The aim of this thesis is to investigate a debris-remediation technique where a chaser performs a rendezvous with the debris, establishes a rigid-link connection, and actively de-orbits the debris. Remediation of the space environment becomes an increasing urgency, since the continuously growing space debris population in low-Earth orbit currently poses a serious threat for active satellites. Furthermore, on Earth a threat exists due to uncontrolled re-entry of the debris sooner or later. The thesis addresses various aspects of the rendezvous phase for the debris-remediation technique under consideration. Among others, the aim is to assess passive safety of the required manoeuvres in the rendezvous phase. Also, the thesis explores the possibility of continuous ground communication of the chaser during its final approach with the target. Finally, the thesis studies the illumination conditions. This includes sensor blinding, target face illumination and chaser solar array illumination. ESA's satellite ENVISAT was used as design case. The safety aspects of the rendezvous manoeuvres were assessed by analysing the resulting trajectories after various thruster failures. For the analysis related to communication, the chain of core ESTRACK ground stations (located mainly in Europe) was considered. Furthermore, obstruction of the communication signal by the target was studied. Last, for the illumination conditions, obscuration of the Sun by target was taken into account. In the topic of passive safety, the results indicate that fly-around manoeuvres are preferred in the direction opposite to the natural orbital motion, as these are passively safe. On the other hand, manoeuvres on H-bar and fly-around manoeuvres along the natural orbital motion are found to be passively unsafe. It can be concluded from the communication analysis that the maximum duration of the uninterrupted window amounts up to more than half an hour, using the chain of core ESTRACK ground stations. However, the study on communication blockage shows that frequent communication gaps can occur, with the longest gaps being in the order of one minute in duration. In the field of illumination, it can be concluded that correct target illumination and sensor visibility cannot be guaranteed. Furthermore, the results show that the average solar array area available during final approach varies between 35% and 75%, due to both incorrect pointing by the chaser and obscuration by the target.


We question the widespread assumption that linguistic theory should guide the formulation of mechanistic accounts of human language processing. We develop a pseudo-linguistic theory for the domain of linguistic stress, based on observation of the learning behavior of a perceptron exposed to a variety of stress patterns. There are significant similarities between our analysis of perceptron stress learning and metrical phonology, the linguistic theory of human stress. Both approaches attempt to identify salient characteristics of the stress systems under examination without reference to the workings of the underlying processor. Our theory and computer simulations exhibit some strikingly suggestive correspondences with metrical theory. We show, however, that our high-level pseudo-linguistic account bears no causal relation to processing in the perceptron, and provides little insight into the nature of this processing. Because of the persuasive similarities between the nature of our theory and linguistic theorizing, we suggest that linguistic theory may be in much the same position. Contrary to the usual assumption, it may not provide useful guidance in attempts to identify processing mechanisms underlying human language.


A note about the development of SALS, the Society for Advanced Legal Studies which has been established by the IALS to help foster co-operation and collaboration between scholars, practitioners and those involved in the administration of justice. Published in the First Page feature of Amicus Curiae - Journal of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and its Society for Advanced Legal Studies. The Journal is produced by the Society for Advanced Legal Studies at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London.


Historians of Indonesia often think of states, and especially colonial states, as predatory institutions encroaching aggressively on the territory and autonomy of freedom-loving stateless peoples. For Barbara and Leonard Andaya, early European expansion in Sumatra and the Moluccas was synonymous with the distortion or destruction of decentralized indigenous political systems based on cooperation, alliance, economic complementarity, and myths of common ancestry (B. W. Andaya 1993; L. Y. Andaya 1993). Anthony Reid (1997: 81) has described tribal societies like those of the Batak and Minangkabau in highland Sumatra as 'miracles of statelessness' which 'defended their autonomy by a mixture of guerilla warfare, diplomatic flexibility, and deliberate exaggeration of myths about their savagery' until ultimately overwhelmed by Dutch military power. Before colonialism, in this view, most Indonesians relied for security not on the protection of a powerful king, but on a 'complex web of contractual mutualities' embodying a 'robust pluralism' (Reid 1998: 29, 32). 'So persistently', concludes Reid (1997: 80-1), 'has each step towards stronger states in the archipelago arisen from trading ports, with external aid and inspiration, that one is inclined to seek the indigenous political dynamic in a genius for managing without states'. Henk Schulte Nordholt (2002: 54), for his part, cautions against any tendency to downplay the violent, repressive aspects of colonial and post-colonial government in Indonesia, expressing the hope that 'a new Indonesian historiography will succeed in liberating itself from the interests, perspective, and conceptual framework of the state'. An even more systematic attempt to demonize the (modern) state in Indonesia and elsewhere can be found in the work of James Scott (1998a, 1998b).


With BPA in baby bottles, mercury in fish, and lead in computer monitors, the world has become a toxic place. But as Emily Monosson demonstrates in her groundbreaking new book, it has always been toxic. When oxygen first developed in Earth's atmosphere, it threatened the very existence of life: now we literally can't live without it. According to Monosson, examining how life adapted to such early threats can teach us a great deal about today's (and tomorrow's) most dangerous contaminants. While the study of evolution has advanced many other sciences, from conservation biology to medicine, the field of toxicology has yet to embrace this critical approach. In "Evolution in a Toxic World", Monosson seeks to change that. She traces the development of life's defence systems - the mechanisms that transform, excrete, and stow away potentially harmful chemicals - from over three billion years ago to today. Beginning with our earliest ancestors' response to ultraviolet radiation, Monosson explores the evolution of chemical defences such as antioxidants, metal binding proteins, detoxification, and cell death. As we alter the world's chemistry, these defences often become overwhelmed faster than our bodies can adapt. But studying how our complex internal defence network currently operates, and how it came to be that way, may allow us to predict how it will react to novel and existing chemicals. This understanding could not only lead to better management and preventative measures, but possibly treatment of current diseases. Development of that knowledge starts with this pioneering book.


Black women were more likely than white women to participate in the labor force from 1870 until at least 1980 and to hold jobs in agriculture or manufacturing. Differences in observables cannot account for most of this racial gap in labor force participation for the 100 years after Emancipation. The unexplained racial gap may be due to racial differences in stigma associated with women's work, which Goldin (1977) suggested could be traced to cultural norms rooted in slavery. In both nineteenth and twentieth century data, we find evidence of inter-generation transmission of labor force participation from mother to daughter, which is consistent with the role of cultural norms.


The East African Great Lakes are now well known for (1) their fisheries, of vital importance for their rapidly rising riparian human populations, and (2) as biodiversity hotspots with spectacular endemic faunas, of which the flocks of cichlid fishes unique to each of the three largest lakes, Tanganyika, Malawi and Victoria, offer unique opportunities to investigate how new species evolve and coexist. Since the early 1990s research involving over a hundred scientists, financed by many international bodies, has produced numerous reports and publications in widely scattered journals. This article summarizes their main discoveries and examines the status of, and prospects for, the fisheries, as well as current ideas on how their rich endemic fish faunas have evolved. It first considers fisheries projects in each of the three lakes: the deep rift valley lakes Tanganyika and Malawi and the huge Victoria, all of which share their waters between several East African countries. Secondly it considers the biodiversity surveys of each lake, based on underwater (SCUBA) observations of fish ecology and behaviour which have revealed threats to their fish faunas, and considers what conservation measures are needed. Thirdly, using the lakes as laboratories, what have the international investigations (including DNA techniques and follow-up aquarium experiments) now revealed about the origins and relationships of their cichlid species flocks and mechanisms of evolution?


We demonstrate dynamic control of the optical path length for probe light in a spherical dielectric resonator simply by multiplexing intense control light of another color and adjusting its wavelength. The fractional change in the path length, monitored by the resonance wavelengths of whispering gallery modes of the probe light, was nearly equal to the fractional change in the wavelength of the control light. The control was effective in both increasing and decreasing the wavelength, but the weaker the control light or the faster the wavelength change, the narrower the range of control.


Prevention can help older adults avoid illness by identifying and addressing conditions before they cause symptoms, but prevention can also harm older adults if conditions that are unlikely to cause symptoms in the individual's lifetime are identified and treated. To identify older adults who preventive interventions are most likely to benefit (and most likely to harm), we propose a framework that compares an individual's life expectancy (LE) with the time to benefit (TTB) for an intervention. If LE is less than the TTB, the individual is unlikely to benefit but is exposed to the risks of the intervention, and the intervention should generally NOT be recommended. If LE is longer than the TTB, the individual could benefit, and the intervention should generally be recommended. If LE is similar to the TTB, the individual's values and preferences should be the major determinant of the decision. To facilitate the use of this framework in routine clinical care, we explored ways to estimate LE, identified the TTB for common preventive interventions, and developed strategies for communicating with individuals. We have synthesized these strategies and demonstrate how they can be used to individualize prevention for a hypothetical beneficiary in the setting of a Medicare annual wellness visit. Finally, we place prevention in the context of curative and symptom‐oriented care and outline how prevention should be focused on healthier older adults, whereas symptom‐oriented care should predominate in sicker older adults.


