Open data and its effects on society are always woven into infrastructural legacies, social relations, and the political economy. This raises questions about how our understanding and engagement with open data shifts when we focus on its situated use.
 To shed a light on these questions,
 Situating Open Data provides several empirical accounts of open data practices, the local implementation of global initiatives, and the development of new open data ecosystems. Drawing on case studies in different countries and contexts, the chapters demonstrate the practices and actors involved in open government data initiatives unfolding within different socio-political settings.
 The book proposes three recommendations for researchers, policy-makers and practitioners. First, beyond upskilling through data literacy programmes, open data initiatives should be specified through the kinds of data practices and effects they generate. Second, global visions of open data implementation require more studies of the resonances and tensions created in localised initiatives. And third, research into open data ecosystems requires more attention to the histories and legacies of information infrastructures and how these shape who benefits from open data flows.
 As such, this volume departs from the framing of data as a resource to be deployed. Instead, it proposes a prism of different data practices in different contexts through which to study the social relations, capacities, infrastructural histories and power structures affecting open data initiatives. It is hoped that the contributions collected in
 Situating Open Data will spark critical reflection about the way open data is locally practiced and implemented. The contributions should be of interest to open data researchers, advocates, and those in or advising government administrations designing and rolling out effective open data initiatives.


As part of their efforts to provide library services to distance learners, the Florida Distance Learning Reference and Referral Center (RRC) librarians offer real-time online library instruction using a chat room as a virtual classroom. RRC librarians share their experiences with online instruction, pointing out some considerations that should be made when preparing an online library workshop, and some of the challenges that they have faced in their endeavor. According to the ACRL Guidelines for Distance Learning Library Services, "The instilling of lifelong learning skills through information literacy instruction in academic libraries [...] is of equal necessity for the distance learning community as it is for those on the traditional campus."[1] If librarians are responsible for the information literacy training of distance learners, how will they reach this geographically diverse community? Students who take online classes sometimes live far from their school. They may do their research entirely online or they may rely on the resources available at libraries near their home. The librarians at the RRC provide reference and instruction to students enrolled in distance learning courses, and they face the challenge of providing bibliographic instruction to students who never meet in a physical classroom, students who may never step foot inside their library. In order to meet the instructional needs of students in online classes, this group of librarians recreates a traditional in-person research skills training session in a chat environment. * Introduction to the RRC The RRC provides library and research support services to students enrolled in distance learning courses at seventy-three regionally accredited, Florida-based colleges and universities. The RRC is part of the Florida Distance Learning Library Initiative (DLLI). DLLI is a state-funded project created to support the research needs of distance learners throughout the state by providing reciprocal borrowing privileges, an interlibrary loan courier system, electronic databases, and reference and instruction assistance. The RRC supports distance learning students and faculty at Florida's ten state universities, twenty-eight community colleges, and thirty-five independent academic institutions. Physically located in the Tampa Campus Library at the University of South Florida, the RRC is open seven days a week, five of those days until 1 A.M. Five professional librarians and three graduate assistants (from USF's School of Library and Information Science) staff the office. These librarians and graduate assistants work flexible hours, including nights and weekends, in order to meet the needs of Florida's distance learners. * RRC Services The RRC provides a variety of services to both distance learning students and faculty. The services available to students include ready reference assistance and in-depth research advice, including assistance with selecting and searching various library and Web resources. The staff also provides basic technical help with accessing proprietary resources remotely, especially with patron authentication and the use of proxy servers. Another function of the RRC is to provide referrals to students' home or local libraries and the services that can help them conduct library research from a distance. Distance learning faculty are eligible for all of the reference services offered to students, and they can also take advantage of some additional instructional services that benefit their students. These additional services include on-site, online, or broadcast library instruction sessions, course-specific Web pages that highlight appropriate research resources for their class, and brochures and print handouts describing the library services available to their students. * Use of Chat Software The RRC provides most of its reference services virtually, with patrons contacting the center by toll-free phone, Web forms, and e-mail. …


This article focuses on globalisation in Nordic curriculum theory by investigating the issue of space. It puts forward an increased interest in the practical levels of schooling and argues that globalisation should be investigated not only as a policy phenomenon but also as instructional matter in different contexts. It presents two perspectives of space, a container and a relational perspective. A distinction between the two perspectives contributes to an understanding of how the world is constructed at different levels of curriculum. The article tests its argument with an explorative social studies and citizenship textbook study in the national contexts of Sweden, England and Germany. It can be shown that all cases differ in their portrayals of globalisation and in the constructions of space-related issues.


We have examined the microstructural evolution of a two-phase composite (olivine + Fe-Ni-S) during large shear deformation, using a newly developed high-pressure X-ray tomography microscope. Two samples were examined: a load-bearing framework–type texture, where the alloy phase (Fe-Ni-S) was present as isolated spherical inclusions, and an interconnected network–type texture, where the alloy phase was concentrated along the silicate grain boundaries and tended to form an interconnected network. The samples, both containing ∼10 vol% alloy inclusions, were compressed to 6 GPa, followed by shear deformation at temperatures up to 800 K. Shear strains were introduced by twisting the samples at high pressure and high temperature. At each imposed shear strain, samples were cooled to ambient temperature and tomographic images collected. The three-dimensional tomographic images were analyzed for textural evolution. We found that in both samples, Fe-Ni-S, which is the weaker phase in the composite, underwent significant deformation. The resulting lens-shaped alloy phase is subparallel to the shear plane and has a laminated, highly anisotropic interconnected weak layer texture. Scanning electron microscopy showed that many alloy inclusions became film-like, with thicknesses <1 μm, suggesting that Fe-Ni-S was highly mobile under nonhydrostatic stress, migrated into silicate grain boundaries, and propagated in a manner similar to melt inclusions in a deforming solid matrix. The grain size of the silicate matrix was significantly reduced under large strain deformation. The strong shape-preferred orientation thus developed can profoundly influence a composite's bulk elastic and rheological properties. High-pressure–high temperature tomography not only provides quantitative observations on textural evolution, but also can be compared with simulation results to derive more rigorous models of the mechanical properties of composite materials relevant to Earth's deep mantle.


Ca10(Pt3As8)(Fe2As2)5 is the parent compound for a class of Fe-based high-temperature superconductors where superconductivity with transition temperatures up to 30 K can be introduced by partial element substitution. We present a combined high-resolution high-energy x-ray diffraction and elastic neutron scattering study on a Ca10(Pt3As8)(Fe2As2)5 single crystal. This study reveals the microscopic nature of two distinct and continuous phase transitions to be very similar to other Fe-based high-temperature superconductors: an orthorhombic distortion of the high-temperature tetragonal Fe-As lattice below T_S = 110(2) K followed by stripe-like antiferromagnetic ordering of the Fe moments below T_N = 96(2) K. These findings demonstrate that major features of the Fe-based high-temperature superconductors are very robust against variations in chemical constitution as well as structural imperfection of the layers separating the Fe-As layers from each other and confirms that the Fe-As layers primarily determine the physics in this class of material.


There are parallels in discussions about monuments in Ukraine and the USA. The reminder of the Soviet past (or in the American context, of the Confederacy) is an abject that is difficult to assimilate. On the one hand, the abject is our unwillingness to see the past and accept it; on the other hand, for those who associate themselves with this past, this is the threat of castration because through the negation of a given past a certain group is cast out from the space of representation. That is why it is questionable whether a monument can be inclusive at all. Which memory does the monument recall? Which past is castrated when a new monument is built? Which groups are fighting for recognition and representation? Which groups lose this right? These questions confront researchers and memory workers and are discussed in this essay.


Previous proposals for soft-error tolerance have called for redundantly executing a program as two concurrent threads on a superscalar microarchitecture. In a balanced superscalar design, the extra workload from redundant execution induces a severe performance penalty due to increased contention for resources throughout the datapath. This paper identifies and analyzes four key factors that affect the performance of redundant execution, namely 1) issue bandwidth and functional unit contention, 2) issue queue and reorder buffer capacity contention, 3) decode and retirement bandwidth contention, and 4) coupling between redundant threads' dynamic resource requirements. Based on this analysis, we propose the SHREC microarchitecture for asymmetric and staggered redundant execution. This microarchitecture addresses the four factors in an integrated design without requiring prohibitive additional hardware resources. In comparison to conventional single-threaded execution on a state-of-the-art superscalar microarchitecture with comparable cost, SHREC reduces the average performance penalty to within 4% on integer and 15% on floating-point SPEC2K benchmarks by sharing resources more efficiently between the redundant threads.


