Ninety steers (259.9 ± 36.18 kg BW) were used in a 56-d experiment to assess the effects of flavoring additives on feeding behavior, feed efficiency, growth performance, and temperament of newly arrived feedlot cattle. Steers were homogenously distributed by BW into six pens (15 head/pen) and pen was randomly assigned to one of 3 treatments (2 pens/treatment): a standard feedlot receiving diet (CT); or the same diet with a flavoring additive comprised of either sweeteners (SW) or a mix of basic tastes (MX) at 1 g/kg (Lucta SA, Barcelona, Spain). Pens were equipped with a feed intake monitoring system (Growsafe Systems, Airdrie, Canada), while BW and chute exit flight speed were measured bi-weekly during the study. Data were analyzed using a mixed-effects model accounting for repeated measures. There were multiple treatment × time interactions (P < 0.05), where DMI per meal was greater in SW than CT and MX on wk 3 and 5, respectively, and in MX than CT and SW on wk 3 and 7, respectively. The number of visits to the feed bunk per day was greater in MX than CT on wk 2, it was greater in SW than MX on wk 4, and it was greater in CT than in MX and SW on wk 4, and wk 7 and 8, respectively. The eating rate was greater in SW than MX on wk 4 and 5 and greater than CT and on wk 4. Although the cumulative responses for DMI, ADG and feed efficiency (FE; kg BW/kg DM) were not significant (P > 0.1), FE was greater in SW and MX than CT from 27 to 41 d. Despite these positive effects on FE, there was no feeding pattern associated with the inclusion of flavoring additives in the diet of receiving feedlot cattle.


Infective endocarditis (IE) is a rare but complex disease that is fatal if untreated. With a modern combination of antimicrobial therapy and heart valve surgery, mortality is still 10-20 %. The structure of the endocarditis vegetation impedes the penetration of phagocytic cells such as monocytes and granulocytes. This leads to high bacterial counts inside the vegetation and the need for long treatment courses with a combination of intravenously administered bactericidal antibiotics. The aim of this thesis was to study the changes in epidemiology, management, and mortality at our hospital between 1980 and 2001, and to identify prognostic factors associated with mortality. To assess the issue of referral bias, differences between referred episodes and episodes from our local community were studied. Additional aims were to study the occurrence of the pro-chemotactic cytokines IL-8 and TNF-α in heart valves and vegetations during the active phase of IE, and to study the effect of the glycopeptide antibiotic vancomycin in dense staphylococcal cultures in vitro. As it is a rare and complex disease, management of IE is usually complicated for non-specialists. For this reason a computerised decision support system for IE was developed and evaluated. Between 1980 and 2001, the occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus IE and the use of early heart valve surgery increased significantly, regardless of whether the episodes were referred or of local origin. Glycopeptide antibiotics, mainly vancomycin, were used more frequently, especially among referred patients. Referred patients were younger, predominantly male, had more complications, and received surgical treatment more often than patients from our local community. The reason for the lower frequency of female patients in the referral cohort cannot be explained by more comorbidity or fewer complications. The differences between referred and local episodes seen in our study highlight the need for assessment and adjustment for referral bias in IE studies (Paper I). In six patients who needed early heart valve surgery, the largest numbers of IL-8-containing cells, and the greatest amount of inflammation, were seen in patients with short preoperative antimicrobial treatment courses. No such relationships were seen with respect to TNF-α-containing cells. The IL-8-containing cells and the inflammatory cells were predominantly scattered in the heart valve stroma or in the margin of the vegetation (Paper II). The primary effect of IL-8 is to stimulate chemotaxis of polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes. This indicates that there is no deficiency of IL-8 in the area close to the vegetation as a cause of the localised agranulocytosis often present inside the vegetation. Our study revealed a need for computerised decision support systems (DSSs) in the field of IE, but to be used in clinical practice these DSSs need be part of knowledge bases covering larger domains (Paper IV). Some of our initial ideas described in Paper III, especially the use of Internet technology and the combination of rule-based advice and explanatory hypertext, will probably be included in these knowledge bases. In vitro, there is a rapid reduction of free vancomycin in broth containing dense staphylococcal cultures. Consequently, there is a simultaneous increase in broth MICs, particularly in high inocula, which is not caused by a development of resistance (Paper V). These findings need further evaluation in vivo, but indicate that the dosing regimen of vancomycin is of particular importance in staphylococcal infections with dense inocula, e.g. infective endocarditis. Diabetes mellitus and moderate to severe heart failure were independent risk factors for 6-month mortality in left-sided, Duke definite IE episodes, regardless of referral or local origin of the episodes. Early heart valve surgery had a positive impact on the 6-month mortality in the referral cohort of episodes, which may be due to referral bias (Paper VI).


The quality of barley for the range of end uses from animal feed to brewing is determined by many genes, making the breeding of new barley varieties difficult. Understanding of the molecular basis of barley quality has been advanced by biochemical studies. More recently, molecular genetic tools are allowing the analysis of the biochemical factors contributing to grain quality. Many genetic loci influencing key quality attributes have been identified by gene mapping. Limited success has been reported in using this information to select for quantitative trait loci for these quality traits in plant breeding. Genomic techniques allowing more detailed analysis of variations in the barley genome in relation to quality promise to extend significantly the value of molecular genetic approaches to barley quality improvement. Definition of the genetic basis of malting quality requires the identification of the genes involved in germination and endosperm modification. Feed quality remains difficult to define. Recent advances are likely to accelerate the rate of discovery, providing new options for analysis of barley quality.


In this thesis, the effect of buffer strategy on video quality has been investigated. For this purpose, a software system was developed to implement buffer strategy at sender and receiver sides. Four experiments were performed under this system and five scenarios were designed under each experiment. A subjective test of MOS was conducted for all the scenarios to collect people's perception about three different videos. People from different background and of different age group were invited to take part in all the experiments. Three different videos were shown to each participant in order to investigate user perceived quality of video. MATLAB and MS Excel were used for data collection and plotting graphs. We conclude that people have convergence of opinions when communication break time increases than the size of buffers at both ends. Finally, the MOS ratings of this subjective test prove that by the use of same size buffers at both ends improves the user's perceived quality of video at acceptable level. Because of empirical study, the main focus was on implementation strategy of buffers at both ends. The implementation strategy was the design of a number of scenarios in which the statistics of the behavior of sender and receiver buffers have been collected.


Most state constitutions require that counties have an elected sheriff who serves as the county's chief law enforcement officer. The sheriff's office is over a thousand years old and today has strong cultural associations with independence and populism. Ironically, however, the sheriff's office has not been studied in the legal literature on policing as an entity separate and distinct from municipal police departments. This Note attempts to remedy that deficiency by identifying the unique pathologies of the American sheriff and proposing dramatic reforms to county law enforcement.
Although his elected status creates a perception that the sheriff is a local county officer, this Note argues that this perception is inaccurate because the sheriff is independent of the county and is actually, in many important ways, an agent of the state. The sheriff's hybrid state-and-local status creates misalignments between different levels of government that obstruct efforts to hold the sheriff accountable.
County law enforcement is in need of reform. This Note argues that elections are not functioning as an effective accountability mechanism and that county government must be given power to act as a check on county law enforcement. This Note further argues that, although the sheriff in his current form is emphatically not the officer for the job, the county is actually the best level of government at which to provide policing. This Note discusses the merits of two models of achieving consolidation of policing to the county level, with insights gleaned from America's experiences with sheriffs.


Abstract The S-type accessory mineral assemblage of zircon, monazite-(Ce), fluorapatite and tourmaline in the cupolas of Permian granites of the Gemeric Unit underwent compositional changes and increased variability and volume due to intensive volatile flux. The extended S-type accessory mineral assemblage in the apical parts of the granite resulted in the formation of rare-metal granites from in-situ differentiation and includes abundant tourmaline, zircon, fluorapatite, monazite-(Ce), Nb–Ta–W minerals (Nb–Ta rutile, ferrocolumbite, manganocolumbite, ixiolite, Nb–Ta ferberite, hübnerite), cassiterite, topaz, molybdenite, arsenopyrite and aluminophosphates. The rare-metal granites from cupolas in the western segment of the Gemeric Unit represent the topaz–zinnwaldite granites, albitites and greisens. Zircon in these evolved rare-metal Li–F granite cupolas shows a larger xenotime-(Y) component and heterogeneous morphology compared to zircons from deeper porphyritic biotite granites. The zircon Zr/Hfwt ratio in deeper rooted porphyritic granite varies from 29 to 45, where in the differentiated upper granites an increase in Hf content results in a Zr/Hfwt ratio of 5. The cheralite component in monazite from porphyritic granites usually does not exceed 12 mol. %, however, highly evolved upper rare-metal granites have monazites with 14 to 20 mol. % and sometimes > 40 mol. % of cheralite. In granite cupolas, pure secondary fluorapatite is generated by exsolution of P from P-rich alkali feldspar and high P and F contents may stabilize aluminophosphates. The biotite granites contain scattered schorlitic tourmaline, while textural late-magmatic tourmaline is more alkali deficient with lower Ca content. The differentiated granites contain also nodular and dendritic tourmaline aggregations. The product of crystallization of volatile-enriched granite cupolas are not only variable in their accessory mineral assemblage that captures high field strength elements, but also in numerous veins in country rocks that often contain cassiterite and tourmaline. Volatile flux is documented by the tetrad effect via patterns of chondrite normalized REEs (T1,3 value 1.46). In situ differentiation and tectonic activity caused multiple intrusive events of fluid-rich magmas rich in incompatible elements, resulting in the formation of rare-metal phases in granite roofs. The emplacement of volatile-enriched magmas into upper crustal conditions was followed by deeper rooted porphyritic magma portion undergoing second boiling and re-melting to form porphyritic granite or granite-porphyry during its ascent.


