ABSTRACT The persistence of past traditions and the uncertainty of change can easily immobilize teachers who see the misfit of design education, but are reluctant to adapt and evolve new approaches to the teaching-learning paradigm. Using a recent statement by a former Harvard president, a few direct and unremarkable adaptations are suggested. This special issue is organized in three sections: Clarity in educational goals and student performance; Attention to dynamic change and interconnectedness; Differentiation and research in graduate programs. The invited authors are briefly introduced. They do not provide consensus, but offer different perspectives on change. IN THIS TIME of volatile economic, social, technological and global change, reflection on teaching and learning is particularly appropriate from either a teacher or student perspective. Invited contributors to this special issue were prompted to examine the deficits in design education, to discuss transitions from past expectations to better performance, and even to speculate on a more distant future-perhaps a utopian design agenda for ten or twenty years hence. Collaboration, paradigm change, metaphors, integrations and relationships between education and practice, even catharsis-these are some of the themes contained within the diverse papers collected in this issue. Change is seldom welcome or expected-unless the current context is boring, inappropriate-unbearable. The typical and known is comforting in its predictability, while change is uncertain, sometimes threatening-and for some even unthinkable. Change demands attention, energy, planning and adaptation, behaviors that designers use in service to the future, whether near or far, as they create and stage change. But old traditions die slowly and are tenacious in their hold on people's understanding and performance. Because design is so firmly and complexly enmeshed in the matrix of contemporary human life, it cannot avoid change. This is not the place to remember and recite the movements that reordered and changed design education in the 20th century (Bauhaus, Swiss design, Post-modernism, etc.), it is a moment to consider 21st century developments and how design can better fit within a changing global culture and alter its goals in order to more fully contribute. The isolation of design's sub-disciplines (Poggenpohl, 2009, 11) make it difficult for teachers and practitioners to learn from each other, much less collaborate on significant projects that go beyond the expertise recognized in one of them. Sub-disciplines share many of the same foci and processes; design would gain from a more unified understanding of itself, regardless of its material or social specialism. Few designers recognize the skills they bring to collaborative work. Their flexibility of mind to question boundaries, frame a situation for investigation, offer critical perspectives, create alternative prototypes and understandings and recognize and mediate conflicting values-this engagement makes a substantial contribution. Designers with these skills should move aside from traditional small projects and find ways to become engaged in the significant design problems of our time-sustainable development, design for the elderly, effective education and others too numerous to mention. Such work calls for collaborative, passionate and intelligent participation. Design is not little; it can be pivotal in bringing people and ideas together. I liken the authors in this issue to the coyotes in the opening poem, who adapt to changing environmental circumstances, and hopefully survive to spread their intellectual seed. They may need to be tricksters to institute change, as administrative structures favor people deeply entrenched in their existing knowledge and success. If successful, the coyotes of learning and teaching will become quiet culture heroes known through their progeny, who will not be imitators but adaptors and inventors of the future in design education and its practice. …


We present the results of a photometric and spectroscopic monitoring campaign of SN 2012ec, which exploded in the spiral galaxy NGC 1084, during the photospheric phase. The photometric light curve exhibits a plateau with luminosity L = 0.9 × 10 42 erg s − 1 and duration ∼ 90 d, which is somewhat shorter than standard Type II-P supernovae (SNe). We estimate the nickel mass M ( 56 Ni) = 0 . 040 ± 0 . 015 M ⊙ from the luminosity at the beginning of the radioactive tail of the light curve. The explosion parameters of SN 2012ec were estimated from the comparison of the bolometric light curve and the observed temperature and velocity evolution of the ejecta with predictions from hydrodynamical models. We derived an envelope mass of 12.6 M ⊙ , an initial progenitor radius of 1.6 × 10 13 cm and an explosion energy of 1.2 foe. These estimates agree with an independent study of the progenitor star identified in pre-explosion images, for which an initial mass of M = 14 − 22 M ⊙ was determined. We have applied the same analysis to two other Type II-P SNe (SNe 2012aw and 2012A), and carried out a comparison with the properties of SN 2012ec derived in this paper. We find a reasonable agreement between the masses of the progenitors obtained from pre-explosion images and masses derived from hydrodynamical models. We estimate the distance to SN 2012ec with the standardized candle method (SCM) and compare it with other estimates based on other primary and secondary indicators. SNe 2012A, 2012aw and 2012ec all follow the standard relations for the SCM for the use of Type II-P SNe as distance indicators.


Freed from the familial and social obligations incumbent on the living, the Roman testator could craft his will to be a literal 'last judgment' on family, friends, and society. The Romans were fascinated by the contents of wills, believing the will to be a mirror of the testator's true character and opinions. The wills offer us a unique view of the individual Roman testator's world. Just as classicists, ancient historians, and legal historians will find a mine of information here, the general reader will be fascinated by the book's lively recounting of last testaments. Who were the testators and what were their motives? Why do family, kin, servants, friends, and community all figure in the will, and how are they treated? What sort of afterlife did the Romans anticipate? By examining wills, the book sets several issues in a new light, offering new interpretations of, or new insights into, subjects as diverse as captatio (inheritance-seeking), the structure of the Roman family, the manumission of slaves, public philanthropy, the afterlife and the relation of subject to emperor. Champlin's principal argument is that a strongly felt 'duty of testacy' informed and guided most Romans, a duty to reward or punish all who were important to them, a duty which led them to write their wills early in life and to revise them frequently.


Ethnographic work in an urban kampung in central Java reveals this community form to be both an administrative rationality and a set of locally meaningful social relations. The continued restatement of the relevance of community through the Javanese ritual meal known as the slametan and women's roles in these rituals of commensality are the focus of this consideration. State sponsorship of housewives as community welfare workers extends the long arch of kampung community formation as the ground for the dispersion of rituals of rule into the lives of Indonesian citizens as well as working-class recuperation through rituals of community. State formation conceived as process draws attention to everyday kampung culture as the matrix for reproduction of both rule and working class neighbourhoods, and provides a perspective on the state that is resolutely low, attuned to both the realities of institutional structure and the repertoires and routines of everyday practise.


Identification of structural parameters under unknown excitations is an import task in structural health monitoring. This paper presents an efficient algorithm for simultaneously identifying structural parameters of a building structure and unknown excitations based on unscented Kalman filter (UKF). To utilize the UKF method directly, the observation equation of the structural system with unknown excitations is firstly transformed from a multiple linear regression equation to a simple linear regression equation by projecting on to the column space of influence matrix of unknown excitations. Then, an analytical recursive UKF algorithm is developed for identifying unknown excitations and structural parameters such as stiffness and damping. The feasibility and accuracy of the proposed algorithm are finally demonstrated in terms of an example shear building, in which the measurement noise is included. The results clearly exhibit that the proposed algorithm can simultaneously identify unknown excitations and structural parameters efficiently and accurately.


Some formulations of drug in adhesive transdermal drug delivery systems )TDDSs( with different functional and non-functional acrylic pressure sensitive adhesives )PSAs( were prepared. For this purpose fentanyl was used as a drug component. The effects of PSAs type on skin permeation and in vitro drug release from devices were evaluated using hydrodynamically wellcharacterized Chien permeation system fitted with excised rat abdominal skin. The adhesion properties of devices )peel strength and tack values( were obtained. It was found that TDDS with –COOH functional PSA had the lowest steady state flux. Drug release was followed by Higuchi's kinetic model. Adhesion properties of the samples were improved by addition of functional PSA in the formulations. )*( To whom correspondence should be addressed.s n E-mail: email@example.com Available in: http://jips.ippi.ac.ir Iranian Journal of Polymer Science and Technology Vol. 22, No.6, 429-437 February-March 2010


JORDAN MOTOR CAR CO., noted for promoting its product through innovative advertising, was founded by EDWARD S. (NED) JORDAN in June 1916. Located at 1070 E. 152nd St., the firm sold 1,788 cars the first year of its operation. With generous profit margins on its automobiles, the Jordan Co. enjoyed spectacular financial success and the original stockholders received a 1,900% return on their investment. Jordan Motors The first cars were 4- and 7-passenger custom touring cars and a Jordan "60" Roadster with a top speed of 29.4 mph. A Friendly Three Coupe was introduced in 1920--"Seats two, three if they're friendly"--was the slogan. The company's most famous car was the Jordan Playboy, advertised as a "style of living" in 1923. Realizing that a sales pitch based on technicalities reached only a small group, the advertising campaign reached a larger audience by suggesting that its ownership would make a buyer happier. The company introduced one of America's first compact cars, the Little Custom Jordan, in 1927, but at $1,595 the price was too high for a car competing with other models in the low-price field. Only 6,258 were sold in 1927 and the year ended with a deficit of $1,426,000. Production was suspended in Mar. 1931 and Jordan went into voluntary receivership on 8 May 1931 after selling some 30,000 cars during its 16 years in business. Wager, Richard. Golden Wheels (1975).


Objective Evidence showing that infectious diseases in childhood play an important role in the etiopathogenesis of neurodevelopmental and other mental disorders is growing. The aim of this study was to explore the timing of common childhood diseases in early-onset anxiety disorders. Materials and methods We analyzed data from PsyCoLaus, a large Swiss Population Cohort Study (N = 3720). In this study, we regressed overanxious disorder, separation anxiety disorder, social phobia, and specific phobias on the age of onset of several childhood diseases, always adjusting for the other anxiety disorders listed above and for sex. Results The timing of viral childhood diseases (chickenpox, measles, and mumps) was consistently delayed in social phobia, notably both in men and women. We found no evidence for a reversed sequence of onset of phobia symptoms before that of the infections included. Conclusion Social phobia was the only early anxiety disorder to show an association with a delayed onset of common viral childhood diseases.


