Given the long roots of bay'a (pledge of allegiance) in Islamic tradition and the controversial claim by the Islamic State (IS) to be a caliphate, the application of bay'a to the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and his project is a contested issue among radical Islamists. Based on secondary literature and IS ideologues' own writings, this paper analyses IS's claims of validity in their calls for allegiance to "caliph" Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and how radical Islamist critics of IS have responded to this. IS's arguments resemble quite closely the theories on bay'a that its jihadi opponents themselves claim to adhere to. Although the latter take their inspiration from early Islam and far less so from the theories that developed afterwards, it sometimes also appears as if they have idealised the caliphate so much that they find its reality as represented by IS hard to swallow.


Do moor frog (Rana arvalis) and common frog (R. temporaria) tadpoles increase developmental rate if there is a risk of their pond drying up before metamorphosis? To study this, I performed an experiment designed to mimic natural conditions in many drying ponds. The number of tadpoles per tank was constant during the experiment but the water level was lowered in experimental tanks so that crowding increased. Experimental tadpoles grew and developed more slowly than control tadpoles that were in constant water volume. Also, metamorphosis was delayed (i.e. a smaller proportion had metamorphosed when the experiment was concluded on I August) and the metamorphs were smaller. I conclude that, due to crowding, the tadpoles in this experiment were not able to speed up development rate adaptively. Performance of the tadpoles in the experiment was compared to that of R. temporaria tadpoles in the field. These lived in a pond where desiccation resulted in division of the water body into a small pool and a large pool. The small pool dried out completely before the rest of the pond. Tadpoles in this pool were smaller and had relatively smaller hind legs, suggesting slower development. This pattern confirms the result of the experiment, supporting my suggestion that the experimental set-up mimicked many natural situations. Of particular interest is the fact that other studies-carried out both in the same geographical area and elsewhere-have shown R. temporaria to have the ability to respond adaptively to pond drying. The fact that it did not do so in this particular experiment, as well as in the field pond studied here, shows that care must be exercised when extrapolating from one study to the properties of a species. Different conditions, both in the field and in experiments, may well give different responses. (Less)


The "Commentariolum Petitionis" has long served to demonstrate the validity of the theory that Republican electoral politics were founded on relationships of patronage that permeated the entire society, and that appeals to the voting citizenry were relatively unimportant for election. Yet the attention the author pays to the necessity of cultivating the popularis voluntas strongly implies that a successful canvasser cannot rely on the direct or indirect ties of patronage and amicitia but must win the electoral support of the anonymous mass of voters. A consular campaign emerges as to a great extent a public performance before the populus in which the candidate seeks to demonstrate to those who do not know him personally that he is dignus consulatu. While the exploitation of personal connections is undeniably important, certain features of the treatment of the studia amicorum in the Commentariolum suggest that the traditional, Gelzerian emphasis on noble patronage is misplaced. Noble allies are particularly prized not for networks of clients but for the luster they shed on a candidate; on the other hand, the homines gratiosi whose electioneering activities are most suggestive of patronage tend to be of middle and lower rank. Nor can all the personal political relationships discussed in the Commentariolum be plausibly subsumed under the concept of patronage, which entails asymmetry between the parties and a connection of some duration; rather, the picture presented here is one of a relatively "free market" of political deal-making between candidates and vote-brokers. The "Commentariolum Petitionis" offers no obstacle to a new model of Republican politics that assigns a much greater role to symbolic appeals to a voting citizenry, and a less dominant role to personal patronage, than have until recently been accepted.


Thecavermiculatus carolynae n. sp. from the Pacific coastal area of California is described from female, male, and juvenile (J2) specimens reared on Festuca megalura Nutt. in the greenhouse. Differences between females of T. carolynae and those of its closest relative, T. gracililancea Robbins, 1978, include shorter stylet, shorter length, and lesser length of the vulval slit. Of these two species, males have been found only for T. carolynae. The habitats of the two species are vastly different: T. gracililancea has been found only in shallow clay soil near hilltops in an area subject to high summer temperatures where the soil becomes brick-like during the summer; T. carolynae has been found only in deep sandy soil of a creek bottom subject to cool summer temperatures where the soil remains moist.


Abstract. Cartography as a discipline is generally concerned with communicating spatial information to human users (Kraak et al 2017). This is done through applying methods to communicate spatial information by visually perceivable graphical codes. This transfer is needed only because of the restricted human perception system (MacEachren 1995). The subsequently applied cartographic methods are generally sacrificing the quality, accuracy, homogeneity and integrity of the processed spatial data for the sake of human-perceivable aggregated and subsequently abstracted information. Usually this results in representation models, speaking of maps as the most common ones. While the production of maps, including all methods dealing with transforming data into graphics such as generalisation, symbolisation have been heavily looked into in research traditionally, the way maps are used or can be used is recently gaining stronger interest, such as from cognitive and perception perspectives, dealing with questions such as "how maps work". However, it can be argued, that even if we know a lot about how maps can be produced and modelled, and how they work, we ultimately are not able to say if a map is "good" in terms of satisfying the needs and demands of a particular user in a particular situation and context, thus describing the concept of quality of maps (Gartner 1998). A map can be designed in a way, that it it perceivable, has no graphic conflicts, communicates particular spatial information but might not be leading into the same satisfaction as another map depicting the same spatial information in a different way. We can think of this as similar to other communication forms, e.g. human communication. Although two persons might express something similar, differences in the words which are used, how they are used, how they are pronounced, how quick/slow/loud they are spoken, of whom they are expressed and in which situation are influencing, whether one or the other communication is more effective and successful and seen as the one with "higher quality" (Gartner 1998). Maps have a variety of functions (Morrison 1978). It can be assumed, that only if the map fulfils those particular function, it is assessed and judged as a good map. But what are those functions? Some are related to the data and the information which is depicted in the map (how accurate, how complete), some are related to the way the data is visualised and graphically depicted (how perceivable, how clear) and some are related to the user and his context (how pleasing, how entertaining, how useful, how informative, how "enabling"). In this paper a structured analysis of the functions of maps due to the various context dimensions of the cartographic communication process will be given. It is argued, that cartography as a discipline is going through a major change of paradigms, the cartographic era of artefacts is replaced by the era of services while a cognitive era in the domain of cartography can be envisioned already (Griffin et al 2017). For all of those eras different functions and criterias of qualities need to applied.


The steady increase in inequality over the past decades has revived a lively debate about what can be considered a fair distribution of income. Public support for the extent of redistribution typically depends on the perceived causes of income inequality, such as differences in effort, luck, or opportunities. We study how fairness views and the extent of redistribution are affected by a hitherto over-looked, but relevant factor: immoral self-serving behavior that can lead to increased inequality. We focus on situations in which the rich have potentially acquired their fortunes by means of cheating. In an experiment, we let third parties redistribute resources between two stakeholders who could earn money either by choosing a safe amount or by engaging in a risky, but potentially more profitable, in-vestment. In one treatment, the outcome of the risky investment is determined by a random move, while in another treatment stakeholders can cheat to obtain the more profitable outcome. Although third parties cannot verify cheating, we find that the mere suspicion of cheating changes fairness views of third parties considerably and leads to a strong polarization. When cheating opportunities are pre-sent, the share of subjects redistributing money from rich to poor stakeholders triples and becomes as large as the fraction of libertarians – i.e., participants who never redistribute. Without cheating opportunities, libertarian fairness views dominate, while egalitarian views are much less prevalent. These results indicate that fairness views and attitudes towards redistribution change significantly when people believe that income inequality is the result of cheating by the rich.


A small but rapidly growing percentage of the U.S. population uses e-cigarettes. Policymakers, especially the FDA, are concerned about their public health impact and thus are contemplating regulations. We provide empirical evidence to inform such policy choices. Specifically, we examine how the demand for e-cigarettes would vary across policy-relevant attributes: 1) health impact, 2) effectiveness in helping smokers quit, 3) bans in public places, and 4) price. We conduct an online discrete choice experiment of 1,669 adult smokers who select among combustible cigarettes and two types of e-cigarettes as attributes are varied. Using a conditional logit model we estimate smokers' preferences across attributes. Then, using a latent class model, we identify types of smokers and conduct policy simulations separately by these types and for the full sample. In general, smokers value the attributes in the predicted directions and the demand for e-cigarettes tends to be motivated more by smokers' health concerns than by price or smoking bans. The latent class model identifies three types of smokers, those who prefer combustible cigarettes ('smokers'), e-cigarettes ('vapers'), and using both ('dual users'). We conclude that varying these policy-relevant attributes will have small, significant impacts on average, but with substantial heterogeneity by smoker type.


Statistics help us create Internet technologies, develop medicines, win elections, invest in stocks, predict the weather, and much more. But the methods that produce important numbers remain beyond many of us. How do we determine the proper size of a sample? How, exactly, do we calculate standard deviation? And just what is the central limit theorem? In The Cartoon Introduction to Statistics, Grady Klein and Alan Dabney cut through the confusion and take us on a tour of this dynamic subject, helping us stay afloat on the sea of data that is our increasingly complex world. Separating the book into two main parts (hunting statistics and gathering parameters) for readers both in and outside the classroom, they explore the key foundational concepts of statistics and the perils of improper methods. They round out the book with the "Math Cave," which provides easy access to the formulas every student will want to have close at hand. Through cheeky and irreverent examples bound to engage anyone grappling with the difference between histograms and boxplots, Klein and Dabney have created a rollicking narrative about the best ways to make confident statements based on limited information. Timely, authoritative, and a pleasure to read, The Cartoon Introduction to Statistics is an essential guide for students and for curious readers who want to better understand the world around them.