One of the greatest problems of telecommunications services is the high occupancy of the radio spectrum with high power signals outside the band of interest of a particular communications system. These out of band signals can generate interference in the own system, reducing its performance, especially reducing the dynamic range of the receivers, which ends out limiting the length of the possible link. If out of band signals can be and are filtered in the early stages of the receiver, sharing the antenna with the transmitter that works with high power signals can generate intermodulation products that can be in the reception band of our system if the antenna itself or the early stages of filtering are not completely linear, although they are passive components. On the other hand, high spectrum occupancy and the amount of services that must coexist forces to set tight restrictions on the transmission of out of band signals in a specific service. These out of band transmissions, may be due to different factors such as: a poor filtering of the modulated signal, or the creation of harmonic and intermodulation products from active and passive components in the transmission chain. The generated components by the active components of the transmitter can be filtered, but not the ones generated by the filters themselves or the antenna itself. Therefore the study of passive intermodulation (PIM) is becoming more important and the linearity requirements of passive components are becoming stronger. This final degree thesis proposes the creation of a measures system of PIM in passive RF components based on the cancellation of the high power signals that affect the device to be measured before they are measured by the spectrum analyzer. This system is complex and allows various configurations so it has also been designed an emulator in order to try different measurement system settings, to obtain the optimum configuration, and implement it without engaging the integrity of the different elements of the system. Specifically we will take special care of the power amplifiers and the spectrum analyzer, because a misuse of the system could result in burning these elements by an uncontrolled high power input.


Geoarchaeological analysis of ancient harbor deposits has answered questions regarding the timing and extent of the destruction of the harbor at Caesarea Maritima built by Herod the Great on Israel's Mediterranean coast. By using stratigraphic, micropaleontological (foraminifera), and geochemical (Sr isotopes) analyses of the ancient harbor deposits we can establish a late first to early second century A.D. date for the destruction of the harbor. This destruction occurred earlier, was more rapid and widespread than previously proposed, and was probably caused by seismic activity. The new excavations also indicate that during the fourth to early sixth centuries A.D., geomorphological processes and siltation within the inner harbor allowed this area to be used in a limited capacity as a harbor.


This document deals with the design and implementation of a resonant gate-drive circuit capable of high frequency and high efficiency operation. This gate-drive circuit is characterized by a resonant inductor connected in series with the gate terminal of a driven MOSFET, forming a series resonant circuit, which enables to charge or discharge the gate to source input capacitance of the transistor with low power consumption.
This circuit aims to be applied in high frequency inverters used in power systems for wireless power transmission. More specifically, the first goal is to make a particular transistor switch at 1MHz. The used transistor must be able to conduct a current on the order of 15.5A, and to be biased with 387V.
Experimentation is carried out without any power circuit connected to the grate-drive circuit, and shorting the drain and source terminals of the driven MOSFET, obtaining satisfactory results of the switching operation at frequencies above 1MHz.
Due to its adequacy with regard to electric vehicle chargers, mentioned wireless power transmission systems consist in magnetic resonance coupling. In this type of circuits, achieving size and weight reductions require high frequency operation, and that is the reason why the Industry-Science-Medical (ISM) frequency band is one of the candidates for this application, in terms of respecting the Standard and improving the size and weight of the circuits. Hence, the final goal of these wireless EV chargers is to operate at a frequency of 13.56MHz.
Using conventional silicon power transistors with a large input capacitance makes difficult achieving that frequency operation, especially when dealing with several kilowatts of power. However, certain frequency multiplying circuits have the capability of achieve high frequencies at the output thanks to an operation combining a multi-phase inverter and a multi-core transformer. The number of phases is equal to the factor of multiplication, so that a frequency of 13.56MHz could be achieved, for example, using five phases and an input frequency of 2.712MHz.
Accordingly, this document also includes considerations about how to reduce the power consumption and how to reach a correct switching operation at a frequency of 2.712MHz


Private sector employers continue to resist employing nationals despite the nationalization strategies implemented by the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) to increase national labor participation. The paper explores private sector employers' resistance in the GCC to employ nationals by reviewing current literature review. The resistance is evident through the literature review explored in GCC countries like Oman, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The resistance of private sector employers merits further investigation as private sector employers play a crucial role in nationalization strategies implementation. The literature review reveals a need to address change processes directed to overcoming the resistance by private sector employers. The paper explores private sector employers' view towards national labour participation, specifically in the Kingdom of Bahrain owing to the lack of published research about Bahrain national participation in the labour market "Bahrainization". The study is conducted through a qualitative methodology of conducting semi-structured interviews with private sector managers and government officials. The data reveals that the lack of co-ordination with education and training with labour market needs does not form nationals as employees of choice in Bahrain.


The accelerated development of electronic land information systems in our cities cre- ates opportunities for important improvements in land management and community development. However, "decision support tools" are needed to assure that new data are effectively acted on. These tools transform raw data into accessible information displays designed to inform specific actions by private, nonprofit and government actors, and may range from simple web tables to more complex analytic processes. This paper reviews early experiences in developing such tools in five cities (as part of a Brookings Urban Markets Initiative pilot project) and concludes that they have great promise. The choice of tools will depend on local market conditions, but in all areas, they can help in: (1) assessing trends and need for intervention; (2) deciding on the appropriate interventions for individual properties; and (3) program monitoring and coordination. Ideas are offered as to how local leaders can create an environment conducive to capitalizing on the potential of these tools and avoiding risks that could hinder their effective use.


An analysis was made of the loss of life directly caused by hurricane Harvey. Information was collected for 70 fatalities that occurred directly due to the event. Most of the fatalities occurred in the greater Houston area, which was most severely affected by extreme rainfall and heavy flooding. The majority of fatalities in this area were recovered outside the designated 100 and 500 year flood zones. Most fatalities occurred due to drowning (81 %), particularly in and around vehicles. Males and people over 50 years old were overrepresented.


This paper aims at characterizing poverty and vulnerability in Haiti based on a unique survey conducted in 2007 in rural areas. Using two-level modelling of consumption/income, we assess the impact of both observable and unobservable idiosyncratic and covariate shocks on households' economic well-being. Empirical findings show that idiosyncratic shocks, in particular health-related shocks, have larger impact on vulnerability to poverty than covariate shocks. These results are in line with the fact that many households reported idiosyncratic health shocks as being the worst shocks they experienced. Also, unobservable idiosyncratic shocks appear to have generally more influence on households' vulnerability than unobservable covariate shocks. Geographic disparities exist and should be considered for policy and program implementation purposes.


Three frequent problems of daily medical practice are analyzed: (1) a physician's perceived obligation to provide medical services regardless of whether one's health care institution provides monetary compensation for the medical act, (2) increasing pressures to obtain informed consent in a national context where paternalistic physician-patient interactions have been customary, and (3) a physician's professional responsibility to offer internationally recognized standard of care even if this means allocating expensive tertiary healthcare resources to a small number of patients in spite of one's knowledge that national governments are unable to provide primary care to millions of their citizens. These problems are discussed from the point of view of the ethical principle of respect for patient autonomy. Potential limiting factors (cultural, financial, religious or disease-related influences) on autonomy of patients and doctors are identified. The functions of patient autonomy in the framework of four different patient-doctor interaction models (paternalist, informative, interpretative and deliberatibe) are described. Physician leaders, health care institutions, and professional organizations are responsible for creating an environment in which doctors can discuss ethical issues as comfortably and as frequently as they discuss biological matters. Health care providers should do their best to recover the human side of medical practice which, undoubtedly, would create a greater likelihood that appropriate decisions will be made when facing complex ethical dilemmas.


In spite of the Supreme Court's decisions in Ford v. Wainwright (1986), Atkins v. Virginia (2002), and Hall v. Florida (2014), persons with severe psychosocial and intellectual disabilities continue to be given death sentences, in some cases leading to actual execution. Although the courts have been aware of this for decades -- dating back at least to the infamous Ricky Rector case in Arkansas -- these base miscarriages of justice continue and show no sign of abating. Scholars have written clearly and pointedly on this issue (certainly, more frequently since the Atkins decision in 2002), but little has changed.I contend that there are multiple overlapping reasons for this reality: 1. Ongoing prosecutorial misconduct, aided and abetted sometimes by explicit judicial bias, but more often, by what I call passive judicial complicity. 2. Explicit juror bias, what I call sanism, in individual cases. 3. The consistently pretextual positions of four current Supreme Court judges in all matters dealing with the overlap between mental disability and criminal behavior. 4. Lack of availability of trained counsel -- from the first stages of the lawyer-client relationship -- that can accurately identify mental disability, and then (a) strategically plan mental disability-based defenses and/or mitigation strategies, and (b) engage appropriate experts to assist in trial preparation and trial, a problem magnified by Murray v. Giarratano, holding that there is no constitutional right to collateral review or to the assistance of counsel in collateral proceedings. 5. The lower courts' penurious interpretations of Ake v. Oklahoma in cases involving defendants with intellectual disabilities or severe neurological disorders.In this paper, I will assess why we blind ourselves to this reality, and how this reality mocks any possibility that the death penalty can ever be administered in a "fair" way. I will also examine these issues through the lens of therapeutic jurisprudence and will conclude that our current system utterly rejects the bedrock principles of that school of jurisprudence -- voice, validation and voluntariness -- in ways that contribute to true mockeries of justice.


