The idea of creating a general purpose machine intelligence that captures many of the features of human cognition goes back at least to the earliest days of artificial intelligence and neural computation. In spite of more than a half-century of research on this issue, there is currently no existing approach to machine intelligence that comes close to providing a powerful, general-purpose human-level intelligence. However, substantial progress made during recent years in neural computation, high performance computing, neuroscience and cognitive science suggests that a renewed effort to produce a general purpose and adaptive machine intelligence is timely, likely to yield qualitatively more powerful approaches to machine intelligence than those currently existing, and certain to lead to substantial progress in cognitive science, AI and neural computation. In this report, we outline a conceptual framework for the long-term development of a large-scale machine intelligence that is based on the modular organization, dynamics and plasticity of the human brain. Some basic design principles are presented along with a review of some of the relevant existing knowledge about the neurobiological basis of cognition. Three intermediate-scale prototypes for parts of a larger system are successfully implemented, providing support for the effectiveness of several of the principles in our framework. We conclude that a human-competitive neuromorphic system for machine intelligence is a viable long-term goal, but that for the short term, substantial integration with more standard symbolic methods as well as substantial research will be needed to make this goal achievable.


EECONOMIC GROWTH IS STRONGLY influenced by new inventions, and invention is encouraged by patent laws. The ablishment of intellectual property rights is therefore a crucial issue throughout much of the world. In the case of new, technologically advanced industries, innovation, and therefore patents, play a large role in the success or failure of companies. The new field of biotechnology is an excellent example of the increasing importance of patents, as genetic engineering firms are almost totally dependent on strict intellectual property protection in order to make a profit. Even as cutting-edge industries come to depend more on patents, the old patent system is beginning to break down. Most patent laws are based on precedents set hundreds of years ago and are inadequate in the modern era. In biotechnology especially, there are serious concerns about the viability and fairness of patent protection. On the international level, there are three main problems confronting current intellectual property protection schemes. Conflicts over rights to genetic material, concerns over the effect biotechnology patents will have on the developing world, and disagreement over patent standards are all issues that must be addressed to solve the pressing problems of the patent system. Solutions to these problems have been proposed by economists, but in order to understand them, it is necessary to examine the failures of the current patent system. Prospecting for Diversity Biotechnology firms spend large amounts of time and money simply examining natural organisms for useful chemicals and substances. In this respect, genetic engineering is very different from other industries. Other technological innovations involve the construction or creation of a novel device, but in biotechnology, a tremendous advancement can often be achieved simply by purifying an existing natural product or by manipulating a minuscule amount of DNA. In recognition of the special circumstances surrounding genetic engineering, most nations permit purified or slightly modified compounds and organisms to be patented. Since it is much easier to try to purify existing organic substances, the vast majority of biotechnology companies try to find and reproduce useful naturally occurring products. These materials extracted from plants and animals provide the basic compounds used to create many important drugs and chemicals. There are many crucial products that have been developed this way, including insulin and the human growth hormone. In order to find just one or two of these useful substances, however, a biotechnology firm needs to test thousands of different organisms. This means that companies trying to develop new products need access to a vast pool of genetic diversity. The best place to find this are the tropical rainforests of the developing equatorial regions of the world, which harbor two-thirds of the world's species. There, biotechnology firms carry out "genetic prospecting"--looking for useful chemicals in the rainforests of the less developed nations. When promising substances are found, they are shipped back to the company's home country, almost certainly in the United States, Europe, or Japan, for further development. This practice is at the center of a growing international debate. Since much of current biotechnology research is dedicated not to the creation of new genetic codes but to the discovery of useful codes and chemicals in naturally existing plants and animals, companies are demanding that this sort of research receive adequate patent protection. For the most part, wealthy nations such as the United States follow the purified form doctrine, which allows a patent to be granted for a chemical that exists in nature only in an unpurified form, if the patent involves a purification which makes the chemical more useful. This principle means that products that occur naturally in the rainforest can become the exclusive property of firms that patent their purified form. …


All of these scenarios are based on events which have actually occurred in recent years. Some directly involve American citizens (whether individuals, corporations, or other entities) and some do not. Some are situations or problems that affect only private parties; others include state actors or affect the implementation of government policies or laws of various nations. Some of these situations involve individual or group efforts, across borders, to engage in profit- seeking activities. Others involve poverty reduction, economic aid, or other improvement of the human condition, whether material or cultural. Some of this activity involves economic and business interests (formerly thought of as primarily "private" interests). Others of these situations involve human rights claims derived from legal undertakings or treaties that transcend national boundaries but are initially often a matter of "state" action (e.g., signing an international or regional treaty). Some of these situations involve both state and private action on the same issue or site. Many of these situations involve multiple legal jurisdictions including local, federal (state or provincial), national, regional, and international levels of possible regulation or dispute resolution. Some involve cultural differences, but violations of cultural norms or taboos may also have legal implications. All of these situations invoke legal issues that transcend legal (or sovereign) boundaries. This is the modern world of human activity, facilitated, regulated, sometimes thwarted, and often affected, by laws that "cross borders" in order to effectuate their purposes.


With the global crisis, the policy stance around the world has been shaken by massive government and central bank efforts to prevent the meltdown of markets, banks, and the economy. Fiscal packages, in varied sizes, have been adopted throughout the world after years of proclaimed fiscal containment. This change in policy regime, though dubbed the "Keynesian moment," is a "short-run fix" that reflects temporary acceptance of fiscal deficits at a time of political emergency, and contrasts with John Maynard Keynes's long-run policy propositions. More important, it is doomed to be ineffective if the degree of tolerance of fiscal deficits is too low for full employment.Keynes's view that outside the gold standard fiscal policies face real, not financial, constraints is illustrated by means of a simple flow-of-funds model. This shows that government deficits do not take financial resources from the private sector, and that demand for net financial savings by the private sector can be met by a rising trade surplus at the cost of reduced consumption, or by a rising government deficit financed by the monopoly supply of central bank credit. Fiscal deficits can thus be considered functional to the objective of supplying the private sector with a provision of financial wealth sufficient to restore demand. By contrast, tax hikes and/or spending cuts aimed at reducing the public deficit lower the available savings of the private sector, and, if adopted too soon, will force the adjustment by way of a reduction of demand and standard of living.This notion, however, is not applicable to the euro area, where constraints have been deliberately created that limit public deficits and the supply of central bank credit, thus introducing national solvency risks. This is a crucial flaw in the institutional structure of Euroland, where monetary sovereignty has been removed from all existing fiscal authorities. Absent a reassessment of its design, the euro area is facing a deflationary tendency that may further erode the economic welfare of the region.


Anthropologists of medicine and science are increasingly studying all aspects of pharmaceutical industry practices--from research and development to the marketing of prescription drugs. This article ethnographically explores one particular stage in the life cycle of pharmaceuticals: sales and marketing. Drawing on a range of sources-investigative journalism, medical ethics, and autoethnography--the author examines the day-to-day activities of pharmaceutical salespersons, or drug reps, during the 1990s. He describes in detail the pharmaceutical gift cycle, a three-way exchange network between doctors, salespersons, and patients and how this process of exchange is currently in a state of involution. This gift economy exists to generate prescriptions (scripts) and can mask and/or perpetuate risks and side effects for patients. With implications of pharmaceutical industry practices impacting everything from the personal-psychological to the global political economy, medical anthropologists can play a lead role in the emerging scholarly discourse concerned with critical pharmaceutical studies.


Diarrhoeal disease is a major cause of illness and death among infants and young children worldwide. Among the Escherichia coli (E. coli) causing intestinal diseases, there are six well-described categories: enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), diffusely adherent E. coli (DAEC), enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) and enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC). The aim of the present study was to investigate the relative contribution of different groups of diarrhoeagenic E. coli (DEC) in paediatric patients with diarrhoea. Clinical stool specimens from 380 children with diarrhoea, with ages ranging from birth to < 12 years, were selected for the study over a period of 17 months (August 2007 to December 2008). The study showed that 85/380 children (22%) had diarrhoea due to diarrhoeagenic E. coli. The most prevalent was enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) isolated from 46/85 paediatric patients (54%), followed by enterotoxigenic (ETEC) isolated from 19/85 (22.3%), enterohaemorrhagic (EHEC) from 18/85 (21.1%) and enteroinvasive (EIEC) from 2/85 patients (2.3%). The most prevalent serotypes of EPEC were O86:K61 and O44:K74 isolated from 10/46 (21.7%), O128:K67 from 6/46 patients (13%), followed by O158:K- and O126:K71 isolated from 4/46 patients (8.6%). Among the ETEC the most prevalent serotypes were O78:K80 isolated from 10/19 (56.7%) and O25:K11 from 9/19 patients (47.3%), especially during the first twelve months: 9/19 patients (47.3%). The most prevalent EHEC strain found in this study was O145:K- and O103:K-: 5/18 patients (27.8%). Two isolated strains of EIEC belong to serotype O164:K-. The average age of the patients was 2 years. Two patients with bloody diarrhoea had EHEC serotype O157:H7 which progressed to haemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). Our study shows that diarrhoeagenic E. coli is a significant causal agent of diarrhoeal diseases in paediatric patients in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This study is the first report about the frequency and most common serotypes of DEC in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Additionally, it is the first report of cases with an O157:K- infection which progressed to HUS, a serious and potentially fatal illness.