Fault diagnosis is a critical task for operators in the context of e-TOM (enhanced Telecom Operations Map) assurance process. Its purpose is to reduce network maintenance costs and to improve availability, reliability and performance of network services. Although necessary, this operation is complex and requires significant involvement of human expertise. The study of the fundamental properties of fault diagnosis shows that the diagnosis process complexity needs to be addressed using more intelligent and efficient approaches. In this paper, we present a hybrid approach that combines Bayesian networks and case-based reasoning in order to overcome the usual limits of fault diagnosis techniques and to reduce human intervention in this process. The proposed mechanism allows the identification of the root cause with a finer precision and a higher reliability. At the same time, it helps to reduce computation time while taking into account the network dynamicity. Furthermore, a study case is presented to show the feasibility and performance of the proposed approach based on a real-world use case: a virtual private network topology.


For over a century, various forms of crop cultivation, including family, community, and school gardens were a component of the foodways of many Alaska Native communities. This paper describes the history of these cropping practices in Athabascan communities of the Tanana and Yukon Flats regions of Alaska, and reveals a distinct agricultural tradition with roots that reach back as far as the late 1800s. Though American colonists, bureaucrats, and missionaries to the state saw agriculture as a mechanism for the economic development of the territory, garden - ing instead fulfilled a niche within local foodways that was perhaps best character - ized by Karl E. Francis (1967) as "outpost agriculture," valued not for its role as an exclusive means of subsistence, but as one of many equally important components in a flexible and diversified subsistence strategy. Nevertheless, these cropping activities are not widely considered to be either customary or traditional to Alaska Native communities, nor have they been incorporated into the historical and ethnographic literature about Alaska and about high-latitude agriculture at large. Because the use of and access to land and natural resources as practiced by Alaska Natives is heavily regulated by a state and federal legal framework based upon definitions of what is and is not "customary and traditional," failure to recognize the long history of farming and gardening in rural Alaska has consequences for communities that are experimenting with new community gardens and other innovative responses to rapid ecological, climatic, and socioeconomic change.


Over the past few decades, combating criminal health care fraud has  become one of the highest priorities of federal law enforcement, which  views and treats it as a financial crime that causes vast economic losses  to the government and private insurers. But the crime also causes, or  threatens, physical harms to individual health care patients, a class of  victims that the criminal justice system often fails to recognize. This Article  is the first to explore how structures and hidden levers of power within the  criminal justice bureaucracy lead agents and prosecutors to select—and  ignore—particular harms and victims and, more importantly, what drives  their selections. The implications extend beyond health care fraud. Questions about this form of prosecutorial discretion are surprisingly  absent in the scholarly literature. Through the lens of health care fraud, I  show that features of statutory frameworks and sentencing guidelines can  have an outsized influence on the selection of harms and victims in  complex cases, often in unintended ways that merit greater scrutiny.  Internal dynamics within the criminal justice bureaucracy, including those  driven by governmental interests as well as the interests of agents and  prosecutors themselves, also play a significant role. These factors  combine to spur our criminal justice system to treat health care fraud as  just another flavor of fraud, devaluing victims and skewing punishments  of offenders who exploit patients as a means to enrich themselves.


Complex machine learning models derived from personal data are increasingly used in making decisions important to peoples' lives. These automated decision tools are controversial, in part because their operation is difficult for humans to grasp or explain. While scholars and policymakers have begun grappling with these explainability concerns, the debate has focused on explanations to decision subjects. This Essay argues that explainability has equally important normative and practical ramifications for decision-system design. Automated decision tools are particularly attractive when decisionmaking responsibility is delegated and distributed across multiple actors to handle large numbers of cases. Such decision systems depend on explanatory flows among those responsible for setting goals, developing decision criteria, and applying those criteria to particular cases. Inscrutable automated decision tools can disrupt all of these flows.

This Essay focuses on explanation's role in decision-criteria development, which it analogizes to rulemaking. It analyzes whether, and how, decision tool inscrutability undermines the traditional functions of explanation in rulemaking. It concludes that providing information about the many aspects of decision tool design, function, and use that can be explained can perform many of those traditional functions. Nonetheless, the technical inscrutability of machine learning models has significant ramifications for some decision contexts. Decision tool inscrutability makes it harder, for example, to assess whether decision criteria will generalize to unusual cases or new situations and heightens communication and coordination barriers between data scientists and subject matter experts. The Essay concludes with some suggested approaches for facilitating explanatory flows for decision-system design.


With the emergence of positive psychology and the subsequent positive organizational behavior movement, focusing on the employee experience and factors of positive psychological states in employees has come to the forefront. In recent years, several studies have emphasized the practical value of employee engagement and passion (the dualistic model of passion; Vallerand et al., 2003) in predicting various positive individual and organizational outcomes (e.g., performance, well-being). Although engagement and passion seem relatively easy to spot at first glance, they are rather difficult to define and distinguish one from another. Therefore, the aim of the present article is to provide a comprehensive discussion on the shared aspects and conceptual differences between these two constructs within the work environment. The most noticeable overlap is proposed to exist between engagement and harmonious passion. It concerns the common underlying development mechanism, a very strong motivational force to engage in one's work, strong identification with work, and similar relationships with various antecedents and consequences. It is suggested that broader scope theories (such as the self-determination theory) should be taken into consideration in order to unify common findings from both theoretical backgrounds and overcome redundancy and the risk of multiplication of concepts in positive psychology.


Critical reviews may be helpful—not systematic ones

T he value of animal research for finding new treatments for human diseases is a continuing debate. The starting point of the debate must be the recognition of the past contributions of animal experiments to our understanding of disease and existing treatments. We can cite the major impact of research based on animals in diseases such as polio, kidney transplantation, and Parkinson's disease. Almost every form of conventional medical treatment (including most drugs, surgical treatments, and vaccines) was developed with the help of animal research.1–3 Most of what we know about the basic workings of the body—in humans and animals—has come to us through two centuries of animal experiments. Each decade of animal research has brought newer and deeper understanding.4 What we lack, however, are better methods of surveying the literature on animal experiments.

Curiosity about fundamental biological mechanisms has yielded a rich harvest of useful knowledge. Although around 30% of …


The Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) approach to solving the fundamental transport equations down to the smallest scales of motion is favorable should the requirement be a truly predictive solution of fluid dynamic problems, but the simulation run times are unacceptable for most practical industrial applications. Despite the steadily increasing computational capabilities, Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) based frameworks remain the most commercially viable option for high volume sectors, like automotive. The sub models within RANS simplify the description of key physical phenomena and include several numerical constants. These so-called "tuning constants" introduce multivariable dependencies that are almost impossible to untangle with local sensitivity studies. This paper addresses the prevailing difficulties in setting up an adequate diesel spray simulation which arise from the mentioned multi-variable interactions of these "tuning constants", by applying a statistical approach named Design of Experiments (DoE). Often combined with an optimizer, DoE is commonly used to find an optimum set of engine parameters for set criteria at reduced experimental effort. In this case, the methodology was applied to determine an optimal set of "tuning constants" for the simulations which best matched experimental data at five conditions taken from the Engine Combustion Network (ECN) database. Multi-variable DoE were run for each condition. Stochastic response models (SPM's) highlighted crucial simulation sensitivities of the turbulent dissipation constant C2and liquid/gas-phase momentum transfer at injection pressure swings. Further, a comparison of the breakup models which produced matching simulations exhibited patterns which correspond with physical processes. Lastly, it was shown that while a single set of the constants can give reasonable results in the space explored, there is merit in adjusting key constants to suit the operating condition in the search for accuracy.


The first global blockchain benchmarking study presents a systematic and comprehensive picture of a rapidly evolving industry, examining how blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT) are being used in the public sector and enterprise. The study analysed non-publicly available data gathered from over 200 central banks, other public sector institutions, DLT start-ups, and established companies. Findings from the study include which protocols central banks and are testing (57% of surveyed central banks are experimenting with the Ethereum codebase), targeted use cases, emerging revenue models, timing of deployment, and key challenges.


Based on the first-principles density functional theory, we have studied the stability, electronic structure and ammonia storage capacity of metal-decorated graphene oxide (GO). Metal atoms (Mg and Li) are bonded strongly to the epoxy oxygen atoms on the surface of the GO sheet, which can act as high-surface-area adsorbent for the ammonia uptake and release. Each metal atom can bind several ammonia molecules around itself with a reasonable binding energy. We find metal-decorated GO can store up to tens of moles of ammonia per kilogram, which is far better than the recently reported excellent ammonia adsorption by GO.


Although microvascular anastomoses are routinely performed with nonabsorbable sutures, a foreign body reaction can be stimulated that acts as a nidus for inflammation, infection, and possible thrombosis. Absorbable sutures should be able to diminish this reaction. There are sparse data describing the use of absorbable sutures for both arterial and venous anastomoses. This investigation compares standard microvascular anastomotic technique using nonabsorbable 10-0 sutures (nylon) with absorbable 10-0 sutures (polyglactin 910), using a previously reported tubed superficial epigastric flap model in rats. Patency rates and histologic responses are compared at intervals of 3 days and 1, 2, 8 and 12 weeks postoperatively. Arterial and venous patency rates were similar for both materials (overall nonabsorbable, 85.9%; overall absorbable, 84.4%). A somewhat increased inflammatory response was noted in the arterial absorbable group at 1 week and in both the venous and arterial nonabsorbable groups at 8 and 12 weeks postoperatively. The later finding most probably represents the continued presence of the nylon sutures. The incidence of intraluminal thrombosis was greater for nonabsorbable suture, occurring in two arterial and four venous anastomoses, compared with only one absorbable suture venous anastomosis. We conclude that nonabsorbable suture is as efficacious as standard absorbable material in both arterial and venous microanastomoses with the potential benefit of diminished foreign body reaction.