This brief discusses energy-efficient street lighting technologies and conversions from the utility's perspective and identifies various business cases for undertaking street lighting upgrades. Section 1 of the brief reviews the costs and benefits of utility investment in energy efficiency technologies and smart infrastructure for utility-owned streetlights. Section 2 presents lessons learned and best practices for light-emitting diode (LED) conversions for utility-owned street lights. Section 3 discusses street light buyback options from the utility's perspective. Section 4 reviews success factors for LED conversions. The resources listed at the end of the brief provide more information.


People use P2P systems such as BitTorrent to share an unprecedented variety and amount of content with others around the world. The random connection pattern used by BitTorrent has been shown to result in reduced performance for users and costly cross-ISP traffic. Although several client-side systems have been proposed to improve the locality of BitTorrent traffic, their effectiveness is limited by the availability of local peers. We show that sufficient locality is present in swarms - if one looks at the right time. We find that 50% of ISPs have at least five local peers online during the ISP's peak hour, typically in the evening, compared to only 20% of ISPs during the median hour. To better discover these local peers, we show how to increase the overall peer discovery rate by over two orders of magnitude using client-side techniques: leveraging additional trackers, requesting more peers per sample, and sampling more frequently. We propose an approach to predict future availability of local peers based on observed diurnal patterns. This approach enables peers to selectively apply these techniques to minimize undue load on trackers.


Most industrial nations actively support research and development of advanced computer technology. They usually justify public expenditures on the basis of both economic and national security benefits. This heavy government involvement and the international nature of the computer industry have created increasing challenges to accepted principles of international trade and investment.In this detailed analysis of the origins and evolution of government support for computer technology in the United States, Western Europe, and Japan, Kenneth Flamm compares the amounts these countries have invested and how they have organized public and private funding over the past thirty-five years. He challenges popular myths about the size and effectiveness of government programs to support computer technology, and argues that the data suggest a high social rate of return on those investments.Flamm concludes that the United States must reevaluate its policies on research and development. The role of military programs as the primary vehicle for computer technology development should be de-emphasized in favor of support for joint, pre-competitive industrial research. Cooperative research ventures linking universities and industry also ought to be encouraged. Since global markets are vital to American computer firms, Flamm argues that policies to promote orderly international trade and investment in high-technology products are needed to avoid an expanding spiral of protectionism.


Grand political accomplishment and artistic productivity were the hallmarks of Augustus Caesar's reign (31 B.C. to A.D. 14), which has served as a powerful model of achievement for societies throughout Western history. Although much research has been done on individual facets of Augustan culture, Karl Galinsky's book is the first in decades to present a unified overview, one that brings together political and social history, art, literature, architecture, and religion. Weaving analysis and narrative throughout a richly illustrated text, Galinsky provides not only an enjoyable account of the major ideas of the age, but also an interpretation of the creative tensions and contradictions that made for its vitality and influence. Galinsky draws on source material ranging from coins and inscriptions to the major works of poetry and art, and challenges the schematic concepts and dichotomies that have commonly been applied to Augustan culture. He demonstrates that this culture was neither monolithic nor the mere result of one man's will. Instead it was a nuanced process of evolution and experimentation. Augustan culture had many contributors, as Galinsky demonstrates, and their dynamic interactions resulted in a high point of creativity and complexity that explains the transcendence of the Augustan age. Far from being static, its sophisticated literary and artistic monuments call for the active response and involvement of the reader and viewer even today.


It is shown that the "hysteresis" in a polaron model of electron transport through the molecule found by M.Galperin et al. [Nano Lett. 5, 125 (2005)] is an artefact of their "mean-field" approximation. The reason is trivial: after illegitimate replacement $\hat{n}^{2}=\hat{n}n_{0},$ where \hat{n} is the electron number operator, n_{0} the average molecular level occupation, Galperin et al. obtained non-physical dependence of a renormalized molecular energy level on the non-integer mean occupation number n_{0} (i.e. the electron self-interaction) and the resulting non-linearity of current. The exact theory of correlated polaronic transport through molecular quantum dots (MQDs) that we proposed earlier [Phys. Rev. B67, 235312 (2003)] proved that there is no hysteresis or switching in current-voltage characteristics of non-degenerate, d=1, or double degenerate, d=2, molecular bridges, contrary to the mean-field result. Switching could only appear in multiply degenerate MQDs with d>2 due to electron correlations.


In many machine learning tasks, models are trained to predict structure data such as graphs. For example, in natural language processing, it is very common to parse texts into dependency trees or abstract meaning representation (AMR) graphs. On the other hand, ensemble methods combine predictions from multiple models to create a new one that is more robust and accurate than individual predictions. In the literature, there are many ensembling techniques proposed for classification or regression problems, however, ensemble graph prediction has not been studied thoroughly. In this work, we formalize this problem as mining the largest graph that is the most supported by a collection of graph predictions. As the problem is NP-Hard, we propose an efficient heuristic algorithm to approximate the optimal solution. To validate our approach, we carried out experiments in AMR parsing problems. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach can combine the strength of state-of-the-art AMR parsers to create new predictions that are more accurate than any individual models in five standard benchmark datasets.


The effects of high temperature treatment on soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seed composition, vigor, and proteome were investigated using mature dry seeds harvested from plants grown in environment-controlled chambers. High day/night temperatures (37/30°C) from stages R5 through R8 altered ratios of individual fatty acids to total fatty acid compared to the control (27/18°C). Concentration of sugars decreased, but total protein and phytic acid concentration were unchanged. High temperature resulted in a greater propor- tion of abnormal seeds, but normal-appearing seed exhibited reduced germination and vigor. Proteomic analysis detected 20 protein identities whose accumulations were changed by the high temperature. Fourteen spots were identified as seven subunits of seed storage proteins. The remaining six proteins were identified as those responding to abiotic stresses or having a function in respiration: (i) sucrose binding protein, (ii) Class III acidic endochitinase, (iii) heat shock protein (HSP22), (iv) late embryo abundant protein, (v) Bowman-Birk proteinase inhibitor, and (vi) formate dehydrogenase. High temperature during seed development changed soybean seed composition and decreased seed vigor, but also changed seed protein expression profiles.


Current research on welfare state changes should go beyond the notion of retrenchment to be able to embrace the different kinds of developments that have occurred. Recent European welfare state changes should be analysed in differentiating between different periods of time and different types of changes introduced by governments. Certain reforms may prove to enforce continuity while others may prove to introduce a new logic into the welfare system. And, contrary to the overall notion of retrenchment, every reform does not always imply less welfare state. A specific framework of analysis inspired by general public policy analysis, and emphasising the role of welfare institutions, aimed at differentiating three orders of changes, is proposed.


Using a counterfactual approach, this paper empirically investigates the impact of an educational programme recently introduced in the Province of Trento (North-East of Italy). The aim of the policy is to foster university enrolment of students from low-income families and to reduce inequalities in access to higher education. The programme, known as Grant 5B, consists in generous incentives: it targets the university students from low-income families and is awarded upon both merit and demonstrated financial need. We exploit data from an ad hoc survey conducted on a sample of upper secondary graduates and employ a regression discontinuity design to estimate the impact of the intervention on the university enrolment decisions. We find that the programme has no significant effect on enrolment rates, but it exerts a positive effect on redirecting students already bound for university to enrol outside the place of residence. Relying on the relative risk aversion theory, we explain why a relaxation of the eligibility rules based on merit might be more effective in reducing social inequalities in access to university.


textabstractThe taxanes are a new class of drugs that exert antitumor activity
through a unique mechanism. As early as in the late 1960s paclitaxel,
extracted from the bark of the Pacific Yew Taxus Brevifolia, was the first
compound with a taxene ring that exhibited antitumor activity.
Because of the difficulties in drug isolation, extraction and formulation, the
development of this antitumor agent has been relatively slow. In 1986
docetaxel, the second drug in this new class of compounds, was
developed. Docetaxel is synthesized from 10-deacetyl baccatin III, a
noncytotoxic precursor extracted from the European Yew Taxus Baccata.
Taxanes promote the polymerization of tubulin into stable
microtubules and inhibit microtubule depolymerization. This leads to a
disruption of the equilibrium within the microtubule system and ultimately
leads to cell death. The activity of docetaxel was studied in many
murine tumor models that showed that docetaxel was active against
subcutaneous B16 melanoma, MX-1 mammary cancer, C38 colon
carcinoma, CX-1 colon carcinoma, LX-1 lung carcinoma, P03
pancreatic carcinoma, SK MEL-2 melanoma and OVCAR,3, HOC 8, HOC
10 and HOC 22 ovarian carcinomas.
In phase I studies on single agent docetaxel responses were reported
in various tumor types such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer,
adenocarcinoma of unknown primary, pancreatic cancer, small cell and
non-small cell lung cance. The major dose limiting toxicity was an
early-onset, short-lasting, dose-dependent, schedule-independent and noncumulative
neutropenia. Other side effects were generally mild and
consisted of alopecia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, mucositis, neurotoxicity,
infrequent hypersensitivity reactions, fluid retention and skin- and
nailtoxicity. For phase II studies the recommended dose and schedule was
100 mg/m2 given as a 1-hour infusion every 3 weeks.
Phase II studies on docetaxel among others showed activity in breast
cancer. non-small cell lung cancer, head and neck cancer, gastric cancer, melanoma, soft tissue sarcom), and pancreatic cancer.
In view of the fact that docetaxel is effective in a variety of solid
tumors, it was considered important to study the combination of the drug
with other potent antitumor agents. This thesis includes phase I studies on
the combination of docetaxel with cisplatin and ifosfamide, respectively.
Fluid retention and neurotoxicity, occurring in relation to the cumulative
docetaxel dose, are besides activity important features. At high
cumulative doses of docetaxel these side effects may become severe and
disabling and lead to treatment discontinuation. It is important to try to
alleviate these side effects in view of the single agent use but also in view
of expected increased toxicity in case of combination chemotherapy.
Therefore we performed a prospective study on the incidence of
neurotoxicity induced by the combination of docetaxel and cisplatin, two
potentially neurotoxic drugs.
Despite corticosteroid comedication fluid retention still occurs. In
view of case reports suggesting amelioration of this side effect by
venotonic drugs, we performed a prospective study on the venotonic drug
hydroxyethylrutosiden in patients treated with docetaxel.
The neurotoxicity induced by docetaxel was previously reported in
studies where corticosteroid comedication was not given routinely.
Although introduced to reduce docetaxel-related fluid retention, it was yet
unknown if corticosteroids also had an effect on neurotoxicity. This was
assessed prospectively in the last chapter.


