I came of age as a painter in the 1970's, and was also for a while a critic, editing the magazine Artscribe in the UK. Exhibitions of what we now term 'conceptual' art claimed to go 'beyond' painting. There was talk of painting being 'over'. By the eighties painting seemed to be resurgent. The militant styles of minimal art were challenged by free-form genres - new image, neo-expressionist, pattern painting. Disputes between figuration and abstraction were set aside. Whether you put a fish, a triangle or blob of orange in a composition did not really matter. I came to computer graphics in the mid eighties, and was inspired by the freedom, the colour and the speed. I aimed to integrate all this with what engaged me in 'regular' painting, along with its developing culture. I still work in both modes most days. I think of it all as 'just' painting. A blue is blue, whatever the medium. I guard against the illusion that these wonderful new paints make you into an 'advanced' artist. Yes, we have the freedom to scan anything and throw it into a mix –I do this as irresponsibly as anyone else – but sometimes you just get Photoshop soup. I would like 'digital' painting to look unforced. It does not have to be photo-based, logical, weird, nocturnal, natural or unnatural. My own approach has been drawing-based and somewhat gestural. As for whether it is 'representational' or 'abstract', well I would prefer it to be just playful.


This authoritative work is the first visual dictionary of Maya glyphs published since the script's complete deciphering, offering a much-needed, comprehensive catalogue of 1100 secured glyphs. Each entry includes the illustrated glyph, its phonetic transcription, Mayan equivalent, part of speech, and meaning. About the Author John Montgomery is an illustrator, epigrapher, writer, and PhD candidate in the field of Pre-Columbian Art at the University of New Mexico. He also teaches art history at the South-western Indian Polytechnic Institute in Albuquerque. A long and varied experience in Central America first inspired his interest in the ancient Maya. His glyphic illustrations based on a lifetime of involvement with Maya glyph decipherment. He lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.


Where democracy is fragile and institutions function poorly, particularly in a developing country, competition law faces tremendous challenges. Getting a new agency started and ensuring the successful launch and implementation of a new competition law framework cannot be taken for granted. Yet the effort and resource commitments must be made. This article introduces the new competition regime in the Philippines. From a general perspective it recalls that while competition law does not by itself guarantee sustainable and inclusive growth and development, it is a desirable part of a broader ensemble of policies that can promote those aims. In more country-specific terms, the new law discussed here—the Competition Act 2015, fully effective since the summer of 2017—can only be properly considered by understanding the Philippines itself. The article therefore surveys the country's governance and institutions; its economy; and the roles of the rule of law and the courts. The legal and institutional framework specific to competition law and policy is then analysed at length. The substance of the Act, the enforcement and sanctioning powers of the Philippine Competition Commission, and relevant legal procedures are all examined. Now that the legislator has established a promising statutory framework, it is time to focus on the difficult tasks of implementation and deep culture change.


Plain language is writing in clear, concise language that is easy to read and understand. Whenever I hear the term plain language I am reminded of a lay summary I was once asked to edit. The stream of technical language ('self-source bias', 'effect modifiers', 'peer context', 'latent class growth modeling', 'marginal structural models', 'propensity score matching', 'co-relative control designs', 'GIS analytic techniques') made my head spin. What was the author thinking? Of course, a lay summary not written in plain language is not a lay summary. But why shouldn't plain language also apply to other kinds of medical writing? As explained by Alistair Reeves in this issue of Medical Writing, writing in plain language does not come naturally, and it does not mean writing the way we speak or dumbing down what we write. It means using words that you expect your audience to understand and formulating sentences and paragraphs to make your text easy to understand. When writing for our peers, we assume that they know or can understand the technical terms that are a normal part of our lexicon. Even so, we can do them a favour by keeping long sentences and awkward passive constructions to a minimum. And we should never assume that only our fellow professionals will read what we write, or that our readers all have the same first language as we do. Somemedicalwriters, even experiencedones, argue that certain documents, such as those destined for regulatory agencies, must be written in language that is awkward and excessively technical due to supposed 'rules' or 'standards'. This is a disturbing dogma that has developed – with no rules or guidelines to justify it. Regardless, in some hands, medical English has become understandable only to the writer and a few experts. Imagine that you are forced to read documents written in such language. Why should they not be easy to understand? And if you were a regulator, wouldn't you want to avoid lost time and headaches from having to decipher bad writing? As Alistair Reeves also points out in his article, writing in plain English can be time consuming but can become automatic with practice. He goes into detail about what plain English means in the context of medical writing and invokes especially George Orwell's six rules for clear writing as they apply to medical writing, adding five useful rules of his own. The failure of professionals to write in a way that ordinary people can understand led to the emergence of campaigning organisations such as Plain English Campaign, which has spent the last 35 years fighting 'gobbledygook, jargon and misleading public information'. It also forced governments to adopt firm measures. In 1999, the UK Lord Chancellor ordered civil courts to replace archaic terms with plain language alternatives. Plaintiff was replaced with claimant and interrogatories with requests for information, and we all now have some hope of understanding what's going on. The US Congress went one step further, signing into law the Plain Writing Act of 2010, which requires that all documents issued by federal agencies be in plain language. Writing in this issue of MEW, John Parmer and Cynthia Baur describe steps the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has taken to comply with both the act and CDC's own plain language agenda. The above examples are from English-speaking countries, and plain language is often used synonymously with plain English. However, other countries have similar movements. The Institute for Language and Folklore in Sweden campaigns to promote klarsprak (plain language) in Swedish companies, organisations, universities, and county authorities. In 2009, the Norwegian government launched its own klarsprak project to make documents created for its citizens easier to read. Plain language is one aspect of readability – how easily a text can be read and understood. Readability is a multifaceted concept with visual as well as linguistic aspects. In practice, it is quite hard to define. Algorithms you can use to test the readability of your writing often do little more than judge how long your sentences and words


betaarrestins mediate the desensitization of the beta2-adrenergic receptor (beta2AR) and many other G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Additionally, betaarrestins initiate the endocytosis of these receptors via clathrin coated-pits and interact directly with clathrin. Consequently, it has been proposed that betaarrestins serve as clathrin adaptors for the GPCR family by linking these receptors to clathrin lattices. AP-2, the heterotetrameric clathrin adaptor protein, has been demonstrated to mediate the internalization of many types of plasma membrane proteins other than GPCRs. AP-2 interacts with the clathrin heavy chain and cytoplasmic domains of receptors such as those for epidermal growth factor and transferrin. In the present study we demonstrate the formation of an agonist-induced multimeric complex containing a GPCR, betaarrestin 2, and the beta2-adaptin subunit of AP-2. beta2-Adaptin binds betaarrestin 2 in a yeast two-hybrid assay and coimmunoprecipitates with betaarrestins and beta2AR in an agonist-dependent manner in HEK-293 cells. Moreover, beta2-adaptin translocates from the cytosol to the plasma membrane in response to the beta2AR agonist isoproterenol and colocalizes with beta2AR in clathrin-coated pits. Finally, expression of betaarrestin 2 minigene constructs containing the beta2-adaptin interacting region inhibits beta2AR endocytosis. These findings point to a role for AP-2 in GPCR endocytosis, and they suggest that AP-2 functions as a clathrin adaptor for the endocytosis of diverse classes of membrane receptors.


The aim of this research is to investigate how transformation is experienced and understood in the Christian drug rehabilitation program in Vietnam. The most unique feature of this program compared to other traditional programs is its emphasis on rehabilitation not by medication but rather through transformation by faith, through love and the words learnt from the Bible. I have presented theories relating to mission as transformation and chose it as the main theme of my research. In order to answer the research question and sub-questions, I collected data from interviews and participant observation in two Christian rehabilitation clinics in Vietnam. In this qualitative research, I selected twelve informants including pastors, workers and drug addicts to obtain their perspectives on the understanding and experience of transformation. Understanding the experience of transformation in the Christian rehabilitation program shows evidence of coordination among pastors, workers and drug addicts during the rehabilitation process as well as the connection between personal and social transformation. The role of the Holy Spirit and the Kingdom of God are two key themes underlying the participants' understanding and experience of transformation. Through faith in Christ, these addicts claim to be transformed and delivered from drug addiction. Although there are no official statistics regarding the success of the program, the Vietnamese government has started to allow this type of rehabilitation model to be applied in some government rehabilitation prisons. Thus, it is clear that this rehabilitation method is a good example of mission as transformation. AVH5035-SPRING-2017 Experience of Transformation in Drug Rehabilitation 4 AVH5035-SPRING-2017 Experience of Transformation in Drug Rehabilitation 5


Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to explore and discuss the role of motivational cultural intelligence and its related strategies in the experiential learning and cross-cultural adjustment of self-initiated expatriate (SIE) women. Design/methodology/approach - – Interactive qualitative analysis (IQA) was the design and process used for this research. Two IQA focus groups were conducted with a non-probability purposive sample of 21 SIE women, aged between 26 and 53 who were living and working in the Netherlands at the time of the research. Participants were invited to brainstorm about their adjustment experience and actively construct a framework of their adjustment experiences. Findings - – Evidence is provided for the role of motivational CQ, with specific reference to reinvention, self-efficacy and goal-setting as motivational strategies, in the successful adjustment of SIE women. Conceptual frameworks of the cyclical learning process and motivational strategies with choice as a moderator in the process, have been developed. Three propositions for future research are also presented. Originality/value - – This study represents an under-researched group and proposes conceptual frameworks for understanding the complex, multidimensional process of SIE women adjustment and the role of motivation, from a participant perspective.