We and others have shown that influenza A nucleoprotein (NP) targeted to the secretory pathway cannot be processed to yield several cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes in cell lines that lack the transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP). However, a large COOH-terminal fragment of NP is processed and presented in these cells. Full-length NP is cotranslationally glycosylated in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum at two sites distal to the major H2-Kk and H2-Db restricted CTL epitopes, and we show here that pharmacological or genetic inhibition of N-linked glycosylation, leads to the processing and presentation of both these epitopes in a TAP-independent way.


In this study we investigated the allelopathic effect of some essential oils extracted from aromatic plants to inhibit weed seed germination. The study was performed to evaluate the potential genotoxic effect of lavender on Vicia faba root meristems by genotoxicity tests (comet assay and micronuclei test) and to evaluate microbial diversity fluctuation by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) molecular analysis on ecological, biological and conventional soil. The results showed a phytotoxicity effect of the essential oil for all the concentration tested, while there is not a dose-dependent relation between oil concentrations and the genotoxic effect. A fluctuation of microbial communities in relation to the release of essential oils by Lavandula officinalis was also observed. Then we suggest that the essential oils could be useful as potential bioherbicides as an alternative strategy to the chemical remedy, but further studies are necessary to evaluate their appropriate use in the field.


This paper presents a consensus-based path planning algorithm for a team of communicating spacecraft. The central idea is the development of a new efficient method of incorporating collision avoidance into the consensus algorithm. This is done by applying the concept of quadratically constrained attitude control (Q-CAC), where attitude constraints are represented as a set of linear matrix inequalities (LMI), and solved by semidefinite programming. Lyapunov-based stability analysis is also presented, together with simulation results for a team of spacecraft engaging in arbitrary formation reconfigurations, to demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach.


One challenge in understanding the evolution of Internet in- frastructure is the lack of systematic mechanisms for monitoring the extent to which allocated IP addresses are actually used. Address utilization has been monitored via actively scanning the entire IPv4 address space. We evaluate the potential to leverage passive network traffic measurements in addition to or instead of active probing. Passive traffic measurements introduce no network traffic overhead, do not rely on unfiltered responses to probing, and could potentially apply to IPv6 as well. We investigate two challenges in using passive traffic for address utilization inference: the limited visibility of a single observation point; and the presence of spoofed IP addresses in packets that can distort results by implying faked addresses are active. We propose a methodology for removing such spoofed traf- fic on both darknets and live networks, which yields results comparable to inferences made from active probing. Our preliminary analysis reveals a number of promising findings, including novel insight into the usage of the IPv4 address space that would expand with additional vantage points.


Based on the importance and contribution of entrepreneurship in economic development, it is vital to know that what underlying factors may promote the spirit of entrepreneurship? The entrepreneurship literature suggests two kinds of broader influencers or predictors for entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs "nature" and "nurture". In this study "nature" includes the psychological or personality related factors; self-confidence, locus of control, risk-taking propensity and trust levels. The "nurture" is explained by the effects from society in general and friends and family in particular. To answer the question "What differentiates the entrepreneurs from non-entrepreneurs on nature and nurture?" we collected data through questionnaire from 155 respondents. The 70 respondents were entrepreneurs and 85 were non-entrepreneurs. Step-wise discriminant analysis was used to determine the discriminating factors for entrepreneurs from non-entrepreneurs. Results indicate that societal impacts, risk taking propensity and trust levels were significantly discriminating the two groups; entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs. The study has important implications for policy makers, academicians, researchers and potential entrepreneurs.


Empirical evidence on the degree of business-tax shifting to employees via the wage level is highly controversial and rare. It remains open to which extent the tax burden is shifted, whether there are differences for tax increases and decreases, or whether there exists some treatment heterogeneity, that drive the respective results. Using a large administrative panel data set, we exploit the regional variation of the German business income taxation to address these issues. Our results suggest an elasticity of wages with respect to business taxes that ranges between -0.28 to -0.46, once we control for invariant unobserved regional and individual characteristics. Workers with low bargaining power, e.g., low-skilled, are affected most from business tax shifting, indicating that business-tax incidence involves distributional effects. Finally, we find evidence for an asymmetric tax incidence.


Xenopus egg extracts induce S phase DNA replication in added sperm pronuclei in a highly regulated manner, similar to events in vivo. Removal of cyclin-dependant kinases (cdks) or cdk2 from these extracts using affinity matrices severely inhibits initiation of S phase. We have used p13suc1 beads to remove both cdk2 and cdc2 proteins from egg extracts and developed a method to replace either protein alone to assess their capacity to initiate DNA replication. Re-addition of either cdk2 or cdc2 proteins to depleted extracts, through translation of their respective mRNAs, restimulated replication, judged by both total synthesis and labelling index. An ATP-binding-site mutant cdk2 mRNA (cdk2.R33) failed to stimulate replication and inhibited S phase initiation in mock-depleted extracts. Both human and Xenopus cdc2 mRNAs rescued replication in this system. Human mutant mRNAs have been used to show that the stimulation induced requires cdc2 catalytic activity, though not its mitotically active form. Rescue of replication by p34cdc2 is also observed in extracts depleted of cdks with a cdk2 antibody, which still retain much of their endogenous cdc2 protein. We conclude that newly synthesised p34cdc2, but not the inherited 'old' form, can induce S phase and in this form may overlap in function with p33cdk2.


ABSTRACT In this article, we report on the application of GFZ‐Sentry software for decentralized on‐site earthquake early warnings to a large data set of recordings collected by the Japanese K‐NET and KiK‐net seismic networks. The data set is composed of 3,225 three‐component recordings from 24 seismic events. The magnitudes of the selected earthquakes fall into a range of M JMA  6.0–7.3 ( M w  5.7–6.9) and cover hypocentral (epicentral) distances between 5 and 107 km (2 and 103 km, respectively). The data have been coordinated in real time with velocity and displacement; in this manner, the peak ground displacement (Pd) within the first few seconds (to a maximum of 3 s) after the P ‐wave arrival in the vertical component is determined. This value is used to estimate the peak ground velocity (the median, along with the associated 16% and 84% confidence intervals) on the horizontal components using empirical relationships. Based on these values, the traffic light status (green, orange, red) is then determined following the methodology introduced by Parolai et al. (2015), which uses three matrices to show the relationship between the expected ground motion and the possible damage (in terms of seismic intensity) that may arise. The performance of the software was evaluated without making ad hoc calibrations for the area or the selected thresholds and was found to be quite reliable. For example, in 90% of cases, assignment of the "red" status is followed by shaking that leads to a seismic intensity equal to or greater than V (very light potential damage). Additionally, all of the recordings leading to an intensity greater than VII (moderate to heavy damage) were correctly classified by a red status. Similarly, when considering all the declared green statuses, it is remarkable that only in 10% of cases was there a "missed alarm" (i.e., a green status is determined, but due to the level of observed shaking, it is later seen that the status should have been red).


In examining the research literature on occupational health and safety (OHS), this paper argues that the growth in the number of specialists in OHS has resulted in an emphasis on policy and practice away from more scholastic concerns previously addressed by academics in the disciplines of psychology and sociology. A hiatus has occurred, and this is evidenced by the general absence of studies in management, even though OHS is increasingly seen as a key operational and strategic concern of business organizations. The authors call for OHS to be placed firmly on the research agenda of management scholars, and advocate the need for greater conceptual development, empirical study and theoretical reflection to complement existing pragmatic concerns of OHS specialists. In this review, the contributions of psychology, sociology, industrial relations and management studies are assessed, and five categories of specialist OHS literature are analysed, namely: prescriptive; systematic OHS management; success based; error and disaster based; and culture, climate and high‐reliability studies. The conceptual and methodological limitations of this specialist focus are discussed, and future research opportunities are highlighted, for which the authors argue that management scholars embrace a range of methodological approaches. The authors advocate the value of extended case studies which examine OHS in context and over time in particular workplace settings. There remains considerable scope to develop this field further and, in conclusion, particular attention is drawn to the value of process‐oriented contextual approaches for understanding OHS management in organizations.


The luminous Galactic Cepheid RS Puppis is unique in being surrounded by a dust nebula illuminated by the variable light of the Cepheid. In a recent paper in this journal, Kervella et al. (2008) report a very precise geometric distance to RS Pup, based on measured phase lags of the light variations of individual knots in the reflection nebula. In this commentary, we examine the validity of the distance measurement, as well as the reality of the spatial structure of the nebula determined by Feast (2008) based upon the phase lags of the knots. {Kervella et al. assumed that the illuminated dust knots lie, on average, in the plane of the sky (otherwise it is not possible to derive a geometric distance from direct imaging of light echoes). We consider the biasing introduced by the high efficiency of forward scattering. We conclude that most of the knots are in fact likely to lie in front of the plane of the sky, thus invalidating the Kervella et al. result. We also show that the flat equatorial disk structure determined by Feast is unlikely; instead, the morphology of the nebula is more probably bipolar, with a significant tilt of its axis with respect to the plane of the sky. Although the Kervella et al. distance result is invalidated, we show that high-resolution polarimetric imaging has the potential to yield a valid geometric distance to this important Cepheid.