The dynamics of a magnetically forced conducting fluid in confined geometries is studied. A pseudospectral method with volume penalisation is used to solve the resistive magnetohydrodynamic equations. A helical magnetic field is imposed via boundary conditions, which generates a response in the velocity field for large enough magnitudes. Different helical structures are observed in the flow depending on the magnitude and direction of the forcing and the cross-sectional geometry of the fluid domain. A computational technique for finding a solenoidal vector field which can be used in complex geometries is also proposed.


Abstract Objective: To develop and evaluate a test of the ability to process binaural temporal-fine-structure (TFS) information. The test was intended to provide a graded measure of TFS sensitivity for all listeners. Design: Sensitivity to TFS was assessed at a sensation level of 30 dB using the established TFS-LF test at centre frequencies of 250, 500 and 750 Hz, and using the new TFS-AF test, in which the interaural phase difference (IPD) was fixed and the frequency was adaptively varied. IPDs varied from 30 to 180°. Study Sample: Nine young (19–25 years) and 23 older (47–84 years) listeners with normal hearing over the tested frequency range. Results: For the young listeners, thresholds on the TFS-AF test did not improve significantly with repeated testing. The rank-ordering of performance across listeners was independent of the size of the IPD, and moderate-to-strong correlations were observed between scores for the TFS-LF and TFS-AF tests. Older listeners who were unable to complete the TFS-LF test were all able to complete the TFS-AF test. Conclusions: No practice effects and strong correlations with an established test of binaural TFS sensitivity make the TFS-AF test a good candidate for the assessment of supra-threshold binaural processing.


This paper assesses the characteristics and the influence of accountants' reputations on the underpricing of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) stocks listed in the Main Board and Second Board of the Malaysia Stock Market. The sample data comprises of the first day price and the issue price of IPOs stocks selected from the financial year of 2005, 2006 and 2008. Results showed that there is a significant positive first day return, indicating a certain degree of underpricing in the IPOs stocks. However, there are no significant differences for returns, risks and coefficient of variation among the two groups of IPOs stocks audited respectively by the Big Four and non Big Four accounting firms. That is, IPOs stocks performance in terms of initial first day returns are not influenced by the factor accountants' reputations.


ZnO:Er3+–Yb3+@Gd2O3 nanostructures were obtained by "wet" chemistry methods – the sol–gel technique for the preparation of ZnO and ZnO:Er3+–Yb3+ nanoparticles (NPs), and the seed deposition method for obtaining Gd2O3. The crystal structure, morphology, phase and elemental composition, resonant microwave absorption of rare earth ions, point defects in the ZnO:Er3+–Yb3+@Gd2O3 crystal structure and up-conversion luminescence were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and optical spectroscopy. The crystallization temperature (600 °C) of the Gd2O3 phase on the ZnO surface was found. As-obtained ZnO:Er3+–Yb3+ NPs (with size ∼7 nm) are highly crystalline and monodispersed. ZnO:Er3+–Yb3+ NPs annealing at 900 °C leads to the formation of highly polydispersed ZnO:Er3+–Yb3+ NPs, covered by a Gd2O3 shell. The process of the incorporation of the rare earth ions into the ZnO structure, as well as the effect of Gd2O3 content on the morphology and visible up-conversion (UC) luminescence in ZnO:Er3+–Yb3+ matrices were studied.


Crime-control utilitarians and retributivist philosophers have long been at war over the appropriate distributive principle for criminal liability and punishment, with little apparent possibility of reconciliation between the two. In the utilitarians' view, the imposition of punishment can be justified only by the practical benefit that it provides: avoiding future crime. In the retributivists' view, doing justice for past wrongs is a value in itself that requires no further justification. The competing approaches simply use different currencies: fighting future crime versus doing justice for past wrongs.

It is argued here that the two are in fact reconcilable, in a fashion. We cannot declare a winner in the distributive principle wars but something more like a truce. Specifically, good utilitarians ought to support a distributive principle based upon desert because the empirical evidence suggests that doing justice for past wrongdoing is likely the most effective and efficient means of controlling future crime.

But "doing justice" here is not justice in the deontological desert sense of what moral philosophers think is deserved but rather justice in the "empirical desert" sense that reflects the community's shared judgments of justice. On the other hand, the two conceptions of desert have an enormous overlap, and it seems likely that empirical desert may be the best practical approximation of deontological desert. Indeed, some philosophers would argue that the two are necessarily the same.

By tracking the community's principles of justice, the system can build "moral credibility" with the community, which allows it to harness the powerful forces of social influence, community support, and internalization of the law's norms. Empirical research confirms that a criminal justice system perceived by the community as conflicting with their principles of justice is one that provokes resistance and subversion, while a criminal justice system that earns a reputation for reliably doing justice – by tracking shared community principles of justice – is one whose moral credibility inspires greater deference, assistance, and acquiescence, and is more likely to have citizens internalize its norms of what constitutes truly condemnable conduct.


An emerging literature on values-based supply chains offers models for meeting both the scale-based requirements and values-based goals of farm-to-institution initiatives. These models seek to incorporate conventional supply chain norms of efficiency, standardization, and affordability while meeting the diverse social and environmental values motivating the local food movement. Values-based supply chain models to date have been derived largely from cases of farmer cooperatives and food hubs that have purposefully designed their operations to incorporate alternative agrifood movement values. A model that deserves more attention is hybrid values-based supply chains that incorporate both conventional and alternative resources, infrastructure, and markets. Of the few studies examining hybrid models, some point to benefits such as established supply chain relationships, expertise, and infrastructure that match the needs of institutional purchasers, while others argue that conventional intermediaries reproduce marginalizing structures of mainstream supply chains. This paper explores these tensions through analysis of the Farm Fresh Healthcare Project (FFHP), a farm-to-hospital initiative in the San Francisco Bay Area that engages a set of hospitals' existing regional produce distributors to supply products from local small and midscale family farmers. By engaging conventional intermediaries, the project benefited from existing supply chain infrastructure shaped by norms of efficiency, standardization, and affordability. This paper analyzes the extent to which FFHP actors succeed in embedding in their supply chains a range of non-economic values, including transparency, communication of qualities of provenance and production, decision-making equity, environmental stewardship, and social equity in the form of supporting small and midscale family farmers.


Two-dimensional (2D) bismuth(iii) sulfide (Bi2S3) nanosheets as non-toxic graphene-like nanomaterials were successfully fabricated by a facile liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) method. A robust photodetector employing a Bi2S3 nanosheet film has been fabricated for the first time via a facile fabrication process on an ITO-coated glass. UV-Vis and Raman spectroscopy techniques were carried out and they confirmed the inherent optical and physical properties of Bi2S3 nanosheets. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) measurements demonstrate that a significantly higher photocurrent density (42 μA cm-2) and enhanced photoresponsivity (210 μA W-1), at a lower bias potential in alkaline solution, of the Bi2S3 nanosheet-based photodetector are achieved, compared with those of other 2D nanomaterial-based photodetectors under light irradiation. Furthermore, the as-prepared Bi2S3 nanosheet-based photodetector not only exhibits an appropriate capacity of self-driven broadband and high-performance photoresponse but also displays strong long-term stability of the ON/OFF switching behaviour without any external protection in alkaline solutions. Because of facile synthesis via a LPE method, a higher photocurrent density and photoresponsivity, self-driven performance and long-term stability of the Bi2S3 nanosheet-based photodetector at a lower bias potential in alkaline solutions, the present work can provide fundamental acknowledgement of the high performance of this new kind of PEC-type 2D nanosheet-based photodetector.

publisher-specific, author manuscript: http://rsc.li/journals-terms-of-use


Online media is an important source for sentiments exposed by individuals on goods, services, organizations, and other objects of interest. While firms can benefit from using these sentiments for decisionmaking, the classification of sentiments is difficult because of volume, velocity, and variety. Machine learning is an effective technique for sentiment classification, which neither requires formalized knowledge about the domain nor the language used. Although the literature provides a rich body of classification methods, system designers and researchers still face the problem of reasonably selecting designs. In this paper, we seek to contribute to the understanding of machine learning for sentiment classification. We report an experimental study that tests the effects of three design factors, i.e., text representation, feature weighting, and machine learning algorithm, on accuracy. The findings can be useful for empirically informed classifier design.


Background We wished to explore the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with admission to hospital in patients with a non-organic non-affective psychosis. Method Subjects were 484 first-contact patients with a non-affective functional psychosis from an inner-city catchment area over 20 years from the mid-1960s. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with admission to hospital were analysed. Results Around 20% of patients were not admitted, and the proportion did not change significantly over the years. Ethnicity, sex, and marital and employment status did not predict admission. Factors associated with admission included police involvement, and violence to self or others. A diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, and persecutory delusions, auditory hallucinations, and bizarre behaviour were all more common in patients admitted to hospital. Conclusions The study indicates biases which might arise in research based exclusively on patients admitted to hospital.