[1] The climate sensitivity of plant seasonal life cycles, or phenology, may impart significant carbon cycle feedbacks on climatic change. Analysis of interannual ecosystem carbon exchange provides one way to assess this climate sensitivity. Multiyear eddy covariance carbon dioxide flux observations from five different ecosystems (deciduous forest, northern hardwood mixed forest, old-growth forest, shrub wetland, and mixed wetland-forest) in the Upper Great Lakes, United States, located within 400 km of each other and exhibiting coherent interannual variability, were used to parameterize a simple ecosystem model. The model, when properly constrained with an interannual sensitive cost function, was able to explain a significant proportion of the interannual variation of carbon fluxes in all ecosystems except the old-growth forest. The results reveal that spring or autumn climate thresholds impact annual carbon uptake, though the magnitude and strength varied by site. When the model was forced to maintain the same climate-phenology relationship across the five sites, most of the interannual variability could still be explained except at the old-growth forest and the forest farthest in distance from the others. These results suggest that at least for this region, coarse spatial resolution carbon-climate models could likely specify general climate-phenological relationships at grid scales on order of 100 km without appreciably sacrificing ability to model interannual carbon cycling.


Fouling in a nanofitration membrane module is usually a result of concentration polarization. The effect of permeate suction on the slightly negatively charged spiral wound nanofiltration membrane is investigated. According to the film theory, the mass transfer coefficient is inversely proportional to concentration polarization. The effect of permeate suction destabilizes the boundary layer. This will decrease the concentration polarization layer, and consequently will increase mass transfer through the membrane's surface. To validate the hypothesis, experiments were carried out on a NF membrane that can be described by the solution-diffusion model. This model has coefficients that can be measured experimentally. Using the membrane wall concentration in this model instead of the bulk feed concentration can help estimating the mass transfer coefficient more appropriately.
Two experimental studies were carried out, one with a standard high pressure pump, and another one with the added effect of suction pressure applied to the permeate collector tube. Three different concentrations of binary dilute solutions of NaCl,MgSO4, and MgCl2, at three different pressures (low, medium, and high) were tested. For all tested solutions, permeate suction increased the diffusive Peclet number as a function of the feed concentration (x) according to the equation Pe = a1x²+b1x+c1, with R²>0.99, where x is the feed concentration in Mol/l, and a1, b1, and c1 are coefficients dependent on feed pressure for every salt solution. With the increase of the Peclet number, it was observed that the concentration polarization decreased, and both the product flow and the product quality were improved.
Suction had the greatest impact at the range of 100 to 110 psi feed pressure, where the concentration polarization reduced approximately 14 to 20 %. ANOVA for the concentration polarization showed that suction was significant in reducing the calculated concentration polarization layer for all tested solutions. It was concluded that permeate suction reduced concentration polarization, increased product flow rate, and improved product quality. Thus, adding permeate suction has beneficial consequences because it reduces membrane fouling and extends its useful service life.


"Structural UHPFRC" stands for Ultra-High Performance Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composite material that is complemented by reinforcing and prestressing steel to enhance the resistance and durability of structural elements. Properties of impermeable, tensile strain hardening UHPFRC are outlined in view of structural applications. Two fundamental concepts to enhance concrete bridges have been developed by research and validated by applications in Switzerland: 1) Rehabilitation and strengthening of existing concrete structures by adding a layer of structural UHPFRC, and 2) Construction of new structures in Structural UHPFRC, often composed of precast elements. These applications show that Structural UHPFRC has made its proof as a novel building material and technology to enhance bridges and structures in general. Structural UHPFRC is the advent of a new construction era.


The research presented in this thesis is motivated by the aim to employ microfluidic devices for high-throughput analysis. Two applications, in particular, have been explored: diagnostics and environmental sensing. Miniaturization and multiplexing of laboratory procedures leads to a decrease of the cost and response time of the test. Moreover miniaturization allows the system to become portable, enabling use in the field without bulky external equipment. This need is paving the way for innovative approaches and microfluidics can be a suitable substitute for standard bench top techniques. In order to be appealing, these new technologies should have the same or even better performances over the standard techniques, not only in terms of time and cost, but also quality of results. First, we developed a multilayer microfluidic platform for high-throughput immunoassay analysis. The device is composed of 384 units, each of them containing 4 mechanically induced trapping of molecular interactions (MITOMI) buttons, where the interaction of antibodies and antigens occurs. Therefore, the platform allows us to perform 1'536 tests, and we show that it can be useful for large scale screening in order to identify functional antibody pairs. However this system has two limitations: the experimental time ( 10 hours) and the sensitivity (pM). In the second part, we presented another device modified in order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks and to become more suitable for point of care applications. This new version of the device has 16 independent units, and the MITOMI buttons are patterned with femtoliter wells for digital analysis. We show how digital ELISA improves the sensitivity and allows us to detect down to fM concentrations in human serum. We also show how the combination of both digital and analog detection can broaden the dynamic range. A portable automatic controller has also been built to control the valves and the flow throughout the chip and a USB microscope has been exploited in order to measure the fluorescent signal. In the last part we present a different application for high-throughput microfluidic-based devices. A microfluidic device composed of 769 units has been developed for bacterial cell culture and environmental monitoring. Each unit can be considered as a pixel and the entire device as a biodisplay. Each unit contains a specific bacterial strain, which is deposited using microspotting techniques. We show how different bacterial strains can be cultured over time without contamination between pixels and how they can be monitored after induction. Cells can be spotted according to a specific pattern on the chip and express fluorescent protein reporters in the presence of specific molecules allowing an easy to interpret result of the test. For example, the image of a "skull and crossbones" appears if the analyzed sample is contaminated with arsenic. Overall, the presented work provides several microfluidic platforms for high-throughput analysis of clinical or environmental samples; these devices are useful tools for the study of a large number of proteins and molecular diagnostic applications and to characterize bacterial strains and environmental monitoring.


The structure of [Cu4L2(bipy)4(µ3-OH)2][ClO4]4 containing a Vitamin B6 ligand, pyridoxine (5-hydroxy-6-methylpyridine-3,4-dimethanol, HL), and 2,2′-bipyridine (bipy) has been determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis. This is the first report on a copper(II) complex having a 'stepped-cubane' structure. The compound crystallizes in the triclinic space group P(Z= 1) with a= 11.015(3), b= 11.902(1), c= 13.142(2)A, α= 105.07(1), β= 102.22(1) and γ= 99.12(1)°; R= 0.054). The co-ordination geometry around each copper is trigonally distorted square pyramidal. Two of the basal sites are occupied by bipyridyl nitrogens in a bidentate fashion. The remaining basal positions for Cu(1) are filled by a phenolic oxygen and a 4-hydroxymethyl oxygen of the L moiety, whereas for Cu(2) they are occupied by two µ3-OH oxygens. The axial sites are occupied by a µ3-OH oxygen and the 4-hydroxymethyl oxygen of the same pyridoxine for Cu(1) and Cu(2), respectively. Both the bridging nature of the 4-hydroxymethyl oxygen of the L moiety and the unsymmetrical bridging nature of the µ3-OH groups with axial–equatorial bridging are novel features. The structure is discussed in relation to stepped-cubane structures reported in the literature. A comparative study is also made with µ3-hydroxo-bridged copper(II) complexes. Both the plasticity effect of CuII and the stacking interactions between the various rings appear to be important in stabilizing this unusual structure.


This thesis describes the creation and possible uses of a Geographical Information System that contains the changing boundaries of the major administrative units of England and Wales from 1840 to 1974. For over 150 years the census, the General Register Office, and others have used these units to publish a wealth of data concerning the population of the country. The key issue addressed by the thesis is that changes in the administrative geography have hampered much research on long-term change in society that could have been done using these sources. The goal of the thesis is the creation of framework to allow the analysis of long-term socio-economic change that makes maximum use of the available data. This involves not only making use of the data's attribute (statistical) component, but also their spatial and temporal components. In order to do this, the thesis provides solutions to two key problems: the first is how to build a GIS containing administrative units that incorporates an accurate record of their changing boundaries and can be linked to statistical data in a flexible manner. The second is how to remove the impact of boundary changes when comparing datasets published at different dates. This is done by devising a methodology for interpolating data from the administrative units they were published using, onto a single target geography. An evaluation of the accuracy of this interpolation is performed and examples are given of how this type of research could be conducted. Taken together, these will release information locked up within historical socio-economic statistics by allowing space to be explicitly incorporated into any explorations of the data. This, in turn, allows research to explore the past with increased levels of both spatial and attribute data for longer time periods.