Maine has the distinction of being a beautiful state defined by natural forests, crystal-clear lakes, and a landscape unblemished by the usual marks of the densely populated regions of the U.S. The downside to this rural beauty is the remoteness of the sparsely populated communities which present challenges to residents who are unable to drive themselves to procure basic services because of physical, legal, or economic conditions. Many rural residents are unable to rely on personally-owned, single driver vehicles. According to the Maine Department of Transportation Bureau of Planning (2013), the Eastern Maine region has an estimated unmet need (number of trips needed compared to available services) of 75% (Penobscot County) and 84% (Piscataquis County). The recent reduction in the cost of gasoline has made travel more affordable, but the reality is that many can't afford the purchase price tag, insurance, and/or maintenance costs to keep their vehicle on the road. The funding trends at the state and local levels will not support an expansion of public transportation to bring rural residents to hub centers for social services, healthcare, school, employment or other destination points. As noted in the Maine Department of Transportation Final Strategic Plan 2025 (2015, p. 13), federal funding in rural regions has remained at 2012 levels, and there is little local funding support for rural transit systems operating outside the more urban cities of Bangor and Ellsworth. A review of the literature on transportation challenges and barriers, particularly in respect to the sparsely populated region of Eastern Maine, provided the basis for this grounded theory qualitative study. A series of thirteen interviews were performed with study participants living in Eastern Maine who were characterized by one or more of the following traits: Low-income; elderly; medically restricted; student; and commuting worker. The results of the study provide insight into factors contributing to the gap, and whether a transportation management association (TMA) and rideshare boards represent reasonable solutions. The study also suggests methods to encourage use of alternative solutions to get Eastern Maine residents to their destinations.


The margin of victory of an election is a useful measure to capture the robustness of an election outcome. It also plays a crucial role in determining the sample size of various algorithms in post election audit, polling etc. In this work, we present efficient sampling based algorithms for estimating the margin of victory of elections. More formally, we introduce the (c, e, δ)-MARGIN OF VICTORY problem, where given an election e on n voters, the goal is to estimate the margin of victory M(e) of e within an additive factor of cM(e)+en. We study the (c, e, δ)-MARGIN OF VICTORY problem for many commonly used voting rules including scoring rules, approval, Bucklin, maximin, and Copelandα: We observe that even for the voting rules for which computing the margin of victory is NP-Hard, there may exist efficient sampling based algorithms, as observed in the cases of maximin and Copelandα voting rules.


Here I investigate the possibility of a phenomenological approach to Christianity, with the understanding that this would not be a matter of proposing an interpretation, but that such an "approach" would be able to lead directly to the heart of Christianity. I will say immediately that a phenomenology that would be able to undertake such a task is not the historical phenomenology that was born with Husserl. Only an ideal phenomenology that would become what is required would be able to respond to our investigation. This ideal phenomenology is a phenomenology of life.


The discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells changed the field of regenerative medicine and inspired the technological development of direct reprogramming or the process by which one cell type is directly converted into another without reverting a stem cell state by overexpressing lineage-specific factors. Indeed, direct reprogramming has proven sufficient in yielding a diverse range of cell types from fibroblasts, including neurons, cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, and hepatocytes. These studies revealed that somatic cells are more plastic than anticipated, and that transcription factors, microRNAs, epigenetic factors, secreted molecules, as well as the cellular microenvironment are all important for cell fate specification. With respect to the field of cardiology, the cardiac reprogramming presents as a novel method to regenerate damaged myocardium by directly converting endogenous cardiac fibroblasts into induced cardiomyocyte-like cells in situ. The first in vivo cardiac reprogramming reports were promising to repair infarcted hearts; however, the low induction efficiency of fully reprogrammed, functional induced cardiomyocyte-like cells has become a major challenge and hampered our understanding of the reprogramming process. Nevertheless, recent studies have identified several critical factors that may affect the efficiency and quality of cardiac induction and have provided new insights into the mechanisms of cardiac reprogramming. Here, we review the progress in direct reprogramming research and discuss the perspectives and challenges of this nascent technology in basic biology and clinical applications.


Retinopathy is a common cause of blindness in all age groups. There are 15 million people in the United States with age-related macular degeneration (AMD)—20% of those aged 65 to 74 years and 30% aged 74 years—and 1.6 million of those have neovascular (wet) AMD. In the working age population there are 20 million ( 7% of the population) with diabetes, and 50% of patients with diabetes mellitus have diabetic retinopathy (DR) after 25 years. In children, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a major cause of vision loss. Approximately 460,000 (11%) of infants per year are born prematurely, and there are 2000 infants per year with severe ROP, even with treatment. There is a high impact of blindness in children (0–70 years). Although fewer children are affected by retinal neovascularization than adults, ROP offers a window into understanding the pathophysiology of retinopathy. The study of ROP has helped to develop nondestructive therapy for retinopathy. Research in ROP is easier in theory than that in DR or AMD, as there are clear and distinct comparisons to be made: normal in utero development versus development after premature birth. If we understand what factors change between the in utero retina where vascularization proceeds normally without retinopathy and the retina of infants born prematurely, then we may better understand normal vascular development, vessel loss, vessel repair, and neovascularization. ROP occurs over a much shorter time line ( 10–20 weeks) than does DR or AMD. ROP and other ocular diseases with pathologic neovascularization have two phases. The first phase consists of cessation of vessel growth and loss of vessels. In ROP, this phase has its onset at the time of premature birth and is associated with the loss of factors normally provided by the mother in utero. Phase I is also precipitated by the addition of factors in the extrauterine environment, notably oxygen that is above intrauterine levels even in room air. The relative hyperoxia is exacerbated by supplemental oxygen. This shift from the environment in utero leads to cessation of normal retinal vessel growth and vaso-obliteration, leaving peripheral retina avascular. In phase I, oxygen-regulated growth factors are suppressed by higher than normal levels of oxygen and others are lacking because they are normally provided by the mother in the third trimester of pregnancy. As the retina matures after birth, it becomes more metabolically active, and the avascular retina becomes hypoxic, leading to phase II of ROP. The hypoxia of phase II induces a rapid increase in hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-regulated growth factors that were suppressed in phase I. Factors missing from the mother may rise slightly if the fetal liver and other organs that produce them have matured sufficiently but still may be lower than in utero levels. To study both phases, we developed a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy to take advantage of the genetic manipulation possible in mice. Proliferative retinopathy in the mouse model develops reliably (and quantifiably) over 10 days, unlike rodent models of diabetes, in which proliferative disease does not develop. Neonatal mice are exposed to 75% oxygen from postnatal day 7 until day 12. Hyperoxia causes vessel regression, and the cessation of normal radial vessel growth occurs mimicking the first phase of ROP. The extent of vasoobliteration can be determined by measuring the nonperfused area in retinal wholemounts. On return to room air, the nonperfused areas of retina become hypoxic, thereby inducing the expression of angiogenic factors and resulting in retinal neovascularization. The neovascular phase in the oxygen-induced animal model is similar to the second phase of ROP in humans and, in addition, mimics many aspects of proliferative diabetic retinopathy and some aspects of neovascular AMD. Neovascular tufts are measured by quantifying endothelial cell nuclei extending into the vitreous in cross sections of retina, or by quantifying the area of vascular tufts in retinal flatmounts. The mouse model has been useful in delineating the molecular changes in both phases of the neovascular eye diseases.


AIMS
To assess the role of MDR1 and gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor-gamma 2 sub unit (GABRG2) gene polymorphism in seizure susceptibility in generalized seizure (GS) and febrile seizure (FS) patients and to evaluate MDR1 C3435T gene polymorphism's role in absorption of the anti-epileptic drug, phenytoin (PHT) in a cohort of patients.

METHODS
One hundred twenty-seven cases of seizure (86 GS and 41 FS) patients were analyzed for MDR1 C3435T and GABRG2 C588T gene polymorphisms using restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction. Serum PHT levels were analyzed.

RESULTS
The T allele of MDR1 C3435T and GABRG2 C588T gene polymorphism was higher in GS in the Indian population compared with controls. From the data in GS, CT and TT genotype carriers of the MDR1 gene and TT genotype carriers of the GABRG2 gene had more recurrent seizures compared with others. MDR1 T allele carriers in the seizure reoccurrence (SR) group of GS and FS were high compared with the well-controlled seizure group (with no seizures after treatment). TT genotype carriers in SR group were high in FS (with regard to MDR1 gene polymorphism) and GS (with regard to GABRG2 gene polymorphism) compared with a well-controlled seizure group. MDR1 C3435T gene polymorphism affects serum PHT levels (p<0.015). Association of dose PHT ratio and genotype groups of MDR1 C3435T gene polymorphism showed a significant association (p<0.05). MDR1*CC genotype was more common in cases with low serum PHT levels.In addition, it is evident that CT and TT genotype carriers have a high percentage of SR with elevated serum PHT levels.

CONCLUSIONS
Our results show that the MDR1 3435T and GABRG2 588T alleles play a role in seizure occurrence. Moreover, the MDR1 3435T allele also affects PHT absorption. We suggest MDR1 C3435T and GABRG2 C588T genotyping would be of value in order to lower the risk of concentration-dependent drug toxicity and for better patient management.