Introduction: Olfactory loss is a common non-motor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD), which has the potential to have a negative effect on quality of life. However, research examining PD patients with varying degrees of loss of sense of smell and whether they are clinically distinct and the implications of the loss of sense of smell when nursing a patient with PD appears to be poorly explained. Objective: To investigate whether patients with PD who have either mild/moderate microsmia, severe microsmia or anosmia (as measured by the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT)) were clinically different when compared across a range of motor, non-motor and quality of life domains. Methodology: This is an open cross-sectional observational study, involving 112 patients (of both genders) who have a diagnosis of PD. Tools and scales used include the motor rating subscales in the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), the Non-motor Symptoms Questionnaire (NMSQ), the PDQ39 Quality of Life Questionnaire (PDQ39), the Hoehn and Yahr scale (H&Y), the Rapid Eye Movement Behaviour Disorder Screening Questionnaire, (RBD) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Results: Seventy-two males and forty females have been recruited for this study. Age ranged from 49 - 89 years (mean age 71 years). Eight-five (77%) of the PD patients were at stage 1 or 2 Hoehn and Yahr staging highlighting the study sample mainly consisted of PD patients with minimal or no functional impairment, without impairment of balance. Disease duration ranged from 6 months to 19 years (mean duration 5.5 years). All PD patients (except two) were considered to have either normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment, defined by the MoCA (mean MoCA 26.1). All the PD patients recruited for this study had loss of sense of smell and 91% had -in fact- severe microsmia or anosmia. Seventy-nine (70.5%) PD patients correctly detected a reduced sense of smell. Twenty-nine out of the 33 PD patients (97%) (self-reporting a normal sense of smell) had, in fact, a severe degree of loss of sense of smell (Mean UPSIT 16) without realising it. Overall loss of sense of smell was not correlated with severity or stage of PD, duration of disease, medication, smoking, the environment in which the PD patient was tested, whether they had phantosmia (persistent pleasant or disgusting smell) or taste problems. There was also no correlation between the motor, non-motor, rapid eye movement disorder and quality of life themes during whole group analysis. However, on sub-group analysis, a positive correlation was noted between sense of smell score and PD patients with normal cognition compared to those with mild cognitive impairment using MoCA ( =0.213, p=0.024) and non-motor symptom dribbling of saliva during the day (p=0.003), There was also a negative correlation in PDQ39 cognition theme (score =-0.012 p=0.036), minutes since last PD medication taken ( =-0.2634, p=0.008), timing of levodopa dose ( =-0.1875, p=0.015), and individual domains of the UPDRS motor scores, including posture ( = -.231 p=0.014) facial expression ( =-0.207 p=0.029) and arising from a chair ( =-0.190 p=0.045).


Background: Multidrug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter baumannii are among important causes of nosocomial infections and cause therapeutic problems worldwide. The emergence of extensively drug-resistant A. baumannii (XDRAB) cause serious threats to hospital acquired infections (HAI) worldwide and further limit the treatment options. Objectives: The current study aimed to identify and isolate the MDR and XDR Acinetobacter baumannii from different wards of a teaching hospital in Isfahan, Iran, and determine the susceptibility pattern of these bacteria. Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty one (121) isolates of A. baumannii collected from a teaching hospital in Isfahan, Iran, within eight months (between September 2013 and April 2014) were included in the current study. The samples were isolated from different wards and different specimens. To confirm the species of A. baumannii, Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)was conducted to identify bla oxa-51 gene. Disk diffusion method was employed to evaluate antimicrobial susceptibility against cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, ampicillin-sulbactam, cefepime, meropenem, tobramycin, amikacin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim- sulfamethoxazole, and aztreonam. Results: Among the 121 isolated A. baumannii, 44% and 56% were isolated from female and male, respectively. Samples cultured from the trachea (36%), urine (15%), blood (10%), wound (10%), cerebrospinal fluid (7%), bronchial (4%) and the others (18%). Most of the isolates (50%) were obtained from intensive care unit (ICU). Isolated A. baumannii showed high resistance to the evaluated antibiotics except ampicillinsulbactam, which showed only 33.9% resistance. Also, 62.8% and 100% of the isolates were identified as XDR and MDR. Conclusions: The result of the current study showed the growing number of nosocomial infections associated with XDR A. baumannii causing difficulties in antibiotic therapy. Resistant strains increasingly cause public health problems; therefore, their early detection is essential for healthcare centers.


Worldwide supplies of sugar and cotton were impacted dramatically as the U.S. Civil War dragged on. New areas of production entered these lucrative markets, particularly in the South Pacific, and plantation agriculture grew substantially in disparate areas such as Australia, Fiji, and Hawaii. The increase in production required an increase in labor; in the rush to fill the vacuum, freebooters and other unsavory characters began a slave trade in Melanesians and Polynesians that continued into the twentieth century. "The White Pacific" ranges over the broad expanse of Oceania to reconstruct the history of "blackbirding" (slave trading) in the region. It examines the role of U.S. citizens (many of them ex-slaveholders and ex-confederates) in the trade and its roots in Civil War dislocations. What unfolds is a dramatic tale of unfree labor, conflicts between formal and informal empire, white supremacy, threats to sovereignty in Hawaii, the origins of a White Australian policy, and the rise of Japan as a Pacific power and putative protector. It also pieces together a wonderfully suggestive history of the African American presence in the Pacific. Based on deft archival research in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii, the United States, and Great Britain, "The White Pacific" uncovers a heretofore hidden story of race, labor, war, and intrigue that contributes significantly to the emerging intersectional histories of race and ethnicity.


The article discusses Malay oral traditions and emphasizes the shamanistic aspects of these traditions. Shamans often recite mantras in the execution of their role in society. The role of the shaman, their self proclaimed knowledge, shamans and their economic activities, black magic and healthcare in Malay society are discussed, as well as the shaman's role in Dayak ritual. Each aspect is discussed in combination with the mantra the shaman utters.


Abstract. The Arbreda Cave provides a detailed archaeological record of the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic and is a key site for studying human occupation and cultural transitions in NE Iberia. Recently, studies of lake archives and archaeological sites presented new evidence on climate changes in NE Iberia correlating with Heinrich events. It, therefore, needs to be determined whether climate signals can be identified in the cave sequence of Arbreda, and if so, whether these signals can be correlated with stratigraphic indicators suggesting the continuity or discontinuity of human occupation. We conducted a high-resolution sedimentological and geochemical study, including micromorphological investigations, to shed light on stratigraphy, processes of sediment accumulation and post-depositional alteration in the cave. Seven major sediment units were distinguished which partly correlate with archaeological levels. The lower part of the sequence including Mousterian levels J and K consists of fluvial deposits truncated by a sharp erosional disconformity between Mousterian levels J and I. Strong enrichment with phosphorus and strontium reflect zoogenic inputs. The transition from Mousterian to Archaic Aurignacian in levels I and H, respectively, is reflected by more gradual changes in colour, grain size and geochemical composition. However, a peak in potentially wind-blown particles (40–125 μm in diameter) reflects higher aeolian input, and banded microstructure suggests reworking of sediments at the interface. Both properties correlate with low density of finds suggesting low intensity of human occupation related to a dry spell. More arid conditions than during the Holocene are indicated for the Gravettian to Solutrean levels. These findings are in agreement with previous palaeoclimatic interpretations as based on palaeontological proxies. The detailed multi-proxy analyses of the sequence adds to our understanding on sediment accumulation and alteration in the Arbreda Cave. The transition from the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic probably includes a gap in human occupation. Assessing the significance and duration of this gap and correlating the climate signal requires three-dimensional reconstructions of find densities and more reliable geochronological control.


Abstract The present paper traces the development of the generic masculine as a linguistic convention focusing on its origin and use in German. Examining theories of grammatical gender from ancient times to the 20th century reveals that the generic use of the masculine cannot be regarded as a merely formal feature of language but as an expression of zeitgeist as well as contemporary social and cultural conditions. Historically, the convention of the masculine as a generic gender goes along with the idea of a semantic relation between gender and sex as well as the notion of the masculine gender being more worthy than the feminine. The findings at hand not only illustrate the increasing sexualisation of the grammatical gender concept over the centuries but also point to the dissenting voices that were raised against this trend. How the convention was implemented and to what extent it lead to problems of ambiguous reference will be outlined by focusing mainly on legal language and terminology. In this area the question of whether generic expressions refer to men or women or to both sexes has always had particular relevance.


In this thesis we study the standard probabilistic model for hashing with linear probing. The main purpose is to determine the asymptotic distribution for the maximum displacement. Depending on the ratio between the number of items and the number of cells, there are several cases to consider. Paper I solves the problem for the special case of almost full hash tables. That is, hash tables where every cell but one is occupied. Paper II completes the analysis by solving the problem for all remaining cases. That is, for every case where the number of items divided by the number of cells lies in the interval [0,1].The last two papers treat quite different topics. Paper III studies the area covered by the supremum process of Brownian motion. One of the main theorems in Paper I is expressed in terms of the Laplace transform of this area. Paper IV provides a new sufficient condition for a collection of independent random variables to be negatively associated when conditioned on their total sum. The condition applies to a collection of independent Borel-distributed random variables, which made it possible to prove a Poisson approximation that where essential for the completion of Paper II.


The crystal structure of the enzyme phosphoglucomutase from Salmonella typhimurium (StPGM) is reported at 1.7 Å resolution. This is the first high‐resolution structural characterization of a bacterial protein from this large enzyme family, which has a central role in metabolism and is also important to bacterial virulence and infectivity. A comparison of the active site of StPGM with that of other phosphoglucomutases reveals conserved residues that are likely involved in catalysis and ligand binding for the entire enzyme family. An alternate crystal form of StPGM and normal mode analysis give insights into conformational changes of the C‐terminal domain that occur upon ligand binding. A novel observation from the StPGM structure is an apparent dimer in the asymmetric unit of the crystal, mediated largely through contacts in an N‐terminal helix. Analytical ultracentrifugation and small‐angle X‐ray scattering confirm that StPGM forms a dimer in solution. Multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic studies show that a distinct subset of bacterial PGMs share the signature dimerization helix, while other bacterial and eukaryotic PGMs are likely monomers. These structural, biochemical, and bioinformatic studies of StPGM provide insights into the large α‐D‐phosphohexomutase enzyme superfamily to which it belongs, and are also relevant to the design of inhibitors specific to the bacterial PGMs. Proteins 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