The actual effectiveness of the American anti-war movement from 1964-68 and its attempts to sway the policy of President Johnson's administration on the topic of the Vietnam War is debatable. While popular myth has exaggerated the role of protestors in stopping the war, the movement failed to alter state policy on the war in any serious fashion. The anti-war movement could not develop a universal policy of their aims, differing from a gradual exit from Vietnam to a complete anarchist overthrow of the American system, and as such were unable to lobby the government effectively. Within the war itself, however, the Johnson administration and the United States Military encountered a stronger stimulus to reconsider their involvement: the inability to adapt to a guerilla war, the immense man power and resources required to ensure victory, and ultimately the communist Tet offensive of 1968 pushing American forces back. When President Johnson did seek to negotiate with North Vietnam at the end of his term, it was because America had simply failed to beat the Vietcong.


In this paper, we present an authoring tool to create a fairy-tale from a piece of paper. We reviewed fairy-tale authoring tools for children operating in the web or smart devices and examined the previous researches on story authoring tools or the way of supporting user"s story creation. After we designed a paper for a child to paint characters and background environments and select two out of six story events, we have developed a smart device application. In this application, the paper in which characters and background were painted by a child is recognized first through the camera on smart device, and then a fairy-tale animation based on the child"s painting and selection is provided. This authoring tool with digital device can be used as an assistant means to motivate children for analog educational activities like painting a picture by their own hands on an actual paper.


Machine learning has achieved an important role in the automatic classification of variable stars, and several classifiers have been proposed over the last decade. These classifiers have achieved impressive performance in several astronomical catalogues. However, some scientific articles have also shown that the training data therein contain multiple sources of bias. Hence, the performance of those classifiers on objects not belonging to the training data is uncertain, potentially resulting in the selection of incorrect models. Besides, it gives rise to the deployment of misleading classifiers. An example of the latter is the creation of open-source labelled catalogues with biased predictions. In this paper, we develop a method based on an informative marginal likelihood to evaluate variable star classifiers. We collect deterministic rules that are based on physical descriptors of RR Lyrae stars, and then, to mitigate the biases, we introduce those rules into the marginal likelihood estimation. We perform experiments with a set of Bayesian logistic regressions, which are trained to classify RR Lyraes, and we found that our method outperforms traditional non-informative cross-validation strategies, even when penalized models are assessed. Our methodology provides a more rigorous alternative to assess machine learning models using astronomical knowledge. From this approach, applications to other classes of variable stars and algorithmic improvements can be developed.


The proof of the stability of the solar system has been customarily presented as the solution of a great riddle originated by Newton and completed by Laplace. In this paper, I suggest a different narrative. I argue that Newton considered the stability of the solar system more a theological problem than a physical one and that he never raised the question whether the system is stable or unstable. After the introduction of analytical techniques, astronomers and mathematicians, concerned especially with practical problems such as the behavior of the Moon and with the improvement of perturbation theory, also largely neglected the issue of stability. It was only in 1781, when the cultural and scientific conditions were ripe, that Lagrange, not Laplace, finally set and solved, according to the standard of the time, the stability problem.


To reinforce the analogy between the mapping class group and the Cremona
group of rank $2$ over an algebraic closed field, we look for a graph
analoguous to the curve graph and such that the Cremona group acts on it
non-trivially. A candidate is a graph introduced by D. Wright. However, we
demonstrate that it is not Gromov-hyperbolic. This answers a question of A.
Minasyan and D. Osin. Then, we construct two graphs associated to a Vorono\"i
tesselation of the Cremona group introduced in a previous work of the autor. We
show that one is quasi-isometric to the Wright graph. We prove that the second
one is Gromov-hyperbolic.

 Comment: 29 pages, en Fran\c{c}ais


The title molecule, N,N' -(azanediyl bis (2,1-phenylene)) bis (2-chloropropanamide) (L NNN ) was synthesized and characterized by means of Hirshfeld surface analysis and vibrational (FT-IR and RAMAN) studies. Ab-initio Hartree-Fock (HF) and density functional theory (DFT; BLYP, B3LYP, B3PW91 and mPW1PW91) calculations were accomplished using 6-31G(d,p) and 6-311G(d,p) basis sets. The comparison of calculated bond lengths and angles with X-ray crystal structure shows sufficient agreement. The solid phase FT-IR and FT-RAMAN spectra of L NNN have been recorded in the regions 4000-525 cm -1 and 4000-50 cm -1 , respectively. A comparative analysis between the calculated and experimental vibrational frequencies was carried out and significant bands were assigned. The results indicated a good correlation between experimental and theoretical IR and RAMAN frequencies. A detailed analysis of the intermolecular interactions via Hirshfeld surface analysis and fingerprint plots revealed that supramolecular structure of the L NNN is stabilized mainly by the formation of H···H, C···H, Cl···H ve O···H  intermolecular interactions.


Effective agricultural education begins with organization and structure. Success is not a random act or merely an artful performance of the sage on the stage. Effective teaching which will result in effective learning must have a known organizational pattern and apparent structure. The "discovery" of the structure of DNA brought a new level of knowledge to biology. As Watson and Crick wrote in 1953, "the double helix structure has novel features which are of considerable interest. . . . It has not escaped our notice that the specific pairing we have postulated immediately suggests a possible copying mechanism for the genetic material." By understanding the organization and structure of the DNA strand, replication becomes possible. The purpose of our writing is to borrow from such a premise and to provide an organization and structure for the implementation of effective agricultural education. Good teaching does not just happen. It is not a spontaneous set of actions in the universe that converge in some sort of harmonic alignment resulting in excellence. Good teaching begins with a thorough appreciation for and an understanding of the scientific foundations of teaching-learning organization and structure. For the purposes of this article, we want to address the science of organization as the curriculum. We will explore the application of structure to the teaching and learning process. The curriculum for agricultural education in the public high school includes the principles, objectives, methodology and organization of reading skills, activities, and influences, both formal and informal, over which the institution has control in developing the growth of the enrolled youth and adults. A course of study is an arrangement of all materials and learning activities which serve as a guide for the teacher and school in harmony with the constitution, legislative mandates, and overall objectives of the governing board (Humpherys, 1965). Education is that re-constructing or reorganizing of experience which adds to the meaning of experience, and which increases ability to direct the course of subsequent experiences (Dewey, 1916). Organization of the curriculum Philosophical concepts provide direction for curriculum organization and outcomes. These concepts are derived from professional agricultural education and grounded in the theory of community, sequence, and currency of issues. If the principle is accepted that education should prepare one to think and act purposefully in the solution of the problems of life, the curriculum of the school should be selected with this end in view (Berry, 1924). A career in the diverse agricultural production, processing, and distribution industry requires a broader education than does any of the other vocations or professions. For example, agricultural production is not a single problem, but a multitude of problems centering about the factors which control and limit production. A national curriculum model for agricultural education would be reduced to a generic sprinkling of common topics - none specific to the environmental, social, or economic characteristics of a selected community. Unlike technology education, business and marketing, or even family consumer sciences, the unique differences in products, production models, and markets make a national agricultural education unrealistic. On the other end of the spectrum is the local community. Each individual community will indicate special characteristics in culture and production strategy and can insist upon the authority to develop a locally specific program of study. Yet, too much diversity will eliminate the possibility for standardization within a state - and it is the state that is responsible. The 10th Amendment to the Constitution states: "the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the State, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. …


In October and November 2001, we performed an urban shear-wave velocity transect across 16 km of the Reno, Nevada, area basin. Using the refraction microtremor method of Louie (2001) we determined shear-wave velocity versus depth profiles at 55 locations. Shear-wave velocity averaged to 30 m depth (Vs30) is one predictor of earthquake ground-motion amplification in similar alluvium-filled basins, and it is the basis of site hazard classification under National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program-Uniform Building Code (NEHRP-UBC) provisions. A geologic map-based NEHRP classification along nearly all of our transect line would be NEHRP-D, but our measurements of Vs30 revealed that 82% of the transect is classified NEHRP-C. Relatively stiff Tertiary sediments underlie the surface of the Reno basin, and weaker soils occur east of downtown Reno in the floodplain of the Truckee River. Although 53 of our locations were on the geologically youngest and most active fluvial units, these sites showed Vs30 values ranging from 286 m/sec (NEHRP-D) to 849 m/sec (NEHRP-B). Mapped geologic and soil units are not accurate predictors of Vs30 measurements in this urban area. A test model based on gravity results showed Quaternary-alluvium depth can be combined with transect Vs30 mea- surements to predict Vs30 across the Reno basin.


The technique of ant colony optimization has been employed in this paper to efficiently deal with the problem of parameters identification in partial discharge, PD, analysis. The latter is a continuous optimization problem. From the technical point of view the identification of these parameters allows the modeling of the phenomenon of Partial Discharges in dielectrics. In this way it is possible the early diagnosis of defects in Medium Voltage cable lines and components and thus it is possible to prevent possible outages and service interruptions. Analytically, the problem consists of finding the Weibull parameters of the Pulse Amplitude Distribution (PAD) distributions allowing the identification and classification of the defects in dielectrics. The accuracy in this identification is crucial for correct classification of defects. The proposed algorithm, called DACS, Dynamic Ant Colony Search, allows the easy investigation of complex problems both in discrete and continuous search spaces. It dynamically redefines the search tree through which the ants (agents) move using an adaptive parameter in order to increase exploration or exploitation. In order to check the efficiency of the proposed algorithm in solving continuous optimization problems, many Partial Discharges, PD, experimental tests at various temperatures have been performed on some lumped capacity specimens. In this way, the experimental cumulative probability of amplitude histograms has been compared with those attained using the Weibull analysis. All the applications show that the error is quite limited and that the calculation times are considerably low compared to other techniques employed for the same purpose.