The Sub-Saharan African country of Ghana is growing at a rapid pace. The construction industry is striving to keep up with the increasing demand for housing and commercial and industrial space while simultaneously protecting the physical environment and social well-being of the country – a challenge becoming known in the industry as 'sustainable construction.' This paper proposes a strategic approach to manage these twin challenges, consisting of two parts: a building rating system and a participatory method called multi-stakeholder dialogue. The combination rating system and MSD process was presented to the industry to determine its potential effectiveness in assisting the industry to move towards sustainability. The industry's response indicates that the proposal could be of value to the industry, with certain noted limitations. This paper describes the rating system-MSD proposal, the industry's response, and implications for the construction industry in Ghana moving forward


The Quaternary fossil record of Águas de Araxá (QAA) is represented mainly by an accumulation of skeletal elements of several sizes, which are assigned to a population of Stegomastodon waringi. We analyzed 97 molars according to the wear stages of Simpson and Paula-Couto (1957), and developed a morphometric wear index. The population structure (proportion of immature, subadult, adult, mature adult and senile adult individuals) was identified, and these five age classes were compared to those of extant elephant populations and defined with social implications. The analysis made possible to establish that the population is largely composed of adults: 14.89% are immature individuals, 23.04% subadults, 27.65% adults, 17.21% mature adults and another 17.21% senile adults. Based on population structure, we do not discard the possibility that the fossil population was stable or in recovery, and/or was experiencing a high-predation period on younger individuals. The number of individuals composing the past population studied here could suggest that the occupied environment was open due to comparisons to populations of extant elephants. We consider this population as an aggregation of family units, which suggests a time of low environmental humidity. Based on literature and our findings, their extinction appears to be regional and probably related to a catastrophic event.


In the last two decades of the 20th century, recurring fiscal and financial crises, unsatisfactory growth, and deep and persistent inequality endangered development prospects in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Since then, financial stability and growth have improved, but inequality and economic and social exclusion remain key areas of concern; they are, arguably, the main challenges to be addressed in designing strategies to end poverty and hunger. Responding to high prices and demand for commodities, the region's economies have done well in recent years. After a long period of sluggish growth, the current upturn is in its fifth year and, thus, has lasted longer than other expansions in a generation. While growth in LAC has been lower than in the developing world overall—averaging 4.5 percent per year from 2002 to 2006 (or 3 percent per capita per year)—it is taking place in a context of low inflation, relatively balanced monetary and fiscal policies, dynamic capital markets, growing reserves, and declining foreign debt. Growth varies widely, as is to be expected, but most countries are participating in the boom. Growth, coupled with new poverty reduction programs, has begun to improve livelihoods and transform social conditions. But the fruits of growth are distributed unevenly within countries, and the media and academics are raising new concerns about two-speed, diverging national economies. Deep and persistent inequality implies that the ability of some groups to take advantage of opportunities is consistently inferior to that of others. This is unfair and polarizing, and (as is explained below) it limits growth and the scope for sustainably reducing poverty. Growth and poverty reduction programs alone are unlikely to shift the region out of poverty and hunger. Both approaches are necessary and have tallied up impressive gains in recent years, but both also need to be supported and enhanced by policies and programs that create and distribute opportunities more widely; generate productive, well-remunerated jobs; raise the capabilities of potential job holders; foster inclusion; and reduce inequality. This calls for broad-based social policies with supportive and well-aligned public investment and economic and fiscal policies. Growth and new poverty reduction programs have measurably affected poverty in recent years, causing it to decline, albeit slowly. As a result, for the region as a whole, it now seems possible to halve the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by 2015, relative to the 1990 baseline. Country-specific projections by the United Nations' …


The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between financial restatement and firm value in Malaysian public listed firms. In addition, it tries to assess the moderating effects provided by corporate governance mechanisms on the relationship of financial restatements and firm value. The study used financial restatements as independent variable and firm value as dependent variable. The measurement used to measure firm value is Tobin's Q. The moderating variable used in this study is corporate governance mechanism. The governance variables involved are board size, board independence, CEO duality, family ownership, institutional ownership, political connection, and audit committee having financial expertise. Due to limited previous research conducted on financial restatement in Malaysian firms, this dissertation attempts to fill the gap. It is hypothesised that in general, financial restatement has negative impact on the firm value. In order to examine the findings, the study covers the period of 2005 until 2011 and involved 142 public listed companies in Bursa Malaysia with financial restatements. The data is analysed using a quantitative method that employed by SPSS. Then multiple regressions are used to estimate the relationships proposed in the hypotheses. The finding reveals that financial restatements do adversely impact firm value. The results show that financial restatements negatively and significantly affect firm value. This indicates that financial restatements signal a red flag of the firm's credibility, and that management is doing something wrong with their investment, which leads them to issue a restatement of the financial statement. In term of moderating variables, the regression model identified that the interaction between financial restatement and family ownership is negatively associated with firm value, in addition, this study finds that the interaction between financial restatement and institutional ownership is positively and significantly associated with firm value. This indicates that the active or increased involvement of institutional ownership directly increases the value of the restating firm. This is because investors see institutional investors as their watchdog and a means for promoting the restoration of investor confidence. Other moderating variables are found to be not significant with Tobin's Q.As a conclusion, in Malaysian context, this study established that financial restatement has negative impact on firm value.


Silver nanowire (Ag NW) thin films are investigated as top electrodes in semitransparent inverted organic solar cells. The performance of semitransparent poly(3‐hexylthiophene‐2,5‐diyl):[6,6]‐phenyl‐C61‐butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) organic solar cells with Ag NW top electrode layers is found to match very closely the performance of reference devices based on thermally evaporated, highly reflective metal silver top electrodes. The optical losses of the semitransparent electrodes are investigated in detail and analyzed in terms of transmission, scattering, and reflection losses. The impact on an external back reflector is shown to increase the light harvesting efficiency of optically thin devices. Further analysis of transparent devices under illumination from the indium tin oxide (ITO) backside and through the Ag NW front electrode open the possibility to gain deep insight into the vertical microstructure related devices performance. Overall, Ag NW top electrodes are established as a serious alternative to TCO based electrodes. Semitransparent devices with efficiencies of over η = 2.0% are realized.


Changes in tertiary and quaternary structure of proteins within the actin cytoskeletal network are a likely way cells read mechanical signals from their environment. However, showing that these conformational changes occur as a result of mechanical stress and that such changes are important to the function of the cell is a major challenge. This thesis seeks to address these questions using a cohort of molecular biophysical and cell biological methods applied in increasingly complex contexts. First, the importance of force-driven unfolding to function and how changes in unfolding pathway correlate with diseased states was determined with single molecule Atomic Force Microscopy on nano-constructs of wild-type and mutant forms of dystrophin. Biophysical studies showed that the ability to fold into mechanically stable, spectrin-type helical bundle domains and the preservation of cooperative unfolding were common characteristics of functional truncated dystrophins. Second, a newly developed in-cell cysteine labeling technique demonstrated stress-enhanced repeat unfolding within spectrin in wild-type red blood cells under shear stress versus static conditions, thus demonstrating that forced unfolding is not just an in vitro phenomena. The importance of the cytoskeletal network to spectrin function was also demonstrated in mutant, 4.1R-null red blood cells, where the intrinsic properties of spectrin remain intact but the network integrity is compromised by absence of 4.1R. Loss of network integrity was evident in a decrease in spectrin unfolding under stress. Repeat unfolding was accompanied by changes in associations of spectrin with its binding partners in a timeand stressdependent manner, indicating that the erythrocyte cytoskeleton exhibits a graded response to stress. Lastly, with cardiomyocytes derived from embryonic stem cells, the importance of stress to quaternary structure of actinin within the sarcomeric cytoskeleton and its effects on cell-wide function was tested in cells adhered to elastic substrates. Substrate stiffness sets the load on these spontaneously contracting cells, and differences in load lead to cytoskeletal reorganization with significant effects on cardiogenic development. Taken together, these findings present evidence of various cytoskeletal proteins – especially in the spectrin superfamily – as mediators of mechanical signaling within cell. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering First Advisor Dennis E. Discher


A paradigmatic problem in social choice theory deals with the aggregation of subjective preferences of individuals --- represented as rankings of alternatives --- into a social ranking. We are interested in settings where individuals are uncertain about their own preferences, and represent their uncertainty as distributions over rankings. Under the classic objective of minimizing the (expected) sum of Kendall tau distances between the input rankings and the output ranking, we establish that preference elicitation is surprisingly straightforward and near-optimal solutions can be obtained in polynomial time. We show, both in theory and using real data, that ignoring uncertainty altogether can lead to suboptimal outcomes.


In this paper we present a framework for digital human modelling using discrete mechanics and optimal control. Discrete mechanics is particularly well suited for modelling the dynamics of constrained mechanical systems, which is almost always the case when considering complex human models interacting with the environment. We demonstrate that, by using recently developed recursive dynamics algorithms, we are able to efficiently use discrete mechanics in direct optimal control methods to plan for complex motions. Besides a proper mechanical model, an appropriate objective function is paramount to achieve realistic motions as a solution to an optimal control problem. Hence, several different objective functions, such as for example minimum time or minimum applied torque over the joints, are compared, and the resulting motions are analyzed and evaluated. To further improve the model, we include basic muscular models for the muscles of the shoulder, arm and wrist, and examine how this affects the motions.