At the National Institutes of Health (NIH), burden of disease is an important factor in funding decisions along with such factors as scientific opportunity, the quality of the science, and the interest of researchers. Recent studies have quantified the burden for a number of diseases in the United States and the NIH has used that information to analyze how its own funding patterns correspond to disease burden. However, the burden of disease has not been quantified for myalgic encephalomyelitis, also called chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and is often underestimated due to a lack of research and the misperceptions about the nature of the disease. Using the limited information in the literature, this paper develops a preliminary estimate of the disease burden of ME/CFS in the United States, using the World Health Organization's Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY) measure. The ME/CFS DALY estimate is then compared to the NIH's 2013 analysis of research funding versus DALY across other funded diseases in order to estimate a level of funding for ME/CFS that would be commensurate with disease burden. Even given the limitations arising from sparse data, this analysis demonstrates that federal research funding for this disease is far less than what would be expected by the burden of the disease. We conclude that the annual research funding for ME/CFS would need to increase twenty-five fold or more to be commensurate with disease burden. This level of funding would best leverage the growing interest of researchers and the significant scientific opportunities that exist to understand the pathology of this disease and to advance diagnostics and treatments. Correspondence to: Leonard A. Jason, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Director, Center for Community Research DePaul University, 990 W. Fullerton Ave, Suite 3100, Chicago, Il. 60614, USA, Tel: 773-325-2018, E-mail: email@example.com


This article looks towards the future of the intern economy by focusing on its past. What led to recent debates about the intern economy? How did it become legally possible for interns to work for free? Using the United States as my case study, I draw parallels between the current intern economy and its closest historical antecedent, the apprenticeship system. By providing a brief overview of the history of work-based learning and the unpaid internship's legal underpinnings, this article ultimately frames current lawsuits and debates as a correction to today's insufficiently scrutinized youth labour regime not unlike the apprenticeship systems of the past. In the attempt to facilitate youth transitions from school to work, yet maintain minimum wage standards, government intervention and—more imminently likely—legal decisions will, I anticipate, eventually transform the intern economy much like the Fitzgerald Act of 1937 drastically formalized apprenticeships in the United States.


All-optical transmission of two-dimensional images through a single single-mode fiber with a two-dimensional multicolor surface-emitting laser array and a volume hologram is described. A preliminary experimental result to prove the concept of the idea is demonstrated by transmitting a simple 2 x 2 image over a distance of 1 mile (1.61 km).


The Fratta-Gorzone River is classified in the recent PTA plan as one of the most polluted rivers in the Veneto region. Its Basin -about 1.500 sqKm- includes all the main landscape ambits catalogued by the PTRC plan (from the pre-Alpes in Vicenza Province to the dune landscape of the Venice Lagoon southern part). The Fratta waterway is 93 km long and is known as the Rio Acquetta-Togna-Fratta Gorzone/Agno-Gua-Frassine-Santa Caterina-Gorzone River System. This Waterway System from one part has great elements of strenght as the rich riverine historical and landscape heritage, and from the other part has serious weaknesses due to the tanning district pollution and to the diffuse agricultural, urban and industrial pollution. Fratta is a medium-high hydraulic risk zone. Until Know all the Planning Instruments and Practices deal with the northern part of Fratta. The more recent Plan too –the "Accordo di Programma Quadro 05/12/2005"- has as focal point the reduction of pollution (chrome and chloride mainly) and the use of traditional treatment systems (linked with some constructed wetland systems). Our Paper present the last 2009 Scenario-Plan, promoted by an anusual Group: Water Consorzio LEB with the Regione Veneto supervision, AATO del Chiampo, Sentinella dei Fiumi Association, Coldiretti, IUAV University and two Private Industries.


Over the last decades several studies have identified that the directional changes in climate induced by anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases are affecting the ecology of desert ecosystems. In the Southwest United States, the impacts of climate change to plant abundance and distribution have already been reported, including in the Sonoran Desert ecosystem, home of the iconic Saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea). Hence, there is an urgent need to assess the potential impacts of climate change on the saguaro. The goals of this study are to provide a map of actual habitat suitability (1), describe the relationships between abiotic predictors and the saguaro distribution at regional extents (2), and describe the potential effect of climate change on the spatial distribution of the saguaro (3). Species Distribution Modeling (SDM) was used to investigate the relationships between abiotic variables and the Saguaro distribution. SDMs were calibrated using presence records, 2,000 randomly-generated pseudo absences, and ten abiotic variables. Of these, annual precipitation and max temperature of the warmest month was found to have the greatest relative influence on saguaro distribution. SDMs indicated that 6.9% and 8.1% of the current suitable habitat is predicted to be lost by 2050 and 2070, respectively. Therefore, predicted changes in climate may result in a substantial contraction of the suitable habitat for saguaro over the next century. By identifying the drivers of saguaro distribution and assessing potential changes in habitat suitability due to climate change, this study will help practitioners to design more comprehensive strategies to conserve the saguaro in the face of climate change.


BEFORE HE COULD FORGE A BAND OF ELITE WARRIORS... HE HAD TO BECOME ONE HIMSELF.Adapted from Webb's Adult Bestseller "The Red Circle "for a Young Adult AudienceBrandon Webb's experiences in the world's most elite sniper corps are the stuff of legend. From his grueling years of training in Naval Special Operations to his combat tours in the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan, "The Making of a Navy SEAL" provides a rare and riveting look at the inner workings of the U.S. military through the eyes of a covert operations specialist.Yet it is Webb's distinguished second career as a lead instructor for the shadowy "sniper cell" and Course Manager of the Navy SEAL Sniper Program that trained some of America's finest and deadliest warriors-including Marcus Luttrell and Chris Kyle-that makes his story so compelling. Luttrell credits Webb's training with his own survival during the ill-fated 2005 Operation Redwing in Afghanistan."" Kyle went on to become the U.S. military's top marksman, with more than 150 confirmed kills.From a candid chronicle of his student days, going through the sniper course himself, to his hair-raising close calls with Taliban and al Qaeda forces in the northern Afghanistan wilderness, to his vivid account of designing new sniper standards and training some of the most accomplished snipers of the twenty-first century, Webb provides a rare look at the making of the Special Operations warriors who are at the forefront of today's military.Explosive, revealing, and intelligent, "The Making of a Navy SEAL" provides a uniquely personal glimpse into one of the most challenging and secretive military training courses in the world.


An experimental study of the mechanism of RF current collapse removal in high-power nitride-based HFETs is presented. The results show that the conductivity of the dielectric material under the field plate plays a crucial role in the current collapse removal. Identical geometry field plated HFETs differing only in the FP dielectric conductivity show varying degree of current collapse removal. Devices with semiconducting dielectric layers exhibit perfectly linear RF power - drain bias dependence with the output powers of 20 W/mm at 55 V drain bias with essentially no current collapse. A trapped charge discharging model is presented to explain the removal of current collapse in FPd devices.


Europe wants autonomy and it wants a
strategy. Semantically, of course,
"wants" has a double meaning. First, it
means "lacks". Europe lacks autonomy
and it lacks a strategy. The second
meaning of wants is "desires". Here, we
have a genuine question. How many
EU member states genuinely desire
autonomy for the EU? How many are
genuinely in favor of a grand strategy –
as opposed to the EU's default practice
of just muddling through? And there is
also a third meaning behind wants:
"needs". In my view, the EU needs
strategic autonomy. But having said
that, all I have done is set a point of
arrival. How to get there?


We investigate the massive star population of the Magellanic Clouds with an emphasis on the field population, which we define as stars located further from any OB association than massive stars are likely to travel during their short lifetimes. The field stars must have been born as part of more modest star-forming events than those that have populated the large OB associations found throughout the Clouds. We use new and existing data to answer the following questions: Does the field produce stars as massive as those found in associations? Is the initial mass function (IMF) of these field massive stars the same as those of large OB complexes? How well do the Geneva low-metallicity evolutionary models reproduce what is seen in the field population, with its mixed ages? To address these issues we begin by updating existing catalogs of LMC and SMC members with our own new spectral types and derive H-R diagrams (HRDs) of 1584 LMC and 512 SMC stars. We use new photometry and spectroscopy of selected regions in order to determine the incompleteness corrections of the catalogs as a function of mass and find that we can reliably correct the number of stars in our HRDs down to 25 M.. Using these data, we derive distance moduli for the Clouds via spectroscopic parallax, finding values of 18.4 +/- 0.1 and 19.1 +/- 0.3 for the LMC and SMC. The average reddening of the field stars is small: E(B - V) = 0.13 (LMC) and 0.09 (SMC), with little spread. We find that the field does produce stars as massive as any found in associations, with stars as massive as 85 M. present in the HRD even when safeguards against the inclusion of runaway stars are included. However, such massive stars are much less likely to be produced in the field (relative to lower mass stars) than in large OB complexes: the slope of the IMF of the field stars is very steep, GAMMA = -4.1 +/- 0.2 (LMC) and GAMMA = -3.7 +/- 0.5 (SMC). These may be compared with GAMMA = -1.3 +/- 0.3, which we rederive for the Magellanic Cloud associations. (We compare our association IMFs with the somewhat different results recently derived by Hill et al. and demonstrate that the latter suffer from systematic effects due to the lack of spectroscopy.) Our reanalysis of the Garmany et al. data reveals that the Galactic field population has a similarly steep slope, with GAMMA = -3.4 +/- 1.3, compared to GAMMA = -1.5 +/- 0.2 for the entire Galactic sample. We do not see any difference in the IMFs of associations in the Milky Way, LMC, and SMC. We find that the low metallicity evolutionary tracks and isochrones do an excellent job of reproducing the distribution of stars in the HRD at higher masses, and in particular match the width of the main-sequence well. There may or may not be an absence of massive stars with ages less than 2 Myr in the Magellanic Clouds, as others have found for Galactic stars; our reddening data renders unlikely the suggestion that such an absence (if real) would be due to the length of time it takes for a massive star to emerge. There is an increasing discrepancy between the theoretical ZAMS and the blue edge of the main-sequence at lower luminosities; this may reflect a metallicity dependence for the intrinsic colors of stars of early B and later beyond that predicted by model atmospheres, or it may be that the low metallicity ZAMS is misplaced to higher temperatures. Finally, we use the relative number of field main-sequence and Wolf-Rayet stars to provide a selection-free determination of what mass progenitors become WR stars in the Magellanic Clouds. Our data suggest that stars with initial masses > 30 M. evolve to a WR phase in the LMC; while the statistics are considerably less certain for the SMC, they are consistent with this limit being modestly higher there, possibly 50 M., in qualitative agreement with modern evolutionary calculations.