Exploring Language Learning Through the Lens of Online Speaking Labs Jennifer Karen Quinlan Department of Instructional Psychology and Technology, BYU Doctor of Philosophy With the growth of technology-enhanced language learning comes increased use of online applications and interventions in language education. The articles in this dissertation consider the role of technology in online language courses taught at Brigham Young University. Three perspectives on the use of online speaking labs are considered. The first article considers the Conversation Café, an online speaking lab intervention, from an evaluative perspective. Usage, user perceptions regarding effectiveness, and financial viability of the café are evaluated. Findings reveal student usage is not as high as required in coursework, students have a more favorable perception of the intervention than faculty and teaching assistants, and that the café is not offered and staffed appropriately to meet financial viability thresholds set by stakeholders. The second article addresses the common perception that online courses lack elements of sociocultural theory. It reports on the approach the university took to the course development, sociocultural aspects of implemented interventions, and preliminary evaluative findings regarding the effectiveness of the interventions. The final article is a case study examining student experiences in online and face-to-face French speaking labs. This article considers student satisfaction with online and face-to-face labs as well as preference for one type or the other. Findings reveal student preference toward and higher satisfaction of the face-to-face. Negative student comments regarding the online setting in particular tended to focus on elements of convenience rather than aspects essential for learning. Implications for further research are discussed.


In the paper, the Author has presented the activity of the Koszalin University of Technology and the experience concerning its willow plantation. Creating a network of power and heating stations should not only affect the climate and energy safety but first of all contribute to a sustainable entrepreneurial development of rural areas. The Koszalin University of Technology has been conducting experiments and implementing new technologies on its 92.0 ha willow plantation. During the last two years, there has been a research project carried out aiming at the following among others: • use of sewage residues and municipal organic waste as manure in plantation; • selection of plants with the most efficient growth and energy performance, taking into account technical, environmental and economical aspects. Next year, the co-combustion at a local district heating plant for thermal energy will be launched and, in five years' time, cogeneration solutions: a power plant and a district heating system based on biomass energy gasification will be introduced. Scientific innovation and significance: • potential of using fallow soils for willow plants; • research into the selection of different willow clones: the highest biomass gain; • use of sewage and municipal organic waste residues as manure in the plantation; • cooperation with the Heating Plant and the Municipal Plant: to establish a plant for heat production.


Adopting a discursive approach to politeness (see, for example, Mills 2011), this paper explores spontaneous naturally occurring compliment responses (CRs) in Chinese from a cross-generational perspective. It aims to extend our understanding of the dynamic nature of face and/or politeness in contemporary Chinese. 16 multiparty conversations among two generations of the Chinese in China's mainland were audio-recorded. Based on evidence provided by the participants in the follow-up interviews, my data analysis yielded two major results: (a) compliments, CRs and CR strategies are not as easily identifiable as previous studies claim; (b) considerable generational variation emerges in the use of CR strategies, viz. the older generation participants were more than twice as likely as the younger to reject a compliment while those in the younger group tended to use Acceptance much more readily. In the discussion, I show how, by using a methodology which emphasizes the interactants' perceptions obtained through interviews, my study brings to light evidence that intention is not self-evident in performing compliments and CRs. Finding (a) indicates that my emic approach to data analysis provides a useful perspective on the complexity of the notion of intention in studies on speech acts (and perhaps beyond). Finding (b) appears to indicate that the two generations of the Chinese have diverged in their conceptualization of face and/or politeness perhaps due to differences in their early socialization before and after the launch of China's reform. I also demonstrate how my methodology enables me to seek this genera-


A deficiency of any of the micronutrients: folic acid, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, niacin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, iron, or zinc, mimics radiation in damaging DNA by causing singleand double-strand breaks, oxidative lesions, or both. For example, the percentage of the US population that has a low intake ( <50% of the RDA) for each of these eight micronutrients ranges from 2 to >20%. A level of folate deficiency causing chromosome breaks was present in approximately 10% of the US population, and in a much higher percentage of the poor. Folate deficiency causes extensive incorporation of uracil into human DNA (4 million/cell), leading to chromosomal breaks. This mechanism is the likely cause of the increased colon cancer risk associated with low folate intake. Some evidence, and mechanistic considerations, suggest that Vitamin B12 (14% US elderly) and B6 (10% of US) deficiencies also cause high uracil and chromosome breaks. Micronutrient deficiency may explain, in good part, why the quarter of the population that eats the fewest fruits and vegetables (five portions a day is advised) has about double the cancer rate for most types of cancer when compared to the quarter with the highest intake. For example, 80% of American children and adolescents and 68% of adults do not eat five portions a day. Common micronutrient deficiencies are likely to damage DNA by the same mechanism as radiation and many chemicals, appear to be orders of magnitude more important, and should be compared for perspective. Remedying micronutrient deficiencies should lead to a major improvement in health and an increase in longevity at low cost. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.


Zero-sum games such as chess and poker are, abstractly, functions that evaluate pairs of agents, for example labeling them `winner' and `loser'. If the game is approximately transitive, then self-play generates sequences of agents of increasing strength. However, nontransitive games, such as rock-paper-scissors, can exhibit strategic cycles, and there is no longer a clear objective -- we want agents to increase in strength, but against whom is unclear. In this paper, we introduce a geometric framework for formulating agent objectives in zero-sum games, in order to construct adaptive sequences of objectives that yield open-ended learning. The framework allows us to reason about population performance in nontransitive games, and enables the development of a new algorithm (rectified Nash response, PSRO_rN) that uses game-theoretic niching to construct diverse populations of effective agents, producing a stronger set of agents than existing algorithms. We apply PSRO_rN to two highly nontransitive resource allocation games and find that PSRO_rN consistently outperforms the existing alternatives.


ABSTRACT This paper describes an exploratory usability study designed to investigate how college students locate information in a Learning Management System and to establish a set of guidelines for creating the best course layouts that can increase the student's learning experience. Using observations, perception survey data, and a high-fidelity eye-tracker that recorded where participants' eyes focus, this study analyzed college students' (n = 28) behavior and perceptions toward two different types of course layouts in Blackboard: functional and chronological. Students in the Functional group completed a set of typical instructional activities slightly faster overall than participants in the Chronological group. However, students in the Chronological group reported a higher ease of use and needed less help completing the activities. The implications from this study suggest the ideal course layout is a balance of both functional and chronological elements, as presented in this paper as a set of practical guidelines.


Abstract Young people's mental health problems are a matter of concern during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Counselling services for university students by means of telemental support can help them to deal with psychological issues that they may be facing due to the pandemic. The present study investigated the effects of four once‐weekly online counselling sessions based on a mind‐body technique (the Brain Wave Modulation Technique; BWM‐T) on enhancing positive affect and on reducing negative affect and anxiety in a sample of 54 university students (96.3% females; M age = 21.31 years, SD = 2.09). An experimental design was conducted: the participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group, which received 15 min of a guided online BWM‐T session, or to the control group, which watched a 15‐min video on how to sustain their psychological well‐being. The results of a two‐factor mixed‐design analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the participants in the intervention group reported a significant increase in positive affect and a decrease in negative affect over time compared to those in the control group. They also reported a slight decrease in state anxiety compared to the control group, although this was just short of statistical significance. The information provided by this study, regarding emotional outcomes among university students after four brief online counselling sessions, suggests that such interventions could be an effective and sustainable way to reinforce young people's mental health during the COVID‐19 pandemic, as well as later in their university careers and adult lives.


The goal of this chapter is to provide an overview of MST marker characteristics, to describe performance criteria of detection protocols used and to offer guidelines for the effective interpretation of the results. Since the trend in the research community has shifted towards (q)PCR detection of MST markers targeting either a variable region of the 16S rDNA or functional genes involved in host-microbe interactions, the focus of this chapter is on validation of these specific targets and protocols used to detect them. The most basic performance criteria applied to MST markers are based on the sensitivity and specificity characteristics, which are assessed by testing the marker against fecal material from a broad range of target and non-target hosts. While some information may be gathered through in silico, theoretical testing (e.g. hypergeometric tables, NCBI/BLAST searches), empirical data is needed in order to accurately assess performance of a given marker.


Objective: This study was performed to evaluate the impact of adherence to national guidelines for management of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in different groups of doctors.Methods: In this study, a questionnaire was filled interview with a total of 322 with physicians working in hospitals, in different cities of Turkey. The recommendations of the national guideline were compared with the responses.Results: The physicians, only 11.8% made the diagnosis of pneumonia only with symptoms and physical examinations findings. Averagely, 60% used the investigations of chest x-ray, complete blood count and CRP together for diagnosis. 55% of the doctors preferred parenteral treatment with the first choice ampicillin/sulbactam in outpatient treatment.Conclusion: As a result of this study, it was observed that the physicians did not comply with the national guidelines in terms of diagnosis and treatment of CAP in childhood.