Africa is lagging behind global progress to meet the Sustainable Development Goal for 'universal access to safe and affordable drinking water' services. New knowledge needs to understand and respond to water service inequalities which are not revealed by high quality but snapshot and infrequent household surveys. We design and pilot a 'water diary' in Kenya to document the daily sources, uses, cost and sufficiency of water, along with weekly household expenditures. Water use behaviours vary across water supply alternatives, rainfall extremes and economic conditions to affect 'sufficiency' for competing drinking, bathing, laundry, hygiene, and productive uses. Findings reveal water for hygiene uses is reduced during drought, and while water expenditure is the lowest of seven categories, it spikes for a minority. We evaluate the diary method by measurement, internal and external validity criteria and conclude that the longitudinal approach offers complementary insights to address the gaps in current monitoring methods.


Sea level rise has serious consequences for harbor infrastructure, storm drains and sewer systems, and many other issues. Adapting to sea level rise requires comparing different possible adaptation strategies, comparing the cost of different actions (including no action), and assessing where and at what point in time the chosen strategy should be implemented. All these decisions must be made under considerable uncertainty–in the amount of sea level rise, in the cost and prioritization of adaptation actions, and in the implications of no action. Here we develop two illustrative examples: for Bergen on Norway's west coast and for Esbjerg on the west coast of Denmark, to highlight how technical efforts to understand and quantify uncertainties in hydrologic projections can be coupled with concrete decision-problems framed by the needs of the end-users using statistical formulations. Different components of uncertainty are visualized. We demonstrate the value of uncertainties and show for example that failing to take uncertainty into account can result in the median projected damage costs being an order of magnitude smaller. Front page photo is by Tim Marshall (https://unsplash.com/@timmarshall).


Abstract. Atmospheric models often represent the aerosol particle size distribution with a modal approach, in which particles are described with log-normal modes within predetermined size ranges. This approach reallocates particles numerically from one mode to another for example during particle growth, potentially leading to artificial changes in the aerosol size distribution. In this study we analysed how the modal reallocation affects climate-relevant variables: cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC), aerosol–cloud interaction parameter (ACI) and light extinction coefficient (qext). The ACI parameter gives the response of CDNC to a change in total aerosol number concentration. We compared these variables between a modal model (with and without reallocation routines) and a high resolution sectional model, which was considered a reference model. We analysed the relative differences in the chosen variables in four experiments designed to assess the influence of atmospheric aerosol processes. We find that limiting the allowed size ranges of the modes, and subsequent remapping of the distribution, leads almost always to an underestimation of cloud droplet number concentrations (by up to 100%) and an overestimation of light extinction (by up to 20%). On the other hand, the aerosol–cloud interaction parameter can be either over- or underestimated by the reallocating model, depending on the conditions. For example, in the case of atmospheric new particle formation events followed by rapid particle growth, the reallocation can cause on average a 10% overestimation of the ACI parameter. Thus it is shown that the reallocation affects the ability of a model to estimate aerosol climate effects accurately, and this should be taken into account when using and developing aerosol models.


Currently, a large number of microsatellites are available for Rotylenchulus reniformis (reniform nematode); however, two barriers exist for genotyping samples from different geographical areas. The limited amount of nucleic acids obtained from single nematodes which would require their multiplication to obtain enough DNA for testing; and the strictly regulated transport of live samples and multiplication in greenhouse for being a plant pathogen. Whole-genome amplification (WGA) of samples consisting of one and five dead gravid females with their associated egg masses was successfully performed on disrupted tissue using three commercial kits. DNA yield after WGA ranged from 0.5 to 8 µg and was used to test 96 microsatellite markers we previously developed for the reniform nematode. The results were compared to those of fingerprinting the original population (MSRR03). Out of 96 markers tested, 71 had amplicons in MSRR03. Using WGA of single gravid females with their associated egg masses, 86-93% of the alleles found on MSRR03 were detected, and 87-88% of the alleles found on MSRR03 when using WGA of samples composed of five gravid females with their associated egg masses as template. Our results indicate that reniform nematode samples as small as a single gravid female with her associated egg mass can be used in WGA and direct testing with microsatellites, giving consistent results when compared to the original population.


Communication researchers have much to gain and contribute by paying sustained attention to the implications, contributions, and consequences of the interpretation and (re)production of work as a calling. While work calling has been theoretically and quantitatively conceptualized in a number of disciplines, it remains lacking in evidence of how the lived experiences and sensemaking discourses of participants serve to (re)construct this concept. Thus, the current study is qualitatively guided by asking, how people from different professional domains communicate about their experiences of work as a calling. To begin, I assess the overarching themes related to work calling in the areas of organizational psychology, sociology, theology, and business. Second, I suggest that interweaving meaningful work, spiritual communication, and organizational rhetoric creates rich academic space for the study of work calling as a communicative concept. Third, using thematic analysis, I identify participant communication about work calling from twenty-nine interviews, informal observations, and artifact analysis. Three dominant themes emerged: (a) definitional markers, (b) inherent interaction, and (c) significant costs. The theme of definitional markers provides a conceptualizing basis for work calling, the theme of inherent interaction relates to the enactment of work calling, and the theme of significant costs describe potential consequences of this approach. From such


Aims: To investigate the association between climate and atopic diseases using worldwide data from 146 centres of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). Methods: Between 1992 and 1996, each centre studied random samples of children aged 13–14 and 6–7 years (approx. 3000 per age group and centre) using standardised written and video questionnaires on symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic eczema during the past 12 months. Data on long term climatic conditions in the centres were abstracted from one standardised source, and mixed linear regression models calculated to take the clustering of centres within countries into account. Results: In Western Europe (57 centres in 12 countries), the prevalence of asthma symptoms, assessed by written questionnaire, increased by 2.7% (95% CI 1.0% to 4.5%) with an increase in the estimated annual mean of indoor relative humidity of 10%. Similar associations were seen for the video questionnaire and the younger age group. Altitude and the annual variation of temperature and relative humidity outdoors were negatively associated with asthma symptoms. The prevalence of eczema symptoms correlated with latitude (positively) and mean annual outdoor temperature (negatively). Conclusions: Results suggest that climate may affect the prevalence of asthma and atopic eczema in children.


This dissertation consists of three major parts. The first part (chapter 2 and 3) presents different models which integrate macroeconomics with agent-based financial markets. These models feature bounded rational expectations. They are applied to analyse the impact of financial market speculation on the macro economy in general and the performance of several kinds of financial transaction taxes as well as conventional and unconventional monetary policy in particular. The second part (chapter 4) presents a minimal agent-based macroeconomic model that is, on the one hand very simple compared to competitors, but, on the other hand capable of explaining several features of modern economies endogenously. The model is intended to provide a starting point for latter research. The third part (chapter 5 and 6) presents an agent-based model explaining the creation of money along the lines of standard fractional reserve banking theory. Although simple, the model demonstrates that the creation of money inevitably produces instability. The model is used to, first, quantify the impact of an interbank market as well as of the new Basel III framework on the stability of the economy.


Architectural programming is a team effort that requires close cooperation between architects and their clients. Problem Seeking, Fifth Edition lays out a five-step procedure that teams can follow when programming any building or series of buildings, from a small house to a hospital complex. This simple yet comprehensive process encompasses the entire range of factors that influence the design of buildings.
This Fifth Edition of the only programming guide appropriate for both architect and client features new information related to BIM, integrated practice, and sustainable design when programming. Supplemented with more than 120 illustrations and diagrams updated for this edition, this indispensable resource provides revised technical information and faster, easier access to explanations, examples, and tools, including:
- Guidance on incorporating the latest technological tools when programming
- A primer on discounted cash flow analysis and net present value analysis
- Project statement examples organized by project phase and building type
- Useful techniques for data management, functional relationship analysis, and more


Magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals are influenced by skull defects. However, there is a lack of evidence of this influence during source reconstruction. Our objectives are to characterize errors in source reconstruction from MEG signals due to ignoring skull defects and to assess the ability of an exact finite element head model to eliminate such errors. A detailed finite element model of the head of a rabbit used in a physical experiment was constructed from magnetic resonance and co-registered computer tomography imaging that differentiated nine tissue types. Sources of the MEG measurements above intact skull and above skull defects respectively were reconstructed using a finite element model with the intact skull and one incorporating the skull defects. The forward simulation of the MEG signals reproduced the experimentally observed characteristic magnitude and topography changes due to skull defects. Sources reconstructed from measured MEG signals above intact skull matched the known physical locations and orientations. Ignoring skull defects in the head model during reconstruction displaced sources under a skull defect away from that defect. Sources next to a defect were reoriented. When skull defects, with their physical conductivity, were incorporated in the head model, the location and orientation errors were mostly eliminated. The conductivity of the skull defect material non-uniformly modulated the influence on MEG signals. We propose concrete guidelines for taking into account conducting skull defects during MEG coil placement and modeling. Exact finite element head models can improve localization of brain function, specifically after surgery.


