology for production of microalgae-based polyols for polyurethane synthesis from waste oils derived from algae biomass. Following separation of omega-3 fatty acids from algae oil, residual oils can offer valuable building blocks for petrochemical replacements. However, unlike vegetable oils, algae oils contain organic contaminants, including photosynthetic pigments and hydrophobic cofactors that can complicate preparative methodologies. Here we convert and purify waste streams from omega-3 depleted Nannochloropsis salina algae oil, with major components consisting of palmitic and palmitoleic acid, into azelaic acid (AA) as a building block for flexible polyurethanes, with a simultaneous production of heptanoic acid (HA) as a flavor and fragrance precursor. Conversion of free fatty acid mixtures into a soft soap allows extraction of organic contaminants, and urea complexation provides isolated palmitoleic acid, which is subsequently ozonolyzed to produce AA and HA. Bio-based polyester diols are prepared from AA via esterification to provide a polyol monomer for flexible polyurethane foam preparation. The HA co-product is modified to produce the flavoring agent methyl heptanoate and also decarboxylated to produce hexane as a renewable solvent. This scalable process can be performed on oils from multiple algal species, offering valuable monomers from a highly sustainable source.


In order to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables, they need to be properly stored. Proper storage means controlling both the temperature and relative humidity of the storage area. The essence of storage is of great importance because not all the harvested vegetables or crops in general will be used immediately after harvest so, measures of preserving the vegetables before it exceeds its shelf life is of great importance. Most of the peasant farmers are not able to afford the cost of purchasing high tech storage equipments for their harvested crops. Evaporative cooling has been found to be an efficient and economical means of reducing temperatures and increasing humidity in an enclosure where the humidity is comparatively low. Minimizing deteriorative reactions in fruit and vegetables enhances their shelf lives, implying that the produce will be available for longer periods; this would reduce fluctuation in market supply and prices. Evaporative cooler works on the principle of cooling resulting from evaporation of water from the surface of the structure. The cooling achieved by this device also results in high relative humidity of the air in the cooling chamber from which the evaporation takes place relative to ambient air. The atmosphere in the chamber therefore becomes more conducive for fruit and vegetable storage. Therefore, this paper reviews the concept, principle, method and types of evaporative cooling. The evaporative cooling systems has prospect for use for short term preservation of fruits and vegetables after harvested. It reduces the storage temperature and also increases the relative humidity within the optimum level of the storage thereby helps in keeping the fruits and vegetables fresh. Potential improvements for evaporative cooling devices include improvements in materials used, mainly in absorbent pads and ceramic pots. Experimentation needs to be performed to identify more locally available materials that can successfully be used as absorbents.


This research presents a flexible reflective thermochromic display (TCD) comprised of thermochromic pigments and a patterned indium tin oxide (ITO) film coated on a polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrate, and the display's thermo-optical characteristics. The display showed maximum red, green, and blue reflectances of 30%, 38%, and 29%, respectively. Furthermore, the display exhibited a continuous grey color when the temperature was changed continuously. As a flexible display, the display showed reliable thermo-optical performance without image damage even when highly bent. We expect the proposed TCD will be used in outdoor information display applications where low cost is a key factor.


Organizations and organisms are both complex systems exposed to evolutionary changes. The authors challenge the perspective of mainstream evolutionary theory, according to which evolutionary progress is accomplished in terms of blind variation and external selection. Instead, they present a perspective that complies with Bateson's emphasis on the "negative" character of cybernetic explanation, which offers explanations in terms of constraints rather than causes or forces. His concept of "pathways of viability" is aligned with the work of evolutionary theorists such as Waddington, von Bertalanffy, Riedl, and Kauffman, who reject external physical causation in favor of internally-driven "stimulus-and-response" and therefore move the focus from external selection to epigenetic mechanisms. Such a cybernetic evolutionary theory responds to various open questions in biology and management theory, including the dispute between homogenists and heterogenists as well as "path-dependence" in companies. The authors conclude that the strongest players are not those who adapt to the economic environment but those who emerge from it by co-creating it.