This qualitative study aimed to establish a comprehensive understanding of the initial experience associated with the spiritual transformation process of mediums, individuals who report regular communication with the deceased. Spiritually transformative experiences are thought to be a type of transformation and expansion of consciousness. Often referred to as psychic openings, these experiences can occasionally be startling or traumatic, sometimes creating a loss of contact with consensual reality that may lead to psychiatric misdiagnosis in the individual's attempt to understand the experience. Consequently, the desired outcome of this study was to establish a better understanding of the initial psychic opening and propose a more reasoned approach to its acknowledgement and development by the scientific community. A five-part review of the background literature in the field of study focused on a history of the practice of mediumship, the proposed psycho-spiritual emergence process, the child's perspective of their spiritual development process via an archival biographical analysis of the psychic opening, the subsequent development of the medium's purported abilities, and a review of recent process-oriented mediumship studies. Six participants for this study were selected from a group of certified research mediums pre-screened for their abilities by the Windbridge Institute, LLC. A semi-structured questionnaire in compliance with Saybrook Institutional Review Board oral history specifications was utilized as the primary research instrument to provide biographical accountability. However, additional written documentation of the experience was included when appropriate to further clarify the psychological impact of the psychic opening. A thematic analysis of the data revealed that the participants' transformative experiences consist of a sequence of developmental experiences that include an encounter with one or more spiritual entities that one may or may not consider as spirit guides. Depending upon the age of the experiencer and the existing social support system at the time of the initial experience, the spiritual encounter can be either fearfully traumatic or merely an anomalistic variation of the individual's concept of reality.


Knowledge management is a crucially influential factor in helping organizations survive and gain success in such a competitive environment and in this Information Age. Also, considering the fact that Sharing Knowledge in Nursing and Midwifery Faculty plays the role of a sample for others, tacit knowledge of Nursing Professors is a knowledge that is produced inside the mind of Professors and not saved in any database. The research method used in this study is a quantitative method. Sampling is purposeful. The sample was selected according to random sampling method with Cochran formula from 350 students and Professors. According to this sampling method, there are 205 students and Professors in seminaries over 2011-2015 in Nursing and Midwifery Faculty of Jahrom Azad university. This is a survey research which has been carried out by employing a questionnaire and SPSS for windows to analyze data. The main challenge of Nursing and Midwifery Faculty knowledge management is transferring tacit knowledge inside the mind of Professors to the others – especially scholars and researchers. This study evaluates Professorss tacit knowledge transfer to nursing experts. To investigate knowledge management and the ability of knowledge sharing in nursing and midwifery faculty between professors and students the method of " Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis test " has been applied. The results showed that there a positive relationship between Factors of the ability of knowledge sharing between Professors and Students, between men and women, between age groups, between different degrees. DOR:  98.1000/1726-8125.2018.16.105.0.1.75.121


In efforts to stop violence against children, the World Health Organization is launching a campaign in which the health sector around the world will play a role. According to WHO, every year across Europe and Central Asia, at least 1300 children die after being beaten or otherwise mistreated by their parents, teachers, or carers. Other deaths are misreported as suicides or accidents, meaning the true figure could be much higher.

For each death, there are also many babies and children in daily misery at the hands of their parents, teachers, or carers. And yet, for now, the problem is little known or understood in many countries across Europe because of social acceptance, taboos, and children's fear of coming forward, which leads to a lack of evidence.

Since 2002, WHO has been arguing that violence is a predictable and preventable health problem. But the overwhelming majority of health centres and many family doctors still see child abuse as mainly the concern of the police and social services.

"What we need is a change of mindset," said Roberto Bertollini, chief of WHO's environment and health programme for Europe. "The public health approach is a new way of looking at this problem. Evidence is crucial if you want to know what is below the tip of the iceberg—even in well off societies. Public health services are the ones who can gather that evidence."

Although police …


Abstract. It has been postulated that secondary organic particulate matter plays a pivotal role in the early growth of newly formed particles in forest areas. The recently detected class of extremely low volatile organic compounds (ELVOC) provides the missing organic vapors and possibly contributes a significant fraction to atmospheric SOA (secondary organic aerosol). The sequential rearrangement of peroxy radicals and subsequent O2 addition results in ELVOC which are highly oxidized multifunctional molecules (HOM). Key for efficiency of such HOM in early particle growth is that their formation is induced by one attack of the oxidant (here O3), followed by an autoxidation process involving molecular oxygen. Similar mechanisms were recently observed and predicted by quantum mechanical calculations e.g., for isoprene. To assess the atmospheric importance and therewith the potential generality, it is crucial to understand the formation pathway of HOM. To elucidate the formation path of HOM as well as necessary and sufficient structural prerequisites of their formation we studied homologous series of cycloalkenes in comparison to two monoterpenes. We were able to directly observe highly oxidized multifunctional peroxy radicals with 8 or 10 O atoms by an Atmospheric Pressure interface High Resolution Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer (APi-TOF-MS) equipped with a NO3−-chemical ionization (CI) source. In the case of O3 acting as an oxidant, the starting peroxy radical is formed on the so-called vinylhydroperoxide path. HOM peroxy radicals and their termination reactions with other peroxy radicals, including dimerization, allowed for analyzing the observed mass spectra and narrowing down the likely formation path. As consequence, we propose that HOM are multifunctional percarboxylic acids, with carbonyl, hydroperoxy, or hydroxy groups arising from the termination steps. We figured that aldehyde groups facilitate the initial rearrangement steps. In simple molecules like cycloalkenes, autoxidation was limited to both terminal C atoms and two further C atoms in the respective α positions. In more complex molecules containing tertiary H atoms or small, constrained rings, even higher oxidation degrees were possible, either by simple H shift of the tertiary H atom or by initialization of complex ring-opening reactions.


For many Americans, capitalism is a dynamic engine of prosperity that rewards the bold, the daring, and the hardworking. But to many outside the United States, capitalism seems like an initiative that serves only to concentrate power and wealth in the hands of a few hereditary oligarchies. In A History of Corporate Governance around the World , some of the brightest minds in the field of economics present new empirical research that suggests that each side of the debate has something to offer the other. The contributors argue that free enterprise and well-developed financial systems are proven to produce growth in those countries that have them. But their research also suggests that in some other capitalist countries, arrangements truly do concentrate corporate ownership in the hands of a few wealthy families. A History of Corporate Governance around the World provides historical studies of the patterns of corporate governance in several economies—including the large industrial economies of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States; larger developing economies like China and India; and alternative models like those of the Netherlands and Sweden.


The engineering structures may be subjected to the dynamic loads such as blast. Therefore, in the design of such structures, the effect of the blast loading should be taken into account. Several studies are reported on both free vibration and dynamic response analysis of isotropic, orthotropic and laminated composite plates subjected to air blast loading. In all these studies, only the effect of the blast is taken into account. However, because of the initial situation, in-plane forces may exist and may affect the dynamic response of the plate subjected to the blast loading. In this study, a closed form solution is presented for the simply supported laminated composite plates subjected to a combined loading case which includes both the blast and the in-plane forces. In-plane stiffness and inertia effects are considered in the formulation of the problem and transverse shear stresses are ignored. The geometric nonlinearity effects are taken into account by using the von Kármán large deflection theory of thin plates. Approximate solution functions are assumed for the space domain and substituted into the equations of motion. The Galerkin method is used to obtain the nonlinear differential equations in the time domain. The finite difference method is applied to solve the system of coupled nonlinear equations. The displacement-time and strain-time histories are obtained for different combined loading configurations.


The experiment was conducted in Research Station in Gadarif State,Sudan to measure the digestibility of (Dry matterDM, Crud proteinCP and Crud fiberCF) of three types of crop residues (Sorghum, Groundnut and Sesame straw) in feeding nine local Sudanese Sheep Lambs. The results indicate that the sesame straw, ground nut straw and sorghum straw results were 50.07 %, 45.97 % and 33.17 % respectively and was significant (P> 0.05).For crud protein-CP, sorghum straw, groundnut straw and sesame straw result were 47.10% , 24.27 % and 19.30% respectively and was significant (P> 0.05).For Crud fiber CF sesame straw, sorghum straw and groundnut straw result were 49.90 % , 27.70 % and 11.52 % respectively and was significant (P > 0.05).


Canada relies on immigration for it s future prosperity. Its population is not growing fast enough to replenish the large number of workers set to retire and this means that the country cannot maintain its economic status nor can it develop and advance. Immigration is a solution to this problem. Yet, despite years of policy changes designed to improve the immigration system, certain problems continue to exist. Immigrants continue to experience economic and cultural hardships in the settlement phase. Using systems thinking methodology, system mapping and semi structured interviews with several key stakeholders in the immigration system, this study explores how stakeholders interact with each other to produce outcomes that negatively impact immigrant settlement. Using a systems map of stakeholders of varying power and influence, the exploration seeks out points of intervention to improve the immigration system's efficiency and effectiveness in settling immigrants in Canada. The paper offers overall recommendations for the immigration system and for addressing settlement related problems such as access to settlement services, immigrant employment, culture shock and immigrant stereotypes.