In this paper, a Chinese character educational system based on Kinect is proposed for guiding beginners to learn the basics of Chinese characters in a more intuitive way. It extracts 19 common components, denoted as alphabets, from Chinese characters. Nineteen postures were designed according to the shapes of these alphabets. Instead of memorizing Chinese characters through repetitive copying, students can first associate an alphabet with the corresponding designed posture. Then, they break down a Chinese character into a set of alphabets in order to perform the sequence of corresponding postures so that they can easily remember the whole character. Our proposed system contains two major functions: 1) the learning function that is responsible for delivering the courseware, and 2) the testing function that is used to let students acquire their learning progress through some tests. A rule-based algorithm is designed to recognize the students' input postures captured from the Kinect motion sensor so as to determine whether the students have performed the correct postures. We conducted a survey which involved 90 students to try our proposed system as well as two other learning modes for comparison. Moreover, we have interviewed those 30 students who had tried our proposed system with some open-ended questions. The positive results show that the proposed system can promote students' experiences in learning Chinese characters.


This thesis deals with the controlled crystallization of small organic molecules and is focused on solubility and polymorphism. The solubility was determined for phenylacetic acid, p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, p-aminophenylacetic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and ibuprofen in both water and in a range of organic solvents. Data is discussed from the standpoint of molecular aspects of solute – solvent interactions and by estimated solid phase activity. It was shown that better understanding could be acquired by making a qualitative analysis of the molecular interactions in the solution and the crystal structure of the compounds in question. Solubility predictions that are carried out by the UNIFAC method are not sufficiently accurate to serve as a basis for a reliable design of a crystallization process or selection of a suitable solvent since they deviate more than 15% from experimental values. The reason for the discrepancies are related to uncertainties in the prediction of activity coefficients by UNIFAC, as well as, difficulties in the estimation of the activity of the solid state. p-Aminobenzoic acid (PABA) has been crystallized from thirteen different solvents either by slow cooling, after which the product is allowed to mature in suspension, or by rapid cooling followed by immediate isolation. Two different polymorphs have been crystallized. The system is found to be enantiotropic with the transition temperature of 25 °C, below which the β-form is the stable polymorph. The α-form was obtained from all solvents by both methods. The β-form is obtained only in carefully controlled conditions from water and ethyl acetate, well below the transition temperature. Often the α-form appears concomitantly. It is shown in this work that sonication significantly reduces the induction time for nucleation. The β-form crystallizes more reproducibly and at higher cooling rates when controlled sonication is used. In addition sonication is found to selectively favor the appearance of one of the polymorphs. Producing the pure β-form was possible even above the transition temperature where other crystallization techniques were only capable of producing the stable α-form. The α-form structure is based on centro symmetric dimers formed by association of carboxylic acid groups. It is suggested that the preference for nucleation of the α-polymorph is related to the formation of dimers in the supersaturated solution. Only at the condition where the formation of dimers is reduced sufficiently, (i.e. in the polar solvents or when sonication is applied) the nucleation of the β-form is favored.


Adoption or beyond tolerance. Gotthold Ephraim Lessing's Nathan der Weise
Lessing's play Nathan der Weise has been considered as one of the works of enlightenment in which the topic of tolerance is foregrounded best. Instead of taking this view as a starting point, the paper shifts the attention from tolerance to adoption, analysing the latter as a cultural practice that enables a broader outlook than just focusing on tolerance, therefore permitting new insights into the relation between self and other during intercultural encounters. Thus the paper discusses the ethical and aesthetical category of wisdom to constitute the theoretical basis of the investigation, thereby demonstrating the discursive conditions which make adoption possible in the first place.


For smart decision making, user agents need live and historic access to open data from sensors installed in the public domain. In contrast to a closed environment, for Open Data and federated query processing algorithms, the data publisher cannot anticipate in advance on specific questions, nor can it deal with a bad cost-efficiency of the server interface when data consumers increase. When publishing observations from sensors, different fragmentation strategies can be thought of depending on how the historic data needs to be queried. Furthermore, both publish/subscribe and polling strategies exist to publish live updates. Each of these strategies come with their own trade-offs regarding cost-efficiency of the server-interface, user-perceived performance and cpu use. A polling strategy where multiple observations are published in a paged collection was tested in a proof of concept for parking spaces availability. In order to understand the different resource trade-offs presented by publish/subscribe and polling publication strategies, we devised an experiment on two machines, for a scalability test. The preliminary results were inconclusive and suggest more large scale tests are needed in order to see a trend. While the large-scale tests will be performed in future work, the proof of concept helped to identify the technical Open Data principles for the 13 biggest cities in Flanders.


"Over the past decade, low interest rates attracted borrowers to leveraged credit markets, which have since reached an unprecedented size and risk. The collision of a highly leveraged corporate sector with the severe economic shock from COVID-19 has created unique financial problems. This column analyses the main vulnerabilities in the loan market and evaluates the current US government response. Although the current stimulus programmes are significant, they can be improved to better target at-risk businesses, mitigate moral hazard, and optimise the level of direct government funding."


This paper estimates returns to education using a dynamic model of educational choice that synthesizes approaches in the structural dynamic discrete choice literature with approaches used in the reduced form treatment effect literature. It is an empirically robust middle ground between the two approaches which estimates economically interpretable and policy-relevant dynamic treatment effects that account for heterogeneity in cognitive and non-cognitive skills and the continuation values of educational choices. Graduating college is not a wise choice for all. Ability bias is a major component of observed educational differentials. For some, there are substantial causal effects of education at all stages of schooling.


The famous three chapters in Nelson and Winter (1982) that focus on firm routines and capabilities are often taken to be solidly founded on an assumption of bounded rationality. I argue that, in actuality, bounded rationality plays a rather limited role in Nelson and Winter (1982), that the very different assumption of tacit knowledge is much more central, and that the links between bounded rationality and routines/capabilities are not clear. I then argue that the absence in Nelson and Winter of a clear methodological individualist foundation for notions such as routines, capabilities, competencies, etc. have resulted in certain explanatory difficulties in the modern organizational capabilities approach that has taken so much inspiration from their work.


In this study we put forth a modular approach for distilling hidden flow physics in discrete and sparse observations. To address functional expressiblity, a key limitation of the black-box machine learning methods, we have exploited the use of symbolic regression as a principle for identifying relations and operators that are related to the underlying processes. This approach combines evolutionary computation with feature engineering to provide a tool to discover hidden parameterizations embedded in the trajectory of fluid flows in the Eulerian frame of reference. Our approach in this study mainly involves gene expression programming (GEP) and sequential threshold ridge regression (STRidge) algorithms. We demonstrate our results in three different applications: (i) equation discovery, (ii) truncation error analysis, and (iii) hidden physics discovery, for which we include both predicting unknown source terms from a set of sparse observations and discovering subgrid scale closure models. We illustrate that both GEP and STRidge algorithms are able to distill the Smagorinsky model from an array of tailored features in solving the Kraichnan turbulence problem. Our results demonstrate the huge potential of these techniques in complex physics problems, and reveal the importance of feature selection and feature engineering in model discovery approaches.


We present a novel non-invasive and non-contact system for reflex-free retinal imaging and dynamic retinal vessel analysis in the rat. Theoretical analysis was performed prior to development of the new optical design, taking into account the optical properties of the rat eye and its specific illumination and imaging requirements. A novel optical model of the rat eye was developed for use with standard optical design software, facilitating both sequential and non-sequential modes. A retinal camera for the rat was constructed using standard optical and mechanical components. The addition of a customized illumination unit and existing standard software enabled dynamic vessel analysis. Seven-minute in-vivo vessel diameter recordings performed on 9 Brown-Norway rats showed stable readings. On average, the coefficient of variation was (1.1 ± 0.19) % for the arteries and (0.6 ± 0.08) % for the veins. The slope of the linear regression analysis was (0.56 ± 0.26) % for the arteries and (0.15 ± 0.27) % for the veins. In conclusion, the device can be used in basic studies of retinal vessel behavior.


Non-covalent interactions in halobenzenes (PhX) (X=F, Cl, Br) and phenylamine (C6 H5 NH2 ) have been studied here using resonance two-photon ionization (R2PI) spectroscopy combined with a linear TOF-mass spectrometer. Their interaction with polar molecules in form of ammonia (NH 3 ) and trifluorohalomethanes (CF3 X) has also been studied. DFT and TD-DFT calculations using M06-2X functionals were carried out on different cluster conformations to compliment experimental results. A general trend of broadness in homogenous dimers (PhX)2 , has been attributed to mainly the presence of multiple cluster isomers and Frank-Condon activity in the low frequency intermolecular vibrational modes. The van der Waals interactions between PhX and ammonia were all assigned to an in-plane σ-type geometry as compared to an out of plane π-type conformation. Stable halogen bonded dimer structures in the C 6 H5 NH2 ...CF 3 X system were also optimized. In the second part of this dissertation, a global analysis of spin-orbit coupling in the mono-halocarbenes, CH(D)X, where X = Cl, Br, I is presented. Mono-halocarbenes are model systems for examining carbene singlet-triplet energy gaps and spin-orbit coupling. Experiments probing the ground vibrational levels in these carbenes have clearly demonstrated the presence of perturbations involving a low-lying triplet. To model these interactions more globally, a diabatic treatment of the spin-orbit coupling is adopted, where matrix elements are written in terms of a purely electronic spin-orbit matrix element which is independent of nuclear coordinates, and an integral representing the overlap of the singlet and triplet vibrational wavefunctions. In this way, the structures, harmonic frequencies, and normal mode displacements from ab initio and DFT calculations were used to calculate the vibrational overlaps of the singlet and triplet state levels, incorporating the full effects of Duschinsky mixing. These results were then incorporated with the electronic spin-orbit matrix element into a matrix diagonalization routine that calculated the term energies of the mixed singlet-triplet levels, which were iteratively fit to the extensive experimental results from SVL emission and SEP spectroscopy for the halocarbenes. These calculations have allowed many new assignments to be made, particularly for CHI, and provided spin-orbit coupling matrix elements and improved values for the singlet-triplet gaps.