When the light reflected from an object differs in spectral composition to the surrounding background these spectral differences are reflected in the excitation levels produced in each class of photoreceptor. The ability to see colours and to notice small colour differences is strongly affected by both the spectral composition and luminance level of the adapting light. Knowledge of the limits of colour detection is important in setting safety standards and guidelines in visually demanding workplaces, as varying conditions of illumination and chromatic adaptation are often encountered in different working environments. It is therefore of both fundamental and practical interest to be able to predict accurately how a human observer's chromatic detection performance changes with both light level and chromatic adaptation. The Colour Assessment and Diagnosis (CAD) test was employed to measure colour detection threshold ellipses under different states of chromatic adaptation and background light levels. The advantage of this new technique is that it isolates the use of colour signals by embedding the isoluminant chromatic stimulus in dynamic luminance noise. These measured threshold variations were analysed in terms of changes in L-, Mand S-cone excitation levels required for threshold in different colour directions. Models based on the measured chromatic threshold data are proposed that are capable of reconstructing entire detection ellipses. These models were based on experiments where observers had colour thresholds measured around a series of different chromatic adaptation points, over a range of light levels (typically from 0.3 to 31 cd m-2), and additionally away from the adaptation point. The findings reveal the independent adaptation states of individual cone classes on measured thresholds, i.e., the threshold in a given cone class depends only on the signal produced by the background in that cone class and is independent of the adaptation state of the other cone classes and hence independent of chromaticity and light level. The effect of adapting different areas of the peripheral retina when thresholds are measured foveally was also investigated. No long range retinal interactions were observed. The results show that the adaptation state of the periphery has no effect on colour detection thresholds made in central vision. Variations in L-, M- and S-cone contrasts curves were simulated to assess the influence that detection ellipse size and ellipse orientation have on them. This revealed a correlation between the L-cone contrast curve gradient and the corresponding ellipse orientation. This was additionally shown to correlate with the central 2.8° mean value of macular pigment optical density, hence providing a new method of estimating macular pigment level from colour detection ellipses. Steady state pupil sizes were analysed with the rod and cone excitations that produced them. These data indicate that when chromatically adapted, the steady state pupil size correlates strongest with the S-cone signal, and is independent of the actual chromaticity and luminance levels involved. Cone signal-to-noise ratios were extracted from repeated threshold measurements for a series of colour directions. Analysis of these revealed the existence of a constant signal-to-noise ratios over the full range of colour directions tested relative to a whitish background. The results show that as the cone contrast level increases in a particular cone class so does the associated noise.


Texture atlas parameterization provides an effective way to map a variety of colour and data attributes from 2D texture domains onto polygonal surface meshes. Most of the existing literature focus on how
to build seamless texture atlases for continuous photometric detail, but little e ort has been devoted
to devise e cient techniques for encoding self-repeating, uncontinuous signals such as building facades.
We present a perception-based scheme for generating space-optimized texture atlases speci cally
designed for intentionally non-bijective parameterizations. Our scheme combines within-chart tiling
support with intelligent packing and perceptual measures for assigning texture space in accordance to
the amount of information contents of the image and on its saliency. We demonstrate our optimization
scheme in the context of real-time navigation through a gigatexel urban model of an European city.
Our scheme achieves signi cant compression ratios and speed-up factors with visually indistinguishable
results.
We developed a technique that generates space-optimized texture atlases for the particular encoding
of uncontinuous signals projected onto geometry. The scene is partitioned using a texture atlas tree
that contains for each node a texture atlas. The leaf nodes of the tree contain scene geometry. The
level of detail is controlled by traversing the tree and selecting the appropriate texture atlas for a given
viewer position and orientation. In a preprocessing step, textures associated to each texture atlas node
of the tree are packed. Textures are resized according to a given user-de ned texel size and the size
of the geometry that are projected onto. We also use perceptual measures to assign texture space in
accordance to image detail.
We also explore different techniques for supporting texture wrapping of uncontinuous signals, which
involved the development of e cient techniques for compressing texture coordinates via the GPU. Our
approach supports texture ltering and DXTC compression without noticeable artifacts.
We have implemented a prototype version of our space-optimized texture atlases technique and
used it to render the 3D city model of Barcelona achieving interactive rendering frame rates. The
whole model was composed by more than three million triangles and contained more than twenty thousand different textures representing the building facades with an average original resolution of 512 pixels per texture. Our scheme achieves up 100:1 compression ratios and speed-up factors
of 20 with visually indistinguishable results.


Consecutive ischemic stroke and TIA admissions (COVID and non-COVID) to the authors' hospital during a 10-week period from March 1 to May 10, 2020 were collected and compared with data from the same time period in 2019. Among 20 patients with COVID-19 and acute ischemic stroke, 15 (75%) had large-vessel occlusion. These patients were young (mean age, 46.5 years), male (93%), without major burden of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and had a severe stroke presentation. Large vessel occlusions were observed in multiple vessels (40%), uncommonly affected vessels, and atypical locations with a large thrombus burden. SUMMARY: The mechanisms and phenotype of ischemic stroke associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remain uncertain. A retrospective study was conducted in patients with COVID-19 presenting with ischemic stroke from March 1 to May 25, 2020, and cases with large-vessel occlusion were identified. To provide baseline institutional stroke data within and outside the COVID-19 pandemic, all consecutive ischemic stroke and TIA admissions (COVID and non-COVID) to the hospital during a 10-week period from March 1 to May 10, 2020, were collected and compared with data from the same time period in 2019. Among 20 patients with COVID-19 and acute ischemic stroke, 15 (75%) had large-vessel occlusion. These patients were young (mean age, 46.5 years), male (93%), without major burden of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and had a severe stroke presentation. Large-vessel occlusions were observed in multiple vessels (40%), uncommonly affected vessels, and atypical locations with a large thrombus burden. Systemic thrombosis separate from large-vessel occlusion was not uncommon (26%). At short-term follow-up, stroke etiology remained undetermined in 46% of patients and functional outcome was poor. The above findings raise the possibility of stroke related to mechanisms induced by the COVID-19 infection itself, including a hypercoagulable state and/or endothelial damage. In addition, they document the severe presentation and poor outcomes of large-vessel occlusion in COVID-19 ischemic stroke.


At Precision Electro-Tek's mobile phone manufacturing facility in southern China, thousands of operators - bright and capable young men and (mostly) women like Jieliang Hao are motivated to improve line productivity through small innovations for faster assembly and have discovered many ways to increase their performance. Meanwhile a globally-networked team of manufacturing experts led by Marty Cole, the case protagonist, is trying to spread best practice from other sites around the globe. Unfortunately these two processes sometimes inadvertently clash, presenting a management challenge. The case helps students examine the implicit assumptions managers make in organizing work inside a factory. These assumptions reflect theories of worker behavior and motivation in combination with managers' beliefs of what constitutes 'best practice'. Students are offered an opportunity to dissect these lean manufacturing theories and recognize that in this particular implementation, implementation of best practice without sufficient consideration of the interplay of theories on motivation has led to unexpected outcomes. The case offers an opportunity to explore the link between work design and compensation, and understand the differences between compensation and motivation. The case frames the role of the general manager in setting up work structures and compensation systems in a very traditional and explicit setting, one where linkages should be clearly visible yet assumptions are often deeply buried and implicit. Our expectation is that students will see the lessons generalize to most, if not all, of the organizations where they have worked. There are three cases: the (A) case describes the management view, the (B) case describes the direct labor worker view, and the (C) case details the results of an employee survey that was conducted on two manufacturing lines.


The global linear stability of a three-dimensional compressible flow around a yawed parabolic body of infinite span is investigated using an iterative eigenvalue method in conjunction with direct numerical simulations. The computed global spectrum shows an unstable branch consisting of three-dimensional boundary layer modes whose amplitude distributions exhibit typical characteristics of both attachment-line and crossflow modes. In particular, global eigenfunctions with smaller phase velocities display a more pronounced structure near the stagnation line, reminiscent of attachment-line modes while still featuring strong crossflow vortices further downstream. This analysis establishes a link between the two prevailing instability mechanisms on a swept parabolic body which, so far, have only been studied separately and locally. A parameter study shows maximum modal growth for a spanwise wavenumber of β = 0.213, suggesting a preferred disturbance length scale in the sweep direction.


This article sets forth the historical and legal reasons as to how the state of Texas botched the removal of 439 children from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints' parents residing in El Dorado, Texas. The Department of Family and Protective Services in Texas overreached its authority by treating this case like a class action removal based on an impermissible legal argument, rather than focusing on the facts and circumstances that could have been substantiated for a select group of children at risk. This impermissible legal argument regarding the 'pervasive belief system' of a polygamist sect that allowed minor females to spiritually marry older adult males sparked questions of how far the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment go in protecting religious freedom and parental rights. Ultimately, there was a failure on both sides of the case – harm caused by the unnecessary removal of hundreds of children who were not in immediate danger of abuse, and harm caused by the return of teenage girls who were at risk for sexual abuse on the Yearning For Zion Ranch. The article concludes by discussing key factors that would have made a difference in the outcome of the case and the impact of this decision on the interrelationship between parents, the state, and the child.