Librarianship is a feminized profession, and like teaching, nursing, and social work with which it shares the occupational traits of a "semi-profession," its low status and prestige have been attributed to a negative feminine image. To date, discussion of a corresponding male librarian image, general male issues, and the broader topic of gender issues has been minimal within the profession, while serious discussion of gay male librarians and their professional identity has been virtually nil. This study compares the responses of straight and self-identified gay males to an exploratory survey of male members of the American Library Association. The topics covered by the survey include reasons for entry into the field, the existence and identity of a male librarian stereotype, and gender issues generally, including gender stratification of work and sexual discrimination and/or harassment. Self-identified gay subjects share many characteristics in common with the straight cohort, including the identification of a gay male stereotype and some denial surrounding gender equity issues. On the other hand, the tentative findings of this exploratory study raise the question of whether both gay and straight male subjects overestimate the number of gay men in librarianship. The report concludes with an update on gay issues within the profession since the survey was completed, and recommendations for further research.


VGF encodes a precursor protein processed in various neuropeptides, one of these involved in metabolic mechanisms and named TLQP-21, stimulates the autonomic activation of adipose tissue and reduces the early phase of diet-induced obesity in mouse. In immunohistochemistry (ICC) and ELISA, we used antisera to short sequences at C-/N-terminus of the VGF precursor, and of several VGF-derived peptides. Plasma of type II diabetes (DMII) was taken from patients with different body mass index (BMI): (i) BMI =18-24, (ii) BMI=25-29, (iii) BMI=30-39, in parallel with samples from healthy subjects (iiii) matched with BMI of group "i" (n=10 samples/ group). Male CD1 mice were fed with standard chow (group-a: controls), or with standard chow plus 36% lard (group-b: obese) for 16 weeks (n=24 animals/group). For glucose tolerance test, 12 mice from groups a and b, respectively, received i.p. injection of glucose (3g/kg), and were sacrificed after 120 minutes. White and brown adipose tissues (WAT and BAT, respectively) were extracted (n=9 animals/group) while for ICC, mice (~4/group) were perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde. In plasma of DM II patients, we found a clear decrease of VGF C-t, in parallel with the increase of BMI (iiii=1200±70, i=1100±85, ii=760±60, iii=550±40 pmol/ml, mean±SEM). In WAT, through ELISA, we found a significant decrease for VGF C-t in group-b respect to group-a (2±0.5 vs. 5±2*, pmol/g, mean±SEM, *p<0.03). A similar trend was observed in BAT, not only for VGF C-t, but also for N-t, TLQP, and RVW peptides (groups b vs. a, respectively: 10±3 vs. 22±7**, 9±3 vs. 18±4**, 210±75 vs. 420±95**, and 38±11 vs. 70±10*, pmol/g, means±SEM, *p<0.007,**p<0.02). Moreover, exclusively in BAT of group-a but not of group-b, we measured a great increase of VGF C-t, N-t and RVW peptide levels after glucose load (values taken before and after glucose load, respectively: 22±7 vs 35±5**, 18±4 vs. 30±7 **and 70±10 vs. 95±10*, pmol/g, means±SEM, *p<0.02,**p<0.04). In pancreas, BAT and WAT tissues was showed an extended colocalization of VGF C-t peptides with sympathetic fibers, while TLQP peptides were largely restricted to noradrenergic perikaria in celiac ganglia of both control and obese mice. In conclusions, more than one VGF fragment could be important for peripheral activation of autonomic nervous system.


A vast body of knowledge has been produced in the field of war remembrance, particularly concerning the Spanish Civil War. However, the representation and interpretation of that conflictual past have been increasingly contested within the wider context of 'recuperation of historical memory' which is taking place both in Spain and elsewhere. An academic gap has been identified with regard to the part played by the Basque Children (Ninos Vascos) who were evacuated to the UK in 1937 as a result of the war. This thesis investigates the impact that forced migration has had on these children's identity construction, particularly those who settled permanently in the host country. The thesis is a comparative examination of the process of memory construction and memorialisation, across transnational spaces and time. It analyses the nature and development of commemorative practices both in the UK and in the Basque Country, addressing some of the most fundamental issues related to agency and categorisations. My analysis of the social actors goes beyond Jelin's 'memory entrepreneurs' to include those memory profiteers who benefit from a return to the past in order to fulfil their own personal agendas. I introduce the new term 'conmemoraccionistas' to refer to them. The central question dealt with here is how identities are constructed and reconstructed in the social and political arenas in which remembrance takes place. By using ethnography and a multimodal approach, this study provides an in-depth analysis of the discourses of the main agents engaged in memory production, and their agendas. It also identifies reasons for disengagement. Finally, it examines the interrelated narratives of those social actors and how they build on interaction with each other in a complex and continually changing social reality, where I argue, identities can no longer be approached from an essentialist polarising and dichotomising perspective. On the contrary, new approaches are needed which see identitarian development as a dynamic and accumulative process in which different actors have an input and identities are displayed according to particular contexts, settings, and audiences.


We studied the aggregation of magnetic particles into chain-like structures in a cobalt-based magnetic fluid, exposed to external magnetic fields. The length of chain segments in very strong magnetic fields of up to 2 Tesla was measured in situ using small angle neutron scattering. Arrangement of the magnetic particles was studied with the scattering vector aligned parallel to the magnetic field lines, and at angles of 30° and 60° with respect to . Although chains several hundred particles in length were predicted, we observe a maximum correlation length of ∼65 nm equivalent to 3–4 particles up to highest fields. We speculate that the interaction between chains, i.e., the interplay between the entropy and energy of the system combined with the particular properties of the magnetic dipole–dipole interaction ultimately decide the length of the particle chains.


Articles Reviewed: Southwick, S. M., Morgan, A., Nagy, L. M., Bremner, D., Nicolaou, A. L., Johnson, D. R., Rosenheck, R., Charney, D. S. (1993). Trauma-related symptoms in veterans of operation desert storm: a preliminary report. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 150, 1524-1528. Southwick, S. M., Morgan III, C. A., Darnell, A., Bremner, D., Nicolaou, A. L., Nagy, L.., Charney, D. S. (1995). Traumarelated symptoms in veterans of operation desert storm: a 2-year follow-up. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 152, 1150-1155. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is experienced by somewhere between 7% to 12% of the general population (Beckham, Davidson & March, 2003; Seedat & Stein, 2001) and typically develops following exposure to a situation or event that is, or is perceived to be, threatening to the safety or physical integrity of one's self or others. As presented in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [4th ed., text revision; DSM-IV-TR; APA, 2000], PTSD symptoms are grouped into three clusters: re-experiencing of the event (e.g., recurrent and intrusive thoughts, distressing dreams), avoidance and emotional numbing (e.g., avoidance of reminders of the traumatic event, restricted range of affect), and hyper-arousal (e.g., sleep difficulties, exaggerated startle response). For symptoms to satisfy criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD, a person must be exposed to a traumatic event with actual or perceived threat and they must (a) experience intense fear or helplessness; (b) have at least one re-experiencing symptom, at least three avoidance and numbing symptoms, and at least two hyper-arousal symptoms; (c) must be bothered by these symptoms for one month or more; and (d) must experience significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other functioning. The types of trauma that people experience are wide ranging. Examples include physical assault, sexual assault, combat, tragic death, terrorism, motor vehicle accidents, and natural disasters (Norris, 1992). Southwick, Morgan, Nagy, Brenmner, Nicolaou, Johnson, Rosenheck, and Charney (1993) recognized that PTSD is a particularly relevant topic for those in the military. The authors report that other studies have found prevalence rates ranging from 2% (in veterans of the Vietnam theater of operations 20 years later) to 50% (in former POW's of WWII). While PTSD is a concern for those exposed to combat and other traumatic experiences related to being in the military, little is known about the natural course of PTSD symptomology. Southwick et al. (1993) conducted one of the first studies to take a prospective look at the natural development of trauma related symptoms. In a follow-up study Southwick, Morgan, Darnell, Bremner, Nicolaou, Nagy, and Charney (1995) extended their findings with a two-year re-evaluation of the same participants. Southwick et al. (1993) recruited 84 National Guard reservists one month and six months after returning from the Persian Gulf area. Southwick and colleagues (1995) examined the responses of 62 of those same reservists two years after they had returned from Operation Desert Storm. Participants were assessed for PTSD symptoms using the Mississippi Scale for Combat-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, the Combat Exposure Scale, a Desert Storm trauma questionnaire, and an unstandardized scale based on DSM-III-R criteria. The later PTSD symptom scale was created by the authors specifically for the purpose of this study. Participants rated all 17 symptoms in the DSM-III-R on a scale of 0 (slight) to 4 (extreme). The Mississippi PTSD scale is a self-report inventory that consists of 35 items derived from DSM-III criteria and associated features. The Combat Exposure Scale is a subjective scale that quantifies wartime stressors with ratings ranging from 1 (light exposure) to 5 (heavy exposure). The Desert Storm trauma questionnaire was composed of 19 items dealing with stressors that somewhat overlapped with the Combat Exposure Scale, but also included specific items that were frequently experienced by Desert Storm personnel. …