Field and laboratory observations show that seismicity has non-trivial period-dependent response to periodic stress perturbations. In Nepal, seismicity shows significant variations in response to annual monsoon-induced stress variations but not to semidiurnal tidal stresses of the same magnitude. Such period dependence cannot be explained by the Coulomb failure model and spring-slider rate-and-state model (SRM). Here, we study seismicity response to periodic stress perturbations in a 2-D continuum model of a rate-and-state fault (that is, a finite rate-and-state fault). We find that the resulting seismicity indeed exhibits nearly periodic variations. Their amplitude is maximum at a certain period, T_a, and decreases with smaller and larger periods to the SRM predictions, remaining much larger than the SRM predictions for a wide range of periods around T_a. We attribute the higher sensitivity of finite faults to their finite nucleation zones which vary in space and have a different slip-velocity evolution than that of the SRM. At periods T ≫ T_a and T ≪ T_a, the seismicity-rate variations are in phase with the stress-rate and stress variations, respectively, consistent with the SRM, although a gradual phase shift appears as T increases towards T_a. Based on the similarities with the SRM and our simulations, we propose a semi-analytical expression for T_a. Plausible sets of model parameters make T_a equal to 1 yr, potentially explaining Nepal observations and constraining the fault properties. Our finite-fault findings indicate that aσ, where a is a rate-and-state parameter and σ is the effective normal stress, can be severely underestimated based on the SRM.


Objectives To date, studies have not comprehensively demonstrated the relationship between stroke incidence and socioeconomic status. This study investigated stroke incidence by household income level in conjunction with age, sex, and stroke subtype in Korea. Methods Contributions by the head of household were used as the basis for income levels. Household income levels for 21 766 036 people were classified into 6 groups. The stroke incidences were calculated by household income level, both overall within income categories and further by age group, sex, and stroke subtype. To present the inequalities among the six ranked groups in a single value, the slope index of inequality and relative index of inequality were calculated. Results In 2005, 57 690 people were first-time stroke patients. The incidences of total stroke for males and females increased as the income level decreased. The incidences of stroke increased as the income level decreased in those 74 years old and under, whereas there was no difference by income levels in those 75 and over. Intracerebral hemorrhage for the males represented the highest inequality among stroke subtypes. Incidences of subarachnoid hemorrhage did not differ by income levels. Conclusions The incidence of stroke increases as the income level decreases, but it differs according to sex, age, and stroke subtype. The difference in the relative incidence is large for male intracerebral hemorrhage, whereas the difference in the absolute incidence is large for male ischemic stroke.


This paper presents a procedure for face detection and recognition. Then face detection is done based on the theory of high correlation of face images at low resolutions. The face detected is called the mug shot. Generalized Regression based Neural Networks is used for training the mug shot to represent eyes in the form of rectangles. GRNN gives good results to represent eyes in the form of rectangles. Eye coordinates are calculated and straight line distance between the centers of two eyes is calculated. This calculated distance comes out to be different for different face images. Face recognition is done by comparing the calculated distance of source face with the target face. The system developed by this approach is suitable for finding face images from a set of given images. This algorithm can be implemented for searching and finding people from a database on a computer. However Automatic Face Recognition is a complicated problem due to the variability of face expressions, face positions and lighting conditions. Many methods have been proposed for face recognition but their performance and precision is still very far as compared to that of the human performance.


Open Government is a new trend in public governance, based on the principles of transparency, collaboration and participation, currently being adopted by many countries around the world including 63 members of the Open Government Partnership. Operationalizing such principles requires developing certain capabilities among citizens and relevant government actors. For example, participation requires citizens to be informed and engaged, and achieving this requires government to build capabilities in using appropriate tools for informing and engaging. This poster paper outlines a research work in progress for developing an e-Participation toolkit called WeLEaD - Collaborative Toolkit for Learning, Engaging and Deciding. The toolkit will comprise an integrated set of advanced e-participation tools, based on the peer-production approach to collaborative teaching and learning: 1) to help citizens learn from each other about relevant issues on the public policy agenda; 2) to engage policy-makers, government executives, citizens and other non-state actors in informed discussions on how to advance this agenda; and 3) to reflect the outcomes of such discussions, including citizen views and opinions, in government's policy-making processes. The toolkit will also include technical and organizational guidelines for conducting e-Participation initiatives, including the use of such tools.


Potting is one of the most effective techniques for safeguarding electronics assembly in challenging harsh conditions, including shock and vibration. Interconnect failures are often preceded by delamination at the PCB and epoxy interface. PCB-Epoxy interfaces have not been extensively researched for interfacial fracture resistance under high thermo-mechanical loading. In this study, bi-material PCB-epoxy samples are made and exposed to long-term high-temperature aging followed by monotonic four-point bend loading. The evolution of the interfacial integrity under sustained high-temperature exposure has been quantified. The study looks at five distinct types of potting materials with varying properties. The specimens are exposed to a high temperature of 100°C and 150°C for 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, 120 days, 180 days, 240 days, and 360 days. Steady-state strain energy release rate, mode-I (KI), and mode-II (KII) stress intensity factors are determined for the PCB-Epoxy interface. Cohesive zone parameters for each of the PCB-Epoxy interfaces have been determined and implemented into a predictive cohesive zone model (CZM). The PCB-Epoxy bi-material specimen has been modeled in ABAQUS with a cohesive zone at the interface and subjected to mode-I four-point bend loading. Damage is considered to occur at the interface where the cohesive zone has been modeled. For both pristine and aged tests, the damage accumulation is predicted using the interfacial fracture parameters from the experiment.


Historically, Indigenous peoples have displayed remarkable resilience in the face of adversity, notably, in the face of colonization. Over several decades, Indigenous peoples have sought through legal and other means to regain and retain cultural and traditional rights, including traditional practices, languages and identities, as well as the right to culturally appropriate forms of economic development. This resilience by Indigenous peoples has been described as grounded in culture, place and in Indigenous forms of spirituality. In the 21st century, faced with new modes of colonization, this same resilience is giving rise to new modes of both engagement and disengagement on the part of multiple Indigenous communities around the globe. Positioned in the context of profound environmental and global crisis, this article considers Indigenous strategies of renewal and resistance against the background of the changing role and function of the nation-state, drawing on specific legislative changes in Canada and Aotearoa New Zealand.


We present a new robotic concept, called SWARM-BOT, based on a swarm of small and simple autonomous mobile robots called S-BOTs. S-BOTs have a particular assembling capability that allows them to connect physically to other S-BOTs and form a bigger robot entity, the SWARM-BOT. A SWARM-BOT is typically composed by 10 to 30 S-BOTs physically interconnected. S-BOTs can autonomously assemble into a SWARM-BOT but also disassemble again. This feature of the S-BOTs provides SWARM-BOT with self-assembling and self-reconfiguring capabilities. Such a concept, by taking advantage from the collective and distributed approaches, ensures robustness to failures even in hard environment conditions. The approach presented finds its theoretical roots in recent studies on swarm intelligence.


One of the classical results in the theory of distributed sys- tems is the theorem by Lamport, Shostak, and Pease stating that among n parties, any t of which may be cheaters, one of the parties (the sender) can consistently broadcast a value to the other parties if and only if t ≤ n/3. This is achieved by use of a protocol among the players, using bilateral channels. The purpose of this paper is to look at various generalizations of this result and to propose a new concept, called consistency specification, a very general type of consistency guarantee a protocol among n parties P1,...,Pn can provide. A consistency specification specifies, for every possible set H ⊆{ P1,...,Pn} of honest players and for every choice of their inputs, a certain security guarantee, i.e., a consistency condition on their outputs. This models that security can degrade smoothly with an increasing number of cheaters rather than abruptly when a certain threshold is exceeded, as is the case in the previous literature.


This article examines the intersection of religion, gender and development through an analysis of religious practice and development engagement among women activists in two religio-political aid organizations in contemporary Pakistan. Situated on the margins of the mainstream aid and development field, these women are rarely conceded agents of development. Yet focusing on improving women's position and wellbeing, their activities are similar to those of many other development NGO s. As part of religio-political movements advancing gender complementarity and segregation, women's activism and conceptions of development reflect a particular intersection of religion, gender and class. A close read of women's discourse and practice reveals how women interpret and appropriate Islamic teachings, local cultural practices, and global norms by balancing ideology and pragmatism. In the process of negotiating, upholding and resisting norms and practices, these activists can be seen as active agents of change in their local contexts.


The awareness and concern of our environment together with legislation have set more and more tightening demands for energy efficiency of non-road mobile machinery (NRMM). Integrated electro-hydraulic energy converter (IEHEC) has been developed in Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) /1/. The elimination of resistance flow, and the recuperation of energy makes it very efficient alternative. The difficulties of IEHEC machine to step to the market has been the requirement of one IEHEC machine per one actuator. The idea is to switch IEHEC between two actuators of log crane using fast on/off valves. The control system architecture is introduced. The system has been simulated in co-simulation using Simulink/Mevea. The simulated responses of pumpcontrolled system is compared to the responses of the conventional valve-controlled system.