This paper highlights the necessary development of new instrumentation tools within the PaRSE task-based runtime system to leverage the performance of low-rank matrix computations. In particular, the tile low-rank (TLR) Cholesky factorization represents one of the most critical matrix operations toward solving challenging large-scale scientific applications. The challenge resides in the heterogeneous arithmetic intensity of the various computational kernels, which stresses PaRSE's dynamic engine when orchestrating the task executions at runtime. Such irregular workload imposes the deployment of new scheduling heuristics to privilege the critical path, while exposing task parallelism to maximize hardware occupancy. To measure the effectiveness of PaRSE's engine and its various scheduling strategies for tackling such workloads, it becomes paramount to implement adequate performance analysis and profiling tools tailored to fine-grained and heterogeneous task execution. This permits us not only to provide insights from PaRSE, but also to identify potential applications' performance bottlenecks. These instrumentation tools may actually foster synergism between applications and PaRSE developers for productivity as well as high-performance computing purposes. We demonstrate the benefits of these amenable tools, while assessing the performance of TLR Cholesky factorization from data distribution, communication-reducing and synchronization-reducing perspectives. This tool-assisted performance analysis results in three major contributions: a new hybrid data distribution, a new hierarchical TLR Cholesky algorithm, and a new performance model for tuning the tile size. The new TLR Cholesky factorization achieves an 8X performance speedup over existing implementations on massively parallel supercomputers, toward solving large-scale 3D climate and weather prediction applications.


White-box testing is an important part of every software testing and quality assurance strategy. Testing database-driven applications requires the adoption of white-box testing, but it is not clear what adoption is needed. Instead of focusing on a single problem and a possible solution, this paper elaborates all of the main challenges from a practitioner's view. Starting with a generic testing process, we analyze for each process step whether and, if so, which adoptions are needed, and redefine the concepts of test cases and coverage. We discuss test database state generation methods and the problem of scheduling test cases efficiently. Thereby, we provide a road map for the emerging domain of testing database-driven applications and for making such testing useful for commercial software development.


The mechanical excavator is the essential equipment for open-pit mining. The rotary platform is main bearing part of the excavator, stiffness and strength are directly related to the safety of the excavator. The rotary platform of a mechanical excavator is applied as the research object. The Shell181 and Solid 95 unit are used to establish finite element model based on analyzing the structural characteristics. MPC technology is applied to solve the coupling problem of the shell and the solid element. Taking the total weight of platform as the objective function of optimization, stiffness and strength condition as constraint conditions, the section thickness of the platform main components as the design variables, the structural optimization of the platform has been completed, and the weight decrease by 6.55%. A new way has been explored to make the design of platform structure more economic and reasonable, and improve the design efficiency.


The WASH sector has, thus far, greatly overlooked the enormous potential of hygienic child stool disposal to considerably reduce the prevalence of diarrhoeal diseases. Young children are concurrently more susceptible to faecal-oral disease transmission and an important source of infection because their faeces contain high levels of pathogens [2]. Based on a literature review and new research, this policy brief describes the potential impact of unsanitary child stool disposal and presents data on child faeces disposal practices in 38 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. It also highlights how the prevalence of safe disposal of child faeces differs in households with access to different types of sanitation, across rural and urban settings and with the age of the child. Finally, it offers recommendations for the WASH and health sectors on improving child faeces disposal to reduce the presence of child excreta in the household and community environment. Acknowledgements


A \emph{$(k,t)$-track layout} of a graph $G$ consists of a (proper) vertex $t$-colouring of $G$, a total order of each vertex colour class, and a (non-proper) edge $k$-colouring such that between each pair of colour classes no two monochromatic edges cross. This structure has recently arisen in the study of three-dimensional graph drawings. This paper presents the beginnings of a theory of track layouts. First we determine the maximum number of edges in a $(k,t)$-track layout, and show how to colour the edges given fixed linear orderings of the vertex colour classes. We then describe methods for the manipulation of track layouts. For example, we show how to decrease the number of edge colours in a track layout at the expense of increasing the number of tracks, and vice versa. We then study the relationship between track layouts and other models of graph layout, namely stack and queue layouts, and geometric thickness. One of our principle results is that the queue-number and track-number of a graph are tied, in the sense that one is bounded by a function of the other. As corollaries we prove that acyclic chromatic number is bounded by both queue-number and stack-number. Finally we consider track layouts of planar graphs. While it is an open problem whether planar graphs have bounded track-number, we prove bounds on the track-number of outerplanar graphs, and give the best known lower bound on the track-number of planar graphs.


This article provides a robust non-parametric approach to demand analysis based on a concept called homothetic efficiency. Homotheticity is a useful restriction or assumption but data rarely satisfy testable conditions. To overcome this problem, this article provides a way to estimate homothetic efficiency of consumption choices by consumers. The basic efficiency index suggested is similar to Afriat's (1972) efficiency index and Varian's (1993) violation index. It generalises Heufer's (2013b) two-dimensional concept to arbitrary dimensions and is motivated by a form of rationalisation similar to the one proposed by Halevy et al. (2012). The method allows to construct scalar factors which can be used to construct revealed preferred and worse sets. The approach also provides considerably more discriminatory power against irrational behaviour than standard utility maximisation. An application to experimental and household expenditure data illustrates how the method allows to recover preferences and increase test power.