Age-hardened aluminium alloys have various degrees of precipitate-free zones (PFZs) along grain boundaries (GBs). The PFZs are weak zones and their existence promotes combined transgranular and intergranular fracture, thus reducing the ductility of the alloy. In this study, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is used to display the geometrical properties and the chemical composition of the PFZs in the AA7075-T651 aluminium alloy. PFZs are found along grain and sub-GBs and their widths are about 40 and 20 nm, respectively. The PFZs are depleted of alloying elements compared with the nominal composition due to GB precipitation, but still they contain a certain amount of such elements in solid solution which will contribute to increase the yield strength and the work hardening compared to pure aluminium. Based on the results from the TEM study, a micromechanical finite element model of an idealized microstructure including grains and soft zones along the GBs is established. The Gurson model was used to represent the behaviour of the material in the grains and in the soft zones, using different initial void volume fractions to account for GB precipitation. Several loading conditions were applied to the micromechanical model in order to evaluate the localization of strains inside the soft zones and thus to get a better understanding of the role of the PFZs in ductile fracture of age-hardened aluminium alloys. It was found that the global failure strain varies non-monotonically with the global stress triaxiality due to the heterogeneity of the idealized microstructure.


Oxygen isotope data from planktonic foraminifera for the warm Eocene epoch suggest that tropical sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) may have been cooler than at present. Such data have stimulated various explanations involving, e.g., major changes in ocean heat transport. However, the planktonic data disagree with terrestrial climate proxies, which suggest significantly warmer low-latitude temperatures. We examined this discrepancy by analyzing seasonal oxygen isotope variations in shallow-marine mollusks from the Mississippi Embayment. Results indicate that mean annual SSTs decreased from 26–27 °C in the early Eocene to 22–23 °C in the Oligocene, agreeing well with temperatures inferred from terrestrial climate proxies. These cooling trends, with more significant winter cooling (5 °C) than summer cooling (3 °C), are consistent with the predicted consequences of decreasing atmospheric CO 2 concentration through the Paleogene, suggesting that atmospheric CO 2 change was a major controlling factor for Paleogene climate change. That winter SST estimates from the mollusks agree well with the foraminiferal SST estimates suggests that planktonic foraminiferal growth in low latitudes occurred mainly during the cooler winter months throughout the Eocene. We hypothesize that the unusual hydrography of Eocene oceans shifted foraminiferal productivity primarily to winter, biasing foraminiferal SST estimates of mean annual SSTs.


The need to quantify distance between two groups of objects is prevalent throughout the signal processing world. The difference of group means computed using the Euclidean, or `2 distance, is one of the predominant distance measures used to compare feature vectors and groups of vectors, but many problems arise with it when high data dimensionality is present. Maximum mean discrepancy (MMD) is a recent unsupervised kernel-based pattern recognition method which may improve differentiation between two distinct populations over many commonly used methods such as the difference of means, when paired with the proper feature representations and kernels. MMD-based distance computation combines many powerful concepts from the machine learning literature, such as data distributionleveraging similarity measures and kernel methods for machine learning. Due to this heritage, we posit that dissimilarity-based classification and changepoint detection using MMD can lead to enhanced separation between different populations. To test this hypothesis, we conduct studies comparing MMD and the difference of means in two subareas of image analysis and understanding: first, to detect scene changes in video in an unsupervised manner, and secondly, in the biomedical imaging field, using clinical ultrasound to assess tumor response to treatment. We leverage effective computer vision data descriptors, such as the bag-of-visual-words and sparse combinations of SIFT descriptors, and choose from an assessment of several similarity kernels (e.g. Histogram Intersection, Radial Basis Function) in order to engineer useful systems using MMD. Promising improvements over the difference of means, measured primarily using precision/recall for scene change detection, and k-nearest neighbour classification accuracy for tumor response assessment, are obtained in both applications.


Wireless sensor network is a new field of computer science and technology research. It has a very broad application prospects. In order to improve the network survival time, it is very important to design efficient energy-constrained routing protocols. In this paper, we studied the characteristics of wireless sensor networks, and analyzed the design criteria of sensor network routing algorithms. In view of the shortcomings of traditional algorithms, we proposed an energy-aware multi-path algorithm. When selecting a data transmission path, the energy-aware multi-path algorithm can avoid nodes with low energy levels. At the same time, it takes the remaining energy of the node and the number of hops as one of the measures of the path selection. The multi-path routing algorithm realized the low energy consumption of the data transmission path, thus effectively prolonging the network lifetime. Compared with the traditional algorithm, the results show that our method has high reliability and energy efficiency.


Objective: Professional development is key to professional conduct and behaviour in the practice. The aim of this study  was to ascertain the factors affecting professional development of commencing and graduating pharmacy students. Methods: Student volunteers participated in two focus groups for an in-depth exploration of their opinions and experiences which impacted their professional development. Focus group transcripts were analysed for emergent themes. Results: Three common themes were revealed by both commencing and graduating students, namely pharmacist- educators, curriculum and placement/part-time work, were identified as contributing positively to student professional development. Conclusions: Although factors influencing professional development are similar, differences do occur in the prioritisation and emphasis placed on these factors by the two student groups. Pharmacist-educators are pivotal in student professional development, however the nature of the interactions between student and educator increases in complexity during the degree programme. Autonomy-supportive teaching potentially provides an instructional framework to support student professional development needs.


Background, Aim and Scope. Soybean meal is an important protein input to the European livestock production, with Argentina being an important supplier. The area cultivated with soybeans is still increasing globally, and so are the number of LCAs where the production of soybean meal forms part of the product chain. In recent years there has been increasing focus on how soybean production affects the environment. The purpose of the study was to estimate the environmental consequences of soybean meal consumption using a consequential LCA approach. The functional unit is 'one kg of soybean meal produced in Argentina and delivered to Rotterdam Harbor'. Materials and Methods. Soybean meal has the co-product soybean oil. In this study, the consequential LCA method was applied, and co-product allocation was thereby avoided through system expansion. In this context, system expansion implies that the inputs and outputs are entirely ascribed to soybean meal, and the product system is subsequently expanded to include the avoided production of palm oil. Presently, the marginal vegetable oil on the world market is palm oil but, to be prepared for fluctuations in market demands, an alternative product system with rapeseed oil as the marginal vegetable oil has been established. EDIP97 (updated version 2.3) was used for LCIA and the following impact categories were included: Global warming, eutrophication, acidification, ozone depletion and photochemical smog. Results. Two soybean loops were established to demonstrate how an increased demand for soybean meal affects the palm oil and rapeseed oil production, respectively. The characterized results from LCA on soybean meal (with palm oil as marginal oil) were 721 g CO2 eq. for global warming potential, 0.3 mg CFC11 eq. for ozone depletion potential, 3.1 g SO2 eq. for acidification potential, –2 g NO3 eq. for eutrophication potential and 0.4 g ethene eq. for photochemical smog potential per kg soybean meal. The average area per kg soybean meal consumed was 3.6 m2year. Attributional results, calculated by economic and mass allocation, are also presented. Normalised results show that the most dominating impact categories were: global warming, eutrophication and acidification. The 'hot spot' in relation to global warming, was 'soybean cultivation', dominated by N2O emissions from degradation of crop residues (e.g., straw) and during biological nitrogen fixation. In relation to eutrophication and acidification, the transport of soybeans by truck is important, and sensitivity analyses showed that the acidification potential is very sensitive to the increased transport distance by truck. Discussion. The potential environmental impacts (except photochemical smog) were lower when using rapeseed oil as the marginal vegetable oil, because the avoided production of rapeseed contributes more negatively compared with the avoided production of palm oil. Identification of the marginal vegetable oil (palm oil or rapeseed oil) turned out to be important for the result, and this shows how crucial it is in consequential LCA to identify the right marginal product system (e.g., marginal vegetable oil). Conclusions. Consequential LCAs were successfully performed on soybean meal and LCA data on soybean meal are now available for consequential (or attributional) LCAs on livestock products. The study clearly shows that consequential LCAs are quite easy to handle, even though it has been necessary to include production of palm oil, rapeseed and spring barley, as these production systems are affected by the soybean oil co-product. Recommendations and Perspectives. We would appreciate it if the International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment had articles on the developments on, for example, marginal protein, marginal vegetable oil, marginal electricity (related to relevant markets), marginal heat, marginal cereals and, likewise, on metals and other basic commodities. This will not only facilitate the work with consequential LCAs, but will also increase the quality of LCAs.