Mode-locked-like laser with 0.009 nm linewidth can be continuously tuned in the whole range of laser gain in a frequency-shifted feedback Ti:sapphire laser with an intracavity acousto optic tunable filter (AOTF). Peak power of the output at 300 mW pump level is comparable to those of commercial tunable picosecond Ti:sapphire lasers. Phase-locking of the laser has been observed with a Michelson interferometer.


Abstract. In the frame of the European project, entitled MULTI-ASSESS, specimens of structural metals, glass, stone and concrete materials were exposed to air pollution at a station, which was installed for this purpose on a building, located in the centre of Athens. The main purpose of this project was to determine the corrosion and soiling effects of air pollution on materials. A set of the specimens was exposed in a position that was sheltered from rain and partly from wind, and another set was exposed in unsheltered positions on the roof of the above said building. In addition, other specimens were exposed at different heights on the same building, in order to investigate for the first time the corrosion and soiling effects on various materials as a function of height. For the determination of these effects, chemical analysis of the specimens was performed and basic parameters as the weight change, the layer thickness and the optical properties were calculated. Finally, the results obtained are discussed and their plausible interpretation is attempted.


The European Ombudsman was established by the Maastricht Treaty to deal with complaints about maladministration by the institutions and bodies of the European Community. First ombudsman was elected the first European Ombudsman in 1995. Office deals with grievances from citizens, companies, organisations and public authorities. Each dispute settled, each letter answered, each bill paid, each document released, each administrative reform made as a result of the Ombudsman's inquiries has meant one more satisfied citizen. Be it shorter deadlines for payment, wider access to documents or fairer procedures, the last seven years have seen positive changes in the way that the Community's administration is run. This improvement brings us closer to realising the fundamental right of every European citizen to good administration, as laid down in the Nice Charter. This guide highlights the Ombudsman's efforts in recent years to solve citizens' problems with the Community's administration. The European Ombudsman investigates complaints about maladministration by the institutions and bodies of the European Community. Maladministration occurs when a public body fails to act in accordance with a rule or principle, which is binding upon it. Any citizen of a Member State of the European Union or are living in a Member State, can complain to the Ombudsman. Businesses, associations or other bodies with a registered office in the Union can also complain. If an institution fails to do something it should have done, if it does it in the wrong way or if it does something it should not have done, there may be reason to complain to the Ombudsman. Some of the most common problems he deals with are unnecessary delay, refusal of information, discrimination and abuse of power. A complaint must be made within two years of the date when you got to know the facts on which your complaint is based and you must already have contacted the institution or body. The European Ombudsman examines complaints against the Community institutions and bodies. He cannot investigate complaints against national, regional or local authorities, even when the complaints are about Community law. The Ombudsman investigates complaints against: • The European Commission, • The Council of the European Union, • The European Parliament, • The Court of Auditors, • The Court of Justice (except in its judicial role), • The European Economic and Social Committee, • The Committee of the Regions, • The European Central Bank, • The European Investment Bank, • Europol, • Any other Community Body. When the Ombudsman tells the relevant institution about a complaint he has received, it can take steps to resolve the problem. This is called settled by the institution. If maladmin- istration is found and the case is not settled during the inquiry, the Ombudsman tries to find a friendly solution to satisfy you. If this fails, he can make a draft recommendation to the institution, calling on it to take the necessary steps to put the maladministration right. If the institution does not accept his recommendation, he can make a special report to the European Parliament. If a friendly solution is not possible and the maladministration cannot be put right, the Ombudsman can address a critical remark to the institution. If the European Ombudsman is not able to investigate the complaint – for example, if it concerns national, regional or local administrations in the Member States – he will do his best to advise you of another body that could help. This may be a national or regional ombudsman or committee on petitions. To set a good example of public service, the Ombudsman deals with complaints as quickly as possible. He aims to: 1. acknowledge the receipt of complaints within one week, 2. decide whether to open an inquiry within one month, 3. close inquiries within one year. Complaints can be written to the Ombudsman in any of the Treaty languages of the Union, setting out clearly the complainant, institution or body of the European Community and the grounds for complaint. Since the post was established in 1995, the Ombudsman has dealt with over 10 000 complaints. The matters raised have ranged from tax provisions to project funding and from competition law to sex discrimination. The problems that arise most frequently concern late payment, contractual disputes, arbitrary discrimination and lack of information. The following section gives an overview of the results the Ombudsman has achieved in his key areas of activity. The European Union has firmly committed itself to respecting fundamental rights. In December 2000, the Presidents of the Union's three main institutions – the Commission, the Parliament and the Council – proclaimed the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in Nice. This makes it clear for citizens what fundamental rights the EU institutions and bodies should respect. The Ombudsman has been active in ensuring that the charter is taken seriously by the institutions that proclaimed it. Constantly reminding them of the promises they made to European citizens, he applies pressure so that the institutions prove in practice that they respect the charter in their daily work.


We introduce a new approach for finding and fixing naming issues in source code. The method is based on a careful combination of unsupervised and supervised procedures: (i) unsupervised mining of patterns from Big Code that express common naming idioms. Program fragments violating such idioms indicates likely naming issues, and (ii) supervised learning of a classifier on a small labeled dataset which filters potential false positives from the violations. We implemented our method in a system called Namer and evaluated it on a large number of Python and Java programs. We demonstrate that Namer is effective in finding naming mistakes in real world repositories with high precision (∼70%). Perhaps surprisingly, we also show that existing deep learning methods are not practically effective and achieve low precision in finding naming issues (up to ∼16%). CCS Concepts: • Software and its engineering → Software defect analysis; • Theory of computation → Program analysis.


The intensity of the fluorescent radiation from the red wing of the Na D-lines perturbed by rare-gas atoms has been measured as a function of temperature and rare-gas density. These observations were then combined with a quasistatic analysis to determine the potential well depths and the emission peak wavelengths for ${\rm Na(3P)He}\sb2,$ ${\rm Na(3P)Ar}\sb2,$ ${\rm Na(3P)Kr}\sb2,$ and ${\rm Na(3P)Ar}\sb3$ molecules. The following results were obtained: for ${\rm Na\sp\* He}\sb2,$ ${\rm D = 820(110)\ cm}\sp{-1},$ $\lambda = 8400$ A; for ${\rm Na\sp\* Ar}\sb2,$ ${\rm D = 1100(150)\ cm}\sp{-1},$ $\lambda = 7200$ A; for ${\rm Na\sp\* Kr}\sb2,$ ${\rm D = 1355(180)\ cm}\sp{-1},$ $\lambda = 7400$ A; and for ${\rm Na\sp\* Ar}\sb3,$ ${\rm D = 1595(300)\ cm}\sp{-1},$ $\lambda = 8600$ A. These results are consistent with a simple model of the alkali-rare-gas molecules in which the depth of the potential energy well of a given molecule can be accurately represented as the sum of well depths of the individual alkali-rare-gas pairs.


BACKGROUND
The helpfulness of bedside assessment of gastric residual volume in the prediction of aspiration has been questioned, as has the volume that signals increased risk of aspiration.

OBJECTIVE
To describe the association between gastric residual volumes and aspiration of gastric contents.

METHODS
In a prospective study of 206 critically ill patients receiving gastric tube feedings for 3 consecutive days, gastric residual volumes were measured with 60-mL syringes every 4 hours. Measured volumes were categorized into 3 overlapping groups: at least 150 mL, at least 200 mL, and at least 250 mL. Patients were categorized as frequent aspirators if 40% or more of their tracheal secretions were positive for pepsin and as infrequent aspirators if less than 40% of their secretions were positive for pepsin. Gastric residual volumes were compared between the 2 aspiration groups.

RESULTS
Approximately 39% of the 206 patients had 1 or more gastric residual volumes of at least 150 mL, 27% had 1 or more volumes of at least 200 mL, and 17% had 1 or more volumes of at least 250 mL. Large-bore tubes identified most of the high volumes. Eighty-nine patients were frequent aspirators. Volumes less than 150 mL were common in both aspiration groups. However, the frequent aspirators had a significantly greater frequency of 2 or more volumes of at least 200 mL and 1 or more volumes of at least 250 mL.

CONCLUSIONS
No consistent relationship was found between aspiration and gastric residual volumes. Although aspiration occurs without high gastric residual volumes, it occurs significantly more often when volumes are high.


Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between individual investors' level of sophistication and their expectations of risk and return in the stock market.

Design/methodology/approach
The author combines survey and registry data on individual investors in Sweden to obtain 11 sophistication proxies that previous research has related to individuals' financial decisions. These proxies are related to a survey measure regarding individual investors' expectations of risk and return in an index fund using linear regressions.

Findings
The findings in this paper indicate that sophisticated investors have lower risk and higher return expectations that are closer to objective measures than those of less-sophisticated investors.

Originality/value
These results are important, since they enhance the understanding of the underlying mechanisms through which sophistication can influence financial decisions.