Background:Rapid fluid infusion resulting in increased hepatic blood flow may decrease the propofol plasma concentration (Cp) because propofol is a high hepatic extraction drug. The authors investigated the effects of rapid colloid and crystalloid infusions on the propofol Cp during target-controlled infusion. Methods:Thirty-six patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 interventions (12 patients per group). At least 30 min after the start of propofol infusion, patients received either a 6% hydroxyethyl starch (HES) solution at 24 ml·kg−1·h−1 or acetated Ringer's solution at 24 or 2 ml·kg−1·h−1 during the first 20 min. In all groups, acetated Ringer's solution was infused at 2 ml·kg−1·h−1 during the next 20 min. The propofol Cp was measured every 2.5 min as the primary outcome. Cardiac output, blood volume, and indocyanine green disappearance rate were determined using a pulse dye densitogram analyzer before and after the start of fluid administration. Effective hepatic blood flow was calculated as the blood volume multiplied by the indocyanine green disappearance rate. Results:The rapid HES infusion significantly decreased the propofol Cp by 22 to 37%, compared to the Cp at 0 min, whereas the rapid or maintenance infusion of acetate Ringer's solution did not decrease the propofol Cp. Rapid HES infusion, but not acetate Ringer's solution infusion, increased the effective hepatic blood flow. Conclusions:Rapid HES infusion increased the effective hepatic blood flow, resulting in a decreased propofol Cp during target-controlled infusion. Rapid HES infusion should be used cautiously as it may decrease the depth of anesthesia.


In contrast with other animal species, humans possess three distinct genes for class I alcohol dehydrogenase and show polymorphic variation in the ADH1B and ADH1C genes. The three class I alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzymes share ∼93% sequence identity but differ in their substrate specificity and their developmental expression. We report here the first three‐dimensional structures for the ADH1A and ADH1C*2 gene products at 2.5 and 2.0 Å, respectively, and the structure of the ADH1B*1 gene product in a binary complex with cofactor at 2.2 Å. Not surprisingly, the overall structure of each isoenzyme is highly similar to the others. However, the substitution of Gly for Arg at position 47 in the ADH1A isoenzyme promotes a greater extent of domain closure in the ADH1A isoenzyme, whereas substitution at position 271 may account for the lower turnover rate for the ADH1C*2 isoenzyme relative to its polymorphic variant, ADH1C*1. The substrate‐binding pockets of each isoenzyme possess a unique topology that dictates each isoenzyme's distinct but overlapping substrate preferences. ADH1*B1 has the most restrictive substrate‐binding site near the catalytic zinc atom, whereas both ADH1A and ADH1C*2 possess amino acid substitutions that correlate with their better efficiency for the oxidation of secondary alcohols. These structures describe the nature of their individual substrate‐binding pockets and will improve our understanding of how the metabolism of beverage ethanol affects the normal metabolic processes performed by these isoenzymes.


PURPOSE
To investigate cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) accuracy in measuring facial bone height and detecting dehiscence and fenestration defects around teeth.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Patients who were treatment planned for periodontal flap or dental implant surgeries were enrolled (n = 25). CBCT imaging (Carestream CS 9300) was obtained at 0.09-mm voxels (n = 10 patients, 23 teeth) and at 0.18-mm voxels (n = 15 patients, 33 teeth). Facial bone height measurements, from cusp tip to crest of bone height along the long axis of the tooth, and presence or absence of dehiscence or fenestration defects were recorded from CBCT images in triplicates independently by two examiners. The corresponding clinical measurements were made at the time of surgery. Comparisons of CBCT and clinical measurements were made using paired t tests for teeth: anterior and posterior, maxillary and mandibular, with or without restorations, or root canal therapy. Level of agreement between investigators was assessed by concordance correlation coefficients (CCC), Pearson's correlation coefficient (PCC), and Cohen's Kappa.

RESULTS
Comparing mean CBCT and clinical measurements, statistically significant differences were noted for 0.09-mm and 0.18-mm voxel sizes, for anterior and posterior teeth, for maxillary and mandibular teeth, for teeth with or without restorations, and for teeth without root canal therapy (P < .05). Clinical and CBCT measurements were similar for teeth with crowns and with root canal therapy (P > .05). CBCT measurements underestimated mean facial bone height from 0.33 ± 0.78 to 0.88 ± 1.14 mm (mean ± SD) and absolute facial bone height values from 0.56 ± 0.35 to 1.08 ± 0.92 mm. Intraexaminer and interexaminer reliability for measuring facial bone height ranged from poor to substantial (PCC = 0.78 to 0.97 and CCC = 0.63 to 0.96, respectively). Interexaminer reliability for detection of dehiscence and fenestration defects ranged from poor to moderate (Cohen's Kappa = -0.09 to 0.66).

CONCLUSION
CBCT imaging underestimated facial bone height and overestimated the presence of dehiscence and fenestration defects.


Nanocarriers have demonstrated their great potential to revolutionize the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of a variety of diseases, especially cancer. In this dissertation research, we systematically explored the role of dendritic polymer architecture on the self-assembly and cellular interactions of nanocarriers. A set of novel PEGylated dendron-based copolymers (PDC) were synthesized and characterized along with self-assembled dendron micelles (DM) with various surface functional groups and hydrophilic-lipophilic balances (HLB). The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of PDCs varied from 6.50 × 10-8 to 9.3 × 10-7 M and compared to synthesized linear-block copolymer (LBC) counterparts, the CMCs of PDCs were up to 100-times lower at similar HLBs, demonstrating their superior thermodynamic stability. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed that the hydrophobic core of the DM was more completely covered by dense poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) compared to the linear micelle (LM). In vitro analyses of the DMs revealed that both the formation of non-specific and specific cellular interactions were controllable through modulation of the PEG corona length. Using folic acid (FA) as the model targeting agent, variation of the PEG corona length and PDC-FA content resulted in targeted DMs that achieved modular cellular interactions, ranging from minimal to 27-fold enhancements, compared to non-targeted DMs. The targeting efficiency of FA-targeted DMs was then compared to FA-targeted LMs at physiologically relevant (high serum) culture conditions. DMs and LMs exhibited similar targeting efficiencies in non-serum containing media; however, the use of serum containing media substantially reduced the targeting ability of LM, while DMs remained unaffected. Further studies provided evidence for the positive role of dendritic polymer architectures for overcoming the negative effect of protein corona formation on targeted cellular interactions. The controlled, high stability self-assembled structures produced by PDCs as well as the ability to engineer the cellular interactions of DMs through simple manipulation of physicochemical properties such as PEG corona length provide compelling evidence for the future development of DMs as targeted drug delivery platforms.


Many measurements at the LHC require efficient identification of heavy-flavour jets, i.e. jets originating from bottom (b) or charm (c) quarks. An overview of the algorithms used to identify c jets is described and a novel method to calibrate them is presented. This new method adjusts the entire distributions of the outputs obtained when the algorithms are applied to jets of different flavours. It is based on an iterative approach exploiting three distinct control regions that are enriched with either b jets, c jets, or light-flavour and gluon jets. Results are presented in the form of correction factors evaluated using proton-proton collision data with an integrated luminosity of 41.5 fb-1 at √s = 13 TeV, collected by the CMS experiment in 2017. The closure of the method is tested by applying the measured correction factors on simulated data sets and checking the agreement between the adjusted simulation and collision data. Furthermore, a validation is performed by testing the method on pseudodata, which emulate various mismodelling conditions. The calibrated results enable the use of the full distributions of heavy-flavour identification algorithm outputs, e.g. as inputs to machine-learning models. Thus, they are expected to increase the sensitivity of future physics analyses.


The importance of noncognitive childhood skills in predicting higher wages is well documented in economics. This paper studies the reverse. Using surveys of lottery winners, we analyze the effects of unearned income on the Big Five personality traits. After correcting for potential endogeneity problems from prize sizes, we find that unearned income improves traits that predict pro-social and cooperative behaviors, preferences for social contact, empathy, and gregariousness, and reduces individuals' tendency toward negative emotional states: known in economics literature as incentive-enhancing personality traits. Our results support the possibility of scope for later interventions to improve the personality traits of adults.


Neuropsychologists are often called upon to conduct psychological examination in the presence of an observer in litigation cases despite research clearly demonstrating altered performance on neuropsychological tests under such conditions. Past research into the social facilitation effect suggests attentional conflict (Baron, 1986; Manstead & Semin, 1980) and increased anxiety (Guerin & Innes, 1982; Guerin, 1983) when observers are present and cannot be monitored. However, this research has found conflicting results depending upon the complexity of tasks and differences in observation condition. Meta analyses point to task complexity (Bond & Titus, 1983) and evaluation apprehension (Guerin, 1986) as important moderators of observer effects. Professional organizations have proposed audiovisual recording as an alternative to direct observation. The present study examined the effects of active observation and audiovisual recording on neuropsychological test performance on both simple and complex tasks to determine if task complexity is an important moderating factor in suggested observational conditions. It was expected that performance of simple tasks would not be affected by observation while performance of complex tasks would deteriorate with observation. Results indicate that neither simple nor complex tasks were affected by observation in this study.