Recent decades have seen almost unprecedented economic growth in income per capita around the world. Yet this extraordinary overall performance masks a wide variation in growth rates across different countries, with persistent underdevelopment in some parts of the world. This disparity constitutes "the development puzzle," and it is exemplified by growth spurts in China and India that contrast markedly with disturbingly low growth rates in sub-Saharan Africa. In this volume, economists address issues of inequality and growth, going beyond narrowly defined "economic" factors to consider the effect on growth of the structure of governance, the quality of a country's governing bodies, and the social norms that govern collective decision-making. The contributors use both formal modeling and empirical analyses to examine how the "soft factors" of institutions and norms interact with growth performance, natural resource endowments, and economic performance. They consider such topics as the effects of decentralization in Africa, fiscal discipline in Indian states, natural resource wealth as a cause of corruption, social violence during the Indonesian financial crisis of 1997 and 1998, and the effect of strong national identity on redistributive politics. Some of their findings suggest that not only do institutions and norms affect economic performance, economic performance itself is a key factor in explaining such governance failures as corruption and the frequency and intensity of economic conflict.


The Panic of 2007-2008 was a run on the sale and repurchase market (the "repo" market), which is a very large, short-term market that provides financing for a wide range of securitization activities and financial institutions. Repo transactions are collateralized, frequently with securitized bonds. We refer to the combination of securitization plus repo finance as "securitized banking", and argue that these activities were at the nexus of the crisis. We use a novel data set that includes credit spreads for hundreds of securitized bonds to trace the path of crisis from subprime-housing related assets into markets that had no connection to housing. We find that changes in the "LIB-OIS" spread, a proxy for counterparty risk, was strongly correlated with changes in credit spreads and repo rates for securitized bonds. These changes implied higher uncertainty about bank solvency and lower values for repo collateral. Concerns about the liquidity of markets for the bonds used as collateral led to increases in repo "haircuts": the amount of collateral required for any given transaction. With declining asset values and increasing haircuts, the U.S. banking system was effectively insolvent for the first time since the Great Depression.


The Great Gatsby is filled with potential tort claims, from drunken or reckless driving to assault and battery. In a pivotal passage Nick Carraway, the narrator of The Great Gatsby, judges Daisy and Tom as "careless people," who "destroy creatures and leave others to clean up the mess." The carelessness, negligence, and recklessness portrayed by Fitzgerald's characters shows an absence of due care, long regarded as the foundation for tort law. Although there are torts, tortfeasors, and tortious behavior aplenty in The Great Gatsby, the novel is void of even a mention of tort law. Why?The first part of this piece discusses tort law during Gatsby's decade -- the beginning of the "era of automobility" -- and explains tort law's absence from the novel: Tort law is absent from The Great Gatsby, in part, because tort law itself was dysfunctional and could not provide meaningful access to the legal system. Tort victims of automobile accidents were largely unable to access legal avenues, and recovery was hindered by a host of rules, prominently the contributory negligence system. The piece then briefly describes a reform movement, led by progressive legal realists, to replace tort recovery for automobile accidents with a no-fault compensation scheme. One consequence of that movement, I suggest, was the loss of tort law's traditional "moral center," the idea of the law of torts as a "law of wrongs." The second part of the piece then discusses the costs of this change, politically and conceptually, and briefly defends traditional "wrongs" and "justice-based" tort law against compensation-minded reforms. I conclude that while the moralistic tort law of Gatsby's era expressed plenty of blame for tortfeasors, it failed to hold them accountable, thus contributing to the death of our understanding of the law of tort as a law of wrongs -- and only partly and fitfully replaced by compensation schemes.


We link the corporate governance literature in financial economics to the agency cost perspective of corporate social responsibility (CSR) to derive theoretical predictions about the relationship between corporate governance and the existence of executive compensation incentives for CSR. We test our predictions using novel executive compensation contract data, and find that firms with more shareholder-friendly corporate governance are more likely to provide compensation to executives linked to firm social performance outcomes. Also, providing executives with direct incentives for CSR is an effective tool to increase firm social performance. The findings provide evidence identifying corporate governance as a determinant of managerial incentives for social performance, and suggest that CSR activities are more likely to be beneficial to shareholders, as opposed to an agency cost.