Syndicated loans are a common debt financing format for large corporations in general. For those situated in Germany—with its bank-based financial system—such loans play a vital role. Given the multibillion volumes raised annually, the pricing of syndicated loans is economically significant, with its levels, structure, and determination having attracted the interest of researchers around the world.
A critical review of the existing worldwide literature of syndicated loan pricing revealed notable gaps, including an almost complete absence of studies on the German corporate market. The overall research aim was to address this gap by exploring and analysing the "hidden drivers" of banks' pricing of syndicated loans to German corporate borrowers, thereby developing an enriched understanding of the elements and determinants of pricing and its underlying processes and decisions.
Adopting a pragmatist research paradigm, I chose a sequential mixed-methods approach, with a limited quantitative analysis preceding an extensive qualitative study. The first stage of the research was designed to evaluate the availability of reliable quantitative pricing data in the public domain—this being the main data source for the clear majority of extant studies. I found the availability and quality of pricing data for the German corporate market to be extremely limited, particularly in comparison to that available relating to the U.S. market. There was clearly much that remained unexplained; hence, primary research was required to illuminate syndicated loan pricing and the decision processes that contribute to it.
The main element of the qualitative study was a series of semi-structured, in-depth interviews with a sample of bank lending professionals and key informants. The purpose of these interviews was to explore the complex realities of syndicated lending through the eyes and experiences of the people involved and to interpret the socially constructed phenomena surrounding the pricing of German corporate syndicated loans.
The study succeeded in revealing and substantiating important and to date hidden phenomena concerning numerous dimensions of syndicated lending in general and pricing in particular. An explanation was developed for the relative opacity of the German corporate syndicated loan market. The study enabled significant enhancements to the understanding of the concept of pricing and its complex and interwoven elements. More broadly, a new and richer perspective was developed of syndicated lending as a behavioural phenomenon, involving a complex interplay of relationships and strategies, and involving individuals and departments within banks, between banks as members of the syndicate, and between lenders and borrowers. The insights gained informed the development of a comprehensive model of the pricing elements of syndicated lending and their determinants.
This research is the first to conduct and produce an in-depth study of the internal workings of syndicated corporate lending in the German market and a study that does not rely on secondary data that are at best incomplete. It has resulted in many rich and original insights and a conceptualisation of syndicated lending that differs radically from the classical understanding of lender-borrower relationships as founded on theories of asymmetric information. The research presented here, therefore, makes significant contributions to the literature, in helping to close notable gaps in the banking and financial intermediation literature.


"The first 30 pages of theis typewritten book are generally useful as a timely, concise, well-documented statement of energy sources and expected energy usage in the U.S. to the year 2000. The rest of the book... deals with the use of solar energy through photovoltaic conversion. The principles of energy band structure of solids, the state of the art in photovoltaic conversion, economic considerations, and business opportunities are each discussed; extensive references and a bibliography are provided."-- AAAS Science Books & Films


The antitrust laws constitute the foundation and fundamental strength of the U.S. democratic free enterprise system. Competition enhances both the democratic and economic opportunities, including in the healthcare markets. Although healthcare markets have significant market imperfections, a competitive system is more appropriate for the healthcare markets because it delivers choice among alternatives that regulation does not. Thus, the question to ask in the healthcare system is what can be done to make competition work better. TOWARDS A COMPETITIVE HEALTH CARE


In "Overseers of the Poor," John Gilliom confronts the everyday politics of surveillance by exploring the worlds and words of those who know it best-the watched. Arguing that the current public conversation about surveillance and privacy rights is rife with political and conceptual failings, Gilliom goes beyond the critics and analysts to add fresh voices, insights, and perspectives. This powerful book lets us in on the conversations of low-income mothers from Appalachian Ohio as they talk about the welfare bureaucracy and its remarkably advanced surveillance system. In their struggle to care for their families, these women are monitored and assessed through a vast network of supercomputers, caseworkers, fraud control agents, and even grocers and neighbors. In-depth interviews show that these women focus less on the right to privacy than on a critique of surveillance that lays bare the personal and political conflicts with which they live. And, while they have little interest in conventional forms of politics, we see widespread patterns of everyday resistance as they subvert the surveillance regime when they feel it prevents them from being good parents. Ultimately, "Overseers of the Poor" demonstrates the need to reconceive not just our understanding of the surveillance-privacy debate but also the broader realms of language, participation, and the politics of rights. We all know that our lives are being watched more than ever before. As we struggle to understand and confront this new order, Gilliom argues, we need to spend less time talking about privacy rights, legislatures, and courts of law and more time talking about power, domination, and the ongoing struggles of everyday people.


Using data from several sources, we show that households nearing retirement have lower rates of housing distress than younger households, as measured by arrears and foreclosure rates. However, almost all of the housing wealth gains observed for cohorts aged 51-56 between 1992 and 2004 were erased by 2010, while their mortgages have grown throughout. As a consequence, their loan-to-value ratios are considerably higher, though the percentage paying more than 30 percent of their household income toward their mortgage remains flat. Worrisomely, their financial wealth also declined between 2004 and 2010. Declines in house prices will adversely affect households that need to liquidate housing wealth, and rising mortgage obligations will increase pressure on retirement resources. We develop an econometric model to show factors associated with housing distress and then use the results to forecast housing distress among older households through 2012. We project that the risk of arrears will increase to 3.4 percent in 2010 and 4.4 percent by 2012. We also find that 6.7 percent of HRS households have children or other relatives who are facing housing distress, potentially putting further pressure on their retirement preparedness.


The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally altered the pedagogical approach to education at every level of training, including at the undergraduate level and graduate or professional level. These unprecedented times have tested academic resilience, agility, creativity, and adaptability in all aspects, including inventive alternative teaching methods. With an increasing reliance on virtual instruction, self-directed learning, and hybrid models of instruction, certain approaches of hands-on training, practice-based learning, and evaluation have had to evolve.
 The University of Minnesota's Master of Medical Device Innovation students are typically immersed in clinical environments through physician shadowing in the operating room, evaluating unmet needs and untapped areas of potential innovation. Engineers who can immerse themselves in surgical education, shadowing, and frontline medical experience can better appreciate, recognize, and enhance current medical technologies and processes. With the OR case restrictions in the era of COVID-19, these learners were faced with limited clinical exposure and thus limited familiarity with the dynamics and processes of clinical practice. As such not only education, but the functioning of the entire industry is stunted. From an instructive perspective, this creates a challenge for students attempting to generate relevant and feasible practicum ideas, accurate prototypes, and offers fewer opportunities to develop these ideas alongside the experts and medical professionals - the target audience.
 Simulation education provides a means for students to engage with clinical practice in a meaningful way that bridges the gap between clinical exposure and virtual learning. A hands-on approach in which students were able to practice fundamental surgical skills of suturing, knot-tying, and the basics of laparoscopy.
 Learners were offered three didactic workshop sessions that introduced these skills and then were given opportunities to perform with supervision from expert educators. Low-cost, low-fidelity models of pertinent anatomy and physiology provided students an immersive experience that allowed them to develop a deeper understanding of interventional skills. Three two hour-long sessions of guided skills practice on low-cost simulators were attended by the 2022 Masters of Medical Device Innovation cohort and subjective measures of their understanding of the fundamental concepts were evaluated.
 High-level findings of these workshops suggest that simulation education is an effective tool in advancing the baseline understanding of surgical principles as opposed to virtual instruction and may offer some further benefit, not possible even through clinical shadowing itself.


Detrital zircon U‐Pb data are routinely used to assess provenance in sedimentary systems. However, recent studies have suggested that zircon provenance interpretation may be biased by grain‐size‐dependent selective transport and deposition. In this study, we present zircon grain‐size and U‐Pb data from 11 sandstone and 11 mudstone samples from the late Paleozoic Eagle and Paradox basins to test whether apparent provenance changes between sandstone and mudstone samples can be explained by changes in zircon grain‐size alone. The Eagle and Paradox basins formed in association with the Ancestral Rocky Mountains (ARM). These basins provide an excellent system to test grain‐size/provenance relationships because they are filled with cyclic stratigraphy that records, via grain size and facies changes, flooding/exposure driven by interglacial/glacial cycles. These cycles are interpreted to have substantially altered sediment transport pathways and provenance of ARM‐related sedimentary rocks. Data presented here suggest that although zircon grain size does correlate to sample grain size in most samples, age spectra appear to be independent of grain size. As such, differences in age spectra between sandstone and mudstone samples appear to be the result of changes in relative inputs of two endmember sources: (1) grains eroded from adjacent basement‐cored ARM uplifts and (2) far‐traveled sediment sourced from outside the ARM system. The data presented in this study also provide a successful proof‐of‐concept test for a manual method of determining zircon grain size. This method is simple and straightforward and can be applied to any sample analyzed using the Chromium off‐line targeting software.


Sociology and anthropology are especially valuable in providing a critical understanding of the risk-related implications of modernity. There has, however, been relatively little discussion of the work of Mary Douglas within accounting although her pioneering writings in the area of risk have been highly influential. This paper uses Douglas' cultural theory of risk to provide an alternative perspective on the demise of Enron and Andersen. The failure at Enron is interpreted through the gridgroup model and analysed as a series of events that threaten to destabilize established cultures. Accounting is thus construed as an activity that exists on the margins of boundaries. There are two important conclusions drawn from the analysis. First, as the worldviews of both the individualist and hierarchical cultures became threatened by the ensuing crisis they collaborated to ensure their perpetuation. This also averted individuals from becoming susceptible to recruitment by subversive egalitarian groups. Second, the individualistic culture of Andersen shaped practices within the firm weakening its ability to act as a gatekeeper and therefore public accounting firms need to modify their cultures if they are to police the margins effectively.