Over the past 10 years, molecular communication (MC) has established itself as a key transformative paradigm in communication theory. Inspired by chemical communications in biological systems, the focus of this discipline is on the modeling, characterization, and engineering of information transmission through molecule exchange, with immediate applications in biotechnology, medicine, ecology, and defense, among others. Despite a plethora of diverse contributions, which has been published on the subject by the research community, a general framework to study the performance of MC systems is currently missing. This paper aims at filling this gap by providing an analysis of the physical processes underlying MC, along with their information-theoretic underpinnings. In particular, a mathematical framework is proposed to define the main functional blocks in MC, supported by general models from chemical kinetics and statistical mechanics. In this framework, the Langevin equation is utilized as a unifying modeling tool for molecule propagation in MC systems, and as the core of a methodology to determine the information capacity. Diverse MC systems are classified on the basis of the processes underlying molecule propagation, and their contribution in the Langevin equation. The classifications and the systems under each category are as follows: random walk (calcium signaling, neuron communication, and bacterial quorum sensing), drifted random walk (cardiovascular system, microfluidic systems, and pheromone communication), and active transport (molecular motors and bacterial chemotaxis). For each of these categories, a general information capacity expression is derived under simplifying assumptions and subsequently discussed in light of the specific functional blocks of more complex MC systems. Finally, in light of the proposed framework, a roadmap is envisioned for the future of MC as a discipline.


In architectural and structural design, current modeling and analysis tools are extremely powerful and allow one to generate and analyze virtually any structural shape. However, most of them do not allow designers to integrate structural performance as an objective during conceptual design. As structural performance is highly linked to architectural geometry, there is a need for computational strategies allowing for performance-oriented structural design in architecture. In order to address these issues, the research presented in this paper combines interactive evolutionary optimization and parametric modeling to develop a new computational strategy for creative and high-performance conceptual structural design. Parametric modeling allows for quick exploration of complex geometries and can be combined with analysis and optimization algorithms for performance-driven design. However, this methodology often limits the designer's authorship, since it is based on the use of black-box optimizers. On the other hand, interactive evolutionary optimization empowers the user by acknowledging his or her input as fundamental and includes it in the evolutionary optimization process. This approach aims at improving the structural performance of a concept without limiting the creative freedom of designers. Taking advantage of the two frameworks, this research implements an interactive evolutionary structural optimization framework in the widely used parametric modeling environment constituted by Rhinoceros and Grasshopper (Robert McNeel & Associates [15], [16]). The implemented design tool capitalizes on Grasshopper's versatility for geometry generation but supplements the visual programming interface with a flexible GUI portal, increasing the designer's creative freedom through enhanced interactivity. The tool can accommodate a wide range of structural typologies and geometrical forms in an integrated environment. The paper includes a description of the tool and demonstrates its applications and benefits through several conceptual design case studies.


The present investigation consists of 47 rice genotypes and the experiment was conducted during Aus season, 2016 in Randomized Block Design with three replications. The data were recorded for 13 quantitative characters to study genetic variability, heritability, genetic advance, correlation coefficient analysis and path analysis. Analysis of variance among 47 genotypes showed a significant difference for all characters studied. The highest genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) were observed for grain yield followed by the number of effective tillers, the number of filled grains per panicle and 1000 grain weight indicating that these characters could be used in selection for the crop improvement program. High estimates of heritability was observed for grain yield, grain length, plant height, number of filled grain per panicle, 1000 grain weight and days to 50% flowering. High genetic advance was observed for the number of filled grains per panicle and plant height, indicating predominance of additive gene effects and possibilities of effective selection for the improvement of these traits. Grain yield showed positive association with number of effective tiller and number of filled grain per panicle at genotypic in conjunction with phenotypic level. Days to maturity possessed the highest positive direct effect and significant indirect correlation with yield.


The definitive, fully-illustrated guide to the trees of Britain and non-Mediterranean Europe The Collins Tree Guide to the trees of northern Europe contains some of the finest original tree illustrations ever produced. The combination of authoratative text, accurate illustration and superb production make this one of the foremost, top-of-the-range, natural history books currently available. This large format edition also contains extra information on hardiness and garden interest. The introduction contains illustrations of the main leaves, buds, and firs you are likely to find, and these provide the starting point for identification by leading you to a 'key' species. Within each tree family there is a list of key species and a guide to the most important features to look for when identifying a particular tree from that family. Then individual species are clearly described and a detailed illustration is given on the same page. Covering all the tree species found outside the major arboretums, from the olive tree to the eucalyptus, this is one of the most important tree guides to have appeared in the last 20 years. The illustrations are annotated with essential identification features, and the text highlights the most important things to look for to aid fast and accurate identification. There is also coverage of all the species native to Southern Europe.


Background: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a major contributor to the high burden of neonatal and young infant infectious disease in resource- limited settings. As disease protection during the first six months of life is provided via placental transfer of maternal antibodies, a maternal GBS vaccine may provide an effective strategy to reduce infectious death and disability. An efficacy study may be difficult because of the large sample size required and alternative approaches such as serocorrelates of protection based on natural antibody concentration are being considered. Such studies would need to be undertaken in high burden settings such as Uganda. We therefore aim to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a GBS sero-epidemiology study in Kampala, Uganda. Methods: This is a prospective cohort and nested case-control study, conducted across two-centres with two entry points. A) consecutive women and their infants at birth, with collection of maternal swab, cord and maternal blood, and follow up by telephone until the infant is 3 months old; B) any infant under 3 months of age, presenting with signs of sepsis to any of the paediatric units, with collection of blood culture, cerebrospinal fluid and nasopharyngeal swabs. Any infants identified as having GBS disease (defined as GBS isolated from a normally sterile site) will be recruited and followed up for two years to assess their neurodevelopment. A nested qualitative study will investigate stakeholder (pregnant women and their families, healthcare workers and community leaders) opinions of sampling for such a study and understanding and potential uptake of vaccines in pregnancy. Discussion: The primary aim is to determine anti-GBS antibody concentration in infants with GBS disease compared to healthy controls. Secondary outcomes include stillbirth and all-cause infection and acceptance of sample methods and vaccination. The findings will inform scalability and sustainability of the programme in Uganda.


Food safety and agricultural health standards have become a mayor challenge for food exports from developing countries in the past few years (Jaffe & Henson, 2005; OECD, 2003; Josling, Roberts & Orden, 2004; Maskus & Wilson, 2001). As tariff rates were negotiated down in the context of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and in regional and bilateral trade agreements, international trade in agro-food products increased substantially and so did concerns over food safety and agricultural health in food importing countries. Several countries, including the U.S, started to pay closer attention to their food safety and agricultural health standards both domestically and for food imports. In the U.S., the tightening of standards was in part related to heightened concerns about bioterrorism (Jaffe & Henson, 2005). Increased consumer awareness of agro-food quality and agricultural health issues also played an important role, as indicated by the large number and strictness of private technical standards (Jaffe & Henson, 2005). Although there is an extensive literature describing the general issues of food-safety and its potential effects on international trade, few studies have looked at the empirical question of what are the actual trade costs of an increase in the number, strictness and enforcement of food safety regulations. This document contributes to the literature by providing an innovative estimation of the effects of U.S. food safety and agricultural health standards in the agro-food exports of Latin America and the Caribbean, using the number of refusals at the U.S. border as a proxy for trade costs associated with tighter food safety standards and regulations. The analysis focuses on agro-food exports from Latin American countries to the U.S. market to estimate a gravity model with panel data for the years spanning from 1997 to 2009. The main results are that technical standards and regulations are not significant determinants of Latin America and Caribbean agro-food exports to the U.S. Rather the size of the countries or their market potential in the food sector, as measured by the agricultural GDP, is the main determinant. Time specific factors such as oil prices and global economic conditions as well as population of the exporting country also play a role. This is consistent with the results obtained by Novy (2009), that the majority of U.S. trade growth over the period 1970-2000 was explained by income growth rather than by a decline in bilateral trade barriers. In addition, we found that using GDP as a measure of market potential in the agro-food sector is inadequate, because GDP includes services, most of which are non-tradables, and the value added of products other than those whose trade is relevant for our analysis. As a result, using GDP overestimates trade costs in the agro-food sector and underestimates the role of income as a determinant of trade (Novy, 2009).