Welcome to CCNA Routing and Switching ICND2 200-105 Pearson uCertify Course and Textbook Bundle CCNA Routing and Switching ICND2 200-105 uCertify Course is an easy-to-use online course that allows you to assess your readiness and teaches you what you need to know to pass the ICND2 200-105 exam. Master all of the Cisco CCNA ICND2 exam objectives in the framework of CCNA Routing and Switching ICND2 200-105 Official Cert Guide, Academic Edition interactive eBook. The interactive eBook includes informative text, tables, step-by-step lists, images, video, interactive exercises, glossary flash cards, and review activities. Gauge your readiness with a pre-assessment exam with questions specifically designed to identify your deficiencies. Then after you have worked through the course material practice with two complete exam simulations to see if you are ready or where you need to study more. In total there are over 400 practice questions. All of the contentthe complete Cert Guide, the 1+ hours of video instruction, the practice questions, and the exercisesis focused around the official Cisco ICND2 exam objectives. Trust the best-selling Official Cert Guide series from Cisco Press to help you learn, prepare, and practice for exam success. They are built with the objective of providing assessment, review, and practice to help ensure you are fully prepared for your certification exam. CCNA Routing and Switching ICND2 200-105 Official Cert Guide, Academic Editionis a comprehensive textbook and study package that provides you with a detailed overview of network configuration and troubleshooting. Best-selling author and expert instructor Wendell Odom shares study hints and test-taking tips, helping you identify areas of weakness and improve both your conceptual knowledge and hands-on skills. This complete study package includes A test-preparation routine proven to help you pass the exams "Do I Know This Already?" quizzes, which enable you to decide how much time you need to spend on each section Chapter-ending and part-ending exercises, which help you drill on key concepts you must know thoroughly Troubleshooting sections, which help you master the complex scenarios you will face on the exam A free copy of the eBook version of the text, available in PDF, EPUB, and Mobi (Kindle) formats The powerful Pearson IT Certification Practice Test software, complete with hundreds of well-reviewed, exam-realistic questions, customization options, and detailed performance reports A free copy of the CCNA ICND2 200-105 Network Simulator Lite software, complete with meaningful lab exercises that help you hone your hands-on skills with the command-line interface for routers and switches Links to a series of hands-on config labs developed by the author Online interactive practice exercises that help you hone your knowledge More than 50 minutes of video mentoring from the author A final preparation chapter, which guides you through tools and resources to help you craft your review and test-taking strategies Study plan suggestions and templates to help you organize and optimize your study time Well regarded for its level of detail, study plans, assessment features, challenging review questions and exercises, video instruction, and hands-on labs, this official study guide helps you master the concepts and techniques that ensure your success. This official study guide helps you master all the topics on the CCNA ICND2 exam, including Ethernet LANs IPv4 routing protocols Wide area networks IPv4 services: ACLs and QoS IPv4 routing and troubleshooting IPv6 Network management, SDN, and cloud computing Companion DVD The DVD contains more than 500 unique practice exam questions, ICND2 Network Simulator Lite software, online practice exercises, and 50+ minutes of video training. Includes Exclusive Offers For Up to 70% Off Video Training and Network Simulator Software Pearson IT Certification Practice Test minimum system requirements: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, or Vista (SP2), Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 Client; Pentium-class 1 GHz processor (or equivalent); 512 MB RAM; 650 MB disk space plus 50 MB for each downloaded practice exam; access to the Internet to register and download exam databases In addition to the wealth of updated content, this new edition includes a series of free hands-on exercises to help you master several real-world con guration and troubleshooting activities. These exercises can be performed on the CCNA ICND2 200-105 Network Simulator Lite software included for free on the DVD or companion web page that accompanies this book. This software, which simulates the experience of working on actual Cisco routers and switches, contains the following 19 free lab exercises, covering all of the topics in Part II, the first hands-on configuration section of the book: 1. EIGRP Serial Configuration I 2. EIGRP Serial Configuration II 3. EIGRP Serial Configuration III 4. EIGRP Serial Configuration IV 5. EIGRP Serial Configuration V 6. EIGRP Serial Configuration VI 7. EIGRP Route Tuning I 8. EIGRP Route Tuning II 9. EIGRP Route Tuning III 10. EIGRP Route Tuning IV 11. EIGRP Neighbors I 12. EIGRP Neighbors II 13. EIGRP Neighbors III 14. EIGRP Auto-Summary Configuration Scenario 15. EIGRP Configuration I Configuration Scenario 16. EIGRP Metric Manipulation Configuration Scenario 17. EIGRP Variance and Maximum Paths Configuration Scenario 18. EIGRP Troubleshooting Scenario 19. Path Troubleshooting Scenario IV If you are interested in exploring more hands-on labs and practicing con guration and troubleshooting with more router and switch commands, check out our full simulator product offerings at http://www.pearsonitcerti cation.com/networksimulator. CCNA ICND2 Network Simulator Lite minimum system requirements: Windows (Minimum) Windows 10 (32/64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32/64-bit), or Windows 7 (32/64-bit) 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit) 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit) DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver Adobe Acrobat Reader version 8 and above Mac (Minimum) OS X 10.11, 10.10, 10.9, or 10.8 Intel core Duo 1.83 GHz 512 MB RAM (1 GB recommended) 1.5 GB hard disk space 32-bit color depth at 1024x768 resolution Adobe Acrobat Reader version 8 and above


Sports Tourism in Cyprus: A Study of International Visitors In industrial nations, sports tourism contributes 1% to 2% of gross national product, while the contribution of tourism in general is 4% to 6% (Hudson, 2003). In the United States, the Travel Industry Association (TIA) reports that the crisis in tourism following the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York and elsewhere did not extend to sports tourism; the number of sports tourists remained steady (Neirotti, 2005). Although sports tourism has been an emerging trend in the tourism industry only since the mid-1990s (Gibson, 1998; Hinch, Jackson, Hudson, & Walker, 2005), it seems to be one form of tourism not marked by decline during difficult times (Karlis, 2006). The nation of Cyprus has traditionally relied on the sun and sea in marketing its tourism industry. But a recent steady decrease in tourism in Cyprus (during 2000-2007, visits fell from 2,434,285 to 2,416,086) has the Cyprus Tourism Organization (CTO) considering new approaches to selling its tourism product. A focus on sports tourism is one approach being weighed. In 2003 the CTO adopted a tourism development plan, and accompanying strategy for implementation, with 2010 as the target date. The plan identified competitive and recreational sports as likely contributors to the achievement of its five objectives: (a) increasing per-tourist expenditure, (b) improving winter season tourism, (c) extending tourists' stays in Cyprus, (d) increasing increasing the number of tourist arrivals in Cyprus. The CTO's plan called specifically for the development of sports services and sports-related human resources and for the organization of sports events. Research by Papanikos (2002) indicates that countries interested in expanding sports tourism must carefully consider how to go about that task. Building new facilities is not necessarily the right approach to establish a sports tourism market, and Papanikos advises officials like those in Cyprus to pursue extensive research before investing in the sports tourism industry (2002). Thus the CTO, prior to creating its 2010 plan, completed a SWOT analysis--an assessment of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats characterizing an enterprise--to evaluate sports tourism's appropriateness as a major pillar of the strategic plan for tourism in Cyprus (Kartakoullis & Karlis, 2002). The analysis by Kartakoullis and Karlis (2002) indicated that potential existed for developing sports tourism in Cyprus. Strengths and opportunities were plentiful, and the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, would provide a means to educate the international community about Cyprus's sports tourism potential. The analysis also noted, however, that positioning Cyprus as a sports tourism destination would demand the collaboration of the nation's tourism and sports industries and experts, given certain internal weaknesses such as lack of existing expertise in sports tourism. Organizations assuming a role in developing sports tourism in Cyprus would be able to administer services effectively only if proper strategic management were provided. Kartakoullis and Karlis's SWOT analysis (2002) was the initial study concerning sports tourism in Cyprus. It argued that Cyprus has all the necessary elements of a sports tourism destination, and it comprised a first guide for the CTO and the national government, as well as interested private tourism and sports groups. None of these players had a formal policy on sports tourism, and all were likely to be needed to administer future sports tourism services. A series of issues was identified that the three players would need to consider. The present study grew from those identified issues and represents expanded research on sports tourism's potential in Cyprus, as called for by Kartakoullis and Karlis. To suit the present study's purpose, the definition of sports tourism offered by Gibson, Attle, and Yiannakis (1997)--namely, that sports tourism is travel undertaken in order to participate in recreational or competitive sports--was expanded. …


To what degree can traditional Asian political and legal institutions be seen as embodying constitutionalist values? This question has risen to the fore in recent decades as part of a new attention to constitutionalism around the world, as well as the decline in orientalist perceptions of Asia as a region of oppressive legal traditions. As constitutionalism has spread beyond its alleged homeland in the West, it behooves us to ask about the relationship between the particular ideas that emerged in enlightenment Europe and North America with the previous political-cultural understandings of non-European societies. This inquiry has implications for thinking about legal transplants, and for our understanding of how constitutions work in the contemporary world. Ultimately, it calls into question the Western narrative of exceptionalism, in which constitutionalism and the rule of law are seen as distinctive Western contributions.