A process vessel heating coil, consisting of several 3 ft diam turns, was supplied with steam at 400 psi and a temperature of 343 deg C (650 deg F). At bi-weekly intervals well water was introduced to effect rapid cooling of the contents. After about eight months, leakage developed from a circumferential crack on the underside of the uppermost turn. Shorter cracks were found at a similar location on the bottom turn, and further leakage occurred at pinhole perforations adjacent to the crack in the top turn and near to a butt-weld in the coil. Microscopic examination revealed that the cracks were predominantly of the intergranular variety. In addition, transgranular cracks were present. Material was an austenitic stainless steel of the type specified but the absence of columbium and titanium in significant amounts showed that it was not stabilized against intergranular carbide precipitation. The transgranular cracks indicated that failure was due partly to stress-corrosion. It was concluded that the chlorides provided the main corrodent for both the stress and intercrystalline-corrosion cracking.


The temperature and density profiles of protoplanetary discs depend crucially on the mass fraction of micrometre-sized dust grains and on their chemical composition. A larger abundance of micrometre-sized grains leads to an overall heating of the disc, so that the water ice line moves further away from the star. An increase in the water fraction inside the disc, maintaining a fixed dust abundance, increases the temperature in the icy regions of the disc and lowers the temperature in the inner regions. Discs with a larger silicate fraction have the opposite effect. Here we explore the consequence of the dust composition and abundance for the formation and migration of planets. We find that discs with low water content can only sustain outwards migration for planets up to 4 Earth masses, while outwards migration in discs with a larger water content persists up to 8 Earth masses in the late stages of the disc evolution. Icy planetary cores that do not reach run-away gas accretion can thus migrate to orbits close to the host star if the water abundance is low. Our results imply that hot and warm super-Earths found in exoplanet surveys could have formed beyond the ice line and thus contain a significant fraction in water. These water-rich super-Earths should orbit primarily around stars with a low oxygen abundance, where a low oxygen abundance is caused by either a low water-to-silicate ratio or by overall low metallicity.


If the state can legitimately criminalize only actions that cause or risk harm, and if it respects the fact that an actor who sets out to commit a crime can always change his mind until he takes the last step, we are apt to end up with a law of attempts in which an attempt is a crime only when the actor has taken the last step, or come very close to taking it. Our dominant theories of attempt, objectivism and subjectivism, do indeed end up with such a narrow law of attempts. In contrast to these theories, I suggest that an actor who chooses to form the intent to commit a crime, who chooses to resolve to commit that crime, and who chooses to take a step in furtherance of that intention is akin to a traitor. He has chosen to obey a self-made law antithetical to the law claiming his allegiance, and the state should in principle be permitted to punish him, as it should any traitor.


Individual differences in disgust sensitivity are associated with a range of judgments and attitudes related to the moral domain. Some perspectives suggest that the association between disgust sensitivity and moral judgments will be equally strong across all moral domains (i.e., purity, authority, loyalty, care, fairness, and liberty). Other perspectives predict that disgust sensitivity is primarily associated with judgments of specific moral domains (e.g., primarily purity). However, no study has systematically tested if disgust sensitivity is associated with moral judgments of the purity domain specifically, more generally to moral judgments of the binding moral domains, or to moral judgments of all of the moral domains equally. Across 5 studies (total N = 1,104), we find consistent evidence for the notion that disgust sensitivity relates more strongly to moral condemnation of purity-based transgressions (meta-analytic r = .40) than to moral condemnation of transgressions of any of the other domains (range meta-analytic rs: .07–.27). Our findings are in line with predictions from Moral Foundations Theory, which predicts that personality characteristics like disgust sensitivity make people more sensitive to a certain set of moral issues.


BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES
Insulin resistance (IR) and hypertension are common in overweight children, and the adipocyte-derived hormones resistin, adiponectin, and leptin may modulate IR and blood pressure (BP). Few data exist in children on dietary determinants of IR, BP, or leptin, and no data exist on dietary determinants of resistin and adiponectin. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate dietary determinants of IR, BP, resistin, adiponectin, and leptin concentrations, as well as the interrelationship among these variables, in normal and overweight children.

SUBJECTS/METHODS
In 6- to 14-year-old Swiss children (n=79), nutritional intake was assessed using two 24-hour-recalls and a one-day dietary record. Body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BF%), waist/hip ratio (W/H ratio), BP, glucose, insulin, resistin, adiponectin, and leptin were determined. IR was calculated using the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI).

RESULTS
BMI, BF%, and W/H ratio were significant predictors of leptin and insulin, QUICKI, and systolic BP, but not resistin or adiponectin. Of the overweight and obese children, 40% were diagnosed pre-hypertensive or hypertensive. Total energy, fat, saturated fat, and protein intakes were significant predictors of fasting insulin and QUICKI, and total fat, saturated fat, and monounsaturated fat intakes were significant predictors of systolic BP, independent of BMI standard deviation score (BMI-SDS) and age. There were no associations between these dietary factors and leptin, adiponectin, or resistin.

CONCLUSION
In children, dietary macronutrient composition is a predictor of IR and systolic BP, but not resistin, adiponectin, or leptin concentrations. Resistin and adiponectin concentrations are not correlated with IR or BP in this age range.


Effective change requires that we understand the way the current situation works and that we are clear about how we want the new one to be different. The University of Natal has maintained a position in the middle rank of comparative national research output statistics, with an upward trend evident in the mid 1990s and a downward trend that began in 1998 and continued to 2000. It was already accepted in 1999 that the downward trend had to be reversed in order for the University to remain competitive and continue to attract competent researchers and academics, and ways of doing this were explored by the University's Research Office. It became evident that any strategic changes envisaged by the University had to encompass a revised incentive system if the productivity of the researchers was to be positively affected. The first changes, which consisted of a complete revision of the original incentive system, were implemented in 1999. The University continued to monitor output and looked at additional ways of encouraging research. The research focused on strategic change and a theoretical model was recommended highlighting elements or levers for successful change and how they are dependent on each other. Reward strategies, the change agenda and incentives were examined. The case study was undertaken in order to understand the strategic changes initiated at the University and the study outlined the various incentives awarded to researchers to increase productivity. Information, essentially of a descriptive nature, was gathered from members of the University's Faculty Research Committee by means of a questionnaire. This research


Dr. Mansour reports the reception of research grants from Abbott Laboratories, Biosense Webster, Johnson & Johnson, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim, and SentreHeart. He is also a consultant for Abbott Laboratories, Biosense Webster, Johnson & Johnson, Boston Scientific, Janssen, Medtronic, Phillips, Novartis, and SentreHeart and reports an equity relationship with EPS Solutions. All aforementioned relationships are in the area of atrial fibrillation; Dr. Mansour additionally reports an equity relationship in the area of ventricular fibrillation with NewPace Ltd. Dear Reader,


This paper analyzes the relationship between malapportionment and electoral bases of support for Brazilian senators. The conventional wisdom asserts that malapportionment contributes to the "politics of backwardness" – that it facilitates clientelism and hinders issue-based campaigns, reducing electoral competition and producing geographically concentrated patterns of votes. Our study partially confirms, yet partially refutes this wisdom. Our research indicates that malapportionment affects the competitiveness of elections: senators from overrepresented states tend to dominate their key municipalities electorally, whereas senators from underrepresented states tend to share their core municipalities. In addition, overrepresentation reduces the likelihood that leftist candidates will be elected. These findings are consistent with the traditional understanding. However, contrary to the conventional wisdom, we find that senators from underrepresented states tend to exhibit geographically concentrated patterns of electoral bases, whereas those from overrepresented areas show much more scattered bases of support. Hence, our findings suggest that the relationship between malapportionment and elections may be more complex than commonly acknowledged.


The Hanford Site in southeastern Washington state is widely considered to be the most contaminated place in the Western Hemisphere. From 1944 to 1989, Hanford's primary mission was to produce plutonium for the United States' nuclear weapons program. In May 1989, the signing of the Tri-Party Agreement between the US Energy Department, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the Washington State Department of Ecology marked a shift in Hanford's mission, from plutonium production to the environmental cleanup of massive amounts of radioactive and chemical wastes. The Tri-Party Agreement laid out a 30-year cleanup plan, but things have not gone according to that plan, and the Hanford cleanup is now expected to take at least 70 years to complete. The author describes progress made during the first quarter-century of the cleanup, work yet to be done, and risks posed by the remaining wastes at Hanford. He explains why the cleanup is taking so long, costing so much, and may be headed for further litigation between two of the three signatories to the 25-year-old Tri-Party Agreement. The lessons of Hanford are that such a complex cleanup is extremely and unavoidably expensive, and that extending the cleanup over many decades increases the risk of a catastrophic event.


When fully established in mid-August, the western North Pacific summer monsoon (signified as WNPM) becomes as intense as, or even more dominant than, the Southeast Asian summer monsoon (abbreviated to SEAM). The boundary between the WNPM and SEAM appears to exist somewhere over the South China Sea where relatively dry weather persists with a climatological OLR exceeding 230 Wm −2 , in contrast to a much smaller value of less than 190 Wm −2 at updraft portions of the WNPM and SEAM. The major downdraft leg is located over the central North Pacific where the divergent Pacific High is capped by the convergent Tropical Upper Tropospheric Trough. This implies a dominant E-W vertical overturning which extends from about 110°E (South China Sea) to 140°W (central North Pacific), with active convection occurring over the key WNPM domain (10°-20°N, 130°-150°E) of the world's highest SST (in excess of 29°C). This E-W overturning along 10°-20°N is baroclinic in the vertical, i.e., upper-level westerlies overlying low-level easterlies eastward of 150°E, while there is a superposition of upper-level easterlies above low-level westerlies westward of that longitude. Presumably, the WNPM is driven by combined effects of zonal asymmetry in SST at 10° to 20°N, and E-W (continent-ocean) heat contrasts between about 20° and 30°N. Absence of a large land mass poleward of the WNPM domain relegates the contribution due to N-S differential heating to that of secondary importance. In contrast, the SEAM can be envisioned as a distinct meridional vertical overturning, primarily driven by N-S (continent-ocean) heat contrasts. The SEAM withdraws before early October due to commencement of continental cooling. The WNPM lives much longer because of the persistence of a high SST (>29°C) until the beginning of November.