This article provides a short history of prudential regulation and supervision at the Reserve Bank. The article identifies a number of distinct shifts in the prudential regime that mark specific periods in the Reserve Bank's history. The narrative begins with the 1986 Amendment Act which established a prudential regime in New Zealand for the first time. This Act laid the foundations for a number of key features which have endured over time. A regulatory framework has been developed over time to support both self and market discipline, with policies to encourage sound risk management and appropriate internal governance within regulated entities, as well as mandated public disclosure requirements. In addition, the Reserve Bank's regulatory rules recognise the inherent limitations of self and market discipline by setting in place policies that make regulated entities internalise the costs they impose on the financial system and macro-economy. In particular, the global financial crisis (GFC) marks a watershed moment for regulators both globally and in New Zealand with the introduction of policies to make the financial system more resilient.


Context. A steady model was presented by Burn, in which energy conservation is used to constrain the parameters of stochastic Fermi acceleration. A steady model, however, is unlikely to be adequate for particle acceleration in impulsive solar flares. Aims. This paper describes a time-dependent model for particle acceleration in a Fermi reservoir Methods. The calculation is based on the original formulation of stochastic acceleration by Fermi, with additional physically motivated assumptions about the turbulent and particle energy densities within the reservoir, that are similar to those of the steady analysis. The problem is reduced to an integro-differential equation that possesses an analytical solution. Results. The model predicts the formation of a power-law differential energy spectrum N(E) ∼ E−2, that is observable outside the reservoir. The predicted spectral index is independent of the parameters of the model. The results may help in understanding particle acceleration in solar flares and other astrophysical applications.


One of the most common tasks in image and video editing is the local adjustment of various properties (e.g., saturation or brightness) of regions within an image or video. Edge-aware interpolation of user-drawn scribbles offers a less effort-intensive approach to this problem than traditional region selection and matting. However, the technique suffers a number of limitations, such as reduced performance in the presence of texture contrast, and the inability to handle fragmented appearances. We significantly improve the performance of edge-aware interpolation for this problem by adding a boosting-based classification step that learns to discriminate between the appearance of scribbled pixels. We show that this novel data term in combination with an existing edge-aware optimization technique achieves substantially better results for the local image and video adjustment problem than edge-aware interpolation techniques without classification, or related methods such as matting techniques or graph cut segmentation.


Complex systems often integrate domain-specific languages to let users customize the behavior. Developing tooling for such languages is typically time-consuming and error-prone. We present Jatte, a tool intended to simplify this development. Jatte works as a generic tree editor for an abstract syntax, but uses aspects and attribute grammars to support powerful modular ways of tuning both the projected view and the editing commands. We present the key features of Jatte, and discuss its application in an orchestration language for internet of things.


Addictive behaviour constitutes a serious enigma to action and moral philosophy as to theories of rational choice. How is it possible that someone pursues a desire that has been repeatedly experienced and reinforced as contrary to one"s better judgement? According to a general view, addiction stems from the loss of self-control attributed to its increasing undermining by strong cravings. However, in both substance and behavioural addiction, one"s ability to make choices is not entirely impaired. One is able to pursue some intentions, despite of the fact that addiction leads to a derailment from normal life, undermining relations and roles constitutive of identity and agency. Therefore, it seems that selfcontrol is not completely absent but it becomes somehow "errant", not oriented by an adequate appraisal of the future, and even maintained in order to fulfil what has become an overwhelming need. This has recently been explored as an unbalance between motivational and evaluative assessment, i.e., a particular form of weakness of will. After determining the specific kind of weakness of will associated with addiction, I will try to understand in what terms can self-control be conceived in order to produce therapeutic outcomes. The case of alcoholic dependence will serve me to illustrate the concurrent forms of self-control subscribed by both sciences and therapies of addiction.


This study is conducted to reveal the use of compensatory strategies by the Tourism Students of Petra Christian University in English, particularly in solving lexical problems faced in story-retelling task. The basic theory used is the taxonomy of compensatory strategies by Nanda Poulisse which divides the compensatory strategies into conceptual and linguistic strategies, supported by the theory of speech production by Levelt and the related study by Violante Lujan Ortega. The approach of this study is qualitative-descriptive; meaning that the data consist of words instead of numbers, and the regularities found in the data are explained in detail. To gain the spoken data, the story-retelling task is chosen as the speech elicitation task; and the stories used are Indonesian folk tales, in accordance to the subjects' field of study. Finally the writer finds out that the most frequently used compensatory strategy is Holistic Conceptual Strategy, followed by Analytic Conceptual Strategy, and then Linguistic Strategy of Transfer, and the least frequent one is Linguistic Strategy of Morphological Creativity. She also discovers that the conceptual and linguistic strategies are sometimes interrelated, the subjects use language in economical ways, and several exceptions of the data.


Sea of Opportunity: The Japanese Pioneers of the Fishing Industry in Hawaii is a part historical and a part ethnographic study of Japanese fi sheries in Hawaii from the late nineteenth century to contemporary times. When Japanese fishermen arrived in Hawaii from coastal communities in Japan, mainly Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, and Wakayama, they brought fishing techniques developed in their homeland to the Hawaiian archipelago and adapted them to new circumstances. Within a short period of time, they expanded the local fi sheries into one of the pillars of HawaiiAEs economy. Unlike most of the previous works on Japanese immigrants to Hawaii, which focus on sugarcane plantations, this breakthrough book is the first comprehensive history of Japanese as fishermen. Original in its conception and research, the book begins with the early accomplishments of Japanese fishermen who advanced into foreign waters and situates their activities in the contexts of both Japan and Hawaii. Skillfully using sourcesin various languages, the author complicates the history of Japanese immigration to Hawaii by adding an obvious yet forgotten transoceanic agentufishermen. Instead of challenging the notion of a land-based history of the local Japanese people in Hawaii, Ogawa tactfully shift s the focus by showing us that one of the earliest Japanese communities was made up of fi shermen, whose preuWorld War II success was a direct result of the growing plantation communities. Sheargues that their mobility enabled fi shermen to retain homes on diff erent shores much more easily than their farmer counterparts, but the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor aff ected both groups just the same. Th e postwar efforts to reconstruct HawaiiAEs fishing industry included transformation of its ethnic environment from Japanese domination into one that was supported by multiethnic groups. The arrival of Okinawan fishermen was critical in this development and reveals a complex cultural and political relationship between Hawaii, Okinawa, and Japan. Personal interviews conducted by Ogawa give these fishermen a chance to recount their often difficult transoceanic stories in their own language. Their unflappable entrepreneurship and ability to survive in different waters and lands parallel the experiences of many immigrants to Hawaii. Ogawa reminds readers of the reality of overfishing in Hawaii and what it means to the fishing communities whose sustenance relies heavily on the sea.


This research focused on the establishment of foundational knowledge, skills and dispositions for the Flathead Watershed Educators Guide, a place-based watershed curriculum for middle school grades based on the Flathead Watershed Sourcebook. The methodology of this research was the consensus building process known as the Delphi survey. Survey participants (n=33) were chosen based on their expertise as educators, resource managers and scientists living and practicing in the Flathead Watershed in northwestern Montana, USA. Participants' responses were gathered through the threeround survey by the Montana State University (MSU) research team using MSU's online software program Desire 2 Learn (D2L), an anonymous, asynchronous platform with distance accessibility. Round One responses were gathered through the D2L discussion function so that participants could read each other's responses and reply if desired, allowing an exchange and development of ideas. Round One discussion responses were formatted into statements, which were then made available to the participants to rate through two successive rounds using 1-5 Likert scales. Of the initial 142 statements, 91 statements were retained in the final round. The 91 final statements were matched to Flathead Watershed Sourcebook contents to identify the learning objectives for the Flathead Watershed Educators Guide. The final statements listed the knowledge, skills, and dispositions survey participants felt were most important for students in the Flathead Watershed to learn. Statements showed concern for conservation and protection of the natural environment through place-based watershed education.


Software has replaced a diverse array of physical, mechanical, and electronic technologies used before 21st century to create, store, distribute and interact with cultural artifacts. It has become our interface to the world, to others, to our memory and our imagination - a universal language through which the world speaks, and a universal engine on which the world runs. What electricity and combustion engine were to the early 20th century, software is to the early 21st century. Offering the the first theoretical and historical account of software for media authoring and its effects on the practice and the very concept of 'media,' the author of The Language of New Media (2001) develops his own theory for this rapidly-growing, always-changing field.What was the thinking and motivations of people who in the 1960 and 1970s created concepts and practical techniques that underlie contemporary media software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Maya, Final Cut and After Effects? How do their interfaces and tools shape the visual aesthetics of contemporary media and design? What happens to the idea of a 'medium' after previously media-specific tools have been simulated and extended in software? Is it still meaningful to talk about different mediums at all? Lev Manovich answers these questions and supports his theoretical arguments by detailed analysis of key media applications such as Photoshop and After Effects, popular web services such as Google Earth, and the projects in motion graphics, interactive environments, graphic design and architecture. Software Takes Command is a must for all practicing designers and media artists and scholars concerned with contemporary media.


Translation ethics have been strictly defined as the practice to keep the meaning of the source text undistorted (Robinson, 2003, 25). Obviously, this notion of translation ethics is too restricted as the translator in specific cases is required to distort parts of meaning of the original text to live up to the audience expectations (Robinson, 2003, 26). Two opposing views of scholars with regard to translation ethics can clearly be identified. The first view is represented by Humboldt, for instance, who insists on the need for keeping the foreign elements found in the original text intact in the target text. Schleiermacher calls the translator to enable the target reader to hear the voice of the original writer, rather than the voices of any other party. Berman's method for preserving translation ethics is to advocate literal translation in order to respect the source text's form and content (Hermans, 2009, 97-98). The second view is held by Nord (1997) in his 'functionalist studies', which raise particular questions, such as what purpose the target text is meant to serve in the target culture and who is responsible for commissioning the translation. The present paper will argue that the translator should strike a balance between following ethical aspects of translation, especially those related to the transfer of form and content of the source text into the target language and producing a target text that can fulfil in the target language the appropriate function for which it has been produced.