Renaissance drama developed in Holland from a distant imitation of Latin comedies, seen as models of everyday problem solving. Sixteenth century Neo-Latin authors imitated them in comoediae sacrae ; they used tales from the Bible to discuss religious questions. When for instance participants in 1561 Rotterdam's rhetoricians' contest were invited to dispute a theological issue 'after life', the Amsterdam playwright Egbert Meynertsz applied that format in the vernacular. By doing so his response could elucidate a range of controversial Protestant matters of principle. His contribution is examined here. It is an adaptation of the traditional rederijker play of mind (a staged dispute) to the framework of a comoedia with characters experiencing the problems being disputed: i.e. an adaptation to drama. We will explore Amsterdam in its literary and historical context, demonstrating how Meynertsz intermingles theological conceptions with the current of events, how he proves his points and adds colour to conceptions.


: The diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) entails the identification of patients with esophagitis and its complications as well as patients who have symptoms but no mucosal disease. Endoscopy is mandatory to establish a diagnosis of reflux esophagitis, to exclude other esophageal disease and to permit directed biopsy if columnar metaplasia, dysplasia or carcinoma is suspected. The lesions of reflux esophagitis--erosions, ulceration, stricturing and metaplasia--should be identified and graded independently, using a classification system such as the recently described "MUSE" (Metaplasia, Ulcer, Stricture, Erosions) system. Fluoroscopy can identify associated structural changes such as stricturing or esophageal shortening. Measures of esophageal acid exposure time may be used to quantify reflux before and after treatment; however, if the patient has typical symptoms but no esophagitis, a temporal association between symptoms and episodes of esophageal acidification should be sought. Ambulatory 24-hour esophageal pH-monitoring with accurate event-marking provides recordings suitable for an objective statistical analysis, which was evaluated prospectively in 14 patients. Computerized analysis of 24-hour esophageal pH recordings diagnosed 5 patients as having acid-related symptoms although only 3 of 5 patients fulfilling the criteria for pathological reflux had pH-related chest pain. This finding was confirmed by 5 experts who analyzed all recordings visually, unaware of the result of the computer analysis. The Bernstein test should be reserved for patients whose symptoms are too infrequent to permit an objective assessment of symptom occurrence during pH monitoring. In conclusion, i) endoscopy is the test of choice for the diagnosis of esophagitis but it should be supplemented by a standardized and reliable scoring system for disease severity; ii) ambulatory esophageal pH recording with accurate event-marking is the test of choice for the diagnosis of GER-related symptoms, but it should be supplemented by an objective assessment of the temporal relationship between symptoms and esophageal pH; and iii) esophageal manometry is the test of choice for evaluating esophageal peristalsis and LES (lower esophageal sphincter) function but, in the context of GERD, its main indication is the assessment of GERD patients who are being considered for surgery. The widespread use of other tests for clinical purposes must await a better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms which can lead to the development of GERD.


Abstract This article explores the surprising closeness and apparent warmth of the relations between biodiversity conservation organisations and corporations. It argues that in this paradoxical engagement, conservationists are exhibiting an extreme form of pragmatism - a willingness to 'sleep with the enemy.' The article considers the implications of these arrangements using the metaphor of a Faustian Bargain, a deal with the devil to acquire power in exchange for the soul. It considers the lure to conservationists of the logics underlying collaboration in the forms of market-based neoliberal conservation and the green economy in the light of the long-standing tradition of opposition in the face of the destructive engagement between capitalism and nature. It considers the benefits of conservation of its Faustian bargain, and explores its consequences. Key Words: biodiversity conservation, neoliberal conservation


Background The success of tropical reef-building corals depends on the metabolic co-operation between the animal host and the photosynthetic performance of endosymbiotic algae residing within its cells. To examine the molecular response of the coral Acropora microphthalma to high levels of solar irradiance, a cDNA library was constructed by PCR-based suppression subtractive hybridisation (PCR-SSH) from mRNA obtained by transplantation of a colony from a depth of 12.7 m to near-surface solar irradiance, during which the coral became noticeably paler from loss of endosymbionts in sun-exposed tissues. Methodology/Principal Findings A novel approach to sequence annotation of the cDNA library gave genetic evidence for a hypothetical biosynthetic pathway branching from the shikimic acid pathway that leads to the formation of 4-deoxygadusol. This metabolite is a potent antioxidant and expected precursor of the UV-protective mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), which serve as sunscreens in coral phototrophic symbiosis. Empirical PCR based evidence further upholds the contention that the biosynthesis of these MAA sunscreens is a 'shared metabolic adaptation' between the symbiotic partners. Additionally, gene expression induced by enhanced solar irradiance reveals a cellular mechanism of light-induced coral bleaching that invokes a Ca2+-binding synaptotagmin-like regulator of SNARE protein assembly of phagosomal exocytosis, whereby algal partners are lost from the symbiosis. Conclusions/Significance Bioinformatics analyses of DNA sequences obtained by differential gene expression of a coral exposed to high solar irradiance has revealed the identification of putative genes encoding key steps of the MAA biosynthetic pathway. Revealed also by this treatment are genes that implicate exocytosis as a cellular process contributing to a breakdown in the metabolically essential partnership between the coral host and endosymbiotic algae, which manifests as coral bleaching.


Abstract This study compares Monte Carlo and deterministic neutronics analyses of the zero-power YALINA Thermal subcritical assembly, which is located in Minsk, Belarus. The YALINA Thermal facility consists of a subcritical core that can be driven by either a californium neutron source or a deuterium-deuterium (D-D) neutron source. The californium neutron source is generated by the natural decay of 252Cf; the D-D neutron source is generated by a deuteron accelerator. The MCNPX, MONK, NJOY, DRAGON, PARTISN, and TORT computer programs have been used for calculating the neutron spectrum, the neutron flux, and the 3He(n,p) reaction rate set by californium and D-D neutron sources. These parameters have been computed in different experimental channels of the assembly for different fuel loading configurations. The MCNPX and MONK computer programs modeled the facility without any major approximation; the PARTISN and TORT computer simulations used 69 energy groups, S16 angular quadrature set, linear anisotropic scattering, and approximately 60 homogenized material zones. The results calculated by different computer programs are in good agreement; in addition, they match the 3He(n,p) reaction rate from experimental measurements obtained by californium and D-D neutron sources.


We propose the optical implementation of diffractive optical elements onto electrically addressed liquid-crystal spatial light modulators. We compare the classic implementations onto amplitude-only or phase-only domains with the implementations onto coupled phase and amplitude (spiral) domains. We demonstrate that the coupling between amplitude and phase provides a trade-off between diffraction efficiency and the signal-to-noise ratio in the reconstruction. Furthermore, when investigating the influence of the maximum dephasing on phase domains and spiral domains through the use of optimal trade-off design, we show that phase-only domains with limited maximum dephasing can provide satisfactory performance. Finally, optical implementations are provided.


Most of the studies on HIV/AIDS health care status are usually conducted in big cities while small towns and rural areas are faced with specific challenges. This study aimed to identify the barriers and problems encountered by HIV-positive patients when receiving health services in the small cities and rural areas of Iran.This is a qualitative study that was conducted using an interpretive phenomenology method in 2016. This study was conducted through a semi-structured interview for which a purposeful sampling method was used. In the present study, data saturation was observed after 15 interviews, but more than 17 interviews were conducted to ensure the reliability of the interview. Data were analyzed by Colaizzi's method using MAXQDA10 software.Barriers and problems encountered by patients when receiving health care services consisted of 10 categories, 32 main themes and 67 sub-themes. The categories were as follows: fear of revealing the disease, fear of confronting providers, seeking support, not visiting health care providers, inappropriate behavior of health care staff, concealing the disease, hardship endurance, financial concerns, psychological stress and pressure, and disclosure of patient information.Recognizing the problems of HIV-positive patients in using health care services and resolving them can help to reassure the patients about the health system. Introduction of supporting policies and regulations, appropriate public education, training health sector personnel, and provision of medical equipment and facilities would positively affect the process of solving the problems of HIV-Patients (treating HIV patients).


Background: Telemedicine offers convenient and affordable health care, overcoming the logistical challenges of face-to-face encounters. Clinicians increasingly relied on telemedicine during the global pandemic. To assess the ongoing role for telemedicine in orthopaedics, we prospectively analyzed the failure rate, safety and patient-reported experience of telephone consultations for 12 months. Methods: 265 telephone Foot/Ankle consultations were conducted in April 2020 and were prospectively analyzed over 12 months. The primary outcome measure was the rate of failed telephone consultations. A consultation was deemed unacceptable if the patient did not answer, if the clinician could not reach a conclusion or if any outcome changed over 12 months. Secondary outcome measures included patient-reported satisfaction and time saved by avoiding a face-to-face visit. Results: A clinical decision was reached in 84% of follow-up telephone consultations and 64% of new patient consultations (P = 0.001). Sixty-six percent were managed with nonoperative therapies, 16% were discharged, and 11% were added to the waiting list for surgery. The reasons for failing to achieve a clinical decision included failure to contact the patient (12.8%), inappropriate discharge with subsequent rereferral (1.9%), and insufficient clinical information (1.5%). Overall, 84.7% of patients reported that the telephone consultation was highly useful and 71.9% would recommend it to a friend or family member. Patients reported a mean time saving of 120 minutes. Conclusion: Based on our experience, we provide recommended criteria for the safe and practical use of telephone consultations and suggest versatile patient care pathways into which a telephone consultation can be incorporated. Level of Evidence: Level IV, prospective cohort series (noncomparative).