We estimate the effect of exogenous federal expenditure cutbacks on state social service expenditures and on charitable donations. In the process, we also estimate tax and income effects and explore the impact of community environment and "need" variables. Data consist of a unique three-year panel of aggregate itemized giving by state and income class and government expenditures by state. Our results confirm the 'flypaper effect' of federal grants on state spending and show statistically significant but partial crowdout of charitable donations. The flypaper effects appears to dominate the crowdout of donations, so that federal grants are especially productive of overall social service expenditures. Finally, we find that the state's poverty rate is a particularly strong and positive determinant of charitable giving.


As the premier black institution of higher education, Howard University during the critical years 1933-1945 had attracted to its campus many outstanding African American scholars, educators, and students. These individuals came to constitute one of Americas most dynamic intellectual communities. During the years from 1933 to 1945, members of the Howard University community examined, evaluated, and expressed their approval or disapproval of U.S. involvement in international events that were rapidly unfolding. Through public pronouncements, the media, and individual activism, they advanced their views. In certain situations, there were even attempts to effect U.S. foreign policy. Historically, African American pronouncements affecting United States foreign policy had been severely curtailed, and foreign policy issues, until recent times, have traditionally been viewed as "off-limits" to non-whites. However, African Americans have spoken out in the area of foreign relations and have attempted to influence the di rection of U.S. foreign policy when it was perceived as affecting the lifestyle and existence of people of color. This essay identifies some of the major international issues during the Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) presidency that were evaluated, discussed, and debated at Howard, and what action, if any, was taken or initiated to affect the outcome of any U.S. policy or position. IMPERIALISM, THE ARMS RACE, AND INTERNATIONALISM Three general topics of interest examined at the university were "imperialism," "the arms race," and "internationalism." As the nations of the world moved toward armed conflict during the 1930s, individuals at Howard saw "imperialism and the arms race" as old evils leading mankind to destruction. Lyonel Florant, a Howard student activist and socialist, attended the first World Student Congress Against War and Fascism held in Brussels, Belgium, in December 1935. Florant and his supporters were able to force the adoption of resolutions against imperialism. (1) A powerful Howard voice critical of imperialism was President Mordecai Wyatt Johnson. During the 1939 opening university convocation, Dr. Johnson criticized the past record of systematic expropriation of the resources and manpower in Africa, India, and China by the major European powers. (2) He questioned the justification for continuing such practices and asserted that the moral imperatives of democracy and humanity demanded that the European powers give up their "exclusive control and manipulation" of these areas. (3) Also during the mid-1940s, some Howard students expressed support for the dissolution of the European colonial empires. Eighty students, seventy-six of whom were young women, responded to a survey conducted by the sociologist E. Franklin Frazier. Thirty-seven of seventy-six respondents favored the dissolution of the British empire; thirty-nine students felt that its continuation "was necessary for the maintenance of peace." (4) It is interesting to note that twenty-three students "had no opini on" on African colonies, but the majority felt they should be granted "independence after a period of preparation." (5) Seventy percent of the respondents felt India "should be given her freedom," while a few believed a period of preparation "might be necessary." (6) The escalation of the "arms race" was criticized by both President Johnson and Rev. Francis J. Grimke, a former Howard trustee. Rev. Grimke decried the military crassness prevalent in the world during a 1935 address at the Fifteenth Street Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC. Rev. Grimke warned his audience that permanent world peace would remain unachievable until the "greed for gain and lust for power" were eradicated. (7) Echoing similar sentiments in a 1940 address at the Riverside Church in New York City, Dr. Johnson insisted that a conscious increase in military power, be it armaments or armies, couldn't "insure democracy at home or abroad. …


An important part of our daily lives is characterized with helping interactions, which not only take place in interpersonal context but also in intergroup context. Helping interactions in intergroup context typically occur in which people belonging to certain social category (ingroup) are willing to help others belonging to different social category (outgroup).This research aims to examine, firstly, how outgroup helping and empathy are affected by outgroup status and perspective-taking. Secondly, this research is to test the role of empathy in mediating the effect of outgroup status and perspective-taking on outgroup helping. The results are in line with all hypotheses specified in demonstrating that both lower outgroup status than higher outgroup status and strong perspective-taking than weak perspective-taking elicited higher degree of empathy and outgroup helping. We also predicted and found that empathy mediated the effect of outgroup status and perspective-taking on outgroup helping. Theoretical and practical implications of these research findings are discussed.


The employment of people with disabilities has received significant attention, but little is known about how unions affect their employment experiences. To address this, we analyze monthly U.S. Current Population Survey (CPS) data from 2009 through 2017 and find that the unionization rate declined more rapidly among employees with disabilities. The results are not due to demographic or occupational factors, but to the lower rate at which people with disabilities are hired into unionized jobs. This lower hiring rate more than offsets the greater job retention of unionized workers with disabilities. Given that employers generally control hiring, it appears they are particularly reluctant to hire people with disabilities into jobs with union protections. Overall, in the union context, workers with disabilities appear more likely to be "last hired," but less likely to be "first fired." We also find that a union wage premium of 29.8% for workers with disabilities is greater than the 23.9% premium for workers without disabilities. There remains a pay gap of -5.7% between union workers with and without disabilities, compared to a -10.1% pay gap between non-union workers with and without disabilities. Exploratory data reveal that both union coverage and disability status increase the likelihood of requesting accommodations, supporting the voice model of unions. Overall the results indicate that while unions appear to help workers with disabilities in the U.S., unionized positions are becoming less available to workers with disabilities.


Obesity leads to fibrosis-mediated stiffness of mammary adipose tissue that promotes breast tumor malignancy. One of the many risk factors for cancer is obesity—but why? Seo et al. examined the cellular, structural, and molecular changes that happen in breast tissue in obese animals and people. They found that obesity induces fibrotic remodeling of the mammary fat pad, leading to changes in extracellular matrix (ECM) mechanical properties, via myofibroblasts and adipose stem cells (ASCs), regardless of ovary function. Through altered mechanotransduction, ECM from obese mice promoted human breast cancer cell growth, as well as the growth of premalignant breast cells (those that have yet to become cancerous). Tissues from obese patients revealed more severe fibrotic remodeling around tumors and higher levels of a key mechanosignaling component, YAP/TAZ, than their lean counterparts. The authors further demonstrated that caloric restriction in obese mice decreased fibrosis in mammary fat, suggesting a therapeutic angle for obesity-related cancers. By linking tumorigenesis to the behavior of fat cells and ECM mechanics, the authors point toward new drug targets for preventing cancer progression (see also Arendt and Kuperwasser). However, a cautionary tale also exists in the use of adipose tissue and cells for patients after mastectomy, as ASCs from obese individuals may have the capacity to promote breast cancer recurrence. B. R. Seo, P. Bhardwaj, S. Choi, J. Gonzalez, R. C. Andresen Eguiluz, K. Wang, S. Mohanan, P. G. Morris, B. Du, X. K. Zhou, L. T. Vahdat, A. Verma, O. Elemento, C. A. Hudis, R. M. Williams, D. Gourdon, A. J. Dannenberg, C. Fischbach, Obesity-dependent changes in interstitial ECM mechanics promote breast tumorigenesis. Sci. Transl. Med. 7, 301ra130 (2015). [Abstract] L. M. Arendt, C. Kuperwasser, Working stiff: How obesity boosts cancer risk. Sci. Transl. Med. 7, 301fs34 (2015). [Abstract]


INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to describe the natural history, the prognosis and the molecular analysis of a panel of cancer genes on a large series of patients with malignancy after augmentation enterocystoplasty (AE). METHODS: A multicenter nationwide retrospective study included 16 patients based on operative, oncologic and anatomopathological reports. 11 tumor samples were analyzed using an amplicon-based Next Generation Sequencing assay specifically dedicated to the detection of clinically actionable somatic alterations of 21 relevant cancer genes. RESULTS: AE were performed for congenital neurogenic bladders (50%) and bladder exstrophies (25%) mainly. The average age at AE was 16.5-years-old. Ileum (44%), stomach (31%), colon (19%) and ileo-colon (6%) were used for AE. The mean latency period was 20 years (5-45). Clinical manifestations, mainly hematuria, were the main circumstance of diagnosis (88%). Three patients underwent systematic endoscopy but only one was diagnosed this way. Histology showed adenocarcinomas (44%), urothelial-cell (31%), squamous-cell (19%) and undifferentiated (6%) carcinomas. 80% of gastrocystoplasties led to adenocarcinomas while urothelial-cell carcinoma was typically found after colocystoplasties. Malignancies were mainly on the bowel segment (56%) and the native bladder (43%). 75% of patients presented with an advanced stage of the disease (lymph nodes involvement: n=9 and/or distant metastasis: n=7). Urinary tract infections were statistically associated with initial metastatic status (p=0,02) but lithiasis, intermittent catheterism, immunosuppression and tumor localization were not. The 1-year overall survival rate was 50%. Only 3 patients are disease-free with a median follow-up of 70 months (10-89). Over half of analyzable samples (n=5/9) harbored missense mutations in known oncodriver genes. Two samples exhibited mutations in KIT and PDGFRA and one sample in KRAS hotspot. Two samples showed an alteration in the exon 3 of CTNNB1. One tumor that harbored a CTNNB1 mutation, also exhibits a concomitant ERBB4 alteration. CONCLUSIONS: Malignancy after AE is lately diagnosed with frequent metastases and a very low 1-year survival rate. Systematic endoscopy is not widely used and its efficiency may be limited. We report for the first time in these tumors mutations of cancer genes for witch target therapies are available or under development. Source of Funding: none


Power grids form the central critical infrastructure in all developed economies. Disruptions of power supply can cause major effects on the economy and the livelihood of citizens. At the same time, power grids are being targeted by sophisticated cyber attacks. To counter these threats, we propose a domain-specific language and a repository to represent power grids and related IT components that control the power grid. We apply our tool to a standard example used in the literature to assess its expressiveness.