Adaptive preference formation is the unconscious altering of our preferences in light of the options we have available. Jon Elster has argued that this is bad because it undermines our autonomy. I agree, but think that Elster's explanation of why is lacking. So, I draw on a richer account of autonomy to give the following answer. Preferences formed through adaptation are characterized by covert influence (that is, explanations of which an agent herself is necessarily unaware), and covert influence undermines our autonomy because it undermines the extent to which an agent's preferences are ones that she has decided upon for herself. This answer fills the lacuna in Elster's argument. It also allows us to draw a principled distinction between adaptive preference formation and the closely related – but potentially autonomy-enhancing – phenomenon of character planning.


The role and impact of killer whales Orcinus orca as predators of baleen whales has been emphasized by studies of humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae. In this study, rake marks on the fluke were used as a proxy for predatory attacks in a sample of 2909 adult humpback whales and 133 calves from 5 breeding and 2 feeding locations in the eastern South Pacific and the Antarctic Peninsula. The goal of this study was to evaluate how often, at what age, where, and when humpback whales were more susceptible to attacks. Overall, 11.5% of adults and 19.5% of calves had rake marks on their flukes. Significant differences were found in the prevalence of scars in calves when comparing breeding (9%) vs. feeding areas (34%) (χ2 = 10.23, p < 0.01). Multi-year sighting analysis of scar acquisition in 120 adults (82% site fidelity) and 37 calves in the Magellan Strait showed no new marks after the initial sighting for the subsequent 15 yr. This finding indicates that rake marks were most probably acquired when whales were calves, which supports the belief that scar acquisition is a once in a lifetime event. The odds of having rake marks increased with time but with a significantly higher rate in calves (χ2 = 5.04, p < 0.05), which suggests an increase in predation pressure over time. Our results support the earlier hypothesis that killer whale attacks occur mostly on calves, near breeding sites, and during the first migration to feeding areas.


The effect of third-order dispersion on breathing localized solutions in the quintic complex Ginzburg-Landau (CGL) equation is investigated. It is found that even small third-order dispersion can cause dramatic changes in the behavior of the solutions, such as breathing solution asymmetrically and travelling slowly towards the right for the positive third-order dispersion. A little larger third-order dispersion causes the solution breathing only on one side and the other side keeping the soliton profile. For the negative dispersion, the same results can be obtained except for the change of the traveling direction. Otherwise, we analyzed the interaction of two breathing solitons and found a simple method to inhibit this interaction.


This article critically examines the nature, role and function of official apologies with respect to conflict-related deaths in Northern Ireland. It draws on empirical research of investigations carried out by the Historical Enquiries Team (HET) in state involvement cases and in particular a sample of unpublished reports that prompted official apologies. These reports also contain individual 'perpetrator' apologies or expressions of regret. Apologies are promoted as an important transitional justice tool, and the topic has generated considerable literature. However, while that literature has touched upon the possible adverse effects of apologies, there has been less focus on examining the empirical evidence of situations where apologies have turned out to have negative effects. This article addresses aspects of this research gap through the lens of three key transitional justice themes: redress, reparation and victims' agency. Pivotal questions are raised about the value of apology to the victim on the one hand and the state on the other. The conceding or withholding of official apologies is examined: who qualifies and why, and whether certain victims are deemed 'undeserving' of an apology. The article concludes by suggesting that a pattern of official apologies without accountability and acceptance of responsibility is emerging in Northern Ireland; that official apologies can function as a way to shield state institutions, deflect further scrutiny, deny culpability, avoid effective redress and placate and silence victims. In this context historical injustice may be intensified rather than rectified, causing more harm than good, at best glossing over past wrongs and at worst facilitating impunity and re-traumatising victims.


Background: To test the effectiveness of a school-based, peer-led smoking and asthma education program, known as the Triple A (Adolescent Asthma Action) in Jordan (TAJ), with an additional class smoke-free pledge strategy (TAJ-Plus) as compared to the TAJ alone on smoking-related knowledge and perception, nicotine dependence, and asthma control in male high school students in Jordan four months post-intervention. Methods: In this cluster-randomized controlled trial, four public male high schools in Irbid, Jordan were randomly assigned to receive the TAJ-Plus (n = 215) or the TAJ (n = 218). TAJ educators were 3rd year male undergraduate nursing students (n = 9) who received training in a one-day workshop. These educators then trained senior students from the four schools to be Peer Leaders (n = 53), who then taught peers in grades 7 and 8 (n = 433). The Peer Leaders in the TAJ-Plus schools implemented the smoke-free pledge within the 7th and 8th graders, who voluntarily signed the pledge for four months. Data were collected from students in grades 7 and 8 using self-administered questionnaires at baseline and four months post-intervention. Results: Students from the TAJ-Plus group reported significant improvements in smoking-related knowledge and perception (p < 0.001) and lower nicotine dependence (p < 0.001) as compared to the TAJ group. Improvement in asthma control was greater (p = 0.03) in non-smokers versus smokers. Conclusions: Voluntary group commitment smoke-free through a pledge is feasible, and an incentive to motivate adolescents to abstain from smoking. Using social influences approaches in schools is useful in countering current aggressive tobacco marketing campaigns in Arab youth. TRN: NCT01938976


Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine similarites and differences between motion-based video games (MBVGs) and "real-life" wall/rock climbing and determine the perceived usefulness of utilizing MBVGs when trying to teach someone how to authentically wall/rock climb. A mixed-methods multi-phase intervention with two randomized groups – wall/rock climbing first (WF; n = 12) and MBVGs first (GF; n = 12) utilizing Xbox One's Kinect Sports Rivals Rock Climbing – was used. All participants had no prior climbing experience. Results indicated the participants perceived MBVGs and authentic wall/rock climbing were similar concerning climbing tactics/strategies and arm movements, but were different regarding effort and leg, finger/grip, and jumping movements. Moreover, both the MBVGs and "real-life" wall/rock climbing experiences were needed for a significant difference in the participants' perceived understanding of both the necessary motor skills and tactics/strategies needed to wall/rock climb. In sum, MBVGs may be used as a pedagogical tool to teach strategies of wall/rock climbing, particularly with beginners or those with special needs, but caution must be heeded due to perceived effort and lower extremity movement differences compared to authentic climbing.


The quality of some images might be reduced because of non-uniform illumination effect. In order to perform illumination correction, can be successfully used homomorphic filtering techniques. Most of the existing published papers on these methods for image enhancement and/or correction, are restricted to present only the qualitative aspects of this generalized technique. The aim of this article is to develop this subject by computing the appropriate filter's parameters for better monitoring of some image's quality characteristics such as the standard deviation, measured in an image region which is supposed to have a constant reflectance.


1. The effects of external conditions on embryonic development have been repeatedly examined in oviparous reptile species, but the effect of gestation conditions on offspring traits in viviparous species has rarely been examined. 2. The influence of maternal basking opportunities on gestation length and juvenile phenotype was investigated in a viviparous scincid lizard, Niveoscincus ocellatus. Females were housed under one of two experimental regimes (10 or 4 h access to basking) which reflected the natural variation in temperature, potentially one of the most important proximate sources of life-history variation. 3. Females with longer access to basking gave birth significantly earlier than those with reduced basking opportunities. Maternal access to basking significantly affected the phenotype and growth rate of her offspring. 4. Offspring born after relatively rapid development were longer, heavier and in better condition than offspring born after slower development. 5. In standard laboratory conditions, offspring born after rapid development grew more rapidly than those born after slower development, thus amplifying the difference in body size between these two groups postpartum. 6. These results suggest the existence of a strong selective pressure on female basking behaviour through the effect of the maternal environment on embryo development and offspring phenotype and highlight the role of temperature as a proximate source of variation in both the timing of reproductive events and in key life-history traits of neonates.


The purpose of this study is to examine the effect that images commonly distributed amongst modern social media sites have, on young Millennials male body-builders in Ireland. Festinger`s (1957) social comparison theory will be used to determine how can those who use photo share on-line facilities like "Instagram" can be affected. While many studies have indicated that there is correlation between body concerns amongst young females (Meier et al., 2014;Rodgers and Chabrol, 2009; Halliwell and Dittmar, 2005) via the usage of social media sites, the males audience seems to be neglected resulting in noticeable knowledge gaps, in regards to male body builders.

Moreover, `Selfie` phenomena is constantly increasing and affecting more young individuals than before. The number of new active users is constantly growing along with the number of photos that are being uploaded on-line. According to Papisova (2016) Instagram has up to 250milion #selfies up to date. Additionally, millennials seem to dominate in the 'selfie' world adding up to 55% of the total self portraits uploaded (Papisova, 2016). Pop culture along with the Hollywood cinematic characters seems to be `pumping the iron` and constantly growing in muscle shape. Ideal, muscular bodies are ubiquitous across all media which is having a dramatic effect on young men, their body image and body behaviours (Heid, 2017; Coffey, 2014).

New modern social tribes such as metrosexuality or spornosexuality (Brennan, 2007; Hall and Gough, 2011; Simpson, 2012) are being created and fed into the individuals. The need to be own perfect body hero trend just seems to be accelerating in a shocking speed. Tanning salons, gyms and body building magazines sales are peaking throughout the whole country (CSO,ie, 2017; Notaro, 2017).