Sulphate scale occurrence is one of the major production problems encountered during waterflooding processes in oilfield developments. In particular, as sea water injection is a common practice in North Sea oil operations, severe production problems are caused by sulphate scale deposition in the production facilities, also concern is arising of the potential formation damage in the near producing well bore zone due to scale precipitation. Of all the scales, barium sulphate precipitation is the most dominant scaling problem in North Sea offshore fields and it is commonly accompanied by strontium sulphate to form barium and strontium sulphate solid solution scale, which has distinct features in terms of scaling crystal morphology, size and hardness. This study was devoted to predict the scaling tendencies of barium sulphate, strontium sulphate and calcium sulphate scales and to investigate the formation damage arising from (Ba,Sr)SO4 scale formation in the porous media. A theoretically consistent model was developed in this study for predicting the sulphate scaling tendencies in single brines or due to mixing incompatible brines, such as seawater and formation water, by calculating the supersaturations and amounts of precipitation of the sulphates at temperatures and pressures covering surface and reservoir conditions. The model is able to predict competitive simultaneous coprecipitation of BaSO4,SrSO4 and CaSO4 of which sulphate is the common ion, reflecting closely the precipitation of more than one sulphate mineral. The scaling tendencies predicted from this model agree well with field observations. The computer programme of the model is compact, optional and user-friendly. The scale prediction model is based on a solubility model which was also developed in this study from the Pitzer equation for electrolyte mean activity coefficient, an approach widely used for calculating properties of aqueous electrolyte solutions because of its sound theoretical basis and accurate representation of electrolyte properties. The predicted sulphate solubilities from the solubility model agree with the published data within the experimental measurement error. Experimental investigation of the (Ba,Sr)SO 4 scale formation was carried out in static xx bulk solutions and under flow influence in sandstone cores by mixing two incompatible waters. The brines used in the study were both simple artificial brines and full component synthetic North Sea water and formation waters. The rock cores were multi-pressure tapped and the pressure data recorded during the core flow tests were converted to permeability changes. The formation damage due to scaling was examined by studying the rock permeability decline as well as porosity reduction. The scaling crystals and scale distribution within a core were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The experimental results show substantial scale build-up in the cores and large permeability loss resulted from concurrently flowing North Sea water and field waters and from concurrently flowing two incompatible simple brines through cores. The scale nature and permeability damage were largely dependent on sulphate supersaturation and temperature and they were also affected by the change in the ratio between the scaling ion concentrations. The external morphology of the scaling crystals formed from mixing the sea water and formation waters differed significantly from the morphology of those crystals precipitated from the mixed simple brines, suggesting the influence of the presence of the foreign ions other than sodium and chloride ions on scale nature. It is concluded from the study that the scale formation was a rapid process initiated by heterogeneous nucleation and sustained by scaling crystal growth and deposition on the rock pore surface. The sulphate scaling tendency prediction model and the data acquired from the experimental study on formation damage due to barium and strontium sulphate solid solution formation have potential for use in a reservoir simulation model of scale formation.


In American schools, young women are routinely provided with examples of strong male characters and authors in the high school English classroom. Written curriculum (such as the syllabus, reading list, and grading practices) continues to contribute to the erasure of the female student. Furthermore, hidden curriculum (lessons that are taught "unintentionally" such as norms or values), such as a teacher's use of gendered language, or time spent with students of different genders, reflects this same problem as teachers unintentionally disempower the female voice in the classroom. The result is female students who are less confident in the classroom and the workplace later in life. To combat this issue, I present an alternative to the traditional English curriculum that is more gender inclusive and empowering. The syllabus will include not only suggestions for literature, but also ideas for leading class discussion, workshops, and assignments that serve to empower the young female student and empower male students with the skills necessary to combat continued gender issues. Should this class be taught, students would finish with a strong understanding of literature, vocabulary, and writing. However, students would also leave the class with a better knowledge of the complex topic of women's rights. Female students would have developed a more confident approach to learning, and a more empowered discourse.


Background: Cancer immunotherapy, such as anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and anti-programmed death 1 (PD-1), has revolutionized the treatment of malignancies by engaging the patient's own immune system against the tumor rather than targeting the cancer directly. These therapies have demonstrated a significant benefit in the treatment of melanomas and other cancers. Summary: In order to provide an extensive overview of the renal toxicities induced by these agents, a Medline search was conducted of published literature related to ipilimumab-, pembrolizumab-, and nivolumab-induced kidney toxicity. In addition, primary data from the initial clinical trials of these agents and the FDA adverse reporting system database were also reviewed to determine renal adverse events. Acute interstitial nephritis (AIN), podocytopathy, and hyponatremia were toxicities caused by ipilimumab. The main adverse effect associated with both the PD-1 inhibitors was AIN. The onset of kidney injury seen with PD-1 inhibitors is usually late (3-10 months) compared to CTLA-4 antagonists related renal injury, which happens earlier (2-3 months). PD-1 as opposed to CTLA-4 inhibitors has been associated with kidney rejection in transplantation. Steroids appear to be effective in treating the immune-related adverse effects noted with these agents. Key Message: Although initially thought to be rare, the incidence rates of renal toxicities might be higher (9.9-29%) as identified by recent studies. As a result, obtaining knowledge about renal toxicities of immune checkpoint inhibitors is extremely important.


Hans Bellmer's photographs of his two dolls from the 1930s have become classic surrealist images. Bellmer said of his motives in making the two dolls: 'I shall construct an artificial girl whose anatomy will make it possible physically to re-create the dizzying heights of passion and to do so to the extent of inventing new desires.' By reading Bellmer's photographs alongside those of the contemporary American photographer Anna Gaskell, this article argues that the 'new desires' invented are ones which confuse binaries of identification and desire, circulating around the body of the adolescent girl/doll. To think through the significance of the adolescent girl/doll as a shared trope by both artists, the concept put forward by Julia Kristeva of 'adolescent pornography' (in her essay 'The Adolescent Novel') will be used to inflect the focus on the uncanny that has dominated discussions of both artists. This paper will argue that the doubling between self and other, animate and inanimate, creates a queered eroticism in the work of Bellmer and Gaskell, overlaying narcissism and homoeroticism in these images of proliferating female body parts that deny any straightforward reading of subjecthood or desire.


This project is a research initiative designed to address the major
uncertainties facing hydropower development in the region, and to deepen
 understanding among stakeholders of the risks to hydropower from
changes in climate and increased upstream water demand.
For 18 months, researchers from the University of Cape Town, the
Centre for Energy, Environment and Engineering (Zambia) at the
University of Zambia, OneWorld Sustainable Investments, University of
Eduardo Mondlane, and Poyry Management Consulting have been developing
and applying a water supply and demand modelling tool for the Zambezi
River Basin. The research was guided by a Steering Committee led by the
Southern African Power Pool and including the Zambezi River Authority,
the ZAMCOM Interim Secretariat, Southern African Development Community
Energy, the UK Department for International Development, and the Climate
 and Development Knowledge Network.
The model was applied to two future climate scenarios, reflecting
possible "wetting" or "drying" climates, and two scenarios for
irrigation expansion in the region. The results of the analysis point
to dramatic potential negative impacts on major existing and planned
hydropower investments.
The research team and funders are committed to making this research
accessible and in the public domain, including all of the modelling.
This page includes links to all of the final deliverables of the
project, including the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) model and
underlying datasets behind this.


A recent challenge to statist arguments defending the right of states to exclude prospective immigrants maintains that such statist arguments prove too much.  Specifically, the challenge argues that statist arguments, insofar as they are correct, entail that states may permissibily exclude current members' newcomers by birth, which seems to violate a widely held intuition that members' newcomers by birth ought automatically to be granted membership rights.  The basic claim is that statist arguments cannot account for the differntial treatment between prospective immigrants and newcomers by birth.  Call this the newcomer-by-birth objection.  This article rejects the newcomer-by-birth rejection.  It begins by sketching the precise extent to which the objection applies to statist arguments.  It then examines the case of newcomers by birth and argues for a principled basis for treating them differentially from prospective immigrants such that a right to exclude prospective immigrants need not entail a right to exclude newcomers by birth.  But this distinction holds only in most cases, not all, and therefore the newcomer-by-birth objection is not entirely defeated.  With respect to the cases in which the objection does hold, it is argued that such cases are morally akin to international adoption, and thus morally benign.  All considered, statist arguments easily survive the newcomer-by-birth objection.


In this paper, a new framework to discover places-of-interest from multimodal mobile phone data is presented. Mobile phones have been used as sensors to obtain location information from users' real lives. Two levels of clustering are used to obtain places of interest. First, user location points are grouped using a time-based clustering technique which discovers stay points while dealing with missing location data. The second level performs clustering on the stay points to obtain stay regions. A grid-based clustering algorithm has been used for this purpose.
 To obtain more user location points, a client-server system has been installed on the mobile phones, which is able to obtain location information by integrating GPS, Wifi, GSM and accelerometer sensors, among others. An extensive set of experiments have been performed to show the benefits of using the proposed framework, using data from the real life of 8 users over 5 continuous months of natural phone usage.