The recent trend in using aerodynamic sweep to improve the performance of transonic blading has been one of the more significant technological evolutions for compression components in turbomachinery. This paper reports on the experimental and analytical assessment of the pay-off derived from both aft and forward sweep technology with respect to aerodynamic performance and stability. The single-stage experimental investigation includes two aft-swept rotors with varying degree and type of aerodynamic sweep and one swept forward rotor. On a back-to-back test basis, the results are compared with an unswept rotor with excellent performance and adequate stall margin. Although designed to satisfy identical design speed requirements as the unswept rotor, the experimental results reveal significant variations in efficiency and stall margin with the swept rotors. At design speed, all the swept rotors demonstrated a peak stage efficiency level that was equal to that of the unswept rotor. However, the forward-swept rotor achieved the highest rotor-alone peak efficiency. At the same time, the forward-swept rotor demonstrated a significant improvement in stall margin relative to the already satisfactory level achieved by the unswept rotor. Increasing the level ofaft sweep adversely affected the stall margin. A three-dimensional viscous flow analysis was used to assist in the interpretation of the data. The reduced shock/ boundary layer interaction, resulting from reduced axial flow diffusion and less accumulation of centrifuged blade surface boundary layer at the tip, was identified as the prime contributor to the enhanced performance with forward sweep. The impact of tip clearance on the performance and stability for one of the aft-swept rotors was also assessed.


Introduction Cerebral visual impairment (CVI) typically affects children's overall functioning in visually cluttered environments. This study aims to consider whether the removal of classroom clutter ameliorates visual problems and the associated behavioral difficulties for these children. Methods Two classrooms at a special school were de-cluttered. Changes included: covering glass panels with thick black paper; hanging sheets over open shelving; creating areas of blank wall in front of the student to focus attention on work; removing unnecessary equipment and furniture; and taking down information on windows and walls, and that hanging from ceilings. Teachers, paraeducators, and students worked in these classrooms for two weeks, following typical daily routines. Observations by teachers and paraeducators of students' behavior and learning experiences before and after de-cluttering were sought through interviews. Findings The perspectives of the teachers and paraeducators were that de-cluttering had a positive effect on the students' learning experiences and behavior and also on their own functioning. They also considered the fact that creation of learning spaces lined with black paper resulted in greater attention and focus, but that students continued to be distracted by the noise and movement of others. Discussion The potential link between cluttered classrooms and students' functioning and behavior indicates that visual clutter may amplify the visual difficulties associated with CVI and distract the students from learning activities, and is in line with current literature. Changes to classroom layouts that include specific areas for different learning activities, including "black hubs," may therefore benefit students with CVI. Implications for practitioners This pilot study suggests that the elimination of classroom clutter and the creation of black hub learning spaces enhances functioning and merits further investigation. A study that compares specific behaviors and performances, before and after implementation of de-cluttering strategies, might also determine whether the positive effects described by the teachers can be further corroborated.


A novel proposal regarding predicate-argument agreement that combines detailed empirical investigation with rigorous theoretical discussion. In this book, Omer Preminger investigates how the obligatory nature of predicate-argument agreement is enforced by the grammar. Preminger argues that an empirically adequate theory of predicate-argument agreement requires recourse to an operation, whose obligatoriness is a grammatical primitive not reducible to representational properties, but whose successful culmination is not enforced by the grammar. Preminger's argument counters contemporary approaches that find the obligatoriness of predicate-argument agreement enforced through representational means. The most prominent of these is Chomsky's "interpretability"-based proposal, in which the obligatoriness of predicate-argument agreement is enforced through derivational time bombs. Preminger presents an empirical argument against contemporary approaches that seek to derive the obligatory nature of predicate-argument agreement exclusively from derivational time bombs. He offers instead an alternative account based on the notion of obligatory operations better suited to the facts. The crucial data involves utterances that inescapably involve attempted-but-failed agreement and are nonetheless fully grammatical. Preminger combines a detailed empirical investigation of agreement phenomena in the Kichean (Mayan) languages, Zulu (Bantu), Basque, Icelandic, and French with an extensive and rigorous theoretical exploration of the far-reaching consequences of these data. The result is a novel proposal that has profound implications for the formalism that the theory of grammar uses to derive obligatory processes and properties.


In meiosis I of most organisms, homologous chromosomes pair, recombine, and then segregate to opposite poles of the cell. Crossing-over is normally necessary to ensure the proper segregation of the homologs. Recently developed techniques have made it possible to study meiosis with highly defined artificial chromosomes. These techniques were used to demonstrate the existence of a system capable of segregating pairs of nonrecombined artificial chromosomes, regardless of the extent of their sequence homology. This system may contribute to the high fidelity of meiosis by mediating the segregation of pairs of natural chromosomes that have failed to recombine.


Abstract Western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis Hook. var. occidentalis) has been expanding into sagebrush (Artemisia L. spp.) steppe over the past 130 yr in Idaho, Oregon, and California. Fuel characteristics and expected fire behavior and effects change as sagebrush steppe transitions into juniper woodlands. Little is currently known about how wildfire influences burn severity and ecosystem response in steppe altered by woodland conversion. In 2007, the Tongue-Crutcher Wildland Fire burned 18 890 ha along a successional gradient ranging from sagebrush steppe to mature juniper woodlands, providing a unique opportunity to evaluate the effects of prefire vegetation on burn severity and ecosystem response across spatial scales. Plot-scale burn severity was evaluated with the composite burn index (CBI) in locations where prefire vegetation data were available, and landscape-scale burn severity was estimated via remotely sensed indices (differenced normalized burn ratio [dNBR] and relative differenced normalized burn ratio [RdNBR]). Strong positive relationships exist between CBI and remotely sensed burn severity indices in woodlands, whereas the relationships are weaker in steppe vegetation. Woodlands in late structural development phases, and sagebrush patches near developed woodlands, incurred higher burn severity than steppe and young woodlands. The results support the idea that a threshold exists for when juniper-encroached sagebrush steppe becomes difficult to restore. Implications for fire management in sagebrush/juniper ecosystems are discussed.


Microstructuring of Ti plates with femtosecond laser pulses is investigated in three different liquids. In these ambiences, complex microstructures with voids and islands are produced on the sample surfaces, whose feature sizes are controlled by the laser parameters. Through adopting supersaturated Hydroxyapatite suspension with higher incident laser fluences, it is for the first time to observe the firm deposition of biocompatible elements Ca-P on the microstructures. At lower laser fluence, only porous structure is present but without additional elements deposition. Both plasma-related ablation under the confinement of liquids and micro-bubbles striking are employed to discuss such structures formation. Tight combining elements Ca-P onto the structured surfaces provide a new way to improve the biocompatibility of body-embedded devices.


This paper first looks at the resource tenure and local governance contexts within which the CAMPFIRE programme is being implemented and associated institutional arrangements. This background is useful in the understanding of possible impacts of the proposed legislative changes on the programme and its thrust towards community based natural resource management. The paper will also look at related legislation before discussing the proposed Environment and Natural Resources Management Bill and how it will impact on the CAMPFIRE programme. Based on the research findings and conclusions, recommendations will be made on the way forward.


We propose a new method for making laser tuners, and wavelength-sensitive or tunable detectors, that is based on absorbers in standing waves. Because the method does not rely on mechanical movement or changes in refractive index, it may offer high-speed tunable devices whose range is not constrained by limits on the size of refractive index changes. The devices can be made either in a longitudinal form by back reflection, or in a transverse form by interfering beams at an angle on a surface. We give theoretical models for these structures, and illustrate the concepts with various specific device designs. These include a narrow band detector based on transverse gratings, a simple wavelength sensitive longitudinal structure with a single absorber, and a two-absorber longitudinal structure capable of many functions, including a narrow band detector, a two wavelength detector, a wavelength measuring detector, a continuously variable laser tuner, and a laser phase controller. These devices can all be made using layered semiconductor growth and lithography, and are particularly suited to quantum wells. The devices are applicable to wavelength division multiplexing and switching, and to sensors and spectroscopy. >


Vital Memory and Affect takes as its subject the autobiographical memories of 'vulnerable' groups, including survivors of child sexual abuse, adopted children and their families, forensic mental health service users, and elderly persons in care home settings. In particular the focus is on a particular class of memory within this group: recollected episodes that are difficult and painful, sometimes contested, but always with enormous significance for a current and past sense of self. These 'vital memories', integral and irreversible, can come to appear as a defining feature of a person's life.

In Vital Memory and Affect, authors Steve Brown and Paula Reavey explore the highly productive way in which individuals make sense of a difficult past, situated as they are within a highly specific cultural and social landscape. Via an exploration of their vital memories, the book combines insights from social and cognitive psychology to open up the possibility of a new approach to memory, one that pays full attention to the contextual conditions of all acts of remembering.

This path-breaking study brings together a unique set of empirical material and maps out an agenda for research into memory and affect that will be important reading for students and scholars of social psychology, memory studies, cultural studies, philosophy, and other related fields.