This research critically examines school support staff's perceptions of strategic change within a post '92 higher education institution. The need for effective communication as well as valuing and empowering employees during any change process is discussed. The research uses a mixed methods approach. Qualitative and quantitative data are obtained from questionnaires and emerging themes identified. Further qualitative data are gathered from diary logs, interviews and focus groups. This research represents the opinions of school support staff at a particular moment in time within a particular educational context. The results suggest some limitations to the change capabilities of the post '92 institution, but also some areas of good practice. The production of a change framework and the change competencies workbook provides both the institution and its employees, with an opportunity to explore further the prospect of improving their ability to manage change. Both the framework and the competencies require an environment of trust for them to work effectively. The subject headings of identity, perception and communication are utilised in the change framework and the change competencies. The subject headings were chosen in order to assist the researcher to categorise various data covering areas of concern raised by research participants. This thesis suggests that the post '92 institution has yet to establish a corporate change policy or embed a continuous change culture within its organisation. This thesis concludes that incorporating the following could assist the institution's management of change: * create a culture of change by utilising the change framework and implement a corporate change strategy based on Kotter's (1996) eight steps for change; * create an environment of trust through excellence in two-way communication by promoting Perkins (2008) supportive communication and listening skills; * create empowered and change sophisticated people by improving their  change competencies using the workbook and regular targeted staff  development. URI sophisticated people: a change competencies workbook based on school support staff's perceptions of strategic change in a post'92 higher education institution 


Low molecular weight phenol formaldehyde (LMwPF) resin was used to
enhance the dimensional stability of bamboo strips (Gigantochloa scortechinii).
Resin was impregnated into bamboo strips via vacuum process before the strips
were converted into plybamboo. The present study was undertaken to develop
a process to produce high dimensionally stable plybamboo. The work included
evaluation of resin impregnation process, establishment of suitable
drying/curing technique and final pressing of phenolic-treated bamboo strips.
Evaluation of bonding properties, dimensional stability and mechanical
properties of phenolic-treated plybamboo were also conducted. The bamboo
strips were taken from basal and middle portions of bamboo culm. To treat the
bamboo strips with LMwPF resin, firstly, a vacuum period of 1 hour was applied before the strips were soaked in resin for at least 90 minutes. The
samples were later dried in an oven at 60°C for 9 hours. The mean weight
percent gain (WPG) and moisture content (MC) of dried phenolic-treated
bamboo strips were 14.5% and 7%, respectively. Drying the phenolic-treated
bamboo strips for > 9 hours resulted in cupping of the strips.
Phenolic-treated strips were then hot pressed for 5, 8, 11, 14 and 17 minutes at
14 kgm-2 and 140°C. Water absorption (WA), thickness swelling (TS) and linear
expansion (LE) of the strips decreased when the curing time was extended from
5 minutes to 17 minutes but antishrink efficiency (ASE) increased. The mean
value of modulus of rupture (MOR) for untreated strips (177 Nmm-2) was
significantly lower than the phenolic-treated strips (224 Nmm-2) after 17
minutes pressing time. However, no significant difference was observed in
modulus of elasticity (MOE) and compression parallel to grain. Results showed
that the optimum pressing time for phenolic-treated strips was 11 minutes.
This work also established an optimum pressing time to produce high
dimensionally stable plybamboo. For this, phenolic-treated bamboo strips were
glued together edge-to-edge using phenol resorcinol formaldehyde (PRF) resin
to produce a veneer. The veneers were then assembled perpendicular to each
other to form a 3-ply (12 mm) and 5-ply (20 mm) plybamboo using phenol
formaldehyde resin as a binder. The plybamboos were hot pressed at an optimum pressing condition of 140oC (pressure 14 kgm-2) for 22 (3-ply) and 33
(5-ply) minutes. The bonding strength of the plybamboo obtained in this study
met the minimum requirement of MS 228-1991. WA, TS, and LE of phenolictreated
plybamboo were significantly lower compared to those of untreated
plybamboo.
The MOR, MOE and compression parallel to grain of the phenolic-treated
plybamboo were significantly higher compared to those of untreated
plybamboo. For 3-ply, the values were 164 and 127 Nmm-2 for MOR, and 19767
and 16778 Nmm-2 for MOE, and 60 and 41 Nmm-2 for compression parallel to
grain, respectively. Similarly, for 5-ply phenolic-treated plybamboo the MOR,
MOE and compression parallel to grain of were 38%, 30% and 33% respectively
higher than those of untreated plybamboo. Generally, the treatment of bamboo
strips with LMwPF resins were found to significantly improve the properties of
plybamboo made from them.


In 191 instances, infrainguinal graft occlusion was presumed because of a rethreatened foot, diminished pulses and/or decreased ankle pressure. Routine urgent arteriography revealed 38 instances where the graft was patent (22 vein, 16 PTFE). Ten of these grafts were to the femoral artery, 18 to the popliteal artery and 10 were to infrapopliteal arteries. The deterioration despite a patent graft was due to development of inflow stenosis (15), vein graft lesions (13) or distal disease progression (10). All were treated successfully by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (30) or simple local operative revisions (8). Cumulative life table patency rates 2 years after reintervention were 89% for failing reconstructions to the femoral artery, 94% for those to the popliteal artery and 89% for infrapopliteal procedures. Comparable rates for limb salvage were 90%, 100% and 100%, respectively. These findings underscore the importance of urgent angiography in suspected lower extremity graft failure. Defects may be detected before real graft occlusion occurs and appropriate interventional treatment can provide important additional periods of limb salvage.


Abstract The concentrations of LREE and Zr in a granitic melt formed by anatexis of a metapelitic protolith will be buffered by the stability of monazite and zircon respectively. The rate at which equilibrium is reached between dissolving monazite and zircon and a static melt is limited by the rate at which Zr and LREE can diffuse away from dissolution sites. If melt extraction rates exceed the rates at which the LREE and Zr in the melt become homogenized by diffusion, extracted melts will be undersaturated with respect to these elements. Evidence from accessory phase thermometry suggests that for many Himalayan leucogranites generated by crustal anatexis, the melts equilibrated with restitic monazite and zircon prior to extraction. In contrast, discordant temperatures determined from accessory phase thermometry suggest that tourmaline leucogranites from the Zanskar region of NW India did not equilibrate prior to extraction. Quantitative interpretation of this discordance assumes that the melt was static prior to extraction, and that accessory phase inheritance was minimal. Modelling of the time-dependant homogenization process suggests that tourmaline leucogranites generated at 700°C robably remained in contact with restitic monazite in the protolith for less than 7 ka and certainly less than 50 ka. Such rapid extraction rates suggest that deformation-driven mechanisms were important in removing these melts from their source.


Surface second harmonic generation (s-SHG) spectroscopy is a powerful tool to investigate
layers or adsorbates on surfaces with high sensitivity. For this nonlinear technique, sophisticated
reference methods are needed to properly treat the measured raw data. We present an
easy-to-implement reference measurement method for s-SHG spectroscopy for surface layers or
adsorbates. It directly allows for extracting reference-corrected s-SHG spectra from raw data. SHG
from thin slabs of BK7 and MgO in the spectral range from 450 to 900 nm (fundamental beam) is
used to obtain the reference spectrum. The method includes the experimental determination of the
dispersive properties of the optical setup over the relevant spectral range. The accuracy of the
presented procedure is demonstrated by applying the method to the study of a thin molecular film of
1, 1′-Bi-2-naphthol (Binol) supported on a BK7 substrate.


The Center for Robot‐Assisted Search and Rescue deployed three commercially available small unmanned aerial systems (SUASs)—an AirRobot AR100B quadrotor, an Insitu Scan Eagle, and a PrecisionHawk Lancaster—to the 2014 SR‐530 Washington State mudslides. The purpose of the flights was to allow geologists and hydrologists to assess the eminent risk of loss of life to responders from further slides and flooding, as well as to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the event. The AirRobot AR100B in conjunction with PrecisionHawk post‐processing software created two‐dimensional (2D) and 3D reconstructions of the inaccessible "moonscape" region of the slide and provided engineers with a real‐time remote presence assessment of river mitigation activities. The AirRobot was able to cover 30–40 acres from an altitude of 42 m (140 ft) in 48 min of flight time and generate interactive 3D reconstructions in 3 h on a laptop in the field. The deployment is the 17th known use of SUAS for disasters, and it illustrates the evolution of SUASs from tactical data collection platforms to strategic data‐to‐decision systems. It was the first known instance in the United States in which an airspace deconfliction plan allowed a UAS to operate with manned vehicles in the same airspace during a disaster. It also describes how public concerns over SUAS safety and privacy led to the cancellation of initial flights. The deployment provides lessons on operational considerations imposed by the terrain, trees, power lines, and accessibility, and a safe human:robot ratio. The article identifies open research questions in computer vision, mission planning, and data archiving, curation, and mining.


Trade exerts important influences on the exploitation and protection of natural resources. Indeed, recognition of this influence is codified in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which allows exceptions to treaty obligations for measures "relating to the conservation of exhaustible natural resources," motivates the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, and underlies the Convention on Biological Diversity. Trade impacts operate through several channels. Trade liberalization changes relative prices, which affects exploitation incentives. Trade can also have broader effects, such as impacts on labor markets and incomes, which may affect demand for resource-intensive products—or for ecosystem services. Trade interacts with, and can influence, the institutions governing the management of natural resources. Finally, trade can also introduce threats to ecosystems, in the form of invasive species. All of these potential impacts pose special challenges for the conservation of renewable resources, which inherently involves dynamic economic and ecological processes. This article reviews and takes stock of the lessons from the recent economics literature on the links between trade and the conservation of natural resources.


The optimization strategy for absorption chiller systems is generally based on thermodynamic analysis. However, the optimum, so obtained, does not always guarantee the economic optimum. In this regard, the thermoecommics that combines the thermodynamic principles with economic parameters plays a vital role for achieving the cost effectiveness of these systems. In this paper, this technique is applied to optimize a single-effect LiBr/H 2 O absorption chiller system for air-conditioning applications aiming at achieving the minimum product cost. This optimization methodology is based on the relative interdependence between component irreversibility and the total system irreversibility. This relationship, known as structural coefficient, is used to evaluate the economic cost of the product of the system. The use of structural coefficient eliminates complex numerical procedures, and the optimization is achieved by sequential local optimization of the subsystems of the system. The analysis reveals that the capital cost of the optimum configuration is increased by about 33.3%, from the base case, however, the additional cost is well compensated by reduced fuel cost. This is possible because of reduction of plant irreversibilities by about 47.2%.