Introduction: Chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia is a medical emergency. Delays in time to appropriate broad spectrum antibiotic therapy significantly increase morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this project is to improve outcomes in febrile neutropenia patients within our institutions by hard wiring compliance to NCCN Guidelines and IDSA guidelines via our electronic medical record (EMR). Methods: During initial chemo teaching, patients were instructed to present for emergency care immediately on noticing a fever. Patients were given a pocket card stating that the patient had recently received chemotherapy, indicating the patient's neutropenia risk, and listing directions to a newly created febrile neutropenia page on the health system's website. ED staff was educated that chemotherapy patients presenting with fever should be triaged to a high acuity level, which resulted in the patient being roomed immediately and seen promptly. The EMR dashboard for ED staff was modified to include a section for febrile neutropenia, which included links to appropriate antibiotics and directions to hang immediately after blood cultures were drawn. The admission order set was also modified to include protective isolation and guideline-based antibiotic choices. 2 months following implementation, patients were pulled based on ICD10 codes for fever/infection and chemotherapy/cancer. 23 patients were identified who met the study criteria (10 patients pre-implementation, 13 patients post-implementation). Pediatric patients and patients admitted directly to the floor were excluded from analysis. Results: While numbers were small, there were 15 patients admitted during the study period. Eight patients met study criteria pre-initiative and seven post-initiative. Pre-initiative: 6 of 8 patients were roomed immediately; 6 of 8 patients received appropriate empiric antibiotics; 1 of 8 patients received first dose within 1 hour of presentation to ED. Post-initiative: 7 of 7 patients were roomed immediately; 6 of 7 patients received appropriate empiric antibiotics; 4 of 7 patients received first dose within 1 hour of presentation to ED. Conclusions: Despite small numbers and incomplete compliance with guidelines, we were able to identify a 2.8 day decrease in average length of stay (LOS) and a 1.3 day decrease in ICU LOS. Sample size was not large enough to determine statistical significance.


Two sandstone slabs from the Cambrian Flathead Sandstone of Wyoming exhibit different preservational modes of an exceptionally large and unusual trackway. On the smaller slab, the trackway is a depression on the top of the bed (concave epirelief). A greater length of the trackway is preserved on the larger slab, where it is a raised feature on the bottom of the bed (convex hyporelief). The latter trace is a cast of the original trackway made on a now-missing mud layer, whereas the epirelief trace likely represents an undertrack. The original trackway consisted of two parallel pockmarked furrows separated by a broad ridge. Individual depressions in furrows cannot be matched across the ridge and do not contain discrete scratch marks. At one place the linear succession of imprints comprising one furrow changes to a scattering of discrete pits. Although taxonomic identity of the trackway's maker is uncertain, the animal was bilaterally symmetrical and had paired appendages like an arthropod or an onychophoran. The sole of the large slab exhibits several unilobate traces that intersect the major trackway as well as one another. Their smooth surfaces, lack of marginal ridges, and discontinuous nature suggest that they were made by burrowers or furrowers following the sand/mud interface subsequent to casting of the major trackway. Their origin remains problematic.


Variations in elemental abundances in carbonate archives offer a wealth of information that can be used as a proxy for the palaeoenvironment and diagenetic history. The state-of-the-art portable handheld X-ray Fluorescence (pXRF) and laboratory micro X-ray Fluorescence (μXRF) instruments provide a relatively inexpensive, fast and non-destructive way of acquiring these trace element composition data. However, there are well-known issues and limitations regarding the method of spectrum acquisition and the conversion of XRF spectra into quantitative elemental mass fractions. This study offers a guideline for the appropriate use of these XRF techniques for the study of carbonates. Using certified calcium carbonate and dolomite standards, accuracy and reproducibility of a pXRF (Bruker AXS Tracer IV) and a μXRF (Bruker M4 Tornado) device are tested under various measurement conditions. The experimental set-up allowed for the variation of several parameters, including the measurement area, integration time, quantification method and measurement strategy. The effects on the accuracy and reproducibility of the quantified elemental abundance results are examined to assess the optimal performance conditions for both devices for the determination of trace element abundances in natural carbonates. The limits of detection and quantification are evaluated for both instruments for a range of trace elements commonly used as palaeoenvironmental proxies (e.g. Sr, Mn and Fe). The quality of the XRF spectra is evaluated using spectral processing software. As a result, two new methods for the determination of optimized parameter combinations are proposed for a range of commonly used elements. The Time of Stable Reproducibility (TSR) is based on optimizing the measurement reproducibility by examining the change of the relative standard deviation per time unit and proposing an integration time threshold for reproducible measurements. The Time of Stable Accuracy (TSA) is based on optimizing the measurement accuracy by studying changes in accuracy as a function of increasing integration time and defining an integration time threshold for accurate measurements. An overview table including minimum integration times by which a reliable measurement is achieved is provided for all analyzed elements and experimental set-ups for this study. However, the methodological approach that is developed here is applicable to other (carbonate) materials as well. A comparison between the two X-ray fluorescence instruments allows the evaluation of their respective advantages and disadvantages. Finally, we recommend optimal measurement strategies and techniques for specific research questions.


The ballast facet of a goods station with its railway track leading towards the rural surroundings of the city of Osnabruck, Germany, was studied in terms of its thermal behaviour and its significance as an urban ventilation path for nocturnal cold-air transport from the rural surroundings. The investigations are based on sulfurhexafluoride (SF 6 ) tracer experiments, tethersonde soundings and energy-balance measurements. Although the ballast facet absorbs much of the incoming solar radiation during the day it is able to cool significantly throughout the night. The dispersion of nocturnal cold-air about the urban centre of Osnabruck is shown to be spatially and temporally variable and affected by the vertical structure of the nocturnal boundary layer. Even in moderate topography the near-surface flow is able to partly decouple from the flow aloft resulting in a two-layered structure of the nocturnal boundary layer above the goods station area. The bottom part can be attributed to the cold-air flow from the eastern surroundings with a vertical extension of about 20-30 m while the upper part is influenced by the larger scale orography.


Field trials on the management of soil biological fertility with aim to increasing corn production were conducted in a savannah region of the DR-Congo. Three organic matters including fresh biomass of Entada abyssinica, Tithonia diversifolia, Stylosanthes gracilis and a mineral combination of nitrogen and phosphorus (NP) (115-63-0) along with a control (without fertilization) were evaluated for corn crop growth and production. The field trial was a completely randomized design with four replicates. Plant height, basal stem diameter, and yield components were assessed. Irrespective of fertilization treatments and variety, maize showed a similar growth up to 20 days after sowing (DAS), and then two distinct trends were observed. At 60 DAS, plant height and basal diameter were significantly bigger in plots treated with NP, T. diversifolia and E. abyssinica compared to S. gracilis treatment and control (NoF). This pattern was also confirmed with agronomic traits such as cob length, number of kernel per cob, and net grain yield. The local variety was the least productive under any treatment. In general, the response of corn crop to organic and inorganic fertilization showed that the mineral combination (NP) increased the most grain yield and other yield components compared to unfertilized trial, followed by T. divessifolia and E. abyssinica. NP and T. diversifolia treatments increased significantly and equally soil potassium content compared to control and other treatments. Application of T. diversifolia appears a more cost effective approach for small farmers to improving fertility of the oxisol prevailing in Central Africa compared to mineral fertilizers.


New analytic solutions to the problem of a three-state system driven simultaneously by resonant optical pulses of different shapes are presented. The solutions are useful for prescribing the conditions for complete population transfer from one state to another or for complete population return.


Epoxy resins have excellent mechanical and electrical properties; thus, they are commonly preferred in the electrical{electronic sector as insulation materials. These insulation materials experience degradation such as breakdown, tracking, or treeing. Therefore, safety and reliability tests of insulation materials have great importance in estimating the performance of insulation. These tests must be carried out to decrease the risk of electrical insulation fault. In this study, the relationship between tracking failures and the data obtained during experiments was evaluated. Tracking failure performance of epoxy resin was investigated using the IEC 60112 test standard, which is known as the comparative tracking index test. Leakage current data, collected from the experimental setup recorded from a ground electrode, were decomposed by using the Fourier transform method. The 3rd, 5th, and 7th harmonic distortion components of the leakage current data were calculated and their relationship with the number of drops falling on the sample was interpreted. Then the harmonic distortion components relationship was explained under dirty and clean surface conditions. We explained the tracking pattern formed on the surfaces of the samples after completion of the experiments was decomposed using image processing techniques. The capacity, information, and correlation dimensions of the resulting tracking patterns were calculated using fractal dimension analysis. Shapes in the same terms were examined using fractal dimension analysis.