Finishing the Race: Increasing Student Persistence Among African-American Males at Averett University. Howard, DeAndre T., 2018, Consultancy Project, Gardner-Webb University, Digital Commons/Retention/African-American Male Students/EnrollmentDriven/Persistence With the rising costs of tuition and fees at colleges and universities, the issue of retaining students has now become more important than ever. Several institutions of higher education spend thousands of dollars annually to recruit and enroll new students. Once enrolled, the faculty, staff and administration all share the obligation of keeping students enrolled until graduation. The more access to necessary resources college students have, the better the chance they will persist toward graduation. Additionally, college students who are engaged within the university community will retain at a better rate than their counterparts who are not. Small, private colleges and universities are typically enrollment-driven institutions; and with such a small number of students, retention is even more of a priority. One of the hardest groups of students to retain, especially at predominately White institutions, are African-American male students. Averett University, a small, private, predominately White university in Virginia, has recently experienced some retention issues with African-American male students. The purpose of this consultancy project was to identify the causes associated with the failed retention of African-American male students at the university and work to mitigate the risks. A number of goals and objectives to address the retention dilemma in addition to some action plan items are discussed within the executive summary. Emphasis is placed on access to adequate resources, mentorship, student engagement, and overall student support.


Since the first edition of the Handbook of Alternative Assets was published, significant events-from the popping of the technology bubble and massive accounting scandals to recessions and bear markets-have shifted the financial landscape. These changes have provided author Mark J. P. Anson with an excellent opportunity to examine alternative assets during a different part of the economic cycle than previously observed in the first edition. Fully revised and updated to reflect today's financial realities, the Handbook of Alternative Assets, Second Edition covers the five major classes of alternative assets-hedge funds, commodity and managed futures, private equity, credit derivatives, and corporate governance-and outlines the strategies you can use to efficiently incorporate these assets into any portfolio. Throughout the book, new chapters have been added, different data sources accessed, and new conclusions reached. Designed as both an introduction to the world of alternative assets and as a reference for the active investor, the Handbook of Alternative Assets, Second Edition will help you match alternative assets with your various investment goals.


The most eloquent and personal story of a young man at war since Geoffrey Wellum's FIRST LIGHT Until a winter evening in 1998 Nathaniel was just another history student on a comfortable career trajectory of high school to college to white collar job. Then he went to a lecture by a Wall Street Journal reporter who had just published a book on the US Marines. It brought forth a latent desire to break free of the 'seat belt and safety goggle, safety-first' culture: to be a warrior. He passed the gruelling selection course and joined the Marine Corps on graduation. Posted to a Marine Regiment in the wake of 9/11, he took part in the invasion of Afghanistan, then led a platoon of their elite Recon Battalion during the invasion of Iraq. This is not a book about the Iraq invasion as such: it is an articulate and deeply thoughtful young man's account of what it means to fight in the frontline, to risk not just death or injury, but psychological harm. He reveals some of the awful dilemmas war can bring, horrible problems to which there is no 'right' answer, but a decision had to be made quickly -- by him alone. In combat you are just one bullet away from death -- or promotion. But this doesn't focus the mind: it makes it freeze up -- unless your training is so thorough that you overcome exhaustion and terror. 'Nate' took 65 men to war and came home with all 65. He proved himself an excellent officer and won promotion, but resigned in 2003 to write this book and attend Harvard Business School.


We analyze the formation of networks among individuals. In particular, we examine the existence of networks that are stable against changes in links by any coalition of individuals. We show that to investigate the existence of such strongly stable networks one can restrict focus on a component-wise egalitarian allocation of value. We show that when such strongly stable networks exist they coincide with the set of efficient networks (those maximizing the total productive value). We show that the existence of strongly stable networks is equivalent to core existence in a derived cooperative game and use that result to characterize the class of value functions for which there exist strongly stable networks via a "top convexity" condition on the value function on networks. We also consider a variation on strong stability where players can make side payments, and examine situations where value functions may be non-anonymous - depending on player labels.


More than 50000 meteorite samples have been collected in Antarctica since 1969, making meteorite surveys a very important aspect of Antarctic expeditions. The Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition has collected more than 12000 meteorites in the Grove Mountains region, where has been confirmed as one of the richest meteorite concentration sites in Antarctica. China, therefore, possesses one of the world's largest Antarctic meteorite collections and has made substantial contributions to this field of research. We summarize here the Chinese meteorite survey efforts in the Grove Mountains, as well as discuss progress of the classification and investigation of Grove Mountains meteorites. Outlooks are also proposed for the future of Antarctic meteorite work. Citation : Miao B K, Xia Z P, Zhang C T, et al. Progress of Antarctic meteorite survey and research in China. Adv Polar Sci, 2018, 29(2): 61-77, doi: 10.13679/j.advps.2018.2.00061


The ac-Stark shift of the A 2Σ+n′=2←X 2∏rn″=0 two-photon Bohr resonance of nitric oxide at 409.8 nm is utilized to autocorrelate intense, ultrashort optical pulses at 400 nm. When they are temporally and spatially overlapped, two identical pulses shift the absorption into transient resonance with the applied two-photon energy. Interferometric autocorrelation traces are obtained by detection of A 2Σ+n′=2→X 2∏rn″=2 fluorescence as a function of the time delay between the two pulses: The method is background free and highly nonlinear. Experimental measurements are simulated through solutions to the time-dependent Schrodinger equation for one-dimensional motion of an electron in an electric field, which procedure yields a measure of the incident pulse width.


OBJECTIVES
Twelve countries were compared with respect to occupational class differences in ischemic heart disease mortality in order to identify factors that are associated with smaller or larger mortality differences.

METHODS
Data on mortality by occupational class among men aged 30 to 64 years were obtained from national longitudinal or cross-sectional studies for the 1980s. A common occupational class scheme was applied to most countries. Potential effects of the main data problems were evaluated quantitatively.

RESULTS
A north-south contrast existed within Europe. In England and Wales, Ireland, and Nordic countries, manual classes had higher mortality rates than nonmanual classes. In France, Switzerland, and Mediterranean countries, manual classes had mortality rates as low as, or lower than, those among nonmanual classes. Compared with Northern Europe, mortality differences in the United States were smaller (among men aged 30-44 years) or about as large (among men aged 45-64 years).

CONCLUSIONS
The results underline the highly variable nature of socioeconomic inequalities in ischemic heart disease mortality. These inequalities appear to be highly sensitive to social gradients in behavioral risk factors. These risk factor gradients are determined by cultural as well as socioeconomic developments.


[1] We report on balloon sonde measurements of water vapor and ozone using the cryogenic frost point hygrometer and electrochemical concentration cell ozonesondes made at Alajuela, Costa Rica (10.0°N, 84.2°W) during two NASA airborne campaigns: the Tropical Convective Systems and Processes (TCSP) mission in July 2005 and the Tropical Composition, Clouds, and Climate Coupling Experiment (TC4), July–August 2007. In both campaigns we found an upper troposphere that was frequently supersaturated but no evidence that deep convection had reached the tropopause. The balloon sondes were complemented by campaigns of 4 times daily high-resolution radiosondes from mid-June through mid-August in both years. The radiosonde data reveal vertically propagating equatorial waves that caused a large increase in the variability of temperature in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL). These waves episodically produced cold point tropopauses (CPTs) above 18 km, yet in neither campaign was saturation observed above ∼380 K or 17 km. The averages of the water vapor minima below this level were 5.2 ppmv in TCSP and 4.8 ppmv in TC4, and the individual profile minima all lay at or above ∼360 K. The average minima in this 360–380 K layer provide a better estimate of the effective stratospheric entry value than the average mixing ratio at the CPT. We refer to this upper portion of the TTL as the tropopause saturation layer and consider it to be the locus of the final dehydration of nascent stratospheric air. As such, it is the local equivalent to the tape head of the water vapor tape recorder.


Abscisic acid (ABA) is a plant hormone that regulates various developmental processes and environmental stress responses. ABA modulates growth of both primary roots and lateral roots, helping to shape root architecture. The lateral root organ defective (latd) mutants, disrupted in the MtLATD/NIP gene, encoding a nitrate transporter, have severe root growth defects that can be rescued by applying ABA. However, the way in which ABA stimulates latd root growth is unclear, and the downstream components of MtLATD/NIP and ABA signaling are completely unknown. To answer these questions, this dissertation focuses on two major potential downstream regulators: Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and transcription factors (TFs). ROS are important signaling molecules required in ABA-induced stomatal closure under drought or osmotic stresses, but their role in ABA regulation of root development is unclear. I found that latd mutant roots have increased ROS levels, and the expression level of several MtRboh genes, which encode major ROS-producing enzymes, the NADPH oxidases, is also increased. ABA decreases the amount of ROS in latd roots and also reduces expression of MtRbohC, in particular. In addition, I observed that latd mutant roots have cell elongation defects, which can also be rescued by exogenous ABA. I demonstrated that pharmaceutically decreasing ROS levels using an NADPH oxidase inhibitor, or reducing the expression of MtRbohC using RNA interference can increase cell elongation and stimulate lateral root elongation in latd roots. These findings have revealed a mechanism by which ABA restores root growth in latd mutant roots via regulating ROS levels, and identified MtRbohC as an important downstream target of ABA signaling mediated by MtLATD/NIP. TFs act as regulatory nodes controlling the transcription of gene clusters and playing a crucial role in plant growth and development. Using a high-throughput TF profiling approach, I have identified 20 TFs that exhibit altered expression levels in latd mutant roots as compared to wild type, 60% of which can be restored to normal levels by ABA. My analysis also revealed that ABA regulates the expression of a different set of TFs in latd roots, suggesting that MtLATD/NIP is crucial for ABA regulation of TF expression. Moreover, ABA changes the TFs regulated by MtLATD/NIP almost completely, indicating a tight control of ABA on TFs regulated by MtLATD/NIP. Surprisingly, I found that the expression of NODULATION SIGNALING PATHWAY 2 (MtNSP2), a GRAS family TF required for nodulation, is regulated by MtLATD/NIP, ABA and nitrate in non-symbiotic roots. In symbiotic roots, MtLATD/NIP is required for the transcriptional signaling pathway downstream of MtNSP2 in the epidermis as well as induction of MtNSP2 expression by cytokinin and subsequent activation of its downstream targets in the cortex. These findings indicate that MtLATD/NIP functions in nodulation signal transduction upstream of MtNSP2, and mediates crosstalk with cytokinin. Together, these two approaches have begun to characterize a signaling pathway downstream of ABA and MtLATD/NIP that involves ROS, MtNSP2, and a core group of TFs in the regulation of root development and nodulation in M. truncatula.