Income inequality can possess a different impact on economic growth as it can both stimulate and slow down economic growth. The stimulating effect of income inequality reveals via saving. Wealthier people dispose the capability save more and devote a larger portion of their saving to investments and technological developments. However, environmental and social perspectives shall be also taken into consideration when aiming for a sustainable development. Therefore, relatively more wealthy people shall invest into environmental friendly projects and R&D. This paper considers the effects of income inequality on sustainable economic growth in the context of saving for the EU-25 countries during the period of 2005 – 2013. In the empirical research countries have been divided into 4 clusters. Impact of interaction between income inequality, savings, economic growth , spending on social security to domestic material consumption, renewable energy in gross final energy consumption, municipal waste generation, municipal waste recycling, ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions was estimated to be insignificant in all four country cluster groups. Interaction between income inequality, savings, economic growth, spending on social security was estimated to increase emission of sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides, but reduced amount of gross domestic energy consumption.  The interaction is estimated to increase emission of nitrogen oxides in the country cluster groups with relatively low income level and different relationship between income and economic growth levels. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.28.3.17438


ABSTRACT Enterococcus faecium has emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen worldwide, and this trend has been associated with the dissemination of a genetic lineage designated clonal cluster 17 (CC17). Enterococcal isolates were collected prospectively (2006 to 2008) from 32 hospitals in Colombia, Ecuador, Perú, and Venezuela and subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Genotyping was performed with all vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VREfm) isolates by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing. All VREfm isolates were evaluated for the presence of 16 putative virulence genes (14 fms genes, the esp gene of E. faecium [espEfm], and the hyl gene of E. faecium [hylEfm]) and plasmids carrying the fms20-fms21 (pilA), hylEfm, and vanA genes. Of 723 enterococcal isolates recovered, E. faecalis was the most common (78%). Vancomycin resistance was detected in 6% of the isolates (74% of which were E. faecium). Eleven distinct PFGE types were found among the VREfm isolates, with most belonging to sequence types 412 and 18. The ebpAEfm-ebpBEfm-ebpCEfm (pilB) and fms11-fms19-fms16 clusters were detected in all VREfm isolates from the region, whereas espEfm and hylEfm were detected in 69% and 23% of the isolates, respectively. The fms20-fms21 (pilA) cluster, which encodes a putative pilus-like protein, was found on plasmids from almost all VREfm isolates and was sometimes found to coexist with hylEfm and the vanA gene cluster. The population genetics of VREfm in South America appear to resemble those of such strains in the United States in the early years of the CC17 epidemic. The overwhelming presence of plasmids encoding putative virulence factors and vanA genes suggests that E. faecium from the CC17 genogroup may disseminate in the region in the coming years.


Optical Music Recognition (OMR) is the process of automatically processing and understanding an image of a music score. This process involves various distinct phases to transform the image into primitive shapes, musical objects, and ultimately into a syntactic model representing the music's semantics. In general, OMR systems have performed these tasks in a linear sequence, so that the output of one component is the input to the next. However, this means that processing errors that occur in one of the tasks propagate through the system, and often when the error is eventually detected it is too late to reconsider the decisions leading to the incorrect classification or information. This thesis describes how OMR can be improved by modifying the recognition process from a sequence of linear tasks to a collection of modules that coordinate the information extracted from the data. Methods for data representation and controlling the system's flow of execution are investigated, and a practical implementation of such a system is described. This system has a message-passing design for providing contextual information from one module to another, such as suggesting possible classifications for an object. These messages are used to aid decision-making and to correct faulty decisions. This helps the system to adapt to a particular score while processing the image, increasing accuracy. This system is designed to aid in the research and evaluation of algorithms to achieve the above aims; therefore it is straightforward to modify various aspects of the system's behaviour, such as adding support for different music symbols. Examining the implemented system's behaviour clearly shows that this coordinated approach can correct many errors and can even identify some objects by only using syntactic information, based on the surrounding objects.


This paper is an obituary rather than a review, although since the monsoons of the western Indian Ocean have sustained a maritime circulation in sailing ships for at least two thousand years one cannot be sure. It is only a partial account in other respects: in that the facts and figures presented here concern essentially the declining years of a formerly vigorous trade; and in being written from an East African viewpoint without personal, first-hand knowledge of the countries of origin of most of the seagoing dhows. However, those who wish to travel further back or further afield with the dhows may engage two excellent guides: Hourani (1951) documents the development of Indian Ocean seafaring. from the particular viewpoint of Arab participation, from the earliest evidences up to Vasco da Gama's arrival at Malindi in 1498; and Villiers (1940) provides a vivid narrative of a round journey made on a seasonal dhow between Kuwait and East Africa in the years 1938-9.


We compared ion transport parameters in isolated ileal mucosa from diabetic rats (8 wk after streptozotocin injection) and littermate controls under basal conditions and in response to electrical transmural stimulation (TS). Stripped ileal mucosa (submucosal plexus intact) was mounted in Ussing flux chambers modified to include stimulating electrodes on opposite sides of the tissue. Under basal conditions unidirectional fluxes of Na+ and Cl- were decreased across mucosa from diabetic rats compared with controls, whereas net fluxes were not significantly different. TS caused a tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive transient increase in short-circuit current (Isc) that was significantly less in tissue from diabetic than control rats. The muscarinic cholinergic receptor antagonist, atropine, significantly reduced the Isc response to TS in ileum from control but not diabetic rats. In addition, the noncholinergic component of the response was smaller. The muscarinic agonist, Urecholine chloride (bethanechol chloride), caused an increase in Isc that was unaffected by pretreatment with TTX and was the same in tissue from control and diabetic rats. Our results suggest that the intestinal abnormalities that occur in diabetes may include a defect in the regulation of ion transport by enteric nerves resulting in an abnormal ability to respond to luminal and other stimuli.


Although measuring held-out accuracy has been the primary approach to evaluate generalization, it often overestimates the performance of NLP models, while alternative approaches for evaluating models either focus on individual tasks or on specific behaviors. Inspired by principles of behavioral testing in software engineering, we introduce CheckList, a task-agnostic methodology for testing NLP models. CheckList includes a matrix of general linguistic capabilities and test types that facilitate comprehensive test ideation, as well as a software tool to generate a large and diverse number of test cases quickly. We illustrate the utility of CheckList with tests for three tasks, identifying critical failures in both commercial and state-of-art models. In a user study, a team responsible for a commercial sentiment analysis model found new and actionable bugs in an extensively tested model. In another user study, NLP practitioners with CheckList created twice as many tests, and found almost three times as many bugs as users without it.


The article is dedicated to problem of double liability for the same offence. The author touches upon the notion of double liability and distinction from the double punishment. The author explains the notion of principle ne(non) bis im idem and its implementation in different branches of Lithuanian law. The author investigates the rule of double liability and its implementation in penal, administrative, civil and other branches of law. 120 Particular attention the author pays to problem of double punishment in case of committing crime. There are many situations when person for the committed crime could be liable according to penal code and on the other hand administrative offences code too. In other cases you can find the practice that person for the same offence is being punished according to penal code and later according to special disciplinary statutes and disciplinary measure is being imposed on him. The next problem is problem of collision between penal and administrative liability for the same offence. Sometimes elements of crime and administrative offence is being formulated in similar way and problems arise when judge must choose type of punishment for the offence. The author investigates and international aspect of non bis in idem and its reflection on Lithuanian legal provisions on double punishment in penal code. The author touched upon practice of Supreme Court of Lithuania in cases related to double liability.


A long literature has developed econometric methods for estimating individual-consumer-level demand systems that accommodate corner solutions. The increasing access to transaction-level customer purchase histories across a wide array of markets and industries vastly expands the prospect for improved customer insight, more targeted marketing policies and individualized welfare analysis. A descriptive analysis of a broad, CPG database indicates that most consumer brand categories offer a wide variety of differentiated offerings for consumers. However, consumers typically purchase only a limited scope of the available variety, leading to a very high incidence of corner solutions which poses computational challenges for demand modeling. Historically, these computational challenges have limited the applicability of microeconometric models of demand in practice, except for the special case of pure discrete choice (e.g., logit and probit). Recent advances in computing power along with methods for numerical and simulation-based integration have been instrumental in facilitating the broader use of these models in practice. We survey herein the extant literature on the neoclassical derivation of microeconometric demand models that allow for corner solutions and differentiated products. We summarize the key developments in the literature, including the role of consumers' price expectations, and point towards opportunities for future research. Jel Codes: D11, D12, L66, M3 keywords: microeconometrics, structural analysis, demand, differentiated products, consumer choice, preferences, complementary goods, income effects, stockpiling


Physicians who sponsor 401(k) plans for their employees must protect themselves from allegations of fiduciary breach related to investment losses or fund mismanagement. Selecting an independent fiduciary to assume legal responsibility for selecting, monitoring, and replacing plan investment options provides support, transparency, and protection from legal exposure. Physicians who select an independent fiduciary for their practice's 401(k) plans continue to administer the fund, but limit their legal liability and ensure that investment recommendations come with full accountability. This article explains the role of independent fiduciaries and their importance in medical practice management.


Despite recent challenges, CLT remains influential and continues to be implemented in a
number of contemporary ELT contexts. This project represents an attempt to investigate the
history of CLT as a means of gaining a clearer understanding of its main principles and ideas.
The investigation aims to identify some key concepts in the discourse of the ELT Journal over
the period when the communicative approach is believed to have emerged. Two
consecutive periods are studied; an earlier (1973 to 1981) phase when the journal was
edited by W.R. Lee, and a later (1981 to 1986) period under Richard Rossner. The project
makes use of two separate keyword "traditions" to examine words that play an important
role in the discourse of the journal. Firstly, a machine-based, corpus procedure was carried
out, using the collections of articles as a kind of corpus. Later, a more thorough, detailed
keyword analysis was undertaken, borrowing from the techniques pioneered by Raymond
Williams, in which the histories of individual words are traced chronologically across texts.
Chapter One, the literature review, presents a rationale for the project and the use of
history to illuminate our understanding of CLT. It carries out a review of the existing body of
literature covering the emergence of the approach and suggests a more systematic and
thorough-going historical approach based on primary sources is now needed.
Chapter Two describes the process by which I assembled the methods and tools necessary
to carry out the analysis. Chapter Three describes the project procedure itself, explaining the
decisions made, and processes arrived at, to carry out the investigation.
Chapter Four presents the first phase of the project's findings. Quantitative keyword lists are
presented and briefly discussed in relation to existing accounts.
Chapters Five, Six, Seven, Eight, and Nine are "word histories" for the keywords
COMMUNICATIVE, LEARNER, ACTIVITY, TASK and SYLLABUS, respectively. Using the findings
from Chapter Four as a starting point, each chapter traces the history of an important
keyword across the chronological period of the corpus, recontextualising data isolated by
the quantitative keyword procedure.
Chapter Ten is the project's discussion and conclusion.