Long-range, seasonal migration is a widespread phenomenon among insects, allowing them to track and exploit abundant but ephemeral resources over vast geographical areas. However, the basic patterns of how species shift across multiple locations and seasons are unknown in most cases, even though migrant species comprise an important component of the temperate-zone biota. The painted lady butterfly Vanessa cardui is such an example; a cosmopolitan continuously-brooded species which migrates each year between Africa and Europe, sometimes in enormous numbers. The migration of 2009 was one of the most impressive recorded, and thousands of observations were collected through citizen science programmes and systematic entomological surveys, such as high altitude insect-monitoring radar and ground-based butterfly monitoring schemes. Here we use V. cardui as a model species to better understand insect migration in the Western Palaearctic, and we capitalise on the complementary data sources available for this iconic butterfly. The migratory cycle in this species involves six generations, encompassing a latitudinal shift of thousands of kilometres (up to 60 degrees of latitude). The cycle comprises an annual poleward advance of the populations in spring followed by an equatorward return movement in autumn, with returning individuals potentially flying thousands of kilometres. We show that many long-distance migrants take advantage of favourable winds, moving downwind at high elevation (from some tens of metres from the ground to altitudes over 1000 m), pointing at strong similarities in the flight strategies used by V. cardui and other migrant Lepidoptera. Our results reveal the highly successful strategy that has evolved in these insects, and provide a useful framework for a better understanding of long-distance seasonal migration in the temperate regions worldwide.


. The simple relations model pervades most semantic treatments of the topological prepositions in, on and at. Concerning the preposition on, the pertinent literature has established two features, support and contiguity, which allegedly applies to all its uses. However, in Old English the preposition on categorises location in large geographic entities, i.e., nations. In the current paper we claim that such spatial relationships cannot be described in terms of support and contact and, therefore, the simple relations model is not adequate for a diachronic description of the preposition on. We also demonstrate that the selection restrictions that ruled the distribution of the prepositions in and on in Old English, in the locative relations derived from cognitive maps, are still partially active in present-day English. Thus, we conclude that the single relations model has to be reconsidered as a valid theoretical device to account for the current uses of the topological prepositions.


Abstract This paper focuses on the intellectual and scholarly basis of the struggle for social integration of African-American women into American society. Feminism is viewed as the broad context within which this struggle must be conceived, understood, and sustained. Because the struggle is conceptualized as intellectually driven, the paper begins by critically examining feminist scholarship and the contention that feminist scholarship provides the basis for social integration of African-American women into male-dominated American society. A distinct contribution of this paper to the current scholarship is a proposed framework for a process of social integration of African-American women, one which draws on the works and experiences of African-American women in general, and those in academe in particular. The proposed framework requires a true, meaningful, intellectual revolution at the level of: 1) all African-American women, irrespective of social class; 2) all white and African-American scholars; and 3) all American women and men. Key Words: African-American women, womanism, feminist scholarship Introduction The domination and oppression of women, achieved primarily through discriminatory and exclusionary practices, have been the subject of several studies whose impact has been well-documented (Anderson and Collins 2004; Collins 1990; 1998; Jaggar 1983; Laslett and Thorne 1997; Lotz 2003; Rhode 1990; Wallace 2000; Wood 2003). The crippling effects of the domination and oppression notwithstanding, women continue to struggle and to make great strides toward eliminating these practices and gaining parity status at the cultural, social, political, economic and global levels. In this struggle women have utilized several strategies. Prominent among these strategies are social movements, political activism, and intellectual expression. The intellectual struggle has been wide-ranging, involving interdisciplinary scholarship that seeks to present social reality and the world from a woman's point of view (Harding 2000; Julia 2000; Kelly 1984; Ritzer 2004; Wood 2003). For many, most of this scholarship is new because, historically, men have succeeded in systematically excluding women's contributions from major textbooks (Laslett and Thorne 1997; Ritzer 2000, 2004). This systematic exclusion has sometimes forced feminist scholars to go beyond pure academic endeavors. Some become activist, and in some cases, even radical in order to get their point across to the masses as well as lay the foundations for the pragmatic and reformist tradition in American sociology (Lengermann and Niebrugge-Brantley 2002:14) that has produced profound change in the lives, circumstances/ and conditions of many women. This radical activism is precipitated as well as justified by women's subordinate status and the discrimination directed toward them in every institution in society. There is ample evidence that feminist scholarship has provided a vital intellectual framework for feminism's successes for women's liberation, as evident in the cultural, social, political, economic and academic realms. In virtually every academic discipline today women scholars are asserting themselves and making major contributions to their disciplines. However, despite the proliferation of feminist scholarship, their unique and valuable contributions to the advancement of their disciplines, and women's continuous struggle for recognition and inclusion, feminist scholarship and women in general continue to be marginalized and degraded as other in a male-created culture. Consequently, it is males that assume the role of "gatekeepers" in different academic disciplines (Barsky 1992; Ritzer 2000, 2004; Smith 1987; Wood 2003). As a result of this situation, some feminist scholars have come to view their recognition and acceptance in academe as instrumental and as one of the keys to a successful integration of women into society's social fabric. …


Multiangle, multispectral remote sensing observations, such as those anticipated from the Earth Observing System (EOS) multiangle imaging spectroradiometer (MISR), can distinguish spherical from nonspherical particles over calm ocean for mineral-dust-like particles with the range of sizes and column amounts expected under natural conditions. The ability to make such distinctions is critical if remote sensing of atmospheric aerosol properties is to provide significant new contributions to our understanding of the global-scale, clear-sky solar radiation balance. According to theoretical simulations the measurements can retrieve column optical depth for nonspherical particles to an accuracy of at least 0.05 or 10%, whichever is larger. In addition, three to four distinct size groups between 0.1 and 2.0 microns effective radius can be identified at most latitudes.


ChemShell is a modular computational chemistry package with a particular focus on hybrid quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) simulations. A core set of chemical data handling modules and scripted interfaces to a large number of quantum chemistry and molecular modeling packages underpin a flexible QM/MM scheme. ChemShell has been used in the study of small molecules, molecular crystals, biological macromolecules such as enzymes, framework materials including zeolites, ionic solids, and surfaces. We outline the range of QM/MM coupling schemes and supporting functions for system setup, geometry optimization, and transition‐state location (including those from the open‐source DL‐FIND optimization library). We discuss recently implemented features allowing a more efficient treatment of long range electrostatic interactions, X‐ray based quantum refinement of crystal structures, free energy methods, and excited‐state calculations. ChemShell has been ported to a range of parallel computers and we describe a number of options including parallel execution based on the message‐passing capabilities of the interfaced packages and task‐farming for applications in which a number of individual QM, MM, or QM/MM calculations can performed simultaneously. We exemplify each of the features by brief reference to published applications.


With the rapid increase in educational attainment, technological change, and greater job specialization, decisions regarding human capital investment are no longer exclusively about the quantity of education, but rather the type of education to obtain. The skills and knowledge acquired in specific fields of study are more valuable for some jobs compared to others, which suggests the existence of differences in the quality of the education-occupation match in the labor market. With this premise in mind, this paper aims to estimate the effect of the quality of this education-occupation job match on workers' wages and to explore the factors that contribute to the existence of such mismatch among workers with higher education (college or more). Using data from the American Community Survey 2010-16, we construct two indices that measure the quality of the education-occupation match: based on the predicted and observed distribution of workers using their fields of education and their jobs' occupation classification. Results suggest there is a wage gap of around 3-4 percent when comparing workers that have good job matches to those who have bad matches. Given the importance of the penalty for mismatched jobs, we find that structural characteristics such as unemployment, and individual characteristics such as gender, race, immigration status, and even homeownership affect the quality of horizontal mismatch as well.


In The Shifts and the Shocks, Martin Wolf - one of the world's most influential economic commentators and author of Why Globalization Works - presents his controversial and highly original analysis of the economic course of the last seven years. There have been many books that have sought to explain the causes and courses of the financial and economic crisis which began in 2007-8. The Shifts and the Shocks is not another detailed history of the crisis, but the most persuasive and complete account yet published of what the crisis should teach us us about modern economies and economics. The book identifies the origin of the crisis in the complex interaction between globalization, hugely destabilizing global imbalances and our dangerously fragile financial system. In the eurozone, these sources of instability were multiplied by the tragically defective architecture of the monetary union. It also shows how much of the orthodoxy that shaped monetary and financial policy before the crisis occurred was complacent and wrong. In doing so, it mercilessly reveals the failures of the financial, political and intellectual elites who ran the system. The book also examines what has been done to reform the financial and monetary systems since the worst of the crisis passed. 'Are we now on a sustainable course?' Wolf asks. 'The answer is no.' He explains with great clarity why 'further crises seem certain' and why the management of the eurozone in particular 'guarantees a huge political crisis at some point in the future.' Wolf provides far more ambitious and comprehensive plans for reform than any currently being implemented. Written with all the intellectual command and trenchant judgement that have made Martin Wolf one of the world's most influential economic commentators, The Shifts and the Shocks matches impressive analysis with no-holds-barred criticism and persuasive prescription for a more stable future. It is a book no-one with an interest in global affairs will want to neglect. "We have been inundated with books about the 'financial' aspects of the crisis. There have also been many books about specific institutions or memoirs by retired policy-makers. We need something different. There are two dimensions of the crisis that have received surprisingly little treatment. One is the link between developments in the macro-economy and the behaviour of the financial sector. The other is the global dimension of the crisis. Both these lie at the heart of Martin Wolf's analysis of the causes of the crisis and of his proposals to reduce the risk of another crisis. For these two reasons this is an important book that will be influential. Most important of all, it is in my view the right analysis and remedy." (Mervyn King). "To think straight about the causes and solutions of the financial crisis we must reject orthodox assumptions that more finance and global financial integration are limitlessly beneficial. He Shifts and the Shocks does just that, providing an intellectually sparkling and vital account of why the crisis occurred, and of the radical reforms needed if we are to avoid a future repeat" (Adair Turner). "Martin Wolf is unsurpassed in the world of economic journalists. His superb book may be the best of all those spawned by the Great Recession. It is analytical and rigorous without ever succumbing to fatalism or complacency." (Lawrence Summers).