Humans with seven or more repeats in exon III of the DRD4 gene (long DRD4 carriers) sometimes demonstrate impaired attention, as seen in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and at other times demonstrate heightened attention, as seen in addictive behavior. Although the clinical effects of DRD4 are the focus of much work, this gene may not necessarily serve as a "risk" gene for attentional deficits, but as a plasticity gene where attention is heightened for priority items in the environment and impaired for minor items. Here we examine the role of DRD4 in two tasks that benefit from selective attention to high-priority information. We examine a category learning task where performance is supported by focusing on features and updating verbal rules. Here, selective attention to the most salient features is associated with good performance. In addition, we examine the Operation Span (OSPAN) task, a working memory capacity task that relies on selective attention to update and maintain items in memory while also performing a secondary task. Long DRD4 carriers show superior performance relative to short DRD4 homozygotes (six or less tandem repeats) in both the category learning and OSPAN tasks. These results suggest that DRD4 may serve as a "plasticity" gene where individuals with the long allele show heightened selective attention to high-priority items in the environment, which can be beneficial in the appropriate context.


Woman image in politic cant separated from woman social construct in social relation. This image in people's mind is stereotype and gender concept about woman in all sector, include in political and government sector, that woman "incapable" to lead, because woman is irrational and rely on her emotion. Actually, there's woman's chance to enter political domain, but it's very rare. Woman justified as improper to politic because woman is kitchen/domestic "inhabitant", irrational and nervous to take a risk. There's several factor that influence emergence woman's leader, namely patriarchy culture, family relation, martyrdom, social class, lifestyle, social context, prison experience, and election system. Therefore, it's necessitating more woman candidate in political domain, objective recruitment process, and initialized with quota's system to create critical numbers of woman politicians


A microfluidic device denoted the Phase Chip has been designed to measure and manipulate the phase diagram of multicomponent fluid mixtures. The Phase Chip exploits the permeation of water through poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) in order to controllably vary the concentration of solutes in aqueous nanoliter volume microdrops stored in wells. The permeation of water in the Phase Chip is modeled using the diffusion equation, and good agreement between experiment and theory is obtained. The Phase Chip operates by first creating drops of the water/solute mixture whose composition varies sequentially. Next, drops are transported down channels and guided into storage wells using surface tension forces. Finally, the solute concentration of each stored drop is simultaneously varied and measured. Two applications of the Phase Chip are presented. First, the phase diagram of a polymer/salt mixture is measured on-chip and validated off-chip, and second, protein crystallization rates are enhanced through the manipulation of the kinetics of nucleation and growth.


Ground subsidence is one of the key factors causing damages to transportation facilities, e.g., transportation network (TN) consists of highways and railways. For better exploration of TN subsidence, we propose to use the high resolution TerraSAR-X (TSX) persistent scatterer interferometry (PSI) approach to extract regional scale (RS) subsidence related to the TN. The primary procedures involve interferometric pair selection, interferogram generation, persistent scatterer (PS) detection, PS networking, phase parameterization and subsidence estimation. Xiqing district of southwest Tianjin (China) is selected as the study area, in which multiple highways and one railway line are located. 15 TSX images collected over this area between March, 2009 and June, 2010 are utilized to extract subsidence by the TSX PSI approach. The subsidence rate (SR) map shows that remarkably uneven subsidence occurs along and around the TN, and the SR ranges between –69 and –1.3 mm/yr. For validation purpose, the SR of the TN derived by PSI is compared with leveling data collected for the benchmarks deployed along the selected highways. The mean and root mean square error (RMSE) of discrepancies between two data sets are 0.1 and ±3.2 mm/yr, respectively. The numerical analysis indicates that the high resolution TSX PSI is able to reveal comprehensive and detailed subsidence related to the TN with a millimeter level accuracy.


The primary care sector is nationally and globally recognised as being important in the efficient and effective delivery of healthcare. A key component of this sector is the General Practitioner, or GP. As a clinical professional, the GP has a traditional focus on the needs of patients. While this may constitute their primary role, GPs are also in business, creating other needs as well. Therefore, the GP – and owner specifically – is not just a clinician but is also a business manager. While previous studies have examined this latter role empirically, further theory-informed research is needed to acquire a deeper understanding of both the role itself and the context within which it exists.

This study is based on semi-structured interviews with 35 GPs, thematically analysed and underpinned by literature from management, professions and role theory. The research finds that GPs manage principally at an operational oversight level, where the owner is a dominant force and in close control though potentially lacking in formal management training. While supports exist, and are valuable, they appear to be underutilised in a management capacity. Role conflict can be experienced by those GPs with managerial responsibility, as they seek to balance expectations stemming from organisational and professional demands. A lack of time compounds their difficulties in this respect, potentially giving rise to role overload and the need for some compromise. In seeking to understand what underlies the work performed and the conflicts encountered, the study also identifies a number of key influences.

Contributions from this research include a more theory-based, empirically-informed understanding of the managerial role in a professional context, and a consideration of the value of such a role where resource constraints are salient concerns. In addition, the study highlights the need to consider how Organisational-Professional Conflict is conceptualised, and adds to the debate surrounding whether doctors are altruistic or self-interested. Practical implications for general practice are also identified, including the need to reconsider the role of practice managers and to address the capacity for new GPs to apply their training in a management context.


To advance socially just research, scholars—including those who utilize qualitative methodologies—must confront the colonizing reputation that frames such work in Indigenous communities. This article explores the potential for Community-Based Participatory Research to guide the re-envisioning of mainstream conceptions of scholarly control to cross epistemological borders between theory and practice. A project that endeavored to engage Native participants throughout the research process provides context for the discussion of ongoing challenges and emerging possibilities. This work holds implications for participatory research design and implementation in cross-cultural contexts, especially as connected to shifting decolonizing theory to practice.


The purpose of this study was to present an historical analysis of the function of the Literary Fund of Virginia as it pertained to public school funding. The major questions central to this study were: (a) How has the Literary Fund addressed the funding needs of the Virginia public schools? (b) What significant changes have occurred in the apportionment of Literary Fund revenue? and (c) What are the future trends of the Literary Fund? The political and social circumstances that prevailed in Virginia, prior to this funding initiative, were examined to determine what effects they had on its development. Primary documents also were examined to ascertain pertinent information for completion of this study. These included: House and Senate Journals; The Acts of the General Assembly; Virginia School Reports; Virginia Second Auditor Reports of the Literary Fund; Annual Reports of the Superintendent of Public Instruction; and the Code of Virginia. Secondary sources were used to provide background information about the historical events that helped shape the development and perpetuation of the Literary Fund. Various government officials and a former Superintendent of Public Instruction were interviewed through use of a protocol. The purpose of these interviews was to gain insight on the likely future of the Literary Fund. Their answers to questions were analyzed to determine if consistent themes could be identified. These interviews, along with historical data collected, were examined in order to provide recommendations for future consideration by the Commonwealth of Virginia relative to the use of Literary Fund revenue.


Epithelial cells devoid of the intermediate filament proteins keratin 8 (K8) and keratin 18 (K18) are 100 times as sensitive to apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor (TNF) as cells expressing these keratins. Inada et al. show that the NH2 termini of K8 and K18 interact with the TNF receptor 1-associated death domain protein (TRADD). This interaction was detected by yeast two-hybrid analysis, coprecipitation and colocalization of endogenous proteins, and glutathione S-transferase fusion protein pull-down assays. Expression of K8 and K18 or just the NH2 terminus of K18 protected cells from TNF-induced apoptosis, but not from apoptosis triggered by other stimuli, such as DNA damage, microtubule destabilization, or DNA topoisomerase inhibition. Cells expressing both K8 and K18 required higher than physiological amounts of TNF to cause dissociation of TRADD from the intermediate filaments and to activate caspase-8. Thus, K8 and K18 appear to protect cells from TNF-induced cell death by sequestering TRADD away from the TNF receptor, which blocks initiation of the apoptotic signaling cascade. H. Inada, I. Izawa, M. Nishizawa, E. Fujita, T. Kiyono, T. Takahashi, T. Momoi, M. Inagaki, Keratin attenuates tumor necrosis factor-induced cytotoxicity through association with TRADD. J. Cell Biol. 155, 415-425 (2001). [Abstract] [Full Text]


Advantages and disadvantages of combined extraction and separation techniques for isolation of secondary metabolites in plant materials are discussed. The number of identified substances in crude extracts is often reduceddue to co-elution of two or more compounds. Purification procedures are necessary for more detailed studies due to interference of other substances. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) is the most useful extraction procedure. Its advantages in the purification, especially for more precise identification of isoflavones, are presented. Application of HPLC-DAD-MS tandem to identification and structure characterization of isoflavones in plant materials is described. The presence of six isoflavone glycoside acetates and of eight malonates in Trifolium pratense was confirmed by HPLC-MS. Biosynthesis of flavonoids is described. Combination of SPE and HPLC-DAD-MS techniques improves the procedures and allows more precise identification of secondary metabolites due to reduced interferences and co-elution of other compounds. Application of SPE leads to simpler chromatograms but the sensitivity is sacrificed.