The Oxford English-Urdu Mini Dictionary is a mini version, both in size and scope, of our very popular The Little Oxford English-Urdu Dictionary, which in turn was derived from the legendary The Oxford English-Urdu Dictionary by Shanul-Haq Haqqee. With 700 pages and a size of 120 x 90 mm, it contains more than 33,000 entries and definitions explained in a very easy and simple style. In the available range of mini dictionaries, it is the most comprehensive and affordable. Because of size it is very handy to take along anywhere.


We present the results from extensive, new observations of the Perseus Cluster of galaxies, obtained as a Suzaku Key Project. The 85 pointings analyzed span eight azimuthal directions out to 2 degrees = 2.6 Mpc, to and beyond the virial radius r_200 ~ 1.8 Mpc, offering the most detailed X-ray observation of the intracluster medium (ICM) at large radii in any cluster to date. The azimuthally averaged density profile for r>0.4r_200 is relatively flat, with a best-fit power-law index of 1.69+/-0.13 significantly smaller than expected from numerical simulations. The entropy profile in the outskirts lies systematically below the power-law behavior expected from large-scale structure formation models which include only the heating associated with gravitational collapse. The pressure profile beyond ~0.6r_200 shows an excess with respect to the best-fit model describing the SZ measurements for a sample of clusters observed with Planck. The inconsistency between the expected and measured density, entropy, and pressure profiles can be explained primarily by an overestimation of the density due to inhomogeneous gas distribution in the outskirts; there is no evidence for a bias in the temperature measurements within the virial radius. We find significant differences in thermodynamic properties of the ICM at large radii along the different arms. Along the cluster minor axis, we find a flattening of the entropy profiles outside ~0.6r_200, while along the major axis, the entropy rises all the way to the outskirts. Correspondingly, the inferred gas clumping factor is typically larger along the minor than along the major axis.


Sir Gordon Conway's One Billion Hungry: Can We Feed the World? is the authoritative text for the 21st century iteration of what Raj Patel (2013) calls the "long Green Revolution." In it, Conway outlines an approach for ending hunger and poverty by reaching out to the world's hungriest people—peasant farmers. One Billion Hungry is an expanded update of Conway's earlier work, The Doubly Green Revolution (Conway 1997). During the 15-year hiatus between books, an explosive combination of global warming, peak oil, water scarcity, agrofuels, grain-fed meat, land grabbing, and financial speculation has ushered in a new era of high, volatile food prices and widespread peasant dispossession and impoverishment. Notwithstanding record global harvests following an average annual rise in food per capita of 12% over the last 40 years, in 2008 and 2011, over one billion people went hungry, triggering food riots and full-scale rebellions. The resulting human suffering and political instability have called the legitimacy of the global food system—and the Green Revolution—seriously into question. One Billion Hungry attempts to reestablish the imperative of the Green Revolution under conditions of global markets, monopoly concentration, and the privatization of pretty much everything—including the hallmark public research of the original Green Revolution. Conway laments these developments, but, ultimately, accepts the liberalization of food systems and avoids questioning heroic assumptions of endless global economic growth. This steers One Billion Hungry to the standard Green Revolution proposal: To feed nine billion people, we must double food production by 2050. For Conway, the routes to world food security are: technological innovation, fair and efficient markets, people, and political leadership. He's right, but just how these routes are traveled is where followers and critics will part ways. Situated at the nexus of productivity, resilience, equitability, and stability, Conway asserts that sustainable intensification will end world hunger by using less land, less water, and fewer chemicals—along with more biotechnology and more free markets. The bulk of the 439-page tome is a dry, not entirely uncritical, reaffirmation of high-yielding varieties and biotechnology,


Though a well-regarded physicist Carl Sagan (1934-1996) is best-known as a writer of popular nonfiction and science fiction and as the host of the PBS series Cosmos. Through his writings and spoken commentary, he worked to popularize interests in astronomy, the universe, and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. From the beginning of his public career, when he co-wrote Intelligent Life in the Universe to the very end as he worked on the 1997 film adaptation of his novel Contact, these subjects absorbed him. This interest in space was rooted in his understanding of the smallness and vulnerability of humanity measured against the immense size and power of the universe. This profound philosophical humility, mixed with personal exuberance, comes through in Conversations with Carl Sagan. In interviews and profiles, Sagan discusses with verve a wide variety of topics--the environment, nuclear disarmament, religion, politics, extraterrestrial life, astronomy, physics, robotics. Whether he is discussing his science fiction or his well-researched nonfiction works, his voice embraces reason and skepticism. This volume shows how Sagan, a lifelong skeptic, refined his views and expressed amazement that Earth, for all his belief in extraterrestrial life, encompasses everything about which he cared.


In order to investigate the effects of drought stress on grain yield and its components, a study was carried out (2011) as split plots in randomized complete blocks design in Isfahan (32° 40' N,51° 48' E). Main factor was drought stress in four levels including irrigation after 80, 100, 120, and 140 mm evaporation from evaporation pan (class A) and subplots were three cultivars (Sirena, Record, and Euroflore).Grain number per capitulum, 1000 grains weight, grain yield, biological yield, harvest index, oil percentage, and oil yield were measured. Results showed that by increasing the stress from 80 to 140 mm, all traits except oil percentage were decreased. The first irrigation treatment (80mm) seems to be the most appropriate treatment for this plant considering the highest grain and oil yields. Record cultivar produced the highest yield under 80 and 100 mm treatments while Sirena and Euroflore had the highest yields under 120 and 140mm treatments, respectively. Therefore, cultivating record will be better under drought stress or dry farming cultivation.


The purpose of the current study was to begin to understand the relationship between coaching feedback focal points and mindset (fixed and growth) in an adult athletic population. The specific aim was to determine what types of verbal feedback focal points (person-, outcome-, process-focused) coaches used when coaching their athletes and how this related to the mindset of athletes. Fifteen coaches (M=33 years old; experience M=4.8 years coaching; 9 male; 6 female) and 65 total athletes (32 female, 33 male; M=38 years old) participated in the study. The hypotheses were: 1) coaches give more person- and outcome-focused praise feedback than process-focused feedback, and 2) athletes who receive more process-focused praise will report more growth mindset type beliefs. An observational method of coaching behavior was used to gather feedback focal point data, and adult athletes filled out a mindset questionnaire. Data analysis used Pearson's Correlation and results indicated that no significant correlational relationship existed for process-focused praise (r = .040, p = .888, n = 15) or person- and outcome focused praise (r = -.104, p = .713, n = 15). However, r-values and trend lines of the 15 data sets suggest the predicted relationship that mirrors the praise focal point relationship found with teacher-student studies. Therefore, a larger sample size may give more clarity to this relationship and better inform coaching best practices for adults and athletic populations. These findings may benefit coaching education and help to intentionally build a growth mindset within athletics.


ABSTRACT Dispersal distance of planktonic larvae of coral reef organisms is influenced by their ecological characteristics and environmental factors such as current flow and physical structure of reefs. This study reviews the degree and pattern of genetic differentiation in scleractinian corals in the Ryukyu Archipelago, compared with other regions. Small-scale genetic heterogeneity, but broad-scale homogeneity, was detected in some species, including brooders and spawners in the Ryukyus. Comparison with other regions indicated that limited gene flow on a small spatial scale (i.e., self-recruitment) seemed to occur in many regions. However, the degree of gene flow over larger distances was complex and species-dependent. With an implication for conservation in the Ryukyus, the larval source hypothesis, which states that coral larvae were recruited from the Kerama Islands to the Okinawa Islands, was consistent with results illustrating high gene flow in some species. Thus, conservation of corals in the Kerama Islands is high priority. Detection of genetic breaks between the southern and central Ryukyus was not common among species. The genetic structure observed in corals is highly variable and depends on both species and spatial scale in the Ryukyus. In addition, the complex genetic structures of corals may be related to coral-specific destructive events, such as bleaching, outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish, and disease. Further studies will provide new insights and a more detailed view of the genetic structure of corals by using different markers (e.g., microsatellites) and approaches (assignment tests and clustering analysis), which will provide useful information for coral reef conservation.


In gas turbine combustion systems, the reduction of emissions of harmful combustion by-products is a main development goal. This study provides a methodology to model NOX emissions effectively for varying levels of pilot fuel flows at different operational points. It combines one-dimensional flame simulations using detailed chemistry with a stochastic approach for equivalence ratio fluctuations to account for the effect of fuel-air unmixedness. This split allows for computationally fast variations of the gas inlet condition and the consideration of different shares of pilot gas. The generation of emissions is split into a share of prompt formation at the flame front and a slower formation mechanism, occurring within the combustion products in the post flame region. The influence of unmixedness of the fuel-air mixture on both effects is taken into consideration by means of probability density functions (PDFs) of the equivalence ratio. These are modeled on the basis of sampled values from Large Eddy Simulations at the flame front and adapted for different shares of pilot gas. It is shown that with a superposition of Gaussian PDFs the equivalence ratio distribution at the flame front resulting from the main gas supply and the pilot share can be well approximated. Measurement data from experiments in atmospheric conditions as well as emission measurements from high pressure tests are used to evaluate the model. Good agreement is found for atmospheric data, allowing for explanations on the effect of pilot fuel ratio on emissions. For elevated pressure, only qualitative trends could be reproduced. Hypotheses to explain this deviation are made that motivate further research.