Each year 400,000 North Americans die from sudden cardiac death (SCD). T- wave alternans (TWA) refers to an alternating pattern in the T-wave portion of the surface electrocardiogram (ECG) and has been shown as a risk stratifier for SCD. These subtle changes in the T-waves are in the micro-volt scale and ambulatory ECG recordings usually contain biological noise. Also, data non-stationarity owing to heart rate variability and the amplitude variability in TWA magnitude can limit the accuracy of the detection techniques. This necessitates the need for robust detection algorithms for processing such non-stationary data. In this thesis, we have proposed an Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) based scheme combined with the Instantaneous Frequency (IF). EMD decomposes the signal into several monocomponent signals called Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs). IF extracted from these IMFs provides an accurate estimate of time varying frequency components and hence can aid during characterization of TWAs. In order to validate the performance of the proposed detection technique, the feature vectors extracted from the IMFs were fed to a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) classifier. The performance assessment was carried out using two datasets: (a) Synthetic TWAs: 72 signals obtained from publicly accessible Physionet database and (b) TWAs from patients: 55 ambulatory ECG signals obtained from the Toronto General Hospital. Using an unbiased leave-one-out cross validation strategy, maximum overall classification accuracies of 86.1% and 81.8% were achieved for TWA detection from synthetic and ambulatory ECG recordings respectively. In addition, the usability of the proposed technique has been investigated to assess its suitability for addressing another cardiovascular problem stroke. Atrial Fibrillation (AF) has been identified as a risk factor to increase the chances of stroke. The most common method in studying the complex AF electrograms is to employ dominant frequency (DF) analysis; however, due to signal non-stationarity DF does not always provide the best estimate of the atrial activation rate. As a result, analyzing the electrograms via EMD and IF has been investigated as the second contribution of this work.


The objective of this study was to describe how a cohort review approach was applied as an evaluation framework for a community health worker intervention among adult residents in 5 public housing developments in New York City in 2015–2017. The cohort review approach involved systematically monitoring participants engaged in the Harlem Health Advocacy Partners program during a given time period ("cohort") to assess individual outcomes and program performance. We monitored participation status (completed, still active, disengaged, on leave, or died) and health outcomes. In this example of a cohort review, levels of enrollment and program disengagement were higher in cohort 1 than in cohort 2. For 6-month health outcomes, the percentage of participants with hypertension who had controlled blood pressure was static in cohort 1 and improved significantly in cohort 2. The percentage of participants with diabetes who self-reported controlled hemoglobin A1c increased significantly in cohort 1 at 6-month follow-up. The cohort approach highlighted important outcome successes and identified workload challenges affecting recruitment and retention.


We propose a technique for building optical packet networks that does not require any buffering, any signalling or header processing. Contentions are solved by means of an optical device that allows the first packet to go through while blocking others. Blocked packets are redirected back to their source nodes, thus notifying the latter about the packet status. We describe the design principles of the corresponding all-optical networks, assess their performance and power consumption and give examples of application in the context of access networks and data centers.


Positioned as an epilogue to the themed edition of Social Alternatives on the nature and politics of madness in contemporary Australian society, this article has been inspired by the narratives and analyses of the contributors to this edition. It aims to go beyond madness to explore strategies of resistance to the violence of marginalisation, humiliation and incarceration which often comes before and after a diagnosis of madness. Proposed strategies for resistance include studying up and speaking back to the oppressors; improving the capacity of bystanders to intervene; holding a structural analysis of power and resistance to support social change work; and affirming the value of non-violence and dialogical processes. In this article, resistance to violence is viewed as inevitable, desirable and an act of optimism.


To sustain breeding while simultaneously compensating for poor local resource availability, many temperate Procellariiformes (tube-nosed seabirds) access highly productive areas 'at-distance' from breeding colonies using a unique dual-foraging strategy. We tested for, and observed, a similar dual foraging strategy in a tropical Procellariiform, the wedge-tailed shearwater Puffinus pacificus. Foraging adults repeatedly performed short-trip cycles of multiple 1 to 4 d trips followed by a single long-trip of ~8 d. As with temperate species, wedge-tailed shearwaters used long-trips to build body reserves that they passed onto chicks by not self-provisioning adequately during the early stages of each short-trip cycle. Unlike temperate species (1) long-trip length and adult mass change during long-trips was inversely related to adult mass at the beginning of the same long-trip, and (2) foraging mode changeover appeared to be co-ordinated and was not initiated by adults reaching some critical lower mass. This implies that the dual-foraging pattern observed in wedge-tailed shearwaters is a consequence of the median time adults require to replenish body reserves on long-trips. We conclude that foraging strategies in wedge-tailed shearwaters vary spatially relative to near-colony resource availability, and that dual-foraging is a general Procellariiform life-history strategy used to address similar ecological constraints in both temperate and tropical systems. Our findings suggest that wedge-tailed shearwaters of the southern Great Barrier Reef (GBR) may be dependent on localised areas of high productivity 'at-distance' from breeding colonies to sustain breeding.


This study demonstrates the surface alignment induced pinning effects on blue phases. The morphologies of blue-phase platelets in a nonaligned cell become less uniform, and the photonic bandgap shifted over 120 nm during the cooling process. Comparing the different boundary conditions, the anchoring forces provide by homogeneous alignment can pin the blue-phase platelets, confine the photonic bandgap variation, and increase uniformity of the blue phase. This study also examines the pinning effect by the patternable photoalignment technique. Boundary anchoring forces have a significant effect on the morphology and photonic characteristics of the blue phase, making them applicable to practical applications.


RSA is the most popular Public Key Cryptosystem (PKC) and is heavily used today. PKC comes into play, when two parties, who have previously never met, want to create a secure channel between them. The core operation in RSA is modular multiplication, which requires lots of computational power especially when the operands are longer than 1024-bits. Although today's powerful PC's can easily handle one RSA operation in a fraction of a second, small devices such as PDA's, cell phones, smart cards, etc. have limited computational power, thus there is a need for dedicated hardware which is specially designed to meet the demand of this heavy calculation. Additionally, web servers, which thousands of users can access at the same time, need to perform many PKC operations in a very short time and this can create a performance bottleneck. Special algorithms implemented on dedicated hardware can take advantage of true massive parallelism and high utilization of the data path resulting in high efficiency in terms of both power and execution time while keeping the chip cost low. We will use the "Montgomery Modular Multiplication" algorithm in our implementation, which is considered one of the most efficient multiplication schemes, and has many applications in PKC. In the first part of the thesis, our "2048-bit Radix-4 based Modular Multiplier" design is introduced and compared with the conventional radix-2 modular multipliers of previous works. Our implementation for 2048-bit modular multiplication features up to 82% shorter execution time with 33% increase in the area over the conventional radix-2 designs and can achieve 132 MHz on a Xilinx xc2v6000 FPGA. The proposed multiplier has one of the fastest execution times in terms of latency and performs better than (37% better) our reference radix-2 design in terms of time-area product. The results are similar in the ASIC case where we implement our design for UMC 0.18 μm technology. In the second part, a fast, efficient, and parameterized modular multiplier and a secure exponentiation circuit intended for inexpensive FPGAs are presented. The design utilizes hardwired block multipliers as the main functional unit and Block-RAM as storage unit for the operands. The adopted design methodology allows adjusting the number of multipliers, the radix used in the multipliers, and number of words to meet the system requirements such as available resources, precision and timing constraints. The deployed method is based on the Montgomery modular multiplication algorithm and the architecture utilizes a pipelining technique that allows concurrent operation of hardwired multipliers. Our design completes 1020-bit and 2040-bit modular multiplications* in 7.62 μs and 27.0 μs respectively with approximately the same device usage on Xilinx Spartan-3E 500. The multiplier uses a moderate amount of system resources while achieving the best area-time product in literature. 2040-bit modular exponentiation engine easily fits into Xilinx Spartan-3E 500; moreover the exponentiation circuit withstands known side channel attacks with an insignificant overhead in area and execution time. The upper limit on the operand precision is dictated only by the available Block-RAM to accommodate the operands within the FPGA. This design is also compared to the first one, considering the relative advantages and disadvantages of each circuit.


Ribosome assembly factors block multiple steps in translation initiation. Ribosome assembly in eukaryotes requires approximately 200 essential assembly factors (AFs) and occurs through ordered events that initiate in the nucleolus and culminate in the cytoplasm. Here, we present the electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of a late cytoplasmic 40S ribosome assembly intermediate from Saccharomyces cerevisiae at 18 angstrom resolution. We obtained cryo-EM reconstructions of preribosomal complexes lacking individual components to define the positions of all seven AFs bound to this intermediate. These late-binding AFs are positioned to prevent each step in the translation initiation pathway. Together, they obstruct the binding sites for initiation factors, prevent the opening of the messenger RNA channel, block 60S subunit joining, and disrupt the decoding site. These redundant mechanisms probably ensure that pre-40S particles do not enter the translation pathway, which would result in their rapid degradation.


This study is concerned with the relationship between the accumulation of Poland's massive hard-currency debt, from 1970 to 1983, and changes in American economic and political policy toward Poland. Prior to and during the 1970s, a tacit American policy of promoting economic and political ties with Poland can be discerned. But the domestic problems Poland exacerbated by mismanaging its debt to the West and the consequent declaration of martial law in 1981 led to the current discriminatory American policies of economic sanctions against Poland. As a result of this policy shift long-standing American political goals in Poland have been compromised.