As much as 500,000 Irish adults participate weekly in over 700 different gym facilities around the country (National Sports Policy Framework Public Consultation Paper, 2017). Moreover, according to Valentine (2015) as much as 850,000 Irish adults are members of gym, representing almost 22% of the total population of Ireland (Valentine, 2015).

Furthermore, according to a report by McGeown (2016) Irish customers have spent on gym and fitness related services back in 2015 over 690Milion Euro and this figure is expected to further grow up to 749milion by 2021 (McGeown, 2016). This could indicate that there is more demand for fit, perfect bodies or customers are just more body aware. Some would suggest that modern social media sites such as `Instagram` or `Facebook` could facilitate the need to look fit via the `selfies` phenomenon (Eisenberg, Wall and Neumark-Sztainer, 2012; Fardouly et al., 2015).

This dissertation is going to further evaluate if there is a problem growing in the modern Irish society or just another fashion trend is taking place, which will pass on with time.


It is often assumed that the benefit of hearing aids is not primarily reflected in better speech performance, but that it is reflected in less effortful listening in the aided than in the unaided condition. Before being able to assess such a hearing aid benefit the present study examined how processing load while listening to masked speech relates to inter-individual differences in cognitive abilities relevant for language processing. Pupil dilation was measured in thirty-two normal hearing participants while listening to sentences masked by fluctuating noise or interfering speech at either 50% and 84% intelligibility. Additionally, working memory capacity, inhibition of irrelevant information, and written text reception was tested. Pupil responses were larger during interfering speech as compared to fluctuating noise. This effect was independent of intelligibility level. Regression analysis revealed that high working memory capacity, better inhibition, and better text reception were related to better speech reception thresholds. Apart from a positive relation to speech recognition, better inhibition and better text reception are also positively related to larger pupil dilation in the single-talker masker conditions. We conclude that better cognitive abilities not only relate to better speech perception, but also partly explain higher processing load in complex listening conditions.


The effects of two pumpkin cultivars and five fungicide programs on cucurbit powdery mildew development and yield were evaluated in southern New Jersey from 2005 to 2007. Each year, five separate fungicide programs were applied to powdery mildew- tolerant cv. Magic Lantern or powdery mildew-susceptible cv. Howden pumpkin. The five fungicide programs applied season-long (10 applications per program) included: 1) protectant fungicides only: manzate + sulfur (Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC) codes M3 + M2) alternated weekly with maneb + copper hydroxide (FRAC codes M3 + M1); 2) standard program: chlorothalonil + myclobutanil (FRAC codes M5 + 3) alternated with azoxystrobin (FRAC code 11); 3) intensive program: maneb + myclobu- tanil (FRAC codes M3 + 3) alternated with (famoxadone + cymoxanil) (FRAC codes 11 + 27); 4) FRAC code 3 weekly: chlorothalonil + myclobutanil (FRAC codes M5 + 3) alternated with myclobutanil (FRAC code 3); and 5) FRAC code 11 weekly: chlorothalonil + azoxystrobin (FRAC codes M5 + 11) alternated with azoxystrobin (FRAC code 11). In each year, there were no significant interactions between the fungicide program and cultivar. In each year, area under disease progress curve values were highest when a FRAC code 11 fungicide was applied weekly compared with a FRAC code 11 fungicide applied in a weekly rotation with a FRAC code 3 fungicide or a FRAC code 3 fungicide applied weekly. Visual examination of leaves at the end of each production season revealed there were no significant differences in powdery mildew development on the top (adaxial) or bottom (abaxial) sides of leaves in untreated subplots. Powdery mildew development was lower on the bottom sides of leaves when a Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC) code 3 fungicide was applied weekly compared with a FRAC code 11 fungicide applied weekly or when a FRAC code 3 fungicide was rotated weekly with a FRAC code 11 fungicide in each year of the study. There were no significant differences in total number of harvested fruit, number of harvested orange fruit, average weight of orange fruit, or percentage of harvested orange fruit between fungicide programs in each year of the study. Results of this study, based on arcsine-transformed area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) values and top and bottom leaf surface ratings, suggest that the weekly use of the FRAC code 11 fungicide lead to the development of practical resistance in the field population of cucurbit powdery mildew. Rotating a FRAC code 11 and FRAC code 3 fungicide weekly resulted in lower AUDPC values and powdery mildew development on the bottom side of leaves in 2 of 3 years of this study. However, based on AUPDC values and leaf rating values, the level of control obtained with the high-risk FRAC code 3 fungicide was less during each consecutive year. The immediate erosion of control (i.e., qualitative resistance) as observed with the FRAC code 11 fungicide or the gradual decline of control (quantitative resistance) as observed with the FRAC code 3 fungicide over three growing seasons shows the importance of being able to detect and understand the mechanisms of practical resistance development. This understanding will allow appro- priate fungicide control recommendations to be made in a timely (i.e., real-time) manner. Importantly, fungicide resistance is most likely to develop on the bottom side (abaxial) of pumpkin leaves when effective, low-risk (nonmobile) fungicides (FRAC code M numbers) are tank-mixed with high-risk fungicides in cucurbit powdery mildew control programs. Tank-mixing fungicides that have a high risk for resistance development with protectant fungicides that have a low risk for resistance development remains critically important when controlling cucurbit powdery mildew and reducing the potential for fungicide resistance development. This is the first report of cucurbit powdery mildew developing practical resistance to a FRAC code 11 and FRAC code 3 fungicide in New Jersey.


Joint replacement surgery has revolutionised the management of degenerative joint disease. Increasing demand for surgery and post-surgical reviews has overwhelmed orthopaedic services and, consequently, many centres have reduced or stopped follow-up. Such disinvestment is without an evidence base and raises questions regarding the consequences to patients.

 To produce evidence- and consensus-based recommendations as to how, when and on whom follow-up should be conducted. Our research question was 'Is it safe to disinvest in mid- to late-term follow-up of hip and knee replacement?'.

 The study comprised three complementary evidence synthesis work packages to inform a final consensus process. Work package 1 was a systematic review of the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness literature. Work package 2 used routine national data sets (i.e. the Clinical Practice Research Datalink–Hospital Episode Statistics, Hospital Episode Statistics–National Joint Registry–patient-reported outcome measures) to identify pre, peri and postoperative predictors of mid- to late-term revision, and prospective data from 560 patients to understand how patients present for revision surgery. Work package 3 used a Markov model to simulate the survival, health-related quality of life and NHS costs of patients following hip or knee replacement surgery. Finally, evidence from work packages 1–3 informed a face-to-face consensus panel, which involved 32 stakeholders.

 Our overarching statements are as follows: (1) these recommendations apply to post primary hip and knee replacement follow-up; (2) the 10-year time point in these recommendations is based on a lack of robust evidence beyond 10 years; and (3) in these recommendations, the term 'complex cases' refers to individual patient and surgical factors that may increase the risk of replacement failure. Our recommendations are as follows: for Orthopaedic Data Evaluation Panel 10A* (ODEP-10A*) minimum implants, it is safe to disinvest in routine follow-up from 1 to 10 years post non-complex hip and knee replacement provided that there is rapid access to orthopaedic review; (2) for ODEP-10A* minimum implants in complex cases or non-ODEP-10A* minimum implants, periodic follow-up post hip and knee replacement may be required from 1 to 10 years; (3) at 10 years post hip and knee replacement, clinical and radiographic evaluation is recommended; and (4) after 10 years post hip and knee replacement, frequency of further follow-up should be based on the 10-year assessment (note that ongoing rapid access to orthopaedic review is still required) [Stone M, Smith L, Kingsbury S, Czoski-Murray C, Judge A, Pinedo-Villanueva R, et al. Evidence-based follow-up recommendations following primary hip and knee arthroplasty (UK SAFE). Orthop Proc 2020;102–B:13. https://doi.org/10.1302/1358-992X.2020.5.013].

 The current absence of data beyond 10 years restricted the evidence base.

 For ODEP-10A* prostheses, the UK SAFE programme demonstrated that it is safe to disinvest in routine follow-up in the 1- to 10-year period after non-complex hip and knee replacement. At 10 years, clinical and radiographic review is recommended. Complex cases, implants not meeting the 10A* criteria and follow-up after revision surgery are not covered by this recommendation.

 The evidence base for follow-up after 10 years requires further evaluation. Further work should establish the most clinically effective and cost-effective model of delivering a rapid access service and evaluate alternative models for follow-up services, such as virtual clinics. Finally, the needs and outcomes of patients who are symptomatic but do not have appropriate follow-up should be investigated.

 This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42017053017.

 This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme and will be published in full in Health and Social Care Delivery Research; Vol. 10, No. 16. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.


This book explores the importance of strategy and how to make it work in an environment characterised by constant change. With a specific focus on the Asia Pacific region, anticipated to become the epicentre of global economic activity, it offers insights into the optimisation of economic potential and social cohesion enabled by leaders, which is crucial to the global economy and living standards. It highlights sound foresight, strategic thinking and innovation as the critical underpinnings of successful business and provides a comprehensive guide to combining practice and theory to ensure successful strategies, from formulation to execution.

The book also builds on the concepts of change, the purpose of business, foresight, strategic thinking, strategic planning and innovation to present a holistic view of how these essential elements can be integrated in practice. Combined with a special contribution by Chaly Mah, the CEO of Deloitte Asia Pacific, the book carefully balances professional and academic insights to optimally benefit its readers and will be of interest to industry practitioners, researchers and students alike.