The LEDs Urban Carpet is a portable interactive installation using a non-traditional user interface. The installation represents a game with a grid of lights that can be embedded as a carpet into the urban context. A pattern of lights is generated dynamically that change in real time according to pedestrians movement over the carpet. In this case the pedestrians become participants that influence the generative process and make the pattern of LEDs change with the change of the location of one or more participants.

The aim is to create a novel urban experience that invites social interactions with the interface among different people as friends, observes or strangers. Here we investigate social interaction patterns and behavior generated through the introduction of this new kind of interface. We describe the concept, design and implementation of this interactive installation.

The LEDs Urban Carpet is conceived as a grid of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which interact with the pedestrians by tracking their paths as they move over the grid. The lights turn on or off via a computer generated program, which defines the behavior of each light at every instant. This program is written using a Boid algorithm to simulate a flock of seagulls that follow the pedestrians as they move in different directions over the carpet.


This paper analyses the development of software in India and Ireland. The development patterns of the software industry in Ireland and India clearly show both the advantages and disadvantages of being a follower. The most obvious advantage is the ability to sustain growth without a broad based set of technical capabilities, at least initially. With the leaders creating and defining markets, and possibly even the business models, and the policy and technical infrastructure required, many uncertainties are greatly reduced. Moreover, in many instances, multinationals from the leading countries can catalyse growth and may even, as in Ireland, account for a substantial part of the initial growth. On the other hand, relatively narrow sources of competitive advantage imply that the firms in the follower industries tend to be similar in capabilities, with competition among them transferring the bulk of the benefits to customers overseas. Sophisticated and well established competitors located in the leading clusters stand in the way of followers moving up the value chain, leaving innovative firms to search for new niches, and ways to link to lead users. Moreover, clusters in the followers lack the thick vertical and horizontal links, that are important for knowledge spillovers, innovation and growth. However, our analysis, which s draws on the evidence collected in India and Ireland through two surveys of domestic firms and foreign-owned firms, also suggests that early success, narrowly based though it may be, can lay a foundation for future growth that is based more on innovation.


Abstract Eight spinel single-crystal samples belonging to the spinel sensu stricto-magnesiocoulsonite series (MgAl2O4-MgV2O4) were synthesized and crystal-chemically characterized by X-ray diffraction, electron microprobe and optical absorption spectroscopy. Site populations show that the tetrahedrally coordinated site (T) is populated by Mg and minor Al for the spinel sensu stricto compositions, and only by Mg for the magnesiocoulsonite compositions, while the octahedrally coordinated site (M) is populated by Al, V3+, minor Mg, and very minor amounts of V4+. The latter occurs in appreciable amounts in the Al-free magnesium vanadate spinel, T ( Mg ) M ( Mg 0.26 V 1.48 3+ V 0.26 4+ ) O 4 $^{\rm{T}}{\left( {{\rm{Mg}}} \right)^{\rm{M}}}\left( {{\rm{M}}{{\rm{g}}_{{\rm{0}}{\rm{.26}}}}{\rm{V}}_{{\rm{1}}{\rm{.48}}}^{{\rm{3 + }}}{\rm{V}}_{{\rm{0}}{\rm{.26}}}^{{\rm{4 + }}}} \right){{\rm{O}}_{\rm{4}}}$, showing the presence of the inverse spinel VMg2O4. The studied samples are characterized by substitution of Al3+ for V3+ and (Mg2++V4+) for 2V3+ described in the system MgAl2O4-MgV2O4-VMg2O4. The present data in conjunction with data from the literature provide a basis for quantitative analyses of two solid-solution series MgAl2O4-MgV23+O4${\rm{MgA}}{{\rm{l}}_{\rm{2}}}{{\rm{O}}_{\rm{4}}}{\rm{ - MgV}}_{\rm{2}}^{{\rm{3 + }}}{{\rm{O}}_{\rm{4}}}$ and MgV23+O4-V4+Mg2O4${\rm{MgV}}_{\rm{2}}^{{\rm{3 + }}}{{\rm{O}}_{\rm{4}}}{\rm{ - }}{{\rm{V}}^{{\rm{4 + }}}}{\rm{M}}{{\rm{g}}_{\rm{2}}}{{\rm{O}}_{\rm{4}}}$. Unit-cell parameter increases with increasing V3+ along the series MgAl2O4-MgV2O4 (8.085–8.432 Å), but only slightly increases with increasing V3+ along the series VMg2O4-MgV2O4 (8.386–8.432 Å). Although a solid solution could be expected between the MgAl2O4 and VMg2O4 end-members, no evidence was found. Amounts of V4+ are nearly insignificant in all synthetic Al-bearing vanadate spinels, but are appreciable in Al-free vanadate spinel. An interesting observation of the present study is that despite the observed complete solid-solution along the MgAl2O4-MgV2O4 and MgV2O4-VMg2O4 series, the spinel structure seems to be unable to stabilize V4+ in any intermediate members on the MgAl2O4-Mg2VO4 join even at high oxygen fugacities. This behavior indicates that the accommodation of specific V-valences can be strongly influenced by crystal-structural constraints, and any evaluation of oxygen fugacities during mineral formation based exclusively on V cation valence distributions in spinel should be treated with caution. The present study underlines that the V valency distribution in spinels is not exclusively reflecting oxygen fugacities, but also depends on activities and solubilities of all chemical components in the crystallization environment.


For almost thirty years, Patrick Swayze has been an icon of masculinity and sex appeal, strong but sensitive, romantic yet dangerous. In this intimate and revealing biography, bestselling author Wendy Leigh shares the inspiring untold story of Patrick's incredible life: his show business childhood, his fairy-tale love affair with wife Lisa Niemi, his catapult into alcoholism after his father's untimely death, the daredevil exploits that almost killed him, and his courageous fight against pancreatic cancer. Ever since the steamy low-budget film Dirty Dancingskyrocketed Patrick to fame and cemented his place in the hearts of audiences around the world, he has been one of our most cherished public figures. Based on interviews with countless sources who have never spoken about Patrick before - from the Texas beauty who shared his first kiss, to the woman he almost married, to the manager who worked closely with him from his teen idol days until his romantic tour de force in Ghost- and many more, Leigh unveils surprising details about the charismatic actor's life on- and off-screen. This groundbreaking biography of the un-forgettable entertainer is the mesmerizing, enduring, and definitive story of a man who captured our hearts.


The study employed a survey research design and a multinomial ordinal logistic regression analysis to establish users' perception on the effectiveness of the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system in enhancing the performance of the accounting information system (AIS) through reliability, accuracy and timeliness of information generated. The target population comprised of 56 employees drawn from the selected seven public universities which had implemented ERP systems for at least three years. Census survey was used to collect the data from heads of eight department targeted by the study. A Likert-type self-administered, structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the target respondents. The study findings revealed that ERP implementation generated positive and significant effects on the performance of the AIS through enhanced accuracy and timeliness of information generated at 5 percent significance level. While the ERP system was found to have a positive effect on reliability of information generated the effect was not found to be statistically significant. The study thus concludes that implementation of an ERP system is an opportunity for public universities to implement improved controls and security of data which enhances accuracy and timeliness of information hence performance of accounting information. Future studies may be conducted on the level of ERP adoption in different departments in public universities since this has a bearing on the timeliness, accuracy and reliability of Accounting Information generated by the ERP.


With the goal to generate more scalable algorithms with higher efficiency and fewer open parameters, reinforcement learning (RL) has recently moved towards combining classical techniques from optimal control and dynamic programming with modern learning techniques from statistical estimation theory. In this vein, this paper suggests to use the framework of stochastic optimal control with path integrals to derive a novel approach to RL with parameterized policies. While solidly grounded in value function estimation and optimal control based on the stochastic Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equations, policy improvements can be transformed into an approximation problem of a path integral which has no open algorithmic parameters other than the exploration noise. The resulting algorithm can be conceived of as model-based, semi-model-based, or even model free, depending on how the learning problem is structured. The update equations have no danger of numerical instabilities as neither matrix inversions nor gradient learning rates are required. Our new algorithm demonstrates interesting similarities with previous RL research in the framework of probability matching and provides intuition why the slightly heuristically motivated probability matching approach can actually perform well. Empirical evaluations demonstrate significant performance improvements over gradient-based policy learning and scalability to high-dimensional control problems. Finally, a learning experiment on a simulated 12 degree-of-freedom robot dog illustrates the functionality of our algorithm in a complex robot learning scenario. We believe that Policy Improvement with Path Integrals (PI2) offers currently one of the most efficient, numerically robust, and easy to implement algorithms for RL based on trajectory roll-outs.


In this study, effects of panel density and adhesive ratio on some physical and mechanical properties of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) hull particleboards for general purposes were investigated. Panels were manufactured with various densities (0.5, 0.6, 0.7, and 0.8 g/cm3) and adhesive ratios (core layer 8-9% and face layer 10-11%) using urea-formaldehyde (UF) as an adhesive. All panels were tested for some mechanical (internal bond, modulus of elasticity, and modulus of rupture) and physical (water absorption and thickness swelling) properties. Results indicated that increase in the panel density and adhesive ratio, resulted in an improvement in mechanical and physical properties. Only the panels with 0.8g/cm3 density almost met the requirements for the TS-EN 312 Standard for general purposes. Also, the boards having the lower mechanical properties tested in this study can be used as insulating material in buildings because such materials would not be subjected to any mechanical stress.