China Rising: Power and Motivation in Chinese Foreign Policy, edited by Yong Deng and Fei-ling Wang. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2005. viii + 349 pp. US$82.00 (hardcover), US$34.95 (paperback). This edited volume seeks to study various factors bearing on the motivational structure of China's foreign policy. Fei-ling Wang's chapter defines this motivational structure as consisting of three Ps: (political) preservation, prosperity and power/prestige, of which political preservation is the most important. However, to use regime survival and political and social insecurity to interpret China's diplomatic behavior is becoming increasingly out of touch with reality. Many of China's recent diplomatic initiatives are better explained by other considerations. In the following chapter Yong Deng argues that "international status" more than power is the "most desirable value" in the Chinese foreign policy discourse. He thus challenges the general realist theme that "what money is to economics, power is to international relations". He notes that status politics does not have to be a zero-sum game. China's reconfigured status conception puts emphasis on foreign acceptance and this aspiration can be molded and fulfilled without threatening the interest of the United States. Peter Hays Gries sees bottom-up popular pressure as playing an increasingly central role in Chinese foreign policy. Chinese nationalism can therefore no longer be described as a purely "state" or "official" affair. However, the conventional wisdom of Western policy makers considers nationalism in an authoritarian state like China as a top-down product. Gries warns that this is "at their own peril". In the next chapter, Thomas Moor points out that globalization is an increasingly salient context for understanding Chinese foreign policy, and attempts to show that China has preference for advancing its interests through deepening the economic and security interdependence of the existing international system. He argues that, by most measures, China is not following the classical balancing strategy against the United States as expected by traditional great-power theories. Economic globalization provides the means by which China can pursue an alternative strategy for coping with the US hegemony. This raises the possibility that China's leaders may have begun to pursue a fundamentally different approach to great-power politics, one that improves prospects for peaceful change in the international system. …


Schools are one of the largest institutions that perpetuate and maintain the racial and class hierarchy that exists within society (Borman & Dowling, 2010; Borman, Hewes, Overman, & Brown, 2003). School tracking, the division of students into different classes based on perceived ability, is a significant mechanism for stratifying Black and low-income youth into lower academic tracks (Braddock & Slavin, 1992). Considerable research has demonstrated that the overrepresentation of Blacks and low-income youth in lower-academic courses narrows their preparation for future career and schooling opportunities (Oakes, 1986; Tyson, 2013). However, there is limited research that has investigated how Black youth perceive tracking practices and how these perceptions influence the construction of their future orientation. Furthermore, the high representation of Whiteness in high ability courses and the overrepresentation of Blacks in lower-academic courses may influence Black youth ideas about their own and other racial groups impacting their racial identity formation. In efforts to reduce the risk of conflating race and class on Black youth developmental outcomes, this study disentangles race and class by including Black youth from diverse economic and social class positions (Cabrera, 2013). Using a mixed method design, this study investigated Black youth perceptions of tracking practices and how these practices associated with their racial identity and future orientation. In addition, the current study explored the ways economic and social position distinctly associated with Black youth's racial identity and future orientation. It was found that youth's perceptions of tracking were significantly associated with their school stratification position, racial identity, and future orientation in different ways. In addition, it was found that economic and social position did associate in distinct ways with Black youth school tracking placement, racial identity, and future orientation.


The facility product and process model created during design and planning evolves over the life-cycle of a facility project, fiom planning and design, construction, operation and maintenance, to renovatio/demolition. Integration of product and process models is required to represent process knowledge associated with product information so that richer semantics can be provided, and consistency and integrity of project information can be improved. This paper presents a conceptual data model for integrating a building product model with a process model. Product and process information during the construction phase is the main focus of this paper. The construction stage plays an important role in high quality information management for a project, because it is an intermediate stage between the design phase, and operation and maintenance. Complete as-built information and lessons learned which are captured during construction and associated with design components can contribute significantly to those involved throughout the life-cycle of a fhcility project. Current research efforts focus on information management based on multiple points of view and the management of changes and updates to integrate product and process information during construction. A grouping mechanism was adapted fiom previous research performed at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Construction Engineering Research Laboratories (USACERL) to associate a building product model with the process model at the lowest level. This grouping mechanism allows a user to group components according to the work zone, bid packages, and then relate the group to activities. Based on the conceptual model, a prototype system was developed by using relational database management system (RDBMS). This paper presents the conceptual model, prototype system, and outlines our fiture research plan to integrate product and process information using an object-oriented paradigm.


An important development in personal lines of insurance in the United States is the use of credit history data for insurance risk classification to predict losses. This research presents the results of collaboration with industry conducted by a university at the request of its state legislature. The purpose was to see the viability and validity of the use of credit scoring to predict insurance losses given its controversial nature and criticism as redundant of other predictive variables currently used. Working with industry and government, this study analyzed more than 175,000 policyholders' information for the relationship between credit score and claims. Credit scores were significantly related to incurred losses, evidencing both statistical and practical significance. We investigate whether the revealed relationship between credit score and incurred losses was explainable by overlap with existing underwriting variables or whether the credit score adds new information about losses not contained in existing underwriting variables. The results show that credit scores contain significant information not already incorporated into other traditional rating variables (e.g., age, sex, driving history). We discuss how sensation seeking and self-control theory provide a partial explanation of why credit scoring works (the psycho-social perspective). This article also presents an overview of biological and chemical correlates of risk taking that helps explain why knowing risk-taking behavior in one realm (e.g., risky financial behavior and poor credit history) transits to predicting risk-taking behavior in other realms (e.g., automobile insurance incurred losses). Additional research is needed to advance new nontraditional loss prediction variables from social media consumer information to using information provided by technological advances. The evolving and dynamic nature of the insurance marketplace makes it imperative that professionals continue to evolve predictive variables and for academics to assist with understanding the whys of the relationships through theory development.


A new hydrozoan species, Sarsia marii , is described by using morphological and molecular characters. Both morphological and 16S rDNA data place the new species together with other Sarsia species near the base of a clade that developed, walking tentacles in the medusa stage. The molecular data also suggest that the family Cladonematidae ( Cladonema, Eleutheria, Staurocladia ) is monophyletic. The taxonomic embedding of Sarsia marii n. sp. demonstrates the usefulness of 16S rDNA sequences for reconstructing phylogenetic relationships in Hydrozoa.


Objective: Colon cancer is the second most common cause of cancer mortality. Ovarian cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy cause of death in women. A labeled monoclonal antibody attaches to a tumor-asso ciated antigen and allows these tumor masses to be imaged or treated, depending on the radionuclide used. lndium-111 satumomab pendetide was the first labeled monoclonal an tibody to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for tumor imaging. It is reactive with most colorectal and ovarian cancers, as well as other cancers. After reading this article, the technologist will understand the FDA approval process, phase trial results, safety and adverse reactions, human antimurine antibody response, indications, imaging protocol, and strengths and weak nesses of imaging with satumomab pendetide. Representa tive cases are presented.


TAKE 7 is a study pack and accompanying DVD designed to build a practical and theoretical understanding of screen dance. It provides a comprehensive, insightful information, guidance and direction and suggestions for study in relationship to the seven film featured on the DVD. The study pack is aimed at students and teachers who wish to know more about screen dance. The pack draws on the diversity of the film collection to examine issues of screen dance history, the screen body, dance and film languages, narrative, location, treatments, sound and music and editing. The seven dance films are diverse and challenge the audience to deepen their understanding of this art form. The films were either BBC/Arts Council or South East Dance/Lighthouse commissions, and feature teams or constellations of director/choreographers: Birds David Hinton, Horseplay Alison Murray, Boy Rosemary Lee/Peter Anderson, Dust Mim King/Antony Atanasio, Outside In Margaret Williams/Victoria Marks, Lounge Miranda Pennell, Motion Control Liz Aggiss/Billy Cowie/David Anderson.