The widespread application of e-learning in traditional learning contexts can be justified only if it offers results that are better than those previously achieved. Research into the academic use of social networks has focused on a range of fields including learner motivation and sense of community. This area of study seeks to disprove the negative ideas inherent in such networks and create communication spaces similar to those provided by existing social networking sites, but with the fundamental objectives of education and teaching. The pedagogical value of this tool is analyzed and evaluated for the purpose of improving the new didactic methods used in the classroom through incorporating communication means that are more familiar to students. We created a social network on the online platform Ning, which enabled us to create a personalized social network for the course 'Translation 6: Legal, Economic, and Commercial (English into Spanish)'. Our analysis of the users' interactions with the platform revealed high participation and numerous visits to the social network. On average, the students accessed the site once or twice daily to communicate with their teacher or classmates about the coursework or to reference available materials, among other activities.


When a person should begin taking Social Security retirement benefits is a critical question for planning one's retirement. This article explains the various factors at play in determining the optimum starting point, including: longevity considerations; spousal implications, whether for a previously employed or a previously unemployed spouse; the impact of post-retirement employment; the availability of health insurance prior to Medicare eligibility for the worker and the worker's spouse; alternative sources of retirement income, including distributions from retirement savings plan assets and lifetime liquidation of nonretirement assets (and the pertinent income tax ramifications); and anticipated investment strategies.


A new S-band erbium-doped fiber amplifier module with a double-pass configuration based on two circulators has been designed and constructed. The bending losses of a depressed-cladding doped fiber have been exploited to suppress the amplified spontaneous emission in the C band. The experimental characterization of the double-pass amplifier has shown that significant advantages can be obtained with respect to the single-pass configuration.


Globalization is often described as the spread of western culture to other parts of the world. How accurate is the depiction of 'cultural flow'? In Counterworks, ten anthropologists examine the ways in which global processes have affected particular localities where they have carried out research. They challenge the validity of anthropological concepts of culture in the light of the pervasive connections which exist between local and global factors everywhere. Rather than assuming that the world is culturally diverse, this book proposes that culture is itself a representation of the similarities and difference recognized between forms of social life. The authors address issues of globalization in terms of diverse histories and traditions of knowledge, which may include the construction of difference as cultural. In its attention to specific local situations, such as Bali, Cuba, Bolivia, Greece, Kenya, and the Maoris in New Zealand, Counterworks argues that the apparent oppositoin between strong westernizing, global forces and weak concept of culture, which supposes cultures to be integrated and possessed of essential properties, needs rethinking in a contemporary world where a marked sense of culture has become a wide-spread property of people's social knowledge. The book will have wide appeal to anthropologists, to students of comparative studies in history, religion and language, and to anyone interested in the phenomenon of postmodernism.


In marked contrast to other regimes that have, virtually overnight, abandoned state control of enterprises and espoused Western models of corporate governance, China has pursued a gradual transition suited to its own unique traditions, culture, and customs. Although this new corporate system is still evolving, it is clear that China is now ready for a nation-wide movement of corporatisation and reform. "Comparative Corporate Governance" draws on the entire corpus of corporate governance theory, both East and West, and also on the experience of many countries since the 1930s, to develop a coherent model appropriate for China. In the process the author shows how various corporate mechanisms have been tentatively introduced into China's state-owned enterprises and how such experimentation has, piece by piece, provided a firm basis for a modern enterprise system. How to build an efficient and culturally appropriate governance system, both in law and in practice, on this foundation is the focus of this book. The analysis is notable for its insistence that, for a corporate governance system to work, the principles and practicalities of that system must be derived from customary cultural norms. Experience shows that imported models, although they may be enshrined in law, lead to economic stagnation unless actual practice is monitored and reformed and the laws change to reflect these necessary adjustments. Thus the model proposed here begins with the Company Law of 1994, and proceeds to show how practical experience is already providing valuable data for the task of improving the law. This process, by which law and business practice continue to "regulate" each other, is, in the author's view, the essential ingredient of a successful corporate system. The author's approach is fundamentally comparative. He discusses and analyses models that have either created globally powerful corporate economies or carried out reforms that have brought new insights to corporate development. In this connection he examines the law and experience of the UK, the USA, Germany, and Japan, as well as Chinese communities overseas and some former British Commonwealth countries.


Objective. There are indications that perilesional and remote peripheral motor axons may degenerate after spinal cord injury (SCI). The authors investigated the magnitude and dependence on severity of SCI of this degeneration as well as whether motor axons so affected can recover. Methods. The function of the peripheral motor axons was investigated by recording compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) in 345 patients with cervical SCI. CMAP amplitude changes in the abductor digiti minimi (ADM) and abductor hallucis (AH) muscles were investigated in 3 groups with SCIs of differing severity: patients with permanent complete SCI (ASIA Impairment Scale [AIS] A-remain), patients with initially complete SCI converting to incomplete lesion (AIS A-convert), and patients with incomplete injury (Incomplete). Results. Significant decreases in ADM and AH CMAP amplitudes were found in groups A-remain and A-convert. In group A-remain and group A-convert, the authors found a partial, although significant, recovery of ADM CMAP amplitude occurring between 5 and 12 months postinjury. In group A-remain, they found significant recovery of the AH CMAP amplitude. Conclusion . Following SCI, peripheral motor axons below the level of the lesion exhibit severe degeneration. There is partial, although significant, recovery of CMAP during the second half year following SCI. The observed motor axon dysfunction is likely a result of transsynaptic degeneration. The peripheral motor axon dysfunction observed after SCI is of sufficient magnitude that it may affect muscle power and thus contribute to impairment of recovery of functional activities in patients with SCI.


The efficacy of soil solarization in combination with Trichoderma spp. (S+Tr), dazomet (S+D 300, 400 and 500 kg ha-1 of dosages) and fresh chicken manure (S+CM 12.5 t ha-1) as methyl bromide (MB) alternatives against root-knot nematodes on pepper cultivars was investigated in plastic greenhouses in the eastern Mediterranean Region of Turkey. Soil solarization for 6 weeks increased soil temperature by 8.4 and 7.8 °C at 10 cm soil depth in 2000 and 2001, respectively. Second stage juvenile (J2) populations of M. incognita were efficiently reduced by S + Tr, S + D300, S + D400, S + D500, S + CM, and MB treatments until May 16 in both the first and second years. However, J2 population began to increase after February in untreated control plots. Root gall indices were low (0.7 to 1.9) in all treatments except untreated control where gall index was approximately 6 (0 to 10 galling index scale). All the alternative treatments to MB effectively suppressed the damage of root-knot nematodes during the entire vegetation period. Yield values were not significantly different between alternative treatments and MB in the experiments.


Real estate ownership is conventionally viewed as a clear matter of public record. Yet purchasers of real estate are increasingly employing legal techniques to preserve their anonymity by registering their properties through trustees or opaque shell companies. This turn of events calls for delineating the appropriate boundaries of secrecy in property.The Article identifies primary contexts in which the issue of secrecy comes up in the law, including in financial and proprietary settings, such as secret trusts or undisclosed accumulation of shares in public corporations. It then underscores the unique features of secrecy in real estate. It offers an innovative analysis of the ways in which anonymous property holdings might generate externalities for various types of stakeholders, from central and local governments up to neighboring property owners in both their individual and collective capacities, such as in a homeowner association. The analysis establishes normative criteria for requiring property owners to disclose relevant details. It calls, however, to distinguish between a duty to provide information and the operative results of such disclosure in regard to interested parties' capacity to act on such information.This Article argues that, somewhat counter-intuitively, an elaborate discussion of the proper limits to the interest in secrecy would challenge prevailing forms of exclusion and other types of defensive or offensive tactics against "unwelcomed neighbors," whenever such practices have no normative merit. The discourse on secret real estate holdings would therefore shed broader light on the underlying societal features of ownership.


All eukaryotic cells rely on the active self-organization of protein filaments to form a responsive intracellular cytoskeleton. The necessity of motility and reaction to stimuli additionally requires pathways that quickly and reversibly change cytoskeletal organization. While thermally driven order-disorder transitions are, from the viewpoint of physics, the most obvious method for controlling states of organization, the timescales necessary for effective cellular dynamics would require temperatures exceeding the physiologically viable temperature range. We report a mechanism whereby the molecular motor myosin II can cause near-instantaneous order-disorder transitions in reconstituted cytoskeletal actin solutions. When motor-induced filament sliding diminishes, the actin network structure rapidly and reversibly self-organizes into various assemblies. Addition of stable cross linkers was found to alter the architectures of ordered assemblies. These isothermal transitions between dynamic disorder and self-assembled ordered states illustrate that the interplay between passive crosslinking and molecular motor activity plays a substantial role in dynamic cellular organization.


Few-shot learning is a nascent research topic, motivated by the fact that traditional deep learning requires tremendous amounts of data. In this work, we propose a new task along this research direction, we call few-shot common-localization. Given a few weakly-supervised support images, we aim to localize the common object in the query image without any box annotation. This task differs from standard few-shot settings, since we aim to address the localization problem, rather than the global classification problem. To tackle this new problem, we propose a network that aims to get the most out of the support and query images. To that end, we introduce a spatial similarity module that searches the spatial commonality among the given images. We furthermore introduce a feature reweighting module to balance the influence of different support images through graph convolutional networks. To evaluate few-shot common-localization, we repurpose and reorganize the well-known Pascal VOC and MS-COCO datasets, as well as a video dataset from ImageNet VID. Experiments on the new settings for few-shot common-localization shows the importance of searching for spatial similarity and feature reweighting, outperforming baselines from related tasks.