Aim: To assess the dietary intake and dietary habits of adolescent girls belonging to low socio economic status to provide a baseline data for future intervention studies, a community based descriptive analytical study was conducted. Method: Unmarried adolescent girls, who had had their first menarche, were selected through convenience sampling. Informed verbal consent was obtained from the participants and their parents. Three days dietary recall was used to gather dietary data which was analyzed according to recommended servings of food groups in MY PLATE (USDA, 2011) and through modified Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scoring. Means and percentages were calculated and the data was analyzed through SPSS version 17. Result: All the adolescents were consuming less than recommended calories for their age. More than 50% of adolescent girls were taking less than half the required calories. About 74 % adolescents were skipping one meal or another at least four times a week. Majority of adolescent girls80% were not con-suming even a single serving from fruit group. The mean HEI score was also very low (29/100) and fell into poor category. A strong correlation r=0.88 was found between HEI scores and caloric intake. Conclusion: Dietary intake of adolescent girls belonging to low socio economic status is far from satisfactory which does not meet the recommended diet for this age group. Intervention strategies are needed to improve the dietary intake of adolescent girls so that their requirements of energy along with other nutrients are met.


More than 1.5 million Americans have participated in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past seven years. Some of these veterans have subsequently committed capital crimes and found themselves in our nation's criminal justice system. This Essay argues that combat veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury at the time of their offenses should not be subject to the death penalty.Offering mitigating evidence regarding military training, post-traumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain injury presents one means that combat veterans may use to argue for their lives during the sentencing phase of their trials. Alternatively, Atkins v. Virginia and Roper v. Simmons offer a framework for establishing a legislatively or judicially created categorical exclusion for these offenders, exempting them from the death penalty as a matter of law. By understanding how combat service and service-related injuries affect the personal culpability of these offenders, the legal system can avoid the consequences of sentencing to death America's mentally wounded warriors, ensuring that only the worst offenders are subject to the ultimate punishment.


Background/Aims: In previous studies, we have demonstrated that hemoconcentration was an early marker for necrotizing pancreatitis.The aim of the present study was to determine whether fluid resuscitation could prevent pancreatic necrosis among patients with hemoconcentration at the time of admission. Methods: Data was pooled from the prior two studies of all patients with necrotizing pancreatitis and interstitial pancreatitis with a hematocrit of ≧44 on admission. Hematocrit values in necrotizing pancreatitis and interstitial pancreatitis were compared at admission and at 24 h. Statistical analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Results: A total of 39 patients satisfied our inclusion criteria, 28 with necrotizing pancreatitis and 11 with interstitial pancreatitis. Patients with necrotizing pancreatitis presented earlier than patients with interstitial pancreatitis (median 18 vs. 38 h, respectively) (p = 0.005). There was no significant difference between the intergroup median hematocrits on admission and at 24 h. All patients with hematocrits that failed to decrease at 24 h developed necrotizing pancreatitis (12/28 with necrotizing pancreatitis vs. 0/11 with interstitial pancreatitis) (p = 0.009). There was no significant difference at 24 h in rehydration among the three groups: 4.0 liters among the 12 patients with necrotizing pancreatitis whose hematocrits increased and 4.5 liters among the 16 whose hematocrits decreased at 24 h, and 4.1 liters among the 11 patients with interstitial pancreatitis (p = 0.81). Conclusion: Patients who presented early were more likely to have necrotizing pancreatitis than interstitial pancreatitis. While fluid resuscitation was not shown to prevent pancreatic necrosis, all patients with inadequate fluid resuscitation as evidenced by persistence of hemoconcentration at 24 h developed necrotizing pancreatitis.


This paper addresses one part of an outstanding tectonic problem regarding the nature of the plate boundary between Eurasia and North America in northeastern Russia. In this region, the northwestern corner of the Pacific plate interacts either simply with the North American plate, or more complexly with one or more blocks independent of North America. North of this corner, evidence of uplift, tilting, and convergence contradicts the prevailing, simpler model. On the Ozernoi Peninsula, similar to 150 km north of the subducting Pacific plate, marine terraces indicate uplift rates of 0.1 to 0.3 mm/yr, with faster rates to the east. Historic and paleoseismic records provide evidence for recurring tsunamigenic, thrust earthquakes offshore of the Ozernoi Peninsula, the most recent a Mw 7.7 earthquake in 1969. A multiplate model where an eastward-moving Okhotsk block, including most of Kamchatka, is converging with a clockwise- rotating Bering block better explains these observations than does the unbroken North American plate model.


Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has garnered significant interest for several years as Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), companies and scientific authors are involved in its promotion. Numerous methodologies have been developed in order to assess the business CSR, affecting the stakeholders' attitude. The aim of this paper is to categorize the main challenges of ten methodologies that assess CSR. The selection of assessment methodologies was based on two criteria: their adoption by Social Responsible Investments Indexes (SRI indexes) and the assessment of multiple CSR dimensions. The most comprehensive methodologies are those that are adopted by Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes, Ethibel Sustainability Index, KLD and Advanced Sustainable Performance Indices. Totally, nine assessment challenges are mentioned, some of which are: unspecific CSR criteria for each sector, unaccepted weight rate for each dimension or criterion, lack of transparency and ignorance of the main dimensions of society. The value of this paper is to prompt the CSR methodologies to advance their procedure, taking into account the proposed challenges in order to assess social responsibility in a complete approach.


A rich bryozoan fauna is described from the Permian of the Jamal Formation, exposed in Lakaftari area, south of the town of Bagher-Abad, northeast of Esfahan (central Iran). The investigated fauna includes 31 bryozoan species: seven are described in open nomenclature, 19 are previously known, and one new genus and new species, Lakkella jamalica n. gen., n. sp., as well as four new species, Dyscritella leptosa n. sp., Ascopora gracilis n. sp., Rectifenestella crassinodata n. sp., and Penniretepora afghanica n. sp., are described. The fauna is indicative of a middle Permian age and shows extensive palaeobiogeographic relations to the Permian of Transcaucasia, Thailand, China, Russian Platform, Indonesia, Japan and Turkey.


Validation of quality models is an important and necessary task in order to assure that the quality of a software product is being assessed using the appropriate model. Capture recapture models are employed to provide a quantification of the completeness characteristic of the model content. This article presents an approach for simultaneously validating software quality models with respect to their completeness and minimality. The validation process can be performed without the need of applying the model to a set of software products. The approach is an adaptation of capture-recapture models for estimating software defect content based on largely formalized reviews with defined instruments (questionnaires and templates). We discuss the feasibility of the approach and illustrate its application on four quality models. In conclusion, the application of this static approach has led to valuable information regarding enhancements for the validated quality models, although its statistical power is limited due to the low number of participants.


Mark Davison examines several legal models designed to protect databases, considering in particular the EU Directive, the history of its adoption and its transposition into national laws. He compares the Directive with a range of American legislative proposals, as well as the principles of misappropriation that underpin them. In addition, the book also contains a commentary on the appropriateness of the various models in the context of moves for an international agreement on the topic. This book will be of interest to academics and practitioners, including those involved with databases and other forms of new media.


In general, the public not only in the UK, but in the world, has very limited knowledge of the funeral industry, yet feels easy to criticize it or judge the ones employed, and associateted with the funeral industry. Unknown but, nevertheless, inherently stigmatized role of the funeral director is investigated. Identifying managerial issues in the course of researching the chosen area of study allowed authors to recognize the conflict between the empowered funeral director and disadvantaged, by the virtue of distress purchase, bereaved customer.


Summary Plant interactions can be defi ned as the ways plants act upon the growth, fi tness, survival and reproduction of other plants, largely by modifying their environment. These interactions can be positive (facilitation) or negative (competition or exploitation). During plantation establishment or natural forest regeneration after a disturbance, high light levels and, sometimes, increased availability of water and nutrients favour the development of opportunistic, fast-growing herbaceous and woody species which capture resources at the expense of crop trees. As a consequence, the growth and survival of crop trees can be dramatically reduced. Although the effects of this competition are well documented, the physical and physiological mechanisms of competition are not. Moreover, the competition process is never constant in time or space. We present a conceptual competition model based on plant growth forms common in global forests, i.e. graminoids, forbs, small shrubs, large shrubs and mid-storey trees, and main-storey trees. Their competitive attributes and successional dynamics are examined. An overview is presented on the way forest vegetation management (FVM) treatments infl uence these components and outcomes regarding crop tree performance and diversity conservation. Finally, a synthesis of literature yields FVM guidelines for effi ciently optimizing crop tree performance and safeguarding diversity. Future research needs to further sustainable FVM are presented.