The commissioning of the European DIPOle (EDIPO) test facility at the Center for Research in Plasma Physics in Villigen was completed in Spring 2015, and the first test of a 60-kA/12-T high-temperature superconductor (HTS) was carried out in June 2015. User specifications are issued to allow external users to prepare their own sample matching the interface of the test facility. EDIPO offers a background magnetic field up to 12.35 T in a rectangular test well with a cross section of 89 mm × 138 mm (sample dimension). The homogeneous high field length is 910 mm (±1%) or 680 mm (±0.5%) at full current. A set of small copper coils provides a superimposed ac field with amplitude up to ±0.3 T and frequency up to 1 Hz. A superconducting transformer provides steady-state operating current for the sample up to 100 kA. The cooling circuit of the sample supplies supercritical helium at 10-bar inlet pressure. The mass flow rate, which is adjustable by cryogenic valves, is up to 8 g/s in each branch of the sample at 4.5 K. The operating temperature ranges from 4.5 to 60 K (at high temperature, the range of mass flow rate is reduced). To test samples at temperature higher than 10 K, an HTS "adapter" connects the sample to the NbTi transformer plates, which must remain cold. In such case, the length of the sample is reduced from 3600 mm (typical low-temperature superconductor sample) to 2900 mm (HTS sample with adapter).


Spectrum-based Bayesian reasoning can effectively rank candidate fault locations based on passing/failing test cases, but the diagnostic quality highly depends on the size and diversity of the underlying test suite. As test suites in practice often do not exhibit the necessary properties, we present a technique to extend existing test suites with new test cases that optimize the diagnostic quality. We apply probability theory concepts to guide test case generation using entropy, such that the amount of uncertainty in the diagnostic ranking is minimized. Our ENTBUG prototype extends the search-based test generation tool EVOSUITE to use entropy in the fitness function of its underlying genetic algorithm, and we applied it to seven real faults. Empirical results show that our approach reduces the entropy of the diagnostic ranking by 49% on average (compared to using the original test suite), leading to a 91% average reduction of diagnosis candidates needed to inspect to find the true faulty one.


Past research has established that diverse scientific communities foster innovation and problem solving more effectively than communities with a narrow range of knowledge, skills, and experience. However, gender diversity among scientists is limited, particularly in natural-resource fields. We compared data on scientist gender and rank from the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service Research and Development (FSR&D, a hierarchical organization) with data on faculty gender and tenure status from universities (loosely coupled systems) with comparable areas of study. We found that the representation of women was greater among FSR&D scientists than among university faculty but declined with seniority in both institutions. Within FSR&D, data showed demographic inertia, suggesting that the representation of women in senior scientist positions will increase. Although many mechanisms affect gender representation, our findings suggest that organizational structure affects the diversity of the scientific workforce.


Oil contamination is problematic in subaqueous environments. It is difficult to prepare long-lasting textured superhydrophilic/underwater oil-repellent coatings without using a sophisticated method. Here, an ultra-facile and low-cost immersion-curing approach has been developed to generate superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic coatings from poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/silica (SiO2) nanocomposites. During immersion curing, polymeric dissolution occurs simultaneously with crosslinking but occurs solely at the topmost layer, and helps to create enriched hierarchical surface micro-/nanostructures. Hence, superhydrophilicity is attainable for nanocomposite coatings with a filler percentage of only 15 wt%. Immersion-cured PVA/SiO2 nanocomposite coatings with 35 wt% silica have an excellent underwater superoleophobicity in terms of durability and ultra-low oil adhesion towards a variety of oils, including viscous crude oil. Because of its lower filler content and confined porous structure, this coating has a greater transparency compared with its conventional blend-curing underwater superoleophobic counterpart. Immersion-cured nanocomposite coatings display an excellent mechanical durability based on pencil hardness (3H) and sand-abrasion performance. The extra acrylic/melamine base-coat allows the underwater superoleophobic PVA/SiO2 coatings to be applied to diverse substrates, including glass, metals, and plastics, and renders them free from oil in aqueous environments.


In the recent years, the mobile phone coverage expansion and the more widespread use of cash cards have eased the implementation at scale of Cash and Vouchers (C&V) programmes in the humanitarian sector. Furthermore, the development of web-based interfaces, designed to respond to the specifics needs of the sector, supports the implementation of C&V programmes. Due to the technological innovations, C&V assistance is growing rapidly and the sector seriously considers the ''e-assistance'' as an alternative to the in-kind assistance. This paper aims to investigate the potential impact of this digitalization on the humanitarian supply chain. If the literature states that C&V programming reduces cost, brings speed and serves better the needs of the beneficiaries, no real reference is made on the impact on the humanitarian supply chain. To explore this gap, the research uses the punctuated equilibria theory proposed by Eldredge and Gould (1972) and adapted for Management Sciences by several researchers such as Trushman and Romanelli (1985) or Rowe and Besson (2011). Having closes similarities with the humanitarian supply chain, a parallel is drawn with the event supply chain, which stands at a stage further in the integration of new technologies and has consequently reshaped its structures and strategies. Through a qualitative methodology based on participant observations, institutional communications and secondary data, this paper highlights how C&V supported by digitalization has created a rupture in the role of the humanitarian logistics and how humanitarian E-cash & e-vouchers: The digitalization of the humanitarian aid and logistics HICL 2017 2 organisations search to find a new equilibrium between strategy of intervention and supply chain strategy.


Grape phenolic compounds are located in the internal layers of grape skins and seeds. They are synthesized via the phenyl-propanoid biosynthetic pathway which is modulated by both biotic and abiotic factors. Considerable research has been conducted to clarify the evolution pattern of grape phenolic compounds and the role of environmental and viticultural factors that can manipulate their levels at harvest. The accumulation of phenolic compounds in grapes may be influenced by grape variety, environmental conditions and viticultural practices. More notably, the influence of irrigation on the accumulation of anthocyanins in grapes has been treated by several authors reporting an overall positive impact of mild water deficit, attributed to changes in berry skin-to-pulp ratio, modifications in grape microclimate or differences in the partitioning of assimilates among vine organs. Moreover, light environment of the grapes, as affected directly by leaf removal, is reported to modify skin anthocyanin content, profile and extractability. However, under hot climate conditions, increased temperatures of exposed berries may hasten phenolic ripening and decouple skin and seed sensory traits. Concerning berry tannins, reports on the effects of environmental and viticultural conditions are fewer and inconsistent. Moreover, there is limited information available concerning the effects of environmental and viticultural conditions on the structural characteristics of grape proanthocyanidins, such as polymerization, galloylation and subunit composition, which define wine sensory properties.


Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in cooperation with mine operators, conducted a study of heat stress exposures among mine rescue workers in underground mines. Mine rescue workers face extreme heat loads as they enter hot and poorly ventilated environments, particularly when they are wearing breathing apparatuses. The burden of wearing a closed-circuit breathing apparatus (CCBA), the inability to drink fluids for extended periods of time, and the potential for ventilation disruptions and fires combine to increase the risk of heat illness during a response to an emergency. In this research, ambient environmental conditions and heat strain indicators were measured using conventional ventilation monitoring tools during mine rescue training exercises. Heat strain was measured with an ingestible temperature-sensing pill that measured core temperature continuously. In addition, a heart-rate monitoring chest strap was used to indicate physical strain resulting from physical activity and heat. Both core temperature and heart rate data were trans-mitted to a remote recorder worn by a rescuer and time-stamped. Team activities were also observed to determine the contribution of work rate to a person's total heat load. The effectiveness of several engineering controls, such as cooling the air inhaled by rescuers through an apparatus, wearing cooling vests, and supplying water through the CCBA masks, were investigated. Administrative controls, such as limiting the duration of exposure and controlling the work rate through forced-rest regimens, were also evaluated. Results to date are discussed, and tools for evaluating team condition and estimating the length of time it would be safe for rescuers to work are proposed.