A Single parent is constantly scrambling for someone to care for her two preschool daughters while she processes paperwork and inmates at a county jail in Winston-Salem, N.C. Hers is an unpredictable, ever-shifting schedule. Some days, she picks up the phone and calls in her sister, who's often busy with her own teen-ager. Some nights, she persuades a friend with two little ones of her own to let the girls sleep over. Her predicament is shared by millions of Americans who find themselves working long, nonstandard, or erratic hours and having to hunt for child care to match. --Hays (1995) I. INTRODUCTION Working outside the "standard" weekday hours of 8 A.M. to 6 P.M. between Monday and Friday is an increasingly common practice in the United States. For example, 34.3% of all female workers in the United States were nonstandard workers in 1995 (Kalleberg et al. 1997). The investigation of nonstandard work is important for a number of reasons. First, there is evidence suggesting that workers engaged in nonstandard work are more likely to be assigned to routine jobs and to receive less training and fewer promotions than others (Barker 1993; Tilly 1996). Consequently, these workers tend to earn less, and they are less likely to have health insurance and pension benefits than standard workers (Hipple and Stewart 1996; Loprest 1999 and 2002). There also exists a positive link between the quality of an initial job and the likelihood of maintaining employment over time (Cancian and Meyer 2000; Rangarajan et al. 1998; Strawn and Martinson 2000). Second, nonstandard work is linked to a number of adverse outcomes for parents and children, such as work and family conflicts, marital instability, health problems for both parents and children, and poor educational outcomes for children (Heymann 2000; Presser 2000; Staines and Pleck 1983). Finally, the majority of nonstandard workers view employment during nonstandard hours as an accommodation to labor market needs, not as a personal preference. According to the Current Population Survey, more than half of the workers with nonstandard schedules report the nature of their jobs as the reason for their choice. Only about 6% of nonstandard workers report working such schedules for better pay, and only 4% give better child care as their reason for working nonstandard schedules (Beers 2000). With the passage of welfare reform in 1996, child care assistance has become a more significant tool for helping welfare recipients move into the workforce and for helping other low-income families stay off welfare. (1) According to the General Accounting Office (GAO), the majority of states make welfare recipients and families transitioning from welfare to work eligible for child care assistance or give them priority over other low-income families when resources are insufficient to cover all who apply (GAO 2003). Almost a decade after the passage of welfare reform, Congress now debates legislation to reauthorize welfare reform, and child care funding remains a key issue. However, very little is known about whether child care subsidies have in fact played a role in increasing employment among welfare recipients, or in general, low-income individuals in the post-welfare reform period (Blank 2002). Even less is known about the effect of these subsidies on standard-nonstandard employment decisions of these individuals. Since the passage of welfare reform, the employment rate of single mothers has risen dramatically (Jones-DeWeer et al. 2003). However, leaving welfare does not necessarily mean gaining adequate work and increasing economic serf-sufficiency. In fact, only 8% of welfare leavers have been able to sustain employment over a period of four years (Martinson 2000). Over three-quarters (78%) of employed low income single mothers are concentrated in typically low-wage and low benefit occupations (Jones-DeWeer et al. 2003). These occupations typically demand a greater number of hours outside the standard weekday times of 8 A. …


This paper reviews the concept and the corpus of English literature and its development in the context of culture and the academy from the 18th Century onwards. I argue that the category of literature is a 'liquid' notion best understood as a form of 'social action' (after Eagleton) relevant to wider social, cultural, and political contexts that produce and 'consume' it. In the academy, through extending the notion of the institution to a wider social and political context, literature could be best understood as an 'institutional reality' reflecting perceived relations of power. Deeming literature as an ideological tribute is crucially important to arguing against the monolithic and essentialist (Anglo-American literary tradition) as embodying a universal value that still prevail in post-colonial institutions. This argument helps conceptualise and interrogate the cultural constructs embodied in English literature, in general, and the English canonical texts, in particular; it also makes it possible to refute the claim that literature transcends its local boundaries and nationalist sentiments to articulate the universal concerns and values of all people. In my approach to these claims and assumptions, I resort to a critical narrative review to the 'story' of the English literature in cultural, political, social, geographical and institutional contexts.. In academy, particularly in post-colonial settings, I conclude that the adopted literary tradition reflects a matrix of relations of power and institutional affiliations. Such conceptualisation of literature helps to challenge the claim that English literature largely embodies a humanistic enterprise of universal values and uniform human experience.


The purpose of the Natural Science degree is to enable students to receive a general science education based on a course of study which is broader, but less in-depth in a single area, than a typical science major in the College of Arts and Sciences. Requirements are successful completion of 30 semester hours approved and offered by one science department (designated the major) and 27 semester hours approved and offered by a second science department (designated the minor). The five science departments are found within the College of Arts and Sciences and include Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, and Physics. At least 9 semester hours of the major must be at the 400 level or above. Because departments within the college offer a variety of courses for diverse purposes, not every course listed in this catalog can be counted toward the natural science degree. Students must obtain approval of a plan of study leading toward this degree from the department chair of both the major and minor departments. It is advisable to do this as soon as possible to avoid taking courses that might not be approved toward the degree. In addition to the number of hours, there is a requirement of at least a C average in courses counted toward the major and also in courses counted toward the minor. At least one-third of the hours in both the major and minor must be completed at UAB, and at least a C average must be maintained in these courses. Individual departments may be contacted for specific listings of courses required or recommended for the major or minor in that department for the natural science degree, or for information about particularly effective major/minor pairings. Students interested in pursuing a major in Natural Science shoud email Dr. Catherine Danielou, Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs in the College of Arts and Sciences, and will be referred to an appropriate academic adviser (email@example.com), or call (205) 934-5643.


ABSTRACT Machine unlearning is the task of updating machine learning (ML) models after a subset of the training data they were trained on is deleted. Methods for the task are desired to combine effectiveness and efficiency, i.e., they should effectively 'unlearn' deleted data, but in a way that does not require excessive computational effort (e.g., a full retraining) for a small amount of deletions. Such a combination is typically achieved by tolerating some amount of approximation in the unlearning. In addition, laws and regulations in the spirit of "the right to be forgotten" have given rise to requirements for certifiability, i.e., the ability to demonstrate that the deleted data has indeed been unlearned by the ML model. In this paper, we present an experimental study of the three stateof-the-art approximate unlearning methods for linear models and demonstrate the trade-offs between efficiency, effectiveness and certifiability offered by each method. In implementing the study, we extend some of the existing works and describe a common ML pipeline to compare and evaluate the unlearning methods on six real-world datasets and a variety of settings. We provide insights into the effect of the quantity and distribution of the deleted data on ML models and the performance of each unlearning method in different settings. We also propose a practical online strategy to determine when the accumulated error from approximate unlearning is large enough to warrant a full retraining of the ML model.


A dynamic penetrometer was designed for the purpose of evaluating compaction quality in fills constructed with boiler slag. Laboratory and field calibration tests were conducted to study the effect of densification on dynamic penetration resistance. The effects of specimen preparation method (pluviation and impact compaction) and saturation on dynamic penetration resistance were investigated in the laboratory. A 0.91-m (3-ft)-deep test fill with dimensions of 6.1 m (20 ft) by 30.5 m (100 ft) was prepared in the field. Dynamic penetration resistance and in situ densities were recorded in this slag fill after 0, 2, 4, 6, 10, and 16 passes of a smooth drum vibratory roller of 5.6 tons (11.2 kips). The field-resistance values were compared with laboratory values. Charts are provided to aid both in selecting the lift thickness/number of roller passes and also for field assessment of densification in boiler slag using the dynamic penetrometer.


Time is running out for Philip Dryden...In the snowbound landscape of the Cambridgeshire fens, a body is discovered, locked in a block of ice. High on Ely Cathedral a second corpse is found, grotesquely 'riding' a stone gargoyle. Journalist Philip Dryden knows he's onto a great story when forensic evidence links both victims to one terrifying event in 1966. But the murders also offer Dryden the key to a very personal mystery. Who saved his life two years ago? And, more importantly, who left his wife to die? The answer will bring Dryden face to face with his own guilt, his own fears - and a cold and ruthless killer...


Jovan Hadzic, the drafter of the Serbian Civil Code issued in 1844 neither translated nor borrowed the provisions of the Austrian Civil Code on the occupatio of wild animals. He applied techniques typical of Roman lawyers - giving examples and cases such as the one in D. 41.1.44, using direct speech. Hadzic was obviously impressed by Gaius and his clear, comprehensible language and style. His language is very similar to that of Gaius (D. 41.1.1-6). Drawing on ancient Roman law and its casuistry, Hadzic drafted provisions which were down to earth and close to common people. His work was of great educational importance to ordinary readers, whose legal culture was at a low level after a long period of Ottoman rule.


We present recent implementations of microwave photonic filters using the following two technologies: InP-based MDR (microdisk resonator) on and coupled to a nanophotonic SOI waveguide and dynamic Brillouin gratings (DBGs) in polarization maintaining fibers (PMF). Quasi-linear and continuously tunable ~360° phase shifts have been experimentally obtained when considering radiofrequencies greater than 18 GHz using MDR. Besides, we have designed and experimentally demonstrated multi-tap MWP filters, based on dynamic Brillouin grating reflectors in polarization maintaining fibers, showing a FSR variation larger than 60% in a two-tap filter.