ABSTRACT Enterococcus faecalis, a member of the human gastrointestinal microbiota, is an opportunistic pathogen associated with hospital-acquired wound, bloodstream, and urinary tract infections. E. faecalis can subvert or evade immune-mediated clearance, although the mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, we examined E. faecalis-mediated subversion of macrophage activation. We observed that E. faecalis actively prevents NF-κB signaling in mouse RAW264.7 macrophages in the presence of Toll-like receptor agonists and during polymicrobial infection with Escherichia coli. E. faecalis and E. coli coinfection in a mouse model of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) resulted in a suppressed macrophage transcriptional response in the bladder compared to that with E. coli infection alone. Finally, we demonstrated that coinoculation of E. faecalis with a commensal strain of E. coli into catheterized bladders significantly augmented E. coli CAUTI. Taken together, these results support the hypothesis that E. faecalis suppression of NF-κB-driven responses in macrophages promotes polymicrobial CAUTI pathogenesis, especially during coinfection with less virulent or commensal E. coli strains.


A study on the changes in peel (colour, chlorophyll and carotenoid content, chlorophyll oxidase activity and chlorophyll derivatives) and pulp ripening characteristics (firmness, soluble solids concentration, titratable acidity and pH) of banana (Musa AAA 'William Cavendish') were conducted. Five mature green banana fingers per polystyrene tray were induced to ripen using 1000µl/L ethylene gas. Five banana fingers per tray were wrapped with a plastic cling-wrap film. The film was then injected with syringe to induced ripening against the fruits using 1000µl/L ethylene gas. Masking tape was then used to prevent the gas from moving out from the tray. The tray containing the banana fruits was then kept in a ripening chamber at 18±2 and 27±2 °C. After 24 hour, the film was removed and the fruit was allowed to continue ripening in respective temperatures until day five of ripening. The experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with a factorial arrangement of treatments (2 ripening temperatures x 6 ripening days) with five replications. Data from measurements of the peel (colour, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, chlorophyll oxidase activity and chlorophyll derivatives) and pulp ripening characteristics were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression were done using general linear model (GLM) (SAS Institute, Cary, N.C., 1989). Treatment differences were separated using Duncan multiple range test (DMRT). Correlation analysis by means of Pearson's correlation matrix was performed to establish the associations between each parameter.

The peel colour, chlorophyll and carotenoid content, chlorophyll oxidase activity and chlorophyll derivatives of Cavendish were affected by the interaction between ripening temperature x ripening day. The results of this study showed that the combination of high L* and C* with low ho value produced light-vivid-yellow colour in peel of Cavendish banana ripened at 18±2°C (CBR18). However, peel of Cavendish ripened at 27±2°C (CBR27) produced dark-pale-green colour as indicated by low L* and C* combined with high ho value. The study showed that about 70% of the total chlorophyll content (total chl) had disappeared when Cavendish banana was ripened at 18±2°C and the banana peel attained bright yellow colour. However, total chl of CBR27 decreased by 27% as ripening progressed. There was no significant difference in the content of peel α and β-carotene of CBR18 and CBR27 at different days of ripening. A steady increase in the peel lutein was noted at both ripening temperatures. The activity of chlorophyll oxidase (chlox) increased both linearly and quadratically as ripening progressed from ripening day zero to ripening day five in CBR18 peel. However, the peel chlox of CBR27 had a significant linear decrease (R2 = 0.96) as fruit ripened. Chlorophyllide a (chlide a) increased as chlorophyll a (chl a) decreased with degreening of CBR18 peel. Chlide a in CBR18 seems to be degraded to pheophorbide a (phb a) as indicated by increasing in phb a, which is subsequently converted to colourless low molecular weight compounds. The results of this study also showed that chl a-1 increased as Chl a decreased. Results also indicated that the peel total chl, chl a and chl b of CBR18 had a significant positive correlation with ho value. There was significant correlation between peel colour values (L*, C* and ho) and peel carotenoid (α-carotene, β-carotene and lutein) in CBR18. The ho value of CBR18 had no significant correlation (r2 = 0.05) with chlorophyll oxidase activity. The results showed that ho value of peel CBR27 had a significant positive correlation with total chl (r2 = 0.53), chl a (r2 = 0.53) and chl b (r2 = 0.73). The peel ho value of CBR27 also showed significant positive correlation with peel carotenoid (α-carotene, β-carotene and lutein). The ripening characteristics (firmness, soluble solids concentration, titratable acidity and pH) of Cavendish pulp were affected by the interaction between ripening temperature x ripening day (RD). The pulp of CBR27 tended to be softer and sweeter than CBR18 as ripening progressed from RD0 to RD5.


Methods for determining ARMA(n, m) filters from covariance and cepstral estimates are proposed. In [C. I. Byrnes, P. Enqvist, and A. Lindquist, SIAM J. Control Optim., 41 ( 2002), pp. 23-59], we have shown that an ARMA( n, n) model determines and is uniquely determined by a window r(0), r(1),..., r(n) of covariance lags and c(1), c(2),..., c(n) of cepstral lags. This unique model can be determined from a convex optimization problem which was shown to be the dual of a maximum entropy problem. In this paper, generalizations of this problem are analyzed. Problems with covariance lags r(0), r(1),..., r(n) and cepstral lags c(1), c(2),..., c(m) of different lengths are considered, and by considering different combinations of covariances, cepstral parameters, poles, and zeros, it is shown that only zeros and covariances give a parameterization that is consistent with generic data. However, the main contribution of this paper is a regularization of the optimization problems that is proposed in order to handle generic data. For the covariance and cepstral problem, if the data does not correspond to a system of desired order, solutions with zeros on the boundary occur and the cepstral coefficients are not interpolated exactly. In order to achieve strictly minimum phase filters for estimated covariance and cepstral data, a barrier-like term is introduced to the optimization problem. This term is chosen so that convexity is maintained and so that the unique solution will still interpolate the covariances but only approximate the cepstral lags. Furthermore, the solution will depend analytically on the covariance and cepstral data, which provides robustness, and the barrier term increases the entropy of the solution.


Do financial markets properly reflect leverage? Unlike Gomes and Schmid (2010) who examine this question with a structural approach (using long-term monthly stock characteristics), my paper examines it with a quasi-experimental approach (using short-term a discrete event). After a firm has declared a dividend (i.e., after the news release), but in the few days that precede the payment date, an investor in the traded equity owns a claim to the dividend cash plus the remaining firm equity within the corporate shell. After the payment date, the shell contains only the dividend-sans-cash firm equity. The empirical evidence confirms rational increases in volatilities but shows unexpected decreases in average returns. The best explanation is behavioral.


Under the legal framework of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), countries have great flexibility to unilaterally adopt environmental regulations that have effect within their territories only. However, the same discretion does not apply to measures that adversely affect imports or exports. An absence of clear guidelines on how to address some of the attendant issues poses challenges to the effectiveness of a trade-environment linkage. Not surprisingly, attempts to link the environment and trade have resulted in a number of jurisprudentially significant cases in which the WTO's Panel and Appellate Body have tried to address critical questions about the Organisation's capacity to address or manage legal or quasi-legal subjects falling outside the scope of its legal framework. In this regard the Panel and Appellate Body reports in the case of United States - Measures Affecting the Production and Sale of Clove Cigarettes (US-Clove Cigarettes) have re-ignited the debate on the Organisation's existential challenge of balancing the rights of the sovereign to freely regulate matters pertaining to health or the environment within its domestic domain with the need to maintain the sanctity of the multilateral trade order. This article demonstrates that in the US-Clove Cigarettes case the WTO Panel and Appellate Body, whilst managing to successfully defend the integrity of WTO Member States' treaty commitments and the overarching importance of trade liberalisation within the organisation's policy foundations even in the context of public health-related regulations, failed to provide any substantive affirmation of the development-related challenges facing developing countries that are part of the WTO family.


How oceanic crust evolves has important implications for understanding both subduction earthquake hazards and energy and mass exchange between the Earth's interior and the oceans. Although considerable work has been done characterizing the evolution of seismic layer 2A, there has been little analysis of the processes that affect layer 2B after formation. Here we present high‐resolution 2‐D tomographic models of seismic layer 2B along ∼300 km long multichannel seismic transects crossing the Endeavour, Northern Symmetric, and Cleft segments of the Juan de Fuca Ridge. These models show that seismic layer 2B evolves rapidly following a different course than layer 2A. The upper layer 2B velocities increase on average by 0.8 km/s and reach a generally constant velocity of 5.2 ± 0.3 km/s within the first 0.5 Myr after crustal formation. This suggests that the strongest impact on layer 2B evolution may be that of mineral precipitation due to "active" hydrothermal circulation centered about the ridge crest and driven by the heat from the axial magma chamber. Variations in upper layer 2B velocity with age at time scales ≥0.5 Ma show correlation about the ridge axis indicating that in the long term, crustal accretion processes affect both sides of the ridge axis in a similar way. Below the 0.5 Ma threshold, differences in 2B velocity are likely imprinted during crustal formation or early crustal evolution. Layer 2B velocities at propagator wakes (5.0 ± 0.2 km/s), where enhanced faulting and cracking are expected, and at areas that coincide with extensional or transtensional faulting are on average slightly slower than in normal mature upper layer 2B. Analysis of the layer 2B velocities from areas where the hydrothermal patterns are known shows that the locations of current and paleohydrothermal discharge and recharge zones are marked by reduced and increased upper layer 2B velocities, respectively. Additionally, the distance between present up‐flow and down‐flow zones is related to the amount of sediment cover because, as sediment cover increases and basement outcrops become covered, direct pathways from the igneous basement through the seafloor are cut off, forcing convective cells to find alternate paths.