Systems engineering approaches to computational biology are developed. Different research issues in two projects, namely rational drug design and gene expression profiling from microarray experiments are addressed.
A concept from optimization theory, specifically mathematical programming is implemented for designing drugs with desired properties. The mathematical programming formulation is solved to obtain the optimal lead candidates, in the sense that they exhibit both high selectivity and activity while ensuring low toxicity. Both linear and non-linear models for quantitative structure activity relationships (QSAR) have been developed for use in the proposed approach. The proposed mathematical programming strategy has been demonstrated for a class of non-classical antifolates for pneumocistis carinii and toxoplasma gondii dihydrofolate reductase. The technique proposed is general and can be applied to other structure based drug design.
Similar mathematical programming approaches are developed and implemented for gene expression profiling and tissue classification from microarray experiments. The inherent disadvantages of existing approaches and the various research issues are addressed. A primal-dual solution strategy is implemented for support vector based classification as a proof of concept. A modification of the growing neural gas algorithm as an efficient tool for gene expression profiling is reported. The modified algorithm has been successfully used for class discovery and class prediction of three previously reported gene expression data sets from the literature. A novel algorithm, namely, adaptive centroid algorithm (ACA), is developed for single as well as multi cluster gene assignments. It uses an analysis of variance based performance criterion, analogy to center-of-mass principle for heterogeneously distributed mass elements, Euclidian distances, and the given gene expression data set to give unique solutions. ACA has been employed for the analysis of two colon cancer case studies. Time- and strain-specific genetic alterations during different stages of colon tumorigenesis following azoxymethane (the DNA alkylating agent that induces tumor formation in mice) treatment are reported in the first case study. Lesion-specific molecular alterations, which may provide insights into the underlying mechanisms of chronic ulcerative colitis-related tumorigenesis in humans, are observed in the second case study.


In both Chapter III of V. and "Under the Rose," Hugh Bongo-Shaftsbury appears at the Fink restaurant wearing a hollowed-out ceramic hawk's head. "'Harmakhis'" he explains. "'God of Heliopolis and chief deity of Lower Egypt. Utterly genuine, this: a mask used in the ancient rituals.… Literally Horus on the horizon.'" This casual reference to Horus is more important than it appears.


The relative statistical and economic significance of the leverage and feedback effects on firm-level equity volatility remain an open issue. We use a dynamic panel vector autoregression framework to investigate both effects simultaneously for all firms in CRSP and COMPUSTAT from 1971 to 2013. Crucially, we allow financial leverage, volatility and risk premia to influence each other over time. We find a much larger leverage effect than reported in Christie (1982). Importantly, we find that a change in leverage has a prolonged effect on volatility. The cumulative leverage effect is up to five times larger in twelve quarters than a static model would predict for one quarter.


By a "tree-bank grammar" we mean a context-free grammar created by reading the production rules directly from hand-parsed sentences in a tree bank. Common wisdom has it that such grammars do not perform we & though we know of no published data on the issue. The primary purpose of this paper is to show that the common wisdom is wrong. In particular, we present results on a tree-bank grammar based on the Penn WaII Street Journal tree bank. To the best of our knowledge, this grammar outperforms ah other non-word-based statistical parsers/grammars on this corpus. That is, it outperforms parsers that consider the input as a string of tags and ignore the actual words of the corpus.


Abstract. In 1919, during colonization of the West Region of Sao Paulo State, Brazil, the Ogassawara family built a cemetery and a school with donations received from the newspaper Osaka Mainichi Shimbum, in Osaka, Japan. The cemetery was closed by President Getulio Vargas in 1942, during the Second World War. The architecture of the Japanese cemetery is a unique feature in Latin America. Even considering its historical and cultural relevance, there is a lack of geometric documentation about the location and features of the tombs and other buildings within the cemetery. As an alternative to provide detailed and fast georeferenced information about the area, it is proposed to use near vertical panoramic images taken with a digital camera with fisheye lens as the primary data followed by bundle adjustment and photogrammetric restitution. The aim of this paper is to present a feasibility study on the proposed technique with the assessment of the results with a strip of five panoramic images, taken over some graves in the Japanese cemetery. The results showed that a plant in a scale of 1 : 200 can be produced with photogrammetric restitution at a very low cost, when compared to topographic surveying or laser scanning. The paper will address the main advantages of this technique as well as its drawbacks, with quantitative analysis of the results achieved in this experiment.


Electronic devices based on graphene technology are catching on rapidly and the ability to engineer graphene properties at the nanoscale is becoming, more than ever, indispensable. Here, we present a procedure of graphene functionalization on SiC(0001) that paves the way towards the fabrication of complex graphene electronic chips. The procedure resides on the well-known ion-implantation technique. The efficiency of the working principle is demonstrated by the intercalation of the epitaxial graphene layer on SiC(0001) with Bi atoms, which was not possible following standard procedures. The investigation of the obtained graphene system reveals no clear spin-orbit coupling enhancement expected by theory in addition to the presence of residual structural defects. Our graphene/SiC(0001) intercalation procedure puts forward the ion-beam lithography to nanostructure and functionalize desired graphene chips.


The strong coupling constant α s is determined from inclusive jet and dijet cross sections in neutral-current deep-inelastic ep scattering (DIS) measured at HERA by the H1 collaboration using next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) QCD predictions. The dependence of the NNLO predictions and of the resulting value of α s ( m Z ) at the Z boson mass m Z are studied as a function of the choice of the renormalisation and factorisation scales. Using inclusive jet and dijet data together, the strong coupling constant is determined to be α s ( m Z ) = 0 . 1157 ( 20 ) exp ( 29 ) th . Comple-mentary, α s ( m Z ) is determined together with parton distribution functions of the proton (PDFs) from jet and inclusive DIS data measured by the H1 experiment. The value α s ( m Z ) = 0 . 1142 ( 28 ) tot obtained is consistent with the determination from jet data alone. The impact of the jet data on the PDFs is studied. The running of the strong coupling is tested at different values of the renormalisation scale and the results are found to be in agreement with expectations.


Glutathione disulfide (GSSG), a long disregarded redox partner of glutathione (GSH), is thought to participate in intracellular zinc homeostasis. We performed a concerted potentiometric and NMR spectroscopic study of protonation and Zn(II) binding properties of GSSG ((γECG)(2)) and a series of its nine analogs with C-terminal modifications, tripeptide disulfides: (γECS)(2), (γECE)(2), (γECG-NH(2))(2), (γECG-OEt)(2), and (γEcG)(2); dipeptide disulfides, (γEC)(2) and (γEC-OEt)(2); and mixed disulfides, γECG-γEC and γECG-γEC-OEt. The acid-base and Zn(II) complexation properties in this group of compounds are strictly correlated to average C-terminal electrostatic charges. In particular, it was demonstrated that GSSG assumes a bent (head-to-tail) conformation in solution at neutral pH, which is controlled by electrostatic attraction between the protonated γ-amino groups of the Glu residue and the deprotonated C-terminal Gly carboxylates. This interaction modulates the ability of GSSG to coordinate Zn(II), both indirectly, by affecting the basicities of the amino groups, and directly, through the participation of the Gly carboxylates in the outer coordination sphere of the Zn(II) ion. A specific coiled structure of the major [Zn-GSSG](2-) complex is additionally stabilized by the formation of hydrogen bonds between glycinyl carboxylates and two Zn(II)-coordinated water molecules. The elevated stability of Zn(II)-GSSG complexes was demonstrated by competition with FluoZin-3, a fluorescent sensor with high Zn(II) affinity, commonly used in in vitro and in vivo studies. The potential biological functions and reactivity of GSSG complexes of Zn(II) ions are discussed.


A timely study by two well-known scholars offers a theoretically informed account of the political sociology of Israel. The analysis is set within its historical context as the authors trace Israel's development from Zionist settlement in the 1880s, through the establishment of the state in 1948, to the present day. Against this background the authors speculate on the relationship between identity and citizenship in Israeli society, and consider the differential rights, duties and privileges that are accorded different social strata. In this way they demonstrate that, despite ongoing tensions, the pressure of globalization and economic liberalization has gradually transformed Israel from a frontier society to one more oriented towards peace and private profit. This unexpected conclusion offers some encouragement for the future of this troubled region. However, Israel's position towards the peace process is still subject to a tug-of-war between two conceptions of citizenship: liberal citizenship on the one hand, and a combination of the remnants of republican citizenship associated with the colonial settlement with an ever more religiously defined ethno-nationalist citizenship, on the other.


Controlling the rate at which vehicles are allowed to enter a freeway from the freeway's on-ramps has become a standard method for reducing the impact of both recurring and nonrecurring traffic congestion. However, existing metering algorithms tend to treat the traffic flow as a deterministic process and to treat the demand for travel on the freeway as fixed and known. In practice however, the demand for travel on a freeway is more accurately modelled as the realization of a stochastic process and there will be uncertainty in the knowledge of the parameters governing this process. This paper concerns two issues: (1) How can data routinely collected by freeway surveillance and control systems be used to estimate the volume and distribution of travellers' demand for freeway travel, and particularly how can the uncertainty concerning this demand be quantified? (2) Given this uncertainty, how ought optimal ramp-metering rates be computed? The first issue is treated as a problem in online systems identification, and both recursive and nonrecursive approaches to the estimation of freeway demand are treated. The second issue is treated as a problem in stochastic programming, in which the demand parameters are treated as random variables. Particular attention is given to dual control issues, in which variable metering rates might be used to reduce uncertaintly concerning the demand parameters.


Food inflation has been a major concern for Indian policy makers the last decade. In an attempt to prevent domestic wheat and rice prices from rising during the food crisis the Indian government restricted export of these two key staples first by increasing minimum export prices successively followed by an outright export ban lasting from 2007-11. In this paper we ask, what was the effect of this ban on domestic prices and consequently on the welfare of the consumers? We approach this problem by applying new Bayesian techniques to estimate the price impact by calculating the entire counterfactual price development following the export ban. Our results indicate that the ban did indeed have a significant effect on domestic rice and wheat consumer prices. Domestic wheat prices increased around 40 percent less than they would have in the absence of a ban. We do not, however, find a significant relationship between international and domestic rice prices in India prior to the export ban. The effect of the export ban on domestic rice prices was to make them less responsive to changes in producer support. We conclude that welfare impact from the rice export ban was probably smaller than the literature suggests.