The accurate characterization of single nanoparticles in colloidal solutions in terms of their size and morphology is important for medical diagnostics and aerosol investigations. However, it is challenging to achieve a high throughput for very small (sub-100 nm) particles. In particular, it is not well established what the fundamental limits are on the trade-off between speed and the smallest detectable particle. Here we study these limits for the case of refractive index sensing based on resonant photonic crystal cavities. Importantly, we have reached a regime where the fundamental thermal fluctuations set the intrinsic detection limit for acquisition sampling times tacq larger than 3 μs. Such an intrinsic fundamental limit corresponds to 1/2000th the linewidth of the optical spectrum of photonic crystal cavities of effective mode volume as small as 0.06  μm3. The results of this work indicate that it is possible to monitor up to 33 million particles per second with a particle size down to 34 nm, making it a promising technique for fast real-time biosensing.


During the late Quaternary, a large pool of organic carbon accumulated in the ice-rich syngenetic frozen deposits and soils preserved in the arctic and subarctic permafrost zone. Because of the potential release of organic carbon from thawing permafrost, the organic-matter (OM) inventory in Yedoma deposits and its degradation features are relevant to current concerns about the effects of global warming.
We analyzed OM characteristics like organic carbon content, stable carbon isotopes and carbon-nitrogen ratios. Moreover, lipid biomarkers and sediment parameters like grain size and bulk density of Yedoma and thermokarst deposits exposed at the west coast of Buor Khaya Peninsula (Laptev Sea, Siberia) were studied.
With the biomarker approach it is possible to distinguish deposits which were accumulated and frozen during the Pleistocene and Holocene. Late Pleistocene biomarker records indicate cold conditions during the growth/summer period for the late Pleistocene and generally low degradation of the stored OM.


In an ecohydrologic system, components of atmospheric, vegetation, and root‐soil subsystems participate in forcing and feedback interactions at varying time scales and intensities. The structure of this network of complex interactions varies in terms of connectivity, strength, and time scale due to perturbations or changing conditions such as rainfall, drought, or land use. However, characterization of these interactions is difficult due to multivariate and weak dependencies in the presence of noise, nonlinearities, and limited data. We introduce a framework for Temporal Information Partitioning Networks (TIPNets), in which time‐series variables are viewed as nodes, and lagged multivariate mutual information measures are links. These links are partitioned into synergistic, unique, and redundant information components, where synergy is information provided only jointly, unique information is only provided by a single source, and redundancy is overlapping information. We construct TIPNets from 1 min weather station data over several hour time windows. From a comparison of dry, wet, and rainy conditions, we find that information strengths increase when solar radiation and surface moisture are present, and surface moisture and wind variability are redundant and synergistic influences, respectively. Over a growing season, network trends reveal patterns that vary with vegetation and rainfall patterns. The framework presented here enables us to interpret process connectivity in a multivariate context, which can lead to better inference of behavioral shifts due to perturbations in ecohydrologic systems. This work contributes to more holistic characterizations of system behavior, and can benefit a wide variety of studies of complex systems.


Signature-based detection relies on patterns present in viruses and provides a relatively simple and efficient method for detecting known viruses. At present, most anti-virus systems rely primarily on signature detection. Metamorphic viruses are one of the most difficult types of viruses to detect. Such viruses change their internal structure, which provides an effective means of evading signature detection. Previous work has provided a rigorous proof that a fairly simple metamorphic engine can generate viruses that will evade any signature-based detection. In this project, we first implement a metamorphic engine that is provably undetectable—in the sense of signature-based detection. We then show that, as expected, the resulting viruses are not detected by popular commercial anti-virus scanners. Finally, we analyze the same set of viruses using a previously developed approach based on hidden Markov models (HMM). This HMM-based technique easily detects the viruses.


Video conferencing has been commercially available since the video technology has become accessible on a variety of equipment, from room-based to handheld devices. The technology has also reached the point where it is viewed as a necessity and not just a nicety. The ubiquity and accessibility of video conferencing technology can save time and money across the spectrum of business processes, especially when comes to call centers. We propose a solution that can develop the communication with callers and provide a large impact on customer retention. One of the major issues regarding customer satisfaction when interacting with call centers or other types of customer support services is related to the resolution efficiency (solving the customer inquiry during the first contact), this is highly dependent with the communication solutions between the call centers department. But one thing is keeping videoconferencing from becoming a more standard form of communication: the technical difficulties that all videoconferences occasionally experience. The frustrations of video conferencing, though usually brief and irregular, may at first seem to outweigh the benefits. Connectivity problems can keep this from happening and are thus one of the most frustrating technical problems experienced by video conferences. The aim of this paper is to experiment a multimedia customer interaction platform and test the performance of a virtualized web conferencing solution focusing on the occurrence of technical difficulties associated with smooth transmissions that could result from software, hardware or network failure.


This paper analyzes the economic competitiveness and national security dynamics around the United States, China, and 5G wireless technologies. The paper explores economic competitiveness through 5G technology itself, intellectual property rights, influence within standards setting organizations, spectrum policy, deployment timelines, and surrounding innovation ecosystem. It also proposes institutional arrangements for evaluating security risks of Chinese telecommunications equipment entering the U.S. market. Next generation connectivity, 5th Generation (5G) in particular, represent a tremendous economic opportunity. Deploying 5G at scale, and seeing it leveraged for productivity gains throughout the economy, should be a national imperative. There are several technological components to 5G, but the key architectural shift requires far more cell sites, meaning an expensive infrastructure deployment and justifying a rethinking of local permitting policies and federal regulations. The Chinese are extending their influence in standards organizations and international bodies like the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). They are also engaged in intensive research and development, and already making key contributions to essential 5G patents. While they may not be the first to use 5G, many expect they will aggressively deploy a final 5G specification at tremendous scale. When it comes to national competitiveness, successful and early deployment and use of 5G technology is critical. The U.S. government should focus first on improving the investment conditions for deploying 5G through reforms to siting and permitting policies and make more spectrum available on a flexible licensed, unlicensed, and shared basis. The United States should continue to rely on its competitive private sector to deploy 5G networks and not consider a government-built network. Furthermore, any policy focused on specific Chinese firms must be considered as a component of a broader, nuanced strategy to return to a rule-of-law, market-driven expectation on trade and protection of intellectual property. Presumptive blocking of equipment from specific firms without explanation and evidence is likely not the best route to navigate a contentious trade environment. Instead, the United States should establish a body to analyze potential security threats in coordination with like-minded allies.


ABSTRACT This paper offers a cultural political economy approach to efforts to advance the "social investment market" as a specific crisis management strategy in response to the economic crisis of 2008. Analyzing social impact bonds (SIBs), it looks at efforts to combine market mechanisms with new notions of public responsibility, and structures of accountability often described as "ethical capitalism" today. Three central claims are interrogated, both as forms of framing and resolving the crisis. First, the paper is concerned with SIBs' approach to socio-economic polarization through the development of preventative services focused on creating "social impact." Second, it focuses on their efforts to avoid exacerbating the state's fiscal crisis by allowing for private investment in public services. Third, the analysis shows how SIBs intend to counter the economic problem of slow and uneven growth with its idea of creating "shared value" between society and investors. The text is based on empirical case research into two of the world's first two SIBs, seeking to reduce prisoner re-incarceration in New York City and Peterborough, UK. It analyzes policy papers and 30 interviews conducted with policy actors, to reconstruct the SIB as an asymmetrical, contradictory, and provisional compromise between actors holding divergent policy agendas. Drawing on Nancy Fraser's concept of "progressive neoliberalism," it shows how SIBs combine notions of public responsibility with market-based structures of a profit-oriented economy, thereby limiting the effort to re-embed the economy in society. Connecting empirical research to theory, it describes a complex process of negotiation on the conflicted terrain of city politics, between efforts to extend market governance on the one hand, and those initiatives seeking to overcome it, on the other.


The World's Greatest Fix: A History of Nitrogen and Agriculture tells the story of how humans have used their ingenuity throughout history to maintain soil fertility, and to avoid famine through productive agriculture. It starts with a layman's guide to the relevant chemistry of nitrogen and shows how the development of towns and fixed settlements meant that methods had to be found to maintain the fertility of fields exploited year after year. The way this was done, in purely empirical fashion, is described for the Chinese, the Incas, the Mayas, and the Romans. Author G. J. Leigh then examines the development of agriculture in England, including the use of field rotations. The gradual evolution of more sophisticated methods of land management is covered, emphasizing the use of fertilizers, the early development of chemistry with the realization of the modern concepts of elements and the contributions of plants and animals, and the establishment of agricultural science by Davy and Von Liebig. Leigh explains how we have arrived at our current understanding of biological nitrogen fixation through the efforts of generations of dedicated farmers and researchers. Later chapters deal with the birth of the nitrogen fixation industry and the political and economic consequences of it in Europe (First World War) and South America (guano and nitrate). The World's Greatest Fix shows how industrial fixation has developed from a laboratory process newly discovered at the beginning of the twentieth century into the impressive and sophisticated procedure in use today. Finally, the value of industrial nitrate to help feed the current world population and the environmental consequences of nitrate pollution in waters is discussed.